Thank heavens for Bill de Blasio. In just a few short years as New York’s Mayor, he has turned its underwater finances around, eliminated racism, sexism, religious intolerance, and violent crime, and he has spearheaded a jobs-and-revenue initiative, the crown jewel of which was bringing Amazon’s second corporate HQ “home” to the city. Along the way, he’s divested the city pension funds from fossil fuels (I suspect this is code for “taxpayer bailout coming soon”), banned single-use plastic items in the food-service industry (are condoms next–what a complicated and ‘intersexional’ discussion that would be), and pledged to “divert” 90% of waste from landfills (“to where,” I ask myself–in years’ past the answer to a question like that has too often been: to my neighboring state of West Virginia) by 2030.
Best of all, he’s even met Greta Thunberg. (I remember this specifically, because it happened on my birthday, the day that de Blasio’s Department of Education allowed hundreds of thousands of city school children to skip school and “throw a wobbly” in the streets. As we all know, “climate change” was fixed as a result of this brave action, and we are all. Much. Better. Off. as a result.)
So, now all the easy and less important stuff is under control, and now he’s got all this spare time because even the 31% or so of the population that self-identifies with a (D) after their name (no word on their pronouns) wasn’t dumb enough to support his presidential effort, de Blasio can turn his laser-like sights to a more pressing and difficult issue: New Year’s Eve pizza scalping.
You see, it seems that Domino’s in Times Square brought out whole pizzas to people who ordered them and charged them–wait for it–thirty dollars for the privilege! Normally, these pizzas cost about $15 at the store, plus whatever tip a person is willing to cough up for the hard-working staff, or to the driver if they’re delivered.
Would I ever spend $30 for a Domino’s pizza? Prolly not. But then I wouldn’t be in Times Square on New Year’s Eve, either. (Full disclosure: I have been in Times Square during the Christmas season. But not on one of “The Days.” Spending my holidays in unfamiliar places with millions of strangers, many of whom are drunk, isn’t my bag.)
But, would I expect to pay more for something like a pizza, at a festive celebration, for the convenience and the fun of it? I totally would. And, in any case, I routinely buy a slice of pizza as a treat, from one of my favorite places, when I’m in the vicinity around lunchtime. It’s $4 a slice. There are 8 slices in a pizza. So, they’re getting, what, $32 each time they sell out the whole pie, right? And that’s not even at an airport, notorious for their sky-high prices. But no-one says a peep about any of that.
Just don’t try to sell pizza at slightly under that price, in New York, on New Year’s Eve, in Times Square, otherwise, you’ll have Hizzoner on your case!
All this got me to thinking about food (doesn’t take much), and pizza, which is one of my favorite things (you know, along with “raindrops on roses, warm woolen mittens” and my current well-behaved and continent set of whiskered kittys [it was not always thus]).
When you need a “pizza fix” (and not in the pricing sense), where do you go? Do you have a favorite chain? A delightful local pizzeria? Do you make your own? What are your favorite toppings? Thin crust? Thick crust? Deep dish? Square or round? Any particular regional style?
Recipes, suggestions, or unusual recommendations (just about pizza, I mean) are welcome.
Have at it, please.
PS: Don’t tell me if I made a teensy-weensy mistake in any of my statements in this post. I’m pretty sure everything I said is accurate, but you never know. Anyway, it’s “my truth.” Show it the respect it’s due, please.