Rusticatin' In The Suburbs

I am hanging out at the Marlboro Mesa for the next 10 days. My primary duty is taking care of Harley, who got left home when the family went up to Colorado, and has been lonely and needy since the baby was born and Billie died. I also get to bring over the cats. At the moment Willa is hiding under the guest bed because Harley wants to lick her like a lollipop. I hope Cain and Harley fare better.

I am embracing the suburbs in a big way. After all, there are all sorts of mod cons I don't have at home. In house washer and dryer! A clean grill! The pool! A big screen tv! With cable! (Although I can't find anything to watch and am incompetent at using it.) Easy shopping! My mom left me her car, so I can get Sonic, Indian food, Jersey Mike's and groceries. Oh, and go to work.

I did make a list of places to go and try out on this side of the Valley. I think even with my overtime work and the commute I'll have fun being out here. But I also want to do a thorough scrub and maybe a little rearranging at my apartment, since it's easier to do that when no one's home to knock over her basket of toys.

So Stinking Cute

moar funny pictures

Weekends At The Marlboro Mesa

Fall has come to Arizona. The high was only 85 today with clouds and the predictions are that it won't go over 95 for a week. Tonight it will drop to 70, and we had a brief non-monsoon rainstorm this evening. We even turned off the a/c and opened the windows.

Go ahead and laugh.

Last night we had a lot of fun. I made dal per Dusie's instructions, but because she was feeling diet conscious I only used 1 tablespoon olive oil as opposed to her unmeasured glub so it was a bit dry. Jesse X and his friend Iron Will went to the motorcycle shop and brought back beer and food and Brownie. Brownie is Iron Will's chocolate Lab and like all Labs she loves to swim and has a bit of OCD when she sees a ball. So we had Harley, Brownie, Lola and Holly out in the yard (Holly and Lola are dogs who are staying with us while their owner moves to her new place). Then we started throwing the balls into the pool and they'd swim for it and bring it back to us. The problem is Brownie is the only dog who knows fetch is a game and you have to bring the ball back--Harley and Holly (a yellow Lab) swim out and get the ball, but Holly drops it on the way back and loses it and Harley plays keep away and takes it to a corner of the yard. Lola doesn't swim, so she just ran around the pool. I was drenched. It was loads of fun.

Today I decided to try to go to Donut Central despite Jesse X's skeptical comment "You're going to the barrio to buy donuts?" I had a lot of trouble finding the barrio--I wound up at my new job, and then way far north of that neighborhood, when I wanted to be in South Phoenix. Yeah, I know--I have the directional sense of a bat with a head cold. But it was fun driving around. When I finally got there there was a sign on the door, "We are closed today because we sold out of donuts." They're open 4:30am-7pm, out until they sell out, I guess. It was 12:30 when I got there. Oh, well.

Then I spent the afternoon at Iron Will's cleaning. I made $45. So, a good day. Tomorrow I should go to church but it's pro-life day and I'm still freaked from having the video message from the bishop 2 weeks ago telling us to vote against the gay marriage. That was on top of a service where I felt I should keep explaining, "We don't do that in the Trenton Diocese."

Turns Out I Was A Vampire Myself, In The Devil Town

We have an official song of the Marlboro Mesa these days: Tony Lucca's version of Devil Town. You can hear most of it here. You can also watch the entire awesome first season of FNL on Hulu, including the end of the 2nd episode where the song plays over demonstrations of emotional vamping, the 2nd most important activity in Dillon, TX.

Dusie listens to tv all day as she does her eBay, and absorbed the song from the DirectTV commercials for FNL's third season. I have 3 (!) different versions of the song on iTunes. I say in my own defense, it's a really intriguing song and the Lucca version is only available on the tv show's soundtrack, which came out months after I'd first heard it. One has to pacify the obsessions some way.

The other night I was cleaning up after dinner, and Dusie came in to get some dessert and she was singing the song and I joined in on an attempt to harmonized. It reminded me so much of when we were little--none of us can really identify tune or key, but we spent a lot of time driving around and singing to Cats, Helen Reddy's Greatest Hits and The Highwaymen. And that's one of the warmest memories I have of growing up.

The Next Hot 'Hood

I was driving in East Mesa today when I passed a shopping center with a trifecta of Ohioness: Firestone Tires, JoAnn Fabrics and a Cici's Pizza. I got slightly excited and thought "Santa Fe Plaza, my ass! Maybe this is the fabled neighborhood of 'Little Akron!'"

Do You Believe In Magic? Or Sunscreen?

I used to think it was me. Why is it so easy for others to move through the world, trusting experts, accepting things? Well, it looks like the medical industry is again selling us a lie. Sigh.

But still, let's review more sunscreens! They're all equally effective on my pearly skin, and while the slight tan I've accumulated on my right arm highlights the scars, I do think the regular application of sunscreen has benefits. Proof will be if I ever need Mohs surgery.

Aveeno Active Naturals Continuous Protection Sunblock Spray SPF 45: There's a lot to like about spray on sunscreen. The smell is minimal, and it absorbs quicker and leaves less residue than other sunscreens. You also don't need to rub it in. The problem is you wind up overspraying yourself when the can is fresh, and wandering around naked until you dry off.It's easier to apply when the can is half empty. The other thing is that you get fewer applications out of a $9 can--it only lasts me about a week.

Murad Oil-Free Sunblock SPF 30: This was a Christmas gift from Genevieve. Dr. Murad has a whole line of skincare (ah, the things you learn reading Elle!), and this is an excellent daily wear sunscreen. The texture is very fine, like moisturizer, and absorption rate is about medium. It sits on your skin, but disappears at a reasonable rate. A slight powdery feeling remains on the skin but it's not unpleasant.

The lotion smells faintly of lemon, which might set up a craving. I recommend the Whole Foods lemon tart.

Zia Age Defying Solar Care Body SPF 30: I was so please to find this stashed under the sink. I thought I had lost it back in April, but no, my sister just moved it out of sight so I couldn't find it.

This is expensive crunchy granola sunscreen, but it is amazing. I first used it driving to NJ, when I noticed I was getting burned. One quick application and I was no longer burning. It takes effect very quickly. and I swear I cannot tell that I have it on at all.

Terribly expensive though--a 4 oz tube was about $13. This was originally a gift from Genevieve, but I had to sacrifice my original tube to the TSA ogres at Newark. It's worth it for its effectiveness. Points off for having no expiration date on the tube. The smell is the best, a little like pie crust. Oh, and the only place I've seen it is Wild Oats. Like I said, crunchy.

Yes, Genevieve is my sunscreen source. Along with beauty world connections, she also has Celtic/Slav skin. It takes one to know one.

Sometimes It Pays To Procrastinate

August 29th, sing-a-long "Mamma Mia!" launches. Please, the only reason to see the movie was the infectious singing of ABBA songs. This will just make it better. At the Marlboro Mesa, we have a lot of problems getting out of the house to see movies. Don't ask about the whole Pineapple Express near debacle. Aces and I have been thinking about going to see Mamma Mia! since it came out, but were at the point where she decided she might wait for video. And unfortunately Dusie hates musicals but loves Christine Baranski, so she was on board with that.

Now I'll have to go alone. I love to sing.

Don't Piss Off Miss Bridge And Tunnel

Chunky Pam's Dirrrty Jerzy video.

Special thanks to Aces and her boss for that video. We've got a little expatriate colony here on the Marlboro Mesa, and everyone misses different things. My sisters' long for decent Italian food and bagels. My list has jughandles, naked aggression, bagels, decent thin crust pizza and subs with vinegar.

I Love August, The Month Of Spectacle

The heat, job interviews and the hope of a monsoon aside, why I am I so excited?

The Olympics--Busby Berkeley spun in his grave with jealousy that he had never got his hands on 15,000 Chinese and a nearly limitless budget. I was impressed with the opening ceremonies both times I watched them, once woozy with sleep dep and the next day with a cocktail. I don't follow sports, but I enjoy the reminder that interesting weird sports exist like the competitive weightlifting and handball, and who can resist scandals about lip-synching, faked artwork, and draconian physical standards for hostesses? Plus that nasty censorship and suppression of democratic movements and human rights, and sweatshop slavery! Whoo hoo, China!

The Democratic and Republican Conventions--I don't belong to either party, and frankly when I was a wee little one was corrected by someone who said that no, we didn't live in a true democracy because and that was so much better Kerry, because we'd have to be voting all the time otherwise. And I distinctly remember thinking that was the dumbest thing I'd ever heard, trusting people to vote in your interests. Let's not even talk about my issues with compromise between two factions.

And I spent the last 2 Presidential races in Ohio. Ahem.

The best is yet to come. I'm talking about Burning Man: What! Kerry is a fan of Burning Man?

Oh, no. Burning Man is pretty much my idea of hell. I lack the planning ability to even begin to come up with a supply list for heading to this thing. Camping in the desert? Charges for leaving the area? Bartering? Drugs, alcohol and hookups galore? Art (I use the term loosely)?

Yeah, if you have issues trusting strangers, tend to be reserved, don't alter your consciousness, read fast, and like your art structured, Burning Man is not your scene.

But man, the news from last year really propped up my prejudice, what with the suicide and the Face Tattoes burning down the Man early, and Violet Blue's hilarious columns covering the phenomena.

I loves the crazy, even secondhand. There's one person who gets a free pass from me on attendance, but it is such a ridiculous situation overall I cannot begin to discuss it. My neighbors the performance artists went to Burning Man every year until 2007, when they hosted their own knockoff in rural Ohio. It was so sweet, the 3 weeks they'd be gone.

It's good times to be a newshound.

Technical Difficulties And Stuff

I'm having technical difficulties with my connection at the Marlboro Mesa, hence limited posts.

I also have a job interview on Friday morning. Any good vibes are appreciated.

No, I did not get the other job. I figured I didn't get it when the next week passed and I hadn't heard anything, and when my email to the HR contact was ignored. However, when the HR person says specifically that you will hear from her either way, it's pretty freaking tacky to get the final big "NO" when you log into the recruiting website.

My language would be much bluer if you did not read this blog, Aunt Mary Jane.

Better Check The Lakewood Housing Code

Aces sent this story to me with the question "Worse than the performance artists??"

And the answer is no. Let me explain. Only the person who has actually done so would think that buying a portapotty and installing it in the front yard is an acceptable solution to problem of large parties, not wanting family members in the house and dogs in the backyard. Perfectly logical, right? Gosh, I don't know how the Mesa housing code people overlooked this possibility and didn't write code against it.

The performance artists were masters of walking the fine line and making you wonder if it was really that bad and worth confronting them. Band practice? Okay, it was tuneless, but it was also early in the evening. Dead baby garden? Bad art, but free expression. Recycled Rainbow? Beyond stupid, but if it's not disrupting my life in my house, go on. Talking on the front porch? Even if you're an idiot, that's what it's for. The pot? It's Lakewood.

Setting off fireworks at 1am? That I called the cops about. And I was pissed and went over when they were showing a film against their garage with the soundtrack blaring. And I'm glad that one of the other neighbors busted them for the fires. Friends parking on my side of the drive? Yeah, no--park on the street, get out and hike, sugar.

I kinda miss the constant irritation though.

Verbal Tics Of The Phoenicians

In every conversation, a Phoenician mentions the weather. Note that I've only been here a few weeks, and pretty much think yes, it's hot but I kinda like it, surprisingly. And I'm from central New Jersey--look, when you can't go out side and walk 10 steps before being unable to breathe, then it's humid and hellish. And I've lived without air conditioning for 10 years, once in a 3rd floor apartment during a heatwave where it reached 100 degrees in the bedroom. Even in my house, the second story was over 90 degrees for at least a month of summer and it was tolerable. Not that I don't love a/c and think it makes this place livable. And the misters!

So the Phoenicians ask me where I'm from and then comment on how hot and humid it is, and then bust out "I just tell myself it beats shoveling snow!"

Yes, as someone who was shoveling snow as recently as March, and has been hit with 18 inches of snow on April 18th, I concur. It may be 98 degrees at 10pm, but if you can walk to the grocery it is pretty sweet.

And is it just me, or is Phoenix a really friendly town? Three times today I got involved in really nice, friendly conversations with people. Maybe they were all just bored, but even if people are bored in Cleveland, they won't talk to you. My god, it was like I was speaking Russian most of the time to get more than a grunt out of people. They also only want to discuss sports teams as their verbal tic, and I'd rather get asked where I'm from and is it hot enough for me?

Attack Of The "Fancy Food"

I'm not contributing economically to the Marlboro Mesa, but I do errands, housework, and some limited cooking. The limited cooking is because when my sister and I discussed the possibility of my taking over cooking, she dubbed my style of cooking "fancy food" and shuddered. Okay, so I don't like to make the same recipe twice. And I use a lot of spices. And I'm a sucker for exotic ingredients. But it's usually really good! I have references!

A couple of weeks ago, Dusie went on a business trip and I made this for Jesse X. When he came home and saw the platter, he told me, "This is definitely fancy food."

But it's not! It's incredibly simple and easy! And he and Aces both enjoyed it.

This recipe for Moroccan Stuffed Peppers was the original inspiration, but as I read the recipe and review, I remembered that when I made this I was a little disappointed--I don't like mint, and the chutney made it too sweet. I liked the fact that the peppers stayed pretty crisp though, and the feta. So here's my version. The nice thing is that you can modify this to be WW compliant, or gluten-free, or whatever diet or taste issues you need to accommodate. And it's very quick and easy. I'd have put raisins in, but Dusie does not like them.

Kerry's Moroccan Stuffed Peppers

4 red peppers
1 tsp olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
1 box couscous
1 can chickpeas
vegetable broth
1/4 cup diced onion
1 tb cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp tumeric
feta cheese
pistachios, or Planters Pistachio Lovers Nut Mix (contains pistachios, cashews and almonds)

Cut the red peppers in half, put on a microwavable plate and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave 5 minutes.

Heat olive oil and saute garlic and onion. Add spices and stir to coat. Add drained chickpeas. Add vegetable broth (as much as it says to use to make the couscous according to the broth). Bring to a boil, and add couscous. Remove from heat.

Drain red peppers. Arrange on plate. Fluff the couscous mix, and mound over the peppers and top with feta and chopped nuts.

For Super C, Who Craves Girl Talk

Last week I went shopping. That is a bathing suit--I tried Target but they had nothing in my size, and little that looked appealing. So I wound up at the Land's End section of Sears and it was painfully expensive. It's flattering and feels modest though, and Dusie pointed that a bathing suit is a necessity in Phoenix and when did I last buy a swimsuit?

She was right--and that pool is damn refreshing after running.

The purse ($15) and sweater ($10) are from Marshall's. I like both the color and weight of the sweater, although the style is not the most flattering--a little too baggy and jejune with the cap sleeves and low round neck. The purse is exactly what I wanted in size, capacity and leather texture, but I would have never gone for the green had it not been on a second red tag markdown.

As for the rest of things, I am hopped up on caffeine, country music and chocolate waiting to hear about the job.

Quick Notes

1) Dr. Horrible's Sing A Long Blog is the saddest thing ever.

2) I don't think I could ever bring myself to live at El Diablo Apartments. Satan is your landlord! He also owns the carwash across the street. Fearing a NYC real estate crash, he diversified his holdings and bought in Tempe!

You can never judge an apartment building by its name (the Wintergarden Apartments had no garden, and was particularly miserable in winter) but that's just a bad sign, that you've fallen so low you live in El Diablo Apartments. I live in Hell, and the lease is not month-to-month.

This is up there with what for a long time was the worst named business in Lakewood, a jewelry store called Craven Silver. Yes, "craven" sounds like a power sales word but it means "cowardly." Bad connotations.

3) Jesse X is a vegetarian, but he grills all the meat for the household. My steak was perfect though.

A Short Hiatus

Dear kind and gentle readers,

I need to remove blogging from my "To Do" list for a few days to get other things done, but I need some advice. Dusie finally explained the whole stockings dilemma in terms I could grasp last weekend. Her summary--it's very hot out here, and no one wears stockings from February-October. You only wear stockings with closed toe shoes anyway, so therefore you only wear closed toe shoes during those months. The rest of the time you wear open toe shoes and get a pedicure. I know these Laws of Girl seem simple, but they were beyond me for a while--it was the open toe shoes being okay part that I had not fully grasped. (It was also a much funnier conversation in real time, as I was genuinely confused and she was incredulous, and it took place in the dressing room at Ann Taylor).

So considering I put some fake tanning lotion on my poor pale legs, will get a pedicure, will be wearing a knee length skirt as part of my suit, and I'm interviewing at a public library--it's okay to go without stockings, right?

Still not believing it,

Kerry

Beat Boredom At The Marlboro Mesa

So aside from golf or cricket, there are other games one can play out here on the Marlboro Mesa. And you don't even have to involve the dogs. Dusie's favorite is Mormon Punchbuggy.

How you play: Drive around on your normal daily errands. When you spot a pair of Mormon missionaries yell "Mormons!" and lightly punch the person next to you. You can always spot the Mormon missionaries--a pair of young men clothed in dark pants, a white shirt and a dark tie, often riding bikes with matching black bike helmets.

They often eat at the Sonic on Country Club, which is where I saw them today.

Mesa was actually founded by Mormons and is LDS central in the Phoenix area. Dusie is appreciative of their presence. "You can always tell who they are--the kids are so well-behaved. In a restaurant, the crayons come out, if there's any fussing a parent takes the kid outside...it's so refreshing. If I were going to have kids I'd have to go Mormon just to get my hands on the parenting classes."

Down Where The Drunkards Roll

I love my family, but my word. I average about 1 drink a month, with all sorts of rules. No drinking in the middle of the day. No drinking away bad feelings. No drinking alone. No drinking in bars alone (yes, I saw The Accused at an early age). Stay away from drunk people. I'm wired for problems, so this is how I protect myself. I also don't like beer or most wine, and only care for mixed drinks and cider. So keeping my tastes expensive and hard to fulfill is another good way to keep myself sober.

Oh, except that I have the same emotional difficulties drinking usually covers up but I use other behaviors that don't necessarily raise a red flag--the eating, the impulsive buying, burying my head in reading, isolation, obsessions, paralysis.

It's shitty being high-functioning. I kind of wish I could just develop a drinking problem because people notice that and it has a set path of treatment. But no, I don't like the simple, do I? I like the long cut.

Oh, well.

First it was the $8 a bottle Whole Foods sangria my mom and I discovered. In the 3 weeks I was in NJ, we polished off 3 bottles together. It's really good--I have fond memories of sangria from my teen years when my parents had a 70's revival and started making sangria and would let us have some. Sangria=wine and fruit salad. How can you resist?

Now Dusie has taken up drinking again--she gave it up 6 years ago when she quit smoking, but the current c&w songness of our lives has taken a bit of a toll. That and the pool being green (it's now blue, and did not crack on my watch). The official drink of The Marlboro Mesa is Planter's Punch.

Dusie Makes Some Planter's Punch

Take a tumbler and put 3-4 ice cubes in it. Pour in a 1-2 fingers of Bacardi Coconut Rum. Top with orange juice. Float grenadine on top, and watch it sink and look all pretty like a sunset.

Voila! Perfect every time. She drinks these because she says it brings back fond memories of the epic gambling trip she and The Don took to Puerto Rico when she was 18, when he used her powers as a craps virgin for profit, and let her have a pre-dinner drink. She was such a lightweight she was stumbling on the sidewalk. Honestly, I think that it's sort of sweet. I'm a little envious.

If I had any reservations about Arizona being the promised land, they were allayed when I learned of the existence of the BevMo!. The BevMo! (the exclamation point is part of the name) is a liquor superstore, but better than any Spirits or Buy-Rite I've ever been in. First off, it's really big and bright and clean. I was awed by the selection, especially the rotating stand of 50 types of liquor, all in little airplane bottles and priced from $2-5. They had Pimm's! And Babycham! Who can resist "The Happiest Drink In The World?" And the artwork!



That's not all--they have a shopper's card. For every $250 you spend, you get 5% off your next purchase. Pitiful, I know, but a stroke of brilliance in my opinion.

I predict a fall, but it will be a fun tumble.

In Which I Answer Some Questions

Is it really hot, Kerry?

It's hot, I'll give you that. But it is like they say--the lack of humidity makes a difference. The sun's glare is bad, but heatwise it's like being enveloped in an electric heating pad or when you curl yourself under a down comforter during the cold of winter and just stay.

In central NJ as a teen it was hard for me to breathe for the entire month of August. Cleveland isn't as humid, but still there were times the air just clung to you. Here, you move slowly but you can move.

It's in the 80s until about 8 am, and it's really nice. The sun is weaker, the air temp is pleasant. And then it starts to climb but it's all good until it hits 100 degrees about noon. The early afternoon is brutal, but it's warmer but pleasant about 5:30 til the sunset at 7:30 pm. That's the key--if it were light out until 10 pm like in Ohio, you couldn't live here at all.

Did the lack of humidity make your hair straight?

No, I still have the Veronica Lake curls! But my hair is too long. I need to find a Supercuts and then experiment with at-home hair dyeing.

Did you buy a bathing suit yet?

No, I will cop to having Fat Girl's Modesty Dilemma on that issue. The pool is tempting. SuperC sent me a bunch of links to Land's End and I know where the Sears and Target are, but I just can't get myself into the space to either figure out what might be vaguely flattering or something I'd feel comfortable wearing and go buy it. Especially since what I'd feel most comfortable wearing is something like this:



Maybe the FLDS ladies would consider making me a swimsuit? Perhaps if I refer to it as a "bathing dress."

Are you wearing shorts?

Not at the moment, no. At the moment I am wearing the awesome linen skirt I bought at Target last year. Because skirts are 100% cooler than shorts, always.

But I do have 2 pairs of shorts, and I do wear them. Thanks, Mom!

Lost any weight yet?

Yeah, don't think so. I have been doing the morning workouts with Dusie and Jesse X though (more on that later).

What's up at your house?

My relator advised getting the cleaning ladies in. You know that after I broke my arm, all my mother's training fell away and I became a really huge slob, just like my dad in her opinion. Whatever. it turns out Dusie is neat but not a cleaner herself, so we manage fine. People have come to see the house though, which is good.

Oh, and the performance artists got busted on the fires! If you want the link to his incoherent rant about it, email me or mention it in the comments. It's hilarious, but I don't want the trackback trail to him. All I need is him getting on my case. Oh, and he flagrantly lies too. I have pictures to refute.

Why no pictures of AZ?

USPS stole my most valuable box. Among other things, it contains the cable that connects the digital camera to the computer. Supposedly it has arrived in Mesa. We shall see. I shall train my dog army to attack and avenge the loss of my crap otherwise.

When/if that shows up, I will post pictures of adorable cacti, dogs, misters, Mexican restaurants, 50's motels, the library, and whatever else captures my interest.

How's Cain doing?

You know, for a woman who doesn't hold with indoor pets, my mom seems awfully affectionate and fond of him. His nerves are a little jangled from the work she's having done on the house, but he runs and greets her every evening when she comes home and lets her brush him and gets in her face. He's lost weight, and is really playful.

She has informed me that yes, he would like a brother when I am settled.

How much water do you have to drink?

I try for 75 ounces a day, not including Happy Hour Cherry Limeades and other beverages. Aces told me I should aim for 100-125 ounces. I drink the tap water too, which boggles Dusie and Jesse X, but it doesn't taste bad.

What's the biggest difference/weirdest thing so far?

The tattoos. Seriously, it's like everyone out here gets a gift certificate entitling them to one free at the age of 18 or when they move here and register to vote. Some of them are really elaborate and beg to be admired as art, but I have already been admonished by Dusie to practice modesty of the eyes and stop staring. Granted, that time I was feeling friendly towards small children, but it was bad manners.

At least I told the girl at Pizzeria Bianco that she was gorgeous.

Any other questions? Ask in the comments!

Sisterly Bonding. And Pizza.

Last week Aces asked me over for dinner and a sleepover, an invitation I gladly accepted. She said she wanted to go to Pizzeria Bianco, but she warned me--it's the famous gourmet Phoenix pizza place, the one that's gotten national attention, and is famous for the 3 hour wait in the hot sun. I was undaunted. She picked me up after work and we dropped our stuff off at her cute single girl apartment downtown and walked over.

Aces said she wanted my opinion, that she's been a couple of times alone and sat at the bar. In her opinion, it was really good pizza, but she was uncertain how much a factor the heat, the pre-dinner drinks, and sheer hunger after the wait had affected her opinion. Oh, and the bar server made her feel bad for wanting 2 pizzas, which she sure as hell could put away, even if she is thin.

Pizzeria Bianco has a great location and a remarkably efficient setup for dealing with the crowd. They are right next to the AZ Science Center, the Arizona Doll & Toy Museum and across from an English tearoom and an English pub. It's also downtown, so there's other cool stuff close by. Bar Bianco is next door. You check in at the restaurant and they estimate your wait (ours was 3 hours, and we got seated right on schedule) and if you go to the bar they will track you down when it's your turn. The bar is in a beautiful converted bungalow from the turn of the century and serves beer and wine and some appetizers. There's plenty of seats on the porch and around the bar and restaurant. Inside has a/c (and a magazine rack--they need to refresh it a bit though) and comfy if low seats. The music is really good too.

It's set up to be an experience, a long period of socialization topped with food. And that's what we were looking for. Aces and I are experimenting a bit with building a relationship--we haven't lived together in 15 years, since I was 18 and she 13, so we don't know each other. I don't know if it comes across how much I admire and adore my sisters in my writing, how I regard them as having the best bits of our parents, and how I envy their beauty and brains and good sense. Wanting to be closer to them is why I came out here.

And socialize we did, talking about family stuff, and opinions, her work, and other topics. Two beers (for her) and two Mexican Cokes (for me) later, we got word that we had seats. Hurray!

So what did we get? We went for the Margherita, the Rosa, and the Biancoverde. We were both tempted by the Wiseguy, but our waiter said he could put three pizzas on the table and give us one for takeout and we decided to hold that over for another visit on the grounds it might not reheat well.

Yeah, I don't get the pizza rationing thing either. Definitely points off for that. He was a sweetheart of a server otherwise.

The verdict? It is really good pizza. Superior crust of the thin and crispy variety. The mozzarella is handmade. However, we're from NJ, land of pizza. I love it, but I'm not necessarily wowed by fancy pizza. The Margherita was really good, very simple but a higher quality version of the neighborhood pie. I don't care for white pizza, but I could taste how the ricotta smoothed out the bite of the arugula.

However, the Rosa was the best damn thing we had eaten this year. Just tasty and creative--chewy crust, the creamy cheese with a slight sourness, the onions soft and sweet but also with a slight tang (almost like they'd been pickled), and the meaty nuttiness of the pistachios topping the whole thing off with a hearty crunch and tying it together. It knocked me out. I could have eaten a whole one myself, just to keep puzzling on how the elements worked together.

We finished the whole pie and most of the other two.

My mom has said that she'd like to go to Pizzeria Bianco, and with 6 people in a party you can make a reservation, so we are planning to do this for my birthday in December when she is here.

It was a great night. Aces is a wonderful hostess, and we're planning to do more stuff together.