Philadelphia Pizza: An Evolving Tradition Unlike Any Other

I can’t think of too many other foods more universally enjoyed than pizza.  Whether it’s lunchtime office meetings, kids birthday parties, late night post-bar food and especially any time college students are around – pizza is a good choice and brings smiles to people’s faces.  I personally think it’s Italy’s best creation and export, slightly ahead of Tuscan wines and significantly ahead of slicked-back hair.

Pizza comes in different types and styles for everyone.  There’s thin crust and deep dish, tomato pie and white pizza, chewy crust and crispy crust, round pie and square slice, traditional Neapolitan and modern American style.  I think all you need are mint chocolate chip and pralines n’ cream styles to have 31 flavors.

 

Best Burger in Philly: Choosing From Many Excellent Selections

On its online site, Philadelphia Magazine is currently hosting a bracket for people to vote on the Best of Philly Burger.  In addition to helping decide the award-winning burger for the magazine’s annual Best of Philly issue, voters also have an opportunity to receive an invite to the exclusive Best of Philly party.

Just as it is with the NCAA Basketball tournament, any time you have a limited number of spaces in the bracket, you’ll always have potential competitors feeling left out and others feeling slighted by “seedings.”  For this bracket, with only eight contenders, there’s definitely some “controversy” (as much controversy as there could be for a made-up competition) regarding who’s in it and who’s matched up together.  There’s presumptive top seed Village Whiskey going up against the Piazza at Schmidts’ PYT.  Nationally-acclaimed Rouge faces off against local favorite Royal Tavern.  Stephen Starr’s Butcher & Singer matches up with neighborhood tavern Standard Tap.  Finally, gastropub Pub & Kitchen meets up with “dive bar” Good Dog.

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The March Madness Run: 20 Miles by Philly’s College Basketball Arenas

The marathon training schedule said it was time for a 20 mile run.  Sure, I could have done something simple, such as run the Kelly Drive loop and add in a trip to and from Manayunk.  You can do that anytime, though.

It’s March, which means that it’s one of my favorite times of the year with the NCAA Basketball Tournament.  Philadelphia has a storied tradition of college basketball, particularly with its six Division I programs in the city or just outside of it (counting Villanova).

So, in honor of March Madness, here’s pictures from today’s 20 mile run by the five Division I college basketball arenas within city limits. I could have also continued onwards for another 6 miles to the Wells Fargo Center, where Villanova plays some of its games, but since Villanova didn’t really show up at the end of the season, I didn’t feel the need to show up there at the end of my run either.

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