Packing for Adventure

Pack Light. Travel Far.

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  • Pick Your Battles

    Pick Your Battles

    Daily writing prompt
    What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
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    Back in 2018, me and Chris were enjoying a lovely roadtrip through Crater Lake National Park, the Redwood National and State Parks, a drive up the Oregon Coast, and we were finishing off our trip with a visit to Chris’s aunt Mare in Portland before heading home to Utah.

    She and her family escorted us through the perfectly weird city of Portland, traveling what they call the 4T Trail. You get to explore the city using a hiking Trail, a Tram, a Trolley, and a Train. It was a lovely way to spend time with family!

    Now before I give you the next part of this story, let me backtrack a little. One of our shared interests when me and Chris first started dating was hiking, but we didn’t actually go on a hike together until our third date. He was secretly testing me. He gave me two options: an easy hike with no real destination, or a harder hike with a beautiful view. Naturally, I chose the harder hike. We hiked together the whole way to the top of a beautiful overlook of Huntsville, Eden, and Liberty in Utah. We enjoyed each other’s company the whole way up and down. I had passed his secret test (which he didn’t tell me about until several months later). If I would be able to make it to the top after having only taken three breaks, then I was a good enough hiker for him to continue seeing me.

    I’d like to point out that if I hadn’t been working so hard to not be gasping for air the whole way by matching his pace, maybe I wouldn’t have needed the three breaks! But anywho, I passed his test, and now here we are 13 years later.

    It didn’t take long for Chris to stop hiking at my pace – and mind you, I am NOT slow. I just have much shorter and stubbier legs than my big, strong husband! He’s about a foot taller than me, and clearly a mule. This led to dozens of fights. Why bother hiking together if we don’t hike together? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been furious with Chris on a hike because he won’t stay with me.

    Now fast forward to our day spent with Mare in Portland. We had already done a LOT of hiking on our roadtrip, so Mare made it a point to not do too much hiking. I mentioned to her that it was so refreshing to be walking at a reasonable pace, and I went on a little rant about how I can’t get Chris to slow down for nuthin!

    Mare’s response? She snickered a little and gently said with a wink, “pick your battles, Rosie.”

    It had never occurred to me before this moment that maybe I was the one who needed to chill out about the issue. At the end of the day, Chris is a wonderful husband, and he takes care of me and the family and we are blessed to have him.

    Do I still get annoyed with him for being a mile ahead of me when we’re hiking “together?” YES.

    Do I still think he SHOULD stay within earshot for when I trip and fall? YES.

    Am I passive aggressive about it? Guilty!

    He claims he HAS slowed down over the years, especially now that we have the tots in tow, though apparently not enough for me to notice, ha. My attitude about it, however, has shifted far more than his pace ever has.

    I started wearing headphones – I make sure to use a type that do not block out the noises around me so I can stay safe on the trail. This allows me to enjoy the quiet beauty of the trails, at my own pace, while listening to music or podcasts. No more silently stewing (mostly).

    In the end, Mare was right. The hike is easier, and the marriage stronger, when you learn to pick your battles.

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  • Chicago Solo: A Return to Windy City

    Chicago Solo: A Return to Windy City

    After our whirlwind anniversary Pizza Crawl, I never expected to find myself back in Chicago so soon. I had the very lucky opportunity to come back to Chicago for a training at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago not seven months later. With the anniversary trip still fresh in my mind, I knew exactly what I needed to do.

    It was again a very short trip- my job wasn’t about to pay for any extra nights at a hotel. Anything I wanted to do had to be done after work hours and in the same day as the training I was there for.

    Solo in the City

    My flight to Chicago was scheduled for the day after Election Day 2024. I was nervous to be in Chicago by myself, especially at such a politically charged time! I never felt unsafe in Chicago during our anniversary trip, but I was with my big, strong husband Chris. On my own at barely over 5 feet, I was nervous. I did find out later that there was some unrest in Chicago, but not anywhere near where I was.

    The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

    So I flew in on a Wednesday and basically just checked into my hotel and went to bed. My training was the next afternoon. I worked remotely from my hotel the next morning and then walked to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in the afternoon. It was a nice walk and I enjoyed observing the financial district and the architecture as much as I did on the last trip. I mentioned previously that a coworker talked up the bank as being super awesome, and I was only granted access to the public money museum last time, so I was super excited!

    I guess I was hoping for something like the Gringotts Wizarding Bank from Harry Potter, but it was just a building. We met in a rather ordinary conference room. I asked for a tour, but from what I gathered, they don’t really do tours anymore. I guess not just anyone can peek into government vaults. So my coworker caught a lucky break I guess. Either that, or he is easily impressed!

    A Night at the Museum

    The one thing I missed seeing during our anniversary trip was the Art Institute of Chicago. I am a big fan of art, and I love art history. Luckily I was there on a Thursday when the museum is open later than normal. I walked to the museum directly after my training was over. I had my work briefcase on me and didn’t have time to stop at my hotel first, but they had a coat check room and were very happy to store my things for me.

    I had a whole 3 HOURS to take it all in! I didn’t want to miss anything important, so I moved pretty quickly from room to room so I’d have time to come back to my favorites and spend more time.

    Of course my favorite was “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat. It’s quite impressive and fills the whole wall! It’s crazy to be able to stand so close and see the individual paint dots. I made sure to see it twice.

    “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat

    The honorable mentions:

    • “American Gothic” by Grant Wood
    • “The Old Guitarist” from Pablo Picasso’s Blue Period
    • “Inventions of the Monsters” by Salvador Dali
    • “Under the Wave off Kanagawa” from the Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji series by Katsushika Hokusai
    “American Gothic” by Grant Wood
    “The Old Guitarist” from Pablo Picasso’s Blue Period
    “Inventions of the Monsters” by Salvador Dali
    “Under the Wave off Kanagawa” from the Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji series by Katsushika Hokusai

    Simple Eats and Solo Nights

    Once I was quite satisfied, I stopped at the coat check and headed to my hotel. I planned to get an Uber, but my hotel was only a 15-20 minute walk away. It was pretty dark, but the street lights are pretty bright. I never felt unsafe during this walk, though I should probably play it safe when traveling alone in the future.

    A night walk through the Financial District of Chicago

    Since I was here on the Bank’s dime, I ate and slept for convenience, not luxury. I stayed at the Best Western Grant Park Hotel that was located in a safe area with close proximity to the training. I did make sure to eat at a Chicago staple- Portillo’s. I had it delivered to my hotel room while I worked, and I’m sure it’s better fresh.

    I had a delicious ham croissant for breakfast at the Paris Baguette connected to my hotel.

    For dinner I ate at my hotel again, this time at the Mei’s Chinese restaurant. It was meh all around- I had a very difficult time getting attention from the server, service was slow, and the food was not great. I had to get a cheesecake from the Paris Baguette afterwards to make up for it!

    The food in Chicago was much more impressive on our Pizza Crawl! But you can’t expect too much excitement on a work trip.

    I headed back home to Chris and the kids the next morning. Two trips to Chicago in one year! Here’s to next time!

    Next post: I reveal the best pizza you can find in my stomping grounds – Utah!

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  • A Seinfeld Side Quest in NYC

    A Seinfeld Side Quest in NYC

    We may have traveled to NYC to sample the pizza, but I had a side quest.

    I grew up watching Seinfeld. I was 11-years old when the fateful final episode aired, but it played on syndication twice a day for YEARS. Maybe it still does? Do people still watch live tv??

    I wanted to do as much of a Seinfeld pilgrimage as time would allow.

    As much as I would have loved to visit the Tom’s Restaurant (Monk’s Diner) and swim in the East River, we just didn’t have the time.

    Here’s what I did get to do:

    Travel on the Subway

    We did a LOT of this. Fortunately we didn’t run into any naked guys or experience a blackout.

    Bagels

    Not from H&H Bagels, and not made by Kramer. But they were DELICIOUS. And NYC does not mess around with the cream cheese! I LOVE a good bagel, but where I come from, they are as hard to come by as New York style pizza!

    • Russ & Daughters | 179 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002
      • I got a simple toasted bagel with cream cheese for breakfast. It tasted anything but simple! It’s probably the best bagel I’ve ever had. It was the exact experience and atmosphere I had hoped for as a tourist. I would have loved to try the nova lox, but it was more expensive than I wanted to spend for breakfast. I should’ve tried it anyway!
    • Liberty Bagels Midtown | 260 W 35th St, New York, NY 10001
      • Breakfast on another day, but this time I got an Asiago bagel with cream cheese. They wouldn’t toast the Asiago bagel for some reason, but it was still delicious.

    Cinnamon Babka

    Cinnamon Babka takes a backseat to no one!

    While getting a bagel from Russ & Daughters, I saw they had prepackaged mini babkas- both chocolate and cinnamon. I couldn’t help myself and grabbed a cinnamon one! It was okay- the bagel was better!

    Black & White Cookie

    Again, couldn’t help myself. I’ve actually had one before at a New York style deli back home once, but it wasn’t anything special.

    We knew we wanted an authentic New York Cheesecake while we were here, and reviews pointed to Junior’s Bakery. We stopped there while we were walking through Times Square. I saw the Black & White cookies while picking up a cheesecake. Based on my prior experience, I wasn’t expecting much, but it was pretty darn good! It’s like a cross between a cookie and a cake. I was impressed enough that I actually ordered a dozen to be shipped to my house so I could give some to my parents as a thank you for watching the kiddos (and a couple for me of course).

    And no, I didn’t vomit. Look to the cookie!

    Did you grow up watching Seinfeld? Which reference would you track down in NYC?

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  • The Science (or Art) of Judging Pizza

    The Science (or Art) of Judging Pizza

    You may have noticed a theme as you’ve followed along on our Pizza Crawl—we mostly ordered cheese or pepperoni at every stop. Occasionally, Chris added mushrooms or olives, but for the most part, we kept it simple.

    There are a couple reasons for this.

    1. We needed to do apples to apples comparisons of all the different pizzas. You can’t judge a meat lovers pizza against a Hawaiian pizza.
    2. In judging a pizza, we decided the basics are the most important- the crust, the sauce, the cheese. These are the building blocks of a good pizza. If you have to add fancy ingredients to get a good pizza, then it’s not a good pizza.

    Of course, we both love a variety of toppings outside this experiment.

    My favorite pizza toppings are usually a veggie pizza (olives, green peppers, tomatoes) or a good barbecue pizza. Though I’ve come to love pepperoni in recent years (I never liked it growing up). Occasionally I dress it up with some fancy prosciutto, sun-dried tomatoes, and a sweet balsamic glaze.

    Chris is easy to please. His favorite includes pepperoni, mushroom, and black and green olive. He also enjoys a meat lovers or a good Hawaiian. But really, you could give him just about any kind of pizza and he’ll be happy.

    As for our adjudication process, Chris and I have had heated debates.

    Chris scores off his gut reaction from 0-10. A score of 7 is really good, above 9 is incredible.

    I think this is too arbitrary. You need a baseline for comparison. I score pizza based off what I believe is the gold standard – the closest thing to a perfect pie.

    What’s the perfect pizza? Chris’s homemade pizza of course! (Stay tuned—I’ll be diving into that in another post!)

    So how do you decide what makes a pizza great? Do you go by your first bite or compare everything to a favorite slice from home? Let me know in the comments!

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  • Cross-Country Pizza Crawl Final Verdict

    Cross-Country Pizza Crawl Final Verdict

    10 Years of Marriage. 4 USA Cities. 13 Pizzas. 2 Lovers. 1 Epic Journey.
    Here’s how they ended up in the ranks:

    Chris (Score)Rosie (Preference Order)
    1. Modern Apizza – 9.1 (New Haven)1. Denino’s Greenwich Village (NYC)
    2. John’s of Bleecker Street – 8.9 (NYC)2. Modern Apizza (New Haven)
    3. Denino’s Greenwich Village – 8.7 (NYC)3. John’s of Bleecker Street (NYC)
    4. Ignazio’s – 8.7 (Brooklyn, NYC)4. Joe’s Pizza (NYC)
    5. Sally’s Apizza – 8.3 (New Haven)5. Ignazio’s (Brooklyn, NYC)
    6. Sauce – 8.3 (NYC – closed)6. Shield’s (Detroit)
    7. Lazzara’s Pizza Café – 8.2 (NYC)7. Lazzara’s Pizza Café (NYC)
    8. Joe’s Pizza – 7.9 (NYC)8. Buddy’s Pizza (Detroit)
    9. Giordano’s – 7.8 (Chicago)9. Sally’s Apizza (New Haven)
    10. Buddy’s Pizza – 7.6 (Detroit)10. Carnegie Pizza (NYC)
    11. Pizzeria Uno – 7.6 (Chicago)11. Sauce (NYC – closed)
    12. Carnegie Pizza – 7.4 (NYC)12. Giordano’s (Chicago)
    13. Shield’s – 6.7 (Detroit)13. Pizzeria Uno (Chicago)

    Top 3 Pizzas

    Despite our disagreement in the particular order, I think it’s safe to say that the top 3 pizzas are:

    • Modern Apizza – New Haven, CT
    • John’s of Bleecker Street – NYC
    • Denino’s Greenwich Village – NYC

    Top Cities for Pizza:

    • Tie: NYC/New Haven – the best slices come from both
    • Detroit – love the style, but ratings inconsistent
    • Chicago – fun to try, but not our favorite

    Top Cities for Sight Seeing:

    We had fun times in each pizza capital, but some visits can end with pizza:

    • New York City – Highlights: Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Ellis Island
    • Chicago – Highlight: Willis Tower Skydeck
    • New Haven – Highlight: Gutenberg Bible (come for the pizza!)
    • Detroit – Highlight: none for us really :/ Car buffs might enjoy the Ford Museums

    This trip was an unforgettable celebration! May this list guide you in your own pizza-loving adventures!

    Keep reading for some bonus side quests and a detailed itinerary!

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  • New York Day 2: Lady Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, and Saying Goodbye

    New York Day 2: Lady Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, and Saying Goodbye

    Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my blog!

    In my post about our first day of sight seeing in NYC, I skipped over some of the basics, so I’ll add that in now.

    Where We Stayed:

    We booked The Ridge Hotel, mainly for its proximity to John’s of Bleecker Street. While the location near the F Train and rooftop access were definite perks, overall the hotel fell short.

    You’re charged $35 per day for room cleaning, and the front desk is virtual—I called and emailed twice requesting fresh towels (not even a full cleaning), and never received a response. You’re expected to take out your own trash, and there are no amenities or breakfast options.

    The walls were paper thin, and between sirens and street noise, we barely slept. For the price, I expected more comfort. Is this the Manhattan hotel norm, or were my expectations too high?

    Getting Around:

    We used the Subway almost exclusively. As mentioned above, our “hotel” was very close to the F Train, and we were able to use it to connect to other trains and get wherever we needed to get.

    Sight-Seeing:

    Statue of Liberty

    As I had been to NYC before and this trip was a gift to Chris, I needed his input on what he wanted to see. He was clearly most concerned about the pizza, and I had a really hard time getting him to decide. After weeks of nagging, he finally decided what he really wanted to do was to get to see inside the Statue of Liberty.

    I was thrilled at the suggestion! When I came in 2012, we took the ferry to see the Statue of Liberty, but we didn’t get off. We just sailed by. So I set about trying to figure out how!

    Lady Liberty herself!

    Turns out the ticketing system to climb the interior is almost as frustrating as booking Phantom Ranch reservations. I really really wanted tickets to the Crown, but I could only get us tickets to the pedestal. I called to see if there were any tricks or loopholes to get Crown tickets, but my only option was to check the website each day for cancellations. I checked every day for WEEKS leading up to our trip and never found success.

    We did have the pedestal tickets though, and I was grateful for that! We made sure to arrive at Battery Park early so we could make it to the ferry on time.

    I loved our visit and learning about the origins of the statue! I did end up deciding the pedestal tickets are not really worth it as you can’t really even see the statue from the pedestal. It’s a fun experience but I wouldn’t do it again. Next time I’ll book Crown tickets as far out in advance as possible!

    Us with Lady Liberty
    We climbed a lot of stairs to get to the Pedestal

    Ellis Island

    I only stayed here for 25 minutes after a ferry dropped me off and the next one came. I ran around very hurriedly seeing everything (Chris was not interested, so I was rushing).

    To be honest I wasn’t interested really either but figured we may as well stop since the ferry was dropping anyway, so I agreed to be quick. It was fascinating and a little mystical, with a ghost town-like vibe—just knowing how many hundreds of thousands of immigrants passed through, shaping the world as we know it. I could almost faintly hear the hustle and bustle of those trailblazers.

    Two lovers at Ellis Island
    The tests they did to immigrants to determine worthiness of entry were pretty crazy!
    Me the financial nerd loving the display showing all the different currencies people exchanged upon arrival at Ellis Island

    25 minutes was too rushed for sure, but I got what I needed out of it. 50 minutes (two ferry stops) would have been ideal for me!

    I was actually so fascinated by Ellis Island that I ended up buying a book so I could read more about it. American Passage: The History of Ellis Island by Vincent J Cannato was a fascinating read!

    Brooklyn Ice Cream

    Located across from Ignazio’s under the Brooklyn Bridge, this spot was a must for me (I might love ice cream even more than Chris loves pizza). I had an Oreo shake—great ice cream, though the Oreos were a bit stale. Still, the view and vibe were unmatched!

    Brooklyn Ice Cream! Wonderful atmosphere!
    Beautiful view near Ignazio’s and Brooklyn Ice Cream
    Beautiful view of the Brooklyn Bridge near Ignazio’s and Brooklyn Ice Cream

    Brooklyn Bridge

    I’d dreamed of walking the Brooklyn Bridge with my love ever since my trip in 2012. After ten years of marriage, I’ve learned that I can’t expect Chris to be able to read my mind. So I carefully prepped him. I told him “I’ve been looking forward to experiencing the Brooklyn Bridge with you for over ten years, so I expect you to be romantic.”

    The iconic spot in DUMBO on Washington Street, between Water Street and Plymouth Street. A perfect spot to see the Brooklyn Bridge framed between buildings!
    Our “romatic” walk on the Brooklyn Bridge

    I had hoped we’d walk slowly hand-in-hand and gaze lovingly into each other’s eyes from time to time as we crossed the bridge connecting Brooklyn to Manhattan. Maybe we’d share a kiss in a picturesque moment.

    Instead Chris kept telling me to walk faster and saying things like “it’s just a bridge.”

    MEN!

    Despite the fact that our stroll will not be showing up in any Hallmark movies, it was a lovely walk on a lovely day. I would have preferred it by the light of a full moon and with less of a crowd, but the itinerary just didn’t work out that way this time.

    Just a cool photo of the Brooklyn Bridge!

    It was about a 2 mile walk and I loved it. I bet it would also be great at sunset!

    Panorama of the view of Manhattan from the Brooklyn Bridge

    9/11 Memorial

    We did not go into the museum, but the water memorials are very thought provoking and it’s a reverent spot. Definitely worth a visit.

    Heading Home:

    At this point we went back to our “hotel.” It was St. Patrick’s Day and the streets were crowded. We took in the views on the rooftop and went to bed early. We got up at 3:45 AM the next morning to head to JFK to board an early flight. People were still out celebrating St. Patrick’s Day from the night before! This time of morning is not my favorite, but we had babies and pups to get home to!

    Rooftop view from the Ridge “Hotel”

    All in all it was a great trip and a wonderful way to commemorate 10 wonderful years of marriage!

    Stay tuned. In the next posts I will provide itinerary details and some bonus posts about our trip!

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  • Best Pizza in New York City Part 2: Cross-Country Pizza Crawl

    Best Pizza in New York City Part 2: Cross-Country Pizza Crawl

    To sum up our Pizza Crawl so far, we tried:

    • 2 Deep Dish pizzas in Chicago
    • 2 Detroit Style pizzas in Detroit
    • 5 New York Style pizzas in NYC
    • 2 New Haven Apizza spots in New Haven

    We had one last day in NYC before heading home. We were doing the bulk of our NYC sight seeing on this last day, so we wouldn’t be making as making pizza stops. We didn’t have a solid plan for which pizza places we’d stop at. We’d already gotten the most important ones out of the way, and we seriously considered some repeat visits with how good they were!

    There was a specific place in Brooklyn we wanted to try called Di Fara Pizza. It has rave reviews, and we hadn’t had pizza in Brooklyn yet. Unfortunately it is just too far away and it didn’t make sense with the rest of our itinerary. Hopefully we’ll get to give it a try one day!

    Ignazio’s Review: Pizza Crawl 2024 Stop #12 | 4 Water St, Brooklyn, NY 11201

    This place is right underneath the bridge with great views, which makes it really fun on top of having excellent pizza! The sauce was really good. We preferred the plain cheese over the pepperoni, but both were excellent. It is cash only, but they have an ATM machine by the bathroom. We didn’t have enough cash and I don’t carry around a debit card, but when we got up to leave, they said they could process a card transaction for a 4% fee. I’m glad they let us do that as the pizza was really good!

    Ignazio’s Pizza under the Brooklyn Bridge

    Sauce Review: Pizza Crawl 2024 Stop #13 | 78 Rivington St, New York, NY 10002

    This was by far the thinnest crust pizza we had on this whole trip, but it didn’t taste like a cracker. The sauce was really good! We had the cheese pizza. Because it is so light, you could eat a ton. That being said, it wasn’t very filling, and it’s expensive, so we didn’t order appetizers. All in all, great pizza and great service. We sat at the bar as there were not tables available.

    Sauce Cheese Pizza at the Bar

    Note: Sauce is permanently closed now according to Google Maps, which is too bad, but it was my least favorite NYC pizza.

    Final Verdict:

    Chris: Ignazio’s 8.7 | Sauce 8.3
    Rosie: preferred Ignazio’s over Sauce

    No reservations necessary for either place.

    Keep reading for our last day of sight seeing in the Big Apple!

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  • New Haven, CT: A Short and Sweet Day Guide

    New Haven, CT: A Short and Sweet Day Guide

    I’ll be honest up front: New Haven is not a great tourist location. Come for the pizza.

    We still managed to enjoy our time there, as limited as it was.

    Getting Around:

    We did a bit of every transportation option:

    • Train – we arrived via from New York City to New Haven Union Station
    • Walking – we did a lot of it
    • CTransit – the New Haven bus system was convenient and much cheaper than Uber
    • Uber – when it was time to head back to the train station we opted for a quick ride

    Sight Seeing:

    East Rock Park

    Our first stop upon arrival was Sally’s Apizza. We had to get back to the train station in 4 hours, so we couldn’t go far. From there we made our way to the East Rock Park.

    It was a nice enough park, but I imagine March is not the ideal time to visit. The hiking loop was a bit too swampy so we didn’t do the 10+ miles of hiking trails that are available there. We were the only ones there and we were able to walk around to our hearts content. There was a cool red covered bridge with a sign that said “STAGE ROAD TO BOSTON 32 MILES TO HARTFORD.” I was very intrigued by this and had visions of walking along a historic bridge that the Revolutionary War era men and women used in the nation’s infancy.

    The charming Frederick Oberlin Covered Bridge

    Turns out it’s a historic “style” mileage marker, and not a true relic from the original stagecoach era. It’s called the “Frederick Oberlin Covered Bridge.” It is a rather charming pedestrian bridge, not meant for vehicles.

    Chris enjoying the Frederick Oberlin Covered Bridge

    Eli Whitney Museum & Workshop

    We stumbled upon this cute museum and workshop while exploring the East Rock Park. It was free to enter. It was built on the historic site of Eli Whitney’s original gun factory. It seemed like a pretty neat place to bring kids.

    Giant lounge chair at the Eli Whitney Museum & Workshop

    Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library

    From that point we hopped on a bus that took us to Yale. I specifically wanted to see the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. It is free to enter. There is a security checkpoint you have to pass through to ensure preservation standards are enforced.

    I love reading and I love literature and anything old, so I was interested to come, but I didn’t think I would actually enjoy it as much as I did! There are so many books! The Gutenberg Bible is the pinnacle of the visit, but all the books were awesome on their own!

    The Gutenberg Bible is the first major book printed with movable type, marking the start of mass communication and modern printing.
    This Yale University library is home to 1 of only 21 complete Gutenberg Bibles known to survive!

    As a book lover, it was frustrating to see all these amazing books behind glass doors and not be able to open them and read. But you could clearly see the titles and it was exciting for me.

    A giant cube of rare books and manuscripts!

    Chris does not enjoy scholarly pursuits as much as I do… or at all. He found a spot to sit.

    Yale University

    The Beinecke Library is right on Yale’s campus, so we took a short stroll through the historic university grounds. The Gothic-style architecture and peaceful courtyards made for a lovely walk—especially on such a mild spring day.

    Beautiful alcove at Yale University
    I am a sucker for an intricate ceiling
    I loved the architecture of these old Yale University buildings

    After one more pizza stop at Modern Apizza, we headed back to the train station and returned to NYC. Our New Haven adventure was short and sweet.

    Next up: the last day of our Pizza Crawl!

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  • Best Pizza in New Haven, CT: Cross Country Pizza Crawl

    Best Pizza in New Haven, CT: Cross Country Pizza Crawl

    Since we were coming by train from NYC and couldn’t miss our train back, we only had about 4 hours in New Haven. It was really hard to pick as New Haven has some very heated competition for best pizza. Fans are loyal, opinions are intense, and ratings across the board are sky-high. However, these four are generally considered the best.

    The Top Contenders:

    • Sally’s Apizza
    • Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana
    • Modern Apizza
    • BAR

    We were originally going to try Sally’s and Frank Pepe’s. They are old family rivals. Frank Pepe’s Apizza opened in 1925, and then Frank Pepe’s nephew Salvatore Consiglio opened a competing restaurant in 1938…. across the street.

    It seemed fitting to compare the two. Remember how the night before we were packed like sardines at Lazzara’s in NYC? Well to one side of us was sitting some enthusiastic pizza lovers from Colorado, and to the other side of us was sitting another enthusiastic pizza loving couple from none other than New Haven, CT! They all loved hearing about our pizza crawl and offered their favorites. The couple from Colorado is who suggested we try Carnegie Pizza. The couple from New Haven told us we HAD to go to Modern Apizza. They seemed to have a similar passion for pizza and we decided to trust them.

    So do we cut out Sally’s or Frank Pepe’s? This was a HUGE struggle of a decision. Frank Pepe’s came first, and we tried the first Chicago and Detroit style pizza. But we ultimately went with Sally’s because it just seemed like the reviews were slightly better.

    The Final Lineup:

    • Sally’s Apizza
    • Modern Apizza

    New Haven Apizza

    Apizza (prounounced ah-BEETZ) is a pizza style distinct to New Haven. It is a source of well-deserved pride among the locals. Its roots go back to Italian immigrants from the late 19th/early 20th century. The term “apizza” is derived from the Neapolitan dialect.

    Upon first glance, it will appear similar to New York Style. They are both thin and crispy. However typical New York Style pizza is baked in a gas-fired oven* around 500–600°F. New Haven Apizza is baked on a coal-fired oven at 600-700°F+. Apizza has more of a charred crust and is more dry and blistered. It is also often irregularly shaped.

    *Interestingly, John’s of Bleecker Street, our favorite from NYC Day 1, is also baked in a coal-fired oven.

    Sally’s Apizza Review: Pizza Crawl 2024 Stop #9 | 237 Wooster St, New Haven, CT 06511

    This place is very popular and we were lucky to arrive shortly after they opened for the day and found a seat pretty quickly. The pizza was good, but I do not love the taste of char that was prevalent in the crust. Some people love the char – this is the place for them!

    Sally’s Apizza

    Modern Apizza Review: Pizza Crawl 2024 Stop #10 | 874 State St, New Haven, CT 06511

    This pizza was AMAZING! It’s been Chris’s favorite pizza from the whole trip as of yet, and I also loved it. There’s nothing bad to say about it. It’s like pizza from Sally’s but without the heavy taste of char. We were not originally planning to come here, but destiny intervened when some New Haven locals heard about our trip and talked us into coming here instead of one of the other famous New Haven pizza places. We are so happy we came!

    We were seated quickly, our waitress was great, and we just loved everything about it!

    Modern Apizza

    Final Verdict:

    Chris: Sally’s Apizza 8.3 | Modern Apizza 9.1
    Rosie: It was no question for me – Modern Apizza was far superior!

    We didn’t make any reservations, but try to do it if you can!

    When we headed to the train stop to head back to NYC, we noticed tons of people also heading there holding pizza boxes from Frank Pepe’s. Should we have stuck with our pattern of picking the original? Maybe next time, Frank.

    BONUS PIZZA

    When we got back to NYC, we found time and room in our bellies to try one more pizza place for the day.

    Denino’s Greenwich Village Review: Pizza Crawl 2024 Stop #11 | 93 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012

    This has been my favorite pizza of the whole trip so far, which is saying a lot since I’ve had a lot of pizza the last few days!!
    It’s obviously similar to many of the other NYC pizza places, but it’s done really well! I have zero complaints. I loved the crust, which additionally helps it stand out. It was greasy and packed with flavor and just super delicious!

    Deninos pizza


    Chris: Deninos 8.7
    Rosie: FAVORITE PIZZA OF THE DAY! (Chris felt this was blasphemous as he preferred Modern Apizza, and I had to remind him that his ranking system is arbitrary and I eat as much pizza as he does….)

    Overall a VERY STRONG DAY for pizza!

    Next post: Tourism in New Haven, CT

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  • New York Hidden Gems: A Pizza-Centric First Day

    New York Hidden Gems: A Pizza-Centric First Day

    I will kick off this post describing our first day in New York by telling you what we did NOT do.

    Chris had never been to NYC, but I had. Literally a week or so after I first met Chris, I left for a trip to NYC with one of my college besties. I had only been on 3-4 dates with Chris at that point, but I already knew he was special and made sure to make mental notes of what to see with him in the future.

    What We Skipped

    Central Park

    Sure, it’s iconic. But Chris and I hike all the time, and Central Park just doesn’t compare to some of the national and state parks we’ve experienced together. So we passed.

    Empire State Building

    When I went in 2012, we didn’t specifically make time to visit the Empire State Building, but I didn’t want to miss it. So while my bestie went to bed early, I headed to the top of what was then the 2nd tallest building in the USA (second only to the Sears Tower – now Willis Tower). While I loved the visit, we didn’t go in 2024 for two reasons:

    • Price
      • Back in 2012, it cost me $25 to get to the 86th floor or $42 to get to the 102nd deck
      • Today it is $44 to get to the 86th floor or $79 to get to the 102nd deck
    • Willis Tower
      • We just saw the Willis Tower, which is taller than the Empire State Building
    View of the Chrysler Building from the Empire State Building

    Broadway

    That’s the last thing Chris wants to do, but I LOVED seeing Phantom of the Opera in 2012!

    Phantom of the Opera was the longest running show on Broadway. It was spectacular! Ironically, I did NOT eat at the pizzeria in the background of this photo back in 2012.

    Wall Street

    You may have noticed from my Chicago post that I am a major financial nerd. But there’s only so much you can do as a tourist on Wall Street, and I already had a picture of myself cupping the balls of the Charging Bull

    • While there in 2012, I was actually in between jobs. I was starting a new job based out of Wall Street as soon as I got home from this trip, and the trip was timed in such a way that I got to meet the HR at the headquarters to fill out paperwork in person instead of doing it over email. It was pretty cool to see an actual Wall Street office space! She mentioned her favorite part of sight seeing in NYC was walking the Brooklyn Bridge – I made a mental note to make sure to do this with Chris one day.
    The Charging Bulls Testicles – you know you’re jealous! From 2012 trip
    Isn’t he cute?

    FAO Schwartz

    The BIG piano! I was so enchanted by this scene from “Big” as a kid! But in real life, it seems much smaller, and it’s in a small room, and it’s mostly kids playing on it, making me feel out of place as an adult.

    Metropolitan Museum of Art

    I did love this back in 2012, but we skipped it since this trip was a gift to Chris, and he would have hated it.

    What We DID Do

    Catacombs by Candlelight at the OLD St. Patrick’s Cathedral

    This was a pretty cool tour we did on Mulberry Street. We were planning to visit Paris a few months later, and part of our Paris itinerary was the Catacombs of Paris. I’ll talk about that in a future series. Anyways, I was expecting it to be a similar experience as what you could expect in Paris, but unfortunately, no bones. But the historical insight and eerie beauty still made it memorable. Our guide was a born-and-raised New Yorker and incredibly knowledgeable.

    It’s still an active Cathedral, we completed our tour right before services would be starting.
    Beautifully intricate ceiling
    This was the old entrance to the Catacombs. They closed it off with plexiglass so you can still see the sunlight coming through.
    Closest we got to seeing bones. You can’t go inside the crypt, but they keep a mirror in there so you can see.
    Just a closeup of one of the epitaphs. Quietly haunting.

    High Line

    A coworker recommended this as a lesser-known gem. It’s a 1.45-mile elevated park built on a former railroad track. We were intrigued… but underwhelmed. It’s a nice stroll, but not particularly memorable. Worth a stop if it sounds like your thing, but it didn’t wow us.

    Times Square/Rockefeller Center/St. Patrick’s Cathedral

    You can’t visit NYC without a stop to the iconic Times Square and Rockefeller Center! Having already visited the OLD St. Patrick’s Cathedral, it was neat to see the new one. Very modern, very beautiful, and very conveniently located around everything else!

    Times Square, baby!
    St. Patrick’s Cathedral brightly lit up the night NYC sky

    That’s all we had time for on the first day, but keep in mind that we had made time to eat at FOUR different pizza places. The bulk of our NYC sightseeing was scheduled for our last day in NYC.

    It would have to wait another day – tomorrow we would be visiting New Haven, CT!

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