My, oh, my... I love PIZZA!

If there's one thing I miss about my hometown in France, it's our small family outings to Pizza Marco, where pizzas are spun thin and covered with fresh and succulent ingredients. When I moved to Boston in 2003, I wasn't that crazy about the pizza. Yes, I did live in 'little Italy' but the crust was always too thick and the cheese too gooey. I enjoy thin crispy crusts, topped with fresh tomatoes, veggies, and yummy yummy cheese (mozzarella di bufala - my favorite!). Upper Crust on Charles Street in Beacon came to be pretty good but the setting lacked Italian flair. I liked Todd English's Figs next door too, but the pizzas were small and a bit pricey I recall.
Now New York -or Brooklyn should I say- is a different pizza universe altogether. I've met people who come from all over the country on extensive pizza tours. I kept my ears open for good pizza joints and started trying a few here and there. Grimaldi's pizza in Dumbo always has a lengthy line of hungry visitors, so I went there to see what all the fuss is about. I wasn't very please that I had waited that long. I didn't think the pizza was that great. I also sampled some pizza at Una Pizza Napoletana, which is now closed. It was delicious, but didn't as many toppings as I would've liked, and is had more crust than tomato and cheese.
Back in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, I tasted some pizza at Fornino. Ah, this was without a doubt the best pie I had had in a while. The chef there grows the toppings in his garden and greenhouse. Can't get much fresher than that! And a wood-burning oven cooks the pizzas just right. I was smitten. However, 2 weeks ago, I met my sister for pizza at a little hole in the wall just a few blocks away from my house called Lucali. The decor is minimalist with a few tables and a wood-burning oven in the back where everyone can see the pizzaiolo at work. The only decorative things are a few plump heirloom tomotoes, elephant garlic, and bouquets of basil adorning the chef's work station.

The smell that permeates the small simple dining room is of ripe tomatoes, chopped garlic, and golden crusts. There are no menus here as the toppings depend on what's in season. One can choose between a calzone or pie and add on toppings to the tomato-mozzarelle-basil base. I went with fresh portobello and garlic. Mmmmm... simply the best pizza I've had in the Northeast thus far.

Buon Apetito!
Lucali - 575 Henry St., Brooklyn, NY 11231 nr. First Pl.
nearest subway: Carroll stop on F-train]
718-858-4086

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and the changes begin

On my trip back to France, I was able to visit the venue my sister had reserved for her 2010 wedding. No one had seen it yet but the pictures were beautiful and led us to think it would be the perfect setting for a romantic country wedding. Upon our arrival, we immediately met the owner/ wedding coordinator who was cold and short. We asked the questions we had prepared to ask:
"May we sample the menu before the wedding?
Can we move the dance floor to the patio since the ceilings are low and the bride and groom tall?
Are you sure we can fit 180 people out here?" (the venue was actually set up for another wedding reception that evening with 100 guests and it seemed a little tight!)
Unfortunately, it is 'impossible' to taste the menu beforehand. Whaaaa!? And there is 'no way' we can move the dance floor outside:
"En êtes-vous certaine? Vraiment aucune possibilité?" (are you sure? Is this really not possible?)
"Non, non, non. Mais vous verrez, c'est très joli," she answered with cold-pitched speech. (No, no, no. But you'll see, it'll be very pretty).
Wonderful. That IS reassuring.
The last thing I dared to ask was whether we can reserve the entirety of the inn (only 10 guest rooms). Of course, the answer was "non." The excuse: we have regulars, and we cannot turn them away. Um, do your regulars really book a year and a half in advance? And if they really LOVE the place, shouldn't they be able to come a week later? It's not even a holiday weekend!
Disappointed, I couldn't hide the sour taste the visit had left me with when I phoned my sister. We had to find a new venue.
As I write this post, no venue has been selected. Below is my sister's current favorite (as we try to negiotiate an affordable price).

Hotel La Vigne, Ramatuelle, France

So, I have created a new inspiration board to adapt to the colors and setting of 'La Vigne' to give her some decoration ideas and preserve some of the colors she had initially picked for the previous venue. See below!

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