PIZZA...GIRL TALK and a NO NONSENSE NYC Walk...

A few weekends ago...I decided around 3ish in the afternoon that on a Saturday night for once...I would go to the gym...then simply relax and catch up with my DVR. I RARELY do that and was so excited!!! I was starting to feel lost...not knowing what all the well known housewives were up to and Snooki too of course!

On the way to my shoe maker my night of relaxation suddenly seemed to be the exact opposite of what I was in the mood for by around 4 pm. I was up for another random ADVENTURE!!! I instantly decided that I would walk for exercise instead of going to the gym. Sounds healthy right??? Not so much...this is Spunky Schmoozer we're talking about! I decided I would walk to two pizza places that I had never been to before and taste a slice at each establishment starting a new search for my favorite NYC pizza slice.

I called a friend on the way to the bank to deposit some change and before I knew it...my simple idea became a little more complicated. One of my favorite gals and I decided we would do a pizza crawl that would start on the UWS. We would taste different slices until we ended up downtown! We would walk PLENTY along the way to burn the pizza calories off....well...at least most of them we hoped!

I wondered when I was at TD how much pizza I could buy from this random change and started to get giddy. I guess I should buy a new container that says PIZZA CRAVINGS!

SO...How much do you think was in there???

STILL THINKING???

Ok...Walter handed me $31.89 to be exact. Change really adds up and yes I get excited about little things in life. I didn't need that MUCH pizza money for that night! I told Walter what I was up to for the evening (have no idea why I felt the need to tell him but I did) and he got very excited actually. I almost invited him but I didn't want him to get in the way of our girl talk. Look what a HAM he was for my blackberry camera when I asked him to pose. He's probably moonlighting and doing something VERY different than banking...

I couldn't wait to catch up with my good friend over pizza all night since we had plenty to chat about. We were only going to places where we both hadn't tried the PLAIN cheese slices. Who needs Sex and the City when you can create your own Pizza and the City right?

La Grolla on the UWS (79th and Amsterdam) was our first pizza taste for the night. We met at 6:30. Ok...the service was fabulous...but the pizza...NOT so much!

Our new friend was getting into the posing and so was the pizza...

We SO wanted to LOVE that plain slice and their specialty slice (above the plain one) because they were extra sweet there. In fact, all of the pizza joints got into the act of our pizza crawl and cut a slice in 2 for us and then posed. We have to keep our figures in tact... hence the 1/2 slices. As you all know though...I say it like it is...NOT worth the calories at this joint!

We took the subway by the Museum of Natural History and that subway man was SO MEAN! My friend was very sweet as always as she asked him questions (that he kept REFUSING to answer) but he was so nasty that I was not getting on that train without taking this shot. I feel the need to give you a warning. I wonder if we brought him back a cold slice from our adventure if he would have even smiled. I DOUBT it! In fact...I'm going to go visit him another day and make him my friend! Just what I need...another challenge in my life right?

Rosario Pizza on 173 Orchard Street was our next stop. I always forget how many fun places are on the Lower East Side. Food options alone...SO many! Well...this is NYC! LOVE this hood and will be heading there much more often in the near future...but DEF not to visit Rosario. STAY TUNED! I've heard so much about that place so I was always curious. The service was ok...but the pizza....NAH!

I have to give them props on their Pizza ART though...that's a pretty pie...don't you think?

Plain slice in two...for a change...

At this point I was thinking...thank G-d we were wearing comfortable shoes as we started walking to our next destination Artichoke Pizza (www.artichokepizza.com). They're located on 328 E. 14th Street.

I've been hearing about their amazing pizza since the day they opened and for some reason I never made it there until my mini pizza crawl. I'm shocked about that actually! I always thought though...it can't be that good! I am a picky eater and I'm proud of it! OMG...that pizza is RIDICULOUSLY good. I RARELY wait on lines but I waited over half an hour to get a feel for the Artichoke East Village experience and quite frankly...was SO CURIOUS to see if their pizza was really THAT good. I really was noshy at that point! See what walking does?

The waiting is kind of part of the charm in a strange way I quickly realized....the anticipation of that artichoke slice taste!!!!! Their plain is great but their slice with actual artichokes on it is even better. SO UNIQUE! It's so rich that you can be content after a few bites...but next time (YES...I will be there VERY soon I must admit) I'm not halfing a slice. I WANT MY OWN! Forget about walking...I'll RUN there!!!

There's a reason why there's a wait here...

I'm trying to give you the whole Artichoke experience here as now I'm a true fan! You grab a slice...eat and run (no seats) and you don't even care it's JUST SO GOOD!!!

This may seem a lot for a slice but they're VERY filling...TRUST ME! Worth it!

Mariella Pizza (180 3rd Avenue) was our next taste and I have to say I was rather disappointed (especially after Artichoke). A friend went crazy over their pizza (how it's the best in NYC) so I was expecting to want to eat my OWN slice even when I was full. I have to say...they were very nice...but their pizza was nothing special. Oh and their bathroom stunk...I mean really STUNK! Sorry D...maybe it was just an off night for them but I say it like it is!

Our last stop was Off Broadway Deli & Pizza (726 8th Avenue) where they advertised 99 cents per slice outside. I was acting like a sassy pizza snob (still sweet though) at this point and at 2ish in the morning I kind of had no interest in trying their pizza to be honest. In fact, I would normally never eat pizza from a place like this to be very frank.

Then I suddenly wanted to see what the hype was all about as my friend was telling people she tasted pizza for a living. It was SO hard for me to keep a straight face (she's a hell of an actress) and yes it was quite busy there. This one woman (non New Yorker) was completely fascinated by my friend's job (being a professional pizza taster and all) and kept asking pizza questions. I wish I had that conversation on tape! I'm still laughing about it!

We were both SO overtired at this point...surprised huh? I mean this was our fifth pizza place and we started this adventure at 6ish and it was now the next morning slightly before 3 am. I have to admit...the pizza wasn't so bad...and yes...I was sober. They were selling a lot of pizza early in the morning and their price is perfect for our current economy too. Since everyone is on a budget...ESPECIALLY now a days...not a horrible pizza option around the clock especially if you're starving. Their pizza wasn't any worse than any other slice we tasted that night...except for Artichoke! Artichoke is in another PIZZA LEAGUE from all the other slices we sampled on Saturday and Sunday!

Off Broadway is open 24 hours and of course they deliver too since this is NYC!!! We walked all the way from the Lower East Side to the West Side 50's until we got in a cab to drop us both off at our apartments. WOW...you don't even realize how much you're walking when you're having such a fabulous time! We would have walked ALL the way back to the UWS... if it wasn't so late!

I know this photo is totally NOT PIZZA related...but this place in the East Village had such a long line which impressed me. Who's eaten there??? I'm so curious now! Tell Spunky Schmoozer please...

This blog entry seems like it's ALL about the pizza I know! Well...my friend and I were on a pizza crawl as you know. I have to admit though...this was such a FUN spontaneous night with a lot of real meaning. It was truly about catching up all over NYC with a close friend! We met new friends along the way, exercised, noshed...and most importantly LAUGHED for over eight hours straight.

Thanks to all the current bachelors, former bachelors and VERY soon to be bachelors once again (you'll never know if we schmoozed about you) who provided us with tons of amusing and priceless material to smile about throughout our adventure (you just can't MAKE this stuff up). Not that we JUST discussed men and relationships...but all of OUR experiences in general...really do remind us...of what's TRULY important while we learn invaluable lessons along the way!

Follow my random adventures on Twitter @SpunkySchmoozer and say hello. Don't be shy! I promise to NEVER be boring as I don't know what boring is!!!!! Oh and where's YOUR favorite pizza place in NYC?