Life's a Pizza!

Another National Pizza Month is about to come to a close.

This October did not find me eating pizza every single day (or even every other day) like in October's past. I believe only twice all together, but those two times count for a lot, because each one was shared with good people, and conversations with those good people.

I leave you with this song. (It is quite charming.)



Adieu, and happy pizza!

Club PB&J.

Or: why my (Los Angeles) life is beautiful.

One reason my life is beautiful is because when I went to BYU I had the good fortune of becoming good friends with two boys named Spencer and Davis. They were both from Camarillo, California, and were the sincerest of the sincere and the funniest of the funny. (This Spencer is not to be confused with my Spencer, but is a very, very good Spencer nonetheless.)

A second reason my life is beautiful is because when we were at BYU they started a club called Club PB&J. Like the Mormon Women Oral History Project of which I am so passionate, the title is indicative of the objective. I.e., it entailed friends coming together, from all walks and areas of campus, to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and to talk about them. There was a president, vice president, secretary and official motto: I eat PB&J all day everyday. This was recited at the beginning of each meeting. Club members also had the opportunity to share what type of jam they were eating, what type of peanut butter, and what type of bread. Minutes were taken.

A third reason my life is beautiful, is because the president (Davis) and vice president (Spencer) both live in Los Angeles now, with their wonderful wives (who happen to each be named Kim). The fourth reason my life is beautiful is because even though LA has the tendency to swallow people whole, I get to see them sometimes, and hear their jokes, which remain golden after all these years. The most recent time was for my birthday(!). We ate delicious pizza and made big (art) plans for the future (that I am crossing my fingers actually happens). And one day last May we sat on the grass under a sunny sky and ate PB&J together like old times (minus Spencer but plus another old Provo favorite: Chris Duce and his equally beloved wife Natalie.)

So many other good people are here now (The Coy's, Rogers, famous Dave Peterson, etc.). It makes a city that is not that easy for me to live in easy. And occasionally even wonderful.

Provo, 2005.

LA, 2011.

My school is cool and Spencer's school is cool.

My school is cool because you can walk into a building called The Institute for Signifying Scripture and hear Richard Bushman speak on a 21st century reading of the Book of Mormon.

Spencer's school is cool because you can walk into an installation that makes you feel like you're in a meteor. Or a cave. Or a volcano.


California is cool because you can eat pizza in a park in March, and it is not too cold out.

Pizza Month: the most wonderful time of year.

As spoken by Mrs. Elizabeth Bevington-Seawright, and as agreed to by me.

For the third year in a row, October will find me eating pizza every day (or nearly every day), as per a combination of National Pizza Month and friend traditions (however East to West coast spread those friendships may be).

First pizza was CPK in Palo Alto with the Gallaghers. Second pizza was at a cheap, nondescript hole near Abby's San Francisco abode. Third pizza was sadly nonexistent as it was Sunday and I was a. unprepared and b. on the road for a majority of the day/night. Fourth, fifth, and sixth pizzas were homemade in Rich family fashion: fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, spinach, tomatos, sauteed onions and garlic, oregeno, already prepared dough, etc. When in line at Trader Joe's purchasing said items, the cashier smiled and asked, "Pizza night?" to which I smiled and answered, "Pizza month." He laughed, but I wasn't joking.

Seventh pizza will likely be from one of the places recommended to me by a new friend, by way of this list:

Happy Pizza!!

Bless.

Bless bolt bus, and winter break, and trips to New York City. Bless earmuffs on blustery days, and gourmet licorice on every kind of day. Bless Ellis Island, and Lady Liberty, and ferry rides that make such sights possible. Bless sunsets over Brooklyn Bridge and Grimaldi's on the other side. Bless Patsy's (which I may like slightly more than Grimaldi's). Bless starbursts and Lindor truffles. Bless Becca, and Tay, and Bronson. Bless hospitality, and welcomings, and an abode at Cathedral Parkway. Bless Cafe Lalo, and Evelyn, and Francesco who still calls me Precious. Bless T. Time.

Dear everyone,

I haven't written for awhile. I am sorry. I have been tired, and a little bit busy--attending book readings, crafting papers, preparing presentations, other general finishing of my term, playing nanny, meeting Danny Ainge, visiting New York, flying across the country, and eating pizza.

Of my fall semester the truest thing I can say is that it was hard. The second truest thing I can say is that it was good: I liked my classes, my program, and my classmates.

Now after boarding a plane, and being in far too many cities in one day, I am in Provo, and have been for a little while. I am currently sitting on a couch in my family's home, where there is a picture of me in a frame, in the entry way, and where a 3 year old girl runs down the stairs in the morning yelling my name.

Since my return, my sister Charity has called me Pocahontas, my niece Eden has called me Charity, I've read 3 1/2 books, watched 2 movies, seen a small handful of friends, failed to settle Catan, had numerous kitchen and living room dance parties with my sisters/niece, admired the lights at Temple Square (though I was cold and maybe hungry), remembered that the Broadway is my favorite movie theater in all of the US and that Ritter Sport Marzipan is my favorite candy in all of the world, watched more sports in a single night than I watched in an entire year (Go Cougs/Lakers!), passed my 3 year mark home from my mission, and delivered cookies/Christmas caroled with my family.

I can feel how good it is to be here.

Sincerely,

Rachel

Pizza month.

The tradition began last November, when my friends Max and Elizabeth had a dream, a dream of eating pizza every day for an entire month. They made their dream a reality, and while I wasn't a full participant, I did join them for a lot of pizza, and discussions about pizza.

They decided to move this year's Pizza Month to October, a. to align it with Official Pizza Month, and b. because that month fell sooner, and they love their pizza.

I chose to join them in this delicious undertaking, as did our friends Quinn and Courtney. The rule is simple: pizza every day, at least once a day, for the month of October. I have been following the afore mentioned rule for the last 29 days, and will follow it for two more. It has been a fine mix of homemade, Zing Pizza, Veggie Planet, and Trader Joe's. I am not tired of this pizza eating. To the contrary, it is still what I want to eat, generally more than any other food. And while National Pizza Month may end, thankfully eating pizza will not.