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I got a call on Friday from a friend offering me two free tickets to see the latest (and last) Harry Potter movie on IMAX 3D. Naturally, I’ve not read any of the books or seen the previous movies. But Adrienne has. All of them. I’m not sure how she’s slipped the movies by me. She was interested, so I took the tickets. Though a deal was made: I go to the movie, and we get to try another pizza place near the theatre. She was game.

So the movie: imagine Lord of the Rings crossed with Star Wars (the good ones – I haven’t seen the bad ones) – except with characters that seem to be confused about who they are and how they fit into the story arc. Push that into a silly, Sunday-night-Hallmark-TV-special kind of ending. And there you have it. I suppose it was IMAX and 3D. The 3D was mostly well done, not being too intrusive (other than the overuse of characters/things coming at you – a tired effect for 3D). Though it seems the technology doesn’t handle fast action too well. I actually thought the best use of 3D was in one of the previews for some animated penguin movie part two, where a wall fell down (towards you) but then “stuck out” as characters interacted with it. I think it worked because it very well bridged the gap from 2D and “normal” 3D to 3D as an effect/plot point.

But onto the pizza. First, go read this review of the place. Don’t continue reading until you do.

Done?

It’s pretty spot on. We walked down the alley and went in, to find there’s no seating. A pick up only sort of place. Ok. We order and make plans to walk 4 blocks to a nearby park (in 90-degree heat – thank Adrienne for being a trooper! – but did I mention I went to Harry Potter for her? :). Al, the owner/baker is obsessed during our time there with finding a magazine. Kind of talks to himself but also us in the cramped space: “I don’t know where I put it… it’s gotta be somewhere… it’s not on top of that pile?… well, it’ll turn up…” All the while he’s got a sponge rubber-banded to his forehead. No joke. It is 90 degrees outside and I’m sure his oven is more like 700 or higher! No AC, are you kidding? We get our warmed sausage bread. It’s good. I gotta learn to make a good stuffed bread. The pizza comes out, we pay. He asks if it’s our first time. I say yes. He asks how I learned about them, I mention the pizza site linked above, which he’s familiar with. At that moment he finds the magazine. And why has he been looking for it? He proudly wants to show how this Jersey magazine says his is the best pizza in the state. He makes sure we see and read it. And says once we taste the pizza, everything else will pale in comparison. He thanks us for coming, shakes my hand and we go on our way. A true Jersey experience!

Oh, and the pizza? Quite good as well. I think I was most impressed by the sauce. But it was a very good, unique pizza. A bit messy, the canned mushrooms, meh – get meat  or just cheese is my recommendation. I’ll be looking foward to the leftovers!