You Know You're Not in Texas When:

You see a Lenten special for horse-race wagering,

As I did today in Philadelphia.
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The Best Pizza in Fort Worth

When you go to the same restaurant for 25 years it says something. That you like the food, obviously, and the service and general atmosphere, but also that you like what that place adds to your life. Years later, if your children continue the tradition, you know it must be alright. Last Saturday night, my 26 year old son told us that he was on his way to get pizza for himself and a few friends. I didn't have to ask where.

Charlies Pizza in east Fort Worth was as much a part of raising my family as little league or church. Saturday night was pizza night and pizza was always Charlies. One doesn't go to a restaurant for that long unless it is good -- and Charlies is good.

Owner Charlie Langdon started his Italian and Pizza restaurant over 30 years ago. He moved twice during that time, all within east Fort Worth, and we always moved with him.

Charlies is New York style thin crust pizza. I like it when it is slightly overcooked and very crispy.

One last thing, the dessert pies are made there in his kitchen by Lora. She came over to Charlies after Eden's closed. I think they are the best pies I have ever eaten. Our favorites: Coconut Icebox and Chocolate Dream.

Charlies Pizza
2220 Handley Drive
Fort Worth, Texas

April, 2011 Editor update: Charlies Pizza is closed. For more pizza in Fort Worth see the sidebar, "Restaurants, pizza." Or search for "pizza" is the search field area.

Let's Just Go Ahead and Admit It . . .

Redwood Library and Athenaeum, Newport, R.I.

This is not a picture of our library. You know that. And you know that I find very little to fault about Fort Worth. I have lived in other cities. And we Fort Worthians have it good.

--- But --

Our library leaves something to be desired. I don't mean the books, the people or the scope of the activities. I have no complaint there. But the building is, well, not as good as we should have.

This came to mind yesterday when I was reading a New York Times article on various libraries around the country. Many of which with spectacular buildings.

When I first moved to Fort Worth 25 years ago, I spent many hours exploring the library in what was essentially a basement downtown. When the construction of a real building on top of the basement started, I thought we would get a respectable facility. What we have is a decent facade on top of a library in a basement.

Maybe there just isn't enough interest in the whole library idea in this day of electronic medium. Libraries are a throwback to a past when paper was expensive as were the books they made. The average guy could not afford many books and libraries were a way for the common man to have access to the books that only the wealthy once had. Before online research, students, researchers and the just plain curious would camp out in a library to find whatever it is one needed. I did it often.

Fort Worth deserves an old stately downtown library with loaded bookshelves, big chairs, sturdy tables and librarians who glare at "loud-talkers" like nuns glaring at misbehaving children in church.

The downtown Post Office --- yea ---- that's the ticket.