A few years ago, when I was 19 years old, I went to New York City on Thanksgiving day to spend the holiday with my friend Travis, his brother Jack, and their immediate family. While I expected a unique taste of New York City, what with being so far from home and my own family, nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to experience. Upon arrival, I heard news of Travis and Jack’s parents being very strict vegetarians, and that our Thanksgiving meal, while surely delicious, would be less than traditional. In fact, it was so far from the norm, Martha and Frank, their loving parents, had substituted the standard large turkey for a large vegetarian pizza, topped with delicious red and green vegetables. While slightly more difficult to get accustomed to, the meal (which included stuffing, potatoes, and other traditional thanksgiving staples) was outstanding. Wondering why they had settled on pizza, I quickly came to a realization as to where I was. I was in New York City, a place where pizza shops can be found on every street and every corner, and while pizza at the holidays may not exactly be representative of the state as a whole, it certainly gave our meal that unmistakable New York City flair. In all honesty, it was a nice change of pace, and to be quite honest, after a few bites of that delicious homemade Thanksgiving pizza, I really didn’t miss the turkey after all. We ate, we laughed, we shared stories, but most importantly, we were together in New York City on Thanksgiving.
