Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Road Trip to Connecticut


New Haven is home to Yale University's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Among its extensive holdings are a number of excellent African American images, mostly from the Randolph Linsly Simpson collection. Many of these images are available by searching the library's online database. However, a handful were not, and I determined to travel to New Haven to view them.

I had it in mind to visit in August, but did not have a firm date planned until my friend Pete reminded me that New Haven is close to the home of our mutual friend Dave. Also that New Haven is home to two of America's finest pizza places, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana and Sally's Apizza Restaurant.

A plan formed: Drive to Connecticut on Sunday, pick up Dave, and have dinner at Sally's. Monday at the Beinecke followed by late lunch at Pepe's, then drive home.

The trip was a complete success. The Beinecke staff were exceptionally courteous and helpful. The handful of images I came to see included one excellent carte de visite of a first sergeant and fifer from the Sixty-seventh U.S. Colored Infantry. Added to the other images I had previously found in the Simpson collection, all men from the Twenty-ninth Connecticut and 108th U.S. Colored infantries, I left the library after having made arrangements to receive high-resolution scans of thirty photographs — a staggering total from a single source. I like to think the photograph shown here of me in front of the Beinecke with my hands forming the big 3-0 celebrates the moment.

As for the pizza, that too became a research project. Dave, Pete and I ordered a white pie with clams and tomato pie with sausage and pepperoni from each restaurant. We unanimously agreed on the winner: Sally's. Each of Sally's pies, with ingredients fused into a complex flavor profile that includes the perfect thin, crunchy crust, easily won the day. Sally's was worth the wait, two hours from the time we lined up until the first pizza made it to our table. Pepe's had the advantage on three counts: Aromatic and richly-flavored sausage, ambiance inside the restaurant, and service. But these factors were not enough to put Pepe's over the top.

Special thanks to the guy at Sally's who held our place in line while we grabbed a quick beer!

Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,