Juliet is "Perfect"

Having just completed Act I of William Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, it was good to see the two main characters finally meet with a flirtatious chance encounter at the Capulet feast in Act I.5.

This couldn't come at a better time for Romeo who started the play in Act I a mopey mess after being rejected by Rosaline. His cousin Benvolio urged him to attend the Capulet feast to "examine other beauties" (1.1.221) as a means to help him out of his depression. Well, score one for Benvolio because Romeo fell instantly for a girl he had never met before. Romeo exclaims to a servant at the party that there's a girl who has "beauty too rich for use" (1.5.45). What's even more shocking but perfectly in line with his impulsive decision making is when he questions whether his "heart love[d] until now?" (1.5.50) after one look at Juliet. Ok, let's roll with love at first sight.

His quick but meaningful interaction with Juliet really showcases his romantic side to his character as well as his quick wit. It's clear there's one song that Romeo would put on loop as he walked home from the party, Ed Sheeran's "Perfect" from his 2017 album Divide.

The song kicks off its first few lines with "I found a love for me / Darling just dive right in / And follow my lead" capturing the essence of Romeo's wishes to "dive right in[to]" a relationship with Juliet. Think about it. Diving into a pool rather than taking the stairs and getting adjusted to the temperature is exactly what he wants.

The song's sixth line reflects the youthful love with "we were just kids when we fell in love" and, of course, matches the extremely youthful ages of Romeo and Juliet. Romeo wants to kiss Juliet with his "two blushing pilgrims" (1.5.93) just as the singer wants the girl to "just kiss [him] slow".

Romeo believes he is not worthy of touching Juliet with his "rude" (1.5.49) and"unworth[y]" (1.5.91) hand. This is matched with the singer's remark that he "do[esn't] deserve" the love of the girl.

And what about the last line of the chorus? When the singer refrains that the girl "looks perfect tonight," shades of Romeo's immediate lust for Juliet's beauty comes to mind. This is more surface level "love" as its predicated on looks rather than something deeper. The "kids" aspect of both the song and the play support the love at first sight cliche. Heck, the singer even goes back to the idea of youth with the line "We are still kids, but we're so in love" holding onto the pure adolescent concept of love.

Finally, the line "fighting against all odds" in the song truly encapsulates the insurmountable odds that Romeo and Juliet will face with their feuding families. As both the title characters learn of the other's last name, their love will be put to the ultimate test. Romeo remarks that his "life is [his] foe's debt!" (1.5.117) while Juliet laments that her "only love sprung from [her] only hate!" (1.5.136).

While we know things won't end well for the two lovebirds, let Romeo enjoy the sweet romantic melody of Ed Sheeran's "Perfect" because that's what Juliet is to him right now....perfect...except for being a Capulet. Let's not focus on that though.

Winging Dinner

Growing up in North Bellmore on Long Island, there was always a war about the local eateries versus the chains. Annas Pizzeria or Dominos. Wendy's or The Brass Lantern. While I didn't have much say as a kid where we ordered from (sparing us from my mother's collapsible meatloaf), my friends and I would seek out the local spots that were not nationally recognized. 

Annas Pizzeria (now called Calabria) was an easy choice given how easy it was to walk there. This was the first place that I ever tried hot buffalo wings. And my mouth is still on fire today. They famously create a lake of orange for the wings to swim about in. There's no skimping on the meat either, unlike Dominos. Despite being rebranded "Calabria," the wings still hold up. It's hard to believe that I'd recommend a pizza place for some wings, but if you want to spice your dinner up, pop on by.

What was once Anna's Pizzeria in the local shopping center

Speaking of local pizza places, Pizzeli's (a high school find walking home from school), had the best pizza crust ever. No gimmicky butter or parmesan as you'll find from chains. Instead, they used corn meal for an extra crunch. Did I mention the large enough pie that you'll only need two slice to fill you up? Bang for a teenager's buck. Best regular slice of pizza a teen could want. Too bad some generic Italian pizzeria took over and the uniqueness is gone. Pizzeli's lives on in my memories (and blog posts).

Pizzeli's dynamite regular cheese pie

So if you're in the (North Bellmore) neighborhood and you've got a hankering for some wings, skip BWW (Buffalo Wild Wings) and start winging dinner with a trip to Calabria. 

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