In 2010, rather than traveling to Italy to hedonistically indulge in authentic Italian fare as portrayed in Eat, Pray, Love, I found nearby Tony's Pizza Napoletana at 1570 Stockton Street in San Francisco's Northbeach (Little Italy). Tony Gemignani, proprietor of Tony's Pizza, is a 9 time champion of the World Pizza Cup held in Naples. He introduced one of the first coal-fire ovens on the West Coast in the Fall of 2009. Tony's signature Margherita Pizza is just one of many gourmet creations on his menu that includes mouth watering pastas and Italian dinners all made with authentic ingredients imported from Napoli. 

The enlightenment at the end of this story's tunnel is a simple one: while it would be an amazing adventure, one does not need to traverse the world to find the meaning of life or to EAT, PRAY and LOVE. As so many of us have already discovered, nirvana can be found in the aromas and taste sensations while savoring a piece of heaven disguised as a freshly baked slice of steaming pizza right in your own neighborhood. And, although she didn't know it at the time, Julia Roberts had all the ingredients she ever needed to find the answers way back in 1988 when she starred in MYSTIC PIZZA.   

For more, visit www.tonyspizzanapoletana.com and the Photo Gallery. And, for more about EAT, PRAY, LOVE and author, Elizabeth Gilbert, visit elizabethgilbert.com