Dino's new place...

This Saturday, it was across Manhattan once again to attend the grand opening of New York Avenue Pizza and Pasta.

It's a new place opened up by Dino and his wife Emily. Dino is Italian by heritage, a Brit by birth and sounds as American as anybody. Last year, he finally got his green-card and now, to support the ideal of the American Dream, he's opening his own pizza place with his lovely wife and their beautiful baby daughter (who's fingers are just the right size to make indentations in the calzones.)

Dino and Tina have been friends for years, so we came along to lend our moral support and scoff delicious pizza - and Dino's pizza was breathtaking. I'm already a convert to New York pizza - nothing made in England comes anywhere close - but this stuff was the cream of the crop. Crispy, tangy, cheesy and delicious.

You'll find New York Avenue Pizza and Pasta on - unsurprisingly - New York Avenue, just next to Checkers Cafe, Tina's favourite bar and the location of many a misadventure.

I wish Dino and Emily all the luck in the world - not that they need it. Dino is a real old-school grafter and with pizza as good as his, the place will be an enormous success.

Bar Tender Olympics

On Wednesday, it was time to saddle up and cross the Hudson for the 2007 Bartender Olympics on Long Island. That meant a trip over the George Washington Bridge.

We met up with Annie and cardsharp Ben at a Las Vegas themed TGI Fridays, where every year, they hold a Bartender Olympics to decide who is the best and brightest of the regional Friday's bartenders.

I only managed to catch Gina and Justin as they performed. Justin seemed slightly more handy 'flaring' (that means chucking bottles around and catching them) but Gina brought along four nautical nymphs who provided dance and stage support, all dressed in little sailor suits. That's the level of showmanship we're talking about, here.

Tina's cousin, Christina, officiated over each round and cheered on the home team.

Then, it was time to head to Checkers, the infamous bar where everybody does know your name and most of your sordid history, too. Bartender Dan wasn't in the running for the Olympics - but he earned a gold medal anyway for his legendary whiskey sours.