Natalie Tootie

The Pizza Haven holds a very special place in my heart. The only one left is the one in the Seattle Center House, which would probably be the best one to be left since it’s near me. But the one that holds the best memories is the one that used to be in The Flour Mill in Spokane, Washington.

My mom is a shopper, and when I was a kid, one of the places she liked to shop was The Flour Mill. This is literally an old flour mill that has been turned into a small mall. The inside is almost exactly what you would think an old flour mill would look like. It has lots of exposed wood beams, levels, half levels and stair cases that lead through spooky corridors to get to your favorite shops. It’s perfect, it’s bright and cheery in most places, but with a touch of Scooby Doo mystery and 70′s hippie.

Pizza Haven was on the bottom level and it was set up as pizza restaurants used to be when people would actually go to them and eat family style. My mom and I would often share a pizza, but I always wanted anchovies which she didn’t like as much. Anchovies on a half a pizza doesn’t really work, so sometimes we’d get them and sometimes not. It didn’t matter, the pizza was really good. I’m sure it wouldn’t win any contests, but with memories like that, nothing can compete with it.

I’m starting to get older and it’s so funny to hear myself pine for the olden days. I’m sure they were not nearly as good as I remember them. When you’re young you have fantasies about your future. When you’re old, you have fantasies about your past.