Dorothea – Fine Greek: Albuquerque, New Mexico

“What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.” ~Hans Urs von Balthasar, Prayer The appellation Dorothea literally means “gift of God.”   It’s a name derived from the words dōron (gift) and theos (god). While the name itself is ancient Greek, there is surprisingly  (especially considering the easily titillated denizens of Mount Olympus) no figure in pagan Greek mythology with the name Dorothea.  Instead, Dorothea is the name of a prominent Christian saint, one christened the patron saint of florists, gardeners, and brides.  She is often depicted with a basket of roses and fruit.   The name Dorothea has variants in many different languages, including Dorothée, Dorotea, Dorota, Dorrit, Doretta and more. It has also inspired…

Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante – Glendale, Arizona

In a Phoenix.org feature published in November, 2022, David Tynda declared that Phoenix is a top city for pizza. “I say to people that I believe Phoenix is the pizza capital of the U.S. and I wait for them to slap me across the face,” said Tyda, the co-manager of Phoenix Festivals.  The Matador Network agreed: “Phoenix is a slice of pizza heaven. Yes, that Phoenix, the one where it’s nearly hot enough in the summer to cook said pizza on the sidewalk. While Chicago and New York were dueling it out for pizza supremacy, Phoenix was quietly building an army of pizza joints that could dethrone Naples.” Not that very long ago, most of the nation’s crusty cognoscenti conceded…