Pets Love our Vets’ Love!

By Barbara Ryan Harris

Rarely, does someone come into your life that writes their name upon your heart from day one. For me, L. J. Williams was that rarity.

A lover of all humankind, L. J. was a friend to all.

In his earlier days as a store owner in downtown St. Marys, he often helped those in need get through the week with food to feed their families.

As a St. Marys City Councilman, he served his community with passion and compassion.

As a Sergeant Major in the Army, he served his nation with honor and valor.

L. J. held a firm belief that America was the greatest country on Earth. No one loved his country more than L. J. Williams.

He and I always teared up together when honoring our flag on the St. Marys Express and every time we heard “Proud to be an American” played over the speakers on the train. For many years. L. J. entertained thousands of delighted riders on the St. Marys Express.

L. J.’s big love (after his family) was St. Marys Little Theatre for which he was a founding board member and served as Vice Chair. For more than a decade, he steered this theatre group through numerous sold-out performances, many of which he participated in as a much-applauded actor.

Nothing made L. J. happier than making people laugh. He was an entertainer extraordinaire and could elicit a hearty laugh with just one of his “light-up-the-room” grins.

Guess God needed someone with L. J.’s talents more than He thought we needed him because L. J. left this world way sooner than we were willing to let him go.

When you look up into the evening skies and see the heavenly cast of sparkling stars, look for the brightest one. That’s our L. J.—looking down, smiling, laughing, and saying “Every little thing’s gonna be all right.” plying their wares from their pushcarts to the factory workers nearly 100 years ago. New Haven was a landing spot for many Italian families who settled in the United States and Little Italy became the place to go to find the beloved “apizza” of their homeland. It was here that Jeremy discovered why a world famous pizza reviewer called New Haven “The Pizza Capital of the World” and its pizzas the best in the world. And it was in New Haven where he learned the art of making this nectar of the pizza gods.

Jeremy and Cristen Nascimento launched their Yankee Pie Apizza business in downtown St. Marys as an expression of their love for our community and their desire to bring an exceptional dining experience to visitors and residents in St. Marys’ Historic District. They projected they would sell 100 pizzas on opening day from their food truck set up in front of their soon-to-be permanent building. Surprise! More than 400 pizzas were served on that day with customers lined up around the block and waiting as long as four and a half hours. According to those who came that day, and those who continue to make Yankee Pie Apizza one of Coastal Georgia’s favorite restaurants, it was well worth the wait.

Locals had been craving downtown pizza for years, so a hearty reception was not surprising. But quadrupling one’s expectations is a rarity. And business has not slowed down. Here’s how it all started.

“Ah-Beetz! Ah-Beetz!” Cried the street vendors in New Haven, Connecticut, continued ...

Thankfully, Jeremy brought the art and his passion for pizza southward to open the first authentic pizzeria in downtown St. Marys.

“We proof our dough for 24 hours to get that incredible flavor in the crust,” said Jeremy. “Our ovens heat up to 1000 degrees which gives it that crispy char taste that you can find only in New Haven.”

Jeremy said his pizza makers (pizzaiolos) are trained to run the pizzas and move them around to make sure every pizza is cooked to perfection.

Some favorites include the Margarita, the Potato and Rosemary, Italian Bomb, Original Clam Apizza, and for families, the Jeremy Childhood Special that has tons of meat all over with veggies for the parents on one half of the pie.

“When I was growing up, Friday was family night,” said Jeremy. “That’s what inspired my Jeremy Childhood Special.”

Many ingredients come directly from Italy. “We use the finest imported Italian ingredients we can find,” he said. Jeremy has also made alliances with quite a few local vendors to create a true “farm to table” experience. Connecting to a local blueberry farm enabled him to create a dessert apizza—Blueberry Compote.

Whether you’re enjoying your apizza outside at a picnic table or inside New York style with a view of the pizzaiolos in action, the unique charred crust and fresh ingredients are your reward for a hard day’s work or play.

Fun is always on the menu at Yankee Pie Apizza. Recent activities included movies on the lawn, laser tag, and nine-hole miniature golf. Free s’more kits are provided for the kids to enjoy by the fire pit. You can always pick up a game of corn hole or just amuse yourself with the beauty of St. Marys’ waterfront just steps away.

We are so fortunate to have such generous and community-minded folks as Jeremy and Cristen Nascimento and their masterpiece of a restaurant for all to enjoy. They are diligent in supporting local charities and encourage their clientele to do the same. They’ve continued ...