The Bagel Deli

Five reasons to make your way to the Bagel Deli:

1. If you're a lox lover, this is the place to come. Lox, an onion bagel, a slice of tomato, cucumber, an olive or two and a few capers and you have a Sunday morning delight. Its deliciousness is down right redonkulous!

2. The people: wow! What an interesting assortment of people are seen on a Sunday morning. There are families with small children with their sippy cups and chubby legs. There are skinny little old ladies in swanky sweat suits with long gray hair and too much makeup, even false eyelashes, faint shadows of their younger selves. The old men reading newspapers with unkempt hair enjoying a second or third cup of coffee are always sitting in a booth or table alone. The 30-something lovebirds who whisper and giggle and only have eyes for each other. The successful businessman in his Sunday casual and his attractive wife with a child home from college in tow. A group of racuous couples sharing funny stories from their youth. The wait staff that move about swiftly, the kitchen staff that are shouting orders and racing about, the woman who owns the place taking names at the front and shuffling people in and out in a semi-orderly manner. All the people coming to eat. Busy, busy, busy.

3. One of the best parts of going to the bagel deli with Steve is the way we get to slide in a booth side-by-side. We always do, even if we're alone. We order coffee, eat our food, read a little of the paper, engage in chit-chat about the week's event or funny things about the previous day. I love how Steve will show his tender side with me: rub my back, hold my hand, touch my leg, tell me in his sing-song way, "I loooove you" all while we're just kind of semi-present to each other. It's this kind of non-communion communion. Bring a loved one with you and slide in the same side of the booth. You'll be amazed at how romantic a nosh it is.

4. The schmoozing.... there's schmoozing with the owner to get a table quickly. Talk, talk, talk. There's hellos and hands shaken on the way in. Chit chat and more chit chat. The, "How's your mother feeling?" and "I heard your daughter got into law school!" and "Congrats on the big win!" There's chatter with family that comes to join us for Sunday breakfast: Steve's mom joins us regularly and regales us with details about the grandchildren and her latest book group meeting and recent charity event. Smiles abound and the chat factor is huge in this friendly deli. Knowing that I need to speak at least five thousand words a day makes me feel right at home.

5. And last, but probably the most obvious reason: the bagels themselves. They are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. So good.  And all the choices: everything and onion  and salt and potato, rye and pumpernickel and raisin and sourdough. So very good. 'Nuf said.

So, if a Sunday morning arrives and you're hankering a little Big Apple experience here in the Mile High City, I'd highly recommend a visit to the Bagel Deli. Bring your lover, order some lox and an onion bagel, schmooze a bit, and enjoy. You won't be disappointed.