in praise of bagels and roommates

you always hear about the famous bagels of new york, but somehow the bagels i had been occasionally eating were not satisfying my new york bagel cravings. (tasteless doughy circles with a smush of cream cheese were not what my little stomach desired.) i have heard the russ and daughters hype, but the LES can be a bit of a trek when you are hungry for brunch on a cold december morning. and so when my roommates discussed their devotion to terrace bagels, i was unconvinced. but today, after a delightful evening last night of wine and games (both on the table and the screen), all six of us piled on the sweatshirts and headed out into the morning. i don't know why there isn't more hype about terrace bagels. i mean, i know the new york times mentioned them in six bagels worth the wait, but i feel like this place is a secret, and one only a block and a half from our house. about.com mentions long lines on the weekend; we were there around 11 am, and waited only a minute or two in each line. (you stand in one line to order, another line to pay at the cash register which an older man pecks at heavily with one finger.) i got my usual, a plain bagel toasted with cream cheese and tomato (when done poorly, gross, when done well, delicious!) and it was fantastic. crunchy on the outside, doughy and chewy on the inside, real cream cheese slightly melty from the heat of toasting, fresh tomatoes with an actual tomato taste. this place is indeed worth it, thanks new york times.

i should also note, in the ongoing saga of brooklyn vs. manhattan, that boyland is better than i ever thought possible. my roommates are great, they cook and clean (in addition to the video games) and watch project runway and silly tv with me and are appreciative of my baked goods. they are very good company, and they seem to enjoy mine as well. for awhile, s was working crazy hours and i only ever saw him at 3am, and so it was nice to get to come home to my other boyfriends. we are going to stay, at least until may when the lease runs out, and then who knows. it's sort of like college all over again, but with better paying jobs.

so come to brooklyn. we'll watch "the office" and i'll buy you a bagel.