Hi, Martha!

There’s a charming little bagelry that opened up on the south side of town, which is really great because most of the great shops are in downtown and they’re just recently opening up some great places on the south side. The south side is where the more-wealthy/less-cool people reside, so you’re kind of torn: such thoughts as, “Well, I don’t feel like I might get mugged down here but… where’s the creativity?” So, I was thrilled when this place opened up, plus, it makes me so happy every time we go, it’s pretty much a slam-dunk. If you can use basketball metaphors when speaking of bagels. I don’t know.

Legacy Bagelry’s slogan is “Bring back the corner bakery” and it has that feel, like we’re trying to be more like our grandparents. Both Adam and I had grandfathers that owned general stores in Nebraska. There’s a picture my mom has of my great grandpa and a bunch of old men sitting on flour sacks in the back of the shop, making butter or something, it’s so darn cool. There’s nothing more awesome than walking into a shop and having people know you and greet you, and then accidentally staying for a few hours because the conversation (and/or coffee) was so stimulating. This morning when we were at the bagelry waiting for our pour overs a little old woman opened the door and everyone in the kitchen hollered out “Hi, Martha!” and she said “I told you I was going to come!” and it was the sweetest, most endearing thing.

My spirit has been especially starved for such familiarity since spending two weeks in San Francisco where friendliness pretty much curled up and died… and then rotted in the street corners. I think I was smiled at by one person in the full 11 days I was there. And by one person I mean one sane, respectable person, not a too-forward, looking-for-a-break fella hollering at me.

I know the coastal people in general think the Middle West is simple and boring, but I wonder… I think they might be wrong.