The world is a little strange -- well maybe a lot strange. I moved about a year ago from a big happy metropolitan area to,
Without going into a long list, I'd like to focus on two items in particular: coffee and bagels. I'm not really a food-oriented person, but those were two things I really took for granted, and I've missed them terribly since I moved. I think there is some relationship between the coolness of an area and the number of coffee shops and bagel bakeries in it. When your only choice for coffee is Dunkin Donuts, and the only choice for bagels is the local supermarket, be a little worried. That's how it was here. Not that I need a specialty shop on every corner, but a Brugger's or Starbuck's along my commuting path would serve me just fine.
It took a bit of digging and creative navigation to find a morning coffee stop on my route to work. Civilization is what's around you, so you just needed to be around more civilization, right? I now have about 18 different ways to get to work in the morning.
A few months ago a Manhattan Bagel Company opened up along route number 12, and that was a big deal. Unfortunately, route number 12 has more stop lights than you can shake a stick at, and I tend to favor the interstate for my commutes. Bagels aren't nearly as cool if you're a half hour late for work every morning.
Luckily for me, Mom's Bagels opened about a week ago three blocks from my office. I was truly amazed how much joy I got out of someone opening a bagel shop (civilization) near my office (me). It used to be that only workstations running above 200Mhz made me even slightly elated. I heard there is another bagel shop opening a couple of blocks up from Mom's. Finally, it seems, my new home is evolving into something I can call civilized.
The real lesson here is this: when you think about moving somewhere new, and you're writing down the pros-and-cons list, remember those little, everyday things that give quality to life -- like coffee and bagels on the way to work.
