Poppy Seed Bagels

For breakfast, I like a fresh poppyseed bagel, with a lot of poppyseeds, and a cup of very strong coffee.

That sounds simpler than it is.

For years, I was spoiled, because I could satisfy myself at Washington DC's Capitol Grounds, located in the building next door, and on weekends at Pumpernickels on Connecticut Avenue in DC Chevy Chase.

But Capitol Grounds changed hands, and the owner now buys bagels that taste like last week's Lenders from Safeway. And that coffee's not so good, either.

But my office is in breakfast pastry heaven, so what's the problem?

Here it is.

Starbucks (good coffee, no bagels). Caribou (good coffee, no bagels). Au Bon Pain (good coffee, no poppyseed bagels). Sunspot (bad coffee). Soho (no bagels). Market to Market (no bagels). And the list goes on.

There is a small coffee and bagel purveyor at Connecticut Connection. She has very good coffee. She has bagels. She orders one poppy seed bagel a day, for a particular customer (although it goes to the first buyer; I am thinking about entering into a competition with my unknown adversary, but I might have to leave the house at 5 a.m.). She has told me that she will order two if I will come every day. But commitment is tough for me (and, besides, who can come anywhere every day?).

Of course, I could drive to Pumpernickels in the morning, and buy my breakfast. Or (perish the thought), eat breakfast at home. (But if I did that, how could I justify the time at the office in the morning reading the Wall Street Journal?)

Oh, the aggravations of life. I may have to change jobs in order to find an office closer to a poppyseed bagel. Where could I work near Pumpernickel's? I know. At their next door neighbors, Starbucks. I wonder if they are hiring? Or, if I worked there, could I convince the chain that what they really need are poppyseed bagels? What could be better with a raspberry, half skim, half 2%, luke warm decaf latte with almond chai, grande?