The Soundtrack to Eating: Bagels & The Big Apple
Dustin Hoffman wannabes in pant suits and New Balances slam their hands on your Taxi cab. “I’m walkin’ hea’!” they exclaim. You’re just trying to hit up the bodega.
The Soundtrack to Eating is a series in which staff writers analyze how food and music are intertwined.
Written by Sloan Wyatt
Illustrated by Roberto Soto
It’s Sunday, a day devoted to nursing last night’s hangover and piecing together the whirlwind of the past week. The people are anxious; the streets are busy. There’s no time for niceties, but then again, there never is. The queue inside the deli stretches around the side of the building. Inside, the aroma of freshly baked bread, Matzah ball soup, and fresh-cut deli meat fill the room. It’s loud and congested, the kind of scene that would send any person with even an inkling of social anxiety right out the door. At the counter, the order might be simple — plain cream cheese, tomato, lox, and capers — or more sophisticated. It doesn’t matter; it'll tickle your stomach just the same. But, it’s all worth it, so long as a warm, loaded bagel sandwich and black coffee are on their way. Walk outside, take in the polluted air, and enjoy your meal. Let sounds from Moses Sumney and FINNEAS to St. Vincent and Willow fill your headphones and embody the comforting chaos of the morning bagel run. Don’t take too long though — the city awaits.