By Gary Martin
The UWS brunch trifecta: a great bagel, the perfect schmear, and Goldi(LOX).
Gary B. Martin is an illustrator and animator who has lived on the Upper West Side for more than 30 years. His illustrations appear in the Rag on Sundays, chronicling life in the neighborhood, New York City, and the Universe. See them all here. For a broader range of Gary’s work, including animations and other motion graphics, please visit www.martoons.com
Listen to Rag Radio’s interview with Gary Martin — HERE.
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Sometimes the thing that’s “just right” is staring right at you and it’s still hard to choose.
Too many choices – I have the same problem!
Just plain brilliant Gary !
Sunday mornings are more fun now……thanks.
Dense, hard on the outside and soft on the inside. 🤭
Creative!
Good one🙂
Good one. Always look forward to your weekly cartoon.
So funny and so true!!
Too expensive and not worth it
Right?!?
Suddenly my cup of yogurt for breakfast seems inadequate.
There’s nothing more NYC than the search for the perfect bagel. Since Absolute closed we have been desperately searching for our new spot.
The search for the perfect bagel continues!
Rings so true now that Absolute is gone
Gary has it right! Keep him coming!
OK, that is GENIUS! I keep going back to look at it!
hahaha! Every bagel shop in the city worth its salt will be framing & hanging this. Hmmm, maybe Gary could make it easy for them (and profitable for him)
Punny! Thanks, Gary.
This idea came from my beautiful niece Adrienne. I forgot to put it in the image. I’m sorry Adrienne. I’m old. I forget stuff. 😉
Love it.
But none are bialys! So much better.
Is there anything close to a consensus here as to who makes the best bagels in the UWS? I have my opinions, but I wonder what the populist pick is around here.
Whelps, this is JUST RIGHT for Thanksgiving Sunday brunch! 🥯
Clever! The quest for the perfect bagel–something nearly every Upper West Sider can relate to these days.
Very clever.
May your life be like a bagel, as round as the circle of life, and full of dough.
Ill take the Just Right please!
This is one of my favorite UWS stories…the others being the one about the billy goats; the beautiful (and NOT so secret) gardens,; AND the sudden, and sometimes, mysterious appearance of the perfect parking spot!
So – what’s the bagel shop of choice these days on the UWS?
Dear Readers, I apologize for being off-topic. I lived on the Upper West Side for many years. At the time, there was a bookstore between 81st and 82nd or 82nd and 83rd Streets and Columbus Avenue. I’m writing an essay about an event at the store featuring Joseph Campbell. I can’t remember the name of the establishment. Was it Endicott Books? Thank you.
https://www.westsiderag.com/2011/07/21/the-end-of-the-era-of-the-upper-west-side-bookstore-again
And don’t forget too fattening!🤣🤣🤣
Gotta be well done! With a double Schmear!
Love it!!!!
Love Gary’s work and look forward to it each week!
“Everything” is just right!
Perfect!
Then she goes outside and gets verbally harassed and assaulted by a crazy homeless person.
awww. that’s not part of the story.
What does “too trendy “ mean in this context?
A specific store that certain people keep bemoaning, as if someone has been forcing them to buy their 3-minimum bagels (or, non-bagels, to some “purists”), or to stand in a line with “hip young trust funders.”
lol – love it!
From barista to loving husband to bagel shop counter worker, Gary wears a different hat every week, but also always wears the same hat. Nice work.
He is “Everyman”