Do you have a favorite breakfast joint?

I do. Almost every Saturday I visit Big Easy Bagel in Manchester, NH for a great bagel, a soda (not a coffee drinker but they have it), and terrific company and atmosphere.

You remember that show Cheers and how "everyone knows your name"?

Big Easy Bagel is that kind of place. You go there the first time because you notice it on the way to the Manchester airport. You go a second time because you love a good bagel and the food is delicious. After that you find yourself returning again and again not just because of the food but because you feel like family.

Lori and David (the owners), along with Cathy and Deb, and sometimes Amanda make you feel like you're a part of their family so you find yourself visiting them every Saturday for a bacon, egg, and cheese bagel sandwich, and if you have a carb craving you order the spicy fries.

Help Lori and David and the gang down at Big Easy Bagel celebrate their 15 year anniversary this week. They have lots of wonderful food and good giveaways so stop by, grabbing a bagel and a cup of coffee, and see what's going on.

Date: April 15, 2010 to April 17, 2010
Time: 6:00am - 3:00pm
Location: Big Easy Bagels
Street: 2626 Brown Avenue
City/Town: Manchester, NH

Tell them Denise sent you.

How many people can say they've played a cow bell?

What does a writer do on a Saturday night?

This writer went out with some friends. . .notice the picture. Don't be frightened by the scary looking guy sitting on my left. That's David, the owner of Big Easy Bagel in Manchester and on my right is his wife and partner, Lori. She is obviously the brains and the beauty behind Big Easy, but shhh! Don't tell David.



Saturday morning, I went for my bagel sandwich and while chatting with Lori, she invited me to hang out with them at Whippersnappers to listen and watch a band called Mama Kicks.

Picture below is lead singer Lisa and in background is drummer David.



If you ever need inspiration for a story, go watch Mama Kicks. Not only was the music fantastic, but they were great entertainers. Every had a terrific time and yours truly got to people watch and take mental notes.

Seriously, someone tell the guy wearing the Boston Bruins hockey jersey that he is so NOT hot. Go put a real shirt on.

The older guy who wore a red t-shirt and a sweat jacket that was way too small should get a grip.

The woman who wore this ugly black lace top that showed basically everything, not to mention the way she danced pretty much gave you the impression that she did everything. . .should maybe get a room some place.

Then there was Nana Nancy. I call her Nana because she was by far the oldest person in the place. Let me tell you this woman had fun. She shook her polyester clad booty along with her gray hair. Go Nancy!

As for me, I sat at my front row table drinking and grinning like a fool, tapping my toes all night long while I mentally catalogued the events and the people of the evening.

Until the end that is. Then when I had just returned from the ladies' room and found myself being summoned on stage by David the guy playing. He was a blast to watch, but yeah, no, I did not want to get up on stage. Are you kidding me?

Like I had any say.



To my complete embarassment I got up on stage and was handed a cow bell and a drum stick. A cow bell? Seriously?

Now, I've had voice lessons, even worked with a musician to write a song, but no, I have never played an instrument. No laughing!

Luckily, Lisa, the lead singer of Mama Kicks coaxed Lori up on stage to play the tambourine. The Pink Boxes as Lisa so named Lori and I, played back up to the group on the last song of the night.

Do we look hot or what?

Okay, maybe not hot as in sexy, but hot as in those lights are bright.

We had a blast and we will be back to Whippersnappers to see Mama Kicks on April 10, 2010. Mark your calendars and join the fun!