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Friday, June 12, 2009

Friday Five-Trader Joe's


Sophia posted this quirky FF: "Gals and pals on the West and East coasts, and a few spots in between, may know of Trader Joe's--a quirky, well-stocked, well priced semi-gourmet store that attains near cult status among some. I discovered it through my Aunt Judy, who always brought a couple of their desserts to holiday parties....The best was a chocolate ganache torte that had my four year olds begging for it (and among the only four year olds on the planet to know what ganache is, presumably).


My family has happily Trader Joe'd in southernmost California, up to the Northwest, and back down to southern Cal. And now we're really excited because today a brand new Trader Joe is opening up across the street from our apartment. Wahoo! There are sure to be lots of tasty free samples on opening day and from now on we can just walk across the street to get a lot of our shopping done. I have a new spiritual directee coming tomorrow and she has already mentioned that she'll be stopping in on the way here, leaving me to be jealous cause I'll be spending that noon hour like, praying and preparing and study-vacuuming and everything, and won't be able to stop in till the afternoon.


So in honor of the new Trader Joe's, this week's Friday Five is all about food shopping."


1. Grocery shopping--love it or hate it?
I might like it if I had a car and could load all of my groceries in the trunk and take them home, but as I have a cart) and have to go to one store for the organic things (Fresh Foods) and another for the regular stuff (Gristedes,) well it's a real drag- in the literal sense. Note: I'm always surprised when I shop outside of the city, how little I pay for the same things, NYC is so expensive!


2. Who is the primary food shopper in your household?
We share the wealth, although I tend to get the necessities and BL tends to wander to the farmers market, go to Intergral Yoga (for things she likes) and Whole Foods (she's the one who insists on organic.)


3. Do you have a beloved store like TJ's which is unique to your location or family?
No. BTW our Trader Joe's is great, but always really crowed and I have seen lines that have gone all the way from the checkout around the store, right to the door! :-( Don't go there much.


4. How about a farmer's market, or CSA share, as we move into summer? Or do you grow your own fruits/veggies/herbs?
We have a wonderful farmers market that is in Union Square. I took my aunt there, the one who is now 91. She used to have her own store and live in an orchard and she saw things she had never heard of!


5. What's the favorite thing you buy at the grocery store?
The last thing on my list!