This afternoon, after finishing up some work, I met up with a friend from college who I haven’t seen in YEARS. She moved to LA and then Madrid after college, I moved to New York and well pretty much stayed in New York. Now she’s getting settled in good ole NYC; it was good to catch up. I may even see if I can interview her for the book proposal I’m supposedly writing right now. It’s so close to being done, and yet so not done!
After coffee I hit up my favorite of happy places: Trader Joe’s. Is there something wrong with me that I enjoy grocery shopping so much? I find the whole process so cathartic. Trader Joe’s is totally the Disney World of grocers. The frozen food aisle totally sets my heart aflutter! I even love the random banter with the cashiers. I stocked up on egg whites, frozen broccoli, meatless meatballs, low fat cheese, English muffins and coffee. I should be pretty happy for a while.
Honestly, I was pretty fried, having stayed up late last night hobnobbing, and getting up early this morning to work; I decided to take the night off and dedicate myself entirely to ‘Toy Story 3′ and a new borrowed book. I may even get my groove on with one of my Wii dancing games. I’m totally the epitome of cool. It’s okay to be jealous 
Does anyone else count grocery shopping as one of their relaxing time activities?
Brunch
Egg white omelet with feta and spinach
Whole wheat English muffin
Kiwi
Coffee
Dinner
Some nights the microwave is all you can muster.
Trader Joe’s Guiltless Macaroni and Cheese, Morning Star Farms Riblets and Broccoli
It’s funny what makes people (well, me, at least) a first-time commenter…
I have been lurking forever and love your blog, and I had to come out to say that I totally consider grocery shopping a relaxing activity. It’s the perfect combination of predictable (you have a list, you get the stuff on the list, it’s always in the same place) and serendipitous (you find something new you’ve never tried, the store has Asian pears for the first time this spring) and in the self-care zone (you’re setting yourself up for healthy and happy eating for the rest of the week or month or whatever).
Everyone thinks I’m insane but I’m glad you’re insane in the same way!
[Reply]
THANK YOU for helping me feel like less of a freak!
I LOVE grocery shopping! How much do I love it? I subscribe to email alerts from my favorite grocery store, and then actually look forward to getting the new ad each week and planning my shopping trip accordingly?
And that’s just the anticipation I put into an ordinary shopping trip. Our nearest Trader Joe’s is two hours away, and I look forward to our stock-up trips there the way a little kid looks forward to Six Flags.
For my last birthday, I requested not clothes, or fitness gear, or tech gadgets, but a trip to an Amish market about an hour away that sells bulk goods at amazing prices. I stocked up on Dutch process cocoa and no-sugar-added fig jam!
[Reply]
I can’t stand shopping in any form, but I LOVE Trader Joes! Love! Love! Love! Everyone is so nice there! And the food is so good! And cheap! Yeah…. if I could do all my shopping there I would.
[Reply]