Grocery Shopping!!!

I LOVE Grocery Stores!!!!! This seems to be the "new" shopping experience.

You know you are a foodie, when you plan your time around going to these gastorial palaces....From bargin to posh, grocery stores are my first love.

How much? Going to Dallas Texas for a hot food convention and working my schedule so we can try out the Grocery Store that everyone is talking about. The choices of bulk salt, WOW! We walked around there for over two hours just exploring and enjoy what each aisle would bring. The bulk salts, Oh my! Thanks to Gary and Tammie for that awesome experience!!!! OBTW, congrats on winning the artwork for your hot sauces Flaming Tongue, check out their website, when you have a moment. They are in Ardmore Oklahoma. Love ya guys!

Best ones? I think each of them have their place for different reasons. Example: Whole Foods, how great is that store! Unbelievable in the quality and choices you can have. Now tell me, where can you go to a grocery store and sit in the middle of it and have a glass of wine or champagne or both, nippling on different cheeses, while people are moving around with their grocery carts grocery shopping ? That is just wild....I love to get all the different cheeses and meats to bring home and try with friends and family. All I can say in incredible.

I look forward to going into these HUGE grocery stores and exploring. It is a like visiting Disneyland. Remember standing in line and not talking to anyone except your best friend because you were too cool to turn around and start up a conversation with (God forbid) the person behind you. Then after waiting in the line for over an hour you start up a conversation with the people around you. Enjoying the stories and making the whole line thing worth it! You get on the ride, excited about the wind blowing through your hair, the whipping back and forth of your body, shoving into your friend next to you....screaming and laughing at the same time. When you get off The People Mover, you say "let's get in line again!" Yea, that is how I feel about grocery stores. There are two I absolutely LOVE in Apple Valley and Victorville. It takes me over an hour to get to them, excitement running through me as I am on my way! Park in the humongous parking lot, walk a mile to get in and FINALLY!!! WOOO-HOOOOOOO! I'm in! What stores am I talking about? Vallarata and Winco!!!

What are they? Well Vallarta is a Mexican grocery store, HUGE!!!! I love going to this grocery store for numerous reasons:
1) I love authentic Mexican food
2) Love to prepare authentic Mexican food
3) Love to try new Mexican food and
4) Love the employees that work there
5) Meeting people that are there for the first time, to share their
experience with them.
6) Bring someone with you for their first time, i.e Kim (Boy you should have seen
her reaction! Priceless!

I bought cactus salad and will be sharing this new food with friends on our Sunday night dinner party, along with the BEST carne asada I have ever had! The mexican sour cream is so smooth and slightly salty. Homemade tortillas still warm in the package, all the fresh produce you can think of, and above all, the prices, OH my! Out of this world! On one whole side of the store they even have a food court that you can order almost anything, either eat right there or take it with you. I highly suggest you take an afternoon and check out this gem, I promise you won't be disappointed!

On to Winco, I have heard stories about this store, but it seems that when I am down the hill,there are so many other things I have to do and taking time to check it out the way I wanted to never seemed to happen. Well Tuesday, Andy and I decided to take the afternoon and drive down to fill up on foods for the winter. (We decided not to buy a cow this year (with the boys hardly ever home that is just too much meat for two people) but we did get a pig, (this year we also decided not to raise our own) and it should be done soon. (Our raising pig stories will follow in the next few weeks, when it is snowing and icky outside)

We had made plans to visit Costco, Winco, Albertson's and maybe Sam's Club. First stop...Winco...last stop Winco! We never made it further then this store!!!!!

All I can say is WOW!!! It is incredible! I knew that it was something because of the parking lot, (you can tell alot about a store because of it's parking lot).
Walked into the store and the shopping carts on the right was probably a 1/4 mile long! Looked up at the top of the store and gasped!!!! The store was unbelievable! It reminded me of TJMAX, that thrill when you walk in the door about the bargains you are going to find. You know that moment that certain something catches your eye, you pick it up, examine it, feel that little tingle in you, you look for the price tag, turn it over and Wa La! It's mine, is anybody looking at me? Does anyone know that treasure I have found. Careful now, but it in your basket, look cool, no one will know, why is that lady looking at me? Does she know? I better just look ahead and keep it cool. That is Winco. The prices are WOW! Bell Peppers 33 cents!!!! After 2.5 hours there we decided to call it a day, and head on home with our treasures. The people in line were just as nice as the employees, smiles and happiness.

Got home, brought all of our goodies inside, now to examine the booty! You know when you do good on how many bags you carry in...Smiles abound and cupboards full, freezer full, you can now sit down on the couch and smile, knowing you expedition has paid off in full and can't wait for the next time you enter that store...what treasures lie ahead?

Next topic, TRADER Joe's, Ultimate friend store....(What does that mean?)