Friday Open Thread (with groceries)
Friday! What a concept! How does this keep happening!
Today has been about groceries. One dear friend was beset by the chore this morning, frustrated but generous towards all; my friends in New York are dealing with the awfulness of Fairway filing for bankruptcy and closing some of its locations, even when theirs is the only grocery store serving an entire neighbourhood. I had been putting off doing groceries for days, but today, nourished by dreams of making Helen Rosner’s Roberto at last, I set out — and ran into another dear friend, who’s only in town for a few weeks, but whose shopping time and place had astonishingly converged with mine, and we got to briefly and delightfully indulge in the fantasy of being neighbours, of having this happen all the time.
I would like to know about you and groceries. Is it a task you enjoy? Do you drive or walk to get them? Do you shop with purpose for specific meals, or do you keep certain foodstuffs as staples from which to experiment?
Tell me, while I go make myself this citrus salmon and broccolini situation — I’m saving Roberto for Sunday night, so I can devour him for lunch all week!
I drive to groceries, and I have grown to like them more and more over the years. There is something so freeing, so powerful about just being able to walk into a grocery store and just CHOOSE what you'll have for dinner. It does not make for the best planned meals, of course... but it's so relaxing, in a weird way!
When I lived in Waterloo, I was 30 minutes walking from the closest grocery store (I did not own a car). I rarely cooked, and strongly identified as someone who does not cook.
When I moved to Vancouver, my new place was a whopping *1 minute* from the closest grocery store. A small, intimate location with earthy-smelling produce. Cooking is now something I do regularly, with great joy.
A friend once advised me that I would be far more motivated to learn to play the guitar, if I had a sweet sounding one, and I am beginning to see the wisdom in that. I think we undervalue how much our external circumstances affect our behaviour.