you know you're not from the city when...

you buy in bulk.

alix and i have been to costco in new jersey w/ alix's cousin. however, for everyday grocery shopping, we visit "food emporium," which is 4 blocks uptown. (we conveniently pass a firehouse every single time. weird.)

after just a few trips to food emporium, we quickly realized how much we stick out. the true local will often have a small silver basket, picking up a few items... milk, cheese, bread... and that's it. (you know what i'm talking about; the movies are right on point with this.)

oh, no. not alix and lauren. we're not from around here. we see no reason in visiting the grocery story every few days to pick up a few items. instead, we haul our dolly (this photo was taken a few months ago, but you get the idea...) uptown 4 blocks once every week and a half - two weeks to do some major damage.

it shouldn't surprise you, we're graduate students. we're bargain shoppers. yes, we are those silly geese who stand in the yogurt aisle for ten minutes comparing the price of these yoplait... to these dannon... to these light and fit. we can't afford to be frivolous. anyhoo, alix and i made out with some sweet deals this time around. $1.50 for easter sugar cookies?? done.

now, allow me to introduce you to "elena." alix and i haven't been grocery shopping in roughly three weeks, due to our crazy scheduling. so naturally, we went to town. as we scurried up to the register, elena was simply too gracious, offering nothing but rolling eyes and heavy breathing as we continued to load up the rotating black belt. "and you want to split it on two cards? ugh!" so we don't fulfill the stereo-typical new york city market shopper, this i know elena. but you get an a+ for customer service. might i add we bagged our own groceries? (this was an atypical food emporium experience.)

so then, as we make our way up the escalator and exit the front doors, we were thwarted into a mob of people. it's saturday night. in the theatre district. right after the shows get out. we push through the people with our carriage of goodies in tow. pass the firehouse, again? weird how that works out.

to summarize, grocery shopping in the city is always an adventure.