now i want salad.

so.

as i was saying, i've moved to florida.
gainesville, in particular.

due to the fact that i waited a while to start this thing, you can only imagine the incredible wealth of anecdotes i've already accumulated; while this means i don't have to resort to writing about, say, the leaky faucet (driving me nuts, btw), it also means that i will be discussing things as they occur to me and not really in any chronological order.

today: grocery shopping. oh boy.

one of the things i hated the most about living in new york was the cost of food (should i have that idea patented? i'm pretty sure i'm the first person to feel that way) and part of my reason for moving down south were the tales of a mythical paradise known as Publix.

oh hey.

Publix is the greatest thing that every happened to mankind, ever. great selection. i like their generic products; their logo comes off as simple yet still super pleasant to look at-- to the point where you're buying them for more than just the reduced price. not to mention the cashiers there call you "ma'am" with a smile as well as-- and this is something i never thought i'd experience-- DON'T look like they're contemplating either killing you or themselves.

ah, the price. guys, real talk: this place is cheap as hell. and while i understand that this really has much more to do with the fact that Gainesville is, like, THE cheapest place to live, i'm going to go ahead and attribute it to Publix and Publix alone. did i mention i love names that have x's in them? cause i do.

don't believe me? let's do a little side-by-side comparison (except in the vertical sense). let's say you're invited to a potluck dinner and you need to bring something. because you're insanely classy, you choose to bring a salad that blends both nuts, fruits, AND meats (REVOLUTIONARY!!!!!): a spinach salad with chicken, walnuts, and dried cranberries. seeing as i've bought those ingredients in both franchises, this should be easy.

Publix:
spinach: $1.99
cranberries: $3.29
chicken: $3.99
total: $9.27

now, let's make the same salad in new york city, where the most convenient store if you're living behind Lincoln Center and, really, are far too lazy (not to mention pressed for time!) to walk 20 blocks to someplace cheaper is, without a doubt, Gristedes.

boo.

Gristedes:
spinach: $54.99
cranberries: $19.99
chicken: $569.99
total: $1,432.67 and an overwhelming sense of emptiness; also, tears.


call me crazy, but i'd say those savings are noticeable.
Publix, you're my main man.