Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Sentimental reasons

In general I go to a grocery store called Wegmans which is somewhat upscale, but still has good prices. It has awesome double-seater shopping carts to appeal to its mom contingent; it plays alternative or pseudo-indie music to appeal to its yuppie contingent; it has a delectable array of cheeses to appeal to its gourmet contingent. After realizing I really need to start tightening our collective belt, I decided to alternate going to Shoppers, which is somewhat, shall we say, downscale. I hadn't been to Shoppers in a while, and the other day when I was there with my kids and hating life because Shoppers doesn't have double-seater carts, yet Theo insists on riding in it too so I have to pile food on top of him, I realized something that I do love about Shoppers: the playlist.

It is the epitome of not alternative. I don't think I've ever heard a song at Shoppers that was written after about 2002, and most of them are pretty bad. Every time I shop there, I hear songs I haven't heard in 10 years, and I love it. (Except, I don't love Rob Thomas or Creed, and it is my greatest wish, besides an end to hunger and war, that all Rob Thomas and Creed songs magically disappear not only from Shoppers but from everywhere.) When I was in high school I memorized the words to pretty much every song I heard on the radio, and somehow the "memorized songs from the '90s" file hasn't gotten lost in my brain. So I can and will sing along to every single word of "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)" and "Mo' Money Mo' Problems," and if you don't like it, then you know where you can go.

You can go to Wegmans.

Here are a few completely random songs that some might call "annoying" but I have to say that I sing along to whenever I hear them. (I threw a couple of "real" oldies in there too. Can you resist "Hit the Road, Jack?" Me neither!)



I wish I could think of more off the top of my head. Because I know there are hundreds more.

What about you? What would you sing along to at Shoppers?

Oh and by the way, my total at Shoppers was MORE than it usually is at Wegmans. Blast it. Does Wegmans really have the best prices, or was I just too busy singing along to "Ironic" to pay attention to what I was buying?
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8 comments:

  1. katie10/27/2009 7:19 PM

    This is why I like reading your blog. Instead of "to save money, I am now shopping at the thrifty supermarket in town, which is the worst and has no gourmet cheeses", you have given us a playlist of grocery hits so we can be right there at Shoppers with you, at least in spirit.

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  2. ladyshanae10/27/2009 7:29 PM

    I tried the same tactic when we were trying to save money. I always ended up back at Wegmans for a few reasons. I knew that I could find literally everything on my list at Wegmans. Which meant that I went on one trip to one store and purchased groceries one time. If I try and shop and 2-3 stores, I end up spending tons more! Also, I found the prices comparable or better than other stores. I also liked how clean and tidy the store always was. One of the things I like most, though, was that the Wegmans brand products usually were devoid of artificial flavors/preservatives and devoid of high fructose corn syrup. Because of the way I need to eat to be my healthiest, I loved that best of all.

    I miss Wegmans.

    Shop there. For me. Haha!

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  3. Eliza10/27/2009 7:51 PM

    That's one huge draw to Wegmans: I really like their store brand. That's probably why it ends up being cheaper--I buy a lot more store brand stuff there. In fact some things I prefer Wegmans brand to name brands--tortillas, bread, PB, and OJ, for example.

    I still need to cut back on grocery spending. It's kind of ridiculous. Part of the problem is that fresh food just costs more. Obviously. And a problem I have had in the past is that I don't get through all my produce before it goes bad. But I get to eat practically all the produce I buy at Wegmans, which is good even though the price is on the high side. Shoppers produce is cheaper but the selection is not as good and it's not as fresh.

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  4. Eliza10/27/2009 7:53 PM

    Katie, thanks for the props. BTW Hannah can tell you (and all who enter here) that she and Robbie saw mice at their Shoppers. I (think) ours is cleaner than that.

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  5. hanner10/27/2009 9:25 PM

    It's true. Two different mice sightings in about 30 seconds. It's worth shopping at Giant (which may or may not be more expensive, I don't really know) just to not see the mice and the "buffalo wyngz" being advertised. I think that Robbie is leaving a comment right now so I hope I beat him to it.

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  6. Robbie10/27/2009 9:26 PM

    maybe it just takes a few years for the mice to learn the words...

    anyway, i share your feelings toward creed, rob thomas, and all other "butt rock" bands (i.e. nickelback et al). As long as Shoppers keeps playing the hits and other select boy band & Whitney Houston songs, Hannah and I might have to get over the vermin.

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  7. hanner10/27/2009 9:28 PM

    And personally, I really miss the music selection at the Smiths in Provo. Again, shopping at the sliiiightly more expensive store just so that I don't have to barely tolerate Maceys.

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  8. grannybabs10/27/2009 11:50 PM

    Fortunately I'm at a point where I can just shop where I want to because we don't eat that much food anymore.

    Except when large crowds come.

    But that doesn't happen every weekend.

    And I guess Pavilions plays music - but I don't know that I've ever paid attention to it.

    I will listen next time.

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