It's been kind of a long week. It's been a good week - almost a great week - but it's been long all the same.
Since I was out after work for the past two nights, I wanted to go directly home today, eat something, and sit on the couch while watching mindless TV. I started thinking about what I wanted to eat around 5:30, and established that what I was really craving was something very specific:
A Bertolli frozen dinner skillet meal thing. In particular, the Farfalle w/ Spinach and Chicken variety.
I already knew that the Associated a block away didn't carry this variety (they have 2, and both are shit). I hadn't ventured to the D'Agostinos a few blocks away yet, but reasoned that they might have a better selection.
OK, first of all - fuck Associated. Seriously. That place, while convenient, is miserable and so stressful that I've nearly rammed into old ladies on purpose to get out of there faster.
I walked into D'agostinos and initially thought that maybe it was closed, because THERE WERE NO PEOPLE AROUND. Also, the aisles were actually wide enough for two people to walk down simultaneously, they had a much better deli/produce section, the store was far cleaner, and the selection was much better. They can't seem to corral all of the chip varietals in one place, but that's my only complaint.
At any rate, I meandered over to the frozen foods. Lo and behold, there was the Bertolli dinner I was searching for.
Now I get to the real point of this entry.
People are constantly telling me about how New York is so much more expensive than Texas. I keep nodding and smiling and generally laughing internally, because I really haven't run into that at all. Except maybe when I had lunch off of Times Square the other day, but that's kind of what you get for having lunch off of Times Square. I digress.
I really hadn't run into this insane price inflation (save my rent, which we're not talking about) anywhere. This could just be because red velvet rope clubs are never going to be my style (I prefer the dives where I can wear my sneakers), but whatever.
And then I stood in front of my beloved, much-desired dinner. And looked at the price.
$10.99?!?!?!?!
Are you KIDDING? I immediately closed the door to the freezer case and recoiled as though it was scalding hot. I thought "Oh my Christ, I paid six bucks for this thing in Austin! Seriously?!" Then I couldn't believe I'd actually thought that. Then I thought that perhaps there was a cheaper Bertolli dinner that would achieve the same thing. There was one - for a dollar less. Great.
I finally sucked it up, pitched the bag into my basket, and proceeded with the rest of my shopping.
But damn. New York is more expensive.
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4 comments:
i paid $3 from a street cart for a hot dog on a bun the other night. $3 for the ground up assholes, hooves and intestines of a pig. after giving this some thought i've decided that i could have given that money to a homeless to take a dump in my mouth and i would have received more nourishment and nutritional value, while aiding my fellow man.
i wonder how much odwalla orange juice is.
Puh-lease! At least you have options within walking distance of your apartment!
All I have is a C-Town (even worse than Associated) and a bunch of bodegas.
As I'm sure you're learning, the general rule "if you can't carry it, you can't have it" applies itself most intensely when it comes to groceries. So commuting on the 1 train from a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's is not generally an option for me.
Welcome to New York City life! Your days of once-a-week discount bulk shopping trips are over ... try to phase these two words out of your vocabulary: "cheap" and "convenient" ... you will rarely use them together in a positive sentence.
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