Shoppers remorse

Last night I tried out the new Shoppers that replaced Superfresh in Ellicott City.  As a grocery store it was fine, I guess, but it was a disorienting and disheartening experience. 

I know my grocery shopping routine is pretty crazy - but it's mine.  First there's Lotte Plaza for produce and "international" items.  I shop Costco for milk, bread, some fruits, some meats, some cheeses, coffee and other bulk things that a family of five goes through quickly.  Target is for stuff that we don't need a pallet of.  There's also the occasional trip to Trader Joe's for their goodies.  And Superfresh was for everything else I couldn't find at those places. 

When the Target added to their grocery section I tried to cut out Superfresh and just shop there, but they didn't have all the brands I like or if they did, they didn't necessarily have the lower sodium version or whatever.  So instead, I cut back on my Target visits and only went there every once in a while. 

In the time between Superfresh closing down and Shoppers opening, I've tried out a couple of other stores.  The Giant on 40 is close, but is small and the selection isn't the greatest; the one in Dorsey's Search is better, but it's really too much of a drive to be convenient.  The Safeway at Long Gate Shopping Center is okay, but I hate that parking lot, especially during the holidays - so shopping there would not be convenient for every week.  There's a Safeway on 40, but I haven't had the chance to try it out.  There's a Mars on 40 also, but I just don't like it that much - not sure why. 

I really want the Shoppers to work out because it is so close to my house, so convenient.  Maybe it will be okay, maybe it's just a case of getting used to it.  I think that's really what I don't like about any of the other stores - I'm not familiar enough with them.  I make my shopping list based on where things are located in the store, otherwise I always forget something on my list because it isn't on the list in the progression of aisles. 

That's what was so disorienting about Shoppers - going into a store I've been so familiar with and finding that almost everything is in a different spot, the brands are different, the variety is different - it's just different.  Sigh.  Change is hard.


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Another HoCo Flash Mob

The plan was for Q to walk up at the beginning of Dr. Cousins remarks and tap him on the sleeve, at that point the music would kick in, he would bob his head and walk to the center of the floor while all the other kids ran out to the open floor and voilá, the Healthy Howard awards ceremony would be flash mobbed.

Of course, nothing ever goes as planned.  Q did his job, but there was a musical glitch.  Dr. Cousins was a bit confused, but very gracefully went on with his remarks and smoothed it over with, "I think I have a fan!"  The next speaker was introduced and she began speaking when finally the music started - the kids all jumped up and did their thing and there were applause all around.  It was so much fun - and I was just watching from the wings holding back Zoey, who desperately wanted to run out and dance too.  The video is not the best - I was juggling Zoey on my lap and making sure Violet kept her seat at the same time - but you get the gist.  

There were lots of HoCo celebs there - including Ken Ulman, Calvin Ball and Courtney Watson.  The Ulman girls made an unexpected appearance to hug their dad (and was so cute that I couldn't help wondering if it was maybe scripted, but that's the cynic in me).  We didn't stay for the remainder of the evening - but it was a fun experience that I think my daughter will remember for a while.  

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