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Holy War?

22 Apr

My friend Kathleen called it my “holy war” yesterday. Whatever it is, today was the day I struck back at Shaw’s and Stop & Shop for overcharging on Passover food. I mean, if they’re gonna mark up this food, which isn’t all that good to begin with and is only necessary for a week, then I’m going to save my receipts and return whatever I don’t use so they can give me my money back. And I don’t know whether it was my 3-day trip to New York, or the fact that I ate not less but smarter during the week, but I ended Passover this year with more leftover (unopened) food than I have in recent years:
* A box of egg matzoh
* Two jars of mayonaise (one extra because I found light mayo at another store)
* Four cans of tuna (two extra because I found them cheaper elsewhere)
* A box of cookies
* A coffee cake mix

All that was worth about $27, which I’m sure I’ll give right back tomorrow when I do my normal grocery shopping, but for now, it’s safe and sound back in my wallet.

The Annual Passover Rant

9 Apr

Went to Stop & Shop and Shaw’s yesterday to stock up on Passover food (the holiday starts Wednesday night).

It’s one of those necessary evils that I tend to postpone until the last minute every year.

Why? It’s not that I am anti-Passover or anything, nor is it that I am a procrastinator (well, alright, maybe I am a procrastinator). It’s that the whole buying of Passover food experience just rubs me the wrong way. Continue reading →

Man of the People

19 Mar

As celebrity sightings go, I suppose this one was pretty minor. But it was still kinda cool to see city councilman Mike Ross grab a spot in line behind me at the self-check-out line at Shaw’s on Commonwealth Ave. this afternoon.

In all the hub-bub of the 5pm crowd, you don’t expect to see someone like Mike Ross amongst the shoppers, much less on the self-check-out line. But there he was: just as cool and slick as he looks on TV, but taller than I expected, and a heck of a lot tanner. (I’m guessing he recently came back from a vacation. Must be nice.)

I was standing there, watching a clueless older woman try her hardest to figure out the machine so she could check out with her two items, wondering why I always get stuck behind these people, when Mike Ross swooped in, seemingly from out of nowhere, grabbing some flowers and something else he’d left on top of the machine while he stepped away. (Nice.) Nonchalantly, like it was no big deal, he stepped behind me and got in line. And when this woman finished, and I stepped up, I felt powerful knowing I was the only thing preventing Mike Ross from checking out and leaving the store. (Alright, I didn’t really feel that way. In fact, I’m not sure why I even wrote something as dorky as that.)

Mike Ross watched as I deftly used the machine, scanning my items one by one, with no errors and no commands by the machine to rescan or check my bags, and getting it all done in what must have been record time. Except for a small panicked reaction when my slice of cake tipped over, I was in prime form. I’m sure he was impressed. (ha ha ha)

At the same time, I was intrigued and a little bit amused by the fact that no one but me seemed to recognize the guy. I mean, it’s not like he’s Mayor Menino or Ted Kennedy or anything, but the guy does represent many of the people in the supermarket — even if they are college students. So you’d think some of the folks would know who he was. And it was Sunday, a day off, so there was no need for him to introduce himself or make a thing out of it. So, he just checked out and headed on his way like he was any other shopper. (Unfortunately, I can’t tell you how good he was at the self-check-out. That’s because I am not a dorky stalker and didn’t stick around to watch.)

Anyway, the message is this: Mike Ross is just like you or me. He goes to the grocery store in the middle of the Sunday rush and scans his own stuff. Good man, that Mike Ross.

Is Zathmary’s Clozed?

2 Mar

Stores in Coolidge Corner seem to close often enough that when another shuts its doors, it’s hardly newsworthy — much less blogworthy. But something’s up at Zathmary’s, and I can’t seem to figure out if the store has closed for good or what.

All week, the delivery trucks have arrived, dropping off the daily breads, newspapers and produce, and leaving them right out front or just inside the front door. And there they stay.

When I pass by at night on the way home, the place is empty, half the lights are off, chairs are still stacked on the tables, display cases still empty. Continue reading →

Back to Filene’s

25 Feb

Apparently, many of you out there were interested in my shopping experience at Filene’s last weekend, so I thought I’d offer up a quick update since I tried out another store today, the one in Chestnut Hill. And I’m not saying I found anything different there (still an overabundance of small- and medium-size clothes), but I didn’t walk out of this store empty-handed.

Full disclosure: last week and this week I went to Filene’s at least partly hoping to find myself an argyle sweater, and I’ve had no luck in that department. So perhaps it was the lower discount (40%–60%), or maybe I just had more patience or a greater determination to buy something this week, but I found myself a rugby shirt, a tie, and a sweater vest, and the whole thing cost me only around $60.

Also worth noting was the selection of labels. A liquidation sale is a great time to see just what the hierarchy is in a department store. Not much remained in the Ralph Lauren or DKNY departments, for example, but there was plenty of Bahama Joe and John Ashford. Club Room, too. Expect this stuff to be available for 50%–70% off next week.

And I suppose I’d be accused of not telling the whole story if I left out that after Filene’s I went downstairs to Brooks Brothers, where I found a pretty cool argyle sweater on sale for 50% off (which at Brooks Brothers is a really sweet deal). So I bought it and called off the argyle search for the time being.

Where Are All the Small Men?

19 Feb

The real problem with the liquidation sale at Filene’s isn’t the fact that the “sale” prices in some cases have been higher than normal sale prices were before the liquidation started. Nor is it the picked-over selection of remainders. It’s the fact that all the small men in New England seem to be unaware it’s taking place. That’s the only realistic explanation I can think of to explain why everything I went to buy yesterday in Burlington and today in Downtown Crossing was unavailable in my size (XL). On the other hand, there was plenty of clothes available in S and M. It made two shopping excursions rather unproductive.

Unless, of course, the small men are smarter than I am, and they know they are in the minority, so they can wait to shop at Filene’s until the prices go down even lower. After all, right now the sale is only 30-50% off. Next week it’ll likely be 40-60% off. It must be nice to wear a less common size of clothing.

I Hate Cold Turkey

29 Dec

It’s hard enough to get into the holiday spirit when you’re in Florida, seeing as the weather is so nice and the neighborhood where my parents live is (by edict of the community’s bylaws) decoration- and light-free. Of course, it also doesn’t help that my parents aren’t into the Christmas spirit like I am, that we keep to ourselves on the big day, and that we barely listen to the radio. So it’s easy to forget that Christmas was only three days ago; it seems like so much longer, if it ever was Christmas. Hell, it barely even feels like Hanukkah, and tonight is only night four (of eight, if you didn’t know). How is it possible that this year, more than any other year I can remember, it seems as if the holiday season came and went quicker than ever? Wasn’t it supposed to be, like, the year of the Super Holiday, what with all three of the major ones happening this last week of December?

To wit: my folks and I ventured off to Sawgrass Mills this evening. If you’ve never heard of Sawgrass Mills, let me describe it simply as the largest outlet mall in the world (or so I’ve been told). End to end, the place must be two miles long, or longer. That’s a lot of stores. Unfortunately, however, less than a week after Christmas, that also meant a lot of stores that were practically empty or in total disarray. It wasn’t even worth walking into the Gap Outlet, and J. Crew was a total bust. My mother said Chico’s was the same. Who could find anything in Ralph Lauren — the place was a mess. I even dashed into the Books-a-Million store to grab a copy of Doug’s book (which hit stores this week), but it seems the copies they had in stock (and I asked) were all gone (already!). Even the take-a-picture-with-Santa booth was already being dismantled. It was as if the entirety of Sawgrass had joined together to confirm that yes, Virginia, there was a Christmas — but now it’s over, thank you very much. Please move on and excuse us while we clean up.

I know some people would rather the holiday season end before it even begins. Many of those same people are probably overjoyed that things have ended so quickly. But I genuinely do enjoy holiday time, and all kidding aside, I wish it was longer. There’s really no other time during the year when people are as happy as they are during the month of December. Think about it — temperatures are falling, days are getting shorter, things are coming to a close (at least calendar-wise), there’s stress from family, stress from work … need I go on? And yet, the music, the lights, the decorations, heck, I submit that even the gift-giving (and receiving) puts people in a happier mood.

So I’m not sure why people and stores are so quick to let it all go. All that build-up, all that hype, and then pffft — just like that, the music stops, the sales get changed from “After Christmas” to “End of Season,” and people become a lot less jolly. It makes New Year’s Eve such an anti-climactic and forced “holiday.” And what do we who live in the northeast have to look forward to after New Year’s? Snow, cold, less daylight, more snow, and more cold … for three more months (at least). Whoop-dee-doo. In Florida, tourism goes down after the holidays. Is that really worth rushing into to? Is that really any better than Christmas?

So I suggest extending the holiday season. After all, Hanukkah is eight days long, and aren’t there supposed to be 12 days of Christmas? Yeah, I know: the decorations have been up since right after Halloween and you’ve heard Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” a few too many times. So what? Weren’t you happier during the past month than you are now? As far as I’m concerned, there really is no good reason to go cold turkey on the holidays. With so little to look forward to until Spring arrives, maybe an extension of the season wouldn’t be so bad. Who’s with me on this one?

It’s My Fault

9 Dec

The Krispy Kreme stores in Medford and Saugus have closed. This comes just a few months after the store downtown at the Pru shut its doors. As a big fan of the Original Glazed (as my belly will attest), I couldn’t help but feel a little bit upset by this news. But I also feel partly responsible. I mean, when was the last time I made the trek to Medford for a hot donut (or two … or three)? In fact, I can’t even remember the last time I had a hot Krispy Kreme. I just always counted on the store to be there to satisfy my sugar fix whenever I needed it to be. I guess I didn’t count on my conscience (and my sister) to keep telling me that I didn’t really need the hot donut (or two or three). And now look what’s happpend! Oh well.

But I can’t take full blame, of course. It’s you, my easily-pleased friends, who are also to blame. It’s you who buy the Krispy Kremes at the supermarket, who are content to have cold donuts, who have helped to put these fine institutions out of business. Yes, I know you can just take the donuts home and heat them up, but please — anyone who has ever had a hot Krispy Kreme will agree that there’s nothing like getting them fresh at the store. There’s nothing at all like seeing the hot glaze ooze out of the machine and onto the baked goodies as they go by on the conveyor belt. Mmmmmmmmmmmm…

At least there’s still a store open in Dedham (one I never knew about until today). That one’s closer to where I live than the Medford one, and I will now consider it my civic duty to keep it in business. My belly will be so happy.

Quote of the Day

27 Nov

“You always do that.”
— a woman to her boyfriend at Shaw’s, as he tried to put his credit card into the “Insert Cash Here” slot in the self-service check-out line

… it could also apply to me, since I always seem to end up behind stupid people like that, especially when the line is short and should move quickly (and of course, it never does).

What a Bunch of (Swedish) Meatballs

10 Nov

Folks, it’s only a store. And a furniture store at that. Yes, I’ve been to an IKEA. I know how cool they are. But still, it’s only a store.

When the new IKEA location opened yesterday in Stoughton, the first person in line (an 18-year-old college student — of course) had been there 13 days. Thirteen days! Better, he was from Atlanta, not even from the Boston area. And better still, when the doors opened and he was presented with his $5,000 gift card, he didn’t even go shopping. He just went to the airport and headed home. (“Two weeks, $5,000 — that’s pretty good pay,” he said.)

I just don’t understand the mentality of people who do stuff like that. I mean, it’s not like the weather’s been all that nice here, and it’s not like the store won’t be there a day later. Sure, I get that there’s only glory if you’re the first one in. And yes, I’ve been excited about new stores before. (Mmmmmm … Krispy Kreme.) But why would anyone come all the way from Atlanta to wait outside of a store for two weeks? Sure, he got paid $5,000 just to sit around for two weeks, but he can only spend that money in one place. I wouldn’t even do that for a Best Buy gift card. If you ask me, the kid’s a moron.

Anyway, so the Boston Herald ran a story today about the guy who was third in line. “Survivor: Ikea” they called it. His name is Jeffrey Beaudett, and he’s a 41-year-old senior mortgage banker for Citizens Bank in Woburn, married, and the father of five. A responsible-sounding guy. Well, he waited in line for seven days. And for his trouble, he pocketed a $1,500 gift card. (In the photo, he’s the bald guy on the left, wearing the suit &mdash a suit!!)

According to the Herald, the people in line were able to take 10-minute breaks for runs to the bathroom or to smoke without losing their place in line, and had access to a shower inside the store once a day, though Beaudett says, “Some people took showers, and some people didn’t — and you knew who did and didn’t.” Otherwise, they pretty much stayed cooped up in the garage for as long as they were out there.

Here’s one of my favorite sections of the Herald story:

<< It wasn’t all happy times for the top five prize-winners, who slept overnight in a concrete cubby in the Ikea garage anywhere from five to 12 days, depending on their spots in line. The close quarters sometimes took their toll on the four men and one woman. Gossiping ensued, and squabbles erupted over issues such as territory and smoking.

“If you look at the five of us now, no one’s really talking to each other,” Beaudette said yesterday. >>

I can only imagine what kind of gossipping they were doing. And need I remind you that Beaudette is a 41-year-old father of five?

I also liked this part:

<< They read, watched DVDs, played video games and took delight in the small things — including the arrival of a second and more spacious portable toilet designed for handicapped users. >>

Nice. A new Porto-John. Woo hoo!

The Boston Globe‘s story about the opening included this anecdote:

<< By 11:15 a.m., Ikea had its first casualty. A $6.99 glass vase holding Lucky Bamboo sticks fell to the floor, shattering into tiny pieces across the brand new store. A crew of five quickly descended and swept the shards into a neat pile. >>

Sounds just like Disney World.

One thing I love about this IKEA store is that it’s right next door to a Jordan’s outlet and a half mile away from an Affordable Furniture. So you’d think the folks in Stoughton would have enough cheap furniture by now.

It must be the meatballs. Yes, that must be why 2,000 people were lined up when the store opened yesterday at 9 a.m. and why 20,000 people had been ushered through the doors by day’s end. Who can beat Swedish Meatballs? How else would you explain such insanity? Otherwise, let’s be honest: it’s just a furniture store.

[A note to the readers: Sometimes my sarcastic tone doesn’t exactly translate to print, so this entry probably sounded more like a rant than a mocking. Know that I wrote it with a big smile on my face, after laughing pretty hard while reading the Herald at lunch. And yes, if you read my posting from earlier today, you’ll see I never do learn from my mistakes.]

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