Where do you get your groceries?

There is some big deal on the news lately where the government is contemplating stepping in to bring some neighborhoods better grocery stores. I can't imagine living too far from a grocery store - but apparently a lot of people only have bodegas as an option to buy unprepared food in their neighborhoods, which doesn't really leave much room for fresh greens and whatnot.

I live in Bushwick/Bed-Stuy (on the Broadway border, not the greatest place) but I don't really lack for grocery stores - there are three within walking distance: Food Bazaar, C Town and one other one, maybe a Pathmark or something. Anyway, these aren't exactly gourmet hot spots, but they'll do.

I was wondering what the rest of you did about getting groceries? Is it unreasonable to expect people to get groceries outside of their own neighborhood? I do understand why it is inconvenient for some folks not to have grocery stores very close to their homes, but in NYC is anything really that far away? The whole need for government intervention in the building of groceries is kind of confounding.
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DBlack 2yrs+
Actually, I think the lack of groceries selling fresh fruit and vegetables is a huge problem in places like Spanish Harlem, and contributes to generally poor health in that area. I know when you think Manhattan or Brooklyn you can't imagine not having grocery stores within reasonable distance, so it's hard to see what the big deal is. But think mother with 3 kids who has to do her weekly shopping, and how is she going to get all that stuff up and down the steps at the subway stations, etc. If we're talking people who are really poor and have to watch every dollar, even the ride and back on public transport can be a financial hardship.
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DBlack 2yrs+
By the way, I live in Crown Heights and there's very little around here, so I do need to make a trip to Trader Joe's or Whole Foods at least once a week to get the good, healthy stuff. I would never, ever touch the meat in my local grocery store, not if I was starving.
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NeverSleeps 2yrs+
Yeah, I am with DBlack. It's the poorest people who need the convenience the most, not the other way around. And if the government has to force grocery stores to build shops in the neighborhoods where the poorest people live, then that's what they should do. Really it's ridiculous that not everyone in such an affluent city has reasonable access to actual food.
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Freshdirect is great - in a very yuppie-organic way - but despite its yuppinese the produce is still much cheaper than the stuff I'd get at the local corner shop. They have a minimum order amount of $50 - which might be a problem for low income families - but considering that you can buy in bulk ($50 for weeks for a family of four, maybe) and get it delivered free it's rather worthwhile!
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NeverSleeps 2yrs+
I did think of that, but FreshDirect isn't a plausible option for everyone, as ajadedidealist mentions. Organics aren't viable for every budget certainly, and it's terrible to think that not everyone can walk to a grocery store.
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JenMac 2yrs+
I think the grocery store situation in this city is a major pain in the ass. There is one Trader Joe's that is always insanely crowded, Whole Foods is great but it's also always packed and seriously so expensive. None of the Gristedes are close to trains, etc. It really sucks (it's impossible) having to lug a ton of groceries back to your neighborhood from these places so you have to go all the time. I can kinda see how it's a bit of a problem. There is a C-town in my neighborhood but those majorly suck.
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BroadwayBK 2yrs+
I guess my point was that it seems crazy that the government actually may have to step in to people in certain neighborhoods can eat actual food. And no, C Town is not a good grocery store - but it's better than the bodega that doesn't have any fresh food at all.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@JenMac there are two Trader Joe's one in Union Square and the other in Red Hook.Apparently a new one is getting ready to open in Chelsea-http://ny.racked.com/archives/2010/04/20/harbinger_of_trader_joes_appears_in_chelsea.php
and I think yet another one is due to open in the fall on the UWS. Unlike Whole Foods Trader Joe's is actually quite affordable for its even cheaper than regular grocery stores like Gristedes, Morton Williams etc so I do hope they manage to open at various locations all over the city so that people from less affluent neighborhoods can also have access to their products.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@BroadwayBK I think Queens as a borough is quite well served by several ethnic grocery stores that cater to the various different communities that reside in that borough. These grocery stores tend to carry a whole host of products at prices which are much lower than Manhattan and elsewhere.Once a month I head out to Jackson Heights in Queens to do all my South Asian grocery shopping .. oh I could do it all in the city in Curry Hill in the 20's but the hike to Jackson Heights is well worth it as the prices in Queens are much lower than in Manhattan.
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@neversleeps - I will say this, though - the organic Freshdirect produce is actually cheaper than the garden-variety (no pun intended) stuff on my corner shop - although I imagine that's partially because on the UES grocers can get away with charging a heck of a lot more than they would elsewhere....
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@ajadedidealist BTW Fresh Direct was started by guys who was behind the popular UWS grocery store -Fairway which also has an outlet in Harlem and is soon to open a branch on 86th Street on the East Side. Fairway is bound to give enough competition to the UES grocery stores who get away by charging the moon for various products.
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BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@uptowngirl I don't think there's a TJ in Red Hook.... There is a Fairway though.
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Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@uptowngirl Maybe you mean the TJ in Boerum Hill/Brooklyn Heights on Court Street.

@Everybody I never thought my TJ enthusiasm would wane, but today I discovered that both a bag of bread and a bag of lemons I bought at TJ were moldy! Yuck! And those were some very expensive lemons I wasted money on!
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish You should take them back.. they do accept returns quite easily.


@BroadwayBk youre right..meant that TJ's.. have a head cold which is addling my brain thanks to all those popsicles that I devpour :)( Eddy's no sugar fruit bars.. my current weakness)
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hhusted 2yrs+
I shop at Gristedes mostly. But there is a nice Chinese grocery store right around the corner where I work at. The prices are very low compared to other stores.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@hhusted this is just an observation of mine .. the prices at Gristedes are definitely higher than other grocery stores and usually the ethnic grocers all over the city sell goods at prices which are way lower than elsewhere god knows how they manage to do so.
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Oh, Gristedes is SO expensive! Not as bad as Food Emporium or (worse still) Dean and Deluca, though...
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@ajadedidealist actually I split my grocery shopping between Morton Williams, Trader Joe's and D'agostino's. Morton Williams I think has the lowest prices of the grocery chains in the city though D'agostino's is also not bad for having a d'agny card often helps as it entitles you to specials or offers you redemption against your purchases.
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BroadwayBK 2yrs+
Oh, but why do I love Dean and Deluca so! I think it's because they have a fresh-baked version of Sno Balls. Genius, and delicious too.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@BroadwayBk do agree Dean and Deluca is quite fabulous .. love their displays and of course all their expensive products...
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BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@uptowngirl I know, I could spend hours in that Soho store, even though it is crowded with tourists and whatnot. There are just so many magnificent cooking oils and truffle cheeses!
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JenMac 2yrs+
I kinda love Dean and Deluca too. I just peruse the aisles for interesting things that I have no idea what I would do with . . .
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@BroadwayBK I once actually did find something at the D&D store in Soho which was actually was not as expensive as elsewhere- a small tin of jasmine pearl tea which was priced at $25 at Dean and Deluca but it was far more expensive at the Ten Ren Tea shop in Chinatown!!
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BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@uptowngirl That's awesome! Who would've thought...
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$25 for some tea. How much was it elsewhere? Maybe tourists will pay even more than yuppies...
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Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Even though everything at Dean & deluca is overpriced ($2 for a pear?) I did get an amazing box of handmade pasta and a slab of fresh mozarella that made an amazing dinner. Just those two ingredients were so great by themselves, that the meal turned out to be very reasonably priced for how good it was. It's not like I shop there every day, but once in a while a select item will be totally worth it.
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DBlack 2yrs+
I just found out what my Crown Heights neighborhood does really well...baked goods! Man, there's fresh challah and apple strudels around here like you never dreamed possible! The general grocery store still sucks, though.
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NeverSleeps 2yrs+
I definitely do not shop at Dean & Deluca every day either - who could! - but I can see the appeal of such a place, no matter how overpriced. Granted, it's probably best to get your pears somewhere else, but they have an awesome selection of upscale groceries. One of my old roommates was on good terms with the cheese people there, she went there so often to pick up some aged Gouda.

@DBlack How's the roti near where you are? I've been curious to try some...
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@ajadedidealist Jasmine Tea Pearls are generally expensive everywhere and if I recall correctly a similar box in Chinatown at that time was priced at around $38 so Dean and Deluca was definitely cheaper.. more so I was buying the stuff as a present for a friend and a bag from Dean and Deluca definitely carries more weight than Ten Ren's tea time :):)
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Freyja4 2yrs+
Where I'm at people complain about the fresh produce not tasting fresh. I used to work at a grocery store that's locally owned. They are pricey and I haven't had much to complain about as far as fresh produce goes. Instead my family tends to head out of town for fresh produce. Sometimes other members bring it with them. Then again I hear you can buy fresh food by mail order. I've seen it done once when I lived in Washington state. I'm just wondering how they manage to get it to peoples homes so fast if some of the food I've seen comes out of other countries or remote places that actually sell it. What I am worried about with the government intervening is that they may want to intervene with other aspects of America. Maybe some that don't need intervening? I am not against any one getting fresh food but it does make wonder.
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Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@Freyja4 You have a good point about things being intervened with that don't need intervening. But in this case I think it will benefit a lot of poor people and do a ton of good for young children living in poverty. I wouldn't worry so much about this leading to unnecessary govt intervention. I mean, let's just say that there's always watchful citizens like yourself to make sure that doesn't happen...
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What are some of the best ethnic markets you've been to, like really exotic not just Little Italy and what have you? I've been having a very hard time finding eastern european oriented places. What about Kosher friendly as well?
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@bellacaroline have you tried the Hungarian Meat Market in Yorkville?http://www.hungarianmeatmarket.com/ it seems to carry a whole host of Eastern European products..dont know if they are Kosher though..
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BroadwayBK 2yrs+
I think this is an issue that may need government attention as well - after all, it seems like the grocers have proven themselves unlikely to move into working class neighborhood thus far, leaving people to fend for themselves or to eat junk food from the corner store.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@ BroadwayBK so right.. no wonder obesity levels are the highest in neighborhoods like Harlem and the Bronx. which are known to be deprived of good grocery stores.
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It's really a pity. I know sometimes I get frustrated with the fact it's more expensive for me to buy some nice veggies and raw meat or fish to cook than it is to just nab a sandwich, especially when I'm cooking for one!
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hhusted 2yrs+
@Everybody: The only reason I go to Gristedes is because of location. They are walking distance from my apartment.
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NeverSleeps 2yrs+
It's shameful, really. I wonder how the government goes about making grocery stores move into neighborhoods they haven't ventured to in the past, though?
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DBlack 2yrs+
I'm okay with govt intervention in this case, since it would so obviously help a lot of people. Oh, and by the way...healthier people means...less money spent on healthcare down the road? All those people in low income areas are also the ones most likely to be enrolled in Medicaid, which is over-taxed with too many people as it is. So, yea, get that government involved and force some groceries over there...
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Agreed, @DBlack. There are many ways the government can spend less on health care - this is just one! Preventative medicine is the next medicine.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@DBlack and ajadedidealist great points!

@NeverSleeps maybe they give the stores economic incentives for opening in these areas?
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NeverSleeps 2yrs+
I actually never thought of groceries as a preventative for health care spending... but that is an excellent point!
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DBlack 2yrs+
@NeverSleeps And that goes for all of us, by the way, not just for the poor. I would never buy food of lower quality just to save money...I doubt that it pays off in the long term health benefits...
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BroadwayBK 2yrs+
I think most people don't understand how screwed up our food industry is... I think most people would be surprised to find out just what they are eating and where exactly it came from. Books have been written on the subject. The food industry is one complicated - and sort of evil - mess.
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It's scary! The fact that you don't really know what's going into your body. If you were taking various poisons along with your medication people would be up in arms, but people are fine with it going into their food - or at the least unaware
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@ajadedidealist that's so true...but in some cases they are helpless and that's the only food available to them.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Everybody sometime ago I came across this article in Self Magazine which revealed much about the poultry industry in the US.. it generated much controversy amongst the readers and made me want to give up eating chicken(which havent btw)..have a read..
http://www.self.com/health/2009/01/unhealthy-chicken
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BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@ajadedidealist Seriously! It's pretty criminal....

@uptowngirl Have you seen that movie Food Inc? Pretty interesting stuff on the meat industry... After I watched it I didn't eat much meat. For a while, at least. I'm not the biggest carnivore in the world, anyway.
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Freyja4 2yrs+
@BroadwayBK: Sounds like somthing I should watch. I know when I got my husband to watch Supersize Me! I didn't want to go back to McDonalds.
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Freyja4 2yrs+
@UPTowngirl: I'm now wanting to go flexitarian more than ever because of that article. I should writie something on it for AC.
@DBlack: I've hadto get my food from a food bank. Many times have I had to settle with non-brand names. Other than that, I usually buy brand names. But if I don't like it I go with something else.
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Uraniumfish 2yrs+
What's a flexitarian, Freyja?
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Freyja4 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish: It's where your mostly a vegetarian but you incorporate small amounts of meat into your food. Trying to find an alternative to a meat loaf currently. And I don't want that much tofu or soy in a loaf. That would be way too much in my taste. Here's a good book on the subject: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/125789.php
and find a facebook fan fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Be-a-Flexitarian/278239070537
BTW way if anyone is interested I am on facebook I'm under Ashley Barnes Portell. I am okay giving this info on this site. Just let me know who you are in an email. Otherwise I will claim I don't know you.
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JenMac 2yrs+
It's such a conundrum. On the one hand, I know the way the animals are handled is terrible, hormones, steroids, etc. But, on the other, it is really hard to be a vegetarian and not eat a lot of sugar, gluten and yeast. What the hell are we supposed to eat?!
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Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Wait, do you mean that thinking about how animals are treated would actually factor into your decision whether to never eat meat again? Wow. But not all meat is bad meat so...wouldn't there be better reasons to be a vegetarian than just animal compassion?
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Freyja4 2yrs+
It gets pretty complicated from what I understand. I have a friend who is a vegetarian. She had to describe to be the difference between a vegetarian and a vegan. It gets complicated to me. That why I like flextarian. Becuase it's put simple. Less meat. Not no meat or certain meats. What I find wierd are those fruitarian people. I imagine they must have stock pile of fruits in their house. Not that fruits are bad. They have natural sugars. I'm also really into herbs. I saw this book once that was all about herbs and their medical uses. I couldn't buy it at the time and I can't remember the title. I'm still searching. Speaking of food, I forgot that we have green and purple grapes in the fridge. My hubby likes green and I like seedless purple.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Freyja4 Your flextarian philosophy sounds right..at my home we are largely vegetarian during the week and tend to eat a lot of legumes( my favorite) and vegetables but we do eat meat when we go out to dinner. Do you there is a sub sect of Hindus who are known as Jains who are strict vegetarians and they even avoid root vegetables like onions, garlic etc as they are grown under the ground and by eating them they are consuming bacteria..http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism#Jain_cuisine
It makes entertaining such friends very difficult for how does one cook for them?
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Freyja4 2yrs+
@uptowngirl: Well, I'm currently the only flexatarian in the house. My hubby couldn't live without his red meats. Of course we've had to minimize his salt intake bc of his kidney stones. So, I usually have to take part of dinner and prep it for myself and cook for everyone else how they like. I think I will let my kids pick their own diet. Once, when I was making sloppy joes, I used a majority of kidney beans in my portion. Wasn't too bad.
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JenMac 2yrs+
@uraniumfish: that's why most people I know who are vegetarians chose to be that way!
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hhusted 2yrs+
@Everybody: I'm not a veg by any imagination. I love fish, but heard that many kinds of fish are imported and are not good to eat. I was told by a certified nutritionist that salmon is the only fish that is lowest in mercury and that is not tainted, nor imported. Frankly, I might just switch to tuna in a can or sardines. If I am not eating fish, I will eat Kosher chicken. I will not eat chicken that is fed antibiotics and other chemicals, just to get them fat quicker.
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Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@JenMac I guess I'm just not all that concerned for the welfare of animals that I would give up a great source of protein, especially fish. That said, I was a vegetarian for six years, but mainly for health reasons. I guess people cry for the cows, but I'm not one of those kinds of vegetarians.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@BroadwayBK I havent seen Food Inc .. is that another Michael Moore oeuvre?
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Freyja4 2yrs+
@hhusted: I only eat tuna sparingly. I read in a National Geograpgic that the blue fin tuna is becoming more and more extinct becuase of fishing. It had this great info about how much more tuna there was one hundred years ago and how big they were. I don't remember the length but they were huge. The ones they fish for now are technicly babies. Also, I guess tuna have fair lifespans if they are let to live them. For me it's albacore. Sardines aren't bad. Everyone wants to give me a look when I say that. But seriously, I ate them once with crackers, it wasn't bad at all. But I still don't recommend them one pizza. Who came up with that idea?
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JenMac 2yrs+
@uptowngirl: it's not Michael Moore but I hear it's intensely disturbing. Everyone who has seen it stopped eating meat.
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hhusted 2yrs+
@Freyja4: I didn't think about albacore, although I have seen it on the shelves next to tuna. Thanks for reminding me about it.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Freyja4 Consumption of Tuna is huge in Japan, Tokyo's Tsukiji Market is known for its Tuna auctions which are a prime tourist attraction. I love eating fish but don't really like tuna though I do like sardines and even mackerel. dont know if they have much of an impact on the environment.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@JenMac uh-oh I don't know if i am ready to give up meat ..sometimes when I eat vegetarian food for days on end I tend to crave it..
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hhusted 2yrs+
@Uptowngirl: I do not buy sardines that much, but when I do, I always go for the ones in water. I hate the ones in olive oil. They become so slimy.
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Freyja4 2yrs+
@Uptowngirl and hhusted: I'm that way about tuna.
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Freyja4 2yrs+
I get really bad cravings for milk if I haven't had it for days. Trying to stick with drinking lots of Enlish or Irish Breakfast tea. I love the taste of both of them.
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Freyja4 2yrs+
@hhusted: You're welcome.
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BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@uptowngirl I am NOT a Michael Moore fan...ugh. Sorry, but he's so... repulsive. Anyway, Food Inc has Michael Pollan in it... and I think the guy who wrote Fast Food Nation is in it, too. It's good... though it does put you off from eating meat.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@hhusted I like sardines any which way, there is a wonderful Greek restaurant in Astoria which overlooks Astoria Park called Agnanti which has a dish of sauteed sardines on its menu which is just wonderful.You should try it sometime ..
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NeverSleeps 2yrs+
@uptowngirl Sardines aren't bad, I suppose. I recently discovered, however, that I hate anchovies, after ordering a pie from Fornino's that had some. It was sad, because I normally enjoy pizza from them... the whole thing tasted like those little fish, though. Ugh.
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Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@BroadwayBK Do you mean that Michael Moore's ideas are repulsive, or the man himself...?
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Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Sardines on a beach in Spain...I really need to do that again.
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DBlack 2yrs+
I never thought one way or another about Michael Moore, and was only vaguely aware of him as this annoying guy who pulls a lot of stunts and is more of a clown than a good representative of liberal issues. But Capitalism: A Love Story was actually a pretty decent work, and also pretty balanced in its conclusions. I thought so, anyways.
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JenMac 2yrs+
dblack: I didn't see Capitalism simply for the reason that I think his films are always so one-sided. But, that's good to know that this one is a fairer story. I'll look into it now!
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Freyja4 2yrs+
Haven't seen the Capitalism movie yet. So , I can't give my opinion. Though it sounds like something my dad would watch. He has really gotten into the whole thing of capitalism vs socialism. He doesn't car for how the country is going right now. It's interesting to hear him talk about everything. I'll be seeing him today. So, I hope to find something to bring up. Yahoo! news here I come.
Oh, and it's funny how we went to talking about groceries to political films.
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BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish I agree with DBlack that he is this "this annoying guy who pulls a lot of stunts and is more of a clown than a good representative of liberal issues." Couldn't have said it better myself. I read one of his books whilst living in Paris, so it was the UK edition - and it featured this intro that talked about how stupid and fat Americans are; it was ridiculous. Really? That's how a fat man pushes his agenda?
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DBlack 2yrs+
@BroadwayBK The guy has made a career out of getting under people's skins by saying things that he knows will make people bristle. On the rare occasion that he tones that down, you can almost glimpse a thoughtful guy. Under all that fat.
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Freyja4 2yrs+
@DBlack: Reminds me of my ex-husband. Fat included. LOL Oh, gosh, I don't make myself laugh like that often. And if American's are so fat and stupid I wonder how we became one of the foremost countries in the world. And besides in some countries, over-sized women are much more prefered then skinny ones.
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DBlack 2yrs+
@BroadwayBK Which one of his books was it? Was he at all self-deprecating or ironic about it? One thing you can say for the guy, he got a lot of attention with his antics, even though the left might wish for somebody who wasn't so laughable to make the same points.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@BroadwayBk the only movie that I have seen of his is SICKO and in that I thought he was spot on..
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Freyja4 America does have an obesity problem, why just this morning's AM NY has a piece on the fat cops of the NYPD but fat does not equal stupid by any means!.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Freyja4 Men in Mauritania love their women big and fat..and they in fact force feed them so that they get to that huge size.
http://www.marieclaire.com/world-reports/news/international/forcefeeding-in-mauritania
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Freyja4 2yrs+
@Uptowngirl: Yeah, in fact I think that they say the chubbier women are more beautiful than the skinny. Every culture has it's opinion. Though I have read both pros and cons to being skinny or fat. In fact some skinny people can have whats called "skinny fat". Where they have little muscle and most fat. They their body just eats the muscle for fuel and eventually the heart starts to give out. Just as it would for someone who is obese. I can't remember which is more quick to bring death. I hate being thin. I get made fun of all the time but the problem for me is that I forget to eat. Some think I force myself. It's insulting. I even had an anorexic friend of my step mom's say how small I was in the last month of pregnancy. I about slapped her. I am happy to say though, that during this last pregnancy, I gained 40 pounds and had a very healthy baby. Now, if I can just keep the baby weight on after I'm done nursing. Oddly enough I keep weight on when I nurse.
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Freyja4 2yrs+
@Everyone: BTW I am not terribly thin. Just barely fair weighted for my length and size and age. I have tried over the year to keep my cal intaje at 3000. It isn't easy. And sometimes I'm so full from the day I can't eat anymore. I think it may be that chemical that tells you when you hungry and full. Mine is overactive. I get full easily.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Freyja4 you lucky girl!! I have a constitution that stores fat easily so I have to watch what I eat and exercise. Luckily though I truly enjoy working out or I think I would be gargantuan cause I am a foodie and have write restaurant reviews for a living! Though I do know what you mean that being skinny is by no means healthy, one of my closest friends is a size 0 but her cholesterol numbers are through the roof.. go figure!
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish more than sardines its the boquerones in Spain that I find quite irrestible!
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Freyja4 2yrs+
@Uptowngirl: I don't feel too lucky. I do have an overactive heart, power blood circulation in my limbs and iron deficiency anemia. The last part particularly is horrible becuase I have to have just the right amount of iron on a regular basis. Else I stand chance of fainting. The first time I almost fainted but didn't, I lost eye sight for about one minute. It's scary not being able to see. Especially considering the fact that I'm already legally blind in one eye due to being born with a cataract (it's been removed since I was one month old but remnents still remain elsewhere in my eye). My other eye is going out very, very slowly. Poor blood circulation isn't too much of an issue except when I try to due certain yoga poses. If I have to hold my arms up for too long, they hurt. The overactive heart I was diagnosed with about ten years ago. Along with the anemia. So, being thin with anemia and an overactive heart isn't that great. Apparently they are linked which I just found out during this last prenancy when I was having moments of heart palpations at work. Pregnancy didn't make it any easier. Your blood increases in quantity.

You must really enjoy your job. I write. I haven't gotten many clients just yet. Still new. Honestly, I want to see if this is something I should consider making a career. Or maybe I'll try to go back into majoring in art and business then get my apprenticeship in tattooing. Get through that and open a shop. I even have a name picked out. Think Ozzy Osbourn and what he did to that poor little bat when in that little battle with Alice Cooper. LOL Yes, I'm a hard rock type of girl.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Freyja4 have you tried walking for a bit every day to improve your circulation. My mum is a heart patient and suffers from the same ailment and her doctor advised an hour's walk every day to improve circulation. Anemia is another ailment I am familiar with because South Asians are predisposed to it but I dont really pay attention to it as my hemoglobin levels are not that bad ..I have been writing for about three years now.. I wouldnt say I make mega bucks but it gives me my spending money and the ability to buy what I please.. It is tough starting any business at first ..but tattooing? somehow you come across as a gentle soul not the hard rocking, head banging type..:) anyway all the very best for your endeavors..
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Freyja4 2yrs+
@Uptowngirl:LOL I guess I have sides to me. I'm told I'm very big hearted. Though my husband has seen the other side to me. I guess thats why we clicked. He had his sides to him also. For instance, he does like his rock but isn't prone to listening to rap while thewhole while he is privy to more deep conversational knowledge. I must admit Eminem is pretty good. Of course when you live in Cali for a while rap is something your used to hearing. I ws raised ito a rock-n-roll family. My dad listens to the classic rock legends like Blue Oyster Cult, AC/DC and such. Oddly enough my husband is from Cali. Heres something interesting about me, I as baptised Mormon but I am non-practicing. I don't care for the religion. I'm more worldly. There are many LDS in my family and I respect them. Though I think their nuts in a good way. Other religions I have been accepted to are Baptist, Buddhism, Christian and some Catholic (cuz of my sister) as well as a few others. I've moved over 30 times in my life. So, that gives me room to poke around with who I am. I do have several tattoo's and my ears are pierced a few times. The only other piercing I have is my nose.
Along with al this, I prefer all natural remedies to modern day ones unless I really need it. I do have my reasons and Idon't want to say why I am against pills. Tea is great though I am know to drink coffee. I am a big fan of fruits and veggies. Mom always said I was wierd to eat my veggies first at meal time. I appreciate manners. Just don't tel my hubby that. He'llburp and not care unless extended famiy is over. I write and I draw, reading is a favorite of mine. This is just a bit of me. Did I mention I like animals but I fear cocroaches?
But since summer is coming more and more, I hope to walk with the kids. Since I'm in Wyoming at the moment (had to move back here for reasons concerning my ex) I am tired of all the snow coming in every once in while. I'm hoping toget back to NY when I can. Money's tight at the moment.
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hhusted 2yrs+
@Everybody: You guys ramble on. Michael Moore is a great producer and director of independent films. The only one I didn't get to see of his films was the capitalism story and that I will watch when I get a chance to.
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hhusted 2yrs+
@Freyja4: I've been writing for nearly 20 years. I have been freelancing since 2004. I find that work tends to go back and forth. However, I will not go back to the corporate world no matter what. At least as long as I can help it.

By the way, obesity is the number one epidemic in this country. Try to watch what you eat. What I can do is post here, as soon as I get better, a list of foods that can be eaten and what cannot. Okay.
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Freyja4 2yrs+
@hhusted: I just had an article about Hindu practices published. Short and minimal, not too in depth. It was for a small amount. AC is one of the few online places I write. I used to write lots of poetry and creative stories. Since being diagnosed with depression and for the short time I took meds for it (6 mo.'s) I can't seem to write that way anymore. It's mostly informative articles now. Maes me think of those famous writers that had issues as well. Though some different than mine. For example Edgar Allen Poe (my fav, he had depression as well) and Mark Twain (also one of my fav's who had depression and a small problem with drugs. Wasn't it cocaine?). Oddly, I can't seem to like Emily Dickenson (was in love with someone she couldn't have and died alone). I'd much prefer Jane Austin (lived a simple life and refused to marry for money and had a chance to be with the one she loved but it didn't turn out tha way. She too, died unwed).

So, @hhusted, what's going on? Are you sick? Get better soon.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Freyja4 Nothing wrong in writing non-fiction I write a lot of informative fare as I cant seem to be imaginative enough to write fiction! I would love to read your article on Hindu practices . Could you send me the link in a private message?
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hhusted 2yrs+
@Freyja4: Edgar Allen Poe was a full-blown alcoholic. Did you know that. I read about him in college. Such a waste. He had great talent for using words. As for me, yes, I just got out of surgery on Monday for removal of a cancerous tumor. I am in recovery mode now.
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Freyja4 2yrs+
@hhusted: Oh, yes. I knew that. What I find interesting was how he died. I saw this show just before I had to turn off my cable about his life. Turns out that it wasn't dog rabbies that killed him. First he was beaten up and his clothes were changed (God only knows why) and then a dog bit him just before he fully died. Giving him just enough time to take in the rabies but not enough to have it actually kill him. Still one of my favorite writers. I like the short story "Never Bet The Devil Your Head". Interesting how it ends. Very coincidental. And sorry to hear about the tumor.
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hhusted 2yrs+
@Freyja4: When I read about how he died, I broke into tears myself. His ending was so tragic and sad.
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I still wonder what happened to Edgar Allen Poe when he "vanished" - it's a great Poe-ian mystery! Has anyone ever been to Edgar's Cafe on the Upper West Side? Great history, but it sure is expensive!
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Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@ajadeidealist I thought EA Poe was just found in a gutter, drunk.
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hhusted 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish: He was. On October 3, 1849, Poe was found on the streets of Baltimore in a very delirious condition. He had alcohol on his breath. Joseph W. Walker found him and took him to Washington College Hospital, where he died on Sunday, October 7, 1849. This was 4 days after being found on the streets.

What is strange about the guy was that when he was found, the clothes he wore was not his. Some people speculate he got terribly drunk, got mugged, and someone took advantage of him. The only thing known at the time was that Poe kept repeating the name "Reynolds" on the night before he died.

The death was listed as unknown, but the medical profession theorize that he died of chronic alcoholism.

I studied Edgar Allen Poe while in college and had to produce an essay on the man.
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Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Well it's a little strange that of someone stole his clothes, they bothered to dress him in another set of clothes. Who knows what shenanigans he got himself into, gambling away his suit or whatever.
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NeverSleeps 2yrs+
My, how we digress.

@Freyja4 I'm not a fan of Dickinson either. I hate all those dashes; they drive me crazy.
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hhusted 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish: Yeah, when I read Mr. Poe's story, I found that part about the clothes not being his kind of strange. But there is no further talk about it. So who knows what happened.
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What a great novel to write! The untold story of Edgar Allen Poe... It's probably already been done, though.
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Freyja4 2yrs+
IDK I could look. I haven't heard of any new news on why his clothes were different than what he wore. Hey, @HHusted, was there any reference as to who this mysterious Reynolds person might be? I hadn't really thought about it much and forgot about it as well.

@Everyone: IDk if I mentioned my surgery but it went well and I am experiencing no pain. Don't think I need the pain meds.
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uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Freyja4 Good to hear that your feeling better and are relatively pain free. Be well.
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hhusted 2yrs+
@Freyja4: Afraid not. When I read his story, there was no mention of it. However, I do remember reading somewhere about a guy named Reynolds and his wife, but don't know if there was any connection.

@Ajadedidealist: You are right. It would make for a good story. I have a better idea. How about making it into a movie. That might draw historians to it.
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