"If you love it so much, why don't you marry it?"

Maybe I wouldn't marry it, but I'm considering making a serious commitment to Nugget Market. Since discovering it, I'm starting to wonder what I ever saw in Trader Joe's in the first place. But enough with the romantic/relationship metaphors. I think.

I don't really want this blog to turn into an ad, but I can't stop gushing. I love going to the regular supermarket but a Nugget elevates the trip to something almost spa-like. Every time I leave I start looking forward to the next time I can go. I know that most of this comes from the fact that grocery shopping has taken the place of having coffee with friends as a free time activity now that my free time and my contact with friends are waning. It and other semi-responsible behaviors, like actually taking the clean laundry out of the basket and folding it rather than leaving it there until I'm ready to wear it are also replacing other traditional escapist activities. But the Nugget is also just a little bit of an oasis with its low, museum-quality lighting, the mediterranean style tiles and lavender soap products in the bathrooms and the excellent customer service by the better-than-average-looking employees.