Weirdest store EVER

So, in the two months I've been here, I've desperately tried to find a "real" grocery store. All I've seemed to find are little markets, and with New York's space issues, it's not that surprising, but nonetheless frustrating. I just want to find a place that I can buy the things I get at home and not cost an arm and a leg.

Today...SUCCESS!!!! I found it. It's a bit of a hike, but I found it. There's a Fairway in Harlem that's about 15 blocks away. So, I gathered my "Liberal bags" (reusable shopping bags) and headed out. Rockin out on my iPod, I wandered (not aimlessly--that's how you cause trouble) through Harlem to the store.

This thing is MASSIVE!!! I was so excited when I walked up to see real grocery carts! Not the tiny skinny ones that are way deep. So I grabbed a real cart and delved in, into the REAL grocery store. It had real isles (actually big enough to fit not one, but TWO real carts in side-by-side), real food you've heard of, and tons of people, as it seems everyone else realized it's the only real store around here.

But here's the weird part. I'm going through, following my list (as I've found that it's the only way to get through the "fake" stores, because you have to hunt for everything and without one you'll miss something important) and can't find the meat, milk, cheese, or anything like that. I ask a guy and he says it's in the "Cold Room." What? A cold room? Really? Cool! (Really, no pun intended.) So, I follow his directions toward the Cold Room.

When I enter this magical place, I realize, it is, indeed, a cold room. It's FREEZING in there. I loved it! And right when you enter is a glorious display of beer. haha. So I looked at it, although I don't really like beer much, but I saw they had a bunch, and I was curious if there was anything I'd like. I saw some Boulder Beer (ahh, home!) and decided on some Woodchuck...can't go wrong with the Chuck! But as I was going through the rest of the cold room, I realized, things weren't in areas and shelves like they are at home. At home, they'd be in cooler shelves. These are out. On regular shelves. Because the whole damn room is a cooler! Neat! So, as I'm wandering the isles to get my refrigerator stuff, I marvel at the geniusness of it and realize that the people that work in here are in full winter jumpsuits and that the store provides winter coats outside the cold room door! Neat!

I finally made my way to the checkout with half a full cart (where I'm going to put all this, I don't really know). As I'm checking out, I realize why I've limited myself to 3 liberal bags here in NY. Any more than that and I can't carry it home! Especially not 15 blocks! So, laden with 4 bags very full, I start my trek. Then I realize it's way far, way hot, and these are way heavy, so I wussed out and got a cab. 5 bucks later and I was home.

Overall, a successful adventure and neat place. Weird but neat. I'm not sure I'll want to venture all that way in the blistering cold, but it's good to know it's there and not that far (or that expensive by cab).

New York, you're not so bad. :)