Fresh & Easy and A Spring Swing

What can I say? It is a two post kinda day. (It must be going around.)

Anyhow, James and I took our once a week grocery shopping trip to Fresh and Easy today. I know that you know that I am just enamored with that store. When we got home, I felt compelled to post.

First of all, I find something new and amazing every time I go there. Like today, for example. I found this whole end cap filled with ready made sandwiches. Some were red onion, roast beef and arugula, some were chicken salad, some were Italian BMTs, and then I found the one that was calling out my name: A mozzarella, tomato and basil on fresh focaccia. YUM!

I added a dash of balsamic to it when I got home.


Now TELL ME that you wouldn't just reach right thru your computer screen to grab this?

Way back at the beginning when I was dating Chris, his cousin Paul took us sailing off of the Connecticut shore. He had packed these AMAZING little sandwiches, the likes of which I have never been able to find or re-create on my own. Well, I just found it. So, from here on out, this Fresh & Easy sandwich will be known as the "Paul's Sailing Special."

I do our grocery shopping once a week, and try to stay within $100 bucks. I am always with ten dollars of doing that. AND I am not tempted to buy a bunch of crap that you find in the regular grocery stores (crap meaning crappy produce, crappy deli meat, crappy baked goods, crappy meat).

Here is a little collage of our favorite F&E items, (otherwise known as the things that MUST MUST MUST be on our grocery list every week.)


If you haven't made it over there yet (and you happen to live in CA, NV or AZ) take my word for it and do it. (They aren't paying me or anything). Which is why I can say that I think they must put CRACK in the OJ, because when we start running low Chris gets this crazed, worried, OMG ARE YOU GOING TO FRESH & EASY TODAY look on his face!

Oh, and you scan your own groceries, but an employee bags. James loves this part, because he gets to run his little motor mouth off to a captive audience. Today he said "Hi!" to the bagger like 40 times. And she was so sweet and say "Hi!" back every stinking time. LOVE HER! Then, when she put the last bag in the basket (in my post-consumer-waste, recyclable, reusable bag) he said "Thank you!" to which she said "Why you're welcome!"

Then, here is the cherry on top, he waved at her and said "Bye bye!" I am SO PROUD to be seem him be so polite and friendly. I basically left the store with a crazy case of happy tears!

When we got home, the sun was shining and so warm still for late in the afternoon that I set up James' swing. Here are some pics of the fun. ENJOY!