Package it and overprice it, and I need it - or, Organic Avenue Juice

An Organic Avenue opened on the UES, en route from my apartment to the subway.

It may have been there for a while, but I finally stepped in last week, with my boyfriend. While he stood awkwardly among the ladies clad in yoga wear, I picked out what seemed to be the "beginner" juices. A ginger lemonade, and royal red, and a "mylk".

He had a coronary at the cash register, and then a second one when he calculated how many fully-decked hot dogs he could get for the same price. There was a moment of weakness when he reminded me that Shake Shack and Arturo's were both in the vicinity.

But I was happy, with the cute little squat bottles and the promise of enough ginger to ward off zombie flu.

How did it taste?

                                                   
Ginger Lemonade - it burned so much going down. The thought of subsequent burning meant this sat in the fridge at work until the cleaning lady pitched it. Thereby I avoided the guilt of throwing out $7 worth of liquid. Well done!



                                                   
Royal Red - Also a bit of a burn, but so pleasant and beautiful. I really liked this, and will try to drink it a few times a week.

                                                   

Creative Cashew Hemp Mylk - First, it tastes so good. I congratulate myself on having a body that enjoys and craves healthful things. For example, in addition to this "mylk", I enjoy sleeping, which is healthful. Then, suddenly, a previously dormant tastebud kicks in and alerts you that this actually tastes like dirt. Like earth. And when you read that "organic irish moss" is involved in this, you leave this to the mercy of the cleaning lady as well.

Is there a juice cleanse in my future? Not looking likely. My fear of coconut water keeps that possibility at bay.






 

Oh, Trader Joe's

Yes, late to the game. But I have seen the light, and there is no turning back.

I was shopping at Whole Foods and Eataly for my first week in the city. Well, that was mainly because my mother was visiting and paying. Once I was on my own, I started to branch out and made a trip to Trader Joe's in Chelsea (about 5 minutes walk from my apartment, lucky me.)

And I also went the next four days, in a row, until there was nothing else that I needed to purchase. So when I went on Friday, it was for a frivolous purchase that's made me very happy:

• Alstroemeria, $3.99

I had my doubts about whether these would last, but look at how beautifully they bloomed! The only downside was a lot of ragged leaves that I had to cut away. But, that may have been my fault because I dropped these flowers on a subway grate because I was trying to balance a pile of books I'd picked up at Strand and a cup of ice cream from Eataly. Technically it was gelato, but couldn't type that without feeling like a poo.

Bath & Body Works Semi-Annual Sale - a baby haul

It's the Bath and Body Works semi-annual blowout extravaganza sale of the century 10-for-1 super sale.

Really, there is nothing here that I needed - and I also didn't need the migraine that came from smelling all of the wallflowers in the store.

• 3 for $10 mini-candles: Mahogany Teakwood (times 2), Honeysuckle
• $4 medium candles, regularly $9.50: Leaves and White Barn #2 Chestnut & Clove

A few of these were definitely holiday scents - White Barn, at least - but the scents were fresh and clean so I picked up a few. The pickings were slim for the medium candles (at least at the 23rd and Park location), and slimmer after I picked up all the White Barns. There were a few Summer Boardwalks left, which smell like the vomit that would collect under the boardwalk. I smelled that candle in the store, and made an involuntary gag face that one of the employees noticed. So I had to avoid her for the rest of my time in the store. 

Mahogany Teakwood smells like a good man smells. Woody and a little spicy, I keep it on my bedside table. And I smell it before I go to bed like a creeeeeep.

I picked up a few wallflowers as well - I stuck to the 75% off ($1.63 each!)

• London Calling: apparently lemon and tea, I just have a craving every morning when I wake up after subconsciously smelling it all night. It's an interesting scent, unlike anything else I've smelled from Bath & Body Works, Glade, Lollia, any of those. Still very fresh and comforting.
• White Barn #2 Chestnut & Clove: I hope I enjoy this scent for a while, because clearly I've committed to it.

This is actually a pretty good sale, albeit for things you don't really need. But, if, like me, you enjoy a tumble of pretty and nice-smelling things on your bedside table and bathroom counter - go early. I went on Thursday and again on Saturday, and the inventory was a lot better earlier in the week (with limited restocking.) If you went tonight, it would probably be a lot of the Paris collection sitting around. 

My apartment does smell a bit like a brothel right now. The delivery guy tonight is a lucky man.