Hello Upper West Siders, xoxo

Whole Foods just opened up on my block. Literally, ON MY BLOCK. I stumble out my door and there it is.

WHY IT'S AWESOME.

• It's Whole Foods. The Associated Supermarket, which is located on the other corner and which sold me spoiled canned goods, had better watch out.
• They support local farms.
• They have a bulk foods section.
  
• There are escalators for people and for carts. It is amazing. This makes a potential "NOT AWESOME" point of the store being 2 levels moot.
• They have baskets on wheels! And the long handles allow you to tow your basket! This seems like something all NYC grocery stores should have.
• Nice staff who will take 10 minutes to explain how MFC certification works and why it is okay to eat one's favorite yet endangered fish, chilean sea bass.
  

WHY IT'S NOT AWESOME.

• It's grocery shopping in NYC, and there is nothing good about grocery shopping in NYC. It causes me stress. Too many people making me have to shuffle my feet because I have to wait to get anywhere and then there are all sorts of "excuse me's" which more like mean "I'm moving through and you can't stop me." Strategically shopping at off-peak hours is necessary.
• Increased traffic on my block. It looked like there were field trips going on on opening day. Hope that dies down.

And for anybody who wants some cheering up (I knew I liked Conan for a reason):