I’m excited to see this new BIGY2GO grocery shopping program. It’s not at a store near me yet, but I hope the idea catches on and other stores start to do it.

The basic idea is this: For a flat rate of $10, Big Y will shop for groceries for you. Four hours later you can go pick up your groceries at the store.

This concept appeals to me on so many levels. First of all, I’m online all the time and happen to love online shopping. Think of it this way. If I research a recipe online, I can order ingredients right then and there. I don’t have to print out the recipe and take it to the store with me. That’s awesome.

Second of all, I have so little time these days to enjoy life outside of work. Chores like grocery shopping can sometimes fill up a whole night for me. $10 isn’t all that much to me these days if it means I can save time.

The downside is that Big Y is so much more expensive than Stop & Shop. I generally prefer going to Stop & Shop, too. And, of course, the program is not available - just yet - at a Big Y near me.

I applaud a relatively small family-owned chain like Big Y taking a chance with this forward-thinking idea, because it shows that they’re willing to try new things and that they are keeping their customers in mind. Now if they could just come down on their prices, we’d all be much happier.

In celebration of Brittnie’s birthday, Pat and I took her out to dinner at Green Street Cafe in Northampton. I have never had a bad meal there and last Saturday was no exception. This was the first time I had been there in years and so it was my first time seeing the Jeff Mack mural depicting the Smith Expansion plan.

I had been looking at the mural all night. It was obvious right away that it is a play on The Last Supper, but it didn’t sink in until close to the end of our evening that it was a representation of the future of that block of town, which is complete annihilation. Note blueprint on the table and the wrecking balls off in the distance. We asked the owner about the mural and he explained its history as well as what he sees for the future of Green Street Cafe. The restaurant will be open for the next five years, but beyond that is anyone’s guess, even his.

Check out Jeff Mack’s site for more information about the mural.

Nice to see blue skies lately.

where was I?

I ordered a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and my partner-in-crime ordered a red. We both went for the cheapest wines on the menu, not because we’re cheap, but because that’s just how it happened. There were only, I think, three wine-by-the glass options for red and three for white. If the cabernet had been more expensive, I’d still have gotten it.

The menu was one sheet and organized by main ingredient (flora, fish, chicken, etc.). The prices were not as high as I’d thought they would be, which we later learned was by design. In the summer months, many of the dishes are served in smaller portions, encouraging the patron to choose a variety of things off the menu. Despite this, I opted for a full-priced dish - the chicken with peaches and sage, served with a brown rice - and a salad with blue cheese. For the life of me I can’t remember the vegetable that came with the entree. Isn’t that crazy? I am setting you up for this memorable dinner experience that I can’t even remember.

The salad arrived perfectly drizzled with an oil-based dressing. The blue cheese was as fresh as blue cheese can taste without becoming an oxymoron.

I sometimes worry about ordering chicken at restaurants. It runs the risk of being too dried out and flavorless if not prepared correctly. This was a pan-seared breast and shoulder with the skin on and I had nothing to worry about. The brown rice was delicious - most definitely it was cooked in butter. Any chef that isn’t afraid of butter is alright in my book. My partner-in-crime ordered the catch-of-the-day, which was a bluefish with mashed potatoes. I had a few bites of his, but was too busy enjoying mine to take mental notes.

What’s this? Another lunch hour squandered.

Time was I wouldn’t be caught dead at work on my birthday. The crushing reality that I am not the center of the universe - not even on my birthday - was usually too much to bear. I found it safer to stay at home. I could avoid emotional peril and just dig the moment among people who could dote on me as prescribed (by me).

But now that I’m 31 (since yesterday), I think I reached a point where
birthdays aren’t as wrought with sheer terror at the thought that
someone will be mean to me. After all, you make your own positive attitude. Others can try to destroy it, but you have to keep your spirits up in spite of your and others’ insecurities.

All this is to say that I had a fantastic birthday. There was a gift waiting for me when I awoke (a copy of Augusten Burrough’s latest book, Possible Side Effects). When I got to work I had several emails, a card on my desk, and then more and more emails came throughout the day.

I skipped lunch because I was going to dinner at Green Street Cafe in Northampton. The reputation of Green Street is such that one is likely to be very disappointed if things aren’t completely perfect. Like if the busboy looks at you funny, the place is overrun with snooty Smith professors or the waitress ignores you. Thank goodness none of these things were true.

The whole place is understated, right down to the laissez faire approach of the waitstaff. You could probably take off your shoes or loosen your pants after the main course and they probably wouldn’t care. The decor is pure New England antique. Rustic. Dark. The walls in the backroom are painted dark blue, while the front room is a deep aubergine. The furniture looks like it came from a very expensive flea market. Think Haymarket without the stinky smell of potstickers.

We were quickly served our water and bread while we perused the handwritten menu.

I will finish this later. Lunch hour is over. Stay tuned.

i wanted to go to this event, but I decided against it on account of not wanting to overspend this weekend. I know I could have gone without actually bowling, but who goes to a bowling alley just to watch other people bowl? And did anyone know that bowling is very expensive now? So, I’m not going. I apologize to the person who invited me.

I would like to report, however, that we had two very delicee-o-so meals this weekend already. The first was the Munich Haus in Chicopee. What’s that, you say? You never thought I would go to Chicopee on purpose? Well, I did. The Munich Haus, despite its frightful yellow awning, is a lovely place to eat German food, if you like that sort of thing. Which I do. I splurged with the combo platter. It included the Jaeger Schnitzel, Rahm Schnitzel and Paprika Schnitzel and there is plenty for leftovers tonight.

Our second delicious meal was our late lunch today at Baku’s African Restaurant in Amherst. Cheap and tasty. I had the chicken curry with rice, plaintains and collard greens. All for $6.

For the past three years that I have lived in the falls, I always wanted to go around and take pictures of the sights. Yesterday was a nice day, so I took the opportunity. I can’t say I’ll miss it, but the neighborhood has a lot going for it, if you are into churches, firehouses and breakfast places and that sort of thing. Pretty much the only place I’ll miss is the laundromat. The glare from sun pretty much obliterates it from the sign, but it’s called Suds Your Duds.

More after the jump

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I keep telling you how awesome moshi moshi is. maybe one day you will start to believe it. On Saturday night, four of us headed there for some sushi and had to wait for a table! The apologies were profuse, but I was ecstatic. I don’t mind waiting if it means that moshi can bring in lots of money and stay in business forever. On top of that, Brittnie’s outfit even matched the walls on the second floor. that’s the icing on the cake right there.