Sometimes things work out just as planned, sometimes not.
It was my turn to make the Easter meal, provide the entertainment.
Michelle had organized the Easter egg hunt, laying in the supplies, keeping the dogs away. She and I had shopped for items and put them aside. One night last week we stuffed the plastic eggs and pinata and shoved then into the freezer.
The daughter of our neighbors was invited to join us for breakfast and the hunt, also the pinata smashing.
I planned the menu, cooking and baking most of Saturday. Among many other things I made an almond paste filled Brioche, as did the girl from next door for her family. We colored many chicken eggs and today loads of them got cracked though are still usable.
Saturday morning it was slow to warm up and we had so hoped that we could eat outside, I feared it would be just as cool on Sunday. Well, after the egg hunt, the smashing of the pinata, the chasing down of a lost bracelet in the tall grass, the divvying up of the treasure it was late enough and warm enough to sit outside and really enjoy the morning.
Except for the over-baked, ruined cinnamon rolls, all the food was yummy and filling. The only meal we needed today.
(The girls drew pictures over my front patio with the new chalk and after about four hours together they actually began to bicker.)
It really had been a lovely day.
Happy Easter!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Ah, Grocery Stores
I love statistics! One can be so creative with them.
I heard that two local grocery stores are rated among the top ten. Two others are rated among the lowest.
Bel Air and Raley's are considered among the best. Here's why, in my opinion. They both have wonderful products some of which are hard to find. They are also expensive and people that shop there clearly are willing to pay the higher costs. The service is excellent as is the ambiance, what with the cozy lighting in the deli and bakery area. They know my name (if I pay with a check or card) haul my purchases out and stow them in the car.
In addition I suspect that the clientele is mostly literate, willing and able to answer a questionnaire about about their store.
These two stores are a bit far for impulse shopping, so I don't get there very often.
On the other spectrum is Food Maxx and Wal-Mart both of which I patronize . Food Maxx has a great indoor fruit and vegetable market cheap prices, good quality. There is new management and when I can find a worker they seem eager enough to help.
And then there is Wal-Mart. OMG the service at the deli is so slow. So very slow! No,
no one there seems to know that 8 ounces is the same as .5 pounds. It's pretty much a self-serve store after all. I generally use the self check-out, but when I pay to a cashier, no, they don't know my name, nor will anyone load my car for me.
I suspect that a good many of the patrons don't speak English and many of those that do are probably unwilling to bother with a customer satisfaction survey. (Those are, perhaps, the same people that shop wearing their pajamas) Another reason Wal-Mart's rating is low is because, well, service there really sucks!
Today at Food Maxx I selected a shell of raspberries listed at $2.99. At the check-out the price had become $4.99. After a discussion with several employees, some insisting that that was indeed the price, people backed up behind me glaring, the vegetable clerk came up with the sign that agreed with me, $2.99. That means that I got the berries for free, as per store policy. The day has not yet come where I will pay $5 for such a small amount of berries.
I heard that two local grocery stores are rated among the top ten. Two others are rated among the lowest.
Bel Air and Raley's are considered among the best. Here's why, in my opinion. They both have wonderful products some of which are hard to find. They are also expensive and people that shop there clearly are willing to pay the higher costs. The service is excellent as is the ambiance, what with the cozy lighting in the deli and bakery area. They know my name (if I pay with a check or card) haul my purchases out and stow them in the car.
In addition I suspect that the clientele is mostly literate, willing and able to answer a questionnaire about about their store.
These two stores are a bit far for impulse shopping, so I don't get there very often.
On the other spectrum is Food Maxx and Wal-Mart both of which I patronize . Food Maxx has a great indoor fruit and vegetable market cheap prices, good quality. There is new management and when I can find a worker they seem eager enough to help.
And then there is Wal-Mart. OMG the service at the deli is so slow. So very slow! No,
no one there seems to know that 8 ounces is the same as .5 pounds. It's pretty much a self-serve store after all. I generally use the self check-out, but when I pay to a cashier, no, they don't know my name, nor will anyone load my car for me.
I suspect that a good many of the patrons don't speak English and many of those that do are probably unwilling to bother with a customer satisfaction survey. (Those are, perhaps, the same people that shop wearing their pajamas) Another reason Wal-Mart's rating is low is because, well, service there really sucks!
Today at Food Maxx I selected a shell of raspberries listed at $2.99. At the check-out the price had become $4.99. After a discussion with several employees, some insisting that that was indeed the price, people backed up behind me glaring, the vegetable clerk came up with the sign that agreed with me, $2.99. That means that I got the berries for free, as per store policy. The day has not yet come where I will pay $5 for such a small amount of berries.
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