Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Lost in the Supermarket?
Rather than blogging about exciting bands, amazing albums soon to be released and how accurate Abstractboy's predictions for future music hotness have been (Tom Vek, Bloc Party, the Departure), it's about time to indulge in one of Abstractboy's favourite passtimes; supermarkets.
A slightly odd hobby, perhaps. But a hobby nonetheless. Even when there is enough food in the flat, Abstractboy and flatmates will go to their local supermarkets just for shits and giggles. While the majority of people would rather do anything than grace the fluorescent aisles of Sainsbury's, or pick out their identisize dutch red peppers (79p each) from Morroway, the supermarket excursion is something to look forward to at the end of a long day in college. And living in glamorous Holloway, there is such a great selection of supermarkets - on our bit of the Holloway Road, there is an Iceland, a Marks and Spencers, a Morroway, and for wealthy days, a Waitrose. Being the compulsive listmaker that I am, I tried to make a definitive chart of supermarkets. However, it is really not that simple.
Morroway is definitely the regular. With it's endless offers, average quality produce and consistently good reduced section, it is perfect for the discerning student. But the lights can be too bright and the scarlet red special offer signs are, at times, almost blinding. However, do not be blinded by the red on their Bettabuy range, because it really is quite good value.
Waitrose, surprisingly, can play house to the best special offers. Because Waitrose has a classier market, most stores have a fresh cake counter and by 7pm, the cakes can be as cheap as 10p each. The whole shopping experience on the whole is a lot more pleasurable - the lights are more subtle, the stock is better presented, you are not tricked into "buy 8, save 4p" offers, and the ready meals are reassuringly expensive. A regular shop at Waitrose, however, would swallow a student loan very quickly, so a Waitrose shop is a rare treat.
One of the most important lessons in enjoying supermarket shopping is to treat it as an event. View it as a laborious task and it will always be a laborious task. Dress for the occasion, opt for themed outings, dress as a year and buy things that remind you of that year, start at the reduced counter and work your meal around it, use customised canvas bags. But this is a lesson for life in general. Approach everything menial as something special and it need never be menial again.
posted by Unknown at 1/11/2005 08:23:00 pm
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