Saturday was supposed to the the road trip to Trader Joe’s, but snow came and we decided to postpone until Sunday. Good decision because Sunday was nice and sunny, even it if was cold.
Also, upon request, here is a shot of me with my glasses. I actually like how I look with my glasses, I just don’t like wearing them because I don’t see peripherally as well with them on, plus the whole exercising thing. I can’t just leave them off because I don’t see well enough without them.
My eyes are mostly white again. Just a touch red in the corner of the left eye still, but that was the worst part anyway. Yay! Plus I am liking the new hair cut. Quite easy to style. I only use my fingers when drying and no brush at all!
Enough of that, though. It was road trip time! TJs is about 2.5 hours away. We are slated for one to open in Albany this spring, so that is only an hour away, but we wanted to have some fun and take a trip.
Me and sis:
We did lots of singing to this:
My niece ignored our singing and read her book:
I am so, so happy she is a reader! Especially with the work I am doing as a literacy volunteer. I told Logan it was such a great thing that she loved reading.
Crossing state lines for a pitstop:
Then we got to TJs. They don’t allow pictures in the store, silly peeps. The one thing I like about Trader Joe’s is the price on things. Particularly for chocolates, nut butters, and frozen foods. I’ll get to the loot later.
After shopping, we were hungry for lunch. We did shop hungry, oops! We went across the street to the mall and went to Brio;
It looked really swanky inside, but the prices were very reasonable.
I ate off the brunch menu with crepes stuffed with ricotta and fresh fruit sprinkled with granola. This had a bit of shredded basil in it, which was a really interesting flavor with the fruit.
Delicious!! I love crepes. I would definitely come here again… if it wasn’t 2.5 hours away!
Mother and daughter:
We poked around the mall a bit, more in Rainforest Cafe so Logan could look at all the stuff there, including the big aquarium.
Rainforest Cafe is just too much for me, though. Have any of you eaten there? It’s pretty gimmicky.
We headed on out after that. More singing and, of course, a coffee stop!
That was good fuel to get home by! I did miss the whole early football game, which sounded like a good game. How I wish the Ravens had won! Stupid Patriots…
Anyway, this is my haul:
1.5 pounds of blueberries for $6. Yay! I’ll be eating those all week before vacation. I had brought along a cooler for some frozen stuff. I got a couple Indian entrees:
Miscellaneous snack things:
Sesame honey cashews are the bomb!! I picked up a bag for my mom and one for us! Lots of dark chocolate things for John.
Coffee beans, granola, almond butter (great price!), red curry sauce, green chiles.
Lots of good stuff. Had to stock up! It was definitely a fun day 😀
How fun! I do like to go to TJ’s when I have time to just look around and see some of the more unusual choices they have. One thing that I really like (now that I think about it, I don’t see you eating much of this) is their own store brand of marinara sauce. It is very low calorie, and very tasty. And the price just can’t be beat! Their little 3-packs of dark chocolate bars are still my favorite dark chocolate. It looks like you might have gotten some of those.
My poor Ravens! Oh well…next season will be here before I know it.
The crepe looks delicious!!!
All the things you bought look really good. The dark chocolate with caramel and black sea salt sounds very, very good!
I went to the Rainforest Cafe in Niagara Falls a loooong time ago…totally charred chicken breast…gross…my son liked it though (his food wasn’t charred).
I know – Patriots in the superbowl again. How exciting…not.
What a fun day! The crepes look amazing!!
I tagged you in a post I wrote- if you like that kind of thing….
Where are you going on vacation?
We are going to Disney World!
Looks like it was a fun trip. I love Trader Joe’s. Their Puff Pastry Margarita pizza’s are my favorite!!
Looks great! I’m not a fan of TJ, but your loot looks good. I love going to all of the specialty food stores around town for stuff – thai, mexican, korean, indian, chinese,etc. It’s fun to look at all of the interesting food they have.
Glad you had a good time!
Oh that crepe looks good!!!!! What a fun road trip. I admire your niece for being able to read in the car – I get so motion-sick that I can’t even respond to text messages!
Nice haul from TJ’s!
What a fun day! Love that you sing in the car, and that your niece ignores the singing in favor of reading. Great haul, too. I must make my way to TJ soon (I’m spoiled though, only about 12 minutes from my house).
thats great shopping 🙂 i have only recently how important it is ti be well stocked on healthy eating options at home 🙂
the palak paneer and paneer rolls look good 🙂
i make palak paneer quite regularly 🙂
OMG! Awesome day trip! I can’t wait til our trip to the US this summer so I can stop at Trader Joe’s!
Lori I like the look of you more without the glasses, but that’s just my opinion.
And no Journey to sing along with in the car? 🙂
Looks like the three of you had a great day.
I spoke to a teacher recently who told me that children these days hardly read anymore. They have the internet and the game consoles and most of them never read a book. I used to read all the time as a child and I think it’s good if children read so am glad to see your niece is one of them.
You must be in heaven: almond butter, cashews, chcocolate covered almonds and chcocolate. I would be. 🙂 I wish I could get affordably priced almond butter in Finland. 🙁
I like the new haircut. Easy styling is the key, I’m very lazy at styling my own hair.
Wow – what a great trip. I would have gone along with you. We don’t have a Whole Foods or a Trader Joe’s near here (2.5 hours for me too!!) but I don’t have people to make the drive more exciting. Argh!
And holy, holy, holy cow – those crepes?? I saw the raspberry ones listed on the menu and fell off my chair and into a pile of drool. WOW
My daughter constantly raves about Trader JOes. Its someplace i HAVE to go if we ever make it to CA. Hubby and i actually watched both football games yesterday and before we sat down for the first one i told him ‘its gonna be the Patriots and the Giants in the Superbowl you wait and see’ And darn if i wasn’t right. First time i’ve picked the right teams in a while!! LOL It was fun. They were good games and i honestly don’t know if the two ‘best’ teams made it to the superbowl or the luckiest…. 🙂 Hugs! deb
I’ve yet to be in a Trader Joe’s as we don’t have one! Looks like fun-filled day for you with lots of goodies to bring home!
I actually stay away from the Rainforest Cafe, on purpose 😀
There’s a Trader Joe’s around here somewhere but at least an hour away. I’ve never even considered making a road trip to go to it. I’m sure it would be really fun with a friend though so maybe I’ll have to do it.
We were rooting for the Ravens too – and it was a good game. Of course the Giants game was the marquee in our house. Mr. Helen is a very happy man today!
I’ve eaten in two Rainforest Cafe’s. One in Chicago, IL (fortunately, on an expense account) and one in Nashville (unfortunately, treating my two nieces, so I was the expense account. LOL!). And I do agree that it is expensive.
We have something in common – I too, have to travel 2.5 hours to the nearest TJ’s. The TJ’s is Nashville is almost directly across the street from Whole Foods so I can visit both in the same trip. We are also getting one AND our first Whole Foods sometime this year. Can’t wait. My favorite find from last trip was a frozen Butternut Squash Risotto which was EXCELLENT!!
I don’t want to make you mad & tell you how many TJ’s are withing 3 miles of my house! 🙂 Sorry! I love TJ’s!!!!! You made out like a bandit & with that drive, I guess you have to! The road trip looked likes lots of fun!!!
I got the eye surgery done years ago due to probs I had wearing contacts too long & glasses were just not cutting it for me. You look great with that hair cut!
Not a fan of TJ’s, but I am very fond of fun road trips! I’m glad you had such a great time!
It’s great that your niece loves to read. I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without my books.
We have TJs in my town now. I don’t go very often. I find it very tempting.
Love your new haircut, looks really cute on you!
Yay for TJ’s! I haven’t been in a couple weeks since I’m trying my hand at couponing! I’ve been able to save quite a bit, so I may not go back to TJ’s unless I need something special!
Loving your new do!!
Great trip and super stuff from TJ’s! Lucky you.
I LOVE Phantom of the Opera. I go nuts in the car singing the songs from that CD.
Love the haircut! Wow… 2.5 miles for grocery shopping. You are a hardcore TJ fan! We city folk take it for granted we have everything at our fingertips. I’ve heard people complaining when they have to take an extra subway stop to get to Trader Joe’s. Now, as a New Englander, I have a decision to make Feb. 5: Pats or Giants??
I love TJ’s and am fortunate to have one just minutes from my house. Looks like a fun day with the girls and your crepes were a great choice for lunch.
Your hair looks fabulous – what a fun perky style!
I love TJ!!! YAY! I love their Goddess Dressing. I also buy their frozen indian food. It’s pretty good.
By the way, you and your sister could be twins! 🙂
Hi aunt Lori. Had a great time. P.s. I didn’t know you guys were singing, because my book was too good. 😀
Hi Sweetie! Thanks for coming with us !