Sorry guys....Willy Wonka is already here!

For those of you who thought Willy Wonka's little confections packed full of flavor in the movie don't exist, you are mistaken my friend. I bought a bag of the 49 flavor jelly beans from Jelly Belly today and they are truly incredible.

Many of us love to go on great food adventures when we experience new foods and new cuisines, but very few know about the $3.59 journey in a bag! Ranging from French Vanilla to tangerine, the bite sized candies are packed full of flavor because they are actually made of real fruit and food extract. You are not going cheated by fake, generic, and bland chemicals! So, the next time you feel like eating 30 different things without gaining 30 extra pounds, pick up a bag! My many favorites are vanilla, very cherry, and juicy pear!

Drink tea with your pinky in the air? Williams Sonoma is for you!

For some odd reason I have an incredible bias against Williams Sonoma, but I absolutely love the store. They have incredibly expensive, but quality products. For those of you that are unfamiliar with Williams Sonoma, it is a kitchen equipment store that sells top grade knives, pots, pans, coffee machines, pretty much any utensil that you could possibly use, not need, in the kitchen. The type of product that I love the most would probably be a match up between their bakeware and their knives. They carry the nicest Wusthof knives that last a lifetime. The same thing goes for their bakeware. Their cake pans and baking sheets are heavy duty ensuring an evenly baked product with every use. As a big baker myself, I definitely appreciate a product that lasts with the test of time. I see shopping at Williams Sonoma as an investment. On the other hand, it is not necessary to pay thirty dollars for a stainless steel whisk or garlic press!

ESCAPE! EXIT HERE!

I think we use food, meals, and all dining experiences to get out of the traffic clogged six line highways currently known as our everyday lives. I truly don't know what it's like to be in the real world, but as a college student, I am constantly running back and forth from building to building, room to room, from one face to another. I stay sane only by putting my life on slow motion for an hour or two a day where I have a meal, coffee, or soft serve yogurt with friends. This so called slow motion starts the second I step foot in a food venue and goes back to fast forward once I step out. According to Doreen Massey, these actions are seen as "a retreat from the (actually unavoidable) dynmaic and change of 'real life'. " We try to find and become a part of intimate communities in order to preserve ourselves from the ever changing world and surroundings around us.

The very reason I blog is (let's be real) A.) To get a good grade in my English class and B.) To try and make the world seem a little warmer and personal by connecting to other people. ; )

Attack of the mediocre produce!

After visiting Super Wal-Mart, Harris Teeter, and Lowe's Food, I started to notice a big difference between the quality of produce amongst all the grocery stores. Wal-Mart definitely has the cheapest prices, but definitely the poorest quality. The broccoli, the corn, the apples just don't have the sheen and crispness of the fruit and vegetables that Harris Teeter and Lowe's Food has. I question the real reason for this because all three are large corporations or chains that buy from large farms. Although, Harris Teeter does sometimes go out on a limb and buys regular and organic produce from North Carolina farmers. How much are we willing to compromise the quality of our produce before we stop buying the tasteless, water filled cellulose shells?