Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Pig Panic

Seriously, what's up with all the swine panic? Do we as a human race (and Americans especially) really just need something to freak out about at all times? Now that we live in sublime comfort (compared to the rest of our ancestors for, say, most of human history), and we don't have to go out and chase buffalo for food, and worry about starvation, cold, death by being burned as a heretic, and any other number of ways to die that led to a life expectancy of about 28... are we just finding new and ridiculous things to freak out about?

If I hear one more person talk about a pandemic I'm going to throw something at them. Seriously.

That being said, to stop complaining for a second, how much do I totally love Fresh and Easy markets? I knew I would since they're owned by Tesco in the UK, who's Tesco Local in Covent Garden I bought many a lunchtime prawn sandwich from, but additionally, they are just a really great supermarket. Like a combination of Trader Joe's (size, unique brands, lots of good organic produce) and Costco (stuff isn't unpacked all the time, it's super-cheap, free samples) it is the only place I've been doing grocery shopping for about 2 months now. And for the 30 minutes a week that I'm there, I can ignore all the American accents, focus on the wheatabix and marmite, and pretend that I'm back in Covent Garden and I shall shortly walk over to Charing Cross Road and spend two hours in Foyle's. It's kind of the way I get in the Boots aisle at Target. For a couple of blissful moments a week I can stare at the Boots brands, and pretend I'm in Picadilly and will be walking back up to Brewer Street stopping for a coffee from the Italian Stallion at Cafe Nero along the way.

It's funny how life gets all wrapped up in brands...

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