Whole Foods... Overrated and Overpriced
I have been hearing all kinds of rave reviews from family and friends about Whole Foods Market since they recently opened an eastside location in Bellevue. The store has probably been open a year, but since there are at least a dozen other grocery stores between us and the Whole Foods Bellevue location, we just haven't gotten around to visiting the store.

Well, we have now visited Whole Foods twice in the last week to buy food for Eliana's family party and her big let's-invite-all-our-friend-and-family party that we are hosting tomorrow. In a word, I was unimpressed with Whole Foods. The bakery is ordinary. The produce is not noteworthy and is nothing better than you can find at your local "non-Whole" grocery store. The "365 value brand" is hardly a value for the poor quality of the product line. The variety and selection of off-the-shelf food is dismal. Whole Foods does appear to have very good meat, fish, and deli counters, and the cheese counter looks top rate... but it doesn't look like it is anything better than what I can find at Larry's. Yet Larry's has better produce, a better bakery, and several thousand more products available on the shelf... products that I would actually stock in my pantry at home.

Basically Whole Foods is just a bigger (but not necessarily better) version of a PCC Natural Market. There is a PCC very close to us down in Issaquah - a store we have probably visited about 3 or 4 times in the 6 years we have lived here. Why so few times? Because the product offering is so narrow at PCC - and it is just slightly broader at Whole Foods... it's just organic this and organic that... nothing "mainstream".

Now, don't get me wrong, I love organic produce and organic dairy, but I'd rather pour my organic milk over a bowl of Crunch Berries than some of that nasty organic Kashi. However, there isn't a box of Crunch Berries to be found at Whole Foods (nor at PCC for that matter). Yet, I can buy a nice delicious half-gallon of organic milk at QFC, Safeway, or Larry's and (perish the thought) at the same store, pick up a big 21oz box of Crunch Berries.

Whole Foods... there are better options out there.

(Update Tue Mar 14 08:58:09 PST 2006 // they're -> there)

Water's Edge Guesthouse on Pine Lake
While looking for hotels in the area last weekend (on the presumption that we would be re-refinishing our floors), I solicited feedback from a group of friends about possibilities for our family. One of my acquaintances suggested a small Bed and Breakfast that is located right on the shore of Pine Lake:

Water's Edge Guesthouse

It is only 2 miles away from our home. But there are no kids allowed. However, I'll keep this in mind the next time we have both sets of grandparents come visit or any other time when out-of-town guests congregate to our home (like perhaps at the next Berrett baby blessing).

(Update Tue Mar 14 07:57:18 PST 2006 // short -> shore... oops)

Root Beer Ratings: Anthony's Root Beer Barrel
This root beer review site has more than 300 reviews... nice!

Anthony's Root Beer Barrel

Based on Anthony's rankings I located and tried several of those that were highly rated including Boylan's Natural Root Beer, Boylan's Creamy Red Birch Beer, Boylan's Original Birch Beer, and Jackson Hole Soda Company Buckin' Root Beer. All exceptional.

I may have to devise a root beer rating system of my own.

(Update Fri Mar 17 00:07:16 PST 2006 // fixed title)