Standing In My Own Space: Trader Joe's

I apologize in advance for what may be the most boring post ever but I haven't written in a while and I fear if I don't write SOMETHING that I may never write again! I'm hoping this will spark some creativity and motivation!

I will start by saying that I am not a fan of Trader Joe's. I've tried. When it first opened I made a couple of trips hoping I would find it lived up to all of the hype. For me it did not. However, in these excursions I will admit to finding a few items that I really do enjoy. Because of that I do make a Trader Joe's trip every once in a while to stock up on items that I really want. I try to get in and out as quickly as possible. They were playing some really heinous music this trip which just added to the pressure to get done quickly!

I bought a bouquet of tulips for 4.99. In my mind, and the minds of everyone else around here I believe, spring has arrived. There is no better way to celebrate the arrival than with a pretty bunch of tulips. The vase is one I just recently bought at a friend's "At Home America" party. I paid a lot of money for it and I was disappointed when it arrived. The base looked unfinished and in need of a coat of spray paint. The glass vase was really thin and had a couple of blemishes on it. I had bought it because I love the idea of a tapered base so that stems aren't just floating around like they always seem to when I arrange them in my customary mason jar vase. I put the tulips in the vase and....bummer...the stems are much too short for the vase. This picture actually makes them look very good but in reality the flowers aren't poking up out of the vase enough. I'm afraid this expensive vase is a going to be a great find for someone in a yard sale!

I discovered that I really like the peanut butter at Trader Joe's. Some natural peanut butter is grainy and not very rich tasting. This one is very smooth. It works great for spreading on apple slices. It also has a yummy flavor that makes it good enough to used in sweet baked goods. But it still has a simple, short ingredient list. Score. I stocked up on 3 jars so I won't need to go back for a while.

I also discovered an incredible edamame hummus. It is obviously made with raw soybeans instead of chickpeas. It doesn't actually taste like much of anything. It has a fantastic whipped texture and is great for dipping bagel chips into!