July 24, 2006
The Fetishism of Whole Foods
We've mentioned it briefly before, but several readers have written in to ask us to comment further, and we have to say that this is now officially fairly ridiculous. On Saturday the Post ran a whole feature article on the campaign of some Columbia Heights residents to bring a Whole Foods Market to the new Target/Best Buy development at 14th Street and Park NW — a plan that has been stalled over disagreements concerning dedicated parking for the grocer. The "movement" even has signifcant space over at ColumbiaHeightsNews.org.
Listen, we enjoy paying $14 for carryout curried chicken salad or $3.99 a lb. for organic bell peppers as much as the next guy. There's nothing like popping into a Whole Foods every so often to get your mouth watering and your wallet wondering how the hell you just spent $50 on ingredients for a single meal for two people. Whole Foods is a fantasy land of health and convenience, and we're sure glad they're here in the District. But that's just it. They're already here.
As we've felt compelled to point out in the past, the Logan Circle store is only 1.65 miles from the site of the proposed Columbia Heights market. Is the Parrano cheese situation in this city really so desperate? Of course it's not, and sadly, the Post article spells out all too clearly the class and race-based tensions underlying much of the thinking behind the people trying to coax the store into opening.
Just a few choice quotes:
"I've been a resident of the neighborhood since 2001 and have seen it improve greatly since I moved there," one homeowner wrote in an e-mail to Whole Foods. "The quality of the residents, as well as the quality of the restaurants and stores in the area are likewise on a steep upward trajectory."Wow. The quality of the residents is on an upward trajectory, eh? So like, if they'd just put in a Whole Foods, y'all would be totally validated that you're wealthy and special! Yes, it's great that Columbia Heights has come such a long way in terms of crime and economic development over the last five years. But pardon us if we let out a collective ewww at the thought that the people who have recently moved to Columbia Heights think of themselves as higher "quality" than the people who have lived there for 15 or 30 years.
Lauren Tobias, 29, a communications consultant who lives at 14th and Chapin streets, spoke glowingly about the prepared foods at Whole Foods and how young professionals want the convenience of picking up a quick, healthy dinner. Then she caught herself. "I don't want it to sound like I'm one of the new people and I need all these services," she said. "But a Whole Foods is just needed."Really? Goodness, we sure do wonder what people ever did before this SuperMeccaStore, though we suppose it's possible they actually cooked their own meals (gasp). In all seriousness, what on earth is behind this notion that Whole Foods will deliver us all to a higher plane of existence? Sure, it's a nice store, but it's no bargain, and they don't even carry most essential products. The brand new Giant in Columbia Heights, with its wide aisles, extensive ethnic food selection and spacious parking lot couldn't possibly be as inferior as the people in this story claim. We love Columbia Heights, and we'd certainly like to see any number of stores open up in that area if that's what residents really want. But focusing so much energy on getting a Whole Foods when there's one a quick bus ride away makes us wonder whether there's an emerging Whole Foods religious cult we haven't gotten any brochures about yet.
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Well, I live a block from the proposed site and I'd much rather have something like Harris Teeter or Safeway to compete with Giant.
Whole Foods is over priced and doesn't have anything I can't get at Giant. I don't need to impress anyone by shopping at Whole Foods.
I agree completely. How hard is it to ride 10 blocks down to the Whole Foods?
That said, the Giant on 14 really is that bad.
Bestway on Mt. Pleasant Street rules for price and convenience.
Shushup, now. You'll scare them over to Balducci's!
Parrano shout out- hollah!
Not only is the new giant a pretty nice place to shop, but there will also be a new harris Teeter coming in at 17th and Kalorama! How far is too far for these people to walk for good groceries? If 1.65 miles is too far, fine, but the new HT will be easy walking for most of columbia heights (certainly the gentrified part of it).
I've said it once and I'll say it again. These people are just down right greedy for bix box chains. Love your soon to be Target, Best Buy, and nicest Giant in the city, but be sure to support your small, local businesses.
Wegmans, Wegmans, Wegmans
The Giant on 14th is bad, but Bestway rules? Aroo?
I shop at both of them because I buy completely different things from each. Bestway actually is decent from meat and produce, but have you ever seen a shallot there? Or rosemary? The Giant used to be supersketchy, but the new store is actually pretty good. Sure, lots of it's overpriced, overprocessed crap, but so's Bestway.
The only reason to shop at Whole Foods is the ready supply of antibiotic and hormone free meat. Fully half of the fruits & vegetables they sell there are "conventional" [read: not organic], my wife didn't know that until I told her and I suspect that many of the Yuppies clamoring for WF don't realize it either. Truthfully, with a little planning you can get meat of the same or better quality from local vendors with a little advance planning at Eastern Market or other local farmer's markets.
Personally I prefer local and sustainable food, Whole Foods is neither.
The brand new Giant in Columbia Heights, with its wide aisles, extensive ethnic food selection and spacious parking lot couldn't possibly be as inferior as the people in this story claim.
Sure, it's great, if you don't mind spending 15-20 minutes in a check-out line.
What's antibiotic and hormone free meat and why is it worth a 50% markup?
The Giant, while better than the one it replaced across the street, has atrocious customer service. I'm convinced they put the slowest cashiers in the express lanes on purpose.
Screw Whole Foods, though. Columbia Heights would be better served by a Trader Joe's. Much more affordable.
I have to disagree with people who think the Giant on Park Road is so bad. It's bigger, cleaner, newer and nicer than the one near my parents' house in Rockville. They stock all sorts of Latino products that most Giants don't (a wider variety than Bestway has in some cases). Their meat isn't suspect like Bestway's (I'm not buying any more chicken there). There's free parking, if you have a car. I like Bestway and the other Mt. Pleasant stores fine for a quick thing I need, but that Giant is about the best big urban grocery store I've ever seen.
The only really frustrating thing about it is how crowded it is all the time -- but that's a sign people use it, surely not a sign that it's such a hideous excuse for a grocery store that we need a Whole Foods across the street. But even the crowding is another argument against Whole Foods -- the Giant draws a diverse group of customers that reflects the wide range of incomes and backgrounds in Columbia Heights and Mt. Pleasant.
Personally, I hope they put a Marshalls or a Loehmans or something superdiscount in the Target complex, just to piss off all the people concerned about the "quality" of the residents in the area who measure their personal value by how much money they can spend on a local shopping trip.
How does republishing news from other sources count as like, interesting? Perhaps the passing judgment is what does it.
To echo dads, I have no problem with the selection at the CH Giant, but the check out lines are absolutely terrible. This discussion was rehashed endlessly on the Columbia Heights mailing list, where we learned that slow check out lines are a consequence of the lack of community involvement/gentrification/U.S. imperialism. In the meantime, I'll note that I've never had to wait more than 10 minutes at the Whole Foods on P street.
I should have said I would prefer at least a Whole Foods if there is no other grocery store option at that location.
Giant is great, but they can't figure out how to order pepperoni in the meat section. Get this: there are two slots (one for turkey and one for regular pep.). Some idiot keeps putting the Lil'smokey Joes in the pepperoni slots. I have moved the smokey joes at least 4 times (during the last week) and some idiot keeps putting them back in the wrong slots. I even moved it to a completely different shelf...
Come on guys...give my homemade pizza a break.
What's antibiotic and hormone free meat and why is it worth a 50% markup?
Unlike most meat you buy, it doesn't come from animals that have been shot up with antibiotics to keep them disease free in "factory farm" conditions, nor have they been speed fattened with Bovine Growth Hormone. There's no real evidence that either of those things are bad for you, but common sense tells me that the less meat I eat that's been treated with a bunch of BS, the better off I am and it definitely tastes better. The reason to pay more for it is so that your 7 year-old doesn't grow D-cups; there's some anectdotal evidence that suggests hormone treated meat may be related to early puberty in girls.
Pinaki, antibiotic and hormone-free meat is meat that comes from animals not fed antibiotics or hormones to increase their meat output. It is worth a 50% markup to those of us who get violently ill or have painful reactions to antibiotics and hormones in our steaks and chicken salds.
That said, the 52, 53 and 54 busses run straight from Columbia Heights to 14 and P, you don't even have to walk very far when you get off the bus. We don't need a Whole Foods in CH.
A Value City would be sweet!
The meat does taste better- the fish is usually better, too. Though, still, I can't stomach the thought of $9/lb skirt steak. Organic or not, that's expensive for a cheap cut.
BTW- lots of the hormones and other baddies are fat soluable. So if you're buying lean, like tenderloin, it's not as big an issue.
Mark - Agreed, $9/lb skirt steak is a travesty. I didn't know that 411 about the fat solubility.
Since the new Giant opened up I've almost completely stopped going to Whole Foods/Fresh Fields. Giant added a lot of the organic and specialty items WF has and is a bit cheaper. Giant's lines are definately longer, but all the better for long-timers to mingle with the new 'high quality' residents and the newbies to get in touch with the old wise folks of DC :) I'd prefer a new bookstore like Olssons or a barbershop instead of a WF.
Thing is, Giant has tuned into the fact that more and more people want organic products. They now offer many organic choices, including hormone- and antiboitic-free chicken and beef. You don't need a Whole Paycheck for that.
The lines at the Giant don't bug me so much. Gives you more time to socialize with others, don't you think? And, given the outrageous behavior of some of the customers -- particularly the more up-tight ones (maybe the ones who want a Whole Foods), I can't say I'm much surprised that some of the employees get a 'tude in response. I would too -- doesn't justify it, but it certainly puts it in context.
Barbershop! ohpleaseohpleaseohplease...
I've had one too many close encounters with the barbershops of Mt. P who belive there isn't a haircut that can't be done with a #2 guard. I miss working by Walls barbershop on 15th...
Whole foods is pretty much a fraud. Like it was noted earlier most their food is not organic, but they sure charge prices like it is. Last time I was there the only organic veggies I found were salads. No fruits nothing. Also I wouldn't touch the meat their either. It may be antibiotic free and growth hormone free, but they still grow it like conventional cattle by feeding them corn and keeping them in small lots. You can find much better quality at the local farmers markets and some of the local organic stores for a better price than whole foods. Whole foods is just a Walmart for the well off. Leave the customers ignorant of what they are buying and roll in the dough.
Whole foods is pretty much a fraud. Like it was noted earlier most their food is not organic, but they sure charge prices like it is. Last time I was there the only organic veggies I found were salads. No fruits nothing. Also I wouldn't touch the meat their either. It may be antibiotic free and growth hormone free, but they still grow it like conventional cattle by feeding them corn and keeping them in small lots. You can find much better quality at the local farmers markets and some of the local organic stores for a better price than whole foods. Whole foods is just a Walmart for the well off. Leave the customers ignorant of what they are buying and roll in the dough.
I've been very disappointed with the CH Giant. As part of my work, I or one of my collegues goes shopping there everyday and we've had a lot of trouble reliably getting certain produce, fish, and meet there. Bell peppers are oft of poor quality, the salmon is not always available, and the selection of less popular cuts of beef is extremely limited.
The Whole Foods at 14th/P is the busiest in the entire mid-atlantic region. A new location in CH would draw customers from throughout the region and also would help in convincing the city to add Yellow Line metrorail service permantly though CH.
Rumor has it that a Yes! Organic Market is going to be opening on Georgia Avenue right next to the Petworth Metro station, so that is right on the Columbia Heights / Petworth border. It seems to me that is a better location than where they want the Whole Foods. It'll be easier to get to and hopefully help compete with Giant - which I love but it is always packed.
I used to like WF's grass-fed beef- it's lean, and flavorful when cooked med-rare. It's from Australia, which seems to speak volumes about relative cost. But the NY Strip, which used to be about $12 or $13/lb is now, something like $17/lb. Since I'm the kind of glutton that'll eat a pound in a sitting, it's off my list.
Hormones and many heavy metals are concentrated in fatty tissue, so eating lean has a couple of benefits. So far as fish, pelagic and non-farmed species, while expensive, are a healthier bet. Monterey aquarium has a great list of best bets based on health and sustainability.
Screw Whole Foods; we need a Hooters.
Jeez, you'd think Whole Foods was the nazi party or something. Yes, I'm sure they're all SOOO evil and horrible. What a bunch of complainers y’all are.
That said, you may or may not be right about them needing to be there. I don't know. But why does a grocery story that sells a different kind of product have to be so evil? If you don't want $9/lb steak, then don't buy it. I buy a select few things at WF (definitely not $9/lb steak), and those things are reasonably priced, and since they are "specialty" items that WF tends to specialize in, they are actually cheaper than the Giant (if and when I can even find them at a Giant). Many of them I can't get anywhere else period.
I still economize by buying a lot of stuff at other stores, but I have to tell you that when I am waiting in line for an hour (I'm not making that up either, an hour) at Giant, I feel much better about paying a little more to have a store that at least respects me enough to hire an appropriate number of checkout people.
Anyway, quit your whining. Beyond the question of whether it's the best store for that location, there must be better things to do than calling WF evil, even if it is so in style to point out how evil a successful store is. As if the shareholders of Giant are the epitome of altruism.
"Fetishism" captures the Whole Foods phenomenon perfectly. I live in the neighborhood too, and I'm a veteran of the Old Scary Giant on 14th, so maybe I'm more forgiving than most, but jesus, people, there's a huge shiny new grocery store RIGHT THE HELL THERE, people. And don't forget the Mt.Pleasant farmers' market. Let the record show that all CH residents are NOT such affluent fetishists...what a buncha whining caucasoid pansy poo-heads...
I can't believe people are complaining about the 14th street Giant. Drop by my Giant -- the one on 9th street -- and witness grocery shopping at the edge of civilization. It's a thousand times worse (and yes, I've shopped at both).
Thank God I have a car so I can go to the Harris Teeter in Pentagon City and not have to deal with "Soviet" grocery stores, overpriced mini-marts, or hordes of hipsters pushing those stupid little metal carts. Plus, Harris Teeter has self-check out so I am out the door and on my way without having to deal with some moronic sales clerk.
Published on Thursday, June 29, 2006 by CommonDreams.org
Whole Foods CEO Mackey Endorses Cato Book – No More Corporate Crime Prosecutions
by Russell Mokhiber
Most people who shop at Whole Foods are liberal yuppies.
They have enough money to spend $9 on a pound of cherries.
They believe that shopping for groceries at Whole Foods instead of Safeway or Food Lion or Giant or Wal-Mart is the politically correct thing to do.
They probably believe that the President and CEO of Whole Foods is a liberal like themselves.
They of course would be wrong.
John Mackey is instead a libertarian with right-wing tendencies.
Mackey says that Milton Friedman is his hero.
He’s a devotee of Ayn Rand.
He’s opposed to national health insurance.
He’s a union buster.
And he has recently endorsed a book published by the libertarian Cato Institute whose author concludes that no corporation should ever be prosecuted for crimes – no matter the corporation, no matter the crime.
The book – Trapped: When Acting Ethically is Against the Law – is written by Georgetown University Professor John Hasnas.
“John Hasnas shows that new laws and regulations too often force CEOs to choose between acting legally and acting ethically,” Mackey says in a blurb on the back cover.
Unlike most books on white collar crime, which tend to rehash bland academic theories or cut corporate crimes of years past and paste them with dogmatic rants, Trapped is actually a compelling read with an original idea sprinkled here and there.
Hasnas’ big idea is that the whole system of prosecuting corporate crime is undermining the liberal principles built into traditional criminal law and designed to protect individuals against the power of the state.
The result is that corporations are forced to turn on their own employees to save their own corporate hide.
Hasnas is a hard line libertarian. He worked for a time as lawyer for the politically aggressive, right-wing, and privately-held Koch Industries – one of the nation’s largest oil companies.
And instead of concluding that we should fix the criminal justice system so that corporations and federal prosecutors can no longer gang up on individual employees – he concludes in his book that corporations should never be criminally prosecuted – ever.
No matter the crime.
No matter the corporation.
Hasnas wants to do away with corporate criminal liability.
If there is a crime committed by someone within the corporation, criminally prosecute the individual, he says.
But a corporation can’t commit a crime and should not be criminally prosecuted.
Ever.
We wanted to know: does Whole Foods’ CEO Mackey agree – corporations should never be criminally prosecuted?
No matter the crime?
No matter the corporation?
Does the libertarian John Mackey support the big business funded Cato Institute and its right wing ideology with cash – or just with quotes?
Whole Foods spokesperson Kate Lowery did not return numerous calls and e-mails seeking comment.
Russell Mokhiber is editor of the Washington, D.C.-based Corporate Crime Reporter.
For a complete transcript of the Interview with John Hasnas, see 20 Corporate Crime Reporter 27(12), July 5, 2006, print edition only.
Wholefoods may be a rip-off, but at least I don't have to sort through the expired dairy to get to the good stuff and if the store is open the fish counter is open, and most important, the employees are not snotty jerks who act like they're too good to answer a question.
I buy everything I can local and organic at the farmers market, get the white-trash staples like Mayo and katsup at the Costco. But, if I need a grocery store in the 'hood, I'm happy to pay double at the Wholefoods rather than endure the attitude of the Giant Staff (and management).
Its not about "quality" residents, we've always had that. Its about treating all shoppers w/ respect and Giant's staff can't do that and Wholefoods can (and I'm pretty sure they staff is coming from the same demographic, so I suspect the problem is the management's problem).
Or, maybe its the Cato influence. But, whatever it is, if WF can deliver excellent service, quality merchandize, and the variety I want. Bring on the libertarian. This liberal would rather shop libertarian with respect for customers than liberal w/o (and btw, there ain't nuthin' liberal about Giant -- sucky, soviet service does not equal liberal).
BTW, not really relevant, but some reading might be interested - the Best DC Grocery on the 1500 block of U St NW is under new management and - though not 100% figured out yet - taking a dramatic swing for the better.
Still really small, but now non-frightening produce and meat, and (my personal experience,) the clerks seem much less likely to turn from loving and barehanded tending to their foot sores to handle your produce for you.
What is this "I didn't know it wasn't organic, Whole Foods is trying to trick us" crap? I've found it pretty easy to tell which products are what, because I, y'know, read. Can nobody else see the little blue/red "conventional"/"organic" labels they have on the produce displays at Whole Foods? Unless the claim is that they are mislabeling?
I second the TJ's vote--I hear they are opening one near the Foggy Bottom stop--but when one opened in my neighborhood in Chicago a few years ago the 'hood had this EXACT conversation, for a good month. There's no getting around the guilt of the gentrifying for being gentrifiers.
wegmans beats anything whole foods can dish out
http://www.wegmans.com/
oh, and that prick SoCoHeights is delusional. staff at whole foods is much snobbier than the minimum wage workes of giant.
The Mackey quote is:
"Ethical behavior is critical in business. John Hasnas shows that new laws and regulations too often force CEOs to choose between acting legally and acting ethically. This is a book for business people, policymakers, and everyone who has a stake in successful and ethical business enterprises."
Looks like Mackey comes down on the side of ethics. Could be an interesting debate -- I think maybe his point is if you must act to maximize shareholder value you may not be able to act ethically.
And, in lookin into the health insurance issue, I think I discovered the secret of the good service: From 2003 "Fast Company" profile of Mackey:
"Every store was divided into about eight functional teams: You were hired to the seafood team, or the prepared-foods team, or the cashier/front-end team. But you didn't just get hired. You got hired provisionally. After four weeks of work, the team you had joined voted whether to keep you; you needed a two-thirds yes vote to join the staff permanently. Additional pay (beyond base wages) was linked to the teams, so people were careful about who got their votes. Thirteen times a year, Whole Foods calculated the performance of the people on each team in every store. How productive had the team been against goals? Teams that did well shared in the profits -- up to $1.50 or $2.00 extra an hour was paid right back to team members, every other paycheck. So people didn't want buddies on their teams; they wanted workers -- people who were going to make them some money."
"Nonexecutive employees hold 94% of company stock options. And just last year, the National Leadership Team took the health-insurance options to employees for a vote. (Whole Foods pays 100% of the cost for full-timers.)"
Of course, in fairness this http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/09.03.98/wholefoods1-9835.html provides a bit different view.
But, I'd say, we can at least count on one thing. If it makes business sense to but a Wholefoods in CH, Mackey will do it. If not, we ain't getting one just b/c we think we have "improved" enought as a neighborhood to deserve it.
There's a Starbucks on every corner, enough Safeways in the district to have nicknames, and yet it's your learned editorial position that one crowded Whole Foods, accessible by 14th street bus, is enough? And that one grocery store is enough for Columbia Heights? Because Adams morgan will have two? That walking 3.3 miles round trip is reasonable to get firm tofu that Giant apparently can't stock? Or that a weekly farmers market is a substitute for a grocery store?
Did they ask dcist before putting in a target? There's already one in PG plaza. A best buy? There are overpriced electronics just three miles away. Or do these stores meet your approval for the indigenous residents of columbia heights?
Go read the new york times piece on whole foods that includes an (albeit anecdotal) price comparison, then ask yourself if you've studied your receipts. Maybe you can post your $50 recipe?
The new Giant is not up to the task of supporting the community when they have 400 new condos (kenyon, highland; add 300 for allegro at the old Giant site) at their doorstep. And don't forget the seniors. At the new Giant, I've seen (many) batteries leaking acid in their packaging. Lines are long, the cashiers are sullen and many too young to sell alcohol without calling in the manager. I see the store's cashier lines snaking down the aisles and wonder, what will this store look like in a year, and how long will I wait in that line?
I'm not yet unhappy enough with the Giant to walk ten minutes to the bus stop, wait ten minutes for the bus, ride the bus ten minutes to get to whole foods, then reverse the whole process again carrying whole foods "luxury" groceries on a bus full of people who work a lot harder than I do for less money, just because Whole Foods is a corporation I'd like to support that sells better food. I suspect those asserting that it's acceptable to walk three miles or take an hour of transit time for a grocery run probably don't.
Let those trying to get whole foods in columbia heights try. They are well-intentioned, and whole foods doesn't need you to tell them whether people (the gentrifiers or the long-time residents) are likely to shop there. When a reporter tries to tell a story of gentrification, I wonder how well you would fare.
Initiative is rare. Support it when it comes along.
Oh, and 17th and Kalorama? 1.1 miles from me, or .6 miles of walking and a bus that runs every 15 minutes. Each way. Not much of a solution, but hooray for adams morgan!
OK as a 15 year resident (which I still consider a fairly new resident of DC) have shopped at Giants, Safeways, and various assorted non-chain and Whole Foods stores throughout the realm of DC (although mostly in the Adams Morgan/Dupont area). Yes there are areas where the new CH Giant could improve but the length of the lines is not nearly as bad as many of the other stores in DC I have been too. To people who think the lines there are intolerable, you should try the 17th Street Safeway and then compare the new CH Giant to that. As a resident of CH, I am glad that I have a Whole Foods one neighborhood away. To campaign for another one I think is a futile flight of fancy that is just a waste of everyone's time. Lets face it, it is a fairly niche store that I will bet has never had, nor ever will, 2 stores within a 2 mile radius (inner city or suburban). Give it up now.
"What is this "I didn't know it wasn't organic, Whole Foods is trying to trick us" crap? I've found it pretty easy to tell which products are what, because I, y'know, read. Can nobody else see the little blue/red "conventional"/"organic" labels they have on the produce displays at Whole Foods? Unless the claim is that they are mislabeling?"
They don't necessarily mislabel, but the produce section section has organic and conventional mixed together and often they are not labeled accurately.
I don't think they are intentionally trying to trick people, but they do market themselves as being natural and organic which they are not. In contrast Harris Teeters meerly markets itself as an upscale grocery.
Whole Foods strength is in marketing and location. It's like the Starbucks phenomenom. They make their money from high markups and heavily trafficed locations. All style, no substance.
Actually,
Whole Foods is planning to open a 60,000 sq. ft store at Wisconsin and Western which will be slightly less than a mile from their store in Tenley. Originally the company planned to close that location; however, Harris Teeter's name popped up as a replacement tenant there AND, lo and behold, Whole Foods opted to renovate and expand that location. So the point is that two stores can co-exist close together. FWIW I expect Whole Foods to commit to DC USA in Columbia Heights.
wow.... Lot's of hate on the food shopping front. I shop all over the fuc*ing place. Yeah the lines at Giant -- they suck pretty bad. At 6:30 in the evening they can be unbearable. I hate shopping there, but have never been mistreated by an employee. Maybe those of you who are voicing such complaints should take a look at your own demeanor when you walk into Sloth Giant on 14th.
Whole Foods peddles quality shit, but its not for everyone. I'd love to see how many of the bitchers who started this thread ride the bus 10 whole blocks though! Wouldn't want to mingle with the locals you're displacing when you can stay in your car. One Whole Foods is enough, get over it.
And finally.....you wanna see some checkout ladies sling canned goods like a gatling gun? Head to H-mart. Those ladies dont smile as much as a well-groomed Whole Foods honey, but damn can they wreak havoc on a full cart or produce.
H-Mart rules. It is my wife's favorite by far for price, selection and quality of produce and seafood. I think it would be really popular with all types of people in Columbia Heights. But I'll bet money H-Mart wouldn't even consider coming here. Too much trouble and the space would cost too much for them unless they got some type of deal.
Giant, at least the one near us, has terrible selection of vegetables and fruits. Wegmans actually imho beats both Whole Foods and Harris Teeter and Giant and pretty much anything else. They have really great quality produce and yet their grocery is cheaper than the others. The service is always nice. Whereas when I go to Whole Foods I always get a cashier that is so nice and mellow and chatty that it takes him forever to pack my stuff. 1.65 miles is nothing for a grocery store trip. Even if you don't have a car you can take a cab there. People in other countries regularly walk that much to get food EVERYDAY! Americans are too spoiled. And yet Americans probably get the worst quality meats and vegetables because everything is produced and distributed by large cooperations. The rest of the world don't know the difference between organic meat and non-organic meat because the only kind of pork comes from a pig that roams around and eat normal pig foods.
Why aren't there any little locally-run places around dc? Here in Pittsburgh, you can get fresh meat, cheese, vegitables, etc at really good prices at local stores...but any such stores in DC seem to cost about a ten times as much. For DC being so populated, it sure seems to lack grocery stores
Drop by my Giant -- the one on 9th street -- and witness grocery shopping at the edge of civilization. -- DCist Tom
Word. I can't handle it anymore.
Whole Foods is over priced and doesn't have anything I can't get at Giant. I don't need to impress anyone by shopping at Whole Foods.
I've said this so many times. I love the CH Giant. It's clean, wide selection, and not over-priced. Lines could be faster but they're only slow when the store is already so full you can't go down the aisles.
the giant on 9th street is the absolute worse. open air drug market, leper colony and overall eye sore. lines at all times of the day, no mgt in place and the worse selection of produce imaginable.
This thread misses the point. One of the women in this article said she misses the things from her old neighborhood ... DUPONT CIRCLE. She can practically see it from her house. It's not like missing the herbs from your garden in Sicily or even a quality cheesesteak from Philly. It's Dupont freakin Circle. I like Columbia Heights because it isn't Dupont Circle. Dupont Circle is great. It's down the hill whenever I need it. This attitude of "I'm here in the neighborhood now, excuse me Mr. Long-time resident, but your avocados aren't up to par" is dismissive and divisive. This neighborhood is getting nicer and safer ... it's not because the Target is coming in, it's because people are taking advantage of the beautiful houses and the great view and rebuilding a community. Changes are good, this neighborhood is evidence of that, but there's no need to turn Columbia Heights into Friendship Heights just because new residents aren't comfortable with pupuserias and their brand new grocery store.
If you had EYES, Jason, you'd see that in the Post photo, one of the most ardent supporters of the CH Whole Foods is expecting. She cannot possibly drag both herself and her Gluten-Free Bun in the Oven down the street to Logan or Dupont.
whatever. can't get too excited about possible grocery stores - still waiting to see a teeter on kalorama.
55 comments on where to shop for groceries? (Okay, 3 are mine) It's funny what we're passionate about.
Columbia Heights people who demand Whole Foods because "the quality of the residents" is on an upward trajectory but disdain shopping at Giant -- even though it has most of the items that can be found at Whole Foods, at comparable prices -- remind me of the parents who could easily send their kid to State U., but instead ship him or her off to a private college for many times the tuition, not because of any special programs it may have, but because it looks a whole lot more chic to the people they're trying to impress.
Trader Joe's would be a better bet than Whole Foods. The selection might not be as wide, but the prices are far more reasonable. And I believe Trader Joe's just opened a store in Union Square, Manhattan, so they should meet the hipness quotient. It's not just for those in Gaithersburg or Fairfax anymore.
I advocate Whole Foods to move into Columbia Heights. By doing this, the people who like shopping at the Giant can do so. Also, the people who like shopping at Whole Foods can do so. It is quite obvious that the neighbourhood can support 2 large grocers! The 2 sides can then debate (endlessly I am sure!) over which one is best for this and that! Food shopping diversity in a neighbourhood that can support it is all good with me! Good luck to the Whole Foods supporters out there and likewise for the Giant supporters! The number of residential units that are coming online in the next 2 years will push demand for at least 2 grocers along with a couple of specialty grocers.
Wegmans would lay waste to all of them.
I can find everything I want there, it's all tasty, and it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg.
I can not stand Safeway. They jacked Chik patties up to $6.50/box. Chik patties!!!
Whole Foods also wreaks havoc on the wallet... but they are pretty tasty.
man you people are whiners. who doesnt like whole foods as an *option*? but do you need it that close to you? is the 1.5 miles too far??
you're whining about it vs. a decent alternative that you do have. try living where the local option is the giant at 9th that other have brought up. it's so pathetic that there needs to be another option-- oh, or I could go the .6 miles to the other WF. you guys are just complaining because you want nicer immediately near by. come on.
Why don't you all come down to my neck of the woods in Chinatown...not a grocery store to be seen anywhere down here. And you all want a new one within one block of the other?
Well for Chinatown there's a Safeway planned for what, 5th and K I think? It won't be long before Chinatown wants a Whole Foods too because the Safeway will have lines that are too long.
FYI, a Trader Joe's is planned for a new development in Foggy Bottom/West End, at 24th and L.
Columbia Heights doesn't need a Whole Foods. What's next? Will residents demand that Honda open up a dealership nearby, so they won't have to drive so far to get the oil changed in their Civic Hybrids? Or a Home Depot, so they won't have to drive across town to buy paint for their overvalued condos?
CH is a pretty crappy neighborhood these days. It would be a much nicer place if new residents were to spend a little more time focusing on attracting amenities and services that would benefit everyone, not just the wealthy.
Imagine if people were getting this worked up and organized about something that really matters in the neighborhood? What if we were all argueing about our community policing efforts? Fighting for affordable housing in the neighborhood? Creating more green space? Community education centers? C'mon people, are you all that self absorbed?
Can't you people read? Yes, Whole Foods does have some expensive specialty stuff. Wow, screw them for daring to do that! On the other hand, they have a great selection of typical items that aren't full of added sugar and salt! Like pasta sauce and mayonnaise. Ok, I may pay $.50 more for a jar of these, but I'm getting $.50 more real product rather than a bunch of junk filler. Giant and Safeway (in my neighborhood between Tenley and Georgetown) aren't that nice and don't have a very good selection of organic meats. Yes, I buy toilet paper and laundry detergent at Giant, Safeway, or Harris Teeter,
but I have compared prices and really, Whole Foods isn't that much more expensive, especially considering I LIKE what I buy there.
"Lets face it, it is a fairly niche store that I will bet has never had, nor ever will, 2 stores within a 2 mile radius (inner city or suburban). Give it up now."
Clearly your're not aware that there is a WF at Glover Park and one at Tenleytown. Perhaps a distance of 2.5 miles, if not 2. Both seem pretty busy at all time of day.
Yeah Connie, and can't you read that people only have to take a 52/53/54 bus a mile down 14th Street to go to a Whole Foods already? It's not a diss on Whole Foods as much as it is about people being too lazy to look outside their own few blocks of neighborhood.
All this crap about what a rip-off Whole Foods is, and yet only one person comments on Best Buy? Best Buy is THE WORST! No one in the store can tell you a thing about any product they sell, unless it's maybe the videogames because they have those at home. When you want a clerk, none are to be found. The stock is in disarray. It's a crappy store and CH deserves something better.
Peasants!! It seems we have an embarassment of grocery shopping on the Hill relative to CH. The Safeway abomination that used to reside in Benning plaza has been recently renovated (adding a Starbucks, natch) and two Harris Teeters are opening on opposite sides of the Hill to supplement Eastern Market, Yes Market, and another Safeway. Ha, ha!!
It is funny that buying grocery inspires this kind of passion.
Rich, I'm responding to all the dissing of Whole Foods and the "It's SOOOO expensive!" Half of the people I know can't tell you the price of one item they buy regularly, but gee, they know that some expensive cut of meat costs $19.99 at WH. So, obviously, all the products at WF are so much more expensive that everywhere else.
Yes, I think it's silly that residents of CH can't handle having to go to P St. for their Whole Foods shopping, but I'm also tired of everyone freaking out that SOME meats at Whole Foods are expensive. Some are also a good bargain! But why does no one ever notice that? I've compared prices on the same brand products at Giant and WF (Muir Glen -- organic-- pasta sauce, for example), and guess what, Whole Foods is cheaper!
For Pittsburg: My mom who moved here in the early 70s told the DC's grocery score dearth is mostly due to the riots in 1968. A lot of local business was destroyed that never came back.
I'm glad that the city is getting new grocery stores but two Whole Foods within two miles is more than ridiculous. If you're wondering why this country has an obesity problem you can point to this example. People seem to be wholly unwilling to just walk.
Julie- You've obviously never shopped at Fry's Electronics...
Best Buy's are all over the place in terms of quality. I've found some that have a good selection and people who know what they're doing, and plenty that are wastelands. But quite frankly, why are you asking the people who work at an electronics store questions? They're on comission, which means they have a fiduciary interest in selling you the most overpriced, inappropriate, chromeplated doodad they can possibly convince you to buy. I've never found the stock to be in dissaray in one of them. Understocked (especially on sale items) for sure, but that's they way modern JIT retail rolls. A slight bump in sales, and they're outta whatever you want.
Besides, in terms of big-box electronics stores, what would you prefer? A Circuit City? (shudder...) Or is this going to turn into another "bring in the top end!" demand for a Bose outlet?
Know what you want before you go, don't count on drones to hold your hand through DLP EDTV HDTV TiVo DDR or FSB, and Best Buy is just fine and dandy.
I don't think this story, or even some of this debate, is as much about groceries as it is a rant against middle/upper class people and gentrification. If that is really the issue at hand, I'd much rather read about the lamentable affordable housing situation in CH and the city at large. If the people moving to that area and bringing in much-needed income and property tax revenue to the city want a Whole Foods, give it to them. Then use the revenue from those people and the new retail outlets to fund public transportation, affordable housing, and education.
And please, calm down about the increasing "quality" of residents comment. It's a fact that the people moving to CH today are better-educated and less likely to be involved in crime. Depends how you define "quality," I guess, but I'm happy to see the area becoming safer. When the whining about gentrification stops and people start actually suggesting ways to keep low income people from getting pushed out, then we'll have a useful dialogue.
I live across the street from the CH Giant, and I haven't been supportive of a Whole Foods essentially across the street. Especially a friggin' campaign to bring one there. I thought it absurd.
BUT, considering how many residential units are going up in the neighborhood, and keeping in mind the ridiculous lines at the CH Giant, a second grocery store may not be a bad idea afterall. If you doubled the daily traffic and that Giant, you'd be waiting in lines for an hour to get your shopping done. It's already bad enough.
Whether that second grocery store is a Whole Foods or anything else, I could care less, really. The quality of the Giant ain't bad. Sure, it's seafood isn't exactly what you call the best, but all else is perfectly fine. It has organic chicken, a deli, quality red meat and pretty much anything else you want. Hell, my wife has celiac disease (wheat, flour, oats, rye intollerance) and she can still find gluten-free foods. Trust me, that means there's a plentiful selection of food.
And while speaking in terms of mileage the Whole Foods in Logan Circle is less than two miles away, keep in mind that's a ridiculous walk (considering the hills) to tote more than a bag or two of groceries. And driving there, while allowing for more grocery-totage, is an absolute nightmare.
Is there room for a second grocery story in CH? It appears so at the moment. Should it be a Whole Foods? That's up for debate.
Nonetheless, I still find this whole campaign to woo Whole Foods to CH a bit ridiculous. Especially considering the momentum it seems to have. I have to echo Jeff's comment. Don't we have more important issues to mobilize around that could have a far more profound and positive impact on our lives than easy(er) access to a Whole Foods?
I'd like to see a Trader Joe's move in, actually. The Whole Foods in Logan is close enough.
Also, the Giant on 14th and Park really *is* that bad. It's constantly crowded to the point where people can't get around in the store. It's like those scenes you see with people making mad dashed around stores before a hurricane sweeps through, only it's like that all. the. time. I pretty much refuse to shop there.
the lady in the article also has written to starbucks requesting a location in CH. So obviously she only wants to shop at chains..b/c columbia heights coffee is the atomic bomb. and by the way..i cant afford the new giant.
Just stay out of my Safeway please. As someone who actually lived in Columbia Heights before it was overrun by, well, "you people", and actually had to walk to the Adams Morgan Safeway (at quite a distance), I am happy to shop were the quality is decent and the prices low.
I can't honestly say that service is that much better at Whole Foods than it is at most Safeways, except possibly at the cashiers. There however, Whole Foods loses instantly all respect because they can't bag to save their lives. They put everything heavy in one bag so it almost tears during the short walk home. I'm sure this is a company edict, because it's just stupid. I'd bag it myself but they always seem to insist it's somehow a specialized skill only they can do. Soviet Safeway always bags things right, making the doubled distance so much less painful than dealing with Whole Foods.
Whole Foods exists as a supplement for most of us who don't make six figures, and who pay probably close to half our after tax pay on rent. In other words for produce, baking and special occasions. The one thing you'll never find of any quality at Whole Foods is green beans. I don't know why this is, but it's pathetic and usually is double Safeway's price. Maybe they don't want anything that smacks of soul food, because their pork selection is worse than when I lived in Saudi Arabia.
Having said that, I think Whole Foods HAS improved nearby stores simply by existing. The power of competition can sometimes do that. Soviet Safeway is nothing like it was 6 years ago. I still refuse to shop at the 9th Street/Ghetto Giant (a name used for eons, so don't get your panties in a twist), where vegetables go before they are composted.
So, if there isn't enough demand in DC for a new Whole Foods, then why is the Whole Foods parking lot in Clarendon packed with DC license plates?
Personally, I would like to see another Whole Foods in DC and another one in South Arlington, perhaps replacing the blight of a store known as the Columbia Pike Giant.
Those of you who feel that Whole Foods is a corporate menace (they lie to customers, charge to much, should be ridden out on a rail because their CEO is nuts) and instead opt to shop at Giant have pretty much got it wrong. Giant's bait-and-switch routine on Columbia Pike is directly responsible for an economic cold pocket in a community ripe (nay, eager!) for pedestrian-friendly entertainment and shopping. Don't know what I'm talking about? Then read THIS.
For the record, I shop at Whole Foods weekly. It started when my wife was having trouble with migraines and we needed cleaner, unprocessed foods to help reduce the number of dietary triggers. This was before Giant and Harris Teeter had launched their organic lines. By adjusting our eating habits to fit a more healthy routine, we ended up spending the same amount of money at Whole foods that we did at HT and yes, I have a VIC card. It can be done.
The crowdedness at the Giant is hardly an indication of how "bad" it is. The selection is beyond what I'd expected when I moved to Columbia Heights to be sure.
I wish WF had a home delivery program like PeaPod so these people would either STFHU or admit that their real desire is to mimic Logan in hopes that their home values will experience the same astronomical increases.
Single bagging at WF: "I'm sure this is a company edict, because it's just stupid."
It can't be a company edit because the two WFs I shop at in NW almost always double bag even when it's not necessary. And when I bring my own (single) paper bag, they nicely offer to bag the groceries or let me do it myself.
Whole Foods is not evil, ok? Talk to the management at your WF and simply tell them you think the baggers need better training. And by the way, return with your used bags to be used again and get $.05, plus you can doublebag them yourself.
Problem solved?
speaking of whole foods, anyone know why they took the jamba juice out of the p street one? i miss my overly priced smoothies. will anyone ever be happy with what thay have in their neighborhood?
FYI in his book The Undercover Economist author Tim Harford did a comparison between Safeway and Whole Foods (he lives in DC) and found the prices to be very similar when you compare the exact same goods -- e.g. Breyer's ice cream or something sold in a box.
The overcrowdedness of the Giant isn't necessarily an indication of Giant sucking, but that more grociery stores need to open in the area. I really couldn't give a crap which store moves in - some healthy competition will not only keep the service and stock of the current stores high, but drain off some of the hordes of people so Giant isn't such a madhouse.
And if people want to spend their free time lobbying for a Whole Foods, hey, go for it.
Connie, comment 80: Actually I said nada about single bagging. I was trying to explain their staff's understanding of basic physics is lacking as no one wants to carry home 30 lbs of groceries in one bag and two in the other.
It has been mentioned, but their response, fairly common too, is that turnover is so high that usually there's not much point.
I've assumed it must be a company decision since when the store was Fresh Fields, it wasn't a problem.
To all who think it's whining to want another grocery store in Columbia Hts, all I can say is...what would that kid on the Simpsons say...
HA-HA!
I'm going to have a bunch of useful stores a block from my house and won't ever have to fight traffic when I walk to Target, Best Buy and the grocery stores. You should be living in Columbia Heights. BTW, the people that say CH is a "crappy neighborhood" are the ones that are trying to keep you from moving here.
Why don't you all come down to my neck of the woods in Chinatown...not a grocery store to be seen anywhere down here. And you all want a new one within one block of the other?
-----------------------------------
Yes, the folks at GPLiving have cornered the market on grocery store whining for a long time now. In addition to the Safeway coming, it looks like if Balducci's doesn't open on 7th street, someone else will.
DC has been, and still is, underserved by grocery stores in all parts of the city. Come down to the Safeway on M St SW to see some serious lines and out of stock shelves. Therefore, I have no problem with grocery stores opening anywhere in the city.
We now know our population has increased - it's time to start serving the residents. Just because I can remember the absolutely ABYSMAL shopping days of yore, doesn't mean I want to continue with them.
Btw Copperred, Fresh Fields = Whole Foods. All they did was standardize the name of all retail outlets within the corporation.
Last point: I love Fresh Fields, and HATE having to waste about 2 gallons of gas to get to the one on P Street. The Columbia Heights location woud offer easy Metro access, something all other locations don't (except for Clarendon, of course, but DC should compete there).
The Columbia Heights location woud offer easy Metro access, something all other locations don't (except for Clarendon, of course, but DC should compete there).
And Tenleytown, of course, where the Whole Foods is practically sitting on top of the Metro station.
Actually, I kind of enjoy the long lines at Giant. It's a unique opportunity to have conversations with people you don't know and (gasp) connect with people in your neighborhood.
85: The thing about Nelson - no one likes him.
Okay, so there's a Safeway coming to China-block at 5th and K Street. Any clue when? A year? Seems to me that construction for the HT on Kalorama Street is taking an awful long time but people keep saying that "it's coming."
I work in Bethesda between Giant and Safeway so I'm good to go but it should would be nice to be able to shop on the weekends without needing the $2.50 Metro fare. And yes, I am cheap.
the sad thing is the woman quoted about the WF being "just needed" lives closer (14th & chapin) to the logan circle WF than to the one potentially being built on 14th & park. once again the sketchy connection between affluence and intelligence is exposed.
I VOTE FOR TRADER JOE'S
yOO Should all start growing their own organic vegetables. If you do not have where, rent a piece of land. and stop whinning that there are worst things going on in the world.
I must shop at Whole Foods, and what are your solutions? Many suggest I take a /bus/ to P St, for crying out loud! I have never taken a bus, and don't plan on hanging with the riff-raff anytime soon. One crazy person suggested I walk! Ha ha, what's next? Buy a bicycle with one of those looney and meaningless "This bike is a pipe bomb" stickers and commute to Logan with a basket?
Seriously, do you know what the risk of getting a scratch on your car is, driving from Mt Pleasant to P St? If you think I'm going to risk my Beemer, you've got another thing coming. The hippies on bicycles who seem to scratch your car as you squeeze by them don't seem to ride East—West, so I'd be happy to drive to the Columbia Heights Whole Foods, as long as there is ample parking.
That said, it seems to me that passing a law requiring bicyclists to stay on the sidewalks should be higher priority.
Wow, there goes the neighborhood. I keep asking over and over what happens when CH isn't the next big thing. How many grocery stores can we reasonably keep alive?
Maybe the grocery store will be a little crowded when all those condos come on line, but whatever--you can't wait in line for 10 minutes? Please. I've met tons of fantastic neighbors in that line, some of whom are now my friends. I don't receive any lower quality service there than elsewhere in DC and its CERTAINLY better than a certain CVS. So some cashiers are too young to sell alcohol and have to call a manager? What? You never had an after school job in high school? Give me a freakin break.
I love the new Giant, I've been here for 6 years and I just about fall down on my knees and kiss the ground every time I walk into that place, we needed it for so long. I want retail growth in CH because it is good for residents to have places to shop, but I want it to be sustainable and I haven't been convinced that WF next to a Giant will be.
Now if you have any info about Ann Cashion's 11th St. butcher shop or a new farmers market I'll be all ears.
To the person from the real city of Pittsburgh....
The reason why there aren't little family owned markets here in DC is something which has bewildered me & I have lived here off & on for 7 years. Washington, DC is not a real city. We don't have any of the color, charm & convenience of an authentic city like Pittsburgh, NYC, Philly, Miami, Chicago or LA! It's a complete joke living here.
I have absolutely no idea why there aren't little markets selling produce, cheeses & meats like a normal city. God forbid if you are craving decent Jewish or Italian deli cuisine. It's nearly impossible to find here.
And bakeries?! Forget it! Whole Foods bakery is not very good. Cake Love/Love Cafe opened on U St. NW & everyone raves about it but we've tried several of their baked goods & don't find it to be any where near as good as the bakeries you find on every other corner in Philly, NYC, LA, Chicago - you know normal cities! Firehook is the best it gets here. Love Cafe's staff is super nice though & they do have excellent tea & coffee.
Chinatown in DC is a joke & always was. It was about 5 blocks long. Now it's 1 or 2. There actually used to be Chinese markets & Chinese owned businesses which sadly have almost all closed. Having been run out of town due to greedy landlords & developers. There used to be a very wonderful Chinese market which sold fresh Asian veggies, delicacies & even china, pottery & special cooking items to cook Chinese & other Asian dishes to perfection. They are gone. In their place is a politicians headquarters.
Anyway, this city is pathetic. The housing prices are ridiculous. Real estate agents of come out of retirement to make a lot of money. I don't know how they smile while showing me a crack house in Petworth & then inform me that the asking price is 700,000 dollars.
I live in Columbia Heights. There is nothing special about living here. Ecept for a few homes, the architecture isn't interesting. The overall atmosphere is one of exhaustion - I suppose from the pretense of playing a charming 'family' neighborhood. When it's a place loaded with racial tension, crime & just a general lack of love for one's neighbor & a total disrespect of property, person & Mother Earth.
U St. is another disaster which they've been claiming forever, since the mid-90's that it's the 'hippest street' in town. When it's just filthy & the boutiques & stores are mostly over priced junk. I will say that a few of the restaurants are good & a couple have excellent jazz groups playing. And yes the reopened under new management market on U St & 15th is run by really nice people. But it's really over priced. Even more expensive than Whole Foods! Other than that - U St, Columbia Heights, Petworth & even Adams Morgan are all over priced crime ridden rat & roach infested places. And it's a disgrace this is what our nation's capitol considers decent living.
Give me the farm markets of LA, the delis of NYC, the cafes of Miami & the Italian bakeries of Philly any day. Washington is one big joke. It's a modern version of The Emperor's New Clothes. If you must live here then live in Capitol Hill or upper NW. At least there you have easy access to either Eastern Market or clean neighborhoods which have little or no crime whatsoever.
To the nutcase, 'hotsauce' in Mt. Pleasant (an oxymoron if I ever heard one - just another overpriced neighborhood full of crime, alcoholics & drugs)what a ridiculous person you must be! Afraid to get your beemer scratched? Why even own a car in a city that's what? 10 miles in radius? In a neighborhood with huge old tress & mostly on street parking only.
And what is this about bicyclists scratching your frigg'n holy beemer? That's just outrageous. But the most outrageous & ridiculous comment of yours, well I'm not sure, there are so many to choose from - the 'riff raff' on the buses (you mean non-white people - like all your Mt. Pleasant Latino neighbors?)! Your sacred beemer! A law should be passed allowing bikes on sidewalks?! Move to Los Angeles or San Diego is you want to worship your car.
I'm in Meridian Hill/Columbia Heights just adjacent to you & it's a 15 minute walk to Whole Foods. The bus lines on 16th St are usually clean, efficient & typically operated by polite drivers. And what's all this fear about using your car? Why even have it then? Whole Foods does have ample parking provided you don't shop at peak hours.
Why live in a city if 'riff-raff' frightens you? Oh please, I guess you're working at some non-profit & you're still getting money from mommy & daddy because your rent/mortgage is so much & then there's that beemer to support & St.Thomas to visit at Christmas.
No wonder I hate living here. It's not only the crime & filth but just the pretentious classist ignorant people like you which make living in this 'city' a daily challenge.
Look for me at Whole Foods or Giant on Park. I'm an olive-skinned brunette & have a red & blue Gary Fisher bike which I ride all over town from Palisades to Capitol Hill. I would be so honored to just lightly touch your beemer. Which hopefully will be crushed during one of our upcoming wicked autumn storms. Oh my! What will you do? Will you have to slum it & take the bus & actually make eye contact or heave forbid actually speak to other DC residents? maybe even talk to people who are your neighbors? Word of advice: Just keep your D&G sunglasses on & your IPod blaring. The bus ride is $1.25 & I doubt that anyone will wish to converse with a person with your racist, classist, pretentious attitude.
Dear people who hate DC,
Move already.
xoxo,
People who love DC
Thank you chrisafer.
Paulette is my new favorite poster. More please.
I'm pretty sure paulette needs to recalibrate her sarcasm detector. Either she does, or I do.