Ah, yes. . . Another day in Paradise

We knew we had arrived. We knew that Santa Cruz must be the first rung in the ladder on that steep and slippery climb to heaven when, after driving by our neighborhood grocery store (several times), we were thoroughly convinced that they were exclusively purveyors of wine. All you can see of the inside, from almost any angle are immense shelves of Chianti and Champagne, which is not exciting necessarily unless one assumes that those shelves go on and on, shelves bearing up the weight of innumerable vessels of the finest beverages the world has to offer... South Africa, France, Germany, Japan, California (since I swear this place thinks it is a nation state). This wine rack is like the opening ceremony of the Olympics. Upon entering the store we realized that the wine occupies a more reasonable 1/5 of the retail space. . . Instead of our fantasy, 95% allowing a little space for chocolates or fruit on display near the registers... No, no, this is the kind of grocery store they actually sell food at. The people of Live Oak (that's our hood y'all) cannot live by taquerias alone. I guess they feel like buying bananas and a loaf of bread every once and a while. But still, check out how much sake you can buy for $11. . .



This place is serious.