Gotta move the car...need groceries...FAIRWAY!!

It's Thursday, so street cleaning day on our side of Clinton...gotta move the car for an hour and a half...plus, we need groceries and although some of the local markets are good, they're not Fairway. All that and the weather is cooler there at the bottom of Red Hook, the view is awesome, and there was some Artist Co-op show thingy happening that we wanted to see. We never found it despite of the giant sign.

What we did find though was an incredible warehouse that artists are using as studio space (I think the show was on the other side of the warehouse) that overlooks the harbor, the Statue of Liberty, Staten Island, and the south end of Manhattan. It was an old Civil War era shipping warehouse that juts out into the harbor behind the Fairway at the very southern end of Van Brunt Street. It's incredible.

Zoey wandered the entire length of the pier, singing and running, introducing herself to the resident artists that were out enjoying the fresh air. She took in the view on a few occasions, and patiently waited for us to stop drinking it in so that we could play with her. She could have moved right in on that pier, and that would have been fine with Mom and Dad, provided we had the loot to do it. I can't imagine what studio space along that stretch of awesome must cost.



It took us almost an hour to wander into the Fairway despite being only one-hundred yards behind the place. We left ourselves pretty short on shopping time if we were going to get the car back to Clinton Street and parked while there were still spots available, but we tore through the store, at a relatively casual pace, you know, if it's possible to tear through while simultaneously being leisurely. Even on our second trip the place was awe inspiring...easily the best grocery I've ever been in...ever.

They carry a crazy selection of beer...including this beautiful little number...



They have meat that you didn't even know existed, like black pepper bacon that made you want to rip your clothes off and eat it raw right there on the spot...not really, but you know what I'm gettin' at...



Naturally, something that tongue melting doesn't come cheap...That price is for about ten thick cut slices...yeah, it is.



...and they've got Kobe beef hot dogs? That's right, I said Kobe beef hot dogs...



You didn't believe me, did you? Of course, you won't want to skimp on the bun when you roast these babies up 'cause it'll cost you plenty to eat a Kobe beef hot dog...



That's right...$10 for four franks...nice. Then, of course, there was the usual goodness, the stuff we took notice of last time we prayed at the alter of Fairway...like cheese, fish and seafood, organics, their very own deli, and serve-yourself prepared lunch bar...and olives...barrels and barrels of olives...just no vodka.



Of course, the whole place reflects the growing trend to eat better, to invest in organic produce and meats, to buy local, and to improve the way that all of us feed ourselves. Oddly, as food-centric as a lot of the people who shop here are, they do a great job of packaging the experience. There's a lot of things that they have in common with the national chain grocery stores...like selling you the idea of eating local, but shipping a lot in.



Do you ever get tired of being sold to? Zoey doesn't. She doesn't even know what that means yet. She just likes grocery stores and food, and mostly dry Cheerios...multi-grain.