Here There and Everywhere

Expat wanderer

Whole Foods Market

EnviroGal and I have just finished exploring Cupertino-into-San-Jose and when Big Diamond calls:

“We’re heading to Whole Foods for lunch, then to the playground – want to join us?”

We passed Whole Foods earlier and we know right where it is.

“We’ll meet you there!” we reply, and are there within minutes.

Oh my heavens.

Whole Foods is a whole different food experience. It takes grocery buying – and lunch – to a whole new level.

About one third of the very very large store is devoted to take-out food. There are three different large buffet stations, one for global food, one for salad bars, one for main dishes, and then there is a whole separate one for freshly prepared Japanese food. There is another separate area for custom sandwiches, and another area for desserts.

Drinks are nearby – an unimaginable variety of drinks.

I had a spinach salad with dried cranberries and toasted pecans and roquefort cheese, with a balsamic dressing, and enari sushi.

Big Diamond had an Indian Curry, and also macaroni and cheese.

EnviroGirl and SportyDiamond had Indian foods – and Mexican foods.

And so it goes. Whole Foods specializes in organically grown foods, fresh fresh foods, the best vegetables in the world. They prepare meals for thousands of high-tech workers who don’t want to spend a lot of time thinking about food, but want to enjoy eating it when they remember to eat.

You really have to see it to believe it. And no, Purg, they didn’t mind my taking photos, right out in the open:

It’s interesting to me – with all the computer people around here, I don’t see a lot of overweight people. I saw a group of grannies, they must have been near seventies, all in bright yellow biking outfits, helmuts and all, and they looked wiry and spry. I see families of all nationalities, people from all over the world, all gathered in the same coffee shops, groceries, etc. and I wonder how they all work together in peace?

May 25, 2008 - Posted by | Community, ExPat Life, Food, Interconnected, Living Conditions, Marketing, Shopping

15 Comments »

  1. I love such places…. and I know where I would be at… the freshly prepared Japanese food LOL

    Ansam's avatar Comment by Ansam | May 25, 2008 | Reply

  2. oh my GAWD! Bakery is great!

    chika's avatar Comment by chika | May 25, 2008 | Reply

  3. FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!

    Purgatory's avatar Comment by Purgatory | May 25, 2008 | Reply

  4. waw great bakery!

    ::: ShoSho :::'s avatar Comment by ::: ShoSho ::: | May 25, 2008 | Reply

  5. whole foods is all over DC and its the number one grocery shopping source for most people in my demographic and young professionals.
    i have one right outside my uni, and one right outside my house, so i pretty much depend on their ready-made food, i’d rather eat there than in any fast food chain, one problem though… OVER-PRICED!!!

    nQ's avatar Comment by nQ | May 25, 2008 | Reply

  6. i miss whole foods 😦

    fashionated's avatar Comment by fashionated | May 25, 2008 | Reply

  7. they all work together in peace because they are not arab 😛

    Mrm's avatar Comment by Mrm | May 25, 2008 | Reply

  8. what does “whole foods” mean?

    Yousef's avatar Comment by Yousef | May 25, 2008 | Reply

  9. There is a huge Japanese population in California, so Japanese food is good and plentiful, Ansam.

    Chika, The bakery was unbelievable!

    Purg – you wouldn’t know where to start!

    ShoSho – Those tiramusus above are in chocolate cups – you eat the whole thing!

    Fashionated – lucky you! You used to leave near a Whole Foods?

    Mrm – Ahhhh, ever the cynic!

    Yousef – I think it means wholesome, and true food, as opposed to processed.

    intlxpatr's avatar Comment by intlxpatr | May 25, 2008 | Reply

  10. nQ, sorry, for some reason you are going to spam, but I de-spammed you and am happy to see your comment. I thought Whole Foods was a west coast chain – guess I was wrong (not the first time!)

    intlxpatr's avatar Comment by intlxpatr | May 25, 2008 | Reply

  11. If only the weather and the streets here made biking a legitimate form of transport :/

    3baid's avatar Comment by 3baid | May 25, 2008 | Reply

  12. yum, yum yum yum yum 🙂

    Sporty D and my father each told me that you had all gone there for lunch. I am so jealous!!

    I think it was originally an East Coast chain, competing with the old Bread & Circus – but I could be wrong.

    serious yums from the land with (finally!) a president 🙂

    adiamondinsunlight's avatar Comment by adiamondinsunlight | May 25, 2008 | Reply

  13. 3baid – you are right. Kuwait needs a good public transportation system that everyone, Kuwaitis, students, workers, shoppers – all feel good about using, and that would free up the streets for a bike lane. Kuwait has SO much potential for going green, and it is YOU and your generation who are going to make it happen, by infiltrating the bureaucracy and creating world-friendly policies. 🙂

    Little Diamond – and we talked about YOU and how much we wished you were with us and how YOU love Whole Foods and having all that choice! And thanks be to God, we hope for some stability and progress in beautiful Lebanon.

    intlxpatr's avatar Comment by intlxpatr | May 25, 2008 | Reply

  14. Whole foods is not an exclusively west coast chain. It is international. Available in Uk as well. London and Glasgow

    whole foods addict's avatar Comment by whole foods addict | October 9, 2011 | Reply

  15. I had no idea. I knew it was also on the East Coast USA, but I had no idea it was international. Thanks, WFA!

    intlxpatr's avatar Comment by intlxpatr | October 9, 2011 | Reply


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