Wilde Week #2

1. DSW is dangerous.  Especially when you are in the very near vicinity of one every single day.  You all know I commute through Penn Station.  Did you also know that they opened a three-floor DSW (that's designer shoe warehouse to the cave-dwelling people out there) right across the street.  It's awful, it's tempting and I must force myself to the NJT and not up the 34th street stairs.

2. 2013 is the year of the heel!  The high heel that is (this may go along with thing #1).  I have made a resolution to wear more high heels.  I think I'm making up for my seven years in sneakers in grad school/postdoc training.  Though as a 5'9" woman, wearing 3-inch heels makes the people at my work say "You're a tall today."  And when you wear these heels...

They call you a giant, and I love it.
3. I'm obsessed with all things kelly green.  See shoes above.  You'll find me this weekend searching for green jeans.  (Not to wear with above shoes, that would be over the top)

4. This weeks book - Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn.  I've read her other two books (Gone Girl and Dark Places) and was excited to read this last one.  A murder mystery with a kinda messed up female protagonist, I was done with this book in only two and a half days.  I wanted to find out who did it so bad that I avoided people at lunch so I could read at my desk.  My only complaint, it wrapped up really quickly.

5. No more 30 Rock!  I didn't start watching it until the third season, but with the magic of Netflix caught up.  This weeks series finale of the show was well done.  A little sappy, a lot of funny and a good wrap up for seven years on the air.  At least Community returns next week, finally.

6. Waffle sandwiches.  The best breakfast on the go ever.  Waffle-peanut butter-sliced banana-waffle.  This is what makes my morning commute bearable.  That and my kindle.

7. Rifftrax.  I miss the days of Saturday morning Mystery Science Theater 3000.  It was a simpler time of homework and nights out with friends.  Ahhh, high school.  Anyone else out there remember MST3K? 

Chobani Protein Drink

There is a whole secret world happening behind the scenes (or shelves) of the grocery store.  From Frozen Pizza to Bleach and even delicious bacon, there is an army of people who work to get the products you love on the shelf of your local grocery store - even more work to get you to buy them!

Boyfriends job title is "Food Broker."  In his role as food broker, he plays the middle man between the manufacturers of products and the grocery store buyers. From planning Sunday ads, to fighting for eye level placement on the shelf, it is his job to make sure the brands he represents get into your shopping cart.

I'm sure you also realize we live in a highly digitized world.  Manufacturers, grocery stores and brokers alike use the massive piles of data available to them to help sell to us, the consumer.  Here are some fun facts about how we spend our precious dollars at the grocery store.  I was surprised at quite a few of them!

- The average monthly budget for groceries is $311
- 37% of U.S. Shoppers use technology for grocery shopping
- Half of shoppers decide what to have for dinner the same day

Do you make a shopping list before going to the store, here's how the average U.S. shopper writes it:
- 45% write the product type
- 6% write the Brand name of the product
- 1% write the Brand name and specific type
- 29% write a combination of the above
- 19% don't typically write a shopping list

When you go to the grocery store, do you go alone?
- 46% Shop alone
- 32% Shop with their Spouse/Partner
-10% Kids under 5
- 8% Kids 6-12
- 6% Kids 13-17
- 5% Adult children
- 3% Other relatives
- 2% Friends
- 1% Roommate
- 1% Someone else

Next time you go to the grocery store and stand in front of that shelf of yogurt, you will have a new found understanding of all the work involved to get it there!

Help show your support of BF's job campaign by tweeting Chobani:

Let @pitchCHObani sell me @Chobani yogurt so @WildeKitchen keeps posting delicious Chobani inspired recipes #InterviewOverYogurt

Yogurt with Raspberry & Mint

You may have read yesterday that Boyfriend is trying to land an interview for a great job at Chobani.  As a part of his "research," we have dedicated the week to exploring the wide world of Greek yogurt.  Today we take a trip to the Chobani SoHo shop in New York City.

That's right!  In the summer of 2012, Chobani opened up its first shop in Manhattan.  Located right in the center of SoHo, their storefront offers up a healthy option for someone looking for a quick breakfast, afternoon snack, or late night treat.  It's also one of the only things I can usually afford in this fancy section of town.

With gourmet flavors like Fig & Walnut, Chocolate & Pistachio and their new Bagel & Lox, and some not-so-gourmet ones like PB&J, I had a hard time deciding which one to get.  You'll notice I went with my kid side and ordered PB&J.  You might also see that it came in this fancy Chobani container!  I want to head back time and time again so I can get a full set.

Since boyfriend and I don't live right next door to the CHO shop, I decided to make my own gourmet creation, in my CHO bowl!  Raspberries, fresh mint and a touch of sweet agave, I was in 3:00 snack heaven! 

And our tweet of the day - I'm loving @WildeKitchen 's "research" recipes!  Keep @PitCHObani in the job hunt so we can enjoy @Chobani 24/7/365 #InterviewOverYogurt.  Let's help boyfriend make friends with Chobani, so we can move to Brooklyn and I can have a commute that is only 1 hour instead of 2!  (Such an added bonus, because Brooklyn is pretty awesome all on it's own)