South Slope in today's NY Sun...Union Market a-commeth.

Testiculon wrote: Yahoo! I am really psyched. But I will still by my produce from my favorite produce store in all of Park Slope - next to Big Nose Full Body. I loie that couple (and their produce), and would never desert them.

They're such a sweet coupleAs long as I'm ch. For such a small space they have a really well-chosen selection of produce and snacky-things.

If D'Ag was "yuppie," that's . . . just sad. Yes, it was laughably overpriced, and there were times I'd put things back on their grimy shelves with a chuckle, but it definitely was not a supermarket of any quality. I'm happy to have another option down this way, I'll check out the new UM, and while I might not become a regular, I bet I'll pop in for a cheese fix.

While I'm an "every day is casual Friday" on the F, I'm no six-figure pullin', dead-parent inheritin' from type, and actually come from a pretty working-class background, I don't think it makes me more authentic to cram my maw with a buttered roll and bitter coffee just 'cuz I asked myself What Would Ralph Kramden Do, or less authentic 'cuz I treated myself to one of Ladybird's coconut-cherry muffins. As long as I do what is right for me, I don't put much stock in either living up to the half-remembered halcyon days of Johnny McWorkingstiff or half-imagined dreaded days of Bradford Yuppie-Bastard. When would I find the time to sort all that out anyway? Most of that's dedicated to waiting for the F.

lostingreenwoodhts wrote: Gee, who knew posting the NYS article would spark such an off-topic debate with RN.

Yawn.

Well it sure brought your lame thread about a "gourmet supermarket" to life, didn't it, so what are you complaining about?

8thandPrez wrote: It's great that you benefited from buying into Park Slope when it was blighted.

He didn't buy into it. He inherited into it.

8thandPrez wrote: RN, my point is that I don't think you're uniquely qualified to determine if this round of "change" is change for the better or worse. I, for one, have no problem with well-paid yoga devotees wandering the streets or casually dressed six-figure salarymen riding the F. You're generalizations about an entire generation of people are tired, cliched, and inaccurate. It's great that you benefited from buying into Park Slope when it was blighted. Not it's not. Big deal. Get over it.

Who says I'm unique? It's a well-known fact that the only two types of people who welcome the sort of 'change' that's going on around here are (1) the yups themselves; and (2) sleazy developers/landlords. Hello and good morning, of course you "have no problem" with it, because they're your own people. :idea:

Besides, if my "generalizations" are so off, why does everyone outside of the neighborhood agree with my take on Park Slope, including the cops who patrol here? Must be another case of "everyone else must be crazy," huh 8th and Prez? 8)

PS Thanks for clarifying my status to your colleague there Carnivore, remind me to keep you in mind for a PR position for my company once I really blow up.

alafairnadia wrote: [quote=Restless Native]I have no problem with change, if it's for the better. Just can't stand this trend of raising prices on basic goods for no reason other than the fact that gullible people will pay (and they will pay).

I'd agree with you if Union Market were charging $7 for american cheese. however, they're not. they're selling gourmet olives, not canned. they're selling gourmet, aged cheese, not american cheese or yellow cheddar. they're selling multi-grain loaf bread that actually contains multiple grains that are discernible, not wonder bread.

you have a problem with the prices of 'basics' of american food? blame the us govt. take a look at what type of cheese is WIC approved. it's disgusting - the basics, frankly, have been reduced to american cheese, wonder bread, and canned goods. folks below the poverty line are not allowed fresh or healthy food - it's not covered by WIC.

so. take that up with your representatives, not some folks who can, for whatever reason, afford to supplement their diets with high quality, expensive food. that's what I do.

and no, union market is not the only place to get these gourmet goods. someone who values these items and is not middle class can get subsidized organic and gourmet food at the co-op - they have sliding scale fees. I know plenty of people who earn $30-40k and shop there - eating fresh, healthy, organic vegetables and non-dyed cheese. and they live in the neighborhood.

Agreed, 100%

Restless Native wrote: [quote=alafairnadia]
you have a problem with the prices of 'basics' of american food? blame the us govt. take a look at what type of cheese is WIC approved. it's disgusting - the basics, frankly, have been reduced to american cheese, wonder bread, and canned goods. folks below the poverty line are not allowed fresh or healthy food - it's not covered by WIC.

Don't see what the federal government has to do with groceries being 2, 3x as expensive in Park Slope as they are 5 miles away in, say, Bensonhurst on one end or Flatbush on the other. But hey, if that's what makes sense to you. :?
Look in an Italian specialty store in Bensonhurst, and check the prices against Union Market - quality imported olive oil and fresh ravioli is expensive everywhere.
Why are you not tracking any of this? Because you want to bitch and moan...whatever.

jennitrixie wrote:
While I'm an "every day is casual Friday" on the F, I'm no six-figure pullin', dead-parent inheritin' from type, and actually come from a pretty working-class background, I don't think it makes me more authentic to cram my maw with a buttered roll and bitter coffee just 'cuz I asked myself What Would Ralph Kramden Do, or less authentic 'cuz I treated myself to one of Ladybird's coconut-cherry muffins. As long as I do what is right for me, I don't put much stock in either living up to the half-remembered halcyon days of Johnny McWorkingstiff or half-imagined dreaded days of Bradford Yuppie-Bastard. When would I find the time to sort all that out anyway? Most of that's dedicated to waiting for the F.

nice one jennitrixie
WWRKD
(hee)