6th and Lamar

One of the things I love most about Austin is the Whole Foods Market flagship store.  It truly is the most wonderful place on earth.  I have to wonder, is this what heaven looks like?

My love affair with Whole Foods started many moons ago... 

lets take a walk down memory lane, shall we?  

The first time I went was nearly eight months after I moved to the city. It pains me to think I went nearly three full seasons neglecting this gem of a grocery store.  Nay, the Whole Foods store straddling 5th and 6th streets, occupying one full block of prime downtown Austin real estate is more than a grocery store - it's a foodie's sanctuary.  

It was March 2011, during the heart of SXSW.  I'd just walked from work to Waterloo Records, 1.3 miles beneath the scorching Texas sun, mind you. (All for the sake of music!)  Virginia, Katie and I converged in front of Waterloo Records, anxious to witness Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears perform a free - I tell you! FREE - show in front of the record store, situated just across the street from Whole Foods.

PAUSE

Take a moment to watch this snippet of the pure awesomeness we experienced that fateful day during SXSW 2K11...

...and continue...

After guzzling a few disposable plastic cups of lukewarm beer, and dancing among the weirdoes that keep this city cool, we needed fuel before taking on the rest of the evening.  And that's when it happened. I crossed the street, passed through the miniature cafe garden and then a blast of ice cold air conditioning, and entered the prepared foods sections of the Whole Foods Market flagship store.

(Note: This is where my walk down memory lane ends and love affair with Whole Foods begins.)

Made in house daily (probably more like hourly considering the amount of foot traffic this location endures) is gelato, juice, smoothies, sandwiches, pizza, sushi, and breakfast tacos...oh, but it doesn't stop there.  There's Indian, German, and Greek cuisine (depending on the day)...not to mention some of the best barbecue in Texas. Seriously guys, you name it and they have it. That's all there is to it.

Oh yes, the store offers a full selection of standard grocery items, although each can be found next to an organic, vegan or gluten free alternative.  However where I find value in the most glamorous grocery store of them all is the bulk foods section.  There are dehydrated fruits,  every kind of grain, cereal, nuts, trail mixes and most importantly spices.  The holy grail of bulk spices.  (bow down.)

I'll be quite sad when I can't stop in for a Skin Rejuvenator from the juice bar, or a bottle of hand selected wine by their amazing wine enthusiast staff, but I suppose life goes on.  Right? Right.

It's true. I <3 Whole Foods.

I'll miss it dearly when I part from this city in the (very near) future.