WFM KATY <3

wholefpana

feast your eyes on the awesomeness that is Whole Foods Market............. KATY, TX.

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i pulled up like 3 minutes before go time and hopped my butt right on in line.

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they had some great grand opening deals, and fresh wild salmon was one of them!  they were selling like hot cakes under that tent up there for 5.99 a lb.

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as i neared the door, i heard....music?  there was a live orchestra back there, even though you can't tell at all from this pic.  that's how WFM does it!  it didn't make the weather any warmer, but it was a nice touch.

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this is the very first pic of the madness once i stepped foot in the store.  this is NOTHIN!  there were still a ton of peeps behind me.

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:shock: the freshest produce ever in life :shock:

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beautiful berries!

20130130_080310 how can you not want one of everything?

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so i was caught on camera using my own camera. (l)  #awkward!   i have no idea what station he was affiliated with but i do hope it was a major network LOL

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beans, beans, the musical fruit!

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the beloved bulk bins.  i couldn't pass up getting a couple scoops of pumpkin flax granola.

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this is THE cleanest this area will ever be in life. lol

ok i have a confession.  my phone straight DIED a few minutes after i took this pic and i was devastated. seriously.  i went to bed with a full battery and did not put it on the charger and because i have soooooo much crap on my phone these days and have yet to order an SD card.  which means my battery is toast in a matter of hours. soooooo, i sped through the store and came back a few hours later with my bro for lunch.  hey i had a dr's appointment and was out anyway ;)

 i'll pick back up where i left off-

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fresh

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meat!

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would i like a sample?  do you know who i am?

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'air chilled' is a new term i said i'd google later. the tender was super juicy!

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right, Matt?

and wow, that camera man was still there.

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 these were so cute. and true.

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we rounded a corner of the store and walked past the gourmet grilled cheese and specialty beer station.

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it was a little after lunch time here and the store was CRACKIN'.

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and then we saw a walking banana and had to get a pic!  and yes...i've officially been #photobombed by the lovely shopper behind us.

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twice, smh!!!! who does these types of things!? i thought you only photobombed people you know!

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we kept going and passed the delectable desserts...

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just looking!

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they had pizza samples left and right, mmmmm.

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next up was the prepared foods section.

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man...food presentation at its finest. *DROOLING*

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this was matt's incentive for coming with me. free lunch!  he got a sammich at the sammich station. 20130130_130919

gettin' mo samples...sushi samples.

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it was a shrimp, avocado,  multigrain rice roll; lovely combo!

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we turned around and saw several fresh food bars like the olive one above,

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and this multicultural one.  variety is something WF never lacks!

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so many overwhelming options to choose from.

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 and uuuuuuuuweeeeeeee that 8.49 per lb. hurts my HEART!  especially when i remember when it was 2.99.........

20130130_130857 last thing on this side of the store was the cool coffee bar.

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more samples on the way to checkout- this tasted like kombaucha soda. not bad!

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i meant to get some canned tuna while i was there so i cut through the frozen foods aisle and ran into this thing-  i thought it just rotated commercials and advertisements all day long, but nope, i touched the screen and was wowed immediately!

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'touch a produce item for recipes and information.'

um, OK!!!

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recipes, ideas, and tips galore! what a fantastic tool!

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wait, how did i end up here?  focus!!!

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got the tuna and headed to checkout, but not before passing up the to-go bakery case.... YUMMERS

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seating area was CRAY-CRAY so we went home to eat.

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i'm sure this area will be boomin' once Houston weather warms back up. 20130130_123712

more samples outside!? of course! just some grilled fillet mignon, no big deal.

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they even have their very own food truck(s).  i'm not surprised!

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smelled amazing...

20130130_123641i'll save it for the next trip. 20130130_084705

OH, a lady was standing at the door on our way out with a basket FULL of free grocery bags!  i loved this pattern the second i saw it.

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juuuust expanding my grocery bag collection.

20130130_084651 see, i didn't do too bad at all! this was nothin.

tuna, kettlecorn, bell peppers (5 for 5 dollar deal), pumpkin flax granola, and a loaf of seeduction bread for my mama.

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aaaand the very last #foodie shot- half of Matt's reuben flat bread wrap. delish!

i think ALL but like one of my friends can stand grocery shopping lol!

Q: have you ever attended a store's grand opening? any store!

le

WFM FTW

AAAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!  a WHOLE FOODS MARKET is opening up on my sida town!!!!!

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*high five* to my friend Carla for texting me this golden nugget of info as i had no idea, smh! this is both good & bad according to Sonny but i already promised myself to not go HAM in there.  i am asked repeatedly what my grocery bill is like as a few readers assumed i do all my shopping in Whole Foods and Trader Joes and that is sooooo not the case guys! i use both of these havens as specialty stores ONLY.  i'm a crazy foodie and grocery shopping is fun to me, but i have my limits :lol:.   i oogle at and am intrigued by weird, quirky, healthy & indulgent food combos, seasonings, snacks, treats, and all things FOOD. exhibit A:

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this is currently in my snack corner and this is why i get *side-eyes* when i get home. you and i both know that nobody needs this stuff. all natural, double chocolate cookies, fig butter, chocolate covered pretzels, raspberry fruit spread, nori wraps....

let's be clear- i get my fresh produce and staple items from HEB, Wally World (Walmart), Sams, Fiesta,  Kroger... i'll even go to Food Town or the like if they are having a fantastic sale and the produce looks presentable. i don't by organic (severely overpriced in my opinion and i've seen, read, and tasted evidence to prove that the 'regular' produce is equal to or greater!) and that keeps my bill low.  the organic produce business is BOOMING!!!! but, it won't get any of my hard-earned money.

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i often wonder what i'd be doing now had i not started this blog or had i postponed my decision yet again to compete in that bikini competition last Sept.  there are great moves, and then there are lessons.  you'll never know though if you don't step out on faith.  sometimes you can step out at your own pace, and sometimes you are evicted immediately, ready or not!

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go boldly and confidently in the direction of your dreams!!!! don't let the fear of the unknown keep you from moving forward....only fear standing still.

Q: what is your favorite SPECIALTY store?

come on, i wanna hear from you so i can go check it out too!

le