It's a Love-Hate Relationship...WHOLE FOODS

Whole Foods in Lincoln Park, Chicago...it's like no other WF I've been to.

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With a trail mix bar, a grind your own nut butter station, mini chicago restaurants right in the store, a graffiti artist, music stage, wine and cheese bar, cafe, etc... it's quite the shopping experience!

Now I know WF is often called Whole Paycheck and I agree that yes, if you do ALL of your shopping here, you're gonna have to fork over your entire paycheck.

There are a few staples that I get from Whole Foods each month such as: ground flax seed, flax seed oil, probiotic vitamins, gluten free spinach & feta pizza, an occasional metro mint water (delicious), rice crackers, Lara Bars, etc.

Speaking of Lara Bars... Whole Foods-LP has an UH-MAY-ZING selection of them, as shown above!

These bars are one of the only gluten free granola bars that don't raise my blood sugar, are made with all natural ingredients that you can pronounce (usually only 3-4 different ingredients), and are 20-30 grams of carbs depending on which one you eat.

The Apple Pie tastes like Apple Pie.

The Banana Bread tastes like Banana Bread.

The PB&J tastes like PB&J.

"...and the snozzberries taste like snozzberries" (Willy Wonka).

So, while there are many things I love at WF...there is one aspect of the store that is going to be the death of me!!!

The DOWN escalator!!!

I'm so thankful for parking at this WF. It's rare to see a FREE parking garage in the city. So when I parked for the first time, I was amazed and grateful. However, when I walked through the door to see this escalator...I booked it for the elevator! I don't know why it's so scary to me. It's just REALLY steep, the area where you stand is SUPER thin, and I just can't do it!

Oh, I've tried, (several times) to get on...only to make myself look like a fool, putting my head down in shame, and walking over to the elevator where the other moms are getting on with their karts and kids...as I get on alone, holding one empty shopping bag, already starting my grocery shopping in defeat.

Alright, I know escalators don't have to be so dramatic...it's just that every time I ride one, going down, I feel like I'm gonna plumit to my death!

Ya know, every now and then I fear complications of Diabetes...kidney failure, blindness, leg amputations, etc...but mostly, I just fear the Whole Foods Lincoln Park Chicago down escalator. It's true!!!

The odd thing is, going UP is no problem!!!

So on my lunch break Friday, I grabbed some frozen organic strawberries (for making smoothies), an orange-mint water, gluten free spinach feta pizza, and 2 Lara Bars, met Ilene at the check-out register, handed the cashier my reusable shopping bag, paid, and made my way onto the escalator, going up...as if I had no known fears of escalators at all!

Ilene (visit her cute etsy shop here), enjoying a slice of WF veggie pizza.

Ilene and I drove back to work, discussing weekend plans, my weird fear of going down escalators, and our favorite OPI nail polish colors.

A successful lunch break.

Enjoy your weekend...and don't be afraid to share your weird fears with eachother :)