#specialty grocer

[formeryelpers]

Yoboseyo Superette, 358 E 2nd St, Los Angeles (Little Tokyo), CA 90012

Yoboseyo Superette is a stylish neighborhood superette (with sauces, drinks, ice cream, snacks, candy, granola, olive oil, prepared foods, and a coffee/tea bar. It’s owned by the same people who own Café Dulce. They focus on Asian American brands, often local ones.  

I was surprised that over half of what they carry isn’t food. Some of it is food related like cookbooks and other items are decorative/lifestyle items. They had candles, trays, ceramics, dried flowers, soaps, skin care, greeting cards, washi tape, etc.

The strange thing about their salads, sandwiches and breakfast menu (burrito, sandwich) is that you have to pre-order everything a day before you pick it up. Very odd. They had a soft serve machine but it wasn’t working. But you can order espresso drinks, matcha drinks, iced tea, and tea lattes. They plan to start roasting coffee beans on the premises. Parking

They carried brands of ice cream that I hadn’t seen elsewhere in Asian flavors: 626, Noona’s, and Mochidoki. I noticed another market in Little Tokyo carried Noona’s for $9.99 (regular price, $6.99 on sale); Yoboseyo sells the same thing for $14. Quite a markup!

I bought a greeting card and some black sesame granola. Neither item had any visible pricing.

4 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[mattotomato]

Instant Pot Shoyu Chicken - Chicken Soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic are added to freshly pureed pineapple in this Hawaiian-style chicken dish.

[squid-ichorous]

if/when i get a new phone i think i might make food sampling videos, i've always wanted to mostly bc i just want an excuse to eat snacks from around the world lol

[stardewremixed]

How Each Bachelor Reacts to the Traveling Cart / What They Would Buy

(FYI, the seller is called Suki in the mod, Stardew Valley Expanded so I will refer to her as Suki).

Alex - laughs when he first stumbles across the cart by accident. "You sell contraband?" Hee... hee.. somehow he finds this hysterical. But the "herbal creme" Suki sells works wonders on Granny's sore back so Alex makes the trip every week.

Elliott - the type to spend all his money on other people and then wonder where it all went. He would get rare foragables from outside the Valley for Leah, and unique fish for Willy. Then he would stay and chat, maybe even have his fortune told or palm read over a spot of strong herbal tea with Suki.

Harvey - doesn't wander that far into the woods that often. However, he knows of Suki and recognizes she is dealing with tough times financially. Once a quarter, he walks out to her cart to offer a discounted wellness check. Suki insists on paying, so he accepts trade in goods like truffles and specialty wines.

Sam - money burns holes in this man's pockets. He wanders out in the woods once when Vincent gets "lost." Sam finds his kid brother chatting it up with the mysterious Suki. He is all about the snacks and stocks up whenever Suki is in town. Sam is also very open-minded, and definitely eats up the crystal ball stuff. They would discuss star charts and horoscopes (which Vincent thinks are "horror-soaps," exactly what he repeats to their mom later).

Sebastian- where do you think this guy gets his "weed?" Certainly not from the local grocer. Suki stocks gummies sometimes too, which Seb hides from Maru (since she once consumed half a bag and thought it was just candy). It was a weird family dinner.

Shane - doesn't care and doesn't really believe in mystical arts. But Suki has a magic concoction for helping him beat alcoholism. Tastes nasty. Burns going down. But man! That stuff works.

Victor - an upstanding citizen. He hears rumblings about a mysterious seller but it's not on his radar. Once, he may have stumbled across Suki's cart and asked about its construction.

Magnus - I like to think these two are friends. Maybe even friendly competitors. After she closes up, Suki goes to smoke with the Wizard and shares tales from the road.

Lance- like Magnus, Lance likes to swap tales of adventure with Suki. Probably over a pint. He would definitely pick up some specialty adventuring items from her cart when he's around.

[ssbbwlovelyxxxlondyn]

Wow! How much does $1k worth of groceries last you? 1 week? 2 weeks?

lol, I have had a few $1k receipts, I like the fancy grocery stores what can I say? The inflation is real lol.

1 week or so for specialty grocer, 2 weeks for Walmart.

[cal-daisies-and-briars]

⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡

🦮🦮🦮🦮

🔮 🔮 🔮

🌊 🌊

🌌

*I only saw this so fast because checking tumblr is a part of my morning routine which…well it’s all of his here so I’m not sure why I’m defending it hah.

Also, very very excited about Buck’s service dog!

Hahaha I get you I obsessively check my gmail for ao3 comments when I wake up.

And THANKS! I'm excited to introduce her.

15 new sentences for⚡:

---

Eddie tenses his jaw and looks at the ground. He’s not going to apologize for being protective. 

“He’s trying to make sure Maddie and Chim don’t deal with any crap this weekend,” Eddie explains. “I’m trying to make sure he doesn’t deal with any crap.”

Bobby nods. “I know. You’re a good partner.”

Eddie twists his mouth a little. That’s not a label he could always claim. But he’s glad he can hold it for Buck. 

“And I also know,” Bobby continues. “That Buck was in a bad place last year. I think he’s pretty strong right now, though. I think the two of you make each other stronger. Always have.”

---

12 for 🦮:

---

He brings it up with Maddie and Chim, which is his first mistake. 

“They want to give you a fully trained service dog?” Maddie asks over dinner. She comes over once or twice a week to eat with him, and drags Chim along when he’s free. He’s never sure how much of it is a genuine desire to see him, from either of them, versus obligation.

“Yeah,” Buck replies, unsure what part of his story didn’t confirm this already.

“Isn’t that, like, tens of thousands of dollars?” Chim asks between forkfuls of takeout. “Like, the value of the dog, the vetting, and the training?”

Buck shrugs. “Never looked into it, obviously.”

“Well, maybe you should.”

---

9 for 🔮:

---

He runs into Buck on a Saturday in July, in a tiny specialty grocer that he showed him. Bobby’s favorite place to find quality spices and other ingredients. He shouldn’t be surprised Buck has started to frequent it, too, now that Bobby and him don’t talk about things the other person is missing for meals. 

Buck is near the front of the store, grabbing cinnamon, when Bobby walks through the glass door. It jingles as Bobby swings it open, and as it drifts shut. Bobby stops short, staring at him, as Buck turns his head and notices. His face shifts, expression stiffening. Bobby hates it. He hates that it no longer makes Buck smile to see him.

---

6 for 🌊:

---

Eddie's stomach twists at that thought, just a little. He knows about loneliness. He caused a lot of it, for himself. He doesn’t want to cause any of it for anyone anymore.

“He’s easy to choose,” Eddie replies. 

And it’s the truth.

---

3 for 🌌:

@steadfastsaturnsrings

---

Eddie feels relieved that he doesn’t remember. 

“And I think we talked about Mom, but I don’t know what.” 

“Sounds like a really weird dream, bud.”

[afreakingdork]

Soft Spot - Chapter 6

RotTMNT Donatello x Reader

Sometimes you gotta replace something as simple as a lightbulb like Donnie in this week’s chapter art by @garbagemilkshake

Rated: Explicit

Warnings/Tags: Romance, Established Relationship, Married Couple, Married Life, Aged-Up Mutant Ninja Turtles, Villain Donatello (TMNT), Love, POV Second Person, Babies, Pregnancy, AFAB reader, Vaginal Sex, Rough Sex, Penis In Vagina Sex, Creampie, Breeding Kink, Multiple Orgasms, Angst, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Fertility Issues, Pregnant Sex, Pregnancy Kink, Reader-Insert, Cunnilingus, Fellatio, Cum Eating, Turtle Noises (TMNT), I have a Biology Degree and I’m Using it, Menstruation

Synopsis: First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes the next step about as smooth as the others arrived. The baby-oriented sequel to Weak Spot.

Also available on Ao3

First 💜 Previous

LAST WARNING FOR THE 🍋 UNDER THE CUT. MINORS DNI!

You and Donnie hadn’t had sex today.

It wasn’t like he had an obligation to fuck you, but a tone had been set. Yesterday marked the start of your third ovulation cycle since you had started trying to have a baby. This one fit nicely into a Friday night which meant you were primed for debauchery. You had spent much of the evening in delicious throes and expected the weekend to follow a similar suit.

You’d awoken to your husband nonchalantly cooking a late breakfast.    

You had trailed over to him, nude, and meant to have a different kind of meal first, but he had disarmed you with a single question about what type of omelet you wanted. He had options laid out and you picked over them dully. You could only think of a different kind of egg as he went through the motions of cracking several in a bowl and whisking.

You’d eventually gone to wash up and throw something decent on since apparently your unencumbered body wasn’t enticing enough.

You imagined maybe it was a different kind of hunger plaguing him so you went along with your usual Saturday morning. It came with talk of plans, light chores, and things that needed to be purchased. You caught up on the mundane and also relished each other’s presence. It harkened back to simpler times which wasn’t at all a problem, but an oddity as of late.

Donnie’s regime for your body was a rigid one. It was only flexible in that your actual shifts in cycles were ones that roved. Tweaks happened like a board live updating with data, but the facets were the same. A menstrual cycle started on the day of your first bleed and ended on the next to start anew. You’d shed the slope for however long necessary from your lining and then primed for the next candidate. Around day 9 you would begin to have sex with purpose. By 14, you were charged for ovulation and the peak of your lovemaking filled that 24 hour window.

As you saw it, you were technically still within that time frame, so it seemed odd for Donnie not to be taking advantage of it as he was so zealous to do.

You pondered on it through getting dressed and heading out. You had two stops today and January’s cold bit into your bundle. A sharp wind zipped through the buildings where it could and snapped at you. It had you tucking closer to your mate that minded you the best he could. He would shift his form, stepping in to block the blusters, but only so much could be done. When you hit a grocer, you shook as soon as the heat hit you to try to physically rid yourself of the cold.

Donnie hurried the necessities along by splitting up the list to divide and conquer. It left your nose burning as you had a separate basket to grab what was requested. In total, you’d be heading through the ten items or less line as the staples you needed for the week didn’t amount to much. You met back up at checkout and were soon out for your second chore.

It was something about light bulbs and Donnie had difficulty getting them delivered. You entered a shop filled with nothing but the specialty item and while Donnie spoke to someone at a desk, you thought on these sorts of places. The specificity of the business always made you wonder how they stayed open. You could get light bulbs at most home good stores, so why run a business off solely that?

It had you creeping towards your mate to see if this was some sort of front. While he had been true to his word about removing himself from ongoing villainy, you imagined if he needed something illicit, he could grab and go from any number of sources. The only place that seemed off limits to him now was the Hidden City. The last you heard, Ignis had taken over Donnie’s holding in the land of Yokai City holdings and was doing a decent job. You guessed Raph was now Donnie’s direct supplier there and you doubted the apparent hero would get him anything prohibited. 

Still, you snuck up close to find Donnie had three different brands of what were actually light bulbs out on a counter and a worker was explaining to him the advantages of each. Donnie listened with rapt attention and you felt like something hanging like a lampshade. You guessed the oddity of today was making you second guess things. That seemed further cemented as you saw some charts about lumens and correlated color temperatures that you didn’t care to decipher.

This wasn’t a world you had given much thought and you felt out of place in it.

You guessed you did in a larger sense too.

There was a register ding for purchase and you met back up with your mate who held up his bag. You nodded and followed him out to depart. You’d be heading back to the apartment now. You hadn’t thought of today’s chores in a grand scheme as they were simply things that needed to get done. That fit your sense as of late of everything as of late and the layered similes felt tiring.

The calendar of your body’s changes felt like that. It was oddly steadfast and marked with what must be done. You weren’t trying to leave conceiving to luck and that meant you had to go through the necessary procedures. Free time had to be allotted and what was that other than another notch in the long standing circle of life. You were born and went through what you had to in each phase. You grew and society demanded more. You met those challenges in whatever way you could and continued on for as long as possible.

You had slowed and Donnie took notice.

You caught back up with him and wordlessly assured him through your bond that you had a lot on your mind.

He sympathized intangibly.

Your mate knew that cycle better than anyone. He’d been denied choice at a young age and was forced to do what he needed to scrape by. The moment that stopped, he’d almost been paralyzed with how much life was laid out for him. He’d gone about living the best he could on his own and had slowly been joined by others. Yourself included which he said opened his life up to actual possibilities and though you protested, you knew that wasn’t wrong. It still wasn’t because of you, but you’d helped show him more because there was only so much one could do alone.

You snuck glances at your mate as you neared your apartment. You hadn’t talked too much about that time, but you knew he liked a schedule. While he dabbled in villainy before he met you, he also had a routine. It wasn’t unlike the current one and you wondered if he thought of tracking your cycle as a similar extension. You could easily ask him, you thought, but you also sort of wanted to proposition him when you got home. He’d been working so hard on all the planning aspects of conception since you’d be the one doing the physical toil of growing your little one.

You wondered if today’s deviation had just been an overlapping interest. While getting you pregnant was the goal, that hadn’t meant life stopped. Other things, specifically a missing light bulb upset Donnie’s habitat and you knew how much he disliked a fault in his environment. You entered your building and wondered where the burnt out bulb was. You couldn’t recall a spot within your home that was especially dark and you bet that was something you’d notice more than say the missing milk that Donnie had picked up.

You neared your door and had to squint down your hall.

You blinked right out of your lowered lids and sought your husband.

He had a lazy sort of smile on his face as he caught your attention.

The bulb in the hall outside your apartment was out and you hadn’t noticed.

You guessed you had rushed right through your door as of late to meet your mate in the sheets.

You kindly collected the shared grocery bags from Donnie and left him to change the bulb. You imagined he had probably hassled the building manager, who presumably did nothing. Donnie then, on principle, wouldn’t have the thing mailed. As he’d done so in the past, he decided he’d fix the problem himself. You put the groceries up and debated how best to thank him for his attention. It would surely please Mrs. Kaczmarek too who had been in better spirits these days since seeing your wedding rings.

She’d probably badger you about the baby.

You dreaded as much and pushed off the counter at nearly the same time Donnie opened the door.

You approached him with intent as you pulled on your scarf.

Donnie appraised you lightly as he entered and you elongated your limb while unraveling the fabric. He slowed in getting his own coat off and tipped his head back to watch what would clearly be a show. You smiled coyly for him and slid the scarf free from your throat in a dangle. It fed across the back of the couch until it was free from your hands and you moved to your coat.

You grabbed each lapel for a snapping pop before twisting your body to one side. Your lids descended and your head tipped in a way that you knew accentuated your lashes. It was another flirtatious dip that you paired with rolling your shoulder. The bulb came up to caress your cheek as the fabric was knocked off. It slid down that arm and then you rolled your momentum to the other. There was another bob and weave to unsheathe your coat from your torso and you meant to let it drip off when Donnie appeared.

You shot him a heated look as you figured you’d enticed him, but he pinched up your coat.

With little effort on your part, he got it from you, along with a pit stop to grab your scarf before he moved to hang them on the coat rack.

You stared at the back of his head and nothing about it read interest.

He turned, showcasing more of the same and only gave you a quick smile before he moved to toss out the now empty light bulb box.

Were you not going to have sex right now?

You were sure he’d been clear.

You’d read the same material as him, at least as much as you could.

While the peak time frame of ovulation was a total of 36 hours on average, your actual eggs lifespan bobbed around 12-24 hours.

If it wasn’t fertilized then it would die and dissolve.

Did he know something you didn’t?

He could smell when you were ovulating.

Could he smell more?

You chased after him.

He felt your urgency and turned with concern.

No.

He’d be over the moon if he somehow knew you were pregnant.

He wouldn’t be acting like this.

He wouldn’t be going about so mundanely. 

He couldn’t smell the individual parts.

There was no way he could smell the beginning stages of mitosis.

Your mood dropped, but his concern rose.

“Y/N…?” He ducked his height to catch your gaze.

You shook your head. “It’s nothing. My thoughts are all over the place.”

You reassured him through your wedding band as well and he looked down at it with a scrunched brow.

It was overwhelming evidence that your dismissal was honest.

“If you’re sure.” He reluctantly agreed before lifting back up.

“Yeah…” You buoyed your voice. “What’s the plan for the rest of the day?”

He bobbed in thought. “Lunch I imagine will be a light fare as we have our planned dinner…”

You tracked over his body.

“That was our schedule for the day. Did you have something in mind?” He appraised you with little interest.

You placed a thoughtful finger to your lips and studied him.

Were you really going to take a break from fucking?

You supposed you didn’t mind, but you had been mentally ready.

The expectation was set and your early hypothesis about him having a momentary diversion seemed off.

He should have been able to get right back on track.

Was it a ploy?

He didn’t read particularly teasing.

He was openly watching you now.

There wasn’t a trace of jest on his features.

You’d had enough of pondering and walked up to him with an outstretched finger. “Sex.”

He reached up and casually wrapped his large hand around your digit. “I can be enticed.”

You narrowed your eyes. “I tried enticing you at the door. You weren’t super into it.”

“You looked lovely-“

“And before breakfast.”

His eyes darted.

You suppressed sounding a eureka. “What are you up to?”

“Notathing.” He fumbled the word and rushed to mop up the mistake. “Nothing.”

“I don’t like that you’re getting better at masking when you’re up to something…”

He craned a curious brow.

That seemed like a strange action and pinched yours.

“Have I gotten better?” He wondered aloud.

“You… Wait, what?”

His head tilted.

You wriggled your finger free from his grip to poke his plastron. “Did you or did you not have a plan today?”

“I did.” His features spoke as if that was obvious. “You’re aware. We needed groceries and a light bulb.”

You jabbed him. “No, a different thing. What you’re hiding now.”

“That was my only scheme, if you could call it that.”

“Then why the shifty eyes…?” You leaned up into him as if getting closer would help you catch something.

“I didn’t know I evaded you this morning.”

Your lips twisted. “Seriously…? You didn’t know I was trying to get you back in bed?”

“It’s not unusual as of late for either of us to parade around naked. It saves time.”

“I posed all sexy beside the counter! You asked me what I wanted to eat!”

“Yes, I am now aware.”

Your expression dropped. “But sex…”

“Shall we?” He spoke a little too non-pulsed.

“What did you think of me taking my stuff off at the door?”

“That my mate is a stunning creature.”

“But you grabbed my coat.”

“Yes. You were taking off your outer layers.”

“Donnie.”

His attention was elsewhere, but he reached up to cup your hand to his pectoral scutes. “I… am missing cues.”

“I guess…?”

“Have there been others?” He looked at you with renewed interest. “When you were chilled, was that a veiled one?”

“Oh… Uh, no… Just those two today, I think.”

He patted your appendage before walking over to the bed and taking a seat. “That’s worrisome.”

“What?” You followed him.

“I… There is little foundation since today has been the first, but I wonder if our scheduled copulation is making me less aware of solicitation.”

You blinked a few times and felt flashbacks of all the scheduling you’d thought of today. “Since sex is a given, you aren’t looking for outward signs of me needing you anymore…”

His lips flattened out in both agreement and concern.

“Aren’t I still ovulating? There should still be scheduled sex to have.”

His eyes showed some attention before he moved to kneel. “May I?”

You nodded.

He was careful in getting to his knees and wrapping his hands around your waist. He moved your shirt with tender care and rolled it just out of his way. He held the fabric at bay and got your waistband. Sliding to the button, he undid it along with the fly for a slow reveal. There he didn’t move to disrobe you and instead tucked a finger in your underwear and pulled it out so the scent would waft up. He closed his eyes there, divvying up the smell until he let out a languid exhale. “You should still be viable.”

“Are you not… interested?” You whispered, afraid of the question.

His eyes flashed up to yours. “I am!”

“Then why…?”

Distress openly painted him and he manifested a spiral of screens around you.

You looked amongst them and they seemed to be all his tracking data for your cycle.

He plucked a few from their rotation and overlapped them. The data then melded and more appeared in what you read as a comparison. Donnie moved furiously, grabbing the rest of the screens until they were all stacked. There they reorganized into comparable tables and he plucked out one section to expand. What he found there made him click his tongue softly.

“What is it?”

“The times align.” He pointed and threw the screen up for you to see.

It seemed to be some sort of average.

“The schedule goes: We seed you as much as possible. Once your ovulation period ends, the sex stops due to us both being overtaxed and because the window has closed off.”

“We rest.” You agreed.

“Your last cycle pushed this ovulation period. In taking the average, this is about the time we would go into our idle phase.”

“It’s only been three months...”

“We’ve been strict.”

You guessed you hadn’t had sex outside of the necessary window.

“I prefer routine.”

You made a small noise and brushed the screen away.

“I find you no less attractive.” He squeezed your hips for attention.

You looked down at him.

“I am at your disposal. I will be hard at a moment’s notice should you so desire. This might be something automatic, but is not indicative of anything greater. I am conforming to you. I assure you.”

“But you didn’t notice…”

He grimaced. “That… I have no defense for.”

“I guess… I haven’t really pushed to have sex outside the schedule either.”

He lit up as if to jump on that fact, but withheld himself.

You were thankful for it and put a hand on top of his head.

He pressed up comfortably under your palm.

You let the moment linger before something bobbed in your mind. “I know honesty is best, but there’s something so unsexy about all of this!”

His chin was still raised and he looked down his beak at you.

“Like the sex is hot, but we’re already treating it like it’s a chore?! And now I’m going to have to blatantly say ‘let’s bone’ if we want to fuck off the clock?”

Donnie squeaked a faint upset commiseration.

You hunched forward and switched your grip so you had his jaw.

You held him in that tilted position so you could easily kiss his head.

“Sex with you has never been work.” He told you the moment you were close.

You smiled and nuzzled his forehead.

“We’ve caught the early glimpses and will offset it. I will set renewed plans to romance you when we are not trying to conceive.”

“Donnie…”

“Valentine’s is coming up…” He churred.

“Outside the window too.” You puckered your lips playfully.

He bounced so you’d kiss his head again.

You giggled and obliged.

“Let’s press creative endeavors. The pillow method bothers us both. It’s formulaic.”

“We get kinky when it doesn’t matter as much.”

“Incorrect.” He scolded you with a deep frown.

You blinked wide.

“We explore kinks when it matters most.”

A happy noise bubbled in your throat before you threw yourself forward to hug him.

He lifted from his knees to better catch you.

“What have you been waiting to use?”

“New toys, double penetration, B.E.D.F.A.S.T. has new attachments, and… there is something very specific at the lab.”

“The biodome?” You pulled back to check with him.

He shook his head and emphasized the letters. “The lab.”

“Roleplay…?” You tried.

“In a way… You are my only test subject.”

“You sully Genius Built’s name…”

“Or I will create a new branch title.”

“Donatello!”

He chirped happily.

You squeezed him.

He held you for a long moment and you felt the exact moment his attention shifted.

You curled inward so your breath would tease the side of his head.

It enhanced his growing interest. “I have one technique that straddled the line…”

“Line of what?”

“Our breeding and this other realm.”

“You holding back on me…?” You kissed his cheek.

He tried to roll into you to catch your mouth, but you kept away. “More like it skirted something you’ve complained about before…”

“What?” You moved a hand up to keep his lips at bay.

He kissed your hand relentlessly.

You waited, making it obvious you wouldn’t move until he told you.

He gave one last longing press before he spoke against your digits. “It falls along the line of edging.”

You groaned loud as you extracted yourself from him.

“I only mentioned it!” He complained from where he stayed on the floor.

“I hate edging!” You yelled your frustration with the concept and not him.

“I know, dearest.”

You tapped a foot for a second before checking back with him. “If it’s not edging, but like edging… and it…” You felt like light bulbs were going off. “It’s both, meaning it would help with breeding… What is it?”

You could tell his tail was wagging by the way his bottom barely moved.

“It’s a science thing too?!”

He pleaded with his eyes for you to give him the go ahead on an explanation.

He was adorable. “Let’s hear it.”

He hopped straight to his feet and curled up right into your side at the same time an article appeared in your face.

A quick scan read it was something about what to avoid in trying to get pregnant which Donnie immediately verbalized.

“Now this trends further into territory that has little scientific support, but…” He moved the article so a specific section was in the dead center of the display.

Its header listed certain lubricants.

With a careful point, his fingernail underlined ‘salvia.’

You sent him a side glance.

He didn’t look, but his lips wrinkled. “Certain lubricants can negatively impact sperm quality and their ability to move up the cervix.”

“Uh huh…” You held onto your knowing weight.

He did not buckle. “We could employ a hydroxyethylcellulose-based lube, but I haven’t cared for the smell…”

You leaned against him.

He tucked an arm around to hold you.

“So you eating me out might be a problem, but what’s that got to do with edging…?”

“I disagree that it is a problem as, again, my sperm are tenacious. Also it isn’t sperm motility hindering either of us; it’s genetics, but… I have considered what enhancement there might be if we were to increase your natural lubrication…”

You thought over his verbiage. “Me getting wet.”

“Not just wet.” He nudged you with his beak.

You shared a glance side by side.

“Soaked. You are my primed environment already, but making it so you are dripping that need. Expand my semen’s runway. Invite me in through not just an open door, but an entire blown out wall.”

“You’ll drive me crazy…!” You whined and tossed your head back.

His shoulder ducked in time so you could lay it against him. “But that is an end goal and not the necessary means to get you there.”

Your eyes widened toward the ceiling. “How do you get me there?” 

“Womb massage…” He murmured sultry against your head.

“Fuck…” You breathed the word out. “What?” 

“I have studied the motions…”

“Are you studying porn...?”

“No.” He huffed and bumped you. “It is a non-invasive technique based on spiritual practice. It works as any massage technique would by increasing blood flow and relaxing muscles.”

You felt compelled to apologize. “Sorry.”

“Porn when I have you, scoff.” He lowered his center of gravity so he could pick you up.

You shifted your weight so he could easily move you.

He placed you in the center of the mattress and poured over you. “Shall we…?”

“I want an out.” You spoke automatically.

He craned his head to show he’d listen to your proposal.

“You can’t keep going until you’re satisfied. If I hit a point and say that’s enough, you have to fuck me and not prolong the torture.”

You could tell he had complaints.

“I’ll hold out as long as I can, but meet me halfway.”

His gaze lowered then snapped to you. “Okay.”

“You sure? I’m trusting you not to pull anything.”

A small raw tear appeared in his person.

You caught his sleeve. “I always trust you, but you are stubborn.”

He was both soothed and took culpability.

You slid your hand under his sweater and to his forearm. “Okay.”

He waited a moment longer.

“Make me crazy.” You laid back with a readied posture.

He trilled ecstatic and got off the bed.

You kicked out your feet and watched as he began to disrobe. He had little pretense and expertly yanked his shirt off. You watched on as he let his clothing drop until he stepped out, naked, from his pants which he kicked back and out of his way and prompted you to ask, “No show?”

“And miss the cue?” He teased.

“Too soon.” You joked.

He made an interested noise and stalked toward you. You watched him lower down and half crawl toward your person. It was similar to his heat self and you could tell he knew he was intending exactly that. You reached out to him in a limp handed offer and he caught your appendage to scent it. He scrubbed his scales against your palm before he let your hand roll down his neck. He caught it before it completely fell away and pushed your open hand to spread over his mating mark.

It was a sigil you both had sort of let slip away in light of your wedding bands. You thumbed over bubbled crescents on his skin and scarcely remembered the last time you renewed it. He’d broken yours only once or twice since your honeymoon, but it was less to refresh the mark and more because he was caught up in a moment. You felt compelled to lean forward and Donnie stalled out as you moved.

He supported your weight as you kissed all over the area. His churr slipped enamored and you nibbled at the skin just below the wraps at his throat. He gave you a gentle nod go ahead, and your fingers trailed to undo them. He only palmed your sides as you were slow to unravel them. With the marathon sessions, he’d been keeping them on as of late to save his muscles. You yearned to see all of him and his scarred skin soon appeared.

You kissed it with reassurances and he pressed into you to levy your position. You were soon better sat and he tucked searching digits under your clothes. They teased skin only because it was there and were more in search of the best way to reveal you. You sighed against him, far too latched to allow him to do his job and he gave up for the closeness.

You breathed him in and it felt like ages since you last touched without impregnation in mind. It wasn’t like you avoided one another, but there was something different to skin contact. Your closeness recently had either been illicit or the carefree kind that came with a long term relationship. You keenly remembered a few weeks ago when you tangled against each other reaching for opposite sides of the kitchen at the same time.

When was the last time you bathed together that wasn’t to drown in or wash away cum?

You nosed over the bones in his shoulder and kissed towards his bulb. There were more wraps from there on his arms and you found the edge with your thumb. Instead of immediately undoing one, you thumbed it slowly, getting it free with a single digit. The top loosened and you traced out the fabric’s journey so it could naturally unravel. It unwove its concentric circles in a downward spiral until it was a pool of noodles at Donnie’s wrist. You coiled them up on one hand before repeating the process on his other limb.

Your husband allowed you all the time in the world and when you glimpsed his face he was the picture of some divine being. He’d ascended in the process and you bet he was thinking exactly what you were about missing this. You asked him through your bond as you curled into him once again and he responded immediately in kind. 

‘Make more time for each other,’ you thought as loudly as you could even though those exact words wouldn’t reach him. You were sure he knew anyway and pulled away from him.

It cracked his lids and you waited until you had his full attention before you flung yourself back onto the bed. It bounced your body once and you toed at his sides for the sake of it. He churred readied and dipped forward to nuzzle one of your knees. The bones there seemed like an odd place to start, but he persisted through your pant leg.

The jostling made you realize your fly was still down, but there was no way for your bottoms to be removed in this position. You redistributed your weight to free them up, but Donnie nipped your thigh. You kicked the hinge of his shell lightly and he scolded you with a few clicks. You chuckled at him and lifted your head to watch. He swam like an alligator in the lower half of your vision and played up a little tune that said he would strike. You shrieked for the sake of it when he did and he shoved his hands up your shirt to tickle your sides.

You wriggled against him and in the process your top hiked up. It was when your belly was exposed that he lowered with obvious teeth. You strained again, but he held you down to prick you with his canines. He then mouthed, removing the chance of pain and letting his tongue sweep over the skin of your abdomen. You sighed against his mouth, feeling him dip and chase each breath you took.

He moved without exact reason and only tasted your flesh. It lulled you with its warmth and he trailed a cold wetness in his wake. That had you squirming slightly and he moved to wipe you clean. It struck you as a silly follow the leader over you until his beak bumped your bra.

There your breath caught and he ghosted with his mouth over the fabric. The cups slacked with you on your back and disinterested him. He moved until he found more of you around your sternum and licked clean up there to your chin. Your toes curled at the sensation and when he appeared overhead you tried to muster a scowl at him.

He smiled brightly at your troubles before dipping into your ear, “Mind if I remove this troublesome clothing?”

“Troublesome.” You echoed. “You’re silly.”

He chirped quietly for you.

You felt compelled to give a few back before you nodded.

He nosed you happily and tucked his hands around your ribs. You rose up with his aid and in green blurs he got your upper half bare. You meant to lay back down, but he caught you with a firm hand to your spine. You were oddly lifted, bent uncomfortably at the waist instead of the preferable fold at your hips. He paid your grimace little mind and openly gawked at your chest.

It was pointed attention and the very faint traces of saliva that had your skin piqued. Prickles of goose bumps ripped across your flesh and perked your nipples. Donnie watched on, self satisfied with what he had done to you and you resisted bopping him for it. He rewarded you with that opening of his jaw again and this time he enveloped a breast. It came with an immediate swirling of his tongue and you arched into him. He held you firm, your stomach feeling the tightness from the position and gave one breast attention before unlatching to do the same to the other.

He left the soak behind this time and the cold made you shudder. It reminded you of the weather outside and the usual heat your mate brought about. It was there, around the bite of his teeth, but he left chilled skin wherever he wasn’t. You shifted to outright complaint and he stopped licking to kiss over your chest and down towards the rolls formed on your stomach.

He dotted each of them with a wet peck until his hand disappeared from your back.

You weren’t ready and fell as you’d been putting your weight on him.

It was with a soft thump against the sheets and instead of more of his mouth, your mate's hands found you. He slid across the moistened skin as if his spit were a lubricant and stroked downward in a way that read massage to you. With heavy focus force from his palms, he didn’t exactly hit muscle groups as he instead pressed inward toward your organs.

A strange sensation, you felt latent nerves about whatever was in your digestive tract. He treaded lightly in that sense and you didn’t feel anything shoved. Instead it was like he applied enough pressure so you could feel what was encased in your torso and each rolling dip was to abate any lingering discomfort.

You felt a bubble shift somewhere and made a noise before you burped.

Donnie stifled a laugh and you covered your face. “Shut up…!”

He shushed you instead of outright responding and moved further down your abdomen. You felt him move away from one bodily track and set course on another. It was reproductive in nature and you could tell that he was orienting himself. He first moved without precision and instead seemed to be seeking. You felt little pleasure and instead only prodded in the process.

His hands spread out in a sweeping twist that placed both his thumbs on each of your hip bones. It meant part of his hand was tucked under the fabric of your bottoms and you thought for a second time that he might strip you. Remembering his earlier complaint, you didn’t assume and that seemed like a good choice. He held firm there, staring down so hard at your body as if he could see through it before he moved inward.

His fingers flexed, a set of four probes, that crawled along your lower abdomen. They rapped as if asking for entrance even though there was no way you could grant that. The tapping headed inward until the two sets met and together they pressed at a single midpoint that shot a sensation straight down to your cunt.

You wheezed an involuntarily breath even though it hadn’t hurt.

Donnie met your eye and you shared surprise.

“Was that… not supposed to happen?” You felt nervous.

“No… I just… You’re sensitive…”

“Is that… bad?” You murmured.

He shook his head.

“Good…?”

“Not definitive.” He told himself as much as you and stroked downward.

You squirmed under him and he urged you with a few chirps to calm. You did with closed eyes and felt keenly aware of how he moved his hands. They switched one over the other and he followed some kind of clockwise motion moving up and around your belly. You could feel yourself clenching and Donnie skirted those tight muscles a little too obviously.

“My love…” He urged along with his fingers against you.

“I’m doing this wrong.”

“No…” He hushed you. “There’s no wrong.”

“Next you’ll tell me to relax.”

“I wouldn’t bother.”

You puffed with a bitter laugh and felt his digits sink into the rolling flesh.

“It would be counterintuitive as of now.” 

“Great.” The sarcasm soured your throat.

He wasn’t discouraged and continued to feel you.

You would make him doubt himself at this rate.

He said he studied.

You wondered for how long.

He had leagues of time when you were at work.

You barely knew when he went to the lab.

He had enough free time to plot pretty much anything.

He was never without a project.

He was an odd sort of busy as it was on his time.

Always something.

Those two words repeated in your mind.

Just like life.

Those three words echoed similarly.

They overlapped and twisted in your head until the cacophony of it drowned you out.

The moment your eyes opened you heard the silence of the room.

Donnie’s hands still moved on your torso, but they were soundless.

You strained to hear, but you couldn’t catch much.

There was no sound to the way he touched you. 

His hands sunk each time and you caught how they were stacked. Both to pinpoint and alleviate the heft of his pressing, he continued staunchly in his massage. He was up towards your lower ribs again and you wondered when he’d get back to your womb, if that was the strange point he’d hit earlier at all. It shouldn’t have had feeling, similar to how you rarely thought of any of your organs if you could help it. There was just a steadfast movement as he kneaded your body.

The way your skin bounced back after each plush press made you think about tensile strength. There was the forbidden skirting of how you hoped to balloon up, but you roved around that. Your skin was a hearty organ that protected just about everything. It lay across the whole of your being and tried to keep itself closed as necessary. On cue, Donnie moved across your scars.

You’d been stabbed, they surmised during your hospital stay. Your attack was still an event you had no memory of. You never would and in a way you were thankful. Those dark times had passed. With healing, your mate could now brush the area and you had some sense of where he did. A few of your nerve endings had reconnected, but others were permanently lost to that breach of your precious skin. You thanked your epidermis for trying so hard as Donnie’s circling of your belly continued.

You were feeling looser by the second even though your mind was hung up. Little aches that you seemingly weren’t aware of were unwinding and your stomach felt warm. It was more than just from the friction and you bet it was the blood vessels opening up that your husband had mentioned. Your blood flow was improving and it made little sense how that helped anything between your legs. As most humans, the center of your body was junked up with many of your organs that helped puppet the thick of you.

Streams of fingers worked up and over your belly button in a dizzying display.

You were rapidly losing track of Donnie’s finer movements and instead settled into a slosh. It was the liquefaction of your insides and your mate held the container. Under his tutelage, nothing spilled, but the contents were rocked. He moved incessantly, unable to let you still, but the jostling had its own advantage. Algae or other particulates couldn’t form if the water continued to flow fresh. It was a lifeblood circling and it strained against your container which was shaped like you. It was both trapped within your skin and your skin itself moved in an endless cycle as everything else in life.

You were still in that quasi-heightened, but stunted state of awareness when Donnie pressed just above your pubic bone. He seemed to feel something there that you could not. Your pelvis pulsed around it as the muscle fiber connections were tested. It was yet another example of your interconnected inner workings and your husband had a hand directly in your machinery.

He lifted up, the first time he’d let you be in what had to be at least a half hour and your skin burned for him. It ached for him to continue his melding and you heard him inhale at something. You weren’t sure when your eyes had closed, but they were too dreary to open. You could only listen while he took pound for pound of oxygen. He never stopped siphoning, even when all four of his digits returned to your pelvis and up to the hill of your mons.

You gasped your own air there, feeling tickling fingertips that moved in unison against horsehair chords. He was playing notes, you figured, of something guttural. The fine tuned instrument was one he had been caring for for years now and he knew it like no other. It was one both his own and yours and you knew just how to pluck him the same. You’d played the sweet music of his sighs and gave one of your own both of and against your violation.

It was that tandem game that marked the line of you versus him. The one you both wanted to play into in hopes of creating something new. A child would be your ultimate melding and something you feared now to lay your hopes on. You thought you might be expecting too much from this unseen thing and had been taking each bloody failure personally.

Donnie had reminded you.

You were fertile.

You both were.

It was your chemistry sets that weren’t mixing for the right solution.

You could only make the environment an advantageous one, but until the cells mixed, there would be no reaction.

There would be no split and division.

There would be no small growth.

There would be no ultimate melding.

That was okay, wasn’t it?

You got so close.

Right now it was hard to tell where Donnie ended and you began.

There were your mating marks.

Your wedding bands.

Your tied mysticism.

His hands on you.

Your skin to his.

Atoms if anything was all that separated you.

It was okay.

If it never took.

If it never happened.

If nothing were to come of it.

You had each other.

You would have each other.

Your eyes opened and felt wet.

You blinked a few times from streaking tears and studied your mate who at some point had switched sides of the bed to better access you. He looked to be his own sort of weepy, but no tears were falling. You hadn’t thought you were in that mystic room between you both, but it felt like he was feeling the same. You guessed that emotional tether went just as deep as you imagined.

You found he was counting and squeezing your flesh now. From moving down in stimulation, he dragged upward on a slow beat and stretched and pressed into you. Besides the mist bringing shine to his gaze, he was otherwise not quite where you were. You imagined he was in that same liquefied state only in the position you imagined. He was still holding you together, now seemingly literally and the care he was keyed into was one he could not break from.

You relaxed into it and didn’t shy away from the sensations now. You felt how he pressed into you and what that stirred. As he said he was massaging your womb, but it felt like more than that. Whether it was in your head or not, it felt as though he were opening blocked channels. You guessed that was the spiritual aspect he had mentioned and you couldn’t quite knock the thought. You felt rich and full of warm feelings and thick nourishing blood.

The word ‘prowess’ came to mind and you weren’t sure who it addressed. You knew Donnie was skilled at basically whatever he set his mind to and this was no exception. It also felt like it meant you and what you were capable of doing and bringing. You brought giant mutant men to their knees without a second thought. You did only what you could, but it flowed out with repercussions that spoke of far greater things. It was an action you often downplayed, but in this moment, right now, you felt like you could create anything.

Did that extend to life?

You were cautious after what you had been through.

It had been no time and all the time in the world.

For some, they’d already be knocked up.

For others, they would spend years trying.

It was all different pathways and journeys just like the ones in your abdomens. They mapped out New York’s roads in a grid system that connected everyone. From you to Donnie to your neighbors and beyond, you were all a living tapestry that continued to be woven. There was no exact pattern followed, only fabric cords that continued to be laid, one on top of the other.

Like Donnie’s hands against his own.

Like Donnie atop you.

Like that push down inside your body.

Like the building of your womb to make it a hearth.

You were ready to stop Donnie when he came to a halt all his own. He cooled down, flapping his hands out from apparent cramping and moved right back into you for that early clockwise motion. It was the end of the process, you could tell, starting at the beginning, and you watched him with growing affection. His focus stunted from having been so intense for so long and he was using you as a literal grounding technique to bring himself back. It made his swipes now far less coordinated than his earlier ones, but when he finally came to his real conclusion, it was raising tired eyes to meet yours.

His crow’s feet wrinkled affection at seeing you and you both moved inward to kiss.

You were both rejuvenated in different ways and it was against your mouth that he mumbled to you. “You need to drink water.”

“Okay…” You chuckled into a few more presses before he went to get you some.

You sat up only partially so your stomach would crease again.

It helped you feel the pudge of your innards and the latent heat that continued to trickle from all where Donnie had massaged. He appeared again, by your side and with a bottle that you took first out of duty then ravishing thirst. You downed the whole thing before you realized it and when you came away with a dribble to the side of your mouth, Donnie swept it up with his tongue. He then shared the cool moisture, licking into your mouth and you teased him with eager noises as he got a taste.

He broke free with a gape and heavy breath.

You watched him, leaning back on your elbows and panting in a similar manner.

He watched you swipe your tongue over your lips and he had to physically shake his head to clear his thoughts.

“Should I tell you how it feels?” You wondered.   

“No need.” He stepped back as if there was some grand reveal.

You stared for a moment before searching for whatever he was trying to show you.

It increased his smile.

“What…?” You asked genially.

He churred between chuckles and hopped forward playfully.

It landed his knuckles on either side of your hips and he leaned into you with a glint in his eye.

You loved when he broke his serious character and reached up to scratch under his chin.

You found his favorite junction and his churr flared delight.

“D-demonstration…” He forced out between the rolling thunder and you stopped to give him a chance at lucidity.

He immediately hooked your pants and you got the message to lift your hips.

You did so with a clench to your core and you felt a dribbling flow before he moved.

It was a rush similar to when blood piled up inside you and you almost stopped him for that fear, but he shared a glance with you that said otherwise.

Though you felt the first sensation, you had difficulty believing anything had been built up until he began to remove your bottoms. Both pairs were taken at the same time and as soon as the cotton fibers pulled against one another, you felt the soak. It then came with a peel as the fabric was shimmied down your hips until it felt near impossible for whatever was between your legs to come free.

It did because nothing was holding it, but the sop traveled down and you watched with huge eyes as you saw the sticky mess revealed there. It clung in stringy puddles to your underwear and beyond where it had leaked out to your jeans. An odd sort of laugh rattled in your open mouth and Donnie took great care in making sure that spill on the clothes did not touch you as it traveled down your legs.

Your thighs bumped one another and that soak still found a way to dirty you.

You could feel it already leaking onto the bed.

A hand crept over your stomach to examine, but Donnie’s voice stopped your momentum.

“I must taste!” He growled out before clenched teeth kept him at bay.

“That… good…?” You asked, breathless from the revelation that you had gotten this wet without a single specific horny thought.

“Ambrosia.” Donnie basically demanded it of you.

You felt your body tilt into your smile. “That would defeat the purpose I’m told.” 

“True…” Donnie sneered before his attention shifted. 

You knew exactly what he was going to do because it was already in his hands. He cradled the set of your bottoms and was meticulous in extracting your underwear from your pants. They hung heavy in the gusset with slick and he had all the pupil expanding pretense of a pubescent teen as he brought the cotton up to his beak. He first inhaled with eye rolling euphoria as he soaked in the scent. He licked his lips next before he delicately rearranged his grip. Your honey shined from where it was presented in a strip across his fingers and he was discordantly ferocious to his preparatory care as he moved to devour the sap. It was messy slurps that had your cunt clenching in lonely pulses since that tongue should have been in you. 

“Donnie…” 

“Not enough…” He graveled out with your underwear still clinging to his face. 

“Gone already…?” You squirmed in a show that you had the pot that had once filled his bowl. 

“If I can’t taste more in the usual sense then I have to partake in another way…”

You hiked your legs up so your heels caught the edge of the bed and you were spread wide to him. “I wonder how…?”

“Not like that.” He hissed even though he dove toward you and tossed the underwear aside like a lesser thing. 

The moment his body dropped close, you heard his cock slop out with a soaked sound.

He had no embarrassment and continued to move. He threaded his arms through the bend of your legs so your knees sat atop his forearms. He then dipped down to catch your ass and lift you straight into the air. It strung you up, spread open to him, and you felt the mess between your legs drip further from gravity.

“T-this position won’t-!” You cried out as he bounced your body to get you closer. “The gravity!”

You caught his neck and helped angle yourself the best you could.

He slammed your torso flat against his plastron and held you in a tight hug to free up one limb.

There he disappeared below you to wrangle his cock and set its boiling tip at your entrance. “Fuck the position.”

He adjusted your load again and this time you bounced on his glans.

“Fuck the pillow.”

You felt the flex of his fist as he fed his cock into you.

“Fuck the time table. For once. Just us. What we want.”

His hand disappeared to return you to your strung up position and he lowered you down his shaft at an achingly slow pace.

You felt your features open up to him and he chased this with a dark roving of his eye. You slid down until the pop of his spread expanded wide within you as a lock. He adjusted your being one final time before fucking you in his arms. You cried out at the fold and heat and how obscenely lewd each squelch sounded. It was ADR laid over a pathetic porno, but painfully real. It brought the boil from his cock to your cheeks and you felt yourself crying out in tandem for each drop of your body.

Only your pelvis seemed to dip as he had your legs and you struggled to find a grip. His neck and shoulders weren’t enough so you dug your nails into his upper plastron lip and that proved to be the best you could get. He thrust up, burying deep and felt dangerously close to springing out on each back swing. It was the soak that was negating his glans and you almost wished you could clamp down on him to keep him in place.

An impossibility as this was on his terms, you instead felt your head loll freely as you gave over to him. He churred like an off the hook dial tone and the sound became a point you locked on to. It surrounded you and caressed you. It reached inside as he had before except now he was excavating your cervix which had risen to peak position.

As Donnie said, this moment wasn’t about breeding and instead both of you. It was your connection and your time together. It was one you both manifested and you would come together because you wanted to and not for the beaten down end goal. You grew closer, tightening in spite of the incessant hose of your fluids. There was no catching him amongst the slip and from the angle you couldn’t properly seat the knot. Instead you bumped against it, barely squeezing it in between forceful strokes and Donnie only grunted as he came sharply.

You chased after him and together you felt the precarious wave of cumming during standing sex as it meant letting go would mean you were both going down.

Only sheer will kept you both upright and you felt the quake as Donnie lurched forward. You rose with your arm strength alone to kiss him and it gave him the boost necessary to hobble you both to bed. There you fell on your back and you were finally able to lock your legs possessively around him. He rocked against you, trying to alleviate the weight and chase a little more of your soaked sex. You felt a renewed build up, both from not having enough and the feeling of what was brought on by too much. Donnie churred out his question and you gave a mating call in response that you would be fucking directly into a second round without break.

-

“What does my period smell like…?” You murmured into Donnie’s plastron from where you were curled up on the couch and in a mental debate to make that trek to the bed.

“I akin it to the smell of sweat if blood were to have that property.”

“That’s… an interesting way to put it.” You pulled your legs a little tighter and imagined the scent there could be cut off.

“It’s the bacteria and dying cells.” Donnie continued on. “Sweat similarly doesn’t have an odor, but when it mixes with bacteria on skin, it picks one up.”

“Bacteria in my pussy…”

“There’s an entire biome.” Donnie offered.

You made a noise that said you understood.

He rubbed your lower back as he tried to help alleviate the faint cramps plaguing you.

The cycle had begun yet again.

He leaned against your head.

“It’s weird to think about…” You breathed deeply. “When I’m ovulating, you smell the fresh cells and it smells good, but then it sort of rots and slops off and gets bad and old and gross…”

“For bad I would substitute ‘unviable'. Old, in a way, but gross is debatable. It is a biological process; it knows no shame, only society has unnecessarily written one.”

“Don’t tell me you’d eat that too.”

Donnie’s silence spoke far too loudly.

You found his arm through the blanket to pinch him.

He nuzzled into your head. “I’d consume all of you if you’d let me.”

“Cannibal.”

“Carnivore.” He corrected.

“Omnivore!” You emphasized. “You’re human too!”

He trilled proud at your knowledge.

You tipped your head up to kiss him. He shared a lingering expression there that you took as supportive before he met you.

💜NEXT💜

My betas are always busy chugging with fixes @tmntxthings and @thepinkpanther83

[mahidhoot1234]

Grocery Store - Venkatesh Kirana

Great! If your blog is focused on grocery stores, there are many directions you can take depending on your target audience and the message you want to convey. Here’s a structured approach you can follow to write a detailed and engaging blog post:

Blog Title Ideas:

"A Shopper’s Guide: How to Make the Most of Your Grocery Store Visit"

"Behind the Aisles: The Hidden Secrets of Your Local Grocery Store"

"Healthy Grocery Shopping: Tips for Filling Your Cart with Nutritious Options"

"The Evolution of Grocery Stores: From Local Markets to Online Shopping"

"Sustainability at Your Local Grocery Store: How You Can Make a Difference"

Blog Structure & Key Points:

1. Introduction:

Start with a hook: You could start by highlighting how essential grocery stores are to daily life. Maybe mention the rise of grocery shopping trends, or how people have shifted between in-store and online shopping in recent years.

Why it matters: Explain why grocery shopping is important—not just for stocking up on essentials, but for making healthy and sustainable choices.

2. The Importance of Grocery Stores in Our Communities:

Cultural significance: Discuss how grocery stores serve as community hubs. They aren’t just places to buy food; they often provide local products, foster connections, and promote community well-being.

Economic role: Mention how grocery stores contribute to the local economy by providing jobs and supporting local farmers or small businesses.

3. Types of Grocery Stores:

Traditional grocery stores: Chain supermarkets, local grocers, etc.

Specialty stores: Organic markets, international grocery stores, health food stores.

Online grocery stores: How the convenience of ordering online has impacted traditional grocery shopping.

4. Grocery Shopping Tips:

Budget-friendly tips: How to make the most of your budget when grocery shopping (e.g., using coupons, buying in bulk, planning meals ahead of time).

Health-conscious shopping: Discuss tips for picking healthy products like fresh produce, whole grains, and organic items.

Sustainable choices: Encourage shoppers to choose reusable bags, avoid excessive plastic, and support local or eco-friendly brands.

5. The Impact of Technology on Grocery Stores:

Self-checkouts and automation: How technology is making the grocery shopping experience faster and more efficient.

Online shopping and delivery services: Discuss how services like curbside pickup and home delivery are changing the way people shop.

Smart grocery shopping apps: Highlight apps that help with shopping lists, comparing prices, or finding discounts.

6. The Future of Grocery Stores:

Trends to watch: You can mention growing trends like plant-based products, alternative protein sources, and more environmentally friendly packaging options.

Innovation in grocery stores: Explore how stores are innovating, such as the rise of cashier-less stores (e.g., Amazon Go), or the integration of AI to personalize shopping experiences.

7. Conclusion:

Recap the significance: Summarize why grocery stores are more than just places to buy food.

Call to action: Encourage your readers to be mindful when grocery shopping—whether it’s about supporting local businesses, choosing healthier options, or reducing waste.

Additional Ideas:

Include a personal touch: If you shop at a specific grocery store, share your experiences, favorite sections, or unique finds.

Visuals: Include images of grocery aisles, products, or grocery store trends to make the post more engaging.

Statistics or research: Incorporating facts about grocery shopping behaviors or the impact of grocery stores on the environment can make your blog post more informative.

If you have a specific focus within your blog topic, feel free to share it, and I can help you refine the post further!

[diabetesinsider]

Kale Chips

 www.diabetesinsider.tumblr.com

Is your kale dry?  Your grocer sprays them in the case to keep fresh but water droplets lead to soggy kale chips - bummer!  After I wash them, I shake the water off my kale into the kitchen sink.  Then, I spread the leaves out on the kitchen counter for a few hours to let them dry.  It really makes a difference in the final product.  These smell sooo goooood while you’re baking this diabetic friendly treat, too.  Try the salt only or seasoned versions.

1 1/2 bunches kale, dry, removed from stems

1 T. olive oil

Seasoning mix measured into a small bowl and stirred:

1 1/2 T. nutritional yeast*

1 t. garlic powder

3/4 t. chili powder

1/2 t. onion powder

1/2 t. smokey Spanish Paprika - important to use Spanish, intense flavor

1/4 t. fine grain sea salt - important to use this version

1/8 t. cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Remove leaves from the stems.  Place kale leaves in a large bowl.  Massage oil into leaves until all the nooks and crannies are coated.  Now sprinkle the salt only or seasonings mix on the oiled leaves, stirring until thoroughly coated.  Spread the kale out onto 2 perforated pizza pans in a single layer.  Bake for 10 min.  Rotate the pan front to back, bake another 15 min.  The kale should be crispy but not burnt.  If it seems a little damp, stir it and put it back in for another 5 min. if it still feels soggy but this 10 + 15 min. should be long enough.  I use the leftover stems in stir fry, adds flavor - who knew!?!

*I pick up the nutritional yeast at my local box grocery store in their bulk foods section, not at some fancy specialty store.  Keeps my grocery shopping simple.

When I’m not baking crispy kale chips, I’m sewing batik print chef aprons for my online shop - www.etsy.com/shop/topdrawerthreads .  Or, I’m merrily knitting stocking caps with friends from recycled yarn for my other shop - www.etsy.com/shop/topdraweryarns  .

My daughter’s and friend have an online shop - www.etsy.com/shop/yesdesigns - where they hand make and sell crocheted summer bikini tops made from cotton yarn and lined.  My other daughter has an online shop - www.etsy.com/shop/shroombloombags - where she designs and crochets mushroom inspired neck pouches as festival wear.

[mariacallous]

Our family’s approach to Yom Kippur break fast is a Southern one. Many North Americans associate this feast with an array of sweet kugels, bagels with all of the accoutrements, rugelach in every flavor, blintzes and maybe a special cake or two. Chances are you have never seen a spread filled with egg casserole, cream cheese grits and homemade biscuits. 

Before the early 1900s, my family had not either. How did this menu come to be for a half-Sephardi, half-Ashkenazi Jewish family? It’s a funny story.

I recently recovered my great-grandpa’s autobiography that had been stowed away in storage. He detailed the lengths that it would take to acquire kosher food in Georgia in the early 20th century. Quick synopsis: It required special connections and effort to secure the holiday food necessities from the certified grocer. The “good stuff” was reserved for the residents of Atlanta, Augusta and Savannah, while little was set aside for small town Jewish families. My family was one of the latter so we had no choice but to incorporate ingredients that were more accessible into our meal planning. Eggs, grits and flour were much easier to secure than specialty meats. Thus, Southern-style cuisine became intertwined with our family meals and traditions.

All of this to say that I’ve grown accustomed to this style of break fast. I prefer it to the regretful annual reminder that my stomach is not meant to digest mounds of mayonnaise-laden proteins or seconds of sugar immediately after 24 hours without. Simple, flavorful and easily digestible foods are the strength and strategy in our Southern-inspired menu.  

The hearty pièce de résistance of our table is my mom’s egg casserole. It’s silky, cheesy and smells amazing coming out of the oven. Egg casserole can be made in advance; refrigerate overnight and forget it until an hour before sunset.

When going in for the bake, know that the egg mixture will be settled so the ratio of bread to egg mixture will look skewed. It’s not. The “casserole” bakes like a souffle, so the egg mixture will rise and create a pillowy texture to complement the crusty bits of challah that are exposed at the top.

Feel free to modify this recipe to use any kind of bread (i.e. wholewheat, gluten-free, sourdough, etc.), milk instead of half-and-half or a different sharp cheese (Gruyere or Manchego would be nice). That’s the essence of my mom’s style of Southern Jewish cooking — make it tasty, but creatively configure the ingredients to work for the specific group you’re hosting. Serve her egg casserole alongside cream cheese grits, thick-cut biscuits plus a little bit of fruit and not only will you be covered for the holiday, you’ll get a taste of the lesser known tradition that we hold so dear.

Notes: 

The casserole needs to chill in the fridge for a couple of hours, or overnight, before baking.

 Egg casserole can be made in advance; refrigerate overnight and forget it until an hour before sunset.

[rose-in-a-fisted-glove]

do you have any soup recipes that you would really recommend?

No specific recipes off the top of my head, sorry! Other than (non- instant) Ramen, I usually get them from restaurants or while traveling overseas or pre-made from specialty grocers.

Ramen is just easy for me because my grocers has a really good Asian section with things like (non-instant) dry ramen noodles and soy-ginger broth. There's also the ingredients to make Pho in the same section but usually I get that from the Vietnamese cafe pre-made. I haven't been brave enough to try making it myself yet.

But also, the Vietnamese cafe is awesome and has delicious food and drinks and is so worth the money.

[formeryelpers]

Cookbook Market, 310 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles (Larchmont), CA 90027

I’ve been a fan of Cookbook Market for a long time, since before the Jon & Vinny acquisition and the opening of the Larchmont Village location. The market hasn’t changed noticeably since the acquisition.

The Larchmont Village location is by far the largest of the three, with lots of seating for indoor or outdoor dining (the other locations have no seating) and a café menu. It looks like it used to be a residential house.

You’ll find farm fresh produce, meat, fresh flowers, local and imported cheeses, natural wine & beer, snacks, ice cream, dairy, pantry items (beans, spices, oils, sauces), high quality bread from local bakeries like Bread Lounge and Bub & Grandma’s), housemade pastries (cookies, brownies, donuts, croissants), premade sandwiches, salads, dips, prepared foods (e.g., pot pies, guacamole, red onion jam), cold drinks, etc. They also sell cookbooks, candles, cutting boards, and things that would make nice gifts.

You can also order drinks (coffee and non-coffee drinks), soups, salads, plates (e.g., pastas, branzino, chicken paillard, skirt steak), and snacks.

I think what sets Cookbook Market apart is the food that they make themselves is excellent. All the sandwiches that I’ve tried have been fantastic – quality ingredients thoughtfully put together in flavorful ways.

My picks:

* Dayglow cold coffee ($6.50)

4.5 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[dessertgeek]

How to tell if your chocolate was (almost certainly) made with child labor

First, you want took on the bar's wrapper to try and find where the cacao was sourced from, not the maker's location. "Belgian chocolate" still has a cacao source.

If there is no listed origin, the cacao's almost certainly from Cote d'Ivoire and/or Ghana, the two biggest countries for child and forced labor in cacao. It was almost certainly made with child labor, I'm sorry. (This doesn't mean all cacao from there involves forced and/or child labor, but anti-slavery efforts will be more transparent and also list the origin in the branding.)

If you can find a listed origin, it gets more complex. In an ideal situation, you'll be getting chocolate made with transparent or direct trade cacao, which is what's used by bean to bar and craft chocolate makers. You should be able to trace the beans to the cooperative or farm (in the US the big groups are Meridian Cacao and Uncommon Cacao). However, you most likely won't see these in grocery stores (with a handful of exceptions) - you'll need to buy these from bean to bar chocolate shops, direct from makers, or from specialty grocers. The tradeoff is that yeah, bean to bar chocolate isn't cheap, but it's the highest payout to farmers, up to double Fair Trade, and I've done a video on how I save money on bean to bar chocolate because you shouldn't have to go into debt for chocolate.

Fair Trade makers do often list the origins on their bars or on their websites, and you'll see these in regular and bougie grocery stores. However they again pay way less than direct/transparent trade does for farmers, and there are issues (allegedly) with oversight and farmers still not making enough to live on.

[elminx]

The one thing that REALLY bothers me about a lot of witch content is the use or recommendation of hard-to-find botanicals (see also: ones that you need to order online or go to a specialty store for) with absolutely no explanation as to why that particular botanical is essential/more important than your standard kitchen herbs.

Don’t get me wrong - there are times when a big gun botanical is warranted and needed for a particular working but unless the writer explicitly says why, assume it’s not one of those times.

Most of the time, you can do most if not all of your magic with spices you can buy at your local grocer. Don’t overlook that in favor of exotic things - that’s just a waste of your money.

[antis-hero]

How the Death of Marx’s Daughter Made A Suffragette Into an Anti

Caroline Elizabeth Fairfield Corbin lived a rather humble life. She grew up in Connecticut and was a Trinitarian Christian, was educated, worked for a time as a teacher, and later moved to Chicago with her husband Mr. Calvin Rich Corbin, who was a grocer and importer. Mrs. Corbin was also an advocate for woman suffrage, that is, until she met Eleanor Marx—a socialist and the youngest daughter of Karl Marx—and her partner, Edward Aveling.

Corbin’s reasons for her switch are discussed in her article “One Woman’s Experience of Emancipation”, which was published in 1904. The article starts in 1896 and follows the story of how Eleanor and Aveling’s relationship ended with the former’s death.

Aveling and Marx had come to America that year to defend some anarchists who were set to be executed. Around this time, Corbin had been drifting away from suffragism because she had been studying socialism. She had been introduced to the topic through her involvement in the suffrage movement, but was hesitant to adopt it herself because, in her words, “…she thought it threatened the purity of women and the integrity of the home…”.

To put this concern to rest, Corbin went to see Aveling and Marx speak. There, she asked a question about her concern, to which Aveling reportedly told her that she had “…read a meaning into the writings which did not exist…” and lamented her concern, saying: “…what can we expect from the uncultured and ignorant?”. Another candid question about marriage and polygamy in regards to socialism was also shut down by Aveling.

The issue of love and marriage under socialism was a key focus of Miss Marx, and when asked questions on the subject, it was noted that Aveling had passed them to her, since it was her specialty. When asked by a man if, under socialism, he could leave his wife and marry a younger woman, Marx “…hesitated for a moment, but only for a moment…” and said that while he could, they would make him ashamed for doing it. Corbin was unsure of how a socialist society could make someone feel ashamed for an action they advocated for (Marx had just explained that divorce would not be possible, as “…when love ceased, separation would naturally ensue”).

After meeting and speaking with the pair, Corbin continued to follow their careers. Her concerns about socialism being a threat to marriage and the home were not unfounded and Aveling’s actions were her proof. He was unfaithful to the woman that many considered his wife, and Marx was deeply hurt by this. Aveling secretly married actress Eva Frye, who was a younger woman, in 1897. When she found out about his marriage to another woman, Eleanor began to plot her suicide. Her depression was also likely worsened by Aveling’s illness, which would later cause his own demise shortly after hers. Eleanor was 43 years old when she died of poisoning.

Corbin blamed Eleanor’s death on not only Aveling’s unfaithfulness, but on the socialist view of love and marriage. It was this issue that steered Mrs. Corbin away from socialism, as well as woman suffrage. By 1898, a year before Marx died, Corbin began publishing anti-suffrage material, and in 1897, the anti-suffrage group that she helped found was renamed to the Illinois Association Opposed to the Extension of Suffrage to Women and began working alongside the other state associations.

[atotaltaitaitale]

.

Friday False Advertising… When the store doesn’t sell what the storefront advertises.

From À La Renommée des Herbes Cuites Grossiste (grocer-caterer) to La Renommée restaurant.

This one was a labor of love. I first notice this store front (bottom left photo) about a year ago but I had many other pictures to post so I delayed posting, then a few months ago the front "cover" was taken down; a few more weeks I could see that they were working on it (bottom right photo) so I waited patiently. It took me 4 or 5 more trips (luckily I live nearby so I would often make a small detour) to take the final picture because there were always either construction rubbish or several trash bins in front of it. #PatienceRewarded.

“À la Renommée des Herbes Cuites”,  former 19th century sign of a grocer-caterer.   The building dates from the beginning of the 19th century. The Historic Monuments classified the facade in 1984. Until the end of the 19th century the sign had a different name "La Renommée des Epinards” (spinach fame?) which became "À la Renommée des Herbes Cuites"  (cooked herbs fame?) at the beginning of the 20th century. A change of name but not of vocation, this grocery store serves as a market gardener, creamery and butcher.  Its originality is underlined by the unusual position of the displays under glass placed on the first floor of the building. It is rare to find advertising texts associated with the brand at such height. The permanent descriptive panels, gold lettering on black marble, announced the specialties of the trade and the foods available.

*** During my "flânerie", I often notice the beautiful old storefronts, some are even listed as historical monuments but the ones I prefer are the ones where the storefront and the actual store don’t have anything in common... my “False Advertising” series ***