Multicultural

I feel like I've had a very multicultural day. This morning I hung out with the environmentally friendly, whole foodish, sometimes slightly hippie crowd at the downtown farmer's market. Bought parsnips for the first time to try in a new soup recipie. Wouldn't have known what they were if it weren't for the signs on the produce. They look like albino carrots for those blog readers who are like me and have never experienced parsnips.

Then I made my inagual visit to Urban Outfitters because they were having sidewalk sales. I felt way too "granola" and untrendy to frequent that store very often, but they did have some cool stuff. I came out with a book entitled The Little Prince (good memories from Peru) and a orange pub glass that says "douchebag." Don't think less of me, please. It's a gag-gift for a friend. :)

Next door to Urban Outfitters is American Apparel. The 1980's and early 90's are alive and well in this store. My favorite: hypercolor t-shirts! Of course, they were a different name, but the same wonderful shirt that turns white from warmth. Scott and I wanted one, but couldn't quite make ourselves dish out $34 a piece. But the memories were good.

After lunch, we ran up to Walmart, which, as we all know, is it's own little slice of the world. Enough said on that. Scott was looking for a saudering iron (to put in my new car radio, which has an iPod jack...yea!) but Walmart was out, so we ventured across the street to Tractor Supply Company (TSC).

The parking lot at TSC is 80 percent pickups and SUV's. The guy who held the door for us as we entered was wearing worn jeans and roper shoes. Twangy country played throughout the store. I was one of the few (if there were any more) females in the store. Took me back to growing up on the farm. We always had to stop at TSC for baling twine.

No luck at TSC for the saudering iron, so down the street we went to Hobby Town USA. I'm fairly sure I was the only woman in the store above the age of 10. Did you know they have a big remote control race track and work area attached? We stood at the viewing windows and watched men of all ages work on and race their cars. Excellent people watching.

The final stop of the day was the new pedestrain bridge north of downtown. The best people (and animal) watching of the day yet. A photographer from the World Herald took a picture of us looking out on the water. Who knows, maybe we'll be in the paper this week!

Yes, I feel like I've seen a little of everything today, all within a 15 minute drive of my house. Nice way to spend a beautiful fall afternoon.