Shopping at Costco is a necessary evil. I love purchasing large quantities of items that I use often, but hate fighting the crowds just to do grocery shopping. Although I live less than three miles from the Iwilei Costco location, I will sometimes drive to Hawaii Kai just to avoid the craziness. My feelings about this location were confirmed by a relative who works on the corporate side of Costco. He told me that the Iwilei location is one of the busiest out of all locations.
Regardless, sometimes I have no choice but to do my shopping with the masses. This past Sunday was one of those times. My boyfriend and I put our game faces on and headed into what I knew would be a stressful situation. Our reward, we decided, would be a cheap dinner at their food counter.
Arrival
We pulled into the parking lot at around 4:45 pm, roughly an hour before closing time. As soon as we got there, I knew that it was going to be a battle. We finally found a spot on the far side of the lot and headed into the warehouse.
Experience
After showing our Costco card to the employee at the front, we headed inside. We immediately saw people pushing carts in haphazard ways and grabbing items. One customer had close to 50 pineapples stacked in their cart.
We headed to the snacks in the middle, where my boyfriend guided the cart through the aisle as I found what we needed. We continued this system, particularly when in the refrigerated foods section. I noticed a crowd of nearly 40 people gathered around the rotisserie chickens, waiting for the last batch to finish.
As usual, several items not included on our list ended up in the cart. Our best deal- a set of eight ceramic bowls for only $14.99! Another favorite of ours is the shredded Korean nori that comes in a big bag- it's the best on popcorn! I stocked up on that during this trip.
Post-Experience
Although we waited in a long line to check out, we had pleasant conversation with the person who rang us up. He mentioned that the bowls were one of their best deals right now. After paying, we headed out to our car.
We quickly loaded up our purchases, then headed to the food counter for dinner. My new favorite is the barbecue beef sandwich with coleslaw- yum! Of course, the $1.50 hot dog is also a favorite.
Because of my experience with Costco and the stress it brings, I thought this rare trip to the busiest one deserved a dedicated blog post. Does anyone else experience the same anxiety when going to Costco? Any tips for making it less traumatic? :)
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
The Samurai Experience
I must confess that while I do love to run and exercise, I also like to try new foods. Such was the case last Saturday when I really wanted to eat some sort of ice cream. My boyfriend suggested that we go to Samurai in Kalihi.
Pre-Visit
Before heading out to the establishment, we went to Google to find the hours and exact location. We were initially confused, as the Google Earth view didn't show any sign of the business. We visited Yelp to see actual photos, then headed on our way into the heart of Kalihi.
Arrival
Once we found our way to Umi Street, we discovered that all of the stalls in front of Samurai were full. Figuring that a busy shop is a sign of good food, we circled the block again. We easily found street parking near the Nissan dealership nearby and walked down the block to the shop.
The shop itself is located on the ground level of a two-story building and is painted in bright florescent colors. Patrons order their treats from a walk-up window with a serving counter. There are a few benches lining the outskirts of the property where customers can sit and eat. When we arrived, there were several families in line and several others sitting on benches.
Experience
Although the location of Samurai isn't the nicest, the workers were very friendly and helpful as we made our choices. I noticed that there were several workers behind the counter who dispensed the ice cream and prepared the other snacks. I also noticed that they were a little behind on orders, as it was a Saturday afternoon and busy with families.
Shortly after our arrival, I made the connection that Samurai makes the Hawaiian Frost cups that my students often bring to school to celebrate birthdays. Because I find those difficult to eat, I opted for their swirled chocolate and haupia soft serve in a small cup. My boyfriend tried their classic strawberry and vanilla swirled soft serve. Samurai is also known for their fresh popcorn with furikake, so we bought a bag to take home.
We found a bench to sit on while we enjoyed our ice cream. We, of course, photographed our ice cream:
Post-Experience
We both really enjoyed our experience at Samurai. Their soft serve is unique, as it is more dense than others that I've tried. Although I probably wouldn't visit this location at night, we will definitely be returning soon!
Pre-Visit
Before heading out to the establishment, we went to Google to find the hours and exact location. We were initially confused, as the Google Earth view didn't show any sign of the business. We visited Yelp to see actual photos, then headed on our way into the heart of Kalihi.
Arrival
Once we found our way to Umi Street, we discovered that all of the stalls in front of Samurai were full. Figuring that a busy shop is a sign of good food, we circled the block again. We easily found street parking near the Nissan dealership nearby and walked down the block to the shop.
The shop itself is located on the ground level of a two-story building and is painted in bright florescent colors. Patrons order their treats from a walk-up window with a serving counter. There are a few benches lining the outskirts of the property where customers can sit and eat. When we arrived, there were several families in line and several others sitting on benches.
Experience
Although the location of Samurai isn't the nicest, the workers were very friendly and helpful as we made our choices. I noticed that there were several workers behind the counter who dispensed the ice cream and prepared the other snacks. I also noticed that they were a little behind on orders, as it was a Saturday afternoon and busy with families.
Shortly after our arrival, I made the connection that Samurai makes the Hawaiian Frost cups that my students often bring to school to celebrate birthdays. Because I find those difficult to eat, I opted for their swirled chocolate and haupia soft serve in a small cup. My boyfriend tried their classic strawberry and vanilla swirled soft serve. Samurai is also known for their fresh popcorn with furikake, so we bought a bag to take home.
We found a bench to sit on while we enjoyed our ice cream. We, of course, photographed our ice cream:
We both really enjoyed our experience at Samurai. Their soft serve is unique, as it is more dense than others that I've tried. Although I probably wouldn't visit this location at night, we will definitely be returning soon!
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
The Starbucks Experience
The TEDx Talk below gave me more insight as to the history of coffee growing, as well as more details about the actual roasting process of coffee beans. While the speaker, Asher Yaron, is passionate about local, organic, and sustainable coffee, I found myself thinking more about how coffee is consumed in our culture- specifically at Starbucks.
Yaron mentions that early coffee drinking was a religious and cultural experience. While I'd argue that drinking Starbucks coffee isn't necessarily earth-shattering, we know that their business model strives to create a certain feel for customers. But do I, the customer, truly feel this experience each and every time I go to Starbucks? Not always...
Perhaps the most memorable Starbucks experience I had was during my trip to Tokyo this summer. While I couldn't speak the language, I was still able to order my usual drink. I felt valued as a customer, as the baristas and cashiers greeted me warmly and did their best to help me order. I even came away with a unique Starbucks card!
Overall, last week's class really helped me assess my experiences in businesses and begin to set the stage for learning this semester.
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