A WholeMeal

This week, I was on business in Fair Fax (Fair Lakes), Virginia. It was the first time I visited Virginia. I spent three days in the Fair Fax area. On the last evening, I made the 45 minute drive into Washington D.C. to see the squeeky clean center and the national monuments.

During the day, I went for lunch with the team of the company I was visiting. In the evening, I was on my own. On the way to my hotel, I decided to stop for a bottle of sparkling water at Whole Foods in Fair Lakes. It is always an experience to walk into Whole Foods. This one was wonderful and very spacious, unlike the cramped Whole Foods stores in the Bay Area. While strolling around, I noticed a lot of people were dining inside Whole Foods. I am not referring to the tables at the end of the checkout, where you can eat the food you just bought inside the store. No, in the middle of the stores, at various locations, you find tables and chairs, or a counter to sit at.

I ate tuna prepared with miso and sesame seeds in the middle of store and right in front of the fresh fish counter. The food was delicious, made right in front of me. The scenery is fun: people strolling by, grocery shopping. The price is like a medium priced restaurant ($15 I believe). A nice detail is that there is a no tipping policy. ("We already get paid enough by WholeFoods", the waitress told me.)

The next day, I checked out the meat counter. Pork is smoked right in front of you. This is a great idea. I will keep my WholeFood shares a little longer.