Checking In (About Checkout Lanes)

Today, I had to run to the grocery store to pick up some things.  Simple stuff, such as garlic bread and coffee creamer.  It wasn't until I was home and Stephen had left for work that I realized that grocery shopping has started to become a mundane task for me.  Just like it used to back in Houston, I suppose.  I guess that means that we are slowly getting used to being here.

When we came to Connecticut for the wedding, back in 2009, I was comforted to see some familiar faces- Wal-Mart, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Chili's- because I knew that in a pinch I could find whatever we would need for starting a new life.  And here in Branford, we are no backwater outpost.  We have Kohl's, Hallmark stores, McDonald's and other neon signs that have come to unite Americans in the past century.  Of course, every region of the country has retained distinctive character, and one of the ways it which it remains strong is in the grocery stores we all frequent.  Here are some of the major players we have here in Southern Connecticut:

1. Big Y. 

Courtesy http://feastingonadventure.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/mm-mrkt-big-y.jpg

     Big Y is a newcomer to the supermarket industry here-it's based in Springfield, Massachusetts, which is only an hour away.  In 2010, A&P sold all of its stores in this area to Big Y, including the one in Branford. 

Big Y is sort of a cross between HEB and Randall's.  They have your standard gigantic deli with 53 kinds of cheddar cheese, organic milk and dryer sheets.  They also have a large selection of store brand organic and fair trade coffees, which is very cool.  To save money here, you have to have their Big Y card,  but you also get special prices in certain items if you have silver or gold coins.  No, not the ones that Glenn Beck wants you to buy, but the ones that you can win on the little computer game at the register while you check out.  It's a little pricey, and I'm not crazy about their store-brand cereal, but it's only about three blocks from the house, and let's be honest, I am lazy!

2. Stop and Shop

Not in Branford, and obviously not taken recently.  Courtesy http://www.sacredheart.edu/images/full/33121.jpg

  Stop and Shop is another chain store (aren't most of them these days?)  They're the largest supermarket chain in the region and are actually owned by a Dutch company, which is why Big Y stresses that it is "American-owned" in every circular. 

Our Stop and Shop in Branford is about 3 miles away, and while the prices seem reasonable (similar to Kroger) I am not impressed with the store.  It feels very cold and too bright inside, almost like shopping in an office building.  They also have a program involving handheld scanners that lets you pick one up and the front entrance, scan your items as you go along, and then dock it at a register.  The only human interaction you have to have is with the cashier when you hand them your money.  This IS convenient, but it also means less jobs.  I am not willing to contribute to our state's unemployment rate just so I can save two minutes of my life!

3. Shop Rite

Courtesy http://cae2k.com/photosviewer-0/shop-rite-photo.html

 It's not quite fair to include Shop Rite in this list, because we don't have one in Branford; the closest one is is West Haven, 15 minutes away.  Since I no longer work on that side of the river, deciding to shop at Shop Rite means that I have to make a conscious decision to burn extra gas and possibly get stuck in traffic-either from a wreck on the bridge or in a pack of New Yorkers heading back to the city.  Now, they have really good deals- a few weeks ago, I snagged a 12 pack of Scott toilet paper for only $6.99, which is almost half price (alas I had no coupons for TP that day.)  But the neighborhood isn't great, either, so I watch the circular online and only go there for unbeatable deals. I wish we had one in Branford, or at least in East Haven or Guilford.

You might have noticed that I left out Wal-Mart. I actually LIKE shopping at Wal-Mart up here-unlike the ones in Houston, they are clean and well-stocked.  And we have one near our house; all we have to do is walk through a grove of trees to get there.  The problem is, they are not supercenters- think about the ones we had in Texas about 15 years ago. They have a grocery section, but not a deli counter, meat department, etc.  Zoning is pretty strict up here, so most towns don't want to deal with the traffic a supercenter would bring.  So it's better to buy an item or two there than to try to do all your shopping at once. 

I also left out the independent, Mom-and-Pop stores nearby.  I have been to some of these places, but I am a creature of habit, and shopping at small stores is something I have to learn to do.  But there's time for that, right?  After all, it's only been three months!

Happiness In A Can

One of the best things about moving to a new state is the opportunity for culinary adventures.  These can be knock-your-socks-off experiences, such as having your first Wawa hoagie, or as disappointing as a shitty diner waitress. There are a lot of foods we haven't tried yet here, such as apizza or Gassosa from Foxon Park sodas. But sometimes, you just miss the food from home.

So it was with great anticipation that we opened our first care package from my sister a few days ago.  We'd been craving chili dogs, and what we found wasn't cutting it.  Nothing can compete with Wolf Brand Chili! So she sent us six cans, which is more than enough to last a while. 

The outline of Texas on the label means it's full of yummy goodness.

And it's perfect for frito pie.  For my Connecticut friends, it's the easiest meal in the world: chili, fritos, and shredded cheese.  You can jazz it up with onions, jalapeños, or other stuff, but it's best to keep it to five ingredients or less.

The thumb is optional, except for the meat-lover's version.

Thank you, Traci, for sending us a little piece of home! 

I'm from Houston, and We Have Our Own Football Team, Which Is Not Named "The Cowboys"

One of the first things we've had to adjust to here in Connecticut is just how little people know about Texas.  It'a been interesting to clear up some misconceptions people have about the Lone Star State.  One of my favorites involves humidity.  Now, anyone who has ever been to Houston knows that summer is a steam bath for 4-6 months out of the year.  But so many people are genuinely shocked when I tell them this.  One lady told me last week, "Oh, I bet this humidity is killing you" (It was 84 degrees with 50% humidity that day.)  I don't remember JR Ewing ever having to deal with cactus and dust storms on South Fork, so I don't know where the idea that Texas is so dry comes from.  I mean, I know there's a drought back home, but that's an exception.

Stephen has encountered some of these stereotypes at work.  For instance, guests keep asking him if he's a Cowboys fan.  I had to explain that Dallas and Houston are rivals, much like New York and Boston, so that is like asking someone from The Bronx who their favorite Red Sox player is.   We've also seen people have looks of absolute shock on their faces when I describe the Galleria's ice rink, or mention that Houston has an openly gay mayor. (Hi, Annise!) 


To be completely fair, I know that the shoe would be on the other foot for a New Englander moving to Texas.  Even in the 21st century, with fast cars, airplanes and the Interstate Highway Systems, most people don't move very far from home.  I have had to overcome some assumptions I had about Connecticut, too:

• Lobsters are freakin' EXPENSIVE up here.  Cheaper than back in Texas, but still more than I expected!
• I have yet to meet any fishermen.
• The Chinese buffet in Branford is almost a carbon copy of the ones in Houston, except they don't have Mexican food on them and some offer lobster fried rice.
• I expected everyone to talk like New Yorkers, but I have noticed four different accents within 15 minutes of our house.
• This state is barely larger than Harris County, yet has more cultural and geographical diversity than I ever thought possible.  

It just goes to show that, no matter where we are from, we are all God's children, and all Americans.  And the fact that each part of the country is different than another is one of our strengths and ought to be celebrated. 

Starting Out

Well friends and family, we have been in Connecticut for just over three months now.  It feels like just yesterday we left Houston and started on this great adventure.  The road to starting a new life has had some pitfalls, but also some wonderful revelations and magical moments.  But then, doesn't life always have a way of being like that?

I'm starting this blog for several reasons:

1. To share with folks back home our experiences living in the Northeast.
2. To help our new friends here in Connecticut understand their home state through fresh eyes.
3. To chronicle our adventures.

From time to time, I will also post links of interest.  Some will be positive, some won't. Many of you have wondered why we left Texas.  And that's a fair question!  After all, both of our families have deep roots there.  Well, maybe this blog will help you understand better.

Why "Texpatriate"? Well, as John Steinbeck once wrote, "Texas is a state of mind.  Texas is an obsession.  Above all, Texas is a nation in every sense of the word...A Texan outside of Texas is a foreigner."  I truly do feel like an expatriate here in Connecticut sometimes-these folks have never heard of Wolf Brand chili, they've never been to Luckenbach, and they have this weird, cold white stuff that apparently falls from the sky every winter (I'll have to see this for myself.)  But, this is a great place and I look forward to the day when it will feel like home!