I am absolutely loving my new neighborhood! 
I’m so glad that we decided to move into the city– it makes me feel alive!
House hunting was great and all, but putting an offer in on a house so far outside the city, totally freaked Mal and me out! I guess we’re just not ready to “settle down” yet.
The “Essentials”
After moving another load of our stuff into our new apartment last, we stopped at the grocery store to grab the “essentials.” Here’s what Mal and I considered must-haves:
- Oats
- Soy milk
- Bananas
- Apples
- Salad greens
- Grape tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Bread
- Coffee
- Canned tuna
- Cereal
- Peanut butter
- Kettle Backyard BBQ chips
We’re planning a BIG shopping this weekend, but these few groceries should hold us over for a couple of days. What do you consider your grocery “essentials”?
Lunch
For lunch, I made a simple salad with greens, tomatoes, cucumber, almond slices, and topped it with Claire’s delicious relish.
Last night, between packing and unpacking, Mal and I ordered a cheese pizza from one of the pizza places in the area. It wasn’t the best pizza I’ve ever eaten (it was super greasy!), but I also wasn’t expecting something gourmet. Mal and I were hungry and it did the trick!
We had lots of leftovers, so I paired my salad with a cold slice.
A little while later, I munched on a ProBar. I like this flavor a lot– very fruity!
After lunch, I took MP (Murphy Pug) for a 45 minute walk around our neighborhood. Between strangers stopping to say ‘hello’ to Murphy and him sniffing everything in sight, we only walked about 3 blocks and back! It tough to take this pup for a walk!
Cafe Arpeggio
Even though I’ve made the hot coffee “switch” for the season, today’s especially beautiful weather called for an iced coffee. I stopped into Café Arpeggio to grab one.
Café Arpeggio is super cute! They had a great selection of yummy foods– homemade ice cream, sandwiches, soups, freshly baked pastries, and gourmet coffee. I have a feeling that I will become a regular there!
Dollar Stores Finds
I also popped into the local dollar store to pick up some household items. Maybe I’m weird, but I LOVE dollar stores! Of course, most sell a lot of junk, but certain products are such a steal! I spent less than $10 for all of this stuff! Sweet!
The final leg of moving happens tonight! We just need to move our couches, bed, wardrobe, and some random odds and ends. We’re so close!
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I consider essentials to be – a few fruits, a few veggies, plain yogurt, eggs, cheese. (I would be a really terrible vegan apparently!)
I would LOVE to live in a city. We have a nice home in a small town with a VERY small downtown. We would have to completely relocate to be in a city. Enjoy your neighborhood!
I agree there’s no better place to live than IN a city. I don’t know why “settling down” is considered moving to the burbs. Stay in the city and enjoy the museums, nightlife, food, theater and all other culture the burbs can’t give you.
Dollar stores are great for tupperwar!! The Dollar tree rocks!
We bought a house last summer in Salt Lake City. Luckily, SLC isn’t too big, just the right size for enough to do and not crazy traffic, etc. Plus we have the mountains so we can always get away!
Some of our essentials are: skim milk, apples, oats, yogurt-we make our own, whole wheat bread-we make our own, or sandwich thins, cereal, salad makings-lettuce, veggies, etc., seasonal fruit, cottage cheese, and turkey and cheese-for hubs sandwiches.
That’s a great list. I think PB, Bread, Oats, Canned Tuna, And Sweet potatoes would be my bare-minimum list
Cafe Arpeggio is the BEST! My best friend used to live two doors up W. Broadway from it and we used to get ice cream and coffee from there constantly. Enjoy!!
I’ve always liked moving solely for the excuse to order pizza because you haven’t unpacked any dishes / have no food in the house! It’s almost a requirement!
Love your new neighborhood, and good luck. My grocery essentials would be Organic Milk, yogurt, Oatmeal, atleast 3 types of fruits, wheat bread, eggs, Tomatos, onions, and frozen mixed vegetables. These are my must haves.
Tina, I had a Question. When you go to these cafe’s do you feel awkward clicking pictures or you let them know in advance what/who you are?
Aw I miss Southie! I love Cafe Arpeggio! Is Amsterdam Cafe still there? Where West Broadway turns into East Broadway…they have delicious and HUGE wraps (two meals at least!!)
The pics from the places around your neighborhood look so awesome! What a fun place to discover new spots.
I also love dollar stores. Yep, tons of junk, but always great for cleaning stuff and little things (post-its, lightbulbs, etc.)
My grocery essentials are pretty similar to yours: oats, fresh produce (bananas and stuff to make salads ALWAYS), hummus, dried beans, canned tomatoes, raw nuts, and one snack food for fun munching. Lately it’s been Food Should Taste Good chips – so addictive!
I love dollar stores too! Random, but did you know that some dollar stores sell $1 preggo tests??!
Grocery store essentials are about the same as yours, you can make a lot of different meals with that list!
Have fun moving the rest of your stuff tonight!
Ooh. Good one. My essentials would be:
1. Whole wheat bread/pitas
2. Deli turkey
3. LETTUCE
4. Egg whites
5. Veggie Burgers
6. Hummus
I didn’t like living in a city at first, but after 2+ years in NYC I LOVE it! I enjoy being able to take long walks, sample fun restaurants/cafes, and use public transportation.
I also really enjoy grocery shopping – great question.My essentials: coffee, milk, plain yogurt, apples, bananas, ww bread, peanut butter, carrots, and COOKIES!
I think my essentials would be eggs, some kind of nut butter, spinach, bananas, cans of black beans and chickpeas, cheese, and some sort of bread or wrap. I LOVE dollar stores. I thought they were cool as a kid and I love them even more as an adult.
Dollar stores are awesome. I love looking at the assorted toiletries they have there!
It’s great that you have a little coffee shop right near your new place. I love having cafes within walking distance. I loved living in downtown Chicago for that very reason. My grocery store essentials would be bottled water, bread, peanut butter, fruit, milk, cereal, deli meat, cheese, and whatever I need to make a salad.
How exciting that your almost done unpacking. its gotta be such a relief! Essentials for me include veggies, fruit, cereal, yogurt, pitas, lunch meat. basically anything you can assemble for lunches!
Enjoy getting settled in- unpacking & moving can be so stressful! My essentials are yogurt, eggs, cheese, popcorn, whole wheat pitas & fruit & veggies, and lately coconut M&M’s!
Hmmm 2 essentials…some form of chocolate, and blue corn tortilla chips. Oh, and cheese!
It is so nice being able to walk everywhere living in the city – glad you like your new neighborhood! I lived in Southie in 2004 but it has changed so much since then – I feel like there are so many new places to check out in the neighborhood!
Congratulations on your new place!
My essentials are:
coffee, whole-grain bread, almond butter, dark chocolate, berries, bananas, spinach, fiber bars, cereal, oats, sweet potatoes, tomato sauce, and pasta…I could survive for quite a while with just those essentials.
My essentials are oats, yogurt, cheese, eggs, bread and peanut butter.
That coffee shop look so cute! Like a place I would love to hang out.
I love dollar stores too. They are great for picking up certain things inexpensively.
My staples are Fage 2%, whipped cottage cheese, wild salmon, canned tuna, oats, almond butter, dried beans, raw almonds and walnuts, and whatever fruits and veggies are in season locally–typically have 5-7 different kinds of veggies on hand and 1-2 kinds of fruits. These items are always stocked in my house.
oh and forgot to add good quality 70%+ dark chocolate and coffee are staples/essentials.
My essentials are spinach, fruit (apples, bananas, melons, plums or kiwis), carrots, cucumbers, peppers, Greek Yogurt, Larabars, and some sort of snack item.
My essentials are organic brown eggs, oatmeal, bananas, apples, boneless/skinless chicken breasts, hummas and bell peppers.
Greek yogurt is my #1 essential–but I’d also be lost with PB, oats, eggs and fresh fruits and veggies.
I have been itching to move to NYC for a while now. I know what you mean about feeling so alive in a city. It is just great.
My must haves: carrots, kale, lemons, lettuce!, tomatoes, avocados, cucumbers, bell peppers, raw dark chocolate
Greasy pizza is kind of a moving necessity. I think when we moved last year, we ate at least 2 during the entire weekend.
My food essentials are eggs, salsa, hummus, spinach, bananas, english muffins, yogurt and usually something sweet.
dollar stores are great! sponges and soap especially are always a good deal there
So glad you’re liking your new digs!
Your salad looks so pretty! I love cold pizza! My family thinks that is so weird!
My essentials are eggs, cheese, bread, fruit, fruit and more fruit!
If I’m out of any of these things, I immediately make a run to the grocery store: peanut butter, bananas, almond milk, oatmeal, bread.
essentials are fruits, milk, bread, peanut butter, and everyday needs!
i love how you always find cute lil places in the city
jenna
Those look a lot like my essentials! For sure peanut butter! And tuna is great with anything.
… but peanut butter
so glad you like your new ‘hood! i’m actually going to be in boston over t’giving and wanted to ask your advice – we’re staying at the doubletree downtown; any places you definitely recommend near there?
Your not alone in your love of dollar stores; they are the only place I buy hand soap and tissues. My essentials are really similar to yours, with the addition of greek yogurt that I eat everyday. Got to get in that protein.
Welcome to city living! Aren’t you glad that you trusted your instinct and continued renting and living in the city versus buying a house and living far outside it? Sometimes, you just gotta go with your gut! I know so many people that live in Southie. Everyone loves it. Don’t forget to try out Amrhein’s – they have great food!
i love dollar stores!! you can get anything there!!!
Café Arpeggio looks adorable! I love discovering cool new coffee shops. So happy for you and your new big city apartment. I contemplated moving to San Francisco for a while, but never made the leap. Good for you for going with your gut and jumping into city life. Enjoy it!
I love Cafe Arpeggio too – they have tons of yummy vegetarian sandwiches, and their egg and cheese sandwiches are really good. For pizza, I would recommend Broadway’s Best or L Street Diner, that’s where I always go. They’re probably the best of the vast array of greasy pizza places in Southie
Tina,
I think it is sooo funny you mention that you LOVE the dollar stores… I do too! My husband laughs because he always asks if I will be heading to the dollar store when I say I am out of the following items..
Renolyds wrapped pre cut strips
Saran Wrap
Zipper Lunch Bags-which we reuse
Fake Woolite which I <3
Mechanical Pencils for class, work ect
Cellophane for gifts, wrapping paper, ribbons, 50 cent cards
Disposable paper cups for coffee if I am on the go
Happy Shopping,
Ashley
Isn’t city living the best?! I don’t know if I will ever want to live in the burbs. . .
Love Arpeggio! Such a fun area!
Our staples are:
spinach
bananas
Fage 0% or TJ’s Greek style yogurt
organic skim milk
vanilla or cappucino soy milk
Tostitos lime chips (my biggest weakness EVER!)
some sort of strong cheese
if at Trader Joe’s, Abrazo del Toro wine
Probably lots of other stuff but I won’t bore you all!
Apparently Pug’s are sniffers. J’s pug back home took like twenty minutes to not even make it one block… forever!!!! But he was so cute and worth it!
-maria
M.P.! I love that. I would consider our essentials to be: yogurt, bananas, cheese, crackers, eggs, spinach and almond butter. We can get by with very little if we have to.
I’m so glad you like your new neighborhood. I love the hood I live in now, alas I may have to move since I need a car and there isn’t really proper parking here.
Glad you’re loving the new neighborhood! I have the same camera case:)
So glad you love your new neighborhood! I miss the city so much–I swear that’s where I’m meant to be!
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