Costco

A couple weekends ago I found myself with an empty Sunday afternoon and no pressing life goals or aspirations to accomplish...except perhaps one: To find the most ludicrously oversized and underpriced jar of Dill Pickles that could be dreamed for. So where to set out on my quest? Where any good American goes for bulk quantity purchases: Costco, of course!

Yes, for one afternoon, Korea felt a bit more like Good Ol' USA, the land of the exorbitant and the home of the bulk. I walked through the loading dock sized warehouse filled to capacity with 500 reams of sky blue Xerox paper, gallon jars of Oil of Olay, 15lbs cases of Kleenex, and 20 liter bottles of Burburry Cologne. I was fortunate enough to gain access from a fellow ex-pat friend Lisa, who posessed the coveted Costco Card, and knowledge of its clandestine location.

Entry granted we strolled for a few hours admist stock of 3 lbs chocolate bars, sampled fresh strawberries, soy milk, and even Real pumpkin pie! (swinging by that particular table 4 times) I was amused to see my favorite Natural Valley granola bars sitting along side Korean rice and sesame seed sticks, or Spam shelfed next to French Pate- evidently the two are indistinguishable to the Korean palate. More amusing were the Gift Box sets including 3 cans of Spam, 2 boxes of sesame crackers, a steering wheel of cheese and Boones Farm Strawberry wine. Yes, even in Korea you can find the illustrious Boones Farm Wine, $2 and in Wild Strawberry and Kiwi flavors. Nothing says "I cherish you" more than Spam and kiwi "wine".

3 hours later we walked out into the chill of the night, warmed by the buzz of consumer indulgence and tummies full of sample sized pieces of pumpkin pie. Lugging all we dared to carry on the subway, loaded down with 2 lbs bags of baby carrots, cartons of granola bars, cinnamon and oat&honey, bottle of Bailey's and 2 matching Tumblers, and jar of Neutrogena Hand Cream the size of my head, we felt our mission had be glorious success. Then I realized...I'd forgotten the pickles.