Jungle Jim's, that is...
Most everyone who lives in the greater Cincinnati area has been to Jungle Jim's at least once. When I lived in Fairfield, OH, I went at least once a month. This is not your average grocery store. Jim's is a local treasure, boasting food from around the world, in addition to having lots of entertaining attractions for the whole family. A trip to Jungle Jim's was on Isabel's summer "bucket list", and we finally went yesterday.
(You know you're a blogger when you bring your camera to the grocery store, and make your family pose in the parking lot for a great picture for your post :)
You also know you're a blogger when you pointedly ignore the sign that says no cameras are allowed in Jungle Jim's. Hello, why on earth have all this fun stuff inside if you won't let people photograph it? (I'm such a rebel...)
A must-see if you go: the restrooms. The doors are real port-o-let doors, which open up to a regular (and award-winning clean) bathroom. Gabe REFUSED to even go in there, knowing it had to be "very stinky in there!". Elijah and Isabel were both brave enough to testify that it actually smelled just fine.
Jim is known for having all kinds of food that can't be found anywhere else in Cincinnati. The candy section alone was good for thirty minutes and an entire bag full of treats for our whole family. The weirdest find: liquid candy "blood", complete in a Red-Cross like bag... Isabel's choice was the "Emergency Chocolate Bar".
Seriously? Who would buy a "whole, bone-in rattlesnake" for over $100?! What on earth does rattlesnake taste like? Chicken?
My kids are such good sports, letting me take their picture no matter where we are. Elijah thought he was ruining the shot by being silly, but it turned out to be one of my favorites!
Lately, Gabe has been way into sharks and sea creatures of any kind (he found "Jaws" on Netflix and has watched it several times). The seafood section was one of his favorites, and when he spied this shark hanging from the ceiling, I HAD to "take a pitcher" of it :)
Oysters, mussels, clams, tubes of calamari, even baby octopus...we looked, but did not buy.
Saying goodbye to the Jungle, until next time...
Despite the mind-dizzying assortment of food from the world-over, the strangest thing we bought was the Emergency Chocolate Bar. Although I am a little curious about that rattlesnake...
Have you ever shopped at Jungle Jim's? Any stores like it in your area? What's the weirdest thing you've ever eaten? Did it taste like chicken?
11 comments:
Oooooh. First comment. I ate squid when I was in Hawaii. Gross. And clams and raw fish. All Gross. The locals would take empty gallon milk jugs in the water and find squid and stick them too the jugs. Gross. And take them home and eat them. Gross.
When we went eariler this year we saw snails the size of my fist. The gooey snail inside was hanging out. Gross.
I bet Betty would love this place!
Ahhh - I always wondered what it looked like in there... I hear people talk aboutit all the time. (How can you tell people not to bring a camera? that just makes me wanna snap away)
I'm not adventerous in food... at all... I yell at my dad when he eats frog legs... but I'd be all about that candy aisle!!!
Wow, I never knew this place exsisted. What a cool place. I want to go some time.
What a cool store. No, there is nothing even remotely that interesting here. Your kids are sure growing like weeds..
Nope, nothing like that here. I wish! I have never had rattlesnake, but I have known people who have eaten it and declared it a delicacy. I'll withhold judgment, but I definitely wouldn't spend $100 on that!
Okay, kinda crazy there chicka. Rattlesnake? Yea, I don't think so. Wild and crazy and cool though.
Want me to "borrow" Gabe next weekend? We are going to the city to the Shedd Aquarium as Thomas is a HUGE fan of all things water and fish.
Awesome pictures!!! I'm glad you're a rebel. (probably why we've hit it off so well)
Oh my goodness!! I SO want to go there now. I love trying food from around the world. We have nothing like that here. That is going on my "Bucket List!!"
I ate Alligator when I was pregnant with Tori. John told me it was sausage. (it was in a hot dog bun) after I devoured it and asked for another, he told me what it was. I ate the other because it is really good!!! I also like frog legs and I've eaten squirrel...which does taste like chicken...but I couldn't get past the fact that I was eaten such a cute critter.
I would love to shop here!! I'm a huge fan of markets of any kind, especially those with hard to find items!! Hmmm, may have to plan a trip around this one!
(on a side note...bummed you won't be at BlogHer! How about Relevant in October?)
Kristin
1. I have heard of this place, and someday want to go.
2. I get no camera's in a place like the Biltmore, but at a grocery store???
3. I have had rattlesnake. It did taste like chicken.
4. You've been QUITE silent in regards to an e-mail I sent you. Ahem.
I love, love, love "The Jungle." My mom and I took the kids there when I was home the other week. My parents live about three minutes away. The boys loved all the stuff--the singing soup can, Robin Hood, the talking ear of corn, and on and on and on. I bought myself some cool jams and spreads to liven up my lunchtime sandwiches. My mom bought some buffalo chicken salad which we ate while I was there. Yummy.
I wanted to blog about it, but there was no way I could shop, track the kids, and take photos. Plus, if I had seen the no photos sign, I would have been a scaredy cat because I am a goody goody like that!
Weirdest thing I've ever eaten? Um, I don't know. I just recently had some goat, which was tasty and not entirely unlike chicken.
Woot! When we were in Cincy -- the first time, before Rachel, we went to Jungle Jims.
AB-SOLUTELY AMAZING! Brett loved the international foods -- he picked up some things there he hadn't seen since he was in London.
It's awesome, and we even went without kids.
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