Remember when we waited, we crossed our fingers, we gave our zip codes freely in hope that someday Trader Joe's would come to Tacoma? We would give anything to put an end to the crippling journey to Federal Way. Thank goodness that changed. Even driving to University Place from my home in central Tacoma seems to take forever, with all the round a bouts and lack of turn lanes on Bridgeport. But it's clearly worth it.

What is it about Trader Joe's that we love? Geez where do I begin? It's not a big store, and strangely it hosts a vast selection of items to choose from, but yet it doesn't seem to be overly crowded. It's almost magical. Maybe when someone rings that bell up front, that's the signal for the TJ gnomes to restock?

Whatever the case maybe, I enjoy my shopping experience here and not necessarily in order to save money. It's about convenience and health-driven merchandise. I did however buy some MSM, which is good for your skin, muscles and joints and milk thistle extract which promotes liver health. I'll give you one guess why I take that every morning. Both were priced exceptionally well at $4.99 and $7.99 for 100.

Olive oil here is always a great deal. The Trader Giotto's (cute) is $5.49 for the one liter bottle. Here's a little tip: don't use extra virgin olive oil for cooking. It burns too easy, and it's too tasty to waste in a frying pan. Save it for your salads and bread dipping.

I picked up some garlic and herb pizza dough, and I promise to use it right away this time. The shelf life on this stuff is very limited, but it's only $1.29 for fresh pizza dough. It comes in whole-wheat and plain too. I should have bought the whole-wheat dough, but enough is enough. The whole-wheat couscous will have to suffice (17.6 ounces for $1.99).

OK, enough with the healthy, here comes the convenience. TJ Take-out Thali Aloo Matar, Yellow Dal and Basamati Rice all in one box, two servings and ready to eat in less than three minutes. All for the amazing price of $3.99 and it doesn't taste half bad. Add the amazing Tandoori Naan Curry Bread ($3.49), brushed with a little EXTRA virgin olive oil then sprinkle with Feta, and you're set!

In a nutshell, the meat section is great. Lots of beef, lamb chicken and turkey, but it could use some fresh seafood. The frozen seafood didn't impress me much on this trip, so I suppose Johnny's is in my future. Produce, dried fruits, grains and alternative milk sources score pretty high with me, but the dairy section, especially the cheese, lacks imagination. Oh, no she didn't. ...

I've chosen not to mention Two Buck Chuck because it's no longer $2 and it's horrid. However the special TJ Vintage beer made by Unibroue is worth giving a try. It's tough to go wrong with their beer.

Beware the bait at the registers! There's chocolate covered everything upfront, so rather than rely on my willpower, I decided to give in with the mini peanut butter cups for $3.99. Pretty darn tasty, but could use a touch of salt. Mmmm salt.

There's not much you can't find at Trader Joe's. Good deals are to be found for sure, but the real treat here is their imagination and great selection. I'm a kid in a candy store and it's worth driving through the maze of University Place.

[Trader Joe's, 3800 Bridgeport Way W., University Place, 253.460.2672]