My mom, who lives on the Upper West Side, is a regular at the farmer’s market. Every weekend, she sets out to stock up on fresh produce, seafood, and bread. It’s a balancing act, literally! She walks ahead, carefully selecting her bounty – three cartons of strawberries, a couple of pounds of clams, and two massive loaves of SheWolf bread. As I trail behind, I carry the heavy Whole Foods bags, feeling the strain on my arms. After we’ve finished shopping, we split the bags and embark on the grueling 17-block walk back to her apartment. By the time we reach her door, our arms and wrists are throbbing with deep red welts. It’s a painful routine, and I can’t imagine my mom doing this multiple times a week – Fridays at 97th Street, Saturdays at 66th, and Sundays at 77th. She tried using a utility cart for a while, but found it embarrassing – it was too plain and made her feel like she was unable to carry her own groceries. The thought of relying on a simple cart was disheartening, and she abandoned it. Back to the heavy bags she went.
A Mission to Find the Perfect Trolley
Being the dutiful daughter I am, I decided to find a stylish shopping cart for my mom for Mother’s Day. I figured, I write about shopping, surely I could find something. But as it turned out, she was right, it was a tough task. All the trolleys I found online were either garishly colored in suburban hues of turquoise and purple, or looked like something you’d find at an outdoor gear store. I was stuck, until I had a brilliant idea: I’d check out Top Hat, a fantastic store in the East Village that sells all sorts of unique and useful items. They have everything from beautiful Italian tool kits to charming Viennese picnic baskets. And as luck would have it, they had the perfect trolley – a glossy, color-blocked, aluminum-handled shopping cart from France. The moment I stepped into the store, I saw it hanging on the wall, looking like a piece of functional art. I couldn’t resist taking it down and rolling it around the store, feeling surprisingly stylish and put together, despite just walking around in circles with a shopping cart.
A French Trolley Triumphs
It’s been three months since I gave my mom the trolley, and she uses it every weekend at the farmer’s market. She loves that it rolls smoothly on cobblestones, is incredibly durable, and folds up easily and compactly. Plus, it looks fantastic! The way it holds her groceries, with a baguette peeking out playfully, is truly charming. It’s a perfect example of “French Woman’s Trick to Shopping.” It might be a bit pricey – $84 – but it’s worth every penny. It’s the undisputed champion of the Attractive Trolley Market.
Other Stylish Shopping Carts
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