Big announcements on the 500th anniversary of this blog!

It's post 500! I would be embarrassed if I told how you long I've delayed writing anything because I wanted to write something special on post 500. In fact, I have for you two special things:

1. The Seattle Grocery Store Survey. I did this! I'm done with it! The results probably apply to you, wherever you are, because there's probably a Trader Joe's and a Whole Foods there.
- Trader Joe's is about 9% cheaper than your average grocery store (QFC, in my case). And most of their food, besides their produce, is pretty good.
- Whole Foods is only about 5% more expensive than your average grocery store. 5%! That's nothing!
- Farmers' Markets are still the best, and co-op markets are the next best, but I have no data to back that up, it's just true.

In short, you have no reason to shop at your average grocery store. (unless it's two blocks from your house, like me. sigh. so why did I even do this survey at all? I don't know. hope you find it useful.)

2. I'm starting a cooking show! On the internet! This is something I'm quite excited about.

The goal is to teach non-cooks how to cook. This is not a hoity-toity cooking show. This will ideally take you from "never cooking ever" to "better than average." I want to do this because I think it's good for all involved: everyone eats healthier, more cheaply, and more sustainably. Plus, maybe you can slow down and enjoy your food and your life more! That'd be neat. And it'll be fun for me to make, too.

I may ask for your collective advice a few times in the next few months. I'm planning to "go live" in May, and post one video per week, more or less.

First advice question: In addition to videos, I plan to write about food, recipes, grocery shopping, cooking, food sustainability, etc. It's all basically blog format, plus some videos. Any of you have experience with this? Not sure if I should use Blogger, or Wordpress, or even just host it somewhere and roll my own blog format. (the latter kinda appeals to me for the geekiness and just so I'd know how to do it.)

Follow-up to first question: If I'm hosting it somewhere, I'll need to host it somewhere. Anyone have any experience with hosting companies, or have any suggestions there? I figure I can just post the videos on Youtube. But yeah. For the rest of the stuff. How do I do this?

Second question: Any of you ever used a digital video camera? I mean, of course you have. Any recommendations? I'm looking for pretty good picture and even better sound. If the video is hard to see or hear, nobody will ever watch it. However, still, I'm posting to Youtube, so it's not going to be super killer quality anyway.

Third question: Any suggestions/recommendations/wishes for the content? I am open to these, in any form, at any time. Send them along.

If you have any ideas, please post or email me. Otherwise, sit back and wait a few months for the antidote to fast food and frozen pizzas!