El Mercado

Good evening, bienvenidos, and welcome to El Mercado, the late night grocery store of local legend. In the parking lot, a gentle soundtrack of trumpets and violins blaze through the speaker system, beckoning customers to enter and explore this one-of-a-kind place. Inside this door, light from the ceiling above bounces off the sleek, linoleum floors producing a crisp, clean glow that radiates throughout the aisles. The air carries a blend of sweet and savory scents, giving it a safe, nostalgic quality. At this time of night, you feel no sense of rush or worry. Tonight, you have all the time in the world to slow down and admire the space around you, allowing your senses to soak in the richness of your environment. As you settle in for the evening, let's deepen your state of relaxation with a short wind-down exercise. Tonight's exercise is a really simple breathing exercise. So when you are ready, let's begin. So first, get yourself comfortable. Now just bringing the attention to the breath. Just noticing where you feel it, in the nose, the throat, the chest, the diaphragm. You're nice and relaxed. We are going to be taking a deep breath in for four, holding it for four, and then breathing out for six. So are you ready? Let's begin. In for four, two, three, four. Hold it for four, two, three, four. Now breathing out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. Great! Now returning the breath to normal. A mural of an indigenous woman with a pink ribbon braided into her black hair, holding a brown ceramic pot, looked down over the fresh fruits and vegetables with love in her eyes. She sits on a large balcony, book ended by Calla lilies and being Croesus. In the distance, the red rooftops of a small town and its large cathedral overlook the edge of the sea. Held in large wooden crates, the color so that produce and vegetables are a visual feast. The oranges, yellows, and deep forest greens of the peppers, the tangerines stacked in a row next to the purple black plums, Kiwis and sunset colored peaches. You've never seen such beautiful onions. Their yellow, white, and red scales glistened in the light. The nearly black avocados occupy an island of their own. Inviting passing customers to study them with a gentle squeeze, too soft. And the avocado's creamy green may have ripened away, too hard. And you have to wait a few days to indulge. And then there are the ones that are just right Finding ripe avocados is its own journey and reward and there is all the time...