What does a first date and wheatgrass have to do with each other? Normally I would say nothing at all, but since my first date with a friend of mine was at a grocery store, it's a different story.  Strange, right? Maybe, but I found that walking through a grocery store is a great way to get to know someone really fast.

Food memories and food opinions are vivid for just about everyone. And a grocery store is a virtual bonanza for potential info. I'm talking three to four dates worth of information in just a few grocery store aisles. Let's just say, you can learn a lot. Adventure-some or not? Well traveled or a homebody? Open-minded or stick to the same-old-thing? World-focused or self-centered? Wishy-washy or decisive. It's all there.

I started to wonder why I hadn't had all my first dates in the grocery store! Boy could I have saved some time!

I was well pleased and very interested by the time we made it around to the juice and coffee bar, which was the real reason we met there. But as I ordered my skinny latte, I started talking to the juice bar manager. In my "questioning and information gathering mode" I started to interview him about their juice offerings and in particular the wheatgrass.

Before I knew it, the manager offered me a shot. (I've been offered tequila shots before on dates, but never wheatgrass.)

Suddenly, I'm caught between curiosity, journalistic inquiry and worry I was about to implode my first date with this great guy. I should try it, right? But I'm also thinking drinking wheatgrass could have disastrous effects. Doesn't my dog throw up when he eats grass? Too late, he was already snipping and juicing!

My new friend was really an innocent bystander to my curiosity and before we knew it, we were splitting a wheatgrass juice half-shot. (Thank goodness we split a half, I am told a whole shot cleans you out in minutes!) So much for adventuresome. So much for open-minded. I was beginning to question my own sense of adventure and open-mindedness.

Oh, well. Down the hatch! I was surprised with how sweet the juice actually tasted, but I couldn't get past the smell. It was just like I had mowed my lawn and I had my face planted in the fresh-cut grass. A little too earthy for me. Not to mention I'm sure my breath smelled like pasture afterward. (Thank goodness for Altoids!)

Since neither one of us rushed to the toilet and he actually called again after that crazy first date, I suppose it wasn't all that bad. But I do not encourage anyone else to try wheatgrass on a first date. Save the wheatgrass for an alone time at the juice bar ....As for me and drinking grass - once was enough.