I'm no tree hugging organic hippie, but I do like to pretend like I'm healthier than I really am. I love Essence mainly for their "pharmacy" area, where you can get pretty damned affordable skin products, supplements, deodorants, etc. There's one really cute Asian girl that works there, which is a bonus.
I've had limited success in the grocery part of the store, mainly because I forget that its there and end up buying stuff in Chinatown. The organic packaged goods are pretty affordable, but from my memory, the limited fruits and veg were a touch on the pricey side.
Anyway, 5-stars all the way! It's got the goods for hippie tree huggers and genetically modified swine eaters.