Usually they have a couple brands at .79 and .89, so .69 is a really good deal.

They also put in a brand of roasted sprats in tomato sauce ($1.20) which are very tasty. These are roasted "heads guts and feathers", so they are not for the squeamish who might find all those little eyes staring up from the tomato sauce disturbing.

As to the vodka, I'm cheap, so I buy what Trader Joe has bulk buy specials on, since straight unadulterated vodka doesn't seem all that different to me (though I know Polish is considered the best). The Estonian (Tundra brand) seems pretty decent for the purpose.

I am reminded of a magazine (don't remember title) that decided to do a "scientific" study to settle once and for all whether experts could really tell the quality of vodka by taste, and they came up with a conclusion so in violation of the evidence it rivaled the best illogic of Psychology Today.

They set out samples of various vodkas, and included a ringer: reagent grade ethyl alcohol cut with distilled water to match the proof of the vodka samples.

They concluded that the experts were lying and couldn't really tell, because most of them selected the reagent grade alcohol and distilled water combo most of the time. Obviously the evidence shows they can tell, and the closer the vodka is to reagent grade alcohol and distilled water the better vodka it is.