Those Dang Yogurt Shops

The first time I experienced one of those pay-by-the-pound, self serve yogurt shops, my boyfriend immediately noticed that he was one of only two guys in the whole place. It was true and has been true every time that I've gone back. It's a chick magnet (dude repellant?). If somebody starts a 'what soccer moms like' website they can put these yogurt shops right after volvo station wagons.

You might wonder, as I did, why these yogurt shops are so amazingly popular. I distinctly remember having a conversation with a Californian about them maybe a year ago, before Austin had any. Well, I don't have an answer to their popularity other than the quirky Asian toppings & sauces (mochi, red beans, condensed milk, lychee, pomegranate sauce), modern & hip interiors and the gap in time between now and the last frozen yogurt phase (think TCBY, 1981).

I wanted to go there today because my head was swimmy after chaperoning a first grade field trip to the Texas State History Museum. It's a sweet place but seemed to be more about churning up the image of Texas through animatronics than recording much real, complicated history--perfect for a first grade class, however. The majority of their exhibits were pretty kid-proof which was good because the minute we got in there it was mild pandemonium. Kids bouncing from exhibit to exhibit, totally overstimulated and excited from the moment they got on the bus.

The highlight was a film we watched in the museum's multimedia special effects theater. They give you a quick ride through Texas history making sure to include events that allow them to shake the seats, blow air on the back of your neck and spray a slight mist or fake smoke depending upon the event. What events of Texas history did they select for the film you might ask? They seemed kind of random but I'm not a Texan so maybe I just don't get it: Cowboys blowing up a rattlesnake den with dynamite, Attack of the killer locusts (or other bug, it was unclear) somewhere in Texas and then one that made more sense, the Galveston Hurricane of 1900.

Ummm, somebody needs to tell them it might not be a good idea to simulate historical hurricanes anymore in the gulf coast region. When you combine the shaking seats, loud sounds and strobing images of waves crashing on huge screens right at you, it's a bit too good of a simulation and can be slightly scary. I did only see one kid crying, but I certainly wouldn't want to be there if a group of tourists from Louisiana happens to stumble in there.

I'm trying to fill my days with volunteer activities, a modest search for a restaurant job (also freelance archi work), studying for my final ARE exams and going out to all the fun things going on around Austin. As an aside, I had gotten really excited recently about a perp cook & dishwasher position at a catering place after a good conversation with the chef, but they ultimately found somebody else, C'est la vie. No matter. I will keep searching for the elusive good match. I'm pretty giddy to be cooking in a kitchen and watching all these food shows has got me even more amped. So I'll just have to keep you all posted.

This things I am excited about doing soon:
1. Pecha Kucha night
2. Phillip Glass Book of Longing
3. AFS screening Examined Life