Rainbow Yo, the Better, Grown Up Rainbow Sherbet

Fro-yo girl here. Summer and childhood remind me of rainbow sherbet, specifically Thrifty’s Rainbow Sherbet. Thrifty’s Rainbow Sherbet featured orange, raspberry and lime sherbets swirled together. It was so colorful and fun to eat. I also liked that it was creamy and fruity.

The other day I saw a sign for Rainbow Yo outside of Jeni’s Los Feliz and ordered a cup with Black Currant, Lemon and Mango Lassi frozen yogurt. The combination of the three froyo flavors, their vivid color and the creaminess totally brought me back to my childhood days of eating rainbow sherbet, only Jeni’s version was way better – with varying levels of tartness, extra creaminess and quality ingredients like biodynamic yogurt.

Jeni’s also makes a Rainbow Frozen Yogurt with a blend of Red Raspberry, Lime Cardamom and Passion Fruit frozen yogurt. It’s not available year round but you can make your own Rainbow Yo by choosing a couple of Jeni’s frozen yogurt flavors (like the new Black Currant Frozen Yogurt) and eating them together. Rainbow cones have been spotted at Jeni's Scoop Shops.

Rainbowing ice cream or frozen yogurt involves putting two or more different flavors into one container so that when you run your scoop or spoon through, you get all the flavors.

Happy Pride Month! Eat Rainbow Yo!

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* JENI’S SPLENDID ICE CREAMS: 1954 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, CA  90027

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Burbank Froyo Guide

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve traveled all over Burbank, CA to visit every froyo shop in town, including frozen yogurt shops that have closed their doors for good (RIP, Yogurtiers, Froyo Bliss). Yogurtiers, which opened in 2008, was Burbank’s first frozen yogurt shop. There are currently 6 frozen yogurt shops in Burbank and only one of these, Pit Stop Froyo & More, is an independent froyo shop. All of them are self-serve.

Downtown Burbank

Yogurtland has two locations in Burbank. The downtown Burbank Yogurtland location (304 N San Fernando Blvd.) turned 5 last year (the celebration included free froyo and prizes). They carried the Yogurtland cookie dividers early on.

Pinkberry (120 E Palm Ave.) is across from the AMC Burbank 16 movie theater and it has the distinction of being the first self-serve Pinkberry location. There are 12 self-serve froyo flavors a day and your typical Pinkberry toppings bar (fresh fruit, popping boba, mochi, candy, nuts, cookies, sauces, Nutella, granola, coconut, cheesecake, brownies, cereal, waffle cookies, and luxe toppings) for 49 cents an ounce. It’s very similar to a regular Pinkberry only with more flavors, larger cups and the self-serve format.

Burbank Bob Hope Airport/Magnolia Park

I’m not too familiar with this area but it has strip malls and Magnolia Park has interesting retro/vintage boutiques (apparently it's a new shopping hot spot). FroyoFace recently morphed into Pit Stop Froyo & More (3503 W Magnolia Blvd.). Pit Stop has six self-serve froyo flavors a day (from YoCream), juices, smoothies, and boba drinks. About a block away, the ARCO station has a Yumz Express (3701 W Magnolia Blvd.) with four flavors of froyo. While you can serve yourself, the pricing is based on cup size. The frozen yogurt we tried was horrible…definitely avoid – it’s the worst place in town. Pit Stop and Yumz are right by Porto's Bakery and the Magnolia Park shopping district.

Menchie’s (3800 Verdugo Ave.) is also close by and the Yogurtland (2400 W Victory Blvd.) has a nice outdoor patio. Both are in strip malls.

Scoopable Froyo

You can also get scoopable froyo at Quenelle, Cold Stone Creamery and Ben & Jerry’s but why bother?

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Frozen Yogurt at Circle K, Electro Freeze Fuzionate in Action

Fro-yo girl here. You may have noticed that frozen yogurt machines are showing up outside of froyo shops – and inside gas station convenience stores, drugstores, and supermarkets. Recently the Circle K 76 gas station in Alameda

This Circle K convenience store is about a year old and near downtown Alameda. Circle K has a frozen treats area with a case of Thrifty’s Ice Cream (sold by the scoop) and an Electro Freeze Fuzionate machine, which carries 9 flavors (a base flavor and others made by adding flavor syrup). Surprisingly, the froyo isn’t self-serve.

This is the first time I’ve seen Fuzionate at a shop so it was definitely exciting. Grab an employee if you want froyo. A small cup is $2.99 and a large $3.99. Toppings are 59 cents – I’m not sure if you can add your own toppings but the toppings were accessible so maybe you can. I didn’t see fruit toppings but they had cookie dough, popping boba, mochi, jellies, granola, cheesecake and syrups. The toppings were covered (good idea).

The flavors on the board didn’t match the flavors on the machine – so that was confusing. The idea behind Fuzionate is appealing – lots of flavors available from one machine – but in order for it to appeal, the flavor syrup needs to be well mixed into the base flavor and taste appealing.

The raspberry froyo that I tried had little flavor syrup so it mostly tasted like vanilla.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* CIRCLE K 76: 1716 Webster St., Alameda, CA 94501

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Father’s Day Froyo 2015

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve compiled a list of froyo shops with Father’s Day froyo specials this year. With chains, be sure to call ahead to make sure the location is participating. Some froyo shops announce their specials on Father's Day so if you don't see your shop on this list, ask them if they have a Father's Day special or check their FB, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Here’s a list of froyo shops offering deals on Father’s Day:

• Craze: 6 ounces free for dad
• Frozu: Buy one, get one free for dad
• Goji’s (Riverview, Trinity, Dieppe, Shediac): Buy one, get one free
• Goji’s Kelowna: Dads get a coupon for free froyo
• Hoopla: 12 ounces free for dad
• Menchie’s Cambie St.: Buy one, get dad’s ½ off
• Mimi’s: 50% off for dads
• Mochi Frozen Yogurt: 6 ounces free for dad
• Orange Leaf (Chelsea, Columbia, Needham, Oxford, Parker, Saugus): 8 ounces free for dad
• Orange Leaf (Holly Springs): 6 ounces free for dad
• Orange Leaf (Canton): Up to $4 free for dad
• Peachwave: Buy one, get dad’s free
• SummerSweet: 6 ounces free for dad 
• Suzy’s Swirl: Free for day from 11 AM – 7 PM
• TCBY: Free 6 ounces for dad
• Toppings: Up to $4 free for dad
• UU Yogurt: Free cup for dad (up to 10 ounces) 
• Yeh!: Buy one, get dad’s half off
• YoFresh Jenkintown: Free for dad
• Yogurtland Mesa: Buy one, get dad’s free
• Zoyo Neighborhood Yogurt: up to $3 free

Happy Father’s Day to all froyo loving dads!

Be sure to check out my new Pinterest board: Father’s Day Froyo

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Frozen Yogurt for Weary Travelers Passing Through Avenal, CA

Fro-yo girl here. When a tiny city in the middle of nowhere gets a froyo machine, call me impressed. Most people on the I-5 probably drive past Avenal (population 13,239) in Kings County unless they need gas, a snack or bathroom break or they’re forced to stop there (it’s a Greyhound rest stop). The Avenal Hillcrest Travel Plaza doesn’t have much but it will meet those needs and it is open 24 hours.

The 76 gas station convenience store just added one Electro Freeze countertop machine. It’s self-serve with two flavors (during my visit they had White Vanilla and Chocolate Classic from Dannon YoCream. You can get a cone or cup (flat rate cup price $3.99). They don’t have a toppings bar yet, but one is on the way.

The frozen yogurt was surprisingly thick, creamy and smooth (not bad at all for a gas station). While there is no toppings bar yet, there are plenty of snacks that you could buy and add to your froyo…cookies, candy, popcorn, potato chips, jerky. Hey, you can’t get froyo in Kettleman City though you can get soft serve ice cream at McDonald’s and scoopable ice cream at Doc Burnstein’s.

Sure the flavors are basic but basic good flavors are still satisfying.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* 76 Gas Station: Hillcrest Travel Plaza, 44779 S Lassen Ave., Avenal, CA 93204

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

San Francisco Froyo Guide

Fro-yo girl here. It’s been almost three years since my Fro-yo Visitor’s Guide to San Francisco post and it’s time for an update. Sadly, some of the frozen yogurt shops on the original list are no longer in business but the good news is that new places have opened. This guide contains the frozen yogurt shops that are worth visiting.

* Hayes Valley: Hayes Valley, the artsy shopping/dining district has long been devoid of good dessert places but all that has changed and the neighborhood is now a frozen dessert mecca with Smitten (freshly made nitrogen ice cream), Miette (ice cream sandwiches made with Straus organic ice cream) and my froyo pick. Souvla (517 Hayes St.) is a crazy popular casual Greek eatery that specializes in spit-fired all natural meats. Get a Greek sandwich or salad, drink some Greek wine or beer and enjoy a cup of creamy Greek froyo for dessert. The Greek frozen yogurt comes in one size and one flavor (plain) with your choice of toppings: baklava crumbles with syrup, sour cherry, olive oil and sea salt or honey. It comes in a cute coffee cup that’s perfect for strolling over to Patricia’s Green (Octavia at Hayes), the neighborhood urban park with rotating art exhibits. 

* Japantown/Fillmore: There are so many cute places to shop in Japantown. My top picks are New People, Daiso, Ichiban Kan and Kinokuniya. Fillmore St. is also a shopping destination with Marc by Marc Jacobs, Paper Source, Jonathan Adler, Steven Alan, NARS, Kiehl’s and Nest. Fraiche Yogurt (1910 Fillmore St.) offers artisanal yogurt and fro-yo made from scratch. The soy fro-yo is excellent and the combination of steel cut oatmeal and fro-yo is an unexpected delight. The housemade chocolate shell sauce is out of this world. I also recommend afternoon tea at the British owned Crown & Crumpet (1746 Post St., make reservations) and Jane (2123 Fillmore St.) for a fresh baked treat and Four Barrel Coffee.

* Union Square: No trip to San Francisco is complete without visiting Union Square, the main shopping destination in SF. Pinkberry (170 O’Farrell St.) is conveniently located at Macy’s Union Square. There are other froyo shops in the downtown area (e.g., Yoppi, Caffe Ambrosia) but Pinkberry is the best one. You can never go wrong with the original tart with fresh fruit – such a refreshing, light treat after a long day of shopping.

* Castro/Noe Valley/Inner Sunset: Easy Breezy Frozen Yogurt (4028 24th St., 718 Irving St., 4092 18th St.) became the International Frozen Yogurt Association’s first Swirl of Honor recipient. Look for the IFYA Swirl of Honor decal and know that you’re in for a treat – hand-crafted unique frozen yogurt and frozen custard flavors (e.g., Lemon Ginger Zinger, Cherry Marzipan, Vietnamese Coffee, Banana Cream Pie), including organic and non-dairy flavors made with almond milk and coconut milk. There are three locations and the décor is super cute. Swirl your own cup and head over to the toppings bar which features local toppings and toppings you won’t see elsewhere. The Inner Sunset location is close to the San Francisco Botanical Garden (9th Ave. & Lincoln) and museums in Golden Gate Park.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Glendale, CA Froyo Roundup

Fro-yo girl here. I recently completed my tour of the Glendale, CA’s froyo shops and found 5 shops that carry froyo, or 6 if you count Pressed Juicery, which offers dairy-free soft serve (technically not froyo). All but one of these shops is located at either the Glendale Galleria or the Americana Mall (the Americana is right next to the Galleria). It seems like life in Glendale centers around that shopping mall area. Go there any day of the week and it’s swarming with people.

The best froyo in Glendale can be found at Pinkberry Americana. This is a particularly nice, spacious Pinkberry location that often has test flavors and test products. They serve six froyo flavors a day and you can’t go wrong with their classic Original Tart with fresh fruit. Some of the limited edition flavors that I’ve liked recently include Lemon Lime and Raspberry White Chocolate. They also have the best froyo toppings.

Yoppi Frozen Yogurt at the Glendale Galleria has average froyo. It features 6 self-serve froyo flavors a day and a decent selection of toppings (fresh fruit, cheesecake, mochi, syrups, cereal, cookie dough, brownies, chocolate chips, cookies, nuts, sprinkles) for 45 cents an ounce. They also have gelato.

My Yummy Yogurt, which is near Eagle Rock, is below average but it does offer free wi-fi (though it’s not a place that one feels like hanging out at).

The froyo is self-serve with 8 flavors a day and a small toppings bar with cereal, candy, sprinkles, nuts, syrups, chocolate chips, brownies, mochi, chocolate covered things, coconut, and two types of fresh fruit for 39 cents an ounce. The fruit was stored in the back and it’s brought out when there are customers. The frozen yogurt is icy and bland.

Froyo is an afterthought at the two Haagen Dazs locations. The kiosk at the Americana only had one flavor, vanilla. The one inside the Glendale Galleria carries two flavors.

Pressed Juicery offers a tasty, vegan, healthier soft serve option that isn’t frozen yogurt. Called Freeze, it’s made with just a few ingredients and is 100% fruit, vegetables and nuts. Freeze flavors include Greens, Roots, Citrus, Fruits, Chocolate and Vanilla. You can top your Freeze with healthy, quality toppings: fresh fruit, spices, seeds, granola, nuts, almond butter, honey, rose syrup, peanut butter, Hawaiian pink salt, cacao nut freezing drizzle, and goji berries. Ask for samples (it’s not self serve).

Try the vanilla flavor (almonds, dates, sea salt, vanilla). It’s icy and not very smooth but very clean and fresh tasting.

Ice N’Cream at the Glendale Galleria used to carry froyo but they switched to soft serve ice cream. Godiva has Belgian soft serve ice cream in two flavors, chocolate and vanilla. I tried it - wasn't too impressed.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

• HAAGEN DAZS: 889 Americana Way, Glendale, CA 91210
• HAAGEN DAZS: 1113 Glendale Galleria, Glendale, CA 91210
• MY YUMMY YOGURT: 1321 Colorado St., Ste A, Glendale, CA 91205
• PINKBERRY: 759 Americana Way, Glendale, CA 91210
• PRESSED JUICERY: 889 Americana Way, Glendale, CA 91210
• YOPPI YOGURT: 3211 Glendale Galleria, Glendale, CA 91205

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.