Powell's Sweet Shoppe

On the corner of Burlingame Avenue, Powell's Sweet Shoppe opened up relatively recently. It's not just any candy store, not the usual set-up of stacked candy containers and bins of taffy. It's more like a candy store, a toy store, and a Gelato parlor rolled into one. But the thing I like most about Powell's Sweet Shoppe is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. There are potential joke presents everywhere you turn: Joke mints, Plastic moustaches, Blow-up boyfriend/girlfriends, The Guide to Dating... Even though only 1/4 of those are actually candy, they all fit in with the general theme of Powell's Sweet Shoppe. It's a Fun Store. It sells fun.

Another amazing thing: They keep Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on repeat, with a row of movie theater seats in front of the TV for the "experience." I remember seeing that movie when I was little and being really scared by the Oompa Loompas, but in awe of Wonka's chocolate river. So even though there are kids running all around me, loud and sugar-crazy, I can still get into the movie since it's one of my favorites. So at least for me, visiting Powell's Sweet Shoppe is just a small reminder of things from my past.

Vacant Lot

Outside my house there's this vacant lot across the street. Or actually, it's not really a vacant lot. There are trees -- lots of them, and tall grass that's slightly itchy when you walk through it. When I moved to my house in Burlingame, I thought it was weird that there was this pathetic little forest growing in the middle of a residential area. But over time, I've become glad that it's there. Sometimes you have to relocate yourself around the growth on the trees, or adjust where you're sitting so pointy bits of wood aren't poking you in the leg. But once you've gotten comfortable, it's very relaxing. Just enough light peeks through the trees, and unlike certain places in the city, you can actually see the sky when it's blue.

I go there when I want to get out of my room, when I'm frustrated, or whenever I could use some time for myself. I consider it to be my own personal space, even though technically, I'm standing on someone else's property. Whose, I'm still not sure yet(it might be the next door neighbor, who is apparently the grandson of some famous movie director). But whoever owns the lot either hasn't noticed or is very nice, because so far no one's come to kick me out. Now though, I'm dreading the day when someone will come and take it all away, and replace the trees and grass with a big fat swimming pool. Well, a swimming pool wouldn't be so bad, actually. Only I feel it'd be a little more obvious when I'm "borrowing" it.

Red Mango in the city of Newly Wed and Nearly Dead

Red Mango is trendy. It has a clean, modern interior, and a logo that any Frozen Yogurt fan would be able to recognize. Even though I'd think frozen yogurt would be too cold in the middle of winter or after dark, I still find myself waiting my turn in line in January. That's how popular it is. I guess you could say that Red Mango has become a trendy hang-out spot for teenagers and college students. Therefore, it made absolutely no sense that there would be one in San Carlos.

"Newly wed and Nearly dead," we call it. A small suburban city that's about an hour south of San Francisco, San Carlos is the place where I spent my first thirteen years. Growing up there, I never had anything unique to say about the city. But looking back now, I can't help but notice all of its funny quirks. For one, I can't go downtown without running into my old elementary school teacher or my neighbor from across the street. The Middle schoolers still loiter outside Diddam's Party store because they think it makes them cool. And if I happen to be in San Carlos at 11:00 PM, I can practically dance down the middle of the road because no cars will be coming until morning.

That's the San Carlos that I've always known, sort of like the dorky side of your best friend. So when Trendy Red Mango opened up in San Carlos' downtown(which is more like a semi-long road with side streets here and there), I was shocked. But in a good way, of course, because I love Red Mango. Some people say that they hate frozen yogurt, usually with the reasoning that it's like inferior Ice Cream or that it tastes like spoiled milk. And okay, I can understand that. I thought that the first time I had frozen yogurt too. But somehow, frozen yogurt has a taste that you can't just have once. It's not overly sweet like ice cream, but not a healthy breakfast snack like yogurt. It's a perfect, balanced, somewhere in between. So if this is all new to you, get to Red Mango or any other frozen yogurt store as soon as you can.