Menchie's Brings Out Youth in Semi-Youthful

I was not planning on going to Menchie's on Thursday afternoon.

The sun forced me.

Perusing Ventura Boulevard, especially during this current heat attack, can be quite the task, full of sweat and anger. So as I cruised by Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt at 13369 Ventura Boulevard, whose slogan is "We Make You Smile," I was compelled to cool my body temperature as well as my emotions.

That sun will get to you.

I am not an avid fan of frozen yogurt, rather considering myself an ice cream advocate, but of course, anything cold is bound to hit the spot in 100-degree weather. However, the $2.14 therapy session that Menchie’s raspberry-pomegranate yogurt provided was not the highlight of my random adventure.

As I found myself overwhelmed with all the toppings choices and attempting to avoid three little rascals who were definitely making their presence felt beneath me, I quickly grabbed some mochi and jetted to the register.

Now, grabbing one topping at Menchie’s is analogous to sitting on the couch during the NBA Playoffs and watching only one game.

No, my good man, you deserve so much more.

However, I did pass on the sour gummy worms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Butterfinger bits.

But the mom in front of me at the register sure didn’t.

I am never one to judge, and I am not judging now, but I have never seen a mom with such an awkward selection of toppings. I have two nephews and they are typical little boys: at fast food restaurants, they put every flavor of fountain drink in their cup, and at yogurt shops, they refuse to stop with the toppings until my sister-in-law chimes in with the commemorative, “You guys are going to make yourselves sick.”

I am used to seeing these concoctions when kids are involved, but rarely with adults.

This mom’s concoction was so awesome that I began to second-guess myself, realizing that maybe I’m not utilizing my full Menchie’s potential.

I purchased my boring cup of frozen yogurt, but before I left, I put on my investigative glasses and decided to figure out what Menchie’s is really capable of.

It is capable of providing some rather enticing toppings choices. I had never heard of chocolate rocks before Thursday, or chocolate sunflower seeds.

Fizzy strawberry candy? Sign me up.

They also offer nearly every kind of crushed chocolate bar one can imagine, in addition to syrups, jellybeans and brownies.

My next investigative venture was the cups of other people, namely adults.

You know when you go to the gym and peek over to see how much the guy or gal next to you is lifting? But you try to do it so covertly that you just look kind of weird?

Well, knowing I’m not a very stealth individual, I just asked a group of moms what they got in their yogurt and I was thrilled to see that kids are not the only ones that wander into these yogurt shops and go for broke.

One mom had M&M’s and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Another had gummy worms, but only as part of a dare from her daughter. Another, gummy bears, strawberries and jellybeans.

These are the moms!

I started to ask the kids what they had, but I was sure that they would not even remember because their cups were so lively.

But oddly enough, my experience in Menchie’s, one that I did not anticipate, struck a chord with me. For that day, and probably every day, Menchie’s fosters an environment of “childlike activity” that a number of adults lack.

There were kids bustling throughout the pink and purple laden shop, and groups of parents, dads included, letting their hair down. Frankly, that’s the main reason I will go back. The toppings are unique, the yogurt was great, but the atmosphere trumped everything.

Not a parent, child, nor employee seemed uptight. When the random 6-foot-5 guy asked the moms what they had in their cups, there was no hesitancy, just answers and laughs.

I would never call a woman old, rather “semi-youthful,” and on this day, the semi-youthful came out to play, courtesy of Menchie’s.