SPOTTED: Yet Another Frozen Yogurt Shop

Since Coldstone Creamery closed, I’ve had my eye on the now-vacant space next to Round Table Pizza in Westgate for a while. I’ve hoped it would turn into a little neighborhood deli or cafe…or something…anything,  except perhaps a frozen yogurt shop. Lo and behold today I see signs go up for Yeti Yogurt, a Pacific Northwest chain with four current locations and six more locations slated to open in the coming months.

I don’t hate frozen yogurt. In fact, I like it very much. Your choice of flavor and toppings, with less calories than ice cream…all good things. But there is a Gibson’s Frozen Yogurt kitty corner to this location. Aren’t two frozen yogurt shops in one block a little much? Not to mention, the countless frozen yogurt shops popping up all over Tacoma and the South Puget Sound and the soon-to-be Gibson’s Frozen Yogurt Truck coming next month (see my article in the Weekly Volcano on that here).

Too much of a good thing? Maybe. Either way, Yeti Yogurt in Westgate is slated to open this summer, as is another location in Fircrest. There’s a location at 176th and Meridian in Puyallup that’s already open.

French Pastries in Tacoma: Abeille Baking

I may have never been this excited to write a post.

You are reading the title right: there are gorgeous, authentic French pastries in Tacoma, thanks to Abeille Baking and Bianca Sanders.

I almost could not believe my eyes when I saw her and husband Casey Beach at last week’s 6th Avenue Farmers Market. There were their smiling faces behind a table of colorful macarons, pistachio tortes, kouign amann and an (unfortunately) sold-out tray of canelés. Once again, you read that right – canelés.

When I lived in Seattle, these were rare sites, much less in Tacoma, where I was starting to wonder if these French pâtisseries would ever find their way to our part of the state.

Abeille, which means “bee” in French, stems from Bianca’s nickname, “B”. “It’s simple, it’s elegant, it’s approachable…which I guess describes my philosophy on food and what I strive to do,” she said.  “I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel, just make really delicious things and see people be happy.”

Sounds like the right idea.

Continue reading →