Tuesday, July 29, 2008

spt




the fifth element of summer: ice cream

i enjoy ice cream. if i get a craving for ice cream, i am usually just fine after a few bites, though. no waffle cones or double scoops for me. (don't worry, i make up for my amazing ice cream restraint with plenty of other vices!)

so i didn't at first think that i would be able to say anything remarkable about ice cream for this post. until i remembered some wonderful ice cream traditions:

* on friday nights in the town where i grew up, the community band would put on a concert in the bank parking lot. everyone would bring their folding chairs to enjoy the social evening. the local ice cream store was "razzles" and it was always busy during those concerts. my flavor of choice in those days was rainbow sherbet.

photo borrowed from "12th St David" on Flickr.

* there was a "magic fountain" where we would go after every single dance recital (four girls in one family = A LOT of dance recitals.) the ice cream was soft serve, and i always got the chocolate coating that hardened. (this texture cannot be recreated with "magic shell" topping. i know. i've tried!)



* carvel made the first ice cream cake i ever had, and none has ever compared! (there is something about the chocolate crumbs that makes them crunchier than other brands i've tried.) does anyone remember "cookie pus" or "fudgy the whale?" i was also a huge fan of the carvel flying saucer (chocolate was my favorite.)



* i was a camper, then a counselor, at Northeast Music Camp in massachusetts. as a camper, you only left camp for trips to Old Sturbridge Village or Tanglewood. but as a counselor, with a car, you had a little more freedom. after Taps, the counselors who were not on duty would make a run to the local Friendly's restaurant for sundae cups. i always got Reese's Pieces.

* matty has to work on sundays, and has for the past two years. jack and i have spent many a long sunday together. on one of these days, we were already at loggerheads about something. and it wasn't even lunch time yet! believe me, it can be hard to entertain each other sometimes, and on this day, there was a general crankiness in the air! i somehow managed to diffuse the situation by offering ice cream. in the middle of the morning!! it seems like a silly little thing now, but actually "ice cream for snack" sundays has turned into a wonderful tradition between the two of us. (and, for the record, my *grown up* flavor of choice is mint chocolate chip. the white kind.)

do you have any ice cream traditions? a favorite flavor??

okay, the five elements of summer have officially been documented! how is your chi? have you been able to find a sense of peace and renewed energy this month? come back later this week to retrieve your spt button!!

looking for a new challenge? tune in friday, when i reveal the theme for august!!




33 comments:

Rebekah said...

after doing my five elements i have realized that i'm a cranky old lady! i need to get over myself...;)

Chris said...

We always got "ice cream" really custard in the summer growing up. There is a place on the Erie canal I loved, might have to add that to my post today. My flavor of choice is chocolate almond. That is a nice tradition you have. I think many a child would think you are quite the mom for ice cream snacks on Sunday. :-)

Rachael said...

As a kid we use to always go to BR...my flavor choice was whatever mixed in with gumballs. When my daughter gets that now I want to puke! Funny how our tastes change so much. My favorite is Cold Stones: Mud Pie Mojo...coffee ice cream with Oreos, almonds, fudge, all mixed together! mmmmm

Anonymous said...

I have so much Chi it's coming out my ears!

Fun month Lelly.

My favs are posted on my spt post too. I love your Sunday Snack tradition. What a great thing to look forward to each week.

Holly said...

I love ice cream!! And before I realized what the SPT was I was already thinking of an "ode to ice cream" so the timing was perfect!!! Thanks Lelly

Neighbor Jane Payne said...

I love your ice cream traditions, Lelly! What a good way to remember them.

Midge said...

thanks for giving us all an excuse to eat some Ice Cream. Next month your topics shouls be, Cake, Cupcakes, Pies, and Tarts!

me said...

This is a blast! Ican't wait to see what great ideas you have for August!

Michelle Alley said...

I'll take soft serve choc. and van. with a twist - in the morning - everyday! Sounds perfect Lelly!

Amy said...

Yum, Lelly!
This one was my fav from July :)
Peace....A

Jeanette said...

Great memories! Traditions that include food are always the best!

Amie said...

Thanks for the fun topics this month... I feel more summery for having done them.

Your ice cream memories are impressive. I agree with the few bites is enough... but like you I make up for it...

annalisa said...

Nothing says summer like a kid in the park licking the ice cream off his cone before it ends up on the ground.

Alisa said...

Love your fun memories of ice cream!
It has made me think of a few of my own.

Windy said...

Thanks for a great theme this month. If it hadn't been for SPT, I don't think I would have blogged at all! I've had migraines for the past 3 weeks (every day, but 2) and it kills me to look at the computer screen. But I was DETERMINED to get that SPT button for my blog!

Sandi said...

Ben and Jerry's Cherries Garcia-nuff said.

Chris said...

I love the new additions. How could I forget Carvel. Always in upstate NY. They still are a frequented spot when we return.

Barb said...

Icecream and I also go waaaay back.

Lene said...

Lelly this was such a fun month of SPT's.

What a fun Sunday tradition for you and Jack. I have been known to make oatmeal cookies for breakfast if the previous day has been less than stellar in my Mom career. Oatmeal cookies are healthy - right?!?

Anonymous said...

What a cool tradition! Linc loves mint chocolate chip. I am more of a jamoca almond fudge sorta gal.

Sarah said...

That is a great new tradition. I'm sure he will always remember it. I also enjoy mint chocolate chip, but have never had the white kind.

mommy nurse said...

Thanks for encouragement to take more pictures! I love reading your blog and others. Can't wait til the next spt!

Bren's Life said...

Great tradition. I like ice cream too, but do not LOVE it... Unless it has brownies in it! Then I love it. I am doing the SPT tomorrow since I am meeting a friend at an ice cream shop for a fun kids day...

Cecilia said...

I loved reading your stories!
You just made me crave ice cream...I'm going to get some right now!!!

Serendipity said...

I'm a huge fan of ice cream!

(Funny, I also mentioned Friendly's in my post...must be a New England thing!)

Katie A. said...

I love your ice cream memories. They sound so fun. When I was little, the Dairy Queen in Bozeman was the walk-up kind with only outdoor seating (still might be that way). It was always a treat to eat there. (The self-hardening chocolate topping is my husband's absolute fav!)

Laurie said...

whew, I made it...all 5! I almost was tempted to skip the ice cream one, but didn't.

I like your personal history of ice cream. Great way to bond!

Janiece said...

I can hardly wait to start my first ever SPT.

Liz said...

Such fun, I can't wait for the next topic!

sweetfunkyvintage said...

Thanks for your email. I really appreciate your kind words! :)

I plan to jump back into spt next week - Liz will be visiting so maybe we will do something combined!

I love your post about ice cream. I too have tried the magic shell trick, and you are right, it is NOT the same.
And, my favorite flavor is mint chocolate chip, but NEVER the green kind - ick!
But, I have absolutely no ice cream restraint whatsoever!!

Missy

Dacia said...

I was excited to see the "ice cream" post as part of the 5 elements, but I didn't need another excuse to eat it! I love ice cream and I'd eat it for every meal if I could.

What great traditions! The ice cream cakes are so cute. You only see them round these days. Those cakes had character!

The Monkeys said...

fun Sunday tradition! Thanks for a fun July. Hope you get over your down day!

Jill said...

I haven't ever thought about having any ice cream traditions, but that was a cool take on this SPT.

Regrettably I do embrace waffle cones and double scoops!