Out of Control Ice Cream

I’m not sure how you control yourself around this Alpaca Ice Cream.


But somehow I managed not to get any…this time.  


I promise!  


LOL


These are made with fresh hot waffles wrapped around your choice of ice cream and toppings. 


As you can see these are pretty big and scrumptious!


Anyway, they have a store in Rockville and I absolutely must stay away from it. 


Oh, maybe I just go in once for a taste.  😉


(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Welcome Back – Leadership and Donuts

Really impressed today going back to work after the 5-week Federal government shutdown…

And who is at the front gate, in the dark and freezing cold welcoming every single person back?

The director of the agency!

And not only that, but he is handing out morning donuts to the crew. 

This was a truly spectacular display of leadership. 

I’ve seen this only one other time in my 30-year career and that was at the Secret Service, where the director stood behind the dessert table at the agency holiday party serving out the ice cream. 

Humility and giving are what true leadership is all about. 

I am proud to serve under such leaders as these.  😉

(Source Photo–not from today–by Andy Blumenthal)

Fav Ice Cream

So this is one of my absolute favorite ice creams. 


Soft chocolate swirl ice cream topped in a hard chocolate shell that literally melts in your mouth. 


OMG, this is to die for.


This is not something you get every day…it’s a special treat. 


They have this ice cream locally in the mall, and sometimes I just go there, literally, just a taste of this. 


Usually, I get the small and then share this, but even that is too much really. 


It is like a meal in and of itself. 


So rich, creamy, cold, and chocolatey flavorful. 


Who needs caramel (sitting next to it) when you have chocolate!


Love it, love it, love it.  


Yum, yum, yum.  😉


(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Makings Of Cold Stone

Gotta hand it to Cold Stone Ice Cream. 

They know how it make it cold, sweet, and rich tasting. 

Here they are making the signature Cookie Doughn’t You Want Some. 

French Vanilla Ice Cream

Chocolate Chips

Cookie Dough

Fudge

Caramel

OMG, it is super premium!

And they make it right there in front of you. 

As you mouth waters for it, you almost want to just stick you finger in and snatch a bite.

Oh, the simple, sweet pleasures of life. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Taste The Snowman

Ice Cream Snowman.jpeg

Thought this was quite creative 


And probably tasty too. 


A snowman made out of vanilla ice cream. 


With red fruity eyes. 


(and a dangerous–do not eat–green thumbtack nose!) 


The hands are little flags from the Silver Diner. 


Very cute, festive, and mostly edible. 😉


(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Just Frogs

Frog 1 Frog 2 Frog 3

What’s with the frog infatuation–especially associated with ice cream and frozen yogurt (SweetFrog, Frogg’s Ice Cream, Frosty Frog, etc.)?

According to Save The Frogs, some interesting facts:

– There are over 6,300 species of frogs and toads (a close, warty relative of the frog). 

– They range from just 9 mm to over 30 mm and 6.6 lbs, and can live from a few years to as many as 30-years (ol’ frog river uncaring with the flow of the Mississippi). 

– Frogs are amphibians developing in their larval state in water as herbivores, but as adults living on land as carnivores (flies anyone).

– Toads tend to have poisonous secretions as does the Poison Dart Frog (maybe the princess should not be kissing that frog).

– Australian Stony Creek Frogs build nests for their eggs just like birds (got to protect those youngins). 

– Wood frogs adapt to the freezing cold by stopping their breathing, blood flow, and heartbeat (now that’s extreme hibernation).

– Similarly, Burrowing Frogs survive hot, dry climates by slowing their metabolism and shedding their skin into a protective mosture-retaining cocoon, and others can live underground for as many as 10 months and surface in mass when the rains come (like the 2nd plague in Egypt).

– Pesticides, fertilizers, and parasites have been increasing deformities in frogs such as missing limbs or having 6 legs (making jumping on 3 legs a bitch and jumping on 6 an unfair advantage). 

Frogs are a great illustration of how to “adopt or die” with the emphasis on living and thriving forward–not so sure though about frog-flavored ice cream. 😉

(Source Photos: Andy Blumenthal)

German Chocolate Cake – A Cold Stone Favorite

Coldstone German Chocolate Cake
So I took this picture at Cold Stone ice cream parlor. 



The guy is in action making German Chocolate Cake Ice Cream for us–one of their “signature creations.”



A big wad of Chocolate Ice Cream and then add the caramelized nuts, chips of coconut, and wedges of chocolate–then mix until all creamy and gooey. 



OMG, this was pretty good.



We used to get the Cookie Dough You Want Some flavor…also to die for, but I didn’t see this one on the ice cream menu anymore (although I bet you can still ask for it). 



The way they charge, they push you to get the largest size called, “Gotta Have It”which is only about 20 cents more than the “Love It” (medium) and 30 cents more than the “Like It” (small).



One of the large ones costs about $6  and can easily be shared between between 3 people. 



This ice cream is made for me on the spot and is a special treat, so don’t get addicted, please. 😉



(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Gorgeous Dragon

I just thought this Dragon was completely awesome. 

The lifelike sculpture and vibrant colors made me stop in my tracks to snap this photo of it in a storefront gallery in Fort Lauderdale. 

With all the detail, including it’s scaly skin, muscle tone, and look at the eyes…this creature is amazing. 

It’s so interesting though…this dragon is perched on what looks like a treasure chest and appears to be licking an ice cream cone (go figure!)–what happens when it breathes fire?

Anyway I love it…especially when it a friendly-looking dragon like this. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Post Office And Ice Cream

Post Office And Ice Cream

I took this photo this week in downtown Washington, D.C.

A U.S. Postal Service priority mail sticker stuck onto a pole with a picture of ice cream–2 scoops–with dollar signs on them. And an eye in a pyramid on the lower left.

I am not sure whether the mail sticker was just a part of the grafitti here or whether someone was trying to make a statement about the financial state-of-affairs of the Postal Service–losing money–and the loses stacking up over time, as the watchful eye of Government looks on.

I love getting mail like everyone else–except bills and junk mail.

But with a multitude of technology (email, texts, and so on) replacing traditional paper mail–the Post Office needs a new business model.

How about a serious focus on package delivery (for all the e-Commerce ordering we are doing)?

Or then again, would anyone mind an ice cream counter in every post office to make some happy faces and real money? 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Best Ice Cream CONES


There is an ice cream shop in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia called of all things — SCOOPS.

Aside from the yum ice cream, they have a nice variety of toppings from Oreo to Caramel and lots of others in between (as you can see).

What I really liked too is the different cones–aside from your regular, low-fat, and sugar cone, they have the waffle cones–which are always de-licious.

But pictured here are also some very special cones–a pretzel cone and an M&M cone–they also have a chocolate chip one (sorry, no picture of that one).

Mouth watering yet?  Try it, you’ll like it!  😉

Okay, my wife is telling me this blog post is strange–signing off for today…Andy

(Source Photos: Andy Blumenthal)