Tag: sweet

adventure

Ice Cream

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Who wants ice cream? This girl I suppose. I haven’t really beeen a super big ice cream person but in the past few months I’ve been tempted or teased by available options especially when traveling.

I was on trip to Maryland and had a chance to grab an ice cream at a local dairy farm shop. It was delicious. Tons of homemade flavors that were ever so creamy and tasty. This has been my favorite treat this summer and I’d classify it as a must stop again spot.

On another adventure in Colorado I had a different ice cream experience. Here you picked your flavor but you got Mix-ins. I opted for the tasty cream flavor and mixed in some graham crumbles. The little gritty feeling and taste made this one a good choice. On the flip side my kiddo opted for cinnamon ice cream which was good if you tasted it solo but she chose all the crazy fixings like colored sprinkles and others. That dulled the ice cream flavor and left it half eaten or more wasted than eaten. Two similar experiences, two different outcomes. This was good but not great when I consider available options.

I have a spot I hit in the mountains on my travels to the farm. Locally made. Creamy. Limited flavors but the best butter pecan I have ever had. Hours of operation are limited and the lines are long so I don’t stop often. When I do stop, I enjoy the indulgence.

Then I was in the famous area of Hershey, Pennsylvania where I once again landed in an ice cream shop. Here it was Hershey ice cream that was served of course. They had many flavors but not out of this world creations. This was a big disappointment for me. The ice cream seemed like what you would get in the grocery store. A big dud for me.

Now as I got this calendar reminder for ice cream it was yet another sign to see what was out there on my next trip. Cape May, NJ area had a big selection. Funny though I was going to have an afternoon treat before dinner after a day by the ocean. Fate said otherwise. Most shops were closed and don’t open until 4 or 5pm. Had to skip the ice cream as the good rating places were not open during my available time to indulge.

Late night it was for me at the end of the short stay. A trip to Ben and Jerry’s shop on the street. I got two scoops of my favorites smeared on a cookie. No cone for this girl. A soft freshly baked cookie bottom. Such a treat. Maybe the same flavor from the local grocery store but the vibe was present in the locally-owned shop on the stretch of street that folks visited for shopping and dining. This store flavor was different than the Hershey experience above. Kudos to the Ben and Jerry brand for consistency in their deliverables. 

My ice cream adventures surely added to my waistline this summer but it also took me down memory lane. Visits to boardwalks and barn-like shops when I was a kid to get a treat. I even extended the experience to my mom who doesn’t get out as often these days. Taking a pint to go can make for a great delivery to a loved one. It was nice to reciprocate with my kids and share the stories of yesterday when sharing some sweet treats on the road too.

Orange sherbet from the local dairy stand where I grew up will still have my most memorable days of childhood but today I look to add to my list with my kids and savor the flavor of many places in as many new towns as we get the chance to explore.

Travel with an open heart and an eye for adventure but keep Yelp close for a sweet treat stop to fill in a bit of your day. You can skip the calorie or carb count for a few hours!

adventure

Meet the Cast

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Meet Mandy. She is sweet like candy. The sweetest girl you ever did meet. Kindness is her way of life. Whenever something sweet happens candy is involved. Do you have a friend as sweet as my candy I mean Mandy?

How about Secret Sally? Sally is the confidante of the group. The trusted soul you share all your secrets with. Your secret is always safe with Sally. I surely hope you have a Sally to do life with.

Daring Danielle is a a diamond in her own way. She dares to be different in many ways. She is the pal that invites you to be daring. Dares you to try a new skill.  Dares you to test your comfort zone. Dares you to test a new vacation spot. Daring Danielle will keep you asking for more.

Completely Crystal. When I say complete, I mean the complete package head to toe and everything in between. The brains. The brawn. The genuine heart. The flirtatious giggles. The adventurous soul. The flashy and famous sunshine girl. The one from the T-shirt. Bare it all kind of gal. She keeps the tribe spirit alive on many levels.

Simple Sarah. She is simple some days but complex other days. Sarah is fun to be with. Some days she is a drunk nurse while other days she is an actuary. Such a simple girl yet complex in many ways. Sarah is a such a great cast member.

There are so many cast members to speak about. So many stories to tell. Unfortunately the stories are still unfolding. The book is full of adventures but also tales of scandal, vengeance, treachery, betrayals, intrigue, and utter stupidity.

The betrayals are hideous. The adventures are amazing. The vengeance is unspeakable. The scandal is press worthy. The treachery would embarrass any grown woman’s mother. Interesting stuff coming to light in the future.

A real page turner, if I do say so myself.

celebrations

Knock Knock

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Who’s there?

It’s Mr. Milkshake from Bruster’s ice cream.

What do you want?

I want you to come order a milkshake and enjoy it this evening?

I can’t do that, it’s not in my macros.

So what. It’s Sunday, indulge!

Are you serious?

Yes, everyone needs a spurge now and again.
………..
May I take your order?

I’d like to order a birthday cake shake please.

That will be $5.50, please drive around.

That thick creamy dreamy shake went down the hatch without hesitation. Slivers of sprinkles sucked through the straw one by one. Bright blue gobs of straight sugar fighting their way through the straw. All tangled in creamy vanilla flavor. Heaven in a cup. A heavy, heavy cup.

All that protein. All that sugar. All that fat. It was an amazing treat on this Sunday night. So glad Mr. Milkshake swindled me into coming for a visit. It was just was I needed.
Sometimes a sweet treat is well deserved. I decided today was my day to be deserving the reward. 

If you don’t have a Bruster’s near you, I hope you have a local spot to get a sweet treat.
Enjoy!

celebrations

The Red Box

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Today was a day to get shit done. Lots of projects on the home front. Lots of little things to just take off the to-do list. Now enter the red box.

The red box filled of vanilla creme candies. Dark chocolate covering the sweet vanilla taste. Heaven in my mouth. Now this isn’t just any small box. It’s a 1-pound box of sweetness. Delivered to me by a special lady aka my mom who knows how much I love these candies. Of course I can’t refuse her generous gift. I must eat them all. Just hopefully not in one sitting!

A bigger box than normal so I must have been on the good list but my God that’s a lot of chocolate! Now did I mention this girl really likes her chocolate during a certain monthly cycle? Yup. That’s right folks. Guilty pleasure alert. Or maybe it’s a necessity.

I sit down at my desk to do some work and realize I put the box of chocolates in the drawer to avoid temptation. Yes, I told myself one per day is the indulgence. Well that reasoning went out the door as soon as I ate one.

Because one wasn’t enough. I needed two. Or was it three? Heck, I lost count. So needless to say I had to leave my office because the temptation was too much on me. I couldn’t resist. I lacked the willpower.

I have had these chocolates since I was kid when my Nana took me to the candy house. A fond memory that I passed onto my kids. Now as a grown adult it is such a comfort food. Unfortunately, my macros don’t allow unlimited chocolate intake so I must change my surroundings immediately.

Off to mow a lawn or something to combat the excessive calorie intake. If you haven’t tasted a Phillips Candy House chocolate, they ship to you. Visit www.phillipschocolate.com to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Note: the candy is expensive, but delicious! 

Teddie Aspen

Captain Destructo

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Well I’m sure you have read about my sweet pup named Teddie. She is a joy in my life. A cuddle buddy. A spoiled rotten girl. But what I don’t always mention is she is a destruction queen.

Enter the new toy posted above. The indestructible toy as advertised. I’m not sure why I buy these things other than to see if she can shred it to pieces.

Guess what? She can shred it. In record time. She finds a way to get every ounce of the white stuffing out and leave the trail in every room she visited. Yes, it was just hours after I vacuumed so that chore was a definite waste of time!  She destroyed the indestructible frisbee. The light up ball. The window blinds. The rope with a ball center. The shoe that was left out. You name it, she shreds it. She has bones. She has treats. She just likes to rip apart all the items I get her. Even her little brown bear. The lifeless bear that she totes around like a security blanket but then sits in the corner and shreds it.  I have even thrown away her shredded items and she hovers at the trash can like I’m the worst person in the world. I seriously don’t want her to get sick from ingesting material not meant for consumption.  Is there any dog toy you can suggest that is actually destruction proof? I would love a suggestion. Or maybe I need a dog whisperer.

I guess she wasn’t a fan of the adorable “spoiled” sweater I got her for the cold weather. She immediately started to eat that too. She has even chewed through her walking vest while on a walk. Good thing this girl is cute and gives good snuggles because she keeps me in the poor house with her destructive ways.