Ice Cream Diaries

Some Nice Additions to the (relatively) New City.

2009-07-12T17:21:00.005-04:00

Wandered by the first 'concerts on the common' ever held at the new 'shell' over by the old skateboard park behind Eastworks this past Friday. The big band sounds weren't quite my kind of music, but I just had to check out the new venue for the summer friday concerts. The crowd seemed a bit thinner, but that was probably because the lawn is so much bigger here. It really is a beautiful spot. You can see Lower Mill Pond and a slice of the Mt. Tom range in the background, and better yet, no road noise, car exhaust, or risking life and limb to traverse the traffic to get there.

And I must admit, the sound was pretty impressive. The hatch shell thing doesn't look fancy or high tech, but the acoustics were darn good. As I listened to the big band sounds, it made me wonder how sweet it would be to watch one of the many great local indie bands play here some night. We can only hope.

Moving down the rail trail a piece, there's another nice addition to the local landscape. It's in the form of a cool little park at the corner of the Manhan Rail Trail and Union Street, next to the Movie Gallery. Hadn't heard much about this, but the construction fences are now down, and it's open for strollers, and people with strollers. From what I understand, the fancy benches were commissioned by local artists. Not sure where the money came to build this park and its arty accessories, but it's beautiful nonetheless. Hopefully, the skateboard gangs that hang out around that spot won't figure out that the lawn furniture as art also make for great skateboard obstacles...

(you can click on the images for a closer look.)

Whether you were grilling in your backyard, riding around on your motorbike, weeding, or just relaxing on your hammock, I hope you got to get out and enjoy this fine weekend. Dare I say, the nicest day of the summer to date. Which isn't a huge feat I suppose, given the cool, cloudiness that's been most common here since early May.

101 Frightening Ice Cream Flavors.

2009-07-10T14:13:00.002-04:00

From the website 'whostinks.com'...

The Japanese have long taken pride in their ability to adopt, adapt and improve on customs, practices and styles from other countries. Having succeeded globally with cars, electronics and even fashion, it was only natural that the Japanese turned their hand to trying to surpass the West with one of its favorite culinary delights - ice cream. Here are some of their amazing inventions...

Just click on the link above to peruse this scary little list yourself. Let's face it, some things were just not meant to be in ice cream. Having said that, there are just a few on this list I've actually done... Stout, Red Wine, Curry (coconut curry to be exact, finishing up that tub as we speak).

Moving right along to the truly frightening flavors on this list...

Can you imagine going into an ice cream place and asking for 'a single scoop of Pit Viper with jimmies'?

I can see the conversation going something like this...

"I don't know honey, I think I'm more in the mood for Squid Gut today."

"Hmm, but they have Squid Ink too. How to choose..."

"Dear, maybe you should just get a large of the natural viagra? (wink, wink)"

"And can I just tell you...I've had the hugest hankerin' for Ox tongue all day. Do they have it? ...What do you know."

"I had the Sauerkraut last time and it was just ok. Nothing like the Seaweed and Eel, that's for sure!"

"You know what, I think I'm just going to get my usual, charcoal with rainbow sprinkles in a waffle cone."

Or something like that.

All ice cream and no play...

2009-07-07T14:24:00.004-04:00

makes Jim a dull boy.

After a holiday weekend spent mostly in the weeds (this is a good thing in the food biz) on account of a short staff and some good ice cream weather, I finally got a chance to get some fresh air and stretch the legs yesterday. Felt good to be behind the lens again. Here are some of my favorites from my quick little kayak paddle on the Nashwannuck Pond followed by a hike up to the top of Mt. Tom for some sunset/full moonrise shots. Was a little concerned about post-sunset descent, but fortunately, or unfortunately, a big cloud obscured the sunset a bit, so I opted for an earlier than complete darkness light jog back down to my truck. I did have a flashlight and the headlamp, but they weren't needed. Note to self though, bug spray next time.

Hope you had a great 4th (3rd & 5th).

Happy 4th to you & yours.

2009-07-03T17:28:00.005-04:00

July 4th tends to feel a bit anti-climactic here in the fireworks capital of the Pioneer Valley. Easthampton's fireworks extravaganza is always held the weekend before the fourth, which is great because it generally conflicts with no other events or anyone else's fireworks, and people who like to get out of town for the long weekend of the 4th don't miss out. Those Kiwanis dudes know what they're doing. If only the weather was as well organized.

This was the scene just minutes before dusk and fireworks launch time...

If you were part of the festivities, I hope you enjoyed. The fireworks went off a little early on account of the looming wall of rain and lightning, but it was actually kindof cool to watch the fireworks (albeit a bit abbreviated), listen to Freebird rockin' from the main stage while being dusted by a light rain. A multi-sensory experience.

I hope you and yours have a great 4th, full of burgers from the grill, cold beverages of your choice, great friends & family, and I'll go out on a bit of a limb here and suggest, perhaps even a little sun.

And if the 4th has you in a patriotic mood (as it should), check out the mini-series John Adams, if you haven't already. I'm not sure a better depiction of the days leading up to the birth of our fine nation has ever been made.

It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. ... I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not. -John Adams

Enjoy, and feel free to stop in for a cone. We'll be open regular hours (12-10pm) on the 4th.

The Bears: An Update.

2009-06-27T12:37:00.009-04:00

As you've already heard, Rubber Ducky bear was dislodged from its log a few weeks ago by some local hoodlums. Luckily and unlike Chrome Bear, he wasn't actually bear-napped.

Check out the facebook page for the still missing bear... Where is Chrome Bear?

Rubber Ducky bear enjoyed his respite in the window of Mt. Tom's, has been wiped clean of ice cream fingerprints, and is now perched on a log outside Pick Your Flick video store, just up the way on Cottage Street. Please update your bear maps accordingly...

And in other just breaking bear vandalism news, 'Three Bears' was tipped over last night by another group of bear-art haters. He sustained a bit of damage, but I'm told it's nothing a little bondo and paint can't remedy.

He should be fixed up in short order and back in action soon. Probably in a different location though... will keep you posted on where that might be.

In the meantime, the sun is shining, and it looks like a go for the fireworks tonight. Of course, that could change in a New England minute, but here's hoping...

Enjoy the festivities, be on the lookout for bear defacers, and hope to see you soon.

Let's Hear it for the K-kids.

2009-06-22T19:49:00.006-04:00

Somewhere in the blur of the past few weeks of Bear Fest prep, scooping all over town during the big event, and the post Fest steady stream of bear peepers, as I like to call them, another field trip season has come and gone. I think a few kindergarden and 1st/2nd grade classes this year opted for the bear tour, which is great (from what the teachers have said, it's pretty much all the kiddos have talked about since the bears arrived), but we did have a few here. Above is the Maple School kindergarden class, aka. K-kids.

Who just so happened to be the 'artists' of Jelly Bean bear, the tabletop bear that's right here at Mt. Tom's for the summer...

Nicely done. The silent auction bidding is already up to $150 on this bear!

One of my favorite parts of field trips is the cool thank you cards that often get delivered to the shop a few days later...

Here's a closer look...

The best line... 'We had infinity and beyond fun.' K-kids rock.

Here are a few other random candids from the field trips. It's all about the hats... and the sample right out of the machine...

Happy summer vacation to you. Rumor has it summerlike weather is just a few days away...

Bear Fest Day - the video

2009-06-20T15:55:00.001-04:00

From Gazettenet.com via youtube, in case you haven't seen it. Gabby hobknobs with the mayor...

How about them Bears.

2009-06-18T15:00:00.006-04:00

Well, the unveiling of the bears is complete. Saturday truly was a day that will go down in Easthampton history. Even lifetime locals admit they'd never seen their town so alive. Streets full of people wandering around, enjoying all the incredible bears, patronizing local downtown shops they may have hardly noticed on their daily autopiloted commutes. I can't speak for all the businesses, but we had lines out the door from start to finish. Contrary to popular rumor, we didn't actually run out of ice cream, but I must admit we went through a ton. It's thursday now, and I'm finally all caught up and restocked with all the usual suspects and a good amount of the specials I like to rotate in and out. Phew.

(Image by Patrick Brough.)

Over at the official unveiling party at the public parking next to Whisker's, we scooped out over 500 free samples of Gabby's Bear Tracks ice cream! I even had to recruit retired scooper Katie Sojkowski to help with the scoopin'. Thanks Katie.

Gabby did a nice job too. The Teddy Graham on top was her handiwork.

Here's Gabby getting congratulated by Mayor Mike. Gabby rules. If she doesn't grow up to open up an ice cream shop someday, I'm thinking political office may be in her future...

(Image by Patrick Brough.)

It really was an amazing day, and as the links I shared earlier attest, a good time was had by thousands. The entire Easthampton City Arts team hit it out of the park on this one. They deserve a huge round of applause for making it happen. From Ellen Koteen getting the first grant, to Briana Taylor keeping it all together in the coordinator position, to the entire ECA team and the countless hours they volunteered over the past year plus to make it look so easy on Bear day.

I was going to do the walk around with my trusty camera for blog shots, and I'm sure I still will someday soon, once it stops raining. There certainly has been no shortage of camera totin' folks this week. It really has been pretty cool to see the town still bustling with, dare I say, tourists. So rather than post images you may likely have in your little digital camera already, I thought I'd share a few images from early last Saturday morning. 4 am to be exact. That's when Stuart Beckley, our beloved city planner, backed up the DPW flatbed to the loading dock at Eastworks, the hiding place for all the finished bears. It was an early start to a very long day, and I can't begin to claim more credit than being an extra deck hand for the ECA team's setting up of the bears, but I must admit it was one of the coolest things I've done since I rolled into this town.

Here we are, cruising down Union Street, pre-dawn, with a bed full of all-dressed-up bears with somewhere to go. I was impressed that the entire early morning team of Amy Davis, Briana Taylor, Stuart Beckley, John Pollack, J.P. Pascuche, and Mayor Mike each knew the names of all the bears, who created them, and where each will be sitting until October. It was easy to see how hard this still-not-quite-awake team has worked to make the bears that you now see among you happen.

After each bear was dropped in its spot, part of the team stayed to secure each bear to its new log home...

Here Briana Taylor, Amy Davis, and Mayor Mike complete the first bear installation. Worked like a charm. Obviously, they'd rehearsed this part a few times...

The sun finally rises. Stuart, planner by day, flatbed truck driver by early morning, helped to keep the crew moving, so by this time, most of the bears were already in place...

Don't be alarmed. This isn't a shot of mayor and city planner making off with one for their office. It's just John and Stuart putting one of the final bears in place...

Mayor Mike and J.P. taking power tools to 'Bear hugs', making sure cub #1 is firmly attached...

'Bearon' enjoying the flatbed ride enroute to his home in front of the old firehouse on Union Street...

I thought I'd also share a few more images from my clandestine visit with Briana to the bear hideout last week. Now that all the bears have been unveiled and are perpetually posed for snaps with your own camera, here are a few of all the bears together...which won't happen again until early October when they make their way up to the Log Cabin for the big charity auction. You can click on these to get a full-sized view...

Even Cartledge's on Union Street has bear fever! From their window...

Not to end on a sour note, but I did want post up a shot of the still missing 'Chrome Bear' by Michael MacTavish. It is a pretty cool one, one of my favorites actually, for its shininess and simplicity. In case you didn't get to see it before it was swiped, here it is...

You can get a map of Bear Fest right here at Mt. Tom's, along with lots of other cool BearFest stuff (the beer mugs are particularly cool). And check this out, 'Jen' put together a BearFest map on Google... BearFest goes GoogleMaps

I think it's going to be a beary good summer. If, of course, summer actually decides to arrive...

Kidnapped!

2009-06-15T09:02:00.003-04:00

You've probably already heard, but posting up this cool poster created by Bronwen Hodgkinson just in case.

Much more on the amazing Easthampton BearFest to follow. In the meantime...

Patrick Brough Bay Road Photo post

CBS3 Story

22News Story

And contrary to the original rumor, the 2nd alleged bear gone missing was pulled off its log, but was not taken. Deshria's 'Rubber Ducky bear' is safe and sound. In fact, it's quite comfortable sitting in the window of Mt. Tom's right now. It will be back in its spot in a few days...

Hope you got to get out and check out the bears this weekend. If not, I hope you can grab a map (we have plenty here in the shop) and a take a stroll around town to see them.

It's Bears Time.

2009-06-12T14:32:00.005-04:00

Well, if you're one of the few who haven't yet heard of the Bear Fest summerlong art display that kicks off tomorrow (Sat., June 13th) yet, here's one last reminder for the big event. I just got back from a secret tour of the 35 completed bears, who are all tucked away safely in an undisclosed location, and all I can say is, wow. Briana Taylor, Easthampton City Arts coordinator and chief spokesperson for Bear Fest took time from all her media appearances and last minute wrapping up of details to sneak me and my trusty Pentax in...

I took a whole bunch of shots, but rather than show you what the amazing bears all look like before the big unveiling tomorrow, I'll just show you one. I don't mind showing this one because it was already 'unveiled' on the cover of the Springfield Republican this morning. It's Clementine the Circus Bear, painted by Amy Johnquest, the banner queen, and local legend in the art world.

They're all this good.

And when you stroll into town tomorrow (Saturday) morning, all those empty logs you see today will be have bears perched on them.

But wait, there's more. You'll also find 30 'tabletop bears' in many of local businesses. Here's the one right here in Mt. Tom's... Jelly Bean Bear... Each of those bears was completed by local school children. I've seen most of these bears too, and they are equally as impressive. Each tabletop bear has a 'silent auction card' next to it. Bidding for those starts at 50 bucks. The big bears, as I've mentioned, will be auctioned at a big gala at the Log Cabin in October.

The fun starts at 2pm on Saturday at the public parking lot next to Whisker's. Here's the schedule of events.

We'll have plenty of maps and other Bear Fest paraphernalia here at Mt. Tom's. The maps are free. Here's what else we've got...

And last but definitely not least, this month's Mt. Tom's ArtWalk show is up, and it too is very cool.

In keeping with the Bear Fest theme, Don, along with Dr. Linda Henderson, will be presenting a show of their favorite images of bears - actual bears from the Mt. Tom Reservation and other local spots. While you're sampling the new Bear Fest ice cream flavor, have a look at some great images of the 'real thing'.

Hope to see you this weekend.

Gabby helps make the first batch of Bear Tracks.

2009-06-10T20:11:00.008-04:00

Gabby Neal, the seven year old ice cream genius from Maple School, stopped by the shop today to help me make the first official batch of Bear Tracks, the winning entry in the Bear Fest flavor contest. It would be an understatement to say she was giddy as a schoolgirl. She and her posse of best friend, brother, and Mom arrived after school today and immediately took charge of the ice cream kitchen.

Here she is, standing proudly next to the top secret ingredients about to go into the inaugural batch...

Note the precision with which she executes the introduction of inclusions to the batch. Teddy Grahams, right out of the box, that's not an easy move to complete...

Gabby later resorts to the 'bag out of box pour'. See the concentration on her face as she times it perfectly with my stirring...

Here's Gabby enjoying the fruits of her labor, the first taste... She likes it, hey Gabby! (sorry about the bad 70's reference.)...

Gabby's entourage enjoying the finished product as Gabby discusses the finer points of ice cream making...

The first batches of the new Bear Tracks are hibernating comfortably in the blast freezer at 20 below until Saturday at 2pm when they will become part of the big unveiling event over at the Cottage Street public parking lot. I hope you can stop by to enjoy the festivities. We'll be scooping out free samples until 3:30. After that, you can stop by Mt. Tom's for a scoop of Gabby's Bear Tracks anytime...

Congrats again to Gabby for her winning entry and for stopping by to help make the first batch.

You rock.

And the winner is...

2009-06-06T15:04:00.006-04:00

The moment you've all been waiting for (at least those 10 and under who entered the Bear Fest flavor inventing/naming contest during the month of May.

Congratulations go to 7 year old Gabby Neal for submitting the winning flavor! She named it Bear Tracks, and I'll be making the first batch (with Gabby's help) this coming week. You'll be able to get free samples of the new flavor at the big unveiling party in the public parking lot next to Whisker's Pub on Saturday, June 13th at 2 pm. If you can't make that, fear not, Bear Tracks will be available right here at Mt. Tom's for as long as the Bears are in town.

In addition to a shiny, charged up Mt. Tom's giftcard, Gabby has a free Mt. Tom's ice cream cone a week for the entire summer to look forward to!

A portion of proceeds will go to support Bear Fest and it's wicked worthy causes.

Second place goes to Kasi and Ethan Marowitz for their Pooh's Honey Pot Crunch, and third place to Andie Hall for her flavor, 'The Honey Pot'. Congrats to you three also! Who knows, maybe I'll whip up a batch of your flavor ideas sometime this summer...

We received over 100 entries! There were some great ideas, and it was a tough decision, but I think you're going to like what Gabby came up with. I'm sure you're wondering what's in the new Bear flavor. Well, you're just going to have to wait one more week to find out. Unless of course, Gabby decides to tell you on her blog.

I will give you one hint...

Thanks to all who participated. It seemed to be a big hit with the under 10 set. I even noticed a few 'grown ups' who were disappointed they couldn't enter, so perhaps I'll run another contest for kids of all ages one of these days.

And for all of you who participated, I'm planning to draw an entry a week out of the pile for a free kid's cone as thanks for your help. So you may still be a winner yet...

Cool Teas.

2009-06-03T15:03:00.004-04:00

I realize we're closer to ice cream season than 'grab a hot cup of tea to get warm on a snowy night' season, but that's not going to stop me from posting up a quick plug for some cool new teas we just got in from local gourmet tea maker, The TeaGuys. I discovered them four years ago when they were doing their tea magic in a small space in a dark corner of EastWorks, right here in Easthampton. Their teas range from the savory to the exotic. Customers that ask for 'just a regular black tea' are often overwelmed by the flavors - Chamoimile Citrus, Ginger Papaya, Key Lime Pie, Jasmine Green. But the real tea lovers can't get enough. They've recently gained access to Whole Foods, perhaps you've seen them in the warm beverage aisle. There's is a great entrepreneurial success story.

They say tea drinking is good for you, so I, for one, try to sneak in a cup between batches of ice cream making from time to time. So I was perusing their online 'line card' the other day and came across some really interesting varieties that just had to be tried. Here they are...

SPA - Hydrate:

This uniquely formulated antioxidant-rich green and white tea blend features C’Watre sea minerals (www.cwatre.com) that fortify the skin and help sustain health and hydration. Delicate and delicious. Try warm or cold.

SPA -Energize:

This healthful blend of organic rooibos and honeybush combined with stimulating guarana and freshly cut spices is a great way to recharge and boost your energy. Enjoy warm or cold.

SPA -Relax:

Relax the mind and body with this blend of soothing botanicals. Chamomile, St. John’s Wort and gingko help to relieve the stress and tension of daily life and lift your spirits.

Sound interesting? I realize they might not be the perfect compliment to a cone of cookie dough, but something to think about. You can get 'em here, by the cup or by the ounce.

Something else to think about, the BearFest ice cream flavor contest entries are all in and tabulated, and a winner has been chosen....

Sorry, we've got to notify them first before we tell you here. I promise by the weekend, you'll find it right here. And a week from Saturday (June 13th), if you come by the big unveiling event in the public parking lot, you'll get in on the first sampling.

Stay tuned!

Springtime In Easthampton.

2009-05-31T17:18:00.007-04:00

Hope you got to enjoy some of this fine spring weather this weekend. Went out for a little spin on Saturday morning before opening up shop. Thought I'd share a few shots from my handy Pentax.

First, but not least, one of the always impressive blue heron, catching brunch in the 'green pond' (click on photo to get the full effect)...

A couple families of Canadian geese enjoying the day...

Tadpoles, lots of tadpoles. Down at the 'town beach'...

A perfect morning for a graduation. Congrats to the Williston Northampton School Class of 2009...

One more of the pond, back to life once again...

Hope you had a great weekend. See you soon.

Talking about Ice Cream.

2009-05-27T18:50:00.008-04:00

It is called the Ice Cream Diaries, after all, so sometimes I really do talk about ice cream. After spending the bulk of the past six days in the weeds, thanks to a stellar long weekend of weather perfection, today has brought things right back down to Earth. A light drizzle and a brisk 53 degrees is no kind of May weather, even for we New Englanders. But, like I mentioned, if the weather is going to go north, happy to see it happen midweek and not mid-long weekend. Like most things in life, I think it all evens out over time anyway.

So with the lull in the action today, I took the opportunity to make up a few flavors that have been swirling around in my head for a while. The first, Mimosa sorbet...

In case you've never enjoyed this fine breakfast treat, a mimosa is champagne with orange juice.

And for those that prefer a more hoppy adult beverage, I also got a chance to make another beer flavor today. It's not exactly the Guiness beer ice cream you may have tried here around St. Paddy's day and a couple other times a year, but it's close.

It seems an inspiration for a new flavor can strike at just about any time and any place. As might seem obvious in about three sentences, this flavor began brewing in my head while I was across the street at my favorite local pub, The Brass Cat. They have a little 'contest' going right now that involves checking off a number of different fine (and not so fine) beverages, most of which are in the genus and species of beer. You've got months to finish 'your list', and from what I've seen it's been great for Mike the owner's biz.

Kudos for creativity during these 'challenging times'.

In any event, the beer that came up on my list on this particular night was a chocolate stout. It was a treat, dessert in a mug. About three sips into it, I was certain my next batch of stout beer ice cream would be a chocolate one. And I was right.

Both will be out for sampling and indulging this weekend. I hope you can swing by. And if you're not over 21, or just don't like the idea of mixing happy hour with dessert, perhaps the latest cake batter offspring might tempt you. Last week it was cookies n' cake batter, then birthday cake batter (with marshmallow swirl), and up right now it's cake batter sundae.

Cake batter ice cream with marshmallow swirl, fudge swirl, and rainbow sprinkles (as seen above). Have to credit ace scooper extraordinaire, Lauren, for this one.

Of course, there are 52 other flavors to choose from too...

And, as always, don't hesitate to suggest one of your own.

See you soon.

Easthampton becoming the next Easthampton.

2009-05-26T15:50:00.005-04:00

An interesting read in this week's Valley Advocate...

Jean-Pierre Pasche, owner of Easthampton's Eastmont Custom Framing, in his monthly arts newsletter about all things Easthampton arts, addressed in April a notion that keeps bubbling to the surface in the burg next to Noho/Hamp: Does Easthampton have the potential to become the next Northampton? It's shorthand for the real question: will Easthampton become a mecca for arts, music and "culture"? Read on...

My favorite quote from the piece, from JP Paschue, "Easthampton is having a great time becoming the next Easthampton instead of Northampton."

...If Easthamptonites tread carefully, the place could become a viable, unique destination in the Valley's seemingly unstoppable artistic spread. And, just as Pasche claims, the more its identity is its own, the better. The Valley doesn't need Eho—it needs a vital Easthampton that incorporates old character and new energy.

And with Open Studios coming in a few weekends, and the much anticipated Bear Fest public art extravaganza right on its, dare I say, paws, Easthampton is getting set to show off what a cool mecca for arts, music, and culture it's already become. And you can still buy a tombstone downtown.

What more could you ask for in a small New England town?

Happy Memorial Day Weekend to You.

2009-05-24T20:32:00.006-04:00

Hope you've been enjoying this fine Memorial Day weekend weather. The weather people warned us of rain pretty much all weekend, but not a drop to be seen in this part of town. Which has made for a great weekend of ice creaming. As I like to say around mid-July, I'm a bit tired, but it's a good tired.

In any event, thanks for coming by for a fresh cone of lavender or M&M pretzel or your usual mint chocolate chip.

With a brief break in the action, I got to thinking about what to blog about besides the 'cool in a small town kindof way' Memorial Day parade here in Easthampton, and after a crazy couple of days at the batch freezer, blogger's block set in almost instantly.

So I walked out to the pond in the backyard, stared at the new American flag, just hung by Mayor Mike & a wingman, and thought about Memorial Day.

I didn't get much further than wondering to myself, so why is there a Memorial Day and a Veteran's Day anyway? And what's the difference? I was pretty sure I could guess the answer, but I had to make sure. So in case you were wondering, here's the answer (from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs site)...

Many people confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. While those who died are also remembered on Veterans Day, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor ALL those who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime. In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank LIVING veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served - not only those who died - have sacrificed and done their duty. A complete history of Veterans Day, and why it is observed on November 11, can be found on the Veterans Day History Web page.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and feel free to stop by. We'll be here regular hours (noon 'til 9:30).

Feel free to bring an extra burger from the grill...

Bear Fest Ice Cream

2009-05-21T14:27:00.003-04:00

As you've hopefully heard by now, Easthampton is soon to be visited by 35 bears. The bears you see above are the 'canvases'. Local artists were chosen from among over 130 proposals, ranging from astronaut bear to Patty O'bear, and many themes in between. Artists are hard at work on their bears, getting them ready for the big 'unveiling' party on June 13th. The big bears will find homes in high visibility spots throughout town. Smaller, tabletop bears are also being prepared by local school children and Riverside Industries folks. These bears will be placed inside local businesses. Mt. Tom's will proudly host a bear, as will many other local businesses.

As you can see at the Bear Fest website, the Easthampton City Arts team have worked tirelessly not only to raise the funds to bring the bears to town, but to also plan some great events to celebrate this summerlong public display of art.

I, for one, think Bear Fest is going to great for the city. Once word gets out how cool these bears are, people will come from miles around to check 'em out.

In addition to parties and concerts and artwalks, Opa Opa Brewing Company is creating a Bear Fest brew. They will be 'unveiling' that at a benefit party on June 3rd.

And here at Mt. Tom's, we've got an ice cream flavor contest going right now. I'm letting the kids invent the flavor for a Bear Fest flavor! All kids 10 and under got entry forms at school. Entry forms are also available here at the shop. We've asked them to come up with the ingredients and the name. The winner gets a free cone a week for the entire summer and a $25 giftcard! 2nd and 3rd get giftcards too. The contest runs until May 31st. Winners will be notified by the 5th. And the first batch will be made shortly after that, with the winner helping out and getting the first 'taste'. We've already received a bunch of entries, and definitely some keepers in the stack...

The new Bear Fest flavor will be served at the 'unveiling party' on June 13th at 2pm. That will be held at the public parking lot on Cottage Street. Hope to see you there.

I'll be posting the winning flavor here on June 5th.

Stay cool and tuned...

JJ Dushane Memorial Basketball Courts.

2009-05-19T15:07:00.003-04:00

As promised, a few shots of the finished product. Pretty sweet. Congrats again to the entire team for making it happen. I understand, in addition to costing significantly more than the $72K estimate, the JJ Dushane Memorial Fund will continue on, with scholarships and other great causes in JJ's name. So I hope you will continue to support this inspiring effort.

I think it's safe to say these courts will get plenty of use...

Speaking of fundraising, here's one coming up:

BRUCE JACQUES is coming this Friday May 22nd to put on a show and play some music.Check him out at http://www.brucejacques.com/. What a fun night it will be, come join us for the antics and dancing at the Pulaski Club Hall on Maple St in Easthampton MA. 7pm till midnight.

Tickets available at the door.($20)

Proceeds to Benefit The JJ Dushane Memorial FundSponsored by Florence Savings Bank

A Dad sighting on Ebay!

2009-05-15T13:04:00.006-04:00

Those who have been following the ice cream diaries from the beginning, way back when it came in the form of an emailed journal entry, will remember my Dad, my ice cream mentor, and all around good guy was one of the original premium ice cream makers, a founding father, if you will. His ice cream flavor inventing days came years before those guys Ben and Jerry were even thinking about turning that old gas station into a homemade ice cream joint. My Dad worked for Howard Johnson's, you know that place whose name was synonymous with the Mass Turnpike back in their day.
I remember our home freezer when i was a kid was always full of Dad's 'mistakes' from his lab at the Hojo's factory in Brockton, Mass. Peppermint stick that was just a little too pink. Cookie dough with too many chips and not enough dough. Of course, being a kid, there's no such thing as bad ice cream or bad pizza. I have great memories of going to Dad's lab on a Saturday morning when he had something to check on. He was also the quality control guy for the factory, so he was probably going in to check bacteria counts on something, but again I was just a kid and I was going to a giant ice cream factory. And I remember his lab being full of all the great stuff that went into ice cream. Giant boxes of chocolate chips. M&M's. 5 gallon pails of chocolate. Paradise for an eight year old.

I particularly remember the paper hats he made us wear when we had factory tours with our Cub Scout den and such. In fact, when I started doing lessons and tours at my shop twenty-five years later, that's the first thing I got...

Of course, back then I wanted to be an astronaut not an ice cream guy. Little did I know this is where I would end up. Turns out, I am the acorn that fell near the tree. Sure, I did get the engineering college degrees and went the traditional big company, cubicle route enroute. And that was great too, in different ways (weekends off were nice, in hindsight). My Dad went the traditional big company route too before he jettisoned himself off the ship to start his own gigs, first 'The Ice Creamery' in Randolph, Mass. Then later 'Dave's World of Ice Cream' in Foxboro, Mass. He and Mom are happily retired now and completely content to play the visiting grandparents role to my little place, Mt. Tom's. Dad gets to pop in during the summer, have some free ice cream, and rummage around my ice cream kitchen just like I used to when I was a kid. There's something kindof cool about that.

Speaking of cool, one of my customers is an avid EBay'er and Howard Johnson's paraphernalia collector (of all things). He was poking around Ebay the other day and came across a bunch of Hojo listings of old company magazines. And wouldn't you know, he found this, and recognized the name. Sure enough, my Dad, hard at work back in the old Hojo days, circa 1981...

Hojo's is an interesting rags to riches to rags story. They were ahead of their time in many ways (premium ice cream, cool flavors, Ground Round) but somehow ended up getting left in the dust. All that remains are a few hotels, a row or two of mac n' cheese boxes in the grocery store freezer, and a bunch of vintage collectables on ebay. Perhaps I'll write more on that topic, although I'm sure many an MBA school business case study has already been written.

Just before they were sold and never to be heard from again, I seem to remember their prices going through the roof while at the same time their quality and cleanliness sinking into the basement. Tough to survive with those strikes against you, even if you do 'own' the Mass. Pike.

If you are curious, here are a few interesting links, mostly grabbed from the wink. site...

http://www.hojoland.com/

http://www.slamtrak.com/hojo2003/

http://www.roadsidefans.com/hojo.html

Well, must go make some ice cream now, just like Dad taught me. Stop by for some. There's plenty to go around.

Enjoy your weekend.

Tiny Valley - The Show.

2009-05-11T13:53:00.005-04:00

Probably should have posted about this before the actual opening reception during this past weekend's ArtWalk, but I didn't want to bump the JJ Dushane entry before that event. The good news is this past weekend's ArtWalk was a big success, crazy downpours be darned, and Chris Evans' show here at Mt. Tom's was great. And more good news, Chris' show will be here right through until the next ArtWalk on June 13th. The show is called 'Tiny Valley', and it's a very cool collection of Chris' favorite images of scale-model-like scenes from the Pioneer Valley. He used a technique called 'tilt shift', which allows you to focus sharply on a specific aspect of an image while blurring the rest. You get a bit of an idea from the image above, but the best way is to come down and see the images on the wall in full 16x20 living color.

When you look at them, you really do think they're models, but they're not.

Laura Merwin graciously covered the event at one of my favorite blogs, Bay Road Photo over at Masslive.com. Patrick Brough even got a shot of Chris and I being interviewed by videographer Jon Persson,as part of a documentary being put together in conjunction with Easthampton City Arts, the upcoming Bear Fest, and local cable access channel 5.

If you weren't able to do the ArtWalk thing this past weekend, I hope you can still stop by and check out Chris's show. Ice cream and gummy fried eggs are optional.

JJ Dushane Memorial Basketball Courts.

2009-05-06T13:50:00.004-04:00

After many months of tireless hard work and fearless fundraising, the friends and family of JJ Dushane are proud to announce the dedication of the new and amazing JJ Dushane Memorial basketball courts. From their website...

The JJ Dushane Memorial fund was established to honor our son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend who tragically lost his life this past January. JJ was a beautiful and caring young man who touched the lives of many as attested by the more than 1,400 people who paid their last respects to him. He played and excelled in local sports as a youngster all the way through his varsity career at Easthampton High School. Although he excelled at soccer, baseball and football (his blocked punt which resulted in a touchdown sealed the win for Easthampton's first Super Bowl victory in 2005), his passion was basketball. He believed in mentoring younger players and young children. He always knew how to “Lighten Up” people, how to make them laugh and how to enjoy life no matter what the situation was.

The family and friends of JJ Dushane are trying to raise money to build a memorial in his name and to create an atmosphere where the community, especially the kids, can gather and play basketball. JJ spent a lot of his time playing basketball there and we know in our hearts he would want us to complete this project. We have the support of our City Officials, the Parks and Recreation Department, the Easthampton Basketball Association, Easthampton High School Athletics and of course our Family and Friends.

The ‘opening’ ceremony will happen this coming Sunday at 1:30, right at the site of the new courts. In case you haven't been following this touching tribute to JJ, the new courts can be found right at the entrance to Nonotuck Park right here in Easthampton.

Here are a few construction shots of the courts. The group was able to raise the over $72,000 needed to get the courts built. Fundraising came in all forms - from raffles to car washes to poker and golf tournaments to trivia nights. An impressive feat and just goes to show if you put your mind to something, there's nothing you can't accomplish, bad economy be darned.

Obviously, nothing can erase the unimaginable pain of losing a son, but I think his family can find a bit of solace in the heartfelt support they’ve received from Easthampton's fine folks. A great story, and I'm sure those courts will be enjoyed and appreciated by generations to come.

I hope you can stop by the new courts on Sunday at 1:30 to show your support and admiration to JJ’s family and friends. Rumor has it, they’ll be cake and (Mt. Tom’s) ice cream for all…

In case you’re out with Mom or otherwise booked on Sunday, I’ll try to get some shots of the new courts and post ‘em up next week.

Congrats to the JJ Dushane team for providing such a great gift to the city of Easthampton.

Ah Choo Choo. Gazundheit.

2009-05-03T13:48:00.005-04:00

Fellow Easthampton'ers will recognize this somewhat scary shop facade from good old Cottage Street. It's the strange pawn shop-looking place sandwiched between the church and Rene's TV repair shop. I can't tell you how many times people have come into Mt. Tom's and asked, 'Is that Choo Choo place ever open?' My usual reply is, 'not that I know of'. I've always assumed it was serving as someone's downtown storage unit, just with big windows and a tacky sign. I must admit, though, there are some interesting collectables sitting just behind those giant aquarium windows. So I suppose I can understand one's desire to 'gain entry' when that life-sized lighted opaque Mickey Mouse they've always wanted waves at them tauntingly as they walk by, enroute to their next sundae.

So how surprised, intrigued, and morbidly curious was I when, as I set up the sidewalk chairs this morning, I noticed the door to Ah Choo Choo standing magically and majestically open for all to enter. I knew I had to go inside. Anxiously, I waited for my scooper to arrive so I could pass over that threshold that so many have longed to cross, yet so few granted the opportunity.

In case you didn't notice the activity outside the 'Choo' today or catch a glimse of the 'tag sale' sandwich board (got a permit for that? good thing it's sunday...), I'm going to give you a quick glimpse into the promised land, that peak at the little wizard of Oz behind the forboding curtain. Welcome to the world of Choo Choo...

I was trying to be all stealthy and clandestine on this first shot, hence the angled shot of mostly ceiling. I gained confidence going into this next one...

The world as seen from inside the ACC...

You're probably wondering, well, did you buy anything? I was tempted by the giant Mickey, but that was heartlessly snatched from my grasp by another patron just as I was wandering over to it. I was really tempted by the Habitrail shaped like a steam engine, but nixed that idea when I remembered I haven't owned a hamster since I was 6. Blue lava light, already have one. Wait a minute, what's this? Could it be? Sure enough. But five bucks is too much, hmm. I glance over to the sign on the wall, 'make us an offer'. I pick it up and casually wander over to the counter, being purposely cautious soas to not draw unnecessary attention to my potential purchase.

'Will you take 3 bucks for this?'

The man at the counter says, 'Will you be hanging it in your shop? (my Mt. Tom's T-shirt and apron give me away every time). I reply, 'ahh, probably not.'

He took my 3 bucks anyway.

As you may or may not remember, I have a bit of a running gag gift thing going with some family members, and it happens to involve the cow theme. Who's to be the lucky winner this year, hmm...

Now how much do you wish you were on my Christmas shopping list?

Not sure how long the big Ah Choo Choo tag sale extravaganze will continue, so best you get yourself down to Cottage Street as soon as you can before all the great? stuff is gone.

You might notice the 'For Rent' sign in the window too. I realize the ACC will be a tough act to follow, but hopefully it might become home to something new and interesting. Will keep you posted.

Well, I'd better end it there. It's raining. The shop is quiet. And there's an old Kerplunk! game I just can't get out of my head. If anyone's looking for me, I'll be over at the Choo.

Spring Shots.

2009-04-29T16:18:00.006-04:00

Since it actually feels like Spring today and not Summer, it seemed like a good day to post up a few shots from random sites around town. I'll let the images do most of the speaking for themselves...

(You can try to click on an image to get a full screen view. Photos are shrunk a bit to fit into blogger's size limits so this doesn't always work though.)

Manhan Rail Trail gets some color back.

Daffodils mixing it up with the weeds trailside.

Williston campus in bloom.

Trash as art? Spotted on the side of Sunrise Bakery.

Cherry blossom house in Florence.

Front view.

Pond in bloom.

Dandelions enjoying the Williston views.

In conclusion, happy customers.

Things have settled into a more typical Spring pace, so hopefully they'll be more Spring shots to follow. Stay tuned. As for the kiddo shots, those usually find their way into the digital photo frame on the shop counter...

Cool Shot.

2009-04-27T18:11:00.005-04:00

Local roving photographer, Patrick Brough, who can now be found over at MassLive's Bay Road Photo, posted this shot the other day. Seems he got use of a fisheye lens for the weekend and took it on a wander around town Sunday morning. Lucky for me, he happened by the shop and caught this sweet shot. Now I really feel like I work in a fish bowl...

Hope you're enjoying this steamy weather. Definitely a banner weekend for ice cream sales. Thanks for coming by. One more day of April summerlike bliss, and I guess it's back to 'normal'. But then again, who knows what crazy weather lurks around the next corner here in New England.