Chocolate

I'd long heard of Ben and Jerry's epic annual free cone day, but due to a lack of B&J (not feeling the initials but it's easier) in my town, I'd never had the opportunity to attend, much less enjoy it. My sister attended college in Saratoga Springs, New York where a large Ben and Jerry's resided, and as a girl on a college budget (read: parent-funded), she would rave about free cone day. The girl had financial priorities and ice cream wasn't the only thing she enjoyed at Skidmore...

When I decided to start this..."project" (said loosely because of my lack of discipline, though using the term makes it feel legitimate), free cone day didn't even cross my mind. I never even thought to seek out the answers to the numerous questions I once had about it. Was it the same day every year? Is it everywhere? Is there an age limit?

Then, all in one week, something magical happened. First, LivingSocial announced a $20 for $10 deal at B&J, and though I didn't jump on the bandwagon fast enough, I was pretty impressed with the timing of it all. In the same week, I heard word it was free cone day! I immediately googled locations and to my dismay there are only three in New York City. Harlem, Rockefeller Center and Macy's. Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad. Macy's is however in close proximity to my apartment, so the decision was made.

I wholeheartedly despise Macy's Herald Square, mostly because it somehow seems to resemble what I imagine Ellis Island was like in its prime, and the crowds are anxiety-inducing on more levels than one. Even still, free cone day was free cone day and how could I not attend? I made my way on a cold and rainy night and the usual crowds didn't bother me as much as they normally do, as the shoppers there may as well be immigrants with cholera who I dodge and avoid like...well, cholera. The line was absurd, though moved quickly as the scoopers (another technical term) more closely resembled factory workers on an assembly line, scooping and passing, scooping and passing. Did my scoop have a little residue (ew) of another flavor? Yes, but I still appreciated their efforts.

The disappointment set in when an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper (not framed...not even laminated) informed me of my flavor options. Options? Strike one. The flavors available were as follows: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, vanilla fro yo, lemon sorbet and one crossed out aggressively in black marker. Late Night Snack. The flavor that pushed me to start this "project" in the first place. Strike two. Here they were, the most generic flavors on the planet, and the most recent and acclaimed one was available and now, conveniently unavailable?! My shock and dismay as well as that of a one Amanda Heller, were off the charts.

I opted for chocolate and just as I made a mental list of why this was maybe a good thing (1. I have to eat all flavors eventually, 2. it was free, 3. it kinda sorta maybe hit the spot) we spotted customers with cones that had flavors that were not any of the above listed. Late Night Snack? It had to be. Strike three.

CoffeeCoffeeBuzzBuzzBuzz

Let me start off by saying that the way I go about my flavor picking is not scientific (in case you thought otherwise). There's no rhyme or reason, no order, and I'd even go so far as to say that convenience is the biggest, if not sole, factor that my choosing is based upon. Is someone (read: mom) going food shopping on my behalf? Does the market I pass daily en route from the train to my apartment (whattup Green Leaf) have something I need to check off my list? Done and done. I guess it goes back to my indecisive nature and the fact that I'm intimidated by many options, so I'd much rather decide based on availability. Similarly, I'm much happier at a restaurant with a limited menu than one with an overwhelming one. Diners? Let the anxiety attack ensue.

So, when a work week came and went and there was no ice cream to be eaten (credited to a lack of trying to be certain), Saturday seemed to be the day. My mom, sister and I ventured to Atlantic City for a little get out of the city weekend (note: this is not the same as a get out of jail free card, as my 27 year old sister and I were carded by security in the Borgata casino after video surveillance saw my feet dangling (no, they did not touch the floor) and assumed we were not yet 21. Had we not been of age, a get out of jail free card would have been clutch).

Back to my ice cream eating which happened by chance, as our hotel had a Ben & Jerry's. in it. Rewind to about an hour prior, where I had eaten a small pasta salad courtesy of Starbucks while shopping, as as per usual I let myself get hungrier than I should have and needed some on-the-spot nourishment. Upon arriving to the hotel, we opted for the food court as we had dinner reservations in only a few hours and didn't want to spoil our appetites [too severely]. The choices were decent (not too vast, but enough), and as if I didn't have a hard enough time deciding what to eat, my mom's voice echoed: You have to get ice cream after. Well, in that case, Lettuce Head, the make your own salad place should have been my pick, for may I remind you that I had just ate a decent helping of pasta salad, was planning to eat ice cream promptly thereafter and later intended on having steak. Tell me why then that I opted for Fatburger. Yep, not just any burger, but one with fat in its name. Necessary.

After a cheese (also necessary) Fatburger and a meal that had my sister, mom and I in tears of laughter (over my recent affinity for binge eating mostly), my mom reminded me that Ben & Jerry's was waiting. A kid's size scoop sounded perfect as the reminder of a looming (and gluttonous) dinner awaited. To lessen the blow (slash nausea), my mom told me she'd share with me and suggested CoffeeCoffeeBuzzBuzzBuzz because she needed the caffeine. Gotta love a good rationalization. Nearly bitter coffee ice cream was highlighted with espresso fudge chunks and was pretty delicious, being a variation of my long time favorite: coffee ice cream with chocolate syrup (or hot fudge when available). I later found out the flavor is a Scoop Shop only flavor which turned out to be a happy accident...the best kind of accident there is! Certainly cushioned the blow of force feeding filet down my throat at our dinner reservations mere hours later.