SWEET TREAT: popbar, a Topper's Utopia

I haven't had a popsicle since I was 12. I used to love them. They were extremely refreshing and I was always eager to read the riddles that were printed on the sticks. (i.e. What is black, white, and red all over? A newspaper. Get it? Read all over.) But of course, like everyone, I hated the fact that they dripped all over you and ruined a perfectly good shirt. Plus, I was soon eternally enamored with vanilla ice cream smothered in chewy rainbow sprinkles, and indoctrinated into the gelato-loving cult. Thus, I retired my love for pops.

Then one steamy summer day last week, lost in the Village while searching for gelato, Ali and I passed popbar, which sells handcrafted gelato, sorbet, and yogurt on a stick, made with 100% real fruit. We were so excited to see a childhood favorite in the neighborhood, we vowed to return, and so we did this weekend after a rousing game of ping pong at Fat Cat.

Even though their menu consisted of cream, pistachio, coffee, chocolate, coconut chocolate, vanilla chocolate, vanilla splash, hazelnut, strawberry lemon, raspberry mint lemon, and their exclusive popyogurt, I ordered the super simple strawberry sorbet (which I'm allergic to, shhh!) and Ali ordered mango. Our friend Kristine was the most adventurous. She chose mango drizzled with Italian gourmet chocolate. 

I rarely indulge in toppings. Even when I bought my Baskin Robbins sundae to score that baseball cap, I stuck to the basics: whip cream, sprinkles, and a cherry. But if I were a top-aholic, I could've had my pick of almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, shredded coconut, granola, coffee grains, biscotti crumbles, brownie chunks, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate. AND popbar encourages double-dipping and allows requests for one layer of one topping and another layer of a different topping and yet another layer on top of that. It's a topper's utopia...totally wasted on me. lol

BUT, I am interested in trying the coconut next time. Since I love coconut gelato, I might like a coconut pop. Of course, I'm not too keen on paying $3.75 again, when I can just get a pop at my local bodega for a buck. Then again, I can't pretend those are healthy when I'm pretty sure they're not even 10% real fruit.

popbar, 5 Carmine Street

FLASHBACK: Gelato for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

The cliche American things to do in Italy are to eat gelato, "hold up" the Leaning Tower of Pisa, eat gelato, visit the Vatican City, eat gelato, and shovel pasta—fistfuls at a time—into your mouth...then top it off with gelato. And since I'm American, I did as the Americans would do, minus Pisa—couldn't make the trip.

This gelateria in Florence is just one of the many shops I went to while in Europe. I swear, I ate at least three servings in one day while wandering around Rome. My favorite flavors are coconut and stracciatella, which is basically chocolate and vanilla mixed together. The best I had was next door to a pizza shop called, if I'm not mistaken, Caffè Accademia, right outside the Spanish Steps train stop. That's right, there are train stops near historical monuments in Rome. Your mind would be blown if you exited the Colosseum train stop.

My friend Anna was the most adventurous. She tried a different flavor every time we stopped in every Italian city (Rome, Florence, Venice, and Milan) we traveled to—from mango to Nutella. I always tried hers, but stuck with my beloved coconut. When we returned to Madrid, we "settled" for the gourmet gelato at Giangrossi, two blocks from our apartment. Like in the shops of Chelsea Market, you can watch them make your gelato in their kitchens.

Nowadays, I settle for the Village's Grom whenever I need a fix. $6 for a little vanilla delight. I wouldn't say it's the best, but I will say that I'll be trying a few more places around Bleecker Street this summer.

SWEET TREAT: Baskin Robbins Mini Baseball Caps

When I was a kid, I vaguely remember eating ice cream out of a black plastic baseball cap. Nothing odd about that...except I think I was in the Dominican Republic. Hmmm I have the worst memory.

But I still have the cap. I didn't notice which team it was for though until a few months ago. The White Sox. I'm no Boston fan, but when I was in high school I liked a White Sox fan. If I was superstitious, I would've thought it was fate. Instead I thought, "Man, I wish I could get the Yankee mini cap." lol

 That's Wile E. Coyote and Bugs Bunny under there.

So me and Ally made our way to the nearest Baskins and basically just asked for the cap and whatever else we had to buy to get it. $5.99 for a two scoop sundae (I recommend America's Birthday Cake, despite the embedded cake cubes, or the Daiquiri—it's so weird) with fudge, whip cream, a cherry, and assorted toppings (sprinkles, nuts, etc.), plus a bottle of water. I know, the water is kind of random, but appreciated. The promotional ads say to collect all 30, but I honestly can't picture myself eating 30 sundaes this summer. I mean...if they were gelato, maybe. lol