gnomi: (boston_skyline (shoegal-icons))
gnomi ([personal profile] gnomi) wrote2007-05-29 09:12 am

Questing For Ice Cream

Yesterday, I was off work but [personal profile] mabfan was working. We considered meeting up for lunch at our usual lunch place, but (since they cater mostly to the business crowd) they were closed yesterday for the holiday.

And so I faffed about on the Internet (as I am wont to do in my spare time) and I read my friends list and other such stuff. And in my travels on the Internet, I found that [personal profile] taffimai had posted an interesting link.

See, [personal profile] mabfan has been seeking Stephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream ice cream from Ben & Jerry's. But our local Stop & Shop has failed to carry it, much to [personal profile] mabfan's dismay. But then [personal profile] taffimai posted a link to Ben & Jerry's Flavor Locator. And I discovered that there were a couple of places not horribly far from home where I could, theoretically, procure said ice cream.

So I arranged to meet [personal profile] mabfan at the end of his work day so we could go take photos of the R2D2 mailbox that's in the neighborhood of his office (said photos will be posted this evening, I hope). And about 1.25 hours before our meeting time, I set off on my quest. I had a few options that made sense (all various CVS locations): one in Harvard Square, two near Government Center (on opposite sides of Government Center), and one on Tremont St. near Herald St. Looking at timing, closeness of T stops, and all that good stuff, I decided to head for the CVS on Cambridge St. near Government Center. Time worked out slightly less well than I'd hoped (I had to wait for the Green Line longer than I'd expected), so when I discovered that the walk from Gov't Center to the CVS was going to take longer than I had available to go and then get to [personal profile] mabfan's office at the right time, I decided to head back to the T and head toward [personal profile] mabfan.

But just then I noticed that right across Cambridge St. from me was a Store 24. I figured that if the CVS a couple of blocks from them sold AmeriCone Dream, there was a chance that this Store 24 may, as well. So in I went. And I found AmeriCone Dream! So into my pre-prepared cooler bag the ice cream went, and off I went to meet [personal profile] mabfan.

All that is a long way around to recommend that, if you're looking for a specific type of Ben & Jerry's in your area, you might want to check out Ben & Jerry's Flavor Locator.

[identity profile] shsilver.livejournal.com 2007-05-29 01:45 pm (UTC)(link)
I made use of the locater a while ago for the same reason and found that in theory the ice cream was not available within 20 miles of my home. However, when I stopped in at a store, they had it. The locater appears only to reference third party resellers and not the stores themselves.

[identity profile] gnomi.livejournal.com 2007-05-29 02:23 pm (UTC)(link)
They don't list convenience stores, so I couldn't have found out about the Store 24 having it. I just got lucky.

I'm not sure where they get their information, but I note that it's based on past sales, not what's necessarily currently on the shelves.

[identity profile] norda.livejournal.com 2007-05-29 01:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Whether it's a long, roundabout way to tell the tale or not, I enjoyed it.

Especially since my Michael and I engage in similar quests.

One quest that's been particularly fruitless [no pun intended] is to find vanilla taffy/toffee. One can find salt water taffy anywhere, but he has his heart set on the vanilla toffees of his childhood.

[identity profile] gnomi.livejournal.com 2007-05-29 02:24 pm (UTC)(link)
It's nice to know it's not just us that do quests of this sort. :-)

Good luck on your search for the vanilla toffee!

[identity profile] norda.livejournal.com 2007-05-29 08:33 pm (UTC)(link)
[livejournal.com profile] sharonaf might have the answer.

For these and many other reasons, I love the Internet, even if I growl at the machines on which I view it and the engines that run it.

[identity profile] gnomi.livejournal.com 2007-05-30 01:09 pm (UTC)(link)
I love it when parts of my social circle come together like this and are able to help each other.

[identity profile] sharonaf.livejournal.com 2007-05-29 05:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Do you live in MA? If so, try Butcherie and/or Beacon Kosher-I seem to recall having vanilla taffy from Israel purchased from one of these. In a bag, each one in a white wrapper with blue edges, I think.

[identity profile] norda.livejournal.com 2007-05-29 08:32 pm (UTC)(link)
I think you've just ended a twenty-year quest!

Thank you so much!

[identity profile] vettecat.livejournal.com 2007-05-30 05:01 am (UTC)(link)
So, what does it taste like?

[identity profile] gnomi.livejournal.com 2007-05-30 12:15 pm (UTC)(link)
It was quite tasty. Very caramel-y.

[identity profile] vettecat.livejournal.com 2007-05-31 03:37 am (UTC)(link)
Sounds good... we'll have to watch for it!

[identity profile] tapuz.livejournal.com 2007-05-31 02:34 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you for giving me the, um, "oomph!" that I needed to get over the hurdle of not giving up!

After ALSO having been at Ben and Jerry's (a different branch) on the same quest on Monday, I was tempted to throw in the towel, afterall, if HQ, where I know that they had it a few weeks ago, doesn't have it... Instead, I grudgingly checked at Whole Foods this evening... and... YAY!

So, thanks!

(still haven't tasted it...)