It’s been a whirlwind two weeks since my last Calico post! I hosted two separate tasting events for my ice cream and went back to work full time at the toy store. Last Thursday I handed out nearly 300 vegan root beer floats at an art show and on Sunday I hosted a vegan milkshake tasting event in the cafe.
Special things from the past two weeks:

• Shower picnics. Eating grapefruit and drinking iced green tea while in the shower is the greatest way to wake the senses and get ready for a long day. I get a little peppermint essential oil in there to wake me up and then watch out, cause it’s really a party!
• Getting a library card for the first time since moving to Texas and promptly checking out 40lbs of library books.
• Buying a skimpy bathing suit because I’m getting toned from riding my bicycle so much every day! Now I just need to make time to go to the springs to swim a few times a week. Summer will be over before I know it.
• Working at two vegan jobs in one day! Counter Culture celebrated one year and I helped out making sandwiches and corndogs.
• Austin unpredictableness. Last night I went to a Brizm Nation dance party, full expecting a typical bar set up with dance party. WRONG! What I found was a automotive warehouse that had been converted to a dance floor, with a waster mister system from the ceiling and spacious open courtyard. Everyone was (un)dressed in their birthday best, & in a best case scenario, it looked like a pool party rap video gone awry. I went alone, but was so happy to see so many friends from different pockets of Austin: I was dancing with my celestial birthday twin, Tony, astronomer friend Gully, floppy mohawk dancer Sam who I know from co-op dances, and the ever loverly Angeliska.
• Austin Texas, I think we were meant to be.

Marion Davies-1928-The Cardboard Lover

With summertime comes yearning for ice cream. When I wake up, I have frozen treats on the brain, which leads me down avenues of tasty research on my days off. This is one tidbit I found from the brothers who run the Franklin Fountain in Philadelphia, a true-to-life soda fountain revival shoppe. Emphasis on the shoppe, and emphasis on the living history, as even their 1920s phone is wired and functional and the fan blades are authentic. As a fellow anachronistic history lover with a penchant for time travel, I have a predilection for their wares. If I’m ever in Philly I want to stop by – but I’m afraid I’ll only be able to admire. Curse you, dairy!

1. luncheon old fashioned sundae, 2. Sundae at Lula Sweet, 3. The “When in the Course of Human Events” Sundae,
4. Saveur, 5. Stocking the Shelves at The Franklin Fountain, 6. Rose Nylund’s World Famous Ice Cream Clown Sundaes,
7. Ice Cream & Sailor Shorts, 8. Strawberry Vanilla Twist Soft Serve from Toy Joy, 9. Blythe – Crocheted Sundae Hat – Vanilla