Now, we’re all ready for winter to be over. Lately, however, as the wind stings my face when I take my dog around the block at 3 a.m. – begging her to go, if only to feel the warmth inside the doggie bag defrost my numb fingers – I try to remember that moment in June when I’ll be equally miserable in a much different way.

I even made up a song about it, and it goes a little something like this:

“Lady Poppins’ (Least) Favorite Things”

Ice on the sidewalks and flu in our bodies,
Winds from the river that chill our Hot Toddies,
Taxis that splatter and swerve right on by,
Winter’s not over, I say with a sigh.

Mittens gone missing, snot dribbling from noses,
Snow dusting everything, even the roses,
All the bottoms of my pants with white residue,
Five dollar coat checks that used to be two.

When the snow melts, and there’s dog poop
Under every last pile.
I try to remember that summery hell,
And then I feel warm and smile.

Smells from hot garbage and heat from the sewers,
ACs that drip as you yell at the movers,
Everything’s harder to do when you’re hot,
Did you think that’s a complement – sorry it’s not.

When the wind whips, when your hat lands,
In a puddle of sludge,
I try to remember June’s sweaty disgust,
When layers can’t hide my pudge.

Sweat on my shoulders and under my hair,
Sweat dripping down my back, way down to there,
Tugging on shorts as they ride up my thigh,
Summer I hate you so much I could cry.

When the snow melts, and there’s dog poop
Under every last pile.
I simply remember that summery hell,
And then I feel warm and smile.

Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Ask a New York City mom if she’s worried about the sandbox germs her child plays in, and you’re likely to get a “yes,” along with a story about a disease that got passed around in one. Type “sandbox safety” on a parents’ listserv and you’ll usually see comments from parents who forbid or try to limit their children’s access to sandboxes.

But go to a pediatrician and you probably won’t get a warning about the common play area. So sandbox diseases must be an urban myth spread by overprotective parents?

Wrong, says Dr. Philip M. Tierno Jr., a clinical professor in the pathology and microbiology departments at New York University’s medical school.

Parents are smart to be concerned and vigilant, he says, particularly in public boxes that are not covered at night, like in New York City. He’d prefer his grandchildren didn’t play in such sandboxes but admits “my recommendations only carry so much weight.”
“Children are little bags of germs,” carrying more pathogenic organisms than adults, Tierno said, before adding that they are typically not infected by these dangerous beings.

Pigeons and stray cats pose some of the bigger dangers to urban park sandboxes. Rats, a big New York City fear, can also lead to problems, Tierno said, but they are less of a risk because they tend not to spend much time in sandboxes unless there’s food there, whereas a raccoon may burrow in and stay. Ants, spiders and other insects are also included on a long list of creatures that can lead to children’s exposure to harmful parasites and bacteria.

Tierno said there is the potential to be exposed to flesh-eating bacteria, necrotizing fasciitis, but stomach flu and diarrhea are the most common ailments that result from children playing in sandboxes. He said that without an epidemiological study, it’s difficult to quantify how big a problem it is.

“When a child gets a cold or diarrhea, no one is going to go back and be able to trace it to the sandbox,” he said.

Tierno, along with many other doctors, maintains, “Open sandboxes should be avoided.”

If children do use them, he recommends they wash their hands thoroughly after use, never eat or drink in a sandbox and never use one if they have an open wound or cut.

But he does not fault doctors who do not warn parents about this.

“Pediatricians aren’t the end-all of knowledge,” he said. “They’ve got enough on their plate. It’s up to parents to play the major role.”
Dr. Ari Brown, pediatrician and co-author of Baby 411 and Toddler 411, agrees that sandboxes left open at night should be avoided, although she’s more concerned with the little creatures on the children than in the sand.

“The No. 1 yucky thing,” she wrote in an email, is pinworms, which come from “little kids who scratch their little heinies while playing in a sandbox, get the eggs on their hands and deposit the eggs in the sand unintentionally. Kid No. 2 shows up in the sandbox, plays with contaminated sand, puts his hands in his mouth and voila! Pinworms.”

Brown, based in Texas, was surprised to hear that New York sandboxes are left uncovered. She recalls that when she was a preschool teacher, she used a sensory table tub that they’d put sand and other materials in for children to touch. She said the risk of a messy house is substantially higher than stomach flu, which is why she suggests using a plastic tub with sand outside.

Both the city Parks Department and the Central Park Conservancy, which takes care of about 20 boxes in the park, said they rake the sand daily for debris and change the sand at least once a year.

In 1989, the New York Times reported that the city was reducing the number of sandboxes as a cost-saving measure. This week, a Parks Department spokesperson said that the sandbox reduction back then had more to do with their loss in popularity from the Robert Moses era, the 1930s, when many park boxes were built.

“There has been a demand for creating new or revamping old ones and we look to include them in park renovation projects if the community requests them,” Philip Abramson wrote in an email this week.

He said sterilized “playground-grade” sand is used and that workers typically rake for hidden garbage on a daily basis. He added that nighttime covering wouldn’t prevent “much contamination” since sandboxes would still be exposed during the day.

Tierno said there are safer places in the playground. “Public parks have other things going on.”

Tutoring, babysitting, even vacationing—There are more ways to contain the cost of an nyc childhood than one might think

By Hillary Chura 

You don’t need to move to the suburbs to save money. (In fact, that usually doesn’t work, but more on that later.) In my experience, there are ways to reduce the cost of almost any good or service you and your family enjoy as part of living in the city—it just takes a little creativity and moxie. I’ll get you going with some of my favorite money-saving tips for New York families, but once you start noodling it over, about I’m sure you’ll come up with some of your own.

Travel 

New York is the country’s top tourist destination, so the next time you start planning a family trip, consider a home swap. For about $10 a month, websites like HomeExchange and Intervac can connect you with members in places you’d like to visit. You stay in their home (usually complete with washer/dryer, kitchen, lawn and sometimes even a pool and car) while they stay in yours. No additional money changes hands. Tip: some co-ops don’t allow swaps, so be sure to check with your building beforehand.

Neighborhood Goods and Services

The big lesson here is to look farther afield. Take storage, for example. If you live in Manhattan, you’re likely to find it cheaper (and just as safe) to use a reputable storage facility in Queens or the Bronx. The same lesson works for birthday cakes, children’s clothing, car washes, dental work, groceries, manicures, kitchen cabinets and almost anything else you’re looking to save money on. Also, never assume that prices within your neighborhood are uniform. I recently was stunned to discover I could pay $19 for a pound of wild-caught salmon at Fairway, $30 at Agata or $40 at the local fishmonger—all within a mile of one another. And don’t even get me started on price differentials in overnight parking! You never know.

Child Labor

Nowhere is it written that you need a 30-year-old CPR-certified, tax-paying professional for a babysitter. Especially if your children are somewhat self-sufficient, consider asking a responsible and smart younger teenager to watch the kids on date night. They can stick a frozen pizza in the oven, help the kids with their homework and be infinitely more entertaining and energetic than an adult who’s babysitting after a full day in the office. Expect to pay $8 to $10 an hour—did I just hear you gasp?—about half of what high school seniors, college students and professional sitters charge. If you’re queasy about leaving a 15-year-old in charge, remember who watched you on those Love Boat-Fantasy Island Saturday nights when your parents were out!

Teacher Tutors

This is New York, so even academic rock stars will need a private tutor at least once before they go on the grand college tour or start applying for financial aid. If you can’t or don’t want to spend $150 an hour for established tutoring services, try connecting with one of your child’s former teachers (a good one, of course) or ask friends for recommendations. Many full-time instructors are already tutoring on the side, and guess what? They’re usually really good at it—they’re teachers! (Plus, they’re often familiar with the specific tests your child will be taking.) Since you’re enlisting just their expertise with no middleman, expect to pay one-third to one-half of what established tutoring agencies bill.

Camps 

Think outside the tent. Some of the more affordable day camps are sponsored by nonprofits like the Brooklyn Arts Exchange, the Van Cortlandt House Museum, Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden, YMCAs and other local community centers, New York Botanical Garden and Greenwich House. Likewise, many neighborhood churches offer week-long half-day programs where kids do crafts, sing and play outside, with some Old and New Testament stories sprinkled in. A week-long program rarely tops $80 per child, and many churches offer discounts for siblings. Though technically not a nonprofit, the Parks Department itself offers a $500/summer program via a lottery.

Student Practitioners

If you or your child needs a service like a haircut, dental work, ADHD or speech therapy or even a family portrait photography session, make a call to a local professional school. To get the practice they need, student apprentices will knead your muscles, snip your locks, address your lisp or drill your cavities under the watch of a veteran at a cost of next to nothing. You can also call the school’s placement offices and ask about how to hire recent graduates. Believe it or not, I did this to find my most recent (OK, only) home decorator. She was young, but kept me from making some headache-inducing mistakes.

Outsource Parenting

If you can make it happen, ship the kids to the grands in a cheaper ZIP code for a week or two of intergenerational bonding over this summer. Even if you enroll the kids in camp, living expenses go down radically when you’re almost anywhere but here. And if you can’t accompany your kids on the drop-off or pick-up trip, consider the fact that you generally pay only an extra $50 to $100 for an unaccompanied minor (aged 5 to 11) to fly solo on nonstop flights.

Negotiate

New York is full of mom-and-pop businesses, and just about everyone, from dentists to the proprietors of kids’ activity and enrichment centers, may lower their bills if you ask. One friend with three kids tried this for summer camp and was so stunned at the discount offered by the camp that he told the owner he didn’t expect that much of a break. Given the economy, even big businesses like hospitals may offer after-the-fact rebates if you receive a bill that’s higher than you expected.

School Auctions

To raise money, many local schools now feature some of the items from their annual benefit on their websites prior to the actual benefit. These are great ways to find big breaks on local children’s classes and birthday parties, among other things. And you don’t have to buy a ticket, dress up or go somewhere to participate; they just want your money. Also check out biddingforgood.com, an online auction clearinghouse where schools, foundations, religious organizations and other charities across the country auction off summer camps, trips, memberships, jewelry, sports tickets and other donations all year round. This spring, I snagged a local museum membership, baseball class, professional consulting, dolphin watching and chess camp for less than half the price I had paid in the past.

In case you’re pondering a move to the land of lawn care and shopping malls to cut costs, you may want to reassess. Assuming you move close enough to the city to keep your day job, chances are your monthly outlay is likely to remain similar to whatever it was in the city, if not more. Soon enough, you’ll wonder where it all goes at the end of the month (much as you probably do now) thanks to paying for niceties like lawn care, garbage collection, snow removal, commuting, heating and cooling, lighting for an extra 2,000 square feet, a car (or two), insurance and higher real estate taxes. On the positive side, with your extra hour (at least) of commuting each day, you’ll have the plenty of time to figure it out.

Hillary Chura is a freelance writer, longtime business reporter and New York City mom of two. Look for her work on newyorkfamily.com, where she’ll soon be starting a blog about, yes, parenting money savers. 

Ice cream, in its many incarnations, has long served as an antidote to scorching summer temperatures. Ladies of the Persian Empire sucked on grape juice poured over ice in the summer capital. In the early 10th century, blends of ice, milk and sugar were widespread throughout the largest Arab capitals. And, of course, first lady Dolley Madison famously introduced the confection to U.S. palates at her husband’s inaugural ball in March of 1813. It seems that wherever there is heat and hunger, ice cream will follow.

With the millionth heat wave of the season upon us, what better time to cool off with the finest frozen treats Downtown has to offer? We’ve scoped out the best in our neck of the woods and rated them accordingly on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest.

Check out our reviews, then tell us what you think at nypress.com/best-ice-cream-downtown. The winner of our readers’ poll will be featured in our Best of Manhattan issue this fall. In the meantime, we encourage you to embark on your own taste test.

—compiled by Alissa Fleck, Nick Gallinelli, Marissa Maier, Regan Hofmann and Adel Manoukian

Photo by Jonathan Springer.

Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream
48 1/2 E. 7th St. (at 2nd Ave.), 718-701-1630,
vanleeuwenicecream.com

Flavor: 9
Inventiveness: 7
Value: 5
Brain Freeze Factor: 6
Melt Factor: 6
Presentation: 9

One of the many food-truck-to-shop conversions of the past few years, Van Leeuwen’s cafe in the East Village is a lovely place for a cup of coffee and a pastry. All cream walls and gold filigree, it’s reminiscent of an aristocratic sitting room—nothing like an ice cream parlor. But the ice cream is there, in all of its impeccably sourced, seasonal (hoping for the currants and cream flavor? Try again next year) glory. While big-ticket varieties like Maker’s Mark bourbon caramel and Ceylon cinnamon might steal the show, our favorite is the palm sugar, a luxuriously caramelized, almost molasses flavor that, somehow, isn’t too sweet. Top it with cacao nibs (unsweetened, roasted cacao beans) for a decidedly grown-up experience fit for a duke.

Photo by James Kelleher.

Grom Gelato
233 Bleecker St. (betw. Leroy & Carmine Sts.),
212-974-3444, grom.it

Flavor: 9
Inventiveness: 7
Value: 6
Brain Freeze Factor: 8
Melt Factor: 5
Presentation: 5

One NY Press reader recommended we try nocciola and tiramisu, which is what we ended up getting. We weren’t going to eat the whole thing, but then we couldn’t help ourselves. Grom’s gelato is understated and delicious, and the flavors blended well, though we wish they would have been a bit more distinct. The nocciola boasts Italian hazelnuts, while the tiramisu blends espresso, wheat biscuits and Colombian chocolate chips. A sign on the wall at Grom advertises “no preservatives, no colorants, no flavorings,” which comes across in the subtle flavor. We have nothing but praise for Grom’s gelato, even at $7.25 for two scoops.

Photo by Jonathan Springer.

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
65 Bayard St. (betw. Mott St. & Bowery), 212-608-4170,
chinatownicecreamfactory.com

Flavor: 10
Inventiveness: 9
Value: 8
Brain Freeze Factor: 7
Melt Factor: 8
Presentation: 5

The Chinatown Ice Cream Factory’s mascot is a dragon laughing gleefully over a dish of ice cream. He may be laughing at the number of tourists who come in there and stand, agape, trying to build up their courage to get the durian or taro ice cream—or maybe he’s just on a sugar high. The “exotic” flavors are the draw for a reason—if you want mint chip you can have it, but you really ought to go for the black sesame or the almond cookie. The place is covered with hand-written notes about new treats that are littered with exclamation marks; move fast and you might still be able to get Linsanity, blue and orange sprinkles and mochi balls, on your scoop.

Photo by Madeleine at Tiny Banquet Committee.

L’Arte del Gelato
75 7th Ave. (betw. S. 7th Ave. & Bleecker St.),
212-924-0803, lartedelgelato.com

Flavor: 8
Inventiveness: 9
Value: 8
Brain Freeze Factor: 6
Melt Factor: 9
Presentation: 5

With flavors like olive oil and frutti di bosco (forest fruit), this little artisan shop offers extremely creamy gelato that is surprisingly handmade in their store with whole milk instead of the usual cream. This doesn’t take away from the creaminess factor, however. The ice cream tastes fresh and may make customers wonder if actual ice was ever used at all in the recipe. The pistachio flavor offers a light, nutty aroma with few actual nuts. The interesting olive oil flavor seems rich with oil, making the gelato taste heavy. Two flavors will set you back $4.90—with all the traditionally Italian choices, make sure to stop by more than once.

Photo by Jonathan Springer.

Emack & Bolio’s
73 W. Houston St. (betw. Wooster St. & W. Broadway), 212- 533-5610, emackandbolios.com

Flavor: 9
Inventiveness: 10
Value: 7
Brain Freeze Factor: 2
Melt Factor: 4
Presentation: 10

A huge hub of different full-fat (yum), low-fat (kind of yum) and frozen yogurt (no yum), Emack & Bolio’s boasts an array of quirky-named flavors based on common oldies. We were recommended grasshopper pie by the shop’s well-informed employee, and the new variation on mint chip was satisfying and just creamy enough to taste rich but somewhat light. If you give it a try, its variety will keep you coming back for more. How could you doubt the people who were, supposedly, the first to mix Oreos into ice cream?

Photo by Jonathan Springer.

DBGB Kitchen & Bar
299 Bowery (betw. Houston & E. 1st Sts.),
212-933-5300, danielnyc.com

Flavor: 9
Inventiveness: 10
Value: 7
Brain Freeze Factor: 8
Melt Factor: 4
Presentation: 9

DGBG Kitchen & Bar is maybe not the place you would expect to go for ice cream, as their menu boasts 14 varieties of sausage, jazzed-up burgers and other fancy, meaty French fare. Nonetheless, their ice cream did not disappoint. We ordered the Apricot-Honey Sundae (two scoops ice cream, cookie crumble, candied pine nuts, honey-roasted apricot, thyme sauce, whipped cream; $9), but because they accidentally brought out a miniature size, they brought us a sampler including miniature versions of all three of their sundaes. The Chocolate-Hazelnut was a favorite (praline gelato, chocolate truffles, hazelnut cookies, chocolate fudge, whipped cream), but only held a narrow margin over the Raspberry-Mascarpone (anise meringues, ladyfingers, raspberry compote, whipped cream). These sundaes scored a solid 10 for creativity, and the wait staff didn’t even seem to mind that we were mostly there for a sugary fix.

Photo by Jonathan Springer.

Lula’s Sweet Apothecary
516 E. 6th St. (betw. Aves. A & B), 646-481-5852,
lulassweetapothecary.com

Flavor: 8
Inventiveness: 10
Value: 6
Brain Freeze Factor: 7
Melt Factor: 5
Presentation: 9

Remember when a soda fountain was basically a pharmacy—those glory days when Coca-Cola was a wonder cure and ice cream was health food? OK…us neither. But Lula’s Sweet Apothecary does, and this tiny blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shop in the East Village is kitted out with all the glass jars and tiny-drawered cabinets of an old-fashioned drugstore. And while we know now that ice cream isn’t exactly a superfood, the offerings at Lula’s come as close as you can get—everything there is vegan. The ice creams, which rotate often, are made with soy, nut or coconut milks, as flavor dictates; anything with coconut is your best bet for an unbelievably creamy, slightly tropical escape. Build it into a sundae, flurry or banana split with sauces to choose from like gluten-free marshmallow and peanut butter, and tell yourself it’s all for your health.

Photo by Arnold Gatilao.

Momofuku Milk Bar
251 E. 13th St. (betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.), 347-577-9504, milkbarstore.com

Flavor: 8
Inventiveness: 8
Value: 5
Brain Freeze Factor: 5
Melt Factor: 7
Presentation: 6

Hailed by some as a gamechanger on the dessert front, Momofuku Milk Bar—an offshoot of David Chang’s Momofuku empire—was the brainchild of pastry chef Christina Tosi. With Milk Bar, Tosi has refined her amazing knack for making the lowbrow high in a subtly delicious way. The two flavors of soft serve in their East Village location change regularly; of the Blueberry Miso and Cereal Milk we tried, the latter is truly the standout. While the Miso interestingly mixes sweet and sour, Cereal Milk can only be summed up as tasting like childhood—familiar, yet surprising. It recalls countless mornings as a kid slurping down the sugary milk in your breakfast bowl after the Frosted Flakes had been devoured. We suggested pairing your soft serve with the cornflakes topping, which is more salty than the cereal you are accustomed to. Our only caveat of this truly heavenly dessert experience: the slightly too-small-for-comfort cups the ice cream is served in.

Big Gay Ice Cream Shop

125 E. 7th St. (betw. 1st Ave. & Ave. A), 212-533-9333,
biggayicecream.com

Flavor: 7
Inventiveness: 8
Value: 5
Brain Freeze Factor: 4
Melt Factor: 8
Presentation: 7

With the moniker Big Gay Ice Cream Shop and offerings called the Salty Pimp and the Bea Arthur, what’s not to love about this East Village sweet shop? The shop pairs a sense of humor with winning soft-serve combinations, giving each cone character. A citrus lover might opt for the Mermaid, vanilla ice cream, key lime curd, crushed graham crackers and whipped cream, while a chocolate connoisseur will reach for the Monday Sundae, twist ice cream, nutella lined cone, dulce de leche, sea salt and whipped cream. We went for one of the shop’s most popular flavors: The Salty Pimp. On a hot day, a melting sugar cone of soft serve is usually an unwelcome byproduct of the heat. With the Pimp, however, the hard chocolate exterior perfectly mixed with ravines of caramel and vanilla ice cream.  While the ingredients are fairly standard, the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop has found its strong suit in unique flavor pairings.

Photo by Jonathan Springer.

Il Laboratorio del Gelato
188 Ludlow St. (betw. Houston & Stanton Sts.),
212-343-9922, laboratoriodelgelato.com

Flavor: 9
Inventiveness: 9
Value: 10
Brain Freeze Factor: 7
Melt Factor: 7
Presentation: 7

This “laboratory” offers unique flavors that change almost every week. The toasted almond is full of bits of nuts, making you crunch through every tasty bite. The mint is delicate, with flecks of mint leaves. Although the shop offers a wide variety, all their flavors have one thing in common: they’re not very strong or overwhelming. This isn’t your average Breyer’s, though—the gelato is chilly without the sting of ice and is good enough to cool you off without skimping on cream.

By Megan Bungeroth, Alissa Fleck, Rebecca Harris, Amy Michelle Smith and Amanda Woods

In honor of the scorching heat and National Ice Cream month, we scouted out a half-dozen frozen treat purveyors on the Upper East Side to find out who’s got the best sweet and cold desserts. Going off the beaten path of national chains, our tasters sampled an array of types—ice cream as well as gelato, sorbet and frozen yogurt—as well as flavors both classic and wacky to give our readers the inside scoop. But we want you to decide who’s got the very best frozen treats; vote for your favorite at nypress.com/best-ice-cream-ues.

Golosi Artisan Pizza & Gelato
1304 2nd Ave., 212-772-1169, golosi.com
Blueberry sorbet and cookies & cream gelato; small, $4
Flavor: 4
Inventiveness: 4
Value: 5
Brain Freeze Factor: 4
Melt Factor: 5
Presentation: 4
Creaminess: 3

Golosi is a small Italian deli-style restaurant on the Upper East Side with artisanal pizzas and an array of desserts. We tried the blueberry sorbet and cookies & cream gelato, and were impressed with both. The gelato was not hugely flavorful, but it had a light quality aided by the sparseness of cookie chunks, giving it a virtuous feel. The gelato seemed a little icier, for lack of a better description, than other gelatos, but was still smooth and tasty. The blueberry sorbet was delicious and had a fresh fruit flavor with bits of blueberry, reminiscent of a natural fruit pop. It had a stronger flavor than the gelato without seeming too sweet or artificial. Golosi has a variety of yummy-looking sorbets and gelatos, which makes choosing a difficult task.

Serendipity 3
225 E. 60th St., 212-838-3531,
serendipity3.com
Strawberry Fields Sundae, $15
Flavor: 3
Inventiveness: 3
Value: 2
Brain Freeze Factor: 3
Melt Factor: 4
Presentation: 4
Creaminess: 3

For those of you willing to spend 30 minutes waiting for a slice of a John Cusack movie, Serendipity is certainly for you. We decided to indulge out fruity side and try out the Strawberry Fields sundae. With rich strawberry ice cream, chunks of creamy cheesecake, strawberry topping and a fist-sized dollop of whipped cream, you would think that this would be a heavenly confection, right? Alas, the ice-cream-to-whipped-cream ratio played too far in favor of the latter, and the sticky strawberry topping wasn’t quite the refreshing treat I was hoping for. Considering the wait time and the curmudgeonly staff, this sundae really wasn’t worth the wait.

Emack & Bolio's.

Emack & Bolio’s
1564 1st Ave., 212-734-0105,
emackandbolios.com
S’moreo: One scoop vanilla ice cream with marshmallows and chocolate swirl on a sugar cone with chocolate sprinkles; $4.50
Flavor: 4
Inventiveness: 5
Value: 4
Brain Freeze Factor: 2
Melt Factor: 3
Presentation: 2
Creaminess: 5

This Boston-based parlor is a fan favorite on the Upper East Side, known for its unique flavor and topping combinations and super-premium ice cream free of genetically modified hormones. The shop is fun, colorful and clean, with quick, friendly service and quirky flavor boards. On the downside, its cramped space leaves something to be desired for big families or customers hoping to linger and eat. Emack & Bolio’s offers a wide variety of flavors with mixed-in toppings and wacky names, from Twisted Dee-Light to Space Cake to Grasshopper Pie. The ice cream itself is extra-creamy, and while $4.50 may seem a bit steep for a single-scoop cone, the product has a notably high-quality taste. This spot is definitely worth a try if you find yourself craving a sweet, satisfying dairy snack.

Yogo Swirl

Yogo Swirl.

1585 2nd Ave.
Self-serve: chocolate and cookies & cream with mini M&Ms, cookie dough, banana slices and hot fudge; $0.49 per ounce
Flavor: 3
Inventiveness: 1
Value: 3
Brain Freeze Factor: 4
Melt Factor: 4
Presentation: 3
Creaminess: 3

If you’re looking for a light alternative to ice cream, the Upper East Side is home to a handful of popular frozen yogurt joints. Unfortunately, this particular local shop boasts neighboring storefronts Pinkberry and 16 Handles, both of which—unlike Yogo Swirl—consistently have customers lined up out the door. Yogo Swirl offers extremely limited, traditional flavors and minimal toppings; plus, the banana slices were browning and the cookie dough was chalky. The store has comfortable, colorful, abundant seating, the yogurt itself tastes as good as any and you get your money’s worth at a decent price. Not to mention that if you want to avoid throngs of yogurt-crazed teenage girls, the place offers a far more relaxed environment than its neighbors. Still, with quality self-serve alternatives just next door, Yogo Swirl would not be our first choice.

Lexington Candy Shop.

Lexington Candy Shop
1226 Lexington Ave., 212-288-0057,
lexingtoncandyshop.net
Vanilla sundae with chocolate sauce; $7.95.
Flavor: 4
Inventiveness: 2
Value: 2
Brain Freeze Factor: 5
Melt Factor: 4
Presentation: 5
Creaminess: 3

This old-timey drugstore is about as authentic as it gets—they’ve been serving up sundaes, floats and shakes made with a vintage Hamilton Beach mixer at their Formica counter since 1925. It’s a great place to take kids, as they can watch the friendly staff put together sundaes in glass dishes and revel in the hot fudge of it all. We tried a classic sundae with vanilla ice cream and warm chocolate sauce, topped with a cherry (they were out of whipped cream). The ice cream, while a bit frosty, held up incredibly well against the hot sauce, melting just enough to make a delicious concoction. It’s a bit pricey for basic ice cream, but considering that you’re helping an outstanding Upper East Side establishment stay in business and absorbing a slice of old New York in the process, it’s well worth it.

Sedutto
1498 1st Ave., 212-879-9557,
sedutto78.com
Medium birthday cake ice cream with crushed Oreos; $6.25
Flavor: 5
Inventiveness: 3
Value: 4
Brain freeze factor: 4
Melt Factor: 4
Presentation: 3
Creaminess: 4

Sedutto calls its birthday cake ice cream one of its most popular choices, and it’s no wonder why. The ice cream, loaded with multicolored sprinkles and small pieces of white cake, will satisfy any sweet tooth. We stepped it up a notch by adding a pile of Oreo cookie crumbs on top, and if we closed our eyes, we thought we were eating cake and cookies. This is a hard ice cream selection, but that didn’t prevent it from being creamy. The ice cream stays solid for a while and didn’t melt significantly, even when we were almost finished with it. Other popular flavors at the shop, which also has a branch in Staten Island, include chocolate mint chip, cookies & cream, chocolate peanut butter hard yogurt and mocha chip fat-free hard yogurt. Sedutto even has an option for its older snackers: wine ice cream.

Don’t forget to vote at nypress.com/best-ice-cream-ues!

by Megan Bungeroth, Annie Denes, Whitney C. Harris, Jon Lentz, Adel Manoukian and Amanda Woods

In honor of the scorching heat and National Ice Cream month, we scouted out a half-dozen frozen treat purveyors on the Upper West Side to find out who’s got the best sweet and cold desserts. Going off the beaten path of national chains, our tasters sampled an array of types—ice cream as well as gelato, sorbet and frozen yogurt—as well as flavors both classic and wacky to give our readers the inside scoop. But we want you to decide who’s got the very best frozen treats; vote for your favorite at nypress.com/best-ice-cream-uws.

Screme Gelato Bar
2030 Broadway, 212-362-2111,
screme.com
One scoop coconut gelato; $5
Flavor: 4
Inventiveness: 3
Value: 4
Brain Freeze: 5
Melt Factor: 1
Presentation: 2
Creaminess: 4

This gelateria uses whole milk instead of the usual cream gelato is made with, a good note for those conscious about their weight. The tiny café holds a minimal amount of flavors that occasionally change and are all unique. If you want a refreshing mojito, look no further: The place has a virgin mojito sorbet. It tastes identical to the drink, with flecks of spearmint leaves. Other interesting flavors include butter cookie, chocolate chip cookie, Snickers and Madagascar vanilla. Screme’s most popular flavor is the chocolate sorbet, probably because it tastes like ice cream but with fewer calories. Their coconut flavor had a nice hint of vanilla. Better save this place for a hot day, as the ice cream is very chilly—yet still creamy as it melts in your mouth. Take your gelato to go; the place has limited seating and no tables.

Emack and Bolio’s
389 Amsterdam Ave., 212-362-2747, emackandbolios.com
Small salted caramel chocolate pretzel ice cream; $4.50
Flavor: 4
Inventiveness: 5
Value: 5
Brain freeze factor: 3
Melt Factor: 4
Presentation: 4
Creaminess: 5

Emack and Bolio’s is a tiny shop, but that didn’t stop many customers, young and old, from stopping in on a Sunday afternoon to grab a few bites of their award-winning ice cream. Emack and Bolio’s has received a Best Dessert in New York City title and a Fruit Smoothie of the Week designation, among others. We tried the salted caramel chocolate pretzel ice cream—though it may seem unusual to combine the sweet and the salty, this is a must-try. The flavors of the chocolate-covered pretzel and the caramel swirl mix well together, and the creaminess of the ice cream doesn’t take away from the pretzel’s crunchiness. No need to worry about melting—this ice cream remained solid and cold, yet perfectly creamy, several minutes into eating it. Try the shop’s popular “Sundae in a Slice,” which looks like a pizza slice, made with a brownie crust, vanilla bean ice cream, hot fudge and marshmallow. If you’re visiting with a group, be sure to try the Emack Attack, a gigantic 20-scoop sundae.

Grom.

Grom
2165 Broadway, 212-362-1837, grom.it/eng
One scoop each of dark chocolate, tiramisu and espresso bean gelato; one scoop of pink grapefruit sorbet; $8.25
Flavor: 4
Inventiveness: 4
Value: 4
Brain Freeze: 5
Melt Factor: 4
Presentation: 3
Creaminess: 5

The stark, clinical aesthetic of this Italian gelato emporium stands in odd contrast to the earth-hugger vibe the company brags about on the wall, proudly proclaiming their organic farm sourcing and recyclable and compostable materials. The flavors, too, belie the cold setting in their ingenuity and similarity to their namesakes. The dark chocolate gelato tastes exactly the way a premium chocolate bar would if it were somehow melted and frozen at the same time, with just a hint of bitterness. It’s best enjoyed along side a creamy, sweet flavor like tiramisu. The espresso gelato delivers a welcome jolt, and the egg-custard-based Crema di Grom flavor is delicious, if a bit too rich for a whole heaping cup. The sorbet selection is fantastic if only for its verisimilitude—the pink grapefruit is spot on and incredibly refreshing.

Épicerie Boulud
1900 Broadway, 212-595-0303,
danielnyc.com/epicerie
Pistachio-black cherry swirl, one scoop; $3. Dark chocolate and blue lemonade, one scoop of each; $6
Flavor: 5
Inventiveness: 3.5
Value: 4
Brain Freeze Factor: 5
Melt Factor: 4.5
Presentation: 3
Creaminess: 5

Start to finish, Épicerie Boulud is everything you would expect from Daniel Boulud. The décor is clean and modern, with the sleek gelato counter accessable from the sidewalk. The staff was friendly and, most importantly, the gelati were well-executed—creamy, flavorful and made with fresh ingredients. The pistachio-black cherry swirl, one of the most popular options, had the right balance of sweetness and nuttiness. Most surprising was the value. At $3 a scoop, you receive a sizeable portion of excellent gelato at the same price as an ice cream bar from a street vendor, making Épicerie Boulud well worth the trip.

16 Handles.

16 Handles
325 Amsterdam Ave., 646-861-1281, 16handles.com
10.7 oz of a Chocolate Love Affair-Coffee Break-Cookies & Cream blend, topped with brownie bites, cheesecake bites, chocolate-covered pretzels, cookie crumbs, Reese’s Pieces and milk chocolate caramel chunks; $6.05
Flavor: 4
Inventiveness: 4
Value: 3
Brain Freeze Factor: 4
Melt Factor: 3
Presentation: 5
Creaminess: 2

If you’re a control freak when it comes to frozen treats, rest assured: 16 Handles allows you to be the master of your own dessert destiny. This self-serve, pay-by-the-ounce frozen yogurt paradise lets you decide what, how much and in what delicious design your cold concoction is prepared. Not one to normally mix and match, I flew “off the handle” and combined three froyo flavors with myriad toppings, creating a symphony of chocolate, caramel, peanut butter and beyond. If you’re a fruit fanatic, 16 Handles offers green apple tart and pomegranate raspberry, begging to be topped with blackberries, kiwi, mango and more. But the urge to indulge needn’t be tempered—nutrition info is displayed above each flavor. Plus, without having to wait for some college kid to muscle your scoops into a cup or cone, you’re in and out of the store faster than you can calculate the calories.

Momofuku Milk Bar.

Momofuku Milk Bar
561 Columbus Ave., 347-577-9504,
milkbarstore.com
Pink lemonade soft-serve; $4.50. Pretzel milk shake; $6.
Flavor: 2
Inventiveness: 4
Value: 2
Brain Freeze Factor: 4
Melt Factor: 4
Presentation: 4
Creaminess: 3

Momofuku Milk Bar, known for its inventive baked goods and addictive pastries, also serves a limited menu of soft-serve ice cream and milk shakes. Sadly, the Upper West Side outpost of the much-talked about East Village original did not live up to the hype. The pink lemonade soft-serve was far too sweet and tart, tasting more like a powdered mix than real lemons and sugar.
The pretzel milkshake, made with cereal milk soft serve, pretzels, salt and chocolate, was too thin and tasted like a melted fudge pop, with just a hint of the cereal milk flavor.

Don’t forget to vote at nypress.com/best-ice-cream-uws!

Bette Dewing

Not only in a dangerously hot summer

I could just cry, and indeed I did, when the hearty little plant that had sprung up this past spring in the otherwise bare tree pit outside my window was suddenly gone, yanked up by workers who were exchanging bark shavings there for some sort of soil. “Where there’s no vision…”

This column is also about crucial heat wave needs and, of course, about the death of Andy Griffith, so don’t tune out because you agree with a gardener neighbor that I shouldn’t mourn a plant that was “just a weed”—no matter that its seed chose to make its home in this otherwise arid tree pit and proceeded to add life and good cheer to the concrete streetscape. Doggone it, it was alive and thriving and deserved a long life!

“And it survived many obstacles—like nearby auto fumes,” was Robert Nicholas’ empathic response. Ellie Sankey also understood this loss; “Even a blade of grass is precious.” So did Jose Temprano, who prefers unmanicured lawns, which include weedy-type greenery.
Ah, response, it can so make or break a day, or a life, or a culture—and the tactless kind is better than no response. Wouldn’t you vote for anyone who made communications skills learning a cradle-to-grave top priority?

Nowadays, the conflict-resolution kind of communication should take center stage, and any cussin’ would be according to Sheriff Andy Taylor of Mayberry’s rule book. “Doggone it” is okay.

Wouldn’t you vote for anyone who wants nice guys like Andy to finish first and foremost—and again be role-modeled in media that so shape customs and views?

But this brutally hot summer is not a hot media topic, especially things like East 79th Street Neighborhood Association tree expert Christine Donavan’s urgent concern to “Water those street trees!”

And when an elected official’s aide at the July meeting offers “free air conditioners for the qualified,” this advocacy columnist could kick herself for not saying, “Very good, but some abodes lack adequate wiring, and air conditioners are costly to run. What’s needed most are able-bodied citizens looking out for—looking after—the many vulnerable ones, especially, but not only, in this dangerously hot summer !”

Andy, Aunt Bea and Opie would undoubtedly say, “And that’s what community and good neighbors are all about!”

dewingbetter@aol.com

Robert & Jeff, studio musicians in their mid-40s who sometimes play in the park, were relaxing underneath a tree.
Is this the hottest New York City summer you can remember?
Robert: I’ll tell you, last week I felt like I weighed a thousand pounds.
Is there anything you like to do in this weather?
NAME?: We like to come down to the park in our off time, meet new friends and gamble.

Helen Hope, an 18-year-old model, was reading in the shade.
What are you doing to stay cool in this heat?
I’m staying in the shade and drinking lots of water. I’m also eating a lot of Pinkberry.
Is there anything you like to do outside in this weather?
I like to hang out in the park and stay very still.
What are you reading?
I live in a women’s residence and an old woman was handing out books so I took this one [Five Quarters of the Orange].

Reed Dunlea, 25, who works at WNYC, was eating french fries in the park.
What do you like to do to beat the heat?
I like to go swimming—this past weekend I went to two beaches in upstate New York. I’ve also been to the McCarren Park Pool.
Did you witness any violence at the McCarren Park Pool?
Unfortunately no.

Ron, 72, is retired and was tanning on a park bench in jean shorts with a bottle of cold juice and a bag of kettle-cooked potato chips.
What do you do to stay cool in this heat?
I drink Crystal Light and stay hydrated, unfortunately it’s frozen right now.
Is this the hottest summer you can remember here?
It’s not the hottest summer but it’s definitely one of them.
Is there anything you like to do outside in this heat?
I like to sit in the sun. I’ve been coming here since I was 9 and it’s basically the same.

Photo by Karl Norling.

Summer is upon us, when Manhattanites flee the sweltering heat of the city for the beautiful beaches of Long Island and Fire Island, where woodland creatures, deer, raccoon, mice and opossums wander amidst densely wooded areas, spreading the threat of Lyme disease.
July is peak season for Lyme disease because it’s the time when ticks are most active. Last year, there were more than 5,800 confirmed cases of Lyme disease in New York State. The disease is a serious bacterial infection caused by the bite of the blacklegged deer tick, no larger than a poppy seed. If the bite is left untreated it can lead to memory loss, joint pain, paralysis and, in some cases, heart block. Pregnant women with Lyme disease can miscarry.

Ticks will attach themselves anywhere but tend to seek out the area where the blood supply is the greatest, such as the scalp, armpit or groin. A tick must be attached for 36-48 hours before Lyme disease can be transmitted. Once the tick has fed, the body becomes engorged and the tick falls off. Since the bite is painless, people are often unaware they have been bitten, so it is essential to always check for ticks, especially if you are camping or at the beach.

Lyme disease symptoms fall into three stages: early, middle and late. The early stage occurs three days to one month after being bitten. The person will experience flulike symptoms, including fever, chills, stiff neck, headache, muscle aches and joint pain. The classic bull’s-eye rash can be seen during this time, but not always.

The middle stage occurs one to four months after the bite, with painful and swollen joints as the most common symptom. People experience arthritis-type symptoms that migrate, though the knees are the most affected. An inability to concentrate and facial paralysis can also occur at this stage.

Tommy Hilfiger’s daughter, Ali Hilfiger, herself a designer, was bitten by a tick as a child in Bridgehampton. She spoke last year at a seminar in Sag Harbor about how she suffered for years with leg pains and difficulty concentrating; it wasn’t until she saw a psychiatrist that she made the startling discovery that she had second-stage Lyme disease. Hilfiger now speaks often for A Time for Lyme to bring awareness of how serious this disease is, especially if left untreated.

The late stage of Lyme disease can cause the heart to slow down, causing dizziness, shortness of breath and at times even the need for a pacemaker.

Lyme disease is treatable with antibiotics when recognized and diagnosed early.

When you go outside this summer, here are some safety tips:

• Stay off dunes and away from high grassy areas and wooded areas where ticks breed.

• Wear light-colored clothes and long sleeves and slacks if you are in a wooded area so you can see the ticks.

• Keep you hair pulled back and wear a hat.

• Use insect repellent with 20-30 percent DEET on exposed skin and clothing—10 percent DEET for children—to prevent bites.

• Treat your clothes, especially pants, socks and shoes, with Permethrin, which kills ticks on contact. NEVER use this on your skin.

• Treat your pets with tick solution and check them carefully for ticks before they enter your house.

• Check yourself and children daily for ticks and shower daily to eliminate any loose ticks.

• If you find a tick, use fine tweezers, grasp the head and pull the tick upward, never crushing the body, which will introduce bacteria into your bloodstream. Clean the area with an antiseptic and see your doctor. Try to save the tick for identification.

Now go out and enjoy the beautiful beaches, but be careful.

“Who are you, Gidget?” I asked in amazement. “Who finds romance at the beach in real life?”

But then I thought about it. The truth is, if you can get past the whole “I look horrible in a bathing suit” feeling—and can bring yourself to unplug from your iPhone for long enough—the beach is a perfect place to mingle. People at the beach are already relaxed and in pleasure-seeking mode, not to mention that everyone is semiclothed.

And so, inspired by my friend Elizabeth and with a nod to Gidget, here are some of Miss Mingle’s hottest tips for those who want to lend Cupid a helping hand this summer:

Location, location, location: Choose a beach where there are likely to be other single people. Also, place your towel and chair in a crowded section of the beach—near the surf line—rather than in a more secluded spot. This is like positioning yourself near the food table at a party—where the action is, rather than against an out-of-the-way wall.

Hunt the Stray: People who are by themselves are easier to approach than groups, especially straight men; something dreadful happens to straight men when they are male bonding. And if you should notice that great guy before you have committed to a spot, try to arrange your towel or chair so he is between you and the ocean. That way, you can not only check him out thoroughly, you can also pass him on your way to and from frequent dips. After a while, you will seem like old friends; your neighborly smile can extend to comments like “The water is so cold!” and “It’s heaven in there.”

Eavesdropping: This the most common beach pick-up technique, also known as the “Fade-in.” Listen carefully to what’s being said by two or more strangers and—at an appropriate moment—make a pertinent remark, as if you had been there all along. Often it is the lone man who will insinuate himself into women’s conversation, so girls, if you think he’s listening, be sure to allow him an opening.

The Art of Observation: This is the perfect tactic if you are alone and so is she. Making a nonpersonal comment is safe and unobtrusive. Dogs, kids, things in the sky and things in the water make perfect subjects for casual conversation. “Excuse me, but does that look like a shark out there?” is always certain to get her attention.

Surf or Turf?: When asked whether they are more likely to strike up a conversation with a stranger in the water or out, most women will choose dry land and men water. Women say they feel they look better on their towels or in their chairs, with their hair and suits dry. I find this surprising, since I myself feel much more confident with the lower half of my body submerged. But hey, that’s just me.

I find water conversation preferable, because the common activity of swimming creates a sense of camaraderie. After all, you’re in there together. More important, it is much easier to abort the conversation when you are in the water—just ride a wave or quietly sink.

If you are feeling adventurous—remember, Gidget wasn’t above a few tricks, and she always got her man—try:

The Exhibitionist: Build a large sand castle or a sand sculpture and see who comes to watch. Don’t worry if you attract children; there are plenty of divorcees out there.

Old-fashioned Girl: Ask him to help you with your beach umbrella or a bottle that won’t open.

The Flatterer: Approach her with “OK, I know I’ve seen you on TV.” Or tap him gently on the shoulder and say, “Excuse me, would you mind keeping half an eye on me while I am in the water? You look like a strong swimmer.”

Risqué Business: Ask him or her to apply sunscreen to your back.

The Accidental Tourist: If you should be lucky enough to be knocked by a boogie board into an attractive person’s waiting arms or tumbled together in a crashing wave, quip “We’ve simply got to stop meeting like this!” or “I think I just fell for you.” Or even “In some countries, we’d have to get married now.”

OK, I’ll see you out there. I’ll be the one packing the extra Coppertone.

Jeanne Martinet, aka Miss Mingle, is the author of seven books on social interaction. Her latest book is a novel, Etiquette for the End of the World. You can contact her at JeanneMartinet.com.