Mr. San Franciscos

This afternoon I was able to share a sweet part of my childhood with the kids- Swensen's Ice Cream.

Swensens was an ice cream parlor we used to have in Fort Collins. Many of the best memories of my youth were spent there. I would go every time my grandparents would come to visit. I very much associate their peppermint shakes with my Grandpa Lupe. I remember being there the time my sister bruised up my cousin pretty well. (Mom and Dad took us so that my cousin would forget to mention the incident to her parents.) We went with the guys from Guatemala who stayed at my house during World Youth Day in 1993. My high school boyfriend worked there along with many of my high school friends. It was a great date/hang out place. I remember having a great heart to heart there with my elderly neighbor after my parents had moved to New Mexico and I was in college. My room mate in college worked there too. Swensens was really a great part of my life growing up and I was so sad to see it go.

I was surprised when we got to Chiang Mai to find a number of Swensen's here. So, today I took the girls and they each got to try a Mr. San Francisco for the first time. They are sundaes that use whip cream, ice cream, a chocolate covered ice cream cone and maraschino cherries to look like clowns. It was kind of funny- sitting there with the girls and telling them stories about me eating a Mr. San Francisco as a little girl. Who would have guessed that it would take traveling half way around the world to share that childhood memory with them? I wish I had taken my camera to capture the moment!