From the NY Times:Mr. Benfaremo, the King in the store’s name, died in 2008. But Mr. Irushalmi still drives from Bayside to 108th Street in Corona to take part in what is arguably the defining summer ritual for anyone with even a remote connection to Central Queens: A smiling customer exchanges a few words, and a couple of dollars, with a polite teenager working a worn stainless steel counter, and a paper cup overflowing with smooth, perfectly sweet Italian ice is proffered with the care accorded a sacramental wafer.
Classic rock drifts onto the sidewalk. White-haired Jewish ladies, knee-high Latino children, big-bellied Italian men, hand-holding teenagers — they’re all in line. It’s nostalgia, on ice, in 42 flavors.
Like Mr. Irushalmi, many customers have been there on first dates with their future spouses, and celebrated birthdays and everyday August nights with nary a spoon or a napkin — just ice in a cup, and a tongue dyed strawberry red or tangerine orange.
5 comments:
One supposes that they'll follow with something on Eddie's Sweet Shop.
1. This is NYC....we don't wait in line, we wait on line. (Assuming there's a line to begin with, sometimes there are those idiots that stand off to the side, screwing up the order of things and confusing the next couple of people that show up).
2. Do they still refuse to give out napkins? Many years ago, they did not give out napkins, and I thought it was just those few times I went there, but my friends told me they had the same experience.
Try the tangerine ice, it's the best!
Grrrrrr. Who the heck needs a napkin to eat lemon ice cups. People from Iowa ?
Thats like asking for a fork to eat Buffalo wings.
"The King" never gave out napkins or mixed flavors
Peanut butter rocks1
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