Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Ice Cream with Tevye

Washington DC is hot and humid this time of year, so our walking tends to be in the morning and then in the late afternoon/evening.

So we headed out about 5 PM and walked up Connecticut, into Cleveland Park.  Wandered around areas where Richard once lived, looked in a few of his old haunts, and generally just enjoyed the moderate weather of dusk.

Then took a taxi back to Dupont Circle for more walking, dinner, and more walking.  (We've put on nearly 8 miles today.)  And, on the walk back to our hotel, we passed Larry's.

Larry's Homemade Ice Cream and Cupcakes - check it out:

http://larryshomemade.blogspot.com/

http://www.yelp.com/biz/larrys-ice-cream-washington-2

http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/larrys-ice-cream,1085039.html

Okay, so maybe you looked, maybe you didn't - but here's our experience:
We walk in and the older man behind the counter, with a familiar voice and accent, is serving ice cream to an older women.  We look around, ooh and aah over the pastries, read the descriptions of every ice cream, and Richard notices there's a smaller version of Picasso's "Guernica" painted on the wall, says something about the painting to the ice cream guy.  "Me?  Know who painted this?  I don't know," the man grumbles, winking at me as Richard looks away.  After some banter, we realize the characters in the painting are holding ice cream cones!!!!  In color!!!!!  We laugh, we chat, we banter, Richard vacillates between milk chocolate and key west chocolate (with orange) ice cream - old man makes outrageous comments, winks at me, laughs heartily. And begins whistling "If I Were a Rich Man" - and it comes to me, this is Topol as Tevye scooping up ice cream and slinging insults at customers!!!!  That was exactly the accent, the gravelly voice, the jokingly disparaging sense of humor and tone!  It was the most hysterical juxtaposition of people and situations, and I just started laughing.  (And the older woman served previously is quietly sitting at a table, daintily laughing into her ice cream at the entire conversation!)

So we chat, asking where he's from (and he seriously went into his "Scoop Nazi" routine) - turns out he's from Turkey.  Then when Richard asked for the senior discount, visitor discount, big ice cream eater discount, the man said he's Jewish and Richard must be Jewish too - we agreed we're all mishpachah.  See, I told you, the man WAS Tevye! 

That was today's adventure - ice cream with Tevye.  Which makes perfect sense, since Tevye WAS a milkman.

9 comments:

  1. Phebe -- welcome back to Washington! It sounds like you've had an interesting time already, but jeez, did you have to bring the tropics with you? I hope you are enjoying the road and retirement. Your adventures in airport travel sound sadly familiar. I'll be eagerly following your journey. Have loads of fun! Carolyn Rivera

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  2. Hi Carolyn, nice to hear from you! It has been toasty, hasn't it? I hope you retire soon and we can meet up somewhere!

    -Phebe

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  3. In my best (or worst) Gene Autry voice, Happy Trails To You...til we meet again. Enjoy this great adventure
    Carol C

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  4. Thank you, Carol! And good luck to you in your new school!

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  5. Thank you! (And do we know you? I don't know your sig.)

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  6. Phebe- my comment from yesterday about the cute Tevye story didn't post. Hannah and I are looking forward to eating Gelato with you at our favorite spot. Any luck with Air B&B? XO!

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  7. Still looking for a place in Mpls, Ruth - we'll figure something out. Might be in town, maybe not. Will keep you posted before we get there.

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  8. Perhaps you started a new....TRADI-TION!!!! :)

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