Archive for August, 2009
Sunday, August 30th, 2009

Lauren and me with Carmen (the demo coordinator) at Whole Foods in Montclair.
Today was our last day in Montclair, and I’m kind of sad about it. We’ve done three events there and I still haven’t gotten a glimpse of Dorothea Benton Frank. I was hoping she would come to one of our events so I could meet her and tell her how much I love her novels. I was also hoping she would take one look at me and be inspired to create a character based on me. It didn’t happen. A girl can always dream though, right?
The past two days have been really dreary, and we are ready for some blue skies and sunshine. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the sun shines bright tomorrow. Either way, we’ll be back at it again tomorrow. We’ll make our own sunshine, but everyone do your sunshine dance just in case. I don’t there if there is such a thing as a sunshine dance, but it can’t hurt.
We hope everyone has a very fun and safe Saturday night. We’ll see you tomorrow!
Posted in East Coast Sampling Tour | 2 Comments »
Friday, August 28th, 2009
Pomegranate. It’s full of antioxidants. It helps your skin while tasting delicious. And it is popping up everywhere. You can find pomegranate martinis, pomegranate lotions, smoothies and juices. The September issue of Self recommends a “Pom Sundae.” Try it with a Ciao Bella flavor!
Here’s the recipe for this delicious Self sundae and it’s only about 200 calories:
½ cup of Ciao Bella Tahitian Vanilla gelato
2 tbsp light chocolate syrup
¼ cup of pomegranate seeds
Let me know what you think! We also have a pomegranate sorbet available in some of our scoop shops if you’d like to check it out!
Tags: Ciao Bella, Ciao Bella Gelato, ciao bella sorbet, East Coast Bella Girls, Pomegranate, Self magazine, tahitian vanilla gelato
Posted in East Coast Sampling Tour | No Comments »
Thursday, August 27th, 2009

The line at the concert in Newark.
Lauren and I started off the day in Montclair. I was really excited about this because Montclair is the home of my favorite author, Dorothea Benton Frank. I kept my eyes open the whole event, but never saw her. I’m not discouraged though. We’ve got a couple more events in Montclair, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that she’ll show up to one of those.
After our first event, we had some time to kill before our second event. We ate lunch and a Mexican restaurant called Chevys, and then went to Barnes & Noble. I finished the latest novel in the Outlander series so I needed a new book to tide me over until the next one comes out. I have to wait until September 22 and I’m dying. I can’t wait for the new one. It’s going to be a long few weeks.
Our second event today was at Riverbank Park in Newark. Essex County has a summer music series, and Lauren and I got to take part in it. We had so much fun. There was a Latin band playing, and people were dancing. We were also parked between the soccer field and basketball courts. We had a blast listening to the band while passing out samples. We always play music, but there is nothing like listening to live music especially outside on a beautiful night. It was a great end to a gorgeous day.
Tags: Ciao Bella, Ciao Bella Gelato, ciao bella sorbet, essex county, gelato, montclair, New Jersey, newark, riverbank park, Sorbet
Posted in East Coast Sampling Tour | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

These boys liked their samples so much they convinced their mom to buy seven pints!
Now that Elle and I have been on this tour for about 3 months, we have picked up on reoccurring patterns. One being that the American public has a vast array of personalities. But also those certain personalities tend to go for certain flavors. In fact sometimes we find it fun to try and guess what flavor people are going to go for just by that first impression that lasts about 3 minutes. We have gotten pretty good at it; I’m not going to lie.
We’ve found that people who go for the Tahitian Vanilla or Sicilian Lemon are usually laid back. They know what they like and they stick to it and are perfectly content with that. We can usually spot you Vanilla and Lemons because looking at the list becomes a time of elimination. We have some unique flavors, so when someone either makes a face of surprise or confusion, get ready to grab one of these two flavors.
The people that go for the Blood Orange or the Pistachio seem to be a more adventurous, creative personality. These people are usually bold in the way they dress, the things they say and are up for anything new and exciting. These people most often ask what we think is best or what the best seller is. They are open to trying new flavors. When they browse our list, instead of looks of uncertainty or shock, you can see the intrigue and admiration in their eyes. And that’s sometimes followed by a compliment: “You have such wonderful and interesting flavor names” for example.
The Chocolate Alba Hazelnut has the most “legs.” Not meaning that people who choose the Chocolate Alba Hazelnut have nice legs, though some yes have. I mean that the Chocolate seems to span over all the personality types. Throughout the tour, especially this second half, it has consistently been the most popular. Day after day, all types of people choose Chocolate. They say chocolate mend a broken heart and actually put you in a happier mood. So I guess we all can have our “chocolate days.”
And that brings us to Mango. Oh you Mango lovers. You are most easy to spot. Mango choosers tend to have an intense personality. They approach the truck with high energy and a lot of excitement about life. Naturally, and initially surprising a lot of kids like the Mango as well. But now we see it as just that a lot of kids are high energy life lovers. We had three young boys of about 8 that loved the Mango and went straight to picking that flavor (Mango-lovers never hesitate or ponder other flavors… it’s Mango all the way!) These boys sat in the truck with us for a while chatting about everything from their town to their dog Fluffy. They then proceeded into the store and bought 7 pints. It was because of them we reached a total of more than 15 pints sold at our second event. Thank you boys!
Of course everyone is different and every now and then Elle and I are dead wrong. But when we are it surprises us and we’re right about 85% of the time. So come on out and see if you can stump me!
Tags: Alphonso mango, Blood Orange sorbet, Ciao Bella, Ciao Bella Gelato, ciao bella sorbet, East Coast Bella Girls
Posted in East Coast Sampling Tour | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

That's a happy Bella Boy and Girl!
It’s hard to believe that my sweetest summer has come to an end. The last stop on the West Coast Gelatomobile tour was a back to school event on Sunday at the Whole Foods in Los Gatos, which was a ton of fun and a huge success. And it seemed fitting that I closed out the tour running the event with Bill, since that’s also how the summer started!
I spent the morning cleaning out the truck – it’s amazing what the remnants of 3 months living out of a truck looks like!!…now I have to clean my living room floor! – and just got back from returning the truck to the San Francisco warehouse. I am certain I’ll never again have a job that brings other people so much happiness, nor will I see as many smiles in the course of a day at work.
If I’ve learned one thing this summer, it is that: that a delicious treat brings smiles to the faces around you. Keep that in mind this fall and winter: if you ever need to brighten a gray day, visit your nearest grocery store for a pint or several of Ciao Bella, and you’ll cheer up everyone around you, and yourself in the process!
Take care, and don’t forget to treat yourself!
xoxo,
WCBG (West Coast Bella Girls)
Tags: Bella Girls, California, Ciao Bella, Ciao Bella Gelato, ciao bella sorbet, discover savor share, Free samples, gelato, Sorbet, West Coast Bella Girls, Whole Foods, Whole Foods Market
Posted in West Coast Sampling Tour | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 25th, 2009
What a Friday night! Ladies – Have you ever had a bad first date? You know, the kind of first date that you think – GEEZ, how do I get myself into these things? Let me tell you about my first date with Jerry…

So I am at the grocery store picking up some margarita mix (for margarita Mondays, naturally) and a pint of the best gelato ever – key lime graham cracker – when I run into Ben and Jerry. They were so cute, especially Jerry. I was so excited when Jerry asked me to go with him to his friend’s party – I mean he is really sweet
.
Everything is going well and Jerry and I are dancing to the best band – Traveling By Sea – when he just up and leaves saying that he had to go get air or something. Anyway, Haagen comes over and tells me that Jerry is up to something else. Against my better judgment I decided to check it out. We head upstairs and I find Ben and Jerry playing Mario Kart with a mouth full of powdered donuts. Ugh! C’mon ladies how much do you dislike it when guys are glued to video games?!
Haagen follows me downstairs with Jerry not far behind. They get into a fight over me AND in the middle of the whole thing Ben and Jerry PANTSED Haagen!! We all learn that Haagen is only 14 ounces. Why do men always have to bust on each others size? You know where I am heading with this one…
That night I learned how good it feels to be honest and true to who I am – fun, sophisticated and certainly not into Mario Kart.
Until next time…
Bella
xoxo
Tags: Bella, Bella Girl, Ben, Brand, Chow, Ciao, Ciao Bella, comedy, comercial, commerical, Dazs, funny, Grocery, Haagen, Haagen Dazs, humor, ice cream, Jerry, Jerry's, Mario Kart, Party, Spoof, Tailford Mitchell, Traveling By Sea
Posted in Bella Girl | 4 Comments »
Sunday, August 23rd, 2009

Part of the line.
Today Lauren and I got to participate in a really great cause. We went to Dream Ride 2009 in Farmington, Connecticut. Dream Ride is an annual motorcycle ride to help benefit the Special Olympics.
We were welcomed to the event by some really great volunteers. They told us where we needed to go to set up. When we turned into the parking lot, we saw rows and rows of motorcycles and a huge American flag hanging from the ladder on a fire truck.
We parked beside the lunch tent and the Dodge Motorsports truck. This was a prime location for two reasons: 1. We caught everyone after lunch. They were definitely ready for some dessert, and 2.Penelope felt right at home (she is a Dodge Sprinter). I also enjoyed the location because I drive a Dodge Dakota, not to mention they had a black Challenger parked beside us (I really want a Challenger), but the best part was that we were parked beside Kasey Kahne’s racecar. He’s my favorite. He’s also my future husband, although he is not yet aware of that fact. Okay, that was a little more than two, but you get the picture.
We are so glad we were able to be a part of today’s event. It is such a good cause, and we met a lot of really great people. We passed out samples for about four hours today. We had a non-stop line. That is no exaggeration. We passed out a total of 1488 samples. If I did the math correctly, I think that is about 372 samples an hour. We only passed out 1488 samples because that’s all the freezers hold. We wish we had more freezer space so we could have passed out samples for four more hours.
We met some people who already know and love Ciao Bella. We also met a lot of people who had never heard of us before. We were immediately asked where the product was available.
Thanks to everyone who came out and supported the event today. You really are making a big difference in the lives of a lot of people. It was such a privilege to be in involved in Dream Ride. We can’t wait for next year’s event.
P.S. Make sure to visit facebook.com/ciaobella to see all the pictures from today’s event.
Tags: Bella Girls, Ciao Bella, Ciao Bella Gelato, ciao bella sorbet, Connecticut, dream ride, East Coast Bella Girls, farmington, gelato, Sorbet, special olympics
Posted in East Coast Sampling Tour | No Comments »
Saturday, August 22nd, 2009

He loves Ciao Bella. He told us he buys it all the time. He definitely wasn't telling us a story. He bought at least six pints on this visit to Kings.
This morning’s event took place at the King’s in Morristown, which was nice because Elle and I didn’t have to travel very far at all (not to mention avoid parkways because of Penelope, ..but we love her anyway). I also enjoyed it because before I even knew I was going to do a gelato tour I had visited this Kings with my Dad to pick up groceries while I was visiting New Jersey, so it felt a little like I was at “my grocery store.” I have about 5 grocery stores.
Despite the drizzle, Elle, Penelope and I could see the need for a uniquely decadent treat in the eyes of everyone this Saturday morning and boy were we right! The store sold over 14 pints in the 3 hours we were there and one man came out to show us the 6 pints he bought! Hope you enjoy those sir, you are officially our Morristown Bella Guy! The shoppers at this Kings seemed to favor the Chocolate Jalopeno. I noticed it in several bags and one lady told us her daughter couldn’t get enough of it.
Elle and I are planning on celebrating the successful day by ordering pizza and renting a movie tonight. I’m thinking of doing an “at home Italian vacation” like OK! Magazine suggested by pairing the pizza with some Italian wine, The Godfather series and some Blood Orange sorbet. What do you all think? Sounds like a nice evening, eh? Next on the list is a trip to Sicily.
Tags: Blood Orange sorbet, Ciao Bella, Ciao Bella Girls, ciao bella sorbet, East Coast Bella Girls, Godfather, Mo-town, Morristown NJ, OK magazine, Sicily Italy
Posted in East Coast Sampling Tour | 1 Comment »
Friday, August 21st, 2009

This lady loved the Blood Orange She sang our praises throughout the event. We had to give her a t-shirt for being our biggest Ciao Bella lover!
Lauren and I woke up to a cool sunny New Jersey Friday. We got up, ate breakfast, had our coffee and headed towards our first event. By the time we got to our first event the sun was still shining, but it had gotten hot…really hot. We were listening to the radio at the event, and the dj announced that there was a heat advisory in effect, not to mention severe thunderstorms were moving through the area.
We checked weather.com to find out what the temperature actually was. The Web site said it was 90 degrees, but felt like 99. Personally, I think it felt like a lot hotter than 99, but I’m no meteorologist. Normally the most popular flavor at our events is the Chocolate Alba Hazelnut, but at our first event today the most popular was the Sicilian Lemon. Not surprising. The sorbets are just so refreshing on days like today.
Thankfully the storms held off at our first event. We weren’t so lucky at the second. We got to Whole Foods in Edgewater and started setting up. We could see the dark clouds rolling in. We had just gotten the awning and shelf up on the side of the truck, when the bottom dropped. It was raining so hard and it was so windy that we had to close the door on the truck to keep everything dry. It rained for a few minutes, then the storm passed, thank goodness. We can’t say we were upset that it rained though. It definitely cooled down after the storm. We still had a great second event despite the rain.
We want to say a special thanks to those who braved the heat and the rain today. We had a lot of fun, and were glad we could make the day better with gelato and sorbet.
Tags: Chocolate Alba Hazelnut, Chocolate Alba Hazelnut Gelato, Ciao Bella, Ciao Bella Gelato, ciao bella sorbet, edgewater, New Jersey, Whole Foods, Whole Foods Market
Posted in East Coast Sampling Tour | No Comments »
Thursday, August 20th, 2009

We made friends with one of the employees at the A&P in Midland Park. He was supporting Ciao Bella with stickers on his hat!
Who else here loves the Food Network? Even for someone who does not even cook, I love tuning in. Ace of Cakes always amazes me. How do they drive those cakes around without them tumbling over? It would give panic attacks. Paula’s Home Cooking comforts me immeadiately, with her traditional recipes containing 5 sticks of butter each and that sweet southern accent.
But my favorite show of all is Everyday Italian. I really enjoy Giada’s recipe and I just think she’s the cutest little cook. She was born in Rome and grew up in the kithcen. She has an active family, I remember one episode where her husband and friends had returned from a miles-long bike ride just in time for a 4 course meal Giada had been teaching us how to prepare. Though I don’t attempt, I just watch in awe. She also once praised the Ciao Bella brand! I mean what a smart gal.
Anyway, I signed on to Facebook this evening and came across a temptation I could not resist. Any of you who say you don’t take those Facebook quizzes.. I just don’t believe you. They are so fun (though no one ever “publishes” it). I took one that posed the question “Which Food Network Host Are You?” I hoped for Giada.. but I did get the wonderfully down-to-earth Rachael Ray. As it tells me, I got this because I’m a “no-frills” cook. Yea, “no-frills” is right. I’m so “no-frills” I usually let someone else cook for me then pay them to let me eat it. Well, if you’re a Food Network fan find the Facebook quiz and find out who you are! Then go to the Ciao Bella Facebook page and find out where Elle and I will be that day to come get a sample and talk about it with me!
Tags: Ace of Cakes, Ciao Bella, East Coast Bella Girls, Everyday Italian, Facebook quizzes, Food Network, gelato, Giada, Sorbet
Posted in East Coast Sampling Tour | 1 Comment »