Cold Cow Ice Cream

I don’t love many ice creams.  There was Jeni’s Ice Cream in Ohio… but 14 hours is too far to drive for an ice cream cone, no matter how good it is.  I had resolved to watch my hubby & kids enjoy ice cream & frozen yogurt wherever we went but live a life of ice cream celibacy… until we were introduced to Cold Cow Ice Cream St Augustine.

Cold Cow's spicy Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream is my favorite!

My friend Mia was shocked I’d never heard of Cold Cow.  “What kind of St. Augustine blogger are you?” she probably wanted to shout.  Instead, she politely suggested I head over there first available moment and stop depriving your children of their best childhood memory (or something like that).

So we tried it.  And then we went back again & again.  This place is amazing!  Cold Cow serves up a heaping cone of freshly made ice cream- check out Andrew’s KIDS CONE for $2!!  Yes, $2!

Our sensible 2 y.o. requested “banilla” but then had a hard time deciding whether to enjoy her ice cream or go bounce on the bounce house!

What? I didn’t mention the bounce house? Well, they also rent bouncey houses and many days have one set up at both Cold Cow & Cold Calf locations for the kids to have some extra fun {free}.

Your kids can get sugared up and then go bounce off their extra energy!!

Or, if the ice cream line is long as often happens, they can bounce while they wait.

Cold Cow has a location on Anastasia Island & one in S St. Augustine near St. Augustine Shores.

Now I love ice cream.  Not any old ice cream- but just about any flavor from Cold Calf.  One warning: once you’ve taken the kids, they’ll never go by a bounce house without asking for Cold Cow Ice Cream!!

Cold Cow Ice Cream
Shoppes at Moultrie Creek - 4010 US 1 South
Tue-Fri & Sun 3pm-10pm & Sat 1pm-10pm
(904) 797-0626

Cold Calf Ice Cream Truck
802 Anastasia Blvd.
(904)315-5187

A Homeschool Day in St Augustine

One beautiful thing about homeschooling is it’s portable.  We’ve walked through the zoo while studying land mammals, read about the War Between the States then visited Civil War Battlefields, and lazed in the backyard on sunny afternoons while immersing ourselves in lives lived long ago when kids collapsed into meadows to daydream when their chores were finally finished.

When we read I, Juan de Pareja, a book set in 17th century Spain, I decided to immerse ourselves in 17th century Spain.  We visited St. Augustine.

photo credit: www.StAugustine.com

     Mass was in the great cathedral, with its soaring arches, its tall pillars, its glinting gold on altars and picture frames, its soft candlelight in the scented gloom.  This was for me, as always, a delight.  I loved the melodious chanting of the priests, the beauty of their vestments, the glorious moment of the elevation.  Mistress often had to rap me with her fan in church, for I quite forgot her, her sweetmeats and her rosary, everything, while I sent my soul upward to bathe in a golden light which seemed to come down from God.

     After Mass I hoped Mistress might go to the house of a friend who sometimes made that strange American drink for us, foaming chocolate, and served it hot in tiny cups.

- I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino

We read page 8 of I, Juan de Pareja and lived it ourselves.  The children fingered rosaries in the gift shop like the ones Juan would have handed his mistress.  We walked next door to Kookaburra Coffee Shop {<- review there} and enjoyed much sweeter cups of “foaming chocolate” than Juan ever dreamed of.

Juan was the slave and assistant of famous artist Velazquez.  Over the course of this historical fiction book, we were introduced to mantillas (which we saw a painting of downtown), painting styles and tools, and food experiences from foaming chocolate to sweetmeats.  We sought out as many experiences as we could that day to immerse ourselves in 17th century Spanish culture and connect with Juan de Pareja and the humble master he served.

We lunched at The Spanish Bakery {<- review there}.  Empanadas would have been a quick food common men lunched on in the 17th century.  Since Velazquez served the King of Spain, empanadas likely would not have been their main fare but I couldn’t afford a royal spread for 6 hungry students! {grin}

She fed me well and saw that I had money to buy sweets in the street, and sometimes she let me go to watch the strolling players…

I could afford a trip to the candy shop for sweets!  My students shop this candy store often- and quite frugally.  They know how to stretch a dollar or two!  Located on St. George Street across from Cafe del Hidalgo & Pizzalley’s, this is their favorite stop on “special trips” even though I try to talk them into Bon Ami or The Hyppo {<- reviews}.

We curled up under the gazebo in the Plaza de la Constitucion with our book while it rained then called the school day complete.  Since it was still raining, we popped in to Anastasia Books- St. Augustine’s used book store.  We were delighted to be welcomed by the friendly owner who quickly showed the kiddos her Duplo Lego table- they had a blast creating with new-to-them legos!!

Walking back up St. George Street toward the parking garage, we had to stop in the knife store. Juan didn’t carry a sword to protect his master, but my 14 year old quickly found the one he thought Juan should have carried.

All school kids know that a field trip isn’t complete without checking out the gift shop!  I decided it was time to let the kids pick up a cheesy souvenir of our day, so we stopped by Grist Mill Gift Shop…

…and found the perfect cheesy thing! A Mustache variety pack with just enough for my kids! Perfect!

We all got in on the fun…

Andrew rocked his St. Auggie ‘stache.

Bwa ha haaa!  So much fun!!

We took a “Class Photo” before we left.

I love homeschooling and I love St. Augustine, so homeschooling in St. Augustine was a no-brainer!  What a fun field trip back in time to the 17th century.

Viva St. Augustine!

Field trip giveaway is going on the week of April 12 – April 19.  Enter here: http://www.simplystaugustine.com/to-do/st-augustine-schooltour/