Sunday, March 15, 2009
Stone Cold Satiated
I scream, you scream, we all scream...stop screaming, please.
We went out to visit the in-laws today, but before settling in for a long day of doing nothing in their living room, we went to the mall first. Not just any mall, mind you, but the bright, shiny Nishinomiya Gardens which opened just last November. Our primary goal was to have lunch there, with window shopping being a close second. Both proved difficult due to the still-massive crowds that seem to be lined up and waiting in front of every eatery and cash register. It's funny how we all love to go to new places but because everyone loves that, new places are invariably jam packed and miserable.
A microcosm of the problem is Cold Stone Creamery, the first one in the Kansai area. When it opened, people routinely waited for two hours for a cup of ice cream. When we first passed by in December, the wait was somewhere between 90-120 minutes. Even in late January, when ice cream should be the last thing on anyone's mind, there were still folks who had an hour to kill in order to get some. I love ice cream as much as the next dangerously overweight American, but surely there are other options that don't require that kind of time commitment?
When our attempts to eat lunch at the Hawaiian restaurant today were thwarted by a ridiculous queue, we took notice of the much shorter-than-usual line at Cold Stone. Perhaps because it was lunch time and everyone was more excited about noodles or curry, there were barely a dozen or so people standing in line. We recognized the opportunity as a rare one and therefore opted to eat dessert first simply because we could.
So far as I can tell, there are two primary differences between the American and Japanese Cold Stone Creameries. First, the portions have been readjusted to human sizes. I remember once ordering their medium cup (a.k.a. "love it") and being handed what looked like a full pint shoved into a coffee cup. This time I ordered a small ("like it") and actually received a small serving of ice cream. It does make the experience feel a bit more overpriced, but today wasn't one of those days when I felt I needed to smother myself in milk and sugar.
The other major difference is the demeanor of the staff. If you've ever been to a US Cold Stone, you probably remember the staff singing public-domain tunes with novelty ice cream lyrics whenever a customer put something in the tip jar. Japan does have a tip jar, much to my utter surprise, but I don't think they need any excuse to start singing. I would liken the staff to that of a theme park instead of an ice cream parlor - with their gigantic grins and eternally-peppy attitudes, they seemed eager to sing and even dance at a moment's notice. As I tweeted earlier, one server brought out fresh supplies and showcased the serving tin for all to see before putting it into the case. Her cry of "Let's cheesecake ice cream!" made perfect sense somehow, even if "ice cream" isn't a verb.
While I know how this must sound, I really must ask the question: if they put as much energy into actually scooping ice cream instead of flailing their arms as they sing "Yo-ho-ho," maybe there wouldn't be a half-hour wait? Shouldn't our fifteen minute experience be the norm in mid-March? Is there such a thing as too much service?
Oh, my white chocolate/peanut butter fusion ice cream was delicious, thanks for asking.
When we got to her parents' house we basically sat there for the rest of the day. We gave her mother a White Day present, both because she gave me a Valentine's Day present and because they are constantly giving us everyday stuff. We haven't bought rice since 2007! With that in mind, we gave her an iPod Nano which she had been talking about for quite some time. I had to set it up, of course, but I think she understands the gist of how to operate it. Here's hoping they don't designate me as Mr. Tech Support.
That was about all we did today. Oh right, sumo is back in Osaka! I've got tickets for Friday and I am psyched. In the meantime I've got a few more classes to teach - four to be exact. Not tomorrow, all week! Good night!
We went out to visit the in-laws today, but before settling in for a long day of doing nothing in their living room, we went to the mall first. Not just any mall, mind you, but the bright, shiny Nishinomiya Gardens which opened just last November. Our primary goal was to have lunch there, with window shopping being a close second. Both proved difficult due to the still-massive crowds that seem to be lined up and waiting in front of every eatery and cash register. It's funny how we all love to go to new places but because everyone loves that, new places are invariably jam packed and miserable.
A microcosm of the problem is Cold Stone Creamery, the first one in the Kansai area. When it opened, people routinely waited for two hours for a cup of ice cream. When we first passed by in December, the wait was somewhere between 90-120 minutes. Even in late January, when ice cream should be the last thing on anyone's mind, there were still folks who had an hour to kill in order to get some. I love ice cream as much as the next dangerously overweight American, but surely there are other options that don't require that kind of time commitment?
When our attempts to eat lunch at the Hawaiian restaurant today were thwarted by a ridiculous queue, we took notice of the much shorter-than-usual line at Cold Stone. Perhaps because it was lunch time and everyone was more excited about noodles or curry, there were barely a dozen or so people standing in line. We recognized the opportunity as a rare one and therefore opted to eat dessert first simply because we could.
So far as I can tell, there are two primary differences between the American and Japanese Cold Stone Creameries. First, the portions have been readjusted to human sizes. I remember once ordering their medium cup (a.k.a. "love it") and being handed what looked like a full pint shoved into a coffee cup. This time I ordered a small ("like it") and actually received a small serving of ice cream. It does make the experience feel a bit more overpriced, but today wasn't one of those days when I felt I needed to smother myself in milk and sugar.
The other major difference is the demeanor of the staff. If you've ever been to a US Cold Stone, you probably remember the staff singing public-domain tunes with novelty ice cream lyrics whenever a customer put something in the tip jar. Japan does have a tip jar, much to my utter surprise, but I don't think they need any excuse to start singing. I would liken the staff to that of a theme park instead of an ice cream parlor - with their gigantic grins and eternally-peppy attitudes, they seemed eager to sing and even dance at a moment's notice. As I tweeted earlier, one server brought out fresh supplies and showcased the serving tin for all to see before putting it into the case. Her cry of "Let's cheesecake ice cream!" made perfect sense somehow, even if "ice cream" isn't a verb.
While I know how this must sound, I really must ask the question: if they put as much energy into actually scooping ice cream instead of flailing their arms as they sing "Yo-ho-ho," maybe there wouldn't be a half-hour wait? Shouldn't our fifteen minute experience be the norm in mid-March? Is there such a thing as too much service?
Oh, my white chocolate/peanut butter fusion ice cream was delicious, thanks for asking.
When we got to her parents' house we basically sat there for the rest of the day. We gave her mother a White Day present, both because she gave me a Valentine's Day present and because they are constantly giving us everyday stuff. We haven't bought rice since 2007! With that in mind, we gave her an iPod Nano which she had been talking about for quite some time. I had to set it up, of course, but I think she understands the gist of how to operate it. Here's hoping they don't designate me as Mr. Tech Support.
That was about all we did today. Oh right, sumo is back in Osaka! I've got tickets for Friday and I am psyched. In the meantime I've got a few more classes to teach - four to be exact. Not tomorrow, all week! Good night!
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Saw Coldstone in OIOI for the first time last week, may pay it a visit, never been to one before.
On the subject of American import food, did you know that now they charge for cheese in Subway? Is the a new worldwide policy? Or just Japan?
On the subject of American import food, did you know that now they charge for cheese in Subway? Is the a new worldwide policy? Or just Japan?
WOW, I had no idea there was a Cold Stone in Namba. Good find. Was it irredeemably crowded?
I think Subway only charges for "extra" cheese, in that certain sandwiches include cheese and others don't. I haven't eaten at an American subway in years though, so don't ask me about global policies.
コメントがあるちゃう？ Type something, please. It's less work for me.I think Subway only charges for "extra" cheese, in that certain sandwiches include cheese and others don't. I haven't eaten at an American subway in years though, so don't ask me about global policies.
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