Gonna grab me some of that midnight delight. Warsaw.

“Around 10pm, after my girls have gone to bed and my husband is snoring, I sometimes sneak into the kitchen, take the pint of ice cream and dig into that sucker until there’s nothing left. I know it’s terrible, but I love it.”
Monika, happy mother of two.

Truth:
We all eat ice cream—lots of it—when we think we’re not supposed to.

Opportunity:
Don’t stop at flavors. Entertain people's naughtiness too.

• Midnight Delight...best when consumed after 12am
• Morning After Fixer-Upper...perfect for lousy hangovers
• Ice-Cream Spread...great on cookies, bananas, bread, chips...
• Bottoms Up...tastes better when eaten all at once
• Non-Sexual Healing...because sex is overrated
• Break-up First Aid Kit...helps in the detox process

My Soft Side. Russia.

“I love sweets! There are lots of sweet snacks at my desk all day long – biscuits, chocolates. candy... It is my vitamin of happiness. And I love going out for food. It does not have to be expensive restaurants, just simple cafes. I always offer some ice-cream for desert.”



For Sasha ice-cream is a childhood reminiscence - even though he didn’t eat much ice-cream then. Once when he was a little boy, his parents bought home some ice cream for everyone in their family. Everybody got the same kind of ice-cream (“Eskimo”) but his mom. Her choice was “Lakomka”. Little Sasha didn’t like how “Lakomka” looked… he got upset and felt really sorry for his mom. “I will give you my “Eskimo”, mom! Take a proper ice-cream!” – he said. He was very kind, he would be ready to offer the best piece to his mom, of course.

Now he likes trying different types of ice-cream and the choice is far bigger than then!

Sasha is an ambitious young guy. He sees his future bright and believes in his power to create it the way he likes. What was absolutely amazing in him – a charming combination of being strong, ambitious, successful already and on the other hand being soft, kind and still a bit childish in a very positive way.

Truth: Even tough guys have a softer side. Ice cream melts a cool exterior. Show your ice-cream side.

Forget about everything. Russia

“Why do we always have to be strong? … It would be so nice to allow yourself to become a bit weaker, softer and maybe even less responsible. But life is a serious game. You better not allow yourself to lose it.”

Somehow this is a feeling I got from talking to Katya. She knows what life is about and values the real things in life. True happiness for her is in family and good friends. She calls it “having strong reward”.



“It is important that somewhere with somebody you can always be relaxed and even allow yourself to lose control without any risk.”

There is also a “little happiness” in life, which is about taking a moment for you, relax, have a break – life is full of stress. Sometimes it can be music, but the best and easiest thing is good food and / or sweets.

Talking about ice-cream makes her smile. Katya remembers a very traditional Moscow occasion for ice-cream: when you come to the GUM store (on the Red Square) you will always buy some ice-cream there! This tradition exists since we were children (in those old Soviet times). The ice-cream is special there! It is tastier than anywhere else – now we know it is not really, but the tradition keeps it special somehow even now. You walk along the GUM lines, hold your ice-cream and … you forget about everything! You are a child again! A little girl without any worries or things to deal with! You just enjoy your moment. It is a little moment to get your mood up.

Have a break, it is a moment for you. Everything else can wait while you are enjoying your ice-cream.

As adults we spend so much effort 'keeping it all together'. We try to keep our lives in control. We've forgotten how to let go like a child.

Choose Happiness. Russia

“I love creamy head on my cappuccino! Usually I do not even finish my coffee, but always order cappuccino because of that creamy head on it.”



Zhenya does not tend to rationalize things… She takes everything in a simple, not overly-complicated way. Her way to enjoy life is also simple and it makes her absolutely astonishing and charming. She is open, approachable, easy-going. And her smile has a power to change one’s perception of this world! She is like a child – still knows how to be happy! The key to happiness is ability to enjoy what is around – the sun, a new day, some sweets or just very tasty stuff, kind people with big and open souls… She is like that.

She traveled a bit within Europe. Her impression was that people there are much happier than in Russia (at least they smile much more) and they are more relaxed there. One of the observations Zhenya told me about people: “those who have a sweet-tooth are normally very kind people and smiling more.” Could be true…

She told me about the hormone of happiness, which is contained in all sweets, especially in chocolate. “If there is a system in our body that produces “happiness”, then we would need to nourish it with sweets and chocolate. For me personally some ice-cream would work perfectly!”

Opportunity:

Bolt the problems from the pure happiness. Life is full of both – dramas, problems, aggression on one hand; and childish way of being happy on the other. There is always a choice of what to see… depending on your focus.

Keep it Light! Italy

It’s a warm, sunny day in Milan. The first this spring. Heavy coats are out. Smiles are in. The streets are stomping. The crowd is bubbly. Kids and grannies, punks and tourists, all line up for their favorite treat. Gelato days are here, my friend! With all these colorful cones parading around town, it’s impossible not to catch the happy bug.



As I sit here watching with my own pink gelato in hand, I get this curious sensation, like I’m in a music video for Louis Armstrong’s “Wonderful World” or something. I guess it’s really kind of magical that something so icy can warm people’s hearts so kindly. Ice cream has that funny effect on people. It’s almost like there’s an unwritten rule about what you can and cannot do while savoring it.

You cannot:
Have tireless arguments with your boyfriend
Fret, pout or flail your arms angrily
Talk politics, global warming, or world war
Brood over bills, debts or mortgages
Eat it because you have to

You can:
Gaze pensively into the sky and think of nothing
Count the freckles on your true love’s nose
Teach your kid funny tongue tricks
Tease your friend about the holes in her socks
Eat your ice-cream extra slowly so you can finish last

It's ice cream! Whatever you do with it, remember to keep it light!

Small Pleasures. Russia

Julia orders some pancakes with raspberry dressing (sweet and heavy), and this is not a surprise. Julia is a very slim and elegant girl in her 20’s. She looks stunning! “I won’t be able to keep on a diet” – she said immediately. “I eat whatever I like and as much as I like. I am like this. However, there is a limited list of things I ever eat.”



I knew she liked ice-cream very much, ice-cream is definitely in “her list”. According to her own words “eating ice-cream is a process. It can not happen on the go. Never outside. It should always be at the table, in a nice little bowl, with a chocolate or strawberry dressing."

I got an impression that Julia is living her life with a deep feeling of it. She is the kind of person who accepts everything in life with a very true and honest “positive-ness”. Eating whatever she likes and as much as she likes is something to keep her “positive-ness” every day.

Going out with her friends for a girl-chat is an occasion for cakes, deserts, creamy-sweet-sugar stuff. “I will not eat a proper meal in a café when I go out with friends. Just sweets”. This is not unusual in Russia!

All her little sweets during the day is something to keep her mood up. “Small pleasures that make me feel better. Just a little bit. I will not be happier and my life won’t change, but I will feel better and lighter with my sweets and favorite meals.” Just watching her with her plate of pancakes one would understand what she means… Adorable!

Julia told me that there are hormones in our body that are responsible for good mood and feeling happy. “People often call them hormones of happiness. The more you eat bananas and chocolate, the more you get those hormones to your body.” Sounds like a physical reason behind feeling happy!

Opportunities: Just a little pleasure to make you day. It may not change your life or the world around, but it will definitely make you feel better. Allow yourself some indulgence. It is a well deserved treat.

Before it Melts

"My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it's on your plate."

- Thornton Wilder, The Skin of Our Teeth.

Quality of Life. Mexico

Mexicans know how to have fun. Last night we went to Lucha Libra wrestling, then we danced till midnight. So today as I try to hide my yawns, I asked Carla and Sarah if Mexicans take a siesta. Their response sums up the vibe in Mexico City;

"We don't siesta, we fiesta."

We spent today hanging out in Coyacan, a neighborhood famous for its ice cream shops. Mexican culture is infused into every scoop. We tried cucumber and chilli - the mix of cold and hot was deliciously confusing for my New Zealand taste buds. I felt like I was on holiday as our big group meandered through the square, soaking up the sun and just taking it easy. Mariana and Jorje - two students who joined us today - assured me that this is true quality of life.

"Quality of life is when you have good food, friends, family and fun."



I'll never forget the Four F's rule, nothing is more true.

Opportunity: Bring the world some Quality of Life - the Mexican way.

The Celebration Must. Los Angeles

The boys were celebrating spring break. Two weeks off to hang out with Dad in LA. Instead of going on a holiday, their Dad had given them each a day to choose whatever they wanted.

The eldest boy, aged 10, chose a day at Knoxberry Farm. The middle boy, aged 8, chose swimming at a hotel pool. The youngest, aged 4, simply chose ice cream for breakfast followed by a water balloon fight.

“Hey, it’s the easiest of them all” Dad told us “and we all like it.”

Ironically, while the youngest boy had chosen ice cream for breakfast as his special event … it seems they have been eating ice cream every day of their holiday. After all, what would spring break be without loads of ice cream.

Opportunity: As everyday as ice cream may some times seem … it is also a great way to simply celebrate!

Wanna Get Some Ice Cream. Los Angeles

Have you ever noticed that people never say “lets go out for cake” or “lets go out and get pie”. But they do say “wanna get some ice cream.”

Not only was this Easter weekend, but LA was experiencing unseasonably warm weather for March. Needless to say everyone was out on the boardwalk in Santa Monica … cycling, walking, rollerblading, hanging out with the family in their Sunday best.

Several times over the weekend I heard someone say “do you wanna get some ice cream?”. It seems to be the thing you do. The thing everyone always says ‘yes’ to. The perfect addition to a perfect day.

Whether you have been shopping for hours, just got out of a movie, cycling down the boardwalk or stopping for a cup of ice tea, ice cream seems to included.

Opportunity: The words “Wanna Get Some Ice Cream?” are likely to be answered with an enthusiastic ‘Yes!’

I Scream You Scream We All Scream For Ice Cream. Los Angeles

Strolling through LA we realized very quickly that whether you are 1 year old, or 100 years old. Whether you live in a mansion or sleep on the street. Male or female. Healthy or not. Even canine or human. Everyone loves ice cream.

It is the ultimate sharing desert. You can’t split it like you would cake or a brownie. The texture forces you to be intimate with someone else’s spoon. Collisions are unavoidable.

I laughed when my daughter refused to share her water with my other half because he had a cold. And yet … there was no issue when it came to sharing ice cream. In fact, she encouraged him to dip his spoon into every scoop to try all three flavours.

It seems that ice cream has no boundaries. There is never a reason not to share.

Ice Cream has to be the world’s only ubiquitous treat!

Opportunity: Bring worlds apart, together over ice cream.