Bassetts Ice Cream, America's Oldest Ice Cream Brand, Calls Philadelphia Home

For ice cream lovers, Philadelphia is home to what's now considered America's oldest ice cream brand.

CBS News Philadelphia

Bassetts Ice Cream is an original tenant of the Reading Terminal Market. No matter what the temperature is outside, customers line up inside to see what they're scooping up.

"It's always busy," customer Virginia Powell of West Philadelphia said. "Every Wednesday, we do our weekly shopping."

Powell said, depending on how fast the ice cream goes, they will pick up some Bassetts.

It can be a tough choice, especially when you're choosing from a list nearly 40 flavors long.

"We've got banana, butter pecan, butterscotch, chocolate," Alex Bassett Strange said.

"It's my great-grandfather's recipe, and we haven't changed anything," Bassett Strange said. "We're committed to a high butterfat, 16.4% milk fat recipe. It's Philadelphia style, and we're not chasing the trends."

Bassett Strange is the sixth generation at the helm of what's considered America's oldest ice cream brand.

"Each generation that works in it is really a steward of the brand and the recipe," Bassett Strange said.

Also, for generations, the family's been serving ice cream in the exact same spot.

Bassetts came to the Reading Terminal Market when it opened in 1893.

"We've been serving ice cream over this counter for 132, 133 years," Bassett Strange said.

Incredibly, its history extends beyond that.

CBS News Philadelphia

"In 1861, my great, great, great-grandfather started our company," Bassett Strange said. "He was making ice cream on his farm in Salem, New Jersey, and he would cart that in via horse and buggy and sell it in farmers' markets along Philadelphia's Market Street."

While early flavors like "green tomato" haven't stuck around, the classics are still sprinkled in.

"Our No. 1 seller is our classic, Philadelphia-style vanilla ice cream," Bassett Strange said.

Cindy Coppola isn't a Pennsylvania native but quickly discovered Bassetts after moving to Bucks County.

"Every flavor is so good," Coppola said. "I think maybe just the attention they give to it, maybe the milk they use?"

For Bassett Strange, it's all about tradition.

"One of the things that we focus on is consistency," Bassett Strange said. "We want to make sure that the ice cream that someone's grandparents have enjoyed is the same ice cream people can enjoy with their grandchildren."

Bassetts is debuting an America 250-inspired new ice cream flavor in the spring, appropriately called "red, white and blueberry."

By Nikki DeMentri, Tom Gardiner

10 Must-Do Events in August

The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, now in its 36th year, is Europe’s largest ballooning event. (Photograph by matt_gibson, Flickr)

There are some amazing events on tap all over the world, all the time. Here’s a taste of what you can see and do in August:

• Take a deep dive into Australasia’s contemporary art scene at the 25th annual Melbourne Art Fair (August 13-17) in suburban Carlton. Held in the Royal Exhibition Building, a World Heritage site, this well-regarded festival provides a stunning platform for 70 regional galleries and hundreds of leading artists. Lectures, free public performances, and a pop-up restaurant make this event a travel-worthy affair.
• Get down and dirty at the world’s biggest food fight, La Tomatina (August 27), in Buñol, Spain. Don’t miss your chance to join tens of thousands of people armed with tons of the overripe fruit as they paint the town—and each other—red.
• Stouts, ales, saisons, oh my! The Portland International Beerfest (August 8-10) is back with more than 200 brews from all over the world. Enjoy live music and mean local eats with a cold beer in hand—and take solace in the fact that you can do it all over again at the Seattle edition (August 22-24) two weeks later.
• But if fermented grapes float your boat, make a beeline for the Hermanus Wine and Food Festival (August 8-10) in South Africa. Attendees can sample hundreds of varietals in the famous whale-watching city, as well as regional cuisine ranging from olives to organic cheeses. Puppet shows, face painting, a jumping castle, and free shuttle service make this event a big win for the entire family.
  

  The band The Verve performs at the Summer Sonic Festival in Tokyo. (Photograph by luxtonnerre, Flickr)
• Feel like cutting a rug? Put on your dancing shoes and head to Japan for two days of live music at the Summer Sonic Festival (August 16-17). The mega concert is split between the major metropolises of Tokyo and Osaka, with many artists—including headliners Queen, Arctic Monkeys, and Robert Plant—appearing in both cities in back-to-back performances. Trust us: This is one music festival you’ll want to add to your radar.
• Celebrate a simpler way of life at the 25th annual Pennsylvania Dutch Festival (August 7-9) in Philadelphia. For three days, the city’s beloved Reading Terminal Market will become a showcase for handmade Amish crafts and traditional foods. Buggy and wagon rides, a petting zoo, and live music round out this unique cultural experience.
• What better time to visit the City of Eternal Spring than during the annual Medellín Flower Fair? For ten days (August 1-10), Colombia‘s second largest city celebrates its colorful natural bounty with fireworks, live music, and the famous silleteros (flower vendors) parade.  
  

  A woman plays a horn at the Guča Festival, an annual celebration of brass band music in western Serbia. (Photograph by Marko Djurica, Corbis)
• If you think a trumpet festival sounds like a one-note affair, think again. Hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to a tiny town in western Serbia to experience the cacophony (that’s meant in a good way) at the Guča Festival (August 6-10). The spirited event has been going strong for more than 50 years to celebrate brass bands and their enduring cultural significance in the Balkans and beyond.
• Express yourself, support equality, and have fun doing it at Amsterdam Gay Pride 2014 (August 1-3) in the Netherlands. Street parties, live music, a drag queen Olympics, and the always raucous annual Canal Parade round out this spectacular event—all in the name of love. 
• The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta returns (August 7-10) for its 36th year of atmospheric entertainment in one of England‘s most picturesque port cities. Cast your gaze skyward for mass ascents each morning or—if you’re feeling brave—go for a ride and take in the bird’s-eye view. Luminary shows, carnival rides, and live music complete this family-friendly event.

What would you add to the list? Let us know what we’re missing by leaving a comment.

Contributed by Intelligent Travel in Beyond the Guidebook

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Travelore Tips: 5 Recommended Family-Friendly Destinations

Contributed by Robert Reid· 

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Everyone knows travel changes once kids come into the picture. Suddenly you have to plan around naps, easily accessible rescue centers for soiled-underpants and whining backseat drivers. What they don’t tell you is how much fun it can be, and that it doesn’t have to be limited to timeshares on beaches and mega-amusement parks.

I know. Traveling with my four-year-old daughter has slowed down the usual pace. But I found myself getting a new appreciation for things I had long ignored – like at a 4th of July parade in Philadelphia, when colorfully dressed Ecuadorian dancers stopped to dance with her.

I can’t wait for her to chip in on planning vacations. Meanwhile here are five super family-friendly places that stray from the predictable.

1. Belize

Whether you’re looking for a beach to sit on, or much more (particularly as kids get past six or seven), Belize is an affordable Caribbean trip that is a boon for families. It’s compact, cheap and nearly everyone speaks English. There’s super wildlife to see – growler monkeys and crocodiles by land, sea turtles and (harmless) nurse sharks by mask and snorkel. First-timers will enjoy nice array of cabanas, often with kitchenette, from US$50 per night at the beach/diving center of Placencia, a couple hours south of the Belize City airport.

Sky Palace at Caracol, Belize, by Dennis Jarvis. Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike licence.

But the interior doesn't mean sacrificing fun in the water, with underground rivers to tube, jungle lodges on swimming holes and Mayan ruins reached by boat. If you rent a car, a tad pricey (about US$80 per day), you can connect a few dots at your own leisure. For an unforgettable stay, try the remote and family-friendly Barton Creek Outpostin the Cayo District, with a rope swing on the country’s finest swimming hole. And pull in for Garifuna drum lessons at the laid-back beach of Hopkins.

2. Pennsylvania

The eastern half of the Keystone State, in particular, is chock full of activities eyeing little ones. Home to the Liberty Bell, Philadelphia is a more laid-back city experience than New York, with a walkable center, counter breakfasts at the Reading Terminal Market, Betsy Ross' house, folks in tri-cornered hats, and a superb July 4th parade in the city where it all started. Kids over seven or so may enjoy the thrill of touring the Eastern State Penitentiary, a castle-like historic prison will all sorts of cells and nooks to conjure the imagination.

Making soft pretzels, Reading Terminal Market, by Geoff Livingston. Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike licence.

More colorful is Sesame Place, the only Sesame Street amusement park, about a half hour’s drive north. Rides are geared to littler ones, all the furry characters and plenty of activities on and around a Sesame-like set. Under two go free. The regular US$21.99 is less than a fourth the cost of Disney World.

Another option, two hours east in Hershey, is Chocolate World. It’s not quite Willy Wonka, but there’s plenty of merch and activities, along with an amusement park next door. A couple hours north, Williamsport is home each August to the Little League World Series, though most kids prefer sliding down the muddy slope beyond centerfield. Bring an extra set of clothes.

3. Portland, Oregon

No city better makes parents feel at ease traveling with kids than Portlandia. It’s 90 minutes to the beach, 30 minutes to towering water falls in the Columbia River gorge, and practically everywhere you go in town has areas geared for little ones. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry – everyone just calls it ‘OMSI’ (OM-zee) – is an all-time fave. On the riverfront, with a submarine to see, the museum has a playroom with sand, water games, labs, fun science experiments like suction tubes built to shoot foam balls through hoops. For some reason the (caged) rats are huge with kids too.

Multnomah Falls, by Ron Reiring. Creative Commons Attribution license.

Forest Park in the northwest part of the city is the country’s biggest urban park, with plenty of trails and birds to spot. Food is fun too. Microbreweries have huge play areas that absorb kids with tons of toys and playmates. At 5pm Monday head to Mississippi Pizza for some shockingly good pies and a kid-fest during Mr Ben’s sing-along, where kids usually end up dancing on stage.

For a unique place to stay, McMenamin's Kennedy School is a boutique hotel made from an old school built in 1915 with rooms made from former classrooms (sorry kids, no TVs, but chalkboards, yes), plus a theater that shows kid-friendly films and a soaking pool. Rooms are affordable at around US$95/night.

4. Denmark

Don't overlook Denmark - compact and not always cheap, but built for kids. Copenhagen is home to Tivoli, a fairy-tale of a central amusement park that dates to 1843. There’s lots of free music, nightly fireworks and surprisingly good food. Outside town, Legoland is outside Billund in central Jutland, with a 20-million piece Miniland of world icons (Statue of Liberty, Star Wars scenes!) made of the plastic bits named for leg godt (Danish for ‘play well’). The rides are mostly geared to preteens. Might as well stay at lego-to-the-limit Hotel Legoland. Time your arrival to get a couple free hours in the park – doors are open a couple hours before closing each day.

Also aim for Odense, a 90-minute train ride from Copenhagen. It’s a thousand-year-old city that was home to Hans Christen Andersen. There’s a good museum and zoo, and nearby castles surrounded by moats. In town, Fyrtøjet is a children’s cultural center with storytelling and music (in English in summer) and plenty of fanciful costumes to don.

The Swing Carousel in Tivoli at night, by Stig Nygaard. Creative Commons Attribution license.

5. Thailand

Few cultures on earth will fawn over your children like the family-friendly Thai. Locals go gaga over them, and going with kids means ice-breakers from everyone between street food vendors and tuk-tuk drivers. Thailand’s a great choice for an exotic trip, with temples, fun food, monkeys and superb beaches.

Koh Chang sunset, by Vairoj Arunyaangkul. Creative Commons Attribution licence.

Bangkok temples like Wat Phra Kaew with its glittering gold-leaf Buddhas provide memorable experiences, along with water taxis on the canals and flying kites with locals at leafy Lumphini Park. For the beach, Ko Chang is a island with much family potential, including nice beaches with calm waters, easy kayak trips to offshore islands, elephant camps in the mountainous interior, and chipping in to help abandoned animals at Koh Chang Animal Project.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/belize/travel-tips-and-articles/77657#ixzz2mcWUk5Oq