Today was a slow day for bike riding, but I managed two trips to my favorite coffee shop, Rue de la Course on Magazine, for lunch with S.D. and later coffee with S.B.. Following lunch with S.D., I wanted a snoball, as per usual. Unfortunately, Hansen’s was closed, as was Snowizard. Now, for those of you not in the know, a proper snoball is made of incredibly finely shaven ice, so finely shaven it’s almost creamy, topped with a sweet syrup in any of a myriad flavors. So put the snocone of your eastern, western, and mideastern childhood out of your mind. The proper southern snoball is something else entirely. I love trying new shops and new flavors, but today’s left much to be desired. Turns out, though advertising snoballs, they were *actually* serving up snocones. My ice failed to keep its fine grain, freezing in blocks I couldn’t break apart with my spoon. There was too much syrup (though of course this point is debatable), and although the flavor was good, the lack of proper ice shaving rendered the experience of the flavor disappointing as well. But, as N. pointed out, the white and teal hut, banana trees, and rainbow umbrella combined to make us feel like we were on a beach in the tropics. I’d gladly pay $1.50 for another medium should I find myself without access to a proper snoball.