NEW ORLEANS
THE SPOT: Ashley Hansen, owner of Hansen's Sno-Bliz (4801 Tchoupitoulas St.,
504-891-9788,), uses the same
stainless-steel ice-shaving
machine her grandfather built
in 1939. Her grandparents'
legacy lives on inside the
white and pink cinder-block
building, where photos and
memorabilia cover the walls.
THE SPECS: Each fluffy
snowball (or Sno-Bliz) is so
powdery soft that syrup must
be poured on in layers to
saturate each concoction, like
the rich, sherbetlike Cream of
Blueberry (from $2).
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CHICAGO
THE SPOT: Sandwiched
between brick row houses
in Little Italy, Mario's
Italian Lemonade (1068 W.
Taylor St.) attracts a mix of
elderly neighbors, university
students and stroller-toting
families. Mario DiPaolo Jr.
mans the red, white and
green stand that his parents
founded 62 years ago.
THE SPECS: Don't be
surprised to find chunks of
lemon rind, pulp and seeds
in your cup of not-too-tart,
not-too-sweet slushy
lemonade (from $1). Handson
proprietor Mario picks up
Sunkist lemons and Domino
Sugar himself, just like his
dad did for decades.
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DALLAS
THE SPOT: Be prepared to
wait in line outside Aunt
Stelle's Sno-Cones
(2002 W. Clarendon Road,
214-946-1431), housed in
a onetime barbershop. On
summer evenings, fans head
to the stand, named for
co-founder Estelle Williams,
who opened it in 1962.
THE SPECS: The best-selling
Pink Lady (from $2) is
bubblegum colored, but
tastes like vanilla. Owner Lee
Alpert, Estelle's daughter,
says fans drive from 30-plus
miles away to get their fix.
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HONOLULU
THE SPOT: On an island
teeming with cups of flavored
ice, Waiola Shave Ice (2135
Waiola St., 808-949-2269)
stands out for its superfine,
melt-in-your-mouth
consistency and for its odd
location, in a residential
section of Honolulu. Order at
a walk-up window adjacent to
the corner convenience store.
THE SPECS: Try the popular
rainbow-colored trio,
flavored with strawberry,
banana and blue vanilla ($2).
Locals like to top it with
adzuki beans, mochi balls
and sweetened condensed
milk. No matter how you like
it, ask for "shave ice," not
"shaved ice," if you please.
*Prices and other details were accurate when we published this article in August 2009.
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