The "humans" of Salt & Straw are the scoopers and staffers, super fans and first-timers who make up our big ice cream family—and what we do every day so darn satisfying.
Years in a relationship with Salt & Straw:
2.5 years and counting.
Favorite flavor:
Sea Salt w/ Caramel Ribbons, baby!
How’d you know Sea Salt w/ Caramel Ribbons was “the one”?
It was my first love—and the first flavor I ever tasted. It’s the perfect combo of sweet and salty. It always reminds me of the first time Salt & Straw came into my life and I was quizzed by the scoopers: “Why the name Salt & Straw?” Ice cream on me if you can answer!
Talk to us about your necklace:
It has coordinates...coordinates of the Venice Beach scoop shop location. In a huge city like Los Angeles, Salt & Straw is where I felt most at home; I wanted to carry around something that held that feeling. Salt & Straw represents way more than an ice cream shop: It’s where I go when I'm feeling on top of the world, and where I go on not-so-good days. I bring friends, family, and strangers. I sing its praises from the top of my lungs. And it never disappoints.
Describe your relationship history with the flavors:
September 2016: We met. I fell—hard—and never looked back. Sea Salt w/ Caramel Ribbons, you are the one for me.October 2017: I jokingly asked what other flavors were in Dracula’s Blood Pudding other than, well, blood. No one else was joking. I got The Great Candycopia instead.March 2018: I drove my green scooter to S&S Venice. I had waited all year for this moment. The scooper and I looked at each other knowingly. I picked up Pots of Gold & Rainbows. It was the life of my St. Patrick’s Day party. Everyone was after me lucky charms.December 2018: I knew I only had about a week left and as it turned out, I wouldn’t make it back in time before the end of the month. I knew I had only one option. I sent out mass texts, I rallied, I promised favors. The same day, a friend picked up two pints of Gingerbread Cookie Dough and agreed to keep them safe upon my return. Only one survived (I don’t blame them; it’s too good to not cave). It still put a smile on my face.
What lengths have you gone to get Salt & Straw?
Other than pleading to my friends to pick me up pints of Gingerbread Cookie Dough while I was across the pond in France? I may have booked a trip to Portland with the priority to see Salt & Straw’s roots and original scoop shop. I equate it to the time I saw Obama.
How many locations have you visited?
7! Venice Beach, West Hollywood, Arts District, Hayes Valley, Pacific Heights, NE Alberta (geeked out hard at this one!)—and Wiz Bang Bar, too.
How many flavors have you tried?
This is a trick question, right? All of them! I’ve tried all the classics and I try all the new flavors every month (save for non-veg ones #vegforlife), while the scoopers walk me through each one.
How often do you Salt & Straw?
This is like asking someone's age... okay, fine: I routinely go AT THE VERY LEAST once a week otherwise the scoop staff misses me too much.