She didn't say anything inflammatory like "I've got your pistachio right here" or "You can't rock my rocky road."
But Sara Ingber of Sara's Scoops is ready and willing to stand by her product. After reading my suggestion that Sunday's ice cream social at Kid City Children's Museum should have been an ice cream showdown, Ingber said she is willing to host the event.
"I'm issuing a challenge. I'm throwing down the gauntlet," Ingber said. Ingber, 48, has been opened next to Sunshine Bagels on S Dale Mabry Highway for about two months. Including her 95 percent fat free yogurt and her no-sugar, fat-free ice cream, Ingber offers more than 50 flavors.
To get an idea of what kind of competition Ingber would face, I went to Sunday's ice cream social and sampled her offerings as well what was being served by Ed & Eddie's, Dumb Dums and Edy's. It was one of the more difficult assignments of my career.
I liked Edy's Twix-flavored ice cream and Dumb Dums was drawing raves for its multicolored Superman concoction. Sara's strawberry, with 18 percent butterfat, was extra smooth.
But if I was going to handicap this potential vanilla thriller, I would say Ed & Eddie's strawberry cheesecake would be most daunting. It made me harken back to my University of Florida days when I would go to church on Sunday night just to get ice cream at the nearby shop after Mass.
Of course, all this is a little premature. We have to wait to see who will be willing to take on the trash-talking Ingber. But if I get to be a judge, I'll do what I can to make it happen.
Did you know that Kid City is considering a move to downtown? If it can find the funding, the plans would call for a complete indoor facility, possibly between the Marriott Waterside and the St. Pete Times Forum parking garage.
The move would further enhance the area for conventioneers who need nearby activities for families.
Speaking of conventions, show some love next week for the National Association of Free Will Baptists. Not only is the group bringing 6,000 money-spending people to Tampa Sunday, but the attendees will participate in the "Reach That Guy" service program to provide over 3,000 combined hours of community service in the city of Tampa.
Volunteers will work together with several local sponsors, including the Tampa Bay Dream Center, the Child Abuse Council, MacDonald Training Center and America's Second Harvest Food Bank.
Call me crazy, but I've found a new source for parenting tips: the MJ Morning Show on WFLZ-FM 93.3. MJ Kelli and his wife, Michelle, have a daughter who is almost the same age as my daughter, and through their on-air conversations I've gotten a couple of really good pointers.
Thanks to MJ, I've turned my daughter on to The Wiggles, a Disney Channel show in which four guys in brightly colored turtlenecks have a grand time singing catchy kid tunes. Madelyn has already taken a liking to the hugely popular Hot Potato.
The Wiggles, by the way, are tentatively scheduled to play Tampa in November.
And I also rediscovered how much kids love vanilla wafers after hearing Michelle talk about Chloe's affection for the cookies. Now I can stop giving Madelyn Cheetos.
There are limits to following MJ's lead, however. I will not be seeking the services of a dog trainer to teach Madelyn how to behave. He seemed to think it was a good idea after witnessing the miracle that one trainer performed with their dog.
Luckily, Chloe has Michelle. And Madelyn has Florence.
