And Don't Forget, It's TWO Scoops of Malt

This entry for day 5 of things I love is really my dad's fault. I recall many familty vacations when we'd be driving through a town somewhere and he'd say something like, "I remember this town had a really good chocolate malt. I'm just going to stop in here for a little bit and see if they still do". And then we'd all sit in the car while he'd go see if they still did. If we were really lucky we'd be invited in to join him. When I was a teenager he introduced me to "The Hippo"--a great burger joint in San Francisco on Van Ness Avenue that was known for mocha chocolate malts. Boy, those were deeeelicious. I also have yummy memories of chocolate malts at Edies, Blums, Mel's, and much later in life, the 59 Diner in Houston.

So it only stands to reason that I pass along my appreciation for the finer things in life, ie. a great chocolate malt, to my granddaughter, Annie. Boy have we enjoyed ourselves sipping through straws together. I can't wait to see her in a few days out in Boston. Whether it be freezing cold or icy snow falling all around, my new year's diet resolution will have to take a back seat during that one hour of bliss that surely will be ours as we share another malt together.

Annie shared her first malt at Friendly's in Morristown, NJ as we waited for brother Jake to be born. Just one sip and she never looked back. (June-06)

We slurped it down pretty quickly at Johnny Rockets in the Short Hills Mall, NJ (Mar-07)

By now she'd really gotten the hang of it at Mel's Diner in Granite Bay, CA (June-07)

Forget the fact that I'd never made it to the shower that day, we couldn't end her last visit here without a stop at Ruby's in Laguna Beach. (Jan-09)

While it's unclear how many more malt stops at malt shops in between the above pictured we've made, I think what's becoming very clear is why I had to make the new year's resolution in the first place.