I don't know about pre-torn jeans...I think it's more a Coach-bag-and-Bebe-jeans kinda thing: my sister's been raving about it for about a year.

Mix-in ice cream places are trendy? They've been around for 20+ years, at least. The late Steve's in Boston was the largest originator - how I miss that place! Luckily, Herrell's in Northampton, MA (owned by Steve Herrell - he sold Steve's, started Herrell's) is heaven. Not that I get up there...ever...anymore. Cold Stone is just a national version of the old. Decent ice cream (I like the cake flavor) but I'd take Maggie Moo's (I've never been to a location other than Shirlington but there is one near the National Mall, too) or a frozen custard concrete over Cold Stone any day.

That being said, the peppermint concoction sounds delicious.

There is also a newly-opened Coldstone Creamery outlet in the chain restaurant megaplex in downtown Silver Spring, over near the Chick-Fil-A. Haven't bought anything there yet, but the smell of their waffle cones baking is divine.

My personal recollections of mix-ins are mostly of Thomas Sweets, a chain that started (I think) in central New Jersey and which featured a specially-designed machine for doing the mixing. I also think they were doing the "mix it together on the slab" thing at one or more ice cream places in Provincetown, MA even MORE than 20 years ago.

Alright, I'll give you that frozen custard is the best frozen stuff to ever enter mouth of man or beast

Does that mean you're abandoning your love of gelatto?

Absolutely not.

Saying frozen custard is better than gelatto is like saying pork is better than question marks: It doesn't make any sense.

But pork *is* better than question marks...with pork you can be sure about things, question marks leave you wondering.

Thomas Sweet (started in Princeton, NJ) has indeed been doing that forever - although if you're getting ice cream in Princeton, Halo Pub is a much better option, and a third of the price.

Hell, I don't say no to most ice cream, gelato, frozen custard, and other tasty frozen treats. I don't care how it's prepared/mixed in/smooshed in/served. I'm going to have to tell my husband about Halo Pub so we can try it the next time we're up visiting my in-laws...

(De-lurking) I'm not really impressed with Cold Stone. Yes, the ice cream is super creamy, but that just makes it so I can't even finish a small dish by myself. It's also expensive. The singing for tips gimmick is also kind of . . . eh, something. I don't have an adjective for it.

I found this place, Gelateria Dolce Crema, in Moorestown, NJ. Gelato just like Italy does it. You gotta go. Forget smashing stuff into your ice cream. I'll never go to that Stone place again.

there's also a gelateria in annapolis right by the docks. the name escapes me, but it's always worth a visit if you're in annapolis :)

I always went to Maggie Moo's when out of town and loved it. My hometown recently got a STone Cold Creamery and I gave it several tries. I was disappointed. Seems like lots of hype but the ice cream was bland and didn't always taste right with suggested mix-ins. Maggie Moo's, on the other hand, is very flavorful even before the mix-in's. And I know Maggie Moo's had some flavors that were rated #1 nationally so that probably explains it. Cold Stone left me COLD.