Rich Garner

A two-minute walk (or 30-second drive) leads me to a small shop around the corner nestled in among cleaners and clothing outlets. In this little nook are two refreshing things for which I would gladly walk ten more miles.

1. Custom Softserve Ice Cream – Probably the best in the state (I don’t know, there are a few areas in the state I have not yet visited). The menu includes the traditional sundaes, malts, shakes and multi-scoopers as well as a new take on the blizzard-like frozen treat (called the Concrete). I could ask the host to mix in a slew of my fav flavors and chunks of my choice toppings and she would gladly do so. That brings me to the second refreshing thing.

2. The host, RaVae – This lovely lady greets everyone with the same beaming smile and warmth, that it’s hard not to think of her as your mother. I loved her company so much, I brought my family for a visit and they instantly took to her. She treated us to chocolate delights and a tale of how she legally only has one name (a judge officially allowed her to drop her last named since it was so unbelievably difficult on the ears). There are people who drive from Williamsburg to Virginia Beach just to see this woman and pack dozen of pints of her custom creamery into their cars.

So if you are in the mood for cool ice cream and warm service, look for Bravos’s on Rosemont Road. And if you do, drive around back and visit me too!