I am dedicating this entry to YOUR favorite summer treats. Those delicacies you wait all year for, that are most delish. Per the title of this entry... I present Bethany Crouch's picks. She's one of our Morning Reporters. Bethany says Mochii frozen yogurt on P and 16th Street is a "must visit". She recommends the original yogurt topped with kiwi and mango. I've had Mochii and if you like non-fat plain yogurt you'll like this.

I however, prefer the version with fat.

And apparently, according to Crouch, the "Mr. Pickles" on Folsom Blvd. has this thing called a "Merlino". It's a mix of fruit and ice.
My picks are two delicacies from the Midwest.
YOU ARE HERE

There's an "Ice Deli" a few miles from my parent's house. It's shaved ice... but way better. They have flavors like wedding cake, pralines and cream, dreamsicle, and my utmost favorite half sour apple and half sour cherry. The little stands are only open during the summer months and only available in the Springfield, Chatham and Rochester, Illnois areas. But if anyone wants to bring it out here to Cali, I'd be happy to scoop on the weekends. And secondly, Sonic. The fast food joint has these pie shakes. My fav is the banana cream. Real chunks of banana and pie crust! They also have Chocolate Silk and I think Pumpkin around October. What do you like? Hey I need something to do on the weekends besides going to the new champagne bar.

I should have known, when 101 S. was unexpectedly shut down that this would be a precursor for the rest of the day.
Photographer and I, Dan Slack, on our way to the American Idol Auditions in San Francisco... delayed by a road block.
It was around 4:30am... and we needed to be set up by 4:30am. Instead, we were re-routed through downtown S.F. I started getting "that" feeling in my stomach... and a headache. What if we didn't make our live shot?
We approach the Cow Palace and alas, a massive traffic jam. Bumper to bumper, carloads of people with stars in their eyes, trying to grab a spot in the audition line.
Okay, so we finally park and then park again because the satellite is having trouble getting linked up. The Idol PR peeps give us our media badges.
I expect to see satellite truck after sat truck lined up, with media from across the nation... but not the case. It's us, and Fox National. Is the show losing its appeal? Photographer Dan says when he covered this 2-3 years ago there were two times the people... and 100 times the media coverage.
The PR gal tells us we can go where ever we want. Yay! As I get my microphone ready I imagine walking the line, hearing fantastic singing and showing our Fox40 Morning Viewers all the crazy costumes.
Can you believe the first girl in line was there at midnight! Her mom tucked below her in a sleeping bag.
The line 10 people wide... stretching into the distance.
I only see one crazy costume, a guy in a chicken suit, who's there to support his sister. And... what could be the best part of my day/life I get to interview Justin Guarini, Season One Runner-Up. He's now working for the TV Guide Channel and... still a cutie pie.
It's now 20 til the start of the newscast, and Photographer Dan is still setting up the satellite truck. We decide to do a phone interview instead of a live shot for the first few hits with Rosemary and Joe at the anchor desk.
Good to go, and as good as it can go... me relaying what I'm seeing and devastated that you can't be here with me, via the tv set.
By the time we get the shot ready, it's around 6:30am. We're 5 minutes away from the hit, and the Idol PR people say we have to move, we can't talk to the people along the line anymore because Idol has to shoot commercials. Okay...
By the time the show had ended the Idol people had moved us 3 times within a 2 hour period. I was less than pleased... and hello it's not like there were 50 other media outlets to corral.
Before going inside the Palace to perform, auditioners, who had already stood in line for hours (in the cold and wet Daily City morn) had to form the number 8, standing on a taped line on the asphalt. Then a guy on a megaphone made them say things like "It's Season 8" and "Welcome to San Francisco". This took at least an hour.
The Palace doors opened at 8am and the crowd began to file in. The auditions didn't start until every last contestant was seated inside. The media wasn't allowed inside, so we had to get details on the process from those who came out.
The first contestants to audition didn't start leaving until around 10am. (In the meantime I had to scoot to the ladies room, and chose a nearby McDonald's instead of the Idol porta-potties. My luck though... out of soap and T.P. YUCK! Good thing we had napkins in the car. I was starving, but after that, those golden fries looked like fish eggs.
But I digress, we do know Idol had a door for those who didn't make it to leave, and those who did make it past the first round.
By the winning door a lonely security guard, and I swear you could hear crickets chirping. Like a Wild Western with pieces of trash tumbling by and no one coming out.
The other door on the other hand had a steady stream of Non-Winners pouring out.
-------
Finally, a Winner!!!!
A beautiful, brunette waitress from L.A. 28-Years-Old. This was her second year trying out. She smiles and is very smooth on camera. She says she'll be back for a second round in SF but doesn't know when.
Know anyone from our area that MADE IT? If so, shoot me a response. I want to follow-up with these performers who beat the odds.

Hey!
If you've been looking for that perfect swimsuit... without the depressing price tag... you're in luck my friend. I scoped out Arden Fair Mall this weekend and it is sale-extravaganza in the swim wear department. What is typically the bane of a woman's existence... the separately priced top and bottom... they charge 60 for the top AND 60 for the bottom... is now something you can cash in on. I got some unique bottoms at Nordstrom, on sale... only problem the top was sold out. Instead of making headlines of my own, I opted to go to Macy's and found a top, on sale. Both designer wear, both on SALE. And, no one will have a suit like yours... completely unique. Victoria Secret is also having a Swim Sale in store, and they have these bikini tops that are a lot like their bra tops. As in you can get them in a 34A, 36B, 34C and etc. Some of the bottoms I was looking at were $9.99 to $19.99. And hopefully all the money you save will make you feel a little bit better about picking out a small top, and medium bottoms... just MY luck. Happy Hunting.
Here's a look at the Vix Bottoms and Ralph Lauren Top I found... the bottoms have this cute gold detail on the hips, and it matches the gold horse on the top... can you say FAB-U-LOUS? Okay, I have too much time on my hands.

I got a call yesterday after the show from a woman who had heard me mention that I love animal prints. And I do.
I tried to call the number that she provided in the message but I think I copied it down wrong, because the people I ended up calling thought I was nuts. So if you're out there... yes, we're interested. I believe your name is Unis (pronounced You-Nis) and you said you were giving away/selling all things animal print. By the way, my mom (HI MOM!) also has quite the collection. But she's not trying to let go of anything, despite my dad's best efforts... we're talking leopard wallpaper, dishes, shoes, dresses, press-on nails, rugs, jewelry, towels, checkbook cover, scarves, bedspread, sheets and she even painted my brother's bedroom door and a desk leopard print. You wonder where I get the sassyness.

As the reigning Cookie Rumble Championship Cookie Maker... it is my honor to tell you about an exciting, new competition that will take place on Fox40 Morning News between 6-8am THIS Friday. We are calling it the Salad Smackdown. Each Fox40 employee participating will bring their best Summer Salad recipe to the table. We are talking fruit salad, pasta salad, potato salad, leafy salad, bean salad etc. Homemade dressing does not count toward extra points. I already have a surprise combo that will pack a one-two-tomato punch. I can't give you the details though because, as the reining champ, my competitors are watching my every move. Or maybe I just didn't get enough sleep and am unnecessarily paranoid. Speaking of salads... my favorites in town are the Paesano's Chop and Celestine's Tomato Avocado. Any winning recipe's you know of? Not that I NEED help or anything, but it would be nice knowing.