Powell's Sweet Shoppe in Bend, Oregon

One of the reasons I love ice cream is that it's fun. Plain and simple fun. No matter how busy or stressful my life gets, ice cream provides me a moment of escape. It's hard to be anxious while licking an ice-cream cone. Stress and ice cream just don't go together!

Last week, I had the pleasure of traveling to Bend, Oregon for work. It was a quick 36-hour trip during an already-busy week, so I was a bit frazzled by the time the trip rolled around. But I was glad to get the chance to see Central Oregon for the first time. And I made sure to schedule a stress-reducing ice-cream adventure :)

Bend is a small city to the east of the Cascade Range, so it does not suffer from the same rainy, dreary winters that Portland and Seattle do. In fact, the locals boast about the "300 days of sunshine" here. So it's not surprising that Bend is a mecca for outdoors-sports enthusiasts. There's plenty of skiing, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and canoeing to enjoy (provided you're not here for work). But I got a bit unlucky; it snowed the entire day I spent in Bend!

Luckily, the snow didn't impede my meetings or my ability to check out downtown Bend. In between work obligations, I drove through the quaint city streets. Downtown Bend is full of cute shops, unique coffee shops, family restaurants, and (of course) breweries! Bend does have a hippy/alternative vibe similar to that of Portland, but I appreciated just how clean and well laid out Bend is. In fact, the town reminded me a lot of Boulder, Colorado and Burlington, Vermont. (I just realized these three cities all start with "B"... Coincidence??)

I noticed a couple small ice-cream shops around town, but I had a particular pit stop in mind: Powell's Sweet Shoppe in downtown Bend.

View from across the snowy street

Oh, the colors! Powell's Sweet Shoppe is overwhelming in the best way possible. It's a small store, but every inch of the space is covered with brilliantly wrapped candies and whimsical displays. It's like a fun penny-candy store meets an old-fashioned soda fountain. Eying the huge array of treats in every size and color, I felt lighter and giddier, forgetting any work stress I was feeling just moments before. This place is every child's dream, and this big kid explored every inch of the store. I saw all the familiar candies (like M&Ms, Jelly Belly, PEZ, and Nerds) and nostalgic candy (Jujubes, Cow Tails, and Necco Wafers), but also lesser-known retro treats like Ice Cubes, and Sky Bars. Powell's website claims they carry 5,000 varieties of candy -- and after seeing the store, I could believe it!

One of my favorite details about Powell's Sweet Shoppe is the movie-viewing area in the back, where "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" plays on a loop. This must drive employees absolutely bonkers, but I loved how it brought such strong memories of my childhood back. That movie is just so timeless.

The fact that I meandered through the isles of candy instead of making a beeline to the gelato case is a testament to how fun this store is. The candy alone could have kept me occupied for an hour. But, alas, I was here for the gelato.

Much like the candy selection, Powell's gelato case included both classic and nostalgic flavors. I counted about 20 options. From Dark Chocolate, Mint Chip and Cookies & Cream to Salted Caramel, Cherry and Coconut Macadamia, there is something for everyone.

I ordered a "small" cup which cost less than $4 and allowed me to pick two flavors. I went with the Crème Brûlée and Almond Crunch. It wasn't until after ordering that I noticed that some of the flavors (including my Almond Crunch) were listed on Leo Leo Gelato signs while others (including Crème Brûlée and some of the more fun flavors) were posted on Powell's-branded signs. I inquired about the difference, and the lady behind the counter told me that only some of the flavors are Powell's own creations while others come from their favorite gelato company (Leo Leo).

The verdict? First of all, there is no real seating area in Powell's Sweet Shoppe, so I had to stand inside to eat this before venturing out into the snow. On a sunny day, it would be fun to eat your gelato while window shopping downtown. Now, onto the gelato... Both flavors were enjoyable, but the Crème Brûlée was hands-down my favorite. While both flavors were too soft (almost like soft serve) and too sugary-sweet for my tastes, I was impressed with the thick, dark-brown swirls of caramelized sugar in my scoop of Crème Brûlée. Although the base wasn't anything special; it was more like a sweet cream instead of the eggy custard I was hoping for. And the Almond Crunch wouldn't offend anyone, the almond flavor was pretty bland. I did like the texture of the bits of almond, though. Nuts can sometimes be soggy, but these held onto some of their bite. While the gelato at Powell's didn't quite knock my socks off, I would go back to try some other flavors. The prices are affordable, and the store is just so fun!

The Stats:
Powell's Sweet Shoppe
818 NW Wall Street
Bend, OR 97701
(multiple locations)
http://www.powellsss.com