Papa’s Groovy Ice Cream

09/11/2026

Papa’s at the Rancho Bernardo Inn, handing out frozen treats at the 18th tee for a fundraising event! It’s an ideal day for an ice cream or popsicle! In fact, two treats would be twice as good!!

09/11/2026

If time permits, Papa will take the scenic route to an event, like he did on this beautiful autumn afternoon, headed past Dudley’s Bakery on his way to Ramona.

09/06/2026

We had quite a day getting to our event at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club on Saturday. The frame on the trailer for the ice cream truck broke on the transition from the westbound 56 Freeway to the loooooong on-ramp to the I-5 and I-805 split. The ice cream truck somehow miraculously stayed put on the dragging trailer til I could maneuver over to the shoulder. Anyone familiar with that area knows what a harrowing experience that was, especially on the start of Labor Day weekend in San Diego. I was able to unload the ice cream truck from the trailer (that’s a whole other nightmare I hope to NEVER experience again), leave the Tacoma and broken trailer on the shoulder, and Julia and I drove that little ice cream truck as fast as it could muster (56 mph) 5 miles on the 805 to the 52 west, down into La Jolla, and finally to our event. The event was perfect (other than being 15 minutes late) and getting ourselves home is a story for another time, but it was nightmare numero two.

There are angels amongst us, that’s one thing I know for sure. This could’ve ended in a very, very bad way. We’re happy it didn’t.

09/04/2026

On November 28, 1869, a steamer called the Orizaba docked at San Diego carrying 110 beehives and the man who would rewrite the county's economy.

John S. Harbison was already famous in beekeeping circles. Back in Pennsylvania and then in Sacramento, he had developed the section honey box — the small wooden frame that lets comb honey be sold as a clean retail package — and patented it as part of his California Hive during the winter of 1857-58. Eastern grocers loved it. What he needed was flowers.

He found them in San Diego County's chaparral. Wild buckwheat, black sage and white sage bloom across these hills in quantities that stagger a beekeeper, and Harbison scaled up fast: 2,000 colonies across five apiaries by 1874, eventually 3,750 hives in twelve locations. In 1873 he shipped 21,000 pounds of comb honey to Chicago — the first transcontinental rail shipment of honey in American history. By 1876 he was sending more than 25 carloads east a year.

In 1874 he homesteaded a small valley on the Sweetwater River about 23 miles from town. People call it Harbison Canyon.

By 1878 the county was producing over two million pounds of honey a year.

09/04/2026

Papa’s at Mt. Helix Academy for their Back to School event!

08/29/2026

Papa’s at Arron’s 5th birthday celebration in Poway. Today’s big seller? BOMB POP! That’s the sizzling summer day winner. Happy birthday, Arron! Stay hydrated, buddy!!

08/26/2026

Book your Corporate or Private ice cream catering today. Or tomorrow. Well, whenever you get a minute. ✌️😁

08/24/2026

Papa’s has returned to SAY San Diego - Social Advocates for Youth. To find out more about the good work these folks do, please check out their website. https://www.saysandiego.org/about/

But today it’s all about frozen treats for these hardworking, good-deed-doing SAY staff members!

A safe environment. Learn about SAY San Diego’s mission that partners with youth, adults, families & communities to reach full potentials.

08/23/2026

Papa has returned to the Emerald Cove neighborhood Ice Cream Social in La Jolla for the second time. It’s a warm one today as you can tell by everyone gathered under the shade of the pop-up. It’s a great day for a frozen treat…LET’S HAVE TWO!!”

08/21/2026

No ice cream catering jobs for a couple days, so Papa’s at home working around the house. He still mows his lawns, trims the bushes, cleans the pool and tries his best not to drive Mrs. Papa crazy!

Yesterday they drove the Family Truckster up to Long Beach and enjoyed a cold b**r and a Marley sandwich at Joe Jost’s. From there it was on to Los Angeles for a concert at the United Theater on Broadway. The concert ended about 11:00 pm. That two hour drive home isn’t nearly as fun as it used to be! It ain’t easy gettin’ old.

08/16/2026

Papa’s at a lovely wedding reception for Zoe and Yining somewhere in the Fallbrook hills. Will he be able to navigate his way back to the bustling metropolis of Pauma Valley? Or is he destined to spend his last few decades wandering these hills?

08/15/2026

Mission Bay’s Bonita Cove on a Saturday in peak summer season. Why does Papa torture himself so? Why? Because a kid only celebrates a first birthday one time. And this kid wanted an ice cream truck! Or at least his parents did. 😜✌️

08/09/2026

Papa’s back to serve the friendly folks at The Cliffs Mobile Home park. This is year…4? Could be three, might be five. Anyway, it’s always a very nice event, and one Papa looks forward to every summer. 😁✌️

08/06/2026

Papa’s at United Access in San Diego serving at a business networking social.
https://www.unitedaccess.com/us/en/locations/san-diego-ca.html