Earlier in the summer, there was a post asking about the best ice cream in the area. It was a funny sort of serendipity, as my kids and I had already decided to try as many ice cream places as we could close to us or things we were doing. We made a score card to judge, and judged based on a twist cone and whatever else we ordered.

Our score card:

• Cost and size of twist cone (non-scoring)
• what kind of hard ice cream (non-scoring)
• Taste: how yummy it is 1-5 ⭐
• Smoothness: how smooth the ice cream is 1-5 ⭐
• Generosity: how much ice cream for the money; can vary wildly 1-5 ⭐
• Menu: variety and extent of the menu 1-5 ⭐
• Seating: how much, if any seating, better for in and outside 1-5 ⭐ (non-scoring)
• Overall: average of Taste, Smoothness, Generosity, and Menu scores 1-5 ⭐

As school is starting, we finished out our rally and I thought I would share our results, as subjective as they are. No wrong choices, really.

• Salt City Swirl
  • $4.31 for Medium Twist
  • Hershey's hard ice cream
  • Taste: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Generosity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Menu: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Seating ⭐⭐⭐
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Lock 24
  • $5.50 for Medium Twist
  • Leiby's/Ashby's Sterling and Gilligan's hard ice cream (two manufacturers)
  • Taste: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Generosity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Menu: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Seating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Plank Road Ice Cream
  • $4.25 for Medium Twist CASH ONLY
  • Perry's hard ice cream
  • Taste: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Generosity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Menu: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Seating ⭐⭐⭐
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Heid's Sweet Treats
  • $4 for Regular Twist
  • Perry's hard ice cream
  • Taste: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Generosity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Menu: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Seating ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Big Dip
  • $4.31 for Medium Twist
  • Hershey's hard ice cream
  • Taste: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Generosity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Menu: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Seating ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Byrne Dairy (Morgan Rd.)
  • $3.29 for Medium Twist
  • Byrne Dairy hard ice cream
  • Taste: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Generosity: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Menu: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Seating ⭐⭐
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Cappy's Cones (at the NYS Fair)
  • $5 for Regular Twist
  • No hard ice cream
  • Taste: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Generosity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Menu: N/A
  • Seating: N/A
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Fayette's (self-serve ice cream with toppings)
  • $Price per ounce
  • No hard ice cream
  • Taste: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Generosity: N/A
  • Menu: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Seating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Sweet Frog (self-serve frozen yogurt with toppings)
  • $Price per ounce
  • No hard ice cream
  • Taste: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐
  • Generosity: N/A
  • Menu: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Seating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐
• Marcel's
  • $4.25 for Small Twist
  • Perry's hard ice cream
  • Taste: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Generosity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Menu: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Seating ⭐⭐⭐
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐

• Liverpool Cones -  1350 Cold Springs Rd, Liverpool, NY 13090
  • $4.31 for Medium Twist
  • No hard ice cream
  • Taste: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Generosity: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Menu: ⭐⭐
  • Seating: ⭐
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐

• Antonio's Sweet Side (attached to Antonio's in Bayberry Plaza)
  • $3.65 for Small Twist
  • Gifford's hard ice cream
  • Taste: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Generosity: ⭐⭐
  • Menu: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Seating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐
• Jack's Sweet Legacy (@Flamingo Bowl)
  • $3.75 for Small Twist
  • Leiby's Ashby's Sterling hard ice cream
  • Taste: ⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Generosity: ⭐⭐
  • Menu: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Seating ⭐⭐
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐

• Kenny's Corner
  • $4 for Small Twist CASH ONLY
  • Unknown hard ice cream (limited to ~5 flavors)
  • Taste: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Generosity: ⭐⭐
  • Menu: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Seating ⭐⭐⭐
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐

• Sunshine Ice Cream
  • $4.40 for Medium Twist
  • Perry's hard ice cream
  • Taste: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Generosity: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Menu: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (ice cream pies!)
  • Seating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐

• Hickory Hill
  • $4.25 for Small Twist
  • Leiby's Ashby's Sterling hard ice cream
  • Taste: ⭐⭐ (very strong but not great)
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Generosity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Menu: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Seating ⭐⭐
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐

• Vicky's Tasty Treats
  • $3.25 for Small Twist CASH ONLY
  • Unknown hard ice cream
  • Taste: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐
  • Generosity: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Menu: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Seating:
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐

Bonus! We applied the rally judgement to two ice cream places outside of the area. Here are those, for fun!

• Sprinkles in Seabreeze Amusement Park in Rochester, NY
  • $6 for Small Twist
  • No hard ice cream
  • Taste: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Generosity: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Menu: ⭐⭐
  • Seating:
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐

• Suzy Q's Ice Cream & Grill in Mohawk, NY
  • $4 for Small Twist
  • Perry's hard ice cream
  • Taste: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Smoothness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Generosity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Menu: ⭐⭐⭐
  • Seating:⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

ETA: I added the pictures I have (somehow I missed a few? Or maybe we added the pictures early in our process? I can't remember), and links where appropriate. Whew!

This piece was among our most-well read stories of the New York State Fair.

Fairgoers loved the Shrek Rave at Chevy Court. On social media, readers asked for more raves or similar nightlife experiences in Syracuse throughout the year.

Full commentary by Tim Carter: https://www.thisiscny.com/living/2026/09/why-does-shrek-continue-to-haunt-us-even-at-the-nys-fair-shrek-rave-photos-commentary.html

hey guys! I have been trying to make more conscious choices to support local farmers and buy local produce when I can at the market - however I work most weekends and am not able to get over there in time for the regional market on Saturdays or Thursdays.
I’m looking for local recommendations and suggestions on farms/farm stands in or around the Onondaga County, Camillus and overall Syracuse area I can visit roadside on weekdays or order from. I’m looking for places that have either or all: fresh eggs, sourdough/bread, and grass fed beef and/or bison.

any input and recs would be greatly appreciated! I don’t mind driving a ways for good quality food! thanks guys!

Looking for someone in Syracuse who can cut bangs like in the picture attached. I’ve tried a few salons but they always turn into regular bangs that aren’t thick enough to give this look😭
I want that soft wispy razor cut look with the shorter middle pieces and longer face framing— Basically Jayne Matthews style.
Anyone know a stylist who’s actually good at this?
Thanks in advance!!

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please help, i am pulling my hair out about this!

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I have checked Psychiatry Today, Headway, ZocDoc… nothing.

If anyone knows of a psychiatric MD/DO provider who has in person appointments please feel free to comment or PM me.

Looking for Syracuse area mechanic recommendations for a 2019 Crosstrek and 2023 Tacoma. Romano Toyota has messed things up twice on simple repairs. Bill Rapp has been ok over the years but I am ready to move on. Looking for something in the county, preferably on the west side of Onondaga Lake, but willing to drive to someone that’s good.

Last year we got a camper with a DVD player. Our kids think it’s great and want more DVD’s. Walmart used to have the big bins of cheap DVDs, we went today and alas they no longer have it (I wasn’t super surprised. Any recommendations on where to get find cheap DVD’s around Syracuse and the burbs are welcome 🙏

I need to catch a ride to the airport at around 4 am---what is the best service? Lyft and Uber seem risky to me. What taxi services do you recommend in Syracuse?

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Places I don’t like:
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Places that are ok, but I don’t love
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