Those of you who know me well know I love Frank Sinatra with every fiber of my being. Sometimes, to be honest, you can find me crying because I will never be able to see him perform live or have the chance to meet him.

This love for Sinatra is almost as strong as my love for ice cream. I want to eat it for every meal: breakfast, lunch and dinner, and then for dessert between all of those meals. One could say that not one, but all of my teeth are sweet.

The third essential part of myself is writing. I love writing, it is my passion and everything I want to do with my life. Being a part of The Spectator allows me to be around people who share the same passion for writing and journalism that I do.

This past weekend, all three of my true loves came together at Ramones Ice Cream Parlor. My fellow editors at The Spectator and I ventured to Ramones for some out-of-the-office bonding time.

The moment I hopped out of the car I could smell the warm smell of freshly-pressed waffle cones. After running towards the source of the sweet smell, I stood in awe at the sight in front of me like a child.

Two glass coolers full of 24, yes 24, flavors of “Wisconsin’s Best, Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream.” Ramones is known for its specialty flavors: Zanzibar chocolate, old fashioned vanilla, strawberry and lemon poppyseed. Of the 24 flavors, you can turn any flavor into a milkshake or malt topped with whipped cream and cherry.

The atmosphere of Ramones is exactly what you would expect, with a tin ceiling, old metal stools in the window, and the token ice cream store rod iron table and chair set.

To quench the thirst that ice cream creates, Ramones has Sprecher Craft Sodas made in Glendale, Wis. and a self-service water jug, which is ingenious and extremely convenient.

My favorite, hands down, is the specialty flavor “This s*&^ just got serious.” It is a creamy mixture of sweet and salty. With a smooth salted caramel ice cream base, it is dotted with sea salt fudge and salted cashews.

One main differentiation that makes Ramones so special is the texture of the ice cream. There are no ice chunks, it is not so hard that it nervously bends the plastic spoon to a 90 degree angle. It is perfectly soft: not too hard, not too melted.

Of course, at an old fashioned ice cream parlor there are homemade pies, by Sue’s Deluxe Bake Shop in Eau Claire. I decided on the classic apple pie. Although  you can take your pie a la mode, I did not. The slices were thick and covered in cinnamon, tucked into a buttery flaky crust that melts in your mouth. Crust, in my opinion, is the best part of a pie and this crust did not disappoint.

This is where Frank Sinatra comes in — the moment I started eating my slice of pie and ice cream, Frank Sinatra starts playing. So there is me, in my element: eating ice cream and pie, having great discussions with my fellow editors, all while listening to Ol’ Blue Eyes.

“Blayne (my husband) and I are both from Eau Claire and wanted to create a business that would be a fun destination for people to take a step back in time and enjoy a delicious treat,” Kayla Midthun, owner of Ramones, said. “We have many UW-Eau Claire students on our team and have enjoyed their talent, enthusiasm and energy.”

Ramones prides itself in its “Ice Cream for EVERYONE!” slogan.They have gluten-free, non-dairy, nut free, no sugar added and vegan options available.

The prices vary from $3.25 to $5, for a larger than normal scoop or two of ice cream, making Ramones a college students’ dream. With new updated Spring hours Ramones is open daily 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday noon to 9 p.m., and noon to 8 p.m. on Sundays.