The Adonia™ Greek Frozen Yogurt collection is also welcoming a selection of new items this year. Blood Orange + Vanilla Swirl will join other protein-packed flavors like Espresso, Key Lime, and Mango. Other new items include two Greek Frozen Yogurt Bars (Mango + Vanilla and Raspberry + Vanilla) and three Adonia™ Greek Frozen Yogurt Novelty Squares (Vanilla, Chocolate, and Vanilla + Chocolate Swirl).

Before you head out the door and over to your local retailer to grab one of these tempting new items, click here to download a $1.00 OFF coupon towards your next purchase. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up-to-date on Ciao Bella’s news, special offers, & upcoming events.

Lemon Zest Sorbet is great palate cleanser as you switch from tortilla chips with queso dip to an Italian sub. It not only tastes great, it soothes your mouth after you have finished your last hot a spicy chicken wing. As a 4^th quarter dessert, why not try one of my favorites, Malted Milk Ball Gelato.  You can never go wrong with rich cream and malted milk ball morsels. And of course, I need my Pistachio Gelato. So bring some Ciao Bella on February 3^rd and truly become the MVP of the party!

We all know it’s the busiest travel time of the year – people are flying across the country and some across the world to be with their families this season. It has us singing a holiday favorite: there’s no place like home for the holidays.

Ciao Bella is glad to call New York City our home. It’s where we began as a small gelato and sorbet shop in Little Italy and it is a spectacular place to be this time of year. The Rockefeller Plaza Christmas Tree, ice skating in Central Park, all the stores decorated on Fifth Avenue – the list goes on and on. This time of year also features delicious treats at our Grand Central Terminal gelato bar like the Tartufo Rosso – a Raspberry Truffle smoothie featuring our Adonia Greek Frozen Yogurt and Dark Chocolate Sorbet.

No matter where you’re spending the time, if you’re heading to a holiday party, Ciao Bella is happy to make our gelato, sorbet or Greek frozen yogurt a part of your celebrations. Remember you can always put a spin on traditional hostess gifts and substitute some Blackberry Cabernet Sorbet in place of what everyone is expecting – Cabernet in a bottle.

We wish all of our fans a wonderful and delicious holiday season and a very happy new year!

If you’re anything like me, you are getting your hands on anything and everything that can help boost your immune system and stay healthy and happy this holiday season. Vitamin after vitamin, the anti-cold routine becomes boring.

But who says vitamins have to come in pill form.  Ciao Bella lovingly crafts Greek frozen yogurt desserts and sorbets that are “just what the doctor ordered”.  New Adonia by Ciao Bella Wild Blueberry Greek Frozen Yogurt contains antioxidants and live and active cultures, both of which help boost the body’s immune system, simply by enjoying delicious Greek frozen yogurt.  Or, if you prefer a dairy free alternative, Ciao Bella Lemon Zest Sorbet and Passion Fruit Sorbet are both excellent sources of Vitamin C.   Being sick is no fun, but at least it can be made a little better with Ciao Bella Greek frozen yogurt and sorbet.

The second annual Clearwater Beach Uncorkedallowed fans that exact opportunity.  This past weekend, guests were treated to world-class food, wine, microbrews and spirits from a variety of local and national purveyors.  Event goers were also treated to some of Ciao Bella’s world-famous sorbet.

Friday night kicked off with a Havana Nights-themed VIP party where we teamed up with Zonin Prosecco to serve our signature Bellinis.  Guests loved the combination of a bright and crisp prosecco with our signature sorbet flavors.  The favorite of the night was Raspberry Sorbet – with its sweet and tart flavor profile, this cocktail was the perfect way to prime your palate for a weekend of sensory overload.

The weather was more than cooperative on Saturday/Sunday, giving us lots of sunshine and a cool breeze coming off the Gulf.  Attendees could stop by the Spirits Beach Lounge for a mixed drink and then make their way over to the Grand Tasting Village for samples of sushi, steak or anything in between.  Our Key Lime Squares never disappoint, but the true hero was our Adonia Greek Frozen Yogurt.  Fans were excited to see our newest creation made into parfaits with the simple addition of granola and fruit.  Raspberry and Blueberry made for fantastic treats and both flavors are available at Publix.

The weekend went by too fast and before we knew it the Bella Mobile was pulling out of Clearwater Beach for its next stop in Florida.  Thanks again to everyone who took part in our Celebrating the Coolest Fan contest (we truly enjoyed the entries) and we look forward to seeing you all at next year’s Uncorked.

We at Ciao Bella have always believed that we have not only the coolest frozen desserts but the coolest fans.  Now is YOUR chance to prove that we do with our new Ciao Bella “Celebrate Our Coolest Fan” contest!

Here’s how the contest works:

Today through Sunday, November 18, 2012, simply find our pink Ciao Bella “Bella Mobile” van, snap a photo standing in front of the van while striking your coolest Ciao Bella fan pose, and submit your photo to any of our social media sites or email address by 11:59 PM Monday, November 19^th.  You can find Ciao Bella on:

• Facebook @CiaoBella
• Twitter @CiaoBellaGelato
• Pinterest @CiaoBellaGelato
• Instagram @CiaoBellaGelato
• Email – Info@CiaoBellaGelato.com

1. Find

2. Snap

3. Submit.  It’s as simple as that.

Ciao Bella "Bella Mobile" Van

Our Ciao Bella Team will review each fan submission and select three winners with our #1 Coolest Fan receiving a free year’s supply of Ciao Bella frozen desserts and assorted merchandise (Approx. Retail Value $200).  The entries will be judged based on creativity and originality so have fun with it!  The winners will be announced on Ciao Bella’s Facebook page on Tuesday, November 20^th so be sure to check back.

Since the Thanksgiving season is upon us, and we are in a giving mood, Ciao Bella would like to give our loyal fans a little hint where you can find our “Bella Mobile”.  Visit our hospitality tent at Uncorked to sample our delicious frozen desserts, say hello, and (ahem) take a photo in front of our….

See you in Florida.

After coming back to our office after the power outage, the Ciao Bella team came together and decided that we needed to give back to those who lost more than just power. A few people had already volunteered in their own communities by donating food and goods to warming centers, helping shelters organize food for distribution, and making donations to the Red Cross Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund.

Keep an eye out for our blue Ciao Bella truck as we travel to different parts of northern NJ helping local communities in need. If you catch us on the road, snap a photo and post it to @ciaobellagelato on Twitter and/or Instagram! Just this morning our truck helped a local community leader, Majella, and her group deliver food and household items to the Interfaith Food Pantry of Morris Plains.

In addition to local assistance, beginning Monday, November 12^th until Sunday, November 18^th, Ciao Bella’s Grand Central Terminal location in NYC will be giving away free scoops of gelato or sorbet with any purchase if you show the employees your text message or email confirming your donation to the Red Cross. (To make donations to the Red Cross, you can text REDCROSS to 90999 or visit their donation page.)

Below are just a few tips for those affected by the storm:

• If you have relatives or friends with power & heat, stay with them until your house is warm & lighted.
• Check for water-boiling advisories on the water supply in your area. Many water systems were affected due to flooding.
• See if there are shelters or warming centers in your area where you can go to charge electronics and stay warm for a few hours.
• Never leave the gas burners on or bring your generator in the house. They give off deadly fumes that can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Keep in mind that if your Ciao Bella gelato, sorbet, or Adonia Greek Frozen Yogurt has been completely melted, it is not recommended for consumption. Ingredients may separate and ice crystals are likely to form once it refreezes.

Our team hopes that all of our fans, along with their friends and family, are safe and able to return to their normal routines as soon as possible. We would also like to celebrate all of the volunteers who are coming together in this time of need.

So what does your coolest celebration look like? 

Is it filled with classy cocktails and celeb guest appearances?  Or is it a festive picnic at your perfect fall getaway? Maybe you just can’t get enough of your favorite Ciao Bella flavor..

There are endless ways to show us your celebration!

We’d love to see all the details and it’s easy to enter.  Just click to our Sweepstakes Page for the rules (easy at 1, 2, 3) and enter to win!

In return we have some very ‘cool’ prizes:

• Grand Prize Winner receives $3,000 plus $250 in Ciao Bella products

• 4 Winners will receive $50 in Ciao Bella products

The contest ends 3:00 pm EST on 10/26/12, so get Pinning!

On October 5^th, Ciao Bella was the toast of Fort Lauderdale, Florida at Glam-A-Thon™ – a sustainable, dynamic breast cancer charity dedicated to helping families, friends and neighbors across communities with style, sass, and fabulous heels – serving up Ciao Bella Blood Orange Bellini’s, Adonia by Ciao Bella Greek Frozen Yogurt Parfaits, and glamorous giveaways at Lipstick Lounge, a VIP party at the Broward Center for Performing Arts.

Here are the recipes for the frozen desserts our guests enjoyed at the Lipstick Lounge:

Ciao Bella Blood Orange Bellini

Ingredients:

• Ciao Bella Blood Orange Sorbet

• Prosecco

Directions: Pour the prosecco into a champagne flute leaving plenty of room at the top.  Slowly add a small scoop of Ciao Bella Blood Orange Sorbet to the glass.  Be mindful as it will likely foam up over the rim of the glass!  Cheers!

Notes: You can substitute any of Ciao Bella’s other Sorbet flavors.  Be as cool and creative as you like.

Adonia by Ciao Bella Greek Frozen Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients:

• 1-2 scoops of Adonia by Ciao Bella Greek Frozen Yogurt, suggest Raspberry or Wild Blueberry

• Fresh fruit, suggest blueberries or raspberries

• 1 Tablespoon granola

• Optional, Chocolate chips for a bit of indulgence (C’Mon, you know you deserve it!)

Directions: Combine Adonia by Ciao Bella Greek Frozen Yogurt, fresh fruit, and granola in a bowl.

Notes: These frozen desserts can be made by substituting any of Ciao Bella’s other Adonia by Ciao Bella Greek Frozen Yogurt flavors.  Also try seasonal fruit for added freshness, which may be easier on the wallet too.

The following week, Ciao Bella continued its support of breast cancer awareness by cooling off consumers in the Ciao Bella Chill Lounge following Glam-A-Thon’s “Glam Doll Strut” – the hippest stiletto extravaganza – where teams of women AND men strutted in some of the most fashionable, fabulous and innovative attire imaginable to raise money women affected by breast cancer in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida community.  Team Ciao Bella was struttin’ in its Bella Girls tee shirts, and we were among the more conservatively dressed!!  Clearly we’ll have to glam it up even more next time.

The Ciao Bella “Celebrate Cool Sweepstakes” is well underway and our consumers have been sending in some of the coolest Pinterest boards we’ve ever seen.  Bright colors, vibrant photographs, stylish outfits, creative artwork, and cool celebrities are just some of the board examples.  Be sure to submit your Celebrate Cool Pinterest board through our Facebook app by October 26^th for a chance to win cool prizes including a grand prize of $3,000 and $250 worth of Ciao Bella frozen desserts.  You’ve got to pin it to win it, so get on with it!

Of course interaction with customers occurs on a daily basis, but employees from the various shops come together in what they would like to call “inter-shop relationships” as well. “We kind of form this odd but great big family ,” said Kyle, a long-time Ciao Bella employee at the Ferry Building. “It’s just really great to have a lot of common ground with so many other people. I have made more friends working at the Ferry Building than anywhere else in the Bay Area since moving here [from New Jersey].” Many Ciao Bella employees have formed friendships with staff from other shops, forming an extended community that goes beyond the Ciao Bella counter during work hours. “The Ferry Building is a fixture in San Francisco, and I like being a strong component of the community and experience here,” said Mark, our Ciao Bella Ferry Building manager.

Another staff value high on the list – diversity. The Ferry Building, although a major tourist destination, is a common stop for many locals as well.  “The local flora and fauna of the Ferry Building is a diverse collection of people, including, but not limited to: stock brokers, yoga moms, homeless people, street performers and more,” said Nikos – a Ciao Bella employee who is a Marin County native.

Now, there wouldn’t be true California culture at our shop if we didn’t embrace creativity. Employees are encouraged to use their imaginations to design our standing sign advertising our healthy recipes – seen by both Ciao Bella customers and passers-by.  In this sense, the employees bring their own talents to the table and contribute to the artisan atmosphere of the Ferry Building. The sign is updated frequently to communicate special promotions, gelato flavors, and menu items – so keep an eye out next time you’re walking by.

Now what about their favorite frozen desserts? It was hard to get each employee to decide on just one flavor – completely understandable, especially since they’ve tried most, if not all, the flavors, combinations and healthy recipes Ciao Bella offers. The Favorite Flavor list included our Triple Espresso Gelato, Lebanese Yogurt, and Madagascar Vanilla Gelato + Raspberry Sorbet combo.  The Ciao Bella employees also raved about menu items at other neighboring shops such as Miette Bakery, Blue Bottle Coffee, and Il Cane Rosso.