Supermodel and entrepreneur Tyra Banks is strutting into her next venture by opening Santa Monica’s newest ice cream shop. She opened SMiZE Cream on July 3, 2021. The name pays homage to smizing – a word she coined herself to describe smiling with your eyes.
Luckily, smizing isn’t a requirement for the ice cream and you can smile from ear to ear when choosing one of the seven flavors the shop offers.
On the menu is The Best Vanilla I Ever Had, Strawberry BirthYAY! Cake, Brownies, I Love You, Purple Cookie Mon-Star & Me, Chocolate Barbeque, Salted Caramel King, and Caramel Cookie Queen.
Banks promise an “edible surprise” at the bottom of every cup, which is a cookie dough truffle covered in sprinkles. And if you’re wondering if she’s a consumer of her own product, the answer is yes!
“Tyra is totally obsessed with ice cream. She always has been,” a statement reads on the company website. “She wanted to start an ice cream company over 10 years ago but launched a talk show and wanted to make sure it was successful. Two Emmy wins later, she’s now the founder of SMiZE Cream and spends the majority of her time working hard on our innovative ice cream company.”
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SMiZE Cream is custard-style, which means Banks is actually serving frozen custard.
“Frozen custard is one of the richest and tastiest desserts you can ever experience. SMiZE Cream is technically classified as a frozen custard, or custard-style ice cream as we like to call it […] our base has over 1.4% egg yolk solids and 14% milkfat.”
If you’re not in Santa Monica, you can get the ice cream delivered right to your door, as the company delivers nationwide.
What’s also pretty cool is the option to build your own box of “creamz & dreamz,” allowing you to add 6, 9, or 12 flavors to a box and you can get it delivered to your door.
SMIZE is open Monday to Friday from 1 pm to 9 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 9 pm.