As we were trying to beat the summer heat today, Laura and I were desperately seeking somewhere cool and refreshing.
Twitter came to our rescue when we saw that Imperial Woodpecker Sno-Balls—one of our neighborhood’s newest shops—was open today.
Located at the corner of Charles Street and 7th Avenue in the West Village, Imperial Woodpecker serves New Orleans-style shaved ice in almost 40 flavors. We tried tried the ultra-refreshing Mojito flavor, but old favorites like Tiger’s Blood and Dreamsicle are also on the menu.
The shop may be small, but it’s big on charm—floor-to-ceiling windows compliment a cheery color scheme and relaxed feel. It’s even run by two Southern gals, one from New Orleans, and one from Georgia. Perfect.
We recommend stopping by tonight before going to watch fireworks. (At the High Line, perhaps?) If you stop by between 7-9 p.m., they’ll have live music and cool treats!
Hope you’re having a fantastic holiday!
– Ryan and Laura
Smith & Ratliff 
What a great place!
It is! A few other places opened up like it recently, but we definitely like this one best. -RS
I’d like the dog (speckled Spaniel? SO cute) and one sno-ball, please!
That dog is too cute, right? It was a happy coincidence that they wandered up right as I took that shot. The sno-balls were delicious, too! -LR