Cool your taste buds this sizzling summer with the refreshing, indulgent collection of gelato and sorbetto at Ciao Bella. Addicting New Yorkers for decades, these seductive treats are made with all-natural ingredients, fresh fruits and nuts, and imported Italian extracts.

Today’s scoop gets you a nifty punchcard towards 6 sweet scoops in a regular cup or cone for only $10—that’s 55% off the original price of $21.90! Your punch card entitles you to six scoops in total— it’s your choice whether to Ciao Bella overdose all at once or savor the sweetness in multiple visits. This punch card can only be redeemed and used at the following three Ciao Bella locations: Grand Central Terminal, World Financial Center, and East 92nd Street. Experience a real-life Candy Land that covers the globe with a myriad of exotic flavor like Turkish Pistachio and Tahitian Vanilla, plus authentic Italian classics like Sicilian Blood Orange. You’ll be instantly enamored with their succulent sorbets like fresh-from-the-vine Strawberry and full-bodied Prickly Pear.

Since 1983, Ciao Bella has featured over 750 robustly creamy and sinfully delicious frozen desserts that comprise a bouquet of vibrant color and unique taste. From its inception of a tiny storefront kitchen in Little Italy, Ciao Bella has expanded to all 50 states. They have also been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, New York Daily News, AOL’s homepage and more, for their award-winning, savory scoops. But don’t just take their word— see what’s on the tip of everyone’s tongue this summer with Ciao Bella’s divine desserts!

Buzz Around Town

“I am completely addicted to the blood orange sorbet. I add a big scoop to my protein shakes. It is amazing!!”- Danni from Facebook on Ciao Bella Buzz

“I had a cup of half cinnamon, half mocha chip and it was so good that I (shh!) went back for more a week later to try their pumpkin flavor. When a sweets craving hits me after work, this is probably where you’ll find me.”- Monica M at Yelp

“Ciao Bella has some of the very best sorbets in NYC. My favorites are the blood orange and passionfruit, but I always have a hard time deciding what to get because so many of the other flavors are also quite tasty.”- Aris F. at Yelp

Welcome to this week’s Selected Seven, every Thursday on the blog. Don’t forget to take pictures of yourself with *three items* for your chance to win a free scoop! Just e-mail us or connect to us on Twitter with your photos to redeem this scoop-tastic offer! To view past round-ups, see the archive.

New York Summer Restaurant Week 2010 (July 12-25)

Over 250 New York restaurants take the city by storm to offer you the most delicious meals at unbeatable rates. For 14 days, experience a foodie’s utopia with a prix fixe menu of three-course lunches for $24.07 (a play on 24/7) and three-course dinners for $35.00! View the list of participating restaurants from A-Z.

Banana Splits @ Lula’s Sweet Apothecary

Lula’s Sweet Apothecary, a natural, non-dairy, and vegan frozen dessert shop, is just what the doctor ordered! The colossal banana split (three scoops of ice cream and three different toppings) appropriately comes with spoons shaped like mini shovels in order to dig in!

Jelly Pool Parties

The infamous Jelly Pool Parties concert series have certainly made a splash in Williamsburg, with epic acts like Girl Talk in previous years and a ridiculous line-up forecasted for this summer. View photos of the mayhem and join the party! 

“Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” @ Hudson River Park

“Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” (featured July 16) is an animated film that explores the gastronomic disaster whereby an amateur inventor who has created a machine that makes food out of water, yet somehow it winds up high in the clouds so that when it rains, it rains food. Enjoy the great outdoors at Hudson River Park while watching this free movie under the stars on Manhattan’s west side waterfront.

Night Strike @ Bowlmor Lanes

Featuring 42 lanes and gigantic bistro slides, Bowlmor Lanes is a bowler’s haven.  The high-energy “Night Strike,” is a stylish, glow-in-the-dark experience that will alter your previously held conceptions on bowling. This fast-paced game is also equipped with a loud sound system for an exhilarating time.

Scallion Pancakes @ AA Plaza

The scrumptious scallion pancakes at the AA Plaza are consistently rated “the best scallion pancakes in NY” by Yelpers. These enormous, steamed pancakes are placed into wax paper bags and are deemed “massive, rich, flaky, and filling” by Time Out New York. View photos.

Scoopstachio @ The Lite Choice (TLC)

Don’t forget to try Scoopstachio (organic pistachio and finely ground peanuts with a vanilla base soft-serve), our new flavor this summer at The Lite Choice. Vote towards its permanence at TLC, and enter our Meet The Scoop Contest to win ridiculous prizes.

According to NY Mag, Pyramida’s “obsessive devotion to fresh, homemade ingredients” is the secret sauce to their culinary genius. No longer just a small Mediterranean take-out joint, Pyramida Grill has now moved to a bigger and better location with a spacious dining area on the Upper East Side (1402 2nd Ave. between 72nd and and 73rd St.), and Scoop St. is giving you the first look!

Today’s scoop gets you $15 of credit towards food and drink at Pyramida for only $7- that’s 54% off! With so many delicious dishes to choose from, like the spicy red cabbage salad, eggplant feta salad, and the can’t-be-missed Pumpkin Gloria and hummus spreads, Pyramida is a fantastic place for vegetarians and the health-conscious.

Their tour de force lies in the juice that’s worth the squeeze – their thirst-quenching house lemonade. Pair that with their mouth-watering Gyro sandwich or “first-rate falafel”, as deemed by the NY Times, and you’re in for a satisfying meal!

Buzz Around Town

“Great option for quality yet inexpensive greek take-out or delivery. The gyro and falafel sandwiches are excellent, and the lemonade really is amazing.” Jason L. at Yelp

“I have died and gone to the REAL Gyros God!!! They put real tazikik sauce on the sandwich none of the runny white stuff all the other places use…And the lemonade, thank you ALL for the tip it was YUMMY!!!”- Sushi S. at Yelp

“I will have dreams about this place. Great middle eastern lunch at a great price. Nothing fancy, just really good food and friendly service. All the ingredients were really fresh, the lamb was incredible, and the pita for sandwiches was thick and soft and didn’t fall apart like at most places. Also, their baklava is literally making me drool as I write this. I will be eating here a lot.”-TBonzo at NYMag

“Best Falafel in NYC. The food in my opinion is GREAT!! Their side orders and salads are really, really good and the Falafel is awesome…from the pita, the hummus, the hot sauce, fresh veggies…they are all excellent. The place itself is not meant to be a high end restaurant, nor do they pretend to be…so if you don’t see it for what it is you are missing the point. The prices are worth it, I don’t mind paying for something that is great. They are constantly adding new side orders and everyone I have ever had has been delicious. The owners / workers always offer a “free” taste of the new sides / salads and are extremely friendly. The lemonade is pricey…however, they state “the best in NYC” and I believe them. I would recommend this place to anyone!!”- mpbohan from MenuPages