That's all to say: anything Van Leeuwen does gets me excited, especially when it involves new flavors (though I'll always be loyal to the honeycomb, pistachio and Earl Grey tea). Case in point: the debut of the brand's new Flavor Lab in Greenpoint, a creative hub for flavor development and innovation helmed by co-founder Ben Van Leeuwen and Ryoko Yoshida of Marlow & Sons fame.
Playing the role of a Hockey-Breakfast-Cereal Santa, Ovechkin arrived with gifts - primarily boxes of his new bran-flake cereal, Ovi's Great Crunch - and parlayed a promotional event celebrating his own accomplishment into memories that would last a lifetime for others. In one of many priceless moments during the day, a child approached the NHL legend, unsure they were actually in the presence of the same player they'd seen in books and on TV.