You wouldn't think it to look at him, but Tyson Beckford, the musclebound, tattooed Polo/Ralph Lauren model, is hooked on ice cream —- a relatively wholesome habit in this age of ready-for-rehab mannequins. "It's the one thing I don’t think I could live without," he says. (A bench and free weights probably count as two things.) Before Custard Beach (786-4707) closed its Eighth Street store, Beckford made frequent appearances between workouts. His favorite thing about it? "Location." Our favorite things about it are the rich, ultra-smooth, egg-yolk-enhanced texture and deep, pure, all-natural flavors of what co-owner Alan Silberman calls "French ice cream." Earlier this year, Custard Beach relocated to the Winter Garden at the World Financial Center, convenient for both tuckered-out Rollerbladers and regulars like Merrill Lynch media analyst Jessica Reif Cohen, who works upstairs. Thrill-seekers can opt for the flavor of the day, which might be crème brûlée or peach cobbler. In May, a second stand will open in the new food hall at Grand Central Terminal. Talk about location.

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• Archive: “Best of New York”
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