Queen | Peaches Prattlings

{February 17, 2024} Another 2 bite the dust! Two more coffee houses done!

I know, I know, it’s another one bites the dust, but I couldn’t resist, give me a little creative license! Can you blame me? Is there anything better than Queen? Don’t answer that, I know you all have your own opinions. Queen isn’t my all-time favorite band, but it’s one of them. I have so many. But…we are not here to discuss my musical tastes, maybe one day.

No, what I’m here to tell you is we went to two new coffee places as a part of the Lebanon Valley Java Journey! Caffenation Station and Ancestor Coffeehouse & Creperie.

We decided to start at Caffenation Station. I love the tagline…Train your Coffee Craving! Muwahaha, too funny! We started here because it was further away from the next location, it was a nice drive and we made it in no time. There is a green play train on the front lawn/walkway, then you walk in and it’s trains, trains, and more trains. There are quilts, and pictures, and posters, oh my! There is a loft and around the outside were model trains and at one point, they moved down the tracks, fun!

PSM got the specialty drink, I got a chai latte, I know, shocking! with oat milk, then we each got egg sandwiches, I got mine on “a real NYC bagel, straight from the Bronx!” And PSM got his on some home made thick sourdough bread.

Drinks were good, food was good, atmosphere was good, staff was great! We got there at a good time, there was one other family in at that time, but by the time we left… it was crowded, perfect timing! You could tell it was a neighborhood place. We did see a few of the passports, but people seemed to know each other. That tells you a lot about a place.

When we went to the first Lebanon Valley Motorcycle Club meeting, the president’s wife and I were talking and I was telling her about the Java Journey, she was very excited about Caffenation Station, she spoke very highly of it! And she was right!

Would we go back again? I would!

Our next stop was Ancestor Coffeehouse & Creperie. This might sound familiar because we went to the other location a few weeks ago. This location is closer to us, hence going to Caffenation Station first. Easy to get to, not much bigger than the other site, menu is the same, welcoming environment. We each ordered a drink, decaf coffee for PSM and a chai latte made with macadamia nut milk. I also bought a strawberry something macron, it was good. I’m not a macron expert by any means, but I liked it.

This location is a little bigger than the other location, it’s open, charming, welcoming. I loved the walls, brick on one wall, the brick fed into another wall and it was painted blue, then the opposite wall was all stone, I liked it! PSM had a decaf coffee and I had a chai latte with macadamia nut milk, I was excited, because I love macmilk and chai, I know you’re shocked by that, ha ha, and I really liked it at the other location, this one, not so much. Maybe it was an off day for me and mac milk chai lattes, but it didn’t hit the spot.

Would I come back and try again, absolutely! I want to try their crepes, give them another chance, if it was the first time, I would say no, but I liked the other one, so why not! And it’s closer! Of course, the other one is attached to Schnitz Brewery…imagine…have breakfast/brunch at the Coffeehouse & Creperie, hang out and move right into the brewery when it’s beer:30! Sounds perfect to me!

So… all in all a success! Two more stamps and we are at the end! That’s tomorrow, I’ll tell you about our entire journey, right now…zzzzzz nothing keeps me awake when I’m that tired, which is funny coming from someone who deals with insomnia!

Have a happy Saturday night!

{February 19, 2021} We are the Champions Part III

Aren’t you glad I broke this into 3 parts?! It might have taken you longer to read it all in one post rather than binge watching all 6 episodes! Well…here we are, finally! We are the Champions Part III! Still fantastically funny! And, what hasn’t changed: Netflix, Rainn Wilson. Just a reminder!

Episode 5: Dog Dancing. Yes, I said Dog Dancing. The IMDB description is better than anything I could come up with: Powerhouse trainers and their prancing pooches go for gold at a prestigious competition with hip heelwork, fancy freestyles and dogged determination. Yup, that about says it all.

This episode focuses on the Russian Dog Dancing Team, yes, that’s what I said. The episode opens, slightly deceptively, if you weren’t paying attention to the name of the episode, because we follow a ballerina as she runs through a mansion and then puts on her toe shoes, and then her dance partner walks in, a fluffy, furry dog!

Be prepared, all the dialogue except for the narrator is sub-titled. We meet the leader of the Russian team who’s goal is to win the O.E.C., Open European Championship, according to the episode, it is the most important competition in the world. Polina Ilina is the captain and in charge of the team of dog dancers. There is heelwork and freestyle. Heelwork is more formal and freestyle is a little more fun, costumes and all!

You should see the medals in this woman’s studio! The only one left…you guessed it, O.E.C.! These styles came out of the traditional dog shows when Mary Ray and Kizzy set the heelwork to music and the rest is history! This team is the most successful team in history…no pressure! Just watch it, you’ll be amazed what these dogs can do! Wow!

Now, on to the last episode, and it’s a hopper! Let’s just say…the joint was jumpin’! I’m so sorry, I couldn’t resist! Have you guessed yet? What if I toad you it was frog jumping?! This episode is all about a frog jumping competition. And not just any frog, but the American Bullfrog. The competition was inspired by a short story by Mark Twain, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County and has been going on since 1928!

As with each episode, we feature several competitors, or jockeys. But first, the rules…each competitor’s frog is allowed three jumps in a row, the distance of each jump is combined for the total score. The current record, set in 1986 by “Rosie the Ribiter” and jockey Lee Giudici, is 21 feet, 5 3/4 inches: 7.16 feet per jump. Just wow!

Jon Kitchell, who, at the time of the taping, has yet to win, others in his family have won, like his wife Laura Kitchell, and Riley Kitchell, but he personally, has not won. Then we move to the Gustine Frog Team, headed by Bob Fasano, and we meet Justin Fasano, his son, a champion jockey. Lastly is the Busch Family twins. And just like some of the other episodes, there are competitors we never meet, until the competition.

We see how each team/family goes out to catch their frogs for the competition, some are secret, they actually black out the name of the canal, classic! They all seem to go out at night on flat bottom boats with flashlights and nets, not sure what the science is behind it, but…it was interesting to watch.

Next, we see how each team trains with their frogs, in the backyards, in the streets ‘CAR!’ both watching the frogs jumping and how the jockeys train, there’s a lot of jumping, the people, not just the frogs, yelling at the frogs, I think they’re trying to scare them! Made me jump.

Then…we get to the actual day of the competition…This is stressful, watching them jump their little froggy hearts out! The jockey’s too! Not sure if the frogs truly realize what’s happening, but the crowd does, and we are sitting on the edge of our seats! Can they do it?! Will they win?! Will the frog jump straight of off to the side! Oh my, the stress!

The winner…gets a trophy and belt buckle! Talk about the swag! I’m in, I so want to go and get at least a t-shirt! I don’t need a belt buckle, but the bragging rights seem to be the real prize!

Six episodes, six competitions, dozens of competitors, millions of fans! Now, go forth and champion! What, you thought I would go an entire series of Champion posts and not give you a taste of the Queen classic?! Hmph!

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