Parchment Paths

For years, I’ve wanted to visit a local oddities parlor, you know, the kind of store that sells taxidermy, antiquated medical equipment, creepy dolls, Gothic jewelry, maybe even a few human skulls. When I heard that The Strange and Unusual OdditiesParlor has added a Harry Potter themed café, I wanted to go even more. A friend and I made the visit a few weeks ago and were not disappointed. The café part of the shop is very small and has a limited menu, but we didn’t mind at all.   The café is a perfect little nook in the shop and what they do serve seems to be excellent. We both ordered Butterbeers and thoroughly enjoyed them.   They are a bit like a tastier version of the smoked butterscotch latte Starbucks served a few years ago. Keep in mind that they are not like the cold soda versions from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but are still delicious and very pretty. The shop itself was amazing, though perhaps not for the faint of heart  , as they do display

  We only have a few more months until season three of Stranger Things airs on Netflix.   During the wait, I re-watched the first two seasons and made some interesting comparisons and contrasts. In both seasons, the Byers's home undergoes  drastic transformations.  Season one, Joyce hangs the lights and paints the letters on the wall to better communicate with Will. Later, she hacks a hole in another wall, and the house sustains substantial damage when an attempt is made to burn the Demogorgon out.  Season two, the transformation is not quite as damaging, mostly hanging Will’s map all over the walls and floors and boarding up the windows. However, some minor damage occurs during Steve and Billy’s fight, mostly broken dishes and the dent in floor made by Max swinging the nail studded bat. Another similarity between the two seasons is that they both feature poor Steve being beaten up. In season one, by Jonathan, in season two by Billy. He seems to bounce back each time, p