The Chemist, the Cat and the Time Machine: Stop #9

The journey is approaching its climax, with the Mad Chemist, Lab Assistant and their squad of eager explorers now headed for home. There's time for one last stop, with the Time Machine's radar set for the 60s. The crew took a deep breath as the laws of physics were once more punctured and the world again slowed down, before they were engulfed by the most colourful of settings.

With so many free souls and smiling faces, it was clear that the gang had arrived in 1967 - the Summer of Love!

Stop #9: Summer of Love

Such a peaceful yet busy scene! Undoubtedly there was a carefree attitude around here, with everyone enjoying a frolic outside or a bite to eat in either of the two diners. And given the appetite the long trip had invoked in the Cat, her urge was to bypass the diners' waiting staff and instead head straight into the kitchen.

Kitchen

A hive of activity this kitchen most certainly was, with the Chef's Station at the hub. The three head chefs are busy preparing tasty meals, and have the most sophisticated of units at their disposal for doing so. But they're certainly not alone - there's a huge band of brothers and sisters around them, all fulfilling a role to keep the kitchen on top of all the orders.

There are Busboys reporting promptly to the Dishwasher, Hot Dog Vendors taking care of the rising demand for fast food and Bagel Gals ensuring that the breakfast service runs smoothly. Then there are some Swedish Servers and 50s Chefs, the latter of whom have been working in this kitchen for over 10 years!

Together the group make quite the team, and you can be sure of great service at this establishment. And given their efficient efforts, the Cat is unlikely to find any forgotten cuttings or spills to chew on. Instead she's just going to have to order food like everyone else at the red diner.

Red diner

It's Manager Phoebe who the Cat needs to speak to about getting a tasty plateful, and that might mean queuing at the Brown Host Stand. But once she's ordered she'll be able to perch herself on a Red Stool and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. The Mini Guitars represent the burgeoning music industry led by rock-'n'-roll, while the Yellow Motorcycle and Teal Vintage Motorcycles symbolise the freedom of movement that embodied the decade.

Those motorbikes also make for quality decorations, which is why they've been given pride of place in the middle of the Black and White and Red and White chequered floor. But there's more inclusive entertainment can be found in the other eatery, the blue diner.

Blue diner

Here the Crooner is showing off his dulcet tones with his classic microphone. Although given how comfy the Lounge Chairs are, I wouldn't be surprised if his audience would rather have a brief nap. And they may need it after an exciting game at the Bowling Alley. This diner has three lanes set up, and visitors are invited to have a bowl with their meal.

The pressure is on for those who do choose to hit the lanes since the Jock is watching on closely. He may look like a grumpy teen in his bowling jacket, but I've heard he's actually a scout looking for potential candidates for his professional team. Part of his test involves the Popcorn Cart, Retro Gumball Machine and Pinball Machines - should any player divert their attention to one of these reciprocals then the Jock will take that as evidence that they don't have the focus or commitment required to become a pro bowler.

The Cat opted to raid the Popcorn Cart, and so is not being considered for bowling selection. Having been turned down, she headed out into the open air, where everyone is at one with nature.

Outdoor area

There's so much to see and do in this area, with the hippie movement dominating. Whether people are decorating the Wishing Tree, having some Summer Fun with the tyre swing or enjoying a Pool Party, the constant is their happiness. It's a carefree time, and everyone is delighted to make the most of the fine weather.

And given that this is the Summer of Love we shouldn't be surprised that there is a Summer Romance brewing on the corner. This really encapsulates the freedom of the period with a couple finding love among the flowers. There's plenty of other places where love may blossom too, and the Rose Seller is on hand to help make it happen having stepped away from the Time Machine.

Speaking of the Time Machine, the troop have cultivated another recipe, with the staff in the kitchen delighted to send the crew off with some Strawberry Malt in hand.

Time Machine including addition of Strawberry Malt

Is there anything more refreshing than a fruity milkshake? The Chemist hypothesises that there is not, and is sucking up the malt through a straw like there is no tomorrow. Of course, in theory there is no tomorrow as the posse need to move on, and since all the counters are now filled with food and drink from throughout time, it's an emotional farewell to their travels.

The Chemist calibrates the Time Machine for one last blast through the past, and the Cat tips the remainder of the Rocket Fuel Punch into the tank. Everyone clutches the nearest counter as the familiar rumble kicks in. But something's wrong. The rumble is deeper than before, and even the sturdy Wooden Pillars are vibrating madly in the descending darkness. Has the Chemist gone too far with his disturbing of the tranquillity of time?

To be continued...

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A cliffhanger! All is not well in the Time Machine, but other than that my lips are sealed. All I can say is tune in next week!

The wide selection of options always made a retro diner layout attractive, but the Summer of Love concept actually came much later. For a long time I was having difficulty working out how to fill the space, but the brainwave to include a reference to the hippie movement soon sorted that. With so much great upbeat outdoor content already at my fingertips, decorating this cramped and cluttered section was so easy.

 The Chemist, the Cat and the Time Machine

 16/05/16 Stop #8 - Olympics
 09/05/16 Stop #7 - Wild West
 02/05/16 Stop #6 - Middle Ages
 25/04/16 Stop #5 - Ancient Asia
 18/04/16 Stop #4 - Ancient Egypt

Even with the Bowling Alley and Chef's Station already up my sleeve, populating the two diners was more problematic. Therefore you could understand my intrigue when the Sock Hop Crate was recently released, and my outright delight when it was put on sale at 50% off just a fortnight ago. Given that the retro diner theme is one I often present when The Garlic Tree is in its normal form, this was an opportunity worth capitalising upon.

My two openings yielded the Crooner and the Ice Cream Dream, both fourth prizes.

Fourth prizes from Sock Hop Crate

Not the best of results, and the latter prize was particularly displeasing - so much so that it's stayed firmly in storage. It appears my early luck with the boxes during this saga has long gone!

On recipe watch, I've again been churning out some emergency batches of Dinosaur Nuggets, but it's the Egg Drop Soup which stole the headlines this week. At some point on Thursday I logged in to find that the soup was gone! I'm sure it wasn't running dangerously low, so must have accidentally deleted it from the counter. Consequently I've also had Action Chef Stoves working overtime this week, and given that I needed to construct 16 Malt Shake Makers and proceed through the goals, it's fair to say the staff in that kitchen have been very overworked these past few days!

So that's it for now. It may have been running for two months, but it appears the adventure has not yet reached a conclusion. I felt it was about time I added a little drama to proceedings, so prepare yourself for the climax!