After yet another week of being treated like royalty, the team is becoming accustomed to their regal roles. The fans are mesmerized by the voyage stories told by King Paul and his duties of steering the coach. Princess Kaiti maintains a posse of admirers whom she is always delighted to take portraits with, and Ellis, the Jester, keeps the local townsmen entertained with jokes and performances. The royal clan was overwhelmed by the loving treatment received from towns near and far.
The team was welcomed into Cleveland with open arms Tuesday afternoon. Chef Dante fed the team, along with several food editors, an elegant four course lunch featuring Idaho potatoes. The exquisite dishes consisted of grilled prawn and octopus, roasted branzino and potato soufflé, and curried duck breast. The team could all agree it was their first time eating octopus. After leaving Dante’s the feeding frenzy continued! Todd Schmidt and his wife Virginia, with the Idaho Potato Commission, made sure the team felt imperial. Todd treated the team to dinner not once but twice! Tuesday evening they dined at Blue Canyon Restaurant that was encompassed by beautiful landscaping and Wednesday night Todd welcomed the team into his very own humble abode. The friends sat on his back deck enjoying pizza and admiring his stunning back yard scenery.
If you’re ready to rock, they’re ready to roll! The King and Jester tuned their guitars and the Princess warmed up the mic as they prepared to take on the stage at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. As soon as the truck hit the breaks in front of the museum the admirers flooded out the doors. The six ton rock star stole the show! The fans got their pictures taken with the superstar while the team got their pictures taken with the illustrious guitars. Once time allowed, the team decided to experience the museum for themselves. Starting with the birth of rock, they worked their way through the timeline of hit rock stars. Starting with Elvis Presley and Little Richard all the way to the latest and greatest like Guns and Roses and Red Hot Chili Peppers. The museum was full of the artist’s…attention-grabbing…outfits worn on stage and many authentic pieces of scratch paper where song lyrics were written. With their minds swimming with pop culture, the Princess and Jester left the rock hall hoping that one day The Hot Potatoes will make the cut.
Thursday was a special day for all! The team visited the local Meals on Wheelsoffice in Massillon, Ohio. The Idaho Potato Commission donated a month’s worth of potatoes to this deserving region. All the MOW volunteers were sure to stop by and marvel at the big tater, but they weren’t the only ones. A large yellow school bus that was stuffed with a group of excited fifth and sixth graders from St. Mary School pulled into the lot. The team played some interactive games with the kids where they all got a chance to win a beloved Spuddy Buddy doll. The team also threw in plenty of Q & A time. The crew was vastly impressed by just how well mannered the students were. Click Here to watch the video of just how much fun they had with the tots!
Leaving Ohio, the royal team was mesmerized by the breathtaking scenery of Pennsylvania. The truck was continuously engulfed by the lush green foliage and rolling hills. It was a short one night stay in the beautiful city of Pittsburgh, but the group would have loved to stay longer. Now the team is eager to have a little fun with their Irish roots as they are on their way to Boston, Massachusetts! They will find out if the Irish really are lucky. 😉
