between 2 coffeeshops
4 baristas
2 barista owners
3 luchador masks
in Lafayette, LA
back 2012
Cafe Cohen's Coffeeshop
vs
The Lab Coffeeshop
luchador masks borrowed from the theatre
as someone, who shall be nameless, was the Wardrobe Mistress for awhile for said theatre at the time 'n just happened to have these in her car trunk...
as that saying goes--the experience 'n the photos were 'n still are, priceless...
the masks, the luchador masks - as in Mexican Wrestling Masks...
'n what better way to 'throwdown' than in a luchador's mask right?!
Round one...
at Cafe Cohen inside Great Harvest at the time
first barista - Dan - taking the challenge
2nd Barista up for the challenge joins in...
as in the owner--Jason Cohen!
(who has lost so much weight since this time, he would never make it as a luchador ever again?!)
plus cortado vs cappuccino I think as well
and after all this time, have no idea if any of us even cared who was the winner
coz it was all about the 'masks' hah?!
besides that had to go visit the 2nd competitor coffeeshop 'n baristas after this
for more competition
sad note: this coffeeshop is no longer in Lafayette, but brighter note--the other coffeeshop still is 'n going strong...
Coffeeshop 2 - The Lab Handcrafted Coffee and Comforst
Barista 1 'n 2
plus again Barista/Owner - Thomas Peters in red 'n gold
or I think it is, hard to tell with the masks on right?!
(geesh, we totally shoulda made up Luchador names for each mask?!)
And I am not sure who had the most fun, the baristas or me - could be why quite a few photos 'n many of them blurry coz I was giggling (OK, flat out laughing) so hard couldn't hold my camera phone hah?!
you may ask where are their coffees with latte art? hmm... I don't find them, hah (again prob laughing too much--either didn't take them or put them in the wrong file?!)
3 Out takes... later... in a random parking lot...
I will run into said barista/owner with his photog buddy (was it Jamie??)
who will insist that he try on one of these luchador masks
along with a cape that just so happened to also be in the trunk of the earlier mentioned Wardrobe Mistress' car trunk... sigh... if only I were a photographer back then or owned a better cell phone even or had taken a video hah?! but it's all about the 'throwback' memories 'n the 'masks' right?!
link to Wiki to read up on what's up with these wrestling masks...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucha_libre
note: 'n for some of us, it was Nacho Libre that totally brought it out of the closet--the Mexican Wrestling Mask... we watched this comedy film on a plane 'n my seatmate aka spouse was laughing so hard or trying so hard not to I had to elbow him a few times for the sake of the rest of the plane hah?!
Coffeeshop of masked duo number two...
The Lab Handcrafted Coffee and Comforts
River Ranch
Lafayette, LA
Thomas Peters - owner 'n barista
(still at it, still experimenting 'n still up for a luchador masked latte throwndown I'm sure of it!!)
www.thelabexperience.com
Cafe Cohen - closed, but not forgotten - Coffeeshop of the masked duo number one...
Jason Cohen onward into photography
on 'n off his tiny airstream Irene cross the country
author of Faces 'n Places book
check out his webpage for more
(prob 'not' any luchador masked photos in there, but I'm sure he'll remember the fun?!)
Jason Cohen Photography
www.jasoncohenphoto.com
