Showing posts with label Harry Potter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Harry Potter. Show all posts

Friday Ramblings... 

Friday, November 19, 2010 -
Love her and fiance, B - GREAT couple!
I'm delayed in this request from my dear friend MKL over at Fun and Fearless in Beantown, as she tagged me in a blog post a few weeks ago.  MKL is a dear friend of mine who lives in Boston - we've been friends for nearly 10 years as we met back in college as sorority sisters.  I adore her, I miss her from a far, and I always look forward to seeing her when I visit Beantown once a year. So though I don't normally do questionnaires (in fact, I never have on this blog,) I decided to give it a try and entertain all of you with some answers:


1.  If you could eat anything without any health repercussions or guilt, what would your meal be?
Nachos - I simply adore them.  Crunchy, salty tortilla chips (they can be corn, flour, whatever!) adorned with topping galore.  And they are so versatile.  You can have your plain chips and salsa or gourmet it up with kettle chips topped with bleu cheese crumbles and pancetta.  Oh my gosh...I'm drooling...

2.  If you could meet anyone living or dead who would it be and why?
Martha Stewart.  I, like many others, adore her.  But don't think I'm ignorant - I also know that many people do not like her.  I am a fan- and I absolute LOVE it when MKL says I'm "younger version of Martha Stewart" or when Shutterboo used to reference me that way.  But honestly, I don't even come close to this woman.  It amazes me how successful she has become, all because she did things that she loved to do - and now it is this huge business (and in reference to a few years back, I think anyone would have did what she did - no judgment here!)

She has a fantastic home where she has created a business out of passion - she even helps people learn how to wrap china for when they move.  Honestly - she grows an abundant garden and then creates fantastic meals before going upstairs to her craft room.  Or she may sit down with one of her adorable pets (RIP Ghengis Khan and Paw Paw, her two adorable Chow Chow's) or create some new magical craft.  All while knowing somewhere across the country, someone is picking up a copy of one of her successful magazines.  She loves what she does, and she made a profession out of that.  If that isn't something to admire, I don't know what is.
photo taken from The Sydney Morning Herald
3.  Why did you start blogging and what did you expect when you started?
I started blogging because a friends kept saying, "you should blog about that!"  One person in particular, KJ over at KJ Pugs, would always say "you have to blog so I can see your food creations." So I finally did this past February.  I know I haven't posted many recipes, but I did have expectations to do so.  I never cook the same thing at home - I'm a random cook, always grabbing this and that.  I'm not very good at following recipes (I always update it with my own twist) and I don't like to measure.  Maybe that is why I find it difficult to blog about my cooking - I feel like many people want to know specifics and that is info I just don't supply.

But, I also had expectations to blog about all things that entertain me, which is mostly food, events, friends and family.  And that is essentially what my blog is about, all the entertaining elements life throws at you on a daily basis.  I love to write about the food I eat and the events I attend.  I didn't think anyone would really read this either - a BIG thank you to all that do!

4.  What is the one book you could read over and over again?
Harry Potter.  I love all seven of them, so yes, I'm picking a series versus one book.  If it makes me child, so be it.  But I absolutely adore the imagination of J.K.Rowling and her drive.  Once again, doing something that she loves, she became a successful woman who has inspired children and adults all over the world to be creative and whimsical in their lives.  To have that kind of impact and still be so humble - amazing.

5.  If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
Tahiti or Fiji - yes, once again, I'm cheating and picking two.  When hubs and I got married, he asked where I wanted to go on our honeymoon.  I named those two and Greece, and he planned the whole trip and surprised me with the Greek vacation.  I would love to visit the other two places and try the ethnic food, see the beautiful landscape and relax with my best friend.  And of course, there is always Disney....

6.  If you could have a TV show on the Food Network, what would it be?
I'd actually want Samantha Brown's tv show's on the Travel Channel.  I know she has a few of them now, but how great of a job is that?!  She gets to travel the globe, go to luxurious resorts and hotels, dine on some phenomenal food and experience things some people only dream of!  I'm sure the traveling gets difficult, especially being away from friends, family and home for extended periods of time - but absolutely amazing gig that she has.
photo taken from the Travel Channel
7. What was the best meal you ever had?
Wow - this is a hard question because so many factors go into a "best meal," including service, food, atmosphere, location, who you are with, etc.  So, right now, I'm going to say the best meal I ever had was our recent dinner experience at Etta's in Seattle.  The food was great, company utterly fantastic and restaurant atmosphere was inviting.  It was everything I expected out of Seattle and the seafood I wanted - a perfect way to welcome hubs and I to the city!

8. Who has been the greatest influence on your love for food and learning to cook?     
Once again, there are two people.  My mother - she is amazing.  Eating dinner together as a family was always important and my mother always delivered on some fantastic food.  It was comfort, it was home and it was my momma.  I adore her and what she wanted to do to make sure her family was happy.  This past Christmas, I pulled together a collection of recipes from her, close friends and family and compiled it into a family cook book on Blurb.  They are the best recipes of my mother - and she is amazing (yes, I know I said that twice, but she deserves it so many more.) My poppa is pretty amazing too if I don't mind saying so.
LOVE mom and dad - they are TOO cute!
The other is my childhood best friend, Sarah.  When we were growing up, I always had a passion for cooking and entertaining, and she was always by my side.  She used to come over and we would pretend that I was the host of a cooking show.  It was probably named something corny like "Cooking with Angie!," but it was still our show.  She was nicknamed "guinea" for tv show purpose, because her role in the show was to be my 'guinea pig' and try whatever I was making that "episode."  She was a trooper, letting me experiment with whatever I could find in the kitchen.  I probably learned a lot about taste because of her - she was good at letting me know when flavors didn't mesh!

Hopefully the ramblings gave you some insight into why I blog and why I love what I love - cheers!

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Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Part III: The 'Other' Rides 

Wednesday, August 25, 2010 -
I'm delayed, and I apologize.  I'm slowly catching up on the vacation recap.  After this post, only one more Wizarding World of Harry Potter post to describe the streets of Hogwarts.  However, the "other" rides definitely played a part of the experience.  There are two rides besides the Forbidden Journey to round out the ride amusement of this magical world.  They include:
  • Flight of the Hippogriff (formerly known as the Flight of the Unicorn I believe)
  • The Dragon Challenge (formerly known as the Dueling Dragons)
Flight of the Hippogriff is a child appropriate ride, but of course, we had to ride it.  The Hippogriff is a magical creature from Hagrid's (gamekeeper and Prof. of Magical Creatures.)  With the head of an eagle and body of a horse, Buckbeak (a specific Hippogriff from the books/movies) flies Harry and company through the skies, and in this ride, you get to ride the creature!  

The ride queue moved very quickly, we were maybe in line for 10 minutes.  And throughout the queue, you were able to see Hagrid's hut and surrounding area.  What would have made this that much more entertaining was if you got to walk through the hut rather than just looking at it.  But I understand it is a small area, and I was appreciative of all the pumpkins (my fave!)
The ride was definitely more thrill than I was anticipating.  But yes, still child appropriate.  No loops or anything, so your friends who do not like roller coasters will be fine.  It was very quick, less than one minute, ride.  But with a 10 minute wait, I wasn't complaining.

The Dragon Challenge was more of a thrill roller coaster.  The queue went by very quickly and was focused on the Triwizard Tournament.  As you were walking, you saw banners cheering for the students of choice from the particular school that you would cheer for, including Hogwarts, Beauxbatons (which is an all girls school) and Durmstrang (all male.)
Inside, it was SO dark. I managed to take a few photos with my phone - including the Triwizard Cup and Golden Egg. 
There was also the candlelight ceiling, like what you would expect in the Great Hall.  It looked amazing at candles seemed to float over you, but because of the darkness, photos just weren't turning out.  Here is a video, I know it isn't much, but at least you can see a flicker here and there and listen to some beautiful HP music!

Besides those items, there wasn't much to look at.  Seemed very much like a dungeon.  I was surprised, Universal could have done much more with jazzing up that queue - maybe they will in the future as it will need it.

When you arrived to the actually ride portion, you had to choose the Chinese Fireball or Hungarian Horntail.  We choose the shorter line, which happened to be the Chinese Fireball.  We opted to wait just a little longer so we could have front row seats of the excitement (there is a separate line to do so.)  Both tracks run at the same time as you twist and turn your way through the ride.  At one point, it looks like you are going to collide with the other dragon only to do a loop and continue to scream some more.  It was exciting, a great roller coaster that hasn't changed from the original form.
All in all, the two rides were great additions to keep everyone happy.  Of course, the Forbidden Journey was just so amazing that it is hard to compare these two - just so different. 

Next up - the rest of Hogsmeade!

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Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Part II: The Shops 

Friday, August 13, 2010 -
Though our excitement was overwhelming for the Forbidden Journey, there was still so much to see and do.  A whole section of Islands of Adventure is dedicated to Harry Potter - and the detail is impeccable.  It feels so real, like you a character walking around the movie.  Every time I watch a movie, I always think how I would love to be there - and this is as close as you could get. A whole different world - completely immersed in the magical world of Harry - and you could be a wizard.  Extremely different from the other parts of the park - utterly amazing!

Before I begin - I encouraged my dear friend MM to read all the books (and I wanted her to watch the movies as well) before we got there.  If you go to this park and are not a HP fan, at least watch the movies.  You will appreciate the details and overall excitement SO much more!  Even as a HUGE Disney fan, I wouldn't doubt that Disney isn't looking at this and thinking "wow" because it really is amazing.  And if you have any previous knowledge, you'll appreciate it that much more!
As mentioned in my previous post, after you enter Hogsmeade, you immediately see the Hogwarts Express, billowing smoke.  Great photo opporutnity for sure!  And of course, Harry Potter soundtrack music is playing

The windows in Hogsmeade into "shops" are fantastic.  There are a variety of fronts, ranging from a music shop to a cauldron.  So much detail, I can't imagine the upkeep that the staff will have to do to ensure it is all clean. Here are just a few of the wonderful fronts!
Hermoine's dress from the ball
Two of the shops that you can enter are Zonkos Joke Shop & Honeydukes.  Technically, they are one shop which you can walk between once in side.  Beginning with Zonkos, the windows had some great displays - 
Hilarious - LOVE it!






Overall, the entire decor was a red theme with fun items on the wall, just things you could see that the Weasley brothers would say or represent. 
Many of the items you would imagine to be in Weasley's shop (the brother's joke shop) as well as items you may recognize, including a Skethoscope!  The items just repeated over and over in the store, but there were many items for you to choose from.
Honeydukes - the candy store!  There great windows on this store front, decorated with pink and green.  There is a window with a large chocolate frog, and if that doesn't make you want to buy a $10 chocolate frog of your own, I don't know what will!


Lots of chocolate, great packaging, and a wizarding card.  I did purchase one, but my chocolate frog melted before we even got back to the hotel.  Disappointing?  Absolutely - I wanted to see how it looked!  
But the card I received was Ravenclaw - kind of perfect considering that is the House I think I would be sorted into.  Other items do include Bernie Bott's Every Flavor Beans (small box for $10) and other bulk candy items.
It was so crowded, I had a tough time seeing everything!

Next up - Ollivanders! Random detail to point out, I believe this shop is supposed to be an extention of Ollivanders.  I say this, because like all HP fans, we know the wand shop is located in Diagon Alley, not Hogsmeade.  Small detail, but couldn't be happier that it was included
This is the longest line we waited in - to see the presentation of a wand to one lucky boy or girl (out of approximately 30 - which is about the number they can fit in the showroom.)  The room is amazing, just rows and rows of wands, very similar to what I imagined in the book, and was reinforced in the movies.

It was a great show - the excited child stepped forward and the wizard tried out a few different wands.  Of course, the first few weren't the right fit, and the wizard had to help step in to correct the 'mishaps' that had occurred.  All in all, the show only took a few minutes, but was well worth the wait.
Once the right fit was found - we were all escorted into the Owl Post, where you can send postcards from Hogwarts or purchase your wand.  And trust me, there are many characters wands to choose from!  Plus, they have birthday wands!  In the rafters, owls perch themselves and parcels wait to be picked up!.
It was extremely busy, you could barely move!  Groups from the show kept being escorted in, but people weren't leaving at the same rate.  You could barely move, let alone see everything you wanted to see.  Once you make your way through the madhouse, you enter Dervish and Bangles, another store.
 Inside, you can purchase all types of Quidditch items (including a Snitch or broomstick!) as well robes, keychains, etc.  There were so many items, but this one is my favorite - and no, it is not for sale.
Book of Monsters!
The other shop is Filche's Emporium of Confiscated Goods, which is the store you end up in after riding the Forbidden Journy.  Same thing, lots of souveniers, ranging from scarves to t-shirts, etc.

Next up, I'll recap the other two rides in the WWofHP as well as Three Broomsticks!

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Wizarding World of Harry Potter 

Monday, August 2, 2010 -
One of the many joys of being in Orlando for Sigma Kappa's national convention was being able to schedule a vacation!  Of course, this also would ensure a visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  Now, though I am a huge Disney fan (as some of you may recall,) I am also a huge Harry Potter fan.  So among all of the other fans, I had been anticipating it for quite sometime after the announcement.  I had even visited the park in August just to see if I could even see anything (and I did see a Proclamation from the Ministry of Magic!)

The WWofHP is in the Islands of Adventure park at Universal Studios.  To get into the entrance, we were asked to walk around the park rather than just cutting through Dr. Seuss.  I believe this was due to the anticipated lines, and later on the day after we exited the land, this was confirmed.  There are lines just to get into the land, but for us, this was a smooth process as we just kept walking through the different lands.  It worked well for us, because many individuals of my group had never been before.  So we walked our way around, into Jurassic Park and there it was...Hogwarts.  The first view...
If you only knew all of the details that were inside that, your excitement would triple. 

My only complaint about WWofHP is not even really about WWofHP, but about how the feel of getting into the park is.  Like Disney, Universal has themed lands around Islands of Adventure, and as I said, you have to go through Jurassic Park.  But you also have to go through a tiny bit of the Lost Continent, which isn't themed around a movie or anything, just an area that has little shops, a restaurant, and some rides.  But you have to go through this tiny bit, which is like a gypsy village, so it is odd to stand next to a fortune teller but to look at the gates of Hogsmeade.

See what I mean, to the left...

But once you are in, it is like nothing you can imagine.  It really feels like you are IN Hogsmeade, like you are a character in the books/movies.  You are welcomed by the Hogswarts Express, and there is even a conductor (and yes, all of the employees of Universal in WWofHP are in character like no other!) to welcome you aboard.


There are many shops, all which are "snow" covered,  but I must get to that in a later post because after we saw the train, we ran straight to the biggest attraction of all - The Forbidden Journey.  Fortunately, we got there right at the beginning of the day, so we really haven't waited in lines at this point (seriously, no lines in the a.m.!)  Wait time was only 45 minutes, so we began our journey through Hogwarts and the magic of the recreated castle.

The details of everything - impeccable...really, words can't describe how "real" it all felt.  I was ready to put on my Ravenclaw scarf and head to the Quidditch field.  Amazing.  We were really only outside for about 10 minutes,  before we entered the next part of the queue, the greenhouse.  Most of this was an area of lines, circling back and forth...

but when you got near display, you shouldn't be surprised to see...

 Mandrakes! Yes, aren't they so cute!?

Then, you are in the castle!  Just like that - all in about 25 minutes, we were IN Hogwarts.  And then the line wasn't long enough.  I mean it - the queue was moving so quickly (and yes, I know this is rare, we were so fortunate) that we weren't really able to enjoy all of the detail that was put into this amazing building.  

Though impressive, would have been immaculate if it was the "Great Hall" and these were so much bigger.  But still, very fun!


Entrance to Dumbledore's Office!

This room was magnificent, because it was set as Dumbledore's Office.  And yes, Dumbledore was even there to speak to you!

 Piensieve for all of the memories

And more details as you continued to walk...

 I was fortunate enough to see this (and many other great items) at the Harry Potter Exhibition in Chicago too - the movie items were amazing!

The portraits spoke & moved!

THE Mirror!

The Dark Arts classroom had so many details, it was crazy.  From writing of potions and assignments throughout, everything was perfect.  Just how you would imagine it the first time you read, and how the movie has also replicated it.  Even Harry, Ron and Hermoine were there to "speak" with you.  Magnificent.


And then, you are there, ready for the ride.  And it was such a ride!  I was smiling like a child the entire time.  From "flying" behind Harry on a broomstick, to being in the forest with the spiders, or trying to avoid the Dementors from sucking your soul - it was perfect. Even better than I would have ever began to imagine. The graphics of the video, the movement of the ride, all of the impeccably made props, even the temperature and of course, all of the sound.  It was great, I really can't say enough!

Yes, like almost every other person who has now ridden the ride, it did stop in the middle.  We were sideways.  But really, it is because the technology is so advanced for this kind of thing.  And no, it didn't even come close to ruining the experience for me.  This is a MUST ride, again and again.  So amazing...

J.K. Rowling and all of the Universal creators did such a fine job.  If you are even remotely interested in HP, you must make your way to experience the magic of this park.  A fine job was done indeed.


Next up - the shops and Hogsmeade - and yes, it will include Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice!





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