Harry Potter and my one year blogoversary

I've mentioned before that I only bake about once a year, well once a year has come! And I realized it's also just over a year since I started blogging (admittedly at a few of my favourite books, but still), on April 11, here. So partly in honour of that and because I love lemons, I couldn't resist buying some and then baking them into my only recipe for them -- lemon blueberry cupcakes. I wish I could share them with you, along with a nice cup of tea! (Chamomile lemon is what I've got in the photo and most of the time in general.)

I also got the latest Harry Potter dvd on the very day it came out (that would be today, my husband, dear man, got it for me this morning), as you can see, and have already watched it. I love how the relationship between the three main characters is developed and tested. I've also got some Trollope there, since I'm wanting a bit of a break from Lauren Willig's sugary spies. I do intend to finish the series, but spreading them out might be better. As much as I like things, I usually always have to take breaks from them. I loved seeing The Deathly Hallows in the theatre (twice), but since we were going to the theme park in February (hmm, maybe I'll post a few pictures of that today?), I stopped watching the movies or reading the books for a bit, just so I didn't get tired of them.

Right, so the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (it's in the Universal Studios theme park in Orlando, Florida) pictures and a giveaway I just remembered I could do!

My first stop in the magical village of Hogsmeade was the Owl Post because I had a postcard to send to Rachel of Book Snob and I'd heard I could actually mail letters there. Yes, you can, but maybe bring your own stamps, because theirs are expensive! Or just get them to stamp a few postcards with a fancy Hogsmeade owl postmark thing. I did both, more on that in a bit...

We also went to Honeydukes and got some sherbert lemons, Bertie Bott's every flavour jellybeans for my husband and a chocolate frog for me (complete with trading card! Of Salazar Slytherin.) Here's the inside of the shop:


And Zonko's joke shop is right next to it, full of remembralls and pygmy puffs.

There's also the rides -- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, a ride inside Hogwarts that digitially flies you around the Quidditch pitch and the castle grounds and seems very realistic, Harry, Ron and Hermoine fly with you too and when you land back at the castle, Dumbledore, the Weasley twins and everyone else clap for you, it was really fun (and slightly scary, there are spiders and Dementors too). The line up for this ride is great too, because it's through Hogwarts, so there's the talking portraits, Dumbledore's study, the sorting hat, I only wish I could have spent more time there instead of being rushed through because the line was moving fast! Then there's the Flight of the Hippogriff which we didn't go on because we felt a little woozy, although it is for parents and kids, so ought to have been ok. Foolishly at the last minute we went on the much more frightening rollercoaster, the Dragon Challenge. Sigh. There are two rollercoasters, in red (Chinese Fireball) or blue (Hungarian Horntail) and they almost collide and do all kinds of stomach churning things besides, giving me a very bad headache. Or that may have been dehydration plus one too many butterbeers!

But all in all it was a fabulous day and I felt quite lucky to be able to be there. (Thanks to my in-laws for the trip to Florida and the tickets to the park!) We had lunch at the Three Broomsticks, above, and below here are a few more pictures of Hogsmeade and Hogwarts:


So the giveaway is Harry Potter themed (perhaps that's no surprise by now?) -- I have five extra postcards from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (specially stamped and all) and if you'd like one, let me know. I'd prefer to give them to book bloggers or people who've commented on my blog in the past, but don't mind mailing anywhere, and I'll do a little draw thing say next week Friday, April 22 if more than five people want them. Sorry it's not books or something, but I can't really afford more than that! Thank you everyone who's read my blog over the past year and took the time to comment, it's been nice to get to know you all, and thanks for being supportive of my move to this new blog, I am enjoying myself more already and look forward to more fun blogging.

Comments

  1. Okay, I can't pretend to be a Harry Potter fan but I am definitely a lover of all things lemon and/or blueberry so that cupcake is looking pretty fantastic to me right now! And what pretty china you have it on!

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  2. Looks like you had a fabulous time away, and really, how could you not! Love the look of your new blog, it's very fresh, Carolyn. And I second Claire's opinion of your cupcake...you should bake more often!

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  3. Your new blog looks so pretty! Looks like yo had a great time in the wizarding world :) Also, I need to get baking again, cause I'm now craving cupcakes!! :D

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  4. I'm glad you had a good time at the HP park -- we went at Thanksgiving which was a huge mistake, it was unbelievably crowded. We never did get into Ollivander's but luckily were able to ride the Forbidden Journey three times. Flight of the Hippogriff was fun and painless, I did not even attempt the Dueling Dragons! And did you get a wand?

    BTW, I would love to be entered into the drawing for a postcard!

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  5. Happy Blogoversary! I'm so jealous you got to go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I've been hankering after a taste of butterbeer for quite a while now. LOL. :)

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  6. Claire, I could share the cupcake recipe if you're interested. I got the china from a great-aunt, I think it's a Royal Albert Forget-Me-Not pattern. I'm thrilled to finally have some of my own, for years I was looking wistfully at other people's china tea cups!

    Darlene, I knew you'd be happy I finally did some baking! :)

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  7. Thanks, Bina, it was a fantastic trip. And glad you've found my new blog. I was going to share the cupcake recipe but got distracted by Harry Potter, so I'll have to do another post on that.

    Karen, I didn't get a wand, they just seemed too expensive and everything there was so over-priced anyways. I would have liked to go on the Forbidden Journey ride a second (or third) time but my husband gets sick easily. I'll definitely send you a postcard! :)

    Darlyn, hi and thanks! I really liked the butterbeer, it was all fizzy and creamy. I even bought a butterbeer mug thing there and use it all the time. If you'd like I can send you a postcard too. :)

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  8. Happy blogoversary! Not only do those cupcakes look absolutely delicious, but your pictures of your trip to the Wizarding World make the place look like even more fun than I imagined. Now I just have to finish convincing my boyfriend to take us there for our anniversary. Thanks for a great update!

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  9. A very happy blogoversary. My first visit to your blog and I'd like to enter to win one for my son who adores HP.

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  10. It occurs to me that, so taken was I with the idea of a lemon and blueberry cupcake, I forgot to commend you on your blogoversary! I, perhaps selfishly, am so happy that you started blogging since it led to our friendship. Here's to many more years of happy blogging!

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  11. I'd forgotten that the new Harry Potter DVD is out, thanks for reminding me. The theme park looks fabulous.
    Joanne

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  12. Loved your account of the trip to Wizarding World, I'd like to take my family.

    Bought the dvd on the day it came out, I told everyone it was for my fifteen-year olds but I really wanted it too!

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  13. Happy Blogoversary! And many happy returns!

    I'm a fan of lemons and blueberries, so that sounds like a good choice of cake!

    What an exciting trip! It sounds like such fun! We have the new DVD, but haven't had a chance to watch it yet. We're desperate to see it as we didn't get to the cinema... I'd ask for a postcard, but don't want to put you to the expense of posting it to Scotland. Glad you had such a good time... Hugs...

    Penny

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  14. Hi wereadtoknow, thanks for coming by! I hope you do get to the HP theme park someday, I had a little gasp and almost cried when I saw it.

    Mystica, thanks and I'd be glad to send you a postcard. :)

    Thank you, Claire, that means a lot. I'm glad to have met you too.

    Joanne, nice to meet you and hope you enjoy the dvd!

    Nicola, I hope you get a chance to go to the theme park, it's a lot of fun. I've got my husband to watch the HP movies with me and he's read a few of the books too, so I guess he can say it's just for his wife, although I know he enjoys them too... Deathly Hallows shows the characters as much more mature than before, so I think it's good for adults too. :)

    Penny, I think I can handle the expense of sending a postcard to Scotland, your name is on the list! And it's so nice to see you again! Hope you can watch the movie soon, I really like it.

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  15. Happy Belated Bloggiversary!

    I love your new-look blog and adore the title. I look forward to visiting often at your new address :-)

    It looks like you had a fantastic time at HP World :-)

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  16. I know this is very very late but belated happy blogiversary! I feel a little sad that you left WordPress, but hey you're still around and the blog is looking really lovely! Ohh the Wizarding World!! Lucky!! :)

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