47. HARRY POTTER THEME PARK

As you may, or may not know, after the boughs of lice and black eyes, and utter failures my week got exponentially greater, kind of like the positive side of a parabola. Shooting forward, on Friday my dream came true, or at least my eleven year old self was pacified—I finally made it to Hogwarts… in Universal Islands of Adventure that is. doesn't change that i waited up for my letter for three days in a row on my 11th birthday. :)

Tara, one of my closest friends and I, scooted through the park with high hopes, and almost everything was appeased. Our first stops were of course the magical & magnificent rides, on which sadly I couldn’t take pictures.
There was the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which was mainly, for all intensive purposes, was a highly entertaining mash-up of all that is HP in 3D roller coaster style (very similar to the Spiderman ride on marvel island). Inside Hogwarts, the roller coaster starts in the Great Hall, and many decorations of the castle are well represented, but you can discover those on your own. The entrance to this ride is featured above.
A hippogriff rollercoaster, built to pacify yougins and their easily-nauseated parents was a chill ride, and before our ride Tara and I made sure to show our respect in the art of a deep bow, how one must always approach the “proud creature”. Needless to say, the comparatively wimpy ride was only experienced once.

The last of the rollercoaster attractions was at one point the Fire and Ice dragons, if you have been to universal recently. With a newly acquired Harry Potter theme, they have fashioned the recognizable roller coaster into the second test of the tri-wizard cup by calling the former fire dragon a “Chinese fireball” and the water a “Hungarian horntail.” The entrance is even decorated accordingly: every detail is perfect. On the way to the tent (where the queue line is), there are posters commemorating each Triwizard champion, except, surprisingly, Cederic who owes his life to the competition.


other staples of the harry potter world are recreated as seen here:
Hagrid’s hut: where Hermione discusses the term “mud blood” in the first movie, and where ever after the trio find solace.

The Weasley’s infamous car: I don’t really thinks it needs much more of an introduction.


And that was only the rides, the attractions abound in Hogsmead really sealed the deal of wonderment.

Honeyduke’s: the sweet shop we all hold dearly in our hearts… or at least I do. I purchased some bertibott’s every flavor beans and a chocolate frog, complete with wizard card.


Zonko’s wasn’t nearly as great as I expected it to be, but hey how much un-charmed stuff can muggles really understand… or be allowed to buy for that matter? They did have an assortment of funny hats through; kind of reminded me of that rejected short, but we didn’t’ beat anyone, I promise ;).


Ollivander’s. Wow. It was set up as an attraction where 25 people shove into the cooler of a room after an hr long wait, and one person gets to find their wand. I’m just saying, you should go when the crowds die down a little bit… it will still be magical. And yes… I know you’re thinking it; I was picked to find my wand… or rather have the wand find me. It’s 5½ inches of willow with a unicorn hair core. I bought it, obviously. So go, I will not ruin the novelty of your experience

The Three Broomsticks: Yes! We ate lunch in the three broomsticks complete with butterbeers, so scumdidlyumptious. I won’t ruin that flavor for you either. The menu is rather traditional, and not at all vegetarian or vegan friendly… but hey what do you expect from a theme park? It was still wonderful. Sadly we didn’t eat in Hogshead, because it was rather crowded and a shrew of a lady kept barking at me for some reason or another. Nevermind that, still amazing!
Also featured is the Hogsmead train station, with train in station… grand.

SO for today, I fear that is all I can say about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, while allowing to let you see it for yourself…. I suggest you go.

I solemnly swear I am up to no good,
Valerie.

46.

I don't even know where to start. Well usually most people like to start on the low point and move higher so let's talk about what a fail the beginning of my summer was health wise:
1. lice: usually transmitted by the little dirt monkeys of the world (if you are not familiar with my vernacular... dirt monkeys=children in elementary school) yet as a 17 year old i got it for the first, and hopefully last time... knock on wood, obviously... So that happened to me a while ago. As of now I'm officially lice-free and ecstatic. While infected i had to wrap my head in mayonnaise, among other disgusting treatments. So, lesson of the day... you don't want lice.

2. black eye: while playing the innocent of field hockey... i got smashed in the face (while still lice infected) which is why i was in the hospital. I had to get a catscan and everything to make sure nothing was broken. Here's the progression of my eye:
day 1:

day 2:

day 3:

day 4:

day 5:

and then it got a lot better, so i stopped taking pictures of it. salt water does wonders in conjunction with time.

and since that's the bad... and only the bad, I'm going to post the two separately. mainly to talk about the HARRY POTTER THEME PARK.

trying desperately to organize my thoughts,
valerie. xoxo.

45.

Sorry i haven't posted in awhile, but it seems as through my family is a fraying sweater, and everything is falling apart. Two trips to the ER over the last two days, one nasty case of head lice, and no income has proven to be a catalyst to my families apparent demise. My mom's going now to the ER, so more later. and i have work... so thats fun.

44.

SO, i realize that my self-proclaimed anti-drug video was completely random and unprecedented, but as a self-proclaimed straight-edge, i hate to see youth in shambles, as it is in these videos. No one deserves to be an addict.

I'll update about my life later, i have to work.


Valerie.

public service announcement.

42.

"What will I do if there's someone there with you
Maybe someone you've always known
How do I know I can come and give to you
Love with no warning and find you alone"
Feist and Ben Gibbard give me hope.

Oh, BTW, not my photography, sorry about that, i just kind of find it beautiful. My photography will again be on this blog because I'm getting a new camera :) A sony cyber-shot, I know it's epic.

So i've realized a few things in the last few hours.
A. that my blog lately has been more of a string of subconcious thoughts then a post about anything relavent to life.
and
B. i have nothing "relevant" to write about. I was searching through "blogs of note" because i want to write something that people want to read, not the senseless ramblings about a teenage girl.

I few things stuck out in my mind; the four things that seem to be most important in my summer schedule besides work and field hockey: movies, books, fashion, and music. and obviously some pop culture, and then i thought so is every other teenage girl, especially a so-called "eccentric" and "trendy" one like myself.

Trendy playlist of the week:
Train Song-Ben Gibbard & Feist
The Compromise-The Format
Creep-Radiohead
Not Your Lover-Blitzen Trapper
That's All-Absent Elk
The Police and the Private-Metric


P.S. there's an acoustic music fest on Friday at my school and me and my friend Vivian are preforming one of my favorite sonfs of all time: The Ocean by the Bravery. I'm SO psyched. I'll totally post about it on Friday night/ Saturday afternoon-- maybe not i have graduation parties up the ***.


Congrats all,
Valerie.

41.

To me, today, it's officially summer. i finished my hardest final today, my ap calc bc final, and it was a slap to the face, but i'd prefer not to talk about it.
So I said i'd discuss books i read over the summer and the first i've finished is perks of being a wallflower. I finished it on sunday at work, and later that night i felt infinite. You're probably thinking : "Wow, Valerie, you probably were looking for that feeling after you read about it"
The truth is, when i was driving fast with my best friend Nicola in the summer night air, hollering in blind excitement and listening to the radio, i felt like i could live like that forever. I felt the way teenagers should feel: free and ready for anything, which i've never felt. Always cautious and good, i never was ready for what the future held, but now i think i am.
I'm not saying I'm not looking forward to college, because that would be a lie. I'm just scared for what fate has in store, which is completely separate from hard work and dedication. Fate can suck, i just hope that's not the card i draw.

So, i could probably write a whole ton more for perks, but frankly right now i don't feel like it. Maybe later i will.

xoxo, Valerie.