Organizing an Ideal City Break

At some point we'll be able to safely travel again. People are planning epic bucket-list trips for when that happens. People are saving money by not having so many options for eating out, going to movies, go to cons and concerts. Just because you can't travel now (well, you can, but it's not recommended and a lot of things are still shut down), doesn't mean you can't save up for that amazing trip you've been waiting to go on for forever. 

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When we think of holidays and getting away, we tend to think of typical summer holidays. We think of jetting off on a flight to a sunny and warm destination, where we can kick back and relax by a pool or on the beach. We think all inclusive hotels and resorts. But this isn’t the only getaway option. In fact, the popularity of city breaks is on the rise and increasing numbers of people are choosing to spend their vacation time in big cities they’ve never been to before. If you’re unfamiliar with city breaks, you may take a while to get used to the ins and outs of making them successful. To help you along the way, here are a few pieces of information that can help you to organize the best city break possible!

Making a To-Do List

First things first, you need to make a to-do list. Most city breaks have countless things to do. There are likely to be world famous sites you want to see, museums and art galleries you want to visit, well known restaurants you want to dine at, shows you want to watch and more. So, make a to-do list. This will help you to manage your time and prioritize what you really want to see and do while you’re away. If you're traveling with others, make sure you plan together.

Find Discounts and Plan Transportation

After I make my to-do list, I start searching around for discounts on entrance fees. I also figure out my itinerary, by clumping things that are near each other together and working out how we will get there and between things. There are lots of ways to save money on your trip this way.

Dropping Off Luggage

Often, we want to make the most of our time and want to cut out as many unnecessary steps while travelling as possible. This leads many people to keep a hold of their luggage when they get off their flight and head straight out into the city instead. Sure, this could save you a little time and some back and forth with going to the hotel and dropping your things off, but it can prove massively inconvenient and simply not worth it. Hauling luggage around a major city is going to be difficult. You’re going to take up more space and get in people’s way. You are also unlikely to be able to visit any major attractions with a suitcase or large bag in hand for security reasons. So, make sure to just drop your luggage off. If you’re just stopping in a city for the day and you don’t have a hotel or room to drop your luggage off, you can make use of luggage storage. Read luggage storage guides to find an option that works for you.

Booking Tickets and Making Reservations in Advance

Big cities tend to be busy and well known places tend to be in high demand. Make sure to book tickets or reservations for anything you want to do before you get there. This will help you to avoid disappointment or large queues.

As you can see, there’s a lot to think about when organizing a city break. This is just the start. Hopefully, some of the above information will help you to get the most out of your trip and have the best time possible!

Unique Ways for you to Try New Cuisine When Abroad

There really is nothing better than exploring a new cuisine when you are venturing around the world. Tasting the local delicacies is a very crucial part when it comes to you immersing yourself in culture. When you are in a new town, you need to make sure that you are always sampling the new cuisine and you also need to try and push yourself too.

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Food Markets

Food markets in major cities really are a great place for you to try new food. Food markets remain to be the best way for you to get back to basics as a traveller and it is also the most authentic way for you to shop and buy new food. When you visit the local food market, you will usually be taken to the epicentre of trade and you will also be able to visit some of the oldest corners of the city as well. So take a walk through, and make sure that you get plenty of pictures. When you do, you will soon find that you have the best time and that you are also able to make a scrapbook of all of your memories.

Eat with a Local

Getting together and sharing a meal goes back thousands of years. If you want to have the best experience, then there is nothing wrong with sitting down with the locals. Social dining for travellers is a modern way for you to experience very traditional cuisine. There are so many sites out there which connect you with hosts, and when you do, you will be able to taste home-cooked food unlike any other. The great thing about this is that the locals feel pride showcasing their cuisine and you can feel pride knowing that you are helping out others.

Food Trucks

The US has one of the most bustling food industries around. Food trucks are now the commonplace for events, markets, festivals and more. If you want to find a local food truck, then you should know that there are so many apps out there which are designed to help. You can take advantage of lobster, pizza and even burgers too. You can do this from whatever state you choose to visit. If you want, you can also visit an iconic steakhouse, like Cattlemen's Steakhouse.

Street Food

When you are roaming around a brand-new city and looking for something to eat, why not sample the local cuisine? When you do, you will soon find that you are able to have the best time and that you are also able to just sit back and relax. There are so many street vendors around who sell iconic dishes and there are often benches dotted around various areas too, so you can eat while you are on the go or you can choose to just sit back and take it all in. This is a fantastic way for you to have the best time and you would be surprised at how much fun and enjoyment it can provide you with.

When we can get back to traveling, we're going to want to support as much local and small businesses that we can in the destinations we go to. These are great ways to do that.

Happy Birthday, Harry Potter! Part 2

2020 has been a weird year, but that hasn't stopped us from trying to make the best of it and being creative with our plans. Every year we throw a big Harry Potter birthday party on the Saturday closest to July 31, and we were on track to do the same this year; but in April, I made the choice to switch up the theme and also move it online. It turned out to be a great idea.

If you missed my first post, go check it out now for decor photos. The theme this year was Dragon Pox Quarantine. We had a smaller group this year, but I wasn't sure if I should expect way more or way less than usual, since I was opening it up to my friends from all over, not just locals. It turns out that around 15 is a great number for an online party. We used Zoom as a platform, because we have a business account, and I could share my screen in order to play one of my games, but first, let's look at foods:

There's never been a party at my house without food. Even though we only had the two of us in actual attendance, I decided we should still have a feast. I brought out my bar cart and added some of my official Harry Potter licenses candy boxes, then some of my homemade Chocolate Frogs. I made a small batch of Butterbeer and Pumpkin Fizz.

Butterbeer recipe:

• 1 liter of cream soda
• 1/2 cup of butterscotch syrup
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
• 3 scoops of vanilla ice cream

Pumpkin Fizz recipe:

• 1 cup of canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1-2 tsp of cinnamon
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1/4 cup apricot preserves/jam
• 1 bottle of sparkling apple cider

On the top tier of my server:

• Pumpkin Pasties
• Recipe (makes approximately 10):
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup canned butternut squash <---I get both of these at Trader Joe's
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp allspice
• 1/4- 1/2 cup brown sugar (I taste this to make sure it's to my liking)
• 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
• refrigerated pie dough
• Cut out 4" rounds, add 2 tsp of filling to the middle, wet the outside edge, fold over, press closed. Bake for 12-15 mins at 350 degrees.
• Cauldron Cakes
• I looked for a recipe that didn't involve chocolate, because there are so many chocolate goodies in the Harry Potterverse. I use this recipe and just sub already made pie dough to save time.

Middle tier:

• Toad-in-a-hole - these are traditionally sausage in Yorkshire pudding. I shortcut this by using Lil Smokies and a can of crescent rolls. 
• Turmeric custard raspberry tart
• I liked the Gryffindor colors of this dessert, and I'm a lover of turmeric. 

Bottom tier:

• Chicken and leek hand pies
• I shortcut this and it was fail, but I've used this recipe in the past and they are delicious. I also highly recommend this recipe for winter squash and onion pies, especially for vegetarians.
• Licorice wands
• I make a ton of these each year. I generally find some weird flavors of licorice sticks, but this year I just used Red Vines, since they are my favorite. I dip them in Wilton Melts and add sprinkles. Super easy.

I wanted to stay on theme for myself, so I scoured Etsy for this lime green cape. It's vintage. I was also able to find a St. Mungo's patch, purchased a nurse headband, and here I am as a Healer from St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.  

Our newsfeeds are full of so much right now, and I ran with that for Eric's costume. He is a protester, hoping for equality in the Wizarding World. Here he is trying to get equal rights for Werewolves, better working conditions for House Elves (S.P.E.W. - Hermione's Society for the Promotion of Elfish Wellfare), the release of the Knight Bus conductor, Stan Shunpike, who was arrested and held by the Ministry, and a button to tell people to vote for Kingsley Shacklebolt for Minister.

We had several people go all out with their cosplay, even at home. Here's my friend Stephanie as a Dragon Pox victim. She also had a great face mask, a St. Mungo's water bottle, and played with a green lamp pointed at her face, so she had that gross green hue that Dragon Pox gives you. She was also the winner of our costume contest.

This is my friend Kara and her daughter Ellie. Kara is Gunhilda Gorsemoor, the inventor of the Dragon Pox vaccine, and Ellie is the actual potion. So creative! 

My co-worker, Cathi, made a beautiful Bellatrix LeStrange, complete with Dark Mark tattoo. She even added a grey streak to her hair. Wow!

You saw my sorting board in Part 1, but here we are sorting people. I allowed people to pick a number and underneath was a House mascot to let them know what House they were sorted into. 

Normally, my party runs 3 hours, but I didn't want people to get Zoom burnout, so I shortened it to 2, kept our games to 2 instead of 3-4, and also made sure we had some short breaks. This gave people a chance to run to the restroom, get a drink or snack, and for me to tally points. Our first game was black-out Harry Potter Bingo. I uploaded a blank card for people to print out, included a long list of words that could be used to fill in their squares, and this allows everyone to have a unique card. 

We've done this game before 3 years ago, and used other versions of it elsewhere. The trick is to give people about 3 times as many words as squares. I'd say to up that to 4 times if you're also going to do blackout like this, or you will end up with multiple bingos all near the end. No big deal though. Here's how I play with points: 1st bingo gets 50 points, 2nd gets 45 points, 3rd gets 40 points, and 4th gets 35 points. Because we were playing online, I loosened the rules and everyone who got one at the same time got to declare the same points. We had 3 people who won 3rd place and 4 who won 4th. 

My big game every year is trivia. Usually, people get into their House groups and get 30 minutes to answer as many of my N.E.W.T.-level questions as possible. Because we couldn't do that this year, I cut down my questions to 25, used AhaSlides to create a quiz that everyone could do on their phone. I followed up each question, which I gave 20 seconds each to answer, with the answer on the next slide. People kept their own scores, and when we were finished, I took everyone's score. I added each House's points together, but in order to make it fair, I divided by the number of people in the House, and then multiplied it by 4, since some Houses had 3 players and some had 4. This gave an average number of points.

Congrats to Ravenclaw this year!

I reused my House Point board from last year. This is made from magnetic sheets in the shape of hourglasses, then I laminated "gems" in House colors, so I can use dry erase markers on them to add point totals from games to their hourglass. It took me 5 years to figure out that this was better than making a new board each year, and I'm really pleased with it.

As always, Snape oversees this party, even though he's still disapproving of fun of all kinds. He still wears a party hat, because Harry requests it :) He's there to make sure everyone stays in line, or else he'll take points or give detention.

We also had our resident House Elf making a stew of some sort, as this party took place in the Great Hall. 

As always, we finished up the party with a request to add a memory to the Pensieve. I ask that people include what they liked about the party itself or what they love about Harry Potter in general. And then we awarded the House Cup to the team who had the most House Points, as well as a prize for best costume. I had people add their pictures to our FB event page for people to vote. House Cup winners will be getting a prize pack in the mail via Owl Post. (Because you gotta have prizes.) We also made some money for the Harry Potter Alliance, as we usually do, because my friends are amazing. 

So, while this wasn't quite as fun as it usually is in person, not having to clean my whole house, or set up table and decor outside in the 90 degree heat, or make food for 30-40 people, or create goody bags for everyone (which I love putting together) was much less stress. I now know that we can totally create other online parties for the rest of this year, especially for my birthday that is in December when it's too cold to do an outside, socially-distanced lawn party. I hope I gave you some fun ideas for your own parties and you enjoyed this walk-through. It's nice to have options

How are you trying to create fun ways to enjoy quarantine and safely party with your friends?