Know anyone who keeps a box of antique reproduction iron hardware around just in case he needs it? I have a box of salvaged mid-19th century iron nails too.
98% sure it’s going to be the big hinge.
O
The pantry is nearing completion; enough that I’m getting ready to build the doors. My drying rack arrived from the UK today!
I’m mulling over whether I want to go buy lumber right now. I’m tired, but if I do it now, I won’t have to go out tomorrow. Also, it’s raining. On the upside, the store would be slow. On the downside, I’d have to load lumber into the SUV in the rain. Plus I want to make some crème pastissiere and choux pastry. We’ll see. My tired back and cold toes will let me know soon.
Of course, like most things in this house, the pantry has taken much longer than anticipated. I’m used to it and fond of it. I’ve been known to build things purposely crooked so they can live in harmony with our slanting floors, crooked doorways, and cobwebs. So, everything takes a while. It’s a small price to pay for having the privilege of owning a 180+ year-old, super crooked Weasley cottage. =)
Out of curiosity, I just looked up a photo of Molly Weasley’s kitchen. I hadn’t realized it specifically, but that kitchen clearly sunk in and stuck in the back of my brain — it looks very much like what I am building right now. She even has my plate rack.
I spent another few days considering November vacation options, and the winner is … Universal Studios Orlando.
Maybe. I’m still deciding. One less vacation would pay for a lot of kitchen renovation. However —
Time to break with Walt Disney World. I’ve been going there for fifty years. I couldn’t count, but I have certainly been there well over 100 times, perhaps toward 200. Some may remember that I really enjoyed last year’s visit, but it would probably be my last.
O
Strangely, I’ve never been to Universal Orlando. With a large Harry Potter section of the park and many other film-themed immersive lands, you’d think I would’ve visited several times by now. My last visit to Disney World finally pushed me there — right across Interstate 4.
Walt Disney World has become increasingly annoying. New petty policies put in place, perks removed, now requiring specific park reservations on specific days (which can run out), et al. I’m sure there are others who find it much less oppressive. For me, I’m not looking for exhausting-and-incredibly-complicated.
If you’d really rather not know about it, skip the following section. =)
To see what you’d like to see, you now must now even schedule your ridesmonths in advance on the Disney app — up to three per day, scheduling more as you go, with your face in your phone all day. This means your phone will need charged at a theme park in the middle of things. You may arrange to skip long lines (for around $15 per line, per person), but you’ll need to get up early so you’re online and waiting when the system opens at seven that morning.
All of this is still not going to get you on the super-premium newer stuff (Star Wars, Pandora, Tron), which on top of everything, have their own complicated reservation, queuing, and boarding system per attraction. This all comes with price increase. The “value” hotels (along the lines of a Holiday Inn Suites) can be $200+ per night, and a basic park ticket up to $189 per day per person.
Famously, everything at the DW is connected by shuttle buses, boats, cable cars, monorails, etc. But even with all that transportation available, Disney World is gigantic, and 5 miles away from the next thing is still 5 miles away from the next thing.
So, across to Universal I defect.
Diagon Alley, Universal Orlando
O
Universal is by nature, more of a teen-to-adult thing than a little-kid thing. (Many attractions with height requirements add to that fact.) So, that changes the dynamic right away. I’m making an assumption here, but with a 42-inch height requirement on many rides, you’re not going to see a lot of toddlers and younger elementary-age kids.
It also seems that in many cases, Universal has purposely done the opposite of what people complain about at Disney World.
The Simpsons’ Springfield, Universal
O
Universal’s “lands” (Harry Potter, The Simpsons’ Springfield, Minions, Jurassic World, Super Nintendo, etc.) are just as heavily themed and complete, but they’re near to each other — not a lot of distance between them. All hotels are close, just walking distance rather than miles. Rental scooters are reserved, rather than take-your-chances. Purchasing the Express Pass (skip the line) option does exactly what it says on the box, and isn’t limited to only 3 per day.
Jurassic Park, Universal
O
So. I haven’t clicked the checkout button yet, but I have my hotel, tickets, and airfare in my cart.
A favorite place — Leadenhall Market — is just up the street. Since it (and other things I’ve taken photos of) appear in the Harry Potter films, I thought it would be fun to have a Harry Potter Post.
I was (am?) a big Potterhead. (Hufflepuff — I even have the socks!) I think I can talk about each of these things without doing too much Googling.
Australia House was used as the interior of Gringott’s.
The Millennium Bridge was smashed up by flying bad guys!
Lambeth Bridge is where the Night Bus got skinny.
Borough Market was used as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron in the later films.
Harry flies along the River Thames and over Tower Bridge in The Order of the Phoenix.
An enormous spiral staircase inside St. Pauls was used in The Prisoner of Azkaban.
And finally, this shopfront in Leadenhall Market was used as the entrance to The Leaky Cauldron in the early films. A photo from the film is below.
Sit Still Phill 