Encore! Encore! Why the Harry Potter Series Will Never Get Old

It seems like just yesterday I was waiting in line at Barnes & Noble, eagerly counting down to midnight with a lightning bolt tattooed on my forehead, a custom-made wand in hand, and a four-corner smile on my face.That’s right, I admit it. I was a Harry Potter nerd. I lived for the midnight release parties. Once that book got in my hands, I’d spend the following 48 hours holed up in a room reading the dictionary-sized novels non-stop....more

Harry Potter Cauldron Cakes

He had never had any money for candy with the Dursleys, and now that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as he could carry - but the woman didn't have Mars Bars. What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life.Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts....more

RIP Jack-O'-Lantern

As planned, we brought our enormous pumpkin to a friend's house for a carving party.  (Well, sort of as planned.  The party was kind of cancelled because one of the hostesses was in labor and most of the guests were sick, but we didn't know and showed up anyway, so the other hostess very graciously entertained us and w...more

The Food of Harry Potter: How to Make Drooble's Best Blowing Gum

Honeydukes was so crowded with Hogwarts students that no one looked twice at Harry. He edged among them, looking around, and suppressed a laugh as he imagined the look that would spread over Dudley’s piggy face if he could see where Harry was now....more

My boggart would be

I have been a Harry Potter freak for years, I remember many spells (sadly they never work) and dialogues....more

Harry Potter; Weasleys’ Dragon Roasted Nuts

If a miniature dragon in a wizarding vending machine was to roast nuts and pop them out to you, this is what the nuts would taste like....more
Now I want butterbeer and I'm all out of butterbeer supplies. - Karenmore

Starting My Harry Potter... Maybe

Today, as the sun was rising on my second day at my new job, I was sitting at the bar's marble countertop drinking a coffee and reading this month's Vogue. The lighting was dim, the atmosphere was serene. Not even the old hardwood floor creaked. I sat indian style, staring out the window, reveling in the sheer stillness of the moment. ...more


I seem to have accidentally taken a week off of blogging.  I got a bit burned out after all the posting last week, but there was a bigger issue going on.  Namely, it was a huge week  in my favorite club, the Harry Potter Knitting and Crochet House Cup on Ravelry.  The House Cup is a 3-month crafting competition among a few hundred students who are sorted into houses like in the Harry Potter books.  I have been playing since our fall term in 2010....more

In Praise of Gary Oldman

Everyone loves Gary Oldman, right? Whether he is playing a super-villain or ... a super-villain. There are so many great Oldman roles to choose from — from some high-ticket features to little-known gems. There are even a few that are appropriate to watch with the kiddies. Here are some of my favorite Oldman movies.Sid and Nancy (1986) — Oldman played the Sex Pistols' Sid Vicious and made him both a caricature and human at the same time.Nancy, "I hate my fuckin' life."...more
Sign me up for that movie marathon! Siriusly! ;-)more