WARNER BROS STUDIO TOUR- THE MAKING OF HARRY POTTER

I love Harry Potter (the movies anyway) so today was a big day for me because I got to go to the Warner Brothers Studio in Watford, London and go on a tour of the studio!

As soon as I heard that you could take a tour of the Harry Potter Studio I was dying to go. I originally planned to go last week but the tickets sold out so quickly. In order to go today (Thursday) I had to book my ticket a week in advance!

If you are a die hard Harry Potter fan or even if you just enjoy the movies this is something you HAVE to go experience. The sets are absolutely phenomenal (mind blowing) and there are so many props. It was so fascinating to see how the movies came together. When the movies were first coming out I was frustrated with how spread out they were but today it all made sense. So much time and heartfelt effort went into transforming J.K. Rowling's story from print to the big screen.

I thought I'd share a few pictures from my studio adventure (not all 200 don't worry) so you can see how cool everything was instead of me just blabbing on about it.

First things first....The Cupboard Under the Stairs aka Harry's bedroom! We were able to view this gem while waiting in line for the tour to start.

Next stop...The Great Hall. This set is super iconic and it was so surreal to be in there. The set was a lot smaller than I pictured it to be but it was amazing none the less. The tour guide told us this was one of the sets that they spent a lot of money on because they knew that it would have to last. The floor of the Great Hall was made of actual stone because if it wasn't the set would not have held up over the years. The Great Hall also showcased the outfits of each house as well as some of the costumes of the very popular characters, you might know them as Professor Snape, Hagrid, Professor McGonagall. 

Hair and Makeup:

Selfie in the makeup mirror, why not?

Costume Design:

Harry's outfit from the last movie pre, during and post fight with Voldemort

Entrance Gates to Hogwarts:

Potions Classroom:

Dumbledore's Office:

Gryffindor Commons and bedrooms:

Muggle Statue:

Chamber of Secrets Entrance:

Green Screen Experience: This was really fun, we got to film a little video and then pose for a photo with the green screen. Of course we had to buy the pic!

Number 4 Privet Drive:

Diagon Alley: Now seeing this was a dream come true. When I watched Harry Potter and the Sourcer's Stone I thought that Diagon Alley was so cool and wished I could do my school shopping there.

Quidditch:

Hagrid's House:

Butter Beer: Butter Beer is soo good, it taste just like butterscotch candy! Other than at the studio Butter Beer is only sold one other place in the world (Orlando, Florida..Harry Potter World).

Night Bus: Alll abroad!!!

Chess Pieces: Who can forget the massive chess pieces that were featured in the movie? So cool.

Hogwarts: This was by far my favorite part of the tour (with exception to the Butter Beer). The model of Hogwarts was absolutely amazing the lights on it even change every few minutes so you can experience it at every point of the day. It is truly incredible how they were able to make Hogwarts come to life!

Then there was the gift shop (I was good I escaped without spending a dime) they had Harry Potter gear and also the candy that was featured in the movie like the chocolate frog and every flavor beans!

Thats a wrap for my day at Hogwarts, I was able to see the sets and experience the magic that ten years of filming at the studio held. I'll leave you with a quote from J.K. Rowling herself:

 -AMV

HUMMUS BROS

For the past few weeks I've been hearing everyone talk non stop about Hummus Bros and how it's a great lunch spot. So, after class today I treated myself to lunch because I wanted to see what the hype was all about. Let's just say that this spot is super popular, it had a line out the door (even in the pouring rain). When I finally got to the front of the line I was able to see their menu which offered so many different choices (similar to Chipotle).

I opted for the vegetable hummus. Each meal is served on a base of plain hummus and then they put chicken, beef, vegetables on top depending on what you order. They serve each order with a side of 2 pitas which makes for a very filling meal. In addition to my hummus I also got a mint ginger lemonade and it was super refreshing. 

 I will deff be back again (considering its 5 steps from where I have class) and highly recommend you give it a try!

-AMV

NIDO-KING'S CROSS (STUDENT LIVING)

I know this post is way over due but better late than never…

I’m gonna give you an up close and personal tour of where I’m living. I’m living in a student housing facility called Nido (located in King’s Cross). 

Nido King’s Cross is in a great location, its only 5 minutes from the tube which makes London super accessible (especially when you have an oyster card which is just like a metro card)! In addition to King’s Cross Station, Nido is also right next to St Pancras Station. St Pancras connects to the rest of Britain as well as France and Belgium, which is going to make traveling a breeze!

So, let’s take a peek at what I’m working with…my room! My room is designed for 2 people (me and my lovely roommate Tiffany) and is located on the seventh floor. The room came fully furnished, and has a bathroom. Nido also provided us with a microwave in our room as well as plates and utensils. The size of the room is a little smaller than what I am accustomed to but after a couple of days I adjusted. The size of the bathroom however, is still a daily struggle.

 

 

                 

I was able to snag the bed right next to the window, which has an awesome view of the city!

While we were fortunate enough to get our own bathroom we have to share a kitchen with the rest of the seventh floor. Each of us has our own cabinet where we can store our food and we also have a cabinet within the refrigerator, each has a lock. The freezer however is communal, so you run the risk of someone snagging your stuff. I must admit sharing a kitchen with about 14 other people is a lot to handle, but its really fun (there is always someone to talk to). The only down side that I can think of is the fact that people do not know how to clean up after themselves and stack piles of dishes in the sink. To combat that problem, housekeeping cleans the kitchen on a daily basis but I’m pretty sure cleaning dishes is not in their job description.

Nido has tons of cool features and amenities. For starters there is free wifi throughout the building, which is amazing and surprisingly fast. They also provide entertainment. In the lobby of Nido they have a Wii, a pool table, ping-pong table and a foosball table! They also have a jukebox available so you can pick which songs play in the lobby. Hold on…theres more! The lobby also has a small café stand where you can buy a snack or coffee before you head out, there is also the mailroom as well as a few computers.

 200 Pentonvill Rd, London N1 9JP ;)

In addition to all the games in the lobby they also have a longue. The longue is 2 floors and also has a foosball and pool table. The longue is the perfect place to do homework because there are tables and couches as well as a café to grab a bite to eat.

Since food is so readily available within Nido as well as the rest of London, Nido has acknowledged this and offers their residents an onsite gym. The gym has a one-time entrance fee of 10 pounds. So far I’ve been to the gym three times (pathetic, I know) but it has great machines all of which are in working order. After your done working out you can head to the basement and do your laundry in the laundry room.

Wait…there’s more (hard to believe, I know). One of my favorite places in Nido is the movie room. Every Sunday at 8pm Nido hosts a movie night. The movie room is great; it’s filled with beanbag chairs and couches, what could be better?

 

For all the parents out there, the security of the building is top notch. There is 24/7 security as well as on site staff. In order to leave or enter the building you need to swipe your Nido card, which can be a pain when you’re in a rush.

Nido is known for being one of the top student accommodations in London and I see why. The staff has really covered everything to make living away from home easy and enjoyable. In addition to all the great accommodations, they offer free yoga/zumba class and have a table with free stuff on it (they work close with local vendors to get us discounts). They also have a monthly party on site so that everyone in the building can get to know each other; they post all the events for the month on a big calendar in the lobby.

             

Nido is neat-o!

For a better view click the link for a virtual tour!

http://www.nidostudentliving.com/locations/kings-cross/virtual-tour-gallery.aspx 

-AMV