Bucket List

Destination: Florida
Total Miles: 1,410
Total Cost: $390



Definitely one of my more expensive weekend road trips, but worth every penny spent!

So...you're wondering what in the world did I do on Saturday that would classify this trip as meeting a Bucket List item? Three words for you:

Harry Potter World.

As nerdy as it may be, I am a Potter fan. There are definitely some qualifying statements that accompany this fact, including but not limited to: these are not books that children should be allowed to read-some high levels of discernment should be learned prior to reading these, and while I have read the books and seen the movies, I believe it something that should followed with some caution.

That being said:

After an awesome concert Friday, Heidi and I headed to Tampa to meet up with my friend, Joel (you can read about that in my previous post). We had supper and slept hard in preparation for Saturday's adventures.

Joel picked us up from the motel around 9 a.m., and we headed to Orlando to meet another fellow Alto II from choir. Her husband works for Universal Studios, and we were meeting up with them so they could give us some tips for the day.

After waiting in line to get tickets, we headed into the park...I was so excited!

We headed straight for Harry Potter World, and, let me tell you, when we stepped foot into Hogsmeade and the music started playing an opening sequence from a Potter soundtrack, it was like stepping into the village itself. We took in the sights and sounds as we headed to Hogwarts for the first ride of the day.

Once inside the castle, we by-passed lines using the Single Rider. The ride
was awesome! We saw the Sorting Hat and followed Harry, Ron and Hermoine on an adventure.

After that, we meandered the parks, riding rides and eating at eateries.

The butterbeer was excellent! Kind of like a cream soda with delicious foam on top.




We did lots of waiting in lines for rides, but we had a blast catching up and people-watching.

Joel and Heidi were good sports and put up with my excitement over, well, everything.

I honestly don't think I can explain everything, so I'm posting pictures at the bottom of this post with captions. Hopefully, you will forgive my lack of words and enjoy seeing some of the fun we had.

Before heading back, we stopped at Honeydukes, a candy shop in Hogsmeade. I bought a chocolate frog while Joel purchased some Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans for us to try. We all took turns guessing the flavours...and when they say every flavour, they're not kidding. Joel got one that filled up the entire vehicle with the smell of dirt on the way back to Tampa.

Sunday, we lost an hour of sleep because of Daylight Savings, but Heidi and I hit the road in fashion with a breakfast stop at Starbucks.

We also took a side trip to my Guidinger grandparents' house in Greenville, Florida and partook of a delicious Sunday lunch. It was so good to see them and spend a little bit of time with them before heading back to Greenville, SC.

All in all, a wonderful trip. And worth every dollar!

Stay tuned for the Spring Break trip starting this Saturday.

Riding Buckbeak's Flight

Fish and Chips

Post Hulk Giggles

The Hulk

Fun Day

The moon over Hogwarts

Frozen Butterbeer

Chocolate Frogs!

The moon biding us goodnight as we leave

Welcome to Choir Con

Destination: Florida
Total Miles: TBA (it is adding up!!)
Total Cost: TBA (also adding up...)

The American Choral Directors Association Southern Division conference is difficult to explain to people who do not care about choir. One of our Rivertree Singers explained it to the hairdresser that it the conference is like Comic Con for choirs. Thus the name "Choir Con" was born.

Singing in front of such an intelligent audience who have probably heard half the songs we performed is a little daunting to say the least.


But sing we did.

And it was amazing.

As the last applause died and we exited the stage, our nerves and adrenaline gave way to laughter and excited chatter.

Please visit our website, www.rivertreesingers.com/‎, listen to some of our Jubilate Deo-written by one of our members, and Kyrie).

music, and purchase a cd of our works. You can also watch us perform two of our songs from this Spring Season on YouTube (

After gathering our things, giving some more hugs, Heidi and I headed to warmer weather in Tampa.

With a perfunctory stop at Starbucks...of course!

Before finding a hotel just outside of Tampa, we met up with my nursing school friend, Joel Porch, for a delicious late dinner at Crazy Cafe. Sushi was the name of the game, and we enjoyed some delicious sushi (I got a Butterfly roll, but my favorite was Joel's sweet potato sushi). Like all good friends, we spent a couple hours catching up on life.

Heidi and I spent another hour or so talking once we got settled into a hotel room, and then we slept like rocks in preparation for today.

Universal Studios...here we come!

At Long Last

After taking a sabbatical from blogging for sundry reasons (grad school, et al.), I am back!

Temporarily.

For a couple weeks out of the year, after midterms and mid-semester projects have been turned in, it is time to enjoy those rare road trip opportunities that I seldom have time for any more. But then, of course, reality comes back, and classes commence.

And I am ready to get away from this cyclical and crazy cold weather we have had this winter!

However, as you may or may not know, grad school is just about two months away from completion...and then: the adventures begin anew!

New job, new faces, new schedule, new adventures.

So. Let us see if I can remember how this works.

Destination: Florida (and sun. and warmth.)
Total Miles: TBA (at the end of the trip)
Total Cost: TBA (probably one of my more expensive weekend trips)

What has prompted this road trip, you ask?

Rivertree Singers!

Our choir auditioned to sing at the American Choral Directors Association Southern Division. We were one of 77 choirs from across the Southern USA to audition. One of 17 chosen. One of only two from South Carolina.

And the ONLY community choir that made the cut.

We are singing a 25 minute concert in Jacksonville, FL with repertoire including works by Tomas Luis Victoria, Eric Whitacre, Dan Forrest, Moses Hogan, and two of my friends: Peter Anglea and John Hudson. And call time is in approximately two hours!

So, yesterday afternoon after a long day of classes, discussions,
projects, and 2.5 hours of sleep, I met up with my friends and coconspirators (fellow Alto II, Heidi Moore, and Tenor II, Will Robinson). While we were driving in two separate vehicles, we followed each other down to Jacksonville. We stopped at Denny's for dinner and got into Jacksonville around 10:30pm.

The hotel we are staying at is fairly snazzy...the Hyatt Regency, and it is a walk away from where we will be singing. It is also on the waterfront and provides some lovely views of which we took advantage of last night after checking into our rooms.

I'm very excited about singing...and about the remainder of the trip.

Did you honestly think I would come all the way to Florida and NOT go other places, see other people, and try some new things?!

:)

Apparently, I'm an enlightened traveler!