Tag Archives: camping

Road Trip Day 7, 8 & 9 : Wizarding World of Harry Potter & Camping

Hogwarts! And those clouds! No filter on this one!

Hogwarts! And those clouds! No filter on this one!

So this is the last round of road trip pictures, I promise. I don’t want this to turn into my road trip blog, although it probably could. I want to live in these pictures forever. Anyway, I was most excited for was our trip to Universal Studios. I had been to Universal before, but not since they opened the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Butterbeer!

Butterbeer!

I am a huge HP fan. Like so big. I may or may not have pushed some kids out of the way just to get into the park faster. Hogwarts Express

The Wizarding World of HP is only part of the park, but really it’s the only part I cared about or took pictures of. The park designers are quite simply amazing and the park looks so similar to the movies. There are a ton of details and if it wasn’t 90 degrees and there weren’t an uncomfortable amount of people there, I’m sure I could have wandered around the World of HP all day.

Hogwarts!

The ride that is inside Hogwarts was definitely the highlight of the trip. It was a simulated ride, but you get to fly on a broom! Just waiting in line for the ride was pretty stunning. The line takes you through Hogwarts– there were talking pictures, Dumbledore’s office, the Herbology greenhouse and so much more.

The Sorting Hat!

The Sorting Hat!

I think I squealed when I saw the sorting hat.

Fawkes!

Fawkes!

Driving

But alas, I couldn’t stay in HP land forever. George had somehow convinced me to camp out with him at a chopper motorcycle fest. Not really my thing, but hey, he did take me to Harry Potter.

George blowing up the air mattress because he loves me :)

George blowing up the air mattress because he loves me 🙂

NC Mountains!

And the mountains of North Carolina are super pretty. I almost didn’t mind sleeping outside… almost.

I’m still waiting for my owl to tell me I was accepted at Hogwarts, but I’m happy to be home.

love,
melanie

Tips and Tricks for Campfire Cooking

Tips for campfire cookingWe’re pretty much cave people now. Livin’ in the woods, not brushing our hair, makin’ jerky. Before we start picking bugs off each other to eat, I thought I’d share tips on my new favorite, cave (wo)man way to cook– AN OPEN FLAME!

The thought of a large open flame near my beautiful home still scares me a bit. I usually make George actually start the fire, but I’m not afraid to saute and grill like I’m Bobby Flay once the flame dies down.

Here’s some of the best tips I’ve learned from our campfire adventures.

1. You don’t have to go camping to cook over a fire. Building a fire in your backyard (if it’s permitted) is even more fun because you don’t have to lug all that stuff around. Plus, if you are cooking something a little stinky, like fish, it doesn’t smell up your house!

2. Build your fire with dry, untreated wood. You’ll never get a fire started with wet wood and you definitely don’t want to build a cooking fire with chemically treated wood. Umm, gross.

3. Learn how to correctly build a fire. We’re partial to the pyramid or tenting method.

4. Don’t limit yourself! Campfire cooking doesn’t have to be all hotdogs and hamburgers. I’m all for a good greasy burger and some Heb Natties, but campfire cooking can also be adventurous! If you have a cast iron skillet, you can cook almost anything on a fire! Which brings me to the next tip…

5. Have the right equipment. You don’t need a lot of stuff to cook on a fire. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Cave men cooked with sticks. A lighter, a cast iron skillet and an old oven or grill grate works great. (Get it?!) It’s what we use! You can make almost anything in a cast iron skillet. I should be their spokesperson, I love ’em so much. I’d also recommend a heat-proof oven mit, like the Ove Glove. I thought that thing was an infomercial joke, but, man it works!

6. Remember the oil and spices! Throw some olive oil, salt, pepper, your favorite spice and a potato or protein into a tin foil envelope. And voila! You’ve got a hobo packet. Really, that’s what they’re called and it’s delicious.

Cooking on Campfire Coals

7. Be patient. Don’t try to cook when the flame is still high. Wait until the flame dies down, or wait until there are only coals or wood chips left. You can even cook directly on the coals or wood chips! (See photo above!)

8. Be safe. If you are ready to go to bed or leave the area, be sure to douse your fire with water. Fires can get out of control real quick and “only you can prevent forest fires.”

9. Keep it fun. Campfire cooking is all about fun. It always requires marshmallows and maybe a few beers.

Have you been campfire cooking? Got any tips? Let me know in the comments.

love,
melanie