About Beeb Ashcroft

I'm a British expat living on the north Oregon coast with my fiancé, Jai. Journalist since 1997 & blogger since 2008, this is my personal blog where I share my life adventures & favorite things!

Harry Potter Stars at Red Carpet Preview of Diagon Alley

Posted on June 19, 2014 at 6:47 am by Beeb Ashcroft

On June 18, 2014, Harry Potter film stars including Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) and others attended an exclusive preview of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Ð Diagon Alley at Universal Orlando Resort.

Yesterday, several of the stars of Harry Potter stopped by The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park for the red carpet preview of Diagon Alley – check out these fun pics! You can click on the images to view them full-size.

On June 18, 2014, Harry Potter film stars including Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) and others attended an exclusive preview of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley at Universal Orlando Resort.

Arriving on a red carpet that stretched from King’s Cross Station to the picturesque ‘London,’ the cast celebrated the announcement of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’s grand opening date – recently revealed to be July 8, 2014. Robbie Coltrane led event attendees inside the land by ceremoniously tapping the bricks of Diagon Alley – just like Rubeus Hagrid did in the Harry Potter books and films.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley will bring even more of Harry Potter’s adventures to life. The new area will double the size of the sweeping land already found at Universal Orlando, expanding the spectacularly themed environment across both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Guests will pass through London and the iconic brick wall archway into Diagon Alley – a bustling, wizarding hub within a Muggle city. Inside the land, guests will enjoy themed shops, dining experiences and the groundbreaking thrill ride – Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.

Diagon Alley to Open July 8th!

Posted on June 18, 2014 at 8:48 am by Beeb Ashcroft

I’m excited to let you know that Diagon Alley will be having its grand opening at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter on July 8th! To get you even more excited, here are some brand new photos:

Click on the thumbnails to view full-size.

Wordless Wednesday: Capitol Records

Posted on June 18, 2014 at 6:00 am by Beeb Ashcroft

Harry Potter News: Webcasts This Week + Interactive Wands

Posted on June 17, 2014 at 9:41 am by Beeb Ashcroft

There are three different Diagon Alley webcasts this week that Harry Potter fans won’t want to miss, available online at UniversalOrlando.com/DAwebcasts. Here’s the schedule:

Wednesday, June 18 at 8 p.m. ~ The Diagon Alley Red Carpet Event

Enjoy interviews with some of your favorite Harry Potter film stars as they arrive for the exclusive red carpet preview event for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley.

Thursday, June 19 at 12 p.m. ~ All Aboard: A Journey on the Hogwarts Express with Oliver and James Phelps

Join James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter films) as they take you on a journey aboard the Hogwarts Express from Hogsmeade station to King’s Cross Station.

Friday, June 20 at 12 p.m. ~ Behind the Bricks: A Tour of Diagon Alley with Tom Felton and Matthew Lewis

Get a virtual tour of some of the most iconic places within The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley with your hosts, Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films), Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter films) and Alan Gilmore (Art Director for the Harry Potter films and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter).

Another fun announcement today relates to a new interactive experience at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Interactive wands that you can take through the park to perform “Spells”! Just take the map that comes with your wand to find the “Magic” spots throughout both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. Click here for more details and a video of the wands in action!

Straight Talk on Blogging – and Teeth?!

Posted on June 13, 2014 at 6:00 am by Beeb Ashcroft

This is a sponsored post.

Recently, I attended a “Mini Bloggy Boot Camp” presented by The SITS Girls. I’d heard high praise for their events from several colleagues, so I made a special trip to Seattle so that I could attend this workshop. I wasn’t disappointed: Tiffany and Francesca gave informative presentations on everything from “Facebook Math” to blog design. Having a day to step away from the computer and brainstorm was really helpful for me; I left feeling re-inspired and invigorated to complete several big projects once I returned, including a complete overhaul of my portfolio and migrating the Bloggers Britain community to Google+.

I also left feeling re-inspired about a rather different topic: My teeth. This Bloggy Boot Camp event was hosted courtesy of Invisalign, who were on hand to tell us a little about their unique form of nearly invisible braces. In the last year or so, I’ve been seriously considering getting braces, as I never had them as a teen and would love to have straight teeth. However, I got turned off after doing a little research into traditional braces and finding out that it can greatly restrict what you can eat and even how you floss. Uh, no thanks! That sounded like a huge pain, and I assumed all tooth straightening methods must work the same way, so I dismissed the idea of getting braces and figured I’d just live with my crooked smile.

Always smile, it makes people think you are up to something.

But when I got to this event and saw the spread of food at our table, I realized I was wrong: Invisalign purposely put snacks like popcorn, pretzels and nuts at our table to make the point that there are no food restrictions with Invisalign. Unlike regular braces, Invisalign is a removable aligner that you take out while eating and brushing your teeth. All of a sudden, my ears perked right up and I began to reconsider my “Forget braces” stance!

Apparently, I was wrong about a lot of things when it comes to Invisalign. I also thought that treatment could take a long time, but I learned that the average treatment time for an adult is one year, depending on the condition of your teeth upon starting. For those starting the tooth straightening journey a little younger than I am – ahem! – there is the specially developed Invisalign Teen, making this treatment available to teens and pre-teens as well as old fogies such as myself. 😉

To help set the record straight, Invisalign also produced this infographic with more information on the treatment process. And that brings us to the next myth: That Invisalign and Invisalign Teen are a more expensive option for patients (And their parents!) than regular metal braces. As it turns out, the price for treatment is generally comparable to traditional methods and is also covered by many dental insurance plans. To determine the cost of braces with insurance, you can utilize the virtual cost calculator on the Invisalign Website.

Aside from price, why would a parent choose Invisalign Teen for their child? Well, stop for a moment and remember your own teen years. If having the option for clear, unobtrusive treatment is a relief to me at 30, just imagine how much of a relief it is to teenagers who already have more than enough to feel self-conscious about on a daily basis. Teens can take the smile assessment online to get more information about what treatment could potentially do for them. Millennials can also learn more by following Invisalign on Twitter and Facebook!

Are you considering braces for your children (Or yourself)?

Wordless Wednesday: Hollywood & Vine

Posted on June 11, 2014 at 6:00 am by Beeb Ashcroft

Alan Partridge DVD Review

Posted on June 10, 2014 at 6:00 am by Beeb Ashcroft

Screener copy provided for review. This post contains my Amazon associates link.

When I received an email letting me know that there was a feature-length Alan Partridge movie coming out, I knew I had to check it out. Alan Partridge is a fictional character that has been portrayed by Steve Coogan in a number of comedy shows on British TV over the years. Partridge’s character is an obnoxious, egotistical and incompetent DJ and TV host whose misadventures have always been funny to watch. The last time I personally saw the character was in re-runs of a series that aired some time ago – Alan Partridge made his initial debut in the 1990s – so I was glad to hear of a new spin-off and wanted to check it out.

In the eponymous Alan Partridge, we see Partridge in the present day working for the radio station North Norfolk Digital. As the station gets taken over by corporate interests, there is a shake-up that leads to the firing of fellow DJ Pat (Portrayed by Colm Meaney), thanks mostly to Alan throwing him under the bus. Pat decides to get his revenge by taking the radio station hostage, putting Alan in the position of being the negotiator between Pat and the police…and you can just imagine how well that all goes.

I found the humor in this movie feature to be a bit different that what I was used to previously from the character. Since this was a film rather than TV, it seemed they were “Going big” with a lot more over-the-top humor and unsubtle gags. I thought there was promise for Alan facing off against the equally-smarmy young DJ who joins North Norfolk Digital, but the film mostly focused on the “action” storyline with the hostage situation at the station, which ran too long and fell flat for me personally. I’m still an Alan Partridge fan, but I felt like the talented cast was under-utilized in this outing.

Alan Partridge comes out today, June 10th, and is available on Amazon – click here for more details.

Harry Potter Stars Have Fun at Diagon Alley

Posted on June 5, 2014 at 5:50 pm by Beeb Ashcroft

James Phelps, Oliver Phelps and Bonnie Wright

Harry Potter stars Oliver Phelps, Bonnie Wright and James Phelps got to have a fun tour of Diagon Alley at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter today – click on the thumbnails below to view images from their visit:

Today, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps and Bonnie Wright from the popular Harry Potter film series enjoyed a sneak peek of the highly anticipated, spectacularly themed environment, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida.

The actors – who portrayed siblings Fred, George and Ginny Weasley in the films – toured the new land with Thierry Coup, Senior Vice President of Universal Creative, and Alan Gilmore, Art Director of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and the Harry Potter films. During their visit, they:

· Took the journey between Hogsmeade Station and King’s Cross Station aboard the Hogwarts Express

· Stepped inside memorable shops within Diagon Alley, including the Weasley twins’ very own shop – Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes

· Encountered goblins at work in the ornate marble hall of Gringotts bank

· Sampled the world’s only Butterbeer ice-cream at Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour

· Dined on traditional British fare at Leaky Cauldron

· And more

Opening this summer, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley will bring even more of Harry Potter’s adventures to life. Inside the land, guests will enjoy themed shops, dining experiences and the groundbreaking thrill ride – Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. The new area will double the size of the sweeping land already found at Universal Orlando, expanding the spectacularly themed environment across both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.

Casual Fashion From ApparelnBags

Posted on June 5, 2014 at 1:16 pm by Beeb Ashcroft

Pants provided for review.

I don’t really own a lot of casual clothes – I’m either dressed to the nines, or in my pajamas. Because I have a home office, I will readily admit that I work in my pajamas a great deal of the time – it is one of the perks of self-employment that I choose to take advantage of. Besides, “Home office” means that work never ends, so if I have to work on a project in my office at 11 PM, I think I’ve earned the comfort of pajamas. 😉

At any rate, I’m always on the lookout for pajama pants that are comfortable and not too frumpy. So when ApparelnBags.com reached out to me for a product review, I thought this would be a great time to add to my cozy pant collection. My goal was to find a basic, comfortable pair of plain black PJ or sweatpants. I found scores of activewear and yoga pants in their women’s clothing section, and browsed through several different styles. Some of the sizes seemed to run small, but it totally varies by brand – I appreciated that they put an actual sizing chart in inches with most of their pants, which made it easy to know which pants would fit or not.

I settled on this pair of Gildan Ladies Open Bottom Pant in size large:

The pants fit exactly as the sizing chart said which was awesome! It can be hard to get pants that fit right, especially ordering online. The material is thick and seems quite durable – they are comfortable and very warm, so they’ll be best suited to colder months.

I guess I can’t say that I don’t have any casual outfits anymore, since I paired this with a pink top and it was pretty cute – the perfect thing to wear for a relaxing night in with close friends!

The only bummer is that I seem to have inadvertently shrunk these pants – the tag says they can be machine washed on warm, but I think I might have messed up and thrown them in a load of hot water with towels, because they seemed smaller last time I put them on. Duh!

ApparelnBags have all kinds of activewear, PJs, outerwear, and accessories, and I’d happily browse their store again. You can visit them at ApparelnBags.com, and become a fan on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Interactive Experiences Coming to Diagon Alley

Posted on June 4, 2014 at 2:21 pm by Beeb Ashcroft

Puppets? Music? Goblin bankers? All of this and more is coming to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley expansion:

ORLANDO, Fla. (June 4, 2014) – Imagine wandering up the cobbled street of Diagon Alley, turning into nearby Carkitt Market, and enjoying a live performance by one of the wizarding world’s most popular singing sensations or seeing stories from The Tales of Beedle the Bard come to life right before your eyes.

Today, Universal Orlando Resort revealed the exciting details behind the unique entertainment and interactive experiences that will debut as part of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, the all-new, magnificently themed land opening this summer at Universal Studios Florida.

While exploring the streets of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, guests will be able to enjoy the following shows:

· The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a new stage show taking place within Carkitt Market, a covered, outdoor shopping area inspired by London’s famous markets. The show will feature a troupe of four from the Wizarding Academy of Dramatic Arts who have set up to perform a trunk show using stylized scenic pieces, props and puppetry fabricated by Emmy-award-winning designer Michael Curry. Curry is best known as the production designer on projects including the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony and the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show.

The performers will retell two of the famed tales of Beedle the Bard, a 15th-century author of wizarding fairytales. The show will feature “The Fountain of Fair Fortune”, in which three witches and a knight meet in their attempt to reach the Fountain in an enchanted garden, and “The Tale of the Three Brothers” – featured in the seventh film “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” – in which three wizard brothers come face to face with Death.

· The Singing Sorceress: Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees, a musical performance featuring the ever-popular singing sensation of the wizarding world, known from the books as Molly Weasley’s favorite singer, who she listens to on the Wizarding Wireless Network. The swinging show will feature never-before heard songs including, “A Cauldron Full Of Hot, Strong Love,” “You Stole My Cauldron But You Can’t Have My Heart” and “You Charmed The Heart Right Out Of Me”. These titles were all created by J.K. Rowling and the lyrics also include never-before-revealed information on Celestina’s wand from Pottermore.

There will also be various interactive opportunities for guests to enjoy while visiting London and Diagon Alley:

· The Knight Bus, which provides emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard in the Harry Potter books and films, is located in the London area of the new land. Guests will be able to meet and chat with the Knight Bus Conductor, and witness his rapport with the shrunken head hanging from the rear-view mirror. The iconic three-story, purple Knight Bus was inspired by its first appearance in the third film, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.”

· Gringotts Money Exchange, a place where guests will be able to interact with a Gringotts bank goblin and exchange their Muggle currency for Wizarding Bank Notes. These bank notes can be used within both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade (and throughout the rest of Universal’s two theme parks) to purchase snacks and items from the shops.

· Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC, one of the wizarding world’s premier wand shops. Visitors to Ollivanders will step into the small, dusty shop and experience “a wand choosing a wizard” firsthand, reminiscent of one of the most iconic scenes from the Harry Potter books and films. This interactive experience is also available at Ollivanders in Hogsmeade at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

“Bringing The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley to life has allowed our team to create show content and experiences that will take guests further into the fiction than ever before,” says Michael Aiello, Creative Development Director for Universal Orlando’s Entertainment team. “Nowhere else in the world will guests be able to enjoy these unique experiences – from watching a stage show based on the popular wizarding stories from “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” to enjoying the music of Celestina Warbeck, a character from the fiction.”

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