Lumos in Vegas

I was in Vegas from July 27 to July 30 attending the Lumos (Harry Potter) conference. It was fun, entertaining, and even educational. Imagine 1200 adults letting their imaginations run wild about all things Harry Potter. There were many people wearing witch and wizard robes and hats. Some attendees dressed in costumes of specific characters (such as Snape, Draco, and Harry) and some wore costumes representing specific Houses or sports (Quidditch) from the novels. There was even one attendee dressed as Fawkes, the Phoenix. Needless to say, there was much wand waving and even some Butterbeer.

In addition to being an avid Harry Potter fan. I also an herb gardener. I love to grow, study and use herbs. So, I did a presentation at the conference on the The Herbs of Harry Potter. (Link to a copy of my presentation in PDF format.) And, if you would like to see some pictures from the conference click here.

I also participated in the Poster Sessions with a poster entitled: Nicholas Flamel: Is He Still Alive? I conducted a poll to see if people thought the real Nicholas Flamel had created the Elixir of Life and was still alive. The vote was close, but by a slight majority the voters though Nicholas was RIP (resting in peace).

Montreal is Charming

This time the destination was Montreal. I flew in on Monday, April 10, and out on Friday, April 14. Again, this was a business trip, but I still got to see a little bit of Montreal. A charming old city with wonderful restaurants and shops.

I also stumbled on to the gallery in Old Montreal that carries the work of Charlotte Nicolin and feel in love the dramatic colors she employs in her paintings of nature and marine life. You just feel happy looking at her work. I didn't buy an original work, but I did buy a print of one of her frog pieces.

New Years Eve in Paris

Tina, my daughter, and I left for Paris on December 27, 2005. We had a wonderful time. It was a bit chilly, but we seldom had to stand in line at museum or other venues in line because this is not the heavy tourist season. It was a truly memorable vacation and my first trip to Europe. I loved the food, the museums, the people, and the sights. We returned to Indy on January 3. I definitely want to go again.