Had a blast last night!  After running home from work, I took a quick nap and then changed into part of my costume.  I met up with Aaron and Terri in front of Rave, and we walked over to Red Robin for dinner.  Candace joined us about fifteen minutes later there, and we talked about books we have read, what we hoped to see in the movie, and our fandoms as introductions were made.  We headed back to the theater about 9:40pm, where I finished changing into Tonks.  We got in line about 9:55pm, and they let us in the doors about 10:15pm.  We spent the next hour playing Uno.  Mom arrived about 11:10pm and she joined in a game.  Rick stopped by around 11:40pm and said hello, and snagged a seat somewhere else in the theater.  The previews started right at 11:59pm, and the audience cheered when the movie began.

Here are Aaron, Terri and me in costume:



I enjoyed the movie a lot.  It is definitely at least my second-favorite, and may actually be my favorite now.  And I had no major quibbles with this one, just a few minor ones.  I think this is a first in the series for me!  LOL

Here are my comments, made in no particular order, just as I think of them.

( Spoilers below! )

Just six hours - wheeeeee!

I purchased my ticket for the 11:59pm showing tonight, and cannot wait!  Taking a nap here in a few minutes, then dinner at Red Robin at 8pm, then walking to the theater at 9:30 to get in line.  I already have the Uno cards, Tonks costume, and camera ready to go.

I have posted some items on eBay for sale.  Featured are several women's plus-size (22W) costumes - a velvet tunic, a Susan Coronation gown, a Death Eater costume, plus some accessories.  I also have a few Hallmark collectible ornaments, a couple of books, an SLR film camera, and a complete set of Season 7 of Deep Space Nine on DVD.

Here are my current ebay listings - my user name is andaxiamoonstar:

http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/andaxiamoonstar_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_ipgZ

I also have three swords that I am selling that are not on ebay yet.  If you will be at DragonCon, I can give the sword to you personally there and there will be no shipping.  If I get no takers in a couple of weeks, I will put them up on eBay after researching shipping costs and put a new post up here.  Paypal only please.  You can see the swords here:

http://andaxiamoonstar.livejournal.com/32769.html

E-mail me with any questions - quillpen47 at yahoo dot com.

OK, all of you who are fellow costumers or know fellow costumers - i need your help in finding these items!  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, and if I see you in the near future, I owe you a drink!


-2 stage light gels - lightweight - one a light pinkish-purple color, the other a sky blue or robin's egg blue color

- Mini lights:  individual (not on a string); LED preferred but not required; battery powered (doesn't matter if it is replaceable); looking for something no bigger than a thumbnail or not much bigger - a co-worker mentioned that she saw blinking ones that were very small and attached via magnets, but couldn't remember where

-Plus-size light blue leggings or tights - opaque

-Items for Luna (below - click to enlarge): a pattern for the coat; fabric for the coat; fabric for the skirt; fabric for the bag (I have patterns already for the skirt and bag).

-

-Pattern for a jacket similar to these - I will be modifying it to make it a little more feminine, but this is the general idea of what I want.  Open at the bottom (optional button closure) with lapels that meet around the chest area.

        



Also, what is a good undergarment to wear under a can-can skirt?  I don't want anything bulky or hot.  Please offer recommendations and good patterns to use.

Thanks again!!

The rest of the Gettysburg pictures (and no, these aren't even half of the ones I took)!


( More Gettysburg pix!! )

We woke up, eating breakfast at the hotel.  After loading up the car, we returned to the battlefield for about three more hours, starting where we left off just north of Little Round Top and continuing through the rest of the Union side.  We left about 3pm and drove an hour northeast to Elizabethtown to visit my cousin.  Mom was staying at a bed-and-breakfast, so she checked into her room, only to discover that the toilet would not flush and there was not a phone in her room.  Stephanie met us at the B&B, and we waited for Mom to get ahold of the housekeeper to remedy these two problems. 

After that, we headed into Lancaster and had dinner at Applebee's.  She works as a light operator at a Christian theater called Sight and Sound, and was able to get us free tickets.  Even though I am not Christian, I enjoy the stories and this theater is amazing - seven stories tall, with sets reaching four stories tall, advanced special effects, and the stage reaching around on both sides. They incorporate live animals of all types, flying tricks, and items hanging above the audience.  The show we saw was called "In the Beginning," and told the story of Creation, Adam and Eve, and Cain and Abel.  Truly stupendous.  After the show, she took us backstage and explained how the sets and effects worked.  We then returned to the B&B and dropped off Mom, and then the two of us went to her apartment, where we got caught up and showed off pictures.

I didn't get any pictures of the theater, because I forgot to grab my camera.  The Gettysburg pictures from this day are being split into two posts, because of the number of them.


( Gettysburg pix! )

-Road trip posts WILL be completed (only 2 /2 days to do!) but it has been taking forever to upload the last Gettysburg pictures via dial-up.

-Made Toll House chocolate chip cookies on Sunday - nothing beats a warm c. chip cookie with a cold glass of milk.

-Rediscovered my love of malted milkshakes - hooray for blenders!

-Thought there was a bat fluttering around in my room, but just turned out to be a moth trapped behind a poster hanging on the wall.

-Finished the Inkheart trilogy and a few manga last month, and just started the third book in the Horsemistress Saga by Toby Bishop.

-Enjoying the cooler temperatures - 90's are just ugh.

-I really need to start working on D-Con costumes, but haven't been super-motivated.  But considering I am quickly running out of time, I better find my sewing mojo very soon.

After a nice and relaxing breakfast at Perkins (where I had a waffle with strawberries) we headed over to the battlefield to see the new Visitors' Center, that just opened last year.  What a huge change from the old one!  We had been to Gettysburg eight years ago, and I could immediately tell a lot had changed, for the better.  The new center is in a different location and features a much larger museum section, a wonderful bookstore and gift shop, and most importantly, the newly restored Gettysburg Cyclorama painting, created in the late 1800's and fully restored to its glory.  Over 300 feet long and 30 feet high, the painting takes you into the center of the High Water Mark of Pickett's Charge on the last day of the battle.  I had seen the painting before, but the restoration was simply breathtaking - the colors and figures just pop off the canvas.

We spent all afternoon at the center, and then headed into town to eat at the Farnsworth Inn, a bed-and-breakfast we had stayed at last time.  They have delicious period fare, and reservations are required because it is so popular.  I had their specialty, the game pie, which consists of turkey, duck and pheasant in a thick sauce with mushrooms, all in a flaky crust.  We also had Jennie Wade bread (yeast bread named after the only civilan casuality of the battle), spoon bread with apple butter, cinnamon apple relish, and a fresh garden salad.

After dinner, we headed to the battlefield so I could take pictures.  We did complete the driving tour the last time we were here, but I never get tired of being there.  They had changed the route of the driving tour, so I did get to see different monuments.  I would love to photograph every single monument and sign on the field, but that would take a week in itself!  Of course, this would suit me perfectly well, as I love being here.  We started on McPherson's Ridge, northwest of the town, then headed north to Oak Ridge, east to Barlow Knoll, then through town to head south to Seminary Ridge (where the Confederate army was stationed), and then over to Little Round Top, where I focused on the 20th Maine monument.  This regiment and their commander at the time, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, have been major points of study for me, as well as the Gettysburg Campaign itself.  Since night was falling fast as I left the 20th Maine, we decided to quit for the day and finish up on Friday.

It was hard for me to not post every picture I took, but I restrained myself.  :)  For those interested in learning more, I have over 200 pictures on my personal webpage, with explanations and fun little facts.  I also highly recommend the movie "Gettysburg" and the book it was based on, "The Killer Angels."

( Gettysburg photos )

Meme Time!

1. What color is your toothbrush?
Blue and white

2. Name one person who made you smile today:
Kim, at work

3. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
Logging in at work and booting up my computer

4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago?
Checking e-mail and realizing I need to get money if I can make it to DragonCon this year.  :(

5. What is your favorite candy bar?
Milky Way Midnight and Reese's Cups

( More stuff about me )

We left our unsatisfactory stay at the Hampton in the morning and drove north to the battlefield of Antietam.  A gray and rainy day greeted us as we left, and stayed with us until evening.  This rain prevented me from getting many pictures of the battlefield, since I do not yet have a rain shield for my lens and I had to keep wiping water drops off the filter every time I took a picture.  The battlefield itself was very sobering to see; it is in very good shape, with very little development, so you can really get a feel for what the Union and Confederate soldiers actually saw when they fought here September 17, 1862 - the bloodiest day of the Civil War, with over 25,000 casualties.

We started at the visitors' center, where we watched a film and went through the small exhibit hall.  Following this, we went to the observation area where a park ranger gave a 30 minute overview of the battle.  From there, a stop at the gift shop was mandatory, where I purchased two more books.  We headed to the car, munching on some snacks for a late lunch, and then followed the signs for the driving tour.  This was one battle Mom actually understood pretty well, since it only occurred over one day and the path of the fighting was very linear.  There were lots of deer that ventured out at dusk; I saw a couple of stags and about twelve does.  We stopped at a McDonald's for a quick dinner, and then drove up to Gettysburg, arriving at the hotel around 10pm.


( Antietam pictures )

Smithsonian pictures!


( More pix )

After both getting stuck in nasty traffic in Northern Virginia and around the DC area, and after Mom had a minor meltdown when she realized she had left a credit card at a restaurant in Fredericksburg and had to spend time calling the manager to have it returned home, we finally arrived at the Shady Grove Metro station north of DC, near Gaithersburg, about an hour late.  We met haruka798  there at the station, purchased our Metrorail passes, and finally made our way into the city.  We got off at the Smithsonian stop.  Mom had never been to DC, and even though this marked my fourth visit, I never get tired visiting.  We walked down the Mall to the Washington Monument, hoping to get tickets for the ride up, but they were already gone.  We continued our walk to the World War II Memorial, and then to the Lincoln Memorial.  After our visit to the Korean War Memorial, we stopped at the food seller near there for lunch.  A stop at the Vietnam Memorial, and then we walked back down to the Washington Monument, where we relaxed for a bit and grabbed a drink from a nearby cart.

From there, we hung out at the American History Museum for a little bit, looking at a few goodies, and then headed to the Natural History Museum.  Our first stop there was to see the Hope Diamond and the other pretty shineys.  We spent a few minutes in the fossils and the ocean exhibits, and then looked at the displays in the mammals areas.  It never ceases to amaze me how taxidermists can capture an animal's grace and beauty so well.  After a quick stop in the gift shop, we walked down to the Navy Memorial and eyed some sailors.  *wink*  Another few blocks down was where we had dinner - a nice place called District Chophouse & Brewery.  I had a salmon dish that was very good, with a salad and rice pilaf.  We caught the Metro back to the station, where April and I said our goodbyes, promising to hang out at DragonCon.  Mom and I caught some traffic on the way out, and got to our hotel in Frederick, MD late . . . only to find out they had given our room away, even though we had guaranteed late arrival.  The only room that was left was a handicapped room that did not have a tub, so when we took our showers, the water ran all over the bathroom floor.

Pictures are split between two posts for space - both are picture-heavy.


( Photos )

We slept in again this morning, and after refueling, we had lunch at a local spot in Fredericksburg called Sammy T's.  The food was pretty good, but not the greatest (I had a chicken parmesan sandwich) and the non-smoking section was half the size of the smoking section and regulated to the back of the restaurant, with a separate entry off a side street.  I felt like a second-class citizen!  I've been spoiled by Ohio being smoke-free.

After lunch, we visited a cat-themed store, and then went to the Battlefield visitors' center, watched the 20 minute introductory film, and took a 35 minute tour of Marye's Heights with a ranger.  I purchased two books, some postcards, and a keychain at the gift shop, and then spent some time on Marye's Heights and the cemetery.  Unfortunately, very little of the battlefield here has been preserved - there are few monuments, and there has been a lot of development and new growth since 1862.  What is still here is still haunting and beautiful, but it does lose some of its impact.

I had also purchased the driving tour, and we completed the circuit, which included a house in town that was there in 1862, Chatham (which served as Burnside's headquarters), Marye's Heights (where the Union regiments that fought in this area were slaughtered), and Prospect Hill (where another large engagement was fought).

We ate dinner at another local place, this one named Brock's.  Very good food - I had Caribbean jerk chicken with mashed potatoes and stringbeans, and a slice of strawberry cheesecake for dessert - but the service was slow.  The food came out nice and hot, though.

We returned to our hotel - the Hilton Garden Inn - and repacked the souvenirs we had purchased up to this point.  Bedtime followed, knowing we had to be up early for the drive to DC in the morning.


Marye's Heights - the scene of intense fighting.  Confederates were entrenched behind this stone wall, in a sunken road that runs behind and the high ground behind them.  Wave after wave of Union troops attempted to take the hill, but were beaten back every time, with severe casualties.  The ratio of Union casualties to Confederate was 8:1 - the most lopsided ratio in the entire war.

( Photos )

Here is another batch of pictures from the Biltmore!

( More pretty pix! )

We woke up nice and early Sunday morning, packed the car, and returned to Biltmore in the morning, after eating breakfast at a local restaurant called the Moose Cafe.  We completed the interior tour before treating ourselves to an ice cream at the parlour in the stables, and doing some shopping at the gift shops.  I took about an hour to take photos of the exterior of the house and the bowling green and wall directly facing the property.  From there, we drove down to the gardens, which comprise a huge greenhouse and many levels.  I spent about another 75 minutes shooting pictures, and then we headed for Virginia.  We had dinner near Winston-Salem, NC at a seafood restaurant called Jimmy's.  Excellent, excellent, excellent!  The staff was very helpful and friendly, the food came out fresh, with the hot items hot and the cold items cold (no sitting under a heat lamp here), and the prices were ver reasonable.  I had the Tilapia Bella Maria (I think that is what it was called - something like that) with mashed potatoes and a salad.  The fish was flaky and moist, cooked in white wine and olive oil, and topped with onions, tomatoes, and capers - very tasty.  We arrived in Fredericksburg, VA about midnight.

Re the Biltmore:  If you EVER have the opportunity to see the estate, do so!  You will not be disappointed.  The house is magnificent and pictures do not do it justice.  The estate comprises 8000 acres, and in addition to the portions I photographed, there is a winery, a working farm, and numerous trails for mountain bikes, carriages, horseback riding, and walking.

I am breaking this post into two posts, as I am sharing a lot of pictures.  These photos show off the exterior of the Biltmore, the gardens, and a little bit of the grounds (including the main gate, a few trails, and even a shot of the bamboo that grows on the estate.  Again, this post and the following one are very picture-heavy, and these are not even a quarter of the shots I took and kept.
( Beautiful pictures )

Here are the handful of pictures I snapped while making my way to Malaprops in Asheville Friday afternoon.  I would have taken more, but I was busy walking and taking in the sights, and then I had to get dinner before heading to the burlesque show. 


    

       

We got another last start today, but we still headed over to the Biltmore, and decided to take up the hotel's special for a two-day pass.  We completed most of the in-house tour.  Stunning; that's the only word that remotely fits this immense home.  A dining room with a seven-story ceiling and a pipe organ, an indoor garden with a glass roof that can be opened, a two-story library with over 10,000 books in eight languages, servants' quarters that were very generous for the time, I can go on and on.  The architect and interior designer outdid themselves - this building is magnificent, and there are so many little details in the craftmanship.  Unfortunately, you cannot take photographs inside, so I have nothing to show in this post.  :(

Tomorrow, we are finishing the self-guiding tour of the house, and then spending some time out in the gardens, on the grounds, and at the winery, where photography is allowed, so I will post pictures then.  We have already decided we will have to return for a week to Asheville to see the rest of the Biltmore Estate and the historical districts in Asheville proper.  If you have a chance to tour Biltmore, do so - it is worth the cost!  There is even bamboo growing in the woods!

After Biltmore, we returned to the hotel, where I freshened up and drove to downtown Asheville to meet up with mishlai .  I did take a few pictures of the area, and visited Malaprops, a very cool bookstore.  Of course, I couldn't resist purchasing a couple of new books!  Lance met up with me there, and we walked to a costume shop for a couple of things he needed, and then he showed me the downtown area.  We went into a couple of shops and an art gallery, and he pointed out where good restuarants were located.  I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the area; I am not much of a city person, but I could see myself wanting to spend quite a bit of time here.  The downtown is full of independentally owned businesses (very few chains!) and the people came across as very friendly and down-to-earth.  And the scenery!  Those majestic mountains must be heartstoppingly amazing in October!  I was reminded a little bit of Edinburgh, and it almost made me cry with how it felt like I was coming home, in a way.  I am definitely returning!

Lance had to run home to change into costume for the burlesque and vaudeville show that was here this weekend, and I ate at a Chinese restaurant before going to the Orange Peel to purchase a ticket to see the show myself.  I am grateful to Lance for telling me about it; I have never seen this type of show and I have a wonderful time.  The talent of the trapeze artists, the humor of the magician, and the art of the striptease were all there.  It never fails to amaze me to see what others can do.  Especially the burlesque women - they came in all shapes and sizes, and, being timid and reserved by nature, was impressed to see so many women comfortable in their bodies, knowing they were sexy.  I wish I could capture some of that strength and confidence for myself.

I stayed and talked with Lance and two of his friends for a little bit, one of whom I had met in Malaprops earlier.  We talked about DragonCon, costumes, jewelry, and books, and I was encouraged to return to Asheville soon (although they were all pretty tipsy, so I will see if they even remember meeting me - LOL).  I had a great time, and I loved meeting these new people - definitely a step in the right direction towards getting out more and becoming more comfortable with virtual strangers.  I am so happy I chose to do this.  :)

Finally, with pictures!  :)

Beware, very photo-intensive, and if you are not too fond of horses, you may want to skip.

We left home three hours later than I had hoped, since Mom was not finished packing and spent 45 minutes deciding on which jewelry to take *headdesk*  We stopped at a Cracker Barrel near home for dinner, and I purchased my yummy coconut treat.  It was raining almost constantly on the drive down, but did clear out about an hour north of the hotel.  We stayed at a Hilton Garden Inn in Georgetown, arriving at 12:30am - ugh.

Due to this late arrival, we overslept and didn't arrive at the Kentucky Horse Park until 12pm.  We strolled through the barns, watched the Parade of Breeds, and spent time in the museum.  They are doing construction all over the park, so we hope to return when that is completed.  I picked up a few things in the gift shop, and we ate dinner at the Calistoga Cafe, similar to a Panera.  I ordered chicken noodle soup in a bread bowl and a peach smoothie, and they were delicious.

After dinner, we headed southeast to Asheville, NC.  The drive was magnificent, with all of the woods and mountains, and the curving road.  I could just imagine how gorgeous it must be in the autumn.  After we got checked into the hotel, we ordered a pizza from Papa Johns.  Thus ended day one.

( Pictures!! )

I'm going to see a burlesque show!

Arrived in Asheville, NC about an hour again.  We left Thursday night, arriving in Georgetown, KY last last night.  We visited the Kentucky Horse Park today, and then headed to NC.  More info and pictures to come, but just wanted to post a quick update.