LeakyCon 2019: Day 3 Recap

I attended my first LeakyCon this year. LeakyCon 2019 (aka LeakyCon 10) was hosted at the Seaport Hotel and the World Trade Center from Friday, October 11, 2019 to Sunday, October 13, 2019. The first LeakyCon was held in Boston’s Park Plaza in 2009 and it’s fitting how LeakyCon 10 returns back to Boston for the 10 year anniversary. For those who don’t know what LeakyCon is, LeakyCon is a Harry Potter fandom convention by Mischief Management. It is also one of the annual conventions Mischief Management hosts. Earlier this year, during the summer, LeakyCon 9 ¾ was hosted in Dallas, Texas. Occasionally two LeakyCons will occur in one year. There have been some international locations such as Dublin, Ireland and London, UK.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2019

The last day of LeakyCon was probably my busiest day at LeakyCon in general due to all the programming I wanted to attend. Overall, I enjoyed my time at LeakyCon despite not knowing what I was going to get myself into. The programming was fabulous and there was always something to do. I love how there is something for everyone. Even though I am not used to going to Harry Potter cons at this level in terms of the number of people, I have to say that I didn't really have to worry about waiting in too many lines.

I met up with Jess in the morning and we finally got a photo of us together. Legit, we didn't get any photos of us two besides a few in the morning with the LeakyCon stained glass window backdrop. There was a cauldron backdrop near the escalators but unfortunately, we did not get photos with the huge cauldron.

I browsed the Marketplace with Jess for a little bit before attending the Spotlight: Luke Youngblood event at the Main Stage. Luke plays Lee Jordan in the films. He always lights up the stage and is entertaining making everyone laugh. I grabbed a quick bite to eat near the food café area and to also rest a bit.

I ended up going to the Let's Discuss Ravenclaws for about 15-20 minutes and then popped into the Potter Puppet Pals Performance which was hilarious! Potter Puppet Pals never disappoint. Neil and his crew always put on a good show. I got to meet Neil way back in 2013 or so at ConnectiCon. I also attended several Yule Balls in the Middle East in Cambridge, MA where the Potter Puppet Pals perform annually. Neil framed the time for more of a Q&A. Attendees can come up to the mic at the front and ask the Potter Puppet Pals questions. The Harry Potter Puppet acted as the host and would "find" a particular character depending if the question was directed toward them.

The Spotlight: Dan Fogler was right after the Potter Puppet Pals. I moved further up to get a good seat. Dan is hilarious. I've only seen him in Balls of Fury and the Fantastic Beasts films but he is genuinely a super nice guy. He is so funny too! After the Spotlight, I want to line up for the photography session with Dan. I have to say that the lines and process to take the photo and obtain the photo was very well thought out and organized. Earlier during the day, I picked up a Nagini the Octopod that my friend Lorrie made. I even was able to bring Nagini the Octopod to the photoshoot which I was very excited about. It was so nice to meet Dan. Even though I spent alike two minutes with him, he was genuinely curious about Nagini and he loves meeting his fans which is awesome.

Jess and I met for our last panel of the day. In Defense of Prisoner Azkaban, the Best Harry Potter Movie which was very intriguing. We heard from the presenter about her thoughts and we also heard the audience's thoughts. Everyone discussed what they liked and what they didn't like. It was a good panel to end the day.

I was able to catch the end of Closing Ceremonies. Hufflepuff won the House Cup when a Hufflepuff ran to the front to submit a donation of $300! Legit it was crazy how they went right to the top to beat the other houses!

Have you been to LeakyCon or a Harry Potter fan convention before? What is your favorite part of attending a con? Do you cosplay?

LeakyCon 2019: Day 2 Recap

I attended my first LeakyCon this year. LeakyCon 2019 (aka LeakyCon 10) was hosted at the Seaport Hotel and the World Trade Center from Friday, October 11, 2019 to Sunday, October 13, 2019. The first LeakyCon was held in Boston’s Park Plaza in 2009 and it’s fitting how LeakyCon 10 returns back to Boston for the 10 year anniversary. For those who don’t know what LeakyCon is, LeakyCon is a Harry Potter fandom convention by Mischief Management. It is also one of the annual conventions Mischief Management hosts. Earlier this year, during the summer, LeakyCon 9 ¾ was hosted in Dallas, Texas. Occasionally two LeakyCons will occur in one year. There have been some international locations such as Dublin, Ireland and London, UK.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2019

The commute wasn't too bad in the morning but the rain was coming down and it was so windy. I met up with Jess outside of the World Trade Center to give her the LeakyCon badge. We ended up going to the Marketplace to look at the wonderful and creative Harry Potter masterpieces that were being sold there.

Afterward, we ended up attending the Spotlight: Wizarding World Actors panel with Stanislav Yanevski, Louis Cordice, Chris Rankin, Luke Youngblood and Dan Fogler. For those who don't know, these are the actors that played Viktor Krum, Blaise Zabini, Percy Weasely, Lee Jordan and Jacob Kowalski. It was definitely a well attended panel and it was interesting to hear what the actors have to say about what Harry Potter means to them. We also got to hear about their experience with filming for the movies. I might do a mini recap on some of the main stage events in a later post.

Jess and I went to An Excess of "Phlegm" and the Lack of Femme which was a very insightful panel regarding females within the Harry Potter wizarding world. The discussion was geared toward the personalities of different females with the series and how they are portrayed. Jess and I skipped the next panel slot to get some lunch at Shake Shack. Burgers and shakes always cheer me up. It was nice to get away from the con for a bit to refuel. I definitely noticed more people at the World Trade Center on Saturday compared to Friday. I know Saturdays are usually the busiest days for cons in the general. Not everyone can take off on Friday from work and school.

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A highlight of this year’s @leakycon was connecting with so many #potterheadsofcolor. Huge s/o to the women of @blackgirlscreate for claiming space in fandom for POC!

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After lunch, walked around the Marketplace and around the venue before heading to the Potterheads of Color Meetup. Everyone at the meetup split up into pairs for 5-10 minutes to talk about how they got into Harry Potter and what they love about Harry Potter. We regrouped and then sorted ourselves according to our Hogwarts Houses. This was the first time where the Ravenclaws dominated! I have never seen so many Ravenclaws in one area. Also, we had the biggest house group compared to the other houses. Go Claws! At the end of the meetup, we took house photos and a group photo. It was definitely a fun meetup to meet new people.



I made a beeline to the Amphitheater to get a good seat for The Other Chosen One: A New Musical. I didn't take any videos of the musical since it's the first live read through but can I say that it was fabulous! I cannot wait to see a full version of this equipped with costumes, sets and a full cast. For those who don't know, this musical is in the eyes of Neville, aka the other Chosen One. We see what goes on at Hogwarts while the golden trio is hunting Horcruxes. Neville, Ginny and Luna, the silver trio, navigate Hogwarts, stand up to the Carrow siblings, and reunite Dumbledore's Army. It's an emotional tale of friendship, love and standing up for what is right - until the very end. I highly recommend seeing this if the musical moves forward.

Some of the panels I missed on day 2 of LeakyCon include Nowhere Safer than Hogwarts: Magical Security and its Faults, Credence: Human or Beast? and Time Travel in the Wizarding World: The When, the How, the Why, and the When. There was just way too many panels this day to attend to. I definitely needed a time turner.

After LeakyCon, I met up with my husband and a couple of friends to celebrate our friend, Mike's, 30th birthday. Look at this awesome photo I took when walking across the bridge near the Boston Children's Museum. I love the lights and the clouds look ominous. I wonder if a Dark Mark will appear.

Have you been to LeakyCon or a Harry Potter fan convention before? What is your favorite part of attending a con? Do you cosplay?

LeakyCon 2019: Day 1 Recap

I attended my first LeakyCon this year. LeakyCon 2019 (aka LeakyCon 10) was hosted at the Seaport Hotel and the World Trade Center from Friday, October 11, 2019 to Sunday, October 13, 2019. The first LeakyCon was held in Boston’s Park Plaza in 2009 and it’s fitting how LeakyCon 10 returns back to Boston for the 10 year anniversary. For those who don’t know what LeakyCon is, LeakyCon is a Harry Potter fandom convention by Mischief Management. It is also one of the annual conventions Mischief Management hosts. Earlier this year, during the summer, LeakyCon 9 ¾ was hosted in Dallas, Texas. Occasionally two LeakyCons will occur in one year. There has been some international locations such as Dublin, Ireland and London, UK.

DAY 1: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11

I was fortunate enough to get two badges for LeakyCon through a transfer for a very good price. I gave one badge to my friend Jess, who attended LeakyCon on Saturday and Sunday. My commute into the city on Friday was a long one due to the morning work commute traffic. The Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center are located in the Seaport area of Boston, which is one of the most expensive parts of Boston. Since I live fairly local, I commuted every day to avoid the high costs for the hotel. Unfortunately, we were hit by a very nasty Nor’easter for a few days and Friday was pretty horrendous to walk around near the Seaport area. It was very windy and it rained off and on.

I left my place pretty early on Friday so I can get in line to pick up my badge. Will call opened at 8:30 am. Because I had a Marauder’s badge, I wanted to take advantage of the 9:00 – 10:00 am Marauder’s badge exclusive hour for the Marketplace (aka vendor/dealer’s room and artist alley). I visited my usual go to’s like The Colorful Geek, Elhoffer Design, Jordandené and Fox Estacado Arts. However, I found some great artwork at PRL Creative and Alexandra Brodt Illustration. Kat Cave Studios showcased wonderful Harry Potter themed ceramics. I might have to consider Jayme Twins and Bright Threads Co. for future holiday gifts. Lapels and Spells/Laserbrain Patch Co. are the go to for amazing enamel pins and patches. They are located in NH! Speaking of enamel pins, check out BUNCEandBEAN. Lauren Fairweather is always wonderful to chat with. I love her music and her YouTube channel. Waxspurts Candle Co. had wonderful smelling candles and Pop Soap had delicious smelling soaps and bath and body products. Simona Sew Works displayed most Luna Lovegood items I have ever seen in one area. Tea & Absinthe carried an amazing array of tea and gifts. Unfortunately, Riddle’s Tea Shoppe couldn’t make it due to an unexpected emergency.

The Marketplace was fabulous! I love seeing how creative everyone is. The best part is the most things being sold at the Marketplace are Harry Potter themed. I love supporting independent artists and creators. After the Marketplace, I attended the Spotlight: Stanislav Yanesvski. For those who don’t know, Stanislav is the actor who was Viktor Krum in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. This was an excellent panel. Great questions were asked by the moderator and the fans asked good questions as well. Afterwords, I attended Harry Potter in the Age of Activism: Why S.P.E.W. Failed and Dumbledore’s Army Thrived. The PowerPoint provided good information and it was visually pleasing. The two panelists work at Florida State University and handle a lot of student programming in a student development capacity. This was a very insightful panel and I hope to use some of this information I learned with students in the future.

I was already getting tired at LeakyCon so I skipped a panel slot or two so I can walk around and rest. I needed to refuel with food and water. The panel I was most exciting about for the day was Wait and See: Gatekeeping in the Wizarding World and Beyond. I love hearing about social justice issues within the Wizarding World since it hasn't been discussed in much detail until more recent years. Unfortunately, I had to miss the Ravenclaw Meetup during the same time slot, but at cons you really have to just stick with your gut instinct. It’s okay to miss some things and to talk care of yourself. Self-care is super important. Plus, some of the best memories at a con usually happen spontaneously. They are never planned. It’s all about being at the right place at the right time.

I ended the Day 1 of LeakyCon with a fabulous panel called Fantastic Scores and Who Conducts Them. The panelists discussed who their favorite HP soundtrack conductors are and also came up with a list of conductors who would have been a great fit to create music for the Wizarding World. We even got to hear some sound clips which was a nice addition to the panel.

I left the last panel a little early to walk back to the lobby of the Seaport ­Hotel in order to meet up with some friends who were heading to the Committee for Mediterranean tapas and for some drinks. We had about 20 people split between two tables. Although the price for the tapas were kind of high, draft beers were only $6.00 and I was with great company. It’s always nice to reunite with old friends and make new ones, especially within the Harry Potter fandom.

My first day at LeakyCon was pretty chill. It was low key, not stressful and enjoyable for the most part. I didn’t have to stand in lines besides waiting to use the restroom. I have heard horror stories of previous LeakyCons being Line Cons so I was happy to see that it was the complete opposite. I am not sure if it’s because the Boston location is smaller in number compared to the one in Dallas, but I am not complaining. It’s the perfect amount of people at that venue. Check out later this week for my LeakyCon 2019: Day 2 Recap.

Have you been to LeakyCon or a Harry Potter fan convention before? What is your favorite part of attending a con? Do you cosplay?

Where To Find Me At LeakyCon 10

This weekend is LeakyCon 10 and it’s my first time attending a LeakyCon. The first LeakyCon was hosted in Boston 10 years ago and LeakyCon is returning back to Boston to celebrate its 10^th anniversary. LeakyCon is the most well knowns and largest Harry Potter convention around. I have been other Harry Potter conventions before like MISTI-Con, Leviosa and Ascendio but never a LeakyCon. This year, LeakyCon is taking place at the Seaport Hotel and the World Trade Center from Friday, Ocotber 11^th to Sunday, October 13th. There was another LeakyCon 9 ¾  took place Dallas, TX during the summer of this year. LeakyCon will be taking place in Orlando, FL in 2020.

I was not able to attend the first LeakyCon due to attending Anime Boston which happened during the same weekend as the first LeakyCon. Although I heard mixed things about LeakyCon, Boston is super close to where I live and I figured I would give the con a chance. I will be doing a recap of my experience sometime later this month.

I have a handful of friends who live in the Boston area or so who will be attending the con. I am planning to meet up with my friend Jess for part of the con. She can only attend Saturday and Sunday but I am ecstatic she is able to attend. A few friends are flying/driving up to Boston. However, I am excited to meet new people while reuniting with old friends.

There are a lot of programming I am looking forward to but I pretty pumped to see what the LeakyCon Marketplace has to offer. There are so many fantastic vendors attending such as Elhoffer Design, BUNCEandBEAN, Jordandené, Fox Estacado Arts, Lauren Fairweather, The Color Geek and Waxspurts Candle Co. to name a few. Unfortunately, Riddle’s Tea Shoppe will not be able to attend this year.

WHERE TO FIND ME

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11^th

Registration opens at 8:30 am tomorrow, Friday, October 11^th. I am hoping to travel to Boston a bit earlier to get some food before picking up my badge at will call. I normally travel into Boston during the weekdays for work, so it’s not a huge deal for me to travel into Boston. My commute ranges from 1-2 hours, depending on traffic.

Since I was fortunate to get a Marauder’s Pass through a transfer for a very good price, I am planning to take advantage of the early opening to the Marketplace which opens at 9:00 am for Marauder pass holders. Normally the Marketplace opens at 10:00 am for general admission.

Afterwards, I wanted to check out some of the following programming events: Spotlight: Stanislav Yanevski, Science in Harry Potter, Harry Potter in the Age of Activism: Why S.P.E.W. Failed and Dumbledore’s Army Thrived, Wait and See: Gatekeeping in the Wizarding World and Beyond and Fantastic Scores and Who Conducts Them. Unfortunately, there a bunch of panels going on the same time so I have to miss out on some since there are so many amazing panels competing against each other. I want to attend the Ravenclaw Meetup but it’s during the same time as Wait and See: Gatekeeping in the Wizarding World and Beyond. Wait and See is a panel that is a must for me!

I am planning to meet up with a group of friends who attended MISTI-Con for dinner to end the day. 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12TH

I am torn about whether to start my day with Spotlight: Wizarding World Actors or J.K. Rowling, Giftedness, and the Ghost of Ravenclaw. I really wish these two weren’t at the same time slot because both sound fabulous! Lorrie Kim always has some of the best panel presentations. An Excess of "Phlegm" and the Lack of Femme and Wandlore: An Ancient and Mysterious Magic are both during the second time slot. During mid-day, Time Travel in the Wizarding World: The When, the How, the Why, and the When will take place and at the end of the day I definitely want to attend the Potterheads of Color Meetup.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13TH

This day is chock full of so many fantastic programming events that it will be hard to decide what to do. I need a time turner for this day! I will be starting my day with Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Harry Potter Cosplay. Two other panels are running during the same time as the cosplay panel. I am also interested in Managing The Hogwarts Houses and Ethnic Communities in the Wizarding World. I am super stoked about the MuggleCast Live! event. I have been a MuggleCast podcast listener ever since they launched in 2005ish. You Cannot Deny, the Wizarding World's Got Style is also running during the same time slot as the MuggleCast Live!

The Potter Puppet Pals Performance is going to be hilarious. I always love a good Potter Puppet Pals show. Potter Puppet Pals usually perform at the Yule Ball at the Mideast in Cambridge, MA in December. I also saw them at ConnectiCon years back. Neil and co are such a great team orchestrating some of the best Harry Potter comic relief.

I must attend the  Spotlight: Dan Fogler event. I am a huge Fantastic Beasts fan and I cannot wait to hear more about Dan and his role as Jacob Kowalski. Speaking of Dan Folger, I am planning to do a photo op with him on Sunday. I will end my day with Obscurus and Patronus: Expressions of the Soul in the Wizarding World and Credence: Human or Beast?

Will you be attending LeakyCon 10? If so, please let me know and maybe we can meet up! 

MISTI-Con 2019: Day 4 and Day 5 Recap

I am finally back from a long but fun and eventful Harry Potter convention called MISTI-Con. All I can say is that I had a fantastic time! The Wizarding Though the Ages theme was perfect for this year. Despite the location and date change from previous MISTIs, the magic is always there! I always look forward to reuniting with old friends and making new friends. We all get to step away from the Muggle world and we embrace the magic around us at MISTI-Con. The con provides a safe and judge-free environment for fans to geek and nerd out about fandom. Everyone dressed up as witches and wizards or even magical creatures or bring life to inanimate magical objects. I saw some very creative cosplays like a howler who was shouting about with Mrs. Black to the renfaire like Luna Lovegood.

I will be recapping the convention in a few posts. I always make a schedule prior to each MISTI with programming I would like to attend but I like to be flexible since most of the best moments are not scheduled. It's always being somewhere at the right time. The schedule is an outline for me but I have to say that I have some programming that I made sure I attended.

This is my 4th MISTI-Con and I hope to attend future ones. If you have never attended a Harry Potter convention, I am hoping you will in the future if you are a huge Potterhead. You will make long-lasting memories of a lifetime! Maybe I will see you a future Harry Potter convention whether it be something like MISTI or perhaps even Leviosa or CONjuration.

Check out my recap for Days 1 and 2 and Day 3.

DAY 4: SUNDAY, JULY 21, 2019

The last full day of MISTI-Con! Although it's bittersweet, we all made the best of it. Jess and I woke up early despite the Founders's Ball running into late hours the night before. We wanted to see the Puffs Play: Watch Party since there was a Puffs panel later that day. Unfortunately, I couldn't see Puffs live on Wednesday before the Con so this is the next best thing. It was extremely hilarious despite me being super tired. I was eating my breakfast and drinking my coffee during the watch party since it was at 8:00 am in the morning.

Afterward, I went to the History of Magic of New York panel which was fabulous. I don't know too much about paranormal lore in New York so it was interesting to learn about it with some New Yorkers. The Puffs: The Original Trio Reunion panel started around 11:00. Jess and I saw my sister in the crowd and sat next to her. Unfortunately, Langston couldn't attend the event to do something at SDCC. However, Julie Ann and Zac were in conversation with Clay being the moderator. I am so glad that this panel happened because it was very insightful to hear from the actors about their experience being in the Puffs and also to ask questions. Jess and I didn't know they were doing photos after the panel so we ended up missing that.

Jess and I went to the Common Room and hung out with a lot of people including Dariti and Nessie. There were free snacks there and it was a good time to unwind and catch up with people before more programming for the afternoon and evening. I love how Walburga Black and a Howler ended up visiting the Common Room. I was fortunate enough to have recorded some video of both Mrs. Black and the Howler having a shouting match. It was hilarious!

Jess and I wandered up to the Grand Pre-North hallway and saw Nigel playing acoustic guitar and singing near the Evercrumbly and Witch hat display. There was a nice group of people enjoying time away from the craziness of the con. Jess and I were trying on hats and fascinators as well. I love Evercrumbly's millinery but it can be quite pricey. However, they are all top quality hats and fascinators. I own one Evercrumbly hat but am looking for another hat or fascinator that calls to me. Just like wands, the hat chooses the wizard. We went outside to take some photos briefly. My phone actually animated some of the photos I took of Jess and I. The animation with Jess looked awesome because it really looked like she was battling it out with her wand.

Jess and I parted ways and I attended the Herbology: The Darker Side of Herbs panel where we learned a lot about herbs that are poisonous but also about protection herbs. All attendees were able to make protection amulets at the end of the panel which I thought is a unique addition to the programming. I bumped into Seamus at that panel and we chatted for a bit while waiting in the amulet line.

I met up with Jess after the Herbology panel and we both attended the SLUG Club Meet-Up (Special Lego Users Group) which was pretty much a Lego meetup. We talked about what collections we have and which ones we want. Jill was asking me about the Lego Harry Potter games so we discussed that for a bit too. Jill had a block building contests where a volunteer will have to build a Harry Potter item within an allotted amount of time. We had two people build the Burrow and one person who built Buckbeak. Ni had their Button Pin Swap Meetup which was awesome because we got to see Ni's fabulous pin duster with so many pins! It was nice to chat about pins with other pin enthusiasts.

I ended up going back to the room since Jess and I had time prior to the Closing Ceremonies and Feast. Since we were hungry, we ended up snacking on some food before heading to the Grand Ballroom. The food was delicious with some of the best mashed potatoes I've had in a long time. I know Jess even went up for seconds for the mashed potatoes. They had really good cheesecake too. We ended up sitting with Kira, Kira's mom, Jenny and a few other people. The entertainment MISTI had that night was fabulous! GeekLifeRules had a wonderful Cosplay Cabaret where performers got into character and sung in character. We were graced with the presences of Umbridge, Lily, a 1920's speakeasy singer, Ginny and Moaning Myrtle. There was even an interpretative dance by someone representing a Thestral. Moaning Myrtle was freaking hilarious and probably one of my favorites of the show. Of course, Lawrence was up on stage serenading us.

During the Closing Ceremonies and Feast, the staff mentioned they are taking a much-needed break and they are not sure when the next MISTI will occur. They didn't want rumors spreading about how this is the last MISTI since things like that spread like wildfire on social media. However, they are taking a hiatus for now. It was bittersweet. A lot of people were very understanding but I know some people were teary-eyed. MISTI is a second family for most and it means so much to them. MISTI is a place where you can escape the Muggle world and you can embrace the magic within with other liked-minded people. MISTI is where your forge friendships and your bonds between old friendships grow stronger. MISTI helps you believe in yourself when you struggle in the Muggle world. MISTI is what a lot of people say is some of the best days of their lives. It's is euphoria!

Afterparties occurred once we were dismissed from the Closing Ceremonies and Feast. There were Disney and Broadway singalongs in the Westchester, Karaoke in the Ballroom, board games in the Common Room and people just hung out and had a good time while enjoying the last night of MISTI Everyone wanted to make the best out of the situation of not knowing if this is the last MISTI.

Jess and I stopped by the Disney and Broadway singalong first before taking photos near the Mirror of Erised. We saw Kira and a few people playing board games in the Common Room and watched Golden Snitch, Snitch Snatcher: The Quidditch Game play in action. We spotted a Badger puppet poking into the doorway of the Common Room and being the Hufflepuff she is, Jess went to greet the badger. Afterward, Jess and I then played a few rounds of Harry Potter Guess Who before heading to the Karaoke. We ended up bumping into a lot of people at the Grand Ballroom and the Multifunction room. Jill convinced Jess to sign up for a duet for the Karaoke but the line was so long. I don't think they sang until 1:00 am and they were the second to last act for the night. During the waiting period, I met up with Caroline, who I met earlier at the con, and we chatted for a bit while she was waiting for a ride. Kira, Jenny and I did a Wizard's Unite fortress battle or two outside of the Doubletree. It was a great night full of memories. Everyone was reminiscing over the amazing moments of the con but they wanted to hold on to every fiber of magic possible before returning to the Muggle world.

DAY 5: MONDAY, JULY 22, 2019

So today isn't really the fifth day of the con but it is leaving day for most people. People were tired while they were rolling out their luggage to the lobby. I saw people nodding at each other and we all knew that meant we are tired but the con was worth the sleep deprivation. We hugged and said our goodbyes before hopping into our Uber to head to the train station to head back to Boston. Jess and I went our separate ways once we got to South Station.

Overall, we both had a fabulous time at MISTI-Con. It's always a magical long weekend to escape from the Muggle world. I also have some posts on Instagram under #NicoleAtMISTICon if you want to check that out. I will cherish all the memories I made with old friends and new ones too! MISTI-Con was an unforgettable experience! If you love the Harry Potter fandom, I highly suggest you attend a Harry Potter convention or at least attend Harry Potter themed events. They invoke happiness like Felix Felicis! You won't regret your time at a Harry Potter convention.

MISTI-Con 2019: Day 3 Recap

Happy birthday, Harry Potter. I want to thank J.K. Rowling for creating Harry Potter and allowing a fandom to emerge into something so meaningful and exuberant. The Harry Potter fandom has grown over the years and it's pure magic! Despite our differences, we can all congregate in one location to celebrate what Harry Potter means to us. Many of us have struggled and have conquered many obstacles. What keeps us going are the relationships and memories we make with each other through Harry Potter. Our Harry Potter family is strong and will always be there with us. 

Without further ado, let us continue with Day 3 of the MISTI-Con Recap. 

I am finally back from a long but fun and eventful Harry Potter convention called MISTI-Con. All I can say is that I had a fantastic time! The Wizarding Though the Ages theme was perfect for this year. Despite the location and date change from previous MISTIs, the magic is always there! I always look forward to reuniting with old friends and making new friends. We all get to step away from the Muggle world and we embrace the magic around us at MISTI-Con. The con provides a safe and judge-free environment for fans to geek and nerd out about fandom. Everyone dressed up as witches and wizards or even magical creatures or bring life to inanimate magical objects. I saw some very creative cosplays like a howler who was shouting about with Mrs. Black to the renfaire like Luna Lovegood.

I will be recapping the convention in a few posts. I always make a schedule prior to each MISTI with programming I would like to attend but I like to be flexible since most of the best moments are not scheduled. It's always being somewhere at the right time. The schedule is an outline for me but I have to say that I have some programming that I made sure I attended.

This is my 4th MISTI-Con and I hope to attend future ones. If you have never attended a Harry Potter convention, I am hoping you will in the future if you are a huge Potterhead. You will make long-lasting memories of a lifetime! Maybe I will see you a future Harry Potter convention whether it be something like MISTI or perhaps even Leviosa or CONjuration.

Check out my recap for Days 1 and 2 here.

DAY 3: SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2019

Jess and I visited the Common Room first thing in the morning since Dave and Alyse posted something on Facebook about having some delicious bagels and cream cheese that they picked up that morning. Yum! Dave and Alyse are so sweet. The first panel of the day was Credence and Fantastic Beasts: Harry Potter, but Not Safe for Children? Lorrie's panel was very interesting and I love how there is a panel that incorporates the Fantastic Beasts series. Fantastic Beasts is darker than Harry Potter for sure. I feel like some Harry Potter fans do not venture out reading or watching the Harry Potter spinoffs such as Harry Potter and the Cursed Child or the Fantastic Beasts series. However, I will soak up anything related to the wizarding world as much as possible and I do like the first Fantastic Beasts film. I found Crimes of Grindelwald more of a filler. Hopefully, the third film will spark my interest once again.

Afterward, I went to see if Krissy needed help setting up for the Bewitching Bazaar since her primary staff responsibility was the craft faire. Everything went really well and the layout was good along Salon 1, Salon 2, Grand Pre-North hallway and part of the Multifunction room. There were so many talented artisans and crafters! There was something for everyone from enamel pins to wands to candles to even crocheted magical creatures. Madam Malkin's Clearance Rack was in the corner of one of the salons and a lot of people were finding great deals.

This time around, I didn't see any clothing that I liked or fit me. However, I scored a couple things from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter which include a Ravenclaw wise mug and a 9 3/4 enamel pin. There was an awesome wax seal set with the Chamber of Secrets'entrancece snake design and a hardcover notebook with the Hogwarts emblem which I snatched up immediately. The notebook's Hogwarts emblem is in some kind of metal and the book is some kind of material that mimics leather. It will be fantastic to use to jot down some Harry Potter ideas or notes. The outfit above is what I ended up wearing for the first part of the day. Yay for a new wand holster and a new wand which I will talk more about in the next paragraph. The Weasley twins found me at the Bewitching Bazaar and took a selfie since they approved of my Weasely Wizard Wheezes apron.

Multifunction room section of the Bewitching Bazaar

In terms of the other vendors, I ended up picking up my Kickstarter wand at The Wandcrafter aka Carol after I found the perfect wand holster and Ravenclaw beaded bag at the Blibbering Humdingers's table. I saw Jess looking at wands at OrchardWorks since she was trying to find one that was calling to her. I saw Ni, dressed up as Resurrection Lily Potter, looking at wands at one point as well. Dave and Alyse were wandering around and Dave was able to reunite with his Drumstrang cosplay group. Dave, Jill, Rachel, Bess and Lynn had summer linen Drumstrang outfits complete with belts and the walking sticks. I also found a Fleur with butterflies coming from her hand, a golden snitch, Luna with a lion head hat, SLUG club party Luna, two MACUSA witches all dressed up in 1920ish clothing, Quidditch Harry Potter and I even found two Hogwarts's Founders. Irvin was dressed up as Kreacher and was running around with a frying pan yelling out how he was going to battle and fight on the behalf of his master Regulus. It was quite hilarious! I believe the last thing I picked up at the Bewitching Bazaar is a key fob with Luna's Spectrespecs on it. I volunteered for part of the craft faire to help out but it seemed like most people were all set with everything.

Lyndhurst Mansion

Jess and I skipped our plans to go to Sleepy Hollow that late afternoon/early evening due to the intense heat. But I still ventured outside and went out to play Wizards Unite with Kira since there it was the first Wizards Unite community day from 2:00-5:00. I changed out of my outfit and threw on a simple Marauder's Map sleeveless dress before we headed to Lyndhurst Mansion. We cut through some trail in the woods to pass get to Lyndhurst. Kira has been there two times in the past couple of days and said there were a good amount of inns and traces in the area. She was right! We ended up staying there for a couple of hours and we even bumped into someone from MISTI-Con also playing Wizards Unite. I am so glad there were shady areas so we can sort of cool off while playing Wizards Unite. I was also toggling back and forth between Wizards Unite and Pokémon since there were pokéstops and a Mystic gym. Go Team Mystic!

I returned back to the hotel while Kira went to pick up some Chinese takeout for her mom and herself for dinner. I met up with Jess and we ended up going back to Capri for some yummy pizza and also some gelato. We also swung by CVS since Jess needed a couple more things for the weekend. The Founders's Ball wasn't until 8:00 so we had plenty of time to get ready. The Ball was so much fun! Jess and I were there for around four hours! Everyone was all dressed up and looked fabulous! Babs was located near the ballroom with her enchanted photo sessions and everyone took advantage of the photo sessions. I wish I took advantage of the professional photoshoots throughout the week but I had so much fun catching up with people and attending programming.

I loved Meka's 50's style Slytherin poodle skirt which she has been calling her snoodle skirt (snake+poodle = snoodle). Krissy sported her Regulus Slytherin outfit and Dariti and Nessie dressed up in dresses with a Lion and Badger. Jill was Rowena Ravenclaw and Ni was mini Snape with a helium like mini Snape voice. I ended up wearing my sequined silver dress with a time turner, Spectrespecs and the Ravenclaw beaded bag I bought earlier that day. I ended getting a Rum of Requirement drink at the Ball which had three types of rum, a splash of soda and ice. One of the best things during the night was a Harry Potter proposal on stage! Snape proposed to Narcissa and it was fabulous! Everyone was super excited and cheering "Always" when Nigel and Hilary were on the stage. I got a partial video of the proposal. I unfortunately didn't record the whole thing but at least I got part of it. The portion of the Ball that everyone looks forward to at every MISTI is the last song. Yes, it's sad there is a last song and that the dance will end but we always end the night with Journey's Don't Stop Believin'. There is something magical about ending the night with this song and yes, it's real for us!

My recap for Days 4 and 5 will be up later this week. Make sure to check it out. I also have some posts on Instagram under #NicoleAtMISTICon. MISTI is where I find MY people! It's such a magical gathering where you can truly escape the real world and just step into a realm where everyone is accepting and we can embrace what Harry Potter means to us. As I said before, it's real for us!

MISTI-Con 2019: Day 1 and Day 2 Recap

I am finally back from a long but fun and eventful Harry Potter convention called MISTI-Con. All I can say is that I had a fantastic time! The Wizarding Though the Ages theme was perfect for this year. Despite the location and date change from previous MISTIs, the magic is always there! I always look forward to reuniting with old friends and making new friends. We all step away from the Muggle world and we embrace the magic around us at MISTI-Con. The con provides a safe and judge-free environment for fans to geek and nerd out about fandom. Everyone dressed up as witches and wizards or even magical creatures or bring life to inanimate magical objects. I saw some very creative cosplays like a howler who was shouting about with Mrs. Black to the renfaire like Luna Lovegood.

I will be recapping the convention in a few posts. I always make a schedule prior to each MISTI with programming I would like to attend but I like to be flexible since most of the best moments are not scheduled. It's always about being somewhere at the right time. The schedule is an outline for me but I have to say that I had some programming that I made sure I attended.

This is my 4th MISTI-Con and I hope to attend future ones. If you have never attended a Harry Potter convention, I am hoping you will in the future if you are a huge Potterhead. You will make long-lasting memories of a lifetime! Maybe I will see you at a future Harry Potter convention whether it be something like MISTI or perhaps even Leviosa, LeakyCon or CONjuration.

DAY 1: THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2019

Jess and I met up at South Station to wait for our train (aka Hogwarts Express). It was Jess's first time on the Amtrak and it was definitely a relaxing ride. The train really felt like we were actually taking the Hogwarts Express to Hogwarts. When we arrived at New Rochelle, we hailed an Uber to Tarrytown which is where MISTI-Con took place. The Doubletree at Hilton was perfect for the convention. The hotel has a beautiful lobby, a Mirror of Erised and even stone walls that made the venue perfect for photoshoots. The courtyard area with the gazebo was gorgeous but it was too hot for photos and gatherings due to the heatwave. We experienced temps in the high 90's which meant most of us stayed inside for the con.

When Jess and I arrived at the hotel, we checked into our room and picked up our badges. Jess had a panel shortly after we checked in so I took this opportunity to wander around the hotel so I can explore every crevice. Frankly, I didn't want to get lost since the Doubletree is a new venue. I managed to bump into Kira, Kira's mom, Seamus, Dave, Alyse and a few other people while I was wandering around.

I found some Whomping Willows in the courtyard, scouted out some nice photoshoot areas and I even found a Mirror of Erised. The Margate cannot be replaced but I didn't mind the Doubletree at all. It worked out very well. I just wish the air circulation was a little bit more even. The Plaza rooms were freezing but the main floor had pockets of warm air in certain parts of the hallway and in certain rooms. The Grand Ballroom definitely needed more AC since everyone was packed in that half where Salon 1, 2 and 3 are.


Jess and I ended going to Capri, which is a short walk from the hotel, for a slice of pizza to tie us over until the Opening Ceremonies and Feast. We also had time to pick up some groceries from the market and a few things at the CVS in the same plaza. After getting back to Doubletree, we hung out in the main lobby for a bit where there was a small Gryffindor photoshoot near one of the fireplaces. Jess and I also visited the Owlery to check out on some of the cool Owl Post Gift Exchange receptacles. Some people were super creative with decorating their receptacles. Jess and I decided to particpate in the Owl Post Gift Exhange this year due to hearing about it at the last MISTI. Thank you to Dylan for organizing it!

The Opening Ceremonies and Feast was fantastic! It's always a nice way to start a con by having everyone congregate in the same area with their bellies full and their body, mind, and soul entertained. Lawrence Neals was the MC for the next four days and I am so happy he was back to entertain us this year. He is a great singer and he knows how to keep a show moving. It was nice meeting new people. Jess and I met Matt, who is a friend of Irvin, and we also met Katherine. Both Matt and Katherine have never been to a MISTI-Con before. I know they had a great time at their first MISTI-Con. Yay to new Harry Potter friends!

Staff at the Opening Ceremonies and Feast

Jess and I bumped into Krissy at the Owlery again and we also scouted out the Common Room to see what was going on for the night. I saw some of the WROCK (wizard rock) bands at the Westchester for sometime. I believe I saw a couple of bands but Hawthorne and Holly was debuting a new song which was pretty exciting.

I actually don't remember what I did that night because I know I missed the Potter Movie Jumble because I was having so much fun reuniting with old friends and meeting new ones. I did wander the halls a bit and saw that Evercrumbly and Witch were setting up their displays for their wonderful hats. I can't believe they were able to make it. They were supposed to be at another event but decided last minute to eat the deposit so they can come to MISTI-Con! I am glad they were able to make it to MISTI because everyone always enjoys their company.

I have to say that the Doubletree at Hilton is a pretty good venue in terms of photoshoot locations and the layout for the most part. Too bad it was too hot to utilize the outdoor areas for long periods of time but the hotel lobby is gorgeous!

DAY 2: FRIDAY, JULY 19, 2019

Rise and shine for an early morning at MISTI! Jess and I went to the Volunteer Coordination Meeting first thing in the morning since we volunteered for a few shifts to help the staff out at MISTI. My first panel of the day was A History of Magic Wands which was amazing since Carol makes some of the most wonderful wands and she has a lot of knowledge about wandlore and wands in general. It was definitely a great start to this year's con.

I ended up skipping the How to Plant a Harry Potter Themed Garden since I bumped into my sister at the Owlery and she forgot her list for the exchange. I was assisting her with delivering the gifts since I was able to pull the spreadsheet on my phone. I volunteered to assist with the keynote presentation called Evanesco Representation, Accio Inclusion: Diversity in Harry Potter, which was fantastic by the way. I helped out prior to the keynote with microphone checks and taping down wires. After I helped out with ticket collecting, I was able to grab a plate of food for lunch before returning back to my post at the door to monitor who was coming into the panel and who was leaving to run to the rest room. Not only was I able to help out MISTI with my volunteer service, but I was also able to get a pretty decent lunch and I got to hear a wonderful and insightful conversation.

Evanesco Representation, Accio Inclusion: Diversity in Harry Potter Keynote

Afterward, I went to The Foreshadowing of Borgin & Burkes panel in which Irvin was presenting. Irvin always has some pretty thought-provoking panels. This one entailed about connecting things found in Borgin and Burkes in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. He also mentioned about how some Borgin and Burke's items have a Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes counterpart.

I bumped into Jill around 3:30ish and she needed someone to watch the registration desk while she practiced for the lip-sync battle so I quickly grabbed items for Madam Malkin's Clearance Rack so I can tag them when I was at the registration desk. At 5:00ish, I found my sister, Krissy, at the Madam Malkin's drop off as Triwizard Harry Potter. For those who don't know, the Madam Malkin's event is a consignment shop that MISTI has during every con. Participants bring their fandom T-shirts, costumes, memorabilia, etc to sell. Ten percent of the proceeds go to MISTI. Madam Malkin's took place the following day during the Bewitching Bazaar aka craft faire and author alley. I ended up bumping into Dave, Alyse, Jenny and Gareth in the lobby and they were trying to figure out dinner plans. We ventured out to downtown Tarrytown in search of food. The cafe was too busy and only had outside sitting. Because it was in the high 90's, we went to a Greek restaurant for dinner since we could eat inside. The Pasticcio I ordered was delicious and I even had some leftovers for lunch for the next day.

I was able to catch the remaining half of Albus & Scorpius's Excellent Adventure: A Musical Parody. There was an intermission after the parody since staff were setting up for the lip-sync battle and the Merlies. In the hallway near the Grand Ballroom, I bumped into Dariti and Krissy with a few others so we took a lot of photos near the train station photoshoot backdrop. I even spotted Dave who was dressed up as a Chinese Fireball Dragon. I was delighted that the hotel was serving Butterbeer that night since the night before they had other rotating drinks. Unfortunately, the Butterbeer they served had a base of rootbeer. Rootbeer!! Why? At least use cream soda if you are making Butterbeer.



During the lip-sync, there were some pretty hilarious acts. Let's say that Baby Shark will not be the same anymore. I found it hilarious how Viktor Krum recruited some friends to sing the Baby Shark song in his Triwizard second task swim outfit with a shark hat on his head. The Merlies is a showcase of fashionable outfits. I really liked someone's interpretation of Luna's huge lion's hat. Her version had an eagle which is very fitting since Luna is a Ravenclaw. Go Claws! Also, the phoenix cosplay is freaking amazing. I heard she was able to get the wings commissioned and they are hand-painted! How stunningly beautiful!

MISTI had a 90's dance party called the Rave 'N' Claw that started around 10:30 and ended at 1:30. I only stayed for part of the time since I was so tired and I needed to get up early in the morning. I caught the first half. Let's say the Rave 'N' Claw went way pass 1:30. I only know because my roomie was showering when I needed to pee so I walked down the hall to where a public bathroom is located in the Owlery. The dance party was right across from it and it was still bumping along.

The photo above left is one of my many outfits for the day. This one was for the beginning of the night. I ended up switching the pin for the blue light up one for the Rave 'N' Claw dance party. I also have been carrying my wand in between my Harry Potter luggage purse which has been so helpful! During the day, I wore the same shoes, socks, tie and white button down shirt but I had a Harry Potter Ravenclaw sweater and a gray skirt instead of the vest and printed skirt.

Crazy how two days of MISTI flew by super fast. My recaps for Days 3 and 4 will be up later this week. Make sure to check it out. I also have some posts on Instagram under #NicoleAtMISTICon.