Florida - Lili on the Loose

10 06, 2019

Travel Missteps: What you don’t want to see on a beach vacation

By Lili|June 10th, 2019|Categories: Travel, Travel Missteps|Tags: 2015, beach, Florida, Miami, Miami Beach, Miami Heat, North America, ocean, South Beach, swimsuit, work trip|0 Comments

I had been shopping for clothes for my upcoming Egypt trip, and I had found the pretty swimsuit top at an outlet mall an hour outside of Miami. I was already a bit shaken up after a fiasco with my Uber, so as soon as I got back to my hotel, I eagerly threw on the swimsuit to head out to the beach. Except...I couldn't. The dang security badge was still on! And there wasn't any nearby stores that could take it off. I was pissed. Thankfully I had an old ugly swimsuit as a backup, but it was a good

23 03, 2019

Souvenir Saturday: Ravenclaw House Pride

By Lili|March 23rd, 2019|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: 2012, Banner, clothes, cosplay, costume, Florida, Harry Potter, Hogsmeade, Hogwarts, House Pride, Islands of Adventure, Movie, North America, Orlando, Orlando Adventure 2012, Patch, Ravenclaw, Sorted, Sorting, ties, Universal Studios, USA, Wizarding World, Wizarding World of Harry Potter|0 Comments

It's Ravenclaw House Pride Day! I've shared my Ravenclaw Robes before, but here are some of the other Ravenclaw items I got at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Souvenir Saturday is an every-other week series on the items that represent travel memories.

8 02, 2019

Hogwarts at Night

By Lili|February 8th, 2019|Categories: Attractions & Sights, Photography, Travel|Tags: 2018, castle, Florida, Halloween Highlights Orlando, Harry Potter, Hogsmeade, Hogwarts, Islands of Adventures, North America, Orlando, Photo Friday, Theme Park, Universal, Universal Studios, USA, Wizarding World of Harry Potter, WWOHP|0 Comments

I always seem to visit Hogwarts during a full moon! Every Friday Lili shares her favorite photography & the stories behind the photos.

23 12, 2018

September 2018 Recap

By Lili|December 23rd, 2018|Categories: Blog Recaps and Roundups|Tags: 2018, Agora, Alias Grace, Ariel, Colorado, Cosmic Ray's, Craig Gerguson, Discovery Center, Eric, Estes Park, Florida, Gringotts, Grog Grotto, Halloween, Halloween Highlights Orlando, Halloween Party, Harry Potter, Headless Horseman, Highland Festival, Hocus Pocus, Hocus Pocus Villan's Spectacular, Hogsmeade, Ice Cream, Islands of Adventures, Jack Whitehall, Jurassic Park, Little Mermaid, Lizzy Borden, Magic Kingdom, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, North America, Orlando, Polynesian Resort, Scottish Festival, scrapbooking, Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, Swiss Army Man, The good Place, The Mummy, Tiki, Tiki Bar, Trader Sam's, Trader Sam's Grog Grotto, Travels with my Father, triceratops, Universal, Universal Studios, Ursula, USA, Vanessa, Venessa, Victoria, Walt Disney World, What We Do In The Shadows, Wizarding World of Harry Potter, WWOHP, Zombie|0 Comments

September was a busy month! We moved into a new office this month at work. I miss the old 100+ history of our last office, but now I have a view of the mountains from my desk! View this post on Instagram New office! I can see mountains! A post shared by Lili (@liliontheloose) on Sep 4, 2018 at 9:15am PDT Its been years but I made it back up to Estes Park for the Scottish/Highland Festival. I really enjoyed the parade, but the rest of the festival is much smaller than I remember it use to be.

11 11, 2017

Souvenir Saturday: Candy from Harry Potter Part 3

By Lili|November 11th, 2017|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: 2012, 2016, Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, Diagon Alley, Florida, Glacial Snow Flakes, Harry Potter, Hogsmeade, Honeydukes, Islands of Adventure, Magical Weekend, North America, Orlando, Orlando Adventure 2012, Snow Melts, Universal, Universal Studios, USA, Wizarding World, Wizarding World of Harry Potter|0 Comments

This is the last in the 3 part series of my favorite candy you can get at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! I got these on a whim, and they are so delicious! There are multiple versions of the snowflakes and they have a nice peppermint flavor in the white chocolate, which a little shimmer on the top! And finally, Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans! These are just as classic as Chocolate Frogs! Souvenir Saturday is an every-other week series on the items that represent travel memories.

28 10, 2017

Souvenir Saturday: Candy from Harry Potter Part 2

By Lili|October 28th, 2017|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: 2016, Carmel Cobwebs, Diagon Alley, Florida, Harry Potter, Jelly Slugs, Magical Weekend, North America, Orlando, Sugarplum's Sweetshop, Universal, Universal Studios, USA, Wizarding World, Wizarding World of Harry Potter|0 Comments

For the next few weeks I'm going to share my favorite candy you can get at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! These two items can be purchased at Sugarplum's Sweetshop in Diagon Alley, I don't recall these being mentioned in the books, but they are really good. I was in Orlando around Halloween, so when I saw these Carmel Cobwebs I thought this was perfect for the season. I was sad that this box seemed simplified compared to the ornate designs of other candies. But I was so wrong. These are amazing. They taste lightly of caramel and possibly white

14 10, 2017

Souvenir Saturday: Candy from Harry Potter Part 1

By Lili|October 14th, 2017|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: 2012, 2016, Albus Dumbledore, Florida, Harry Potter, Hogsmeade, Honeydukes, Islands of Adventure, lemon drops, Magical Weekend, North America, Orlando, Orlando Adventure 2012, sherbet lemons, sugar quill, Universal, Wizarding World, Wizarding World of Harry Potter|0 Comments

For the next few weeks I'm going to share my favorite candy you can get at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! This week I'm sharing my favorite Honeydukes branded product, sherbet lemons! Well actually the more just Lemon Drops, but I share this affinity with Albus Dumbledore. At Honeydukes you can buy these pre-packaged, or empty ones that you fill up. Another sugary candy is the Sugar Quill. This is another one mentioned in the books. This version is a lolly pop, but if you dip the black part in water it will let you write for a little bit.

21 09, 2017

In Character Conversations: Pirates

By Lili|September 21st, 2017|Categories: Activities, Travel|Tags: 2016, Captain Jack Sparrow, charcter, Disney, Disney World, Florida, Halloween Party, Jack Sparrow, Magical Weekend, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, MNSSHP, North America, Orlando, Pirates, Pirates of the Caribbean, Travel Thursday, USA, Walt Disney World|0 Comments

Tuesday was "Talk Like A Pirate Day", and it reminded me of last year meeting the infamous pirate: Captain Jack Sparrow. He's an elusive character at Disney World's Magic Kingdom. You cannot meet him during the day, but often can see him during Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. (Hence why I'm dressed as a cat.) He's actually the first character I met, and it happened very quickly. I had just gotten off the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, to see a line of people. It wasn't very long, so I decided to hop in the line, not really knowing

7 09, 2017

Scenes from St John, USVI

By Lili|September 7th, 2017|Categories: Nature & Outdoors, Travel|Tags: 2011, Anna Point, Bordeaux Mountain, Caribbean, Coral Bay, Florida, Francis Bay, Hurricane Hole, Hurricane Irma, Leinster Bay, ocean, paradise, St. John, St. John 2011, Travel Thursday, Trunk Bay, USVI, Whistling Cay|1 Comment

Hurricane Irma has devastated so many countries and islands, and sadly I hear my beloved island of St John in the US Virgin Islands has been hit pretty hard. And with Irma heading towards Florida, more devastation is on its way. With St John on my mind, I'm sharing some of my favorite landscape photos I took on my 2011 trip. View of Anna Point and Leinster Bay. Look at that gorgeous color water! The beautiful Trunk Bay. Looking towards Coral Bay and Hurricane Hole from Bordeaux Mountain. Rainbow over Francis Bay and Whistling

19 08, 2017

Souvenir Saturday: Butterbeer Mugs

By Lili|August 19th, 2017|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: 2012, 2016, Butterbeer, Diagon Alley, Florida, Fountain of Fair Fortune, Harry Potter, Hogsmeade, Islands of Adventure, Magical Weekend, mug, mugs, North America, Orlando, Orlando Adventure 2012, Universal, Wizarding World, Wizarding World of Harry Potter|1 Comment

At Universal Orlando, there are actually two types of Butterbeer mugs you can get. The original version (shown on the right) is found in the Hogsmeade section and is more of a stein shape. But if you head over to the Fountain of Fair Fortune at Diagon Alley, you'll find this mug with an elevated and curved shape. At either area you can get traditional Butterbeer, or my favorite the frozen kind! Souvenir Saturday is an every-other week series on the items that represent travel memories.