Lincoln Cathedral quieter than usual as 176 year old bell gets repaired

by Sean McLachlan on

Great Tom, the giant bell at Lincoln Cathedral that has struck the hour every hour since 1835, has stopped ringing.

The clapper has almost shared off, a church official said. The last time the bell was silenced was during the filming of The Da Vinci Code in 2005.

Lincoln Cathedral is one of the great cathedrals of Europe. The original cathedral was commissioned by William the Conqueror and consecrated in 1092. Fires and earthquakes caused a few rebuilds over the years and like so many cathedrals, different parts date to different centuries.

Still, it’s one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in England. The soaring nave and the three tall towers make it a memorable landmark.

One odd little bit of decoration is the Lincoln Imp. This is said to be one of two imps sent by the devil to cause mischief. They smashed the furniture, tripped the bishop, and caused general mayhem until an angel floated out of a book of hymns. One imp became scared and hid, while the other threw things at the angel. The angel then turned the more aggressive imp to stone while the cowardly imp ran away. An imp is still the symbol of the city of Lincoln.

Smaller bells will continue to ring the quarter hours and church officials hope to have it up by the end of the year.

Imp photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
Cathedral photo courtesy Geograph.

Gilt City lets you name your own Virgin America plane and take your friends on a trip – for just $60,000

by McLean Robbins on

In search of a luxe holiday gift for someone special? You don’t have to shell out for the G5.

For just $60,000 this Cyber Monday, Gilt City has partnered with Virgin America to offer a lucky person the chance to name a Virgin plane (permanently!) and enjoy a round-trip flight for the purchaser and 145 of their closest friends. You can take any roundtrip nonstop domestic flight (Las Vegas, Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, New York and DC are on the list) on your own schedule, plus enjoy WiFi, a complimentary checked bag each and extra Gilt City amenities during the flight.

It’s a pretty sweet deal, coming out to just $411 per person, which is about the price of a roundtrip flight anyway. Even better? You can depart and leave whenever you wish, so long as you abide by the “four months in advance” reservation requirement.

Just one catch – you need to sign up for a free Gilt City membership to buy. But don’t worry, we’ve got an invite code for you.

Great apres ski locations

by McLean Robbins on

While we love to enjoy the winter weather, our favorite part about a long weekend in a ski resort isn’t the slopes but the time spent apres ski. Here are a few of our favorite luxe locations around the western US:

Park Hyatt Beaver Creek
After taking in any of the 146 runs available in the area, unwind by sipping adult beverages in the Resort’s Antler Lounge or dine on authentic Colorado après fare, such as Smoked Trout Flatbread at 8100 Mountainside Bar & Grill. Heat things up at the daily S’mores Happy Hour, with handmade flavored marshmallows from the chef – vanilla, crème de menthe, Grand Marnier, M&M and toffee – the perfect after-ski sweet treat.

Fifty Two 80 Bistro & Bar – Four Seasons Resort Whistler
After experiencing the terrain of the 2010 Olympic Games, let the crew at the Resort’s lounge pour you a Mountain Mojito to enjoy on the heated terrace while the vibrant local talent entertains you. Also available in the spa, the Après Ski massage with a combination of much-needed stretching and hot-stone heat therapy to restore the body so you can hit the slopes again the next day.

Moonlight Basin
The Resort nestled in Montana’s Rocky Mountains is home of the Biggest Skiing in America, access to the Moonlight Basin – Big Sky Resort interconnect for 5,512 acres of downhill terrain, 4,350 feet of vertical, 27 lifts and over 220 trails. Back at the Resort, relax and take in the unforgettable views of three states while enjoying the warmth of the lodge’s classic stone fireplace and sipping winter libations from the bar, and on Saturdays – live music.

Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole
Located steps from the slopes of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and the surrounding Grand Teton National Park, the Resort is a haven for snow sport enthusiasts, offering Snow Cat Skiing, Backcountry skiing and heli skiing. Guests can chill out or heat up at The Peak in front of the fire place on the terrace while indulging in local craft beer, creative cocktails and wines by the glass.

Telluride Ski Resort
After a long day hitting the slopes at one of America’s most extreme skiing destinations, hop the free gondola to Allreds, the city’s most famous restaurant. Sitting 12,000 feet above sea level, the lodge-style restaurant offers hearty steaks and seafood dishes with magnificent views of the valleys and slopes below.

The Fitz
The laid back atmosphere at the lounge in Manor Vail Lodge is what makes it the locals best kept secret for après fare. Adventure enthusiasts find paradise in the seven back bowls and four terrain parks before taking in an evening of live entertainment, signature martinis and panoramic views of Ford Park, Gore Range and Gore Creek for an unforgettable and breathtaking mountain experience.

Stonebridge Inn
After a day adventure in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, retreat to this slope side, full service property for an Artisan lounge experience. The menu features light and vibrant twists on traditional dishes, including Tuna Tartar, a Maytag Blue Cheese Burger and Pastrami Sandwich; perfectly paired with handpicked wine selections from the Chef for a sophisticated and effortless après ski that will please any palette.

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D*Haus’ dynamic new house transforms shape with the weather

by Jessica Festa on

When it gets stormy outside, I usually just close my windows. But with the new innovative design concept by D*Haus, homes may soon by able to simply morph when the weather changes.

The London-based company has come up with a eco-friendly house that sits on rails, allowing it to change its form into different configurations, pivoting open and closed, based on the weather. According to Daniel Woolfson of D*Haus, “The dissection of the square into four distinct shapes allows it to be rearranged to form the [equilateral] triangle. This concept alone is fascinating, but the possibilities are endless when applying this formula to the world of architecture and design.”

When developing the home, designers had the regions of Sweden and Lapland in mind, hoping to create something that would respond to the harsh climates of these areas. For example, when it’s chilly out and you need to conserve heat the house can pull itself into a tight square.

There is still some work to do before the house is perfect, as you can probably imagine there are a lot of technical issues that go into a project like this. To get a better idea of how this shape-shifting house works, check out this video:


D*Haus Dynamic from The D*Haus Company Ltd on Vimeo.

SkyMall Monday: Leaf Rake Hands

by Mike Barish on

As kids, it’s natural to imagine ourselves as superheroes. Heck, some of us still fantasize about that as adults. How cool would it be to have super powers and to defend the world against supervillians. Sadly, however, reality is such that this isn’t really possible. Even if you tried to be a superhero, you’d probably just end up in trouble with the law. At the end of the day, there are no supervillians and vigilante justice is frowned upon. So, even if you had otherworldly powers, you’d still be stuck in your humdrum life. Even if I could fly, I’d still be writing SkyMall Monday every week, albeit from different places around the world. Even this week’s featured SkyMall product, which resembles Wolverine’s claws, will simply make landscaping your yard only slightly cooler. Even X-Men need to keep a tidy lawn, and that’s why you need the Leaf Rake Hands.Raking leaves is tedious, backbreaking work. No matter how much you rake, more leaves just fall from the trees. Most rakes are flimsy and appear to have been made 30 years ago. Today’s leaves require modern solutions. While superpowers would help, manpower most important.

Think that rakes are perfectly designed for the task at hand? Believe that Wolverine probably hires a landscaping crew to clean his yard? Well, while you clean your gutters telepathically, we’ll be reading the product description:

The deep scoop design of the Leaf Rake Hands allows you to grab huge amounts of leaves, brush, or hedge clippings at one go. Simply grip the handles and scoop! The Leaf Rake Hands use the power of your forearms to make grabbing and lifting nearly effortless.

Finally, years of working out your forearms while browsing the internet have paid off.

You might not be able to be a superhero, but you can be a look like one as you handle your domestic chores. Those leaves aren’t going to rake themselves and that spandex suit that you made for yourself deserves to be worn at least once.

Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.