Photo of the Day (06.07.10)

by Mike Barish on

People like to gripe about airplane food. It’s been fodder for comedians (not all of them funny) for years. People complain about how it tastes. They bitch about it being too hot or too cold. It’s chewy. It’s difficult to cut with plastic cutlery. And, now, it just plain costs too much since airlines have stopped serving free meals. Oddly, though, I love airplane food. I enjoy how compartmentalized it is. How I’m eating a full meal nearly six miles above the surface of the Earth. How I get to put a huge chunk of cheese on one tiny cracker. That’s why I love this picture by Flickr user andreakw. There’s no judgment here. No hacky jokes about airplane food. Just a simple meal served six miles above the surface of the Earth. And, perhaps alarmingly, no chunks of cheese.

Why not share your favorite memories of airplane meals in the comments below?

Have a an amazing meal you enjoyed on the road? Or maybe just some delightul travel photos? Upload them to our Flickr pool and we use one for a Photo of the Day.

Australians travel 150 miles across the Outback for beer

by Kraig Becker on

How far would you be willing to travel for a beer? If you’re anything like the residents of Marble Bar, located in Western Australia’s Outback, the answer is “pretty far”.

According to the Daily Mail the Ironclad Hotel, which was located in Marble Bar, closed down last month, taking the town’s only pub with it. As a result, many of the locals have been making the 150-mile round trip journey to Nullagine just to enjoy a frosty pint at the Conglomerate Hotel. By Outback standards, Nullagine is practically right next door.

It is estimated that more than a quarter of the residence of Marble Bar have been making the commute to Nullagine on a regular basis, and as a result, the amount of beer being consumed at the Conglomerate has tripled. In fact, the situation has gotten so dire, that the pub may run out of beer before they can get resupplied later in the week. If that were to happen, residents of both towns would have to travel an additional 125 miles to get a taste of their favorite beverage.

The Daily Mail is quick to point out exactly why the Marble Bar locals are in such need of a cold drink. The town holds Australia’s record for the most consecutive days above 100ºF. Set back in the 1920’s, the record still stands at an astounding 160 days of triple digit temperatures.

There is hope in sight however, as plans are already afoot to reopen the Ironclad very soon.

[Photo Credit: Alamy]

Why does China love KFC more than McDonald’s?

by Aaron Hotfelder on

KFC is one of the most popular fast food chains in China, with more than 2,100 locations in 450 cities. Perhaps surprisingly, McDonald’s is not nearly as successful, with only about half the number of restaurants. This is the reverse of the situation in the United States, where McDonald’s is often considered to be number one while KFC trails behind.

So why do the Chinese prefer KFC to McDonald’s? The blog The China Expat has a few possible answers. One of them is that KFC caters better to Chinese tastes than McDonald’s does. For example, KFC’s menu includes Traditional Peking Chicken Rolls, Preserved Sichuan Pickle and Shredded Pork Soup, Happy French Fry Shakes (with beef, orange and Uygur barbecue spices) and for breakfast a Chinese-style porridge called congee. McDonald’s caters its menu to international tastes, but not to the same extent in China.

In addition, a slick marketing campaign from KFC has some Chinese convinced that KFC is actually healthy. “Their message is that KFC is the ‘new fast food,'” says the China Expat. (Does this mean KFC’s appalling new “Double Down” hasn’t arrived in China yet?)

Finally, and perhaps most importantly in these lean economic times, KFC has better coupons than McDonald’s. The coupons are apparently so good that Chinese KFC’s are occasionally mobbed by coupon-holders.

Go here for the full China Expat post. Any other ideas why KFC beats McDonald’s in China?

Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa debuts “World’s Spiciest Drink”

by Melanie Nayer on

This drink is no joke.

The Fire Pit Bloody Mary is part of the Wyndham’s Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa’s new “Caliente Cocktails” and the Puerto Rico hotel is already staking claim that it’s the spiciest drink in the world.

The Fire Pit Bloody Mary’s key ingredient is the fiery Indian bhut jolokia chile pepper. It boosts a ranking of more than one million Scoville units (the measurement of ‘spicy’ heat) and the pepper has been ranked by Guinness World Records as the world’s hottest.

“If you think you’ve already tasted the hottest Bloody Mary in the world, you’re wrong,” said Danna Holck, general manager of Wyndham Rio Mar. “If you’re man-or woman-enough to drink one, we’ll give you a second Fire Pit on us.” It’s a nice offer, but after you use the fire extinguisher (which comes courtesy of the hotel when you order a drink) to put out the blaze in your mouth, can you really stand another one? For only $10, maybe you’re brave enough…

For those of you not quite ready to taste this spice of life, the “Caliente Cocktails” menu also includes an assortment of $10 drinks including the Volcano (a concoction of brandy, sweet and sour mix and orange juice); Fire Ball (cinnamon schnapps and Tabasco); and the Fire and Ice (rum, grenadine, vodka and blue curacao).

Caliente Cocktails are only available at the hotel’s new fire pit – the inspiration for the new drink menu – which is located at Wyndham Rio Mar’s Tiki Grill overlooking the beach. If you’re brave enough to taste this concoction, let us know how it was (and how you’re feeling).

Virgin Atlantic’s pervy new in-flight cocktail

by Laurel Miller on

God bless Richard Branson.

According to Jaunted, Virgin Atlantic has come up with a summer promo designed to entice passengers into an upgrade. If you sit in Premium Economy or Upper Class on selected flights, you’ll get to enjoy a complimentary Virgin Redhead.

Relax, it’s just a cocktail: a saucy blend of muddled raspberries, fresh lemon juice, Cassis, and Framboise Liqueur, shaken with Bombay Sapphire Gin, and topped with float of Champagne.

The Upper Class elite can also have themselves a Redhead in VA Clubhouses in select cities. Scandalous!

[Image credit: Rocoto]