Well here’s a new way to hipster out your bicycle for your daily commute (I’m looking at you, Portland). Youtube user TheManimation concocted a paper insert to go on top of a bicycle wheel that when rotated turns into a groovy animation. You won’t see it at first. Initially, the whole thing will look like one of those folded paper snowflakes that we all used to make in kindergarten. But once the wheels get moving, everything hits the right frequency and the gears start spinning (literally). The result is pretty impressive.
North America
Travel through North America by country:
Travel through North America by U.S. state:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Travel through North America by popular city:
Acapulco, Austin, Boston, Cabo San Lucas, Charlotte, NC, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Memphis, Mexico City, New Orleans, NYC, Ontario, Orlando, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Quebec, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan, San Jose, Washington, D.C.
Travel through North America by popular things to do:
Alcatraz, Broadway, Central Park, Disneyland, Disneyworld, Golden Gate Bridge, Graceland, Grand Canyon, Pearl Harbor, Statue of Liberty, Times Square
Alice in Wonderland pop-up restaurant opens in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
And, you probably thought Alice in Wonderland was just a fairytale. Not anymore, as Swallowtail Canada presents their pop-up restaurant, Down the Rabbit Hole, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, from November 24-December 17, 2011.
Diners will not just enjoy delicious cuisine, but will actually experience the world of Alice in Wonderland. The night begins just outside an enchanted forest where guests will be greeted by a frantic rabbit who will lead them “down the rabbit hole”. Does this sound familiar?
Once they reach their destination, attendees will get to interact with their favorite Alice in Wonderland characters, such as being served tea by the Mad Hatter, and have unique experiences like enjoying soup from a bottle that is labeled either “Big” or “Small”. Choose wisely, because the bottle you pick determines what you’re next course is.
The pop-up restaurant is predicted to be so bizarre that it has even caught the attention of Celebrity Chef and Food Network Star, Bob Blumer, who is currently on the hunt for the “World’s Weirdest Restaurant”.
From what it sounds like, Down the Rabbit Hole has a great chance of winning.
Tickets are $129 per person and include five Wonderland-themed courses, a cocktail creation by Swallowtail, and the interactive show, which is performed by actors from In the House Festival. The location of the venue will not be disclosed until a week before the reserved date. Dates and times that still have tickets available include:
- Saturday, November 26: 4PM and 8PM
- Saturday, December 3: 4PM and 8PM
- Saturday, December 17: 4PM and 8PM
To reserve your spot, e-mail theswallowdive@gmail.com or call 778-319-9453.
Survivorman Les Stroud returning to televison
One of the Discovery Channel’s most popular programs, Survivorman, is returning to television after being on hiatus for more than three years. The show, which features host Les Stroud demonstrating survival techniques in extreme settings, such as the Kalahari Desert or Alaskan wilderness, will relaunch with a series of special episodes sometime in 2012.
While Stroud’s list of destinations is not yet known, we do know that the format for the show will remain mostly the same. The episodes are filmed by Les himself, who goes out into the wild alone, carrying all of his camera and survival gear. In the past, he would usually spend seven days living in the wilderness, but according to the announcement on his website, he’ll actually be staying out for ten days on these new episodes. Apparently he’ll also begin filming the first new show in just three weeks time.
Fans of Stroud will be happy to hear of his return, as he had garnered quite a loyal following when the first three seasons of Survivorman were being aired. At the time, there were numerous comparisons to Man vs. Wild, the show hosted by Bear Grylls, which often sparked debates as to which of the men best knew his stuff. While Bear is a bit more theatrical and over the top, Les tends to remain more grounded and practical in his approach. Both shows are fun to watch however and I always enjoy seeing the destinations as much as what kind of trouble the two men can get into there.
The new Survivorman specials are set to air on OLN in Canada, Discovery Science in the U.S., and Discovery Channel International elsewhere. No word yet on when we can expect the shows to hit the airwaves however.
[Photo credit: Les Stroud]
Obese passenger forces neighbor on US Airways flight to stand for 7 hours
Arthur Berkowitz, a passenger on US Airways Flight 901 from Anchorage to Philadelphia, had no other choice but to stand up during his seven hour flight. It seems the next seat over was occupied by a passenger so overweight that it was impossible for Berkowitz to stay in his seat. Now, Berkowitz is speaking out about the ordeal.
“I didn’t fly from Alaska to Philadelphia on Flight 901,” Berkowitz told consumer advocate Chris Elliott, “I stood.”
The neighboring 400-pound man’s body spilled over into Berkowitz’s personal space so much that he was forced to stand for most of the 7 hour flight, and he couldn’t use his seat belt during takeoff and landing.
“His size required both armrests to be raised up and allowed for his body to cover half of my seat.” said Berkowitz.
US Airways apologized for the incident and said in a statement “Our intention is to offer the best travel experience possible. The details you have provided indicate that we have failed to meet our intentions.” US Air offered Berkowitz a $200 voucher in compensation.
In a poll on Elliott’s consumer watchdog site, 96% (over 17,000 votes) thought that US Airways did not offer Berkowitz enough compensation. We agree.
[Image credit: AP]
Calling all single snow bunnies: Speed dating hits the slopes this Winter
Want to find love by trying something a little out of the ordinary this winter?
Bristol Mountain in the Finger Lakes region of New York has come up with a way to help singles find a compatible ski buddy…and maybe even the love of their life. On January 14 and February 11, 2012, single skiers can sign up for Ski Dating, which includes three, 45 minute ski or snowboarding dates with three potential matches. And to get daters in the mood for romance and help them get to know each other, Bristol Mountain will host a wine and cheese mixer before hitting the slopes.
If you’re interested in attending one of these sessions, pre-registration is required. The price is $15 and does not include life tickets or ski rentals. For more information click here.