Summer trips for Star Wars fans

by Leigh Caldwell on

There are several Star Wars-themed events in Alabama and Florida that should be worth the trip, so you won’t have to crash on Dagobah or invade Naboo to feel the Force this summer.

Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from May 21 through June 13

This annual festival attracts Star Wars fans of all ages to Walt Disney World. There are meet-and-greets with a number of Star Wars characters, including Darth Vader, C-3PO, Luke, Leia and Jedi Mickey, who will sign autographs and pose for photos. Stars of the movies and TV series in the Star Wars franchise appear each weekend for “star conversations” and autograph sessions. This year’s guests include Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett) May 21-23 and Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian) June 4-6.

Most of the action is centered around the Star Tours theme park ride inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The ride will be closing in September for an update, so many Star Wars fans are attending Star Wars Weekends this year to get their last ride on the original attraction before it changes.

There’s also a Hollywood-style motorcade of Star Wars characters and celebrity guests each afternoon, complete with contingents of marching Stormtroopers. And don’t miss the Hyperspace Hoopla, which often degenerates into a Star Wars character dance-off.

Star Wars Weekends are free with regular admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. A one-day ticket will run you $79.


Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination
U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama
June 25 through Sept. 6

It’s the first Southeast U.S. showing for this traveling exhibit, which uses the futuristic robots and vehicles in the Star Wars movies to teach real-world science and engineering.

Visitors can meet C-3PO and R2-D2 and learn about how humans interact with robots in Star Wars. Then they can design their own robot in the Robot Engineering Lab. Or view a Star Wars landspeeder and actual vehicles and prototypes being designed today for space travel. In total, more than 80 original costumes and props from the six Star Wars movies are part of the exhibition.

More than 100,000 people are expected to visit the exhibit in Huntsville, and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center says it will likely be sold out during peak times. Officials there suggest you buy your Star Wars exhibition tickets in advance. Day tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for kids, evening (off-peak) tickets are discounted to $20 for adults and $15 for kids.

And if you have Star Wars fans ages 7 through 12, be sure to check out the Jedi Experience overnight camps being offered at Huntsville’s Space Camp facility.

Star Wars Celebration V
Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida
Aug. 12-15
This Star Wars fan convention is sanctioned by and this year, produced by, Lucasfilm. It includes parties, autograph signings, costume events, collectible sales, panel discussions and all manner of Star Wars geekdom.

Jay Laga’aia (Capt. Typho in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith) is the celebrity host for the event. Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) is the headliner.

A four-day ticket to the Star Wars Celebration will run you $128, kids get in for $54.

See Chicago wieners (and others) on IgoUgo list

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Chicago makes several appearances on IgoUgo’s list of top hotdog establishments, but there are plenty of spots across the country where you can pick up a great hotdog. My favorite apparently made the cut – a shortcoming of the list, I guess. For me, it doesn’t get better than Popo’s, in Swampscott, MA, and my local shop, Gray’s Papaya, is no slouch, either.

And, don’t forget that there are some dogs to be found outside the United States. I’ve had interesting eats in Stockholm, Montreal, East Anglia, Reykjavik and Madrid. That said, IgoUgo‘s honor roll is packed with fantastic hotdoggeries, and you’re bound to find something that satisfies the basest of “culinary” urges.

Get IgoUgo’s suggestions and reasoning after the jump.

%Gallery-66988%

From IgoUgo:

Portillo’s, Chicago: “The hot dogs are all beef and are definitely the best in town. The cup of hot gold might not be real cheese, but darn, it’s good.”

Nathan’s Famous, Coney Island: “Sure, you can get their hot dogs at airports and malls throughout the country now, but they taste different in New York.”

Pink’s, Los Angeles: “Who knew you can fit two hot dogs in one bun (The Today Show Dog)? There’s even a crazy option with three hot dogs in a tortilla (Three Dog Night).”

Puka Dog, Koloa, HI: Located in a “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shopping center,” Puka Dog’s homemade buns are spiked and warmed from the inside out before the bun is filled with a secret garlic-lemon sauce and topped with a veggie dog or a polish sausage – and star fruit, mango, or papaya relish.

Hot Doug’s, Inc., Chicago: “Not only do they have the classic Chicago-style dog but they also have the Elvis (with Polish sausage) and the occasional game”-try the alligator dog with blue cheese and order the duck-fat fries.

The Dog Out,San Ramon, CA: When walking into the Dog Out, the feeling is “it is going to be a fun meal.” Keep an eye out as sometimes the manager comes around with free ice cream for everyone.

The Wiener’s Circle, Chicago: There is not a Chicago-style hot dog like those “at The Wiener’s Circle (after midnight).” This place is one of character, “famous for people yelling and swearing at each other before they take part in the monstrosity that is cheese fries.”

Wright’s Dairy Rite, Staunton, VA: Open since 1952, this classic drive-in restaurant has had car-hop service since its inception. Inside, there’s a phone at every booth to call in your order. “The dogs come in regular size and Dogzilla, a 1/3-pound dog served on a sub bun.”

Chris’ Hot Dogs, Montgomery, AL: “Chris’ Hot Dogs is a dive, but everybody knows it was one of Hank Williams’ hangouts.” The place is dark, dingy, and kind of seedy, but the hot dogs are great. Regulars range from “construction workers to the governor.”

SuperDog, Portland: SuperDog prides itself on its natural and homemade goodies like “all-meat chili, soup, and cheesecake…yes, cheesecake.” The hot dogs are “the best,” the buns are “out of this world,” and, if you’re lucky, the beer on tap is “SuperDog IPA.”

Sinkhole travel: The Dead Sea isn’t the only place to see where the earth has caved in

by Jamie Rhein on

The story about Eli Raz who fell into a sinkhole at the Dead Sea and wasn’t found for 14 hours–alive, thank goodness, about environmental changes and the traveler’s experience. In the case of Raz, the message is look, but be alert for heaven’s sake when out in the natural world.

The Dead Sea, at the lowest point on earth, has 3,000 sinkholes along the coast and more coming. Raz is on a mission to map out those in existence in an effort to warn others where not to tread. Obviously, 14 hours in a sinkhole had an impact.

Caused by the earth dissolving underground, and the surface eventually collapsing inward, sinkholes are landmarks that attract people for a variety of reasons.

In the United States, Florida, Texas, Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania are the states where sinkholes are most prevalent. There are hiking trails that lead to some of them and others are in cave country. Sinkholes have also created a place to get a bite to eat and watch bats.

Florida has the most sinkholes of any state in the U.S. There are several state parks where they play an important part in the balance of the environment. One such place is Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park in Gainsville, Florida. The sinkhole where waterfalls create an environment of lush vegetation has been a geographical curiousity since the 1800s.

Camdenton, Missouri, Ha Ha Tonka State Park– Has numerous sinkholes, caves, natural bridges and soaring bridges.

Cave City, Kentucky, Onyx Cave and Outlaw Cave–Not far from Mammouth Cave, these two caves are located in a sinkhole plain. I’m sure if you ask the locals where to find sinkholes, they can tell you. According to the descriptions of the area, sinkholes abound.

Morristown, Tennessee, Sink Holes Trail in Panther Creek State Park, Morristown, Tennessee. The trail leads past seven limestone sinkholes.

Rockspring, Texas. Devil’s Sinkhole– The 360-foot deep sinkhole is Texas’s 3rd largest cave and summer home to a slew of bats. At dusk you can watch them come out in droves. Join a tour at the Rockspring Visitor’s Center.

Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, 17 miles from Heber, Arizona. Sinkhole Trail-The trail leads to a sinkhole and then down into it where the landscape makes a dramatic change.

In Pennsylvania, where sinkholes create disturbances along roadways and construction sites, Palmyra has the Sinkhole Saloon. In January, a possible sinkhole in Palmyra caused a road closure pending investigation. It looked like the road was falling inward.

Southern Baptists protest Alabama wine trail

by Catherine Bodry on

Georgia has a wine trail. So do Florida and Tennessee. Now an Alabama trade association and a tourism group are joining the Southern ranks and adding a wine trail to Alabama’s list of attractions. Eight wineries operate in northern Alabama, and one vintner boasts that he’d put his wines up against California’s any day.

But a Baptist leader is protesting the idea of luring tourists with booze. The Rev. Robert Griffin, moderator of the Chilton Baptist Association and pastor of a Baptist church, maintains that his church is “on record as being opposed to any kind of alcohol-related industry.”

This isn’t the first alcohol incident the state has come against recently — in October, the state opened a liquor store on a Sunday afternoon in Birmingham. The governor intervened, and the agency promised it would never happen again.

This time it looks like the heathen booze-lovers won: brochures will list the eight participating wineries in Alabama. Those who visit all eight will get a special wine glass with all the logos from the wineries on it.

Plans for New Year’s Eve

by Adrienne Wilson on

Like many I am still searching for the perfect way to spend New Year’s Eve. I’ve never been huge NYE celebrating type of person so it’s no biggie if I don’t find some spectacular fireworks display, but at the same time it’s always kind of nice. Last year I stayed nestled inside my apartment and the previous year I believe I was sitting on a beach in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica wishing I were somewhere else (long story). Well the Miami Herald offers a small sampling of what’s available across the states and even as far down and out as Australia, Italy and Costa Rica. Go figure. Nothing listed for Chicago so I’ll be moving onto the next list, but for those partying domestically in Key West, NYC, ATL or even Alabama check out their notes.