Best Places to Pig Out Meals That Will Blow Your Mind and Tip the Scale

Warning: This article is only for those with stomachs of steel. We’re taking you on a tour of the country’s most extreme eateries including a 60-pound burger, an 80-pound pizza and fried Twinkies. Throw out your scales and pile up your plates — these are extreme pig outs.

Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub
Clearfield, PennsylvaniaTwo hours outside Pittsburgh you’ll find Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub, home of the world’s biggest burgers. To put these burgers in perspective, the average hamburger is about 1/4 pound of beef; at Denny’s, the burgers start at 2 pounds. From there, weights of these monster burgers increase to 6 pounds, 15 pounds, all the way up to the 62-pound Beer Belly Buster. Dressed with 5 pounds of cheese and 7 pounds of additional toppings, the Beer Belly Buster can serve up to 200 people.

Country Pancake House
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Flapjacks, johnnycakes, hot cakes, pancakes — call them what you like. At Country Pancake House you’re guaranteed to find the country’s craziest selection of supersized pancakes. Their menu features over 120 different kinds of pancakes including: smoked salmon and onion, prosciutto and blue cheese, pineapple and ham, and shrimp pancakes. These griddle concoctions are created at the customer’s request and are available in 2 sizes: the medium, 8-inches wide and four to an order and the large, over a foot wide and 2 to an order. Add some huge toppings to your order, and chow down on a 5-pound, 2,500-calorie breakfast. After all, it is the most important meal of the day.

The Chip Shop
Brooklyn, New YorkWhen in doubt, fry it. At The Chip Shop in Brooklyn, New York, you can experience the greasiest, crispiest, fattiest fried food there is. Owner Chris Sell opened the restaurant in 2001 and brought his passion for frying British chips to New York City’s popular outer borough. French fries are the tamest item on The Chip Shop’s menu; unique options fresh from the fryer include hard-boiled eggs, pudding, mac and cheese, candy bars, cupcakes and Twinkies. This last delicacy features 780 calories and 28 grams of fat.

Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzeria
CaliforniaIn California, Big Mama’s & Papa’s Pizzerias have 18 locations serving up the biggest deliverable pizza in the entire world. The giant Sicilian is a 54-inch-square pizza featuring over 20 pounds of dough, 1 1/2 gallons of tomato sauce and 12 pounds of mozzarella cheese. Orders for this monstrous meal must be placed 24 hours in advance to line up the ingredients and manpower needed to create the world’s biggest pizza. Add up to 30 toppings, and a four-man team with a flatbed truck will deliver this 80-pound pizza to your door.

Ben & Jerry’s
Waterbury, VermontIce cream is America’s most popular dessert, and no two names are more famous in the biz than Ben and Jerry. These two big names know how to create a big dessert — the Vermonster ice cream sundae features 20 scoops of ice cream, four bananas, four ladles of hot fudge, 10 scoops of walnuts, three chocolate chip cookies, one fudge brownie, two scoops of your favorite toppings and an obscene amount of whipped cream — all served in the Vermonster bucket. This dessert is packed with 14,000 calories and 500 grams of fat — that’s the average person’s dietary consumption for an entire week and some serious brain freeze.

Jack-n-Grill
Denver, ColoradoJack-n-Grill serves up the biggest most extreme Mexican food in the country. Their breakfast burrito is filled with a dozen eggs, 15 ounces of chili and weighs over 7 pounds. Other extreme menu options include: enchiladas packed with five tortillas, 10 ounces of ground beef, cheese, onions and a generous dollop of guacamole; and the extreme burger is topped with a hot dog. Ladies — if you can finish the 7-pound burrito in one sitting, you’ll eat free at Jack-n-Grill for the rest of your life. That’s right, free for life.

R. U. Hungry
New Brunswick, New Jersey
The R.U. Hungry sandwich stand is serving the ravenous students at Rutgers University in New Brunswick “fat sandwiches” till the wee hours of the morning. At this stand, anything and everything can be served between 2 slices of bread. The “fat moon” slaps 2 eggs, 2 strips of bacon, 2 chicken fingers and French fries on a roll. Even more outrageous, the “fat Philly” takes a cheesesteak and adds gyro meat, 2 chicken fingers, 2 mozzarella sticks and french fries. While not exactly brain food, these sandwiches have been a staple in New Brunswick and for the RU students in need of a late-night “snack.”

Heart Attack Grill
Chandler, Arizona
Heart Attack Grill in Chandler, Arizona, is the country’s most perilous pig out. Its menu is a killer catalog of the greasiest, fattiest foods featuring one staple ingredient: lard. The Quadruple Bypass is the menu’s aptly named deadliest meal: 2 pounds of ground beef soaked in lard and served with all the fatty fixings, including killer french fries. The restaurant’s ER-themed doocor is a playful reminder that its menu is serious…like a heart attack.

by Erica Walsh

Butterbeer

This is part III in a mini-series of Harry Potter snacks from the books brought to life (part I is on Honeydukes treats, part II is all about the cauldron cakes, and part IV showcases decadent butterbeer cupcakes).

Last August, my family made the two thousand mile journey to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios. Orlando has always been one of my family’s favorite vacation destinations. Add in my love (and obsession) with Harry Potter and we all knew that once the park officially opened I couldn’t be kept away for long.

On the big day, we woke up at an obscene hour to a bright dawn. While the rest of my family was dragging their feet and speaking in yawns, I was too excited to dwell on my lack of sleep and tired eyes. I had been waiting for this day for years. I was running on sheer adrenaline.

This was my moment.

When I entered the park, I was immediately swept away by the architecture and the detail. The park truly has the atmosphere, look and feel, and sights and sounds (well, if you don’t count the occasional woosh from the rollercoasters) of the world of Harry Potter I had imagined. I could have spent hours walking up and down the cobblestone streets simply admiring the tremendous amount of detail that was put into creating this world. Even the subtlest objects, mentioned only briefly in the books, were now here in front of me, fully imagined.

I’m pretty sure I had a grin on my face a mile wide.

Believe it or not, “window shopping” was one of my favorite sights in the park. There were dozens of little shop fronts with windows that each lead into a tiny world. The level of detail was so unbelievable, it was almost overwhelming. I didn’t know where to look next. However, I did notice that, like any good wizarding shop, many objects would move of their own volition (but only if you took the time to spot it!).

Cauldron shops, music stores, clothing boutiques—I just wish they had all been real.

After riding the attractions, it was time to sample everything Hogsmeade had to offer. First on the menu, Butterbeers. My family decided that we each wanted one to ourselves (when you stare at them while waiting in line for an hour, you tend to get a bit greedy). Since it was a hot day, we opted for the frozen version. Were the Butterbeers what I had imagined? Not quite. Was it delicious? Absolutely. My sister and I both found them a little too sweet for our liking (that fact that it was nine in the morning may have played into it a bit), but I still managed to drink mine down to the bottom of the glass.

The recipe for Butterbeers I’ve posted here features a less sweet version than you’ll find at the park.

We came back to the park later in the evening to see how the look and feel would change after the sun had set. With all the lights dimmed to nothing but a soft glow, the park felt truly magical. Despite the hustle and bustle of busy crowds, for the first time I didn’t feel like I was at a theme park anymore. I had been completely transported to the world I could only dream about before.

The castle, lit up in all its glory, was simply breathtaking. Hogwarts almost looked like a painting, with all the gorgeous colors and shadowing of the towers and turrets. If only I could walk across that bridge…

I think these photos tell the story better than I ever could.

This was the perfect ending to what I can only call a perfect day.

Butterbeer

These Butterbeers are rich, fun, and fizzy. Your favorite drink from the Harry Potter series is now available to muggles like you! The Butterbeers are created by mixing a butterscotch/caramel syrup into cream soda and then topping it with a healthy dollop of butterscotch infused whipped cream. When taking a sip from the mug, you willget a whipped cream mustache. Trust me, it’s all a part of the novelty. Fair warning, these drinks are on the sweeter side, so make sure to bring your sweet tooth along (not that it has ever been a problem for me!).

Butterbeer
Adapted from Huffington Post

Yields 4 servings

1 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
Four 12-ounce bottles cream soda, chilled

In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar with 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F (115 degrees C) on a candy thermometer, stirring occasionally. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, bring to a gentle boil and turn off the heat after about a minute of cooking.

Turn off the heat and add the butter, salt, vinegar, and 1/4 cup heavy cream. Stir until smooth. Cool mixture to room temperature before using.

In a medium bowl, beat together the remaining cream (1/2 cup) with 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar syrup.

In each glass, mix together 1/4 cup brown sugar syrup with 1/4 cup cream soda. Pour in the rest of the cream soda until it is nearly to the brim of the glass. Top with whipped cream.

Plum Clafouti

I am but a humble self-taught photographer. Everything I know about photography I’ve learned through trial and error. A year and a half’s worth, in fact. Every time I set out to shoot a new dish or dessert, I learn something new. Food photography has grown into something I really enjoy. It’s challenging and difficult, true, but there is such a sense of satisfaction when a photo turns out just right.

Yet, there is always more to learn.

One of my New Year’s resolutions this year was to take a photography course. This summer I did just that. While I knew so much about a few topics, in others I knew virtually nothing. It was definitely a growing experience for me as a photographer.

When I take my camera out of the quiet of the kitchen, there is a moment (or two) of real panic. Photography intimidates me. Portraits and landscapes strike an honest fear deep within my heart. Since I am most familiar with still life photography, I get a bit unnerved when things begin to move out in the real world. People walk around. Trees sway in the wind. Vehicles are constantly stealing the limelight. It makes getting the shot I want nearly impossible. I have so much respect for all the professional photographers out there.

In the kitchen, I’m the boss. I manhandle the cookies. I govern the fruit with an iron fist. Not a stray crumb will leap out of place. Not on my watch. I direct the light, shadows, and composition. Food photography makes me feel in control. It is my comfort zone.

But, just as staying in comfort zones is all and well, it’s important to step out of them just as often as you stay in. This is what the photography course was all about for me. I left my comfort zone completely and tried out new subjects (people! Nature!) and new techniques (like HDR). Whether it has made me a better photographer, I’ll never know, but I am certain it has made me a much more informed one. And, really, that’s all I can hope to ask for.

Note: I will be vacationing in Portland and the Oregon coast over the next week. I may be a bit scarce in the coming days, but you can bet I’ll be back with many new stories and recipes to share with you before you know it! I can never stray from pastries for too long. See you soon!

I first made this Plum Clafouti a year ago, at the request of a roommate. In the next few weeks, I couldn’t help but make it a twice more. This Plum Clafouti is delicious. Before the plums go into the clafouti, they are lightly sauteed in butter and sugar, rendering them soft and utterly divine. Cream and eggs are combined and poured over the plums, which sets into a thick custard during baking. This clafouti is best served warm, but I gobbled it up just as quickly when it was cold (and for breakfast, no less). This is a summer dessert—light, with more than enough fruit to make you forget about the butter and cream.

Plum Clafouti
Adapted from La Tartine Gourmande

1 pound plums, cut in half with stones removed (I used 6 medium sized plums)
2 tablespoons sugar + 1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
1/4 cup cornstarch

Preheat oven to 410 degrees F (210 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9-inch baking dish.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter and sprinkle on 2 tablespoons sugar. Place halved plums face down into the butter and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and 1/2 cup sugar until well blended. Whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla.

In a small bowl, mix together milk and cornstarch until well combined. Whisk milk mixture into egg mixture.

Place plums face up in prepared baking dish. Pour the liquids over the plums. Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve warm, with a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

Keep refrigerated in a covered container.

TAGGED WITH CLAFOUTI, CUSTARD, PLUM IN CUSTARD/PUDDINGS

Top 5 Malaysian Cuisine

Top 5 Malaysia Cuisine – As the world knows, Malaysia is a country with variety of races and ethnics.Malaysian consists of 3 major ethnic groups with Malays the majority and followed by Chineseand Indiancommunity. With this multi-ethnic, multi-culture and multi-lingual society, it is not a surprise that they have vast varieties of local foods from multi cuisine and not limited to fusions of them. This list is only popular local foods from these 3 major ethnic community. Without tasting them just to mean that you have not really experienced the true Malaysian.

1. Nasi Lemak

(Credit: Google images)

Its name is a Malay word that literally means ‘rice in cream’. The name is derived from the cooking process whereby rice is soaked in rich coconut cream and then the mixture steamed. Sometimes knotted screwpine (pandan) leaves are thrown into the rice while steaming to give it more fragrance. Traditionally, Nasi Lemakserves in banana leaves as a platter with cucumber slices, small dried anchovies (ikan bilis), roasted peanuts, hard boiled egg and hot spicy onion sauce (sambal). Nasi lemak can also come with any other accompaniments such as chicken, cuttlefish, cockle, beef curry, beeflungs where all are spicy in nature. You could try this basically everywhere in Malaysia.

2. Satay/Sate

(Credit: Google images)

Chunks or slices of dice-sized meat on bamboo skewers. These are grilled or barbecued over a wood or charcoal fire, then served with a spicy peanut sauce dip, or peanut gravy, slivers of onions and cucumbers, and ketupat (rice cakes). In Malaysia, satay is a popular dish especially during celebrations and can be found throughout the country. Turmeric is a compulsory ingredient used to marinate satay and to give it a characteristic yellow color. It can be found throughout every state in Malaysia. Besides restaurants that serve satays, one can find hawkers selling satay in food courts and night market. The famously known satay outlets are in Kajang, Selangor which dubbed as the Sate City in the country.

3. Roti Canai

(Credit: Google images)

A type of flatbread or better known as roti prata. Roti means bread in Malay. The term “canai” derives from “Chennai”, a region in India which is formerly known as Madras. In English, roti canai is sometimes referred to as “flying bread,” a term that evokes the process of tossing and spinning by which it is made before frying on the hot pan. The ideal roti is flat, fluffy on the inside but crispy and flaky on the outside. Roti Canai is normally served with beans curry, fish curry or mint source. Some may like to dip it into sugar. One of the characteristics of roti canai and its derivatives is that it can be eaten with the hands, without the need for utensils. It is a convenient dish to consume, while being filling. This characteristic makes it a dish of choice as breakfast or as late night supper.

4. Char Kway Teow

(Credit: Google images)

It is made from flat rice noodles, stir-fried over very high heat with light and dark soy sauce, chilli, a small quantity of belacan, whole prawns, deshelled cockles, beansprout and chopped Chinese chives. The dish may commonly be stir-fried with egg and fishcake, and less commonly with other ingredients. When the dish was first served, it was often sold by fisherman, farmer and cockle-gatherers who doubled as char kway teow hawkers in the evening to supplement their income. Of all the notable versions, the Penang style of char kway teow is the most famous.

5. Rojak

(Credit: Google images)

A fruit and vegetable salad dish commonly found in Malaysia. The term “Rojak” is Malay for mixture. Chinese rojak contains mainly local fruits such as mango, pineapple, pomelo with cucumber, prawn friitters mixed with spicy shrimp paste sauce. Penang is one of the famous place for this wonderful salad dish. While Indian rojak contains fried dough fritters, bean curds, boiled potatoes, prawn fritters, hard boiled eggs, bean sprouts and cucumber mixed with a sweet thick, spicy peanut sauce. Traditionally, rojak vendors use modified sidecar motorcycles as preparation counters and to peddle their rojak. These mobile vendors now use modified mini trucks which you could find a lot of them along the street.

Kainan Sa Dalampasigan | Nasugbu, Batangas

Doesn’t this remind you of a scene in The Lord of The Rings?… These hanging vines are enough to set the tone for a lunch/dinner in a middle of a rustic garden. The nearest beach places in Manila are the ones in Nasugbu or Calatagan Batangas. I like going to these parts of Batangas, because it passes by Tagaytay. So almost, always, Tagaytay is the setting for Breakfast on the way to Batangas and for Dinner on the way back home. I’ve always been on a look out for a good lunch place within the Nasugbu area. The ones that gives you a give provincial feel/ welcome, with a nice ambiance, good food with a good value for money. I’m glad we found Kainan sa Dalampasigan right in the heart of Nasugbu Town.

I would recommend this place as a good stop on your way to Punta Fuego or the Calatagan Beaches. The places serves home cooked food with Tangingue steak as the main attraction. The ambiance is quite nice and they took time to invest on the ambiance to compete with the beach resorts to attract the beach goers for a lunch or even merienda affair. I must admit this place has been in existence for a long time now, but they just renovated recently so during my first visit — I was happy to find this garden place. Of course, this wouldn’t compare with Sonja’s garden or Antonio’s but you can say that this is more of a provincial version of a garden leaning towards a rustic feel to its ambiance.

I was just excited to see the hanging vines and I took a picture above to remind me of the opening welcome scene when you arrive at this place.

Philippines, Restaurants

Plates are set just for you, provincial setting style.

Steaming Hot Dalampasigan Soup (P170).

The lady who took our order said it was a clear soup. Is this a clear soup to you? Oh well, it doesn’t matter because we immediately sip into the soup that made us want to have another serving. Filled with vegetables, 3-4 shrimps, squid and beaten egg.

Start it healthy with Sariwang Lumpia (P65).

Before hitting on the cholesterol!

One of their bestseller, Baked Tahong (P200).

Can’t stop popping one mussels to another! Melted cheese with cream then top it with the butter sauce, just no other way for me to eat this one!

Another bestseller of the house, Tangingue Steak (P240).

The seafood’s version of Pork Steak. Tangingue was not tender but the sauce compensated and made it special. Its tanginess and sweetness combined was too tempting for us. Not to mention that it was cooked with butter, another reason why it was deliciously tempting. Can you see the residue marked on the plate? Yikes!

To add some excitement to our entourage, we ordered Sizzling Squid (P220).

The last to be devoured and still with leftovers because we were busy finishing off the baked tahong. The rice was wrapped in leaves to give aroma and drama but neither was achieved. Rice was plenty per serving (P25).

Nothing beats this dessert, Leche Flan (P140).

One of the most favorable dessert of of all times. I like mine to be creamy melt-in-your-mouth leche flan…(What is it with those melt-in-your-mouth food?!). Even this was not my kind of M.I.Y.M leche flan, I still like it because of its richness. Anything too tempting is just not so good!

Amoroso Rolls…the Secret to Authentic Philly Cheese Steak?

Amoroso Rolls…the Secret to Authentic Philly Cheese Steak?

Amoroso Rolls...the Secret to Authentic Philly Cheese Steak?

Ever since my first visit to The Cheese Steak Shop in Manila (where I was disappointed with the quality of their bread), I’ve always wondered how an Amoroso Roll would taste like. Some say most shops in Philly use Amoroso Rolls to serve that authentic Philly Cheese Steak experience.

In my recent trip to the Bay Area, I decided to find The Cheese Steak Shop to try out the Amoroso…

We were staying near Union Square, and I decided to walk all the way to the first and original branch of The Cheese Steak Shop in California in Divisadero, San Francisco.

The shop looks like a neighborhood store that’s a bit run-down through the years.

Click here for a large version of the menu.

I learned that their most popular cheese steaks are:

• 10″ Philly Cheese Steak ($6.39) with white american cheese;
• King of Philly ($8.19) with extra meat and cheese on the 10″ Philly Cheese Steak;
• 7″ Philly Cheese Steak ($4.49); and
• Mushroom and Cheese Philly Cheese Steak.

7″ Philly Cheese Steak ($4.49). Steak sandwich with 100% beef loin, thinly sliced and chopped on the grill melted with white american cheese, grilled onions, and hot sweet peppers.

The Amoroso Rolls are really soft but still firm enough to hold the steaks, onions, peppers, and the oil without breaking. The Amoroso makes a lot of difference because you can enjoy a soft roll that does not fill you up easily.

The Cheese Steak Shop is proud of their partnership with Amoroso’s, which is one of the secrets behind their authentic Philly Cheese Steak.

Back in Manila…

The Cheese Steak Shop finally had their grand opening when their shipment of Amoroso Rolls arrived.

The rolls are individually quick-frozen and shipped to Manila so that Filipinos can enjoy them. 

When served, the rolls are super soft and have a nice, textured surface. It can hold all the oily ingredients firmly. Try it!

Aside from the Amoroso Roll, I love the hot and sweet peppers on my Philly Cheese Steak. 

Most of the ingredients are imported to keep the authenticity of the Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches. 

The Chicken Sandwiches are also now available in Manila.  But I still prefer the classic Philly Cheese Steak (I reco you upsize it to the King of Philly).

The Cheese Steak Shop Divisadero
Divisadero St., San Franscisco, California
Website:  http://www.cheesesteakshop.com/

Related Blog Post: Amoroso Rolls…the Secret to Authentic Philly Cheese Steak?

The Cheese Steak Shop Manila
Original Philadelphia Style Sandwich
G/F The E-Hotel Makati, (near Milky Way)
906 A. Arnaiz St. (formerly Pasay Road)
Telephone: +632 555-0235
Website: www.CheeseSteakShop.com.phFacebook: Cheese Steak Shop Manila

Prague Travel Information

Prague Travel Information

The golden city of Prague is one of Europe’s most popular tourism destinations and one of the cultural centers of Europe. The historical center of the city has remained undamaged and is now the main attraction of Prague. The Medieval buildings, cobblestone streets, countless museums, bridges, and churches of the hometown of Franz Kafka offer a visitor a great deal to explore in Prague. The city’s pubs, quality restaurants, and cafes wait for visitors interested in the famous Czech beer as well as culinary treats.

A famous clock in Prague

The famous capital of Czech Republic, Prague lies along the Vltava River plain in central part of the country. Founded already in the 9th century, Prague has seen a myriad of different rulers and historic periods that have all left their mark on this beautiful Bohemian city. Today, Prague is a large cosmopolitan city full of history, music, art and culture, receiving a large number of visitors from abroad throughout the year.

Sights & activities Prague: from historical & cultural attractions to nightlife & shopping

There are activities in Prague to attract every type of visitor.Sightseeing in Prague is by far the most popular activity in the golden city. Stare Mesto, Prague’s World Heritage -listed Gothic-style old town, is the center of the city’s historic and cultural attractions, including several museums, churches and historical attractions such as the astronomical clock and the writer Franz Kafka’s birthplace. The city’s famous medieval castle and the Charles Bridge are must sees for visitors, but you should also visit the fortress area of Vysehrad and the Mala Strana quarter next to the Prague castle. If you don’t feel like walking around, you can go to see theater or opera or hop on a sightseeing cruise on the Vltava River that runs through Prague.

A city view of Prague

Entertainment & culture. Many people visit the city also because of the vivid nightlife in Prague, offering options from opera to pubs and from concerts to nightclubs and bars. You can find a large number of bars and clubs in Prague that are open very late. There are also many popular venues for concerts in Prague, ranging from classical to popular music. There are plenty of opportunities for shopping in Prague. The capital of the Czech Republic is an excellent place for buying for example jewelry and crystal. The Prague Zoo is one of the best zoos in Europe.

Prague travel tips and practical information

Prague has a temperate continental climate with four distinct seasons. The winters from November to March are cold and sometimes also snowy, while the summers from June to August are generally pleasant, often offering sunny and warm weather.

As the city has plenty of sights and activities for visitors, visiting Prague is good at any time of the year.

Prague skyline with the castle

Traveling to Prague is easy: The city is home to a busy international airport with plenty of flights to Prague from around Europe and beyond. Prague is also well connected to the other European cities by international train and bus network, and most visitors to this city of 1,2 million inhabitants actually arrive to Prague by land transport. The best way to get around in the historic center of Prague is by foot, but the public transportation in the city introduces yet more choices offered by trams, an effective underground system, local trains, and buses. Driving in Prague is not easy because of the often narrow streets, but renting a car in Prague is a good option if you want to visit the Czech Republic beyond the capital.

People admiring the Prague skyline

Services & safety. There is a large variety of restaurants in Prague, offering a multitude of cuisines. The ones in the crowded main streets and squares of the old town tend to be more expensive than the others. Hotels in Prague also offer a wide variety of choice suitable to every taste and budget, and are available in great numbers. Prague is generally a safe destination although some problems with petty crime such as pick-pocketing and scams do exist. Watch out for your belongings in crowded tourist areas and public transport. English is spoken by many local people in Prague.

New Vegas hotel may be demolished

New Vegas hotel may be demolished

LAS VEGAS — The prospect of an imploding hotel tower on the Las Vegas Strip conjures images of Hollywood blockbusters — lots of dynamite, a dramatic fall and billowing clouds of dust.

But the owners of the never-opened Harmon near the Strip’s midpoint are convinced that bringing down the 26-story structure can be done safely, with minimal disruption to neighboring buildings and nearby traffic.

Seems tough to fathom given where the stylish oval cylinder sits, but demolition experts say it shouldn’t be too tough thanks to the building’s size and the pedigree of those running the job.

New Vegas hotel may be demolished

“They have to be careful, they have to clean all around it, and they have to make sure there’s an area where the building comes down if it spreads out,” said Herb Duane, a demolition consultant based in New Hampshire who has worked in the industry more than 30 years.

“Twenty-six stories is very doable,” Duane told The Associated Press.

MGM Resorts International, the casino company that owns the Harmon as part of its $8.5 billion CityCenter joint venture, said as it proposed demolition to the county that implosion is the best option for a building that they say wouldn’t be able to support its own weight in a strong earthquake. County building officials had asked the company to propose a plan to fix the building they call a public health hazard.

The Harmon was originally envisioned as a boutique hotel and condominium tower to open in December 2009 with the rest of the 67-acre complex of hotels, entertainment and a casino. But problems with reinforcing steel in the construction led MGM Resorts to shorten the tower in half and put off its opening at least a year. It never opened.

Now, plans call for an implosion in six months, followed by four months of cleanup.

Company spokesman Alan Feldman declined comment Tuesday, saying the company was waiting for all necessary approvals from the county and court officials handling a separate legal case involving MGM Resorts and Tutor Perini Corp., the main contractor for CityCenter. A county spokesman declined comment.

Perini contends the building is structurally sound, and that MGM Resorts is pushing for demolition to bolster its legal case because it’s more economically wise than having to fill more rooms on the Strip. No matter what happens to the Harmon, MGM Resorts and Perini are likely to still have a dispute over unpaid construction bills.

Representatives for LVI Services, Inc., the demolition company that would run the job, and Controlled Demolition, Inc., the subcontractor in charge of the implosion itself, declined comment, referring questions to MGM Resorts.

Greenland Travel Information

Greenland Travel Information

The rugged Arctic island of icebergs and stunning glacier landscapes, Greenland is a unique place to visit. This world’s biggest island set between Europe and North America is the home of interesting Inuit culture, arctic wildlife such as polar bears, whales and seals, and the midnight sun. The remote Greenland is a nature paradise suitable for the adventurous and well-prepared visitors.

Arctic island with glaciers and Inuit culture: Greenland

Located mostly beyond the Arctic Circle, 84% of Greenland is covered with ice. Much of the ice-free area in located along the coast as the mountainous inland of Greenland consists mostly of glaciers. The main attractions on this icy island are the many stunning glaciers shining in rich shades of blue, the Arctic wildlife of the coastal regions, and the attractive capital Nuuk, which is a showroom of Greenland’s culture and a destination full of breathtaking natural beauty and interesting wildlife.

Arctic nature wonders The most famous of Greenland’s incredible icebergs is Ilulissat, which is floating in coastal waters of a small fishing village. The midnight sun lightens the stunning landscapes of Greenland non-stop for weeks in the summer and offers an adventurous wonderland for outdoor sports such as dog-sled tours or trekking in Greenland, kayaking or climbing, not to mention the art of landscape photography. In another words, Greenland is an amazing and wild outdoor park waiting for the active visitor.

Colorful houses on the coast of Greenland

Infrastructure and services. A prehistoric home of Inuit people that has seen the influence of both Norwegian and Danish culture, contemporary Greenland is a home of Inuit fishermen and an autonomous province of the Kingdom of Denmark. Although Greenland is an island with small towns only, tourist services (where there are any) are quite good and tourism is a growing industry in this Arctic destination.Hotels in Greenland offer convenient accommodation, and some restaurants in Greenland that are suitable to most tastes are also available.

Shopping facilities Although shopping is not one of the major attractions of expensive Greenland, some interesting opportunities for shopping are offered especially in Nuuk. The most popular shopping items of Greenland are Inuit arts and crafts and sealskin. In addition to these, duty-free goods are available at the airport for international air passengers.

A view of Glacier in Greenland

Greenland – the home of the midnight sun

Greenland has an arctic climate with highly changeable weather and average monthly high temperatures only occasionally rising above 10 degrees. During the cold and icy winter of this northern island, average monthly high temperatures are usually below zero from October to April.

The best time to travel to Greenland is between June and August for summer activities, and between December and March for winter activities. If you arrive in summer, you will see the magical midnight sun, which means the sun never gets below the horizon for weeks.

Northern lights in above Greenland

Safety. No matter which time you plan to travel, Greenland is a safe destination where crime is practically an unknown matter. However, the presence of polar bears and other representatives of Greenland’s wild but interesting nature, and the challenges set by the Arctic weather make outdoor activities in Greenland potentially dangerous if not done with a professional guide.

How to get there. Flights to Greenland are best available from Denmark and Iceland. Cruises to Greenland are available from both Europe and North America. The adventurous nature of Greenland is boosted by the fact that this large arctic island lacks train and road network, which is why best opportunity to travel around in Greenland is by internal air connections. Unless of course you want to use more sportive means of transport such as for instance those offered in husky safaris. Rental cars in Greenland can be hard to find.

A view of glaciers in Greenland

Finding your way. Note that all places in Greenland have two names, of which one is in Greenlandic and the other in Danish that used to be the major language of Greenland, but has today been put aside by Greenlandic. Another interesting thing is that most places are so small no one has bothered to put a road sign visible. Therefore, if you have problems finding your way in Greenland, ask locals, and they can most likely help you.