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Top 7 Weirdest Buildings You’ll See on Vacation

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Aimee

Have you ever gone on vacation and seen a building that’s just too bizarre to comprehend? I’m not talking about the Leaning Tower of Pisa, although that’s a bit out of whack. No, I’m talking about buildings so far-fetched that you can’t help but wonder about the architect responsible for creating them.

Take a look to see what I mean …

#7: Edificio Mirador apartments, Spain

Incredible Pictures

The Mirador Apartments in Spain are made up of 156 apartments in twenty-one floors with a massive rectangular opening that stands nearly thirty-seven metres above the ground! The opening features a garden for tenants to enjoy, and the colours are certainly intriguing — black, orange and grey can be seen throughout the building’s exterior in a unique display of beauty and curiosity.

#6: Turning Torso Tower, Malmo, Sweden

torsotower.com

The tallest building in Scandinavia, construction of the Turning Torso Tower began in the summer of 2001. It is a surreal building to see, one that twists and turns the mind’s eye. Officially open to the public on August 27, 2005, the tower stands 54 stories tall.

#5: Cubic Houses, Amsterdam, Holland

Cubic Houses (Kubus woningen)

Built in Rotterdam and Helmond in The Netherlands, this funky design aims to make each house appear as a tree, with the neighbourhood adding up to a “forest” of sorts. With a ground floor entrance, three full floors, and nearly 100 square metres of space per home, these angled rooftops are nothing you’ve ever seen!

#4: The Longaberger Company Building, Ohio

Longaberger Company

You got it – this is the actual headquarters building of The Longaberger Company! Can you imagine coming in to work each day to this giant straw basket? This family-operated company is in Newark, Ohio–they produce specialty foods, pottery and other goods. Opened in 1997, this seven-story masterpiece is a whopping 180,000 square feet in size!

#3: Ferdinand Cheval Palace or “Ideal Palace,” France

Ferdinand Cheval

Ferdinand Cheval was a man of immense passion when it came to art, and he devoted more than three decades to the creation of his ideal palace. In 1969 the palace was classified as a historical monument in France. Open to the public during most of the year, this is truly a sight to behold. Creativity comes in droves when one surveys the nooks and crannies that shape this abstract and artistic palace.

#2: Crooked House, Sopot, Poland

Crooked House

Built in 2003 in downtown Sopot, Poland, this building is one that will tease your senses, almost making you think the structure is severely distressed and about to crack! Three stories in height, the building has become one of the most photographed structures in the entire country! Whoa – anyone else feeling sea-sick?

#1: Shoe house, Hellam, Pennsylvania

Shoe House

Built in 1948, The Shoe House stands to nearly fifty feet in length, just under eighteen feet in width, and twenty-five feet in height. If you can imagine it, this shoe has five levels inside that include several bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a kitchen and living room to boot (pardon the pun)! There is a gift shop that sells items like shoe lamps with windows that light up in the night. Very cool!

What kind of wacky structures have you seen on vacation?

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The Bachelor’s Guide To Las Vegas Vacations… After Dark

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Aimee

Congrats, you’re getting married! But first thing’s first, your bachelor party. Las Vegas vacations are by far the #1 way to celebrate that last hurrah with the guys. You may say you’re innocent now, but Sin City can easily convert you … at least for one night.

If you’re planning a bachelor party trip to Las Vegas, do yourself a favour and stay at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino. This hotel offers the widest variety of venues within a hand’s reach, so you can easily visit three or four places in one night. Here are our top 5 “bachelor” things to do in Vegas:

Sin City Comedy

Wet your appetite with a trip to the Sin City Comedy, located right at Planet Hollywood. It’s a stand-up comedy show mixed with burlesque brought to you by the creative ladies of Sin City Dollz. A rotating cast of America’s top comedians, like John Bizarre and Butch Bradley, will keep you in stitches with gut-busting laughter. Sin City Comedy runs daily at 9:00.

Marc Savard Comedy Hypnosis

Keep the laughs going with a visit to the Marc Savard Comedy Hypnosis show, which runs almost every night at V Theater, also conveniently located at Planet Hollywood. Savard uses his incredible abilities to hypnotize volunteers and use them in his show in the most unexpected (and always entertaining) ways.

The Luxor

Surely if you’re planning a Las Vegas vacation (especially if you’re going with the boys), you’ve also heard of the “Strip’s biggest tease” – Fantasy ladies at the Luxor hotel offer one of the hottest shows available in the Sin City. Located just a few blocks from Planet Hollywood, Fantasy runs nightly at 10:30.

Gallery Nightclub

Any respectable bachelor vacationing in Vegas should visit a night club. There are many excellent night clubs along the Vegas Strip, but you need only look to the heart of Planet Hollywood again, where you’ll find sexy go-go dancers at the Gallery Nightclub. Golden chandeliers and glamorous wall prints create a luxurious atmosphere, inviting you to the real nightlife experience that waits on the massive dance floor. Be sure to check out the Pussycat Dolls Burlesque Saloon, a must-see part of the Gallery Nightclub for every bachelor.

Pleasure Pit

Had enough of eye candy for one night? Head on back to the hotel and check out the Pleasure Pit casino, also located at Planet Hollywood. Here you’ll enjoy sassy, smiling dealers in elegant lingerie inviting you to ante up. Kick back, have a cocktail, and let your mind play back the Las Vegas vacations memories you’ve just created.

And yes, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas – we won’t tell! But if you’re willing, we’d love to hear about your favourite hotspots in Vegas. Leave us a comment below. Ladies, we want to hear from you, too!

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Stun Guns, Fireworks & Pocket Knives, Oh My!

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Aimee

Airport Screening Officers Discovered Plenty of Unique Items in 2012

According to the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), airport screening officers at some of Canada’s most highly trafficked gateways screened more than 51 million passengers in 2012. Sure, the occasional bottle of water tries to make its way through in a carry-on bag, but some of these discoveries had airport screening officers truly baffled.

A metal detector alarm led Whitehorse airport screening officers to search a passenger’s shoe, which revealed a knife concealed in the sole. The passenger told screening officers the knife was there for “good luck.” What ever happened to a good old fashioned rabbit’s foot?

A passenger at the Vancouver International Airport believed that carrying 22 butterfly knives through security was perfectly normal. Airport screening officers discovered them in his bag, along with eight brass knuckles and four fireworks. The items were confiscated by police and the passenger was arrested.

At Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, a World War II aficionado’s travel plans were halted after the x-ray identified what looked like a grenade. A subsequent search and police intervention found that the item was a replica of a World War II grenade. Replica or not, grenades are not allowed on board.

Airport screening officers in Vancouver discovered a six-inch hunting knife as a man set off the metal detector. But wait, there’s more! In the course of the search, they also found 30 grams of marijuana and a retractable steel baton. Police were called and the passenger was arrested.

When the shape of a gun was observed at the x-ray machine at Toronto-Pearson International Airport, screening officers inspected the carry-on bag and found a prohibited stun gun. Stun guns are not only banned from aircraft but also illegal to possess under Canada’s Criminal Code.

Another passenger set off the metal detector alarm at Toronto-Pearson International. Airport screening officers found multiple rolls of coins in the waistband of his pants. For future reference, coins are allowed in carry-on bags so there’s really no reason to stash your cash in this seemingly uncomfortable way.

CATSA, established in 2002, is a Crown corporation responsible for:

Pre-board screening – the screening of passengers, their carry-on baggage and personal belongings
Hold-baggage screening – the screening of checked baggage
Non-passenger screening – the screening of non-passengers on a random basis
Restricted Area Identity Card – the administration of access control to airport restricted areas through biometric identifiers

As the busy spring break travel season approaches, CATSA reminds passengers to visit catsa.gc.ca before going to the airport to be fully aware of the items that are prohibited aboard the plane. Knowing this in advance makes airport screening much faster and easier for everyone.

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