Author: Michele Debczak

Shopping for a fan of historic infrastructure this holiday season? The Washington State Department of Transportation has an offer for you: The State Route 508 South Fork Newaukum River Bridge is in need of a new home, and the rusty trusses can be yours free of charge. All WSDOT asks is that you move it on your own dime, which could end up costing tens of thousands of dollars, KGW.com reports.

The bridge was constructed in 1930, and sits about 75 miles south of Seattle. After supporting cars and trucks crossing the South Fork Newaukum River for decades, the rusted-through structure was deemed unfit for traffic in 2015. But the Washington government wants to avoid demolishing this piece of history if possible. It’s one of just 13 pony truss bridges left on public roads in the state, and it’s eligible for historic listing under the National Historic Preservation Act. That means whoever snatches it up will be required to reuse the trusses “in a way that preserves historic relevance.”

The deal doesn’t include the entirety of the bridge—just the 90-foot steel trusses without the deck or substructure. Even so, WSDOT believes someone out there can get some good use out of them. “We’re hoping someone can repurpose it at [sic] a golf course, on a hiking trail, or even see its beauty as garden art,” they write on the WSDOT blog.

Whether or not they find someone to take the historic hunk of infrastructure, a new bridge is planned to take its place in 2018. If you’re interested in saving the bridge from becoming scrap metal, you can contact WSDOT here.

[h/t KGW Portland]

Guests planning a trip to the Literary Man Hotel in Obidos, Portugal can leave their books at home. With over 45,000 publications lining the walls, there’s more than enough reading material to keep them occupied for the duration of their stay.

According to Travel and Leisure, the hotel opened in the historic village last October. Their extensive collection includes a variety of books, from textbooks to poetry compilations. Most of the tomes they have on site are for sale, with some rare titles priced at over $550.

After spending the day curled up with a good read, guests can retire to the hotel’s gin bar, which offers literature-inspired drinks like the F. Scott Fitzgerald (a gin rickey), the Catcher in the Rye (an Old Fashioned), and the Moby Dick (a Salty Dog). The hotel’s restaurant features leather chairs and a fireplace, making it a cozy spot for reading as well as eating and drinking.

Bookstore-themed hotels are turning into a travel fad—the Book and Bed hostel, with its cushioned reading nooks and book-themed decor, opened in Tokyo last year. The Literary Man aims to have at least 100,000 books on the premises by the end of the year, making it a must-visit destination for globetrotting bookworms.

[h/t Travel + Leisure]

The sandwich, a.k.a. foodstuff delivered inside a bread vehicle, is a timeless classic. The formula is open to endless interpretations, like lobster rolls, deep-fried Fluffernutter sandwiches, and donut grilled cheeses. In 1909, diners were arguably more creative with what they put between two slices of bread than they are today. The Up-To-Date Sandwich Book: 400 Ways to Make a Sandwich breaks the sandwich down into its seven main categories: fish, egg, salad, meat, cheese, nut, and sweet. No matter what you choose for filling, the turn-of-the-century publication emphasizes the importance of starting with good bread. A product “at least one day old” is preferred.

1. APPLE AND GRAPE SANDWICH

A sandwich can be so many things—a snack, a dessert, a weird salad you eat with your hands. This dish is a great example of all of the above. Start by chopping up apple, celery, and white grapes and toss the ingredients together with French dressing. Spread your mixture on thin slices of buttered white bread to make your sandwich.

2. OYSTER SANDWICH

Like oysters on the half-shell, the shellfish in this sandwich are garnished simply with oil, lemon juice, and Tabasco sauce. Mix together these ingredients with finely chopped raw oysters and serve on thinly-sliced white bread—add a lettuce leaf for some extra crunch.

3. HOT HAM NUMBER TWO

The book’s second take on a hot ham sandwich is reminiscent of a Monte Cristo. After spreading minced ham onto buttered bread, assemble the sandwiches and cut them into triangles. Dip the sandwich points into a mixture of beaten eggs, milk, and salt and cook them up on a hot griddle. Once the sandwiches have been fried French toast-style, serve with a slice of roasted tomato.

4. LEMON SANDWICH

Not many recipes feature whole lemon slices as the star ingredient. After removing the rind from the slices, dust them with powdered sugar and stack between buttered slices of white bread that have been cut into circles. A candied cherry on top will hopefully help to reduce the pucker-factor.

5. DAIRY SANDWICH

The dairy sandwich stays true to its name: The simple recipe asks you to spread fresh butter onto thin slices of Swiss and press the cheese together. There’s no mention of bread, suggesting this is literally meant to be a butter sandwich served between two slices of cheese. Unfortunately for sandwich purists, the protein-in-place-of-bread-theme has only gained traction in the last 100 years.

6. LOBSTER AND CAVIAR SANDWICH

Sandwiches aren’t typically associated with fine dining, but even luxurious ingredients like lobster and caviar can shine between bread. For this recipe, spread caviar onto lightly buttered bread and sprinkle with lemon juice. Spoon minced lobster meat on top and cover with the second slice of bread. Serve over a lettuce leaf—ideally on the beach with some chilled wine to wash it down.

7. OLIVE AND NUT SANDWICH

Unlike peanut and jelly, olive and nut never caught on as a popular pairing. This recipe calls for sandwich builders to finely chop olives with English walnuts and combine the ingredients together with mayonnaise. Served on buttered brown bread, the mixture makes for a light sandwich that’s big on texture.

8. FARMER SANDWICH

Pork chops and applesauce are commonly seen together on the dinner plate. Here they come together on a sandwich to make a savory-sweet lunch item. You can put this one together by layering thinly sliced cold, roast pork onto white bread and topping it with applesauce. Cap it with the second slice of bread and dig in.

9. TOMATO AND HORSERADISH SANDWICH

Here’s another curious food combination that’s failed to stand the test of time. To assemble a tomato and horseradish sandwich, start by sprinkling thin tomato slices with salt. Combine a half cup of horseradish with two tablespoons of mayonnaise and spread the mixture onto pieces of buttered white bread. Place the tomato slices between the bread and enjoy your meal while clearing out your sinuses at the same time.

10. CALF’S LIVER AND BACON SANDWICH

If you’re not a fan of calf’s liver, perhaps the addition of bacon will change your perspective. Take the well-done liver and chop it up fine with crisp slices of bacon. Season with salt, pepper, and ketchup and serve with a lettuce leaf between buttered graham or white bread.

11. EASTER SANDWICH

Whether or not you make it for Easter, this recipe should be saved for special occasions. Dip a crisp lettuce leaf in mayonnaise and lay that on a slice of buttered white bread. Fill the lettuce with slices of cold hard-boiled egg and sprinkle with salt and pepper. After the sandwich has been cut into squares, tie them up with “lavender baby ribbon” and present your guests with the world’s most adorable finger food—just remind them to remove the ribbon before taking a bite.

12. ASPIC JELLY SANDWICH

No list of early 20th century recipes would be complete without aspic. This retro delicacy is made by mixing gelatin and meat stock to create a savory JELLO mold. To prepare it for a sandwich, soak two ounces of gelatin in one cup of chicken stock until soft. Pour in three more cups of chicken stock that have been seasoned with cloves, parsley, celery, mace, salt, and pepper. Strain the liquid into a dish and mix in shredded chicken before refrigerating. Once the gelatin has set, cut it into “fancy shapes” and serve on buttered wheat bread.

A future in which homeowners display “Beware of Drone” signs on their property may not be too far off. As CNN reports, Sunflower Labs, a startup based in Silicon Valley and Zurich, Switzerland, plans to beta test their drone-based home security system halfway through 2017.

Like conventional security technology, the Sunflower Home Awareness System is designed to detect possible intruders. Smart lights in the ground pick up on vibrations, and the system discerns whether they were produced by an animal, vehicle, or person. It can also tell the difference between threatening visitors and trustworthy people like mail carriers, based on their behavior.

What sets Sunflower Labs’s product apart is the drone feature. After sensing a suspicious character, the system contacts the homeowner through his or her smartphone and asks if they’d like to deploy the drone. The onboard camera records the source of the disturbance from 30 feet above, allowing users to judge if it’s worth notifying the police. The startup hopes this aspect of the system will limit the rate of false alarms.

Like any company looking to launch drones on U.S. soil, Sunflower Labs has a lot of legal hoops to jump through. As of August, the Federal Aviation Administration made it illegal for commercial drones to fly autonomously. That’s the reason why companies like Domino’s have been forced to take their drone technology ideas overseas. But because these security drones will be used by homeowners for non-business purposes, the team believes they should have no trouble passing for recreational drones.

Sunflower Labs plans to sell the system for $160 per light and $800 per drone when it’s made available next year. Customers who reserve the security system early will receive a $100 discount when it’s shipped.

[h/t CNN]

Most jigsaw puzzles present assemblers with a clear challenge: Arrange the pieces just right until you’ve recreated the picture on the box. If puzzles appeal to your logical side, you may have a hard time completing the Infinite Galaxy Puzzle. As Gizmodo reports, the pieces are specially designed to fit together in any direction with no boundaries to contain them.

The edgeless puzzle was made possible using “math, science, and lasers,” according to the creators. The geometric concept that inspired the idea is called a Klein bottle, a theoretical 3D shape that’s mathematically identical inside and out.

Because both sides of the puzzle feature a picture of the Milky Way’s galactic core, it has no fixed up or down. The image wraps around from one surface to the other making it impossible to see the whole thing at once. When putting the puzzle together, pieces on the outside can be flipped over and transferred to the opposite side of the image, giving assembly a never-ending effect.

One puzzle includes 133 pieces laser-cut from birch plywood and costs $100. If you prefer puzzles that leave zero room for creativity, this 1000-color monstrosity from German artist Clemens Habicht is just as maddening.

[h/t Gizmodo]

The work of Wes Anderson isn’t hard to identify if you know what to look for: He has a soft spot for smooth tracking shots, festive color palettes, and quality hats. All of this is on display in the short film “Come Together,” a new holiday commercial from H&M directed by the iconic filmmaker.

The piece stars one of Anderson’s go-to actors, Adrien Brody. Here the star of Darjeeling Limited (2007) finds himself on a train once more, this time as the conductor. After announcing to passengers on the “H&M Lines Winter Express” that train delays will interfere with their holiday plans, he invites everyone for hot cocoa in the cafe car. The scene ends with the train’s unaccompanied minor walking into a makeshift winter wonderland as John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas” plays in the background.

Commercials may seem like a departure for the accomplished auteur, but the H&M project is hardly his first: He’s also directed ads for Hyundai, IKEA, and American Express.

In the search for sunlight-harvesting real estate, one French engineering group is turning to roadways. As Bloomberg reports, Colas SA, a subsidiary of Bouygues, has plans to incorporate super-strong solar panels into pavement around the world.

The team has already designed technology capable of collecting solar energy while supporting heavy tractor-trailers overhead. At the apparatus’s core is a regular solar panel. Colas SA’s Wattway unit has reinforced it with several coatings of different plastics to protect the solar cells inside without blocking the Sun’s rays. A layer of crushed glass on top keeps cars from sliding. Wiring in the road routes the power directly to the grid.

Construction of a test site in Tourouvre in Normandy, France began last month. The kilometer stretch of road includes more than 30,000 square feet of photovoltaics, which are predicted to generate up to 280 kilowatts of energy. According to Wattway, that’s enough electricity to power a year’s worth of public lighting in a town of 5000. In addition to supplementing the power grid, Wattway’s solar roads can also charge electric cars, light billboards, and run hydrogen power plants.

Wattway isn’t the first group to come up with the bright idea. Last year, the Missouri Department of Transportation announced plans to build America’s first public solar road along a section of Route 66, and in that same year a solar bike path in the Netherlands generated enough energy to power homes for year. But this latest project is especially ambitious—after building their next two sites in Canada and the U.S., Wattway has plans to test the technology in Africa, Europe, and Japan. They’re installing panels in 100 test sites over the next year with hopes to have them ready for commercial use by 2018.

Before that happens, the group needs to ensure their panels can withstand the weight of traffic. At this point, their panels can hold up beneath an 18-wheeler truck, but Wattway’s chief technology officer Philippe Harelle says they may have worse luck under a snowplow. Cost is another roadblock: Panels used in solar roads are more expensive than the ones used in solar farms. But unlike solar farms, panels embedded in highways take advantage of free space. As Harelle told Bloomberg, “We wanted to find a second life for a road.”

[h/t Bloomberg]

A traditional Thanksgiving dinner is the meal that keeps on giving. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the leftovers filling your fridge, here are 10 resourceful recipes to give you some post-Turkey Day inspiration. 

1. SAVORY CREPES WITH TURKEY AND STUFFING

If you’re not out shopping all Friday morning, reward yourself with these savory Thanksgiving crepes from the blog Butter with a Side of Bread. The insides are filled with leftover stuffing and strips of turkey, and then topped off with a drizzle of gravy and cranberry sauce. The recipe even makes use of your leftover mashed potatoes by incorporating them into the batter for the crepes themselves.

2. TURKEY POT PIE SOUP

A fast way to get rid of any excess leftover turkey is to transform it into a soup. This turkey pot pie soup from the blog Handle the Heat takes only 30 minutes to cook, and it will provide you with quick and easy meals for the rest of the holiday weekend. The addition of fresh sage is the perfect way to prolong the flavors of fall—even when it starts to feel like winter outside.

3. MASHED POTATO AND STUFFING PATTIES

What’s the best way to re-purpose the starchy sides leftover from Thanksgiving? By pressing them into patties and frying them, of course. In addition to using stuffing and mashed potatoes, these patties from Pocket Change Gourmet also call for leftover turkey, so they’re substantial enough to be eaten as a snack or a meal.

4. THANKSGIVING LEFTOVERS STROMBOLI

Thanksgiving sandwiches start to get old after the third or fourth time you make them. If you’re in search of something a little more innovative to do with your leftovers, try stuffing them into a stromboli. This glorious creation from the blog Betsy Life includes turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and mashed potatoes, all braided inside a golden-brown crust. The recipe uses pre-made pizza dough, so putting it together takes even less effort than you’d think.

5. THANKSGIVING LEFTOVER CASSEROLE

This casserole from Family Friendly Recipes has it all. Just layer your turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, gravy, stuffing, and cranberry sauce into a baking dish and 40 minutes later you’ll have a dish that delivers that perfect Thanksgiving taste all in one bite.

6. FRIED MASHED POTATO BALLS

It’s easy to overlook the sad bowl of leftover mashed potatoes sitting in the corner of your fridge. This recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen injects new life into your old mashers with healthy heapings of bacon, cheddar, green onion, and jalapeños. Roll the mixture together into 1-inch balls and fry them for a delicious bite-sized snack.

7. STUFFING SANDWICH

Most conventional Thanksgiving sandwiches include stuffing between the bread. In this sandwich from Sporkful, the stuffing is the bread. By binding the leftover stuffing with egg, it can then be formed into slice-like patties and fried up to crispy perfection. The stuffing buns make the perfect vehicles for all the classic sandwich components like turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce.

8. PUMPKIN PIE MILKSHAKE

Some pumpkin milkshake recipes call for pumpkin puree, or perhaps a scoop of pumpkin ice-cream. This leftover thanksgiving pumpkin pie milkshake from Blogging Over Thyme recipe requires a whole slice of pie. A thermos full of this stuff might make the Monday after Thanksgiving a little more bearable.

9. TURKEY AND SWEET POTATO ENCHILADAS

For a Mexican spin on the all-American flavors of Thanksgiving, use your leftover turkey meat as stuffing for enchiladas. The baked sweet potatoes emphasize the fall flavor profile and smoky chipotle sauce adds an extra spicy kick.

10. THANKSGIVING LEFTOVER PIZZA 

When looking for a tasty leftover vehicle, it’s hard to go wrong with pizza. This recipe for turkey, mashed potato, and mushroom pizza steps out of the box by swapping out the pizza sauce for gravy. That sounds like a brilliant idea no matter what time of the year it is.

Residents of Australia are used to avoiding dangerous wildlife. Now in addition to sharks, poisonous spiders, and cassowaries, Australians can include crows on their list of animals to look out for. As the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports, incidents of hostile crows swooping over passersby are on the rise.

The behavior is common in magpies around nesting season, but it’s rarely observed in crows. Dr. Darryl Jones, a behavioral ecologist with Griffith University in South East Queensland, told ABC he believes the crows are copying the actions of their avian neighbors. “There’ll be chicks in the nest, they’ve decided that the people walking past are a threat,” he said. He’s been able to witness the phenomenon firsthand, thanks to a nest of native Australian Torresian crows located on the building where he works. He said, “Now I walk outside my own building and get attacked by the bloody crows.”

The increased crow swooping that’s been reported throughout Gold Coast, Queensland could possibly be a result of urban development. As humans encroach on crow territory the birds become less fearful of our presence, emboldening them to attack.

Crows only spend about three weeks raising their young, so residents can look forward to the aerial onslaughts ending soon. But people shouldn’t take that as an excuse to antagonize the animals while they can: Crows remember the faces of people who wronged them and enlist their friends to help them enact vengeance. So if you make yourself the target of a crow grudge now, you may end up regretting it next year.

[h/t ABC]

There are only seven books in the original Harry Potter series, but there’s no shortage of swag related to J.K. Rowling’s wonderful wizarding world. Here are 11 gifts to give your favorite magic-loving muggle this holiday season.

1. HERMIONE’S TIME TURNER; $50

Hermione’s time turner was one of the most desirable items from the Harry Potter franchise—and it also made for a pretty stylish accessory. Now, you can rock Hermione’s powerful pendant with an authentic replica of the prop used in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The 24-karat gold-plated necklace features rotating inner rings with a miniature hourglass inside. The time turner is more of a collector’s item than a toy, and it comes with its own special display case for safe-keeping. Unfortunately time-traveling abilities aren’t included.

Find It: ThinkGeek

2. THE GEEKY CHEF COOKBOOK; $14

Ever wonder what butterbeer or pumpkin pasties taste like? The Geeky Chef Cookbook gives readers the chance to find out without making the trek to Hogsmeade. Written by fictional food chef and blogger Cassandra Reeder, this book includes treats from Harry Potter as well as other sci-fi and fantasy classics like Doctor Who, The Legend of Zelda, Star Trek, and Game of Thrones. The recipes have been tailored to only include non-magic ingredients, though the end results taste pretty magical.

Find It: Amazon

3. FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM: THE ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY; $15

J.K. Rowling’s break from the Harry Potter universe didn’t last long. She recently tried her hand at writing for film for the first time with her script for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The story follows magizoologist Newt Scamander in early 20th century New York, 70 years before the events of Harry Potter take place. After watching the story unfold on the big screen, fans can pick up a hardcover copy of the original screenplay.

Find It: Amazon

4. HARRY POTTER LIMITED EDITION MOLESKINE; $25

Writers who solemnly swear they’re up to no good will love this ruled notebook from Moleskine. The cover design features the Marauder’s Map with the layout of Hogwarts castle continuing on the inside. The book also comes with a set of Harry Potter stickers and a polyjuice potion ribbon bookmark to hold your place when mischief’s been managed.

Find It: Amazon

5. MAGICAL OBJECTS OF THE WIZARDING WORLD; $29

From the invisibility cloak to the sword of Gryffindor, the world of Harry Potter is full of fantastical objects. PopChartLab managed to fit the most comprehensive list possible onto one 18-inch-by-24-inch poster. The items are broken up into categories, including portkeys, legendary magical artifacts, and Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. If you can’t make it to Diagon Alley to pick up some items in person, this illustrated chart is the next best thing.

Find It: Pop Chart Lab

6. HARRY POTTER MAGICAL PLACES AND CHARACTERS COLORING BOOK; $13

This detailed coloring book lets you explore places from Harry Potter in a whole new way. It contains 96 pages of settings from the fictional universe, from the Dursleys’ living room to Hogwarts’s great hall. No wand is required to bring these scenes to life—just a set of colored pencils.

Find It: Amazon

7. I SOLEMNLY SWEAR…MISCHIEF MANAGED HEAT TRANSFORMING MUG; $20

There’s no better way to start the morning than with a cup of hot-brewed mischief. This Marauder’s Map-inspired 11-ounce mug changes color from black to white, reading “I solemnly swear I am up to no good,” and then “Mischief managed.” Any magic trick that’s also an excuse to drink coffee is a good one in our book.

Find It: Harry Potter Shop

8. HARRY POTTER CRATE; $35

If you’re having trouble picking out just one Harry Potter keepsake, Loot Crate offers bimonthly boxes of goodies for $35. Each crate offers exclusive and officially-licensed figures, memorabilia, and apparel relating to Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts. Just input your Hogwarts house and t-shirt size to get a customized Loot Crate delivered straight to your door.

Find It: Loot Crate

9. HARRY POTTER HOGWARTS BATTLE; $49

With this cooperative deck building game you can take your love of Harry Potter to the next nerdy level. Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle is made up of seven sequential games that become increasingly difficult as they progress. As players defend Hogwarts from villains like Voldemort, they collect items, learn spells, and make allies along the way.

Find It: Amazon

10. HARRY POTTER SETS, DECORATED BY HOUSE; $275

The folks at Juniper Books have found a way to make your collection of Harry Potter books feel a little more personal. Each brand-new book in the set has been slipped into a jacket displaying original designs inspired by the four houses of Hogwarts. The covers depict the vibrant house colors as well as the animal mascots. Whether you’ve been sorted into Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin, these sets are a perfect way to show the world where your allegiances lie.

Find It: Juniper Books

11. HOGWARTS REVERSIBLE KNIT SCARF; $35

Whether you’re watching a quidditch match in the rain or strolling through the grounds of Hogwarts, it’s important to stay bundled up. This reversible scarf—officially-licensed by Warner Brothers—features the Hogwarts name and logo on both sides. You can wear the black and white side facing forward and then flip it over to reveal the same design in black and gray. The maroon, yellow, green, and blue tassels represent colors from all four Hogwarts houses, which means a Gryffindor will look just as sharp in it as a Slytherin.

Find It: ThinkGeek

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