Luke Danes brews the best coffee in Stars Hollow—and on October 5, Gilmore Girls fans can sample it in real life. As Entertainment Weekly reports, Netflix is promoting its new four-episode miniseries, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, by converting 200 cafes and coffee shops into Luke’s Diner pop-ups.

Your barista probably won’t be a flannel-clad Scott Patterson, but employees at the pop-up shops across the U.S. and Canada will don “Luke’s Diner” T-shirts and aprons. The first 200 customers will be treated to free 12-ounce cups of coffee (plus, what Netflix bills as a “fun surprise” hidden under their Gilmore Girls-themed coffee sleeves).

Want to live a morning in the lives of Lorelai and Rory? The Luke’s Diner pop-ups will run from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., and a full list of participating shops is available online (on a mock Stars Hollow town website, no less).

[h/t Entertainment Weekly]

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Today’s kids aren’t easily spooked. If you plan to make your home the envy of the neighborhood in time for Halloween, you’ll need to think beyond fake cobwebs, styrofoam skulls, and bowls of peeled grapes. Designing a haunted house that’s fit for the 21st century requires a bit of tech savvy, and here are a few ideas to get you started. 

1. TEXT-ACTIVATED JACK O’LANTERNS

Even in the most elaborate cases, jack o’lanterns are traditionally low-tech. One way to give your pumpkin a modern upgrade is by connecting it to your smartphone. For this project, an amateur mad scientist programmed an Arduino circuit board to respond to text messages. LEDs in the jack o’lantern light up red on the word “red,” blue on “blue,” etc. The trick isn’t limited to simple color commands—as the above video shows, a word like “chaos” can be used to trigger a frenzy of fog, strobe lights, and spooky sound effects. You can find the step-by-step instructions on the Twilio blog.

2. HAUNTED MANSION-STYLE SINGING BUSTS

The Haunted Mansion set a high bar for haunted houses when it opened in Disneyland in 1969. Many of the special effects that brought the ride to life nearly 50 years ago are just as frightening today, and you can even recreate some of them at home. To build your own version of the Haunted Mansion’s “grim grinning ghost” troupe, you’ll need a computer, a projector, and four white mannequin heads. The actual footage from the ride can be projected onto the blank busts to animate them while their lips move to the iconic tune.

3. MAGIC MIRROR

As countless horror movies have demonstrated, mirrors provide the perfect opportunity for a jump-scare. To transform your mounted flat screen TV into a “magic mirror,” find an old mirror and replace the glass inside with two-way mirror film (a tinted sheet of Plexiglas also works). Hang the frame in front of your television screen and wait for innocent victims to walk by. The set-up can be motion-activated to display the horrifying content of your choice (but as you can see above, the classic “mirror, mirror” mask is tough to beat).

4. HELL HOUSE

Special effects don’t need to be complicated to instill fear in the hearts of your neighbors. This larger-than-life trick requires just one major piece of gear: a flickering flame projector. Set up the equipment in your driveway and watch as your house is engulfed by hell fire. An appropriate playlist can help amp up the atmosphere—some of the tracks suggested on the Instructables page include “The Roof Is on Fire” and “Burning Down the House.”

5. REAPER DRONE

Haunted homeowners don’t have to wait for trick-or-treaters to come to them to deliver the best scares—all they need is a bit of engineering know-how. By strapping a plastic skeleton prop onto a quadcopter with some Velcro, Mesa, Arizona resident D.J. Vegh constructed this floating ghoul himself in 2012. Aided by an excellent soundtrack selection, Vegh’s video has since gained widespread attention on the web.

6. SPOOKY ANIMATRONICS

If you already have a plastic skull and pumpkin mixed in with your Halloween decorations at home, the first step of this project is taken care of. Now all you have to do is engineer the props to speak and move the way you want them to. The detailed directions are available on Instructables: You’ll need some RC servos to act as the “muscles” of the robots, and specific software to program them how you please. At the very least, the activity is a fun opportunity to show off your spooky voice acting skills.

7. A OUIJA BOARD WITH A MIND OF ITS OWN

Ouija boards are scary when they work. But during an unsuccessful seance, the occult icon can feel like a glorified board game. Ensure your planchette springs to life every time by building your own high-tech Ouija board at home. Constructing this piece is a major time commitment: You have to carve, stain, and wire the hardware yourself. The final product is a Ouija board you can command to spell out customized messages from your computer. Be thankful this wasn’t around during your slumber party years.

8. FLOATING SKULL HOLOGRAM

Creating a hologram at home isn’t as difficult as sci-fi movies let on. All you need is a computer, a sheet of glass, and a video you wish to use for the effect. The creator of this Instructables project chose footage of a ghastly green floating skull to do the trick. When the glass is placed at an angle above a computer monitor that’s hidden from view, it will reflect whatever image is on the screen. If done right, the floating head will appear to materialize from thin air.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is shining a spotlight on threatened bee populations. Last week, USFWS suggested the rusty patched bumble bee belonged on the endangered species list. This week, it officially added seven species of Hawaiian yellow-faced bees to the list [PDF]. The ruling, which will go into effect October 31, re-classifies the bees, three other animals (the band-rumped storm-petrel, the orangeblack Hawaiian damselfly, and the anchialine pool shrimp), and 39 plant species.

Hawaiian yellow-faced bees (genus Hylaeus) aren’t as well-known as their bumble bee cousins or honeybees, but their story is no less incredible. A single bee traveled to Hawaii, found a local, and mated. Their offspring multiplied and spread across the islands, settling into niches in lush forests, volcanic slopes, high deserts, and white-sand beaches. Today, there are no fewer than 63 native Hylaeus species living in the islands. Naturalist R.C.L. Perkins called [PDF] the yellow-faced bees “almost the most ubiquitous of any Hawaiian insects.”

But their glory days were numbered. Human development began to chip away at the bees’ habitats and food supply, while invasive species like ants and flies carried disease and began competing for resources. Nine of the original 63 species have not been spotted in 80 years and may be extinct. Others have vanished from their original habitats, corralled into fast-shrinking safe areas. Among those are the seven newly designated endangered species: Hylaeus anthracinus, H. assimulans, H. facilis, H. hilaris, H. kuakea, H. longiceps, and H. mana.

While it might not sound like it, endangered species status is actually good news in this case. The bees and their classmates were already endangered; official designation is a step that makes it easier to protect them. Mary Abrams is USFWS supervisor for the Pacific Islands office. “Listing these species as endangered will help draw attention to the threats that have brought them so close to extinction, and allow us to begin the process of bringing about recovery,” she said in a press statement [PDF].

The designation is a good start, says Matthew Shepherd, communications director for the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Still, he writes on the society’s blog, “there is much work that needs to be done to ensure that Hawaii’s bees thrive.” Habitat loss is a major threat, but the USFWS did not call out any areas of the islands as “critical habitat,” a label that would ensure additional protection.

Abrams emphasized that the designation was just the beginning, adding, “We will continue working with local communities, governments, industry, and the people of Hawaii to protect and recover these native species, which are an important part of what makes these islands so special.”

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Nintendo offers dozens of ways to experience the world of Mario. Video game nerds can have the pint-sized plumber race go-karts, glide through space, or challenge Bowser to a few rounds of tennis. Now there’s a new way for fans to fully immerse themselves in the franchise without purchasing a virtual reality headset. They just have to be willing to book a flight to Lisbon, Portugal, where Airbnb host André Farinha has transformed a room in his apartment into a Nintendo-lover’s paradise, Mashable reports.

The space’s interior pays homage to Super Mario’s 30-plus-year history, from a wall depicting his origins in Donkey Kong (back when he was called “Jumpman“) to a hard hat that references the 2015 game Super Mario Maker. A wall decorated with coins, goombas, and toadstools looks down onto a bedspread that’s been stitched with Mario’s iconic blue overalls and red shirt. The bathroom fully commits to the plumber theme, with green piping winding along the sky-blue walls.

Guests enamored with the entire Nintendo universe will be happy to hear that the theme doesn’t stop with Super Mario. The room also features a Wii U, a display of amiibo characters, and a Nintendo 3DS stand where guests can play The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Farinha, a 32-year-old computer game programmer and self-described “major nerd,” spent roughly €10,000 (over $11,000 US) designing the space. Travelers passing through Lisbon can experience it themselves for just $39 a night. If the room happens to be booked for the dates you had in mind, Farinha also has two additional rooms available for rent, including some equally nerdy Star Wars-themed digs.

[h/t Mashable]

All images courtesy of André Farinha // Airbnb.

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Most of the time, when rodents make themselves known in New York, they’re not exactly celebrated—Pizza Rat notwithstanding. But when a beaver appeared in the Bronx in 2007, biologists were thrilled. The semiaquatic rodent, once incredibly populous in the area, had disappeared for two centuries, the victim of overzealous trappers and unwelcoming aquatic conditions in the Bronx River.

The river was indeed in a state of disgrace, with raw sewage being emptied directly into it, among other things. A sewer pipe was built to solve that problem in 1908. A larger cleanup was attempted in the ’70s, but the biggest action took place in 2001, when the Bronx River Alliance formed to help transform the area. Their efforts, combined with the efforts of citizens and city government, not to mention $14.6 million in federal funding, finally helped restore the river. Just to start with, nearly 15,000 tires were pulled from its depths.

Just six years later, the hard work began to pay off when residents reported seeing a beaver in the river, a sign that the environment was habitable again. At first, biologists assumed the sightings were actually of muskrats, which look similar and are much more common. But upon further investigation, gnawed tree stumps and a 12-foot lodge made of twigs and mud seemed to verify the claims—and video evidence later cemented them.

The NYC transplant was named Jose after U.S. Representative José Serrano, who was a big player in helping to rejuvenate the river. But the happy ending gets even better—in 2010, the beaver population doubled when Jose was joined by a pal. Though a Bronx Zoo contest to name Jose’s friend resulted in the name “Justin Beaver,” some people thought they had spotted signs that Justin was really female.

Will there eventually be a whole beaver family celebrating the newly clean Bronx River? Maybe—in fact, some researchers say there have already been signs that Jose and Justin(e) had expanded the family. If so, biologists will really have something to celebrate: A beaver colony hasn’t existed in New York City area “since Times Square was still farmland.”

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Food brings us together. Whether your tastes trend toward traditional or experimental, there’s universal comfort in joining around a table for a meal. Seasoned travelers know that sampling the local cuisine is one of the easiest ways to experience native culture firsthand. You may not speak the language or know your way around town, but there’s always someone ready to share a bowl of their favorite treat. Sure, it’s increasingly easy to find a McDonald’s no matter where you land, but why not try one of these unique gastronomical experiences?

1. KOPI LUWAK // INDONESIA

Can’t face the day without coffee? Visitors to Indonesia can indulge their caffeine craving with a hot cup of kopi luwak, the most expensive coffee in the world. Why so pricey? Cats, of course! Wild palm civet cats, also known as luwaks, eat the fruity flesh of coffee berries but don’t digest the seeds (what we call coffee beans.) The civet droppings are collected by local farmers to be washed, roasted, and processed as coffee. Why is this “cat-poop coffee” so special? One theory holds that civets eat only the best cherries, creating a natural selection for quality. Others believe that a fermentation process occurs in the luwaks’ digestive tracts, which reduces bitterness and improves the natural flavor. But not everyone agrees; Tim Carman, a food critic for The Washington Post, tried kopi luwak a few years ago and claimed that “It tasted just like … Folgers.”

2. POZOLE // MEXICO

Mexican cuisine continues to be one of the most popular choices in the U.S., so a trip to Mexico might seem like a chance to double-down on well-known favorites like enchiladas or quesadillas. Go looking for authentic Mexican meals, however, and you just might find a steaming bowl of pozole, a soup with significance dating back to the Aztecs. Pozole begins with hominy (a type of dried maize) and meat (typically pork), includes a variety of mouth-watering spices, and is topped with fresh ingredients like lime and radish. Historically, pre-conquest Aztecs may have used freshly sacrificed human flesh in their pozole in lieu of pork, but there’s no need to worry about that these days.

3. SMALAHOVE // NORWAY

Steaks can be found nearly everywhere, but adventurous carnivores should consider a trip to Norway to track down a hearty plate of smalahove. Literally translated as “sheep’s head,” smalahove is in fact half a lamb’s head (split down the middle with an axe, naturally) that has been torched, dried, smoked, and boiled, then served with potatoes, rutabagas, cream, and butter. The brain and other organs are removed, with the exception of the tongue, eye, and ear, which are generally considered the best morsels. The hearty meal is a Norwegian holiday tradition and is typically consumed the last Sunday before Christmas. (It’s also customary to serve it alongside aquavit, a strong Nordic spirit, perhaps for folks who need a bit of “liquid courage” to face down this intimidating dish.)

4. CARNE ASADA WITH CHIMICHURRI // ARGENTINA

Grilled meat is a staple around the globe, but Argentines take particular pride in their steak traditions. Their outdoor cooking style, known as asado, has a rich heritage and rigorous rules to follow (absolutely no gas, briquettes, or lighter fluid allowed, only wood and hard lump charcoal!). Done properly, asado is an all-day process, where each cut of meat gets plenty of time to slowly roast—Argentines generally prefer their steaks medium-to-well-done.

While the steaks are grilling, Argentine chefs have time to whip up some chimichurri, the country’s “go-to condiment.” A tangy uncooked sauce prominently featuring parsley, garlic, oregano, and red pepper, chimichurri complements nearly any entree, but particularly shines with carne asada.

5. HÁKARL // ICELAND

Speaking of Scandinavia, perhaps no dish has earned quite so fearsome a reputation as hákarl, an Icelandic delicacy first cooked up by the Vikings. Even celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, no stranger to unusual flavors, described hákarl bluntly as “the single worst thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.”

The Vikings found a plentiful supply of Greenlandic shark in the waters around Iceland, but soon discovered that toxins in the shark meat made it poisonous to consume. Their solution was to behead the shark, then bury the carcass underground for six to 12 weeks to allow liquids to seep out and the rotting meat to ferment. (Some modern Icelanders cure the meat in a plastic box rather than underground). After the fermentation process is complete, the shark meat is cut into long strips and hung up to dry for several additional months. The final product, diced into deceptively mild-looking white cubes, is famous for its fiercely pungent ammonia aroma.

6. TRUFFLES // FRANCE AND ITALY

If the odor of rotting shark doesn’t make your mouth water, head south for a famous treat with a much different reputation. By weight, the European white truffle is one of the world’s most expensive delicacies—they can sell for as much as $3600 a pound. That steep price tag is due to the difficulty of finding and harvesting the small treats; truffles grow underground, near the roots of trees, and farmers often need to employ specially trained dogs to sniff them out. The fruit of underground-growing fungi, truffles generally aren’t eaten on their own but are a rich, aromatic addition to any number of dishes, including pasta, eggs, sauces, and even cocktails. Of course, truffle dishes can be found worldwide, but travelers in southern Europe should be sure to sample a few straight from the source.

7. KAPENTA FISH // ZAMBIA AND ZIMBABWE

Kapenta (also called matemba) are tiny freshwater sardines, originally native to southern Africa’s massive Lake Tanganyika but later introduced into other lakes in the region. Despite averaging just 10 centimeters long, kapenta are surprisingly rich in protein and iron, and are an important dietary staple for lakeside regions in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Mozambique.

Typically kapenta are caught at night, then sun-dried the next day. Dried fish are wonderfully versatile and can be used in any number of contexts, from a basic stew to this sweet curry sauce. Zimbabweans living close to Lake Kariba also enjoy fresh kapenta, pan-seared and served with sadza, a maize porridge. Scoop up some sadza to dip or roll in the fish and sauce, and prepare to get a little messy—locals don’t use utensils for this dish.

8. VIRGIN BOY EGGS // CHINA

Boiled eggs are enjoyed internationally, but folks in the Dongyang province of China have a unique preparation method. Every spring, local vendors collect urine from local elementary schools, specifically from boys under age 10. The eggs are boiled in the urine; after an hour the shells are cracked and they are cooked for another full day.

Although modern science ascribes no nutritional value to this practice, Dongyang residents claim that virgin boy eggs bestow a wealth of health benefits, including improved circulation and resistance to heat stroke. They sell for just 25 cents each on the street (four times the cost of a regular boiled egg) and are so popular they’ve been dubbed an “intangible cultural heritage” for the region.

9. BALUT // THE PHILIPPINES

Travelers to the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, and other southeastern Asian countries will also find plenty of street vendors selling eggs, but with a much different spin. Balut are duck eggs, or more specifically, a mallard duck embryo sold in the shell. Fertilized eggs are incubated for 2-3 weeks (18 days is considered ideal), then boiled alive, sometimes with salt or vinegar added for flavor. The duck embryo is eaten whole; enthusiasts swear by the variety of savory flavors and textures all in one small package. Balut translates to “wrapped,” and comes from the idea that the perfect example should be “wrapped in white”—surrounded by pleasantly chewy boiled egg. Pro tip: if you’re interested in the flavors but squeamish about the embryo, order penoy, a duck egg that didn’t develop into balut and is entirely yolk.

10. PAVLOVA // AUSTRALIA

Visitors to Australia no doubt expect lots of shrimp on the barbie, and perhaps a kangaroo steak, but what about something to cool down after a hot day? Beat the heat with a slice of pavlova, a creamy meringue pie with a crispy crust and topped with any variety of fresh fruit.The story goes that Australian chef Herbert Sachse was inspired by Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova’s visit Down Under in the 1920s and strove to create a dessert as light as the iconic dancer. There’s another side to the story, through—neighboring New Zealand also claims the dish as their own. Hey, everyone just wants their slice of the pie, right?

This Halloween season, the Harry Potter franchise is apparating back into movie theaters for a limited time only. As Variety reports, IMAX and Warner Bros. have joined forces to screen all eight films in 2D for one week, beginning on Thursday, October 13.

The Harry Potter marathon is designed to promote the forthcoming film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, an adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s 2001 book of the same name that’s slated for a November 18 release. It also marks the first time that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets have been shown in IMAX theaters.

Making the occasion even more festive, Warner Bros will host a free Global Fan Event on October 13th to celebrate Fantastic Beasts. Viewers in select cities around the world will be shown a sneak peek of the upcoming movie, and London and Los Angeles audiences will be treated to in-person actor appearances and a Q&A session.

For more information—including how to get tickets—visit the IMAX website.

[h/t Variety]

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