Matador Network's Blog, page 1329

Whimsical street art

Michael Pederson proves that, with a little imagination, the most mundane, everyday objects can become clever works of art. For the past four years, the Australian artist has been putting his humorous mark on the ordinary fixtures of our landscape, from street signs and sewers to benches and flowers. The aim of his project, Miguel Marquez Outside, is to highlight aspects of urban landscapes we often ignore.

“I had a drawing show a few years ago which featured images and text,” he told My Modern Met “One of the pieces was also placed in a more public context and seemed to work better that way. Placing something unexpected out on the street can have a powerful element of surprise.” Indeed, his installations are powerful examples of how intimately street art is tied to its context, and relies on that context for its overall impact.

Pederson’s art touches on a wide range of universal concepts and ideas, causing passerby to stop and consider (and chuckle at) each piece. He hopes his work will inspire deeper thought and conversation about public space. “Humor is a great way of engaging people,” he said, “even if there is something a little sad underneath some of the pieces. Hopefully, people will find something there to think about.”

Here are some of our favorite of Michael’s street installations:
Information

Une publication partagée par Michael Pederson (@miguelmarquezoutside) le 21 Juil. 2017 à 3 :20 PDT

Solitude rating

Une publication partagée par Michael Pederson (@miguelmarquezoutside) le 26 Août 2016 à 1 :38 PDT

Suspended text

Une publication partagée par Michael Pederson (@miguelmarquezoutside) le 11 Juin 2017 à 2 :49 PDT

Minor Hazards

Une publication partagée par Michael Pederson (@miguelmarquezoutside) le 25 Mai 2017 à 3 :44 PDT

Do not touch

Une publication partagée par Michael Pederson (@miguelmarquezoutside) le 12 Mai 2016 à 5 :47 PDT

Attention Shoppers

Une publication partagée par Michael Pederson (@miguelmarquezoutside) le 4 Sept. 2016 à 11 :43 PDT

Armchair

Une publication partagée par Michael Pederson (@miguelmarquezoutside) le 16 Juil. 2016 à 1 :59 PDT

Turn back

Une publication partagée par Michael Pederson (@miguelmarquezoutside) le 15 Janv. 2017 à 11 :06 PST

Wait here

Une publication partagée par Michael Pederson (@miguelmarquezoutside) le 6 Mai 2016 à 3 :48 PDT

Not ready

Une publication partagée par Michael Pederson (@miguelmarquezoutside) le 10 Juin 2016 à 2 :36 PDT

Amnesia Station

Une publication partagée par Michael Pederson (@miguelmarquezoutside) le 9 Juil. 2017 à 4 :13 PDT

H/T: My Modern Met

More like this: 13 places that have been made beautiful by street art

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Airport pods to sleep in airports

Any traveler who has spent their layover trying to sleep across uncomfortable terminal seats, sweatshirts draped over their eyes to block out the glaring lights, has privately wished for a dedicated place to nap in airports. Well, it looks like that wish is about to come true. European airports are planning to introduce Airpods: self-contained capsules at airport gates, designed to facilitate rest and relaxation.

Photo: AIRPOD

The pods are minimalistic, but contain everything a tired traveler could possibly want. Amenities will include a plush chair that converts into a bed for naps, charging stations, a WiFi connection, luggage storage, and even a TV screen with Netflix. The pods will also be designed to reduce outside noise, to allow for a better napping experience. If you’re thinking, “this sounds like a great way to sleep through my flight,” you’ll also be able to set an alarm inside the pod, as well as stay up-to-date on flight times and alerts.

The idea was developed by two Slovenian businessmen, whose aim is to “make the travel experience comfortable and enjoyable each and every hour, whilst transiting,” according to the company’s website. While the pods are still in their beta stages, they will appear in European airports later this year as part of a commercial test. If all goes well, it could be the start of a worldwide trend.

Obviously, there won’t be enough pods for everyone, so you’ll have to reserve one in advance of your flight to be sure of getting that much-needed power nap.

H/T: Travel & Leisure

More like this: In defense of long layovers

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Iceberg on coast of Newfoundland

While the increasing presence of wayward icebergs is a disheartening sign of the world’s rising temperatures, that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate a cool-looking iceberg when it drifts by. This unique iceberg with a circular archway was spotted off the coast of the Bonavista Peninsula in Newfoundland. The peninsula, nicknamed “iceberg alley”, is considered a prime viewing spot for iceberg-viewing during spring to early summer.

The “beauty berg”, as this windowed iceberg is being called, appears to be grounded in the waters just off the Bonavista Peninsula, specifically Upper Amherst Cove. Locals, visitors, and photographers have seized the opportunity to take pictures and videos, encouraging others to see the glacier before it’s gone. Twitter user Mark Gray’s photos in particular have gone viral:

Beautiful iceberg just 15 minutes away from us in Upper Amherst Cove!#iceberg #icebergsnl #nlwx #shareyourweather #cbcnl #newfoundland pic.twitter.com/gbX406pay9

— M. Gray (@MarkGray3) June 4, 2018

A close-up splash inside the beauty berg found in Upper Amherst Cove! #nlwx #shareyourweather #iceberg #cbcnl #IcebergsNL pic.twitter.com/k1w2rImq5r

— M. Gray (@MarkGray3) June 4, 2018

Including the Beauty Berg, there are currently 94 icebergs floating off the coast of Newfoundland. The volume of icebergs passing Newfoundland and Labrador is a major draw for the area, as it’s considered one of the best places in the world for viewing glacial formations. In particular, the small town of Ferryland on the Avalon Peninsula recently became a hot spot for iceberg-chasers hoping to catch the first icebergs of the season.

If you want to see the Beauty Berg, you better hurry up. Unlike most works of art, icebergs don’t exactly hang in one place too long. Early summer is the end of peak iceberg season, so there’s only a couple weeks left before your opportunity drifts away.

H/T: BBC News

More like this: Rare and surreal images of recently-flipped icebergs

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Vodka pops are perfect for summer

Everyone knows summer is the perfect season for boozy frozen treats, and Costco knows how to satisfy your craving. For a refreshing snack that gets you tipsy, and also evokes a sense of nostalgia, Costco’s Vodka Martini Slim Chillers check all the boxes. Remember those freeze pops from your childhood, which always hit the spot on a humid summer day? Now imagine it also could get you buzzed.

Coming in four vodka-soaked flavors — Cosmopolitan, Watermelon Lemonade, Appletini, and Lemon drop — these pops are made with eight-times distilled, charcoal-filtered vodka. And if you’re looking for a slimmer drink option than that rich Piña Colada, these pops are only 100 calories.

The best part? You can truly take them anywhere, whether its the beach, a BBQ, your kid’s baseball game…work? They really do look just like the ol’ fashioned freeze pops of your youth.

If you truly want a lazy summer and don’t feel like leaving your house to make the purchase, you can always order Slim Chillers online. Just make sure kids don’t confuse them with their non-alcoholic counterparts. Chill out responsibly!

H/T: Liquor.com

More like this: The 23 best drunk foods in America

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Ice bathing record broken in Iceland

This woman is really taking the Viking shower to the next level. Instead of just a quick dip in some freezing cold water to start the day — or jolt a hangover away — Lea Marie Galanga got nice and comfortable in an ice bath, for 42 minutes and 20 seconds. That breaks the national record for longest time spent in an ice bath.

The feat was accomplished at the third annual Ice Bathing Championships in Iceland, naturally, which aims to raise awareness about the health benefits of cold-water bathing. Though her bath was a chillingly cold 32°F, she shattered the previous record held by Vilhjálmur Andri Einarsson, who, last year, remained in the ice bath for 20 minutes. Second place this year went to Algirdas Kazulis, who stayed in the bath for 41 minutes, 18 seconds. With just 1 minute and 3 seconds separating him from first place, we imagine that bath must have been pretty unbearable.

Only seven people competed in the contest this year, but the field is wide open for next year — so you’d better start training if you want to throw your hat in the ring (certainly beats running a marathon). You might catch hypothermia a couple of times, but that’s just the price of victory at the Ice Bathing Championships.

H/T: Iceland Review

More like this:: Watch the woman who found salvation in free diving under the Arctic ice

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This 51-year-old man just began swimming 5,500 miles across the Pacific Ocean

If you can’t afford to fly, and get easily seasick on boats, swimming might just be your only option for intercontinental travel. That’s exactly how 51-year-old distance swimmer Benoît Lecomte is choosing to get from Japan to the US: a journey of more than 5,500 miles. But he’s not doing it for lack of other travel options. He already swam across the Atlantic Ocean in 1998, and now he wants a new challenge; he has been preparing for the trans-Pacific journey for the past seven years.

“It couldn’t be a better opportunity to get the attention on the ocean, and the state of the ocean, by doing something crazy like this type of swim” Lecomte told Business Insider, He’s particularly interested in raising awareness of plastic pollution in the ocean, and is partnering with Seeker and Discovery on the journey, which they’re calling “The Swim”. To ensure his safety, Lecomte will be followed by a boat throughout the trip, and he plans to collect samples and test the water, looking for contamination from the Fukushima incident and microplastics in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

The journey itself will consist of eight hours of swimming per day (approximately 30 miles), with the remainder of the time spent resting, sleeping, and eating on the boat. To complete the journey, Lecomte needs to eat 8,000 calories a day, including some soup and other liquites while he’s in the water.

Waves and water temperature pose the most significant risks for Lecomte, as well as unwanted attention from sharks. “They’ll be there,” Lecomte said of potential shark encounters, seemingly unconcerned. He’ll be wearing a magnetic bracelet that will help ward them off, and the boat is equipped with a radar device for spotting them.

You can follow Lecomte’s six-month journey from Choshi to San Francisco on Seeker. They will be broadcasting live coverage of the trip along with short documentaries.

H/T: Business Insider

This swimmer is totally comfortable swimming with orcas off the coast of Norway

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Strange communities people live in

Not every community consists of neatly-aligned, cookie-cutter houses surrounded with white-picket fences — that would be incredibly boring. Some towns defy the norms and the limits of our imagination by flourishing inside the strangest houses and in the most inhospitable of climates. From an underground city to a town all living under one roof, discover what makes these seven communities around the world incredibly unique.

1. Coober Pedy, Australia

Photo: edella/Shutterstock

Photo: Torsten Pursche/Shutterstock

At first glance, this small town looks like any other mining relic of the Australian outback — sparsely populated and covered in a thin layer of red dust — but scratch beneath the surface and it doesn’t take long to find out what sets this town apart. At least half of the town’s inhabitants live underground to avoid the oppressive summer heat and brutal winter cold. Get a taste for tunnel life yourself by touring the Umoona Opal Mine & Museum or spend a night in one of the Desert Cave Hotel’s subterranean rooms.

2. Tent City, New Jersey

Photo: Lenny Abbot/Shutterstock

For over 150 summers, this community of multi-colored fabrics has taken over a small section of Ocean Grove, New Jersey. The original tent-pitchers were devout Methodists in town for community meetings; today’s residents are usually looking for some old-fashioned relaxation in close proximity to the beach. Residents apply through a multi-year waiting list for the privilege of renting a space for the entire season, but if you don’t have that level of dedication, just take a stroll through the 114 plots to get a sense of a summer spent under a tent.

3. Whittier, Alaska

Photo: M. Cornelius/Shutterstock

Almost all of this remote Alaskan town’s 200 inhabitants live under the same 14-story roof. The building, once an army barracks, also holds the post office, police station, health clinic, church and laundromat. The annual tourist population can reach up to 700,000, mostly during the near-constant sunlight of summer months when the town becomes a gateway to Prince William Sound. In winter, outside conditions can become so extreme that the town’s only playground is indoors and kids go to school via an underground passage. If you visit by road, you’ll take North America’s longest tunnel — a narrow single lane behemoth that closes at night.

4. Hallstatt, China

Photo: By Hanno Böck

This luxury residential project in China’s Guangdong province may have you a bit confused — it’s a replica of Austria’s Hallstatt, a UNESCO World Heritage site of undeniable charm. White trimmed gingerbread houses line the streets of this Chinese feat of engineering, where wealthy residents can beat the pollution of congested cities with a side of European architecture all within the comforts of their home country. Built during China’s real estate boom, the town has had trouble filling to capacity, but buses of tourists and newlyweds eager to be photographed in the unique surroundings have helped to keep the community afloat.

5. Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa

Une publication partagée par @maryrnargaret le 21 Oct. 2017 à 4 :29 PDT

Welcome to one of the most unusual and, perhaps, healthiest towns in America. For starters, the official language is Sanskrit. Founded on the tenets of Veda (ancient Sanskrit texts constituting the oldest scriptures of Hinduism), MVC is all-organic, having banned pesticides and fertilizers. The town’s design was inspired by Vedic architectural principles meant to promote health, happiness, and good fortune. Spend a few nights at The Raj for healing treatments and be sure to check out the Maharishi Vedic Observatory, an impressive open-air display of sundials.

6. Setenil de las Bodegas, Spain

Photo: LUC KHONEN/Shutterstock

Originally an Arab fortress, this town in southern Spain is built into the cliffs that once offered essential protection from enemy forces. The town is best enjoyed on foot: walk in the shade of boulders hanging over street corners and marvel at homes melding into the rock faces on Calle Herreria, the town’s oldest street. Make sure to stop for refreshments, the town’s name — bodega — comes from its once flourishing wineries.

7. Giethoorn, the Netherlands

Photo: NiglayNik/Shutterstock

This town in the Netherlands has canals for roads, but you’ll have no trouble differentiating it from touristy Venice. Lush green yards and the sound of almost-silence are the norm in Giethoorn, where locals have “whisper boats” that glide smoothly on electrical engines. Spend an afternoon puttering down the canals in a rented boat or visit in wintertime to skate your way around town.


More like this: The 9 most colorful towns around the world you’ve never heard of

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Most expensive parking in the world

If you think you pay too much for your apartment, house, or even a luxury car, imagine paying more than that for a single parking space. For some in Hong Kong, it’s worth it — and clearly they have the money to spare. A Hong Kong couple sold a parking space at Sun Hung Kai Properties’ Ultima apartment complex for HK$6 million (or about $760,000), setting a new world record. That’s $5,663 per square foot, and higher than the average price of a residential property in Hong Kong.

For a very small flat in the same neighborhood, the price is approximately $3,217 per square foot, which is just over half the cost of the parking space. For an apartment in the luxury complex itself, however, you should be prepared to shell out $12.5 million. “The residents have a lot of cash, and simply do not care about a few million dollars,” Sandia Lau, a director at Centaline Property Agency, said to the South China Morning Post. We don’t exactly think people willing to spend nearly $1 million on parking spaces are penny-pinching.

Strolling through the parking lot might feel a lot like strolling through an exotic car showroom. An unnamed representative for the complex revealed that residents tend to favor high-end European sports cars, such as Ferraris and Lamborghinis, and therefore place a high value on their parking spaces. A shortage of parking across the city has also driven the price of parking bays up rapidly, at a greater rate than even home prices.

With the setting of this new record, the Ultima complex is the world’s most expensive place to park your car. Remember that next time you complain about the $10 lot at the beach.

H/T: South China Morning Post

More like this: 15 ways to save money on your trip to Hong Kong

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Animals have taken over these island

There’s just something about animals — the more of them there are, the cuter they get. These islands around the world will send you into cuteness overload, as they have been overrun by animals. If you visit any of them, be sure to bring a camera.

Big Major Cay, Bahamas (AKA Pig Beach)

Photo: Buckeye Sailboat/Shutterstock

Sure, you’ve dreamt of swimming with dolphins or sea turtles. We have an alternative idea: pigs. Big Major Cay, part of the Exuma island chain in the Bahamas, is home to absolutely zero humans, but the island is far from empty. It has earned the nickname Pig Beach for the famous swimming pigs that live there, along with a handful of other stray animals. The only thing more epic than the experience of swimming with pigs in turquoise Caribbean water off a white sand beach is the story of how the pigs got there in the first place. According to legend, the pigs were dropped off by a sailors who intended to return for an island barbecue, but never came back. Now, the pigs are enough of an attraction that even the thought of eating them is enough to outrage locals and tourists alike.

Okunoshima, Japan (AKA Rabbit Island)

Photo: bietsu/Shutterstock

Japan’s Hiroshima Prefecture is home to a small island called Okunoshima. A former chemical weapons testing site, the island now has a much more joyful reputation as Rabbit Island. The bunnies run free across the island two miles off the coast of Takehara, a small city about an hour east of Hiroshima. Instead of predators, the rabbits are surrounded only by visiting humans who come to pamper and photograph them, leading many to consider these rabbits to be the world’s happiest.

Aoshima, Japan (AKA Cat Island)

Photo: csido kagawa/Shutterstock

Aoshima is another Japanese animal kingdom, this time for free-ranging felines. Japan actually has about a dozen cat islands, but none more famous than this one. With over 100 cats, the island’s two-legged residents are outnumbered nearly six to one. Watch out when they’re in heat!

Lambay, Ireland (AKA Wallaby Island)

Photo: John Hill/Wikimedia Commons

The primary residents of Lambay are wallabies, which sort of resemble small kangaroos. Although they are adapted to coastal living, the native Australian wallabies do appear a bit out place in the often frigid weather of the north Atlantic. Good thing they can grow thick coats! Their arrival on the island resulted from the desires a well-to-do family to raise exotic animals back in the 1950s or 1960s, and since then they’ve reproduced to the point of omnipresence.

Miyajima, Japan (AKA Deer Island)

Photo: hacksss/Shutterstock

Much like Hinduism holds the cow in high regard, residents on Miyajima treat the island’s deer with the respect of royalty, believing them to be messengers of the spirits. There are thousands on the island, and they’ve certainly been there long enough to claim local status — it is thought that deer have roamed Miyajima for over 6,000 years.
Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland and Virginia (AKA Horse Island)

Photo: TonyDE/Shutterstock

Feral horses run free in this stateside island off the coast of Maryland. There are two separate herds: one living on the Virginia side of the island and the other on the Maryland side. The site is now protected by the National Park Service, and you can observe the ‘horse society’ from a safe distance. Don’t worry, you’ll be plenty close enough to snap a shot for Instagram!

Runde Island, Norway (AKA Puffin Island)

Photo: Gertjan Hooijer/Shutterstock

There are hundreds of thousands of birds on Runde Island, contrasted with only 100 people. Puffins are not only the cutest, but also among the most populous, making the island a notch in the belt for bird watchers seeking something a bit outside the box. You can get up close and photograph the puffins as you hike across the 2.4 square mile island. Just be sure to go between February and August when the bird population swells.

Seal Island, South Africa

Photo: francesco de marco/Shutterstock

60,000 seals call the rocks of Seal Island home, at least part-time. The only issue is that, as much as you might love seals, great white sharks love them even more, and the waters surrounding the island are frequented by sharks looking for their next meal. The water surrounding Seal Island is known as the “Ring of Death,” since sharks popping out of the water to snatch a seal are a regular occurrence.


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Plane damaged by hail storm

A little bit of turbulence is enough to make some nervous flyers’ stomachs lurch, but a full on hail storm? That’s too much for even the most seasoned of travelers to handle. On Sunday night, while flying over western TTexas and east New Mexico, an American Airlines flight hit an unexpectedly rough patch of weather. Heavy rain, violent wind, and hail pummeled the aircraft and smashed the nose of the plane right in.

Not only was the nose completely destroyed, but both main windshields were cracked in spider web fashion right in front of the pilots’ eyes. Violent turbulence shook the plane, prompting many passengers to become sick. The hail was reported to be up to 2 or three inches in diameter, according to meteorologist Jeff Piotrowski’s Twitter post.

You can see the extensive damage to the plane in this photo by Holly Rush, which has been circulating over social media:

Here’s another look at the American Airlines plane that left SA Sunday evening headed to PHX, but had to make an emergency landing in ELP. Pilot reported poor forward visibility due to damage from hail. (Photo courtesy: Holly Rush) pic.twitter.com/vHdA5IWuDm

— Phil Anaya (@phil_anaya) June 5, 2018

One passenger tweeted, “I’m on this flight that emergency landed. Things were flying. Passengers throwing up. Scariest flight of my life.”

The pilots managed to maneuver the plane out of the storm, change course, and head to El Paso, Texas for an emergency landing. While some have questioned why the plane didn’t fly around the storm, the work of the pilots to safely escape from the hail and land the plane in Texas is being commended as heroic.

American Airlines issued the following statement, as published by the El Paso Times:

American Airlines flight 1897, from San Antonio to Phoenix, diverted to El Paso due to damage sustained by weather in flight. We commend the great work of our pilots, along with our flight attendants, who safely landed the Airbus A319 at 8:03 p.m. The aircraft is currently being evaluated by our maintenance team. We never want to disrupt our customers’ travel plans, and we are sorry for the trouble this caused.

Fortunately, there were no injuries during the incident.

H/T The Washington Post

A pilot got partially sucked out of plane after the windshield shattered

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