The Secret World of Disneyland

Disneyland may look like a straightforward theme park. But there’s a secret world hidden behind the balloons, castles and cotton candy – a place where wild cats roam the park at midnight, Mickey Mouse hides in the wallpaper, and movie stars sip martinis behind closed doors.

Feline security
It’s not easy keeping the grounds of Disneyland utterly spotless, as well as free of unwanted pests. Every night after closing time, 200 feral cats are released into the park to help keep the rodent population under control. Though Disney doesn’t comment on the matter, rumour has it that the feline taskforce dates back to 1957, when renovations to Sleeping Beauty Castle revealed a colony of more than 100 stray cats. After unsuccessful attempts to chase them out of the park, Disney decided to put the cats to work instead. Today they spend their daylight hours resting in the park’s well-concealed ‘cat houses’, though you can sometimes spot a furry face peeking out between the mechanical lions on the Jungle Cruise.

Hidden Mickeys

At Disneyland, the round-eared Mickey Mouse emblem is everywhere. But thanks to clever Imagineers (Disney’s specially trained designers and engineers), hundreds of ‘Hidden Mickeys‘ are also scattered across the park. The subtle symbols are often difficult to spot: they’re camouflaged in the architecture and landscaping as well as in the smallest stylistic details, from the floral wallpaper of the First Aid station and the rust marks atop a treasure chest in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, to the shapes of car speakers on Space Mountain. No one knows exactly how many exist.

Cocktails behind closed doors

Disneyland is dry – unless you can manage to get your name on the list at Club 33. The secret cocktail lounge, tucked away above the Blue Bayou in New Orleans Square, has a limited membership of just 487 and a waiting list of approximately 14 years. Walt Disney designed the club as an exclusive space to entertain possible investors; since then, the lounge, complete with an elegant dining room and a first-class wine cellar, has hosted US presidents, film stars, foreign dignitaries, and lucky guests with connections. It’s said that Robert Kennedy dined here on 3 June, 1968, two days before he was assassinated.

 Trick of the eye

Things are not always as they appear at Disneyland. The park’s design employs ‘forced perspective,’ creating optical illusions that make structures appear larger or smaller than they actually are. Sleeping Beauty Castle, for example, looks much taller than its 77 feet – that’s because the ‘bricks’ and other architectural features grow progressively smaller as the towers rise. The Matterhorn also appears more massive than it is, since the tallest trees are at the base of the mountain and the smallest are placed at the summit. Entering Main Street, thanks to clever angles and scaling techniques, the castle seems far away and the old-fashioned shops and ice cream parlours seem to be several stories tall. As you exit, the same Main Street seems much shorter. Walt Disney figured that families coming into the park would be filled with anticipation, but on leaving, they’d be too tired for a leisurely stroll.

Always on stage

At Disneyland, a janitor isn’t a janitor – he’s a ‘cast member’. So are the legions of cashiers, painters, ride operators, gardeners, and performers, from the girl who portrays Cinderella to the guy pushing a broom around Frontierland. All cast members are trained to follow a specific code of etiquette that helps preserve the Disney magic. On the list of dos and don’ts? Never break character. If wearing a costume that belongs in Fantasyland, don’t set foot in Tomorrowland – it might confuse visitors or break the park’s orderly image. When directing guests, point with two fingers or an open palm, never the index finger. Cast members are issued a Disney ‘look book’ that details the fresh-faced ideal – no long fingernails, beards, or unnaturally coloured hair allowed. It’s a throwback to Walt Disney’s All-American standards: when the park opened even guests with facial hair weren’t allowed entrance.

A light stays on

When construction was underway in the early 1950s, Walt didn’t want to miss a moment of his dream coming to life. That’s why he installed a small private apartment for his family above the Fire Department on Main Street. Decorated by one of Disney’s set designers, the apartment featured turn-of-the-century decor; the apartment still contains Walt’s tiled shower (fitted with multiple shower heads to soothe an old polo injury) and a ceramic bar set Walt used to serve his favourite hot drink, the rum- and brandy-based Tom & Jerry. The lamp in the window, visible from the park, was once illuminated to signal to cast members that the head honcho was on the premises. Today the lamp always stays lit in honour of the man behind the mouse.
Source:Lonelyplanet

Can Train Technology Reinvent The Wheel?

Rail transport has not fundamentally changed in the 200 years since the invention of metal rails but a new wave of transport ideas - from ones already in development to "concept" contraptions - could change the way we commute forever.

 A personal car that drives itself automatically to your destination may sound like science fiction but new "pods" at Heathrow Airport in London have achieved just that - taking passengers from car park to terminal quickly, easily and driven entirely autonomously.

 The idea of Personal Rapid Transit, as it is called, is to make public transport more personal, allowing on-demand journeys at the push of a button, all controlled by computers and lasers rather than a human.
The system has been heralded as a solution to transport congestion in years to come. And this is not the only futuristic idea for public transport that has been developed.

The Aero-Train is said to drive more like an aeroplane than a train

One blue-sky idea is the Aero-Train - a plane-like vehicle which travels at up to 350km/h (220mph) just 10cm above the ground.

The vehicle uses a technology known as ground-effect which removes the friction that makes conventional rail transport less efficient and uses aerodynamics to reduce drag.

Its speed relies on aerodynamics similar to those used in a plane or a hovercraft, using the air as a cushion to prevent it from touching the floor.

While currently in prototype, developers at the Tohoku University in Japan have already demonstrated the idea and hope it can be in public use by 2020.

But there are trains in use right now that never touch the ground.
Maglev trains, most famously in use in China between Shanghai Pudong International Airport to an interchange with the Shanghai Metro, operate just centimetres from the track's surface.

The train is held from the ground by a magnetic field - the term maglev is short for magnetic levitation - and powered by motors that, without as much friction, allow it to go at very high speeds.
Maglev trains have been tested to run up to 581km/h (361mph), according to Guinness World Records, quite a pace considering there is no contact between the train and the ground.
Japan is planning to connect Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka by maglev train by 2027 but the first train of this kind was actually used in Birmingham, UK in the 1980s.
Travelling over short distances to Birmingham International Airport at low speeds, it never quite contested the test-run speeds of more modern iterations. It is no longer in use.
What was once widely considered the successor to high-speed rail, maglev networks has struggled with investment in recent years, especially outside of east Asia.
'Steel juggernaut'
So is reinventing the wheel likely to change public transport forever?
Some people think that changing opinions within the industry is - to mix metaphors - akin to turning a tanker around.

Maglev trains lessen friction by being held centimetres above the track

"The steel wheel on steel rail has been in existence for nearly 200 years and it hasn't fundamentally changed in all that time," says Richard Anderson, managing director of the Railway and Transport Strategy Centre at Imperial College London.
"There's a momentum in the industry that steel rail is a juggernaut that can't be stopped. It's here to stay."
And that is where most governments are targeting their funding. While the future of public transport as a whole is one of much debate, high-speed rail seems to be close to widespread global adoption.
Around the world more and more high-speed networks are appearing, costing billions to develop with the promise of improved infrastructure and vast economic benefits.
The UK plans to spend around £32bn on a new high-speed rail network connecting London with Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and then Scotland.
A consultation has been completed, with some critics saying the network risks "being a vast white elephant that is out of date before it is even completed".

But elsewhere, a conference in New York has already looked at plans to spend $600bn (£380bn) and China already operates 16 high-speed rail lines.
So what can high-speed rail offer?
Surprisingly, it seems like speed may not be the most important thing about implementing new networks at all.
"The thing about high-speed rail is not so much speed as capacity," says Mr Anderson.
"The best metros and trams around the world provide mass transport - they move lots of people very efficiently. The advances in technology are going to be important but, after safety, the amount of people that can travel is vital."
And safety is the one thing that causes most concern among commuters.
With the general definition for High-Speed Rail being around 150mph (240km/h), any minor malfunction could lead to catastrophe.

Many high-speed solutions have failed to deliver the speeds promised

In July this year, 39 people died in China when a high-speed train ran into the back of another which had stalled. This was meant to be impossible because of the electronic safety system that was in place.
But in general, driverless public transport is believed to be around 30% more reliable than if it was being driven by a human.

Recent examples include an entirely automated North East MRT Line in Singapore, the last station of which opened earlier this year. It remains completely underground and is entirely driverless for its 20km (12.4 miles) route.

Lesser known is that a significant part of the London Underground network has been automated to some extent, including the Central, Jubilee and Victoria Lines along with the Docklands Light Railway.

"Most modern metros are automatic, which increases reliability," says Mr Anderson.

"This is because you're cutting out a certain level of human involvement which inherently causes problems."

 Source:BBC

Cost Of Christmas 2011 More Expensive Than Ever?

The 12 Days of Christmas are going to cost you more this year

 People rarely hand out partridges and pear trees for the holidays anymore, but if they did, they'd have to pay more for them this year. According to the latest numbers crunched by PNC Wealth Management, the Christmas Price Index -- as dictated by the song "The 12 Days of Christmas" -- has gone up 3.5 percent since 2010. And while your own true love may not require any swans a-swimming, chances are that the cost of buying everything on a modern Christmas wish list has gone up by about the same amount. 

"As the economy continues to struggle, we are seeing weakness in some areas of demand within the Index," James Dunigan, managing executive of investments for PNC Wealth Management, said in a press release. "That is illustrated in the costs of the Five Gold Rings. While gold commodity prices are at or near record highs, the demand for retail gold is waning, and thus our Five Gold Rings actually dropped by 0.8 percent this year." 

That makes gold rings a pretty good buy in real life, too. 

The most expensive thing on the list is the swans, which cost a whopping $6,300 each. Buying them online isn't any cheaper: Thanks to sky-high shipping and handling charges for live animals, swans purchased in cyberspace cost more than $10,400 apiece (it's nearly impossible to find a decent coupon code for live swans these days). 

The least-expensive item on the list is, oddly enough, human: Maids a-milking only get $58 for a days work, given that they're unskilled laborers who earn minimum wage, which didn't change over the past year. 

The company priced the imaginary purchases by checking jewelry stores, dance companies, and pet shops, as well as real-life organizations like the National Aviary in Pittsburgh and the Pennsylvania Ballet Company. For those of you singing along, here's what one of each gift in the song would cost in 2011: 

• Partridge: $15
• Large pear tree: $169.99
• Turtle Dove: $125
• French Hen: $150
• Calling bird: $519.96
• Gold ring: $645
• Goose: $162
• Swan: $6,300
• Maids a-milking: $58
• Ladies dancing: $6,294.03
• Lords a-leaping: $4,766.70
• Piper: $2,427.60
• Drummer: $2,629.90

If you're going to buy the correct number of each gift in the song (that's 364 presents altogether) you would shell out $101,119.84 -- 4.4 percent more than last year. Do all of your pretend shopping online and the price jumps to $174,382.93 -- a 26.5 percent increase over 2010 figures. 

Since PNC started tracking the Christmas Price Index in 1984, the price of services (like dancing, drumming, and piping) has increased while the price of actual goods (like birds and rings) has gone down. The price of ladies dancing has tripled, for example. 

In real life, the cost of everything from peanut butter to Thanksgiving dinner is on the rise as well, which means that Christmas shopping will cost you more than it has in the past. "Typically we see parallels between our Index and the Federal government's," Dunigan said. 
Source:Yahoo Shine

Top 10 cities to Travel in 2012

 After globe-trotting research and fierce debate, Lonely Planet has come to a decision on its favourite cities for 2012. As always, our shortlist has some known gems and a few to raise a quizzical eyebrow, but each one is poised for greatness in 2012. While sporting events are bringing new adrenaline to a couple of classic destinations, other cities in our list have bounced back from difficult times with a renewed lease of life. The coming year will put all of these cities in a fresh light, whether they’re showing new flair with music and art festivals or dusting off preconceptions by showing their wilder streak. Without further ado, here’s our top 10 cities for 2012.

1. London

 London is going for the knock-out blow in 2012. The Olympics are riding into town and a whole swath of the capital is being transformed in the process. London’s east will be thrust into the spotlight but the rest of the capital will be rolling out the red carpet too. Seeing Tower Bridge lift its bascules to let a tall ship pass beneath is all stately grace, as opposed to your first rush-hour trip on the tube, getting up close and personal with strangers of every colour, creed and nationality. Mind the gap! Whoever you cheer for, you won’t be alone in this most international of cities.

2. Muscat

 Oman is firing on all fronts to attract international visitors, expanding everything from its museums to its resorts. Muscat is the focus for the revamp, with cultural events, luxury accommodation and aquatic activities taking centre stage. This year it’s all about Qurum’s trendy designer outlets, Old Town souks and wacky water sports enlivening its coastline alongside traditional dhows. Muscatis are still genuinely interested to see visitors, so much so that first-timers might have the odd feeling of returning to the house of an old friend. ‘Tomorrow will be a new dawn on Muscat,’ the Sultan pledged upon attaining power in 1970. Today in Muscat, the sun has well and truly risen.

3. Bengaluru (Bangalore)

 The undisputed Elvis of South Asian megacities, Bengaluru is in a class of its own when it comes to redefining flamboyance. Perpetually drunk on the good life, this South Indian metropolis packs in the best brews, the scrummiest cuisines, and the liveliest arts and music scene, not to mention the hippest population you could hang out with. This year, evenings in the ‘capital of cool’ are poised to get even more intoxicating. And if the maddening traffic has always been your concern, take heart: Bengaluru’s new high-speed Metro network now ensures that your favourite watering hole is easier to reach than ever. There’s only one thing you could say to that: ‘Chill maadi!’

4. Cádiz

 It might normally look like a peaceful pocket of old-world Spain, complete with old men in flat caps shuffling about in cafe-lined squares. But once a year, sleepy Cádiz undergoes a Superman-like transformation and hosts Spain’s most raucous carnival – a 10-day bender of drinking, singing and dancing. The locals are famed throughout Spain for their wit, and this is put to the test during February’s carnival where groups wearing lipstick and neon wigs perform satirical skits. Cádiz has found itself named Ibero-American Capital of Culture for 2012 – the first time a European city has held the honour. It may not pull the same crowds as Seville or Córdoba, but few places embody the spirit of gutsy Andalucían living like Cádiz.

5. Stockholm

 The film release of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo might have prompted a new wave of Stieg Larsson fans to look for the grimy side of Stockholm. Unfortunately they’ll have to look quite hard, because Stockholm looks as perfect as it’s ever been. This is as seductive a capital city as can be imagined – cosy yet cosmopolitan, wilfully alternative and effortlessly picturesque. With its trendy design shops and bohemian bars, the island of Södermalm is one of the coolest kids on the block, while the stately parks of Djurgården make it the best island for an evening stroll. Admittedly Stockholm has never been a cheap date. But even if Stockholm leaves you with a lighter wallet, you’ll inevitably still leave it with a heavy heart.

6. Guimarães

 This northern Portugal city is breathtakingly beautiful, as recognised by its place on the Unesco World Heritage List, yet mysteriously it doesn’t figure on the radars of many foreign visitors. The old city is a beguiling tangle of medieval, red-roofed, colonnaded buildings, punctuated by awe-inspiring mansions and palaces, and centred on a spikily crenellated castle. Now is the moment to visit, as the city has been anointed the European Capital of Culture in 2012. Building on an already impressive cultural scene and fired up by its significantly youthful population, the city will be a hot spot of artistic endeavour throughout the year, with creative artists gathering from across Portugal and Europe to showcase their work.

7. Santiago

 Calamity came calling to Chile, first through an 8.8-magnitude earthquake and later when 33 miners were trapped in the country’s north. With the world watching, Chile displayed its defiant optimism, and these experiences have seemed to ignite a seismic shift in the capital. Culture and sports have come to the fore and new museums have opened to acclaim. Dining is now top-notch, nightlife exhilarating and this year also marks the inauguration of the tallest building on the continent, the 70-storey Torre Gran Costanera. Day trippers can scale an Andean peak in summer, ski its powder-clad slopes in July, or cycle through the idyllic vineyards of the Casablanca, Maipo and Colchagua valleys. Visit Santiago and you’ll feel the buzz.

8. Hong Kong

 The mood in China’s most liberated city is edgier and more vocal than ever. This will be a particularly exciting year for Hong Kong, as it continues its march towards full democracy. Rallies are infused with theatrics and eruptions of song, dance and poetry, reflecting the city’s vibrant indie music and literary scenes. Enjoy views of skyscrapers marching up hills from the Star Ferry, before challenging your senses at a wet market or divining your future at a temple. Go shopping, gallery hopping and check out the bars of Soho. Explore walled villages or go hiking on Asia’s most breathtaking trails. Whatever you do, sprinkle your day generously and boldly with some of the city’s 11,000 restaurants.

9. Orlando

 This should be a great year for Orlando as it’s hosting the 61st NBA All-Star Weekend  (25 and 26 February). The hippest sporting event in the USA , it brings much of the basketball and music worlds together for slam-dunk contests, after-hours parties and concerts, as well as the all-star game itself. Most visitors will head for the theme parks but it’s worth poking around the city, too. Keep an eye on the boho ‘Milk District’, a neighbourhood on the rise with its motley crew of eateries, bars serving microbrews, bookshops and tattoo parlours, just a short drive east of downtown. Orlando, hip? Who knew?

10. Darwin

 It was once easy to dismiss Darwin as a frontier town full of brawling fishermen, dreamy hippies and redneck truckers. But with a pumping nocturnal scene, magical markets and restaurants, and world-class wilderness areas just down the road, today Darwin is the triumph of Australia’s Top End. Beat the crowds to the redeveloping Waterfront Precinct with its wave pool, bars and wharf eateries; or score some brilliant Indigenous art before East Coast galleries snap it up and charge double. Nose your way through the food stalls at Mindil Beach Sunset Market, then watch the sun melt into the Timor Sea. When southern Australia is chilling through winter, here it’s blue skies, party nights and sleeping late.

Source:Lonelyplanet

Most Popular Jeans....

It's time for our second Shine Get it Guide review, and for this round we're tackling a really important topic: jeans. Seriously, great jeans can mean the difference between a good day (the perfect pair makes you exude confidence and sex appeal) and a bad one (think sagging in the butt, too tight at the waist, and feeling overall frumpy). We asked our 10 gurus to test out the 4 most popular denim brands in their style of choice. Read on to see which jeans prevailed: Lucky Brand, Levi's, True Religion, or Lee. Be sure to vote on your favorite before December 11th in the poll above!

Lucky Brand

Lucky Brand jeans were the clear winner, 6 out of 10 gurus preferred them. Ashley Laurel felt they were "stylish, without trying too hard" and felt the dark wash could take her from day to night. "The minute I put my right leg in a pair of Lucky Brand jeans I was in fashion and comfort heaven," said Tina Case. "I can even do a yoga mountain pose as if I was still wearing my usual yoga pants. They are the perfect length and hug me in all the right places." Jodi Grundig felt confident in her skinny Lucky style. "The fit is perfect, perfect, perfect—stretchy in the waist and thighs, but tight down the calves," she said. Katie Dillon loved the Lucky trouser denim and said to "pair them with heels and a sweater set and you'll look downright professional." Michelle Rivera, however was not a fan of the fit. She said, "baby got back, but I guess not enough of it to fill these jeans."

Levi's

This classic brand made our gurus feel nostalgic, and 3 out of 10 liked Levi's the best. Michelle Rivera thought they were a comfortable, everyday go-to jean, while Anne-Marie Nichols said she'd wear them "everywhere from Harley rides to lunch with the girls." When Sarah Lipoff slipped on some Levi's she felt "so amazing I wore them out of the store (really, the husband made me)." Katie Dillon liked the vintage-feel of their trouser jeans saying, "You could really go bohemian with these, if you wanted to." While many Gurus considered them old standards, Sahar Aker felt they were a little outdated, "I wore Levi's in high school and college and I will always have a soft spot for them. But I've moved on."

True Religion

Three of our gurus said True Religion jeans made them feel like a rock star. Other adjectives used were trendy, stylish, and expensive. Clare Yeakel is the only guru who voted them the best, but she had good reason. "I'm almost 40, but single, so that rock star thing is important, people. I will wear these jeans until they fall to pieces, and feel fabulous in them every time I pull them on." Shelby Barone said, "The only way to get around tailoring these jeans is if Michael Jordan is planning on wearing them." She also didn't like all the embellishments. "My butt is the last place I want to draw attention after having kids [and] there was more bling on the bottom pockets than Zsa Zsa Gabor's diamond rings." Ashley Laurel agreed. "Can I say blinged out here? Overall, these jeans are just too much unless you're in a place like Hollywood or New York City." Sarah Lipoff said they're perfect for hitting the scene. "Sadly, my 'scene' includes watching re-runs of 'Iron Chef' while eating ice cream straight from the container."

Lee Poor old Lee jeans received no votes. Sahar Aker described them as frumpy, uncool, and cheap. Sarah Lipoff said "I felt like I was attempting to find a knock-off of the good stuff." Anne-Marie Nichols said they were comfortable but too low for her taste. She'd recommend them to "women who think, 'Gosh darnit, I paid serious coin for that tramp stamp. I'm showing it off!'" Some gurus noted that even the skinny jeans have a loose fit. Shelby Barone said "the material had a strange odor, which reminded me of a gas station convenience store." But Tina Case saw one major redeeming factor. "Starting on sale around $34 you can't beat the price for the value. These are the most affordable. And they're stylish!"

Source:Yahoo

HP Firesale Wafts TouchPad to Top Of Tablet Chart

HP was the top selling tablet vendor in the US - ignoring Apple, of course - through to the end of October, and it's all thanks to the TouchPad firesale.

Market watcher NPD yesterday revealed that in the ten months from January to October inclusive, HP accounted for 17 per cent of non-iPad tablet retail sales, a percentage point above second-placed Samsung.

Asus followed with ten per cent of sales, just ahead of Motorola and Acer, both of which took nine per cent of the market.

All the others, including HTC and RIM, jointly took the remaining 39 per cent.

NPD said 1.2m non-iPad tablets crossed sales counters in the ten-month period. Apple shipped 25m iPads worldwide during the first nine months of the year - half of those were likely US sales. Whatever the figure, US iPad sales would have to be weak indeed if that territory's proportion were close to the sales of other tablets.

Of course, with almost all TouchPads - if not actually every one of them - now sold, HP's share will plunge. Samsung is likely to grab the top slot, but Amazon's Kindle Fire will surely be close behind - if not ahead of it.

Source:Reghardware

Miss Piggy’s Top 10 Fashion Tips

1. If it's expensive (and he's paying)…it fits!

2. Your wardrobe should always make a statement. Mine says: "Hey, look at moi! I'm wearing haute couture…and you're not!"

3. Never wear anything that makes it impossible to enter a room without turning sideways.

4. Remember that style comes in all sizes. So, the bigger you are, the more style you have, n'est ce pas!?

5. Avoid body piercing: Moi much prefers to skewer others.

6. Watch what vous eat: My advice: Never eat anything you can't lift.

7. Don't be a fashion victim: If you enter a room and it's assumed that you lost the bet…go home and change.

8. Be happy with who you are. And if this doesn't work for you, then be happy with who I am!

9. The best things in life are free. But only if you're being comped.

10. If you're dating a frog, make sure your wardrobe is waterproof. If you're dating moi's frog, you're toast, sister!

Source:Yahoo

Best and Worst Thanksgiving Foods

First preface this by saying that if you want to eat a little of everything this Thanksgiving, you should. Gratefully savoring a little bit of every delicious course on this one holiday sounds like a healthy thing to do, to me. (Try these healthier versions of Thanksgiving classics.)

But if you're wondering which, calorically speaking, are the best and worst Thanksgiving dishes to choose, I've got the skinny. Without further ado, allow me to present… Thanksgiving Smackdown!

Which is the skinnier pick: White or dark meat (turkey)?
White meat. Per 3 ounces, opting for the "white" turkey breasts over the "dark" meat will save you 50 calories and 4 grams of fat: 115 calories and 7 grams of fat versus 160 calories and 11 grams of fat, respectively.

Which is the skinnier pick: Green bean casserole or sweet potato casserole?
Even with its creamy mushroom soup and crispy fried onions, traditional green bean casserole (161 calories, 9 g fat per 3/4 cup) is a lighter pick than sweet potato casserole (285 calories, 5 g fat per 3/4 cup). Part of the reason is that green beans are so low-cal to start. That said, the starchier sweet potato is full of good-for-you nutrients, including beta carotene, a potent antioxidant and precursor to vitamin A.
To try: Healthy Thanksgiving Casserole Recipes for Green Bean Casserole, Sweet Potato Casserole and More

Which is the skinnier pick: Pumpkin pie or apple pie?
At 316 calories and 14 g of fat per slice (1/8 of a 9 inch pie), pumpkin is a slimmer choice than apple, which will cost you 411 calories and 19 g of fat for that same-size slice. One explanation for the higher calorie count: the double crust. Another bonus of picking the pumpkin: whipped topping has significantly fewer calories and less fat than the vanilla ice cream often served atop apple.
Don't miss: 5 Holiday Food Temptations (and How to Beat Them)

Which is the skinnier pick: Traditional sausage stuffing or a dinner roll with butter?
If you're all about the calories, go for the dinner roll with a pat of butter, which will set you back 140 calories and 4.5 g fat, versus the 371 calories and 19 g of fat you'll gobble down in 3/4 cup of the stuffing. But if you love stuffing, go for it-maybe just go for a smaller serving: Thanksgiving comes but once a year, after all. Better yet, make one of these easy Thanksgiving stuffing recipes.

Which is the skinnier turkey topper: Jellied cranberries or gravy?
Surprise! Gravy is actually the skinnier selection in this case. Per 1/4 cup, gravy delivers about 30 calories and 1.5 g fat, versus the cranberries, with 110 calories (and 0 g fat) per 1/4 cup. Why so high? Lots of added sugars.

Source:Yahoo

40 Free Attractions in New York City

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Seeing the bulk of New York City’s biggest attractions can mean spending a hefty chunk of a trip’s budget on tickets. Empire State Building? $20. The Met? $20. The Guggenheim and Whitney go for $18 each. Even the Frick is $15. But there’s a lifetime of fun to be had without ever handing over a cent, and not just by taking on park trails, bike paths or window browsing. (Plus some ticket-admission spots have free times too – see the end of the post.)

Free New York travelers, get busy!

1. African Burial Ground

One of Lower Manhattan’s most fascinating, and controversial, stories of recent years circulates around the new African Burial Ground National Monument site. It began when a construction project in 1991 uncovered a burial ground of slaves – more than 400 caskets were found – from an age when New York had more slaves than any American city outside Charleston, South Carolina. Outside you can see part of the site now enveloped by buildings, and the compact visitors center does a masterful job at retelling African-American history in the city. See our 76-Second Travel Show episodeon the museum’s opening. 290 Broadway between Duane & Elk Sts, Lower Manhattan.

2. Brooklyn Brewery tours

Free Saturday tours of Williamsburg’s Brooklyn Brewery run half an hour from 1-4pm.79 N 11th St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

3. Central Park

It doesn’t take brilliant travel minds to tell you that a park is free to visit – most parks are. But most parks aren’t Central Park, Manhattan’s famed claim to thinking ahead (even if it was designed in the 1860s to boost real-estate value uptown). It’s filled with free events, statues, people-watching and sites like Strawberry Fields, an ‘Imagine’ mosaic near the Dakota, where John Lennon was killed in 1980. Another site is ‘the Pond,’ at the southeastern corner, where Holden Caulfield kept turning to in ‘The Catcher in the Rye,’ wondering where those ducks go when it’s cold. (For the answer,watch this video.) Uptown.

4. Chelsea galleries

New York’s most concentrated area for a gallery crawl is in Chelsea, mostly in the 20s Streets between 10th and 11th Avenues. Check Gallery Guide orwestchelseaarts.com for listings. All are free, no pressure to buy. And try timing for wine-and-cheese openings on Thursday evenings.

5. City Hall

Home to New York City’s government since 1812, City Hall tours take in its cupola-topped marble hall, the governor’s room as well as the spot where Abraham Lincoln’s coffin lay in state briefly in 1865. Tours must be reserved in advance.City Hall Park, facing the Brooklyn Bridge, Lower Manhattan.

6. Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Museum

It’s always Fashion Week in the FIT Museum, which features rotating exhibits by students and a surprisingly interesting and detailed collection of the country’s first gallery of fashion, picked from a collection of 50,000 garments dating from the 18th century to present. Seventh Ave & 27th St, Garment District, Midtown West.

7. Federal Hall

Two presidents were inaugurated in New York City, beginning with the first ‘Dubya’, George Washington, who took the oath in Federal Hall in 1789, back when New York was the first capital. (Chester A Arthur was the second.) There’s a nice statue outside, overlooking the New York Stock Exchange across Wall Street, and a small, recently renovated museum on post-colonial New York inside. 26 Wall St, Lower Manhattan.

8. Federal Reserve Bank of New York

Reserve at least a week ahead (sometimes a month!) to visit the Federal Reserve Bank, most rewarding just to ogle the facility’s high-security vault – useful considering more than 10,000 tons of gold reserves reside here, 80ft below ground. There’s also exhibits on counterfeit currency as well as a serious coin collection of the American Numismatic Society. A tour’s the only way to get in. 33 Liberty St, Lower Manhattan.

9. Forbes Collection

The lobby galleries of Forbes magazine have some various curios from the lateMalcolm Forbes’ collection, most notably early versions of Monopoly boards. (Or watch our tour of Monopoly sites around the properties’ namesakes at Atlantic City, New Jersey.) 62 Fifth Ave at 12th St, Greenwich Village.

10. General Ulysses S Grant National Memorial (aka ‘Grant’s Tomb’)

Also called ‘Grant’s Tomb’, the $600,000 granite structure that holds the remains of the Civil War hero and 18th president (and his wife Julia) is the largest mausoleum in the US, and is patterned after Mausolus’ tomb at Halicarnassus, making it a plagiarized version of one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Riverside Dr at 122nd St, Morningside Heights.

11. Governor’s Island

The ferry to Governor’s Island is free, as is access to the 172-acre island which opened to the public only in 2003. There’s a 2.2-mile bike path, mini golf, a picnic area, plus military sites such as Admiral’s House and a ‘ghost town’ of sorts at Nolan Park. Ferries leave from Battery Maritime Bldg, Slip 7, Lower Manhattan.

12. Grand Central Partnership Walking Tours

Two historians lead free 90-minute walking tours at 12:30pm every Friday, hitting places like Grand Central Terminal’s ‘whispering gallery’ and the Chrysler Building.120 Park Ave, at 42nd St, Midtown East.

13. Green-Wood Cemetery

Once the nation’s most visited tourist attraction outside Niagara Falls, the gorgeousGreen-Wood Cemetery was founded in 1838 and is the eternal home to some 600,000 people (or about 530 miles of bodies, head to toe). It’s leafy and lovely, features Brooklyn’s highest point at Battle Hill, a site from the Revolutionary War, now marked with a seven-foot statue of the Roman goddess of wisdom, Minerva. Watch for the squawking green parakeets at the cemetery’s Gothic entry — these are runaways from a JFK mishap in 1980 and have lived here since. 500 25th St, Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

14. Hamilton Grange

You know you’re important when you get a grange. This one, Hamilton Grange, to reopen in 2011 after renovation, is the Federal-style country retreat where Alexander Hamilton spent quieter, pre-death-by-duel New York days. St Nicholas Park at 141st St, Hamilton Heights.

15. High Line

It’s a park, so it should be free, but the expanding High Line project has the impact and feel of an real-live attraction, complete with its own opening hours. Created from an abandoned stretch of elevated railroad track, the native-inspired landscaping of this park 30 feet in the air connects the Meatpacking District with Chelsea’s galleries (another great free institution). There’s wonderful Hudson River views, or of pedestrians on the sidewalks below. Watch for public-art installations and events.Gansevoort Street to 20th St (currently), between 9th & 11th Aves, Chelsea.

16. Hispanic Society of America Museum & Library

The largest collection of Spanish art outside Spain fills the ornate Beaux Arts space of the Hispanic Society of America Museum & Library on the serene Audobon Terrace in far north Manhattan. Broadway & 155th St, Washington Heights.

17. Japan Society

The films and lectures usually involve a ticket, but the gallery exhibits at the Japan Society (focusing on Japanese art) are always free. 333 E 47 St, between First & Second Aves, Midtown East.

18. National Museum of the American Indian

This Smithsonian ex-pat, just off the historic Bowling Green and Battery Park, is neighbors to frenetic commuters and tourists heading to the Statue of Liberty but often gets missed. Situation in the spectacular former US Customs House (1907), theNational Museum of the American Indian is actually one of the country’s finest collections of Native American art. The focus is on culture, not history, and does so with many of its million-plus items. There’s also many programs. 1 Bowling Green, Lower Manhattan.

19. New York Earth Room

Now for something completely different: the Earth Room, Walter De Maria’s 1977 art installation, a single room filled with 280,000 pounds of dirt, combines the framework of an ordinary office with the scent of a wet forest. 141 Wooster St, SoHo

20. New York Public Library

Remember the Dewey Decimal System? The New York Public Library, New York’s most famous library (aka the Stephen A Schwarzman Building), which turns 100 in 2011, is situated in a grand Beaux Arts icon east of Times Square. It’s fronted by marble lions named ‘Patience’ and ‘Fortitude,’ and is just a jaw-dropper to walk through, particularly the reading room fit for 500 patrons reading with the aid of the library’s original Carre-and-Hastings lamps. There’s exhibits too, including a copy of the original Declaration of Independence, a Gutenburg Bible, plus 431,000 old maps. There are free tours at 11am and 2pm Monday to Saturday, 2pm Sunday. Fifth Ave at 42nd St, Midtown East.

21. Old Stone House

A Breuckelen legacy from Brooklyn’s Dutch origins, and a survivor from the ill-fated Battle of Brooklyn, this Old Stone House features a small exhibit on the battle. Its upstairs is sometimes rented out for the likes of sample sales. Fifth Ave, btwn 3th & 4th Sts, Park Slope, Brooklyn.

22. Public boathouse kayaking

Kayak for free from public boathouses such as the Downtown Boathouse and Long Island Community Boathouse in Queens.

23. Rockefeller Center Public Art

Built in the 1930s Great Depression, the 22-acre Rockefeller Center is more than the setting for NBC’s Today Shows (lines appear by 6am often) and a giant Christmas tree in December (not to mention to $19 NBC tours or $21 trips to the observatory deck!). But do pop by to see the slew of art commissioned under the theme of ‘Man at the Crossroads Looks Uncertainly But Hopefully at the Future.’ A bit wordy, but the pieces pack a big punch, such as the statue of Promethus overlooking the skating rink, or Atlas holding the world at 630 Fifth Ave. Jose Maria Sert’s murals in the (main) GE Building used the likes of Abe Lincoln to replace the original ‘communist imagery’ (eg Vladimir Lenin) by a snubbed, outraged Diego Rivera. Between Fifth & Sixth Aves, around 49th & 50th Sts, Midtown.

24. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

Part of the city’s library system, the country’s largest collection of documents, books, recordings and photographs related to the African-American experience, theSchomburg Center also hosts free exhibits. 515 Malcolm X Blvd at 135th St, Harlem.

25. Socrates Sculpture Park

On the East River, overlooking Roosevelt Island and the Upper East Side, theSocrates Sculpture Park, a former dump site, now has interesting art installations, light shows and movies on Wednesdays in summer. Broadway at Vernon Blvd, Astoria, Queens.

26. Staten Island Ferry

Everyone wants to see the Statue of Liberty. Ferry tours there start at $12. But theStaten Island Ferry for commuters, cutting across the New York Harbor, is absolutely free and has long held the distinction as the single greatest free attraction on the Eastern Seaboard. Around since 1905, the ferry carries 19 million across the harbor each year. Technically for transport in between Staten Island and Manhattan, most visitors simply hop back on to get back to New York. It never gets old. East end of Battery Park, Lower Manhattan.

FREE ATTRACTIONS AT SCHEDULED TIMES:

27. American Museum of Natural History
Free its last hour (4:45-5:45pm). Central Park West & 79th St, Upper West Side.

28. Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Free Tuesday, and 10am to noon Saturday. Eastern Parkway at Washington Ave, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.

29. Brooklyn Museum
Free first Saturday of the month, when there’s big wine-sipping, DJ parties that draw half the neighborhood. 200 Eastern Parkway, at Washington Ave, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.

30. Bronx Zoo
Pay what you wish on Wednesday. 2300 Southern Blvd, The Bronx.

31. El Museo del Barrio
Free the third Saturday of the month. 1230 Fifth Ave between 104th & 105th Sts, Spanish Harlem.

32. Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum
Pay what you wish, first Friday of the month. 9-01 33rd Rd, Astoria, Queens.

33. Museum of Modern Art
Entry is free 4-8pm on Friday. Gets busy. 11 W 53rd St, between Fifth & Sixth Aves, Midtown West.

34. Museum of the Moving Image
Free 4-8pm Friday. 35th Ave, at 36th St, Astoria, Queens.

35. Neue Galerie
Free 6-8pm the first Friday of the month. 1048 Fifth Ave at 86th St, Upper East Side.

36. New York Botanical Garden
Free Wednesday, 10am to noon Saturday. Bronx River Pkwy & Fordham Rd, The Bronx.

37. New York Historical Society
Pay what you wish, 6-8pm Friday. 2 W 77th St at Central Park West, Upper West Side.

38. South Street Seaport Museum
Free the third Friday of every month. 207 Front St, Lower Manhattan.

39. Studio Museum in Harlem
Free on Sunday. 144 W 125th St at Adam Clayton Powell Blvd, Harlem.

40. Wave Hill
Free 9am to noon Tuesday and Saturday. W 249th St at Independence Ave, Riverdale, The Bronx.

Source:LonelyPlanet