Friday, November 30, 2012

FOXNews.com: L.A. Auto Show Special!

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L.A. Auto Show Special!
Dec 1st 2012, 05:00

Published December 01, 2012

FoxNews.com

The auto show season is kicking off this week with the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, where cars like the new Toyota Rav4, updated Honda Civic and battery-powered Chevy Spark EV are on display.

Can't make it to California? No worries, you can watch our LA Auto Show Special at the top of the page, check out some of our exclusive interviews with Fisker CEO Tony Posawatz, Jim Farley from Lincoln and more, or just click through our slideshow of all of the best cars from the show.

See you in Detroit in January!

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FOXNews.com: Rockin' out with Wines that Rock

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Rockin' out with Wines that Rock
Nov 30th 2012, 20:46

The famous labels turn heads--whether it's in the music world or wine business.  

But a combination of the two has struck a chord, especially with the baby boomers who want to pay tribute to the music greats of their generation, while kicking back some wine that seriously rocks.

Sold under the appropriately named "Wines that Rock," there are five custom blends that include Grateful Dead wine - which is a red blend, Rolling Stones' Forty Licks Merlot, Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon Cabernet, Woodstock Chardonnay, and The Police's Synchronicity blend

Wines that Rock co-founder and partner Ron Roy says he not only appeals to the musical fan base, but discerning palates as well.

Best of all, they're available at under $15 a bottle, which let's anyone rock out this holiday season without breaking the bank. The wines are available in over 2,000 retail wine stores across the country and are also able to be ordered on their website.

Even better, they're offering two lucky music lovers the chance to see the sold-out Rolling Stones concert on Dec. 8 at the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. 

Enter to win by 'liking' them on Facebook by the end of November.  The winner will be notified on Dec. 1.

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FOXNews.com: Original Batmobile on the auction block

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Original Batmobile on the auction block
Nov 30th 2012, 19:07

Published November 30, 2012

Associated Press

  • batmobileb660b.jpg
  • batmobileb6601b.jpg

    George Barris with his creation.AP

LOS ANGELES –  Batman's ride is up for sale — just the thing for cruising on those Dark Knights.

The original Batmobile from the 1960s TV series will be auctioned on Jan. 19 at the Barrett-Jackson auction house in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The 19-foot-long black, bubble-topped car was used in the TV show that starred Adam West as the Caped Crusader.

The car's owner — famed auto customizer George Barris, of Los Angeles — transformed a one-of-a-kind 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car into a sleek crime-fighting machine. On the show, it boasted lasers and a Batphone and could lay down smoke screens and oil slicks.

And just like Batman, the Batmobile has its secrets. The auction house won't say how much it hopes to get for the car.

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FOXNews.com: Chef Michael Anthony doesn't like food manhandled

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Chef Michael Anthony doesn't like food manhandled
Nov 30th 2012, 15:44

Critically-acclaimed chef Michael Anthony says he strives to make food that is "simple and undermanipulated" and that most of all "leaves an indelible mark."

Simplicity (along with amazing food) is what Anthony serves up at New York City's award-winning Gramercy Tavern--and something that he picked up as a roookie chef with a bad case of wanderlust.  

After graduating from Indiana University with degrees in Business, French and Japanese, Anthony moved to Tokyo to immerse himself in the culture and language.

"I started learning a lot of jobs to try to find myself immersed in a Japanese speaking environment and those experiences included working on a farm on the side of a live volcano; mornings were spent in the barns cutting wild flowers and picking berries," Anthony told FoxNews.com's Kitchen Superstars. "I worked in a bakery and then I found a restaurant that was willing to give me a chance to work."

After finding his footing in a Tokyo kitchen under chef Shizuyo Shima, Anthony moved to Paris to attend culinary school and subsequently worked in some of France's most acclaimed restaurants, including Jaques Cagna.

When Anthony returned stateside, he brought his thoughtful and flavorful cooking back to New York City, where he takes advantage of fresh, local ingredients.

"My take on food is really all about expressing something that's unique to the area that we're cooking and in this case, New York City is an amazing place to be for so many reasons. We can tell the story of what kind of food we serve here in almost any way we choose," Anthony said.

Anthony took the reins at Gramercy Tavern from another well-known chef – Tom Colicchio. Since joining the Gramercy Tavern team in 2006, the restaurant has earned a Michelin star each year, has been dubbed New York City's Most Popular Restaurant four times by Zagat Survey, and Anthony himself was awarded a James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef in New York City in 2012.

"We're only as good as the last meal that we cooked and no matter what the reason is that people fall in love with our restaurant, we have an agreement and that's to work hard and think imaginatively," Anthony said.

He also credits the Gramercy Tavern team for always striving to connect with and understand patrons to provide the best service possible.

"Every single table is a little different and if we're listening carefully we're truly on the side of the folks that eat here, then all of a sudden they feel welcome and not just some plastered smile that every business feels like they have to do," Anthony said. "It's the people who work here genuinely love their jobs and they want for people to have a good time."

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FOXNews.com: Fisker stalls, looks to future

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Fisker stalls, looks to future
Nov 30th 2012, 19:16

Fisker Automotive, the luxury plug-in hybrid car maker that got millions in taxpayer subsidies to help build its $103,000 sedans, has suspended production because the company that makes the batteries for its cars is bankrupt, according to Bloomberg News.

A123 Systems, which supplies Fisker with lithium-ion battery packs, declared bankruptcy in October and has since frozen operations. The battery maker's assets are slated to be sold off at a Dec. 6 auction, with Wisconsin-based auto industry supplier Johnson Controls and China's Wanxiang Group Corp. are considered the front runners to take over the company's battery business.

Officials at Fisker's Anaheim, Calif., headquarters say the company has enough packs in stock to service existing customers, but hasn't been building new cars since the battery supply ran dry.

Test Drive: 2012 Fisker Karma

Earlier this year, Fisker recalled more than 600 cars due to a defect with the battery packs that was later fixed. But the cost of replacing them, combined with the slower than expected adoption of electric cars in general, spelled the end for A123, which is also under contract to supply batteries for the upcoming Chevrolet Spark EV.

The Karma's engineering precludes simply switching to a new supplier, according to company CEO Tony Posawatz, who joined the Fisker in August after retiring from General Motors where he oversaw development of the plug-in Chevrolet Volt.

Fisker is moving forward with the next generation technology that will be used in its second model, the smaller and more affordable Atlantic, which was originally slated for production at the end of this year, Posawatz told FoxNews.com.

Photos: Fisker Atlantic

"There's a few things we need to sort out to take the next step on Atlantic, but you can see now things aligning," he said, speaking at the Los Angeles Auto Show earlier this week.

Posawatz recently announced plans to open a new technical center in the Midwest, where the company will continue engineering work on the Atlantic. The company intends to manufacture that car at a former General Motors facility in Wilmington, Del., that it purchased in 2010 with the help of a $529 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) program.

"We do need a little bit more funding to take that next step, but we do look forward to, hopefully, in the coming months, to tell you more about when the Atlantic is coming."

The Atlantic project was delayed when the Energy Department blocked access to that loan guarantee earlier this year, after Fisker failed to meet certain milestones in bringing the Karma to showrooms. Fisker was only able to draw down $190 million from the loan before it was cut off, but has raised more than $1 billion in private equity and is continuing to seek new investors.

Along with several of its loan programs, the ATVM program has been unofficially dormant in recent months, which some analysts say is the result of election year politics in the wake of the bankruptcy of several loan recipients. Among them solar energy company Solyndra, which received $535 million from the Energy Department before going out of business last year.

The last time the ATVM approved a loan was in November, 2010, when it gave $50 million to the Vehicle Production Group, a company that builds natural gas-powered handicapped accessible vans.

Several other startup electric car companies, including Bright Automotive and Aptera Motors, went out of business while waiting for loans. Another, 'inflatable' car company XP Vehicles, has announced plans to sue the Energy Department, accusing it of corruption and negligence in the administration of the program.

But Fisker may not be done with the ATVM. Posawatz told FoxNews.com "we are having discussions with the DOE on what's next now that we're post election."

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FOXNews.com: Iconic street foods every world traveler must try

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Iconic street foods every world traveler must try
Nov 30th 2012, 13:33

While many travelers make it a priority to book a table at Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, some of the best food — street food — can be had for a fraction of the cost, in the most unlikely of places.

From stainless steel push carts and dubious-looking night market stalls to kiosks and the backs of bicycles, street food is ubiquitous around the world.

From the familiar New York City hot dog and Belgian pomme frites to the venerated Vietnamese bánh mì and lesser-known Taiwanese stinky tofu, street food comes in a palette of palate-pleasing dishes, from savory, deep-fried munchies like Amsterdam's kroket to sweet treats like a Breton crêpe.

The Daily Meal has canvassed the globe, eating everything from crowd-pleasing gelato to a fear-inducing but oh-so-amazing spleen sandwich, to curate its list of 27 favorite street foods sure to provide any traveler, from the novice to the pro, with a memorable moveable feast.

Ramen (Tokyo)
Served in Japan, traditional ramen consists of thin, wheat noodles cooked in a meat- or fish-based broth. Flavored with soy sauce or miso, the dish is usually served with toppings such as sliced pork, dried seaweed, green onions, kamaboko (cured seafood), and corn. Die-hard ramen fans can even go to Shinyokohama Raumen Museum, a ramen museum in Yokohama, Japan.

The best place to try ramen is on Tokyo's Ramen Street, a cluster of shops in the basement of Tokyo Station. Closer to home, check out Guchi's Midnight Ramen in Boston.

Takoyaki (Osaka, Japan)
Takoyaki, battered golf-ball-sized balls stuffed with octopus, are a typical street food in Japan. Made of a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special pan to shape the snack into a ball, the small, round treat is filled with diced or minced octopus, tempura scraps, pickled ginger, and green onion. Takoyaki are drizzled with okonomi sauce (similar to Worcestershire) or mayonnaise.

Juso, the red light district in north central Osaka, is the best place to try takoyaki, as it was invented in Osaka. Look for takoyaki stalls near the train station.

Pomme Frites (Brussels)
The signature street treat is Brussels is a paper cone filled with freshly fried frites. The piping hot, crispy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside, double-fried Belgium fries are ubiquitous, but the best are at Maison Antoine, a kiosk opened by Antoine Desmet and his wife in 1948.

The frites at Maison Antoine come with a choice of more than 25 sauces, from the simple ketchup to savory Provençale to spicy curry and pili-pili.

Empanadas (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Empanadas are hand-held pies stuffed with meat, cheese, or vegetables and surrounded by pastry dough that is baked or fried. El Sanjuanino in Buenos Aires serves some of the best empanadas in the capital.

Currywurst (Berlin)
Currywurst is a popular German dish made of pork sausage that is steamed, then fried, cut into slices, and topped with warm curry ketchup. Often served with french fries or bread rolls, the popular street snack is easy to find. Try Konnopke's Imbiss, the rumored originator of currywurst.

Bánh Mì (Hanoi, Vietnam)
The bánh mì is based on the Parisian ham and pâté baguette sandwich, which was brought to the streets of Vietnam in the early 20th century during the French colonial period. A quintessential Vietnamese street vendor staple, the bánh mì, is a crusty French-style baguette stuffed with home-cured meats like pork belly or pork liver pâté, cilantro, pickled cucumber, carrot, daikon, chiles, and mayonnaise. Street vendors from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City sell the ubiquitous sandwiches, which have also been a favored lunch for decades. Bánhmì are easy to find, particularly near markets like the Dong Xuan Market in Hanoi.

Mango Sticky Rice (Bangkok)
Mango sticky rice is a popular dessert served in Thailand, especially during the mango season of April through June and during Thai New Year's celebrations, but it is also eaten year-round. The sweet dish consists of a scoop of steamed sticky rice, a ladle of warm coconut milk, and a heap of sliced mangos. Street vendors all over Bangkok, especially across the street from the glittery Siam Paragon Mall and at Chatuchak Market, sell mango sticky rice from stainless steel carts.

Tanghulu (Shanghai)
Tanghulu is another skewered street snack popular in China and Taiwan. Peddlers on aging bicycles and tricycles cruise the streets of Shanghai with stalks of tanghulu on the back of their two- and three-wheelers. The sweet snack is various fruits strawberry and cherry tomato, and plum or hawthorn are the most traditional varieties coated in a hard sugar similar to candy apples. Other fruits including mandarin oranges, pineapples, kiwi, bananas, or grapes are becoming more popular.

Crêpes (Brittany, France)
The popular thin French pancake, usually made from wheat (crêpes de Froment) or buckwheat flour (galette), originated in Brittany in northwest France. The batter is spread onto a billig, a big, round cast-iron griddle, and spread in a circular motion with a rozell, a wooden utensil. Sweet crêpes dusted with sugar or topped with freshly sliced fruit and savory versions stuffed with meats and cheeses are folded into cones and sold in crêperies across France, including Fleur de Blé Noir crêperie inSaint-Quay Portrieux, where visitors can take a crêpe-making classand eat the results.

Gelato (Palermo, Italy)
Often imitated, gelato is an Italian term that means "frozen." The history of the dessert is rooted in 16th-century Italy, where, according to many accounts, a Florentine named Bernardo Buontalenti presented his gelato creation to the royal court of Caterina dei Medici. Gelato differs from ice cream in its flavor and texture. The frozen dessert is made with milk as opposed to cream, which gives the dish a lower fat content, and has less air whipped into it than ice cream, making it denser and often more intense in flavor.  One of the best places to sample the treat — from affogato al café (ice cream drowned in espresso) to zuppa inglese (trifle) — is La Cremolose in Palermo.

Hot Dog (New York City)
No doubt Americans like their hot dogs. The "Hot Dog Nation" has dozens of regional varieties but the capital of Hot Dog Nation is arguably New York City, which serves its "dirty water dog" on almost every street corner in popular tourist areas around Manhattan. Given their nickname due to the warm water bath that the all-beef hot dogs in natural casings are kept in, NYC hot dogs are boiled or griddle-cooked and served on a steamed bun with condiments such as ketchup, mustard, relish, sauerkraut, and sweet chopped onions. You don't have to walk far to find one, but if you want to pass on the cart, Gray's Papaya and Papaya King takeout joints are perennially popular.

Walking Taco (Minneapolis)
The walking taco, a bag of corn chips filled with canned chili and fixings, is a staple of fundraisers all across small town America, according to Andrew Zimmern, who ranks it as one of America's Top 9 Most Bizarre Foods. Some are good, but most are inedible, says Zimmern. It's commonly found in Smallville, USA but baseball fans can order it at Target Field, home to the Minnesota Twins, in Minneapolis.

Sausage (Vienna)
No trip to Vienna is complete without trying a Vienna sausage, a long, thin frankfurter served on a bun and topped with condiments like mustard and sauerkraut. Locals flock to Schwedenplatz square where Viennese sausage carts populate the bustling square, including one from a famous opera singer whose cart serves gourmet sausages.

Shawarma (Istanbul)
A staple of street-side vendors and small shop owners, shawarma is an inexpensive fast-food meal found throughout the Middle East. Lamb, chicken, or other meats are stacked with layers of fat and placed on a vertical spit and grilled for hours. Once ready, vendors shave slices of the tender meat onto pita and pile on a variety of toppings like cucumbers, tomato, onion, pickled turnip, toum, tabbouleh, fattoush, tahini, or hummus. Some vendors also stuff french fries into the shawarma. Some of the best places to try shawarma are markets like stiklâl Caddesi and Baliki Pazari.

See all 27 iconic street foods every world traveler must try here

More from The Daily Meal 

Andrew Zimmern's Favorite Pit Stop Foods

14 Heartbreak Holidays for Newly Single Celebrities

101 Best Food Trucks in America

31 Best Airport Restaurants Around the World

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FOXNews.com: Holiday entertaining in small spaces

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Holiday entertaining in small spaces
Nov 30th 2012, 14:00

Here you are in your studio or tiny 1-bedroom apartment, and the holidays are coming. You'd love to throw a party -- just like your parents do every year in their big suburban house, with everyone from your cousin-in-law to your uncle's mechanic invited -- but how?  You can do it -- if you just plan properly. Follow these tips and you'll be the host/hostess of the season, even in your cozy digs.

Type of party

A dinner party works well in a small space -- and you've still got time to plan a last-minute gathering. Invite only four to six people, which will keep the cooking manageable. Make it informal: if you have a small place, guests will probably see you cooking, and they will be eating in the living room. A nice one-pot pasta dish or a wintry stew with a salad and crusty bread are simple combos to balance on your lap. Add some wine and a chocolate dessert and everyone is happy. And don't forget to have some games or a movie for after dinner; some organized fun later can make the evening last long into the night.

A pre-party can also work well. If you and your friends are all going out dancing or to a big sporting event, you may want to invite everyone over for drinks and some nibbles beforehand. You'll provide a laid-back atmosphere, and you won't have to invite too many people. It's another perfect situation for a party in a small space.

Or, you can go for a bigger get-together. Even small places can fit 15 people or so; you just need to make sure you're not over-inviting. Generally speaking, the better you know the invitees, the more likely they are to come. So if you want to have a party with about 15 people, invite around 20 of your closer friends. Contact them directly, and make sure you get a response, that way you'll be able to keep the guest list manageable.

Avoid mass emails to large groups of classmates, your colleagues or your entire softball team. These types of invitees are difficult to predict -- sometimes none of them will come, or they'll come en masse -- and with a small space, you can't take that risk. An overcrowded party can lead to damage to the apartment that puts your security deposit at risk.

Preparing the space

One nice thing about hosting a party in a small apartment is that there's not much square footage to clean beforehand. On the flip side, there's not much storage space for things you want out of public view, particularly if you live in a studio. This is where your bathtub is handy. You'll use it to store piles of magazines, your plunger and toilet-bowl cleaner, your ironing board (unless your need it as a side board for a drinks setup!), and any other objects that you don't want your guests to see. Just remember to shower before the bathtub becomes storage space.

You may also want to move some furniture out of the living room, to leave more space for guests to stand and chat. Put your end tables or bulky chairs in your bedroom and shut the door, then offer to take guests' coats and put them on your bed yourself. And make sure your television will not dominate the party. Turn it off and place chairs directly in front of it, facing toward the room.

Make a playlist to provide background music. Tailor the music to the type of party: nice and smooth for a small dinner party and upbeat high-energy for a larger gathering. You could also go for a theme: '80s music, '90s music, hip-hop, top 40 pop music, Latin music, etc. Just make sure the music is fun.

Food

Close quarters equal more spills and less area to put food. If you're having a traditional party, avoid serving red wine (which stains and also spills easily from a wineglass) and avoid dips that drip. Consider providing snacks that don't require plates. The best bet is beer and soda in bottles or cans, and snacks such as chips, olives, cheese and crackers, and sliced fruit that can be picked up with your fingers. Don't serve food that needs to be prepared right before it's served; you won't have the elbow-room in your kitchen, and you'll have to attend to your hosting duties.

Also, spread the food around. A buffet-style service works when you have plenty of space for people to cycle in and out. It's less successful when you have a cozy space and those who want food have trouble getting past those who are simply standing and talking. Place snacks throughout the apartment; on the coffee table, in the kitchen, on the mantle -- on any flat surface you can find -- so that wherever your guests are, they will have access to some noshes.

Finally, don't forget: Let your neighbors know in advance about the party, or even better invite them.  In a small apartment neighbors are really close, so be considerate. Nothing puts a damper on the fun like a couple of guys in uniform at the door because of a noise complaint.

Related:

MyFirstApartment.com helps novice renters successfully navigate the first year of living on their own. The blog shares proven tips and tricks for everything from finding the perfect rental or roommate, to furnishing on a small budget or no budget, to dealing with landlords or roommate's girlfriends.

Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Zillow.

Click to view original post.

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Thursday, November 29, 2012

FOXNews.com: Honda Civic gets a do-over

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Honda Civic gets a do-over
Nov 29th 2012, 21:59

Honda has made a quick U-turn.

Just 19 months after its Civic compact hit showrooms and was slammed by critics, the company has revamped the car, giving it a sportier look and upgrading the interior.

It's an unusual and costly do-over. But Honda — among the auto industry's most highly-regarded brands — was worried the car's flaws would hurt sales and market share, analysts say.

Test Drive: 2012 Honda Civic

The 2013 version goes on sale Thursday, and Honda has given it a sportier profile, replaced its chintzy dashboard and made the ride quieter. The revamp comes to market in about half the time it normally takes, and shows just how concerned Honda is about falling behind rivals.

"The new consumer coming to the marketplace looking for a compact car doesn't think the Civic is a slam-dunk anymore," says Jesse Toprak, vice president of market intelligence for the TrueCar.com auto pricing website.

The company misjudged the small-car market when it rolled out the Civic in April of last year, analysts say. Small-car buyers used to tolerate cheap materials, noisy interiors, and boxy styling just to get high gas mileage. But they now expect their gas-sippers to have a quiet ride, crisp handling and plush seating. The 2012 Civic lacked those refinements.

It was so noisy, for example, that "I kept trying to put the windows up," recalls IHS Automotive analyst Rebecca Lindland, who says that competition caught Honda off-guard.

To be sure, criticism of the 2012 Civic hasn't dented demand. Sales of the car have risen to 255,000 through October, up 39 percent from last year. The car has passed the aging Toyota Corolla and the Chevrolet Cruze to become the nation's top-selling compact.

But the increase came mainly because Civics were in short supply last year following an earthquake in Japan. Loyal customers delayed purchases until the Civic returned, Toprak says. The Civic also is selling well because of discounts, he says. Dealers are knocking about $2,500 off the sticker price to clear out 2012 models. Civic discounts usually run about $500.

Without changes to the car, Honda probably would keep longtime customers, but it wouldn't attract new ones. "They will eventually start bleeding market share," Toprak says.

When Honda began to develop the 2012 Civic years earlier, competitors still were putting out blasé compacts aimed at budget-conscious buyers. But as gas prices rose, consumers shifted to smaller vehicles. At the same time, companies like Hyundai rolled out sleek, quiet compacts with amenities once reserved for the luxury class.

Shortly after the 2012 Civic went on sale, in the spring of 2011, the influential magazine Consumer Reports refused to give it a coveted "Recommended Buy." The magazine's chief auto tester said that the car was a step backward, and it appeared Honda tried to save money by using cheaper parts.

Company executives get prickly when asked if criticism was the reason they moved so fast to update the Civic. They'll say only that they wanted to keep the car ahead of the competition.

"We're not reacting to negative criticisms," says Art St. Cyr, Honda's chief product planner in the U.S. He says that Honda started revamping the Civic even before the 2012 model came out. "We weren't embarrassed. We weren't trying to make excuses for what we were doing."

Yet Honda did something startling with the 2013 model. Instead of making a few cosmetic changes that normally come in the middle of a car's life, the company did an overhaul. It added insulation to cut engine noise, put in thicker glass to reduce wind, and made the brakes larger to stop the car faster. The seat material was upgraded, and Honda added a softer dashboard with two colors. Outside, the car got it a more aerodynamic look with a new hood, trunk lid and lights.

The improvements are so vast that Honda must have started working on them even before the 2012 went on sale, Lindland says. That's before the criticism came from Consumer Reports and others.

Lindland, who drove the 2013 Civic in advance of its Thursday debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show, says it's far better than the 2012. "I was really impressed with how quiet it was," she says. "It's just a more refined and more elegant small car."

Toprak says the new Civic looks like an expensive luxury car, especially when compared with its predecessor.

The revamp is costing about $500 per car, Honda estimates. Toprak says the spending was necessary to attract new buyers. Many people who would have bought larger cars are now looking at compacts because they're in fashion, he says.

Compact car sales now account for 14.6 percent of the U.S. market, up 2.2 percentage points from just five years ago, according to Ward's AutoInfoBank.

Honda will get part of the revamping cost back by raising the base price of the Civic LX by $160 to $18,965 with an automatic transmission. But the company eliminated the stripped-down DX version, which started at just over $17,000 with automatic.

The quick do-over puts the Civic back among the top cars in its segment, says Lindland. But it doesn't mean that all automakers will upgrade their cars every 19 months.

"It's expensive to do these," she says. "I wouldn't say this is a trend — yet."

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FOXNews.com: Chevy's hot new NASCAR Sprint Cup car revealed

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Chevy's hot new NASCAR Sprint Cup car revealed
Nov 29th 2012, 20:59

One of the frequently-heard complaints about NASCAR's "car of tomorrow" is that they all look alike. Even the fake headlights and grilles don't look anything like the production versions the cars are allegedly based on, but that's about to change for the 2013 season.

Ford has already introduced its Fusion-based NASCAR Sprint Cup Car, as have Toyota (the Camry) and Dodge (the Charger). Sadly, Dodge pulled out of competition at the end of the 2012 season, as long-term partner Penske Racing will switch to running Fords in 2013.

That leaves Chevy as the sole hold out, as it planned on introducing a 2013 Sprint Cup car based on the upcoming SS sedan instead of the Impala, which was the model for the 2012 Sprint Cup racer. Today, Chevy's new NASCAR entry was unveiled by GM North America president Mark Reuss and NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon.

Reuss was quick to point out that the 2014 Chevy SS will put the "stock" back in stock car racing, since both the race car and the production car will get V-8 power and a front-engine, rear-drive layout. The SS and its Australian equivalent, the Holden Commodore, will make their production-form debut during Speed Week in Daytona Beach, Florida, in February 2013.

Ironically, that means Chevy's new race car premiers months before the street versions make their appearance.

Though the new Sprint Cup cars may look quite a bit more like their production counterparts, the resemblance is only skin-deep. All NASCAR Sprint Cup cars rely on a tube frame chassis and a front-engine, rear-drive layout. All use fuel-injected V-8 engines, too, good for about 750 horsepower.

Last we checked, the biggest engine you could get in a Toyota Camry was a V-6, while the Ford Fusion now offers a turbocharged four-cylinder as its strongest powerplant. Both are front-wheel-drive, too, meaning that Chevy's SS-based Sprint Cup car is indeed the closest to "stock," as Reuss points out.

On the plus side, at least the cars will look different in 2013, and NASCAR is hoping that translates to a renewed interest in the series and more bodies in the seats. We'll know when the season kicks off with the Daytona 500, scheduled for February 24, 2013.

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FOXNews.com: Chef tells diner to 'go f--- yourself' after she complains about pumpkin pie

FOXNews.com
FOX News Network - We Report. You Decide. // via fulltextrssfeed.com
Chef tells diner to 'go f--- yourself' after she complains about pumpkin pie
Nov 29th 2012, 20:12

Marc Orfaly, the acclaimed chef of Pigalle in Boston, lashed out at a customer telling her to "go f--- yourself" after she complained on Facebook about her Thanksgiving meal.

The chef unleashed his fury after the diner who called herself Sandy Tremblay posted a message Tuesday on Pigalle's Facebook page, saying that the pumpkin pie served on Thanksgiving tasted like "vomit," and overall, her entire Thanksgiving was ruined because of her bad experience at Pigalle.

"Really horrible pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving!" she wrote. "Literally tasted like vomit. The whole meal was awful," she wrote, noting that she spent $200 on the meal.

A post in response soon appeared on Pigalle's Facebook that ripped into Tremblay telling her to "go f-- herself," adding that she must enjoy eating vomit if she knows what it tastes like. 

Adding insult to injury, on Tuesday night Pigalle Boston posted a Facebook status, calling out people in general for being "uneducated, unintelligent, unpolished human beings." This was later removed from the restaurant's Facebook, as well as the original message.

Tremblay later shot back at Orflay calling him a "pathetic little man" for deleting the original comments. Pigalle Boston fired back with: "I find you as vomitus as your pallet." In another exchange, he added: "A good new years resolution judging from your fat face would be to give up the pie sweet pea."

Not surprisingly, Facebook users joined in the fray with comments of their own, while picking sides.  

One user named Kevin Wang wrote: "Don't open your mouth if you haven't considered that someone will respond. I'm Team Pigalle on this exchange."

But this story has a happy ending. On Wednesday, Tremblay wrote on Orfaly's Facebook wall:  "I am posting to let everyone know that Marc and I spoke at length about our recent Facebook smack down...He was very sincere and was the first to make amends.  We both have apologized..." 

Orfaly also too took to the social media site to comment: "The truth is, I overreacted," he wrote. "While we feel that if a guest is dissatisfied, they should bring it to our attention immediately, there is no excuse for name-calling and foul language. I was wrong."

And in a bizarre twist, they're now Facebook friends.

Not so surprising is the parody Facebook page that popped up during the fray, called Pigalle Vommit [sic].

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FOXNews.com: Best hotel teas just for kids

FOXNews.com
FOX News Network - We Report. You Decide. // via fulltextrssfeed.com
Best hotel teas just for kids
Nov 29th 2012, 20:10

These days you don't need to be a grown up to enjoy the elegance and tradition of a high tea. Increasingly hotels across the country are now catering to a much younger clientele.  

And it's not just a spot of tea with pinkies held high and stogy cucumber sandwiches, either. High tea menus are designed especially for kids in mind and include nibbles of PB&J, gelato --and of course, tea.   

Legend has it that afternoon tea was started in the mid-1800s by the English Duchess of Bedford who found herself  "sinking" with fatigue from hunger. She decided to have some friends over for assorted snacks and tea. Soon the idea of gathering for afternoon tea spread across high society  -- and the tradition was born. 

With the holiday season in full swing, here are some on the most creative and fun hotel teas where you can start your own tradition, and taking a break from all the Christmas shopping. 

Chicago

Peninsula Hotel, the Lobby

108 E. Superior St. Chicago (312) 337-2888

The Peninsula Hotel in Chicago, Ill. offers an exquisite tea and treat menu, including goodies such as Toasted Almond Pot de Crème or Bavarian Cheesecake between scones, sweets and tea. The Children's Tea menu includes PB&J and mini cheeseburgers. The elegant lobby is modeled after the original Peninsula in Hong Kong and serves afternoon tea daily. Children's menus are available each day with a variety of offerings. 

$36 per person or $18 kids' (under 12) menu, $25 with Peninsula teddy bear

Seattle 

Georgian Tea at the Fairmont Hotel

411 University Street  Seattle, WA (206) 621-7889

Pack up the kids and visit the Georgian Tea at the opulent Georgian Room at the Fairmont. For the holiday season, join the Georgian Tea with a delightful holiday tea in the warm and festive setting of The Georgian. Holiday tea includes a selection of tempting sweets, house-made scones and delicate finger sandwiches. Their Tea Sommelier suggests our Olympic Holiday Tea- perfect for a winter warm-up.

Price ranges between $39 - $49 for adults and $19 for children aged 6-12

New York City

Madeline's Tea at the Carlyle Hotel

35 East 76th Street at Madison Avenue (212)-744-1600.

This next place is a must-visit for the children! Taking place in the famous Bemelmans Bar, Madeline's Tea pays tribute to the creator of the Madeline children's book series. Surrounded by the author/illustrator's delightful murals, the setting is small and intimate, the food and tea are plentiful and the music is beautiful. The kids will love the foods and Madeline dolls, books, napkins and plates strewn about. Tina deVaron, singer and pianist, get the children up on their feet singing requests, everything from "The Sound of Music" to the Twelve Days of Christmas to Taylor Swift. The menu is a child's heaven with a buffet that offers children's favorites like chicken fingers, as well as more traditional tea sandwiches. This place is perfect for children under 10 who love music and dressing up fancy!

$70 per person, $35 for children under 3

Chapel Hill

Little Prince and Princess Tea: Tradition of Afternoon Tea Service at The Carolina Inn

211 Pittsboro Street Chapel Hill, NC (919)-918-2735

Served in the cozy hotel lobby at the Carolina Inn Piedmont Dining Room overlooking our garden terrace, the Afternoon Tea service welcomes the children for a traditional warm greeting from the south. Their Tea Hostess and Pastry Chef Suzanne Menius will adjust their menu to flatter the tastes of  the young patrons. The Afternoon Tea wishes for the children to experience the grace and charm of our Afternoon Tea and partake in this cherished tradition. 

The Classic Tea $20.00, The Little Prince & Princess Tea (ages 7 - 12) $17.00, Children (ages 4 - 6) $12.00

Los Angeles

Tres at the SLS Hotel

465 South La Cienega Blvd. Los Angeles, CA  (310) 247-0400

The SLS Hotel is known for its avant-garde décor and Trés is known for its avant-garde menu. You won't find any scones at this tea, but I bet your kids will enjoy the unique take on peanut butter sandwiches its famous chef José Andrés has conjured up, as well as his chocolate pop rocks. The décor is so fascinating, it's sure to keep your kids occupied playing I Spy while your tea is served. Afternoon tea, served seven days a week, showcases traditional sweets and savories paired with a premium selection of distinctive teas and coffees.

Mommy and Me Tea is served daily from 3pm – 5pm and costs $29 per person

Philadelphia

The Four Seasons

1 Logan Square  Philadelphia, PA (215) 963-1500

Bring your children with you to indulge in one of the most extensive afternoon tea menu. From the home-made scones with lemon curd, to the tea sandwiches, to the delectable desserts, it is flawless. Served on mismatched china in the lovely Swann Lounge.

Dallas

Ritz-Carlton Dallas

2121 McKinney Ave., Dallas, TX (214)-922-4817

Enjoy Saturday Afternoon Tea in the hotel's Lobby Lounge. Kids will love pastry chef Morgan Wilson's Holiday Cupcake Teas, featuring a flight of five mini cupcakes and one choice of beverage (tea, coffee, chocolate or cider).Indulge in the hotels lobby boutique, offers morning coffee, fresh pastries, and gelato.

$28 per person

San Francisco

Teddy Bear Tea at the Ritz 

600 Stockton at California Street - San Francisco, CA (415) 296-7465

From November 30 - December 24, 2012 at  two seating's: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., children and their favorite stuffed animals gather in The Terrace Courtyard Tent for this popular tradition featuring Santa Claus' Elf and the giant Ritz-Carlton Teddy Bear. A special tea experience of hot chocolate, teddy bear cookies and assorted sandwiches will be served while the kids enjoy holiday entertainment. A portion of the proceeds will benefit The Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation.

 $85 per guest, exclusive of tax and gratuity

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FOXNews.com: A contractor's secrets to hanging holiday decor

FOXNews.com
FOX News Network - We Report. You Decide. // via fulltextrssfeed.com
A contractor's secrets to hanging holiday decor
Nov 29th 2012, 16:30

Whether you're looking for a spot to put up your holiday wreath for a week or need something more permanent, hanging decor on the exterior or interior of your home can be tricky sometimes. Where you're hanging it makes all the difference. Here are a few of my favorite ways to hang things on sheetrock, wood and brick -- without hurting your walls.

How to Drill Into Brick or Concrete

Brick can be a difficult material to hang things on. Its durability means you can't use the standard methods that you'd use around the rest of your house. You'll need screws made for masonry and know where to drill and how to repair the holes after the holidays.

For anchoring something on a brick or concrete surface, I like to use Tapcon screws. You can also buy a Tapcon masonry drill bit to match.

Make sure you drill into a mortar joint -- one of the white lines in between the brick. Do not drill directly into the brick! Not only would that be difficult, but you would risk cracking the brick.

A masonry drill bit is designed for brick and concrete and is identifiable by a triangular-shaped tip.

Screw a Tapcon screw into the mortar. If you are drilling into concrete, I recommend using a power drill.

If you want to remove the screw after the holidays, buy a tube of mortar repair and squirt a little into the hole. You can also use 100 percent silicone, which comes in caulking tubes and squeezable tubes.

Sometimes the mortar can become loose after it's been drilled. You can apply a little adhesive into the hole if you feel like you need a little more holding power. I am using Liquid Nails in a caulking gun here; Liquid Nails also comes in a squeezable tube.

Note: Installing adhesive will make it very difficult to remove the Tapcon screw later on. Consider this a more permanent installation.

If you use adhesive, you can also substitute a common nail for the Tapcon screw. Drill the hole, put in the adhesive and hammer the nail into the hole when the adhesive is dry.

I leave a nail like this up for a wreath we hang every year. The nail and the adhesive are pretty subtle, but if you're worried about it you could pull it out and cover everything up with mortar. This will be a lot of work, though, because using adhesive makes it more permanent.

How to Add a Hook to Sheetrock

I love Ook hooks for hanging things in Sheetrock. These modern versions of picture hangers can hold a tremendous amount of weight. Each package is rated by how much weight it can hold. The hangers in this pack can hold up to 50 pounds; larger versions can hold up to 100 pounds.

Here's an Ook hook installed in Sheetrock. Simply install the two nails that come in the package, and you're all set. There's no need to find a stud -- that's what makes these so versatile and easy to use.

I love EZ anchors for more permanent Sheetrock hanging solutions, and I always substitute these for any anchors that might come with what I'm hanging. These can hold a lot of weight (again, each package is rated; see the circled number in the top right corner of the package) and are very easy to install.

Note: These anchors can be easily removed but will leave a hole about the size of a dime in your wall, so use them for more permanent decorations.

EZ anchors require no drilling. Just hold the anchor where you want it and tap it with a hammer until you reach the screw portion.

Next screw it into the wall with a screwdriver until it is flush with the wall.

Note: Do not overtighten. If you keep turning the screw, it will break the Sheetrock around it, and the screw will just spin in place, creating a hole that's larger than the diameter of the screw.

Next insert the screw that comes in the package.

Screw it in to the required depth.

Tapping Into Wood

Don't underestimate the value of a simple trim nail. Nails are easy to install, can hold a lot of weight and are easy to remove.

After removing the nail, you can easily fill the nail hole with colored putty. There is a matching putty for every stain Minwax sells, and a few colored putties to match painted surfaces.

Related:

Houzz is the leading online platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish -- online or from a mobile device. From decorating a room to building a custom home, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals around the world. Clark Harris is a contributor to Houzz.

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