Global Arts

The hunt for Wisconsin's 14 missing state senators continues - now a new Hideaway in Rockford Campaign video from the Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau suggests the State Troopers sent to find them may have gone missing, too. Perhaps they have joined the missing state senators who are hiding out in Rockford. Following a successful launch of its first Hideaway in Rockford video featuring Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen talking about Rockford's hideaway hotspots, the RACVB continues the story with a cheeky new video.  In the follow-up video, the Wisconsin State Troopers are sent to Rockford to look for Wisconsin's 14 missing State Senators, a known hide-out for the senators. Before long, the troopers find themselves side-tracked. Click Image to Watch New Video Fictitious Madison-based TV 19 tracks down the troopers hiding away in Rockford, IL. The Troopers have been spotted splashing around at CoCo Key Water Park, sharing a profound moment at Rockford Art Museum, placing cheese-heads on the 66-million-year old dinosaur Jane at Burpee Museum of Natural History, and more. "You know, folks tell me it's easy to lose track of time when they are hiding out in Rockford. And, I know locals often will take a walk through a park or enjoy one of our museums on their lunch hour, but getting totally sidetracked when looking for state senators, that's a new one," said John Groh, president/CEO of the RACVB. "I'm glad Madison's TV 19 was able to track down the troopers, and caught it all on tape." In late February, the RACVB launched a Hideaway in Rockford campaign, a cheeky promotion showcasing the city as a travel destination for state legislators and leisure visitors alike. With more than 90,000 views since being uploaded to the RACVB's YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/gorockfordregion, the original video is being called a runaway success.  Along with the videos, the campaign highlights the Rockford region's "hideaway hotspots" and special "runaway rates" and deals at local hotels, attractions and restaurants.  Additionally, the City of Rockford has volunteered to come to the aid of Wisconsin senators and Governor Scott Walker as the ideal location for a much-anticipated "Border Summit" negotiation session.  Rockford's location between Madison and Chicago make it the perfect 'middle ground,' something that has eluded Wisconsin lawmakers of late. Where do you hideout in Rockford and Illinois? Log on to www.hideawayinrockford.com to learn more about Rockford's great deals and to post about your favorite hotspot.

Current Hideaway in Rockford Deals: Lose track of time waiting for solutions at Best Western Clock Tower Resort and Conference Center: Weekends overnight stay with CoCo Key Water Park passes for four starting as low as $159. Subject to availability, some restrictions apply Don't get offsides at an Rockford IceHogs AHL Hockey game: $5 off any ticket to the game on Sunday, March 13 Tired of pre-historic legislation, explore Burpee Museum of Natural History: $1 off admission Skate on thin ice at Rockford Park District's Carlson Ice Arena and Riverview Ice House: 2 for 1 admission Get lost in the chaos at Rockford Park District's Sapora Playworld: 2 for 1 admission Yell "Fore the Sake of Humanity" at Golf Shack: one free bucket of balls at Northern Illinois' only heated outdoor driving range Hideout and dig in at Lino's Italian Restaurant: Stimulus Package which includes a large cheese pizza plus topping, 2-liter soda and a special salad for two for $1 You won't be scared of this bill: $100 includes a $25 lunch or dinner gift certificate at Michaels Restaurant and a one-night stay in one of Alpine Inn's recently remodeled apartment suites. Offer subject to availability

A free photo canvas is a great gift idea. Share the high converting Canvas People offer with your visitors and suggest they get a canvas with family memories on it! The Canvas People offer gives you  a free 8x10 photo canvas or $50 credit toward a bigger photo canvas. The way it works is like this:

1) Choose and upload the photo you would like printed
2) Choose what size. (8x10 is free + shipping/handling, or choose larger size and get a $50 discount)
3) Chose any "extras" (framing, etc.)
5) Enter shipping information
6) Pay the $14.95 shipping/handling (this is still a GREAT deal for one of these)

These photo canvases make great Christmas, birthday, anniversary, and graduation gifts as well. Visit Canvas People today!

There are a few basic things we all seem to know: our name and age. Ask almost any toddler how old they are and you will have a fistful of fingers, cookie crumbs and all, depicting their years on earth. What if you went to another country and you were suddenly 1 or 2 years older? How could that be? Travel to Korea with Little Passports to find out. Like Little Passports on Facebook and get fun updates on your world. Inspiring quotes, reasons to celebrate, and travel stories are all shared on the Little Passports Facebook page. Join today! If your favorite little explorer is not signed up for Little Passports yet, give them the gift that shows up at their doorstep every month! Find out more here.        Age Reckoning in Korea Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul Everyday life in Korea is a fascinating blend of our modern world and ancient traditions. Age reckoning is one of these traditions that strongly lives on in Korean culture. Here's how it works: a child is considered one year old at birth and with each New Year (not birthday) one more year is added. This means EVERYONE turns one year older on the same day! So a child who is 8 in the United States, might be considered 9 or 10 in  Korea. If your child just can't wait to boast double digits, tell them to head to "The Land of the Morning Calm"!            Important Age Celebrations  Korean Soup While most of us have moved beyond childhood (at least on the books) our little ones have many special age rites ahead of them. In Korea, the 100th day of a child's life, Baek-il, is a promising sign that they will grow to become a healthy child. On the other end of the age spectrum, an important age in Korea is 60. Reaching 10 years beyond your bicentennial is a reason to celebrate. Hwan-gap marks the complete 60 year cycle of the zodiac and is commemorated by celebrating with family and eating yummy food such as the soup pictured above. Notice the raw meat and raw egg waiting to be topped with boiling water and cooked before your eyes. What do you think? How old are you? Little Passports is going to side with Mark Twain: "Age is an issue of mind over matter.  If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Activities   1) How Old Are You? Discover your age according to Korean age reckoning. Do this by using the dates of Seolnal (Korean New Year). Example:                  * August 15th, 2001 (Amy is born!) = Amy is 1 year old (1 day in US)      * February 12th, 2002 (Seolnal) = Amy is 2 years old (6 months in US)      * February 1st, 2003 (Seolnal) = Amy is 3 years old (1.5 years in US)      * February 3rd, 2011 (Seolnal) = Amy is 11 years old (9.5 years in US) In the United States Amy would be considered 9 years old, but in Korea she would be considered 11 years old. 2) Make Kimchi Click  here for a yummy kimchi recipe. Be sure to also check out our other international dishes! 3) Re-think Birthday with Little Passports Either way you count the years, most of us missed out on counting year number one while we were still warm in the belly. Let's make up for it with a celebration! The entire family can celebrate together over a traditional Korean dinner. Some of us may not have the experience in the kitchen to pull off ALL the bells and whistles of an authentic Korean meal, so, let's improvise. A proper Korean meal includes numerous side dishes called banchan. Get creative and make your favorite side dishes to accompany your steamed rice. Soup (guk or tang) is also a common dish to be served WITH the meal, not before. Many Koreans do not consider a meal complete unless kimchi is involved. Get the Basics Down! 4) Map Activity   Can you find these countries on the map?      * South Korea      * North Korea      * Singapore      * Nepal 5a) Bonus Questions 1) What vegetable is typically used in kimchi? 2) Are BBQ's popular in Korea? 3) What is the capitol of South Korea? What is the capitol of North Korea? 4) Do you know why Hibiscus is important in South Korea? 5b) Bonus Answers 1) Napa cabbage 2) Yes! Korean BBQ is a fun and interactive way to enjoy traditional Korean food. Scissors are often used to cut meat and the BBQ takes place right in the middle of the table. Plenty banchan accompanies a BBQ, so come hungry! 3) South Korea: Seoul, North Korea: Pyongyang 4) Hibiscus, or mugunghwa in Korean, is South Korea's National Flower. The word mugunghwa stems from the Korean word mugung, meaning "immortality."

Madagascar Live!: All-New Stage Musical Based on the Hit Movie Comes to the Rosemont
		Rosemont Theatre (Rosemont, IL) Full Price: $27.00 - $57.00      Our Price: $15.00 - $30.00 Dreamworks' hit animated movie comes to wild life in the fun new family musical, Madagascar Live!, at the Rosemont Theatre. This original stage spectacular follows everybody's favorite zoo refugees Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo, along with their intrepid pals the penguins, from the concrete jungle of New York to the wilds of Africa, and features singing, dancing and plenty of on-stage adventure for the entire family.    Learn More    Check out the official Madagascar Live! website for activities, pics and more.

Available Dates:    Wednesday, Mar. 16 @ 7:00pm   Check Availability   Thursday, Mar. 17 @ 7:00pm   Check Availability   Friday, Mar. 18 @ 7:00pm   Check Availability   Saturday, Mar. 19 @ 11:00am   Check Availability   Saturday, Mar. 19 @ 2:00pm   Check Availability   Saturday, Mar. 19 @ 5:00pm   Check Availability   Sunday, Mar. 20 @ 11:00am   Check Availability   Sunday, Mar. 20 @ 2:00pm   Check Availability

It's only a matter of time before Vegas bookies start taking bets on gastrointestinal gambling. Where can gluttons for glory find the largest, most intimidating food challenges imaginable?

Coupon Sherpa found 40 gut-busting restaurant challenges last year, but we weren't satisfied. In 2011, we've loosened our belts another notch and more than doubled the list to end with 83 truly frightening foods. Fresh inductees include a 10-pound cheese steak, 4-pound sushi roll and bona fide Guinness World Record holder.

The rules are simple: Only eateries that refund the full price of a meal make the list, although the "Honorable Mentions" section includes dishes too dastardly to pass up. A further sampling of the most unrivaled challenges:

Piranha's Bar and Grill in Nashville, Tennessee
Food Challenge: The Titan Cheese Steak at Piranha's is worthy of a demi-god even before it's blow to overzealous proportions. The 10-Pound Cheese Steak Challenge takes shaved beef, cheese, coleslaw, fries, onions and peppers and throws them on a bun the size of a child. Winners get their money back and a $100 cash prize, while losers pay $50 for the meal. To date, only one person has finished: A woman weighing under 100 pounds, who tamed the sandwich on New Years' Eve.

Drinker's with three locations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Food Challenge: The Drinker's Challenge has nothing to do with liquor and everything to do with its equally-intoxicating food cousin: tacos. Demolish 33 soft-shell tacos with ground beef, lettuce, tomato and cheese in 13 minutes to get the meal for free, as well as a T-shirt, your name engraved on a plaque and one bottle of Joe's Taco Sauce. Walk-ins are welcome if you begin by 11 p.m.

Rupali in Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Food Challenge: Eternity in the real Hades seems like a weekend in Aspen when compared to the Curry Hell Challenge. This British curry house whips up chicken curry spiked with a secret combination of chillies and potential death, then serves it on a bed of rice. Rupali claims Curry Hell holds a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the hottest curry in the world. Finish the entire dish for your money back, a signed certificate and your picture immortalized in the restaurant and online. Ask your server for pricing.

Mama Campisi's in St. Louis, Missouri
Food Challenge: The Mama's Challenge is less about pasta and more about one enormous wad of meat. Finish a large bowl of spaghetti topped with marinara and a meatball slightly larger than a softball to get the meal and a T-shirt on the house. With something that over-sized, you know it's made fresh by several hands. At $21.99, it's also one of the more modestly-priced challenges around.

The revamped list also features several challenges from outside the United States, as well as dishes more devious than the typical pizza, burger and fries (including a fiery tequila). Each one will make die-hard fans of the Travel Channel's "Man v. Food" salivate, along with anyone who has bested a friend while eating wings or yearned for a hot-dog devouring contest. Download "Place Your Bets Again: 83 Gut-Busting Restaurant Challenges for Free Food" read the tales of nausea, stomachaches and bragging rights.