Latest news with #Disney-esque
New York Post
19-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Stunning, $14M fairy-tale estate could stand in for a Disney castle — and now it's getting a big discount
A Disney-esque castle in the Midwest just got a $500,000 price cut. In 1869, King Ludwig II of Bavaria commissioned a castle in the remote reaches of the Alps, long after such fairy-tale residences had any utility to modern monarchies. The fantastical dream of Germany's Neuschwanstein Castle found a devotee in the late Deon Heiner, whose Wyoming castle hit the market in April 2024. Heiner's extravagant home, first priced at $14 million, is newly available for $13.5 million, Mansion Global reported. 5 An aerial of the 9,470-square-foot home in Bedford, Wyoming. Ken Speakman 5 The home's tallest turret rises 100 feet into the air. Ken Speakman The 9,470-square-foot castle, located in Bedford, Wyoming, comes with towers, turrets, ramparts and lookouts worthy of a princess. Heiner, a businessman in the construction industry, built the five-bedroom, seven-bathroom brick castle in 1992. Just the process of laying the 1 million bricks was necessary to build up the original home took eight years, according to Cowboy State Daily. The castle, which Heiner reportedly modeled after Neuschwanstein Castle, has all the dressings of a royal seat – turrets on the corners, stone balconies, cast-iron windows and vaulted ceilings. There's even an underground tunnel system with secret entrances, according to the listing. The tallest turret, accessed by a stainless steel spiral staircase, reaches 100 feet into the air, offering 360-degree views of rural forest and mountains. 5 Large windows throughout the property let in natural light. Ken Speakman 5 The enchanted property sits on 37 acres. Ken Speakman 5 The copper rooftops have developed a green patina over the years. Ken Speakman The property's listing agent, Patty Speakman of Compass, told The Post that she imagines the home's next owner will enjoy its relative seclusion, unique architecture and sweeping vistas. 'It sits on the top of the hill, and you've got views in every direction,' Speakman said. 'It's just a beautiful location.' Despite the exterior's romantic design, the estate's 40 rooms enjoy the benefit of modern amenities, like large windows that let in ample light and imported stone floors with in-floor heating. There's also a secure vault room, a rampart greenhouse, a game room and a gym. The 37 wooded acres upon which the castle sits include walking and biking trails, according to the listing, and a brick perimeter encloses the expansive grounds. Should the castle's next owner find themselves unable to traverse the property's facsimile moat, they can always access the home in one other way — via its helipad.
Time Out
17-05-2025
- Business
- Time Out
The first H Mart in Las Vegas is open. Here's what we love.
Two hours before Las Vegas opened its first H Mart location, the line was surprisingly short. I easily parked in the virtually empty lot and when I made my way to the front of the store there were only 40 people in line. It made me think that maybe, just maybe, this years-in-the-making Korean-American grocer was a bunch of hype. Boy, was I wrong. By the time the doors opened at 10am, the crowd swelled to nearly 400, snaking around the building past the nearby Chipotle, while traffic at the busy intersection of Decatur Boulevard and Sahara Avenue came to a car-honking standstill. H Mart had indeed arrived. Even when I returned four days later for another look there was still a wiggly Disney-esque line. It moved quickly but still took 22 minutes to break the entrance. The Korean grocery chain, which has nearly 100 locations across the country, celebrated its Las Vegas opening not only with traditional Chinese dragon dancers, but with showgirls wearing feather headdresses. The ribbon was cut as 'Viva Las Vegas' blared from the speakers. Once inside, it's easy to be overwhelmed. The store is massive. It's 54,552 square feet of shelves stocked with hundreds of snacks and many of those hard-to-find ingredients home cooks use in making Asian cuisine. Shoppers will find an entire aisle devoted to ramen, a giant section packed with every variety of dried seaweed imaginable and aisles with products divided by country of origin—Japan, Korea, China, and the Philippines, among them—making searching for certain sauces and condiments a breeze. The produce section has piles upon piles of longan, jackfruit, durian and Korean melons. Steps away you'll find vegetables such as kohlrabi, daikon radish and lotus root. From there, fridges full of tofu, pickled vegetables and kimchi are on display, leading to the meat department where rolled slices of Wagyu share space with marinated cuts of bulgogi and spicy pork. As I cruised through the snack and chip aisle, a few things caught my attention. First, were the flavored Kit Kats—in this case, green tea, orange and strawberry. (I first came across these favorites years ago while traveling in Japan and would bring them back for friends, but now, I no longer have to.) There are also so many chip brands that blow away our own counterparts, it's often hard to decide what to take home. On this day, it was the shrimp crackers and the truffle-dusted Turtle Chips (also in churro flavor) that caught my attention. Why not both? Then it was off to the massive seafood section. There are plenty of fish and shellfish options on ice, but the star here are the live tanks holding lobster, abalone and even king crab. With the rounds made, it was time to hit the food hall. It's connected to the supermarket but also has a separate entrance so those just out for lunch or wanting to grab a quick bite don't have to navigate the store. The food hall has seven outlets that serve everything from some real KFC (Korean fried chicken) to sushi and boba. Here's a brief rundown. Paik's Noodle: Chinese-Korean fusion with dishes that include a spicy, seafood noodle soup with squid, mussels and pork. Moobongri Soondae Express: This spot specializes in soondae (Korean blood sausage) soups with all the fixings, and serves sizzling beef bulgogi. BBQ Chicken: A stall with crispy Korean-style fried chicken. Hanmo Tofu: Order a tofu soup and make it a combo adding short rib, stir-fried squid or grilled mackerel. Jopok Topokki: Visit for rice cakes, kimbap and chicken teriyaki. Saku Japanese Eatery: A stop for sushi, teriyaki, and donburi. Tiger Sugar: Boba drinks in every flavor and color.
The Irish Sun
06-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
The charming sun spot that's like being in Disney film with beautiful beaches, enchanting castles and flights from €33
GOLDEN sands, top attractions and fairytale castles make this sunshine spot a must-see – and flights from Dublin start at €33. The capital of Advertisement 5 Tallinn Estonia is located along the Baltic coast of Northern Europe Credit: Alamy 5 Tallinn boasts a selection of beautiful beaches Credit: Alamy 5 There's plenty for all ages in Tallinn Credit: Alamy With Ryanair The 'The cultural hub remains one of the most historical sites in the area famous for its cobblestone streets and Gothic aesthetic.' Tallinn offers the perfect mix between city sights and beautiful beaches with pleasant highs of 22C. Advertisement READ MORE ON TRAVEL Soak up the sun at Tallinn's largest beach Pirita Beach or keep the little ones entertained with playgrounds and trampolines at Stroomi beach. For some peaceful sunbathing, pay a visit to the smaller beach of Kakumäe Beach. The quaint small city can be explored on foot, by bike trolleybuses or trams. Pastel-coloured medieval buildings line the Disney-esque city. Advertisement Most read in News Travel Exclusive Exclusive Dating back to the 13th century, the beautiful hotels and homes are well preserved to dramatic effect. Explore the windmills, watermills and the Rocca al Mare Open Air Museum. Discover Europe's Secret Isles: Top 8 Underrated Destinations Discover the beauty of Aleksander Nevski Cathedral dating back to the 1900s. Take a stroll through the stunning Kadriorg Park sprawling across 250 scenic acres. Advertisement Other must-see landmarks include Toompea Castle, St. Olav's Church and Kumu Art Museum. Tallinn's Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is home to medieval walls, enchanting architecture and cobbled streets. All streets lead to the central square - home to bars, cafes and restaurants serving traditional Estonian, modern Nordic and European food. Boasting an exquisite food scene, traditional Estonian favourites have been blended with influences from Italy, Asia, and America. Advertisement Cool down with a beverage in one of the many Estonian taverns. 'Check out the modern Town Hall Square, a natural magnet for people that becomes engulfed in cafe tables during the summer. 'Also, stop by the St. Catherine's Passage for a romantic walk along the hidden passage behind St. Catherine's Church.' Advertisement 5 Tallinn is a 3h 15m flight from Dublin Credit: Alamy 5 Tallinn's Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site Credit: Alamy
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Editorial: Rockford's version of the Mag Mile is thriving. A TIF worked wonders for it.
One of Illinois' biggest little cities has a version of Chicago's Magnificent Mile shopping hub, with a few notable differences. You won't find standalone boutiques for Gucci, Rolex or Tiffany in Rockford's proudly blue-collar Miracle Mile. The anchor tenants include a bowling alley, a Dollar General and a tattoo parlor or two. But there's something else shoppers won't find, either: A steep retail vacancy rate, such as the once-unimaginable 26% of empty space on the Mag Mile. Rockford's Miracle Mile shows what a TIF can do when it's used as intended. A stretch of the city that two decades ago suffered from blighted buildings and vacant land has slowly recovered with assistance from this tax increment financing district, while staying true to its roots. There's nothing gentrified, Disney-esque or foppish about the Miracle Mile, which is one reason why it works for Rockford. Its vacancy rate? Less than 10%. For Miracle Mile merchants who gathered at Don Carter Lanes earlier this month to celebrate their TIF's 20th anniversary, any talk about how TIFs could be abused was beside the point. 'They worked for us,' said Brad Sommer, general manager of the bowling alley, which got help from the TIF to fund a facelift and renovation. 'It allowed for businesses to remodel and beautify. It has a snowball effect.' As many Chicagoans can attest, TIFs don't always go right. In fact, the city has a history of TIF abuse. TIFs don't lend themselves to sweeping conclusions. They're potentially aldermanic and mayoral slush funds that can be raided for pet projects. In a perfect world, we wouldn't need TIFs at all — economic growth would be organic. But here we are, and the reality of Chicago's economy, however, often requires creative tools to encourage investment. Here's how TIFs work. TIFs are an economic development tool designed to fight blight and disinvestment. They work by capturing property tax revenue to subsidize improvements within a targeted area. Chicago is dotted with TIFs that divert tax dollars from local public services such as schools, parks and libraries. Unfortunately, politicians can take advantage of the resulting slush funds for projects that have nothing to do with fighting blight. Former Mayor Richard M. Daley was the king of TIFs, using them in wealthy areas, including downtown, to pump tax money into private developments that didn't really need it. This page has repeatedly warned against the perils of mayors and aldermen using TIF funds to butter up well-connected real estate developers. In more recent years, TIFs have garnered headlines more as a way to plug deficits than to grease development. Mayor Brandon Johnson has declared record TIF surpluses in each of his first two years for exactly that reason, and it won't be a surprise if he does the same thing later this year with what surely will be yet another substantial deficit. Still, it would do us well to remember that TIFs retain their usefulness. Exhibit A: Rockford's Miracle Mile. It's no secret that Rockford has faced hard times in its modern history. The Rust Belt collapse of the early 1980s wiped out much of its traditional manufacturing base. The Great Recession made Rockford ground zero for underwater mortgages, draining wealth from a city that could ill afford it. These days, Rockford has staged a comeback. In 2024, its metropolitan area chalked up the largest annual decrease in unemployment of any city in Illinois. Its housing market has rebounded. Another huge plus is on the way nearby, as automaker Stellantis works to relaunch the idled Belvidere assembly plant. That investment alone is expected to create a slew of good-paying jobs, which will help to support Rockford merchants such as Patricia Drewelow, whose House of Books recently got city encouragement to move into a spacious new Miracle Mile site near the bowling alley. The location was previously a long-gone insurance brokerage, and each of the individual offices now has a theme based on the books for sale inside, such as 'Mystery,' 'Religion,' and 'Kids.' 'I love it here,' Drewelow said, as she showed off each department. Rockford Ald. Frank Beach, who has represented the Miracle Mile for the past four decades, said he believes TIFs should get more respect. When the city launched its Miracle Mile TIF, he said, 'We were all looking for ways to help the businesses.' Had nothing been done for the area, it would have kept deteriorating, he said, and TIFs were 'one of the only ways we could fund development.' It took time for the clean-up campaigns, sidewalk repairs, new facades, safety lighting, trees, bushes and security cameras to have an effect, Beach recalled, and a shooting at the bowling alley that claimed three lives in 2020 was a tragic setback for the district. Today the Miracle Mile has become a staging area for popular events, and a spot where cars that used to zoom past with the doors locked on Rockford's State Street now turn into busy parking lots to patronize the merchants. The temptation to continue draining the TIFs to help cure Chicago's structural deficits is strong; Rockford is a stark example of the potency TIFs retain to spur growth and development. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@
Chicago Tribune
30-03-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Editorial: Rockford's version of the Mag Mile is thriving. A TIF worked wonders for it.
One of Illinois' biggest little cities has a version of Chicago's Magnificent Mile shopping hub, with a few notable differences. You won't find standalone boutiques for Gucci, Rolex or Tiffany in Rockford's proudly blue-collar Miracle Mile. The anchor tenants include a bowling alley, a Dollar General and a tattoo parlor or two. But there's something else shoppers won't find, either: A steep retail vacancy rate, such as the once-unimaginable 26% of empty space on the Mag Mile. Rockford's Miracle Mile shows what a TIF can do when it's used as intended. A stretch of the city that two decades ago suffered from blighted buildings and vacant land has slowly recovered with assistance from this tax increment financing district, while staying true to its roots. There's nothing gentrified, Disney-esque or foppish about the Miracle Mile, which is one reason why it works for Rockford. Its vacancy rate? Less than 10%. For Miracle Mile merchants who gathered at Don Carter Lanes earlier this month to celebrate their TIF's 20th anniversary, any talk about how TIFs could be abused was beside the point. 'They worked for us,' said Brad Sommer, general manager of the bowling alley, which got help from the TIF to fund a facelift and renovation. 'It allowed for businesses to remodel and beautify. It has a snowball effect.' As many Chicagoans can attest, TIFs don't always go right. In fact, the city has a history of TIF abuse. TIFs don't lend themselves to sweeping conclusions. They're potentially aldermanic and mayoral slush funds that can be raided for pet projects. In a perfect world, we wouldn't need TIFs at all — economic growth would be organic. But here we are, and the reality of Chicago's economy, however, often requires creative tools to encourage investment. Here's how TIFs work. TIFs are an economic development tool designed to fight blight and disinvestment. They work by capturing property tax revenue to subsidize improvements within a targeted area. Chicago is dotted with TIFs that divert tax dollars from local public services such as schools, parks and libraries. Unfortunately, politicians can take advantage of the resulting slush funds for projects that have nothing to do with fighting blight. Former Mayor Richard M. Daley was the king of TIFs, using them in wealthy areas, including downtown, to pump tax money into private developments that didn't really need it. This page has repeatedly warned against the perils of mayors and aldermen using TIF funds to butter up well-connected real estate developers. In more recent years, TIFs have garnered headlines more as a way to plug deficits than to grease development. Mayor Brandon Johnson has declared record TIF surpluses in each of his first two years for exactly that reason, and it won't be a surprise if he does the same thing later this year with what surely will be yet another substantial deficit. Still, it would do us well to remember that TIFs retain their usefulness. Exhibit A: Rockford's Miracle Mile. It's no secret that Rockford has faced hard times in its modern history. The Rust Belt collapse of the early 1980s wiped out much of its traditional manufacturing base. The Great Recession made Rockford ground zero for underwater mortgages, draining wealth from a city that could ill afford it. These days, Rockford has staged a comeback. In 2024, its metropolitan area chalked up the largest annual decrease in unemployment of any city in Illinois. Its housing market has rebounded. Another huge plus is on the way nearby, as automaker Stellantis works to relaunch the idled Belvidere assembly plant. That investment alone is expected to create a slew of good-paying jobs, which will help to support Rockford merchants such as Patricia Drewelow, whose House of Books recently got city encouragement to move into a spacious new Miracle Mile site near the bowling alley. The location was previously a long-gone insurance brokerage, and each of the individual offices now has a theme based on the books for sale inside, such as 'Mystery,' 'Religion,' and 'Kids.' 'I love it here,' Drewelow said, as she showed off each department. Rockford Ald. Frank Beach, who has represented the Miracle Mile for the past four decades, said he believes TIFs should get more respect. When the city launched its Miracle Mile TIF, he said, 'We were all looking for ways to help the businesses.' Had nothing been done for the area, it would have kept deteriorating, he said, and TIFs were 'one of the only ways we could fund development.' It took time for the clean-up campaigns, sidewalk repairs, new facades, safety lighting, trees, bushes and security cameras to have an effect, Beach recalled, and a shooting at the bowling alley that claimed three lives in 2020 was a tragic setback for the district. Today the Miracle Mile has become a staging area for popular events, and a spot where cars that used to zoom past with the doors locked on Rockford's State Street now turn into busy parking lots to patronize the merchants. The temptation to continue draining the TIFs to help cure Chicago's structural deficits is strong; Rockford is a stark example of the potency TIFs retain to spur growth and development.
