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‘Lord of the Rings’ fans can stay in this Hobbit house just an hour outside NYC
New York is far from the verdant, rolling hills of Hobbiton—the fictional village author J.R.R. Tolkien created for his fantasy novels The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. But not too far outside of New York City, fans can get a taste of the cozy, hillside home by staying at one particular Airbnb.
If you’re a fan of Tolkien’s rich universe like me and wish to live like a hobbit—the fictional race of food-loving, meade-drinking and pipe-smoking people that are only about half of the average height of humans—then you’re in luck because there’s a getaway less than two hours from NYC that will let you do just that. You don’t need to travel to New Zealand’s Hobbiton movie set!
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If you live under a rock, Hobbits essentially live in underground “holes,” or homes underneath hills. As The Hobbit says, “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.”
An Airbnb in Pawling, New York offers a private getaway—a whole house built under the earth with a domed ceiling—for wannabe hobbits. For $500 a night, you can stay with five other guests in this two-bedroom home that has “Ring Quests upon request at time of booking.”
Pawling is actually located in the foothills of the Berkshires, so it’s not so far off from the rolling landscape of Middle Earth.
It’s not just aesthetically hobbit-y. It’s cozy with king-size beds, walk-in showers, three patios, an outdoor grill, a hot tub, two hammocks, two fire pits and an indoor fireplace to read (or write) your novel by. It’s also a passive house, which means it uses very little energy.
Those who have stayed at the hobbit hole say it’s peaceful with the sound of running water and birdsong. The details are impressive and full of film props to pose with.
Up for the journey? Check it out here.
NYC’s first-ever Thai hot wing eating contest will make you sweat
Time and time again, New Yorkers have proved that they have no issue beating the sweltering summer heat—but can they beat the hot wing heat?
Put your spice tolerance to the test at Blazefury, NYC’s first-ever Thai hot wing eating contest hosted by the beloved Brooklyn-based Thai restaurant Tong.
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The event was inspired by the Kang Tai Pla (a spicy Southern Thai fish curry) eating challenges customers would hold amongst themselves at the restaurant. This time around, contestants will be eating hot wings instead of curry in a competition that is certainly not for the faint of heart.
Participants will be tasked with eating up to 10 Thai-style hot wings smothered in a fiery sauce made from Thai bird’s eye chilies and habanero peppers (with a Scoville heat unit of 130,000!) within 15 minutes, during which they won’t be allowed to have a drink. The following Ragefury portion of the competition will further test participants’ endurance by keeping them from using a napkin, touching their face and drinking anything for an additional five minutes.
But big risks come with big rewards. The winner of the competition will go home with a medallion, a $300 Tong gift certificate, a Chang Beer gift set and bragging rights, of course.
Alongside the competition, Tong will be conducting a hot sauce taste test featuring their contest sauce, prik karen (a Thai chili oil) and more. You can also expect a special event menu with snacks ranging from wings to Tong’s iconic fish curry and cold drinks from Chang Beer. As if it couldn’t get any better, the good eats will be accompanied by a live DJ and raffles for an undoubtedly great time.
The event will take place at Tong on Sunday, July 30, from 1pm to 3pm and is free to attend with an RSVP, just sign up here.
Think you’ve got what it takes to win? Sign up to compete by emailing info@tongbrooklyn.com or visiting the restaurant before the event.