Not all heroes wear capes, people. Take this bear, for instance. Mark Hough of Altadena, California first spotted the bear climbing over his fence. He then witnessed the critter slipping into his (unheated) hot tub for a cool soak. Wait, it gets better. Then the bear knocked over and lapped up the margarita Hough had left by the edge of the tub. Later, the bear was found napping in a nearby tree.

NBC San Diego:

After first spotting the bear, Hough retreated inside, only to later find the furry intruder "bobbling away in the Jacuzzi enjoying himself."

Hough recorded video of the bear lolling in the unheated hot tub with the jets on. The creature played with the chlorinator and tossed the thermometer in the air, Hough said.

"He was playing having a grand old time," he added.

The bear's dip only lasted a few minutes before it emerged and lumbered around the yard. Then it "popped out of the bushes, walked right over to the margarita, knocked it over and lapped it," Hough said.

...About an hour later, Hough was talking to a neighbor when some oak leaves fluttered to the ground. Hough looked up to see the bear slumbering in the tree.

After watching this, I think it's clear I need to up my summer game. Read the rest

Even if you don't win an Oscar (the golden statuette itself is only worth $1), if you're an Academy Award nominee you walk away with a gift bag filled with some seriously lavish schwag.

Town & Country reports that each one is stuffed with promotional gifts valued at $120K:

...the swag bag includes a variety of luxury items, from spa-grade cosmetics, to the advanced Quip electric toothbrush, a year-supply of fresh California oranges, an experience with a personal trainer, and 6-12-day travel packages to Tanzania, Greece, and Hawaii.

For the past 16 years, marketing agency Distinctive Assets has made the "'Everyone Wins' Nominee Gift Bag." Interestingly, the bag is unofficial and not presented at the awards ceremony itself.

The Washington Post reports:

Each bag is big enough to fit a number of human bodies and heavy enough to risk back injury if you tried to lift it with poor form...

It’s difficult to behold the collection of gifts without contemplating class war. This year’s offerings include a slate of skin-care, weight-loss and anti-aging products designed to fend off the inevitable progression of human life, as well as something called “Chao Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation.” The bag features fancy chocolates from Chocolatines in flavors unknown to the proletariat such as “Champagne Diamond” and “Ginger Sake Pearl.” We sampled the “Pomegranate Balsamic Ruby” but couldn’t taste the ruby.

This year’s most expensive offering is a $40,000 luxury trip to Tanzania from International Expeditions...

Some of the bag’s gifts make strange bedfellows.

Reportedly costing $179K, this elaborate cake wowed guests at a wedding Sunday in Kazakhstan. Styled like a castle, the one-ton cake featured many moving parts including a small horse-drawn carriage that brought small representations of the wedding couple to the front door of the castle. From there, the figurines were whisked up to a balcony near the top of the cake.

Watch for yourself:

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Добро пожаловать в НАШ СЛАДКИЙ МИР 😎✌️❤️

A post shared by RENAT AGZAMOV (@renat_agzamov) on Jan 17, 2018 at 7:49am PST

AKIPress named the bride and groom and their social status:

The groom Amirzhan is grandson of a Shymkent oligarch Serikzhan Seitzhanov, bride Aruzhan is daughter of Kairat Satybaldy, a Kazakh businessman, nephew of the president of Kazakhstan.

Interestingly, the impressive cake was crafted by Renat Agzamov (shown below), a former Russian boxing champion turned pastry chef.

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Реализовали сложнейший международный проект🔥 диаметр торта 3 метра, высота 4,2 ( с тележкой) . Вес около 1500кг. С такими размерами доставить заготовки в другую страну - это ОЧЕНЬ сложно ! Но мы справились, потому что у нас самая сильная команда профессионалов в мире!🔥🔥🔥 Перед вывозом торта в зал - ровно 3 суток без сна, но результат того стоит! Благодарю свою команду за мощный рывок в космос 🚀 Просто ценю и уважаю каждого😘❤️. Благодарю принимающую сторону за очень тёплый и душевный прием🙏! Как приятно работать, когда тебя любят, ценят и уважают😘❤️. Ну и самое главное - счастья молодым и благополучия 🙏🙏❤️.

Do you co-sleep with your children? Do you have multiple partners? Are you tall? Are you larger than average? Do you have orgies on the regular? Do you like to pretend you're tiny?

Well, whatever your reason, there's now an over-sized mattress for you.

The Ace Collection offers over-sized mattresses (along with corresponding bedding and frames).

The first one is called either the "Ace" or the "Ace Player," depending on how you orient it in your room. One way, the Player side, it's four inches wider than a standard King size bed but is much much longer. Flip it and it becomes an extra-wide bed:

The really crazy big one is the "Ace Family" size. It's massive, measuring in at 144 inches wide. By my calculations, you could easily fit 4-5 adults on that thing.

Mattress prices start at $2,250, bedding at $258, and frames at $500.

Thanks, Dixie! Read the rest

The good folks at YouCar took a tour of a wood shop that makes dashboard panels for Bentleys, and it's a real pleasure to watch such fine work being produced. Read the rest

This anti-theft feature has apparently been standard on all Rolls-Royce models since 2004. Also, the hood ornament has a name: The Spirit of Ecstasy.

(via Geekologie)

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This stately and elegant Whiskey Case was made-to-order by Louis Vuitton in the 1980s. There is one available at posh 20th century design shop Pullman Gallery. From Pullman Gallery:

In effectively unused condition, the square case with top carrying-handle is in gold Epi leather, with gold-plated studs, latches and lock, and original key. The drop-front exposes the interior, lined in deep green alcantara and grained leather and fitted with compartments containing all a whisky connoisseur would require – a single, heavy glass silver-mounted whisky carafe, four whisky beakers, a Thermos-lined ice bucket and a nut or olive dish, all in Sterling silver and marked Christofle for Louis Vuitton. A stamped pair of silver tongs and a corkscrew with cover, completes the set.

I've requested the price. LV's recent updated model of the Whiskey Case is approximately $35,000.

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Kopi Luwak is the most expensive coffee in the world. At my local specialty coffee bean store, it sells for $420 per pound—or $10 for a 10 oz. brewed cup.

Kopi Luwak is very different from that cheap, gauche coffee you and I drink every day. This is because each hand-harvested bean of Kopi Luwak has been artisanally shat out of the digestive system of a small Indonesian pseudo-cat.

Yesterday, my husband and I split a cup of Kopi Luwak in an attempt to figure out whether having cat butt all over your coffee beans really did noticeably improve the flavor, or whether this was all just an elaborate practical joke on the part of Indonesian farmers. Read the rest