Monday, 26 May 2014

From Tunisia to the US, Star Wars anniversary infographic reveals travel guide to film locations

Star Wars fans - this is the only travel guide you will ever need, according to its designers.
Launched to celebrate the anniversary of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope first making its debut in cinemas in 1977, the infographic explains where the movies were filmed.
The graphic breaks down the scene from individual Star Wars films, revealing the location it was shot in, pinpointing locations on a map for those who want to follow in Hans Solo's footsteps.
From the Island of Djerba in Tunisia, to Buttercup Valley in Arizona, and Mount Etna in Sicily, the guide showcases 14 different locations.
The infographic, compiled by Lucasfilm, adds: 'Let's face it; since most of us were kids, we've wanted to visit the Star Wars galaxy.
'Although we haven't yet achieved hyperspace travel, you can still visit the galaxy’s most iconic locations here on Earth.
'This travel guide, brought to you by De Agostini, publishers of The Official Star Wars Face Film, will show you a galaxy that's not so far, far away...'
Star Wars travel guide
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Jay Z opens swanky 40/40 Club at world's busiest airport - exclusive to passengers

Jay Z has opened his 40/40 Club at the world's busiest airport – perfect for passengers with time to kill.
The rapper, who is married to Beyonce, launched his elite bar’s third location, which is only open to ticketed flyers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia.
The sports bar is in the US airport's Concourse D concessions area, and will be a scaled-down version of his two other clubs.

New club: Jay Z - pictured with Beyonce - is opening a new branch of his sports bar at Atlanta airport
New club: Jay Z - pictured with Beyonce - is opening a new branch of his sports bar at Atlanta airport
Jay Z performing on stage at the DirecTV Super Saturday Night party at the 40/40 Club in February
Jay Z performing on stage at the DirecTV Super Saturday Night party at the 40/40 Club in February

New bar: The 40/40 Club that opened at Atlanta airport yesterday
New bar: The 40/40 Club that opened at Atlanta airport yesterday

40/40 restaurant and lounges also are located in Manhattan and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Jay Z also had clubs in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, New Jersey, but both closed.

40/40 is known at the New York locations for its live music and sports memorabilia and for attracting sports celebrities and music stars such as Rhiannon, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne.
Victoria Hong of Delaware North Companies, which partners with the rap mogul, said: ‘We want to have the same type of feel as the regular 40/40 Club.
Exclusive: Inside the original 40/40 club in New York
Exclusive: Inside the original 40/40 club in New York

The new bar will be a scaled down version of the original New York club
The new bar will be a scaled down version of the original New York club

New venture: Jay Z pictured with wife Beyonce at the anniversary of the 40/40 Club in 2006
New venture: Jay Z pictured with wife Beyonce at the anniversary of the 40/40 Club in 2006

Exclusive club: The sports bar is has opened at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International airport, Georgia
Exclusive club: The sports bar is has opened at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International airport, Georgia

‘It's the airport version of the 40/40 Club.’
Airport concessions director Paul Brown said there are plans to create a VIP lounge area of the club, separate from the sports bar - at 1,500sq-ft - on a different floor.
The lounge is expected to open in the late fall, Brown said.
The original Manhattan location opened in 2003, with Jay Z and business partner Juan Perez.
40/40 was named after the rare feat among ballplayers of hitting 40 homers and stealing 40 bases in one season.

At the time, Jay Z said: 'I love sports and wanted to create an environment that is conducive to match my lifestyle, while watching the games at the same time.
Luxurious hangout: The New York sports bar opened by Jay Z to fit in with his lifestyle
Luxurious hangout: The New York sports bar opened by Jay Z to fit in with his lifestyle

Celebrity haunt: Basketball player Michael Beasley plays pool at Jay Z's 40/40 Club in New York
Celebrity haunt: Basketball player Michael Beasley plays pool at Jay Z's 40/40 Club in New York

'When we were thinking of a name, we wanted something exclusive - the 40/40 Club in baseball is as exclusive as it gets.'
The New York club, which has recently undergone a $10m renovation, boasts an 18ft-tall illuminated champagne tower, plush lounges with leather seats, and video walls for watching sports games.
There are also private lounges with billiard tables, 55-in HD TVs, chandeliers and a valuable collection of sports memorabilia.
United: Jay Z and Beyonce were  pictured at the Met Gala earlier this month before the skirmish in the elevator
United: Jay Z and Beyonce were pictured at the Met Gala earlier this month before the skirmish in the elevator

'We tried to create a place that would be favourable to both men and women, and we think we have found it with the combination of sports and an upscale hip lounge,' Juan Perez added.
Jay Z, Beyonce and Solange Knowles were yesterday pictured for the first time since the now infamous elevator bust-up at the recent Met Gala.
It is unclear what exactly caused the altercation between the rapper and his sister in law.
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From Southampton to New York on the majestic Queen Mary 2 as she celebrates her tenth anniversary voyage

Union Jacks aren’t usually handed out to passengers when the Queen Mary 2 sets sail from Southampton to New York — but they are this evening.
What’s more, the Duke of Edinburgh dropped by earlier in the day to wish her and all who sail in her well.
Then, at 10 pm, with fireworks to port and the QM2’s sister ships, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth to starboard, we wave our flags with gusto as the world’s longest, tallest, widest and most expensive ocean liner ever built embarks on its tenth anniversary voyage.
Grand scale: The QM2 is 1,132 foot long making it the world's longest passenger ship
Grand scale: The QM2 is 1,132 foot long making it the world's longest passenger ship

Epic proportions: On this voyage, there are 2,600 passengers and 1,200 staff on board the QM2
Epic proportions: On this voyage, there are 2,600 passengers and 1,200 staff on board the QM2

Blaring out through the tannoy is Baroque composer Jeremiah Clarke’s Prince of Denmark’s March and complimentary bubbly is on offer to anyone who asks politely. It beats squeezing into an airline seat.
Next morning, my wife and I are waiting near one of the 22 passenger lifts and the captain, no less, Kevin Oprey, happens to float by.
He’s the answer to my prayers because for all my chat about this being a once-in-a-lifetime experience where one can do as much or little as one wants, it’s nothing short of a miracle Mrs Palmer is on board at all.
The last time we took a cruise and the ship moved about a teeny-weeny bit in the swell, her life jacket joined us in bed.
‘It may be windy from time to time, but you’ll hardly feel a thing,’ says the captain. What is it about a man in uniform?
He’s right, too, because, as we are constantly reminded, this is not a cruise ship. This is a 152,000-ton liner, purpose built to cut a swathe through the roughest ocean waves.
Iconic skyline: The QM2 bids farewell to New York and heads for Southampton
Iconic skyline: The QM2 bids farewell to New York and heads for Southampton

There are 2,600 passengers and 1,200 staff on board — but you would never know it. Inside and out, there are un-crowded corners to sit and read or just stare over the rolling Atlantic, which we learn covers 20 per cent of the Earth’s surface.
What I love is that there is no need to feel guilty about not visiting yet another temple, cathedral or art gallery.
Lavish: Inside the QM2 the spacious cabins are perfect to relax in
Lavish: Inside the QM2 the spacious cabins are perfect to relax in
Record-breaking: The QM2 also boasts the world's first ever floating planetarium
Record-breaking: The QM2 also boasts the world's first ever floating planetarium

Lavish: The grand and ornate setting of the ship's Britannia restaurant
Lavish: The grand and ornate setting of the ship's Britannia restaurant

You’re going nowhere while being transported from one continent to another. However, at the same time, you can be busy from morning to night.
Here’s an example of one day’s activities: Power deck walk at 8am, beginner’s bridge at 9.30am, watercolour class at 10am, introduction to Apple Mac computing at 11.30am, line dancing at noon, piano recital at 2pm, a performance of The Merchant of Venice at 3pm, a blockbuster movie at 4pm, lecture about the sinking of the Titanic (no point skirting the issue) at 5pm.

Hazy days: The magnificent QM2 departs New York at dawn
Hazy days: The magnificent QM2 departs New York at dawn

Then in the evening take your pick from West End musicals to karaoke and from ballroom dancing to string quartets and ‘DJ Marc’s Seventies nights’.
Anyone would think there’s no time to eat. But you can eat all day if you want — and for the first 48 hours that’s pretty much what we do.
Then we pull ourselves together and throw ourselves headlong into the programme.
No sooner do we finish breakfast one morning than my wife announces she’s off to her class. What is it this time? Scarf tying — with napkin folding to follow.
Travel in style: Passengers gather on the quarterdeck of QM2 as she departs from New York
Travel in style: Passengers gather on the quarterdeck of QM2 as she departs from New York

Which frees me up to attend Eats, Shoots & Leaves author Lynne Truss’s witty talk about zero tolerance for poor punctuation.
All the lectures are packed and none lasts more than 45 minutes.
‘Why wasn’t school like this?’ asks an American woman as we file out from a lecture about the Middle East.
Probably because at school there wasn’t a fully fledged spa and a dozen or so bars to ease the learning process.
Probably because there weren’t professional musicians and RADA-trained actors to liven up one’s free time. The food is not exactly school dinners either.
Depending on your cabin, you are assigned to one of four restaurants.
The Big Apple: Cunard's liner QM2 departs New York against the background of lower Manhattan
The Big Apple: Cunard's liner QM2 departs New York against the background of lower Manhattan

We’re in the Princess Grill, where the nosh is as good if not better than in most smart London hotels, the service superior and infinitely more sincere.
One of my favourite moments is when the Daily Programme sheet arrives at about 7pm and you start plotting the following day. And it’s wonderful going to bed knowing that most nights you gain an hour’s sleep as the clocks go back.
The whole notion of jet lag seems brutal. It’s all so seductive that I defy anyone not to have a good time. Politeness rules the waves. In fact for seven days we never once hear a raised voice, a complaint, even the faintest of resigned sighs.
And everyone is busy. Young and old alike scurry around with their itineraries like punters studying their race cards at a big race meeting.
Yes, it’s genteel (12 Years a Slave is ‘not recommended for sensitive viewers’, we are warned prior to a showing of the film) but it’s a wonderful way to arrive in New York.
Mind you, it’s an early start at the finish line. The captain tells us the night before that we will sail under the Verrazano Bridge at 4.45 am and should pass the Statue of Liberty half an hour or so later. He’s spot on.
Unfortunately, a fog has settled over Manhattan.
There are few twinkling lights to greet us — but there’s still a collective intake of breath as the Statue of Liberty comes into view. Then it’s back to bed and a final breakfast before rejoining the real world.
This cruise, sorry, transatlantic crossing reminds me of President Reagan’s line: ‘It’s true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure why take the chance?’
Travel Facts
Queen Mary 2 departs Southampton on June 24 2014 for a seven-night voyage to New York. Fares from £1,579 for a Balcony cabin or from £2,249 for a Princess Grill Suite. Cunard.co.uk, 0843 374 000.
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Champagne dinners, 360-degree views, post-safari massages and lions roaming below: Could these be the world's most glamorous (yet terrifying) tree houses?

They're a far cry from the rudimentary tree houses we played in as children, in which imagination played a major role.
A trio of strikingly beautiful tree houses on the Lion Sands Game Reserve, in the heart of South Africa's safari land, offer brave guests the chance to sleep under the stars, with wild animals lurking below.
Once dropped off guests are given insect repellent, torches and a two-way radio and left to their own devices while lions, hyenas hunt prey down below.
The Chalkley treehouse was built sixty years ago, originally as a photographer's platform. Since then it has been kitted out with a double bed, basin, hot water bottles and dressing gowns.
Life on the nearby Sabie River comes alive at sunrise and dawn and you might spot a herd of elephants less than 200 feet away across the plain.
Situated opposite the Sabie River, guests in the Tinyeleti tree house will enjoy the soothing sound of gently rushing water while spying the wildlife out for a sunset drink.
The 645sqft Kingston is the largest of the three and features a shower, and guests are offered champagne dinners and sunset massages.
Kingston 2.jpg
All mod cons: The Kingston hut, the largest of the three, features its own shower and after a hard day of game viewing, guests can have a well-earned massage

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Wilderness: The Chalkley treehouse exposes guests to the elements, and was originally built as a photographers' platform


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Luxury at sundown: The Kingston hut, pictured at dusk, when the local wildlife comes to life

Kingston 1.jpg
In the thick of it: Guests are given insect repellent, torches and a two-way radio and then left to their own devices

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Kingston by day: The isolated setting is perfect for honeymooning couples wanting to find seclusion within beautiful surroundings

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River side: Visitors to the Tinyeleti tree house will enjoy the sound of the gently rushing waters of the Sabie River

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Sweet dreams: The heavenly setting of the Kingston tree house would appeal to wildlife lovers and luxury fans with an adventurous side


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Tinyeleti: When night falls over the Sabie River, guests can expect to see wildlife stopping by for an early evening drink
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Kanye West and Kim Kardashian receive special honeymoon invite... from Cork City!

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West received a very special invite after arriving in Cork, Ireland for their honeymoon.
The newlyweds, who were married in front of 200 guests in a sunset ceremony at Forte di Belvedere in Florence on Saturday received a Tweet from Cork City FC inviting them to watch a game at Turner's Cross.
The club's official Twitter page read: 'If you guys are around Friday night, we've got a game against Athlone. We're kind of a big deal. See you there!'
Invite: Cork FC extended a special invitation to Kim Kardashian and Kanye West who are on their honeymoon
Invite: Cork FC extended a special invitation to Kim Kardashian and Kanye West who are on their honeymoon

Happy couple: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are on their hooneymoon in Cork after marrying on Saturday
Happy couple: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are on their hooneymoon in Cork after marrying on Saturday

Cork City are currently second in the League of Ireland table, two points off Dundalk, with John Caulfield's team in form having won their last three matches.
The 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' star and her 36-year-old rapper husband are planning to enjoy five days at a 'luxury private estate' in the country.
I do: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West tie the knot at their elaborate wedding
I do: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West tie the knot at their elaborate wedding
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian's pre-wedding dinner at the Chateau de Versailles (Versailles Castle) in Versailles, near Paris
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian's pre-wedding dinner at the Chateau de Versailles (Versailles Castle) in Versailles, near Paris


On their honeymoon: Rapper Kanye West and actress Kim Kardashian
On their honeymoon: Rapper Kanye West and actress Kim Kardashian
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JAMIE REDKNAPP: Humble Bale is heir to Ronaldo's throne as the best in the world

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are the two best players in world football, but Gareth Bale is the heir to the throne. There is no doubt he can be the best player on the planet in five years’ time.
What Bale has achieved in his first  season at Real Madrid is nothing short of sensational. To go to a new club, a new country and an entirely new culture and perform as he has done is remarkable.
He was not at his best on Saturday night but big players change games and that’s exactly what he’s done. He scored a wonder goal to win the Copa del Rey last month and made the crucial  breakthrough in extra time in the  Champions League.
The heir: Real Madrid star Gareth Bale will become the best player in the world in five years' time
The heir: Real Madrid star Gareth Bale will become the best player in the world in five years' time

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo
Barca forward Lionel Messi
Write caption here

He wasted some good chances in  Lisbon but if you want an indicator of the impact he had, just look at Filipe Luis. The Atletico Madrid left back has been excellent but he won’t have run as hard all season.
By the end of the game he was on the floor with cramp. That’s what happens when you spend your evening chasing Gareth Bale’s shadow.
Explosive pace has always been Bale’s primary weapon, but now he is the  complete player. His raw speed makes him so hard to defend against but it’s his technique at high speed that now sets him apart.

BALE vs RONALDO: TALE OF THE TAPE


GARETH BALE
CRISTIANO RONALDO
24Age29
Cardiff, Wales BornFunchal, Madeira
6ft 0inHeight6ft 1in
11Shirt Number7
Southampton, TottenhamPrevious clubsSporting Lisbon, Manchester United
292Career club appearances569
82Career goals375
44International Caps110
12International Goals49
£86m (2013)Transfer fee£80m (2009)
£35m Worthc. £120m
Adidas, EA Sports, Lucozade EndorsementsNike, Coca-Cola, Emirates, Castrol, Konami, Emporio Armani, KFC, Tag Heuer, Banco Espirito Santo, Motorola, Herbal Life, Jacob & Co.
Emma Rhys-Jones, childhood sweetheartWAGIrina Shayk, Russian model
One daughter, Alba Violet b. 2012KidsOne son, Cristiano b. 2010
Match winner: Bale is now the complete power, with excellent technique along with explosive pace
Match winner: Bale is now the complete power, with excellent technique along with explosive pace

Chasing shadows: Filipe Luis is an excellent defender but he was run ragged by the Welshman
Chasing shadows: Filipe Luis is an excellent defender but he was run ragged by the Welshman

He can play anywhere across the front, score with his left or right foot and with his head. He has a fantastic leap and he showed it by being in the right place at the right time to score against Atletico.
The frightening thing is he is still learning the game. Playing alongside and studying Ronaldo, he can only get better.
Bale is so strong in the air but imagine if he attacked crosses with the same aggression as  Ronaldo — he could be impossible to stop.
I remember seeing him play in the Southampton youth team when I was at the club. Most of the talk then was about a young Theo Walcott, but there was also a dark-haired kid who was a pretty handy left back.
Passive: Bale is good in the air but he needs to be more aggressive when he attacks the ball
Passive: Bale is good in the air but he needs to be more aggressive when he attacks the ball

Flourished: Bale has come a long way since his time as a left back for Southampton
Flourished: Bale has come a long way since his time as a left back for Southampton

He was very shy but once he came out of his shell it did not take long to realise you were in the presence of somebody special.
It was the same at Tottenham when he started to play further forward and was  shredding defences for fun. That shy young left back has transformed into quite a man.
Bale now has the world at his feet but he remains that rarest of things: a humble superstar. I’m sure if he wanted to whip his shirt off and celebrate Ronaldo-style he’d look just as good, but that’s not how he is.
He is just a lovely kid and is the exception to those who say you need a mean streak to succeed in football.
When you watch him play, you can still see the wonder in his eyes as if he’s thinking: ‘Blimey, I’m playing for Real Madrid.’ That is every football fan’s dream but he’s not just playing for Madrid, he’s starring for them.
Humble superstar: Bale has now been instrumental in Real Madrid winning two trophies in his debut season
Humble superstar: Bale has now been instrumental in Real Madrid winning two trophies in his debut season

When he made the move last summer, I was full of admiration. Playing for a club like Real is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but it takes a lot of courage to move abroad and plenty have failed in the past. Bale’s debut season has been like a fairytale.
Ronaldo was 24 when he moved to Madrid and he scored 33 goals in his opening season, 11 more than Bale. But there is one big difference between the two:  Ronaldo won nothing whereas Bale has two trophies to his name. Expectations at Real Madrid are always sky-high, but that is some way to announce yourself.
It’s just a shame we are unlikely to see Bale play at his peak in a World Cup because, make no  mistake, he has everything needed to become the best player in the world.
 
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Real Madrid's Euro superstars take the mic as they look to top the music charts with release of 'Hala Madrid' anthem on iTunes

Real Madrid may have hit the top of European football with their Champions League final win, but Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Co aren't stopping there.
The two Real superstars joined up with the rest of the team to record their own version of 'Hala Madrid', the club's famous song.
The track is available to download on iTunes, and many Real fans will be keen to purchase after an historic season for their club.
Popstars: Real Madrid's players sang a version of 'Hala Madrid' the club's famous song
Popstars: Real Madrid's players sang a version of 'Hala Madrid' the club's famous song

Full voice: Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Co released their version of 'Hala Madrid' on iTunes
Full voice: Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Co released their version of 'Hala Madrid' on iTunes

All smiles: Portuguese superstar Ronaldo seemed to enjoy the recording of their hit single
All smiles: Portuguese superstar Ronaldo seemed to enjoy the recording of their hit single

Perfect harmony: Angel Di Maria and Bale joined in with the recording of the song
Perfect harmony: Angel Di Maria and Bale joined in with the recording of the song

Real Madrid were crowned European champions after coming from behind to beat Atletico Madrid 4-1 after extra-time in the final at Lisbon's Stadium of Light.
They returned home to a hero's welcome in the early hours of Sunday morning, and took to the streets of the Spanish capital for an open-top bus parade.
Madrid then invited their fans to the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday night for a special party to celebrate 'La Decima'.
Over 80,000 spectators packed into their famous old stadium where the players were introduced one by one and the trophy was paraded before the evening ended with a spectacular firework show.
Top of the pops: Sergio Ramos, who scored the crucial equaliser in the final, sings his heart out
Top of the pops: Sergio Ramos, who scored the crucial equaliser in the final, sings his heart out

X Factor: Real Madrid's Brazilian defender Marcelo looks nervous about singing
X Factor: Real Madrid's Brazilian defender Marcelo looks nervous about singing

Passion: Long-serving goalkeeper Iker Casillas sings along to the club's famous song
Passion: Long-serving goalkeeper Iker Casillas sings along to the club's famous song

Party time: Real Madrid celebrated their Champions League win in front of 80,000 fans at the Bernabeu
Party time: Real Madrid celebrated their Champions League win in front of 80,000 fans at the Bernabeu
Road block: The scenes on the streets of Madrid after Real returned home in the early hours of Sunday
Road block: The scenes on the streets of Madrid after Real returned home in the early hours of Sunday
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