Time to head back to Asia to see how our fast food has been, once again, “MONSTERIZED!”

And what do I mean by this? How about THIS!

Yes, Burger King Japan is back with a new “Monster Burger!”

Here’s the story, thanks to the website “BurgerBusiness.”

Time For A “Garlic Meat Beast” – It’s The New “Meat Monster!”

Burger King Japan has a history of offering up limited time, CRAZY burgers to their japanese clients – and once again they have decided to take a burger and SUPERSIZE it – with meat AND unique flavors – like GARLIC!

Remember The “Meat Monster?”

Last year, Burger King in Japan created the “Meat Monster Whopper” with extra cheese, bacon and beef plus a chicken patty. Remember it?

As always, these sort of “Monster” food always shows up in Japan. After this effort, the pressure was on for Japan’s Burger King: How to top that?

Meet “The Garlic Meat Beast!”

Here’s how BurgerBusiness describes it: “There’s just one beef patty, but it’s a quarter pounder. And instead of bacon there’s a ground-pork patty to go with the chicken breast fillet.”

That’s right, that is a “ground-pork patty” you are looking at in there!

Cue The Garlic!

And, in a purely asian touch, the burger is topped with fried garlic slices with red miso, green-onion and teriyaki sauces, lettuce, mayo and tomato. That’s right – fried garlic!

The Price? ¥650!- Or $6.62!

The Double Garlic Cheeseburger!

Can’t handle the Beast? Then try THIS: the Double Garlic Cheeseburger!

Here’s what you get: two beef patties with fried garlic, Cheddar and spicy Caesar sauce. According to NeoGAF, this burger is priced at ¥200 ($2.04) for the first four days, then it jumps to ¥350 ($3.56).

Imagine a burger with fried garlic and spicy Caesar sauce! But that’s not all!

Behold The Mini-Dog Pizzas!

Japan’s desire to up the ante for fast food goes beyond burgers!

Yes, our friends in Japan have decided that the way we stuff our pizza crusts just isn’t wacky enough – they stuff their with mini-corn dogs! Every bite of cheesy pizza goodness is now topped by a spicy bite of mini-dogs too!

You can argue that this is just more meat added to the pizza in a place where the meat normally doesn’t reside…giving the pizza a unique look for sure! And if you just want a nice slice of pizza – with some REALLY unique flavors, get ready for THIS!

A Potato Mayonaise Gratin Mini-Hot Dog Pizza!

You read that right – this pizza is topped with a potato mayonaise gratin!

The “Potato Mayonnaise Gratin” Pizza is basically a pizza topped with potato salad that is served warm with bacon.

Talk about your unique pizza toppings! I would try this in a heartbeat – but since I’m not in Japan right now, I guess I will miss out….unless I just want to make it on my own – but I’m afraid it will turn out like THIS!

I think all bets are now off in the pizza topping challenge, and I think we will all eat better because of it! Thanks again to Japan for taking fast food to a whole new level. So bite down hard NOW!

And if you just need a bacon cheeseburger – say with 1,000 slices of cheese, I’ve got that story for you too!

Click here for the whole story!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/07/14/the-1050-slice-bacon-whopper-a-thousand-slices-of-cheese-wrap-me-in-bacon-bacon-excess/

“Could This Be The World’s Skinniest House?”

I don’t know why, but I woke up this morning asking this question – and when I came across this picture, I thought – “perhaps!”…then I thought, “or could THIS be?”

And then again, sometimes you need a bit of perspective to really understand how skinny a house might be…so thanks to this young man for sizing up the situation for me…

Skinny Life!

I love to travel. And what I love MOST about traveling is seeing how other people live – so when you are in Tokyo, for example, you see streets like this:

Tokyo is one of the world’s coolest cities, and Japan is one of the greatest countries in the world…but this is a fact:

The US has 300-million people. Japan has 150-million. The ENTIRE land mass of Japan is the size of MONTANA!

That’s one reason that Tokyo is built vertically – there is not much land horizontally! And that means you have to build you houses wherever space is available:

Nice Stairs!

Still, no matter how small your house may be, you can always do an add on like these stairs!

It just shows that you can super size virtually anything – and you can minimize them as well – I’m not even sure where this apartment building is located – looks to be Europe – but they really know how to use all available space!

The World’s All-time Skinniest House!

Well, I think I found it – according to an online article, THIS could be the world’s skinniest house – in Poland!

Yes, that’s the house – that amazingly narrow strip BETWEEN the other two buildings! The Keret House is 122 cm (48.031″) at its widest, 72 (28.34″) at its narrowest!

Read all about it by clicking on this story – they have a video walk through as well – enjoy!

http://www.mnn.com/your-home/remodeling-design/stories/worlds-skinniest-house-built-in-poland

First of all, I want to thank everyone who reads this blog on a regular basis – or anyone who has even read it once…for that, I offer you THIS:

Well, perhaps not, but I do appreciate the interest in the stories: whether they are about food, travel, movies, music, or even stuff like THIS:

Yes, if you saw my story, you know that Chinese Burger King customers have started to “super size” their meals at the salad bar…and if you’ve ever read a blog post of mine, then I can guarantee you’ve seen one of these:

Of course I LOVE burgers – and bacon too! I especially love bacon when someone has done something REALLY WRONG to it – like creating a bacon sandwich with ten pounds of bacon – like this one!

A Bacon Mona Lisa!

And I love when people use bacon for “non-food” things like making a portrait of the Mona Lisa – all out of bacon!

All The Stories Will STILL Be On Johnrieber.com FIRST!

As always, EVERY story is posted on this site first and foremost…but I wanted to also offer a place to go for a “best of” look at some of the topics I’ve posted about A LOT…like the wackiest place in the world: TOKYO!

Because I’ve posted so many food stories, I’ve set up a website that will showcase all of my food posts, like the one that focused on the “bread-cheese-bacon-bread-cheese-bacon-bread” cheeseburger!

If you want to see ALL of my food posts in one place, please check out my new site!

http://biteeatswallow.com/

But, to reiterate, all of these stories will be posted primarily here, on my main site…that goes for all of the following “best of” sites….like the collection of travel stories I’ve done….because sometimes I just want to get away, like here to Cannes…

So, if you like to travel as much as I do, then maybe you want to catch up on some of the older travel stories!

I have also put my favorite travel stories on one site as well…along with this main site, all of my stories about Japan, Seoul, Australia etc will live on a travel site as well – and of course Cannes, where I love to go to relax:

Sign up if you want to see all of my travel stories by going HERE!

http://spinningorbit.com/

And, if your musical tastes “go to eleven”, then I’ve got all of my favorite music stories on a special blog for you too!

I love posting stories about my favorite music – sometimes The Beatles, always Todd Rundgren, and even “Spinal Tap”!

Check all of those stories HERE!

http://musicplatter.com/

And finally, there is a special place in my heart for a certain type of movie:

That’s right – classic exploitation is a lost art form that needs to be embraced and celebrated – and it’s not all old stuff, either – let’s not forget “J-sploitation!”

You will still find ALL of these stories posted here first, but if you need some ideas for weekend viewing – yes, it’s the crazy world of exploitation HERE!

http://jrsploitation.com/

Of course, if you are reading this, you’ve come across my main site, and to reiterate, ALL stories are posted here. This is where I cover such breaking news as these “sushi poppers!”

Or, you can find out about the world’s skinniest buildings!

And don’t forget, I broke the story of “Ramen burgers” first!

http://johnrieber.com/2013/05/16/wacky-ramen-burgers-crazy-japanese-burger-menu-east-meets-west-with-video/

Or, you can read about Jo Nesbo, the best fiction writer in the world right now!

“Making You An Offer You Can’t Refuse…”

Finally, I will continue to share my favorite films, along with many inside stories like this picture from the filming of “The Godfather” – Robert Duvall wearing Marlon Brando’s lines!

I mean – I LOVE THIS PICTURE!

No matter what you come for, I hope you enjoy the posts – and please sign up for the specific sites as well to see those specific subjects that interest you…please let me know what you think, and thanks for your support!

The Juliette Society!

Sasha Grey’s got a novel coming out, and I can’t wait to read it! Sasha’s a great person and a very talented Artist, and I saw how many loyal fans she has when I filmed with her at a fan appearance in Australia…

Now To The Novel, “The Juliette Society!”

According to the press release, Sasha wants you to enjoy the book, and here is all she asks of you:

“Before we go any further, let’s get this out of the way. I want you to do three things for me.

One. Do not be offended by anything you read beyond this point.

Two. Leave your inhibitions at the door.

Three, and most important. Everything you see and hear from now on must remain between us…”

Fair enough!

The Juliette Society!

With “Fifty Shades Of Grey” such a phenomenon, Sasha Grey has written her version of erotic fiction. It’s called “The Juliette Society”…you can order it right now on Amazon!

Here’s the plot: Catherine, a film student whose sexuality has been recently stirred, finds herself drawn into a secret club where the world’s most powerful people meet to explore their deepest, often darkest sexual fantasies. But even as these new experiences open intense new pleasures for Catherine, they also threaten everything she holds dear…”

The book was released several months ago in Europe, and Sasha has been doing a ton of press…

Here is the cover of Spain’s Rolling Stone:

The book is available August 27 – as I said, pre-order it now! And kudos to Sasha for writing erotic fiction from a woman’s point of view…she’s getting tons of press overseas, which is also great!

Sasha’s Travel Adventures!

If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you know that I had the chance to travel to Australia with Sasha, exploring one of the greatest countries in the world!

Here she is filming with our crew at Sydney’s convention center…and she also got the chance to take on some much more dangerous sports as well!

Sasha Gets A Shark Photo Bomb!

Those were indeed REAL LIVE SHARKS photo bombing Sasha as she walked among them at Sydney’s Aquarium…and no, there are NO barricades or glass between her and the sharks!

Here’s a short video all about it her adventure – first up, getting instruction from her Shark Master – and asking if she can “walk like a duck underwater!

Then it was time to walk into the tanks and hang out with the sharks…we were all, of course, safely kept behind thick glass!

Sasha Gets “Brushed Back!”

Then it was time to “interact” with the sharks…remember, there is nothing between her and those sharks! Here’s a video in which she discusses the “tail flipping” incident!

You can see all of the pictures – and more video – by clicking on the link below:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/02/26/sasha-greys-shark-dive-sashas-shark-photo-bomb-sashas-extreme-shark-diving-adventure/

Sasha Goes Bats!

Sasha also got to see Australian bats – which just hang out in their parks and look like this:

That story with pictures and video can be found here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/05/18/sasha-greys-juliette-society-sasha-goes-bats-for-australia/

Surf’s Up With Sasha!

OK, this was Sasha trying out a game where you try and stay on a mechanical surfboard…she did pretty well at it! But we decided to really test her, and took her to the iconic Bondi Beach, where she learned to surf for real!

The entire story, plus lots of fun videos, are located here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/01/03/sasha-grey-surfs-sasha-steps-in-gum-surfs-up-at-bondi-beach-australia/

Sasha’s On Top Of The World!

Finally, we had the chance to travel to Melbourne, and while we were there we headed up the tallest building in the southern hemisphere: Eureka Tower…

And yes, Melbourne is as beautiful as it looks – we had a great time, and if you want to see the entire video of Sasha peering out from 88 stories high, and how the cube she is in magically transforms, just click BELOW:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/01/11/sasha-grey-goes-88-stories-high-in-australias-eureka-tower/

Sasha Outtake!

Finally, I found this hilarious short video of Sasha in a car putting on some makeup – and yes, she realizes she is being filmed:

As you can see, Sasha is great fun to work with, so if you are a fan, go order “The Juliette Society” now!

Congrats to Sasha for the publication of her novel!

Nothing Like The Great Taste Of Food!

OK, perhaps in this case, this person isn’t enjoying their meal – but isn’t that why it’s so much fun to try new things: you never know what kind of taste sensation you may get…isn’t that really the whole idea behind deep fried bacon?

Well, it’s with that in mind – oh, and perhaps my favorite: the “Cheeseburger in a can”…

Behold The Burger Majesty Of MOS!

But it’s not all canned – check this out!

MOS Burger, the Japanese fast food chain famous for being a fresher, slightly healthier alternative to other hamburger joints, has unveiled a new hamburger – loaded with French demi-glace sauce and aligot, a sumptuous mix of potato and cheese…

The “No Bun” Burger!

And MOS hasn’t stopped there: they also released an Mos “Green Burger” nestled in the leafy green goodness of lettuce.

It’s called the Mos Vegetable with Sauce Aurore for 320 yen (US$3). It’s a beef patty topped with tomato and aurora sauce, which is a very creamy French sauce reddened to a nice pink with tomato.

Whatever happened to one of THESE?!?

It seems that anything worth doing is worth overdoing: click here to see the pandemonium underway right now for a “Ramen Burger!”

http://johnrieber.com/2013/05/16/wacky-ramen-burgers-crazy-japanese-burger-menu-east-meets-west-with-video/

It is with that in mind that I want to discuss what I think are the ten wildest things being eaten in the world today…

Ready To Begin A “Food Fight?”

Of course there will be disagreements – there are WAY more than ten strange food items in the world, but we had to start somewhere! I say anytime someone – like my beautiful daughter Jessica, for example – sees a food item and makes a face like THIS:

That look means the item – in this case a “Green Peas Pachisio Burger” deserves to be discussed! And no, we didn’t buy it – but we should have – because it was being offered in Tokyo, and that means it would have been memorable – like this food stall that serves Octopus On A Stick!

As you can see, it’s a colorful world of food out there to explore, so let’s go!

One caveat: this list will NOT include anything like THIS:

A Ban On Fried Bugs!

NO fried bugs, roasted spiders, larvae of any kind, etc. That kind of food is disgusting on purpose – and usually eaten on a dare – no, the wildest food on the planet made this list because it is a unique delicacy of a region that eats it for one of two reasons:

Yes, this is an internet image of a woman eating cake. It is meant to symbolize people eating food for one of two reasons: first, you eat for survival – if you don’t eat the strange food item you will die, so you eat it for survival – the second reason is because it is a cultural delicacy specific to that country or region. Got it? You decide which category pertains to the cake.

Cue The Potato Party!

So, when you read a story about how Asian fast food restaurants are throwing “potato parties” like the one you see above – when entire tables are covered in french fries – you can discount the cultural influence, it’s just wacky! Kind of like the “Bacon Oreo”:

That’s right, it’s a “bacon Oreo”. There is nothing cultural about this dish, and no one would eat it for survival. It’s just food being abused for the sake of entertainment.

And while some of this food may sound strange to you, imagine what most of the world thinks of THIS!

With that in mind, I give you the ten strangest food items currently being eaten around the world – and I bet some of them are actually GOOD! Then again….

10 – A “Fish” Hot Dog!

Imagine going to a hot dog stand, ordering “the usual”, and being served this! Well, they are serving them up in China, so head on over and bite down hard! This is, in fact, the tip of the strange chinese food iceberg – more to come!

But first, since we are talking icebergs, let’s head to Iceland for some fish!

9 – Hakarl – Fermented Basking Shark

Typically eaten in Iceland, Harkarl is “fermented basking shark” – and is, naturally, an acquired taste. Chef Anthony Bourdain described it as “the single worst, most disgusting and terrible tasting thing” he had ever eaten.

Let’s head to Japan for a snack instead…

8 – Almond Fish

I have shared these with you before – I purchased them in a store in Tokyo. They love dried fish in Tokyo, and they love almonds as well – and here you can love both AT ONCE.

OK, rather just have a sandwich?

7 – Fried Brain Sandwiches

Virtually every country in world does SOMETHING with brains – whether it’s used in cheese, pates, or some other manner – it’s a part of the animal that gets used for many reasons – but this is the most basic: deep fry a patty of it and stick it between two buns. Done. Close your eyes and you don’t have to see it…and speaking of eyes…

6 – Tuna Eyeball

Talk about using all parts of the fish! These can be found in most Japanese grocery stores for about a dollar. According to the website I found this at, “it tastes something like squid and should be boiled prior to consumption.”

Boiled Tuna Eyeball? No thanks, I’ll stick to sweets!

5 – Pork And Seaweed Doughnut

Then again, IS THIS CONSIDERED A SWEET? Dunkin’ Donuts is expanding their menu offerings in China, and they have created a savory doughnut stuffed with shredded pork and seaweed.

I would definitely try this! Talk about your sweet and savory! Now let’s head to Sweden to see what they have going on…

4 – Surstromming!

Help yourself to some “Surstromming”, a northern Swedish dish – it’s fermented baltic herring – usually sold in cans. And, from the story I found, “while they are being shipped the cans sometimes bulge due to the ongoing fermentation. Recently, a study in Japan found that “surstromming” releases the most putrid odor of any food in the world.”

The most putrid odor in the world? I can only imagine how it tastes…I need a drink to wash this down…

3- Caterpillar Fungus Beverage

Well, that sounds refreshing!

The caterpillar fungus is actually a traditional medicine that is widely used as a tonic or medicine by the Chinese. And it’s a lucrative market!

In China’s Yunnan Province, caterpillar fungus sales account for 60 to 80 percent of annual household cash income! Imagine making your living selling caterpillar juice! I wonder what else the chinese are up to:

2- Hot & Sour Fish Soup Potato Chips!

I’ve written about this before as well – a perfect example of western food being adapted to a new market. The chinese love potato chips, so Lay’s decided to go after that market by offering uniquely chinese flavors like “hot and our fish soup” potato chips!

You can read the entire story of crazy potato chip flavors in china by clicking on the link below:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/12/11/pepsi-chicken-potato-chips-fish-soup-chips-china-goes-chip-flavor-crazy/

Finally, I had to leave you with what could be the most extreme – yet real – food item available today:

1 – Yak Penis – Yes, YAK PENIS

I found this on a website that pointed out “The Chinese eat anything with four legs, except tables. And everything that flies, except airplanes”.

This dish might just prove that true. It’s known as “Dragon in the Flame of Desire” – famously served in the Guolizhuang Restaurant of Beijing.

It is known to have medicinal value…as to how it tastes….

Let me know what you think of the list!

Talk About A BIG MAC!

Yes, I know what you are thinking: where can I get one of these? As always, in Japan! But if you aren’t in the mood for a 50-patty cheeseburger, then try this instead!

Introducing “The Osaka Burger”!

Yes, the latest food craze from Japan uses one of their most iconic foods and gives it an American twist!

Here’s what “The Osaka Burger” is: it all starts when they use the famous Osaka specialty, okonomiyaki, for buns, and then they ——–

WAIT WAIT WAIT! WHAT’S A “OKONOMIYAKI”??????

OK, time to take a moment and explain what an “Okonomiyaki” is!

“Okonomiyaki” is, for the most part, a japanese pancake! The batter is made of flour, grated nagaimo (a type of yam), water or dashi, eggs and shredded cabbage, and usually contains other ingredients such as green onion, thin pork belly, octopus, squid, shrimp, vegetables, kimchi, mochi or cheese!

So they cook their “okonomiyaki” and form it into a bun! As for the burger, it’s a chicken patty, plus a fried egg with shiso leaf – and the whole thing topped with a VERY PINK plum sauce, which they call bainiku sauce.

How can anyone top this?

LOTTERIA TO THE RESCUE!

Of course, my favorite Japanese restaurant chain, Lotteria, comes to the rescue again with another of their wacky burger creations!

Lotteria has launched their own “okonomiyaki” burgers! As always, you have a choice of how you want to experience this unique fast food!

There are two different versions of Lotteria’s okonomiyaki burger that went on sale in Japan on August 19. The “hanjuku tamago” on the left includes a soft-boiled egg, while the “modern style” on the right comes with stir-fried noodles and a fried egg!

That’s right, they sure seem to love their stir-fried noodle burgers at Lotteria!

Lotteria’s Ramen Burger!

And of course, Lotteria is the originator of the ramen burger!

Read all about this amazing food item by clicking here!

http://johnrieber.com/2013/05/16/wacky-ramen-burgers-crazy-japanese-burger-menu-east-meets-west-with-video/

And our friends at RocketNews actually went to Lotteria and tried their new “okonomiyaki” burgers! Here is the entire review at RocketNews24!

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2013/08/20/lotteria-craziness-continues-with-the-okonomiyaki-burger/

As always, a great site!

Elvis Is Hungry!

Elvis loved a good meal, we all know that. He would have loved this one: imagine how the King would have felt to see all of his favorite things on one plate! Yes, it tops the list for the world’s ten most creative sandwiches!

SANDWICH #10 – THE “PEANUT BUTTER – BANANA ON BACON BREAD-WICH!”

Yes, it’s a “peanut butter – bacon – banana” sandwich, but in this case, the bacon is the bread! Weaves together, the bacon hold a thick slab of banana and creamy peanut butter – all of your important food groups on one plate!

Here are NINE MORE wacky sandwiches from the world of food:

#9 – THE CHICK-FIL-E!

Badhappy Poutine in Chicago offers this doozy: it’s a cheeseburger mashup – a unique burger than also has all of the elements of a great sandwich – but SO MUCH MORE!

What I’m holding is a cheeseburger that is topped with FRIED CHICKEN - and then topped again with Gorgonzola, Chili Pepper-Maple Glaze, Sunny egg, Creole Mayo, House Pickles, HappySauce, and finally:

FROSTED FLAKES!

So next time you can’t decide whether to have a burger or a chicken sandwich, just head to Badhappy and have both!

Now, to get an early start on Father’s Day:

#8 – THE DAD-WICH!

OK, this one is really creative: someone wanted to honor their dad, so they created a tie-shaped torpedo sandwich! Stuffed with grilled steak, Swiss, cheddar and fried onions, you can eat it or wear it – or both!

#7 – THE QUADZILLA!

Time to head to Nathan’s Real Barbecue, located in Safford, Ariz. in order to try their “Quadzilla Sandwich!”

Consisting of “a quarter-pound rib sandwich on top, four third-pound burger patties, eight strips of thick bacon, four slices of extra thick Pepper Jack cheese, pickles, onions and a TON of barbecue sauce,” this is what The Who once called “Meaty beaty big and bouncy!”

Too much? Sometimes the most unique is also the simplest!

#6 – ENGLAND’S “CHIP BUTTY!”

The English have a reputation for restraint. Well, they’ve proved it here: the “Chip Butty” is just that!

Just steak fries on bread, with either ketchup or brown sauce. This is for those of you who REALLY want to carbo-load….and if it’s a bit unwieldy, try this on for size:

#5 – THE HANDWICH!

Yes, you can bite your own thumb off first, or go right for the pinky. Either way, you’ve got a “handful” of great taste! Put whatever you want between those mitts…like perhaps 7-8 pounds of meat like this one?

#4 – The MELO!

Time to head to the world famous Carnegie Deli, New York City!

Carnegie Deli pays homage to NY Knicks basketball player Carmelo Anthony, with the towering meat orgy aptly named “The Melo”.

Pile It ON, Anthony!

How much is too much? Well, the $22 sandwich features pastrami, corned beef, salami, bacon, lettuce, tomato and Russian dressing, all on several slices of rye. The weight? More than three pounds and counting!

Now, what if you want to engage your mind as well as your palate?

#3 – THE RUBIK’S CUBEWICH!

This is easy to explain: it’s meat and cheese. Arrange them all the same way, or just eat it and let your stomach work out the rest! A brain and palate teaser in one!

Of course, sometimes a sandwich just isn’t a meal unless it includes something that will offend most people – with that in mind, time to head to China!

#2 – THE DONKEY SANDWICH!

china donkey burger

Yes, there is a popular street cart food in Beijing consisting of donkey meat, often with some lettuce or peppers on crispy bread called Huoshao. In Hebei province, they sometimes say,

“In Heaven there is dragon meat, on Earth there is donkey meat.”

I can only imagine…and finally, here’s one in which you HAVE to imagine, since it’s a:

#1 – THE SURPRISE-WICH!

OK, let’s get started! A nice loaf of bread – I am already getting hungry just thinking about what to do with it…oh wait, someone beat me to it!

Surprise!

OK, you got me – I don’t have to do a thing! You see, the bread has been baked AROUND the sandwich, so just cut into it to find out exactly what you will be eating – which, in this case, is apparently a TON of meat and cheese!

I love getting a surprise, but I’m not alone…

HONORABLE MENTION – BECAUSE IT’ NOT A SANDWICH – IT’S A TURTLE!

OK, the idea of a unique sandwich has gone too far! A man tried to smuggle his pet turtle through security in China’s Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport by hiding it in a KFC hamburger!

The incident occurred when a man was about to board China Southern Airlines flight 345 to Beijing, Guangzhou Daily reported. X-ray screening machines detected a few “odd protrusions” sticking out of a KFC burger that the man had packed in his bag.

Airport staff determined that the protrusions looked suspiciously like turtle limbs, and asked to inspect the passenger’s luggage.

“There’s no turtle in there, just a hamburger,” he reportedly insisted. “There’s nothing special to see inside.”

Well, airport staff uncovered the pet turtle hidden inside the burger. When asked why he had devised this strange idea, the suspect said that he had only wanted to travel together with his “beloved” turtle!

How can you argue with that? Well, argue away by leaving a comment below!

Heat Me Up Some Soda!

Yes, our friends in Japan are at it again – revolutionizing the world of food, drink – and iphones!

Yes, there is breaking soda news to share!

Coca Cola has just announced a HOT Canada Dry Ginger Ale, featuring technology to keep the carbonation from being affected when heating up the drink. The drink also features a new recipe that cranks up the ginger and other spices to better suit the cold fall and winter months.

The new drink will run 120 yen (US$1.20) and goes on sale October 21…

More Hot Drinks From Japan!

Not to be out-done, the Kirin drinks company has unveiled a new HOT version of its popular carbonated drink, Kirin no Awa.

The regular, chilled version of the drink has a cider-like flavor…but, since Japan is all about new and wacky, you can also get it HOT!

Don’t Forget The Coffee Jelly!

I posted about my trip to Tokyo when my entire group went a bit mental at the sight of “coffee jelly”….not a hot beverage, but a very unique one…as well as all of those unique vending machines…including Corrado, who absolutely fell in love with them….

The COLD coffee jelly was indeed different…and yes, I bought some…it was like sucking down coffee-flavored jello…so I did what you ALWAYS do with jello: I sucked it through my teeth…

Here is a link to other wacky vending machine items you can get in Japan, like hairy crabs and viagra, along with GOLD:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/07/17/mashed-potato-vending-machines-intuitive-machines-coffee-jelly-hairy-crabs-viagra-vending-what/

And of course, above you see a row of vending machines, including one that is, in fact, a vending machine disguise….see the shoes at the bottom?

I LOVE JAPAN.

If you don’t believe me, then it’s time to share their latest new innovation – super-sized iPhone covers!

The Banana IPhone!

Yes, it’s the ultimate iphone cover for the monkey in all of us! Thanks as always to the terrific website “RocketNews24″ for the story and great photos – as well as terrific japanese ads for the product!

Behold The “iBanana!”

The iBanana, as it’s also called, is an impressive 31 cm (12.2 in) long. As you can see from this ad, they are very impressed with its size!

It is designed to only fit the iPhone 5 and allows you to use the home button, screen, side buttons, and front and back cameras. It also brings up the question:

“Is that a banana iphone in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”

Needless to say, it is quite the conversation starter…speaking of which:

My “Bacon-And-Egg iPhone – And Toilet Restaurants Too!

In case you missed it, I also posted a story about my iphone cover…it’s a bacon-and-egg case, which gets a lot of attention….

Here is my original story on it, and I also take you to the world’s most unique restaurant!

http://johnrieber.com/2013/01/17/my-bacon-iphone-cover-wacky-covers-a-toilet-restaurant-too/

Yep, time to head to the world’s first toilet restaurant! Click on the link, leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Did you ever just want to sit down and watch the world’s CRAZIEST CINEMA? Well, I am here to help!

Meet Director Takashi Miike!

No, that’s not him having his tongue pulled – and he’s not the one pulling it either – but he is one of Japan’s most prolific and inventive Directors alive!

Meet “Ichi The Killer!”

I have written about Takashi Miike’s films before…including his most controversial work ever: “Ichi The Killer”.

You can read all about it by clicking HERE:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/01/07/top-ten-revenge-classics-to-ring-in-2012/

Audition!

Miike’s shocking horror film “Audition” was recently included on a list of the 100 best horror films – it’s an unsettling shocker about a man posing as a Film Director in order to meet women – and, of course, he meets the WRONG ONE…

I also posted a story about one of the great action films – Miike’s “13 Assassins”! This is in the mold of “Seven Samurai”, as thirteen assassins put everything on the line to save a town…

To read more about this classic action film, click HERE:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/06/30/killer-assassins-hard-boiled-killers-death-by-hammer-classic-asian-thrillers/

Now, Time To Get HAPPY – Zombie Style!

THE HAPPINESS OF THE KATAKURIS!

With dozens of films to his credit, Takashi Miike tries all sorts of genres: I’ve told you about revenge thrillers, samurai classics AND horror films – and there are many many more – but how about this genre: the zombie musical!

Here is the wacky, WACKY trailer:

A father, his loving and loyal wife, along with a slow-to-persuade son and a divorced daughter with toddler in hand open a bed and breakfast. They make the place everything anyone could want, as they have so much time to work on it, since no one is making reservations to stay there. So they pose like “The Sound Of Music!”

Eventually, customers come…but each one dies while in their room and the family is trying to get rid of the evidence in order to keep the business going! Naturally, their dead guests come back as Zombies – and they aren’t happy about it!

Here’s what COMPLEX magazine said about the film:

“Best described as a “horror musical,” “The Happiness Of The Katakuris” is cinema at its most batshit, as well as its most inventive. The plot moves through grandiose song-and-dance numbers, stop-motion animation, and perverse Claymation, all of which allows Miike to indulge in a playfulness and upbeat spirit not seen in the majority of his bleak pics.”

Folks, THIS is what cinema is all about: discovering a visionary Director who isn’t afraid to try anything AND EVERYTHING! So put down those superhero movies and tired romantic comedies and try something different – a zombie musical!

A “Black Tongue” Burger?~!?!?!?!

Ok, relax: it’s NOT made with black tongue…it’s bacon that has been placed strategically on the burger to look like a tongue! And it’s placed on a black bun, too!

Behold The “Kuro Ninja!”

This is Burger King’s new Japanese burger masterpiece: it’s the “Kuro Ninja,” a burger with a black bun and long, thick strip of bacon protruding out of the sides, looking like, well, a tongue!

“Kuro Ninja,” a burger with a black bun and long, thick strip of bacon protruding out of the side…in the case of this pic, out of both.

The burger also comes with “wide-size” hash browns, onions, lettuce, mayonnaise, and a blackish brown Chaliapin sauce. The “Kuro Ninja” will be on sale starting October 25 for 680 yen (US$6.93).

But Wait! There’s More!

Customers who purchase a medium or large size set meal will receive these special “Kuro Ninja” character logo stickers! The fun never stops!

Kudos once again to the great investigative reporters at Rocketnews24 for reporting on this first! Now, black buns are nothing new in Japan, here is a Burger King black bun burger without the tongue:

The “Black Big Mac!”

And Burger King isn’t alone with the black bun concept. Here is a japanese Big Mac that also utilizes a black bun…

And Don’t Forget The “BIG STACKS!”

And let’s not forget some of Burger King’s other Japanese classics! The fast food chain is always offering something new and unqiue in Japan, and that ALWAYS leads to an inventive use of their food…remember these?

http://johnrieber.com/2013/03/14/the-1000-grilled-onion-cheeseburger-burger-king-japans-stacked-again/

And of course, the “1,000 slices of cheeese” cheeseburger – with video!

And of course, we can never forget THIS Bacon Cheeseburger from Burger King Japan:

Just click on the link to see the world’s most amazing bacon cheeseburger EVER!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/04/18/two-headed-burgers-japanese-bacon-madness-bacon-alarm-clocks-bacon-sundae-reviews/

All of this huge food is making me hungry enough to lick that “tongue burger”! Let me know what you think!

It’s National Burger Week!

Yes, it’s a week long celebration of all things stuck between a bun! To honor burger week, here are my 7 favorite burgers, and they are all wacky, bizarre and delicious!

Here you go – get ready to bite down hard!

#7 – The “Okonomiyaki Burger!”

Yes, we begin in Japan, because, let’s be honest, they are going “burger crazy” right now! Why not start with the “okonomiyaki burger”…don’t know what that is? Just click here for the whole story!

http://johnrieber.com/2013/08/22/osaka-burgers-lotteria-okonomiyaki-burger-more-japan-burger-madness/

Don’t need a ramen bun? Well, how about one that is pure joy - PURE BACON!

#6 – The “Bacon Weave” Burger!

Yes, someone has invented the “bacon bun” – and not only that, they have an “all bacon” bacon burger as well! It’s just one of many new burger creations, and you can see them all by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/09/18/national-cheeseburger-day-celebrate-with-bacon-weaves-cheese-goo-burger-bashes/

And if you want something delicious but oh so simple, try this masterpiece:

#5 – The “Wasabi Avocado Slider!”

I love this burger so much! It’s a slider that utilizes just a few key ingredients: bun, burger, wasabi mayonaise and fresh avocado – it’s delicious, and just one of a many slider recipes you can see by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/05/24/new-memorial-day-slider-recipes-spanish-japanese-vegan-sriracha-international-sliders/

And if you were saying to yourself, “hey, why isn’t there more seafood on my burger?” Well, I have the answer:

#4 – The “Lobster Burger!”

Yes, there are places in the world that are more advanced than we are – they are making “lobster burgers!” I love this idea, and if you do too, then click on the whole story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/08/07/lobster-burgers-foie-gras-burgers-tokyo-gets-burgered-mcdonads-goes-for-olympics-gold/

And if you love garlic, and I mean LOVE GARLIC, then you MUST try this beast:

#3 – The “Garlic Meat Beast!”

Yes, it’s a supersized burger with a ton of garlic added…how can this be bad for anyone? If you like the sound of this, click on the link to see the entire story:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/08/01/the-garlic-meat-beast-potato-mayonaise-pizzas-wacky-fast-food/

Now that you’ve eatern the “Garlic Meat Beast” and are most likely sitting alone, are you ready to “get slayed?”

#2 – “The Slayer” From Kuma’s Too!

Kuma’s in Chicago was just chosen “best burger” in town, and this could be one reason:” a mega plate of goodness that is too big to pick up! If you want to see what’s on this baby, click here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/05/14/rocking-out-kumas-heavy-metal-burgers-chicagos-best-burger/

I love Kuma’s, but to me, the best burger right now is courtesy of my friends at BadHappy Poutine in Chicago:

#1 – The “Chik-Fil-E” Burger From Badhappy!

Yep, it’s a burger TOPPED with fried chicken, an egg, melted gruyere cheese…AND FROSTED FLAKES!

If you need to see this – and you do, click on here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/08/25/worlds-ten-most-creative-sandwiches/

Leave a comment and tell me which one you like best!

Get ready for a Japanese “Monster Meal!”

Here’s a question for you:

HAVE YOU EVER GONE “O-MORI” ON YOURSELF?

First of all, how do you “go o-mori?” Well, I am about to tell you, because you may have done it and not even known it!

O-Mori, That’s A LOT Of Food!

Yes, time to head back to Tokyo for a look at how the Japanese “Supersize” their meals!
In Japan, “o-mori” refers to an extra large food portion. So when you dine, you can upgrade your regular ramen dish by ordering it like this:

“Ramen O-Mori, Please!”

And this is what you will get:

If, like me, you like a little poultry as a meal, you can order:

Chicken Curry O-Mori Style, Please!

And they will place down in front of you this dish:

“O-Mori Fried Chicken Curry!”

The photo above was taken at Café Majori in Aichi Prefecture – more on where I found these pics in a second – but this colossal curry with fried chicken is officially referred to as “YA-YA MORI”, or a “kind of big portion.” You think?

You see, now matter WHAT you order, you can get it to look like THIS!

Some Japanese restaurants have their own special codes for these super-sized portions, such as “toku-mori”, “giga-mori”, “mega-mori”, “deka-mori”, and “doka-mori”.

No matter what they call it, it all means one thing: BIG FOOD!

Pork Cutlet O-Mori – or “toku-mori”, “giga-mori”, “mega-mori”, “deka-mori”, and “doka-mori”!

According to Rocketnews24, this pork cutlet curry is served at Manrai restaurant in the Nigata Prefecture of Japan…I’d say that was more than filling….or how about this bowl of ramen noodles with sliced pork…oh, that’s right, it’s SLICED PORK “O-MORI” STYLE!

Something “Fishy” Here!

And if you are a seafood fan, you can always try a nice “O-Mori Tuna Bowl”! Yes, that is one large ball of fish…

“Just A Burger For Me, Please!”

And for burger fans, there’s an “o-mori” version of a hamburger steak platter, weighing over four pounds!

And For The Vegan In All Of Us…

That’s right, if you are swearing off meat and fish, just have the omelet…

Once again, the terrific website “Rocketnews24″ has the entire story on the “O-Mori” phenomenon in Japan, with even MORE pictures of HUGE japanese food. Enjoy!

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2013/06/01/big-eats-in-japan-the-glutinous-gallery-of-o-mori/

Ready To “Catch Fire?”

If you like Katniss and her friends, then you are no doubt eager and primed for the next installment of the hugely successful “Hunger Games” franchise: “Catching Fire”!

Here is the plot for “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” – After winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen returns home to District 12 along with fellow winner Peeta Mellark. Shortly after returning home, they must embark on a “Victory Tour” of the districts, leaving behind their close friends and family again.

On the day of the Victory Tour, President Snow threatens Katniss’ best friend and pretend cousin, Gale Hawthorne, outraged after she and Peeta broke the rules of the 74th Hunger Games that allowed them both to win.

During the tour, Katniss senses that a rebellion is brewing in the districts, but the Capitol is still firmly in control as Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games, known as a Quarter Quell, an event taken place every 25 years – a competition that could change Panem forever.

So, first of all, “The Hunger Games” was a very entertaining movie, and “Catching Fire” sounds like it will also prove to be a worldwide smash hit. Author Suzanne Collins has created a unique world that fans have embraced. That said, don’t forget that Japan gave us the original “couple on the run playing a deadly game” movie:

With the phenomenon that is “The Hunger Games”, and the release of “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”, I thought you might be interested in this brilliant Japanese movie from 2000 – the original “hunger games!”

Welcome To “BATTLE ROYALE”!

I have called this “the original hunger games”, and I am about to show you why! First, check out the trailer:

As you can see from the tag line, it is a provocative and similar message to “The Hunger Games” – as contestants have to make the ultimate decision: could you kill your best friend?

“Battle Royale” was a hugely successful, and very controvesial, japanese film set in a future Japan, where the government devises a radical plan to control youthful rebellion!

In order to keep Japan’s rowdy youth in check, the government puts one class of ninth grade students on a remote island, gives them each a weapon, and lets them loose in a fight to the death! “Hunger Games” indeed!

As you can see, the basic setup of “Battle Royale” is similar to the concept for “Hunger Games” – the government keeping rebellious thought in check through a forced “Game to the death”…but each film goes in a completely different direction, tackling social and cultural issues along the way.

”My favorite movie of the last 20 years – I wish I had made this movie.” – Quentin Tarantino

As you can see, “Battle Royale” has a lot of fans…

Cue The Bloodshed!

“Battle Royale” is, in some ways, everything that “Hunger Games” isn’t….as in, bloody and violent! This film is much bloodier than “The Hunger Games”, which made it even more controversial upon release.

Despite being restricted to those aged 15 and over in Japan when it opened in 2000, “Battle Royale” quickly became both a critical and box office success, both domestically and in other Asian film markets. Oh, and did I say it was controversial?

And though the film will probably be remembered more for its graphic exploitation of teen violence, “Battle Royale” also makes some rather pointed remarks about Japanese society and history.

”If you love The Hunger Games, Battle Royale sets the stage. One of the best – and most violent – genre films ever made. It’s also a hell of a lot of fun.” – Entertainment Weekly

Battle Royale was directed by Kinji Fukasaku, and was based on the graphic novel of the same name.

The film aroused international controversy and is still banned in many countries. It never received a theatrical release in the US, as it came out soon after the Columbine tragedy. For many years it wasn’t even officially available on home video in the states.

However, the film is one of the highest grossing films in Japan. Director Kinji Fukasaku started working on a sequel but he died of prostate cancer in 2003, after shooting only one scene. His son, Kenta Fukasaku, completed the sequel in 2003 and dedicated it to his father.

Teacher Kitano: “So today’s lesson is, you kill each other off till there’s only one left. Nothing’s against the rules.”

Many members of the Japanese Parliament tried to get the novel banned, but to no avail. When the film was released, they attempted to ban it also. Both efforts resulted in the novel and film becoming even more successful as people bought the book and went to the movie to see what the fuss was all about.

“BEAT” TAKASHI!

One reason the film received such acclaim is due to Takashi Kitano, one of Japan’s most famous actors.

He is known in Japan as “Beat” Takashi, and his involvement in “Battle Royale” gave the film a much higher profile in Japan.

Takashi is a brilliant Actor and Director, with a intense personal life as well. In 1994, Kitano was involved in a motorcycle accident and suffered injuries that caused the paralysis of one side of his body, and required extensive surgery to regain the use of his facial muscles. Kitano later stated that the accident was actually an “unconscious suicide attempt”.

“ZATOICHI – THE BLIND SWORDSMAN!

In 2003, Kitano made the brilliant “Zatoichi”, the legendary Japanese story of a blind swordsman who wanders the countryside in feudal Japan and dispenses his own brand of justice – Takashi starred in as well as directed.

This is also a terrific movie, so check it out as well on DVD! But, back to “Battle Royale”…

“BATTLE ROYALE” ON BLU!

Yes, “Battle Royale” is now a gorgeous new blu-ray transfer…if you want to go crazy, look at what they are offering up -

THE COMPLETE “BATTLE ROYALE” COLLECTION!

Complete Collection (4 discs): The four discs are (1) Director’s Cut of the film, (2) Theatrical Cut, (3) 2003′s sequel “Battle Royale II” and (4) Bonus Content.

Bonus Disc Content includes: The Making Of BATTLE ROYALE, BATTLE ROYALE Press Conference, Instructional Video: Birthday Version, Audition & Rehearsal Footage, Special Effects Comparison Featurette, Tokyo International Film Festival 2000, Battle Royale Documentary, Basketball Scene Rehearsals, Behind-The-Scenes Featurette, Filming On-Set, Original Theatrical Trailer, Special Edition TV Spot, TV Spot: Tarantino Version.

So there you go: have fun with “The Hunger Games” in theaters, but check out this classic inspiration as well!

Lotteria Japan Does It Again!

Time to congratulate the wacky Chefs at Japan’s Lotteria restaurant! The chain’s latest creation is the “Bacon Cube Deluxe Cheese Burger”! This masterpiece of bacon goodness sell for ¥490, $4.90 in US dollars! Here is what you get: a beef patty topped with two types of melted cheese, creamy truffle sauce, and cubes of bacon.

As you can see, the Kotaku website got very excited to show off the bacon cubes! The website “A Hamburger Today” called them “pork croutons”…no matter what you call them, call them delicious looking!

If you feel the same, the new burger will be available at Lotteria locations starting November 29th, for a limited time.

Thanks to the website “A Hamburger Today” for the story, written by Erin Jackson – a food writer and photographer who is obsessed with discovering the best eats in San Diego. You can find all of her discoveries on her San Diego food blog EJeats.com. On Twitter, she’s @ErinJax

And here is the entire story:

http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2013/11/lotteria-bacon-cube-truffle-sauce-burger.html?ref=title

This is just the latest form the twisted minds at Lotteria!

Remember that Lotteria has a great history of burger madness…like their “ramen burger!”

Check out the entire story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/05/16/wacky-ramen-burgers-crazy-japanese-burger-menu-east-meets-west-with-video/

Speaking Of Noodles…

Lotteria also loved giving you a “spaghetti” burger…

Read all about this one right here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/05/17/spaghetti-burgers-japan-meets-italy-on-a-bun/

And of course, Lotteria gave us this:

Yep, read all about the “9-patty stack” by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/04/25/bacon-bazookas-monster-burgers-massive-slabs-of-meat/

Keep up the good work Lotteria!

You want to surprise your film buff this holiday season?

Here’s a sure way to make a loved one smile…

Talk about a happy holiday! Sure, you can buy Oscar-winning films, acclaimed documentaries, and “Breaking Bad” box sets – OR you can go a different direction…

Remember what they said: to each his own – and let’s be honest, it’s virtually ALL “his own” when it comes to this type of film – that said, I have gotten a lot of interest from female fans of exploitation films as well – especially movies like this:

Behold Japan’s “Machine Girl!” Trust me when I tell you she has revenge on her mind – a a HUGE machine gun attached to her arm! This new genre of “J-sploitation” is a great holiday gift, as well as some of these more aggressively outrageous films in the exploitation genre, like:

It’s An “Exploitation” Holiday!

If you want to give your film fanatic a thrill this holiday season, I’ve got just the gifts for you! Time to look at ten of the wildest “sexploitation” classics you can buy this holiday for the film buff in your life! I will share some, shall we say, “obscure” titles…

And I will share some that are among the most legendary films ever committed to celluloid – and are just plain, well – WRONG:

They are ALL fascinating examples of a bygone era of movie making – and thanks to some great independent film companies, you can enjoy them now as well!

“Sexploitation” Lives!

If you are new to the genre, “Sexploitation” describes a class of low-budget film generally associated with the 1960s and 70′s and serving largely, as wikipedia describes:

“A vehicle for the exhibition of non-explicit sexual situations and gratuitous nudity.”

Can’t argue with that! And if you do, you can expect to get roughed up a bit:

This is the classic sexploitation film “Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!” And there are a number of legendary sexploitation stars as well…like Christina Lindberg!

“The Godfather” Of Grindhouse!

Let’s get started with your shopping list – the ten wildest sexploitation movies ever, beginning with “The Godfather” of the genre, starring Christina Lindberg of course!

#10 – Thriller: A Cruel Picture – AKA “They Call Her One Eye!”

Yes, I started with the most controversial exploitation film of them all – and to many fans, the best one as well!

I have posted about this several times already – it is the “Godfather of Grindhouse”…and one of the most legendary as well! It was originally released on grindhouse screens in the US in the early 70′s as “They Call Her One-Eye” – and even “Hooker’s Revenge”, although she’s not a hooker!

Director Quentin Tarantino expressed his admiration for both the film and Lindberg’s performance, and she later served as an inspiration for Darryl Hannah’s character in Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” films.

Here is Quentin more recently with Christina, who he greatly admired, for good reason!

Take a look at the classic trailer, with the US grindhouse title:

Lindberg plays Frigga, who lives with her parents on their farm. Unable to speak after being horrifically raped by an elderly man when she was young, her parents spend the majority of their money on speech therapy classes for their daughter in the hope that one day, she will speak again. One day, Frigga misses the bus to get to her speech therapy class.

She accepts a ride off a suave looking gentlemen named Tony who pulls up beside her. Once they are in town, he takes her for a meal. Afterwards, he takes Frigga back to what appears to be his bachelor pad. He gives her wine that has been drugged, as she passes out.

The man then takes no time in bringing a crooked doctor in to get her fixed on high class heroin.

But Christina escapes after being partially blinded in a brutal attack, and trains herself for the ultimate revenge!

“The Roughest Revenge Movie Ever Made!” Sez Quentin Tarantino!

“Thriller” is a classic of the genre – chock full of sex, violence and revenge!

Quentin Tarantino called it “the roughest revenge movie ever made”, and recommended that actress Daryl Hannah watch the film to prepare for her role in “Kill Bill” as the one-eyed killer Elle Driver.

A long standing rumor surrounding the film was that a real corpse was used for the scene where Madeleine’s eye is taken out with a scalpel. In a March 2006 interview, Christina Lindberg confirmed this. The body was of a young girl who had committed suicide. Makeup was added to the eye, and the shot was filmed in the hospital that had received the body!

If you don’t appreciate grindhouse cinema, DO NOT buy this one. But these films were all european made, and they exhibit a style and mood that is unlike some of the more outrageous US releases at the time…and they are an important part of film history as well…

Honorable mention: ALL other Christina Lindberg movies!

Yes, EVERY single Christina Lindberg film is a sexploitation classic! “Exposed” is one of her great movies, “Anita” is another!

As you can see, Christina Lindberg was the “Queen Of Artsploitation!”

Click on the story below to find out all about this fascinating woman – and see more of her classic films!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/05/21/swedish-sex-kitten-christina-lindberg-the-original-queen-of-artsploitation/

Now, we continue in Europe for what is, for me, one of the wildest, most depraved grindhouse films found by the Danish!

9 – The Sinful Dwarf!

Let’s take a look at “THE MOTHER OF ALL DWARFSPLOITATION FILMS!!”

This 1974 Danish film was recently uncovered after years of being lost, and let me tell you, they found a wild wild WILD movie!

“A young bride, left alone to the lewd passions of an evil dwarf!”

Meet the film’s star – the diminutive former kiddie-show host Torben Bille – who looks disturbingly like Jack Black in a trash compactor -

The Sinful Dwarf is the pint-sized pervert who imprisons drugged teenage sex slaves in the attic of his drunken mother’s decrepit rooming house…and that’s just the first ten minutes!

Poor Anne Sparrow!

Anne Sparrow stars in the film as well. Just look at this description of her, from the cover art on the DVD:

“The delicious Anne Sparrow – in her first and understandably only screen role – co-stars in this towering achievement in graphic depravity, now fully restored from a 35mm print discovered hidden in a janitor’s closet at the Danish Film Institute!”

Anne Sparrow certainly had a good reason NEVER TO ACT AGAIN – Oh, did I mention that our Sinful Dwarf has a Mom – a Mom who is CRAZY – and yes, she SINGS!

You will never clean your ears the same way again…and yes, that’s right – this movie was not only found in a janitor’s closet in Denmark – but they chose not to throw it out!

You will NEVER see a more bizarre film than “The Sinful Dwarf” – and yes, it’s as “euro-sleazy” as they come…this is grindhouse at its best – or worst!

#8 – Mantis In Lace!

Here’s another classic for you – with a plot that is almost “too wild” to believe!

Lila is a good-natured go-go dancer who strips at a seedy topless bar on the Sunset Strip. After ingesting LSD, Lila becomes a psychopathic serial killer.

Read This Carefully!

Now listen to how crazy this plot gets: she continues to pick up men at the bar where she is employed, but:

after her sanity is lost she routinely is interrupted mid-coitus by psychedelic bad trips in which she visualizes a balding, half-naked old man clutching wads of cash in one hand and a bunch of bananas in the other.

Yes, you read that right! Here is what that “half-naked old man clutching wads of cash” looks like:

And of course, the poster for this classic piece of sexploitation lives forever – behind The President and Vice President! How funny that Obama and Biden visited a hamburger stand that proudly showcased the film right behind them!

Well, it could have been worse, I suppose….perhaps like this?

#7 – Lorna The Exorcist!

Legendary softcore filmmaker Jess Franco made a ton of great sexploitation movies: stuff like “The Hot Nights Of Linda” and “Female Vampire”, both starring sex kitten Lina Romay…

Did I mention she was his wife and longtime creative partner? One of their most shocking films of all is this strange classic:

“Lorna The Exorcist” is a pure european arthouse shocker: like many of the Christina Lindberg films, there are long, moody shots interrupted by a surprisingly amount of nudity – and Lina was an exhibitionist – so the nudity part was never a problem…

You can read more about this fascinating Actress – and the Director who filmed her wildest movies – by clicking on the link here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/02/17/countess-perverse-lorna-the-exorcist-jess-francos-naked-masterpieces/

And you have to see the end of “Lorna”, which has Lina’s most dramatic acting ever!

Time to head back to the states and praise a maverick Director who let his passions – and obsessions – play out on drive-in movie screens across America!

#6 – Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!

It’s got one of the greatest – and most iconic – movie titles in film history: and it also introduced the world to the toughest, most independent – and yes, most liberated women in exploitation!

Director Russ Meyer LOVED women – and he loved to highlight them in his films, which were full of liberated, progressive, ASS-KICKING LADIES!

There is no denying the impact “Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!” had in America. It tore down all sorts of barriers in films: lots of sex, violence, and nudity – plus a strong, feminist point of view! For that, Meyer deserves some credit, even though his films certainly oogled his female stars in pure “sexploitation” fashion…

As Russ Meyer would say himself, one is never enough, so to see ALL of his amazing work, head to the post I have right here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/03/16/sexploitation-classics-the-russ-meyer-edition/

“Giallo” To You, Too!

Time to head to Italy for what is a fascinating genre of film, most effectively captured in all of his nudity and bloodshed by the nicely titled:

#5 – Strip Nude For Your Killer!

This movie has a lurid title to be sure, but it’s really a well done suspense thriller about a killer on the loose in Rome.

A fashion photographer is suspected, and of course, he shoots LOTS of pictures of nude models, so it is up to him to solve the crime…

As I said, these italian suspense films were very popular in the 70′s, and they are good movies as well – even with outrageous titles!

If you are unfamiliar with the classic genre “italian giallo”, then click on here for find out all about Europe’s “pulp fiction”!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/07/09/time-to-strip-nude-four-flies-and-baba-yaga-to-you-yes-its-classic-italian-giallo/

From Italy, time to head to the other side of the world, where they are indeed turning sexploitation upside down!

#4 – Robo Geisha!

RoboGeisha! - 2009. Yes, this is a film about a robotic Geisha. If you want to jump right into the deep end of the japanese j-sploitation “crazy pool”, this is the movie to start you off!

Here is the plot: Yoshie, the younger and ill-treated sister of a renowned Geisha, is discovered to have natural strength and fighting ability. She’s recruited into an army of Geisha assassins by the rich and powerful owner of a steel-works, Kageno. During training large (and interesting) parts of their bodies are altered into weaponry directly linked to their brains.

Let’s stop for a second and repeat one line:

parts of their bodies are altered into weaponry.

So what you see above you is a “buttsword”. Yes, it is. She has a sword that comes out of her butt. And that is just the beginning….they also have breast machine guns!

Did I mention that the film features Tengu Warriors – who wear red penis noses?

“Fried Shrimp!”

Did I mention that one girl plunges fried shrimp into the eyes of her enemy?

That’s right: FRIED SHRIMP!

And yes, she has a rotating buzzsaw face…but did you expect less? This movie is CRAZY!

Now, to continue our trip into fantasy land…

#3 – Alice In Wonderland

Yes, this is one of the strangest, and most erotic films of the 70′s – an adult telling of the story of Alice – but this trip is a completely DIFFERENT kind of wonderland!

In this notorious X-rated version of the story, Alice is a virginal librarian, cheerful and outgoing, who acts and dresses younger than her age. While daydreaming about reliving her life, a white rabbit taps her on the shoulder, and she follows him to Wonderland, where playful animals and people introduce her to her imagination and to pleasure.

Kristine DeBell stars as the virginal Alice, who learns alot obout life while down the rabbit hole…

This movie was a big hit – and a rare example of a sexploitation film that highlights comedy and characters over sex and violence…

Now, back to our buddy Jess Franco, and one of his action adventure films…

#2 – Countess Perverse!

Bullseye!

Here is another aspect of a classic sexploitation movie – with a classic film plot that gets twisted, exploitation style! In a play on “The Rules Of The Game”, Jess Franco takes the concept of hunting humans and puts his “euro-sleaze” take on it – he gets a woman to hunt down and kill people – naked!

Alice Arno stars as the naked hunter – and, since it is a Jess Franco film, Lina Romay is back – as the hunted!

The plot is simple: a young girl stumbled upon a castle on an island – and discovers that she is scheduled AS the next meal!

There is SO much nudity in this film that it’s almost hard to concentrate – but then again, that IS the point of the genre:

And once you see a naked woman hunt another naked woman with a bow and arrow, your life will never be the same…

So how this this whole genre begin? I’ve written about it before, but in a nutshell, the sexual revolution of the sixties created an opportunity for savvy Producers to sell “SEX SEX SEX” even if they really didn’t have any sex to show!

#1 – A Smell Of Honey, A Swallow Of Brine!

This film is #1 on my list of the greatest sexploitation movies because it encapsulates everything I have been talking about!

First of all, look at that title: pure sexploitation perfection! This early 60′s film is amazingly tame, even by sexploitation standards, but it acts like it’s a cautionary tale of drugs, sex and sin!

“I May Be A Bitch, But I’ll NEVER Be A Butch!”

Here is a brief scene from the movie that captures everything that makes early sexploitation films so much fun!

This is classic sexploitation: wayward young women discovering how gritty the streets of a big city can be:

Of course, these women grow up fast – meeting all the wrong guys, and finding themselves in the most adult of situations:

So there you have it – ten of the wildest movies you can give someone – films that celebrate an more innocent time, when audiences could still be shocked and amazed at the depravity all around them…enjoy your holiday viewing!

Yes, It’s Jenna Jameson And Sylvester Stallone!

Wait until you hear the story behind this picture!

OK, this was designed to be, as it is known in TV, as a “deep tease.” You will have to keep reading to find out how I ended up taking this picture of Jenna Jameson and Sylvester Stallone – it’s all part of a birthday celebration of sorts…

Two Years Of Posting!

Yes, it’s the two year anniversary of this blog! When my wife Alex suggested I start this blog two years ago today, she thought it would be a fun creative outlet. She had NO idea it could lead to THIS:

Yes, I used that trust Alex placed in me to share things like this “bacon cube burger”, and some of you have thanked me for it. I have also shared things like THIS:

If you don’t recognize this image, consider yourself lucky. (Yes, it’s The Bee Gees as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band!) While this blog has been a fun project for me, it has also turned into much more: it’s been a way to share a wide variety of stories of interest to me, and more importantly, it has been a great way to meet a lot of new people with similar passions…like all of the Todd Rundgren fans I’ve met…

521,270 Strong!

I wanted to update everyone on the blog, and of course to thank all of you who take the time to read it. Last year at this time, I had just cracked 104,000 views.

In the last year, I saw a huge increase in the average daily traffic to the site – thanks in part to the huge amount of interest in things like the Eagles reunion tour, which you can see above – as well as the large number of people who have been interested in seeing just HOW Marlon Brando remembered his lines on the set of “The Godfather”:

As you can see, he DIDN’T! Yes, that is Robert Duvall holding cue cards for Brando! That story has been very popular, and if you missed it, here it is:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/03/20/brandos-cue-cards-real-horse-heads-the-godfathers-best-stories/

I also shared Clemenza’s recipe for meatballs – you know, when you need to feed a dozen guys after you “go to the mattresses”:

So, thanks to all of you, I smashed through a half a million views for the blog! I wanted to not only thank everyone for their support, but to share some of the most popular stories – and preview what is still to come!

Cool It, Ringo!

So, what have people responded to most? Well, it’s been everything from crazy stuff like this picture of Ringo and Raquel Welch clowning around on the set of the cult classic “The Magic Christian”…in fact, these guys always do great:

The Beatles never cease to interest people, and rightly so – my single most viewed story of last year was this one – looking at the “lost” Beatles documentary, “Let It Be”:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/04/06/let-it-be-the-beatles-lost-documentary-londons-live-beatles-rooftop-concert/

Over 49,000 views for this story so far – as always, The Beatles have spoken…well, at least their fans! And speaking of rabid fans, let’s hear it for “Jerseylicious!”

“Jerseylicious” Forever!

Thanks as well to the terrific cast of “Jerseylicious”, and to the fans who love them…my wife Alex Duda created this show in 2009, and in the five seasons so far I’ve been lucky enough to befriend many of the incredibly talent people followed on the show…

Oliva is not only “America’s Sweetheart”, she’ a terrific makeup artist – and a wonderful person as well…Tracy is also great, and yes, she got married in the “still to be seen” season six of the series…

I’ve had an amazing amount of interest in my behind-the-scenes looks at the show…like when Gigi, Tracy and Olivia visited Steve Harvey:

It was a great year for the team – I had more than 11,000 views of the story about the “Jerseylicious” book by Anthony and Olivia – with amazing cast pictures by Karl Giant!

So many fun posts so far, and more “Jerseylicious” to come….you know, THE WEDDING…

In addition to stories about TV and movies, I also love posting stories about music…including stories about the eagles, Paul McCartney, great new female singer/songwriters like Grace Potter, the best and worst Jame Bond themes, and of course:

“Todd Is God!”

Todd fans know what that means, and they showed it in a big way this year…I want to thank the Todd Rundgren fans who have really shown support for this blog, including a retweet from Todd himself! Here is that story:

http://musicplatter.com/2013/11/01/laura-nyro-todd-rundgrens-muse-todds-retweet/

The original story was about Todd’s friendship with Laura Nyro, an amazing singer/songwriter…and apparently Todd approved!

I posted this story and got a retweet from Todd’s twitter account – which was really cool – I’ve also been lucky enough to have been acknowledged by Director William Friedkin, Actress Rebel Wilson and the legendary singer/songwriter Paul Williams….among many others who have RT’d my stories and shared them with friends…

You can always sign up to receive all of the music-specific stories here:

http://musicplatter.com

What’s With All The Sites?

I’m sorry if I confused some of you with the “topic-specific” sub-sites, but here’s an explanation: When I started blogging, Alex suggested a title that would capture what the site was all about – but as you see, it’s about a lot of different stuff! So I used my name as an easy entry point…

Well, maybe not so easy, since my entire life has seen RIEBER spelled “REIBER”…So, to resolve the confusion, here’s how it works…I post virtually every single day on Johnrieber.com. I hope you all sign up to get notifications – so you won’t miss anything like THIS:

Yes, “Love Actually” is my favorite holiday film…well, except maybe for “Planes, Trains & Automobiles”…and in case you missed this post, here is a list of ALL of the best holiday films:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/11/23/amazing-love-actually-facts-rare-wonderful-life-photos-the-best-holiday-movies-ever/

You see, Del Griffith understands! You don’t have to do anything to get a wide variety of stories from me – just stop by Johnrieber.com and see what’s new…and, if you want more on a certain type of subject, the mini-sites are a way for you to take a blog shortcut:

If you need a quick “bacon fix”, you don’t have to look through the 500+ posts on Johnrieber.com …because “biteeatswallow” has a bacon tab that will take you immediate to this:

Yes, you know I will always have bacon for you somewhere!

Bite Down Hard!

I enjoy posting about strange and unique food items – or as you can see above, “bacon superheroes”…and of course, I love burgers, like this ramen burger from Japan:

And you can never go wrong with a slider…I have posted many recipes for making unique sliders from around the world, like this incredible one from Japan – the “wasabi avocado slider”!

I post all of the food stories on this site first, but later I also post them on a more-specific site devoted to the wacky world of food – like this food stadium to make for Super Bowl Sunday!

Remember, any time you need a burger fix – or any other food stories, you can always go here:

http://biteeatswallow.com

Something like this will ALWAYS be waiting!

Time For A Fight!

I was most excited this year to start the “film fight club!” This allowed you to hammer down on the important film arguments of the day!

The purpose of “Film Fight Club” is solely to argue about movies we love, hate, and love to hate!
This is where you can discuss your favorite James Bond theme song, as well as why you think “The Human Centipede” is a misunderstood masterpiece!

And yes, I got lots of hate comments from fans of “Centipede”, who couldn’t understand why I called it “misguided”! Check out all of the film battles here!

http://filmfightclub.com/

Forget movies, let’s see the world!

I know that some of you enjoy vacationing here:

Let’s Travel The World!

Yep, for those of you who love to travel the world – well, I’ve got you covered: whether it’s Barcelona’s amazing aerial trams, which give you an amazing sky-high view of this incredible city, or surfing with Sasha Grey on Australia’s Bondi Beach…

I posted a number of stories recounting my G4 shoot in Australia with Sasha Grey: everything from her surfing Bondi Beach – to getting photo bombed by live sharks:

I always have to remind people that there was NOTHING between Sasha and those sharks…and then there was this clip of Sasha in the tallest building in the southern hemisphere – by far the most popular video I posted, with more than 24,000 views:

Sasha went 88 stories high in Melbourne, Australia’s Eureka tower – just one of the many travel adventures I’ve been able to share. I’ve been lucky enough to travel to some really fun places, and I’ve gotten a great response from people when I post these stories on “spinningorbit”, which you can check out here:

http://spinningorbit.com/

So, I want to thank everyone who has read a story, and I hope you come back for many more in the years ahead…there have been many fun adventures – interesting people, places and food – so what is next?

Year Three…

Here is a tease: there are more great adventures to come, including my legendary trip to Thailand with Jenna Jameson!

And it wasn’t just us…we hung out with Sylvester Stallone too!

More on that trip soon – really one of my most unique travel adventures ever – and more on Tracy’s “Jerseylcious” wedding as well:

I also have some VERY unique food to share soon:

And I have some great stories about some of the best movies of the 70′s – films that deserve to be remembered, revered, and watched!

Yes, I will be telling the story of “The Getaway”, a classic action film that also caused a Hollywood scandal! And for fans of TRULY unique movies, I have some of the most amazing exploitation classics to share with you as well!

Yes, more crazy world cinema to share! You can always read about it by clicking here:

http://jrsploitation.com/

This is my mini-site devoted to the most unique and outrageous movies the world has ever offered!

And there is a whole world of entertainment still to explore! That’s just a sneak peek of what is still to come…see, there IS a reason to keep reading!

Thanks again to everyone for your support – as always, please leave comments pro, con, or “positively negative”…I enjoy hearing back from you – and thanks again for reading! I will leave you one last tease – a new post about Todd Rundgren and some of his neglected masterpieces is on the way…

Here’s proof: click on the link to enjoy Todd’s amazing live version of “Fade Away”…more to come on this as well!

Just when you think I’ve got nothing good to share….let me ask you: do you love Chinese food?

Look at all of that deliciousness! Ramen noodles, potstickers – even tenshindon, a rice omelette with crab topped with a thick sauce!

Oh, just one thing: THESE ARE ALL SWEET DESSERTS!

“Rocketnews24″ Strikes Again!

I have shared stories from the great website site called “Rocketnews24″ – it’s a blog that features everything and anything wacky, unique and just plain crazy that’s happening in Japan, Tawian, Korea, China and all of the far east!

Cue The Secret Desserts!

While it may look like this young woman is digging into a platter of great chinese food, they are all sweets! Here’s the story from Rocketnews24:

The Rocketnews24 Reporter went to a hot new sweets shop in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district called “Maplise”, where the specialty of the house is a decadent dessert that looks like a hot bowl of noodles! Yes, THIS is a dessert!

This amazingly creative bakery has mastered the art of designing desserts to look like regular chinese food, so you can indulge without being discovered! Not only that, they serve the desserts to you in chinese food containers!

However, the real fun begins when you take your delicious desserts out!

“Salt Ramen” For Dessert!

Here is how Rocketnews24 described what they ordered – the “salt ramen”:

“Even looking at them up close, they look like the real deal. They’ve recreated every detail, including a transparent soup for the noodles and the crunchy fried skin of the dumplings. The tenshindon was especially well done, from the looks of the egg, to the shininess of the sauce, and even the handful of green peas normally used as a garnish wasn’t forgotten.”

Imagine sitting at your desk, eating a bowl of ramen noodles like this…friends and co-workers stop by, glance over, and move on…but you know what you are biting into: CAKE!

More “Tenshindon” Please!

And remember that tenshindon, the rice omelette with crab topped with a thick sauce?

Well, an amazing thing happens as you take your fork and cut into it:

Yep, it’s a chocolate cake! And these realistic pot stickers are also…that’s right, dessert!

Pass The Soy Sauce, Please!

That’s right, they even have “soy sauce” for you – it’s really maple syrup!

Now you know why I love Tokyo so much – there is as much creativity and imagination on display every day as there are neon lights at night!

Again, thanks to the brilliant Asian website “Rocketnews24″ for the story. You can read the entire article here:

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2013/12/13/cakes-disguised-as-chinese-food-for-under-the-radar-sweet-sneaking-or-just-confusing-your-brain/

And support this terrific website by digging into all of their amazing stories about the far east!

After a big day of celebratory eating, I think I need to have a light lunch today:

But I Like Bacon!

What, too much? I just thought a bacon cheeseburger would be a good way to come down from a holiday food high…although this type of thing is more akin to a food coma – maybe just a cheeseburger then…

Allright, if you think I’m going overboard, I’ll just have a hot dog:

As you can see, there will be NO relief from bacon today! It’s time for my favorite bacon, cheeseburger and hot dog abuse of all time…let’s get started!

LET’S ALL APPLAUD THE WEBSITE “A HAMBURGER TODAY!”

I love to post crazy bacon and food abuse as you know, and here is my all-time favorite, thanks to the great investigative work of “A Hamburger Today”:

Burger King Offers Bacon – And One New Organization Steps Up To The Challenge!

Burger King Japan loves to offer specials. Well, taking advantage of Burger King Japan’s “15 strips of bacon for ¥100″ deal, “AHT” linked us to the Japanese news blog RocketNews24 – which successfully ordered a Whopper with 1,050 strips of bacon!

RocketNews24 reporter Mr. Sato then went back to Burger King and ordered a Whopper with – READY FOR THIS?

1,050 strips of bacon, or ¥7,000 (about $86) worth of bacon. The burger/bacon mountain weighed 2.7 kilograms (about 5.95 pounds), contained roughly 14,300 calories, and took 2 hours to make.

What could possibly top this? Well, all you had to do was ask – Here we go!

THE 1,000-SLICE CHEESEBURGER!

Yes, hold the bacon and pile on the cheese!

From the people who brought you the Whopper topped with 1,050 strips of bacon comes a Whopper topped with 1,000 slices of cheese (aka, a bloated tower of cheese slices with Whopper ingredients on top and somewhere underneath). RocketNews24 reporter Mr. Sato ordered the burger three days in advance from a Burger King in Japan and was rewarded with a Whopper weighing in at 12.782 kilograms (28.18 pounds) and containing 45,661 calories. Thankfully, he didn’t eat the whole thing. Mr. Sato managed to finish about 350 slices before giving up, explaining: “It tastes good, but if I eat any more I won’t have room for dinner.”

And “AHT” added this fun pic from Robyn Lee, who is the editor of “A Hamburger Today” and takes many of the photos for Serious Eats. They have a link to read more from Robyn at her personal food blog, “The Girl Who Ate Everything”.

While we are discussing crazy food, let’s grab some bacon and start wrapping dinner!

“The Fred”

According to a post on reddit, “The Fred” is a bacon-wrapped, deep-fried hotdog – topped with Mac ‘n cheese on a toasted Cuban bread bun – yes, it is.

B.L.T. Dog

Again, posted on the “foodporn” area of reddit is the BLT Dog – a Deep Fried Bacon Wrapped Dog with Lettuce, Tomato & Mayo – as you can see, wrapping things in bacon is catching on…

Seoul Bacon-Wrapped Dogs

When I was in South Korea, we found a bunch of street markets that sold a ton of food on a stick, including these delicious bacon-wrapped hot dogs with a spicy korean sauce…

Bacon-Wrapped Lobster Bites

I would wrap lobster in bacon any day of the week.

The Kilo Burger!

And then I found this “Kilo” burger – full of meat and bacon and bun. Yes, it weighs a kilo…you want to know how much that is, get your ass over to the metric system NOW.

And of course, Burger King had to come back with their own new idea, and it’s a Whopper – and what a Whopper!

In a country where Burger King routinely offers up items like the 5 patty Whopper, there is a singular food fanatic who has one-upped them again!

The Grilled Onion Whopper!

It begins innocently enough, with Burger King offering grilled onions on their Whoppers, and a special deal for extra onions:

Thanks to the great writers at “A Hamburger Today”, we know that Japan’s RocketNews24 Reporter Mr. Sato has struck again!

Burger King’s Onion Bomb!

Burger King Japan has just released the Bakudan Oniteri (Onion Bomb) burger – a Whopper that is topped with five slices of grilled onion and drizzled with teriyaki sauce.

Mr. Sato once again took on Burger King’s deal and decided to re-purpose the extra onion for making gyudon. But of course he did…

The video of this entire process lives here:

Thanks again to “A Hamburger Today” for finding this masterpiece of onion excess! And for the rest of us, let’s get stacked NOW!

Happy New Year, Burger Lovers!

Yes, that’s a burger you see staring at you, and it’s just the tip of 2014′s wacky burger iceberg! Gone are the days when THIS is considered exotic:

Because in this new era of monster food, it’s a whole new year, and there is new burger madness to share! Sure, we all love the goodness you see above, but what if a regular, albeit delicious, double cheeseburger just isn’t enough? After all, we are now in an era when you can add THIS to anything:

Now ANYTHING can be bacon flavored! And of course, the world of burgers just keeps getting more and more unique…

“Turning Japanese!”

Because once you’ve had one of my Japanese wasabi avocado sliders – well, let’s just say the world looks different from over there:

So, although New Year’s Eve is barely past us, some of us already need a drink and a bite to eat…or perhaps you just need one of these:

“The Hangover Burger!”

Thanks to Giant Orange in Sacramento, California, you can enjoy their Hangover Burger for $10.99 – you get a big burger patty topped with a farm-fresh fried egg, grilled onions, Cheddar cheese and crisp hardwood-smoked bacon; garnished with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles.

Three bites and you are no doubt drinking again! But maybe you need more…

Behold The “Burganator!”

Wow, the mad geniuses at Stonefly Brewery in Milwaukee came up a masterpiece: it’s “The Burganator”, where great slabs of bacon are topped first by a burger, then by onion rings, and then drizzled with a beer cheese sauce…wait, I already hear my arteries hardening!

This is just one of twelve unique burger toppings that the great minds at “A Hamburger Today” have to share here:

http://aht.seriouseats.com/

But don’t think the US has a lock on massive:

Behold The “Queensland Burger!”

Well, that’s just a whole lot of stuff piled up and put between two buns…and it sure looks good, doesn’t it?

Thanks to the great website “Thisiswhyyourehuge.com” for sharing this photo. If you don’t go there for all of their shared material, you are missing a lot of great food madness!

After so much big food, let’s check out something a bit healthier, thanks to the Mediterranean diet:

“My Big Fat Greek Burger!”

Well, what can you say about this: it’s a beautiful Lamb burger with grilled red onion, feta, bell pepper yogurt, tomato and greens – delicious looking, and according to a fat dude, it’s good for you, too…

And the fat dude shows you step-by-step how to cook it, too! I saw this on the “thisiswhyyourehuge”, but they shared the link to “the fat dude diet” website….check it out here!

The Fat Dude is really Niyaz Pirani, an Orange County food writer for OC Weekly’s Stick A Fork In It blog and formerly the Orange County Register’s Food Frenzy blog.

Kudos, fat dude!

http://thefatdudediet.com/2010/12/24/week-7-meal-3-my-big-fat-greek-burger/

Look, I’m all for healthy, but when I get an email from the owner of “Martiniburger” in Tokyo, I know I’m not going on a diet anytime soon! Here is their latest masterpiece!

The “Foie Gras!”

Well, doesn’t this look good! It’s a 100% beef burger topped with imported Rougié fois gras, apple, mint and balsamico dressing. Served with endive salad. How much you ask? Just ¥3200, for a limited time only, so let’s get over to Tokyo NOW!

OK, I can’t jump on a plane right this second, but the next time I’m in Tokyo’s legendary Shinjuku entertainment district, I’m checking this place out! Here’s the website!

http://martini-burger.com/en

Nothing could be more satisfying than a foie gras burger, right? Well, there is tasty and then there is BIG…and when it comes to big, what would Australia do about that?

G’Day For Australia’s Biggest Burger!

Behold “The Roadhog!”

Let’s finish this mouthwatering trip into 2014 by going to Queensland, Australia, some 300 miles away from Brisbane…yes, we are talking Australian Outback, folks:

According to a Queensland travel blog, “‘The Roadhog Burger’ weighs in at around 14kg – the same size as an average two-year-old. It feeds up to 15 people and will set you back about 150 bucks!

You’ll need to order this monster a few days in advance though, as the buns are ‘custom made’ by the nearby St George Bakery. And yes, those are raw sausages fashioned as fingers!”

Time To Bite Into 2014!

So there you go, grab a big burger somewhere and bite into 2014 – all around the world – in style!

Bite Into My New iPhone Cover!

Yes, this is my new iPhone cover! Does it make you hungry? Well, it sure does that for me – yes, thanks to my great kids Jeff and Jessica, I have sushi anytime I want it!

More on this wacky iPhone cover in a minute, but first, if you want to know how to buy such an amazing iPhone cover, here is where the world’s wildest shopping madness begins:

Welcome To Tokyo – Time To Shop!

The picture above was the view of Tokyo from the 25th floor of my hotel in Shinjuku – I stayed there four times, and each time I saw a vast city stretched out before me – and I had every intention of getting to know ALL OF IT – including products like this:

More on this unique treat soon. And yes, I will share my electronic cockroaches as well! On each trip to Tokyo, I managed to explore another fascinating area of Tokyo – walking through neighborhoods like Harajuku:

Harajuku, Here I Come!

The neighborhood of Harajuku is one of Tokyo’s busiest – full of young japanese shoppers and cosplay girls – it’s also a fashion capital, renowned for its unique street fashion. It is always packed with young people, with an upbeat, fun “street fair” vibe…

Harajuku is great for window shopping, as the fashion stuff wasn’t for me, obviously…but I did come across the official outlet for the “Tokyo Rescue Squad” – their fire department/911 services – and I could proudly wear their uniform….

I bought several shirts with that great Japanese lettering on them, along with the name of the store….and I also came across this unique diner as well…

Tokyo streets are fun to wander, partially because NOTHING is read-able, and it’s a myriad of colorful signs and streets…I wandered with NO idea of where I was going…but that is what made it so much fun!

And when you shop you come across amazingly unique products – like this!

Bacon-and-Egg iPhone Cover!

Yes, this is my iPhone cover. I got it in the Akihabara electronics district in Tokyo, in the 10-story electronic store. I love it! For example, look at what happens when I take a picture of “The Bean” in Chicago…

Just a nice, normal shot…but, because of my iphone cover, this is what you will see when I take a self-portrait…yep, there’s the bacon-and-egg cover….

While it is certainly unique, it turns out I should have kept shopping in Tokyo, because there are TONS of cool covers I could have bought!

Thanks to the great website “Tofugu.com”, I found more wacky iphone covers, all thanks to the ingenuity of the japanese….

Zushi Sushi!

Here is another unique iphone cover…Chirashi zushi is a “scattered sushi” dish which has sushi rice as well as other toppings normally found on sushi.

Or, if you just need your sushi plain and simple, then you can use this iphone cover:

Unagi On Line One!

I am a big fan of sushi, and I love unagi as well…had I seen this iPhone cover sale, I would have jumped on it:

As you can see, there are an amazing number of unique iphone covers related to food:

And now I have them all! How? Well, here is how my shopping spree in Tokyo paid off for me in a big way! Let’s begin with how much unique shopping there is in Tokyo:

Have A Ball!

No matter what shopping area you go to, you will come across rows and rows of “ball dispensers”…you put in some money, and out pops a ball…

In America we’d get a gumball or jawbreaker, but these are trinkets, as everyone in Tokyo hangs these fun trinkets from their phones…

This charm was some sort of logo – I also bought one that had a Ninja inside, and another that had plasticized food…you can spend a fortune collecting these cool balls…

Electronic Heaven – Yodobashi!

The Akihabara district is known for electronics, which can be found in street stalls and alleyways, as well as in this ten story electronics store – Yodobashi!

The entrance is like any other, although the signs with sale items and daily specials quickly fill up the aisles…

Inside, they constantly call out the specials of the day – each department is packed and loud – and since you can’t read any of the signs – or understand what they are saying – it is a very unique situation….

Like many stores, they do NOT like you taking pictures, and signs are everywhere telling you that…

Behold My iPhone Covers!

Inside this store, there is an entire wall of iphone/ipad/ipod accessories – this is where I found my cherished bacon and egg iphone cover…

My son Jeff knew how much I loved this cover, and since it was for an iphone 4G, I wouldn’t be able to upgrade my phone! Well, a week before Christmas this year, THIS package showed up for me:

Yes, I can now upgrade and keep my signature “bacon and egg” iphone! And not only that, Jeff and my daughter Jessica also got me ANOTHER iphone cover, this one even more delicious!

I mean, I’m in heaven! And I also need to thank my friend Laurie Kantor Finn, who traveled to Japan last year and brought me back a mother load of new iphone covers as well!

More IPhone Covers!

Yes, it’s sushi rice as iphone cover, and what about this one: it’s covered with fish roe!

And, in case you need some directions, just read the back cover!

Kit Kat Madness!

And Laurie didn’t stop there! Yes, it’s time to bite into some of the greatest Kit Kat flavors EVER!

Let’s begin with the classic: it’s a Green Tea Kit Kat, a Japanese favorite and delicious, as you can imagine…now take that classic green tea recipe and add just a bit of WASABI!

Then, grab a couple of these individual Kit Kat sizes – this one a delicious blend of banana and hot pepper:

And don’t forget that Oreo in Japan has gotten into this business as well – look at these Green Tea Chocolate Oreos!

Thanks so much, Laurie! If she had only gone to Tokyo a few months later, she could have shopped HERE:

Tokyo’s Kit Kat Store!

Yes, there is now a store that sells nothing but Kit Kats! I know a number of people who would go as crazy as I would in this mecca for tasty madness! That mean you Vinnie, Scott, Kristen…the list goes on!

Meet My New Pet!

It’s not all about food. While I was shopping in the electronic district, I also managed to find a special treat: my own pet cockroach, which is sold in this long tube…

It’s an electronic cockroach, and when you turn it on, the bug scatters around the floor – bouncing off walls and running around exactly as a cockroach would….

I also bought several metal butterflies – there were electronic and metallic version of them – in fact, there were creatures of all shapes and sizes for sale…

Then I went back outside and was handled a bundle of Kleenex – I have NO idea of what they were advertising, but it was a nice gesture!

Almond Fish!

And if you didn’t see it before, check out my post below – some of the craziest street food available in Tokyo – like this:

Here is the link to a story all about street food:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/12/23/crazy-tokyo-food-coffee-jelly-meat-fish-mix-octopus-bar-almond-fish/

But after shopping I got hungry, and I need some sushi….

TIME TO HEAD TO “SKI-GEE!”

I have posted about going to the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, one of the most unique places I have ever visited:

I’ve been told that “SKI-GEE” is how you pronounce “Tsukiji”, which is the world’s largest fish market – when you arrive, the bustling crowds are ready to head into the market to bid on some fish:

Located only blocks from Tokyo’s glittering Ginza shopping district, Tsukiji is a prominent landmark, a supplier for countless fishmongers and sushi chefs, and a popular destination for foreign tourists like me.

Take A Walk Through Tsukiji With Me!

I decided to walk through the public shopping area of the market, away from the fish auction space – here is what it’s like to wander among the stalls that sell fresh fish – and of course, a conveyor belt sushi bar!

Early every morning, tens of thousands of tons of seafood from every ocean of the world quickly change hands in Tsukiji’s auctions and in the marketplace’s hundreds of tiny stalls. You can wander for hours through row after row of stalls, some clearly “Mom and Pop” type shops like this:

I’ve eaten in several of these tiny stalls – especially the mini-sushi bars that line the outside of the fish market…here is one of the plates I had for breakfast at 8am:

The stalls serve sushi, as well as steaming bowls of noodles, rice topped with any sort of seafood imaginable, and of course I went into the stall you see here to get some of that deliciousness for myself:

I quickly discovered they speak absolutely NO english, which made my attempt to order a bowl of fresh sea urchin and yellowtail over rice quite comic: the two elderly japanese women behind the counter didn’t think I knew what I was ordering, so the two women just kept speaking VERY FAST JAPANESE to me – getting louder and louder as I grimaced and shrugged and pointed at the urchin.

They just couldn’t believe that I would want to eat that – as it was also one of the more expensive items…finally they pulled out some for me to taste, and when I smiled and nodded, they made me my breakfast, and it was delicious! Oh, and they just LAUGHED AND LAUGHED…..

You can also just walk through the stall and buy all sorts of food from street vendors, like these hot fish cakes – the world’s original “fish sticks”:

I ended up eating sushi four mornings in a row for breakfast…how can you NOT, when the sushi bars ring the fish market and offer the freshest fish you can eat?

The sushi bars get the fish that is cut off of the massive slabs that are sold inside all morning…it’s a very efficient process for them, and a delicious one for us!

Behold The City Of Tokyo!

Daytime Tokyo is much different than night – somewhat colorless without the nightlife and neon – as I showed you before, here is the view from my room, looking down at the Shinjuku train station, looking north toward Kabuki-Cho and beyond – and the direction I would be walking one day:

It is this Tokyo that I like to explore, and always do it during the day, when I can take pictures and stroll the neighborhoods, which are much less hectic than the nightlife…one day I walked in the direction of the picture above – through a sleepy Kabucki-Cho and north…coming across fun businesses like this curry shop – you know, for “curry in hurry”:

I also came across a small shop that sold me fried beef cakes:

VENDING MACHINE MANIA!

I’ve written about this many times – there are vending machines EVERYWHERE in Tokyo – I mean on every single block, many times in packs like this:

They are filled with water, juices, soft drinks, iced coffee and other, more unique drinks – like this COFFEE JELLY:

It’s like coffee jello…fun and refreshing in a “Coffee jelly” sort of way: also, there are virtually NO garbage cans in Tokyo except where the vending machines are located – nobody walks and drinks in Tokyo, you buy your beverage at the vending machine and you consume it there…you won’t find anyone eating or drinking on the subways or streets either…that is one reason it is so clean in the city…

And the more you walk, the more you come across colorful streets full of unique signs you can’t read…

But if you are lucky, there is SOMETHING on a sign that let’s you know that – yes, this place is serving Sushi…

Mt. Fuji!

And on my last trip, I finally got to see Mt. Fuji from my hotel room…

It was a great way to end a day of shopping in Tokyo!