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A century-old barbecue restaurant has its top-secret barbecue sauce recipe locked in a bank vault

McClard's Bar-B-Q is famous for serving Bill Clinton and its top-secret sauce recipe.
McClard’s Bar-B-Q is famous for serving Bill Clinton and its top-secret sauce recipe.
  • McClard’s has kept its barbecue sauce recipe in a bank vault for decades.
  • The Arkansas barbecue restaurant has been family-owned since 1928.
  • Bill Clinton once had McClard’s ribs flown to the White House.

Some family recipes are tucked away in a kitchen drawer or written down in a dusty recipe book.

At McClard’s Bar-B-Q in Arkansas, one family recipe is considered so valuable that it’s locked away in a bank vault.

The nearly century-old barbecue institution has been serving customers since 1928, and four generations of the McClard family have helped preserve the restaurant’s traditions.

But perhaps no tradition is more closely guarded than the recipe for its signature barbecue sauce — the recipe that helped transform a roadside tourist station into one of Arkansas’ most beloved restaurants.

Its top-secret barbecue sauce has become part of McClard’s legendary history

McClard's Bar-B-Q
The McClards created the recipe for their iconic barbecue sauce back in 1928.

According to the restaurant, founders Alex and Gladys McClard operated the Westside Tourist Court, which included a gas station and diner, in the late 1920s.

When a traveler passing through couldn’t pay the roughly $10 he owed after staying for two months, he offered something else instead: a recipe he claimed was for “the world’s greatest barbecue sauce.”

The restaurant said the McClards accepted the recipe in lieu of payment, thinking it was better than nothing, and realized it lived up to the traveler’s promise. The couple began tweaking it to suit their tastes, and before long, their barbecue business became the standout attraction of their tourist court.

Reviewers describe the sauce as hot and spicy, with a rich, vinegary base layer that adds a tangy bite, and say it’s more similar to traditional Carolina barbecue sauces than Texas or Kansas City varieties.

McClard’s Bar-B-Q opened in 1928 and moved to its current location in 1942.

Rather than keeping the couple’s iconic barbecue sauce recipe in the restaurant kitchen, the restaurant says the handwritten recipe is still stored in a safety deposit box at a downtown Hot Springs bank to help ensure it remains protected for future generations.

McClard’s still prepares its sides from longtime family recipes, a tradition that has attracted generations of loyal customers, including presidents.

One of McClard’s most famous fans was former President Bill Clinton

McClard's Bar-B-Q
Bill Clinton is one of McClard’s most notable fans.

Clinton, who spent much of his childhood in Hot Springs before serving as Arkansas governor and eventually president, remained loyal to the restaurant long after leaving the state.

He was known to be a fan of the restaurant’s spicy sauce, tamale spread, and chicken wings.

The Takeout reported that the then-president would have McClard’s ribs flown to DC on Air Force One, and they were even served at Camp David, the presidential retreat in the Catoctin Mountains.

McClard’s is still a local favorite nearly 100 years after opening

McClard's Bar-B-Q
McClard’s Bar-B-Q.

The restaurant’s website said the new generation of ownership at McClard’s continues to see great success.

Each week, the restaurant serves 7,000 pounds of hickory-smoked beef, pork, and ribs, 250 gallons of spicy barbecue beans, 250 gallons of cole slaw, 3,000 hand-rolled hot tamales, and 3,000 pounds of french fries.

What began as payment for an unpaid motel bill has become one of Arkansas’ most enduring culinary traditions — and one secret the McClard family has no intention of letting slip.

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Officials warn NYC high-rise remains unstable and could collapse

People looking up at a Midtown building
New York City officials warned the situation at 235 East 42nd Street remained “dangerous.”
  • A Manhattan tower that formerly held Pfizer’s headquarters was at risk of collapse, officials said.
  • The incident sparked a large emergency response and the evacuation of several buildings.
  • FDNY said it found “buckled” columns and “sagging” floors at the high-rise at 235 East 42nd Street.

A Manhattan high-rise that once served as Pfizer’s global headquarters is at risk of collapse on Tuesday after New York City officials said the tower continued to shift hours into a massive emergency response that triggered multiple evacuations.

City officials warned at a Tuesday afternoon press conference that conditions at the under-construction 38-story building at 235 East 42nd Street were “extremely serious” and “dangerous.”

“The concern is that since we have been on site in the early morning, we have seen continued shift of the structure,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

235 East 42nd Street
The 38-story tower at 235 East 42nd Street.

New York City Fire Department Chief John Esposito said that since the building is a steel-frame building, “it would not be a total collapse.”

“It would be more of a localized collapse, but that remains our concern, that it’s moving,” Esposito said.

Esposito added that a “collapse zone” has been set up.

FDNY officials said the department initially received a call about reports of falling bricks from the high-rise just before 8 a.m. ET.

After emergency responders arrived at the building, they found two support columns “buckled” on the 21st and 22nd floors, as well as “sagging” floors between the 21st and 26th floors.

The building was quickly evacuated, and other surrounding buildings were also evacuated as a precaution.

The scene outside 235 East 42nd Street.
Several Manhattan buildings were evacuated.

No injuries were reported, and Mamdani said that all construction workers who had been inside the building at 235 East 42nd Street were accounted for.

“Two structural columns have buckled, in addition to multiple cracks and sagging floors. The building remains unstable,” Mamdani said during the afternoon press conference.

NYPD officers walk outside 235 East 42nd Street.
Sagging floors were discovered at 235 East 42nd Street.

Video footage circulating on social media appears to show structural steel beams bending inside the building.

New York City Department of Buildings commissioner Ahmed Tigani said crews will enter the building only after it’s deemed safe.

“Once we can determine that it’s safe to enter the building, we will then, in concert with the contractors, ownership, and with consultation with FDNY, be able to deploy plans to shore up that floor, and then continue to investigate further for any other weak points that need further help shoring,” Tigani said.

The former Pfizer headquarters is undergoing a major conversion from office space into a 1,600-unit residential rental development with a quarter of the units reserved for affordable housing.

The scene outside of 235 East 42nd Street.
The former Pfizer building is undergoing a major conversion.

The project, developed by the firm MetroLoft, is slated for completion early next year and is expected to include ground-floor retail space and 100,000 square feet of amenities.

Representatives for MetroLoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Business Insider.

MetroLoft says on its website that upon completion, the project will be New York City’s “largest office to residential conversion to date.”

Read the original article on Business Insider

I’ve worked at Costco for 20 years. Here are 7 of the best things I’m seeing on shelves right now.

A composite image of a green roller-bag suitcase and a hand holding an Upper Cut snack pack.
As a longtime employee, I think the Calpak luggage set and Upper Cut snack packs are two of the best things to get at Costco right now.
  • As a Costco employee of 20 years, I love seeing the new items that come into the warehouse.
  • This month, an eight-piece Calpak luggage set caught my eye.
  • I also think the Upper Cut snack pack is a great way to get your protein in.

Even though I’ve been working at Costco for two decades, I still get excited to see the new items that come into the warehouse.

This month, the store is stocked with everything from chic luggage sets to outdoor-entertaining essentials. Here are seven items that caught my eye.

The Calpak 8-piece luggage set has everything you need to stay organized while traveling.
A green Calpak rolling suitcase on display at Costco.

If you’re prepping for summer travel, I recommend checking out this eight-piece luggage set from Calpak.

It includes everything you need to stay organized while traveling — a 28-inch suitcase, a 20-inch carry on, three packing cubes, a laundry bag, a shoe bag, and a luggage tag.

I love that the roller bags have 360-degree spinning wheels, which make it easy to transport the bags through the airport. Plus, the set is on sale for $30 off until July 19.

Costco superfans will love these reusable shopping bags.
Boxes of reusable tote bags on display at Costco.

Costco’s four-pack of reusable shopping bags is perfect for fans of the warehouse.

Decorated with some of Costco’s most popular items, like the famous $1.50 hot dog and bakery items, these durable bags are great for grocery shopping or everyday use. There’s even a spot to hold a bottle inside.

Plus, they’re easy to fold for compact storage.

The Upper Cut snack pack is a great way to get your protein in.
A hand holding an Upper Cut snack pack with salami, cheese, crackers, and chocolate-covered cranberries.

The Upper Cut tapas snack pack is like a mini charcuterie board with white-cheddar cheese, crackers, salami, and dark-chocolate-covered cranberries.

It’s great if you’re looking for a protein-packed lunch or a quick on-the-go snack.

Illuminate your space with the Infinity X1 wireless lights.
Boxes of Infinity X1 under-the-cabinet lights on display at Costco.

Although this product is called an under-cabinet light, it can be used in closets, pantries, office spaces, or anywhere that could benefit from better illumination.

Each box comes with three Infinity X1 wireless rechargeable lights that are easy to install. There’s also a remote that allows you to adjust the lights to your desired color temperature.

Instead of going to the drive-thru, I like to pick up a box of Bolthouse Farms mocha cappuccinos.
Boxes of Bolthouse Farms mocha cappuccinos on display at Costco.

The ready-to-drink Bolthouse Farms mocha cappuccinos can be found in the refrigerated section at Costco.

Made with Arabica coffee, rich cocoa, and milk, this is the perfect grab-and-go solution for busy days.

The Excello Global Products pole set makes it easy to hang string lights.
Boxes of string-light pole sets on display at Costco.

Nothing screams summer quite like a backyard decorated in string lights. However, they can be tricky to hang without the right equipment.

Luckily, the Excello Global Products poles are easy to stick in the ground or mount on a deck. The set comes with all the brackets and screws needed for installation.

However, keep in mind the lights are sold separately.

The Ryl Co. iced teas are the perfect summer treat.
Boxes of The Ryl Co. iced teas on display at Costco.

If you’re looking for a refreshing summer drink without loads of sugar or calories, you might want to pick up a pack of The Ryl Co. iced teas.

Each variety pack comes with 15 cans of iced tea in raspberry, Rocket Pop, and Southern sweet tea flavors.

Costco was not involved in the sourcing or writing of this story. The views contained within represent the author’s personal views.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Before Air Force One, US presidents traveled aboard a luxury train car. See inside the ‘White House on wheels.’

presidential train car
The Ferdinand Magellan was in presidential use from 1943 to 1954.
  • The Ferdinand Magellan, also known as US Car No. 1, was used by US presidents between 1943 and 1954.
  • It was the president’s official transportation in the days before Air Force One.
  • The car used by Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Dwight Eisenhower can still be borrowed.

Long before US presidents traveled aboard Air Force One, their main form of long-distance transportation was a 10-foot-wide train car.

The Ferdinand Magellan, a Pullman car rebuilt in 1942 for presidential use, served as the president’s official mode of transportation from 1943 until its last official use in 1954. The car is also known as US Car No. 1.

The armored car was the heaviest passenger railcar ever built in the US after it was fitted with detailed security features and enlarged spaces for President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the height of World War II.

Today, it is the only passenger train car to ever be declared a National Historic Landmark.

While it pales in comparison to the current Air Force One in terms of space, luxury, and technology, the Ferdinand Magellan allowed the president to continue his duties in comfort while on the move. The car was often accompanied by other train cars dedicated to radio communications, White House staffers, and members of the press, making it a “White House on wheels.”

See how US presidents traveled in the days before Air Force One.

US Car No. 1 was presented to President Franklin D. Roosevelt in December 1942.
roosevelt on us car one presidential train car

On December 18, 1942, the Pullman Company presented a luxury train car — originally built in 1928 — that had been rebuilt at the request of the US Secret Service, which had determined that the president needed a secure way to travel during wartime.

Roosevelt most often used the car to travel from Washington, DC, to his home in Hyde Park, New York. The president insisted on not surpassing a speed of 35 miles per hour when traveling aboard the Ferdinand Magellan, making his journeys less efficient and heightening security measures, per the White House Historical Association website.

He last rode the car on March 30, 1945, when he visited his Little White House in Warm Springs, Georgia, where he died a few weeks later.

During his time, the president rode over 50,000 miles aboard the presidential train car.

It was most famously used in 1948 during Harry Truman’s “whistle-stop” campaign tour.
truman presidential train car

While the car was rebuilt with Roosevelt in mind, including certain designs that would allow him to use a wheelchair on the train, it was his successor, President Harry S. Truman, who used it the most.

The president, who, unlike Roosevelt, opted for a speed of 80 miles per hour, employed the car in his iconic 35-day whistle-stop tour during his reelection campaign in 1948, where he delivered 356 speeches from the back of the Magellan, per Architectural Digest.

By the time Truman’s successor, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, took office, more efficient air travel was starting to replace rail travel, and the US Car No. 1 was used for the last time in 1954.

The car was last used by Ronald Reagan during a commemorative whistle-stop tour in Ohio in 1984.
reagan presidential train car

In 1984, Reagan brought the Magellan out of retirement for a one-day whistle-stop tour through Ohio during his reelection campaign.

The president traveled from Dayton to Perrysburg and stopped at five locations to give speeches from the rear platform of the presidential car.

Today, the US Car No. 1 sits in a small museum near Zoo Miami.
gold coast train museum in Miami, Florida

In 1959, the Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Miami, Florida, acquired the car, which in 1958 had been declared surplus and donated to the Smithsonian, which had no way to store it.

Since then, the car has stayed in South Florida, where it is now open to the public.

The Gold Coast Railroad Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. A regular adult ticket for the museum costs $12, and tickets for the presidential train car cost an additional $10.

To carry the president, the unique armored car had enhanced security features.
presidential train car

The car, which is 84 feet long, 10 feet wide, and 15 feet tall, was covered with over 1/2 an inch of nickel-steel armor on its sides and featured 3-inch-thick bulletproof glass windows.

It was also the heaviest passenger train car built in the US. After it was refurbished for presidential use, the train car weighed 285,000 pounds, making it much heavier than modern-day war tanks, which often weigh around 100,000 pounds.

The car also had its name, Ferdinand Magellan, removed from its sides in an effort to conceal the president’s presence, although its design often stood out.

Other security features included two escape hatches and a complex security protocol, which included diverting traffic on the rails to ensure that no train traveled ahead or behind the president for at least 30 minutes. Operating under the code name POTUS, the president’s train always had the right of way.

Passengers boarded from the front of the train, which housed the staff quarters and kitchen.
hallway inside us presidential car

The entrance through which presidents and their guests would’ve entered is at the front of the car.

In the kitchen, an onboard chef had access to ovens and refrigerators.
kitchen inside presidential train car

The train’s dedicated chef prepared the president and guests’ meals inside this kitchen.

On the other side of the kitchen, the staff had pantry space to plate the dishes.
pantry presidential train car

The kitchen was also equipped with a pantry and a full-size metal sink.

The car housed two staff members: a chef and a porter.
staff quarters in presidential train car

Near the kitchen, the two-person staff had sleeping quarters that featured an upper and lower berth.

The dining and conference room was in the main cabin of the car.
presidential train car dining room

The presidential car’s main cabin featured a 6-foot solid mahogany table where the president and his guests — often diplomats or foreign leaders — could gather for dinners or meetings.

The dining room had its own set of presidential fine china.
china plates inside presidential train car

Presidents and guests didn’t have to sacrifice the White House‘s luxuries while they were on the move — the dining room had its own set of china decorated with the presidential emblem.

Today, the room displays an example of the glass used in the car’s windows.
bulletproof glass inside presidential train car

The 3-inch-thick laminated bulletproof glass windows were installed when the car was refurbished for the president’s use.

The windows were sealed, so to keep the car ventilated there was a simple form of air conditioning in which fans pushed air cooled by blocks of ice.

The car included two guest bedrooms along with a presidential suite.
stateroom inside presidential train car

The first of two guest bedrooms aboard the US Car No. 1, Stateroom D, included an upper and lower berth, where guests could sleep, and an in-room bathroom.

In these guest rooms, Truman welcomed British Prime Minister Winston Churchill during his visit to the US in 1946, during which he delivered his iconic Iron Curtain speech.

The presidential suite included the president’s sleeping area.
president's bed in presidential train car

Designed to accommodate Franklin D. Roosevelt’s wheelchair, the president’s room included a full-size bed, a dresser, and an in-room toilet.

Like most rooms in the car, it was also connected to a telephone, which was extremely rare at the time.

The connecting bathroom inside the presidential suite featured a bathtub, toilet, and sink.
first lady's bathroom in us car one presidential train car

The presidential suite bathroom, equipped with a bathtub, toilet, and sink, connected the president’s and the first lady‘s rooms, staterooms B and C.

The bathroom also contained an escape hatch, which was added as a security measure during the car’s refurbishing.

The first lady’s room was located parallel to the president’s.
the first lady's room in the presidential train car

Inside the first lady’s quarters was a bed and a dresser, although she didn’t have an in-room bathroom.

The secondary guest bedroom could also be used as a breakfast or gathering room.
stateroom in presidential train car

Located towards the back of the car, Stateroom A, the second guest room aboard the Magellan, featured convertible berths, like the other guest room, that could also be used as a breakfast, gathering, or office space for the president or his guests.

The upper berth could be raised into the ceiling, and the lower one could be converted into a sitting booth with a pull-out table.

The presidential car was often attached to train cars housing Secret Service, White House staffers, and the press.
historical photo inside presidential train car

The Ferdinand Magellan functioned as a White House on wheels, and was often attached to train cars dedicated to Secret Service, White House staffers, and reporters traveling with the president.

The US Car No. 1 was also often accompanied by two communications cars equipped with control consoles for radio broadcasts and telegraph communications so the president could be reached while he was on the move, per Atlas Obscura.

A narrow hallway led from the staterooms to the observation deck.
hallways inside presidential train car

A slim, wood-paneled hallway led from the four staterooms to the observation deck at the rear of the car.

The observation lounge featured some of the presidential car’s original furniture.
observation lounge inside presidential train car

The observation room was also enlarged during the refurbishing of the car, allowing it to function as a secondary gathering room for the president and his guests.

During the refurbishment, a submarine escape hatch was added to the car.
escape hatch on presidential train car

Part of the car’s security modifications included the addition of escape hatches, like this submarine hatch on the observation lounge.

Today, the observation lounge shows signs of hurricane damage that the car has sustained.
hurricane damage presidential train car

In 1992, Hurricane Andrew hit South Florida, and among its many damages were some sustained by the Magellan.

Although minor, a small window crack shows how the presidential car has stood the test of time.

Traveling presidents could address crowds from a podium on the car’s rear platform.
presidential train car podium

At the end of the presidential car was an exposed podium from where the president often addressed crowds.

During Truman’s whistle-stop tour, he spoke from the podium repeatedly, often addressing crowds in different cities within the same day.

The preserved train car stands as a remnant of US history and of how presidents spread their message.
presidential train car

Inactive as the president’s main form of transportation for over 70 years, the Ferdinand Magellan stands as a memory of America’s past.

However, our tour guide pointed out that the car is still on a track connected to current-day railroads and can be requested for use at any moment by the sitting US president.

Although I doubt Donald Trump would want to travel aboard the historic cabin, a modern-day president going on his own whistle-stop tour on US Car No. 1 remains a possibility.

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We lived on a sailboat for 18 months. The lifestyle was much more challenging than we expected.

The writer and her husband standing on their boat, in front of another boat, in the blue ocean.
We lived on a boat and sailed around Europe for 18 months.
  • My husband and I lived on a boat full-time for a year and a half.
  • The lifestyle was our dream, but the reality was much more challenging than we expected.
  • We felt like we had to stay alert all the time, and working in such a small space was difficult.

Three years ago, my husband and I packed up our lives in the suburbs of London and moved aboard a 36-foot sailboat.

We’d sailed before and had spent weeks on boats each year for our vacations, but living on one full-time proved to be very different. We ended up living aboard and sailing through Europe for 18 months before my husband received a job on land, and we had to leave.

The lifestyle was a dream in many ways, but some aspects were more challenging than we ever could’ve expected.

Instead of feeling free, I felt limited

Boats anchored at a dock during daytime, with the ocean in the background.
Living in a small space was much harder than we expected.

Once our boat left the dock, we were limited to only the supplies that we had on board. We had to carry everything with us: food, water, diesel fuel, cooking gas, medical supplies, spare parts, and anything else we could need.

Knowing exactly how much of something we had — but not knowing exactly how long we’d need to make that thing stretch — naturally made us want to ration just about everything.

I found myself monitoring how much food we were eating each day, how much water it took to do the dishes, and how long the stove had been on. I was very aware of our limits.

We also had to stay mindful of how charged our batteries were. Aside from the potential annoyances of the lights going out or the fridge no longer working, running out of power can become dangerous quickly at sea.

We’d need electricity to power the lights and systems that let other boats see us; we also needed to keep our radio powered in case we had to call for help.

Living in a tiny space also made life difficult. Neither of us is claustrophobic, and we both actually liked the boat’s coziness, but working remotely was tough.

If one of us had a call, there was nowhere to escape the noise, and it was very hard to avoid distracting each other.

We always had to be alert and could never fully relax

The writer wearing a bandana and using ropes to dock her boat.
I felt like I always had to be on high alert.

So much can go wrong on a boat, and the consequences can be very serious. To sail safely, you need to understand the risks and know how to solve problems that arise … which doesn’t exactly create the most relaxing environment.

We needed to be constantly attuned to changes in the weather. I had to check the forecast multiple times a day, monitor the actual conditions we were experiencing, and move the boat if things ever felt unsafe.

Then, there was the stressful topic of money. Boat repairs can be unpredictable and pricy, and working as consultants also meant that our finances fluctuated.

If a key system like our Starlink internet broke, we would not only have to deal with replacing it — we also wouldn’t be able to earn any income from our remote work while it was down.

Maintenance and repairs became an ongoing battle

Even with the best planning, boats can be a nightmare to maintain. The salty, wet environment meant that our electrical wiring would corrode quickly, any exposed metal would quickly rust, and we’d frequently find mold growing on walls and inside cupboards.

Plus, systems don’t just break during the daytime. Alarms go off at all hours, and emergencies need to be dealt with immediately.

We once woke up to find that the lowest part of the boat was completely filled with water. I started bailing out the water while my husband tried to find the source of the leak. By the time we’d cleaned everything up and gotten back to bed, it was 3 in the morning.

Despite the many challenges, though, I’m still very glad I got the opportunity to live at sea. I explored the entire west coast of Europe, got really good at problem-solving, and gained confidence in my own abilities.

Sailing full-time is hard, but it was worth it for me — even though I’m glad I’m back on land now.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Why the ultrarich spend millions on custom Rolls-Royces

Rolls-Royce cars have never been more expensive. While a new Rolls-Royce starts at around $370,000, many buyers spend hundreds of thousands, even millions, more on customizations. Some owners, like the car influencer Supercar Blondie, pay aftermarket companies more to modify their cars than they paid for the vehicle itself.

Rolls-Royce customizes hand-painted coachlines and light-filled ceilings and makes one-off coachbuilt models costing tens of millions of dollars. Nearly every car that leaves the automaker’s Goodwood factory is personalized. As more ultrawealthy buyers seek products no one else can own, Rolls-Royce is investing $400 million to expand its bespoke operations.

So why are the world’s wealthiest spending more than ever on Rolls-Royces? And what makes these highly customized cars worth the price?

Read the original article on Business Insider