In photos: 3,000 Korean housewives, 250 tons of kimchi

)

If you thought one Korean ajumma (older Korean woman with a curly perm and a 'tude) was scary, try 3,000 in one place. Just kidding. These housewives are Seoul's warmest-hearted -- they gathered on Wednesday to make kimchi for poor households who can't make their own.

HIDE CAPTION

It's the kimchi brigade!

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

It's kimchi season in South Korea
A record number of housewives turned out for the country's largest kimchi charity event
250 tons of kimchi are being donated to poor households

(CNN) -- Kimchi-making season is upon South Korea, with grocery stores besieged with housewives snapping up buckets of giant cabbages, salt and red pepper powder -- or more often these days buying pre-made kimchi so they don't have to go to the trouble.

In one of Seoul's more unusual sights, 3,000 housewives marked the start of the period in which the ingredients are at their freshest, with the country's biggest kimchi-making event to date in front of Seoul's City Plaza on Wednesday.

Armed with aprons, rubber gloves and sanitary shower caps, the women stuffed and spiced a whopping 61,700 cabbages to provide 25,000 families with their essential side dish -- that's 250 tons of fermented spicy cabbage.

The mayor of Seoul presided over the festival, which was a charity event started by a Busan Yakult saleswoman in 2001 to provide kimchi to poorer households, and evolved into an annual national event in 2008, according to Korean daily Joongang Ilbo.

Is this the world's 'sexiest hotel room'?

The Corfu Suite at the <strong>Blakes Hotel</strong> in London won the judges' vote for the sexiest hotel room for its white drapes, mother-of-pearl accents and a four-poster bed "you can't leave." Do you agree with the judges?

The Corfu Suite at the Blakes Hotel in London won the judges' vote for the sexiest hotel room for its white drapes, mother-of-pearl accents and a four-poster bed "you can't leave." Do you agree with the judges?

HIDE CAPTION

Sexiest Bedroom in the World

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Travel publisher Mr & Mrs Smith announced Smith Hotel Awards winners
Corfu Suite at the Blakes Hotel took top spot for world's sexiest hotel bedroom
Ace Hotel in New York is hottest hotel bar
Best new hotel is in Newfoundland, Canada

(CNN) -- It's probably the furthest thing from Hugh Hefner's idea of a sexy hotel room, or a "Fifty Shades of Grey" weekend getaway, but a white, bright, mother-of-pearl-themed hotel room in London has won an award for world's sexiest bedroom.

The Corfu Suite at the Blakes Hotel in London took the top spot for its "sumptuous decor," "a bed you can't leave" and "an element of intrigue."

Read: Lonely Planet's top destinations for 2014

And no, the judges weren't the prude, prim types -- they included burlesque star Immodesty Blaze, fashion blogger Garance Doré and the president of luxury lingerie brand Kiki de Montparnasse.

The Ca Maria Adele hotel in Venice placed second in the Sexiest Bedroom in the World category.

Runners-up were the "fantasy cocoon" at the Ca Maria Adele hotel in Venice, and rooms at Secret Bay resort in Dominica.

10 scariest places in Asia

Said to be one of the most haunted locations in Hong Kong, the now-abandoned Tat Tak School is the subject of many frightening tales, including reports of suicide and the ghost of a woman in red. Some cabbies refuse to take the road that leads to the school, which is surrounded by graves and also reportedly haunted. The school is featured in episode 1 of National Geographic's "I Wouldn't Go In There."

HIDE CAPTION

Tat Tak School, Hong Kong

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Robert Joe, host of Nat Geo's "I Wouldn't Go In There," introduces Asia's scariest spots
These places are haunted by history, not ghosts, says Joe
Sites include a haunted school, political prisons and an abandoned hospital

(CNN) -- We wouldn't go in there either.

For National Geographic's new Asia TV series, "I Wouldn't Go In There," which began airing this summer, urban explorer and blogger Robert Joe went investigating Asia's scariest places, country by country.

"People might think it's a ghost show, but it's actually a history show," says Joe.

"Asia has been embroiled in so much turmoil in the past 100 years, and is only just getting out of it now.

"We investigate places that have ghost stories, but these places are actually haunted by history. A lot of terrible things happened."

Abandoned Taiwanese jails for political prisoners, caves where Japanese soldiers killed themselves en masse after World War II, a Korean haunted house on a hill where soldiers from a failed beach landing were supposed to have been buried ...

It's Joe's job to start with rumors and uncover the real history that often turns out to be more gruesome than any spook stor

7 of Europe's most beautiful villages

Travelers intent on getting to Tellaro must brave cliff-top roads or navigate a minuscule harbor.

HIDE CAPTION

Tellaro, Italy

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Tellaro occupies the easternmost tip of the Golfo dei Poeti
Bibury's row of 17th century cottages may be the Cotswold village's most scenic area
French and German influences mix in the well-preserved Alsatian village of Colmar

(CNN) -- The notion of postcard-perfect villages steeped in old-world charm has inspired centuries of travelers to fan out across Europe, seeking its secluded hamlets.

As a result, the continent's scenic spots rarely remain hidden for long. It doesn't take much to make a charming village feel uncomfortably popular. Consider the five fishing villages that make up Italy's Cinque Terre, where an evening summertime stroll often feels like shuffling through a packed amusement park, complete with overpriced restaurants and souvenir shops.

The first requirement of a beautiful village is a scenic location, whether among the Norwegian fjords or the sun-splashed Greek isles. But the finest also have distinctive features like the plaza ringed with high-gabled pastel façades in Telč, Czech Republic, or the unforgettable Victorian castle rising above the thatched roofs of Cong, Ireland.

Reaching some of these European beauties requires extra effort, yet the rewards are dazzling. Your eyes will thank you.

Canada plane crash: 5 die in regional airliner in Ontario; 2 escape burning plane

Five people died when a regional airliner crashed and caught fire just short of a runway in Red Lake, Ontario, Canada, police said.

Two people survived the Bearskin Airlines crash Sunday night, said Ontario police Sgt. Rob McDonough. He said a male passenger managed to pull a female passenger to safety before the plane was engulfed by flames.

Two pilots and three passengers died. They were not identified.

McDonough said everyone aboard was a Canadian citizen.

The 19-passenger Metro Fairchild had taken off from Sioux Lookout.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said its investigators would arrive at the scene Monday.

Facebook 'likes': The thumb is gone

Say goodbye to the thumb. The Facebook "Like" button, on millions of Web pages, is being redesigned.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

The thumbs-up "Like" button on Facebook is no more
Websites using the old button will be automatically updated
Facebook says new design already giving more results

(CNN) -- Pop quiz: What buttons are seen more than 22 billion times every day, embedded on 7.5 million websites?

Answer: the Facebook Like and Share buttons, according to new numbers released by the social network. And now these most widespread of online icons are both getting their first ever redesign.

The biggest difference you'll notice straight away: the thumb is gone from the Like button. Instead, it will appear in the dialogue box above the button that shows you how many Likes your post or page has.

$Facebook\'s new \$

Facebook's new "Like" button does away with its iconic thumbs-up.

The new button features the Facebook "f" logo instead. It is white on blue, rather than blue on white, as is the new share button. The Share button will replace Facebook's Send button — deemed too confusing

British Airways denies return flight for 500-pound man

500-pound man too big for airplane?

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Man was in the U.S. seeking medical treatment, CNN affiliate reports
British Airways: "We cannot safely accommodate the customer"
Man's mother: "There is a way to take him back by economy"

(CNN) -- A French family is planning to sail home from the United States on the Queen Mary 2 after British Airways declined to honor their return tickets, according to CNN affiliate WBBM.

The Chenais family was supposed to fly home to France a week ago. The family has been in the United States seeking medical treatment for their 22-year-old son Kevin's hormone disorder, the family told WBBM. Kevin Chenais weighs 500 pounds.

"The British Airways team worked tirelessly to try and find a solution for the family but unfortunately we cannot safely accommodate the customer on any of our aircraft," British Airways said in a statement.

"We were in regular contact with the family to discuss other options and we provided hotel accommodation throughout," the airline said. The customer service team "exhausted all options. We'll always try to accommodate a customer if it's at all possible and it's safe to do so." The airline offered the family a full refund.

Oldest woman in New York City Marathon dies hours after crossing finish line

The start of the ING New York City Marathon on November 3, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

"This is the way she wanted to go," says the daughter of 86-year-old Joy Johnson
Sunday was her 25th appearance in the 26-mile New York Marathon
Johnson fell about six miles from the end race, but she kept going to finish
She appeared Monday on the "Today" show and was resting in her hotel when she died

New York (CNN) -- The oldest female contestant in the 2013 ING New York City Marathon died just hours after completing her 25th consecutive appearance at the race, her daughter says.

Eighty-six-year-old California resident Joy Johnson completed Sunday's race in just under eight hours. The following afternoon she was resting in her New York City hotel room and never woke up, her daughter Donna Graffis told CNN.

READ: New York City Marathon returns -- with revamped security

Around mile 20 of the 26.2-mile marathon, at close to 5 p.m., Johnson fell and hit her head, Graffis said. She was brought to the first aid tent, where responders suggested that she go to the hospital.

Graffis said that her mother -- who was able to speak coherently and with a clear head -- continued on, more determined than ever to finish the run.

Kelly Ripa twerked it out as Miley Cyrus

We have to hand it to Kelly Ripa.

The co-host of "LIVE with Kelly and Michael" managed to pull off a pretty convincing Miley Cyrus during a Halloween season that was awash with impersonators.

According to the NY Post, Ripa and Michael Strahan did it up on their morning show this year with a whopping 50 costume changes. The pair's different looks included athlete Lindsey Vonn and her boyfriend golfer Tiger Woods and the newly engaged Kanye West and Kim Kardashian. Playing the latter gave Ripa a bit of a boost.

"As soon as I put on the butt pad [to play Kardashian] I had more self-confidence," she said. "I feel better about myself."

Gallery: Which celeb won Halloween?

But it was her Miley opposite Strahan's Robin Thicke from this year's MTV Video Music Awards that really stole the show. Tongue out and rear jutted, Ripa was pretty impressive. Who was your favorite celeb in costume this year

Viola Davis: 'Shopping while black' happens to her 'all the time'

The phrase "shopping while black" may be new to some, but to actress Viola Davis it's the "story of my life."

The celebrated 48-year-old actress, who stars in November's anticipated release "Ender's Game," told CNN at the movie's Los Angeles premiere on Monday night that she can easily relate to the four New Yorkers who've brought complaints of alleged racial profiling against department stores like Macy's and Barney's New York.

In one case, "Treme" actor Robert Brown claimed that he was racially profiled at the Herald's Square Macy's in June, telling media gathered at a recent press conference that at least three plainclothes officers stopped him, accused him of using a fraudulent credit card and detained him inside the store

Stream Movies Free

Pages

In photos: 3,000 Korean housewives, 250 tons of kimchi

Is this the world's 'sexiest hotel room'?

10 scariest places in Asia

7 of Europe's most beautiful villages

Canada plane crash: 5 die in regional airliner in Ontario; 2 escape burning plane

Facebook 'likes': The thumb is gone

British Airways denies return flight for 500-pound man

500-pound man too big for airplane?

Oldest woman in New York City Marathon dies hours after crossing finish line

Kelly Ripa twerked it out as Miley Cyrus

Viola Davis: 'Shopping while black' happens to her 'all the time'