bl4de/menu.css

## menu.css
* {
    font-family: Verdana, Arial;
    font-size: 12px;
    font-weight: normal;
    padding: 0;
    margin: 0;
}

body {
    width: 960px;
    text-align: center;
}

nav {
    margin: 30px 20px;
}

ul {
    list-style: none;
}

li {
    position: relative;
    /*border-right: 5px solid #fff;*/
    display: block;
    float: left;
    width: 200px;
    height: 40px;
    line-height: 36px;
    font-size: 18px;
    color: #0e0e0e;
}


.article-block {
    display: inline-block;
    position: relative;
    width:300px;
    height:260px;
    background: url('burnaby-bc.jpg') top left no-repeat;
}

.article-block h2 {
    font-size: 16px;
    font-weight: 700;
    margin: 20px 10px;
}

.article-block p {
    margin: 0 20px;
    color: #fefefe;
}


/* Universal effect for three elements */
.hovered-layer {
    position: absolute;
    cursor: pointer;
    top:0px;
    left: 0px;
    z-index: 100;
    background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0.7);
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    -webkit-transition: all 0.6s ease-out;
    -moz-transition: all 0.6s ease-out;
}

.hovered-layer.first:hover {
    background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.0);
    width: 310%;
    -webkit-transition: all color 0.3s ease-in;
    -moz-transition: all 0.3s ease-in;
}


.hovered-layer.second:hover {
    background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.0);
    width: 210%;
    -webkit-transition: all color 0.3s ease-in;
    -moz-transition: all 0.3s ease-in;
}


.hovered-layer.last:hover {
    background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.0);
    width: 110%;
    -webkit-transition: all color 0.3s ease-in;
    -moz-transition: all 0.3s ease-in;
}
/* Universal effect for three elements */

## menu.html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <meta charset="utf-8" />
    <title>CSS hover effects</title>

    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="menu.css" />
</head>

<body>

    <nav>
        <ul>
            <li><div class="hovered-layer first"></div>Menu item one</li>
            <li><div class="hovered-layer second"></div>Menu item second</li>
            <li><div class="hovered-layer last"></div>Menu item third</li>
        </ul>
    </nav>

<!--
    <nav>
        <div class="article-block">
            <div class="hovered-layer first"></div>
            <h2>Article title</h2>
            <p>Article description</p>
        </div>

        <div class="article-block">
            <div class="hovered-layer second"></div>
            <h2>Article title</h2>
            <p>Article description</p>
        </div>

        <div class="article-block">
            <div class="hovered-layer last"></div>
            <h2>Article title</h2>
            <p>Article description</p>
        </div>
    </nav>
     -->
</body>
</html>