Ah, supercars! They are the thoroughbreds of the automotive world. They can cost millions, they go very fast, and they attract plenty of attention in traffic and when pulling up to valet lines.

People dream about owning a Ferrari, a Lamborghini, a McLaren, a Pagani, or a Bugatti all their lives, from a tender young age right up until they experience that third or fourth midlife crisis. And though these storied brands make more domesticated, "practical" machines, it's the super-sexy supercars that capture the imagination.

But ... are they really all that?

Well, they are. But they're also, on many levels, beautiful, exotic, alluring, exciting total pains in the ass. Here's why.

SEE ALSO: I checked out an Aston Martin, Maserati, Mercedes, Porsche, Lamborghini, and Ferrari — all in the same day!

1. They're LOWER to the ground than some reptiles

Ground clearance isn't a supercar forte. It can't be — these high-performance machines are supposed to slip though the air, cheating the wind, and their aerodynamics are designed to keep them glued to the road.

This of course means that a modest blemish in the roadway can result in thousands of dollars in damage to the car. America's crumbling infrastructure is an ever-present, high-stress foe.

It kind of sucks the pleasure out of driving your Lamborghini if you have to keep a constantly watchful eye out for potholes and speed bumps and if you can't even really navigate your own driveway.

2. They have WAY too much power.

What do you do with horsepower in excess of 600 ponies? Who knows, because in 99.99% of driving circumstances, you're not going use it.

But you will still incinerate gasoline at an alarming rate. 

If you do try to tap into the power, you run a gamut of risks. You could lose control of the car and have a very costly accident. You could pay no attention to your actual speed and endure a very costly speeding ticket. 

You could also just get depressed. Nothing is sadder than a supercar stuck in traffic, looking gorgeous but with no hope of unleashing its potential. You paid for that power! But you'll rarely get to experience it.

3. It costs a fortune to buy one — and another fortune to FIX one.

The cheapest supercars are still quite expensive, and you always face the question of whether your sub-$100,000 "supercar" is a true supercar. So you feel the pressure to man up for the pricier shiny metal. 

And then you will invariably:

1. Bang into something and need to get your investment repaired.

2. Have to get something fixed that goes wrong with your ride.

In either case, you'll be parting with huge sums of money — eye-watering, staggering sums, in fact, if you're used to dropping your Lexus off at the dealership for a brake job.

You may also have to wait months to get the car back.

As the investigation into the Trump campaign's possible ties to Russia gains traction, special counsel Robert Mueller has begun quietly assembling a formidable team of top lawyers and investigators.

Mueller has so far hired 12 people and intends to bring on more, his spokesman Peter Carr told The New York Times.

Only a handful have been named publicly so far, but legal experts and fellow lawyers who have spoken to media in recent days lauded the new hires as a powerhouse team of experienced professionals with sterling credentials who rank among the best in their field.

"That is a great, great team of complete professionals," Kenneth Starr, the former independent counsel who investigated President Bill Clinton, told ABC News.

The members of Mueller's team who've been named have a cumulative 37 years of experience at the FBI and 85 years at the Department of Justice, The Washington Post reported on Friday.

Yet despite the lawyers' resumes and reputations, several members of the team have come under fire for their previous donations to Democrats, prompting some critics to cry foul on the investigation and urge Trump to fire Mueller.

Trump himself has even weighed in:

"You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history — led by some very bad and conflicted people!" Trump said Thursday on Twitter.

Here are some of Mueller's new hires:

SEE ALSO: There's a theme emerging in Mueller's Russia probe that could prove damning for Trump

Michael Dreeben

Dreeben, the deputy solicitor general overseeing the Department of Justice's criminal docket, is widely regarded as one of the top criminal law experts in the federal government. He will work for Mueller on the investigation part-time as he juggles the DOJ's criminal appellate cases.

Dreeben is best known for having argued more than 100 cases before the Supreme Court — a feat that fewer than 10 other attorneys have accomplished in the court's history. Peers say his hiring reveals how seriously Mueller is taking the investigation, and how wide-ranging it ultimately could be.

"That Mueller has sought his assistance attests both to the seriousness of his effort and the depth of the intellectual bench he is building," Paul Rosenzweig, a former Homeland Security official and Whitewater investigator, wrote on the Lawfare blog.

Preet Bharara, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York who was recently fired by Trump, called Dreeben one of the DOJ's top legal and appellate minds in modern times:

Beyond possessing an "encyclopedic" knowledge of criminal law, lawyers who have worked with Dreeben say he also has a gift for anticipating questions his arguments will likely prompt, allowing him to prepare answers accordingly.

"He answers [questions] directly. He answers them completely. And he answers them exquisitely attuned to the concerns that motivated them," Kannon Shanmugam, a partner at the law firm Williams & Connolly who worked with Dreeben at the solicitor general's office, told the Law360 last year.

Andrew Weissmann

Weissmann joined Mueller's team after taking a leave of absence from his current job leading the DOJ's criminal fraud unit. He formerly served as general counsel to the FBI under Mueller's leadership.

Weissman also headed up the Enron Task Force between 2002 and 2005, for which he oversaw the prosecutions of 34 people connected to the collapsed energy company, including chairman Kenneth Lay and CEO Jeffrey Skilling.

He spent 15 years as a federal prosecutor in the eastern district of New York, where he specialized in prosecuting mafia members and bosses from the Colombo, Gambino, and Genovese families.

"As a fraud and foreign bribery expert, he knows how to follow the money. Who knows what they will find, but if there is something to be found, he will find it," Emily Pierce, a former DOJ spokeswoman under the Obama administration, told Politico.

Weissman is one of several attorneys in Mueller's team that has donated to Democrats, although he does not appear to have donated in the 2016 election. He gave $2,300 to President Barack Obama's 2008 campaign, and $2,000 to the Democratic National Committee in 2006, according to CNN's review of FEC records.

Jeannie Rhee

Rhee is one of several attorneys to resign from the WilmerHale law firm to join Mueller's investigation.

She also has two years of DOJ experience, serving as deputy assistant attorney general under former Attorney General Eric Holder. She advised Holder and Obama administration officials on criminal law issues, as well as criminal procedure and executive issues, according to her biography on WilmerHale's website.

As many critics of Mueller's investigation have pointed out, Rhee represented Hillary Clinton in a 2015 lawsuit that sought access to her private emails. She also represented the Clinton Foundation in a 2015 racketeering lawsuit.

Rhee is also one of the members of Mueller's team under scrutiny for her political donations, and has doled out more than $16,000 to Democrats since 2008, CNN reported. She maxed out her donations both in 2015 and 2016 to Clinton's presidential campaign, giving a total of $5,400.

Buying a high-performance luxury sedan in the United States in 2017 isn't difficult. You don't have to think about it. If you have the means, Mercedes, Lexus, Audi, Cadillac, and BMW have you covered — especially BMW.

The Bavarians created the sports sedan and brought it to America in the 1970s. Since then, BMW has improved on the idea to the point where its 3 Series is the platonic ideal of four-door go-fast-ness. If you move up the M-Sport M3 from BMW's performance division, you get the platonic ideal with fire in its belly.

The default choice, therefore, is obvious. But the default can be boring, and that's where Alfa Romeo comes in.

The Italian brand is returning to the US after a long absence. Alfas of old were stylish — just think about the convertible from "The Graduate"— but not exactly reliable. Fans put up with this until they didn't, and a surge of dependable Japanese and superbly crafted German vehicles arrived.

Alfa started small and weird with the 4C, effectively a small Ferrari. (Alfa and Ferrari used to live under the same room at Fiat, before Ferrari was spun out in an initial public offering in 2015.) We liked the 4C, but it was quirky.

Enter the Giulia, a proper sports sedan. Alfa just started selling it. Also, enter the Quadrifoglio performance upgrade. "Quadrifoglio" means "four-leaf clover" in Italian, and the meaning of that totem of good luck for Alfa is nicely explained by Michael Banovsky. Suffice it to say the green badge on the Giulia Quadrifoglio adds something special.

Alfa tossed us the keys to the car for a week, and we put it through its paces. So how did this $77,125 (as tested) challenger to the BMW M cars stack up?

Photos by Hollis Johnson.

SEE ALSO: The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider is one of the oddest and most memorable cars we've ever driven

We got out first taste of Alfa's return to America with the 4C, a taut little mid-engine roadster that's like a shrunken-down Ferrari.

Read the review »

The Giulia is far more low-key — a dignified four-door, oozing luxury.

Our $77,195 test car came with a Vulcano black paint job and Alfa's distinctive front grille, an inverted triangle that evokes the brand's heritage. The Alfa badge, by the way, is probably the most beautiful in the automotive universe.

Mark Zuckerberg has a lot on his plate.

The 33-year-old runs Facebook, the social media giant with a market cap of $433.25 billion.

It's not surprising that the tech CEO has quite a lot to do throughout the day.

That being said, Zuckerberg still makes the time to exercise, travel extensively, and spend time with his family.

He stays productive and balanced by eliminating non-essential choices from his life and setting ambitious goals for himself.

Here's a look at an average day for Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg:

SEE ALSO: Vladimir Putin's hard-core daily routine includes hours of swimming, late nights, and no alcohol

DON'T MISS: A look at the demanding schedule of Elon Musk, who works in 5-minute slots, skips breakfast, and largely avoids emails

After waking up at 8 a.m., the Facebook founder immediately checks Facebook, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp on his phone, he told Jerry Seinfeld in a Facebook Live Q&A.

Sources: The Telegraph, Inc.

Once he's gotten his morning updates, it's time to work out. Zuckerberg typically exercises about three times a week.

Source: Business Insider

Sometimes he brings his dog Beast along. The tech CEO says running with his pet has the "added bonus of being hilarious" because it's "basically like seeing a mop run."

Sources: Time, Business Insider

Airline customer service reps know a thing or two about travel. 

From the moment you step into the airport to when you finally board your flight, it's these airport workers' job to help you successfully navigate getting from point A to point B.

What's more, with the perks that come along with working for an airline, like free or discounted flights, many of these agents have quite a bit of travel experience themselves. 

So, who better to turn to for travel tips and tricks than the people with extensive knowledge on the matter?

We asked airline gate agents, ticket agents, and other airport customer service reps to share their best travel hacks with us, and scoured the internet for more.

Here are eight things that could help make your next trip easier and more enjoyable:

DON'T MISS: Airline gate agents share 17 things they'd love to tell travelers but can't

SEE ALSO: Flight attendants share 20 things most people don't know about the job

Get help when you need it

"If something goes wrong, approach with a kind and humble attitude, and the agent will bend over backward to help you. This advice is worth its weight in gold."

— A retired airline customer service agent with 30 years of experience

"When you have truly been disserviced and are understanding about it, you might get a free upgrade. Honey is sweeter, and appreciated more, than crap."

— A retired airline customer service agent with 18 years of experience

Avoid delays

"As a general rule, the later in the day you travel, the more likely you are to catch a delay."

— Former airport customer service agent Travis O'Neal via Quora.

Earn free perks

"Join an airline credit card to get free access to the airport club and extra miles just for signing up."

— An airline customer service agent with 30 years of experience

Berlin is a city full of abandoned buildings with long and troublesome histories. But one building has been through more turmoil than most: Tempelhof Airport.

The colossal airport straddles Neukölln and Tempelhof — neighbourhoods approximatelty 4km south of the city's centre.

The airport's main building was once one of the largest structures in Europe and it was crowned "the mother of all airports" by British architect Norman Foster.

Tempelhof has been used to test some of the world's first aircraft, house WWII prisoners, and give the people of West Berlin a vital lifeline to the outside world during the Cold War. It's also been used to film movies such as "The Hunger Games,""The Bourne Supremacy," and "Bridge of Spies," as well as the occassional illegal rave. 

Despite efforts from around 500 protestors and a majority voting in a referendum to keep it open, the airport officially closed on October 30, 2008.

Today, the airport is used for car races, big exhibitions, concerts, fashion shows, and festivals, while the old administration offices are being turned into workspaces for creative people and educational institutions. 

We went on a tour of the airport with tour guide Celine Gilly:

Tempelhof Airport was built by the Nazis on the site of a much smaller existing airport between 1936 and 1941. It's huge.

After the Nazis took power, they set about redesigning the city of Berlin. Tempelhof was designed to to wow visitors to the new Third Reich capital of Germania. It represents the monumental thinking behind Nazi architecture and it's a landmark in civil engineering.

Today, large parts of the airport are derelict, including the former departures hall.

Long, empty corridors that would have been used by Hitler's henchman and subsequently international passengers now feel eerily quiet.

The stars are aligning for the stock market, but not in the way bulls might like.

There are four economic indicators that show remarkable similarities to 1999, the year before the dot-com bubble burst and stocks were plunged into a bear market, says Brad McMillan, the chief investment officer of Commonwealth Financial Network in Waltham, Massachusetts, which oversees $114 billion.

While McMillan isn't making an exact prediction for the top of the stock market, he thinks investors should be increasingly conscious of how economic data is flashing warning signs.

"The tech industry is booming, unemployment is low, consumer and business confidence are high, and investors are very complacent," McMillan wrote in a blog post on Wednesday. "Now, 1999 was a good year, just as 2017 is shaping up to be a good year. With the wisdom of hindsight, though, we know that even as things were great, the seeds of the next downturn were already growing."

McMillan drew a similar parallel to 1999 in an interview with Business Insider last month. He called an equity bear market "quite possible" sometime in the next 12 to 24 months. "We could be headed for some stormy weather over the next couple years," he said. Read the full interview here.

Meanwhile, check out four charts McMillan says highlight the uncanny similarities between 1999 and present day:

Consumer confidence is high

When consumer confidence was high in 1999, it peaked the next year before quickly falling, McMillan wrote in a follow-up blog post on Thursday. Translating that scenario to current times, the market would see a similar decline in early- to mid-2018.

"Based on the current data, confidence does appear to be topping," McMillan said. "Although there are no signs of a substantial decline yet, levels are certainly no longer increasing."

Source: Commonwealth Financial Network

Business confidence is high — even more so than in 1999

McMillan once again highlights an indicator that is high at the moment but stabilizing. If the comparison to 1999 rings true, the ISM Manufacturing Index will start dropping in earnest in early- to mid-2018, he said.

Source: Commonwealth Financial Network

The Fed is providing more monetary stimulus now than it did in 1999, according to the yield curve

The spread between the 10-year and 3-month rates is tightening at the moment, and we're nearing a "trouble zone" that marks a major recessionary signal, McMillan wrote in his follow-up blog post. He also highlights that while the Fed is keen to keep hiking short-term rates, longer-term ones are showing "no real sign" of a significant increase.

Source: Commonwealth Financial Network

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Summer usually means I spend 75% of my time knocking around the city in Chuck Taylor converse. They're easy to get, are completely ubiquitous and unoffensive to almost any outfit, and they mean I can transition from walking 40 blocks in the heat to happy hour drinks with friends easier than flats allow. 

However, even given their long-held spot as my summer MVPs, the extremely comfortable and stylish Soludos smoking slippers might unseat them from that #1 pick.

My first interaction with them was surprise — though incredibly lightweight and breathable, they didn't feel flimsy. I'm sure by nature of their canvas-like construction that they'll show wear and tear, but for $75 that's not a lot to replace a pair of shoes I wear at least twice a week.

Speaking of breathability, I never really thought about how much I minded being stuck in hot cotton socks in 80 degree weather until I experienced that situation in heavy New York City humidity in my Soludos. Squinting into the sun trying to figure out after four hours of walking where to take my visiting friends next could have felt more cloying and gross than it did, and I was incredibly thankful for shoes that mean your feet can breath, especially since so much heat escapes (or becomes trapped) from extremities like your feet and head. 

The Lemon Embroidered Platform Smoking Slipper that I have features a cute and somewhat quirky design like most of the Soludos slippers do, combining a minimalist shoe with playful embroidery and addictively breathable, soft material. I've started opting for them simply because they tend to dress up everything I wear without any comfort lost.

If I manage to work this pair down to threadbare platforms, I can pretty much guarantee I'll be buying myself a couple more just to get through the warmer months. Given how much I use them, I'll pay back what I spent in the first month I have them.

Two other Insider Picks members tried out the surprisingly great Soludos smoking slippers, and you can find their specific thoughts on each of their respective picks below. 

DON'T MISS: This is one of the most versatile and stylish weekend bags I’ve ever used

Mara Leighton, commerce reporter: Lemon Embroidered Platform Smoking Slipper, $75

The Lemon Embroidered Platform Smoking Slipper that I have features a cute and somewhat quirky design like most of the Soludos slippers do, combining a minimalist shoe with playful embroidery and addictively breathable, soft material. I've started opting for them simply because they tend to dress up everything I wear without any comfort lost.

If I manage to work this pair down to threadbare platforms, I can pretty much guarantee I'll be buying myself a couple more just to get through the warmer months. Given how much I use them, I'll pay back what I spent in the first month I have them.

Women's Lemon Embroidered Platform Smoking Slipper, $75

Ellen Hoffman, commerce editor: Leather Zebra Jute Platform Smoking Slipper, $75

There are few pairs of shoes that have impressed me as much as Soludos' espadrilles right off the bat. They're amazingly comfortable — my pair had no break-in period at all (the first time I wore them I was heading to the airport, which could have been a terrible choice, but worked out so much better than I ever expected) — and lightweight enough that you'll want to wear them all summer.

Soludos also has so many fun designs that you’ll probably have trouble deciding on just one pair. I went with the Leather Zebra Jute Platform Smoking Slipper; since it’s a neutral color with a simple pattern, it goes with a wide variety of looks, from jeans to shorts to sundresses.

My pair is on sale right now, and I’m seriously debating whether to buy a second pair so I have it on hand when I eventually need to replace my current one.

Women's Leather Zebra Jute Platform Smoking Slipper, $75

Brandt Ranj, associate commerce editor: Anchor Embroidered Smoking Slipper, $65

I’ve disliked laced shoes since childhood and find every opportunity I can to wear adult-appropriate slip-ons. Soludos’ smoking slippers have a slightly casual look, but they’re well constructed and didn’t look out of place the dozen or so times I’ve worn them to the office. They may be called slippers, but they’re more like canvas boat shoes, and I plan on wearing them during a majority of the weekends I spend outdoors this summer.

Men's Anchor Embroidered Smoking Slipper, $65

Certified financial planner Jeff Rose answers:

How should I prioritize spending and saving from my take-home pay when I still have tons of student loans?

I've got $30,000 left at an average rate of 7%. How much of my paycheck should be devoted to general spending, saving, and paying those off? Can I get away with just paying the minimum on my loans? I don't have any other debt at the moment.

With more people than ever carrying large amounts of student loan debt, the question of how to manage it – so that you can get on with the rest of your financial life – is increasingly important.

Large debt is a drag on your future, so the issue becomes: Do you make a priority of paying it off, or do you spread your limited funds across several financial goals, and try to blend the debt payment into the big picture?

There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this dilemma, but there are a series of strategies you can implement that will enable you to move forward. Exactly how — and when — you put those strategies into practice will depend upon where you are in your life now, where you hope to go, and how quickly you want to get there.

SEE ALSO: ASK A FINANCIAL PLANNER: What are some tips for paying off my massive student loans?

Create a workable budget

The first thing you have to do is to be fully aware of your income and expenses. And that means creating a budget.

The whole purpose of a budget is to have a roadmap that will determine exactly how you allocate your money.

Once you do that, you'll have a better handle on your options, whether it's paying off your student loan debt, or saving and investing money.

You can take advantage of online budgeting applications, both free and premium, to help you develop and maintain a budget. But the basic idea is always to track your income and expenses, typically on a monthly basis, and then to make modifications where necessary.

Start with your net income, after taxes and other payroll deductions. Then, list your expenses. It helps to separate them out between three general categories:

1. Fixed expenses– like rent, debt payments, and insurance
2. Variable expenses— like groceries, utilities and gasoline
3. Optional expenses— these are expenses that are desirable, but not necessary; they can include money for vacations, going out to dinner, and gym memberships

The purpose of segregating your expenses is to determine how much flexibility you have in your spending.

As a rule, your fixed expenses are necessary survival costs. There's not much you can do about them, unless you are prepared to downgrade your basic standard of living.

Variable expenses are necessary costs, but they're flexible since you can adjust how much you spend on them. For example, you can find different ways to cut your grocery bill, or even to reduce certain utilities, especially electricity or heat.

Think of optional expenses as the "fat" in your budget. That is, if you need extra money for other purposes, it will most likely come out of this category.

Once you have determined your available income and expenses, you'll know how much money you have left over each month. If there's nothing left over, you'll either have to cut expenses, or increase your income.

The whole purpose of this exercise is to either identify or create breathing room in your budget. That's the money you will use for savings, or to pay down debt. Any other strategy you might use won't be effective unless you are able to create a workable budget.

Phase 1: Pay the minimum on your debt until you build up some savings

You probably heard the saying you've got to walk before you can run, and that's even more true when it comes to managing money. If you're in a tight financial situation right now, you'll have to start out by taking it slow.

For the short run at least, plan to make the minimum payment on your student loan debt. Your first financial priority – even ahead of paying off the debt – is to create an emergency savings account. That's the financial cushion which will protect you either from unexpected expenses, or from a disruption in your income. That's why it needs to be a priority.

It's generally recommended that an emergency fund hold an amount equal to at least three month's worth of living expenses. If you're self-employed or primarily commissioned, that number should be closer to six months.

Any extra money you have in your budget should be directed into your emergency fund until you reach one of these thresholds. Not only will that put you in a better financial position, but it will also make your entire financial situation feel more tolerable. 

Once you have your emergency fund fully stocked, the next priority should be enrolling in your employer's retirement plan, most like a 401(k). You won't be in a position to go heavy on this allocation – and you shouldn't. But you should at least begin making a small contribution to the plan as soon as you are able. It's all about taking full advantage of the time value of money.

My general advice is that if your employer provides a matching contribution to your retirement plan, you should contribute an amount that will result in the largest employer match possible.

For example, if your employer matches 50% of your contribution up to 4%, then you should make an 8% contribution. That will give you a combined 12% annual contribution, and the 4% being kicked in by your employer will represent free money. That's too good to pass up!

Phase 2: Once you've got basic savings goals covered, it's time for a new strategy

Only when you have those two savings goals in working order, should you consider accelerating payment on your student loan debt. So, if you have your emergency fund in place, and you're contributing to your retirement plan — and you still have extra money in your budget – it will be time to develop a new strategy.

This is the time when you will have to decide your actual priority. Do you want to throw all of your extra resources at the student loan debt? Or, do you want to increase your contributions to your retirement plan, or to some other savings goal?

Though this often comes down to personal preference, there's also a bit of math involved.

The reader tells us that the interest on the student loan debt is 7%. If you feel that you can earn something more than that rate in your investing activities, then it may be worthwhile to continue paying the minimum on the debt, while allocating additional money to more investing.

This is especially true if you're investing through a tax-sheltered retirement plan, since your rate of investment return won't be reduced by income taxes.

But if you feel that it's unlikely that you will earn 7% consistently, then it will make more sense to pay off the debt as soon as possible.

When it comes to the leafy greens you put in your salads, not all are created equal.

So which leaves and lettuces should you use in your salad to justify the croutons, bacon, and tasty dressing you add?

We're here to help you find the most nutritious ones.

In the past rankings, we've relied on  the CDC's 2014 list of "powerhouse foods". But this time, we factored in how many nutrients (specifically potassium, fiber, protein, riboflavin, niacin, folate, B6, calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamins A, C, and B6) the greens pack per calorie. 

Of course, none of the veggies on this list are bad for you, and you won't necessarily be worse off for picking one over another. With that said, here are the healthiest greens for your salads. 

SEE ALSO: RANKED: The 17 most nutritious berries for you

DON'T MISS: Not all condiments are created equal — here are the best and worst ones for you

12. Arugula (sometimes called rocket)

Arugula's distinct peppery taste doesn't quite correlate with a high nutritional content. While it does have some vitamins, it lacks in other nutrients that other greens boast.

Calories per cup: 6

11. Iceberg lettuce

It's no surprise that iceberg lettuce is among the least nutritious greens to put in a salad. In fact, Chick-fil-A has even banned the veggie from its stores, allegedly because of its low nutritional value. Iceberg lettuce has about only 7% of your daily vitamin A per cup, and only 3% of daily vitamin C — among the lowest on this list.

Calories per cup: 10

10. Radicchio

Radicchio is a member of the chicory family. It's also packed with vitamin K, containing more than 100% of your daily value.

Calories per cup: 9

When summer rolls into town, everyone else wants to roll out.

The best place for this is usually the beach. Thanks to the refreshing water and nice ocean breeze, it's one of the easiest ways to stay cool throughout the year's hottest months. But not all beach towns were created equal. 

Many beach towns that were once the "it place" to go have become overrun with tourists, while others have simply been overrated from the start.

Here are 11 beach towns to avoid — and where to go instead. 

Instead of visiting the touristy Waikiki, Hawaii, head across Oahu to Haleiwa.

While beautiful, Waikiki was basically designed with tourists in mind, and is a strip of luxury hotels, expensive stores, and chain restaurants flanked by an overcrowded beach.

Haleiwa, however, features the laidback vibe Hawaii is famous for. Located on the North Shore, just 45 minutes from Honolulu, Haleiwa boasts shaved ice stands (like the famous Matsumoto Shave Ice), surf shops, and casual eateries, and attracts surfers, wave watchers, and anyone looking to get away from the big city. Luckily, with a limited hotel scene, the area hasn't been consumed by tourists just yet, and was named the best small Hawaiian town by Hawai'i Magazine.

Rather than visit the overpriced Cabo San Lucas, head to Tulum.

Cabo San Lucas was popular long before the teenagers on "Laguna Beach" gushed about it, so its best days are long over. By now, it's extremely commercialized, with nary any Mexican culture left to take in. Even worse, it's now a popular destination for spring breakers. 

However, across the country you'll find Tulum, where there's still plenty of history left to enjoy — like 1,000-year-old Mayan ruins and ancient cenotes. Beach Road South is the where visitors really fall in love, as it's lined with hip yoga studios and cool bars, like the jungle-enclosed bar Gitano, as well as tons of vegan-friendly restaurants.

Before booking a getaway to Destin, Florida, consider the nearby Seaside.

If you want a picturesque seaside vacation that's both relaxing and fun, head a few miles further than Destin, which is a favorite among Midwesterners.

Check out Seaside, which was made famous by Jim Carrey's "The Truman Show," and is just as cute in real life as it is in the movie. The hotels and rentals are nicer, the beaches are less crowded, and the restaurants and shops there are generally a bit more upscale than those in Destin. Plus, there are far fewer tacky attractions.

As Ursula the sea witch famously said, "Don't underestimate the importance of body language."

Some tricks, like remembering to smile, are pretty easy to implement in your everyday life.

However, there are other techniques that, while relatively commonsense, are somewhat trickier to tackle.

Still, they can make a huge difference.

Here are eight body language hacks that can be tricky to master, but will definitely pay off forever once you do:

SEE ALSO: 11 signs someone is lying to you

DON'T MISS: 11 skills that are hard to learn but will pay off forever

1. Mirror the person you're speaking to

Mirroring — or aligning your body to match the position of whoever you're speaking to — can be a tough skill to master. But doing it shows admiration and agreement, says Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer at CareerBuilder.

It can be hard to do this subtly, without looking like you're mimicking or mocking someone, but this is definitely a good trick to employ if you're really trying to make a good impression.

2. Walk with purpose and energy

Not everyone walks with confidence. Some of us shuffle through life with a slumping, awkward gait.

And it can be tough to change the way we walk. But if you take some steps to improve it, you can help to ensure that people don't make snap judgments about your confidence, attractiveness, and trustworthiness, according to Scientific American.

3. Maintain good eye contact

It's all in the eyes.

People with a shaky gaze often come across as anxious, distracted, or dishonest. And it can be tough to master the skill of maintaining eye contact, since it's a very uncomfortable and unnatural thing for some people. But it's a practice that can help you immensely in life.

Luckily, there are some simple techniques for maintaining better eye contact if you feel your stare isn't cutting it.

In "How To Talk To Anyone," author and communication expert Leil Lowndes advises that you should "pretend your eyes are glued to your conversation partner's with sticky, warm taffy."

Once you master this trick, you'll immediately see an improvement in your face-to-face communications with others.

As the US still struggles to secure basic maternity leave policy, some countries have already moved on to improving time off just for fathers.

On Fathers' Day, it's important to recognize which nations have made the biggest leaps in granting new dads that important time off.

Here are the best countries to be a new father.

SEE ALSO: These 10 countries have the best parental leave policies in the world

Sweden

New parents in Sweden are entitled to 480 days of leave at 80% of their normal pay.

Dads get 90 paid paternity days reserved just for them. The idea is to promote bonding between father and child during a time when moms are getting most of the attention.

Estonia

Fathers in Estonia are given two weeks of paid time off to promote extra bonding with their child. They can also choose to take some of the time off during the final two months before the expected delivery date.

After maternity leave ends, parents get an additional 435 days off to share, with compensation calculated at the average of their two earnings.

Iceland

Icelandic parents can split their nine months of post-childbirth leave straight down the middle.

New moms get three months, new dads get three months, and then it's up to the couple to decide how they'll split the remaining three months.

Each parent receives 80% of their salary while on leave.

For over a century, Coney Island has been attracting New Yorkers and tourists alike to its sandy beaches, fun carnival foods, and amusement rides.

Coney Island opened with just one roller coaster in 1895, but by 1904 had three amusement areas with many different rides: Dreamland, Luna Park, and Steeplechase Park.

When the New York subway connection to Coney Island was built in 1920, the neighborhood became a place that people of all races and social status could visit, which upset the crowd of wealthy people who were previously known to migrate to that area.

Over the years, Coney Island has undergone many changes, yet it still remains a popular place for tourists and locals. Below, see vintage photos of the popular amusement park.

Courtney Verrill contributed reporting to an earlier version of this article.

SEE ALSO: Incredible photos of New York City when it was covered in farmland

The boardwalk was built to accommodate visitors in 1926. On some days, the park was so packed that there were no places to sit — even on the sand.

Source: Luna Park

The Cyclone roller coaster has been operating for almost 90 years. It officially opened in 1927.

The amusement areas at Coney Island — Dreamland, Luna Park, and Steeplechase Park — made it the largest amusement area in the nation from the end of the 19th century through World War II.

Two years ago today, on June 16, Donald Trump announced his candidacy for president of the United States.

His rise from political outsider to leader of the free world was as improbable as it was historic.

Today, take an opportunity to look back at the landmark events that shaped the last two years, and got Trump — and the US — to where it stands it today.

June 16, 2015: Trump announces his campaign for president on June 16, in the lobby of Trump Tower. He debuted his now-famous slogan and campaign iconography, and was seen in his signature: blue suit with fire engine red tie.

Trump took the building's escalator, creating an iconic moment as he slowly rode it to the stage.

November 7: Trump hosts SNL. NBC caught flack for the decision for Trump to host, giving him airtime that wasn't given to other candidates.

Everyone knows that parenting is simultaneously wonderful and stressful and changes your life forever. But unless you really press your parent friends, they might not tell you the juicy details of child-rearing.

Over on Quora, people with kids of all ages share the stuff they only learned after becoming parents. Some of it's good; some of it's ... less good. If you're expecting a kid, or thinking about having one in the not-too-distant future, read on to find out what no one else will remember to tell you — or have the guts to share.

SEE ALSO: A psychologist says 4 factors determine whether you're ready to have a kid — but most people focus on just one

'You'll develop a new sense of what you consider gross'

"You'll eventually notice baby barf on your pants and think, 'Eh, not bad enough to change to go to the store.'

"You'll go out in public and realize you have a little poop on your sleeve, shrug your shoulders, and continue your shopping.

"You'll show up in three-day old clothing to drop kids off at daycare and not even flinch."

— Janice Schwarz

'Your child could be exactly like your partner'

"After conceiving, carrying, and delivering our baby, when she finally arrived, I expected her to be ... well, like me!

"When I first laid eyes on her, my thought process went: Thank goodness we are all alive, I need sleep, and then, wow, she looks a lot like Jay.

"That first night she slept 'skin to fur' with Dad. They frequently snoozed together. Nobody told me how often I'd find her out of her crib and in his arms, nor how cute I'd find this."

— Mira Zaslove

'Nobody told me how much my emotional range would expand'

"In just the first year, I would have feelings I'd never even imagined myself capable of, good and bad ...

"Your little baby can make you feel lower than low, exhausted, upset, inept and angry, and the next minute you can feel like everything on earth was smiling on you; you hurt from laughing and your heart feels like it's literally going to explode."

— Valerie Fletcher

Happy father's day to all the dads and dads-to-be out there. When I learned I was going to be a new dad, I was floored ... and scared.

To counter the fear of becoming new parents, my wife and I read. And read and read and read.

We rounded up about a dozen science-backed books, scanned countless research studies, downloaded pregnancy apps, and shared hundreds of articles with each other over the following months.

During that flood of information, a handful of surprising facts floated above the rest, and I've collected them here.

What follows may not surprise an obstetrician, or even seasoned parents, but it nonetheless highlights the extraordinary human journey that is pregnancy.

SEE ALSO: 49 health 'facts' you've been told all your life that are totally wrong

DON'T MISS: A 'revolutionary' new technology can turn mice completely transparent

Fertilization is 1-in-100-million affair.

Men release about 100 million sperm each time they ejaculate, though the semen of some especially fertile men can contain hundreds of millions of sperm.

But only a few hundred may ever reach a woman's egg. Special receptors on the surface of an egg make sure only one gets in. (Fraternal twins occur when two sperm fertilize two eggs, while identical twins occur when one sperm fertilizes one egg and it splits into two embryos.)

Source: US National Library of Medicine/MedlinePlus, Oakland University

Babies are about 15 days younger than the length of a pregnancy.

Since 1836, doctors have marked the first day of a woman's last menstrual period as the first day of pregnancy, or "gestational age,"not when a sperm fertilizes an egg.

Ovulation happens about two weeks after a period, on average, and fertilization happens within 24 hours of that. This means if you're eight weeks pregnant, your baby is about six weeks old.

Doctors still use gestational age, not ovulation age (also called postconceptional age) because it's hard to detect ovulation and fertilization even more so. Periods, meanwhile, are hard to miss — and easier to notice when they've gone missing.

Sources: American Pregnancy Association, "Williams Obstetrics", Business Insider

Most women aren't pregnant for 9 months.

Nine months works as a very rough estimate, but this oft-said number can lead to a number of misconceptions.

First, it's not a target; a healthy pregnancy can vary as much as five weeks around a 40-week due date. In fact, only 4% of women deliver on their 40-week due date.

The typical pregnancy — measured from ovulation, not the last menstrual period (which is standard) — actually lasts about eight months and 24 days, not nine months.

Source: Business Insider

Barron Trump, 11, has said goodbye to Trump Tower and moved into the White House.

First Lady Melania Trump announced the transition on Twitter, writing, "Looking forward to the memories we'll make in our new home #Movingday."

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has been home to several "first kids," who are in the public eye almost as much as their parents. They dictate fashion trends, appear on their parents' behalf at embassies around the world, and sometimes host senior prom in the White House East Room.

But when the first family departs their famous address, the spotlight typically turns away from them. Here's what the first kids of the past are up to today.

Melissa Stanger contributed reporting to a previous version of this article.

SEE ALSO: Trump says this private boarding school gave him more military training than the Army could

Caroline Kennedy is seen as a possible candidate for a congressional seat in New York.

Daughter of John and Jackie Kennedy

After a lifetime of training in diplomacy, Caroline Kennedy served for three years as the US ambassador to Japan. During her tenure, former President Barack Obama strengthened his relationship with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Caroline stepped down in January 2017.

The former attorney also serves as honorary president of the JFK Presidential Library and has written nine best-selling books on constitutional law, American history, and poetry.

In May 2017, the New York Daily News reported that Kennedy is considered a 2018 run for a congressional seat in New York, but those rumors are unconfirmed.

Lynda Bird Johnson Robb advocates for equal rights for women and minorities.

Daughter of Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson

At 73, former First Lady of Virginia Lynda Bird Johnson Robb is the oldest living child of a US president. In the '70s she chaired the President's Advisory Committee for Women to help carry out President Jimmy Carter's mandate to promote gender equality. 

Robb, whose father signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act, gave a speech at the 50th anniversary ceremony of the March on Washington and attended the remembrance banquet for the 50th anniversary of the "Bloody Sunday" assault in Selma, Alabama.

Luci Baines Johnson chaired the private holding company her mother founded 70 years ago.

Daughter of Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson

Like mother, like daughter: Luci Baines Johnson took the helm at LBJ Asset Management Partners in the late '80s and turned the business around in the midst of economic crisis.

She makes dozens of speeches each year to support the causes that were close to her family. In February 2017, she attended a gathering in Austin, Texas, to show support for the Muslim community there. A marcher who met Luci shared a post about their encounter that went viral. 

The modern summer blockbuster began in June 1975, when a young director named Steven Spielberg made us scared to go back into the water thanks to the thriller "Jaws." 

Since then, audiences have happily braved the dog days of summer for decades to stand in huge lines for movie spectacles like "Star Wars,""Raiders of the Lost Ark,""Jurassic Park," all its sequels, and more recently, all those Marvel movies.

By feeding people's hunger for franchises and action, this is the time of year when the movie business gets a good portion of its annual revenue. But only a handful of the blockbusters have stood the test of time as Hollywood's biggest summer earners ever.

Below are the highest-grossing summer movies at the domestic box office of all time:

Note: All figures are from Box Office Mojo and adjusted for inflation.

SEE ALSO: The 10 biggest box office bombs of 2017 so far

10. “Jurassic World” (2015) - $698 million

Unadjusted gross: $652 million

9. “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) - $782 million

Unadjusted gross: $248 million

8. “The Lion King” (1994) - $788 million

Unadjusted gross: $422 million

About one in eight Americans eats pizza on any given day. And an increasing number of them are ditching legacy brands like Domino's and Pizza Hut for innovative fast-casual chains.

MOD Pizza is one of them. Founded by a former Starbucks executive in 2008, the chain more than doubled in size over the past year. In 2015, Technomic named MOD the fastest growing chain in the restaurant business,with its sales increasing a whopping 220% during the year.

Like competitors Blaze Pizza and Pieology, MOD prepares and bakes personal pizzas on a Chipotle-like assembly line, where customers can pick from dozens of toppings.

We recently visited a MOD location in Daly City, California, to see if it's worth the hype.

SEE ALSO: A vegan fast-casual chain you've never heard of is expanding nationwide — and that should scare legacy brands

Innovation in pizza delivery is in no short supply. These days, you can order a pizza by speaking to an Amazon Echo, texting a pizza emoji, or poking whatever this thing is.

Source: Business Insider

But in 2007, restaurant entrepreneur Scott Svenson saw "a shocking lack of innovation" in pizza consumed outside of the home. He and his wife, Ally, saw a business opportunity.

At the time, Svenson was working as president of Starbucks' European division. He and Ally previously started a Seattle coffee company that was acquired by the coffee giant in 1998.

Svenson decided to take a risk and leave Starbucks to pursue his entrepreneurial itch.

The couple founded MOD Pizza a year later out of Seattle. Today, the fast-casual chain has 227 locations across the US and the UK and expects to grow by another 60 stores in 2017.