There's never a dull moment in the nation's capital — all the more reason to get out on the weekends and find a little peace, in our humble opinion. From wine tasting in Virginia to an urban art safari in Baltimore, here are our favorite weekend getaways, all within just a few hours' drive from Washington, D.C.

SEE ALSO: I rode London's famous Underground system for a week — and I saw why New York's subway will never catch up

Middleburg, VA

It's only an hour-long drive from D.C. to Middleburg, in Virginia's bucolic wine country. Get a taste of the land and check in to Salamander Resort & Spa, a stately inn set on 340 pastoral acres in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, famous for its Grand Lawn and state-of-the-art equestrian center. While you could spend the whole weekend strolling the resort's manicured grounds (or testing your culinary chops at the on-site cooking studio), we suggest venturing further afield — there are more than 250 local wineries to explore. 

You know you're in the country at Greenhill Winery & Vineyards, where tastings of Burgundian-style chardonnays and crisp Rieslings are bookended by horse-drawn carriage rides and picnic lunches. Aspen Dale Winery offers a more rustic experience, with paddocks home to goats and miniature horses and live folk music events. For dinner, head to the historic Red Fox Inn & Tavern, where oak tables, stone fireplaces, and beamed ceilings set the backdrop for hearty American classics like crispy half-duck with sautéed asparagus or bourbon-glazed salmon.

Baltimore, MD

D.C.'s industrious neighbor to the north is increasingly becoming known for its urban art scene. Beyond icons like The Baltimore Museum of Art and The Walters Art Museum, smaller-scale artist-run galleries and studios have been cropping up throughout the city. Anchors of its creative scene include Current Space, in the Inner Harbor business district, and Area 405, built inside a 168-year-old artist-owned warehouse — both of which showcase works by up-and-coming local talents as well as indie rock performances.

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

Eggs are probably one of the most versatile and inexpensive foods on the planet; they’re impossibly cheap to get, and there are about a million ways to make them. But odds are that you still don’t know how to make them the way you want, or if you do, the method isn’t fast.

For instance, I’m still paying too much for a breakfast sandwich from the bodega in the morning and then diner prices for an omelet on the weekend, because I don’t have the time or the desire to figure out how to manipulate my wrist in a way that uniformly controls a spatula.

And we’ll all pay these higher prices for convenience or quality because, well, we’re hungry and, especially in the mornings, we can’t be bothered.

So that’s why it’s extremely useful to pick up some kitchen gadgets that will help make you those protein-packed breakfasts any way you like them, for much less over time and as easily as possible, so your time is still your own.

SEE ALSO: The go-to coffee-brewing equipment for baristas is surprisingly affordable

A double omelet maker

If you're looking for something that will make you fluffy omelets with minimal effort from you, the Holstein Housewares double omelet maker should fit the bill nicely.

You can pour in two different omelet mixes if another breakfast guest wants something else, and you can use the measuring tick marks to gauge how much to put in. The indicator light will let you know when it's on, preheated, and ready to cook.

It's non-stick coated, so you won't have a hard time cleaning, either. 

Holstein Housewares HF-09010B Fun Omelet Maker, from $24.99

A rapid egg cooker

With nearly 2,200 5-star reviews on Amazon, Dash's egg cooker lives up to the hype. Whether you prefer your eggs hard or soft boiled, the Dash cooker makes cooking them easy. Once you've filled the base of the cooker with water — it comes with a measuring cup that tells you how much water you'll need for every type of egg — you can place up to six eggs on the top tray. Dash also includes two additional trays: one for poached eggs, and another for making omelettes.

Dash Go Rapid Egg Cooker, $18.75, available at Amazon and Crate & Barrel

An egg separator

If you want to make just egg whites, this is one of the easiest tools to help you do it. The Oxo Good Grips 3-in-1 will separate the yolk from the the whites seamlessly.

The Good Grips has a raised edge for cracking eggs and the lower basin will keep egg shells from falling into your batter. It clips on to virtually any bowl, and will keep your tables and countertops clean, too.

Oxo Good Grips 3-in-1 Egg Separator, $4.99

That smell of teen spirit and Nickelodeon slime isn't just you — the '90s are cool again. Look no further than the adorably angular Super Nintendo console above for confirmation of that fact.

Nintendo isn't going so far as straight up rereleasing the original SNES console, but it has instead created a new device called the SNES Classic Edition. We're just a few weeks away from the console's release, so we compiled everything we know about it in our Trapper Keeper — then published our findings below.

SEE ALSO: You can finally buy Nintendo's new $80 mini Super Nintendo later this month

DON'T MISS: It looks as if Nintendo's making a miniature, inexpensive version of the original Nintendo 64 console

As hinted above, the SNES Classic Edition is smaller than the original Super Nintendo. Here's the original SNES — the console is much larger than the gamepad.

By contrast, the SNES Classic Edition is minuscule. The game pad is far larger than the console, which is adorable and hilarious. The console fits in the palm of your hand.

Don't be fooled by the look of it, though. The SNES Classic Edition doesn't function anything like the original SNES. You can't put cartridges in it, nor can you plug original game pads into the ports on the front.

Controllers plugged into the front ports of the original Super Nintendo console, and game cartridges went into the slot on top. The blue sliders controlled power and resetting the console, and the gray lever in the middle ejected games. It now seems pretty low-tech.

If you're looking to make the ultimate music playlist, your search is over. 

INSIDER looked at Billboard's year-end number-one pop and R&B singles since 1965 along with their Hot 100 list to collect the top singles of the past 50 years.

Keep reading to see the songs you should add to your playlist of classics.

1965: "I Can't Help Myself"— Four Tops

The song has inspired covers by The Supremes, Donnie Elbert, and more. Listen to it here.

1966: "The Ballad of the Green Berets"— Staff Sergeant Barry Allen Sadler

Written by Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler, the song was number one in the United States for five weeks in 1966. Listen to the song here.

1967: "Respect"— Aretha Franklin

A different version of the song was originally released by Otis Redding before becoming a hit song for Franklin. She won two Grammys for "Respect" in 1968. Listen to the song here.

Traffic is a growing problem in cities worldwide.

Some cities have taken steps to cut congestion. Among those is London, which puts a fee on most vehicles driving in a designated congestion charge zone. But others have yet to find a real solution.

TomTom, a navigation and mapping company, has ranked the European cities it says have the worst traffic. The company collected data over nine years and gave each city a congestion score out of 100. The score shows how much extra travel time it takes to get around a particular city.

Scroll down to see which European cities have the worst traffic:

SEE ALSO: The 15 US cities with the absolute worst traffic

FOLLOW US: on Facebook for more car and transportation content!

13. Naples received a score of 33%, meaning it takes drivers 33% more travel time to get to their destination in the city. The score is a 2% increase from the year prior.

12. Cologne edges out Naples with a score of 34%. That's a big jump from last year's score of 30%.

11. Warsaw secured a score of 37%, which is actually a 1% improvement from 2015.

It's no secret that this White House tends to hemorrhage staff.

But occupants of the West Wing aren't the only casualties of President Donald Trump's governing style.

While Trump has repeatedly billed himself as pro-business, his rhetoric and actions around immigration policy, the environment, and the deadly white-supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, have provoked the ire of several business leaders. 

Some have made public statements condemning the president, while others have publicly exited Trump's various White House councils.

Following a wave of departures from these councils and reports that Trump's main business council agreed to disband itself, Trump scrapped his Strategic and Policy Forum and his manufacturing council.

Here are 13 business leaders who have publicly distanced themselves from the president, so far:

SEE ALSO: Here are the 17 executives who met with Trump for his first business advisory council

DON'T MISS: The Trump administration declared that a landmark federal law doesn't protect LGBT employees from workplace discrimination

Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase & Co. CEO

Dimon was a member of Trump's now-disbanded Strategic and Policy Forum. In May, the CEO signalled his support for the president, according to CNBC, telling shareholders: "He is the President of the United States. I believe he is the pilot flying our airplane. I would try to help any President of the United States because I'm a patriot."

In August, however, Dimon became a proponent of dissolving Trump's business councils.

Business Insider reported that the CEO criticized the president's reaction to the violence in Charlottesville in a statement: "There is no room for equivocation here: the evil on display by these perpetrators of hate should be condemned and has no place in a country that draws its strength from our diversity and humanity."

Denise Morrison, CEO of Campbell Soup Company

Morrison left the council Wednesday, according to Business Insider's Bob Bryan and Lydia Ramsey. The move came after Campbell Soup Company released a statement condemning the "racism and murder" that occurred in Charlottesville.

Inge Thulin, CEO of 3M

Thulin announced he was leaving Trump's initiative Wednesday, according to Business Insider reported. In a statement, the CEO asserted 3M's commitment to a healthier, more prosperous US. "After careful consideration, I believe the initiative is no longer an effective vehicle for 3M to advance these goals. As a result, today I am resigning from the Manufacturing Advisory Council."

Warning: spoilers for "Game of Thrones" season seven, all the way up to the most recent episode, "Eastwatch." Read at your own risk. 

Westeros is a brutal place, and you're pretty much considered lucky if you don't die in an incredibly brutal fashion.

With even more deaths happening in season seven, we looked back on all the most brutal deaths the show has pulled off so far, so you can fondly remember some very painful memories of lovable characters gone too soon. And so you can relive some of the most satisfying deaths of the worst villains the show has to offer. 

Here are the most gruesome and violent deaths on "Game of Thrones":

SEE ALSO: Every 'Game of Thrones' romantic relationship, ranked from worst to best

24. Shae

Despite the fact that she sleeps with his dad and testifies against him in trial, Tyrion still loves her a little. 

Time of death: Season 4, episode 10, "The Children"

Cause of death: Tyrion strangled her upon discovering that she was sleeping with his father, Tywin.

23. The High Septon, Margery Tyrell, Mace Tyrell, Loras Tyrell, Kevan Lannister, Lancel Lannister

According to an alchemist Tyrion talks to in season two, wildfire "burns so hot, it melts wood, stone, even steel! And of course: flesh. The substance burns so hot it melts flesh like tallow."

Wildfire also becomes more potent as it ages. The wildfire Cersei used was placed there by the Mad King over 20 years ago, so it was extremely dangerous. The deaths at the Destruction of the Great Sept of Baelor were quick, but they certainly weren't painless. 

Time of deaths: Season 6, episode 10, "The Winds of Winter"

Cause of deaths: Burned alive in Cersei's wildfire explosion at the Sept of Baelor.

22. Jory Cassel

If it involves an eyeball in any way, it's gruesome. 

Time of death: Season 1, episode 5, "The Wolf and the Lion"

Cause of death: Jaime Lannister stabbed him in the eye. 

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.

The Insider Pick:

• Futons are versatile space-saving pieces of furniture that double as a couch and a bed. If your dorm room or first apartment has limited space, adding a futon is an easy way to add seating and a sleeping space for guests. We've rounded up five great futons for less than $600. The Hudson Futon is our top pick because it works equally well as a pull-out bed and a couch. 

Dorm rooms and small apartments are the perfect spots for a futon. After all, living spaces for college students are typically very small, so having a two-in-one piece of furniture is extremely beneficial. Plus, the dorm room with the futon is the one where people hang out. A futon may be perfect if your student is a little shy and nervous about heading off to school. Conversely, if your student is already outgoing, the right futon might make him king of the dorm floor or even the entire building.

Futons are handy pieces of furniture because they double as a couch and a bed. The same mattress works as a seat cushion and a bed mattress, depending on the configuration of the frame. However, there’s actually a lot more to finding just the right futon than looking for the piece with the most comfortable cushion. Some futons are better served for dorm rooms or apartments than others.

Use cases for futons

When picking a futon for a dorm room or apartment for a student, think about how the student will use it. Different futons are better suited for different tasks.

• Sitting: If the futon will primarily be used as a couch and only occasionally as a guest bed, look for a model that has legs, armrests, and a backrest that’s part of the frame for the most comfort.
• Sleeping: As Slumberland discusses, some futons take up a lot of floor space when they’re unfolded. So if you plan to use the futon as a guest bed on a regular basis, you’ll need to have clear space around it. You don’t want to put it in a spot where you constantly have to move other furniture in order to unfold the futon. If you plan to use the futon for sleeping regularly, you’ll want a thick and comfortable mattress on the futon, along with a supportive frame.
• Mixture: If the futon will be used for both sitting and sleeping equally, look for one that’s easy to convert from couch to bed and back again. A loveseat style futon tends to provide the best versatility for mixed uses in a minimum amount of floor space, according to Futonland.

Key considerations for futons

Once you’ve figured out how you plan to use the futon, you then can hone in on the specific features you want. A futon for a dorm room needs to be more sturdy — actually a lot more sturdy — than what you might need for your home, for example.

• Bifold mattress: Most futon mattresses are bifold cushions, meaning they fold once when used in the couch setup. However, a few cushions are trifold, which can be a little trickier to set up and use.
• Easy to clean: Pick a futon mattress that has an easily cleanable surface material. After all, there is a tiny chance the futon in the dorm room could have something spilled on it at some point. And by tiny chance, we mean 99.9%. As The Spruce says, using a removable futon cover is a good solution, because it’s easy to throw in a washing machine.
• Frame construction: For a futon that’s easier to move around, it’s helpful if the frame can be taken apart for transport and reassembled later. This can be especially handy for moving a futon into a dorm room in the fall and out again in the spring.
• Frame materials: Futons are available with wood or metal frames. Overstock says metal frames offer more durability and a lower price point than wood frames, making them a great choice for a dorm room futon. Wood futons often fit better into the décor of a room.
• Innerspring coils: For the most comfortable sleeping type of mattress, one with innerspring coils inside — similar to a traditional bed mattress — is the right choice. Some futon mattresses are filled with foam or cotton batting, which isn’t as comfortable for sleeping.
• Size: You can pick different sizes of mattresses with futons, based on your sleeping needs. Futon Life offers a great list of futon mattress measurements to help you decide what size you need.
• Weight: If you want to move the futon and mattress regularly from room to room, you don’t want an extremely heavy frame. Innerspring coil mattresses are heavier than foam as well.

If you're headed off to college, you can also find more great back to school content on Insider Picks along with our guide to all the school supplies your K-12 student needs and all the college dorm supplies your college kid could possibly want. Read on to learn all about our top futon picks.

Although the Hudson Futon is our best futon for students pick, for various reasons laid out in the slides below, you should also consider the Kodiak Futon Lounger, the Dorel Madison Futon, the Room Essentials Grey Linen Futon, and the Jerry Sales Montreal X Espresso Futon.

SEE ALSO: The best college supplies and dorm room essentials you can buy

The best futon overall

Why you'll love it: The Hudson Futon works equally well as a sleeper bed and a couch, giving it the kind of versatility that works perfectly in a dorm room or small apartment.

The Hudson Futon is a versatile futon that works well as both a fold-down sleeper bed and a couch. The mattress is eight inches thick, which makes it really comfortable for sleeping, as one Sears buyer mentioned in a review. Because the mattress is finished on both sides, it can be flipped over if one side wears out or gets stained.

The Hudson looks great, with wood finished armrests that also make it comfortable for sitting. The sides of the futon have pockets for storing books or other small objects, which is helpful in the tight space of a dorm room or first apartment. A few reviewers at Sears said it was easy to assemble after it arrived, so you won't have a headache after setup.

You’ll appreciate the easy-to-clean microfiber cover on the mattress, which catches spills before they can soak into the mattress. It's a great feature for a dorm room. However, one Sears reviewer said the cover doesn’t come off easily, so keep that in mind.

The Hudson Futon is 82 inches in width, so it may not fit in smaller rooms. It weighs 120 pounds, which is another drawback for carrying it in and out of a dorm room. But if you have the space for this futon and the muscle to move it, it’s a tremendous piece of furniture.

Pros: Versatile futon that works equally well as a bed and as a couch, furniture looks great and is well-built, easy to assemble, microfiber cloth catches spills and is easy to clean, storage space in armrests

Cons: Large and heavy futon may not fit in small dorm room, cover is difficult to remove

Buy the Hudson Futon from Sears for $349.99

The best modern futon

Why you'll love it: The Room Essentials Grey Linen Futon has a minimalistic look with silver cylindrical legs and a modern design.

For a modern-looking, minimalistic futon, you will like the Room Essentials Grey Linen Futon with its simple cylindrical legs and basic gray button tufted cushion. It’s a simple design that still makes a statement.

The sturdy frame on the Room Essentials futon is made from wood, and the six legs are made of metal. The fill material in the cushion is foam, making it comfortable to use as a bed for children or smaller adults, according to one Target reviewer. It may not be as sturdy as some futon mattresses since it lacks springs.

At 70.5 inches in width, this futon should fit in most dorm rooms, while still accommodating three people for seating. It only weighs 63.6 pounds, which makes it easy to transport the futon in and out of the dorm room. A Target customer said the futon is very easy to assemble as well.

When sitting on this futon, though, the foam isn’t quite as comfortable because it has a limited amount of support for your back. Additionally, this futon has no arm supports, which reduces its comfort for sitting for long periods of time, as one Target buyer pointed out. However, for a stylish dorm room futon on a budget, it's a decent deal.

Pros: Good size for a dorm room, futon has a minimalistic and modern look, reasonable price point, lightweight frame is easy to move, thick foam cushion, cushion can be spot cleaned with a brush

Cons: Not comfortable for sitting on without armrests, fold out bed is smaller than an average futon

Buy the Room Essentials Grey Linen Futon at Target for $239.99

The best futon with cup holders

Why you'll love it: The Dorel Madison Futon has built-in cup holders, so you'll always have somewhere to place your cans and bottles, even if you don’t have a coffee table.

Because you don’t have a lot of extra space in a dorm room for a coffee table, having a futon with a built-in place to put cans and bottles is helpful. With the Dorel Madison Futon, the cup holders are hidden in the back of the middle cushion, which you’ll fold down to gain access to the cup holders.

As a downside, you lose some seating area when the cup holders are out because the futon turns into a two-person sofa. At 72 inches in length, this futon works as a three-person couch with the middle back cushion upright.

One Sears buyer likes how easy it is to fold down the back of the sofa to create the bed with a twin mattress. However, it’s not obvious by looking at the Dorel that it’s a futon with a fold-down bed. It looks more like a standard couch.

The versatility of the Dorel futon makes it a great option for students, according to one Sears reviewer. However, because this sofa has no armrests, it’s not quite as comfortable for sitting on as it could be.

The black faux leather surface of the sofa is extremely easy to clean. And with a mattress thickness of at least 6 inches, this is a pretty thick mattress to use for sitting or sleeping. However, a few Sears customers didn’t think the mattress was comfortable enough.

Pros: Cup holders are hidden behind middle back cushion for use as needed, faux leather cover is easy to clean, easy to fold down into a bed, works well for multiple people to sit on at once, inexpensive futon

Cons: Mattress isn’t very comfortable, no armrests when sitting on couch, you lose middle seating area when using cup holders

Buy the Dorel Madison Futon with Cup Holder from Sears for $199

Cities are the way of the future.

In less than 35 years, the World Health Organization estimates that two-thirds of the world population will be living in urban areas. That's an additional 2.5 billion people. The cities that will flourish rely on cutting-edge technologies and create opportunities for people to develop new innovations.

To get a sense of which cities do that the best, Business Insider consulted 2thinknow, a research firm that analyzes innovative cities, to rank the most high-tech cities in the US.

The firm chose 10 factors related to technological advancement — including the number of patents filed per capita, startups, tech venture capitalists, level of smartphone use, and ranking in other innovation datasets  — weighted them, and ranked a list of 85 cities accordingly.

If you want to know what the future will look like, these are the cities to keep an eye on.

SEE ALSO: 22 things we wish we'd known before moving to San Francisco

11. Miami, Florida

Known more for its beaches and party scene than its tech, Miami has a high level of tech sophistication baked into its urban landscape. In 2thinknow's analysis, Miami scored extremely high in measures of smartphone and city innovation.

There's also a nascent startup culture involving companies that focus on international ventures, given the city's proximity to South America. Larger companies like Google, Twitter, and Facebook have set up shop in recent years.

10. Phoenix, Arizona

What used to be a city devoted to hardware manufacturing is moving on to software, particularly as a number of Silicon Valley startups have started relocating to the Southwest.

A report from 2015 found the city's software sector is expected to grow 14% by 2019, surpassing Denver and Austin in the total number of information and communication technology workers.

9. Houston, Texas

One of two Texas cities on 2thinknow's ranking, Houston is well-connected from a smartphone and smart cities perspective. City government makes use of big data to run more efficiently in both its internal operations as well as the housing sector.

Most recently, Mayor Sylvester Turner has announced he'll look to modernize Houston's healthcare sector and ramp up cybersecurity by partnering with leading Israeli companies.

Ever since Nintendo announced the SNES Classic Edition, fans have been frantically looking for a chance to reserve one. It's easy to understand why: The SNES Classic Edition is a miniaturized version of the original console that works with modern TVs, yet it costs just $80 and comes with 21 games packed in.

Better yet — one of those games is the never-before-released "Star Fox 2."

When the console launches in September, demand is expected to be very high. Thus, potential buyers have been eagerly anticipating the ability to preorder the system. As of Tuesday afternoon, the pre-orders have begun! Check out where to find them all below.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo's new $80 mini Super Nintendo will be available for a limited time

You can preorder the Super NES Classic Edition at any of the following retailers starting on Tuesday — the stores are going live on a rolling basis, it seems, with Amazon and Best Buy going live overnight (and selling out quickly).

Of note: The Super NES Classic Edition is a limited-edition product and planned for production only through the end of 2017. If you're interested in getting one for the $80 asking price — rather than double or more through resellers — your best bet is preordering one. Rest assured that the Super NES Classic Edition is going to be a high-demand holiday gift, so you'll want to get in on preorders to guarantee one in time for the holidays.

1. Amazon

Here's the official Super NES Classic Edition page on Amazon »

2. Best Buy

Here's the official Super NES Classic Edition page at Best Buy »

Despite the combat mission in Afghanistan concluding in 2014, President Donald Trump said in a speech Monday night that he plans to increase the US's military presence in the war-torn country and continue the longest-running war in American history.

The 16-year war, once known as Operation Enduring Freedom but now called Resolute Support, has led to the deaths of 2,403 American soldiers, along with thousands of Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters — as well as thousands of Afghan civilians.

While Trump did not mention exact numbers for his troop-increase proposal, multiple reports say he plans on sending about 4,000 troops to join the 8,400 that are already deployed to Afghanistan.

SEE ALSO: 29 photos of the US's war in Afghanistan — a fight James Mattis has said 'we are not winning'

On September 11, 2001, Al Qaeda operatives hijacked four planes and crashed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people died.

None of the hijackers were Afghan nationals. However, President George W. Bush declared a "war on terror" that targeted Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, who received shelter and assistance from the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

Source: White House Archives

Operation Enduring Freedom launched on October 7, 2001 with a bombing campaign against Taliban forces.

Source: Air Force Historical Support Division

•Lincoln's flagship four-door is a truly great car.

•It hit the road in 2016 after wowing the New York Auto Show a year earlier.

•It's the highest expression of Lincoln's "Quiet Luxury" ideal.

The Lincoln Continental is just one of those cars. It really isn't even a car — it's an ideal, a dream, an evocation.

Ford introduced the Continental in the late 1930s, and over the decades it was conjoined with American history, most tragically in 1963, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas while riding in a 1961 Continental limousine.

Ford discontinued the Continental as its flagship Lincoln luxury sedan in 2002, but the nameplate never really went away. You could say that it haunted Ford.

And then, in 2015, a new Continental concept car took the New York auto show by storm. Ford had considered killing off Lincoln after the financial crisis but decided against it and put billions into a revival of the brand. By 2016 we saw the production version of the big new sedan as it hit the car-show circuit.

Last year, we finally found ourselves behind the wheel of a 2017 Lincoln Continental Reserve with all-wheel drive, stickered at $56,000 but then benefitting from about $20,000 worth of options, taking the final price up to $76,000.

The Continental concept was a star in 2015, but did it live up to expectations — not to mention the lofty reputation of its name — when we checked it out? Read on:

SEE ALSO: FOLLOW US on Facebook for more car and transportation content!

The Continental concept was the toast of the 2015 New York auto show.

The production sedan went on display a year later.

Last year, we finally got a chance to test Lincoln's flagship sedan.

Every year, celebrities flock to the beach wearing some of the season's most popular swimsuit trends.

This summer was no exception, as celebrities like Ashley Graham and Hilary Duff headed to the beach in one-piece bathing suits, proving that the all-in-one swimsuit trend is here to stay. Others tried more experimental looks, including wearing a mesh shirt over a bikini and sporting miniature sunglasses.

Keep scrolling to see 9 stylish celebrity beach looks that we can't wait to copy next summer.

Kourtney Kardashian went for a '90s look in denim cutoffs over a high-waisted black bikini. She added on-trend miniature sunglasses and hoop earrings for a glamorous touch.

Ashley Graham modeled a sporty one-piece from Swimsuits for All that was inspired by "Baywatch." A red swimsuit is a classic that won't go out of fashion.

Singer Christina Milian played with texture, wearing a sheer mesh shirt over her bikini. She accessorized with large hoop earrings and a belly button piercing.

It might seem unfair to pit the recently launched Essential Phone against a smartphone behemoth like Samsung, which for two years running has won accolades for the best camera in a smartphone, even surpassing the last two iPhone cameras.

And yet the Essential Phone is a $700 Android device with top-of-the-line specs, which means it's priced and designed to compete with the Galaxy S8. So, after tossing its hat into the ring, the Essential Phone must be tested against even the battle-hardened veteran. 

I was genuinely and pleasantly surprised by the Essential Phone's camera performance. Startups don't tend to produce good smartphone cameras on the first try, as seen with the first few OnePlus phones. But it seems like Essential has already found its footing with its first-ever device. 

Check out how the Essential Phone fares against the undisputed champion of the smartphone cameras, the Samsung Galaxy S8:

SEE ALSO: The Essential Phone made by the 'Father of Android' confirms what I've said all along – the best Android is stock Android

First up, a shot of NYC's Flatiron Building in full sunlight.

The colors in the Essential Phone's photo are more accurate, which reflect the Flatiron Building's true colors compared to the seemingly white-washed effect on the Galaxy S8.

Here's the other side of the Flatiron Building in the shade, with the sun shining directly behind it.

The Galaxy S8 did better here, as it helped brighten up the shady face of the Flatiron Building more than the Essential Phone. It also made the windows pop a little more compared to the duller windows in the Essential Phone's photo. 

Here's a mix of sunlight and shade.

The Galaxy S8 came out on top again. The Essential Phone actually does better justice to the contrast between the shady and sunlit areas, which makes for a more dynamic and interesting photo. Yet, the sky in the Essential Phone photo is completely overblown and white, whereas the Galaxy S8 managed to retain the sky's blue color. 

The INSIDER Summary:

• Michelle Gooris is a 25-year-old pilot from the Netherlands.
• She has over 54,000 followers on Instagram, where she's known as @dutchpilotgirl.
• She wants to show that anyone can become a pilot if they work hard enough.

Michelle Gooris' selfie game is strong.

The 25-year-old RyanAir pilot shares her view from the cockpit — and her jetsetting adventures on her days off — on Instagram, where she's known by over 54,000 followers as @dutchpilotgirl. She also writes a travel blog of the same name.

Gooris hopes to show people what a pilot's life is really like, and to combat misconceptions about who can be one. Here's how she does it.

Michelle Gooris is a 25-year-old pilot from the Netherlands.

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She started training at CAE Aviation Academy Amsterdam when she was 19.

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Now, she works for RyanAir.

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Warning: Spoilers for "Game of Thrones" season seven, episode six, "Beyond the Wall." If you aren't caught up on the series, read at your own risk. 

Every week the game of thrones changes. This week there was a lot of talking, wights, Arya monologues, lightning speed travel, and more wights. It was mostly unpleasant, and not many characters are playing the throne game particularly well right now.

Every week, we round up and detail which character was the smartest, dumbest, luckiest, and more in our power rankings.

Here's the "Game of Thrones" power rankings based on season seven episode six, "Beyond the Wall":

SEE ALSO: The 24 most gruesome 'Game of Thrones' deaths, ranked

The smartest: Beric Dondarrion, Sansa Stark

Beric Dondarrion has died six times but somehow has the best brain this week. He doesn't know exactly what the Lord of Light wants from him, but unlike his one-time resurrected buddy Jon Snow, he accepts his fate with gratitude, not brooding, and uses his new lives for a greater purpose. Jon kind of does this, but he sounds like he thinks the Lord of Light is annoying. After talking with Beric, he seems to come around to this new perspective.

Sansa Stark also uses her noggin this week: she's asked to travel to King's Landing, but sees right through Cersei and refuses to travel for a month to an event that could lead to her death. She sends Brienne instead. Go, Lady Sansa, go! 

The dumbest: Tyrion Lannister, The Hound

This week Tyrion's plan to capture a wight and bring it to Cersei proves that it's as dumb as it sounds. While Tyrion is thinking about the future, he's not doing a very good job getting his queen to listen to him, which is a problem since he is Hand of the Queen. We're desperately hoping that Tyrion Lannister has a grand plan we don't know about planned for next week's awkward meeting of enemies in King's Landing.

The Hound loves cursing and throwing rocks, apparently. His foolish throwing of rocks at a dumb wight makes them realize that the lake has frozen over, allowing them to attack. Sure, that wight did deserve to get hit in the skull with a big rock, but The Hound is so much better than this. 

The most creative: The Night King

The Night King definitely knew what he was doing during the frozen lake attack. It looks like he knew dragons were coming, or at least that they could be on their way, and had a plan on what to do once they made their debut North of the Wall. His plan worked, because now he has a dragon on his side, in addition to an entire army of dead people, giants, and polar bears (there has to be more than one of those by now, right?). 

The INSIDER Summary: 

• Superhero movies are having tons of success lately — but not all of them are winners.
• Some movies like "Batman & Robin" and "Catwoman" weren't huge successes with critics.
• The 1984 film "Supergirl" tops the list with a score of 7% on Rotten Tomatoes.

While the Rotten Tomatoes tool for aggregating critical reviews doesn’t always fairly assess with technical precision just how good or bad a film is – since that is ultimately a subjective conclusion – its scores certainly give us a general sense of when a movie is a must-see or just not that great. Also, the Tomatometer is a pretty useful tool for comparing two or more films, which is always fun and worth discussing.

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the DC Extended Universe, and other superhero-related franchises have been enjoying great success with their properties in the past few years, it is definitely not true that every superhero movie out there is worth making for the sake of profits or to serve an overall continuity. There are certainly superhero films that are just plain bad and should’ve never been released without going through some quite significant changes.

Some of these films are old, and others are very recent. Some of these heroes are from Marvel, some are from DC, and others are independent. Budgets fluctuate, reasons differ, and contexts vary… But all of these projects have one thing in common: they are not good.

These are the 20 Worst Superhero Movies Ever (According To Rotten Tomatoes).

20. "Green Lantern"— 26%

2011’s "Green Lantern" was not good, and that is a notion that even the most voracious DC Comics fans can agree on. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a score of 26%.

Starring Ryan Reynolds (who had already played a different hero – Deadpool– in 2009’s "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"), Blake Lively (fresh off her "Gossip Girl" success), and Taika Waititi (who would later direct "Thor: Ragnarok"), "Green Lantern" was an attempt from Warner Bros and DC Comics to keep on capitalizing on superheroes in the heels of the incredibly successful "The Dark Knight" trilogy. But like "Watchmen," which also came out during those years, it didn’t work quite as well as Christopher Nolan’s take on Batman.

While "Green Lantern" was perceived by many as a career-killer, Ryan Reynolds certainly redeemed himself when he returned to his "X-Men Origins" character in 2016’s solo "Deadpool" movie.

19. "Ghost Rider"— 26%

Even though it has a score of 26% on Rotten Tomatoes, "Ghost Rider" made some decent money in 2007, grossing at least two times its budget and being considered a box office success.

Written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson, who wrote "Jack Frost," wrote and directed 2003’s "Daredevil," and produced "Elektra,""Ghost Rider" was not received well by most film reviewers and was even criticized by religious groups who claimed that it had satanic references.

The movie featured actor Nicolas Cage (who, also in 2007, starred in the very successful "National Treasure: Book of Secrets") and Eva Mendes (fresh off her breakout performance in 2005’s "Hitch").

Curiously, Nic Cage has a Ghost Rider tattoo, which had to be covered during the movie’s shoot.

18. "Suicide Squad"— 25%

"Suicide Squad" is the fourth installment in the DCEU continuity, and just like "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" — which also came out in 2016 — it was liked by some fans but not well-received by most critics.

There was a lot riding in the hands of "Suicide Squad." For one, the movie featured Jared Leto’s Joker, which was the first time this character appeared in a live-action movie since Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning take in "The Dark Knight." Secondly, "Squad" had to introduce seven villains that set out to save the world — Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Rick Flag, Captain Boomerang, El Diablo, Killer Croc, and Katana — and one villain who was the actual antagonist of the story (The Enchantress). Last but not least, there were several production missteps reportedly attached to the project, such as rumors that the final cut of the movie was conducted by a marketing team.

On Rotten Tomatoes, "Suicide Squad" has a score of 25%.

Some universities don't just offer students an abundance of knowledge, they also give them a beautiful place to learn it in.

From having ancient libraries to boasting botanical gardens to being UNESCO World Heritage Sites, keep scrolling to see some of the most beautiful universities in the world.

University of Cambridge – Cambridge, England

Not only is Cambridge one of the best universities in the world, it is also one of the most beautiful. Each of the university's 29 undergraduate colleges has a unique design and architecture, making each stunning in its own way. Of course, the winding River Cam makes the university grounds even more dreamy.

National Autonomous University of Mexico – Mexico City, Mexico

The National Autonomous University of Mexico is so stunning that it has been deemed a UNESCO World Heritage site. The school was designed by some of Mexico's best-known architects, and the murals on the main campus were painted by recognized Mexican artists like Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros.

University of Coimbra – Coimbra, Portugal

The University of Coimbra is the oldest university in Portugal, dating back more than seven centuries. It's dotted with ancient statues, like the one of King João III pictured above, which stands outside an elaborate doorway to the Joanina Library — often considered one of the most beautiful libraries in the world.

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Whether you're looking to make the most of your trip to your gym or prevent injury, the fitness market is filled of tons of tools and accessories you can use to make every phase of your workout easier, more efficient, and safer. 

Have a look at five unexpected things seasoned athletes and fitness rookies alike should consider adding to their gym bags.

SEE ALSO: This company spent two years perfecting gym socks, and it paid off

DON'T MISS: This subscription service makes picking out the right vitamins easier than ever

A pair of compression socks

Avid runners are prone to getting swollen legs, shin splints, and more serious conditions, like achilles tendinitis and plantar fasciitis, which can become a burden on and off the treadmill.

In that vein, you might want to invest in some compression socks. Physix Gear Sport's lightweight socks offer plenty of coverage and provide additional support around the heels and toes. Best of all, this pair has over 2,000 rave reviews on Amazon, so it's arguably one of the best options you can buy.

Physix Gear Sport Compression Socks, $18.95 - $20.78

A foot rocker

Speaking of aches and pains runners fall victim to, you might want to add North American Healthcare's foot rocker to your fitness wish list.

We encourage you to visit a doctor if your conditions persist, but it's also important to stretch your muscles.

This foot rocker's circular bottom puts your foot in an optimal stretching position and makes it easy to alternate between your arches and ankles. According to the company, you can instantly relieve lower body pain by completing three 30-second repetitions.

North American Healthcare Foot Rocker, $11

An abdominal cushion

While a strong core can alleviate back pain, increase mobility, and improve your posture, you might not have hours to spend on crunches at the gym.

Enter the Bintiva's wobble cushion. Simply drop it on your work chair, take a seat, and it'll offer the same exercise as a normal stability ball, minus the bulk. If you're able to squeeze in a quick workout, you can also take this to the gym to further work on your abdominals and lower extremities. 

Bintiva Inflated Stability Wobble Cushion, from $15.79

The INSIDER Summary:

• Residents of some of the most popular tourist destinations aren't always a fan of the large amount of visitors.
• Countries like Russia and Bolivia aren't always the most tourist-friendly.
• US cities like New York City and Phoenix, Arizona aren't a huge fan of visitors either.

Planning a vacation doesn’t usually involve taking stock of local opinion on tourism, but maybe it should. Between overcrowding and bad behavior, locals across the globe are taking a stand against tourists who just can’t seem to travel courteously.

Venice

Where:Italy

Being dubbed ‘‘Disneyland on the Sea” isn’t exactly a compliment. While Venetians fight to keep their homes above water, tourists from all over the world clog up famously narrow streets and canals. You know what doesn’t look great with the beautiful Italian architecture? Gigantic cruise ships photobombing your shot.

Amsterdam

Santorini

Santorini capped its cruise visitor capacity at 8,000 persons per day, which seems too generous, really. Yes, the island is insanely beautiful. Sure, you’ll enjoy a famously  romantic sunset over Oia–with thousands of other Instagrammers who are working on filtering their shot instead of taking it in. Also, the tourists literally clap for the sunset. What…what are you doing?