• The past few years haven't been too good for Chipotle, with E. coli scares, lackluster menu additions, and a weakened reputation.
• But there's something better than Chipotle: Qdoba.
• With a more interesting menu, better pricing, and an inimitable queso, Qdoba beats Chipotle across the board.

Chipotle isn't the shining star it used to be. 

It announced in November that its founder and CEO, Steve Ells, would be stepping down as the chain works to recover its reputation in the wake of its 2015 E.coli outbreak. Yet in spite of — or, perhaps in some cases, because of — its numerous failures, Chipotle lingers in the public consciousness and maintains its grip on the Tex-Mex fast-casual market. 

Merely two years after Chipotle was founded in Denver, Colorado, in 1993, another Tex-Mex chain, called Qdoba, sprung up in the same city.

While it has labored more or less in Chipotle's shadow, Qdoba is, without a doubt, superior in nearly every way. It has a more interesting menu, less fuss, and a sterling reputation — not to mention free guac. 

Having recently revisited Chipotle to see how the chain is doing, I decided to go back to my one true Tex-Mex chain love to compare. 

SEE ALSO: I ate Trump's absurd, 2,430-calorie McDonald's order — and it was even worse than I imagined

ALSO READ: Chipotle is facing a reckoning — and I saw why it may never again be the chain it once was

Qdoba is a national chain with over 700 locations — a far cry from Chipotle's 2200-plus restaurants, but nothing to sniff at. It's the same idea as Chipotle: fast-casual assembly line with burritos, burrito bowls, tacos, and the like. Qdoba also has taco salads, quesadillas, and soups, though — a key difference.

Source: Qdoba

I decided to get a simple chicken burrito to compare to my recent Chipotle burrito review. Nothing fancy, and almost exactly the same ingredients: chicken, cilantro rice, black beans, pico de gallo, salsa verde, guac, queso, cheese, and lettuce.

But before even tasting the burrito, I noted that Qdoba already has a huge advantage over Chipotle: the guac and queso are free add-ons. That's right, free. Chipotle's guac can cost over $2 as an add-on, and so does the queso. Tacking nearly $4 on to your burrito, just for some delicious cheese and cool, refreshing guacamole? That's heinous.

CORE: Club isn't easy to get into.

The Manhattan club counts bigwigs from the city's major industries as members, including NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, billionaire fashion entrepreneur J. Christopher Burch, former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, and Blackstone Group CEO Stephen Schwarzman.

But don't mistake it for the stuffy Upper East Side clubs that have defined New York City's 1% for more than a century, founder Jennie Enterprise told Business Insider. CORE: Club seeks to be "the anticlub."

We recently spent the day at CORE to see what it's all about.

CORE: Club is located in midtown Manhattan, a short walk from Fifth Avenue, Grand Central, Rockefeller Center, and dozens of corporate HQs. A perfect location for the 1% who form the club's core membership.

The entrance is tucked into a building. When you walk in you're greeted by a rotating selection of contemporary art, curated by New York Times columnist Bee Shapiro and others. To join, you'll have to pony up a $50,000 initiation fee and approximately $17,000 in annual dues.

Next to the elevators are iPads listing the club's upcoming events — there are more than 350 per year — along with various membership perks offered by partners like Bulgari Hotels, yacht charter app YachtLife, and private aviation company Wheels Up.

The club also offers what Enterprise calls "experiential installations."

A recent excursion ferried members via Rolls Royce upstate to renowned chef Dan Barber's Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Members then took a tour of art collectors Raymond Learsy and Melva Bucksbaum's private art collection, which features works by Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol, and Robert Mapplethorpe. 

• Athletes are notorious for wasting outrageous sums of money.
• But some players — like LeBron James — are surprisingly stringent with their cash. 
• One football player drives a 26-year-old car, while one baseball player lives in a 1978 van.

Athletes are known for wasting outrageous sums of money almost as much as they are for playing sports.

But a few famous greats don't spend like ballers. In fact, some athletes earn multimillion-dollar salaries but are actually careful with their incomes. 

Below, learn more about five athletes who are surprisingly frugal with their money.

SEE ALSO: 6 athletes who made a fortune outside of the world of sports

DON'T MISS: LeBron James' teammates call him 'the cheapest guy in the NBA' — but he just bought a $23 million mansion in Los Angeles

Jordy Nelson

The days where professional athletes need to bring in a second income during the off-season are over. But Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson does it anyway.

When he's not grabbing touchdowns at Lambeau Field, Nelson can be found on his family farm in Kansas. He herds cattle and spends 12 hours a day in the field helping his parents earn a living.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Nelson's father said his son flies into Milwaukee and drives to Green Bay because it is cheaper than direct flights. About his son's home, the elder Nelson said, "It's got junk equipment, trees that need trimming ... he's not going to hire somebody to do it."

Farmer first, the star makes around $9.7 million a year as a football player.

LeBron James

The king of basketball doesn't seem like an obvious person to be tight-fisted with his money, especially after he just bought a $23 million house.

But King James' former teammate and good friend Dwayne Wade claims he is "the cheapest guy in the NBA" because he hesitates to pay for mobile data or a premium music service.

While traveling from city to city, James admitted, he only uses WiFi. LeBron also listens to his music for free on Pandora. He doesn't seem to mind when an ad plays between songs while the team is prepping for game time.  

Alfred Morris

The wealthiest athletes usually zoom around town in Lamborghinis and Ferraris. Hard-hitting Dallas Cowboys running back Alfred Morris drives Bentley.

No, not a Bentley, the luxury car. Bentley is the name of his beloved 1991 Mazda 626, which he bought for $2. In 2013, he splurged to fix up the old sedan.

The former Washington Redskin is no longer at the top of the sport, but he still does well for himself, earning a $1.2 million annual base salary.

New York City should be on everyone's list of once-in-a-lifetime New Year's Eve destinations.

The city is home to the world-famous Times Square ball drop, where last year more than two million people gathered in the chilly air to watch live performances and count down to midnight. And it's free.

Below, we've rounded up seven more fun events in New York City that won't cost you a penny on New Year's Eve.

SEE ALSO: 16 of the most luxurious ski resorts to visit this winter

DON'T MISS: 19 of the best ski resorts to visit this winter that don't cost a fortune

Dance at the Midnight Run in Central Park

While there's a fee to participate in the 4-mile run, spectating is free at New York Road Runner's Midnight Run in Central Park. The party starts at 10 p.m. with a live DJ, followed by a parade and costume contest at 11 p.m. and the race and fireworks at midnight. 

Cruise the harbor on the Staten Island Ferry

The Staten Island Ferry offers riders the best views of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and New Jersey. At no cost to ride, you'll see fireworks going off in each of the boroughs as you cruise the harbor on New Year's Eve. Bring a coat and get there early.

Listen to live music at the New Year's Eve Concert for Peace

A New York staple since 1984, the Concert for Peace takes place at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine every New Year's Eve. General admission seats are free and open to the public. This year's show features Cathedral Artist in Residence Judy Collins, and runs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

• The most expensive zip code in America is 94027, or Atherton, California, according to Forbes.
• The median price for a home there is $9,686,164.
• We put together a list of the most expensive homes currently for sale there.

If you're looking for luxurious homes, the most expensive zip code in America is a good place to start.

Atherton, California — or 94027 — has been crowned that title in 2017, according to Forbes' annual ranking.

The median price for a home in that area is $9,686,164, and homes spend about 190 days on the market. 

With the help of the team at Yardi, we put together a list of the 11 most expensive homes currently for sale in Atherton.

SEE ALSO: Meet the world's 50 richest billionaires of 2017

11. 65 Selby Lane — $10,800,000

10. 102 Encinal Avenue — $12,900,000

9. 333 Atherton Avenue— $12,980,000

• The following is an adaptation from Tim Ferriss' book, "Tribe of Mentors."
• He writes that 2017 was a rough year for him, so he reached out to dozens of people he considers mentors to ask them for life advice. 
• The CEO of Basecamp advises focusing on your writing skills. 
• Co-founder of Twitter Evan Williams says to be in a hurry to learn, not to get validation.
• Arianna Huffington recommends limiting technology.

2017 was an interesting year for me. I turned 40, lost several close friends of mine, and came to some sobering realizations that often strike people who are in the middle of their lives.

I didn't have a midlife crisis per se, more of a midlife reassessment. So over the past year, I've been reaching out to dozens of people I consider my mentors to ask them for life advice.

I call the brilliant group of peak performers I chose my 'tribe of mentors'—over 100 in all—and they helped me answer the one question I often ask when I'm in a job: What would this look like if it were easy? Only this time, "this" was "life."

Frankly, I wish I'd started the process of building my tribe of Mentors years ago. Which is why, at every chance I got, I asked my mentors what advice they had for young people long on intelligence and drive, but short on real world experience. Here is a collection of their thoughts, pulled from my new book "Tribe of Mentors."

SEE ALSO: 9 brilliant leaders, investors, and thinkers share the questions they ask themselves when they're completely overwhelmed

1. Get real-world experience.

Steven Pressfield:"I'm probably hopelessly out of date but my advice is get real-world experience: Be a cowboy. Drive a truck. Join the Marine Corps. Get out of the hypercompetitive 'life hack' frame of mind. I'm 74. Believe me, you've got all the time in the world. You've got ten lifetimes ahead of you. Don't worry about your friends 'beating' you or 'getting somewhere' ahead of you. Get out into the real dirt world and start failing.

Why do I say that? Because the goal is to connect with your own self, your own soul. Adversity. Everybody spends their life trying to avoid it. Me too. But the best things that ever happened to me came during the times when the shit hit the fan and I had nothing and nobody to help me. Who are you really? What do you really want? Get out there and fail and find out."

Steven Pressfield is the best-selling author of The Legend of Bagger Vance, Gates of Fire, The Afghan Campaign, and The Lion's Gate, as well as the cult classics on creativity, The War of Art, Turning Pro, and Do the Work.  

2. Develop your writing skills

Jason Fried:"Focus on your writing skills. It's the one thing I've found that really helps people stand out. More and more communication is written today. Get great at presenting yourself with words, and words alone, and you'll be far ahead of most."

Jason Fried is the co-founder and CEO of Basecamp (previously 37signals).

3. Have something to look forward to

Soman Chainani: "Make sure you have something every day you're looking forward to. Maybe it's your job, maybe it's a basketball game after work or a voice lesson or your writing group, maybe it's a date. But have something every day that lights you up. It'll keep your soul hungry to create more of these moments." 

Soman Chainani of The School for Good and Evil has sold more than a million copies, has been translated into more than 20 languages across six continents, and will soon be a film from Universal Pictures.

The holidays are the perfect time to catch up with some of the best business books of the year, or give one as a gift.

This year's highlights include Wall Street crime capers, a memoir about challenging gender discrimination in Silicon Valley, and an intimate look at a small American town that's been struggling since the Great Recession.

Take a look at our favorites this year and see what catches your interest.

SEE ALSO: The 6 best business books of 2017, according to economists, editors, and professors

'Black Edge' by Sheelah Kolhatkar

In 2014, the eighth employee of legendary investor Steve Cohen's hedge fund SAC Capital Advisors was convicted of insider trading. Cohen himself was not found guilty but was barred from managing outside capital until 2018.

"Black Edge" is the story of the Justice Department's investigation into SAC Capital, and New Yorker staff writer Sheelah Kolhatkar has made it as gripping as a thriller.

If you're a fan of "Billions," it's worth checking out this authoritative take on the true story that's often just as dramatic as fiction.

Find it here »

'Janesville' by Amy Goldstein

The 2016 US presidential election highlighted deep divides within the United States, and brought to the forefront the concerns of middle-class Americans whose jobs have disappeared due to increased globalization and the Great Recession.

Washington Post reporter Amy Goldstein embedded herself in a town particularly affected by these forces: Janesville, Wisconsin, which is also the hometown of Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. Through extensive interviews with all walks of life there, she explores why so many Americans have been struggling to make a living.

"Janesville" took the Financial Times and McKinsey's 2017 business book of the year award.

Find it here »

'Principles' by Ray Dalio

Ray Dalio is as well known for leading the largest hedge fund in the world, Bridgewater Associates, as he is for the highly unusual (and controversial) philosophy of "radical truth" and "radical transparency" that he's instilled into the firm.

Dalio told Business Insider earlier this year that since stepping back from a daily management role in March, he has focused on leaving a legacy of this philosophy, collected in this year's volume — focused on his personal life and management principles — and an upcoming second volume, about the economy.

In this book, you'll learn why Dalio has all of his 1,500 employees constantly rate each other's performance in meetings via an iPad app, and why all of these meetings are recorded and archived.

Find it here »

• Business Insider interviewed Facebook's vice president of product design, Julie Zhuo, about how she spends her days at the tech company.
• She broke down her daily routine from her early-morning workout to spending time with her family in the evening.
• Zhuo also discussed the strategies she uses to get her work done and live a balanced life.

For Facebook's vice president of product design, Julie Zhuo, intentionality is key.

That's reflected in her daily routine at Facebook, which Glassdoor just named the most desirable place to work in America.

Zhuo has worked at Facebook for over 11 years, having joined a team of only about 100 employees. She's worked on products like Facebook's News Feed, the "like" button, and user profiles. Now she oversees the design of many of Facebook's core user experiences — and a team of more than 250 employees.

"Facebook is a very mission-oriented place," she told Business Insider. "Most of the people that work here really care about building community and making tools that help bring people closer together. That's a huge part of why I've been here for so long and I think many of the people I work with are here."

Zhuo recently chronicled her daily schedule, habits, and strategies for Business Insider — here's what a day in the life of one Facebook exec looks like:

SEE ALSO: A Google exec who's only in the office from 9 to 5:30 shares the routine that keeps him from becoming a workaholic

DON'T MISS: 7 reasons Facebook is the best place to work in America and no other company can compare

On weekdays, Zhuo wakes up around 7 a.m. To kick off her day, she works out on an elliptical for about 10 minutes, then showers. The Facebook exec often runs while listening to a TED Talk, an audiobook, or music. "I like the idea of starting the day having accomplished something, even if it's very small," she said. Zhuo says she also starts thinking about her schedule and daily tasks first thing in the morning.

Zhuo's husband, Mike Sego, Facebook's engineering director, prepares breakfast for the family — that's usually eggs and coffee for Sego and Zhuo, and milk and snacks for their two young children. They get the kids dressed, and their nanny picks them up at 8:30 a.m.

Zhuo and Sego are at the office by 9 a.m., and she tries to take some time to plan for her meetings. "I try to be very intentional about my time," she said. "It's easy to get into the habit of reacting to what's happening during the day."

Your 20s were all about setting up your financial foundation and establishing good habits. Your 30s were about life changes like getting married, having kids, and building your career.

In your 40s, everything is amplified even more. You've got growing kids and aging parents — and what you don't have is a ton of spare time.

There's a lot you can do in your 40s to protect your money and care for your family before you begin thinking about retirement in your 50s or 60s. Here's what you should avoid:

SEE ALSO: 4 mistakes couples make when they move in together that could cost them a fortune

1. Buying more house than you can afford

With your growing family, that starter home in a bad school district isn't meeting your family's needs anymore. Suddenly, you want more space for your kids to run around, and you want them to grow up in a neighborhood with lots of friends their age.

It's tempting to opt for more square footage, a larger yard, and an upscale neighborhood. But this means a bigger home loan, increased maintenance costs, and high property taxes.

After spending the first two decades of adulthood in rental apartments or condos (possibly with roommates!), it's natural to want a big, beautiful home to hopefully live in for the rest of your life. But beware of buying more home than you can handle. Houses aren't great investments, so you should be realistic about your budget and avoid tying up all your savings in your home.

2. Not having the right mortgage

Mortgage rates remain quite low (often under 4%, depending on your credit score, loan terms, and other factors). Consider refinancing if you intend to remain in your home for at least a few more years.

I'm a fan of refinancing to a 15-year mortgage. While a 30-year mortgage offers a lower monthly payment, it means you'll have a mortgage well into your 60s or 70s, which isn't helpful in retirement. Plus, you'll pay a lot more in interest.

How much more? Let's say you have a $250,000 loan. You can get a 15-year mortgage with a 3.14% interest rate and a monthly payment of $1,743. A 30-year mortgage would have a 3.81% rate and a $1,166 monthly payment. Spending nearly $600 less per month is appealing, but you'll actually spend $106,073 more on interest payments over the life of the 30-year loan!

As your cash flow situation changes, make sure you have the right mortgage for you. You can compare 15- and 30-year mortgages side by side using this calculator.

3. Overspending on your kids

A big way to keep up with the Joneses in your 40s is to pour your resources into your kids: tutors, travel sports teams, competitive dance troupes, private school tuition, summer camp … the list is endless!

It hard to say no to everything your kids' hearts desire and you really do want to provide those things — not just because you love your kids, but because their friends' parents are your friends and neighbors, and there's pressure for you to fit in.

This is a good time to reassess your money values and teach your kids about creating their own value system. That way, the whole family is spending money and time on what really matters to each of you, instead of what your neighbors are doing.

2017 has given us a lot of great movies, but boy was it a year for some big clunkers and disappointment at the box office, too.

Audiences were loud and clear this year. You need more than big star power to sell a potential blockbuster. A good script and story helps. This year was filled with unnecessary reboots, whitewashing controversies, and lazy adaptations of popular books and manga.

INSIDER compiled together the movies we had high hopes for but that didn't quite live up to the hype. Keep reading to see the movies that let us down the most this year, ranked from bad to worse.

17. "Alien: Covenant"

Fans were genuinely excited to have director Ridley Scott back in the director's seat and that's why it's a bummer this movie left us wanting more.

We were expecting a movie featuring a lot of aliens attacking humans and were treated to a movie about a sentient, evil android (Michael Fassbender) who decided to become an alien overlord and unleash his children on mankind. 

There were some good and surprising moments in "Covenant," but it was not the "Alien" prequel we were expecting. 

You can read Business Insider's review here.

16. "Life"

Fox clearly wanted "Life" to be its next "Alien" franchise, but instead we got a thriller about a sentient killing machine that hyped Ryan Reynolds in the trailers only to kill him off in the film's first half hour. 

The film also wastes Jake Gyllenhaal’s Oscar-caliber talent as part of a space crew that's being hunted down one by one by a sentient being that looks like an overgrown plant. The most surprising bit was that Gyllenhaal wasn't killed early in the movie, too.

15. "Cars 3"

"Cars 3" may have been a big improvement on the last film in the series, but that's not saying much. ("Cars 2" is widely considered Pixar's worst movie.)

The movie hopes to walk you down memory lane, but it never tugs at your heartstrings the way the first film did. It's not that all of the ingredients aren't there. It's just that Pixar has delivered a similar story so many times now that the emotional beats don't hit with the same punch as they did before. They simply don't feel as genuine.

Nostalgic appearances by Doc Hudson (the late Paul Newman) are ultimately frustrating, because the film fails to outright address the character's mysterious death.

You can read our review here.

Financial-services professionals are known to have demanding work schedules, but that doesn't mean they aren't setting aside time to crack open a few books.

We recently reached out to our contacts on Wall Street to find out what folks would recommend as must-reads just ahead of the holiday season.

Surprisingly, most books recommended have nothing or little to do with finance and business, spanning topics from history to psychology.

Here are the 24 recommendations we received.

SEE ALSO: These are the watches worn by some of the most powerful men in finance

"Open: An Autobiography" by Andre Agassi

Wall Streeter: Heidi Ridley, CEO of Rosenberg Equities at AXA Investment Managers

"I have always been a huge fan of Andre Agassi. I really enjoy watching tennis and feel he is one of the best players in history. I love that he is true to himself, even if that means going against the norm. Exuding that kind of confidence even when you are facing internal/personal challenges is remarkable.

"Importantly, both are stories of people with immense passion for something, who embrace challenges with determination and commitment and achieve success with authenticity and humility."

Find it on Amazon »

Price: $14

"Off The Planet" by Jerry Linenger

Wall Streeter: Heidi Ridley, CEO of Rosenberg Equities at AXA Investment Managers

"I had the opportunity to meet Jerry Linenger and hear him speak at one of our client conferences many years ago. I was so impressed by how intelligent, worldly, and personable he was. He was also a tremendous speaker — a skill I hold in high regard — and an amazing family man, who incidentally published a book of all the letters he wrote to his then-unborn child called 'Letters from Mir.'"

Find it on Amazon »

Price: $9

"Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow" by Yuval Noah Harari

Wall Streeter: Virginie Morgon, deputy CEO of Eurazeo and president and CEO of Eurazeo North America

"It's undeniable that Harari is a visionary. 'Homo Deus' is inspiring because it reminds us that humans are limitless and we should strive to be our best in life, business, and society.

"At the same time, the book and theories in it ask questions we — as leaders — must address as technology continues to advance at an accelerating pace. How are we adapting our companies and human capital to embrace and leverage technology? In what ways are we reengineering ourselves to prepare for the world of the future?

"We have a responsibility to anticipate these changes, think ahead of them, and provide answers to the questions our colleagues, partners, and peers will be asking. It's an unbelievably thought-provoking read for current and future leaders alike."

Find it on Amazon »

Price: $20

We're more than a week into December, which means the holiday season is officially upon us. It can be hard to find the right holiday gift for everyone on your list, especially as stores have been selling out of hot items earlier and earlier and Amazon packages are delayed this time of year.

If the whole prospect of holiday shopping overwhelms you (or if you love holiday shopping but need a couple easy suggestions), here are some gift ideas based on the zodiac sign of your recipient.

Someone's zodiac sign says more about them than just when they were born, after all.

ARIES: An experience

The Aries in your life is not nearly as enamored by things as they are with memories. Create a memory with them by taking them to an event, on a trip, or trying something new in your city together. They'll be thrilled to be able to add something to their list of awesome adventures.

TAURUS: A new book

The typical Taurus is always looking for new ways to improve their life. Books can help you get organized, teach you how to handle money, show you new ways to do things, and generally inspire your creativity.

Plus, the sophisticated Taurus loves the intellectual reputation that comes with being seen with a new book in hand.

GEMINI: Something for a party

Geminis are the life of the party. Give the Gemini in your life a little something to help them be the host with the most. Decorations for their next theme party, some new speakers, or a set of martini glasses in the hands of a Gemini make for a party no one wants to miss. New Year's is just around the corner, after all.

When it comes to iconic sports venues, fans will likely conjure up images of FC Barcelona inside the Camp Nou, the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia, or Madison Square Garden.

This is not a list that celebrates the world's best venues. Instead, this shows off the weirdest, wackiest, and most incredible places to play sport, from 2,000 feet below ground, to inside the Arctic circle.

At first glance, this match between Syracuse Orange and San Diego State might look like any other college basketball game.

But on closer inspection, the game is actually being played on the USS Midway aircraft carrier, which is now a maritime museum in California. You can even see aircraft in the top right hand corner of this picture.

The 2012 game was dubbed the Battle on the Midway. It was attended by then-President Barack Obama and Syracuse triumphed by a 62-49 scoreline.

The arrival of HMS Queen Elizabeth has been the military story of the year in Britain — and this week was an important landmark, the moment it formally joined the Royal Navy. 

The new aircraft carrier, along with its sister vessel HMS Prince of Wales, is meant to spearhead a new generation of British hard power. Business Insider was invited on board to learn more about the event — read on to find out what we saw.

This week was one of the biggest of the whole year for the Royal Navy — it's biggest and most expensive ever ship formally joined the fleet.

HMS Queen Elizabeth set sail for the first time earlier this year, but had to undergo tests at sea before becoming an official part of the navy.

And this Thursday was the day when the ship was "commissioned" in a ceremony starring Queen Elizabeth II.

I'm a big fan of the OnePlus 5T. 

It offers incredible performance, unbelievable value, an understated modern design, and now I truly know that it takes great photos after comparing its camera with the best camera on any smartphone, the Pixel 2 XL.

It's true that the Pixel 2 XL takes slightly better shots than the OnePlus 5T, but the 5T isn't far behind, which is an amazing feat when you consider its $500 price tag. 

You may notice that I compared it to the $850 Pixel 2 XL rather than the regular $650 Pixel 2, but both phones have exactly the same camera, and the XL model is more comparable in size to the OnePlus 5T. 

Check out the photos I took with the OnePlus 5T and the Pixel 2 XL to see for yourself:

SEE ALSO: REVIEW: The OnePlus 5T is not only a bargain — it's the best Android phone you can buy at any price

Kicking off with BI's signature test shot, both phone cameras are comparable in quality here.

In this sunlit shot with a mix of buildings and blue sky, I'd be happy with either camera's photos. Keep in mind that the Pixel 2 has exactly the same camera as the Pixel 2 XL. 

From this shot, you can already tell some of the defining characteristics of both cameras. The OnePlus 5T tends to highlight brighter parts of the shot a little more than the Pixel 2 XL, which makes for greater contrast with darker areas. It also adds a slight yellow-ish tint to colors, providing the kind of warmth typically found in iPhone camera photos.

The Pixel 2 XL does better with extremes of light and dark.

The OnePlus 5T's greater contrast between light and dark areas doesn't work so well here, even with HDR turned on, which is meant to brighten up darker areas when there are extremely bright spots in the shot. In this case, there's too much contrast between light and dark areas of the shot on the OnePlus 5T shot. 

The Pixel 2 XL's shot is more evenly lit, which is a sign that its HDR is better than the OnePlus 5T's. The building and details in the shade are bright enough that you can clearly see them. Plus, the Pixel 2 XL captures sky detail towards the end of the street where the OnePlus 5T mostly overblew the shot, voiding that specific area of detail. 

This photo shows that the OnePlus 5T takes great shots — but the Pixel 2 XL is just as good.

The five largest religions — Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism — represent about 77%of the world's population.

Every year, billions come together to celebrate their faith.

Here are some of the most powerful moments captured in photos in 2017:

SEE ALSO: Mesmerizing maps show how religion has spread throughout the world

DON'T MISS: Islam will overtake Christianity as the world's largest religion by 2070

Hindu priests sit inside a cave as they perform evening prayers on the banks of the river Ganges in Devprayag, India.

A 93-year old Holocaust survivor celebrates the anniversary of his bar mitzvah ceremony in Haifa, Israel.

Artists dressed as Hindu gods Rama and Laxman act as fireworks explode during Vijaya Dashmi, or Dussehra festival celebrations in Chandigarh, India.

• Bon Appétit named the sandwich joint Turkey and the Wolf the best new restaurant in the US in 2017. 
• The decision to elevate the quirky, low-budget concept over other restaurants created some controversy. 
• Turkey and the Wolf is filled with '90s nostalgia, cheap cocktails, and an incredible fried bologna sandwich. 

When Bon Appétit announced its list of America's best new restaurants for 2017, the No. 1 spot came as somewhat of a shock. 

Instead of an elegant sit-down Italian restaurant or an upscale icon, the publication crowned Turkey and the Wolf — a sandwich joint in New Orleans where nothing costs more than $13 — the best new restaurant of the year. 

"What they are offering — wildly inventive sandwiches, salads tossed with ingredients like pig's ear cracklin's, and cheeky snacks like homemade Bagel Bites — is as difficult to pull off as most tweezer-built dishes found at so-called serious restaurants,"Andrew Knowlton wrote of the restaurant. 

With such effusive praise for a restaurant famous for its fried bologna sandwiches, I knew I had to visit. So, on a recent trip to New Orleans, I decided to stop by Turkey and the Wolf to see if it lived up to the hype. 

SEE ALSO: Starbucks' new Christmas Tree Frappuccino is its most brilliant social-media stunt drink yet

Turkey and the Wolf is located in a mostly residential neighborhood called Irish Channel, a few blocks off of busy Magazine Street.

It's a simple operation, with customers ordering at the counter and workers yelling to each other in the kitchen. We arrived right at opening time — 11 a.m. — to beat the crowd, but we weren't the only ones waiting outside when the doors opened.

The menu copies suburban childhood classics — bologna sandwiches, wedge salads, and tacos made with American cheese. With a wave of restaurants "elevating" various cultures' street food, Turkey and the Wolf is serving an updated version of the nutritionally empty foods that many Americans ate growing up in the '80s and '90s.

Shohei Ohtani has never thrown a pitch or made a plate appearance in an MLB game, yet he was perhaps the biggest prize of the offseason.

And the Los Angeles Angels landed him.

With a sweet left-handed swing to go along with his cannon for a right arm, Ohtani hits almost as well as he pitches, making him a rare two-way player. Thanks to his exploits in Nippon Professional Baseball, he's been referred to as the Japanese Babe Ruth, a nickname that has generated outsized excitement and outsized expectations.

Of course, even Ruth eventually chose to focus on hitting only, and it remains to be seen how the winner of the Ohtani sweepstakes will use him in the states. But no matter what, the 23-year-old phenom's journey to a long-awaited MLB career has been full of twists and turns.

Below, find out everything you need to know about one of baseball's truly unique stars.

Despite having never appeared in an MLB game, Shohei Ohtani has become the talk of baseball.

In just five seasons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, the 23-year-old Ohtani has become renowned for his ability to affect the game both at the plate...

...and from the mound.

• Quentin Tarantino wants to direct a Star Trek movie.
• The catch? It has to be rated R.
• JJ Abrams is reportedly helping Tarantino find a writer, and will be a producer.

Quentin Tarantino has plans to direct a Star Trek movie, and his only demand is that it is R rated.

Deadline reported on Monday that Tarantino pitched an R-rated Star Trek movie to Paramount. On Thursday, Deadline reported that the rumored project is moving forward at a rapid speed, and they're already selecting a screenwriter.

JJ Abrams, who has directed two Star Trek films, is helping Tarantino and will be a producer. The movie likely won't come out for a few years, but we can't hide our excitement. A Star Trek movie from Tarantino — one of the most ambitious directors of all time — is an exciting concept, and we can't wait to see the finished product. 

Here's everything we know so far about Quentin Tarantino's Star Trek movie:

SEE ALSO: The worst new TV shows of 2017, ranked from bad to completely unwatchable

Tarantino approached Paramount with the idea

According to Deadline, Tarantino approached Paramount about directing a Star Trek movie, Tarantino-style. This typically means blood, violence, cursing, witty dialogue, and a very long running time. 

Tarantino worked with Miramax and The Weinstein Company on all his previous films, but is working with other studios after the allegations of sexual harassment and assault against long-time collaborator Harvey Weinstein surfaced in October. 

Tarantino will direct his movie based on the Manson Family first

This means we likely won't see his Star Trek movie for at least a few years. 

His project about the Manson Family has the working title of "Helter Skelter," and will be released by Sony.

This will be Tarantino's first dive into a franchise — he usually writes and directs screenplays for original stories.

"Jackie Brown" (1997) was based on a novel, but every other movie he's made was an original screenplay.

But Tarantino isn't going into the franchise world completely inexperienced: in the past he's directed episodes of "CSI" and "ER."

With the regular season in the books and the NFL regular season winding down, fans everywhere are turning their attention to the 2018 NFL Draft.

Teams looking to up their production in the air will be in for a treat, as the current quarterback class is considered one of the deepest in history. But there is plenty of talent elsewhere, from edge rushers to running backs.

Below, take a look at 30 of the biggest names heading into the 2018 draft.

Josh Allen, Wyoming

Position: Quarterback

What scouts like: With Allen, it's all about the physicality. The Californian has a combination of size, arm strength and mobility that's rarely seen in the NFL, even among the game's elite signal callers. He parlayed those gifts into a 144.9 passer rating last season.

In 2017: Allen threw for 1,658 and 13 touchdowns in 10 games. It wasn't the best campaign, but he was going to need time to develop no matter what.

Dorance Armstrong, Kansas

Position: Defensive end

What scouts like: No one's going to mistake Kansas for a football powerhouse, but they do have one of the nation's best edge rushers in Armstrong. His quickness is his main calling card, but he's also capable of delivering powerful hits once he reaches the ball. He should be one of the best athletes available.

In 2017: His sack totals were way down, but he still set a career high in tackles with 63.

Saquon Barkley, Penn State

Position: Running back

What scouts like: A prototypical modern running back, Barkley has the speed, explosiveness and vision to become a star. He's been favorably compared to Ezekiel Elliott, who finished third in the NFL MVP voting as a rookie last fall.

In 2017: Barkley had a terrific start to the season, and while he faded down the stretch, his totals are still outstanding: 1,134 rushing yards, 594 passing yards, and 19 total touchdowns.