Quantcast
Channel: Features
Viewing all 61683 articles
Browse latest View live

12 bachelorette party destinations that aren't all about drinking

$
0
0

bachelorette partyFor many brides today, the perfect bachelorette party means going away for the weekend. Picking the right destination for a group of women can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you want to do something a little out of the ordinary. When most people think of bachelorette party getaways, they picture the flashing lights of Las Vegas or the nonstop clubbing scene in Miami Beach. Both are great, of course, but what if you want your weekend to be about more just drinking and partying?

Planning a bachelorette party around something more relaxed might require a bit more effort, ironically, but in the end, it will be worth it. Below are a few bachelorette party destinations that are ideal for the bride who doesn’t want to spend the entire weekend drinking.

Do a spa weekend in Sedona, Arizona.

This desert town in Arizona is quickly becoming more of a popular bachelorette destination thanks to the gorgeous views and the beautiful spas that are all over. Brides who love to be outdoors will especially love this location, as there’s plenty of exploring to be done. You can plan a weekend where you can spend one-day hiking and another day hanging out at a spa (Mii Amo has a great reputation with plenty of options). If you want to make things really unique, go on a hot air balloon ride to really see some gorgeous views.



Go glamping at Ithaca Firelight Camps in New York.

If you want a more rustic, chill weekend that isn’t totally void of luxury, head to Ithaca Firelight Camps in New York for a truly awesome glamping experience. The platform tents have king or queen sized beds, hardwood floors, furniture, and private balconies, so it definitely isn’t your typical camping experience.

The campgrounds offer locally-sourced food at fantastic restaurants, and they’re close to beautiful hiking trails and waterfalls. At night, sit by the campfire and make s’mores.



Get a little history throughout the weekend in Savannah, Georgia.

bachelorette parties thanks to its beauty, history, and downtown scene. If you’re a bride who wants to be able to hang out at some chill bars without doing anything too crazy, Savannah could be perfect for you. You can stay in a beautiful old home, admire the trees (which really are that beautiful in person), shop, take a drive out to one of the beaches, and do something like a ghost tour, which offers historical fun.

At night, the downtown area comes alive with a bar scene that is a lot of fun without being too over-the-top.

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

12 tips for eating fast food on the keto diet

$
0
0

chipotle bowl

Ordering out on the keto diet can be pretty tricky, as even though meal-tracking apps can be pretty helpful, the amount of fried, breaded, and sugar-heavy items present on fast food menus can be pretty intimidating for keto enthusiasts everywhere.

But before you vow to never eat out again, know that keto-friendly fast food items do exist, but experts say you’ll want to be pretty strategic when it comes to ordering the right items. Bunless burgers, protein-filled egg bites, and burrito bowls are all some of the items that you can eat while observing the keto diet.

To you help find other mouth-watering keto fast-food options, we spoke to some experts on the topic. Below are some keto-friendly fast food items you never knew existed.

Order the Sous Vide Egg Bites at Starbucks.

Ordering food items at Starbucks may be tricky, as carb-filled pastries can prove to be pretty tempting. However, keto followers should know that you can actually stay on track at Starbucks, as registered dietitian Jennifer Masson suggested choosing the Sous Vide Egg Bites, (she recommended selecting the bacon and gruyère egg bites flavor).



Be careful with salads.

Masson said salad is more often than not a good option. She stressed, however, the importance of building your salads carefully, as she said you’ll want to avoid breaded proteins, beans, rice, and always watch your dressings. Oil and vinegar on salads are totally acceptable, she suggested, as well as full fat ranch, Caesar, or blue cheese dressing.



Guacamole is the best ketchup substitute.

Masson also suggested that you’ll want to be cautious of any condiments or dressings you put on your burgers and salads, as some of these items can contain sugar.

If you still want to add some delicious flavor to your fast food items, she recommended using guacamole instead of ketchup.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

'Fortnite: Battle Royale' just got an update — here are all the latest additions

$
0
0

fortnite nintendo switch

For months now, "Fortnite: Battle Royale" has kept players on their toes with weekly — and sometimes daily — updates to the game, including new character skins, limited-time game modes, and fun and interesting challenges.

Some of those updates have been just for fun, and some actually change the way the game is played. For example, in the days leading up to the beginning of Season 5, the game hinted that a rocket launch would change the island forever. During the actual launch, the rocket caused a large rift in the space-time continuum to open up above the center of the map, and several items and landmarks throughout the island started disappearing. 

The developers have also introduced or removed a few truly game-changing tools throughout the game's history, including jet packs, guided missiles, fast-moving vehicles, and rifts. 

Here's everything that's been added to Fortnite in the last two weeks:

SEE ALSO: Parents are paying as much as $35 an hour for 'Fortnite' coaches for their kids

The Guided Missile is back!

The beloved Guided Missile was removed from the game months ago for dealing too much damage, and because players quickly realized they could jump onto the careening missiles and ride them around like flying skateboards. 

Now, the powerful weapon is back with a slightly lower damage rate, and a blessing from Epic Games encouraging players to "rocket ride teammates into the action."



This week's update includes a brand new limited-time mode: Fly Explosives

The limited-time Fly Explosives mode removes all weapons from the game that aren't explosives (think grenade launchers, rocket-propelled grenades, and the now-returned guided missile, of course), and re-introduces jetpacks to the game. 

The jetpacks in this mode will be able to keep players in the air longer, thanks to an increased fuel regeneration rate and a decreased fuel burn rate, compared to previous iterations.

 



The no-pressure, no-combat Playground Mode is back this week, now featuring the guided missiles and jetpacks.

"Playground" is a limited-time sandbox-style mode that lets players take a break from the fast-paced battle royale formula by roaming through the island with up to three of their friends, without any opponents to shoot at or hide from.

The mode includes the island's normal amount of loot, plus ten times the normal gather rate for building materials, and a hundred llamas scattered across the island, giving players the perfect environment to hone their combat and building skills without having to worry about scavenging for weapons and resources.

With this new update, many of the game's resources are increased. Ammo cans now give ten times more ammo than they do in the regular battle royale mode, players are more likely to find the rare launch and bounce pads, and one hundred supply drops will fall to the island throughout each match.

Friendly fire will be turned on, so squad members will be able to deal damage to one another. Never fear, though — players who are killed in Playground Mode will immediately respawn and parachute back onto the island.

After 55 minutes of free play, the storm will begin to close in on the island, eventually ending each round after a full hour has gone by. Deaths outside of the eye of the storm will not result in a respawn.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Here are the country's 10 most popular and unpopular governors

$
0
0

Charlie Baker

Republican governors continue to remain popular in Democrat-heavy Northeastern states, according to a new Morning Consult poll.

The approval rating rankings are based on a survey of more than 326,000 registered voters between April 1 and June 30.

The five least and five most popular governors are:

SEE ALSO: Here are the country's most and least popular senators

DON'T MISS: Here's the salary of every governor in the United States

LEAST POPULAR: 1. Oklahoma Republican Mary Fallin

Approve: 19%

Disapprove: 74%



2. Connecticut Democrat Dan Malloy

Approve: 21%

Disapprove: 71%



3. Illinois Republican Bruce Rauner

Approve: 27%

Disapprove: 60%



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

8 easy and low-risk tech upgrades for renters

$
0
0

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.

Anker PowerPort

Renting an apartment gives you a lot less flexibility when it comes to tech upgrades. You can't just replace the things you don't like without consulting your landlord, and even then, there's no guarantee that your request will be accepted. You also have to work around general limitations, like how much power you can draw without getting a huge electricity bill (or blowing a fuse.)

But as a professional geek who's going to be living in an apartment for several more years, I've found accessories and gadgets that upgrade my life while staying apartment friendly. Whether that be smart light bulbs I can control with my voice, a smart plug that lets me turn my appliances on and off from anywhere in the world, or a security camera that can follow people around, it's easy to squeeze a lot of upgrades into a small space.

You won't have the same level of freedom as you would if you owned your home, but your tech options are a lot less limited than you may think. None of these upgrades require any tools, more than a few minutes to set up, or regular maintenance. Once they're done, you'll find yourself saving time, money, or both, without having to ask permission.

SEE ALSO: 20 must-have tech accessories under $20

Installing a cheap, motion-sensing security camera that can keep your place safe while being discreet

Wyze Cam Pan, $37.99, available at Amazon

Home security systems used to involve a lot of wiring, and some still do. But if you're looking for an easy, inexpensive way to keep an eye on your place while you're gone, I recommend Wyze's Cam Pan. 

Unlike its competition, the Cam Pan sits on a rotating stand, which can follow a subject around, covering more ground than a sedentary camera. I tested it recently, and its video quality, motion sensing abilities, and easy-to-use app all impressed me.

The camera will automatically begin recording when it senses motion, and store 12-second video clips in the cloud for 14 days, giving you plenty of time to review, share, and download them to your phone for safe keeping. Some people are put off of setting up a home security system because of its high cost, but Wyze's Cam Pan is so good and inexpensive, it's hard to justify not having one.



Using a printer that supports wireless printing, so you can keep it in a closet or under your bed

HP OfficeJet 4650 Wireless All-in-One Photo Printer, $49.99, available at Amazon

I know that we live in an increasingly digital world, and the idea of keeping a printer in an apartment seems kind of crazy, but it's totally worth it. 

HP's OfficeJet 4650 is the top pick in our best printers under $100 guide, and it has the one feature you need in apartment-friendly tech: it's wireless. Instead of taking up valuable real estate on your desk, you can stick this printer under your bed, in a closet, or any other out-of-the-way spot that's close enough to an outlet for its cord to reach. 

The printer's Wi-Fi even lets you print to it directly from a phone or tablet, so you're set even if you've given up on keeping a traditional computer around. The OfficeJet 4650 is also a copier and scanner, for the times when taking a quick photo of an important document won't do. Printers always seem wasteful, but the next time you're running late and need a physical copy of a concert ticket or boarding pass, you'll be thankful to have one.



Getting smart plugs that let you control your old appliances from anywhere

TP-Link Smart Plug Mini, $26.99, available at Amazon

Smart homes are becoming more popular, and it's easy to think you have to buy all new appliances to reap all of the benefits of building one. Thankfully, TP-Link's Smart Plug Mini makes that a nonissue. 

All you have to do is stick it into an outlet and connect an appliance to the plug. Once it's plugged in, you can turn your appliance on and off, or set it on a schedule through TP-Link's Kasa app.

As a renter who pays for his own electricity, I know how detrimental it can be to accidentally leave a light on, or a gadget running. By plugging them into one of TP-Link's Smart Plugs, I can know for sure that I turned off my game console or unplugged my hair dryer.

The benefit of putting your tech on a set schedule through a smart plug also means you can do fun, futuristic things, like setting your coffee maker to turn on five minutes before your alarm, so it's already waiting for you when you wake up.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

17 of the most notorious onscreen cheaters

$
0
0

cheaters

Movies and television often use cheating as a source of conflict between characters, which should come as no surprise given how often it occurs in real life. According to Psychology Today, about 20-25% of people who identify as men and 10-15% of people who identify as women admit to having cheated on their significant others for a slew of surprising reasons. It makes sense that people on the other side of that betrayal may find a lot of catharsis in seeing affairs, revenge, and retribution on-screen.

It can make the viewer feel conflicted as well. Sometimes you totally understand the affair and feel like the person they’re cheating with is clearly a better choice, as in the case of Jack Dawson versus an abusive Cal Hockley in "Titanic." Other times, you want to scream at the screen that they’re making a huge mistake, like when Emma Thompson’s character in "Love Actually" falls apart at the news that her husband has feelings for a random co-worker.

Now that you’ve gotten attached to these characters, and now you have to reconcile the affection you feel for them with the fact that they’ve been established as a cheater. But just like in real life, this goes to prove that there are many facets to each person’s personality.

These are 19 of the most notorious cheaters in TV shows and movies.

Connie Sumner has an affair with a much younger man in "Unfaithful."

When Connie Sumner finds herself bored in her marriage to Edward, she looks outside their relationship for excitement. She finds that in Paul Martel and begins a passionate affair for the duration of the movie that includes many uninhibited sexual encounters.



Carrie and Mr. Big have an affair with each other in "Sex and the City."

One of the most notorious affairs in television history is that of Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big. Their on-again, off-again romance was full of issues, and one of them was that Carrie and Big weren’t always single when the affair was back on.

One of the hardest moments for viewers was in season three when they begin having sex while Big is married and Carrie is in a committed relationship with Aidan.



Rory Gilmore never got over Logan in "Gilmore Girls."

Most millennials grew up loving Rory Gilmore even when her actions are inexcusable. In season two of the show, she had an emotional affair with Jess while she was dating Dean. But it was the show’s revival "A Year in the Life" that showed Rory having a full-on affair with an engaged Logan while dating Paul, a guy whose name and face people could barely remember.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

7 things you didn't know about Mila Kunis

$
0
0

mila kunis

Since Mila Kunis played sassy teenager Jackie Burkhart on "That '70s Show," she has become a familiar name in Hollywood. Now, she is happily married to former co-star Ashton Kutcher and a mother of two children. 

The 34-year-old actress is known for her roles in comedies like "Forgetting Sarah Marshall,""Ted," and "Bad Moms." You also can catch her in the new comedy "The Spy Who Dumped Me," alongside "Saturday Night Live" star Kate McKinnon. 

From the franchise she's obsessed with to the creative way she used to make money, here are several things you might not know about Kunis. 

Kunis left the Ukraine and came to America with her family in 1991 — and they only had $250.

Kunis, who comes from a Jewish family, traveled to the US at 7 years old with her parents, brother, and grandparents.

In 2008, she told Ellen DeGeneres that her grandmother would accompany her to school and bring candy so Kunis could make friends with other students

Speaking to Glamour magazine in 2016, Kunis added that her parents hustled to provide for the family, "but growing up poor, I never missed out on anything. My parents did a beautiful job of not making me feel like I was lesser than any other kids."



Her first acting job was in a Barbie commercial for a toy that was never released.

"It was called a camping Barbie and I don't think that Barbie ever came out, but I did the commercial for it,"Kunis explained.

She also appeared in a commercial for a glitter hair doll, and said that she loved those gigs because she got to keep the Barbies. 



Contrary to popular belief, she did not learn English from watching "The Price Is Right."

Kunis has admitted it's her fault that people believe she learned the language from a game show. 

"I made a statement when I was 14 that is going to haunt me the rest of my life about how I used to watch 'The Price Is Right' when I was learning English,"Kunis told Parade. "It just happened to be on TV before I went to school. It wasn't something I was consciously aware of."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Take a look at the very first Instagram 34 celebrities posted

$
0
0

kim kardashian selfie

For some, it's hard to imagine a time before Instagram, but the app has only been around since 2010 — and it didn't even gain steam until a few years later.

While you might have archived your old, embarrassing snaps, many celebrities did not.

We rounded up 34 of our favorite celebrities' debut 'grams. Unfortunately, a few of them — like Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus — have deleted all of their photos (a surefire sign of a new album or announcement), so we couldn't get everyone's first upload.

From Kim Kardashian's first selfie to Justin Bieber's underlit traffic snap, see 34 celebs' first Instagram. 

Nicole Kidman only joined in 2018 to celebrate her Golden Globe win for "Big Little Lies."

Date joined: January 8, 2018

Caption: "About last night......shut the place down!!! I am so proud of my Big Little Lies family and to have stood with my sisters on such a special night. #TimesUp"



Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson joined while promoting "GI Joe: Retaliation."

Date joined: February 17, 2013

Caption: "Rock. You. Instagram. We're open for business... #InstagramGetsRocked"

 



Beyoncé joined the 'gram to promote Obama.

Date joined: November 6, 2012

Caption: None. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

All the characters who didn't return on the new season of 'Orange Is the New Black'

$
0
0

Orange is the New Black

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black."

A three-day long prison riot ended with heavily-armed guards raiding Litchfield Penitentiary on the fifth season of "Orange Is the New Black," but not all the inmates who were last seen boarding buses to new correctional facilities made it to season six.

The show has always juggled multiple storylines and featured an expansive cast, but many of the characters that fans had become invested in are nowhere to be seen on the series’ latest season.

While Piper (Taylor Schilling) and many of the others end up at the maximum-security prison down the road from Litchfield, other inmates are taken to prisons around the country and may never be heard from again. Executive producer Tara Herrmann told The Hollywood Reporter that missing characters could possibly return on Season seven, but it would have to be "organic" for them.

"We never want to suddenly be in a world that we haven’t set up," she said. "But we love those characters and miss them as storytellers for sure, so we hope to always see them."

Here are the characters that didn’t return on the the latest season:

Brook Soso (Kimiko Glenn)

Brook spent much of season five heartbroken and mourning the death of her girlfriend, Poussey Washington (Samara Riley), who was killed by CO Bayley (Alan Aisenberg) on season four. After building an elaborate memorial out of the prison's library books to honor Poussey, Brook is last seen sitting stoically in the middle of a hallway when guards storm the building and forcibly carry her out to the prison's front lawn.



Maritza Ramon (Danielle Guerrero)

Maritza spent most of last season’s riot working on content for her DIY YouTube channel, "Flaritza," with her BFF Flaca (Jackie Cruz). After the guards end the riot, Maritza and Flaca are separated and made to line up for different buses headed to new correctional facilities. Maritza yells “I love you” to Flaca, who ultimately ends up at MCC’s maximum security prison, while Maritza is taken elsewhere.



Mei Chang (Lori Tan Chinn)

Chang had a memorable send off on Season five when she discovers and escapes through a hole in the prison’s fence. Though she’s not seen on season six, viewers learn she was found sleeping inside a hollowed-out deer carcass.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

15 surprising things you never knew about Martha Stewart

$
0
0

martha stewart

  • Martha Stewart is a renowned television personality, businesswoman, and cookbook author, but there are plenty of surprising things you probably don't know about her.
  • In college, she modeled to pay her tuition, and her clients ranged from Unilever to Chanel.
  • She spent time in prison after being convicted for four felony charges, and now has many hilarious stories from her experience.

Because Martha Stewart has been in the limelight for so long, a lot of people think they know everything about her.

But she is the queen of reinvention, and has lived so many different lives that it's impossible to keep up.

Keep scrolling to read some lesser-known facts about the savvy businesswoman.

She's America's first self-made female billionaire.

On the day her company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, launched its initial public offering in 2000, the stock tripled in value before closing, and Martha Stewart not only became an instant billionaire, but America's first self-made female billionaire.



She was born Martha Kostyra.

She married Andrew Stewart, a Yale Law School student, in 1961, before graduating from college.

They divorced in 1990. "I had to sacrifice a marriage because of the lure of the great job, the fabulous workplace," Stewart told CNN. "But, I don't regret it at all, because what I've done is something bigger and better than just one marriage.

 



She's the second of six children.

All four of her grandparents were immigrants from Poland.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 20 best amusement and water parks in the US, according to travelers

$
0
0

disneyland california

TripAdvisor recently announced the winners of its Travelers' Choice awards in the amusement and water park categories.

The travel planning and booking site based its findings on an algorithm that analyzed the quality and quantity of user reviews of parks around the country over a one-year period. 

The top spots went to Universal's Islands of Adventure and Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, both in Orlando, Florida. Keep scrolling to learn more about the 20 best amusement parks and water parks in the US, according to travelers.

AMUSEMENT PARKS: 10. Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California

"Disney California Adventure is a truly magical place. The highlight was the Paint the Night Parade, wow what a fantastic experience! The costumes, lights, music and dancing were just magical."— A TripAdvisor user



9. Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida

"This was our 3rd time at Hollywood Studios and we enjoyed it as much as the first time. Love all the shows and rides and also the story of Walt Disney."— A TripAdvisor user

 



8. Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California

"Disneyland is a great place for young and old, whether you like to ride the attractions, get photos with Disney Characters or Star Wars, or you watch the parades, shows and fireworks."— A TripAdvisor user



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

9 celebrities you didn't know were vegetarian

$
0
0

shania twain

Whether it’s for health reasons, environmental reasons, or you just want to switch it up, there are so many different diets and food lifestyle changes that anyone can make. One diet that many turn to is vegetarianism.

If you’re interested in or are thinking about going vegetarian, here are some celebrities who might inspire you.

Milo Ventimiglia was even given the title of "Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity."

Believe it or not, Milo has never known another life outside of vegetarianism. According to Shape, his parents were vegetarian for about 40 years and raised him and his siblings to be as well. The "This Is Us" star was even given the title of Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity by PETA in 2009.



Kate Winslet practices self-care by eating vegetarian.

The seasoned actress has only been vegetarian in her adult life, but she’s making the most of it. It also helps that her husband is vegan, so their household is plant-based all the way. Earlier this year, she told InStyle that what she eats is part of her self-care routine, and involves a lot of green juice.

"Our fridge is always full of spinach, kale, cucumbers. I’m vegetarian and my husband is vegan, so there’s a lot of plant-based focus in our home. My husband turning vegan is relatively recent, so that’s been a really fun education because you have to learn to be a little more inventive with foods," Winslet said.



Shania Twain is a carb-free vegetarian.

The country songstress credits a vegetarian diet as her anti-aging secret. All the leafy greens keep her in check, along with eating carb-free. Shania is an advocate of not preaching vegetarianism, and encouraging people that their eating habits have to be right for them: emotionally, spiritually and physically. She also gave a warning to the Las Vegas Review-Journal about substituting meat with carbs to those who might be thinking about making the switch to vegetarianism:

"I stick to a mixture of real raw, whole-food items, every day. I make sure I’m eating greens every day, and nuts, and food that’s not processed. I do that every day. If you end up eating bread and rice and pasta to satisfy yourself, then you’re probably not necessarily eating healthier. You might be sparing yourself some of the downsides of eating meat. But you’re not necessarily benefiting yourself by eating the starch," she said.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Disney Parks are selling gorgeous high-end matching mommy and daughter dresses for fans — here's how to find them

$
0
0

dress shop kid dresses

In October, INSIDER wrote about a series of Disney-themed dresses for adult fans. 

The collection, called The Dress Shop with looks by Her Universe, launched at the end of March 2017. The rotating selection that includes designs inspired by princesses and park attractions can be found in Disney World's Disney Springs. 

Well, now they’re back with even more. And this time they’re not just for adults. On a recent trip to Florida's Walt Disney World, INSIDER stopped by the Cherry Tree Lane boutique to see what was new and we were delighted to find there are a ton of options for children to wear. 

For the adult Disney fan with young children, they make for perfect "mommy and daughter" dresses. Keep reading to see them all.

Before we get to the dresses, you're going to want to know how and where to find them. A few can be found in Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

A selection of the dresses are located in Uptown Jewelers off of Main Street in Magic Kingdom. 

It's a pretty unsuspecting location for dresses to be located. It's the primary home of Disney-themed jewelry, including Pandora.

The last time I was at the parks in October, the dresses were located in the Magic Kingdom's Emporium gift shop.



If you want to see the full collection, you'll want to head to Disney Springs' Marketplace Co-Op.

If you're familiar with Disney Springs, the shop is located on the very east side of the former Downtown Disney area



Once inside, the Dress Shop collection is located inside a boutique called Cherry Tree Lane. It's all the way straight back in the marketplace.

The sign and open layout of the Market Co-Op doesn't scream that it's a place to find designer dresses, but it is.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

15 incredible places to visit if you love drinking wine

$
0
0

red wine foods eat better skinAnyone who is passionate about wine knows that there are few things better than discovering a new type of vino: trying it for the first time and learning more about it is truly an experience in itself. When it comes to wine, there is so much out there to explore that it can be fun to plan entire vacations around doing exactly that. There are so many places in the world that offer incredible vineyards and wineries that are just begging to be visited.

When you think of a trip that revolves around wine, you might automatically think of somewhere like, say, Napa Valley in California. Napa is fantastic, but it’s certainly not the only place out there that offers a true vino-lovers experience.

Whether you want to head over to a different country to really check out something new or stay where you are, there’s something for everyone. You’ll definitely want to add these destinations to your bucket list if you love drinking wine.

Head down to Mexico to Valle de Guadalupe for a unique experience.

You might not automatically think of Mexico when you think of a trip about vino, but you should start to — there’s a booming wine region there that deserves a lot of attention.

You can find some really great reds there, like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Vena Cava is an incredibly unique winery made from recycled boats. If you want to try something different, go to Finca La Carrodilla, which is an organic winery. The best part about this destination? The weather is beautiful year-round, so you can go whenever you want.



See the beach and visit the vineyards in Carmel-By-The-Sea, California.

If you want gorgeous views as well as a delicious glass of wine, head to Carmel-By-The-Sea. There, you’ll find wineries like Folktale Winery & Vineyard, which is ridiculously picturesque with the grape vines and mountains in the distance. It’s also located just minutes from Monterey (which you may recognize from "Big Little Lies"), meaning you can make this into a road trip to explore the many different vineyards in both Carmel and Monterey, such as Pierce Ranch Vineyards on the water. 



Explore the Finger Lakes in New York.

When it comes to wine in New York, there are lots of vineyards on the East End of Long Island that are worth checking out — it’s just they tend to get completely packed during the summer. Try something different, like the Finger Lakes wine region upstate.

There are world-class wines there, especially Riesling, that are just waiting to be tested out. Ravines Wine Cellars has been named one of Wine Spectator’s top 100 wineries in the world, and Sheldrake Point Winery is on a beautiful lake. And if you want to venture out of the wine scene, you can go hiking to stumble upon any of the 19 different waterfalls out there.

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Photos show the emotional repatriation ceremony marking the return of US troops who died in the Korean War

$
0
0

korean war repatriation

A formal repatriation ceremony was held at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii for the 55 crates of what are believed to be the remains of US service members from the Korean War.

US military aircraft flew the remains, which were held in North Korea for around 65 years, to South Korea last week before transporting them to Hawaii where a forensic lab will perform identification tests. Around 5,300 US remains are still believed to be in North Korea, and the US has long sought them to bring closure to the families of the war dead and missing.

"Today, we prove these heroes were never forgotten," Vice President Mike Pence said at the ceremony. "Today, our boys are coming home."

Here's what the repatriation of the US remains from North Korea looked like:

In a joint statement between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June, the two leaders pledged to "commit to recovering POW/MIA remains, including the immediate repatriation of those already identified."



In a symbolic move, North Korea returned 55 sets of remains on the same day of the 65th anniversary of the armistice that paused Korean War hostilities.



Over 7,700 US troops are still unaccounted for from the Korea War. Around 5,300 US remains are believed to be in North Korea.

Source: Reuters



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

8 things to do at night that could improve your skin while you sleep

$
0
0

asleep sleeping bed tired womanThere are tons of things that you can do each night to improve the look, feel, and health of your skin. And some of the things that you could do only take a little bit of time and commitment.

But knowing what you could do or should be doing before you go to bed in order to improve your skin is an important first step. INSIDER turned to some skin-care experts to learn what you can do while you’re sleeping that will benefit your skin the most.

1. Get enough sleep.

The first thing — and one of the most important things — that you can do to take care of your skin while you sleep is to make sure that you’re getting enough sleep, specifically, enough good-quality sleep.

"I definitely am a firm believer that you’ve gotta take care of your body in order for it to take care of you, so if you’re not getting enough sleep or if you’re getting really poor quality of sleep, then your skin is going to reflect that. It doesn’t matter what you put on it, your skin’s just not going to look as healthy and vibrant because at night, your body does a specific job and its job is to recover itself from everything it went through during the day,"Heather Wilson, a licensed aesthetician and director of brand development for InstaNatural, told INSIDER. "Our skin goes through a renewal cycle as well, so if we’re not getting that quality sleep, our body can’t go into that mode and therefore our systems don’t get that type of restoration and repair that they should be getting, so that would not only impact the way you feel, but it’s also going to impact the way your skin looks and feels as well."

Developing a wind-down routine, making sure it’s dark in your room, and creating a comfortable bed and atmosphere can all help you get a better night’s sleep.



2. Take off all your makeup.

Wilson also said that making sure you remove all of your makeup is vital if you want to take good care of your skin overnight. You’ve probably heard that sleeping in your makeup is a skincare no-no, but it really is important to remove the makeup and other grime from the day so that your skin can do its thing overnight. Make sure you get it all off so that you have a clean slate for applying any nighttime products you choose.



3. Use a nourishing moisturizer.

Moisturizers aren’t all created equally and the one that you use at night can typically be heavier and more nourishing than the one that you’d wear during the day.

"We can apply some heavier moisturizers at night because we’re not concerned about how they wear under makeup," Wilson said. "So always opting for a bit more nourishing at night. There’s a ton of different ways that you can do that, whether it’s a specific night cream that’s designed to do a really heavy-duty job at night, or just use an organic oil like an argan oil or a rosehip oil, something like that, to really lock in anything you’ve put underneath it like your serums and your toners."

If you’re not sure what will work best for your skin, trying a few different things to see how your skin might react to them or talking to your dermatologist or another qualified skin-care professional.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

10 things you should know before switching birth control

$
0
0

birth control pills

Birth control isn’t one-size-fits-all and exploring different methods of contraception can help reduce side effects and align your birth control with your lifestyle.

It can be tough to know what to expect when you switch to a new form of birth control. Varying levels of hormones across methods can make the transition a bumpy one, especially if you’re not prepared for potential side effects.

Here’s what you need to know before switching birth control.

Timing is really important.

If you want to limit the chances of getting pregnant during your transition to a new type of birth control, you shouldavoid leaving a gap between methods, according to Reproductive Access.

Dr. Lesnewski, who was an author of a report on preventing contraceptive gaps in American Family Physician in 2011 told the New York Times that “many women get pregnant when they stop one birth control method before starting another."

A person who has been on the pill should not wait for the start of their period before they begin a different pill — they shouldn't even miss a day, she added.



Non-hormonal IUD's could mean heavier periods.

If you’re switching to a non-hormonal, copper IUD, most doctors will tell you to be prepared forheavy bleeding during your period, according to Healthline. You might also experience increased cramping and backaches, especially during the first few cycles. These side effects should lessen over time.

If they don’t, get in touch with your doctor.



Hormonal IUD's might stop your period completely.

While copper IUDs are associated with heavier periods and spotting during the first few months after insertion, some peoplestop having periods completely after continued use of hormonal IUDs, according to WebMD. In a clinical trial, people who typically experience heavy periods reported an80 to 90% reduction in bleeding within six months of hormonal IUD insertion, according to Mirena's official website. 

Don’t freak out if your period suddenly becomes more of a whisper than a shout, but call your doctor if you have any other unusual symptoms that may signal a problem with your IUD or even pregnancy.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

6 adjustable, at-home workout tools that can take the place of bulky equipment — and save you money in the long run

$
0
0

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.

trx_home2_mpp_horiz_carousel_1 (2)

I’d wager that most people would not consider themselves to have perfect gym attendance. In fact, I know people who pay for the most expensive gym in the neighborhood just in the hopes that the financial commitment alone gets their feet through the door.

But, most of the time, there are legitimate reasons for why we don’t show up. It’s time consuming getting there, doing a workout, and getting home. It can be stressful figuring out how to work it into the day, and how long you’ll need to schlep a packed gym bag around the city. And, of course, it can be an intimidating environment, like everyone else got an orientation in the weight room just before you started.

If your main obstacle is not knowing what to do in your workouts or needing greater variety, you might want to check out apps like Aaptiv that let you listen in on workout classes or sign up for ClassPass.

But if the gym isn’t your thing, you’re traveling frequently, or just looking for some convenient consistency, working out at home can be an enormous blessing. It’s comfortable, ready whenever you are, and you don’t have to trudge through the snow in the winter to drive there. If you’re going to set up a home gym, you may want to look into the most valuable tools — spend your money once, see the best results, and devote the least amount of space to it. For all of these perks, you'll want to check out adjustable at-home exercise tools. 

Below are six you can pick up, and your preferences may differ based on what workouts you like doing. But, you can’t go wrong with starting out with some resistance bands as a low commitment, TRX as a go-anywhere, full-body tool, or the beloved BowflexFor most of these tools, you can get a good workout in with just 15 minutes. 

If you’re not so concerned about storage, you can also look into bonafide home gym machines, but, for the average person, the tools below will be more than enough to stay active. 

Dumbbells that are basically 15 sets of weights in one

Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells, $299

Whenever anyone mentions adjustable workout gear, I'd bet this is what they're picturing. The Bowflex dumbell set is expensive, but it makes up in convenience what it lacks in upfront affordability. It's basically 15 sets of weights combined into one, minimizing your costs and storage space considerably.

Each dumbbell can adjust from five to 52.5 pounds (going up in 2.5-pound increments up to the first 25 pounds) with the turn of a dial. 

 



Resistance bands that can be stacked for greater resistance

Tribe 11PC Premium Resistance Bands Set, $20.98

Especially great for starters, resistance bands take up minimal space, can provide a great resistance workout, and are easy to pack. They're also pretty cheap. These Tribe bands have a 4.5-star rating on Amazon after 2,500+ reviews, are color-coded for different weights, and can  be stacked for greater resistance.



Ankle or wrist weights that make workouts harder or TV time more active

Valeo 10-Pound Adjustable Ankle/Wrist Weights, $17.99

If ankle and wrist weights call to mind now-archaic workout videos and parents power-walking around your childhood neighborhood, then we have that in common. However, that doesn't change how convenient they are, and I ended up ordering a pair last year as a last-ditch way to work exercise into a hectic schedule. Even if you only use them in the confines of your room while you watch TV on repeat, you can still get a good workout in. They're also helpful for upping the difficulty of favorite workouts without adding more tools you need to manipulate. 

 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

11 painful moments CEOs and founders thought their business was sunk — and how they turned it around

$
0
0

Evan Williams

  • JetBlue, SparkNotes, Virgin Atlantic Airlines, and other successful businesses have had rough patches in the past.
  • There have been moments when their founders and CEOs didn't know if the company would make it.
  • We take a look at 11 of those moments below, along with how the companies' leadership managed to recover.


If you take a look at the history of many successful companies, you'll inevitably find moments where the founder or CEO didn't know if the organization would make it.

Maybe they'd run out of money, or maybe they'd stumbled into a PR disaster. Either way, the future looked bleak.

Below, we've listed 11 such moments — and how the company leadership managed to forge ahead.

SEE ALSO: 'Entrepreneurship porn' lures young people with a pretty picture of startup life, but it glosses over the most dangerous parts

VIPKID CEO and founder Cindy Mi couldn't handle unprecedented customer demand

VIPKID is a Chinese education startup that connects native English-speaking teachers with young Chinese students for virtual English lessons.

As Business Insider's Harrison Jacobs reported, while the company was in its pilot stage in 2014, Mi's friend tried out the service and posted about it on Weibo (China's version of Twitter).

Within a day, the company was receiving calls and messages from people who wanted to try the service for themselves. People started to get angry because the company wasn't able to respond to all their requests.

Mi's team ultimately resolved the problem by putting out a statement that read: "Give us a couple of months and, when we're ready, we'll come back to you."

Mi told Jacobs that the message conveyed to customers that the company was professional instead of sleazy and wasn't simply trying to get money out of them before the product was ready.



SparkNotes cofounder Sam Yagan wasn't churning out content fast enough

Yagan was a Harvard undergrad when he cofounded SparkNotes along with his roommate; the site went live the spring of their senior year.

As Yagan told Business Insider's Richard Feloni on an episode of the podcast "This is Success," the immediate response was that "people were pissed,"sending angry emails. Specifically, because the site didn't have the book they needed yet.

"That's the best kind of hate mail to get, is we need more product," Yagan said. That summer, they hired some editors to put up more SparkNotes, "and the rest is history."



GOAT cofounder Eddy Lu wasn't prepared for the company to explode in popularity

GOAT is now the world's largest resale marketplace for high-end sneakers.

On Black Friday 2015, GOAT blew up and couldn't keep up with customer demand; thousands of orders were left unfilled.

As Lu told Feloni on another episode of "This is Success,""We responded to every single customer-service message. I think there were about 4,500 that day. But at that point it was better to be hated than unknown."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

30 AND UNDER: Rising stars in Los Angeles tech who find hot startup deals and manage millions of dollars

$
0
0

30 and under la investment 2x1

Los Angeles isn't just a movie town anymore.

The city of angels is turning into one of the more alluring destinations for techies and the investors who fund their startup dreams. Hot companies like scooter-sharing firm Bird, pet-sitting service Wag, and Snapchat parent Snap Inc. have all planted their flags in LA, and new venture capital funds are sprouting up at a dizzying pace.

In Silicon Beach, as the city's startup hub is known, a young crop of venture capitalists are bringing vision, passion, and connections to the entertainment industry, creating a thriving tech scene with a unique vibe that sets it apart from its northern neighbor.

We've rounded up a list of those movers and shakers: Venture capitalists, ages 30 and under, who are shaping the LA tech scene into the Silicon Valley of tomorrow.

Business Insider combed the tech investment landscape and talked to entrepreneurs and investors in LA to find the most interesting and noteworthy rising stars. Here they are:

SEE ALSO: 30 AND UNDER: Rising stars in Silicon Valley tech who find hot startup deals and manage millions of dollars

Chang Xu sits on the board of Nexkey, writes frequent posts on topics like China and manufacturing, and is a regular panel speaker in LA.

Title: Principal at Upfront Ventures

Age: 29

Companies they've worked with: Imbellus, inVia Robotics, MakeSpace, The Mighty, and Nexkey.

Chang Xu is passionate about the education-tech sector. Prior to joining Upfront, she was a cofounder of a Beijing-based startup developing a personalized learning app for kids.

Her ed-tech connections led to Upfront's investment in Strive Talent, a hiring platform that makes applying for sales jobs easier. Kerry Bennett, head of marketing at Upfront, called it "one of our most exciting new investments with a positive global mission."

"Chang's expertise and deep relationships in this area were invaluable to sourcing this deal," Bennet said, adding: "She's super smart and ambitious. We'll all be working for Chang someday."



Teddy Citrin sourced one of the buzziest deals of the year with Bird.

Title: Venture investor at Greycroft Partners

Age: 28

Companies they've worked with: Bird, Candid, Fig, Hollar, Hubble, and Peanut

When Bird launched the first electric scooters in its hometown of Santa Monica last fall, Teddy Citrin saw how quickly riders became obsessed. He looked up the company on LinkedIn, but there were no employees listed. With a little digging, he figured out that the first person to follow Bird on Instagram was also its CEO: Travis VanderZanden.

Citrin introduced VanderZanden to a friend who became Bird's senior director of engineering. In exchange, he landed his firm a coveted pitch meeting with Bird.

In June, Greycroft participated in the company's $300 million Series C funding round.

Prior to joining Greycroft, Citrin was a product manager at eBay, where he led product strategy and day-to-day operations for the eBay homepage across all devices.



Maaria Bajwa grew up in Silicon Valley, but went south to jumpstart a career in venture capital at Ashton Kutcher's investment firm.

Title: Associate at Sound Ventures

Age: 28

Companies they've worked with: B8ta, Carrot, Crowd Cow, and Lus Brands

At Sound Ventures, the venture capital firm founded by Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary, Maaria Bajwa helps portfolio companies realize their value by analyzing complex challenges, identifying market opportunities, and overseeing operational rollouts.

"What is special about Maaria is that she has an innate curiosity and drive that can't be taught," said Effie Epstein, managing partner of Sound Ventures. "She is constantly striving to learn more, do more, and deliver an outsized impact to Sound Ventures and our portfolio companies."

Before breaking into venture capital, Bajwa attended University of California, Los Angeles, and worked some brief stints in the entertainment industry.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Viewing all 61683 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images