• Thanksgiving is a time to come together and overeat with your loved ones.
• But if you're dreading the prospect of preparing a feast, keep in mind that there will be restaurants open on Turkey Day.
• So if you're in a pinch this year, know that you have other options.
• Sign up for Business Insider's retail newsletter, The Drive-Thru.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Agonizing over the prospect of cooking a Thanksgiving meal? No worries. There are a number of restaurants that'll throw you a Thanksgiving feast in a pinch.

Keep in mind that some of these chains will only be open on a regional basis. Others may be closed depending on the franchisee. So, if you're planning on spending Turkey Day at one of these eateries, it's better to be safe and call ahead.

With that in mind, here are restaurant chains that are going to be open in some capacity on Thanksgiving:

SEE ALSO: Costco workers get a free turkey for the holidays

DON'T MISS: Costco, Lowe's, Sam's Club, and 12 other stores that will be closed on Thanksgiving this year

SEE ALSO: Target will start Black Friday on Thanksgiving Day

Applebee's

An Applebee's spokesperson told Business Insider that some of its restaurants nationwide will be open on Thanksgiving, and that interested diners should contact their local Applebee's for hours.

Bob Evans

All Bob Evans restaurants will remain open until 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving and will offer a specialized holiday menu, a spokesperson said in a statement to Business Insider.

Boston Market

A spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider that all Boston Market locations will remain open on Thanksgiving, and that online delivery will be available from the chain restaurant's website throughout the day.

Buca Di Deppo

Fans of Buca Di Beppo can order from a prix fixe Turkey Day menu at multiple locations. Diners on the go can also pick up a take-out Thanksgiving feast.

Cracker Barrel

Cracker Barrel has opened its doors on Thanksgiving since its 1969 founding, according to a statement from a chain spokesperson. To celebrate Turkey Day, the restaurant chain will serve an in-store Thanksgiving dinner from 11 a.m. to close, and take-out feasts will also be available for pick-up.

Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse

A chain spokesperson told Business Insider that Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse will remain open on Thanksgiving, serving a prix fixe menu and an all-day dinner.

Denny's

Denny's is open for business on Thanksgiving this year and will offer up a carry-out turkey dinner for diners as well. The take-out meal must be ordered on Denny's website at least 24 hours before pickup, a restaurant spokesperson told Business Insider.

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar will remain open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving, and it will be serving up meals from the full menu and a special three-course special.

Fogo de Chão

Craving Brazilian flavor this Thanksgiving? All Fogo de Chão restaurants will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Hooters

A Hooters spokesperson told Business Insider that certain participating locations will be open on Thanksgiving and that interested diners should contact their local Hooters for more information.

Morton's The Steakhouse

A Morton's spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider that the steakhouse chain will indeed remain open on Thanksgiving, kicking off its steak dinner service at noon.

Romano's Macaroni Grill

Romano's Macaroni Grill restaurants will all remain open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving to serve a full regular menu and a prix fixe Turkey Day feast.

Smith & Wollensky

A spokesperson confirmed that Smith & Wollensky locations throughout the United States will remain open on Thanksgiving to serve guests a prix fixe offering.

STK Steakhouse

STK Steakhouse locations across the United States will be open from noon to 10 p.m. on Turkey Day, serving a full menu as well as a Thanksgiving special. The only two exceptions are the STK Steakhouse in Orlando, which will be open from 11 a.m. to midnight, and the chain's Las Vegas location, which will open its doors from noon to 11 p.m.

Sullivan's Steakhouse

Sullivan's Steakhouse restaurants will open their doors from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving, allowing guests to partake in a three-course prix fixe menu.

Starbucks

A Starbucks spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider that "select store locations" will remain open on Thanksgiving, but that store hours will vary by location.

Waffle House

Barring specific emergencies, Waffle House restaurants have been known to remain open 24 hours a day on every single day of the year since the breakfast chain's 1955 founding. Thanksgiving 2019 will be no exception.

• Although Homes are typically designed to be a safe haven, sometimes they're made with less positive intentions.
• "Spite houses" are homes that were built to irritate neighbors or serve as an act of revenge.
• They're a common phenomenon throughout the world, often becoming tourist destinations once the original owners no longer own them.
• A house painted to look like candy canes and a tiny home built just to block a brother's view are only a couple of the spite houses that exist. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Despite the importance of loving thy neighbor, fights between those who live near each other are common, and can even result in what is known as a spite house.

A spite house is one that is built with the sole intention of irritating a neighbor or as an act of revenge against another landowner.

They're a common phenomenon, and you can find them all over the world. 

For instance, a London resident painted this house red and white after her neighbors prevented her from demolishing it.

In 2015, Zipporah Lisle-Mainwaring wanted to demolish her London home, but when her neighbors objected to the plan, she decided to paint it with candy cane stripes instead, according to The Guardian.

Although her neighbors attempted to force her to repaint, the High Court in London ruled that she could ignore a planning order from the local council in 2017. 

She was also given permission to move forward with the demolition in 2017, according to the Evening Standard.

It's believed that the Skinny House in Boston was the result of a feud between brothers.

According to Boston Magazine, The Skinny House is believed to have been built after a man returned from serving in the Civil War only to find that his brother had built a large house on their shared land. 

The 1,166-square-foot building blocks the adjoining home's view of the Boston harbor, as well as its access to sunlight. 

The Equality House sits directly across from Westboro Baptist Church in an act of protest.

The Equality House, located in Topeka, Kansas, is the resource center for Planting Peace, a global non-profit organization. 

Planting Peace bought the house in 2013, according to the Huffington Post, with the intention of making a statement against Westboro Baptist Church, whose members are known for picketing the funerals of fallen soldiers.

The Equality House still stands today, and Planting Peace added a second home called the Mott House in 2016, which is painted the colors of the transgender flag. 

The Spite House in Alexandria, Virginia, was built in a former alley.

At just seven feet wide, the Spite House has been dubbed the narrowest house in America. The 325-square-foot house was built in 1830 by John Hollensbury, who lived in one of the adjacent homes, as reported by The New York Times. 

Hollensbury built the tiny home to prevent horse-drawn carriages and passersby from moving through the alley. From inside, you can see marks on the brick walls from wagon-wheel hubs. 

The Montlake Spite House came to be after the land parcel's owner was insulted by a neighbor's offer to buy it.

The Montlake Spite House in Seattle, Washington, was built in 1925. As legend has it, the owner of the 3,090-square-foot parcel of land was offered a small amount of money from his neighbor who hoped to turn the plot into a garden.

According to Atlas Obscura, the landowner was offended by the small offer and decided to build a small house instead. 

In 2016, the spite house, which is only 15 feet wide, hit the market for more than $519,000.

Dr. John Tyler built this Maryland home to defy his town's city hall.

Located in Frederick, Maryland, the Tyler-Spite House was built by Dr. John Tyler in 1814. According to local lore, the spite home was built after Tyler discovered that the city planned to build a road through his property.

Tyler found a law that said the road couldn't be built onto the property if a building already existed, or was in the process of being built on it, so he tracked down a contractor who was willing to start construction the night before the road was set to be paved.

Because of Tyler's dead-of-night construction, the road couldn't be paved, and the home he built is still called the Frederick-Tyler Spite House today.

Historians claim the Spite Tower in Adamsville, Rhode Island, was built in response to a neighborly spat.

Local Rhode Island historians claim the Spite Tower was built in 1905 after two neighbors had a fight and one of the men wanted to block the other's view of the town.

But, according to Herald News, the house may have just been built in its location because it sits over a well. The height would have been necessary for accessing the water.

Regardless of its origins, the name stuck, and the Spite Tower is still a popular tourist destination today. 

This house in Freeport, New York, was built to stop the city from being designed as a grid system.

Known as both the Freeport Spite House and the Miracle House, developer John Randall built this Victorian-era home at the turn of the 19th century.

Randall reportedly built the two-story house to prevent the city from being laid out in a grid. The structure, which still stands today, was placed on a triangular plot of land. 

The Plum Island Pink House has its origins in a marriage that ended poorly.

The Plum House, located in Newbury, Massachusetts, was built in the 1920s as a replica of a couple's former family home, according to Atlas Obscura.

The legend states that a woman's soon-to-be ex-husband had to build a replica of the house as part of their divorce agreement, but the court didn't specify where the house had to sit. 

To spite his former spouse, the man built the house on top of a salt marsh and used saltwater for the plumbing, making it uninhabitable.

The Edith Macefield House has been compared to the floating house from Disney's "Up" after the owner refused to vacate her property to make way for a developer.

In 2006, Edith Macefield was reportedly offered $1 million to sell her Seattle, Washington, home to a developer that wanted to turn the lot into an office building.

The property was built around her house, inspiring comparisons to Carl Frederickson's home in "Up." Passersby even hang balloons on the fence outside of the house as a nod to the Disney film.

The house remained on the property even after Macefield's death in 2009, as she bequeathed it to the construction superintendent for the project, as reported by Seattle PI. 

• Read more:
• 15 obnoxious houses that were built just to annoy the neighbors
• A woman is accused of leaving a $5,000 'revenge tip' on a $60 check with her boyfriend's credit card
• 8 of the ugliest, most hated buildings in the world
• Disappointing photos show that tiny homes may not be everything they're cracked up to be

• Every week, Parrot Analytics provides Business Insider with a list of the nine most in-demand original TV shows on streaming services.
• Netflix's "BoJack Horseman" is gained on the competition this week while Hulu's "Castle Rock" remained steady.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The critically acclaimed final season of Netflix's "BoJack Horseman" surged audience demand this week.

Every week, Parrot Analytics provides Business Insider with a list of the nine most in-demand TV shows on streaming services. The data is based on "demand expressions," Parrot Analytics' globally standardized TV demand measurement unit. Audience demand reflects the desire, engagement, and viewership weighted by importance, so a stream or download is a higher expression of demand than a "like" or comment on social media, for instance.

Below are this week's nine most popular original shows on Netflix and other streaming services:

SEE ALSO: Disney is adamant that audiences don't want more standalone 'Star Wars' movies, but experts disagree

9. "Big Mouth" (Netflix)

Average demand expressions: 23,366,656

Description: "Teenage friends find their lives upended by the wonders and horrors of puberty in this edgy comedy from real-life pals Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 3): 100%

What critics said:"Middle schoolers exploring their sexuality is still the driving force of Big Mouth ... But the show has expanded to follow other equally challenging teen issues."— The Verge (Season 3)

Season 3 premiered on Netflix October 4.

8. "Good Omens" (Amazon Prime Video)

Average demand expressions: 24,148,323

Description: "Aziraphale and Crowley, of Heaven and Hell respectively, have grown rather fond of the Earth. So it's terrible news that it's about to end. The armies of Good and Evil are amassing. The Four Horsemen are ready to ride. Everything is going according to the Divine Plan … except that someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist. Can our heroes find him and stop Armageddon before it's too late?"

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 83%

What critics said:"With an engaging cast, a wonderful sense of style, and a story that feels both timeless and tailor-made to today, Good Omens crafts a very binge-worthy fantasy tale that audiences will likely fall in love with."— Comicbook.com

Season 1 premiered on Prime Video May 31.

7. "Wu-Tang: An American Saga" (Hulu)

Average demand expressions: 25,544,921

Description:"Wu-Tang: An American Saga is inspired by 'The Wu-Tang Manual' and 'Tao of Wu', and based on the true story of the Wu-Tang Clan. Set in early '90s New York at the height of the crack cocaine epidemic, the show tracks the Clan's formation, a vision of Bobby Diggs, aka The RZA, who strives to unite a dozen young, black men that are torn between music and crime but eventually rise to become the unlikeliest of American success stories."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 80%

What critics said:"It's powerful seeing the world Wu-Tang Clan grew out of and how success was their only salvation."— CNet

The limited series premiered on Hulu October 9.

6. "Lucifer" (Netflix)

Average demand expressions: 26,716,561

Description: "Bored with being the Lord of Hell, the devil relocates to Los Angeles, where he opens a nightclub and forms a connection with a homicide detective."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 4): 100%

What critics said:"There's also about 10 more minutes per episode. But the added time doesn't drag things down. There's more time for jokes and for the season's rich plot lines."— Washington Post (season 4)

Season 4 premiered on Netflix May 8.

5. "The Boys" (Amazon Prime Video)

Average demand expressions: 27,367,292

Description: "'The Boys' is an irreverent take on what happens when superheroes, who are as popular as celebrities, as influential as politicians and as revered as Gods, abuse their superpowers rather than use them for good. It's the powerless against the super powerful as The Boys embark on a heroic quest to expose the truth about 'The Seven,' and their formidable Vought backing."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 1): 83%

What critics said:"The Boys is an expert deconstruction of superhero stories, with an appropriately wintery view of institutional power, be it corporate, governmental, religious, or caped."— The New York Times (Season 1)

Season 1 premiered July 26 on Amazon Prime Video.

4. "Castle Rock" (Hulu)

Average demand expressions: 31,641,125

Description: "Misery has arrived. Lizzy Caplan plays a young Annie Wilkes from Stephen King's MISERY. In season two of this psychological-horror series set in the Stephen King multiverse, Castle Rock combines the mythological scale and intimate character storytelling of King's best-loved works, weaving an epic saga of darkness and light, played out on a few square miles of Maine woodland. The fictional Maine town of Castle Rock has figured prominently in King's literary career: Cujo, The Dark Half, IT and Needful Things, as well as novella The Body and numerous short stories such as Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption, are either set there or contain references to Castle Rock."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 2): 89%

What critics said:"Castle Rock's second season gets a welcome fresh coat of creative paint with the addition of Lizzy Caplan's engaging performance as Misery's Annie Wilkes."— IGN (season 2)

Season 4 premiered on Hulu October 23.

3. "BoJack Horseman" (Netflix)

Average demand expressions: 33,834,462

Description: "Meet the most beloved sitcom horse of the '90s, 20 years later. He's a curmudgeon with a heart of ... not quite gold...but something like gold. Copper?"

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 6): 100%

What critics said:"Season 6 has a steady, startling throughline: BoJack is trying."— Indiewire (season 6)

Season 6 premiered on Netflix October 25.

2. "Titans" (DC Universe)

Average demand expressions: 51,048,337

Description: "'Titans' follows young heroes from across the DC Universe as they come of age and find belonging in a gritty take on the classic Teen Titans franchise. Dick Grayson and Rachel Roth, a special young girl possessed by a strange darkness, get embroiled in a conspiracy that could bring Hell on Earth. Joining them along the way are the hot-headed Starfire and lovable Beast Boy. Together they become a surrogate family and team of heroes."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 2): 81%

What critics said:"Bruce, Deathstroke, and Rose so far form an impressive trio of new characters that breathe life into the show. They seem to be well cast, and open up the story up to many possible new plot-lines."— Forbes (Season 2)

Season 2 premiered on DC Universe September 6.

1. "Stranger Things" (Netflix)

Average demand expressions: 85,406,611

Description: "When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 3): 90%

What critics said:"Season three has done away with such high stakes. At no point does anything feel very much out of anyone's control."— National Review (Season 3)

Season 3 premiered July 4 on Netflix.

• Brooklinen is running a surprise, two-day sale to coincide with Veterans Day and Singles' Day, which both fall on Monday, November 11.
• From November 10 to November 11, save 15% on your orders when you apply the code SURPRISE15 at checkout. Sheets, duvet covers, bathrobes, towels, and more are discounted. 
• In our buying guides, we've named Brooklinen the maker of the best luxury sheets, the best sateen sheets, and the best duvet cover on the internet.

Luxe Hardcore Sheet Bundle

The queen-size Luxe Hardcore Sheet Bundle is $332 before a discount is applied

Available in 9 Essential and 5 Limited Edition colors that can be mixed and matched, the bundle includes:

• Luxe Core Sheet Set (one flat sheet, one fitted sheet, two pillowcases)
• Luxe Duvet Cover
• Luxe Pillowcases (an extra pair)

Classic Hardcore Sheet Bundle

The queen-size Classic Hardcore Sheet Bundle is $292 before a discount is applied

Available in 9 Essential and 5 Limited Edition that can be mixed and matched, the bundle includes:

• Classic Core Sheet Set (one flat sheet, one fitted sheet, two pillowcases)
• Classic Duvet Cover
• Classic Pillowcases (an extra pair)

Down Comforter

The queen-size All-Season Down Comforter is $349 before a discount is applied

The queen-size Lightweight Down Comforter is $299 before a discount is applied

We named Brooklinen's comforter the best comforter made by a startup in our buying guide.

Super-Plush Complete Towel Set

The Super-Plush Complete Towel Set is $199 before a discount is applied

Available in four colors (white, cream, smoke, or graphite), the set includes:

• Two bath sheets
• Two bath towels
• Two hand towels
• Two washcloths
• Bath mat

Shower Curtain Set

The Shower Curtain Set is $68 before a discount is applied

Available in three colors, the set includes:

• Shower curtain
• Shower liner
• 12 hooks

Super-Plush Bathrobe

The Super-Plush Bathrobe is $98 before a discount is applied

Available in three colors (white, smoke, or graphite), you can read a full review of the bathrobe here.

Crib Sheet Set

The Crib Sheet Set is $52 before a discount is applied

Available in seven colors — including an adorable New York City print (pictured) and a Mint Matchstick design — the set comes with two mix-and-match crib sheets.

Find an overview of Brooklinen's baby bedding here.

• Urban Outfitters is most widely known as a clothing store, but it's also a go-to destination for tech, home, and lifestyle products. 
• From warm winter clothing to the cutest stocking stuffers, Urban Outfitters is well equipped to be your one-stop-shop for the holiday season.
• Check out all of our 2019 holiday gift guides here.

There's no better feeling than finding a gift that perfectly aligns with someone's personality. Searching for a gift that feels unique to a specific person can be a difficult task. Thankfully, Urban Outfitters is the ultimate source for fun gifts that seem tailor-made for your friends and family.

Whether it's clothing, tech, home accessories, or anything in between, Urban Outfitters has something for everyone. Plus, the store's new Gift Center makes finding a gift easier than ever as it sorts holiday gifts by product categories (women's gifts, men's gifts, tech gifts, home gifts, etc.) and price categories (under $15, under $25, under $50, and so on). We combed through the Gift Center ourselves to put together a list of our top 30 gifts from the store. 

SEE ALSO: Your ultimate guide to holiday gift ideas for 2019 — from gifts under $100, $50, and $25, to the coolest tech gifts out there

A fleece blanket that will keep them warm all season long

Amped Fleece Throw Blanket, $39

Some days, it's just too cold to leave the couch. With plenty of color choices, this fleece throw is bound to please anyone.

A cute sloth to start their day with

Sloth-Shaped Mug, $16

This adorable sloth can't make the winter go by any faster, but it can help make the cold mornings a little brighter. This sloth mug can add a bit of fun into anyone's wakeup call. 

A camera to capture all of the new year's memories

Fujifilm UO Exclusive Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera, $69

This Polaroid camera makes capturing memories more fun than ever. Plus, it's a timely gift for anyone who wants to commemorate the upcoming new year. 

A cheese board for the cat lover in your life

Cat Cheese Board, $18

If you ask me, cheese tastes better when it's served on a cat-shaped board. This cheese board is sure to be a hit at any happy hour, dinner party, or game night. 

A mini backpack that holds the essentials

Herschel Supply Co. Nova Mini Backpack, $45

This mini backpack is a great fit for adventures in the upcoming new year. 

A record player that sounds as great as it looks

Crosley UO Exclusive Cream Canvas Cruiser Bluetooth Record Player, $99

Keep playing Christmas music all year long with this Bluetooth-compatible record player. Its portability and subtle cream color make this record player an excellent addition to any room. 

A jacket that's as cozy as it is warm

UO Willow Fuzzy Drawstring Teddy Jacket, $69

This jacket is both on-trend and incredibly comfortable. With its various color options and its fleece material, it's the perfect gift for anyone who has to face the cold weather. 

A pair of cable-knit gloves for cold hands

Cable Knit Chenille-Lined Glove, $18

These gloves are the perfect stocking stuffer for anyone with a cold commute.

A hoop earring set for any occasion

Hollow Hoop Earring Set, $20

A good pair of hoops goes a long way. Luckily, this set gives you three pairs. Urban Outfitters even offers a mixed metal option (pictured) for those who can't decide between silver and gold. 

A popcorn popper suited for game day

Spalding Basketball Popcorn Maker, $60

When the holiday season and basketball season coincide, it's important to have some spirited snacks. Any NBA fan will be pleased with this basketball-shaped popcorn popper. 

A Bluetooth speaker that looks concert ready

Marshall Stockwell II Bluetooth Speaker, $249

Tiny but mighty, this speaker packs a whole lot of sound into its small size. Nearly any music lover would appreciate being able to bring this sound anywhere they go. 

Some fetch magnets

Mean Girls Mini Burn Book + Magnet Set, $9.95

This magnet set will make your "Mean Girls"-obsessed friends feel as happy as when Glen Coco received four candy canes. 

A necklace for every name in the book

Initial Bar Necklace, $14

This necklace is a great way to add a personal touch to your gifting. The design is simple yet stylish, and every initial is available. 

This comfy set of slippers for lazy days

Minnetonka Taylor Clog Slipper, $45

There's nothing quite as cozy as a great pair of slippers. This Minnetonka pair is a go-to for anyone who likes to stay at home and relax on a cold day. 

A cozy pullover sweater

UO Rosie Cozy V-Neck Pullover Sweater, $69

This sweater is perfect for lounging, yet nice enough to wear outside of the house. 

A pair of joggers that's up for anything

Champion Reverse Weave Jogger Pant, $64

This classic pair of joggers is a wardrobe staple for anyone who strives for comfort. Whether running errands or just lounging, Champion joggers are the way to go. 

A light that's almost good enough to eat

Smoko UO Exclusive Dumpling Light, $16

What's cuter than a smiling dumpling? This portable light adds just the right amount of glow (and a slight dumpling craving) to dark nights. 

An affordable pair of wireless earbuds

Wireless Ear Buds, $40

These wireless earbuds have all the perks of the higher-end pairs without the price tag. 

A winter accent for every outfit

Bouclé Knit Beanie, $24

This knit beanie is soft and warm, which makes it the ideal winter accessory. 

A wintry update to the classic denim jacket

Levi's Type III Sherpa Lined Denim Jacket, $129

Levi's came up with a solution for all those who've wished denim jackets could be worn year-round. Available in classic indigo, vintage denim, and black, there's an option for every look that the winter will bring. 

A gift card for those who just can't decide

Urban Outfitters Gift Card, from $25

One of the best things about Urban Outfitters is the variety. For those who like to be open to options, a gift card is a perfect solution. 

A warm hug from a hedgehog

Huggable Hedgehog Cooling + Heating Pad, $22

This not-so-prickly hedgehog is the perfect companion for a cold day. The material is both microwaveable and freezable, so this heating pad can double as an ice pack. 

A speaker to keep pet anxiety at bay

Pet Acoustics Pet Tunes Bluetooth Speaker, $60

As the owner of an anxious dog, I know how difficult it can be to find products that calm pets down. This speaker is the perfect gift for any pet owner — it's specially designed to alleviate pet anxiety. 

A set of socks fit for any 'Star Wars' fan

Star Wars 12 Days Of Socks Crew Sock 12-Pack, $40

The force meets the feet with these "Star Wars" socks. These 12 designs are sure to make any galaxy fan smile. 

A sweatshirt for anything — from sports to sleep

Champion Reverse Weave Fleece Crew Neck Sweatshirt, $54

Whether relaxing at home or getting in a workout, this sweatshirt is up for the task. Plus, it's offered in many different colors.

A cool storage space for their cosmetics

Cooluli Mini Beauty Refrigerator, $59.95

This miniature fridge is specifically designed for cosmetics that need to be kept cool, such as serums and creams. It's the perfect gift for the beauty enthusiasts in your life. 

A smiling basketball for a happy athlete

Chinatown Market X Smiley UO Exclusive Smiley Basketball, $59

This basketball is bound to make anyone smile. The Chinatown Market X Smiley collaboration will be a hit on the court. 

A coffee grinder to make mornings more efficient

BODUM Coffee Grinder, $65

This coffee grinder is incredibly easy to use, making it a great time saver in the morning. Its 12 settings allow for the ultimate cup. 

A journal for every star sign

Velvet Zodiac Journal, $14

This journal is a great option for any astrology fan. It's almost as fun to look at as it is to write in, with a velvet exterior that includes an astrological sign printed in foil.

A pair of boots appropriate for any season

Dr. Martens Jadon Platform 8-Eye Boot, $180

Doc Martens have been a staple for years, and with good reason. These boots are ready for all seasons, outfits, and gift recipients.  

• Now through November 19, you can save up to 50% on past-season clothing and gear at Patagonia.
• You'll find discounts on pretty much every category, including men's clothing, women's clothing, kid's apparel, backpacks, and outdoor accessories. 
• Below, we put together a list of our favorite discounted clothing and gear to give you an idea of what's on sale. Visit Business Insider Coupons to potentially save more at Patagonia. 

With a huge catalog of extremely well-made, eco-friendly clothes and gear, Patagonia has transformed from a cult-favorite among nature lovers into one of the most recognizable outdoor brands in the world. To make way for new styles, Patagonia is having a sale — and you won't want to miss it.

Now through November 19, you can save up to 50% on past-season styles. The sale includes clothing for men, women, and kids, bags and backpacks, and other outdoor gear. You'll find a good variety of summer styles you can pick up and pocket for next year, as well as cold-weather styles like the popular Men's Micro Puff Storm Jacket to wear during fall and winter. 

Shop Patagonia's past-season sale here, or keep scrolling for our top picks.

Men’s Cotton Quilt Snap-T Fleece Pullover

Men's Cotton Quilt Snap-T Fleece Pullover, $74.50 (Originally $149) [You save $74.50]

Men's R2 Jacket

Men's R2 Jacket, $84.50 (Originally $169) [You save $84.50]

Men's Micro Puff Storm Jacket

Men's Micro Puff Storm Jacket, $249.50 (Originally $499) [You save $249.50]

Men's P-6 Logo Responsibili-Tee

Men's P-6 Logo Responsibili-Tee, $17.50 (Originally $35) [You save $17.50]

Men's All Wear 8-inch Shorts

Men's All Wear 8-inch Shorts, $29.50 (Originally $59) [You save $29.50]

Men's Light & Variable Jacket

Men's Light & Variable Jacket, $59.50 (Originally $119) [You save $59.50]

Women's Re-Tool Snap-T Pullover

Women's Re-Tool Snap-T Pullover, $59.50 (Originally $119) [You save $59.50]

Women's Woolyester Fleece Jacket

Women's Woolyester Fleece Jacket $79.50 (Originally $159) [You save $79.50]

Women's Rainshadow Jacket

Women's Rainshadow Jacket, $99.50 (Originally $199) [You save $99.50]

Women's R1 Fleece Full-Zip Hoody

Women's R1 Fleece Full-Zip Hoody, $84.50 (Originally $169) [You save $84.50]

Women's Lost Wildflower Dress

Women's Lost Wildflower Dress, $64.50 (Originally $129) [You save $64.50]

Women's Mainstay Tank Top

Women's Mainstay Tank Top, $17.50 (Originally $35) [You save $17.50]

Women's Fisherfox Ahnya Hoody

Women's Fisherfox Ahnya Hoody, $34.50 (Originally $69) [You save $34.50]

Boys' Light & Variable Hoody

Boys' Light & Variable Hoody, $29.50 (Originally $59) [You save $29.50]

Kids' Trim Brim Hat

Kids' Trim Brim Hat, $19.50 (Originally $39) [You save $19.50]

Boys' Capilene Silkweight Graphic Tee

Boys' Capilene Silkweight Graphic Tee, $14.50 (Originally $29) [You save $14.50]

Girls' Capilene Silkweight Hoody

Girls' Capilene Silkweight Hoody, $24.50 (Originally $49) [You save $24.50]

Arbor Daypack

Arbor Daypack, $44.50 (Originally $89) [You save $44.50]

Cragsmith Pack

Cragsmith Pack, $84.50 (Originally $169) [You save $84.50]

Patagonia Iron Forge 18-Liter Tote

Patagonia Iron Forge 18-Liter Tote, $64.50 (Originally $129) [You save $64.50]

• The pioneering children's show "Sesame Street" is celebrating its 50 th anniversary on November 10. 
• The show first premiered in 1969, and while the general concept of catchy songs and educational clips has stayed the same, its themes have evolved with the times. 
• In its 50 years, the program, which is the longest-running children's show ever, has broadcast in more than 100 countries, and won dozens of Grammy and Emmy awards.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

"Sesame Street," the pioneering children's TV show loved across the world, premiered 50 years ago on November 10.

The show has taught generations of children how to count and say their ABCs, offered helpful lessons in diversity and mental health, and continues to be a role model for kids' TV shows everywhere.

"Sesame Street," as an idea, started with a question. In the midst of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, founders Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morris asked themselves: How can we help disadvantaged youth prepare for school through a television program?

The group then hired puppeteer and Muppet creator Jim Henson, who helped the team create a cast of characters to live on "Sesame Street." 

The show first premiered in 1969 on the National Educational Television network, an entity that later became the Public Broadcasting Service. The episode featured catchy songs, celebrity guests, and goofy and thoughtful Muppet characters, including Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, and Oscar the Grouch. 

By the end of its first season, "Sesame Street" had reached millions of preschoolers. Fifty years later, it has broadcast in more than 100 countries, and won dozens of Grammy and Emmy awards.

More Muppets were added as time went on, like Count von Count in the 1970s, and more recently, Julia, the first Muppet with autism, and Lily, the first Muppet to experience homelessness. 

On the show's 50th anniversary, Insider's taking a look back at how the show has evolved over the years.

The first episode of Sesame Street featured Bert, Ernie, Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch.

Source: Sesameworkshop.org

The Muppets first featured on "Sesame Street" were created by legendary puppeteer Jim Henson.

Source:Associated Press

Puppeteer Caroll Spinney played Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch in the show's first episode.

He continued performing the roles for 49 years.

Cookie Monster was also part of the early cast of "Sesame Street."

Jim Henson modeled him on a monster he had created for a General Foods Canada commercial.

Source: National Museum of American History

Celebrity guests are a longstanding tradition on "Sesame Street." More than 400 celebrities have appeared on the show.

Source: Mental Floss

In the 1970s, Grover and Count von Count were added to the "Sesame Street" cast.

Elmo was a background Muppet on "Sesame Street" for years, but he made his first appearance as a main cast member in 1984.

Source: Sesameworkshop.org

For years adults on "Sesame Street" thought Mr. Snuffleupagus was Big Bird's imaginary friend. In 1985, the show made him a real character.

Mr. Snuffleupagus was made into a real character in 1985, in the wake of a series of high-profile child abuse cases in the United States.

Showrunners said Mr. Snuffleupagus, who was long believed to be Big Bird's imaginary friend, was made real to show children that adults would believe them if the told them something.

According to a history of the show provided by Sesame Workshop, "By acknowledging that Big Bird was right about Snuffy all along, 'Sesame Street' validated children's feelings, encouraging them to share important things with their parents and caregivers."

Source: Sesameworkshop.org

Barbara Bush was the first First Lady to appear on "Sesame Street." She appeared on the show in an episode that aired in 1990, and Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama followed in her footsteps.

Source: The Washington Post

"Sesame Street" developed a curriculum on AIDS and HIV in 2000, and created Kami, an HIV-positive Muppet from South Africa.

"Sesame Street" introduced Lily in 2011 as a character who experienced food insecurity. She was re-introduced in 2018 as the first character to experience homelessness.

Source: Insider.com

Celebrities continue to make appearances on "Sesame Street" to this day. Janelle Monáe stopped by in 2014 to teach the cast about persevering.

Source: Billboard.com

"Sesame Street" introduced its first Afghan Muppet in 2016. She appeared on the Afghanistan production of the program.

"Sesame Street" introduced Julia, the first character with autism, in 2017. The show went on to create an initiative to help educate viewers on autism.

Source: Sesameworkshop.org, Sesameworkshop.org

"Sesame Street" now airs in 150 countries and is showing no signs of stopping. The show is now broadcast on both HBO and PBS, and in 2019, New York officially created a "Sesame Street" in the city.

Source: Sesameworkshop.org,Vox.com

• Majesty 140, a yacht made in Dubai, was named the best in show at the biggest in-water boat show in the world.
• The boat was sold on the fifth and final day of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show for "about $20 million," according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
• The three-deck superyacht features a full beach club and interiors designed by an acclaimed Italian design house.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show has established itself as the biggest in-water boat show in the world.

With credentials like that, it's no surprise that the largest and most lavish yachts from shipyards across the world flocked to South Florida in early November for a chance to entice over 100,000 boat showgoers for the event's 60th year.

The yacht that impressed the most of all was Majesty 140.

The over 140-foot superyacht built in Dubai by Gulf Craft, in addition to being named best in show by NBC Sports, sold for around $20 million on closing day, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Keep reading for a closer look at the "best in show" superyacht.

SEE ALSO: The 7 biggest yacht debuts at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

DON'T MISS: The world's first hydrogen-powered superyacht was unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show. Here's a look inside the game-changing 367-foot vessel concept.

Majesty 140, a superyacht built in Dubai by Gulf Craft, was named the best in show at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show at the beginning of November.

Source: South Florida Sun Sentinel

Although the vessel is less than half the size of Madsummer, the 311-foot megayacht that was the show's largest debut this year, it's certainly not lacking in luxurious amenities.

Source: Business Insider, Majesty Yachts/Gulf Craft

It has its own "beach club" on an upper deck ...

Source: Majesty Yachts/Gulf Craft

... with multiple spots to lounge around a centerpiece Jacuzzi.

Source: Majesty Yachts/Gulf Craft

There is ample space to relax indoors, as well.

Source: Majesty Yachts/Gulf Craft

The interiors were crafted by Cristiano Gatto, an acclaimed Italian design team that has outfitted over 200 show-worthy yachts around the world.

Source: Business Insider, Boat International

The superyacht sold for around $20 million on the last day of the boat show.

Source: South Florida Sun Sentinel

Last year, "best in show" at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show went to the 135-foot Mangusta Oceano Namaste.

Source: Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

• Melody Wilding is an executive coach who helps people navigate their careers confidently and find lasting work-life balance.
• She says that Sunday scaries are normal, but avoidable. Even doing something small on Friday that you would usually do on Monday can help soothe concerns. And starting off Mondays with something you enjoy can combat lingering dread.
• Treat Sundays as sacred, and schedule something you find restorative. If scaries still persist, it may be worth talking to someone.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

In a perfect world, a typical Sunday would be relaxing and refreshing — a true leisure day. But for many of us, the end of the weekend brings a sense of dread, often referred to as the "Sunday scaries." 

Nagging thoughts about work may creep up as soon as you wake up or sneak in even after a lovely day of brunch with friends. Heading into Monday with high anxiety can leave you feeling exhausted and depleted right out of the gate, leaving you with little motivation to conquer the week ahead. 

If you've ever had a case of the Sunday scaries, it's important to know you're not alone. Over 76% of people battle with "really bad" Sunday night blues. Even though workweek anticipation seems inevitable (and almost universal, at least in the US), you don't have to keep settling for that pit-in-your stomach feeling forever. 

Try these four adjustments to say goodbye to the Sunday scaries and transform your attitude for the week ahead. 

SEE ALSO: 3 ways to restore your confidence after getting criticism at work, according to a career coach

1. Don't let life pile up

It's tempting to put off personal matters — like meal prep, errands, and mail — on workdays. Deferring and batching similar tasks is a smart way to be productive, but overestimating what you can accomplish on a single Sunday leaves you feeling frustrated, which is not conducive to peacefulness.  

Removing the pressure to get your life together within a hectic, 24-hour window helps you feel accomplished, unrushed, and level-headed so you can start your week off on the right foot.

Start early and spread things out: Before leaving your desk on Friday afternoon, check off a few tasks you'd normally put off until Monday, like zeroing your inbox or paying bills. Make tying up loose ends on Sunday more manageable by tackling household chores at a steady pace throughout the week. 

2. Make Sundays special or sacred

Sunday is half of the weekend, so make the most of it. You don't have to plan an adventure that will leave you exhausted on Monday, but don't write it off as a chore-filled day of monotony or simply slate it for hangover recovery.  

Fill your day with activities you find genuinely restorative, whether that's settling down with a new book, going for a hike, or enjoying dinner with friends. Your brain will begin to re-associate Sundays with excitement and fun, not dread. 

3. Whenever possible, ease into the week ahead

Sometimes you can't avoid having a meeting or deadline first thing on Mondays. But if you do have some control over your schedule, try easing into the workweek. Knowing you'll be starting Monday off with a powerful morning routine or with work you enjoy can help quiet anxiety the night before. 

4. If the Sunday scaries persist, listen to your gut

Persistent, intense dread for several weeks or more should be taken seriously because it may signal depression, burnout, or another underlying condition. If you experience work-related insomnia or feel physically sick at the thought of walking into the office on Monday, speak with a doctor and find support. 

Listen to your gut. Don't ignore signs that suggest a toxic workplace is taking a toll on your health. Moving on from a job that's not the right fit is a tough decision to make, but ultimately it will lead to positive change. 

For most people, though, taking Sunday back won't require any enormous lifestyle or mindset changes — just a few habit tweaks here and there. Reclaiming your weekend, and more enjoyment of your life as a result, is well worth the effort.  

Despite all the festive cheer and time with loved ones that come with the holiday season, it can also be a stressful time if you plan on buying gifts for everyone in your life.

Every year, Insider Picks creates dozens of gift guides to help you find the perfect gift — for any budget, hobby or interest, and person. You can find all our holiday gift guides on this page, but to make it even easier on you, we've also rounded up and categorized them below. 

Consider this your ultimate cheat sheet to knocking out your gift shopping for the year. Click on a link below to jump directly to all the gift guides in that category. 

• Gifts under $25
• Gifts under $50
• Gifts under $100
• Stocking stuffers
• Gifts for her
• Gifts for him
• Tech gifts
• Unique gifts
• Home and kitchen gifts
• Food and drink gifts
• Gifts for hobbies and interests
• Gifts from your favorite stores
• Limited-edition gifts

Here's a master list of all our holiday gift guides: 

• 50 clever gifts under $25 that won't end up getting regifted

The elements of a good present — thoughtful, useful, or novel — aren't restricted to a big budget.

• 26 affordable tech gifts under $25

It's tough to be a tech enthusiast when the market is full of expensive gadgets. Some of the best tech gifts, however, won't cost more than $25. 

• 44 cool stocking stuffers on Amazon for under $20

Stocking stuffers have a reputation for being cute but useless. These small gifts challenge that perception.

• 27 unique stocking stuffer ideas — all under $10

Surprise your friendly neighborhood mailman or the cousin you only ever see at the big family holiday gathering with a thoughtful stocking stuffer. 

• 76 gift ideas for everyone on your list, all under $100

With a $100 budget, you can buy anything from a smart speaker to an educational cooking class. 

• 30 thoughtful gifts for teachers to thank them for a great year

If you're not already one of their favorite students, you surely will be after they receive something from this list. 

• 50 thoughtful gifts for mom under $50

When it comes to gifting your own mother, the saying "it's the thought that counts" has never been more appropriate.

• 51 gifts for her, all under $50

Whether you're looking for the perfect gift for your sister, mom, partner, or otherwise, we've put together a list of over 50 great gifts under $50 that we think she'll love. 

• 24 great gifts for your grandma

Grandma is another important woman in your life who you know always has your back. Show her the love and appreciation she deserves with these gifts. 

• 39 thoughtful gifts to give your girlfriend

We give you more than three dozen gift ideas that make gifting your partner infinitely easier this year. 

• 50 thoughtful gifts to give your wife

You don't need to spend a crazy amount of money or plan an extravagant gesture to show your wife you appreciate her. 

• 23 beauty gifts from Nordstrom

Nordstrom carries some of the best brands in beauty and skin care, like everyday makeup from Anastasia Beverly Hills and luxurious creams from La Mer. 

• 65 cool gifts for him that you can buy on Amazon

Every gift he could ever want, from a fidget toy to luxury sheets, can be found on Amazon. 

• 50 gifts your dad actually wants

Dads always say they never want anything, but we came up with 50 gift ideas for you anyways. 

• 24 gifts your husband will appreciate

Some of these gifts for your husband might even benefit the entire family, so it's a cost-efficient, win-win situation. 

• 54 clever and practical gifts for dad under $50

If you have a specific budget you're working with, you'll find affordable yet useful gifts in this guide. 

• 25 hidden gems on Amazon

Using the Amazon Gift Finder tool, we found some cool gifts that makes shopping on the site feel less impersonal. 

• 32 kitchen gifts from Williams Sonoma

Carrying legacies like KitchenAid and Le Creuset to modern classics like Instant Pot, specialty shop Williams Sonoma proves it's serious about cooking. 

• 21 unique kitchen gifts from Sur la Table

Sur La Table has a great selection of gifts for cooks of all levels. Or, if your recipient would rather eat than cook, it has gifts for foodies, too. 

• 32 unique kitchen gifts from Food52's online shop

In addition to devising creative and delicious recipes, Food52 sells kitchen products, including ones from its own in-house brand. 

Kitchen gifts don't have to be expensive. Even a simple and practical accessory like a ramekin or avocado slicer will make them happy. 

• 32 thoughtful gifts on Amazon that are Prime eligible

Procrastinators, this is the guide for you. As long as you're a Prime member, you can get any of these cool gifts in two days. 

• 23 gift sets and limited-edition beauty gifts at Nordstrom

Nordstrom carries some of the best brands in beauty and skin care, like everyday makeup from Anastasia Beverly Hills and luxurious creams from La Mer. 

• Celebrity home decor can be a point of inspiration for many, which is why seeing inside their homes is such a thrill for fans.
• But celebrities also make design choices that professionals aren't always a fan of. 
• Insider spoke to interior designers about the celebrity design trends they hate most. 
• An industrial aesthetic in the home sphere and accent walls are among their least favorite celebrity trends.
• Celebrities also gravitate toward a monochromatic and minimalist interior, but designers say this can make a space feel less homey. 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Celebrity home decor has long fascinated people, with shows like "MTV Cribs" and "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" captivating audiences for years.

In fact, part of the appeal of celebrity-focused reality shows like "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" is seeing what a star's home is like on a day-to-day basis.

For instance, fans were thrilled when they got to see what Kim Kardashian West's home looks like in a video for Vogue's "73 Questions" series. 

Despite their popularity, interior designers don't always love the way celebrities decorate their homes.

Some celebrities focus on creating a space that looks cool rather than one that feels comfortable in designers' opinions. 

For example, Kardashian West's self-described "minimal monastery" home, which is both minimalist and monochromatic, wouldn't be every designer's cup of tea.

Monochromatic color schemes are popular among celebrities, but this can make a space feel less homey.

"The best way to make a room feel homey is to add layering, texture, handmade pieces, and warm woods," said Kathy Anderson, owner and founder of the luxury interior design firm, Anderson Design Studio.

"Pattern mixing and maximalism is taking the place of minimalism," Anderson told Insider.

Instead of the cool, sleek look of minimalist design, experts are now leaning toward the colorful and plentiful.

"It's timeless to use books and collected items that are meaningful to the client to accessorize and bring a sense of personality to the home," Anderson added.

Many celebrities gravitate toward industrial aesthetics in their homes, using things like Edison Bulbs, which can make a space look too harsh.

"This look is very cool and great for commercial spaces," Anderson said of industrial materials.

"However, in a celebrity home, we want softness, luxury, rich fabrics, textures, and statement furniture pieces," she went on to say. 

Likewise, accent walls are a popular trend that designers can find alienating.

"I can't get into an accent wall,"interior designer and HGTV star Leanne Ford told Insider.

An accent wall would work in a professional space, but in a home, it can look disruptive rather than welcoming.

The designers also said cool gray shades can make a space look dark and dull.

Bright colors might be a better choice for a home space rather than muted gray, as they will feel more welcoming.

The gray color scheme has "already started to go out, and we're happy about it," Anderson said, speaking for her firm. "Bring on the color!"

And Jason Oliver Nixon and John Loecke, cofounders of Madcap Cottage, added that they don't like it when celebrities present themselves as design experts.

"We don't like when folks jump into the design business when they have no background whatsoever in design," the design team explained.

Although many celebrities work with designers, they usually aren't experts in the field, which is important to remember as you think about what to do with your own space.

• Read more:
• 12 easy ways to take your home design to the next level, according to HGTV's Leanne and Steve Ford
• A popular style of furniture from the '70s is slated to come back in a big way in 2020
• We had interior designers critique 10 famous apartments from shows like 'Friends' and 'Gossip Girl'
• 14 things an interior designer would buy on Amazon right now

• Insider asked 11 pastry chefs about their favorite doughnuts of all time.
• Some pastry chefs chose ones you can find at chains, like Dunkin's blueberry-cake doughnut and Krispy Kreme's classic glazed variety.
• Powdered-sugar and vanilla-glazed doughnuts were also beloved by some pastry chefs. 
• Some told Insider that their favorite doughnuts are specific to certain locations, like the coconut-cream doughnut from Doughnut Plant in New York City or the white-chocolate tres-leches doughnut from The Salty Donut in Miami, Florida.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Even pastry chefs, who specialize in crafting desserts, pastries, and other baked goods, have preferences when it comes to doughnuts. 

We asked 11 pastry chefs about their favorite doughnuts of all time and their answers ranged from chain-specific options to general varieties and everything in between. 

This baking pro said she loves how powdered-sugar doughnuts make her feel.

For Sefika Kaya, pastry chef of Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage, California, her go-to dessert is a sugar-coated doughnut. 

"I love sugar doughnuts. Not only do they look great, but they are so messy and they remind me of my childhood. No one can eat a sugar doughnut and complain about the mess," Kaya told Insider. "I think everyone is taken back to their childhood for at least those few minutes when eating one."

Some believe you simply can't beat the classic glazed doughnut from Krispy Kreme.

"Call me basic, but a classic Krispy-Kreme glazed doughnut will always be my crush," said pastry chef Ella Stone, CEO of SWIRL Bakery in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Read More: I tried 12 different doughnuts from Krispy Kreme and found that you can't beat the classics

The cinnamon old-fashioned doughnut from Do-Rite in Chicago, Illinois, is this pastry chef's favorite.

Danielle Marelli, pastry chef of Travelle at the Langham, told Insider that her favorite doughnut is an old-fashioned that's dusted with cinnamon sugar from Do-Rite, a fried-chicken and doughnut shop in Chicago, Illinois. 

"It's perfectly crunchy on the outside and so soft inside," she said, adding that the doughnut's exterior is the best part.

This pastry chef agrees that vanilla-glazed doughnuts are a classic for a reason.

"My favorite doughnut is a classic vanilla-glazed. I love how soft they are and the vanilla glaze offers a perfect amount of sugar without being too sweet, especially if they have orange or lemon zest," Santiago Torres, executive pastry chef of LondonHouse in Chicago, Illinois, told Insider. 

"They are the perfect breakfast," he added.

Some chefs stand by the simplicity of an old-fashioned doughnut.

"My all-time favorite doughnut is an old-fashioned cake doughnut with a maple glaze," said Syd Berkowitz, a pastry chef located in Denver, Colorado. This old-fashioned variety is usually a cake doughnut made with flour, sugar, eggs, sour cream, and leavening agent.

This Florida-based pastry chef opts for the white-chocolate tres-leches doughnut from The Salty Donut in Miami, Florida.

Jessica Scott, the corporate executive pastry chef of Barton G. Restaurants, said her favorite doughnut is from The Salty Donut, a shop located in Miami, Florida.

She said she particularly favors The Salty Donut's white-chocolate tres-leches flavor, explaining that it's "the perfect combination of an on-the-go morning pastry and a full-on plated dessert."

"The brioche-based doughnut is soaked in rum and milk, with the bottom dipped in white chocolate. [Then, it's] topped with a toasted meringue and tart fruit," she explained.

Apple fritters offer a perfect blend of textures, spices, and fruit, according to this chef.

"I love a good apple fritter. Just the smell, to me, is the first signal of fall. The apple fritter is the perfect balance between fruity and sweet. [And it's] deep-fried (like all good doughnuts should be), crisp at the edges, and fluffy in the center," explained cookbook author Tiffany La Forge, pastry chef of Parsnips and Pastries.

"In my opinion, a good apple fritter should be glazed, perfumed with cinnamon sugar, and paired with a strong coffee," she told Insider. 

This pastry chef's favorite is the coconut-cream doughnut from Doughnut Plant in New York City.

If Clarice Lam, pastry chef of The Baking Bean, had to choose her favorite doughnut, it'd be the coconut-cream one from the NYC-based bakery, Doughnut Plant.

"It's so soft and pillowy and is glazed and coated with coconut flakes. It's also filled with a coconut creme made with fresh coconut juice," she told Insider. 

The creme- or jelly-filled bomboloni is an Italian classic and a favorite for some pros.

"The Italian-style bomboloni is my favorite, go-to doughnut … they are very versatile, delicious, and can be filled with almost anything, said Kevin McCormick, executive pastry chef of Onward in Chicago, Illinois. 

Bomboloni typically come stuffed with either jam or cream. "I prefer my bomboloni lightly fried and dusted with powdered sugar — the simpler, the better," he added. 

This chef told Insider their go-to pick is Dunkin's Boston-cream doughnut.

Some pastry chefs have a soft spot for the offerings at Dunkin', a popular American coffee and doughnut chain. This includes Kristine Antonian-Vilarosa, pastry chef at Cira in Chicago, Illinois.

"My all-time favorite doughnut is [the] Boston-cream from Dunkin'. They never disappoint," she said. 

The blueberry-cake doughnut at Dunkin' delivers balanced flavors, according to this NYC-based pastry chef.

"I prefer a yeast-risen doughnut … but I have a soft spot for that blueberry cake doughnut from Dunkin'," Abby Swain, executive pastry chef of Temple Court in New York City, told Insider. 

Read More:

• 8 chefs reveal their favorite places to eat in Tokyo
• 10 of the best salad dressings to make or buy, according to chefs
• 9 of the best cooking shortcuts, according to chefs
• What 14 chefs order at fast-food restaurants

• I recently visited Abkhazia, a disputed region in Georgia, to photograph abandoned buildings and towns. 
• The Sukhumi Babushara Airport in Abkhazia was built in the 1960s, but hasn't been used since the early 1990s after it was heavily damaged in a war with Georgia.
• Eerie photos of the abandoned airport show what it looks like today.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

On the coast of western Asia's Black Sea lies an airport that has been abandoned for 25 years.

The Sukhumi Babushara Airport in Abkhazia, a disputed region of Georgia, was built in the 1960s, when Abkhazia was still a part of the Soviet Union.

Thanks to the city of Sukhumi's proximity to the Black Sea, the airport was popular for domestic travelers looking for a beach getaway. At its peak, close to 5,000 people traveled through the airport each summer.

But the airport's fate changed in the early 1990s, when Abkhazia was ravaged by war with Georgia. The airport was heavily damaged, leading to its abandonment.

As a photographer with a focus on abandoned buildings, I took a particular interest in the Abkhazia airport. I recently traveled to the region to document what 25 years of neglect have done to the building.

Here's what the airport looks like today.

SEE ALSO: These eerie photos show what happens to swimming pools after they've been abandoned for years

DON'T MISS: How much airfare in the US costs today compared to 10 years ago

Abkhazia's airport has gone virtually untouched since the early 1990s. The airport is closed for international traffic because it's not recognized by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

There's a non-functioning plane still sitting in the abandoned runway. The Yak-40 aircraft carried former Georgian president Eduard Shevardnadze to Abkhazia in March 1993 to take charge of Georgian forces in the region.

The decaying entrance to the airport was a sign of what was to come.

Here's what I found inside the airport, which was heavily damaged and eventually abandoned during the conflict with Georgia.

Concrete staircases leading to an empty upper level were some of the only structures I saw standing.

Here's the view from the top floor.

The airport was riddled with landmines during the war. It wasn't until 2003 that all landmines and other explosive devices were declared to have been removed from the airport by the HALO Trust.

Source: The HALO Trust

The airport is inaccessible to the public, but luckily, a few military personnel were willing to show me around.

Russia is one of the few countries to recognize Abkhazia as a sovereign state, but even Russian planes can't fly to the airport because of sanctions by the International Air Transport Association.

This storage area was visibly damaged and was in the worst shape of the areas I saw.

You can see the old baggage carousels where arriving passengers once picked up their luggage.

The Abkhazian president said in 2006 that he hoped the airport would resume operations soon, but apart from a visit from the Russian foreign minister in 2008, that hasn't materialized.

Source: Sergey Bagapsh, Reuters

And it isn't likely the airport will be used any time soon.

• Instagram plans to test a feature that hides "like" counts on posts for some US users starting this week.
• Celebrities and influencers have expressed outrage with the experimental feature, arguing that it weakens their leverage over brand deals and promotions.
• But a few celebrities, including Kim Kardashian, have praised the decision.
• The feature has already been piloted in seven countries including Australia, Ireland, and Canada.

Instagram is testing a new feature in the US this week that could be its most controversial yet: hiding the number of "likes" on posts.

The new feature, announced by Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri on Friday, is being met with strong backlash, especially from many influencers and celebrities.

The feature has already been piloted in seven countries including Australia, Ireland, and Canada in recent months. When it was rolled out there, influencers complained that hiding likes would give them less leverage over brand deals and sponsored content.

Now, American celebrities are calling out the app for experimenting with removing likes, with some threatening to stop posting to Instagram. Others joked on Twitter about the proposed changes.

But some, including Kim Kardashian, have heralded Instagram's decision as a boon to users' mental health.

"We're testing this because we want Instagram to be a place where people feel comfortable expressing themselves. This includes helping people to focus on the photos and videos they share, not how many likes they get," a spokesperson for Facebook, which owns Instagram, told Business Insider.

Here's what influencers and celebrities are saying about the new feature that hides likes on Instagram.

SEE ALSO: Influencers are fighting for attention as Instagram tests removing likes from its platform: 'There’s no audience applause at the end of a performance'

Nicki Minaj threatened to stop posting on Instagram if the feature were to take effect.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1193217594746032134?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
I'm not posting on IG after this week cuz they removing the likes. Hmmmm what should I get into now? Think of all the time I'll have with my new life

Minaj went on to speculate that Instagram was hiding likes to manipulate what posts users saw in their feed, regardless of how much engagement posts were getting.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1193588999517945856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
And who do you think is controlling those numbers? so that influencers can be out here "influencing" ppl to LIKE all the new stuff they bout to do? They gotta get y'all on board to spread the word. Just like how YouTube can take away or add a million views @ any given moment 😛 https://t.co/7Bqz0QbRvI

Minaj apparently referred to the well-documented phenomenon of YouTube view counts fluctuating after videos are posted, which can happen when YouTube determines views come from bots or other fraudulent sources.

The rapper Juicy J predicted backlash against the change, tweeting that he expected people to leave Instagram and go "back to real life."

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1193021067918372864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Instagram is getting rid of the "likes"😂 time to go back to real life 😂😂😂 niggaz finna spazz

Cardi B took to Instagram to protest the feature, arguing that removing likes wouldn't make Instagram any less toxic because "the comments affect more than the likes."

Instagram Embed:
//instagram.com/p/B4qm1B7A-6B/embed
Width: 540px

The rapper Rico Nasty said the decision to hide likes would "kill Instagram."

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1193621962372681729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Damn they really gonna kill Instagram how they did MySpace .... what a time y'all see y'all on the new app 😘🙀

But some people, including Kim Kardashian West, view the decision to hide likes as a good thing.

"As far as mental health, I mean it's something that taking the likes away and taking that aspect away from it would be really beneficial for people," Kardashian West said during The New York Times' DealBook conference last week.

Tracee Ellis Ross also voiced support for removing likes, saying the like count had "adverse effects.""It creates a culture that isn't helpful for well-being and isn't fruitful for creative energy," she said.

Ross made the statement last week during a panel discussion with Mosseri facilitated by Wired.

And some influencers have argued that the number of likes on a post is irrelevant compared with other metrics like follower counts and impressions.

Karen Civil, a social-media strategist, made the case that influencers shouldn't pay too much attention to how many likes their posts got.

• Hurtigruten, a Norwegian expedition cruise company, unveiled the world's first hybrid cruise ship earlier this year. It is currently on its maiden voyage to Antarctica with 450 passengers aboard. 
• The vessel, MS Roald Amundsen, runs on low sulfur diesel fuel that is supported by battery packs, cutting emissions by 20%.
• But it's not all science and technology on board: The ship is also equipped with an infinity pool, luxury suites, three restaurants, and a glass-encased sauna.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Luxury and sustainability are merging in the world of yachts.

In September, the world's first hydrogen-powered superyacht was unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show. And right now, the world's first hybrid, battery-supported cruise ship is making its maiden voyage to Antarctica with 450 passengers aboard, according to Robb Report.

The MS Roald Amundsen's first expedition to Antarctica is fitting – it was named after the eponymous legendary Norwegian polar explorer. The ship was unveiled by Hurtigruten, a Norwegian expedition cruise company, this summer.

The 459-foot cruise ship is equipped with battery packs that support its low sulfur, diesel-powered, Rolls Royce-built engines.

That's not to say the cruise is devoid of the lavish trappings of a typical cruise ship: There's also an infinity pool, a glass-encased sauna, three restaurants, and luxurious cabins on board. Throughout the ship, there are almost 600 works of art produced by young Norwegian artists, handpicked by the queen of Norway.

Prices for a future cruise featuring the same route start at $14,720 per person. The more lavish cabins raise that baseline to $23,046 per person.

Keep reading for a look inside the cruise ship.

SEE ALSO: The world's first hydrogen-powered superyacht was unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show. Here's a look inside the game-changing 367-foot vessel concept.

NOW READ: 10 packing essentials for cruises that will save time, space, and money — from foldable luggage to a portable safe

The MS Roald Amundsen is the world's first hybrid cruise ship.

Source:Hurtigruten

It runs on Rolls Royce-built engines powered by low sulfur diesel fuel and batteries, which, according to the ship's developer, lowers the ship's CO2 emissions by 20%.

In addition to its operating systems, the ship is also committed to sustainability in other ways. There are no single-use plastics aboard and the uniforms worn by the crew are made from recycled ocean plastic.

Source:Hurtigruten

The cruise ship is currently on a full capacity, 18-day maiden voyage to Antarctica.

The maiden voyage started in Valparaíso, Chile before cruising south along the coast of South America toward the Drake Passage. From there, the ship spends three days in Antarctica before returning to Punta Arenas, Chile.

Passengers can disembark in Antarctica and partake in activities that include kayaking, hiking, whale-watching, and penguin-watching.

Source:Hurtigruten

And it's not just science and sustainability on board: Like other cruise ships that support travels of that length, the ship is flush with luxury amenities. The ship has 264 cabins.

Source:Hurtigruten

The Scandinavian-inspired interior design features oak, granite, birch, and wool throughout the cabins.

Source:Hurtigruten

Many of the suites have private lounging areas and balconies with hot tubs.

Source:Hurtigruten

All passengers have access to the infinity pool and the hot tubs on the observation deck ...

Source:Hurtigruten

... and the sauna and wellness center, which also offer sweeping views.

Source:Hurtigruten

The ship has three restaurants and other communal amenities ...

Source:Hurtigruten

... including a science center where passengers can attend lectures and learn more about Arctic exploration.

Source:Hurtigruten

The ship will be conducting arctic expedition cruises into 2020.

Source:Hurtigruten

The MS Roald Amundsen is just one example of the luxury travel industry becoming more eco-friendly in 2019.

Business Insider previously reported that a model for the first hydrogen-powered yacht was unveiled in September by Sinot, a Dutch yacht-design company. The 367-foot vessel will be completely powered by liquid hydrogen and fuel-cell technology. Its only emission will be water.

Beyond boats, luxury African safaris are also embracing the eco-friendly. In August, Business Insider's Katie Warren reported on a Botswana safari company equipped with conservation camps for children, where lessons on the environment, health, and nutrition are taught.

Increased attention to sustainability and conservation in the luxury travel sector play into the larger trend of "transformational travel." Ultimately, the ultra-wealthy want to leave their vacation with a transformative, emotional experience to bring home, and in some cases, want to make a positive impact on the places they visit.

• Maria Fagerström is a Swedish pilot and Instagram influencer living in Spain.
• She shares insights about her life as a pilot with her nearly 500,000 followers.
• She told Business Insider some things about being a pilot that passengers don't usually know.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Swedish pilot and Instagram influencer Maria Fagerström uses Instagram to share her work as a pilot, her travels, and her home with her boyfriend with her nearly 500,000 followers.

In her bio, she promises, "I'm here to give YOU a bit of insight into the aviation world," and she follows through. Fagerström responds to comments, and she sometimes makes posts about certain questions that come up again and again.

She shared some common things people don't know about being a pilot with Business Insider.

SEE ALSO: This pilot influencer is giving her nearly 500,000 Instagram followers an inside look at the world of aviation

1. Pilots are allowed to sleep while working, although not both at the same time. "It’s called ‘controlled rest’ and there are of course procedures to follow, like setting a timer," Fagerström told Business Insider.

2. Flying is actually relaxing, "once we’re up in the air and at cruising level," if the weather is good.

3. For Fagerström, the best part of the job is the "feeling after touching down after a tricky approach, and you’ve done well with maneuvering the aircraft all the way from start to finish."

4. Flight school is really intense, and you will be scrutinized. "You’ll most probably have to say goodbye to your social life for a year or two. But I can assure you it’s totally worth it when you get your wings" she said.

5. The busiest time of year for pilots is the holidays, when everyone else is trying to get home, so those are also the most difficult days to take off.

6. Going to the bathroom is surprisingly difficult. "When every single passenger is back in their seats with seat belts on, then you can come out ... while everyone is watching you sneaking into the toilet ... not ideal" she said.

7. You might have to skip dinner if there's turbulence. Fagerström said that if her meal comes when the plane hits a rough patch, she'll have to spend the rest of the flight "watching the speed like a hawk."

• Alibaba'sSingles Day is a massive, 24-hour shopping extravaganza unlike anything else in the world.
• In 2018, the event kicked off with a four-hour gala featuring numerous celebrities, including the model Miranda Kerr and the singer Mariah Carey.
• The gala is just one way that Alibaba brings drama to online shopping. It's a crucial shot of hectic energy as historic shopping bonanzas like Black Friday lag behind.
• Sign up for Business Insider's retail newsletter, The Drive-Thru, to get more stories like this in your inbox. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

SHANGHAI, China — I've experienced the stampedes of Black Friday shoppers. I survived the Prime Day outage of 2018. And, like an increasing number of Americans, I've checked deals on my iPhone during Thanksgiving dinner.

But I have never seen a shopping event quite like Alibaba's Singles Day: 24 hours of massive sales, overwhelming festivities, and, bizarrely enough, Mariah Carey.

In the hours before Sunday, November 11, 2018, Alibaba kicked off its 10th year of Singles Day festivities in Shanghai. Twenty-four hours later, the Chinese e-commerce giant reported that customers spent $30.8 billion, or almost three times as much as the previous year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday shoppers spent combined.

This year, shoppers spent $35.8 billion on Singles Day.

I had the good fortune to be in Shanghai for the entire thing in 2018, witnessing the most over-the-top, futuristic, and exhausting shopping celebration I have ever seen.

Here's what it was like to take part in Alibaba's Singles Day, as well as what it means for the future of the retail industry:

SEE ALSO: Alibaba has raked in $35.8 billion and counting in Singles Day sales, crushing last year's results

Singles Day kicks off with a four-hour "gala." Imagine Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade had quadruplets with Prime Day, and you've got the general idea.

Most people watch the gala — basically a variety show featuring singers, performers, and Allen Iverson overseeing a basketball competition — on TV or on their phones.

People on their phones can shop deals on Alibaba sites such as Taobao and Tmall as they watch the show.

I was, however, actually at the gala — and experiencing the side effects of a mix of jet lag, cold medicine, and a truly wild production.

Sitting with other reporters and Alibaba communications staffers, I was immediately overstimulated, even without the ability to shop online.

The drama is intentional. Alibaba has worked to transform Singles Day from a day of deals to what the company's chief marketing officer, Chris Tung, called a sort of Christmas for brands and customers.

"It has evolved dramatically over the last 10 years to become a true festival," Tung told me the weekend before the 2018 Singles' Day event. 

Among the celebrities at the gala, at least one was doing double duty as an Alibaba merchant: Miranda Kerr.

Kerr launched her skincare brand, KORA Organics, on Alibaba's Tmall in 2018.

"It's such a unique event that combines shopping and entertainment in a way that I haven't seen before," Kerr told me.

Our interview was conducted via telephone, with me sitting in the back of a parked car 200 feet from where Kerr was backstage at the gala. Again, it was a hectic scene before the gala even started.

In the arena, fans lapped up the action.

Boy bands!

Romantic duets!

An endless stream of celebrities!

Considering that Alibaba kicked off the gala only two years prior, in 2016, it was slightly shocking how much enthusiasm and star power the company packed in.

It isn't uncommon for American retail giants to get celebrities to perform at events like investor days — stars at Walmart's shareholders event have included Katy Perry and James Corden — but with the potential exception of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I had never seen something like this.

And that was before Mariah Carey showed up.

But alas, I had already left the gala before the great diva performed.

I had moved on to the nearby media center, where a robot was mixing cocktails and coffees.

Alibaba's showiness didn't stop with the gala. Hundreds of journalists from around the world were invited to report from the media center, which also served as a showcase for Alibaba's various tech innovations.

In addition to making lattés, these robots could bring food to tables in restaurants and deliver room service in hotels.

The waiter bots are already in use in restaurants in locations of Hema, Alibaba's supermarket chain.

Additionally, the robots were almost uniformly cute — crucial to gaining customers' trust.

However, the robots aren't the main event.

That would be the mega-screen displaying GMV, or gross merchandise volume.

In other words, the screen keeps track of how much money is being spent in online sales through various Alibaba platforms on Singles Day.

An emcee of sorts counts down until midnight. Then 11/11 finally begins.

It was a swift start. With sales from preloaded shopping carts going through in the seconds after midnight, the GMV figure exploded.

Within 10 minutes, Alibaba hit $4.68 billion, already eclipsing estimated sales figures for Amazon's 36-hour Prime Day event.

Alibaba continued to highlight massive numbers well after I stumbled back to the hotel in the wee hours of the morning.

Alibaba's emphasis on GMV is a blessing and a curse for the company, according to some experts.

While the sheer magnitude of the figure helps generate attention, the company's self-celebration doesn't allow for much wiggle room if growth slows.

"The whole world is looking at it — which puts a lot of pressure" on Alibaba, Daniel Zipser, a McKinsey & Company senior partner who leads its consumer and retail practice in Greater China, told me.

Yet 11/11 must go on.

For me as a reporter, November 11 was a blur of visiting Starbucks (an Alibaba partner), speaking with certain executives, and waiting for some others to show up.

Jack Ma, Alibaba's famous founder, showed up at the media center both nights but didn't speak to journalists. Instead, he merely smiled at the GMV screen, snapping a photo on his phone as the company crossed another landmark.

Through it all, the GMV chart just kept climbing.

At the end of the day, Alibaba set another Singles Day record. But more than that, the company did it with a sense of drama that no modern American company could replicate.

The GMV marker topped $30 billion at the end of Singles Day 2018. For comparison, online sales on Black Friday reached $5 billion in 2017, according to Adobe Analytics data, while Cyber Monday sales were roughly $6.6 billion.

As frantic Black Friday masses lose momentum to online shopping, Alibaba has figured out how to bring the hectic overstimulation to e-commerce.

Alibaba is increasingly emphasizing its plans to bridge the gap between online and offline retail with initiatives like the adorable robot waiter. American companies would be well-served to pay attention to the spectacle that is likely to follow.

Table of Contents

Travel rewards credit cards

First up are the cards that can get you the most value if you're willing to put in the work: travel rewards credit cards that earn Amex, Chase, and other bank points. You can transfer these points to various airline and hotel partners, as well as use them to book travel directly through your credit card issuer.

The mega-popular Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express® Gold Card and others fall into this category.

Chase Sapphire Preferred—  The rewards card that started it all. For a $95 annual fee, you get 2x points on travel and dining, not to mention valuable protections like primary car rental insurance and baggage delay insurance. Read the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card review.

Chase Sapphire Reserve— The premium sibling to the Sapphire Preferred has a $450 annual fee, but offers more perks like a $300 annual travel credit and 3x points on travel and dining. Read the Chase Sapphire Reserve review.

American Express Gold Card— If dining is one of your top spending categories, the Amex Gold is a great card for you. It earns 4x points at restaurants (and 4x at US supermarkets on up to $25,000 each year, then 1x) and each month you get up to $10 in statement credits when you use the card at GrubHub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Boxed, and participating Shake Shacks. There's a $250 annual fee. Read the Amex Gold Card review.

The Platinum Card® from American Express— It's one of the most premium personal credit cards out there, with a $550 annual fee and a long list of benefits. You get annual statement credits for airline incidental fees, Saks purchases, and Uber rides, and can access a variety of airport lounges including Amex's own Centurion Lounges. Read the Amex Platinum review.

Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card— Like the Sapphire Preferred, the Venture Rewards Card packs in a lot of benefits for a sub-$100-annual-fee card, and in this case the $95 annual fee is waived the first year. You'll earn 2x miles on all purchases, and 10x miles on hotel bookings made with the card via hotels.com/venture. You can redeem miles to cover travel purchases on your statement, or transfer them to a selection of airline programs. Read the Capital One Venture Rewards card review.

American Express® Green Card— Amex recently revamped its Green card from the ground up, and the result is a great rewards card with a moderate annual fee of $150. That fee is especially easy to justify if you can use the card's annual statement credits: up to $100 toward CLEAR membership each year, and up to $100 toward airport lounge access through LoungeBuddy each year. Read the Amex Green card review.

Read more: The best rewards credit cards of 2019

Read more: The best current credit card sign-up offers

Cash-back credit cards

Not everyone travels enough to make cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred worth it. If you'd prefer to earn money back on your spending, you have plenty of great options as well. Unless otherwise specified, these cards don't have an annual fee.

Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card— This is a top cash-back card thanks to its many bonus categories. You'll earn 3x points (3% cash back) on eating out and ordering in, on travel, gas stations, rideshares, and transit, and on popular streaming services, and 1% back on everything else. It's also one of the rare no-annual-fee cash-back cards to waive foreign transaction fees. Read the Wells Fargo Propel Amex card review.

Chase Freedom Unlimited— This card offers a solid flat rate (1.5% back) on every purchase, and it's one of the most flexible cash-back cards around, because it gives you options. If you decide you'd like to get into travel rewards further down the line, you can combine your cash-back earnings from the Freedom Unlimited with Chase Ultimate Rewards points from a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred to use them toward travel. Read the Chase Freedom Unlimited review.

Chase Freedom—  Like the Freedom Unlimited, the Chase Freedom earns cash back on every purchase. But instead of offering a flat cash-back rate, it offers 5% back on up to $1,500 spent each quarter of the year in rotating bonus categories, such as gas stations and streaming services, and 1% back on everything else. You have to activate the bonus each quarter to earn the 5% back. The Freedom's cash-back earnings can be combined with Ultimate Rewards points if you have a more premium Chase card. Read the Chase Freedom review.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express— This card has a $95 annual fee, and it has some great bonus categories. These include 6% back on select US streaming services, 6% back on up to $6,000 spent at US supermarkets each year (then 1%), 3% back at US gas stations and on transit, and 1% on everything else. Read the Blue Cash Preferred Card review.

Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card— If you want to earn extra cash back on your dining purchases, this is a good pick. The Savor card earns an unlimited 4% back on dining and entertainment, 2% back at grocery stores, and 1% back on everything else. There's a $95 annual fee that's waived the first year, and no foreign transaction fees. Read the Capital One Savor card review.

Read more: The best cash-back credit cards of 2019

Airline credit cards

If you're loyal to a specific airline — or even if you just travel with the same airline multiple times a year — it could be worth holding a co-branded credit card to get a free checked bag, priority boarding, and other perks. Airline credit cards run the gamut from entry-level to premium options, and the best choice for you will depend on how frequently you travel.

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card— Alaska miles are very valuable, and also hard to come by. Alaska's co-branded card (with a $75 annual fee) is a great way to earn them, and you also get a companion fare each year. Read the Alaska Airlines Visa review.

Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express— If you fly Delta a handful of times each year, this card is a good option. It has a $95 annual fee that's waived the first year, and offers the basic airline perks like a free checked bag, priority boarding, and 2 miles per dollar on Delta purchases. Read the Gold Delta SkyMiles Amex review.

Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express— For more frequent Delta flyers, the Platinum Delta Amex could make sense thanks to additional benefits like an annual companion certificate and the ability to earn Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) toward Delta Medallion elite Status. The card has a higher $195 annual fee, but if those perks are useful to you, it can be worth it. Read the Platinum Delta SkyMiles Amex review.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card— This card has a $99 annual fee, and earns 2 points per dollar on Southwest purchases. One of the top reasons to consider it — or any other Southwest credit card — is that the sign-up bonus you earn from meeting the minimum spending requirement counts toward the Southwest Companion Pass. The Companion Pass lets you designate one person to travel with you on Southwest for free (minus taxes and fees) when you have a flight booked. Read the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier card review.

United Explorer Card— United's co-branded credit card with a $95 annual fee stands out for offering bonus miles on categories other than just United purchases, and an application fee credit for up to $100 for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. As a cardholder, you also get access to additional low-level award space, which makes it easier to stretch the miles you earn. Read the United Explorer card review.

United Explorer Business Card— The business version of the Explorer card also has a $95 annual fee, and it offers bonus miles at gas stations, office supply stores, and restaurants, in addition to on United purchases. Read the United Explorer Business card review.

Read more: American vs. Delta vs. United — we compared the 3 most popular airline credit cards

Hotel credit cards

Hotel co-branded credit cards can get you complimentary elite status, bonus points on stays, and other solid perks. As with airline credit cards, the options run the gamut from basic cards with annual fees under $100 to premium picks that offer fancier benefits.

Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express— This card has a $450 annual fee, but if you have even just a few Hilton stays in a year it can be well worth it. You get complimentary Hilton Diamond status, which can get you free breakfast and complimentary room upgrades, and each cardmember year you'll get up to $250 in Hilton resort credits and up to $250 in airline fee credits each calendar year. Read the Hilton Aspire card review.

The World of Hyatt Credit Card—  Hyatt has a smaller portfolio of hotels than some of the other chains like Hilton and Marriott, but it has some great luxury properties, and there are some real sweet spots in the Hyatt award chart. This card earns you bonus points on Hyatt stays, at restaurants, on gym memberships, and more, and it gets you a free night at a Category 1-4 hotel each year. Read the World of Hyatt card review.

Hilton Honors American Express Business Card— If you qualify for a small business credit card and are a Hilton loyalist, consider this card with a moderate $95 annual fee and benefits like bonus points on Hilton stays and complimentary Gold Hilton status. Read the Hilton Honors Amex Business card review.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card— If you don't want to pay the $450 annual fee of the Hilton Aspire card but still want to enjoy some benefits with Hilton, this card is a good option, with a moderate $95 annual fee. You get complimentary Gold Hilton status, and you'll earn 12 points per dollar on Hilton purchases. Read the Hilton Honors Surpass card review.

IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card— This card gets you a lot in exchange for an $89 fee. Each year you get an anniversary night that you can use at hotels that cost up to 40,000 points, and you get complimentary IHG Platinum status. It often runs lucrative sign-up offers, to boot. Read the IHG Rewards Club Premier card review.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card— Marriott's premium consumer card has a $450 annual but offers lots of benefits to justify it, like up to $300 in annual statement credits for Marriott purchases (including stays) and complimentary Marriott Gold status. Read the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex card review.

Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card— If you're a small-business user who stays at Marriott hotels when you're on the road, this card offers bonus points and complimentary Silver status to make your stay more rewarding. Read the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex review.

Read more: The best hotel credit cards

Business credit cards

If you run your own company or even if you just have a side gig like freelancing or selling items online, a business credit card is a great way to separate your work expenses and earn rewards targeted to business spenders. Many business credit cards offer bonus points on categories like office supplies, and if you opt for a high-end card you can enjoy luxury travel benefits like airport lounge access.

Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business— The Spark Miles for Business earns 2 miles per dollar on all purchases with no cap on what you can earn, and you can either redeem your miles to cover travel expenses or transfer them to airline partners like Air Canada and Singapore Airlines. There's a $95 annual fee, but it's waived the first year. Read the Spark Miles for Business review.

Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business— This card is similar to the Spark Miles for Business, except it has no annual fee and earns cash back instead of miles. You'll earn 2% back on all your purchases, with no cap on how much you can earn. Read the Spark Cash for Business review.

Ink Business Preferred Credit Card— This Chase Business card has one of the best sign-up bonuses around, and it offers great points-earning potential on categories like travel and online advertising for a reasonable $95 annual fee. Read the Ink Business Preferred card review.

Ink Business Cash Credit Card— This no-annual-fee business card from Chase earns bonus cash back on categories like office supply stores, internet, cable, and phone services. If you pair it with a Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards points, you can redeem the Ink Card's cash back as travel rewards with partners like British Airways and Hyatt. Read the Ink Business Cash card review.

The Business Platinum® Card from American Express— The business version of the Amex Platinum Card comes with several unique benefits, including up to $200 in statement credits for Dell purchases each year, and a 35% points rebate when you book eligible air travel through Amex. There's a $595 annual fee, but it could be worth it for frequent business travelers. Read the Amex Business Platinum card review.

Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express— This is a great option for anyong who's looking to earn Amex points and can qualify for a business credit card. The Blue Business Plus has no annual fee, and it earns 2x points on the first $50,000 spent each year (then 1x point). Read the Blue Business Plus card review.

American Express® Business Gold Card— If your business spends a lot on categories like US advertising and airfare purchased directly from airlines, the Business Gold is a great choice. It earns you 4x points on your top two spending categories each month (from a list of six categories), on up to $150,000 in combined purchases each year (then 1x). The card has a $295 annual fee. Read the Amex Business Gold card review.

Ink Business Unlimited Card— This card has no annual fee, and earns a flat 1.5% back on every purchase. If you want a simple card that doesn't require keeping track of any bonus categories, this could be a good choice. Read the Ink Business Unlimited review.

Brex Corporate Card for Startups and the Brex Corporate Card for Ecommerce — Brex's corporate credit card comes in two versions with slightly different benefits tailored for startups and ecommerce companies. Both flavors have no annual fee, and if you make the Brex card your exclusive corporate credit card, you can earn up to 7 points per dollar on spending, and transfer points to airlines like JetBlue. Read the Brex corporate card review.

Read more: The best small business credit cards

• More credit card coverage
• What's the best airline credit card?
• The best cash-back credit cards
• Southwest credit card review
• Best rewards credit cards

• On Monday, Alibaba sales hit $13 billion in the first hour of Single's Day, an annual shopping extravaganza created by the company's cofounder, Jack Ma.
• Ma announced that he would step down as the company's chairman on his 55th birthday on September 10th, Business Insider previously reported. A former teacher, Ma said in May that he would return to the classroom upon his retirement from Alibaba.
• Ma faced criticism after calling President Trump "open-minded" and saying that "China and US will never have a trade war"in 2017, Business Insider previously reported.
• Ma is the richest person in China with a net worth of $39.2 billion, according to Forbes.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Jack Ma may have stepped down as online marketplace Alibaba's chairman on his 55th birthday on September 10, but Singles' Day is still very much intact.

Alibaba's Singles' Day— the annual shopping extravaganza created by cofounder Jack Ma — just made the Chinese retailer $13 billion in one hour.

Ma grew up poor in communist China, failed his university entrance exam twice, and was rejected from dozens of jobs, including one at KFC, before finding success with his third internet company, Alibaba.

Keep reading to learn more about how Jack Ma made his fortune.

Jillian D'onfro and Charles Clark contributed to an earlier version of this post.

DON'T MISS: The investment firm founded by Hong Kong's richest man, Li Ka-shing, just bought the biggest pub and brewery chain group in the UK — here's his incredible rags-to-riches life story

SEE ALSO: How self-made billionaire Jack Ma used charisma and masterful speaking skills to build the Alibaba empire

Jack Ma — born Ma Yun — was born on September 10, 1964, in Hangzhou, southeastern China. He has an older brother and a younger sister.

 Source: 60 Minutes, USA Today

He and his siblings grew up at a time when communist China was increasingly isolated from the West, and his family didn't have much money when they were young.

 Source: 60 Minutes, USA Today

Ma was scrawny and often got into fights with classmates. "I was never afraid of opponents who were bigger than I," he recalls in "Alibaba," a book by Liu Shiying and Martha Avery.

Source: USA Today, Business Insider

As a kid, Ma liked collecting crickets and making them fight, and was able to distinguish the size and type of cricket just by the sound it made.

Source: USA Today, Business Insider

After President Nixon visited Hangzhou in 1972, Ma's hometown became a tourist mecca. As a teenager, Ma started waking up early to visit the city's main hotel, offering visitors tours of the city in exchange for English lessons. The nickname "Jack" was given to him by a tourist he befriended.

Source: 60 Minutes

After high school, he applied to go to college — but failed the entrance exam twice. He finally passed on the third try, going on to attend Hangzhou Teachers Institute. He graduated in 1988 and started applying to as many jobs as he could.

Source: 60 Minutes

He received more than a dozen rejections — including from KFC — before being hired as an English teacher. Ma was a natural with his students and loved his job — though he only made $12 a month at a local university.

Source: Business Insider

At the World Economic Forum in 2016, Jack Ma revealed he has been rejected from Harvard — 10 times.

Source: Business Insider

Ma had no experience with computers or coding, but he was captivated by the internet when he used it for the first time during a trip to the US in 1995. He had recently started a translation business and made the trip to help a Chinese firm recover a payment. Ma's first online search was "beer," but he was surprised to find that no Chinese beers turned up in the results. It was then that he decided to found an internet company for China.

Source: Business Insider, USA Today

Though his first two ventures failed, four years later he gathered 17 of his friends in his apartment and convinced them to invest in his vision for an online marketplace he called "Alibaba." The site allowed exporters to post product listings that customers could buy directly.

Source: Business Insider, 60 Minutes

Soon, the service started to attract members from all over the world. By October 1999, the company had raised $5 million from Goldman Sachs and $20 million from SoftBank, a Japanese telecom company that also invests in technology companies. The team remained close-knit and scrappy. "We will make it because we are young and we never, never give up," Ma said to a gathering of employees.

Source: Business Insider

He was known for maintaining a sense of fun at Alibaba. In the early 2000s, when the company decided to start Taobao, its eBay competitor, he had his team do handstands during breaks to keep their energy levels up.

Source: Business Insider

When the company first became profitable, Ma gave each employee a can of Silly String to go wild with.

Source: Business Insider

In 2005, Yahoo invested $1 billion in Alibaba in exchange for about a 40% stake in the company. This was huge for Alibaba — at the time it was trying to beat eBay in China — and it would eventually be an enormous win for Yahoo too, netting it $10 billion in Alibaba's IPO alone.

Source: TechCrunch

In 2014, Ma told Bloomberg he knew Alibaba had made it big when another customer offered to pay his restaurant bill. The customer, Ma said in the interview, had left Ma a note that read: "I'm your customer of Alibaba group, I made a lot of money and I know you don't make any money. I'll pay the bill for you."

Source: Business Insider

Ma stepped down from his post as CEO in 2013, staying on as executive chairman.

Source: Tech Crunch

Alibaba went public on September 19, 2014. "Today what we got is not money. What we got is the trust from the people," Ma told CNBC at the time.

Source: CNBC, NYSE

The company's $150-billion IPO was the largest offering for a US-listed company in the history of the New York Stock Exchange. It also made Ma the richest person in China, with an estimated worth of $25 billion at the time. His net worth has now grown to $38.1 billion, according to Forbes.

Source: Forbes

Ma's fortune comes from his 7.8% stake in Alibaba and a nearly 50% stake in payment-processing service Alipay.

Source: Forbes

Alibaba employees threw a big party at the company's Hangzhou headquarters to celebrate the IPO. One employee even took the party as the perfect opportunity to propose. Ma told employees at a press conference that he hopes they use their newfound wealth to become "a batch of genuinely noble people, a batch of people who are able to help others, and who are kind and happy."

Source: QQ.com, USA Today

The biggest day in the calendar for Alibaba is China's "Singles' Day"— a retaliation to Valentine's Day — which supposedly celebrates the country's singletons. In 2016, the site recorded nearly $20 billion in sales in 24 hours.

Source: CNBC

In 2019, Singles' Day generated $13 billion in sales in the first hour alone — just after Taylor Swift performed at the event's opening gala in Shanghai.

Source: Business Insider

Alibaba's success may have made Ma an extremely wealthy man, but he has made very few flashy purchases, and he still has some pretty modest hobbies. "I don't think he has changed much, he is still that old style," Xiao-Ping Chen, a friend of Ma, told USA Today. He likes reading and writing kung fu fiction, playing poker, meditating, and practicing​ tai chi.

Source: USA Today

His big splurge was a vineyard and a chateau in Bordeaux, France, in 2016.

Source: Forbes, CNBC

In March 2013, Alibaba spent a reported $49.7 million on a Gulfstream G550, mostly for Ma's use.

Source: China Daily

One of his greatest passions is the environment. According to Fortune, Ma developed an interest in environmentalism when a member of his wife's family became sick with an illness that Ma suspected was caused by pollution. He sits on the global board of The Nature Conservancy and spoke during a session of the Clinton Global Initiative in 2015. He has also, according to Fortune, been instrumental in funding a 27,000-acre nature reserve in China.

Source: Fortune

Ma has largely kept his family life out of the spotlight. He married Zhang Ying, a teacher he met at school, after they graduated in the late 1980s. They have two children — a daughter and a son.

Source: Bloomberg

In 2017, Ma made headlines after meeting President Donald Trump. Despite Trump's protectionist attitude towards trade, Ma said China and the United States were not about to be drawn into a trade war. "Give Trump some time. He's open-minded," Ma told a panel at Davos in January.

Source: Business Insider

Ma is something of a celebrity in China, and crowds of people show up to listen to him speak.

Source: 60 Minutes

The company also hosts annual talent shows, and Ma is a natural entertainer. At a company anniversary event, he dressed up as a punk rocker for a performance in front of 20,000 Alibaba employees.

Source: 60 Minutes

Company lore has it that Ma came up with the name "Alibaba" while sitting in a San Francisco coffee shop. In "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," a secret password unlocks a trove filled with unbelievable riches. Ma's company has, in a way, revealed the potential of small and mid-sized businesses across the globe.

Source: Entrepreneur

Ma stepped down as Alibaba's chairman on, September 10, 2019, his 55th birthday. The company threw him a farewell party in an 80,000-seat stadium in Hangzhou, and Ma performed with other Alibaba executives.

Source: Business Insider

Ma picked Daniel Zhang, who has been the CEO of Alibaba since 2015, to replace him as chairman. According to CNN Business, Ma is now pivoting to full-time philanthropy.

Source: Business Insider, CNN Business

• The 2019 People's Choice Awards were held in Santa Monica, California, on Sunday.
• In addition to Hollywood actors and musicians, many YouTubers attended the event.
• Tana Mongeau and Colleen Ballinger, for example, both arrived wearing sparkling red gowns.
• David Dobrik and Bretman Rock put their own twists on traditional suits.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Hollywood celebrities weren't the only stars to attend the 2019 People's Choice Awards on Sunday. YouTubers also attended the Santa Monica event.

From David Dobrik to Tana Mongeau, some of the internet's biggest stars showed up wearing fashionable ensembles. Mongeau matched Colleen Ballinger in a sparkling red gown, while Bretman Rock stole the show in a silver suit with a sheer top.

Here's what 10 YouTube stars wore to this year's event. 

Tana Mongeau arrived in a glamorous red gown.

The YouTuber's dress had a semi-sheer skirt that extended into a short train, and a single strap that wrapped around her left shoulder.

Mongeau, who's known for her story-time videos, also wore red lipstick and styled her hair in loose waves.

Jackie Aina opted for a metallic minidress and Christian Louboutin heels.

The beauty YouTuber looked glamorous in the long-sleeved dress, which also had a V-shaped neckline and ruched skirt.

To add some extra shine, Aina donned snakeskin-printed heels and glossy lipstick.

Bretman Rock stole the show in a silver suit with a sheer top underneath.

His outfit was comprised of shiny gray pants, a silver snakeskin blazer, and a mesh top with a plunging neckline. To complete his look, he wore patent-leather boots and layers of silver chains.

The beauty YouTuber also incorporated makeup into his red-carpet look, donning sharp black eyeliner and nude lip gloss. He later took home the award for beauty influencer of 2019.

Colleen Ballinger rocked a red minidress with puffy sleeves.

The YouTube comedian might be known for her quirky character Miranda Sings online, but she proved her fashion sense on the red carpet.

She matched her red lipstick to her dazzling dress, and also donned a statement pair of clear heels with pointed black toes.

David Dobrik was the most casually-dressed YouTuber on the red carpet.

He donned a simple black shirt, which he wears in many of his YouTube videos, and pinstriped pants. He also carried a disposable camera, which he used to take photos for his Instagram account, David's Disposable.

Dobrik later took home the award for social star of 2019.

Desi Perkins sparkled in a green dress with a thigh-high slit.

The right side of her dress was held up by a sparkling strap, while the left side had a long sleeve. The beauty YouTuber completed her look with a matching velvet clutch and green sandals.

Rickey Thompson chose a monochromatic look for the red-carpet event.

While Thompson rose to fame on Vine and Instagram, he now stars in the YouTube Red series "Foursome."

He turned heads at the 2019 PCA's by wearing a green suit with puffy sleeves and a belt around the waist. Thompson also wore numerous rings and black shoes with giant gold buckles.

Rachel Levin donned a long-sleeved dress with daring cutouts.

The beauty YouTuber's gown was sleek and included two gold chains that wrapped around her waist.

Levin also brought back a hair trend from the early aughts: a ponytail on the top of her head.

Andrea Russett rocked a white pantsuit covered in sparkles.

Russett, who posts lifestyle videos on YouTube, paired her pantsuit with a sparkling black crop top and pointed heels. She also wore her hair in a ponytail with two loose strands that framed her face.

Alisha Marie wore a dress that combined some of the night's biggest fashion trends.

Not only did the YouTuber's dress have puffy sleeves, but it also had a thigh-high slit and was covered in sparkles. To complete her look, she wore a bunch of rings and see-through heels.

• Read more:
• Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian both showed their bras on the 2019 PCAs red carpet with Kim and Kris Jenner
• Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is the latest celebrity to wear the heeled flip-flop trend
• Gigi Hadid turned heads in a $3,605 outfit with a giant diamond ring worn as an earring
• Kim Kardashian put a daring twist on a '90s trend by wearing leather chaps with a denim corset