• A report by Coresight Research analyzed the in-store shopping experiences of 32 brands on Black Friday and found that store activity and lines varied significantly across the board. 
• Of the 32 retailers analyzed, Coresight reported that 25 offered Black Friday discounts, at an average rate of 37-47%. 
• Here are the best and worst Black Friday brick-and-mortar experiences, based on Coresight's findings. 
• Sign up for Business Insider's retail newsletter, The Drive-Thru.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

For shoppers brave enough to face the Black Friday crowds last week, many shoppers found that the experiences at some stores were far better than others. 

According to a report by Coresight Research, store activity and lines varied significantly across stores this year, though home goods and consumer electronics were the most popular shopping categories. As part of the research firm's annual Black Friday shopping report, the team examined 32 brands by visiting 65 total stores "at outlets, luxury malls, downtown locations, neighborhood centers, and regional malls," the report states. 

Across the 32 brands, Coresight found that 25 offered Black Friday discounts, at an average rate of 37-47%. Additionally, researchers noted an uptick in in-store technology offerings this year, like buy-online-pick-up-in-store kiosks, self-checkout, and digital payment. 

Coresight ranked each of the brands' in-store experience based on four main categories — brand building, experience, service, and technology integration — and allotted points to each retailer. Coresight used a "star" system, that allocates one red star (for one point), a half red star (for half a point), or a black star (for zero points), for a maximum of four stars. 

Here are the best and worst physical retail experiences of Black Friday, according to Coresight. 

SEE ALSO: Black Friday as we know it is dying, but that's not all bad news for retailers

Best: Bloomingdale's

Bloomingdale's was the only retailer to receive four stars for its "fun experiences, good services, taste testing, and discovery via new brands," researchers wrote in the report. 

Worst: Ross

Despite its "great merchandise," Ross received zero stars for an in-store experience that "disappointed" and for offering no Black Friday promotions. 

Worst: Victoria's Secret

Victoria's Secret also received zero stars, though researchers noted it delivered a "consistent brand experience" and offered several promotions.  

Best: Ulta Beauty

Ulta received high marks of 3.5 stars for "excellent branding" and an "enthusiastic sales staff."

Best: Bed Bath & Beyond

Bed Bath & Beyond also snagged 3.5 stars for an "overall decent shopping experience with strong Black Friday deals."

Worst: Marshalls

Marshalls received just half a star due to particularly messy and crowded stores, according to Coresight. Additionally, several products were missing tags and labels, making it challenging to discern what was on sale.

Best: Walmart

Though Walmart experienced a few blips during its early online sales on Wednesday, Coresight found that the stores were very busy and online shoppers were especially enticed by gamification and strong deals. 

Worst: Lucky Brand

Lucky Brand received just half a star for customer service, and researchers found the brand to be particularly "far behind in offering a retail experience and using technology."

Worst: Nike Outlet

While the Nike Outlet was a popular Black Friday destination thanks to its 30% sales, the lines were long with "even longer lines to check out."

Worst: Sears

Sears received low marks for its "very low-tech store" and weak foot traffic despite its positioning in a mall that was particularly busy on Black Friday. 

Worst: Lord & Taylor

Lord & Taylor received just half a star for brand building given that the store was "practically empty" and there were "more staff than customers." 

Worst: Banana Republic

Banana Republic received just one star for weak customer service. 

Best: Nordstrom

Though Coresight researchers found that "the store was decorated beautifully," its minimal discounts were "not compelling or well marked." Still, Nordstrom received three stars for its plethora of brands and its "smattering of new discoveries." 

• Sometimes period TV shows and movies leave modern-day objects in scenes or feature props that aren't appropriate for a certain era. 
• Eagle-eyed fans have spotted plastic water bottles and modern to-go coffee cups in the HBO fantasy drama "Game of Thrones."
• In period movies like "Newsies" and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" you can see glowing exit signs that wouldn't have existed yet. 
• You can see a boom microphone on an episode of Disney Plus' "The Mandalorian."
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

The films and television shows we know and love pass by dozens of pairs of eyes before they reach our devices and screens — but anachronistic mistakes can still happen and sometimes objects that don't belong make the final cut. 

From rogue coffee cups making an appearance on "Game of Thrones" to video games that wouldn't yet exist being featured in "The Hurt Locker," here are a few times modern-day items were left in period films and on fantasy TV shows.

Who can forget the infamous coffee cup left on one of the final episodes of "Game of Thrones"?

On an episode of the final season of the HBO series "Game of Thrones," someone forgot to remove a modern-day, to-go coffee cup from the set before the director called action on a post-war dinner scene. The cup was next to Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke).

The error somehow made it past the editors and into the initial airing. It was later digitally removed, but not before it caused quite a stir online.

Although it's a bit unclear when this fantasy series was set, they didn't have electricity or modern-day conveniences ... so it's quite unlikely they'd have disposable cups. 

In a later press release, HBO made a joke about the moment, writing, "The latte that appeared in the episode was a mistake. Daenerys had ordered an herbal tea."

And, in an email to Variety, "GOT" art director Hauke Richter said this sort of incident isn't that uncommon. "Things can get forgotten on set," he wrote. "[The coffee cup error has been] so blown out of proportion [because] it has not happened with 'Thrones' so far."

"Game of Thrones" had another gaffe in its series finale, when two plastic water bottles were spotted.

On the long-awaited season finale of "GOT," eagle-eyed fans spotted two small anachronistic instances in the form of plastic water bottles.

During the council scene, you can see water bottles at the feet of both Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) and Ser Davos (Liam Cunningham). These types of bottles wouldn't be popularized until the late 1900s— the show is set centuries before this. 

"Newsies" (1992) has brightly lit exit signs even though the film is supposedly set in 1899.

Disney's "Newsies," the box-office bust that was later adapted into a Broadway darling, features a few anomalies during one of its big musical numbers. 

Throughout the vaudeville performance of "High Times, Hard Times" by Medda Larkson (Ann-Margret), you can see quite a few brightly lit, modern-day exit signs.

Considering the movie is inspired by the real-life Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York City and is set during that same time, this technology and design (which was developed decades later) would not exist yet. 

"O Brother, Where Art Thou?" (2000) is set in the 1930s but there's a modern-day sign in it.

This movie is set in the 1930s, but at one point in the film a group of men enter a movie theater and a red electric exit sign is illuminated above the door.

Although it wouldn't be unlikely that this theater would have an exit sign, it wouldn't look anything like this modern-day one. 

In "Gladiator" (2000), there's a gas cylinder under one of the chariots.

If you pay close attention to one of the horse-drawn chariots during the battle in the Colosseum, you'll spot a big, metal gas cylinder.

It was most likely used to achieve a special effect, but it wouldn't actually exist in ancient Rome, which is when this movie is set. 

There's a white car in the back of a famous battle scene in "Braveheart" (1995).

During the"Hold" battle scene, eagle-eyed viewers can spot a white car in the background.

"Braveheart"may have been shot in the mid-'90s, but it takes place in 13th-century Scotland where (and when) there were absolutely no cars.

One of the people in "Glory" (1989) had a digital watch on.

The 1990 Civil-War film that won Denzel Washington an Oscar for best supporting actor features a person wearing a digital watch.

The Civil War began in 1861 and digital watches were invented about a century later.

There's a man who doesn't quite belong during a scene in "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" (2003).

In one scene on a ship in the first "Pirates of the Caribbean" film, a person who appears to be a crew member can be seen standing among the pirates in a historically inaccurate white T-shirt and an out-of-place cowboy hat.

"M*A*S*H" (1976) is set in the 1950s but somehow a character has a comic that wouldn't come out until the late 1960s.

On the episode "Der Tag," Radar O'Reilly (Gary Burghoff) fell asleep holding his stuffed bear and a comic book from the "Avengers" series.

The first "Avengers" comic book wasn't published until 1963 and "M*A*S*H" was set during the Korean War, which was between 1950 and 1953.

This Marvel comic-book series wouldn't even exist yet. Moreover, people have pointed out he's reading "Avengers #60" which wasn't released until 1969.

In "The Doors" (1991), a billboard for a movie that came out in 1990 is present during what's supposed to be the 1970s.

The movie, which follows Jim Morrison and the famous rock band The Doors throughout the 1960s and early 1970s has a small anachronistic moment in an establishing shot. 

During a scene in the film that's set in 1971, band frontman Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer) is sitting on a window ledge and, behind him, there is a billboard for the 1990 Eddie Murphy film "Another 48 Hours."

"Bernie" (2011) is based on real events that happened in the 1990s, but there's a modern-day cell phone in it.

"Bernie" is based on the real-life 1996 murder of Marjorie Nugent, a wealthy widow, who was shot by her companion, Bernie Tiede.

The film, which stars Jack Black, takes place in the mid-1990s — but at one point, we get a clear look at an incoming call on an iPhone, the first iteration of which Apple released years later in 2007.

In "The Hurt Locker," one character is playing a console and game that wouldn't yet exist.

This war drama is set in 2004 but in one scene a character is shown playing "Gears of War" on an Xbox 360. This was a year before the console was released in 2005 and two years before the video game was released in 2006.

You can see a boom microphone on an episode of Disney Plus' "The Mandalorian."

On the fourth episode of Disney Plus' "The Mandalorian," some viewers noticed a boom microphone popping up at the top of the screen. 

The piece of technology in question was spotted about 16 minutes into the episode during a conversation between Omera (Julia Jones) and titular character (Pedro Pascal). 

• Disney theme parks are among the most visited destinations around the world.
• There are fascinating secrets and facts behind some of the most iconic Disney rides, like the ride that's powered by french fry oil and the hidden basketball court inside another ride.
• Read on for 18 surprising facts you may not have known about Disney rides.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Disney parks are among the most visited destinations around the world.

Visitors from just about every corner of the earth flock to Disney theme parks in Florida, California, France, China, Japan, and Hong Kong, with more than 157 million people entering the gates of a Disney park in 2018. The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World alone welcomed 20.8 million visitors in 2018, according to an annual report released by Themed Entertainment Association and AECOM in May 2019. 

Guests at the Disney parks get to enjoy dozens of rides and attractions both classic and modern, especially as all of the parks worldwide continue to expand and give guests more to see and experience.

But even die-hard Disney fans probably don't know every secret about their favorite rides.

Here are some of the most mind-blowing facts about 18 Disney rides, from the ride that's powered by french fry oil and the iconic spinning teacups that give you the secret option of different speeds.

Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean cost about as much to build as the entire park itself.

Per CNBC, Disneyland cost $17 million to build when it opened in 1955, equivalent to around $163 million in 2019. But one of the original Disney park's most beloved attractions cost around that much to build: Pirates of the Caribbean.

According to author Kendra Trahan's book "Disneyland Detective: An Independent Guide to Discovering Disney's Legend," New Orleans Square, the area of Disneyland that houses the classic dark ride among swashbuckling pirates cost around $15 million, so that the ride itself could be built underground. 

Pirates of the Caribbean also happens to be the last Disneyland ride that Walt Disney himself oversaw — he died in December 1966, and the attraction opened three months later, per Disneyland News.

Walt Disney himself only personally designed one Disneyland attraction.

Though Walt Disney certainly had his hand in plans for the parks on both coasts, according to Disneyland News, he only personally designed one attraction at the Anaheim park: Tom Sawyer Island, which takes guests into the trails, caves, and waterways said to have been traveled by Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn themselves.

The attraction opened on June 16, 1956, nearly a year after Disneyland's opening on July 17, 1955.

There's a secret basketball court inside the top of the Matterhorn Bobsleds.

The classic steel coaster in Disneyland's Fantasyland area houses a hidden secret at the very top: a basketball court.

Although you won't find any NBA players secretly shooting hoops up there, the Disney Channel program Walt Disney World Inside Out, which ran from 1994 to 1997, confirmed that there was in fact a basketball court smaller than a regulation half-court inside the attraction, which served as a resting space for climbers that used to periodically scale down the side of the Matterhorn mountain.

According to a Disney cast member interviewed on the show, Walt Disney himself wanted to put "the strangest thing" he could in that empty space, asking ride operators and mountain climbers what they'd like to see there. After noting they wanted to play basketball, a hoop was installed — but there isn't confirmation that it still exists to this day.

The Disneyland Railroad steam trains are powered by french fry oil.

The Walt Disney Company touts its commitment to environmental sustainability, and they demonstrate it with its unusual way of powering one of its rides: with cooking oil.

Since 2009, the Disneyland Railroad steam trains have been run on bio-diesel made from recycled cooking oil used to make park favorite fried foods like french fries, saving around 200,000 gallons of petroleum diesel each year, according to Disney Parks Blog.

Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad actually became a 'runaway train' when it derailed in 2003.

There is no shortage of guest incidents at the Disney parks in which visitors are injured or killed on rides or within the resort gates. 

But some incidents are more morbid than others, like the time in 2003 when a wheel assembly fell off a ride vehicle on Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and caused the coaster to crash, killing a 22-year-old rider and injuring 10 others, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health released a report two months after the accident that placed the crash at the fault of park maintenance workers, ride operators and a mechanic, who didn't properly correct inspection issues.

Spinning lovers can choose how fast their teacup spins at Disneyland's Mad Tea Party.

If you don't mind going for a fast spin after enjoying a turkey leg or a Mickey bar on your next Disneyland visit, you'll want to pick your teacup on the Mad Tea Party accordingly. As Disney blog All Ears noted, the orange diamond cup spins the fastest, followed by the purple cup. The cups with hearts spin the slowest.

The 'It's a Small World' theme song is one of the most played songs in music history.

Whether you love it or hate it, the ubiquitous theme song to "It's a Small World" is very likely one of the most played songs in music history. According to Time magazine in 2014, the song had been played an estimated 50 million times since the song was composed by Disney staff writers Richard and Robert Sherman for the 1964-65 New York World's Fair pavilion ride, which was then installed in Anaheim as It's a Small World in 1966.

The "happiest cruise that ever sailed" can be found at every Disneyland park around the globe except for Shanghai Disneyland, and the cheerful theme song is now played somewhere on the planet every hour of every single day, according to ABC News.

There's a hidden 'wedding ring' embedded in the ground at Disney World's Haunted Mansion.

The Haunted Mansion, located in Disney's Magic Kingdom, is one of the most ghoulishly frightening attractions in an otherwise whimsical, happy park. Aside from cast members who won't crack a smile and theatrical dust and cobwebs designed to maintain its unkempt appearance, there are lots of hidden Disney Easter eggs and secrets for guests to discover in the ride's queue and interior.

One such secret was the "diamond wedding ring" that used to be located in the line's cement walkway, which has been the source of many legends, myths, and stories over the park's history. According to Theme Park Tourist, a Disney parks blog, the "ring" is actually just remains of a pole that used to exist for crowd control, but it remained stuck in the shape of a diamond ring in the cement.

The ring was removed as part of a renovation of the attraction in 2007, but a replacement ring was returned to its rightful spot after Disney fans protested in 2011.

A teenager attempted to scare her cousin on the Haunted Mansion ride in 1991 and was critically injured.

Per the Orlando Sentinel, in 1991, a 15-year-old from Sarasota, Florida, attempted to scare her cousin on the Haunted Mansion by jumping from her "doom buggy" to another, where she fell and received critical injuries. She eventually recovered from her injuries.

The Hall of Presidents attraction features one of only three official Presidential Seals in the United States.

The Magic Kingdom's attraction celebrating US leaders past and present opened on October 1, 1971, and is updated with each new elected president. It remains a lifelike historical representation of many of the most important periods in American history.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Disney paid such close attention to detail within the Hall of Presidents attraction that the Presidential Seal in the waiting room's rotunda is one of only three such seals to exist, with Disney receiving permission from Congress to place it there. The other seals are located in the Oval Office at the White House and at the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, and the exhibit's building is modeled after Independence Hall, according to The New York Times.

Each president's costume is designed using fabrics and sewing techniques of the time they served in office.

According to D23, the official Disney fan club, each animatronic president in the Hall of Presidents is given a costume designed using fabrics, styles, and sewing techniques based on their time in office, which means early leaders' suits were hand-stitched, while recent presidents' suits were made with updated sewing machines. 

Two people lost fingers on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Walt Disney World in 2014.

Though ride safety instructions will remind guests to keep hands, feet, and legs inside their ride vehicles at all times, two guests lost fingers on the dark ride within two weeks of each other in 2014, according to The Miami New Times.

First, a visitor from the United Kingdom had the tips of his ring and pinky fingers severed off on the boat ride, with a 12-year-old visitor suffering injuries to four fingers on the same ride a little more than a week later.

Some of those screams you hear on The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror are pre-recorded.

While many of the screams coming from Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios thrilling attraction Tower of Terror are coming from terrified guests, Travel + Leisure reports that many of the screams passersby will hear from the ground outside the ride are actually pre-recorded, seemingly as a way to boost the terrifying ambiance.

Disney's Hollywood Studios is the only Disney park that has none of its opening-day attractions.

Since opening in 1989, Disney's Hollywood Studios is perhaps the park that has undergone the most changes, despite its continued celebration of the film industry and Hollywood. First, the park received a name change, going from the Disney-MGM Studios to Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2008, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

As the park continues to undergo tremendous expansion, it's the only park worldwide to contain none of its original rides. Per Theme Park Insider, the park had five attractions and rides on opening day, and its last original attraction — The Great Movie Ride — closed in 2017.

There's a reason you'll never see rainwater dripping off Spaceship Earth at Epcot.

As Epcot's signature attraction and the first thing most guests see as they enter the park's gates, the massive geodesic sphere seems like it would be a nightmare for passersby during Florida's notoriously heavy rains and hurricanes.

But according to the Chicago Tribune, Spaceship Earth features a hidden drainage system that lets rainwater flow through and into well-placed gutters, which then channel it through Spaceship Earth's support legs beneath Future World, where it flows out and replenishes the water supply in World Showcase Lagoon, located in the back half of the park.

Epcot is home to the second-largest aquarium in America.

Though Walt Disney World's Epcot is undergoing a major makeover, one of its most beloved themed areas, The Seas with Nemo and Friends, hosts a 5.7-million-gallon saltwater aquarium, which Visit Florida notes is is the second-largest aquarium in the United States, behind the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.

The Chicago Tribune noted that Epcot's The Seas aquarium is so large, Epcot's Spaceship Earth could fit inside it, and there would still be room to drive a Disney bus around it.

Expedition Everest is the most expensive roller coaster ever built.

According to 2011's Guinness World Records, the hallmark roller coaster at Disney's Animal Kingdom was the most expensive in the world, costing more than $100 million to build. As of 2019, the Yeti-themed thrill ride still holds this title, according to Best of Orlando.

The coaster took six years to design and plan before greeting guests upon its opening in 2006.

It's also the tallest attraction at Walt Disney World at 199.5 feet high, per Best of Orlando. Structures at 200 feet or more are required to feature a red flashing light to alert planes overhead, so engineers made the ride hit just below 200 feet to prevent that feature.

Plenty of people continue to try and steal parts from Disney rides

Among the most popular legends of the Disney parks is that people try to scatter the ashes of loved ones throughout the parks, but fans also try and take home some unsolicited souvenirs during their times at the parks, too.

In 2019 alone, Walt Disney World reported $20,000 worth of missing pieces from Magic Kingdom attractions, including a set of sails from Peter Pan's Flight and three seats from Space Mountain. In a separate incident, a former Disney employee was caught trying to steal costumes and wigs worth $7,200 from inside the Haunted Mansion.

There's a profitable market for Disney parks memorabilia, which gives many seemingly useless items an incredibly high resale value.

• If you want to improve your relationship, elevate your sex life, or up your dating game, a countless number of books promise to do just that. 
• Insider asked researchers who study parenting, sex, consensually non-monogamous relationships, love addiction, and more their top recommendations.
• These are experts' favorite books for improving your love life.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more.

People often want help navigating sex, relationships, and love, but have trouble knowing exactly how to seek it. 

Even starting with a simple book isn't so simple, given the sheer number of options that can make discerning the most helpful reads a difficult task.

To help you narrow down the best books for improving your relationships and love life, Insider asked researchers who study parenting, sex, consensually non-monogamous relationships, love addiction, and more their top recommendations.

These are their favorite books, whether you want more satisfying sex, increased intimacy with your partner, or more fulfilling dating experiences.

"The Ethical Slut, Third Edition: A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships, and Other Freedoms in Sex and Love" by Janet W. Hardy and Dossie Easton

Amy Moors, a sex researcher at Chapman University in California who studies consensually non-monogamous relationships like polyamory, swinging, and open relationships, suggested this book, which is all about how to navigate non-monogamous relationships in a way that is considerate of your own needs and the needs of your partners.

It's a great jumping-off point for someone who is interested in open or poly relationships but only has experience with monogamy thus far.

Buy it here.

"Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships" by Tristan Taormino

Moors also suggested this book about the challenges and benefits of consensually non-monogamous relationships. To write it, the author interviewed over 100 people in those setups. 

The book also includes exercises so "you and your partner can fill out different things and kind of talk about desires," Moors told Insider. "You can really jump-start the conversation that can normally be awkward or difficult for someone."

Buy it here.

"Dataclysm: Love, Sex, Race, and Identity — What Our Online Lives Tell Us about Our Offline Selves" by Christian Rudder

Amanda Gesselman, a researcher at The Kinsey Institute who studies the intersection of technology and dating, recommended this book from OkCupid's co-founder

The pages are filled with OkCupid data that illuminates singles' online habits when they're dating around.

"It just has like a lot of really cool, interesting breakdowns of what 'success' means" in the modern dating world, Gesselman said.

The book delves into how people's dating profile choices affected who they ended up matching with and what their subsequent messages back-and-forth looked like.

Gesselman said the book "shows such an interesting nuance in terms of human behavior and what we evaluate" in prospective love interests.

Buy it here.

"Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead" by Brené Brown

Christine Leistner, a relationship health researcher and assistant professor in the Department of Health and Community Services at California State University's Chico campus, suggested this book from Brown, a researcher who studies shame, vulnerability, and the ways these emotions shape our relationships.

"We know that shame impacts sexuality so much," Leistner said. "So many of my clinical therapist friends talk about how they're just so frustrated because their patients are in good relationships, but they still feel shame about sexuality and it limits their connection with their partners."

This book discusses the ways shame can affect everything from parenting to sex to romantic relationships, and Brown explains how tapping into one's vulnerable side can make all of these areas of life more fulfilling and less shame-filled.

Buy it here.

"Eight Dates: Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love" by John and Julie Gottman

Leistner said she also recommends "any book from the Gottmans," a husband-wife duo that has been researching relationships and sex for decades.

This book, "Eight Dates," offers couples exercises to have honest and evolving conversations about finances, family, career, and other factors that affect, make, or break relationships.

Buy it here.

"Sex for One: The Joy of Selfloving" by Betty Dodson

Shannon Chavez, a member of Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality and clinical psychologist who specializes in love addiction, told Insider this book "provides a sex-positive view on masturbation and breaks down the taboos and shame around self-pleasure."

That's important, Chavez added, because "you have to know how to pleasure yourself sexually before being able to show a partner how to do it." In fact, Chavez said, she thinks "masturbation is the most important component of sexual health."

Buy it here.

"The Guide to Getting it On" by Paul Joannides

Patti Britton, a clinical sexologist and educator, said that though there is no single book that can fully capture the spectrum of human sexuality, she highly recommends this book because the author writes in an accessible and inclusive way. 

"This has been his life's work over several of the past years. He's a psychoanalyst and sex researcher and sexuality educator who does a tremendous amount of research that backs up all of the data in the book," Britton said. 

"It's so comprehensive on so many diverse topics within the broad topic of human sexuality," she added. 

Buy it here.

"The Art of The Hookup: Your Ethical Guide to a Successful Sex Life" by Georgie Wolf

Linda Kirkman, the Victorian president of the Society for Australian Sexologists, conducts research on sexual health over the lifespan. She told Insider she recommends this book for anyone looking to work on sexual communication. 

"While it sounds like it is just about casual sex, and Georgie says the reader they had in mind was a man 18 to 25 years old, what makes me recommend this book to people of all ages and relationship types is the detail about consent and communication," Kirkman said.  

Kirkman also applauded the book for its focus on psychological health during sex. 

Buy it at. 

"Enjoy sex (how, when and IF you want to): A Practical and Inclusive Guide" by Meg-John Barker and Justin Hancock

Kirkman said this book is another great consent-focused guide that takes an open approach to sex. 

"What I love about this book is the wide perspective about what sex is, or could be, and the focus on consent," Kirkman said. "It allows for understandings about sex and sexuality beyond a narrow social script and makes no assumptions that sexual activity is compulsory. It is also written in an engaging and clear style."

Buy it here.

"Come As You Are: The Surprising New Science that Will Transform Your Sex Life" by Emily Nagoski

Stephen Snyder, associate clinical professor of psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, studies relationships and human sexuality. He said this book is a good introductory text to female sexuality. 

"It's written to educate women about their erotic bodies and minds. And it's managed to convince a lot of women who've read it that they're normal and that there's nothing wrong with them," Snyder said. 

Buy it here. 

"Not Always in the Mood: The New Science of Men, Sex, and Relationships" by Sarah Hunter Murray

Snyder also recommended this book, saying it's "required reading" for heterosexual couples.

In it, the author, who's studied human sexuality and desire for years, uses her own research to break down stereotypes and expectations about human sexuality. 

Buy it here.

• Read more:
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• I caught my husband watching gay porn and he admitted he's seen it before. Does that mean he's gay?
• The one mistake monogamous couples make when considering polyamory, according to a sex researcher

• Tesla's semiautonomous Autopilot feature has led to an alarming, if rare trend: drivers falling asleep at the wheel.
• In 2019, a record number of videos surfaced of Tesla drivers seemingly asleep on the highway while Autopilot kept their car moving at high speeds.
• Tesla's autopilot has drawn controversy for its involvement in several crashes, some of which have been fatal— but Tesla argues that the feature makes drivers safer overall. 
• These videos taken by other drivers throughout 2019 show the unnerving moments they noticed they were sharing the road with Teslas whose drivers were asleep at the wheel.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Most of the videos follow the same formula: Cell phone footage shot on a highway shows a Tesla driver reclining in their seat, hands not on the wheel. As the person filming the video passes them, it becomes clear that the Tesla driver isn't even awake: "I think this guy is, like, passed out in his Tesla."

Tesla's semiautonomous Autopilot feature has led to an alarming new genre of viral videos in 2019: Drivers sleeping at the wheel while their Tesla barrels down the highway.

The trend has been heavily documented in recent months — in The New York Times Magazine, Peter Baker described the ominous sensation of watching a "human lulled to sleep inside a hunk of metal and glass, hurtling down a highway under the control of proprietary algorithms beamed on board from Palo Alto."

Tesla has insisted that the feature makes drivers safer, and a Bloomberg survey last month found that over 90% of Model 3 owners agree. The company also says drivers must keep their hands on the wheel and pay attention to the road while driving on Autopilot — however, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has repeatedly used Autopilot with his hands off the wheel during demonstrations.

Here are all the times Tesla drivers were caught apparently sleeping at the wheel throughout 2019.

SEE ALSO: People are saying the 'cybergirl' who introduced Elon Musk at Tesla's Cybertruck unveiling was girlfriend Grimes — here's the evidence

In January, an anonymous tipster sent the car news site Jalopnik video of a "dangerous idiot" apparently sleeping at the wheel of his Autopilot-driven Tesla Model X.

View the full video on Jalopnik.

In March, a Twitter user posted a video of a Tesla driver appearing to sleep at the wheel on a Los Angeles highway.

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Dude is straight snoozing going 75mph on the interstate, letting his @Tesla do the work. 😳😴 pic.twitter.com/RQD2LBSnGh

Dutch police stopped a Tesla driver in May who was allegedly sleeping behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol.

Read more about the Netherlands incident here.

In June, another Los Angeles driver was caught appearing to sleep while his Tesla drove down Interstate 405.

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In August, another Twitter user recorded a driver who appeared to be asleep behind the wheel on Interstate 5 in Los Angeles.

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@RalphNader Ralph can you do anything about stopping this disturbing phenomenon? My wife and I shot this video last week on the busy I-5 in LA. @Tesla#sleepingdrivers#unsafeatanyspeedpic.twitter.com/ADbpt0uSZ4

A driver on the Massachusetts Turnpike appeared to doze off behind the wheel while his passenger was also asleep, a video posted to Twitter in September shows.

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Some guy literally asleep at the wheel on the Mass Pike (great place for it).

Teslas are sick, I guess? pic.twitter.com/ARSpj1rbVn

In October, yet another California driver was recorded apparently sleeping while driving a Tesla on autopilot.

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• Kroger is building "dark" kitchens with an Indianapolis startup called ClusterTruck.
• Kroger says the kitchens will prepare and deliver restaurant-style meals without charging any service or delivery fees.
• 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.

Kroger is getting into the meal-delivery business.

The nation's largest traditional grocer said on Monday that it had partnered with an Indianapolis startup called ClusterTruck to open delivery-only kitchens, also known as "dark" or "ghost" kitchens, in Indianapolis, Columbus, and Denver.

Here's what we know about the new concept, called Kroger Delivery Kitchen.

SEE ALSO: 'Ghost kitchens' are taking over fast-food chains from Chick-fil-A to Wendy's

The kitchens will prepare and deliver restaurant-style meals and "change the way Americans access freshly prepared meals," Kroger said in a news release.

"The way our customers order and receive meals is evolving, and ClusterTruck's innovative culinary and digital design is cracking the code for the future of profitable meal delivery," said Yael Cosset, Kroger's chief information officer.

Kroger said it would not charge delivery or service fees, making it cheaper than other delivery options such as Uber Eats.

"Kroger Delivery Kitchen Powered by ClusterTruck will allow our customers to access restaurant-quality fresh and delicious meals like never before and without having to pay excessive service or delivery fees," Cosset said.

ClusterTruck software uses algorithms to optimize operations and ensure orders are delivered within seven minutes of preparation, Kroger said, adding that meals are delivered within 30 minutes of ordering, on average.

Kroger Delivery Kitchen customers can order from a varied menu featuring items such as pizza and pad thai.

Kroger and ClusterTruck have just four "dark" kitchens in operation in Carmel, Indiana; Indianapolis; Columbus; and Denver.

A Kroger spokeswoman said there's potential for expansion beyond those cities.

• The US is locked in an escalating face-off with top rivals Russia and China. But head-to-head comparisons of military strength are hard to come by.
• Comparing the power of conventional military forces is quite complicated, which is part of what makes the annual Global Firepower rankings so noteworthy.
• China, for instance, has only 1 operational aircraft carrier to the US's 11, but the People's Liberation Army-Navy is testing its second carrier at sea and has plans to build more.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The US is locked in an escalating face-off with top rivals Russia and China. But head-to-head comparisons of military strength are hard to come by — which is what makes the Global Firepower annual rankings so noteworthy.

Their 2019 Military Strength Ranking draws on more than 55 factors to assign a Power Index score to 137 countries — adding Moldova this year. (Global Firepower appears to have changed its methodology from that of previous lists the 2019, yielding different index numbers.)

The ranking assesses the diversity of each country's weapons and pays particular attention to their available manpower. Geography, logistical capacity, available natural resources, and the status of local industry are also considered.

Recognized nuclear powers receive a bonus, but their nuclear stockpiles are not factored into the score. Landlocked countries are not docked for lacking a navy, but countries with navies are penalized if their fleets lack diversity. (Helicopter carriers are included alongside traditional fleet carriers in Global Firepower's ranking.)

NATO countries get a slight bonus because the alliance theoretically shares resources, but in general, a country's current political and military leadership was not considered (though financial health and stability are).

The top power index score is 0.0000, which is "realistically unattainable," according to Global Firepower. The closer they are to this number, the more powerful their military is.

Per these criteria, these are the 25 most powerful militaries in the world:

SEE ALSO: Here's what the US Air Force has planned for all its bombers

25. Saudi Arabia

Power Index rating: 0.4268

Total population: 33,091,113

Total military personnel: 230,000 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 848; ranks 12th out of 137 countries

Fighter aircraft: 244; ranks 12th 

Combat tanks: 1,062 (ranks 24th)

Total naval assets: 55

Defense budget: $70 billion

24. Poland

Power Index rating: (NATO member) 0.4059

Total population: 38,420,687

Total military personnel: 105,000 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 469 (ranked 27th of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 93 (ranked 26th)

Combat tanks: 1,100 (ranked 23rd)

Total naval assets: 83

Defense budget: $9.36 billion

23. Vietnam

Power Index rating: 0.3988

Total population: 97,040,334

Total military personnel: 5,482,000 (estimated) 

Total aircraft strength: 318 (ranked 33rd out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 108 (ranked 21st)

Combat tanks: 2,575 (ranked 28th) 

Total naval assets: 65

Defense budget: $3.365 billion

22. Taiwan

Power Index rating: 0.3956

Total population: 23,545,963

Total military personnel: 1.89 million (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 837 (ranked 13th out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 286 (ranked 9th)

Combat tanks: 1,885 (ranked 17th)

Total naval assets: 87

Defense budget: $10.725 billion

21. Canada

Power Index rating: (NATO member) 0.3941

Total population: 35,881,659

Total military personnel: 94,000 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 384 (ranked 31st of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 53 (ranked 38th)

Combat tanks: 80 (ranked 79th)

Total naval assets: 63

Defense budget: $21.2 billion

20. Spain

Power Index rating: (NATO member) 0.3921

Total population: 49,331,076

Total military personnel: 139,500 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 522 (ranked 23rd out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 136 (ranked 18th)

Combat tanks: 327 (ranked 51st)

Total naval assets: 46; one aircraft carrier

Defense budget: $11.6 billion

19. Australia

Power Index rating: 0.3277

Total population: 23,470,145

Total military personnel: 79,700 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 467 (ranked 28th out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 78 (ranked 27th)

Combat tanks: 66 (ranked 86th)

Total naval assets: 47; two aircraft carriers

Defense budget: $26.3 billion

18. North Korea

Power Index rating: 0.3274

Total population: 25,381,085

Total military personnel: 7.58 million (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 949 (ranked 11th out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 458 (ranked 5th)

Combat tanks: 6,075 (ranked 4th)

Total naval assets: 967

Defense budget: $7.5 billion

17. Israel

Power Index rating: 0.2964

Total population: 8,424,904

Total military personnel: 615,000 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 595 (ranked 18th out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 253 (ranked 11th)

Combat tanks: 2,760 (ranked 8th)

Total naval assets: 65

Defense budget: $19.6 billion

16. Indonesia

Power Index rating: 0.2804

Total population: 262,787,403

Total military personnel: 800,000 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 451 (ranked 30th out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 41 (ranked 43rd)

Combat tanks: 315 (ranked 52nd)

Total naval assets: 221

Defense budget: $6.9 billion

15. Pakistan

Power Index rating: 0.2798

Total population: 207,862,518

Total military personnel: 1,204,000 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 1,342 (ranked 7th out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 348 (ranked 7th)

Combat tanks: 2,200 (ranked 13th)

Total naval assets: 197

Defense budget: $7 billion

14. Iran

Power Index rating: 0.2606

Total population: 83,024,745

Total military personnel: 873,000 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 509 (ranked 24th out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 142 (ranked 17th)

Combat tanks: 1,634 (ranked 18th)

Total naval assets: 398

Defense budget: $6.3 billion

13. Brazil

Power Index rating: 0.2487

Total population: 208,846,892

Total military personnel: 1,674,500 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 706 (ranked 16th out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 43 (ranked 42nd)

Combat tanks: 437 (ranked 40th)

Total naval assets: 110

Defense budget: $29.3 billion

12. Egypt

Power Index rating: 0.2283

Total population: 99,413,317

Total military personnel: 920,000 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 1,092 (ranked 9th out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 211 (ranked 13th)

Combat tanks: 2,160 (ranked 14th)

Total naval assets: 319; two aircraft carriers

Defense budget: $4,4 billion

11. Italy

Power Index rating: (NATO member) 0.2277

Total population: 62,246,674

Total military personnel: 357,000 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 831 (ranked 14th out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 94 (ranked 25th)

Combat tanks: 200 (ranked 60th)

Total naval assets: 137; five aircraft carriers

Defense budget: $29.2 billion

10. Germany

Power Index rating: (NATO member) 0.2097

Total population: 80,457,737

Total military personnel: 208,641 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 613 (ranked 17th out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 122 (ranked 20th)

Combat tanks: 900 (ranked 26th)

Total naval assets: 81

Defense budget: $49.1 billion

9. Turkey

Power Index rating: (NATO member) 0.2089

Total population: 81,257,239

Total military personnel: 735,000 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 1,067 (ranked 10th out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 207 (ranked 14th)

Combat tanks: 3,200 (ranked 7th)

Total naval assets: 194

Defense budget: $8.6 billion

8. United Kingdom

Power Index rating: (NATO member) 0.1797

Total population: 65,105,246

Total military personnel: 233,000 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 811 (ranked 15th out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 129 (ranked 19th)

Combat tanks: 331 (ranked 49th)

Total naval assets: 76; one aircraft carrier

Defense budget: $47.5 billion

7. South Korea

Power Index rating: 0.1761

Total population: 51,418,097

Total military personnel: 5,827,150 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 1,614 (ranked 5th out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 406 (ranked 6th)

Combat tanks: 2,654 (ranked 9th)

Total naval assets: 166; one aircraft carrier

Defense budget: $38.3 billion

6. Japan

Power Index rating: 0.1707

Total population: 126,128,156

Total military personnel: 303,157 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 1,572 (ranked 6th out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 297 (ranked 8th)

Combat tanks: 1,004 (ranked 25th)

Total naval assets: 131; four aircraft carriers

Defense budget: $47 billion

5. France

Power Index rating: (NATO member) 0.1584

Total population: 67,364,357

Total military personnel: 388,635 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 1,248 (ranked 8th out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 273 (ranked 10th)

Combat tanks: 406 (ranked 44th)

Total naval assets: 118; four aircraft carriers

Defense budget: $40.5 billion

4. India

Power Index rating: 0.1065

Total population: 1,296,834,042

Total military personnel: 3,462,500 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 2,082 (ranked 4th out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 520 (ranked 4th)

Combat tanks: 4,184 (ranked 6th)

Total naval assets: 295; one aircraft carrier

Defense budget: $55.2 billion

3. China

Power Index rating: 0.0673

Total population: 1,384,688,986

Total military personnel: 2,693,000 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 3,187 (ranked 3rd out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 1,222 (ranked 2nd)

Combat tanks: 13,050 (ranked 2nd)

Total naval assets: 714; one aircraft carrier

Defense budget: $224 billion

2. Russia

Power Index rating: 0.0639

Total population: 142,122,776

Total military personnel: 3,586,128 (estimated)

Total aircraft strength: 4,078 (ranked 2nd out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 869 (ranked 3rd)

Combat tanks: 21,932 (ranked 1st)

Total naval assets:  352; one aircraft carrier out of service indefinitely

Defense budget: $44 billion

1. United States

Power Index rating: (NATO member) 0.0615

Total population: 329,256,465

Total military personnel: 2,141,900 (estimated)

Total aircraft: 13,398 (ranked 1st out of 137)

Fighter aircraft: 2,362 (ranked 1st)

Combat tanks: 6,287 (ranked 3rd)

Total naval assets:  415; 24 aircraft carriers

Defense budget: $716 billion

• US corporate debt has swelled to nearly $10 trillion, according to data recently cited by the Washington Post.
• That comes out to roughly 47% of the overall economy, which is a record, WaPo found.
• Experts from the International Monetary Fund to trillion-dollar asset manager BlackRock are warning of the risk posed by ballooning investment-grade debt. 
• Following the 2008 financial crisis, companies have issued record-levels of bonds to investors amid historically low interest rates. 
• Visit the Business Insider homepage for more stories.

US corporations are sitting on nearly $10 trillion in debt. That's equivalent to roughly 47% of the overall economy, which is a record, according to date first cited by the Washington Post. 

Since the financial crisis in 2008, corporations have splurged on debt amid historically cheap borrowing costs. In recent months, experts have warning that ballooning corporate debt could worsen a future economic downturn. 

Here's what experts from the International Monetary Fund to trillion-dollar asset manager BlackRock are saying about rising corporate debt.

Read more: For 30 years, Renaissance Technologies achieved 66% annualized returns. Here's how a group of academics with no trading experience became the most successful hedge fund in history.

International Monetary Fund

As central banks around the world have loosened monetary policy over the last decade, corporations have felt encouraged to pursue "financial risk-taking," according to a report from the IMF published in October. 

That dynamic has made some systemically-important economies more vulnerable to an economic slowdown, the report found. 

"Corporate leverage can also amplify shocks, as corporate deleveraging could lead to depressed investment and higher unemployment, and corporate defaults could trigger losses and curb lending by banks," the IMF wrote. 

In a recession half as severe as the 2008 financial crisis corporate debt-at-risk — which is owned by firms that can't cover interest expenses with their profits — could increased to $19 trillion, or almost 40% of total corporate debt in major economies, the IMF said. 

BlackRock

The trillion-dollar asset manager said in a report in October that BBB-rated bonds, the lowest bracket of the investment-grade debt, now accounts for more than 50% of the market compared to 17% in 2001. 

As demand for investment-grade debt has grown, the creditworthiness of issuers has fallen. According to BlackRock, leverage levels are creeping toward the highest readings since 1992. The firm measured leverage using a ratio of debt minus cash and cash equivalents to twelve-month EBITDA. 

"We believe the sharp increase in the proportion of BBB-rated constituents has made the investment-grade bond sector riskier than in recent years," BlackRock wrote. "BBB-rated bonds are typically the most vulnerable of all investment-grade debt in a recession." 

If BBB-rated bonds are downgraded, they would then be considered high-yield debt, or "fallen angels." That could cause the value of the issues to fall, the firm added. 

Federal Reserve

The central bank warned in its November Financial Stability Report that the riskiest companies have accounted for the bulk of rising debt in recent years. 

The Fed also expressed concern about outstanding BBB-rated debt approaching an all-time high. 

"In an economic downturn, widespread downgrades of bonds to speculative-grade ratings could lead investors to sell the downgraded bonds rapidly, increasing market illiquidity and downward price pressures in a segment of the corporate bond market known already to exhibit relatively low liquidity," the central bank wrote. 

The ratio of debt-to-assets for all publicly-traded nonfinancial companies has hit its highest level in two decades, and the leverage ratio among debt-heavy firms is near a historical high, the Fed added. 

• These 12 Hollywood stars have opened up about rejecting the gender binary.
• "Stay With Me" singer Sam Smith, "Queer Eye" star Jonathan Van Ness, "Pose" star Indya Moore, and "Billions" star Asia Kate Dillon all identify as gender non-binary.
• To be gender non-binary means that a person feels like they don't fit into a strictly "male" or "female" category.
• Others, like "Star Wars" actor Billy Dee Williams and "Batwoman" star Ruby Rose, have embraced a more fluid, label-free approach.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A rising number of Hollywood stars are publicly embracing fluidity and challenging gender norms.

When a person identifies as non-binary, it means that they don't conform to the gender stereotypes that come with being assigned "male" or "female" at birth. Other people prefer not to use labels, but fall somewhere within the gender spectrum. Many people with fluid gender identities also prefer to use more inclusive pronouns, such as "they" and "them."

Here's a list of 12 celebrities who don't strictly identify as male or female.

Angélica Acevedo contributed to a previous version of this post.

Billy Dee Williams said he identifies with both genders.

"And you see I say 'himself' and 'herself,' because I also see myself as feminine as well as masculine,"the "Star Wars" actor told Esquire. "I'm a very soft person. I'm not afraid to show that side of myself."

In fact, when Donald Glover portrayed a young version of Williams' character Lando Calrissian in 2018's "Solo,"he purposefully played with the notion of fluidity— a decision that Williams applauded.

"That kid is brilliant," he told Esquire.

Sam Smith is now using they/them pronouns "after a lifetime of being at war with my gender."

In a 2017 interview with The Sunday Times, Smith said they feel "just as much woman as I am man."

In a conversation with actress Jameela Jamil in March, Sam Smith talked about their gender identity as well as other topics relating to body image.

"I'm not male or female. I think I float somewhere in between," Smith said during the interview, which was part of Jamil's Instagram show "I Weigh Interviews."

The Grammy-winning singer said they realized they were non-binary when they learned about the words "non-binary" and "genderqueer."

Smith later took to Instagram to announce that they've officially decided to change their pronouns, despite understanding "there will be many mistakes and mis gendering."

"After a lifetime of being at war with my gender I've decided to embrace myself for who I am, inside and out," he wrote in a lengthy caption. "I'm so excited and privileged to be surrounded by people that support me in this decision but I've been very nervous about announcing this because I care too much about what people think but f--- it!

"All I ask is you please please try. I hope you can see me like I see myself now."

Jonathan Van Ness is "gender nonconforming."

Van Ness stole the hearts of many when "Queer Eye" premiered on Netflix in 2018. Since then, he has become a beacon for self-love and self-expression, by unabashedly sharing his own journey of acceptance and making killer fashion statements on the red carpet.

In a recent interview with Out Magazine, Van Ness explained that the older he gets, the more he identifies as non-binary.

"I'm gender nonconforming," he said. "Like, some days I feel like a man, but then other days I feel like a woman."

He further explained how he came to this conclusion, stating, "I think that a lot of times gender is used to separate and divide. It's this social construct that I don't really feel like I fit into the way I used to."

Amandla Stenberg identifies as non-binary, but said she doesn't need gender-neutral pronouns "to feel comfortable."

Stenberg, who broke out as a young actor playing Rue in "The Hunger Games" and recently starred in the celebrated film "The Hate U Give," first came out as non-binary with a Tumblr post in 2016. Stenberg, who also identifies as gay, wrote that she doesn't feel like a woman all the time.

She subsequently shared that she'd like to begin using they/them pronouns, even as followers criticized her for it: "I'm allowed to explore myself and how I see myself in the world however the f--- I want," she wrote.

In 2018, Stenberg told the Washington Post that she realized she "didn't need those pronouns to feel comfortable... And it felt almost detrimental to those who really did need them." 

Ruby Rose's short film "Break Free" was an ode to gender fluidity.

In 2014, the Australian model and "Batwoman" star posted a five-minute video on YouTube, described as "a short film about gender roles, Trans, and what it is like to have an identity that deviates from the status quo." It has since been viewed more than 50 million times.

"I put this video out that I really intended to be therapeutic for myself and was intended to be viewed by, you know, the hundred-or-so-thousand people that are on my Facebook,"she told the Guardian. "Obviously it's very autobiographical."

Rose went on to say that she spent her childhood "convinced" she was male, despite being assigned female at birth: "I used to pray to God that I wouldn't get breasts," she said.

Now, Rose embraces a more fluid identity. She uses feminine pronouns, but told the Guardian that she's "neither" male nor female.

"I feel like I'm a boy, but I don't feel like I should've been born with different parts of my body or anything like that," she said. "I feel like it's just all in how I dress and how I talk and how I look and feel, and that makes me happy... I really sit in a more neutral place, which I'm grateful for as well."

Nico Tortorella is gender fluid and uses they/them pronouns.

Nico Tortorella, the breakout star of TV Land's "Younger," wrote about their approach to gender, sexuality, and monogamy in their 2019 book, "Space Between."

Tortorella and their spouse, Bethany C. Meyers, are both gender fluid and their marriage is polyamorous.

"When Bethany and I met in 2006, I was a boy and she was a girl, whatever that means," Tortorella wrote. "Today Bethany and I both identify as non-binary and prefer 'they/them' pronouns."

Tortorella has also written about gender identity on Instagram.

"We are ALL multidimensional dynamic creatures and as much as I understand the spectrum, the less I believe in the binary of gender, the more liberated I myself am becoming,"they wrote in 2018.

Asia Kate Dillon asked for their "John Wick" character to be non-binary.

Asia Kate Dillon most recently appeared on the silver screen alongside Keanu Reeves in "John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum." In an interview with Insider, the actor revealed how they advocated to bring a bit of their own identity to their role as the Adjudicator in "John Wick."

"[...] I just said to [director] Chad [Stahelski] and Keanu [Reeves], you have a real opportunity here," Dillon said. "I'm a non-binary person. This character could be non-binary."

Dillon added that they were all on board to include an aspect of gender diversity to an already diverse franchise.

"It was a real thrill for me to get to bring that to the table and have it be warmly received," they said.

Dillon is also known for their role as Brandy Epps on Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black" and Taylor Mason on Showtime's "Billions,"a character who's also non-binary.

Tommy Dorfman said "biologically I am male … yet inside, I am considerably more female."

You might remember Tommy Dorfman as the openly gay character, Ryan Shaver, on Netflix's "13 Reasons Why," but they also joined the cast of "Jane the Virgin"for its final season. The Atlanta native also starred alongside Tortorella in "Fluidity," a 2019 film that follows the lives of 10 millennials residing in New York City.

The actor and writer told Out Magazine in 2017 that they've "had a lot of insecurities about being gay in this industry."

That hasn't stopped Dorfman from speaking candidly about their identity, though.

Last year, they wrote an essay for Teen Vogue about the complexities of wearing gendered clothing as a non-binary person.

"Physically, biologically I am male, and I've never wanted to change that," Dorfman wrote. "Yet inside, I am considerably more female. My spirit is more female, this even my therapist could intuit."

Bex Taylor-Klaus is trans non-binary.

Bex Taylor-Klaus has had quite a successful career in Hollywood so far, with roles in Netflix's "Dumplin,'" and on AMC's "The Killing," The CW's "Arrow," and MTV's "Scream" (to name a few).

In an interview and shoot with Autostraddle in 2018, the young actor spoke about their struggle to freely explore gender, both in our society and in the industry.

"In this day, exploring gender is taboo and stigmatized but to a lesser extent [than in the past], and it's something that I've always been a little bit afraid of because my industry can be a little bit brutal," Taylor-Klaus said.

The Atlanta native added that the shoot, which features them wearing various looks — such as a crop top with boots in one instance and a button down shirt with a tie in another — was a way to show that they can be a"chameleon."

Just a month after that, Klaus tweeted that they did in fact identify as non-binary.

"I came out as trans non-binary in a room full of people today," Klaus wrote in the tweet. "Guess it's time for me to do that on here, too … Hi. I'm Bex, and the rumors are true. I'm v enby [non-binary]."

Indya Moore isn’t sure if people are ready to understand what "non-binary" means.

Moore was assigned male at birth. Although they began their career as a model, they broke into TV and films by playing background characters. Now, they play a trans woman named Angel on FX's "Pose," a trailblazing show about NYC's legendary underground ballroom culture that began in the 1980s.

In a conversation with costar MJ Rodriguez for L'Officiel Magazine, Moore talked about why representation is mandatory, as well as identifying as non-binary.

"I'm non-binary but I don't really talk about it that much," they said. "I don't feel like people really are there yet for understanding it, which I don't mind, but I also acknowledge the way people see me as a woman."

Moore has also clarified that they prefer they/them pronouns on Twitter: "I'm non binary, femme, Agender feels fitting too. My pronouns: they/them/theirs. I correct people often. At times they ignore me & I tolerate it to avoid conflict/irritation but it's upsetting to feel like i'm 'too much' in a world that takes so much from trans people constantly."

Lachlan Watson is one of the youngest non-binary actors in Hollywood.

Lachlan Watson is just one of the breakout stars of Netflix's "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina," who plays trans teen Theo Putnam.

In an interview with MTV News, the teenage actor opened up about their gender identity journey, describing it as a three-part opera. In Act 1, at 13 years old, Watson said that they identified as a cisgender lebian. For Act 2, they came out as trans.

Now, in Act 3, they identify as non-binary.

The North Carolina native also explained that they are in a constant struggle to not put themself inside of a box.

"That's sort of why I call it 'gender freedom' as opposed to gender fluidity, because instead of fluctuating between two options or three options or four options, you're just sort of free," Watson said in the interview. "I've found it a really beautiful thing to just not limit myself as much as I used to."

Liv Hewson would "love to play a non-binary person."

Liv Hewson starred alongside Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant on Netflix's dark comedy, "Santa Clarita Diet." Although the show was canceled in April after three seasons, the Aussie actor has a few projects in the works.

Hewson, who is also a playwright, spoke to A Beautiful Perspective last year about coming out as non-binary when they were 16.

"For a long time, though, I had no idea how I was going to be open about it professionally," Hewson said. "For ages it seemed like a possibility so out of reach, it never really crossed my mind, because I felt like it was impossible."

• Target's Cyber Monday deals include up to 50% off home furniture, toys, and kitchen appliances, up to $300 off TVs, and up to 40% off robot vacuums— plus an extra 15% off select products across categories.
• Deals we love right now are $20 off the Instax Mini 9 (plus a free $15 Target gift card) and $176 off the Dyson Cyclone V10 Motorhead Vacuum. 
• We're also keeping tabs on Cyber Monday deals available at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. If you're a Disney fan, there's a great deal on Disney Plus as well.
• For more discounts, visit Business Insider Coupons and check out our master list of the best Cyber Monday deals of 2019. 

Updated on 12/2/19 at 1:25 p.m. ET

Target is one of the major retailers offering discounts of up to 50% off for Cyber Monday, alongside competitors like Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon, and Kohl's.

In addition to individual deals, Target is also offering an extra 15% off select categories and products, such as vacuums. You can also get free two-day shipping when you spend at least $35 or use your RedCard. 

We're tracking the best Target Cyber Monday deals in real-time for you below. If you want to check out the best Cyber Monday deals worth shopping today across retailers, find our master list here. 

The best Target Cyber Monday deals of 2019:

1. Best kitchen appliance deal: KitchenAid Ultra Power Plus 4.5qt Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, $239.99 + 15% off at checkout (originally $349.99) [You save $110, plus an extra 15% off] — get the same deal on the 5-quart size here.
2. Best camera deal: Fujifilm Instax Mini 9, $50 + free $15 Target gift card (originally $70) [You save $20] 
3. Best robot vacuum deal: iRobot Roomba 690 Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum, $209.99 + 15% off (originally $349.99) [You save $140, plus an extra 15% off] 
4. Best vacuum deal: Dyson Cyclone V10 Motorhead Cord-free Vacuum, $349.99 plus an extra 15% off (originally $499.99) [You save $150 plus an extra 15% off] 
5. Best Instant Pot deal:Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart 7-in-1 Pressure Cooker, $49.95 (originally $99.99) [You save $50]
6. Best TV deal: TCL 43" Roku 4K UHD HDR Smart TV, $219.99 + free $20 Target gift card (originally $329.99) [You save $110]
7. Best smartwatch deal: Apple Watch Series 4 GPS + Cellular, 44mm Aluminum Case, $449.99 (originally $529.99) [You save $80]
8. Best headphones deal: Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones, $129.99 (originally $299.99) [You save $170]
9. Best laptop deal: HP 14" Chromebook X360 Convertible Touchscreen, $249.99 (originally $379.99) [You save $130]
10. Best gaming console deal: Free 128GB SanDisk micro SD Card with Nintendo Switch purchase, $299.99 [$37.99 value]
11. Best coffee maker deal: Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee and Espresso Machine, $99.99 + 15% off at checkout + free $25 Target gift card (originally $199.99) [You save $100]
12. Best sous vide deal: Anova Sous Vide Nano Precision Cooker, $79.99 plus an extra 15% off (originally $99.99) [You save $20 plus an extra 15% off]
13. Best toy deal: Buy two, get one free on Disney toys

What makes these deals great:

1. KitchenAid Ultra Power Plus 4.5qt Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, $239.99 (originally $349.99) [You save $110] This $110 discount is great as is, but with the added 15% off you'll get another $36 off this powerful KitchenAid stand mixer, making it one of the best KitchenAid deals we've seen so far. This model has ten different speeds to make everything from fluffy batters to heavy doughs with ease. If you prefer a five-quart size, you can get the same price on one at Target here. 
2. Fujifilm Instax Mini 9, $50 (originally $70) [You save $20] Whether you're well-versed in DSLR's or have never ventured beyond the camera on your smartphone, photographers of all levels will love snapping away on the Fujifilm Instax Mini 9. It's a great holiday gift for everyone on your list, especially now, as we've rarely seen it at such a good price. You can find it for the same price at Amazon, though many colors are sold out currently. Plus, at Target you'll get a $15 with your purchase. 
3. iRobot Roomba 690 Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum, $209.99 + 15% off (originally $349.99) [You save $140, plus an extra 15% off] A sleek vacuum that cleans your floors without you lifting a finger — what's not to love? This is our team's top pick for the best robot vacuum you can buy for its strong suction, voice control features, usability, and affordability, especially with this deal. 
4. Dyson Cyclone V10 Motorhead Cord-free Vacuum, $349.99 + 15% off (originally $499.99) [You save $150 plus an extra 15% off] Thanks to the extra 15% off promotion, Target offers the lowest price online for the V10 Motorhead (now $324), an advanced yet lightweight vacuum with three different power modes and a 60-minute run time. Though Dyson's vacuums are pricey compared to those of other brands, we love them because they're powerful and thorough, and they're much easier to clean with since they don't have a cord dragging behind them. 
5. Instant Pot Duo 6-Quart 7-in-1 Pressure Cooker, $49.95 (originally $99.99) [You save $50] The Instant Pot is one of our favorite kitchen appliances overall and the Duo is our favorite model. It's easy enough for pressure-cooker beginners to use and makes a variety of delicious, home-cooked meals in a flash. Homemade soups, fall-off-the-bone ribs, and perfectly-cooked rice are just some of the creations you can make in the Instant Pot — it can even work its culinary magic when you're not home. You can currently find this model for the same price at Walmart. 
6. TCL 43" Roku 4K UHD HDR Smart TV, $219.99 (originally $329.99) [You save $110] This may not be the best TV you can get, but for the price, it's pretty great. With Roku built right in you have access to Netflix, Hulu, and over 5,000 channels worth of streaming content. The 4K UHD offers clear picture quality, rated a 4.2 out of 5 by Target customers. While many Target TV's are only available for in-store pick-up, this one can be shipped to you. Plus, you'll get a $20 Target gift card with the purchase. 
7. Apple Watch Series 4 GPS + Cellular, 44mm Aluminum Case, $449.99 (originally $529.99) [You save $80] Since the Series 4 watch isn't the newest model, you'll see discounts on all of the Series 4 models this Cyber Monday. Apple deals usually aren't huge, but in this case, it's just enough to bring the price of this watch, which reviewers love for its sleek design and powerful functionality, down to under $500. 
8. Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones, $129.99 (originally $299.99) [You save $170] A single charge will give you 40 hours of uninterrupted sound. With Fast Fuel, you can give the headphones a quick five-minute charge in exchange for three hours of playback. Beyond the impressive charge, this pair is lined with a comfortable cushion that's easy on your ears. 
9. HP 14" Chromebook X360 Convertible Touchscreen, $249.99 (originally $379.99) [You save $130] This versatile lightweight laptop easily converts into a tablet. The combination of a touch screen, which can be used with your fingers or the included stylus, and keyboard are great for both work and entertainment. The fanless design means it's really quiet, plus it's compatible with Google Chrome, so it's loaded with apps from the Google Play Store.
10. Free 128GB SanDisk micro SD Card with Nintendo Switch purchase, $299.99 [$37.99 value] For gamers, the Nintendo Switch is the best of both worlds — a handheld and TV-based gaming console in one. One of the consoles flaw though is its relatively small storage capabilities (32 G). This deal gives you 128GB of extra storage for free (a $38 value) so you can keep even more games on your Switch. Most of the Nintendo Switch deals we've seen this Cyber Week haven't actually been discounts on the console itself, but rather free accessories or games, so this deal fits in well. 
11. Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee and Espresso Machine, $99.99 (originally $199.99) [You save $100] With just the touch of a button, the Nespresso VertuoPlus will make your favorite espresso drink every time. We saw this same deal at Target on Black Friday, though now you'll get an additional 15% off at checkout, plus a $25 Target gift card. 
12. Anova Sous Vide Nano Precision Cooker, $79.99 plus an extra 15% off (originally $99.99) [You save $20 plus an extra 15% off] An extra 15% off brings the price of our favorite high-tech sous vide down to $74. Sous vide machines let you make restaurant-quality meals at home by cooking ingredients at stable, precise temperatures. What makes Anova's even cooler is that you can monitor and control the cooking process outside of the kitchen with your phone. 
13. Buy two, get one free on Disney toys From Frozen 2 to Star Wars to the Marvel Universe and beyond, you can pick up toys and merch from all of your favorite Disney franchises for less with this buy-two-get-one-free deal. 

How we selected the best deals at Target:

• We only chose products that meet our high standard of coverage, and that we've either used ourselves or researched carefully.
• We compared the prices against other retailers like Amazon and Best Buy and only included the deals that are the same or better (not including promotional discounts that come from using certain credit cards).
• All deals are at least 20% off, with the occasional exception for products that are rarely discounted or provide an outsized value.

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More Target Cyber Monday 2019 deals you can shop now:

Kitchen: Up to 50% off

Shop kitchen deals

• As Seen on TV 3-Quart Power Air Fryer, $59.99 plus an extra 15% off (originally $99.99) [You save $40, plus an extra 15% off]
• KitchenAid Ultra Power Plus 4.5qt Tilt-Head Stand Mixer KSM96, $239.99 plus an extra 15% off (originally $349.99) [You save $110, plus an extra 15% off]
• Farberware Reliance 21-Piece Aluminum Diamond-Reinforced Nonstick Cookware Set, $49.99 plus an extra 15% off (originally $109.99) [You save $60, plus an extra 15% off]
• Instant Pot Duo Nova 6-Quart 7-in-1 Pressure Cooker, $79.95 plus an extra 15% off (originally $99.99) [You save $20.04, plus an extra 15% off]
• Instant Pot 8-Quart Duo Crisp Combo Pressure Cooker Air Fryer, $129.95 plus an extra 15% off(originally $179.95) [You save $50, plus an extra 15% off]
• Crock-Pot Express Crock 10-Quart, $79.99 plus an extra 15% off (originally $129.99) [You save $50 plus an extra 15% off]
• Anova Sous Vide Nano Precision Cooker, $79.99 plus an extra 15% off (originally $99.99) [You save $20 plus an extra 15% off]
• SodaStream Fizzi Sparkling Water Maker, $49.99 plus an extra 15% off (originally $89.99) [You save $40 plus an extra 15% off]
• Keurig K-Mini Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker, $49.99 plus an extra 15% off (originally $89.99) [You save $40, plus an extra 15% off]

TVs: Up to 30% off

Shop TV deals

• TCL 32" Roku HD LED Smart TV 32S325, $119.99 (originally $159.99) [You save $40]
• TCL 43" Roku 4K UHD HDR Smart TV, $219.99 + free $20 Target gift card (originally $329.99) [You save $110]
• LG 55'' Class 4K UHD Smart OLED TV, $1,199.99 plus Disney+ subscription offer (originally $2,299.99) [You save $1,100, plus Disney+ subscription offer]
• LG 43" Class FHD Smart LED HDR TV, $219.99 plus an extra 15% with same-day order services (originally $329.99) [You save $110, plus an extra 15% with same-day order services]

Streaming devices: Up to 50% off

Shop streaming device deals

• Amazon Fire TV Stick with all-new Alexa Voice Remote (2nd Generation), $19.99 (originally $39.99) [You save $20]
• Amazon Fire TV with 4K Ultra HD Streaming Media Player and Alexa Voice Remote (2nd Generation), $24.99 (originally $49.99) [You save $25]
• Roku Premiere Streaming Player, $29.99 (originally $39.99) [You save $10]
• Google Chromecast, $25 (originally $35) [You save $10]

Vacuums: Up to 40% off

Shop vacuum deals

• Dyson Cyclone V10 Motorhead Cord-free Vacuum, $349.99 plus an extra 15% off (originally $499.99) [You save $150 plus an extra 15% off] 
• Dyson Ball Animal 2 Upright Vacuum, $299.99 (originally $499.99) [You save $200]
• Dyson V8 Animal Cord-Free Vacuum, $299.99 (originally $399.99) [You save $100]
• Dyson V11 Animal Cord-free Vacuum, $449.99 (originally $599.99) [You save $150]
• iRobot Roomba 690 Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum, $209.99 plus an extra 15% off (originally $349.99) [You save $140 plus an extra 15% off] 
• Ecovacs DEEBOT N79W Multi-Surface Robotic Vacuum Cleaner with App Control, $149.99  plus an extra 15% off (originally $279.99) [You save $130 plus an extra 15% off] 
• Shark ION Robot Vacuum R76 with Wi-Fi, $229.99 plus an extra 15% off (originally $299.99) [You save $70 plus an extra 15% off]

Headphones and speakers: Up to 50% off

Shop headphones and speakers

• Apple AirPods with Wired Charging Case, $144.99 (originally $159.99) [You save $15]
• Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging Case, $169.99 (originally $199.99) [You save $30]
• Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones, $89.99 (originally $199.99) [You save $110]
• urBeats3 Earphones with Lightning Connector, $29.99 (originally $59.99) [You save $30]
• Anker Soundcore Liberty Air True Wireless In-Ear Headphones, $59.99 (originally $79.99) [You save $20]
• Bose Home Wireless Speaker 300, $199.99 (originally $259.99) [You save $60] 
• Google Home Mini, $19 (originally $49) [You save $30]
• Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones, $129.99 (originally $299.99) [You save $170]
• Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Generation), $22 (originally $49.99) [You save $27.99]

Laptops and tablets: Up to 25% off

Shop laptop deals

• HP 15.6-inch Pavilion Gaming Laptop, $599.99 plus a $50 gift card (originally $819.99) [You save $220 plus a $50 gift card]
• HP Omen 15.6-inch Laptop, $899.99 (originally $1,149.99) [You save $250]
• Apple iPad 10.2-inch Wi-Fi Only (7th Generation), $229.99 (originally $329.99) [You save $100]
• Apple iPad Pro 10.5-inch Wi-Fi Only (2017 Model), $599.99 (originally $999.99) [You save $400]

Gaming: Up to 50% off

Shop gaming deals

1. Free 128GB SanDisk micro SD Card with Nintendo Switch purchase, $299.99 [$37.99 value]
2. Xbox One S 1 TB Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order Bundle, $199.99 (originally $299.99) [You save $100 plus save $10 on Xbox live gold membership]
3. Buy one video game and get one 50% off
4. World War Z PlayStation 4, $15 plus an extra 15% off (originally $29.99) [You save $14.99 plus an extra 15% off]
5. Madden NFL 20 PlayStation 4, $29.99 plus an extra 15% off (originally $59.99) [You save $30 plus an extra 15% off]
6. Fortnite: Darkfire Bundle PlayStation 4, $29.99 plus an extra 15% off [You save 15%]
7. FIFA 20 PlayStation 4, $29.99 plus an extra 15% off [You save $30 plus an extra 15% off]
8. Xbox One Wireless Controller, $39.99 (originally $49.99) [You save $10]
9. Turtle Beach Recon 200 Amplified Gaming Headset, $34.99 (originally $59.99) [You save $25]
10. HP 15.6-inch Pavilion Gaming Laptop, $599.99 plus a $50 gift card (originally $819.99) [You save $220 plus a $50 gift card]

Toys: Up to 50% off

Shop toy deals

• Fingerlings Hugs Bella Plush Monkey, $13 (originally $27.49) [You save $14.50] 
• Our Generation Deluxe Vet Clinic with Anais Doll, $85 (originally $170) [You save $85]
• Peppa Pig 4-Pack Animal Figures, $6 (originally $12) [You save $6] 
• Beyblade Burst Evolution SwitchStrike Battle Tower, $30 (originally $50) [You save $20] 

Wearable tech: Up to 30% off

Shop wearable technology

• Apple Watch Series 4 GPS + Cellular, 44mm Aluminum Case, $449.99 (originally $529.99)[You save $80]
• Garmin Vívomove HR Hybrid Smartwatch, $149.99 (originally $199.99) [You save $50]
• Fitbit Versa Smartwatch $119.95 (originally $169.95) [You save $50]

Health and grooming: Up to 35% off

Shop health and grooming deals

• Oral-B Genius X Luxe, Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush, $219.99 plus an extra 10% off with the code "HOLIDAY" at checkout (originally $299.99) [You save $80 plus an extra 10% off]
• Panasonic ARC 5-Blade Advanced Men's Electric Shaver, $119.99 (originally $149.99) [You save $30]
• Oral-B Genius X 10000 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush, $179.99 plus an extra 10% off with the code "HOLIDAY" at checkout (originally $279.99) [You save $100 plus an extra 10% off]

Furniture: Up to 50% off

Shop home and furniture deals

• Morpho Swivel Velvet Arm Chair, $209.99 (originally $299.99) [You save $90]
• Bellingham Sofa With Chaise, $429.09 (originally $612.99) [You save $183.90]
• Esters Wood Arm Chair, $209.99 (originally $299.99) [You save $90]
• Project 62 Peoria Wood Arm Chair, $118.99 (originally $169.99) [You save $51]
• Berwyn Large Round end table $54.99 (originally $109.99) [You save $55]
• Small Marble Top Coffee Table, $104.99 (originally $149.99) [You save $45]
• Franklin Console Table, $174.99 (originally $249.99) [You save $75]
• Biddeford Blankets Velour with Sherpa Electric Throw Blanket, $29.40 (originally $49) [You save $19.60]

Genetic tests: Up to 50% off

Shop genetic and wellness test deals

• 23andMe Personal Ancestry + Health Personal Genetic Service - Lab Fee Included, $99.99 (originally $199.99) [You save $100]
• 23andMe Personal Ancestry + Traits Personal Genetic Service - Lab Fee Included, $79.99 (originally $99.99) [You save $20]

Target Cyber Monday FAQs:

Does Target have Cyber Monday?

Yes, Target has Cyber Monday deals in a broad range of categories. We're posting the deals here as they're announced. 

What time does Target Cyber Monday start? 

Cyber Monday began at 12 a.m. on December 2.

See more Cyber Monday 2019 sales and deals

• The absolute best Cyber Monday deals of 2019
• The best tech deals of Cyber Monday 2019
• Amazon Cyber Monday deals 2019
• Walmart Cyber Monday deals 2019
• The Disney Plus Cyber Monday deal you don't want to miss
• Macy's Cyber Monday deals 2019
• What is Cyber Monday? Everything you need to know

• The Trump administration started a trade dispute with China in early 2018, in an attempt to address practices it said put US companies at a disadvantage. 

• The two sides have since slapped steep tariffs on thousands of products and threatened further escalations, with no clear end in sight.

• Here's a timeline of the US-China trade war so far.

• Visit Markets Insider for more stories.

March 1, 2018: President Donald Trump announces tariffs on all imports of steel and aluminum, including metals from China.

March 22, 2018: Trump announces plans to impose 25% tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods. China announces tariffs in retaliation to the steel and aluminum duties and promises a response to the latest US announcement.

April 3, 2018: US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announces a list of Chinese goods subject to the tariffs. There is a mandatory 60-day comment period for industries to ask for exemptions from the tariffs.

April 4, 2018: China rolls out a list of more than 100 US goods worth roughly $50 billion that are subject to retaliatory tariffs.

May 21, 2018: After a meeting, the two countries announce the outline of a trade deal to avoid the tariffs.

May 29, 2018: The White House announces that the tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods will move forward, with the final list of goods to be released on June 15. The move appears to wreck the nascent trade deal.

June 15, 2018: Trump rolls out the final list of goods subject to new tariffs. Chinese imports worth $34 billion would be subject to the new 25% tariff rate as of July 6, with another $16 billion worth of imports subject to the tariff at a later date. China retaliates with an equivalent set of tariffs.

June 18, 2018: Trump threatens 10% tariffs on another $200 billion worth of Chinese goods.

July 6, 2018: The first tranche of tariffs on $34 billion worth of Chinese goods takes effect; China responds in kind.

July 10, 2018: The US releases an initial list of an additional $200 billion worth of Chinese goods that could be subject to 10% tariffs.

July 24, 2018: The Trump administration announces a $12 billion bailout package for farmers hurt by retaliatory duties on agricultural products, set to begin in September. 

August 1, 2018: Washington more than doubles the value of its tariff threats against Beijing, announcing plans to increase the size of proposed duties on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods to 25% from 10%.

August 3, 2018: China says it will impose tariffs at various rates on another $60 billion worth of US goods if Trump moves forward with his latest threat.

August 7, 2018: The US announces that the second tranche of tariffs, which would hit $16 billion worth of Chinese goods, will take effect August 23.

August 23, 2018: The US imposes tariffs on another $16 billion worth of Chinese goods, and Beijing responds with tariffs on $16 billion worth of US goods.

September 7, 2018: Trump says the tranche of tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods is coming "soon" and threatens to impose tariffs on another $267 billion worth of Chinese goods.

September 17, 2018: The US imposes tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, and the tariff rate is scheduled to increase to 25% from 10% on January 1.

December 1, 2018: Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping sit down at the G20 summit in Argentina, where the two leaders hash out a trade truce, delaying the escalation of US tariffs until March 1.

December 4, 2018: Despite the truce, Trump tweets that he is still a "Tariff Man" and says a deal will get done only if it is in the best interest of the US.

February 24, 2019: After a series of negotiations, Trump announces that US tariffs will not increase on March 1. He delays the increase indefinitely.

April 1, 2019: Violent clashes between authorities and pro-democracy protesters break out in Hong Kong, a semiautonomous Chinese territory. The government blames US influence for the demonstrations, but Trump maintains a softer tone with Xi.

May 5, 2019: After apparent progress in talks, the US accuses China of reneging on past trade commitments. Trump threatens to raise tariff rates and place duties on another $300 billion worth of Chinese goods.

May 10, 2019: Trump follows through with those threats, increasing import taxes to 25% from 10% on about $200 billion worth of products from China. Negotiations stall, and the US gives China a three-to-four-week deadline for a deal, according to Bloomberg.

May 13, 2019: China retaliates against the US by announcing it will raise tariff rates on $60 billion worth of American products on June 1.

May 15, 2019: Trump signs an executive order banning American companies from using telecommunications gear from foreign adversaries that officials declared as a threat to national security. He also adds Huawei and dozens of other Chinese companies to the US's "Entity List."

May 21, 2019: Xi calls on China to begin a new "long march," which is seen by some as a signal that the country is gearing up for a prolonged standoff with the US.

May 22, 2019: Xi visits one of the largest suppliers of rare-earth elements in China. The move is widely seen as a reminder of the leverage China holds when it comes to minerals the US relies on for a variety of goods, from jet fuel to wind turbines.

May 23, 2019: Trump rolls out a $16 billion bailout program for farmers who have been hurt by China's retaliatory tariffs on agricultural products.

June 2, 2019: China releases a policy paper blaming the US for stalled trade negotiations, drawing objections from the US Trade Representative. 

June 3, 2019: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calls on the Chinese government to publicly acknowledge the anniversary of the deadly crackdown on the protests at Tiananmen Square in 1989.

June 4, 2019: A Foreign Ministry spokesman condemns Pompeo in a statement, saying his statement amounted to interference in its internal affairs. The Chinese government issues travel warnings for the US, saying its citizens had been subject to what it called harassment by American law enforcement.

June 10, 2019: Trump says that tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese products will take effect "immediately" if progress isn't made at an anticipated meeting with Xi in Japan at the end of the month. 

June 17, 2019: Hundreds of company representatives travel to Washington to testify against planned tariff escalations before the US Trade Representative. Throughout seven days of hearings, many warn that taxing all imports from China would increase costs and threaten US jobs. 

June 17, 2019: Trump says he has spoken with Xi by phone in recent days. He confirms that the two leaders will sit down at G20 and adds that trade delegations will be in contact before then.

June 25, 2019: Bloomberg reports that the US is preparing to stall additional tariffs on China at the Trump-Xi meeting. 

June 27, 2019: The Wall Street Journal reports that Xi plans to head to his meeting with Trump armed with conditions for de-escalation, including lifting tariffs and a ban on Huawei. The Trump administration doubles down on previous threats, saying escalation is still on the table.

June 29, 2019: Trump and Xi reach a trade-war ceasefire on the sidelines of G20, delaying planned tariffs on roughly $300 billion worth of Chinese products. The two sides agree to restart negotiations that stalled in May. 

July 3, 2019: Trump accuses other countries, including China, of currency manipulation and suggests the US should weaken the dollar to compete. 

July 9, 2019: Weeks after blacklisting Huawei, the Commerce Department says it will consider issuing licenses to companies who do business with the Chinese telecommunications giant. 

July 11, 2019: Trump accuses China of reneging on a past commitment to purchase more American agricultural products. 

July 29, 2019: Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin resume trade talks with their Chinese counterparts in Shanghai.

July 31, 2019: Those negotiations end, with the next round expected in September. Both sides portray the discussions as constructive, but there are few signs of concrete progress.

August 1, 2019: In a reversal, Trump abruptly announces the US will move forward with tariffs on virtually all remaining imports from China. 

August 2, 2019: China warns it will retaliate with "the necessary countermeasures" if Trump follows through with his latest tariff threats, which the country says violate an agreement reached at G20. 

August 5, 2019: The US Treasury Department labels China as a currency manipulator after the country allows the yuan to breach the psychologically key level of seven against the dollar. China says it will halt purchases of American agricultural products. 

August 9, 2019: Trump threatens again that the US will cut ties with Huawei. The Commerce Department says it will hold off on making a decision on licenses to do business with the telecommunications giant.

August 13, 2019: The US delays a portion of tariffs on China, set to take effect September 1, until December 15. The administration says the move was meant to avoid disruptions to the holiday shopping season in the US, a rare acknowledgement that tariffs can raise prices. 

August 19, 2019: The Commerce Department says it will grant a temporary reprieve to Huawei, giving companies an extra 90 days to find an alternative to the telecommunications giant.

August 23, 2019: China prepares retaliatory tariffs on $75 billion worth of US products and says it will reinstate duties on cars. The escalations are set to go into place the same dates as on the US side.

Trump vows to hit back against those countermeasures, announcing the US will raise the tariff rates on Chinese products by about 5%. Financial markets tumble sharply as the president also orders private US companies to leave China, sowing confusion even though the command carries no legislative weight. 

August 25, 2019: Trump suggests to reporters that he's having "second thoughts" on trade escalations. The White House clarifies that statement hours later, saying the president only regrets not raising tariffs on China further. 

August 26, 2019: Trump moves to cast a positive light on trade negotiations as financial markets open. He says Chinese officials called over the weekend and want to make a deal but declines to elaborate. China disputes that claim.

August 29, 2019: Trump tells Fox News that his trade team is talking with China "at a different level." The White House says both sides remain in communication, but doesn't elaborate. 

August 30, 2019:The Washington Post reports that the Trump administration is looking into a plan to cut taxes by the amount raised in Chinese tariffs, an apparent admission that the cost of the trade wars has fallen on Americans. 

Trump blames companies at home for expressing concerns about tariffs, claiming without evidence that they only want to shift blame away from internal issues.

September 1, 2019: The Trump administration follows through with plans to enact tariffs on roughly $112 billion worth of Chinese imports, including clothing and household staples. China retaliates with tariffs on thousands of American products including cars.

September 4, 2019: Trump says the Dow Jones Industrial Average would be "10,000 points higher" if he hadn't started a trade dispute with China. The comment offers a rare acknowledgement that investors are nervous about his policies. 

September 11, 2019: China exempts 16 American product types from tariffs, including animal feed ingredients and cancer drugs. But the move is seen as more of an effort to shield Chinese businesses and consumers than as a concession to the US. 

September 19, 2019: Deputy-level trade officials from the two sides meet in Washington to lay the framework for higher-level negotiations. 

September 20, 2019: The US exempts roughly 400 Chinese products from tariffs, ranging from plastic straws to pet supplies, in the latest sign that the trade dispute is taking a toll on American companies. 

China cancels planned visits to American farms in the Midwest, without offering any official reasoning. 

September 21, 2019: USTR announces it "looks forward to welcoming a delegation from China for principal-level meetings in October." But no specific dates are given.

October 7, 2019: The US adds 28 technology companies in China to an export blacklist late Monday over alleged human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang hints at future retaliation. 

October 10, 2019: Trump, Lighthizer and Mnuchin host a 13th round of economic negotiations in Washington with a delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier Liu He. Behind closed doors, the White House continues to weigh potential new economic penalties against China.

October 11, 2019: The US announces a so-called phase-one trade agreement with China, which is said to involve intellectual property rules, financial market access and agricultural purchases. Trump holds off on scheduled escalations that would have raised tariff rates on thousands of Chinese products to as high as 30%. 

October 29, 2019: China says it will take steps to ease foreign investment restrictions and technology rules. But key terms of the interim trade agreement, which is still not put to paper, remain elusive.

October 31, 2019: Chile says it will no longer host a pair of global summits where Trump and Xi had originally planned to sign the announced trade agreement. The cancellation, attributed to a recent surge of unrest and protests in the country, raises concerns about the fate of negotiations.

November 12, 2019: Trump says the first part of a deal with China could be finalized "soon" but emphasizes that escalations against China would ensue if not.

"If we don't make a deal, we're going to substantially raise those tariffs," the president says.

November 15, 2019: The two sides continue to negotiate the terms of the phase-one trade agreement announced a month earlier. But multiple White House advisers say Trump isn't ready to sign anything yet.

November 21, 2019: The Wall Street Journal reports that Chinese Vice Premier Liu He has invited US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to an in-person meeting. The US side does not indicate whether it will attend. 

November 25, 2019: China rolls out plans to bolster its rules on patents, copyrights and trademarks. In an official document, the State Council and the Central Committee of the Communist Party say they will seek higher compensation for rights infringements and stricter enforcement mechanisms.

November 27, 2019: Trump signs bipartisan legislation that outlined support for pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong. The move angers officials in Beijing, who warn of potential retaliation, and casts uncertainty over trade talks. 

November 29, 2019: The US announces it will shield dozens of products from tariffs. The new exclusions are seen as a way to mitigate domestic concerns ahead of the 2020 elections.

• The NFL compiled a list of their 100 greatest plays of all time for their 100th season.
• Of those plays, 19 occurred during the last decade.
• Those plays include some unforgettable moments, such as the "Butt Fumble,""The Philly Special," and Odell Beckham's incredible one-handed catch on "Sunday Night Football."
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The NFL produced some incredible plays over the last decade of football.

As part of the NFL's 100th season, the league compiled a list of their 100 greatest plays of all time. Of those, 19 occurred over the last decade, including some unforgettable moments, such as the "Butt Fumble," Odell Beckham Jr.'s one-handed catch, several big Super Bowl moments, and even a couple of "miracles."

Here are the 19 best plays of the decade, ranked.

19. "The Butt Fumble."

For each of the plays, it is the second video shown due to a quirk in how Twitter embeds their tweets.

18. Larry Fitzgerald's game-clinching catch-and-run in overtime of the 2015 divisional playoff game against the Packers.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1172663557474775040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
No. 94: @AZCardinals WR @LarryFitzgerald's playoff OT catch and run (Jan. 16, 2016) #NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/Zd2MZ4p8VN

17. Derrick Henry's record-tying 99-yard touchdown run against the Jaguars during the 2018 season.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1172665278267674625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
No. 89: @Titans RB @KingHenry_2's 99-yard TD vs. Jaguars (Dec. 6, 2018) #NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/igum4AhzTZ

16. Randy Moss' one-handed touchdown catch from Tom Brady during the 2010 season.

Tweet Embed:
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No. 84: @RandyMoss' one-handed TD over Darrelle Revis (Sept. 19, 2010) #NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/dlNmuUfD9d

15. Von Miller's strip-sack of Cam Newton that led to a touchdown for the Broncos in Super Bowl 50.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1172669765501849601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
No. 77: @Broncos LB @VonMiller's strip sack and Malik Jackson's TD in @SuperBowl 50 (Feb. 7, 2016) #NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/Z7CDJhdzcc

14. Tim Tebow's game-winning touchdown pass to beat the Steelers in overtime of the 2011 playoffs.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1172670342948507648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
No. 76: @Broncos QB @TimTebow's game-winning TD pass to @DemaryiusT in OT (Jan. 8, 2012) #NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/r0IzkB9wLK

13. Richard Sherman tips a pass to his teammate for an interception in the 2013 NFC Championship Game.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1172679013942218752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
No. 58: @Seahawks CB @RSherman_25 tips pass for interception in 2013 NFC Championship (Jan. 19, 2014) #NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/umTrRfDKr7

12. Aaron Rodgers' Hail Mary to beat the Lions in 2015.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1172682053394944000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
No. 52: @AaronRodgers12's Hail Mary vs. Lions (Dec. 3, 2015) #NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/iNTtX3srev

11. Aaron Rodgers' other Hail Mary from the 2015 season.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1172683622098169857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
No. 48: @AaronRodgers12's game-tying Hail Mary vs. the Cardinals (Jan. 16, 2016) #NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/WpO3DaHvWt

10. "The Miami Miracle," in which the Dolphins beat the Patriots on a last-second, multi-lateral prayer.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1172686319304097792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
No. 42: "The Miami Miracle"@MiamiDolphins (Dec. 9, 2018) #NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/GQzpf5Kttf

9. DeSean Jackson's "Miracle at the Meadowlands II" punt return against the Giants.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1172688865095602176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
No. 36: @Eagles WR @DeSeanJackson11's "Miracle at the Meadowlands II" (Dec. 19, 2010) #NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/7bLW23gnRe

8. Tracy Porter's pick-6 of Peyton Manning in the Saints' Super Bowl XLIV win.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1172691080514457602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
No. 32: @Saints CB Tracy Porter intercepts Peyton Manning to seal a @SuperBowl XLIV victory @lyfeoftp (Feb. 7, 2010) #NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/5y4OfwNsrq

7. Mario Manningham's sideline grab in Super Bowl XLVI for the Giants.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1172691385159315456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
No. 31: Eli Manning to @ManninghamNYG in @SuperBowl XLVI @Giants (Feb. 5, 2012) #NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/gcLeUZWqfm

6. Julian Edelman's amazing catch during the Patriots' comeback win in Super Bowl LI.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1175204367038697473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
No. 22: @Edelman11's catch in @SuperBowl LI (Feb. 5, 2017) @Patriots#NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/rgdMM6y8Nl

5. Odell Beckham Jr.'s one-handed catch on "Sunday Night Football" in 2014.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1175209003166519297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
No. 16: @OBJ's one-handed catch (Nov. 23, 2014) #NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/PsQ9xzxbCn

4. Marshawn Lynch's "BeastQuake" run against the Saints in the 2010 Wild Card game.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1175211668931936256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
No. 13: Marshawn Lynch's BeastQuake (Jan. 8, 2011) @Seahawks@MoneyLynch#NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/gZi9WgKLqS

3. "The Philly Special" trick play by the Eagles in their Super Bowl LII win over the Patriots.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1175213793984466945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
No. 10: "Philly Special" in @SuperBowl LII (Feb. 4, 2018) @Eagles#NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/vttqZxOG8B

2. The "Minneapolis Miracle" to send the Vikings to the NFL Championship Game in 2017.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1175215535199358976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
No. 9: "Minneapolis Miracle" (Jan. 14, 2018) @Vikings#NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/gwNLZrIixU

1. Malcolm Butler's Super Bowl XLIX-winning interception for the Patriots when the Seahawks chose to pass the ball instead of run.

Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1175221184146788352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
No. 5: Malcolm Butler's game-winning interception in @SuperBowl XLIX (Feb. 1, 2015) @patriots@Mac_BZ#NFL100

📺: NFL 100 Greatest Plays on @NFLNetworkpic.twitter.com/Udx7beThvz

Now check out the college football programs that dominated the 2010s.

The 25 most dominant college football programs of the past decade

• Peloton just released a commercial for the holiday season that people are trying to make sense of.
• The ad follows what appears to be a woman's yearlong selfie journey after her partner gave her a Peloton for the holidays.
• People are criticizing the ad for many reasons, including some who said the man seemed to be suggesting that the woman should work out more.
• People also found the ad's awkward Instagram Story setup uncomfortable.
• Peloton did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Peloton, the tech-enabled fitness-equipment startup, released a new ad for the holiday season that sparked some controversy on Twitter.

The ad, which was released on YouTube on November 21 and is being shown on TV, follows what appears to be a woman's yearlong selfie journey after her partner gave her a Peloton for the holidays.

The commercial has garnered a vocal response on Twitter, with many negative comments.

People are criticizing the ad for many reasons, from its awkward structure to the male character who seems to be suggesting the woman should work out more.

Here's a breakdown of the ad that has people losing their minds.

SEE ALSO: High-tech fitness company Peloton will reportedly release a cheaper treadmill and a rowing machine in 2020

The ad begins with a woman receiving a Peloton bike as a gift from her partner.

People already had issues with the ad at this point, as an exercise bike could be seen as a risky gift from a partner.

The ad gets stranger when the woman starts taking selfie videos on the bike.

This ad format seems to be trying to be blending an Instagram Story with a traditional commercial. The result is a somewhat awkward cross between them.

The ad shows the woman documenting working out on the machine on different days throughout the year.

Tal Bachman's 1999 hit "She's So High" is playing through the nearly 30-second ad — an interesting juxtaposition with the company known for its modern, internet-connected exercise bikes and treadmills.

Still, some people seemed excited about this interesting music choice.

The end of the ad shows the couple on the couch watching what appears to be a montage of the woman's year on her Peloton.

"A year ago, I didn't realize how much this would change me," the woman says, evidently to her partner. "Thank you."

The finale left people confused. Some questioned the entire premise of the story.

Others were confused about the "change" the woman was referring to.

Peloton did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

• Café Pushkin is the one of the most iconic restaurants in Moscow.
• Named after Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin, the restaurant opened in 1999 in a renovated 18th-century Baroque mansion in central Moscow.
• On TripAdvisor, it has more than 8,100 reviews with many describing it as "legendary,""iconic," and "like visiting a museum."
• On the advice of a local, I went to Café Pushkin for lunch one day. 
• The food was delicious — albeit expensive — and I did feel like I was eating in a museum.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Moscow may not have any Michelin-starred restaurants, but it's home to its fair share of fine dining establishments.

Two Moscow restaurants — White Rabbit and Twins Garden— made the 2019 World's 50 Best Restaurants list, a ranking based on the opinions of international chefs, food writers, and "travelling gourmets."

But one of the most iconic restaurants in the city is Café Pushkin, named after Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin. On TripAdvisor, it has more than 8,100 reviews— and a higher rating than White Rabbit. Reviewers describe it as "legendary,""iconic," and "like visiting a museum."

Café Pushkin opened in 1999 in a renovated 18th-century Baroque mansion on Tverskoy Boulevard in central Moscow. The boulevard was a famous hang-out spot for Moscow high society after it opened in 1796, and Pushkin himself was often seen strolling there, according to the restaurant's website.

While on a 12-day trip to Russia earlier this year, I had to go see what the hype was all about. On top of the solid reviews, a local had highly recommended that I eat there. 

So one day, I went to Café Pushkin for a solo lunch — here's what it was like.

SEE ALSO: I spent a night in the $18,000-a-night presidential suite at the Ritz-Carlton in Moscow that was referenced in the infamous Steele dossier. Here's what it was like.

DON'T MISS: Russia is the world's largest producer of diamonds. I toured a mine in Siberia that produced 1.4 million carats of diamonds in 2018 — here's what it was like.

Café Pushkin is an iconic Russian-French restaurant in central Moscow, named after Russian poet Alexander Pushkin.

The restaurant opened in 1999 in a renovated 19th-century Baroque mansion on Tverskoy Boulevard, a famous hang-out spot for Moscow high society where Pushkin himself was often seen strolling.

According to Café Pushkin's website, the mansion was built by a Saint Petersburg nobleman in the 1780s and later passed to a German aristocrat before becoming a pharmacy and finally, a café.

During the holidays, Café Pushkin is lit up in festive, dazzling lights.

I didn't get to see this display, unfortunately, as I visited in the summertime.

Earlier this year, I spent 12 days traveling through Russia, and I couldn't leave Moscow without trying out the restaurant that TripAdvisor reviewers describe as "legendary,""iconic," and "like visiting a museum."

Source: TripAdvisor

A man in a white polo shirt and jeans opened the heavy wooden doors for me as I walked into the restaurant.

The hostess stood at a wooden podium by the door.

I didn't have a reservation, but for a weekday lunch, I apparently didn't need one. The hostess, who spoke perfect English, immediately led me past a wooden bar decorated with antiques to be seated.

She seated me at a small corner table near a window.

The restaurant wasn't too busy. Underneath the soft hum of conversation, I could hear classical piano music playing.

The male servers at Café Pushkin wore black pants with crisp white shirts, red vests, and long white aprons.

The women wore long red skirts, white shirts and aprons, and red ribbons tying their hair back.

Even though Café Pushkin opened in 1999, I felt like I was in a museum rather than a restaurant — especially when I looked up at the ornate ceiling.

To my right, I had a view right into a greenhouse-type room with skylights and greenery hanging from beams on the ceiling.

After taking a few minutes to observe the décor and take some photos, I checked out the menu.

For starters, Café Pushkin offers several different types of salad, including a grilled duck breast salad for 970 rubles (about $15) and a crab meat salad with fresh cucumber and papaya for 1790 rubles (about $28).

There were also home-made mini pies, which sounded more appealing to me and cost between 170 and 250 rubles ($2.65 to $3.90) per order. I decided to get one with potatoes and mushrooms to start.

But first, wine.

I took a chance and ordered a glass of Russian wine, even though I'd never tasted Russian wine in my life.

It was fine, but not my favorite.

As I waited for my appetizer and sipped my wine, I noticed a small yet genius touch that I'd seen at another restaurant in Moscow but don't recall seeing anywhere else: a little stool to put your purse on.

This is apparently a thing at fancy restaurants, which I obviously do not frequent.

About 10 minutes after I got my wine, my potato and mushroom mini-pie arrived. It was soft and flaky like a pastry, with the slightest crunch on the outer edge.

The inside was piping hot. I ate the whole thing in about four bites, and it was delicious.

Mere seconds after I'd finished my mini-pie, my second dish arrived: a sea scallop and trout carpaccio that was almost too beautiful to eat.

But eat it I did. The scallops and trout were sprinkled with chives and micro greens and drizzled with a mustard vinaigrette. Tiny adorable flowers made out of radishes and cucumbers were nestled on the side.

The dish was light and the fish tasted very fresh. I ate it with a roll of soft and fluffy bread that the server offered me from a basket.

The carpaccio was 940 rubles, or about $14.70.

When it came to ordering the main dish, I'd briefly thought about being more adventurous, but then I decided to stick to what had quickly became one of my favorite Russian dishes: pelmeni, or traditional Russian dumplings, usually served with sour cream.

I got the pork-lamb-and-beef pelmeni. The dumplings were dusted with a generous amount of dill, which is apparently Russia's most beloved herb that they love to sprinkle on anything and everything.

I'm not usually a big fan of sour cream, but at Café Pushkin it tasted fresh and homemade, and the tanginess seemed essential to go along with the dumplings.

Café Pushkin is also famous for its caviar, which ranges from 850 rubles (about $13) for salmon caviar with buckwheat crepes to 14,200 rubles (about $222) for an assortment of sterlet, sturgeon, beluga, and golden caviar with crepes.

The pelmeni did not last long.

By that time, I was so full I could barely finish the last couple of dumplings.

But the meal wasn't over yet.

To wrap things up, I got the restaurant's special Café Pushkin dessert.

Café Pushkin is known for its extensive dessert menu, which includes lemon pie, honey cake, an apple-and-caramel chocolate mousse, millefeuille, and many more.

Ultimately, I was glad I went with the classic namesake option, which cost 960 rubles, or about $15.

Layers of pistachio and raspberry sorbet were covered with a chocolate shell and shaved almonds, with a soft crust on the bottom. It was surrounded by some kind of unidentified yet delectable creamy sauce.

The total came out to 3,925 rubles, or about $61.

It's not a price I would typically pay for a weekday lunch, but this was no ordinary lunch. 

The décor made me feel like I had traveled back in time, and the food and service were both top-notch. Each of my dishes seemed to arrive at exactly the right time — not too quickly nor too slowly. 

I was surprised to realize that I'd spent two hours at Café Pushkin. It doesn't seem like the place to stop in for a quick bite, but rather to enjoy a leisurely meal in a setting that feels like an opulent museum.

While the restaurant is undeniably touristy, that does nothing to detract from its appeal.

• Legal marijuana sales began in Michigan on December 1. 
• Marijuana is legal in 11 states for adults over the age of 21, and legal for medical use in 33 states. 
• Visit BI Prime for more stories, and subscribe here for our weekly cannabis newsletter, Cultivated.

Michigan residents can now purchase marijuana legally. 

Marijuana dispensaries opened for business in the state on December 1, marking the first day of legal recreational marijuana sales in the Midwest.

Illinois will soon follow. Governor JB Pritzker signed a legal marijuana bill into law in June, and recreational sales will start January 1. 

Illinois's bill contains a sweeping criminal justice component, expunging the records of potentially hundreds of thousands Illinois residents who have previously been convicted for possessing marijuana under previous laws. Up to 770,000 Illinois residents may qualify for expungement, according to ABC News. 

The bill will also proactively create opportunities for minority business owners to capitalize on the new industry.

Despite hiccups in New York and New Jersey, marijuana legalization is spreading around the US. 

In last year's midterm elections, Michigan became the 10th state to legalize recreational marijuana, and Utah and Missouri voted to legalize medical marijuana. Deep-red Oklahoma also voted to legalize medical marijuana last year, joining numerous other states that have such laws on the books.

Vermont became the first state to legalize marijuana possession — not sale — through its legislature last year as well, rather than a ballot initiative.

And, President Donald Trump also signed the bipartisan Farm Bill into law last December, which legalized hemp — a plant that's roughly identical to marijuana but doesn't contain THC, a psychoactive compound in marijuana — nationwide. 

Hemp is also a source of CBD, or cannabidiol, a popular, if scientifically untested ingredient in many cannabis-infused products. 

Eleven states and Washington, DC, have now legalized marijuana for recreational use for adults over 21. And 33 states have legalized medical marijuana.

And in October 2018, Canada legalized marijuana federally, becoming the first G7 country to do.

Mexico's Supreme Court also ruled that marijuana prohibition is unconstitutional, paving the way for the country's new leader, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, to follow Canada's lead.

Marijuana prohibition began 80 years ago when the federal government banned the sale, cultivation, and use of the cannabis plant. It remains illegal at the federal level.

Overturning prohibition is one of the few hot-button topics with widespread support.

According to a recent Pew poll, 67% of Americans think marijuana should be legal, and 91% support making medical marijuana legal. Opposition to legalized marijuana has fallen from 52% in 2010, to just 32% as of November 15. 

This article was first published in January 2018 and has been updated. Melia Robinson contributed to an earlier version of this post. 

SEE ALSO: Marijuana companies are using a 'backdoor' strategy to tap the public markets — and it's fueling an M&A boom

Alaska

Adults 21 and over can light up in Alaska. In early 2015, the northernmost US state made it legal for residents to use, possess, and transport up to an ounce of marijuana— roughly a sandwich bag full — for recreational use. The first pot shop opened for business in late 2016.

Alaska has pounced on the opportunity to make its recreational pot shops a destination for tourists. More than two million people visit Alaska annually and spend $2 billion.

California

California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana back in 1996. California became even more pot-friendly in 2016 when it made it legal to use and carry up to an ounce of marijuana.

The law also permits adults 21 and over to buy up to eight grams of marijuana concentrates, which are found in edibles, and grow no more than six marijuana plants per household.

Getting Californians to buy legal weed — rather than from the black market — has been challenging since the law took effect, The New York Times reports. 

Colorado

Maine

A ballot initiative in 2016 gave Mainers the right to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, more than double the limit in most other states.

Maine's legislature is still ironing out the details of how, and when, recreational pot shops will open in the state.

Massachusetts

In 2016, Massachusetts gave residents the green light to carry and use an ounce of marijuana and grow up to 12 plants in their homes. 

The first pot shops opened in the state last year, with more to come, reports The Boston Globe. 

Michigan

Voters in Michigan passed Proposition 1 last year, making it the first state in the Midwest to legalize the possession and sale of marijuana for adults over the age of 21. The bill allows adults to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and allows residents to grow up to 12 plants at home.

The law is more permissive than other states with legal marijuana: Most allow residents to only possess up to an ounce at a time.

Marijuana dispensaries in Michigan officially opened on December 1.

"The end of prohibition is historic," James Daly, the owner of a Michigan dispensary told The Associated Press. "We wanted to rip the Band-Aid off."

Nevada

Residents and tourists who are 21 and over can buy an ounce of marijuana or one-eighth of an ounce of edibles or concentrates in Nevada — while supplies last. Less than two weeks after sales of recreational weed began on July 1, 2017, many stores ran out of marijuana to sell.

The state has earned nearly $20 million in marijuana tax revenue since the market launched.

There's bad news if you want to grow your own bud, though. Nevada residents must live 25 miles outside the nearest dispensary in order to be eligible for a grower's license.

Oregon

Oregonians have enjoyed the right to carry an ounce of weed and grow up to four plants at home since 2015. 

Sales in Oregon pot shops have exploded since legalization: they're expected to top $1 billion by 2020, reports The Portland Business Journal. 

Vermont

Vermont became the first state to legalize marijuana through the legislature, rather than a ballot initiative, when Republic Governor Phil Scott signed a bill into law in January of last year.

Adults in the Green Mountain State can carry up to an ounce of marijuana and grow no more than two plants for recreational use. The new law went into effect in July 2018. But the bill is limited in scope. It doesn't establish a legal market for the production and sale of the drug.

Washington

Dispensaries in Washington have raked in over $1 billion in non-medical marijuana sales since the drug was legalized for recreational use in 2012.

The state allows people to carry up to an ounce of marijuana, but they must require the drug for medicinal purposes in order to be eligible for a grower's license.

Washington, D.C.

Residents in the nation's capital voted overwhelmingly to legalize marijuana for adult use in November 2014.

The bill took effect in 2015, allowing people to possess two ounces or less of marijuana and "gift" up to an ounce, if neither money nor goods or services are exchanged.

Illinois

Illinois lawmakers in June passed a bill that legalizes the possession and commercial sale of marijuana in the state.

Governor JB Pritzker, who made marijuana legalization a core component of his campaign for the governor's office, signed the bill into law earlier this year. 

Legal marijuana sales in the state are expected to start on January 1, as the state's 55 medical marijuana dispensaries will be permitted to flip to recreational sales, reports The Chicago Tribune. 

For its part, Illinois will be the first state to legalize marijuana sales through the state legislature, rather than a ballot initiative.

New York and New Jersey may be next.

Since Massachusetts opened its first pot shops in November 2018, other states around the Northeast are considering legalization more seriously.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo made legalizing marijuana a top priority for the first hundred days of his third term as governor, though that hasn't panned out. New York's legislative session ended on June 19, and the state was unable to pass marijuana reform. 

And while New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy hasn't yet given up on legalization, it's not likely to happen this year after lawmakers couldn't reach an agreement on a marijuana legalization bill.   

It's possible that New Jersey residents will vote on legal marijuana as a ballot initiative in 2020. 

While the federal government under President Trump is no friend to marijuana reform laws, it's likely that we'll see action from Congress — with a Democrat-controlled House — easing tax burdens and banking restrictions on marijuana businesses and expanding access to medical marijuana next year. 

• Microsoft's 4K-ready Xbox One X and affordable Xbox One S consoles are among the best game consoles of the modern gaming era.
• The Cyber Monday deals are aplenty for both of Microsoft's latest game consoles, in addition to the platform's vast library of HD games, at just about every retailer, including Amazon, Best Buy, and more.
• The Xbox One X 1TB with "Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order" is available for a cool $150 off, while an Xbox One S 1TB with two controllers and three free months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is $100 off.
• Even better, you can save up to 80% on Xbox One games, and Xbox One controllers are as much as $36 off today.
• You can read all of our Cyber Monday coverage on Insider Picks for more excellent deals and savings.

Updated 12/02/2019 at 2:33 p.m. ET

Cyber Monday deals are imminent, and this is set to be the best time of the year to buy a game console — namely the more affordable Microsoft Xbox One S and 4K-ready Xbox One X.

The Xbox One is the strongest gaming console available in terms of visuals, particularly the Xbox One X, which gets you meticulously and gorgeously detailed graphics, impressive visual assets in motion, and vast worlds.

Looking to score an Xbox One S or One X on the cheap? A bunch of retailers has announced Cyber Monday deals or simply extended their Black Friday discounts – most of which are available right now, so you can start your shopping right this second.

What follows are the very best Cyber Monday Xbox One deals we've found so far.

5 best Xbox Cyber Monday deals in 2019:

1. Xbox One X 1TB with "Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order" for $349 (originally $499) [You save $150], available at Walmart
2. Xbox One S 1TB with "Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order" + $40 gift card for $199 (originally $299) [You save $100], available at Target
3. Xbox One S 1TB All-Digital Edition for $149.99 (originally $249.99) [You save $100], available at Best Buy
4. Xbox One S 1TB with two controllers and a 3 Month Game Pass for $199.99 (originally $299.99) [You save $100], available at Costco
5. Save up to 80% on Xbox One games like "Gears 5" and "NBA 2K20" [You save up to 80%], available at GameStop

Xbox One X 1TB with 'Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order'

This deal is available now and ends today. 

If you're looking for the most powerful version of the Xbox, then the Xbox One X is the way to go. This console can output video at a hefty 4K, so you'll be able to play games in stunning detail.

Not only that, but this bundle comes with the highly-anticipated and already well-reviewed "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order," so you'll be able to get started playing as soon as you get your console. This bundle normally costs $499.99, but it's on sale for Cyber Monday for an impressive $150 off, bringing the total to $349.99.

Get the Xbox One X 1TB with "Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order" from Walmart, $349 (originally $499) [You save $150]

Get the Xbox One X 1TB with "Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order" from Best Buy, $349 (originally $499) [You save $150]

Get the Xbox One X 1TB with "Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order" from Microsoft, $349 (originally $499) [You save $150]

Xbox One S 1TB with 'Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order'

This deal is available now and ends today.

Perhaps you don't want or need an Xbox that supports 4K — in which case, it's worth considering the Xbox One S bundle, which also comes with "Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order."

The Xbox One S is still a very capable console and will display beautifully vivid games — even if they're not in 4K. While the bundle normally costs $299.99, on Cyber Monday, you can get it for only $199.99  — $100 off the normal price.

Get the Xbox One S 1TB with "Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order" + $40 gift card from Target, $199 (originally $299) [You save $140]

Get the Xbox One S 1TB with "Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order" from Walmart, $199 (originally $299) [You save $100]

Get the Xbox One S 1TB with "Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order" from GameStop, $199 (originally $299) [You save $100]

Get the Xbox One S 1TB with "Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order" from Microsoft, $199 (originally $299) [You save $100]

Xbox One S 1TB All-Digital Edition

This deal is available now and ends today.

Don't like the idea of having to buy physical copies of video games? The Xbox One S All-Digital Edition is the Xbox console for you. This console doesn't have a disc reader at all, but the trade-off is that it's a little cheaper than any other Xbox One console. Safe to say, if you really only plan on buying digital copies of games anyway, this may well be the way to go. Just know that you can't take advantage of used games.

Get the Xbox One S 1TB All-Digital Edition from GameStop, $149.99 (originally $249.99) [You save $100]

Get the Xbox One S 1TB All-Digital Edition from Best Buy, $149.99 (originally $249.99) [You save $100]

Xbox One S 1TB with two controllers

This deal is live now and ends today. 

If you prefer to play video games with friends or family on the couch, then you might need a second controller – in which case this bundle is for you. The bundle doesn't come with any games, but you will get the Xbox One S console with two controllers and a 3-month game pass – and that's perfect for those who like playing local multiplayer games.

Get the Xbox One S 1TB bundle with 2 wireless controllers and a 3 Month Game Pass from Microsoft, $199.99 (originally $299.99) [You save $100]

Save up to 80% on Xbox One games

This deal is available now and ends today.

Once you have an Xbox One console, you might want to get a few games for it, and Microsoft has a range of discounts on games. You'll get up to a whopping 80% off Xbox One games, including recent titles, like "Gears 5" and "NBA 2K20," on GameStop's store. These deals apply to both digital and physical games, so you'll need to be willing to download your games instead of own physical copies.

Save up to 80% on Xbox One games like "Gears 5" and "NBA 2K20" [You save up to 80%], available at GameStop

Save up to 90% off Xbox Live Gold membership

Chances are that, the person you're buying a shiny new Xbox One for is going to want to play that shiny new console online with friends and family. Unfortunately, playing online costs extra, which Microsoft chalks up to maintaining the service. Luckily for you, the company is offering up a massive deal on one month of Xbox Live Gold membership: 90% off the list price.

Get one month of Xbox Live Gold, $1.00 (originally $9.99) from Microsoft [You save $8.99]

Save big on three months of Xbox Game Pass

Chances are that, the person you're buying a shiny new Xbox One for is going to want to play that shiny new console online with friends and family. Unfortunately, playing online costs extra, which Microsoft chalks up to maintaining the service. Luckily for you, the company is offering up a massive deal on one month of Xbox Live Gold membership: 90% off the list price.

Get three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, $26.99 (originally $44.99) from NewEgg [You save $18]

Get three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, $26.99 (originally $44.99) from Best Buy [You save $18]

Xbox One controllers are up to $36 off

If you're buying a new Xbox One this Cyber Monday even for yourself, chances are you or whomever is receiving the gift will want to play with friends or family on the couch. Naturally, Microsoft and several more retailers are offering Xbox One controller deals to make that work for much cheaper than usual. With the below Xbox One controller deals, expect to save anywhere from $20 to $36 on select Xbox One controllers.

Get an Xbox One controller for $20 to $36 off for various colors and models from Walmart [You save up to $36]

Get an Xbox One controller for $20 to $30 off for various colors and models from Microsoft [You save up to $30]

Get an Xbox One controller for $10 off for various colors and models from GameStop [You save $10]

Xbox Cyber Monday FAQs

Does Microsoft Have a Cyber Monday sale?

Thankfully, yes. Many of the best console deals may come from other retailers, but Microsoft still offers some excellent Xbox One deals of its own. Microsoft's own deals are available now through December 2. 

Will "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order" be on sale for Cyber Monday?

Sadly, "Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order" is not available at a discount on its own — but it is available on sale bundled with an aforementioned Xbox One console.

Does GameStop have Cyber Monday deals?

GameStop has a range of Cyber Monday deals of its own. These deals include console deals and game deals.

See more Cyber Monday 2019 sales and deals

• The absolute best Cyber Monday deals of 2019
• The best tech deals of Cyber Monday 2019
• Amazon Cyber Monday deals 2019
• Target Cyber Monday deals 2019
• Walmart Cyber Monday deals 2019
• Macy's Cyber Monday deals 2019
• What is Cyber Monday? Everything you need to know

• From smartphones and smartwatches to TVs and computers, Samsung is discounting some of its best tech for Cyber Monday 2019.
• The savings include an instant Samsung credit of $500 when you buy the Galaxy Note 10, $80 off the Galaxy Watch, $700 off a QLED TV, and more.
• Deals are available on Samsung's website and most will end today, December 2, although there are several discounts that will last until the end of the week or month. We'll be updating this page as deals come and go.
• Be sure to check out the rest of our Cyber Monday coverage on Insider Picks.

Updated on 12/2/2019 at 2:35 pm ET

Looking for deals on Samsung devices for Cyber Monday? On the brand's website, you'll find discounts on phones, smartwatches, laptops, and more. You will also find some of these same deals at Amazon, Best Buy, and other retailers.

This list features the best Samsung deals we've observed for Cyber Monday. Most of the deals run through December 2 unless otherwise noted. All deals and prices are current as of the time of posting, but we will be updating this page throughout the day.

6 best Samsung Cyber Monday deals in 2019:

1. Get a $500 instant credit on select Samsung products, 6 months of Spotify Premium, and 4 months of ad-free YouTube with the purchase of a Note 10, Note 10+, or Note 10+ 5G, starting at $609.99[Save $500]
2. The 55-inch Q80R QLED Smart 4K UHD TV is $1,299.99 (originally $1,999.99) from Samsung [Save $700]
3. Get the Samsung Galaxy Watch Bluetooth version from Samsung, $269.99 (originally $349.99)[Save $80]
4. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6, $549.99 (originally $649.99)[Save $100 now through December 29]
5. Get the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 from Best Buy, $159.99 (originally $229) [Save $70]
6. Samsung Chromebook Plus from Samsung, $349.99 (originally $499.99)[Save $150 now through December 8]

Shop all Samsung Cyber Monday deals here or read on to see our favorites.

Samsung Galaxy S10 or Note 10 Cyber Monday deals

This deal ends today.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and S10 are two of Samsung's latest and greatest flagship smartphones, sporting the latest tech and specs. On Cyber Monday, Samsung is adding a $500 instant credit with an eligible trade-in, which you can apply toward select phones, tablets, and accessories. If you have been eyeing one of these phones and planning to pick up additional Samsung gear to go with it, this may be the deal for you.

The $500 credit applies to the Galaxy Note 10, Note 10+, and Note 10+ 5G, and the S10 and S10+, while the S10e, the most affordable option (at $489.99) gets a $350 instant credit. For early adopters, the Note 10+ 5G, which runs on Verizon's 5G network, comes in at $959.99. Prices fluctuate depending on the model and capacity you choose. Most of these phones can be purchased unlocked or through a carrier.

• Get a $500 instant credit on select Samsung products with the purchase of an S10 or S10+, starting at $639.99
• Get a $500 instant credit on select Samsung products, 6 months of Spotify Premium, and 4 months of ad-free Youtube with the purchase of a Note 10, Note 10+, or Note 10+ 5G, starting at $609.99
• Get a $350 instant credit on select Samsung products with the purchase of a S10e, starting at $489.99

Samsung TV Cyber Monday deals

These deals could be ending today.

As one of the biggest manufacturers of TVs, you can bet Samsung would be discounting its large selection of TVs — from affordable 4K displays to giant 8K OLEDs. These deals started last week during Black Friday and have carried through to Cyber Monday, but it's very likely the sale prices will end today.

One to look at is the 55-inch Q80R QLED Smart 4K TV. For $1,299.99 (you save $700), you get a 2019 model with technologies that delivers both deeper blacks and excellent colors. This model is available in other sizes, and they are also on sale.

Here are other Samsung TV deals to consider, including the beautiful 65-inch The Frame QLED and the massive 75-inch Q900 8K QLED TV. You can also find these Samsung deals at Best Buy, Amazon, and other retailers that carry Samsung TVs.

• 65-inch Q70R QLED TV, $1,199.99 (originally $2,199.99) [You save $1,000] 
• 65-inch The Frame QLED TV, $1,599 (originally $2,799.99) [You save $1,200] 
• Samsung 75-inch Q900 8K QLED TV, $3,999.99 (originally $6,999.99) [You save $3,000]
• 75-inch Q60 QLED TV, $1,499.99 (originally $2,999.99) [You save $1,500]
• 65-inch Q90R QLED TV, $2,199.99 (originally $3,499.99) [You save $1,300] 
• 75-inch Q80R QLED TV, $2,299.99 (originally $3,999.99) [You save $1,700] 

Check out the best Cyber Monday TV deals.

Samsung smartwatch and fitness tracker Cyber Monday deals

These deals end today unless otherwise noted.

If you are looking for a companion device to your Samsung smartphone, how about a Samsung smartwatch or fitness tracker, like the Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Fit?

You can save as much as $80 on the Galaxy Watch, a well-designed smartwatch with easy-to-use software experience, fitness tracking, and more. It actually works with any phone (Android or iPhone) and offers an easy-to-use software experience, decent fitness tracking, and more.

If you want activity tracking but could do without a watch, Samsung is also discounting the Galaxy Fit. You can buy one and get a second one for half-off, and this deal lasts until December 8. If you don't need a second Fit, you can save $20 on one; this offer lasts until December 31.

In addition, Samsung is offering a free Wireless Charging Battery Pack with every purchase of a Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Watch Active 2.

• Get the Samsung Galaxy Watch Bluetooth version from Samsung, $269.99 (originally $349.99) [You save $80]
• Get the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 from Samsung, starting at $229.99 (originally starting at $299.99) [You save $50]
• Get the Samsung Galaxy Fit from Samsung, $79.99 (originally $99.99) [You save $20] and get a second one at half-off. *The $20 discount ends December 31, while the BOGO half-off offer ends December 8.

Samsung Galaxy tablet Cyber Monday deals

These deals end today or on December 29.

Samsung is discounting its Galaxy Tab tablets, which include the Galaxy Tab S4, Tab S6, Tab A 10.1, and Tab A Kids Edition. You can save as much as $200, and many of these deals actually end on December 29.

The flagship Android-based Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 is one of the best tablets available. Its specs include the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, either 6GB or 8GB of RAM, up to 256GB of storage, and a useful stylus (the S Pen). The device also has a 10.5-inch screen and comes with a keyboard accessory, which turns the tablet into a laptop-like device for work. The $100 discount isn't huge, but it puts the tablet in the same price range as the iPad Air.

You can save a bit more if you opt for the older Tab S4, which is still a capable tablet with Dolby Atmos speakers. The Tab A is a budget-friendly 10-inch tablet for those who want something basic yet capable. The Tab A Kids Edition is designed to protect against bumps and drops, has a long-lasting battery, and has optional access to kids' content; it's priced at $99.99.

Note the deal expiration date for each product.

• Get the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 from Best Buy, $159.99 (originally $229) [You save $70] *Ends December 2, available at Best Buy and other retailers
• Get the Samsung Galaxy Tab A Kids Edition from Best Buy, $99.99 (originally $149.99) [You save $50] *Ends December 2, available at Best Buy and other retailers
• Get the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 from Samsung, $549.99 (originally $649.99) [You save $100] *Ends December 29
• Get the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 from Samsung, $449.99 (originally $649.99) [You save $200] *Ends December 29

Samsung Notebook and Chromebook Cyber Monday deals

These deals end on December 8.

Samsung isn't just about phones and TVs — the company makes great laptops too. You can save as much as $150. The sale applies to the Chromebook Plus, Chromebook 3, and Notebook Flash.

Cyber Monday discounts don't include the more powerful, high-end Samsung Notebook models. Instead, you'll find everyday machines that are ideal for casual users. The Chromebook Plus V2 is a convertible device that can transform from laptop to a tablet, so you can go from keyboard to pen by just flipping the display over. It weighs 3 pounds, so it's relatively lightweight.

• Get the Samsung Chromebook Plus from Samsung, $349.99 (originally $499.99) [You save $150]
• Get the Samsung Chromebook 3 from Samsung, $149.99 (originally $199.99) [You save $50]
• Get the Samsung Notebook Flash from Samsung, $329.99 (originally $399.99) [You save $70]

Samsung VR Cyber Monday deal

This deal ends today.

Samsung has been introducing virtual reality products for some time, but the HMD Odyssey+ is its most advanced yet. Using Windows Mixed Reality tech from Microsoft, the headset has two dual-AMOLED screens for crisper images than phone-based VR headsets. In VR, especially if you're gaming, great picture quality matters. The headset also provides 360-degree sound, which makes the experience even more immersive. A compatible computer is required.

• Get the Samsung HMD Odyssey+ from Samsung, $229.99 (originally $499.99) [You save $270]

Samsung Cyber Monday FAQs

Does Samsung do Cyber Monday deals?

Samsung is offering Cyber Monday deals at its online store. Retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon are also discounting Samsung devices.

Does Samsung offer student discounts?

If you're a student, you can save up to 30% on Samsung products when buying through Samsung's website. This deal also applies to educators, not just students. To take advantage of the deals, you'll need to register with your qualifying school email address at this website. 

What are the Samsung phone models?

Samsung offers a wide range of smartphone models. You'll find the Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 at the high-end; both share similar specs, although the Galaxy Note 10 is slightly larger and includes a stylus. At the low end, Samsung also offers a big selection, like the Samsung Galaxy M30 and the Samsung Galaxy A30.

See more Cyber Monday 2019 sales and deals

• The absolute best Cyber Monday deals of 2019
• The best tech deals of Cyber Monday 2019
• Amazon Cyber Monday deals 2019
• Target Cyber Monday deals 2019
• Walmart Cyber Monday deals 2019
• The Disney Plus Cyber Monday deal you don't want to miss
• Macy's Cyber Monday deals 2019
• What is Cyber Monday? Everything you need to know

• Walmart's Cyber Monday 2019 sale has started, with hundreds of deals on TVs, kitchen appliances, toys, and more. 
• The best deals so far include $1,028 off an LG 65" C8 Series 4K TV, $10 off a Fujifilm Instax Mini 7s Instant Camera with 10-pack film, and $33 off a SodaStream Fizzi Sparkling Water Maker Bundle. 
• We're also keeping tabs on Cyber Monday deals available online on Amazon, Best Buy, Macy's, Target, and more stores.
• To potentially save more on Cyber Monday deals this year, visit Business Insider Coupons to find the most up-to-date Walmart coupons and promo codes.

Updated 12/2/19 at 2:48 p.m. ET

Most shoppers know Walmart as a brick-and-mortar retailer, but it's a big online seller as well. 

If you're hoping to shop online this Cyber Monday, don't forget about Walmart, which will be offering great deals on TVs, electronics, kitchen appliances, and more. For anyone who's looking for fun and affordable Christmas gift ideas for kids, tons of toys are also discounted by up to 40%, and you can sort through the deals by price or age range.

Here's everything you need to know about Walmart's best Cyber Monday deals. 

The best Walmart Cyber Monday deals of 2019:

1. Best TV deal:LG 65" Class OLED C8 Series 4K, $1,969 (originally $2,997) [You save $1,028]
2. Best instant camera deal: Fujifilm Instax Mini 7s Instant Camera with 10-pack film, $49 (originally $59) [You save $10]
3. Best tablet deal: Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 32GB, $149 (originally $219) [You save $70] 
4. Best DNA kit deal: 23andMe Personal Ancestry + Traits Kit, $79 (originally $100) [You save $21]
5. Best Instant Pot deal:Instant Pot Ultra 6 QT 10-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, $79 (originally $159) [You save $80]
6. Best robot vacuum deal:iRobot Roomba 670 Vacuum, $197 (originally $330) [You save $133]
7. Best kitchen appliance deal:SodaStream Fizzi Sparkling Water Maker Bundle, $78 (originally $111) [You save $33]
8. Best stand mixerdeal: KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, $219 (originally $380) [You save $161] 
9. Best gaming deal:Nintendo Switch Bundle with Bonus 128GB Sandisk Memory Card & Ematic Controller, $299 ($369 value) [You save $70] 
10. Best wellness deal: Theragun White G3 Handheld Deep Tissue Massager, $299 (originally $399) [You save $100]
11. Best toy deal: Barbie DreamHouse, $154 (originally $199) [You save $45]

What makes these deals great:

1. LG 65" Class OLED C8 Series 4K, $1,969 (originally $2,997) [You save $1,028] If you're looking for a top-of-the-line 4K TV, the LG 65" C8 is the top pick in our buying guide. It has crystal-clear 4K quality, OLED screen, and tons of features that make this deal worth checking out.
2. Fujifilm Instax Mini 7s Instant Camera with 10-pack film, $49 (originally $59) [You save $10] This camera is a popular and highly-giftable item. The one downside is that it requires film, which adds up over time. This deal comes with a 10-pack of film, so you're saving money upfront. Use the deal as gifting inspiration, or check out all our gift guides here.
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 32GB, $149 (originally $219) [You save $70] Walmart offers the best price around for the 2019 10-inch Galaxy Tab A, which notably features Dolby Atmos surround sound. Like many of Samsung's products, the tablet provides powerful performance for a low price. 
4. 23andMe Personal Ancestry + Traits Kit, $79 (originally $100) [You save $21] One of 23andMe's kit types can tell you all about your DNA and family tree. It stops short of providing health risk and wellness reports (you'll want the limited-stock Health + Ancestry test for those), but still sheds new light on your personal background. 
5. Instant Pot Ultra 6 QT 10-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, $79 (originally $159) [You save $80] We see sales on the super-popular Instant Pot all the time, but not usually under $100, let alone $80. This is a great deal on a solid kitchen appliance you'll use every day. It can make dishes for up to six people so it's great for a small family or for meal prepping. There's even a "Sterilize" mode for baby bottles and jars.
6. iRobot Roomba 670 Vacuum, $197 (originally $330) [You save $133] If you're looking for an efficient Roomba deal under $200, the 670 model is a slightly older entry-level robot vacuum that doesn't skimp on the features. It has powerful suction with a three-stage cleaning process, multiple brush heads for various surfaces, and Wi-Fi, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant compatibility so you can control it no matter where you are.
7. SodaStream Fizzi Sparkling Water Maker Bundle, $78 (originally $111) [You save $33] If you prefer sparkling water over tap, the SodaStream Fizzi bundle (currently $78) can help save you money in the long run. It can turn basic tap water into sparkling in a few seconds, and this bundle includes two carbonation bottles and two types of fruit flavors in case you're looking to amp up your water even more. Our reviewer was surprised at how easy it was to use; read the full review here.
8. KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, $219 (originally $380) [You save $161] Walmart offers the best price around for this KitchenAid stand mixer model, which has 10 different mixing speeds for your various baking and cooking tasks. The only potential drawback is that there are only two neutral color options left, but if you care more about the performance and savings, you'll love this deal. 
9. Nintendo Switch Bundle with Bonus 128GB Sandisk Memory Card & Ematic Controller, $299 ($369 value) [You save $70] The Switch itself almost never goes on sale, but you can save today with different Switch bundles. Walmart offers a similar deal as Target by adding a 128 GB memory card, but it sweetens the deal with a wired controller that's compatible with both the Switch and PCs.
10. Theragun White G3 Handheld Deep Tissue Massager, $299 (originally $399) [You save $100] Theragun's famous percussive therapy device has a deep treatment speed as well as a lighter speed to help you relieve muscle pain, speed up recovery times, and release tension. This is the biggest discount we've seen on the high-tech massage gun. It can seem like a big upfront investment, but when you consider the costs of all your spa massage treatments, suddenly the Theragun makes more sense. 
11. Barbie DreamHouse, $154 (originally $199) [You save $45] The Barbie DreamHouse (currently $154) is the quintessential toy to gift to kids, and it's at a low price this holiday season. Now that it's under $200, you can cross off another gift purchase off your list. 

How we selected the best deals at Walmart:

• We only chose products that meet our high standard of coverage, and that we've either used ourselves or researched carefully.
• We compared the prices against other retailers like Target and Amazon and only included the deals that are the same or better (not including promotional discounts that come from using certain credit cards).
• All deals are at least 20% off, with the occasional exception for products that are rarely discounted or provide an outsized value.

Here are more of the best Walmart Black Friday deals: 

TVs: Up to 40% off

Shop TV deals

• Vizio 55-inch Class 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV, $280 (originally $478) [You save $198] 
• LG 65-inch Class OLED C8 Series 4K, $1,969 (originally $2,997) [You save $1,028]
• Roku Premiere+ 4K HDR Streaming Player, $29 (originally $49) [You save $20] 

Laptops and tablets: Up to 60% off

Shop laptop deals | Shop tablet deals

• RCA Galileo Pro 11.5-inch 32GB 2-in-1 Tablet, $88 (originally $180) [You save $92] 
• Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 32GB, $149 (originally $219) [You save $70] 

Smart home: Up to 50% off

Shop smart home deals

• Google Nest Learning Thermostat, $179 (originally $249) [You save $70]
• Lenovo Smart Display 8-inch, $99 (originally $199) [You save $100] 

Headphones and speakers: Up to 40% off

Shop headphone deals | Shop speaker deals

• Bose SoundSport Free True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds, $169 (originally $249) [You save $80]
• JBL Charge 4 Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker, $100 (originally $180) [You save $80] 

Smartwatches and fitness trackers:

Shop smartwatch and fitness tracker deals

• Fitbit Charge 3, $100 (originally $150) [You save $50] 

Home and kitchen: Up to 40% off

Shop home and kitchen deals

• Instant Pot Ultra 6 QT 10-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, $79 (originally $159) [You save $80]
• Eufy RoboVac 25C Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum, $149 (originally $250) [You save $101]
• iRobot Roomba 670 Vacuum, $197 (originally $330) [You save $133]
• SodaStream Fizzi Sparkling Water Maker Bundle, $78 (originally $111) [You save $33]
• KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, $219 (originally $380) [You save $161] 

Toys and gaming: Up to 50% off

Shop toy deals | Shop gaming deals

• Barbie DreamHouse, $154 (originally $199) [You save $45]
• Microsoft Xbox One S 1TB All Digital Edition 3 Game Bundle, $149 (originally $249) [You save $100] 
• Sony PlayStation 4 Pro 1TB Gaming Console, $299 (originally $400) [You save $101]
• Nintendo Switch Bundle with Bonus 128GB Sandisk Memory Card & Ematic Controller, $299 ($369 value) [You save $70] 

Health and personal care: Up to 40% off

Shop health and personal care deals

• 23andMe DNA Test - Health + Ancestry, $99 (originally $199) [You save $100] *low stock*
• 23andMe Personal Ancestry + Traits Kit, $79 (originally $100) [You save $21]
• Sunbeam Renue Heat Therapy Neck and Shoulder Wrap, $25.47 (originally $50) [You save $24.53] 

Beauty and grooming: Up to 50% off

Shop beauty and grooming deals

• Chi Original 1-Inch Ceramic Hair Straightening Flat Iron, $52.78 (originally $100) [You save $47.22] 
• Calvin Klein Eternity Eau De Toilette Spray, $27 (originally $72) [You save $45]
• Burberry Classic Eau De Parfum Spray, $40 (originally $98) [You save $58[ 

Walmart Cyber Monday 2019 FAQs:

What should you buy?

According to shopping experts, the best deals will be on the following products: TVs, smart home devices, gaming consoles, video games, and kitchen appliances.  

Does Walmart do Cyber Monday? 

Yes, Walmart will participate in Cyber Monday 2019. The store often offers some of the best Cyber Monday deals and Black Friday deals you can find. 

What time does Cyber Monday start for Walmart? 

Walmart's Cyber Monday sales officially began at 12 a.m. on December 2. Not all deals were posted at that time, however; some will pop up throughout the day today. 

Is Cyber Monday online only?

Yes, Cyber Monday is online only. You might find deals in your local Walmart on December 2, but they won't be marketed as Cyber Monday deals. 

See more Cyber Monday 2019 sales and deals:

• The absolute best Cyber Monday deals of 2019
• The best tech deals of Cyber Monday 2019
• Amazon Cyber Monday deals 2019
• Target Cyber Monday deals 2019
• Macy's Cyber Monday deals 2019
• What is Cyber Monday? Everything you need to know

• I come from a huge family, and one of the ways we show each other love is through food, especially on holidays.
• I've never been confident in the kitchen like the rest of my relatives, but I recently decided to try cooking our traditional Christmas dinner.
• I made a Christmas roast, mashed potatoes, cheesy asparagus, pimento cheese dip, and honey spice cookies.
• Despite my fears, I was able to replicate my family's recipes, and I was surprised by how good everything tasted. The only difficulty was how much I had to do by myself, as we usually make everything as a group.
• The experience made me feel closer to my family, because I know I can recreate the meals we share together no matter where I am.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

I come from a huge family, and food is a big way we show our love for each other.

I have a sister, a brother, and five cousins who are more like siblings. When my mom passed away in 2016, my sister and I moved in with our aunt and uncle, meaning nine of us live under one roof.

Because there are so many of us, we cook much more often than we go out to eat, as it's more affordable.

The women in my family are cooking pros, particularly my aunt Viv, and it's always intimidated me.

My aunt Viv has always been a great cook, preparing most of the homemade meals I ate throughout my childhood.

My sister and cousins have followed in her footsteps, perfecting Viv's recipes and forging their own cooking ventures as well. My sister has become an expert baker, and my cousin Lauren can make challah from scratch.

I wasn't interested in learning to cook when I was younger, and I somehow never became comfortable in the kitchen despite being surrounded by so many talented chefs.

I've always been delegated as the family taste-tester alongside my grandma. But I decided to try cooking my family's traditional Christmas dinner.

I felt like it was time to get over my fear of cooking. What better way to do that than make one of my family's most special meals?

I set out to make a Christmas roast, mashed potatoes, cheesy asparagus, pimento cheese dip, and honey spice cookies.

I was a little intimidated at the thought of making a three-course meal — particularly because I live far away from my family in Atlanta, Georgia, so I wouldn't have any sous chefs to help — but I was ready for the challenge.

My cooking journey started with stocking up on supplies.

I ended up having to go to three different places to track down all of the ingredients I needed, as the New York grocery stores I frequent aren't all stocked with the supplies the recipes call for.

I went to Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and finally a local New York deli for the roast. But you might already have a lot of the necessary supplies in your pantry, like the spices, flour, eggs, and butter.

I decided to prep the meat first, as it tastes best when it has time to marinate.

The roast tastes best when the meat can marinate overnight, but I unfortunately didn't have time for that. Instead, I let the meat marinate for around an hour and a half before I cooked it.

My mom usually put roast in a glass Pyrex container when she made it, so I did too.

I also sprayed the Pyrex with cooking oil before I placed the roast in the container to ensure it wouldn't stick.

The marinade only requires four ingredients: Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic.

I put the sauce and spices on the meat, and then placed it in the refrigerator to rest.

I felt the most confident about my ability to prepare the roast of everything I was making, as I'd helped my mom do it a few times and knew it was a simple process.

I left the meat to marinate before cooking it for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Next, it was time to start making the mashed potatoes, which I knew would be the most involved dish of the day.

The mashed potatoes also have a simple list of ingredients: potatoes, sour cream, cream cheese, garlic salt, onion salt, paprika, and butter. But the actual process of mashing the potatoes seemed intimidating to me, as I knew it involved multiple, time-consuming steps.

First, I peeled the potatoes.

The recipe calls for eight to ten russet potatoes. I used eight because I was only preparing the dish for myself and my roommate.

Peeling turned out to be pretty easy, though it took a while because my peeler is small. I found the process somewhat relaxing. The hands-on activity forced me to slow down and just think for a bit, which I normally don't do.

Then, I quartered and boiled the potatoes.

The potatoes have to be quartered in order for them to fit in a pot to boil. I used a sharp knife to chop the potatoes, which made it really easy. They were all quartered in under five minutes.

Once they were quartered, I put the potatoes in a pot and added water.

The potatoes took a while to boil, and I felt unsure about how soft they were supposed to be.

I ended up calling my sister for advice, and she told me to poke them with a fork as they simmer. She said once they have the texture of a baked potato, they're ready.

After about 20 to 30 minutes, the potatoes were soft enough to mash.

I drained the water, and then put the potatoes back into the same pot. Then it was time to mash.

My family uses a KitchenAid mixer to mash potatoes, which is much easier than physically squishing them yourself. But I only have a hand mixer, so I knew it was going to be a bit tougher.

I mixed the potatoes on their own for about 15 minutes before combining them with the other ingredients.

I threw in some butter with the potatoes for the first round of mixing to give them more moisture, as it was hard to get them to mash when they were dry.

It was much easier to mix them once I added the garlic salt, onion salt, cream cheese, and sour cream to the pot, though it still took me about 30 minutes to get them smooth enough to cook.

Once everything was mashed, I put the potatoes into a large Pyrex container and topped them with butter and paprika.

I used a spatula to smooth the potatoes, and then cut a stick of butter into small squares to place on top of the dish. I then sprinkled a small amount of paprika on top for added flavor, and it was ready to cook. 

The potatoes have to bake in the oven for an hour at 350 degrees. I planned to put the roast in alongside the potatoes halfway through the casserole's bake-time.

Next, it was time to prep the dough for the honey spice cookies, which is a secret family recipe that my sister has perfected.

I can't show you the full list of ingredients for the cookies, or my family might not let me come home for the holidays this year.

But I can tell you the cookies contain honey, brown sugar, and myriad other spices that make them delicious. They taste a bit like gingerbread, but the flavor is less sharp.

I wanted to start the dough somewhat early in the process, as it has to chill before the cookies can be assembled.

I started to make the dough by sifting the dry ingredients together.

I've used a sifter plenty of times, as I'm more interested in baking than cooking. But I'd never made this recipe before, and I ended up having to start over because I got some of the measurements wrong.

Once they were combined correctly, I set the dry ingredients aside.

Then it was time to start mixing the wet ingredients, which included eggs, honey, and brown sugar.

I again used my hand mixer to combine the ingredients, which was a lot better than using a whisk because the honey and brown sugar were a bit thick.

The wet ingredients came together, and the half-made dough was already starting to smell like the cookies I knew.

I started to feel more confident in my ability to replicate the recipe once I smelled the familiar sweet and spicy aroma.

I stopped working on the dough for a moment to pop the roast into the oven alongside the potatoes.

I took a peek at the potatoes as I put the roast in to cook, and the crust was starting to get the desired golden color. It seemed like the potatoes and roast would be ready at the same time.

Then I slowly added my dry ingredients to the dough and mixed it thoroughly.

I again used my hand mixer to combine the ingredients, making sure to combine the ingredients smoothly as I didn't want the cookies to have any lumps.

After I mixed the ingredients, the dough looked like this.

The recipe calls for chilled dough, so I placed it in the fridge while I worked on the rest of the food.

While the potatoes and meat finished cooking, I threw together some cheesy asparagus.

Of everything I cooked, the asparagus was the only recipe I knew how to make by myself, and only because it was really easy to make. The recipe calls for asparagus, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic.

The asparagus is also simple to make because it only cooks for 12 minutes at 400 degrees.

I covered the asparagus in spices and olive oil, and put them on standby until the oven was free. The cheese doesn't go on the veggies until the last few minutes they're cooking in the oven.

I later realized I forgot to cut the ends of the asparagus in haste, which I'd be sure to do next time.

Then, it was time to take the potatoes and meat out of the oven. I was thrilled when I saw the finished mashed potatoes.

The mashed potatoes looked like my family's do when they come out of the oven. The slightly brown edges of the crust were exactly the right golden shade.

The roast looked right, too, and I was proud of myself for taking it out while the center was still pink.

I tend to overcook meat because I'm scared of preparing it wrong, and I didn't have a meat thermometer to help me. But I managed to cook my roast thoroughly without burning it, which I wasn't sure would happen.

Next, I popped the asparagus into the oven, and added cheese after it cooked for eight minutes.

I had pre-grated cheese, so it was simple to add it. I tried to keep a close eye on the asparagus as I cooked it, as it can burn pretty easily.

The asparagus was done, and it was finally time to taste the fruits of my labor.

I carved the roast, spooned some potatoes onto my plate, and gave myself a hearty serving of asparagus. Everything looked right, but I was nervous it wouldn't taste good, particularly because I was comparing it to the feasts my family makes.

I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered the food tasted exactly like it was supposed to.

The potatoes were the star of the meal, as I managed to achieve the perfect combination of soft texture and strong flavors. I also added extra butter to the recipe, which helped.

The meat was good, too, though it would've had a stronger flavor if I'd been able to marinate for longer. Though I should add that I had leftovers the next day, and the meat was even better than it had been the day before.

The asparagus is a good weeknight staple for me, so I enjoyed it as per usual.

Overall, I was really pleased with the dinner.

It tasted great, though it took me a long time to make — about three hours — which makes sense because cooking Christmas dinner is typically a team effort for my family. The meal would have been quicker and more fun to make if my relatives had been in the kitchen with me.

Despite my triumph, I wasn't done. I still had to make pimento cheese dip.

Pimento cheese dip usually serves as an appetizer at my house, but it ended up being an after-dinner-treat for me because of the timing of my experiment. This recipe is also really easy to make, as you just need cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, pimentos, sour cream, cream cheese, mayonnaise, and garlic salt.

Pimento cheese is one of my favorite snacks, and it always reminds me of summer days in the South where I grew up.

Pimento cheese dip is a breeze to make, especially if you don't grate your own cheese.

My aunt Viv swears the dip tastes better if you grate the cheese yourself, but I chose to save myself some trouble and purchase it pre-grated. I combined the ingredients in a reusable container that has an accompanying lid to make it easier to save for later.

I pulled out my trusty hand mixer one more time to combine the ingredients.

The dish came together in just a few minutes, as all of the ingredients are soft.

Although it's not that appetizing to look at, I was able to make the right texture for my dip.

The cheese and other ingredients had come together to make a savory dish that had the same texture as the dip I was used to seeing at home.

And when I bit into it, I was excited that it tasted like my aunt Viv's dip.

Like the roast, pimento cheese dip is typically better after the flavors have had time to rest for a day, but it was still good when I tasted it. The flavor was nice and strong, and it reminded me of home.

I put the leftovers in the fridge to enjoy throughout the week.

The cookie dough had chilled by the time I was done with the dip, so I was almost ready to bake.

The cookies have a sugar topping, which you add by dipping them in water and then sugar. The water makes the sugar stick. I put water and sugar into bowls to make it easier to prepare the final cookies.

I rolled the dough into small balls, and then dipped them in the water and sugar.

The sugaring process was delicate, and I knew I hadn't done it totally evenly because I was working a little quickly. I also wished my dough had been slightly cooler when I rolled it, as it stuck to my hands a bit.

Next, I put the cookies in the oven for 12 minutes.

I checked on them a few times while they baked, as I wanted to ensure they didn't burn.

They looked good when I took them out of the oven, though the sugar was a little lopsided.

Still, they smelled just like my sister's cookies. I made a mental note to be more careful sugaring next time I tried the recipe.

The cookies tasted just right, giving off a subtle spicy flavor that reminded me of Christmas parties at home.

I love that these cookies aren't too big and that they have a subtle flavor, so you can enjoy them for a long time. I brought some with me to work the next day, and my colleagues at Insider were fans, too.

I felt so proud of myself after single-handedly cooking a Christmas feast.

I feared that if I tried cooking my family recipes and failed, it would feel like I wasn't part of the secret cooking club.

Even during the challenging parts of the experiment, though, I had fun. Everything reminded me of my family, and I found myself reminiscing on the countless moments I've spent in the kitchen with my relatives.

And smelling the scents of some of our most special meals made my family feel close in a visceral way they often don't when I'm far away from them.

I'm not scared to cook anymore, and I feel closer to my family from the experience.

Now, I can recreate the comfort of our meals together wherever I am.

• Read more:
• 7 Thanksgiving hacks that will make your turkey juicier, evenly cooked, and tastier than ever
• How Thanksgiving dinner has changed over the years
• THEN AND NOW: How the holidays in New York City have changed over the last 100 years
• There's a bizarre tradition of weighing each member of the royal family before and after Christmas dinner, and Meghan Markle and Doria Ragland might have to take part

• Kohl's Cyber Monday ad includes some of the best deals on the internet. Along with an additional 20% off many items at checkout with the code "GOSHOP20", you get $15 in Kohl's Cash for every $50 you spend. 
• The best Cyber Monday deals at Kohl's include $70 off the Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones + $75 Kohl's Cash and $46 off the Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus plus $30 in Kohl's Cash. Kohl's Cash can be used on future purchases until December 9, so you can save on even more big-ticket items as you're holiday shopping.
• We're also tracking the best deals from Amazon, Target, Best Buy, Walmart, or Nordstrom, so keep checking back for the best prices across the internet. If you're a Disney fan, there's a great deal on Disney Plus as well.
• To potentially save more on Cyber Mondaythis year, visit Business Insider Coupons to find the most up-to-date Kohl's coupons and promo codes.

Kohl's Cyber Monday deals are very competitive this year — more than a few of the best deals on the internet are housed here. While Kohl's tends to match the prices of competitors on popular products, it's also offering additional discounts and Kohl's Cash to sweeten them further.

For every $50 you spend through December 4, you'll also receive $15 in Kohl's Cash that can be redeemed December 3 through December 9. That's basically free money to use on future purchases.

You can also take an extra 20% off with the promo code "GOSHOP20" at checkout from now until December 4. Today only, you can also take an extra $10 off $50 with the promo code "JACKPOT" at checkout. 

Kohl's also offers free shipping when you spend $25 or more between now and December 4. 

The best Kohl's Cyber Monday deals of 2019:

1. Best kitchen appliance deal:Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus, $103.99 (originally $149.99)[You save $46] plus get $30 in Kohl's Cash
2. Best over-the-ear headphone deal:Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones, $279.99 (originally $349.99)[You save $70] plus get $75 in Kohl's Cash 
3. Best fitness tracker deal:Fitbit Charge 3, $99.99 (originally $149.99)[You save $50] plus get $30 in Kohl's Cash
4. Best speaker deal: JBL Charge 4 Portable Bluetooth Speaker, $99.99 (originally $179.99)[You save $80] plus get $30 in Kohl's Cash
   
5. Best vacuum deal: Dyson Cyclone V10 Motorhead Cord-Free Vacuum $349.99 (originally $499.99)[You save $150] plus get $105 in Kohl's Cash

What makes these deals great: 

1. Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus, $103.99 (originally $149.99) [You save $46] plus get $30 in Kohl's Cash. The Instant Pot Duo is our favorite multicooker on the market. It's a super-easy way to prepare quick meals and can accommodate ribs, soups, beans, rice, poultry, yogurt, desserts, and pretty much anything else you might be craving. The Duo Evo Plus is an upgrade to the Duo: It's a 10-in-1 multicooker with a lid that seals automatically and comes with an inner pot that can be placed on the stovetop. Right now, Amazon and Target are selling this for just $2 less, but with $30 Kohl's Cash, we recommend this deal.
2. Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones, $279.99 (originally $349.99) [You save $70] plus get $75 in Kohl's Cash. The Beats Studio3 Wireless headphones come in a ton of colors and are an improvement on older models. This pair has better sound quality, noise cancellation, and battery life. Fully charged, you'll get up to 22 hours of playtime. A 10-minute charge translates to 3 hours of playtime on low, and an Apple W1 chip makes it simple to pair with Apple devices. You'll find the same price, minus the extra Kohl's cash, at Amazon and Macy's right now, but if color doesn't matter to you, you can get this pair in grey, blue, or tan for $199 for a limited time at Best Buy, with three months of free Apple Music for new subscribers. 
3. Fitbit Charge 3, $99.99 (originally $149.99) [You save $50] plus get $30 in Kohl's Cash. The Fitbit Charge 3 offers all the activity tracking, a heart rate monitor, and just the right screen size for most people. Our reviewer called the Charge 3 Fitbit's best product to date. This is the same price you'll get at Amazon, Walmart,  and Bed, Bath & Beyond but without the bonus $30 you'll get in Kohl's Cash.
4. JBL Charge 4 Portable Bluetooth Speaker, $99.99 (originally $179.99) [You save $80] plus $30 in Kohl's Cash. Waterproof, loud, and durable, JBL makes some of the best portable Bluetooth speakers, and at half price, now's as good of a time as any to pick one up. Kohl's is price matching Amazon, Target, and Best Buy, so this is the best deal with the added $30 Kohl's Cash. 
5. Dyson Cyclone V10 Motorhead Cord-Free Vacuum $349.99 (originally $499.99) [You save $150] plus get $105 in Kohl's Cash. We think Dyson's V Cordless Series are the best cordless vacuums hands down; they're light, powerful, and easy to use. We can justify their high price without a discount, but it's easier to stomach with one. You'll find the same price of $349.99 at Dyson, Bed Bath & Beyond (plus the potential of earning $100 in rewards when you spend $300), and Best Buy— minus the benefit of $105 in Kohl's Cash.

How we selected the best deals at Kohl's:

1. We only chose products that meet our high standard of coverage, and that we've either used ourselves or researched carefully.
2. We compared the prices against other retailers like Target and Amazon and only included the deals that are the same or better (not including promotional discounts that come from using certain credit cards).
3. All deals are at least 20% off, with the occasional exception for products that are rarely discounted or provide an outsized value.

Shop Kohl's

Electronics: Up to 50% off

Shop electronics deals

• Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones, $279.99 (originally $349.99) [You save $70 plus get $75 in Kohl's Cash]
• JBL Live 400BT Wireless On-Ear Headphones, $69.99 (originally $99.99) [You save $30 plus get $15 in Kohl's Cash]
• JBL Clip 3 Bluetooth Speaker, $29.99 (originally $69.99) [You save $40]
• JBuds Pro Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds, $12.99 (originally $19.99) [You save $7]
• Fitbit Versa 2 Smartwatch, $129.99 (originally $199.99) [You save $70 plus get $30 in Kohl's Cash]
• Fitbit Versa Lite Edition Smartwatch, $99.99 (originally $159.99) [You save $60 plus get $30 in Kohl's Cash]
• Fitbit Inspire HR Fitness Tracker with Heart Rate, $69.99 (originally $99.99) [You save $30 plus get $15 in Kohl's Cash]
• Fitbit Charge 3, $99.99 (originally $149.99) [You save $50 plus get $30 in Kohl's Cash]
• JBL Charge 4 Portable Bluetooth Speaker, $99.99 (originally $179.99) [You save $80 plus get $30 in Kohl's Cash]

Vacuums: Up to 40% off

Shop vacuum deals

• Dyson Cyclone V10 Motorhead Cord-Free Vacuum, $349.99 (originally $499.99) [You save $150 plus get $105 in Kohl's Cash]
• Dyson Ball Animal 2 Upright Bagless Vacuum, $299.99 (originally $499.99) [You save $200 plus get $90 in Kohl's Cash]
• Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum, $499.99 (originally $699) [You save $200 plus get $150 in Kohl's Cash]
• Shark IQ Alexa-Compatible Robot Vacuum R100AE with Self-Empty Base, $479.99 (originally $649.99) [You save $170 with the code "GOSHOP20" at checkout plus get $135 in Kohl's Cash]
• Dyson V11 Animal Cordless Vacuum, $449.99 (originally $599.99) [You save $150 plus get $135 in Kohl's Cash]

Kitchen: Up to 50% off

Shop kitchen deals

• KitchenAid KSM150PS Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixer, $279.99 (originally $379.99) [You save $100 plus get $75 in Kohl's Cash]
• KitchenAid KHB1231 2-Speed Hand Blender, $29.99 (originally $49.99) [You save $20]
• KitchenAid KSM75 Classic Plus 4.5-Quart Stand Mixer, $199.99 (originally $259.99) [You save $60 plus get $60 in Kohl's Cash]
• Keurig K-Select Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker with Strength Control, $71.99 (originally $149.99) [You save $78 with the code "GOSHOP20" at checkout plus get $15 in Kohl's Cash]
• Instant Pot Duo Nova 6-Quart 7-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cooker, $79.99(originally $129.99) [You save $50 with the code "GOSHOP20" at checkout plus get $15 in Kohl's Cash]
• Power XL Vortex 5-Quart Air Fryer, $79.99 (originally $119.99) [You save $40 with the code "GOSHOP20" at checkout plus get $15 in Kohl's Cash]

Toys: Up to 50% off

Shop toy deals

• Step2 Modern Cook Play Kitchen Set, $49.99 (originally $79.99) [You save $30 plus get $15 in Kohl's Cash]
• Mancala Game, $11.99 (originally $25) [You save $13 with the code "GOSHOP20" at checkout]
• Melissa & Doug Grocery Store, $127.99 (originally $199.99) [You save $72 plus get $45 in Kohl's Cash]
• LEGO Jurassic World Blue's Helicopter Pursuit Set 75928, $23.99 (originally $39.99) [You save $16]
• A Taste for Wine and Murder: Murder Mystery Party, $15.99 (originally $40) [You save $24 with the code "GOSHOP20" at checkout]

Women's clothing: Up to 70% off

Shop women's clothing

• Columbia Benton Springs Zip-Front Fleece Jacket, $29.99 (originally $60)  [You save $30]
• Croft & Barrow Classic Crewneck Tee, $3.99 (originally $16) [You save $12 with the code "GOSHOP20" at checkout]

Men's clothing: Up to 70% off

Shop men's clothing deals

• Levi's 501 Original Fit Jeans, from $29.75 to $35.70 (originally $59.50) [You save $23.80 to $29.75 depending on color]
• Levi's 550 Relaxed Fit Jeans, $35.70 (originally $59.50) [You save $23.80]
• Croft & Barrow Extra-Soft Flannel Button-Down Shirt, $9.99 (originally $36)  [You save $26.01 with the code "GOSHOP20" at checkout]
• Sonoma Goods for Life Super Soft Flannel Button-Down Shirt, $10.39 (originally $40) [You save $29.61 with the promo code "GOSHOP20" at checkout]

More Cyber Monday deals

• The absolute best Cyber Monday deals of 2019
• The best tech deals of Cyber Monday 2019
• Amazon Cyber Monday deals 2019
• Walmart Cyber Monday deals 2019
• The Disney Plus Cyber Monday deal you don't want to miss
• Macy's Cyber Monday deals 2019
• What is Cyber Monday? Everything you need to know