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Inside Los Angeles' most expensive apartment rental — a two-story penthouse with a heated rooftop pool and a $100,000-a-month price tag

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La penthouse rooftop pool

The most expensive apartment for rent in Los Angeles was just unveiled — and it comes with a $100,000-a-month price tag.

The brand new, 18,000-square foot penthouse spans the top two floors of the LEVEL building in downtown Los Angeles, which houses one-, two-, and three-bedroom, fully-furnished apartments.

Keep scrolling for a peek inside this over-the-top apartment.

SEE ALSO: Tennis superstar Serena Williams just bought a $6.7 million Beverly Hills mansion — here's what it's like inside

DON'T MISS: What a $1 million home looks like in 17 major cities across America

In the entryway, two custom, glass-enclosed, temperature-controlled wine rooms display over 1,000 bottles of wine.



The sprawling kitchen has white marble countertops, custom cabinetry, Sub-Zero appliances, and an adjoining wet bar with a mounted TV and additional seating.



On the rooftop level, there's another kitchen with a BBQ area and plenty of dining and bar seating.



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Tony Robbins showed us the very first thing he does every morning to have more energy

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For years, Tony Robbins has been starting his mornings with a 10-minute ritual that gives him a boost of energy and prepares him for the day. On a recent trip to Robbins' Fiji resort Namale, where he was hosting the winners of Shopify's Build a Bigger Business competition, he showed Business Insider how to perform what he calls "priming."

Robbins, 57, is the world's most famous life and business coach and is as busy as ever, averaging 60 events each year. He developed priming as a way to maintain his energy and focus.

The routine, which involves a forceful breathing exercise and visualization of light pouring through your head, can seem pretty wild, but it's a slightly adapted version of a yoga technique called Kapalabhati Pranayama breathing and Buddhist mindfulness meditation.

Following is a transcript of the video.

Tony Robbins: My very first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is — I want to get my head right. I do this thing called "priming." Now, some people get up in the morning and they meditate, and I think meditation is wonderful. But I haven't met many people that can not think thoughts. This is a different outcome. This is about priming yourself. It's about putting yourself in a state where your mind and body will respond accordingly.

We'll do three steps. It's really simple — over 10 minutes. So why don't you sit down and I'll guide you through it. So, just get really comfortable. You want to be sitting up. Is that back enough for you to be able to relax?

Richard Feloni: Yeah.

Robbins: OK, cool. And then the first thing you're gonna do is your hands are gonna come up as you take the breath in and then you're gonna explode out the nose down.

Good. Now, relax. Keep your eyes closed. Have your hands open, if you would, on your lap face-up like that. Just feel whatever you feel. Just take it in. And you don't even have to respond to me anymore. You just enjoy it and take it in. And now just let your body relax deeply. And I'd like you to begin to think of a moment in your life that you could feel really grateful for if you wanted to. It could be something little, Rich, or it could be something big. It doesn't matter. It could be from your childhood or this week. It doesn't matter.

Do your best to remember it and then step into it as if you were there, kind of like stepping into your body and seeing what you saw then through your own eyes. Hearing what you heard then. Feeling what you felt then. Savor it. Maximize that sense of appreciation or enjoyment or gratitude. Enjoy it. Feel it. Fill up with it.

And now we're gonna shift to the last piece. Really simple. All you're gonna do is focus on three things, one at a time, that you want to accomplish. Three things you want to achieve. Live it and feel it and experience it.

How was that?

Feloni: It was good!

Robbins: Yeah? What'd you feel?

Feloni: It feels calming. Refreshing. It was good to like, escape inside myself.

Robbins: There's two worlds to master – the external world and the internal world. They both have to be mastered, but if you master the external world, you know, a la, you know, Robin Williams, but you don't master the internal world, there's a big price. This is the one to master first. And so I start my day by making that – so I have this base to deal with. I'm gonna live from gratitude today. I'm gonna live from blessing – you know, I'm gonna be a blessing in people's lives today. I'm gonna get stronger today. And I'm gonna achieve what I'm here and committed to do.

And then the whole thing, you know, we did that one in a little less than 10 minutes.

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88 very British phrases that will confuse anybody who didn't grow up in the UK

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take the biscuit pixabay Benjamin Nelan

Every language has a few phrases that don't always translate well — and the British English has some absolute corkers.

The team at the Business Insider UK office have compiled a list of the best British slang and idioms that define the weird and wonderful British dialect we grew up with.

From our linguistic research, we've confirmed that above all, British people are sarcastic, unsympathetic, and often rather drunk.

Each term is partnered with a description and example. Some entries also feature surprising facts about the phrase's origins, with a few quintessentially British idioms not actually coming from British roots at all.

Whether you think this list is the "bee's knees" or if it's enough to make you want to "pop your clogs," scroll on to discover 88 very British phrases — in alphabetical order — that will confuse anybody who didn't grow up in the UK.

"A few sandwiches short of a picnic"

Someone that lacks common sense might be described as "a few sandwiches short of a picnic." 

The phrase was first documented in the BBC's "Lenny Henry Christmas Special" in 1987.

"She's great fun, but she's a few sandwiches short of a picnic."



"Anorak"

Although it's more often used as a synonym for raincoat, an anorak is something slightly different in playground slang.

Someone that's a little bit geeky, with strong interests or expertise in a niche area, might be referred to as an "anorak." This probably originates from the "uncool" appearance of anorak coats and the people wearing them.

"Thomas is such an anorak when it comes to train trivia."



"Bagsy"

Calling "bagsy" is the equivalent of calling "shotgun" or "dibs" when something, like the front seat of the car, is offered up to a group.

Schoolkids might call "bagsy" on items from their friends' pack lunches, like an apple or a cereal bar, that the friend isn't going to eat.

"Does anyone want thi—"

"Bagsy!"

 



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This rapidly expanding pizza chain just raised millions from investors who funded SoulCycle and Equinox — here's what it's like

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&pizza 3

  • &pizza is a popular fast-casual pizza chain with 23 stores in four states.
  • It just raised another round of funding to grow even more. 
  • In a taste test, we found the pizzas lived up to the hype.


Americans love pizza — nearly 100 acres of it are eaten every day in the US. Yet the pizza business has stayed more or less the same for years, in the form of local delivery chains and corner pizzerias.

And while these are indispensable threads in the tapestry of American dining, a new trend is finally emerging: fast-casual pizza. 

Chains like Blaze Pizza, MOD Pizza, and Pizza Studio are gaining a foothold in the US by offering almost entirely customizable personal pizzas at fast-casual speeds and prices. 

Now, Washington, DC-based &pizza is entering the arena with a recent round of undisclosed funding from RSE Ventures, which also has investments in SoulCycle and Equinox. The investment is aimed at cracking into the Northeast market with expansion plans targeting Boston and New York, as well as openings expected in Miami. 

We decided to visit this rapidly growing chain to see if their pizza can tough it out in the fickle fast-casual market. 

SEE ALSO: We went to Costco's food court — and it was one of the best fast food experiences we've ever had

ALSO READ: We tried chicken tenders from every major fast-food chain — and the results are surprising

We visited the &pizza location at 28th Street and Broadway, one of two in NYC. The chain has locations in four states and Washington, DC — a total of 23 stores, with three more opening soon. This recent funding round is meant to fuel its expansion into the Northeast.



The chain offers online ordering both on its website and through its app. Choose what pizza you want, and show up to pay and pick it up.



The store is incredibly stylized — crisp, graphic, black-and-white decor is front and center. It's clean and stark, almost to the point of sterility.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

McDonald's is bringing back the McRib (MCD)

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McRib

  • The McRib is returning to McDonald's. 
  • The sandwich has reportedly returned to some New York locations.
  • Hawaii and Southern California McDonald's say they'll start serving the McRib in early November. 
  • McDonald's says there's a lot of 'mystery' surrounding the sandwich's return, as not every location brings it back every year. 

 

McDonald's is bringing back the McRib. 

The fast-food chain is bringing the controversial boneless pork sandwich back to certain locations across the US in early November, McDonald's confirmed on Thursday.  

For those who don't completely know what the McRib is, McDonald's describes it as "made with 100% seasoned boneless pork, McDonald’s signature McRib sauce — a sweet, tangy, barbeque style sauce — and served with dill pickles and mild, fresh slivered onions on a toasted hoagie-style bun." 

McRib

McDonald's SoCal tweeted that the McRib will return on November 2, while McDonald's Hawaii tweeted that the sandwich will return on November 9. 

On Tuesday, reports emerged that the McRib is already available in locations in at least eight states, including New York, Texas, and Oklahoma. 

McRib

McRib

"There's a lot of mystery around why the McRib comes and goes, but to be honest it's a local option based on consumer demand," the main McDonald's account tweeted last week.

Part of the McRib's appeal is the chaotic customer response and copious press coverage that the sandwich receives. It doesn't return every year or to every location — which makes the hunt for the McRib even more exciting. 

One fan created the McRib locator, which keeps track of sightings of the sandwich. McDonald's has also launched its own "McRib Finder app," which provides a map charting which locations are selling the sandwich this year. 

This year, McDonald's also is offering McRib delivery via UberEats. 

 

SEE ALSO: Dozens of Dairy Queens are closing — here's the list

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: We visited the 'McDonald's of Russia' that's trying to take over America — here's what it was like

The 22 best science movies and shows streaming on Netflix that will make you smarter

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Michael Pollan cooked

It's getting cooler outside and the holidays are approaching, which means it's the perfect time to curl up on the couch and watch a movie.

If you're looking for something entertaining and beautiful that'll also inform you, there's an incredible variety of science- and nature-focused documentaries and TV shows on Netflix right now.

You can stream compelling documentaries that'll captivate you with the beauty of the planet, you can delve into the details of how food arrives on your plate, or you can explore the mysterious and alien world that exists in oceans around the globe.

But there's a downside to all of those options: It's a lot to choose from. So to make it easier, we've asked our colleagues to pick out some of their favorites from the Netflix documentary selection.

Films come and go from Netflix every month, but as of the date of publication, all these films should be available. We'll update this list periodically to reflect currently available documentaries.

Here are our favorites, listed in no particular order:

SEE ALSO: 24 health 'facts' that are actually wrong

"Cooked" (2016)

What it's about: In this four-part docu-series, journalist and food expert Michael Pollan explores the evolutionary history of food and its preparation through the lens of the four essential elements: fire, water, air, and earth. 

Why you should see it: Americans as a whole are cooking less and relying more on unhealthy, processed, and prepared foods. Pollan aims to bring viewers back to the kitchen by forging a meaningful connection to food and the joys of cooking. [Click to watch]



"Blackfish" (2013)

What it's about: This film highlights abuses in the sea park industry through the tale of Tilikum, an orca in captivity at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida. Tilikum has killed or been involved in the deaths of three people while living in the park. 

Why you should see it: This documentary opens your eyes to the troubles of keeping wild animals in captivity through shocking footage and emotional interviews. It highlights the potential issues of animal cruelty and abuse involved with using highly intelligent animals as entertainment. Sea parks have historically made billions of dollars by keeping animals captive, often at the expense of the health and well-being of animals. This documentary played a huge role in convincing SeaWorld to stop their theatrical "Shamu" killer whale shows. [Click to watch]



"Chasing Coral" (2017)

What it's about: Step into the alien world that teems with life beneath the sea. This film, by the team behind the film "Chasing Ice," is an attempt to document the transformation and loss of coral reefs around the globe. The filmmakers face rough oceans as they dive underwater to plant cameras and document the changes to reefs. What they reveal is both fascinating and tragic.

Why you should see it: Coral reefs cover less than 2% of the sea floor, but a quarter of marine life depends on them to exist. Without these fascinating and complicated creatures, much of the ocean as we know it wouldn't exist. The filmmakers reveal the otherworldly beauty of these underwater creatures, and capture just how fragile their existence is at this point. [Click to watch]



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A men's clothing startup once favored by Wall Streeters was accused of failing to deliver on its promises — and now everything is out of stock

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Combatant Gentleman

  • Combatant Gentlemen is a men's clothing startup that was founded on selling stylish clothing at accessible prices.
  • Earlier this year, Business Insider reported that customers were not getting their orders in a timely manner.
  • Now, the company's website seems completely devoid of product as the CEO says that the company is focused on filling existing orders.

 

Men's clothing startup Combatant Gentlemen was built on delivering stylish garments at accessible prices.

The company — founded in 2012 by Vishaal Melwani, a former tailor who's now the CEO; Mohit Melwani, his cousin; and Scott Raio — quickly grew a following, and at one time, it was one of the preeminent brands at Goldman Sachs' headquarters. It even landed a spot on Forbes' list of America's most-promising companies in 2015.

But earlier this year, some customers told Business Insider that their orders were not arriving in a timely manner — and sometimes, they weren't arriving at all.

At the time, CEO Vishaal Melwani said that the troubles were due to supply issues at factories in China, and that he was working on fixing it.

"It literally sent shockwaves down us," Melwani said in July. "When you scale fast, you have to be ready for the repercussions, and that's what we're learning."

He added that it had been a "slow process getting it back up to 100%."

Several customers have recently reached out to Business Insider saying that they are still waiting for orders or refunds from earlier this year. One email from a customer, received on November 2, said that both suits and refunds were outstanding from an order that had been placed in March.

The customers also said that they were having a difficult time getting in contact with the company, as its phone no longer seems to work. The phone number no longer appears on the company's website. 

Every product on the company's website is currently listed as out of stock. That's prompted some customers — many still experiencing issues with getting product from the company — to speculate that it could be going out of business.

In an email to Business Insider, Melwani said that's not the case.

"We have decided to make sure that all of our wedding orders were taken care of to launch more product on the site. Our number one goal is to take care of our clients that were affected by the product delay and then return to business as usual," he said.

Melwani said fresh inventory will come in early to mid-November.

combatant gentlemen

combatant gentlemen

SEE ALSO: Furious customers are accusing Wall Street's favorite shirt startup of failing to deliver on its promises

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This is what separates the Excel masters from the wannabes

7 things you peak at in life after age 50, according to science

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laughing elderly couple

Aging can seem like a scary prospect, but scientists have found a number of traits and skills don't peak until people hit their 50th birthday.

It's in the back nine of life, for instance, that people have the best body images and can best pick up on others' emotions.

In case you're worried the prime of your life is rushing past you, here is some evidence the best is still yet to come.

SEE ALSO: Here are the ages you peak at everything throughout life

Arithmetic skill peaks around age 50.

A 2015 study found that among nearly 49,000 people, those who performed best on measures of mathematical ability were around 50 years old.

Other tests related to pattern recognition and memory showed younger subjects performing better, but for simple arithmetic it paid to be older.



You can best understand people's emotions in your 50s.

The same study, looking to understand people's intuition of others, asked 10,000 people to view pictures cropped tightly around a person's eyes. 

The researchers found a long plateau around people in their 50s when the ability to correctly identify emotions based only on the eyes was strongest.



Wisdom peaks after age 60.

People do seem to get wiser as they get older. 

According to a 2010 study, the people who performed best at analyzing a given conflict, seeing different points of view, gauging uncertainties, and envisioning solutions, were people who were at least 60 years old.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

What Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and 23 other highly successful people were doing at age 25

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Jeff Bezos

Everyone's measure of and path to success is different.

For some, it's mostly linear. Others encounter more twists, turns, and bumps along the way.

Before becoming the leader of the free world, Donald Trump, was born into a real-estate development family and inherited his father's business at 25.

Kat Cole, the group president of Focus Brands group, on the other hand, saw her 20s as more transformative years, working her way up the ladder from a Hooters waitress to the company's vice president by the time she was 26.

To illustrate how no two paths to success are alike, we've highlighted what 25 highly successful people were doing at age 25.

SEE ALSO: 17 jobs that are quickly disappearing in the US

DON'T MISS: The 21 most promising jobs of the future

Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos had a cushy job in finance.

At 24, the future Amazon founder and CEO went to work at Bankers Trust developing revolutionary software for banking institutions at that time, according to "Jeff Bezos: The Founder of Amazon.com" by Ann Byers.

Two years later, he became the company's youngest vice president.



President Trump took over his father's real-estate-development company.

Trump grew up the wealthy son of a real-estate mogul.

At 25, the young real-estate developer was given control of his father's company, Elizabeth Trump & Son, which he later renamed the Trump Organization, according to bio.

Shortly thereafter he became involved in large, profitable building projects in Manhattan.



Actress Jennifer Lawrence was an Oscar-winner raking in millions.

Twenty-six-year-old Lawrence is Hollywood's highest-paid actress, raking $46 million pretax over 12 months in 2016, and closer to $52 million in 2015, according to Forbes.

By the time she was 25, Lawrence had starred in the box-office hit "Hunger Games" trilogy and worked alongside a star-studded cast in the "X-Men" series.

At 22, she became the second-youngest winner of the best actress Oscar for her performance in "Silver Linings Playbook," and she has won many more awards for her work.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A restaurant that caters to Silicon Valley's diet crazes is opening in a former McDonald's — take a look inside

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Kitava is on a mission to upgrade fast-casual food in San Francisco.

In 2015, Jeff Nobbs set out to make healthy food approachable. He launched Kitava (formerly known as Mealmade) as an on-demand delivery startup that makes every dish to order and substitutes familiar ingredients with low-calorie alternatives. The service specializes in the diet trends that tech workers love, like paleo, gluten-free, and keto.

And in an amusing twist, the company operates out of a shuttered McDonald's.

A rising number of tech workers in Silicon Valley are shunning sugar and processed foods in favor of high-fat, low-carb diets that claim to boost energy, focus, and cognitive performance. What they put into their bodies has a direct effect on their output, according to Nobbs.

On November 2, the newly rebranded Kitava opened its first brick-and-mortar restaurant in San Francisco. Business Insider had the chance to try the menu before it opened. Take a look.

SEE ALSO: Generation Z is creating a $5 billion market for fake meat and seafood

Here's what Mealmade's front-of-house looked like before it rebranded as Kitava.



The '80s vibe in this McDonald's made me feel like I was in an episode of "Stranger Things."



The newly rebranded Kitava puts a contemporary spin on the place, replacing the floors, adding wood paneling behind the counter, and decorating with big, leafy plants.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

22 stunning roads in the US you should drive before you die

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scenic byway 12 utah

If you're planning a road trip in the US, there are plenty of beautiful routes worth passing through.

It's hard to imagine we'll get to all of them in this lifetime. But if you want to try, consider this a guide to finding the best of the best out there.

Scroll down for a closer look:

SEE ALSO: These 7 luxurious trains offer breathtaking views for your next vacation

ALASKA: Seward Highway

Take a two-hour drive between Anchorage to Seward, a tiny seaside community, and you will pass the Chugach Mountains and the gorgeous shores of the Turnagain arm.



ARIZONA: Highway 89

Although Route 66 has become synonymous with American wanderlust and freedom, there are other choices in Arizona with some staggering views. Take Highway 89 from Flagstaff, Arizona to see views of the Grand Canyon, Echo Cliffs, and the Vermilion Cliffs.



CALIFORNIA: Pacific Coast Highway

This is a very common recommendation, but for a reason. The winding Pacific Coast Highway is the longest state route in California and provides sweeping views of the water. It doubles as an easy route to popular cities like Long Beach and the San Francisco Bay Area.



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We tried the top-rated cheap restaurants in New York City — and the winner was obvious

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little tong noodle shop

  • We tried the New York Times' five highest-rated cheap restaurants.
  • The offerings ranged from barbecue and Thai food to ramen and veggie burgers.
  • While some weren't as impressive as we hoped, others offered bold flavor combinations at excellent prices.

 

The New York Times reviews an impressive variety of restaurants, from high-end Manhattan institutions where meals can cost thousands of dollars to small falafel shops where you can find a gyro for under $10.

But, most of the restaurants that receive stars from the Times' critics tend to fall on the more expensive end. Of the 274 restaurants that hold two-, three-, or four-star ratings (unlike traditional arts criticism, most restaurants don't receive stars, so a one or two-star rating is a positive designation), only five are labeled as "inexpensive" by the Times.

We went to all five, and while we were mostly impressed, a few didn't quite live up to their billing. We ranked the five best cheap restaurants in New York City, as designated by the Times.

SEE ALSO: One of America's best chefs just opened a cocktail bar with drinks like nothing you've ever seen

5. Spicy & Tasty

Located in Flushing, Queens, this Chinese restaurant was reviewed by a former Times' restaurant critic (and current columnist), Frank Bruni, in 2006.

He said the restaurant "deserves citywide attention from food lovers whose primary interest isn't simply a modestly priced meal off the beaten path, but a hugely enjoyable, eye-opening experience."

He praised its liberal use of peppercorns and chili peppers, which deliver a hot, tingling sensation when combined. That combination appeared in a few of the dishes I tried — beef tendon, lamb with red chili sauce — but the restaurant's use of heat was more interesting in theory than in practice. What was missing were the distinctive flavor combinations that defined our favorite of the Times' recommendations.

We found Spicy & Tasty to be something of a one-trick pony.



4. Mighty Quinn's Barbecue

Critic Pete Wells loved this East Village barbecue joint, calling the pulled pork "staggeringly good" and claiming that the baked beans "may be the best I've tasted." Of course, we had to try both.

And while we enjoyed them, the precise balance of textures and rich flavors Wells identified weren't so vivid when we visited. While our meal was satisfying, it seemed a little mild compared to the more decadent offerings at Hill Country Barbecue (which also received a two-star rating from Wells).

 

 



3. Superiority Burger

Many vegan alternatives to traditionally meat-based dishes end up feeling like a compromise. You sacrifice immediate pleasure for the comfort of knowing that you're not clogging your arteries. But that compromise is not necessary at Superiority Burger, which operates in the East Village.

Wells praised many of the veggie burger joint's less traditional dishes — a sloppy joe made with tofu rather than ground beef, a variation on a Philly cheesesteak made with yuba and cashew cheese — but the signature burger, which replicated the umami sensation of a beef-based burger without loads of grease, was more than enough for us.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

WeWork is opening a second headquarters in Salesforce's new $1 billion skyscraper

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Salesforce and WeWork are taking their relationship to the next level: They're moving in together.

Salesforce Tower, a 1,070-foot-high skyscraper that will be the tallest and most expensive building in San Francisco when it's completed, has signed on WeWork as a major tenant. The co-working giant will lease three floors for its second headquarters (the other is in New York City), according to Recode. Some space will be designated as WeWork office rentals.

WeWork, a startup that leases trendy, millennial-friendly office space to startups and Fortune 500 companies, has been scooping up real estate after a $4 billion funding infusion from SoftBank. Its $20 billion valuation makes it the most valuable startup in New York.

In April, Salesforce opened the doors of Salesforce Tower to the media for a sneak peak inside.

"It seems like everywhere I am in this city or around the Bay, I can see this tower," Marc Benioff, founder and CEO of Salesforce, told the crowd at the event.

Take a look inside the new $1.1 billion Salesforce Tower.

SEE ALSO: WeWork raised $4.4 billion in 3 months — here's how the co-working giant became the most valuable startup in New York City

Salesforce and its billionaire CEO, Marc Benioff, are riding high these days.

Salesforce celebrated 18 years in business earlier this year. It was No. 8 on Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2017, and the cloud-computing company is on track to become a $100 billion organization in the next three years, according to some analysts.



The near completion of Salesforce Tower is the cherry on top. It rises 61 stories over the city's Financial District, making it the tallest building west of Chicago that's capable of being occupied.



It was originally named Transbay Tower, but the enterprise giant bought the naming rights in a landmark real-estate deal. Salesforce will pay the developer Boston Properties close to $560 million over 15 and a half years to lease 30 floors at the tower, on Mission and Fremont streets.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

These are the best airlines in the world for 2018

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Air New Zealand Boeing 787 white livery press

  • Air New Zealand has been named the best airline in the world by AirlineRatings.com.
  • This is the fifth year in a row the carrier has won.
  • AirlineRatings evaluates airlines based on 13 criteria including customer service, product offerings, and financial performance.
  • No Airlines from North America made the top 10. 


For the fifth year in a row, AirlineRatings.com has named Air New Zealand as the best airline in the world.

"Air New Zealand is being honored for the fifth consecutive year for its continued record-breaking financial performance, in-flight innovations, environmental leadership, young fleet and motivation of its staff," AirlineRatings.com editor-in-chief, Geoffrey Thomas wrote. "These factors have stamped the airline as an industry trendsetter."

While other airline review sites look exclusively at the consumer-facing aspects of the industry, AirlineRatings.com takes a more holistic approach to airline evaluation.

To find the best airline in the world, the Aussie airline safety and product review site's veteran team of eight editors settled on 13 criteria which they believe represent the "heartbeat of the airline."

They include: product rating, safety rating, passenger reviews, fleet age, profitability, whether the airline offers premium economy, whether it offers flat bed seats in business class, does the company hold an investment grade rating, its performance on environmental report, does it have labor issues, has it been involved in any serious incidents, is the airline an innovator, and it must be a top 50 ranked airline.

Based on those criteria, the editorial team selected their picks for the top 10 airlines in the world. Here they are:

SEE ALSO: Check out Singapore Airlines' stunning new Airbus A380 luxury suites

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

10. Japan Airlines: Of Japan Airlines, Thomas wrote, "The airline continues its rebuild from the dark days of its financial collapse in 2010-11. The airline today is leaner and bears little resemblance to its former self. Its product is outstanding and it has a modern fleet."



9. Cathay Pacific: "The airline has had a tough year as it adjusts to a wave of new competitive threats both in Hong Kong and from greater China," Thomas wrote. "However, the fundamental product is excellent."



8. Korean Air: "Quite possibly the greatest turnaround story in aviation," Thomas wrote. "From a pariah in the industry in 2000 to an airline of first choice today, Korean Air continues to impress."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NYC strippers are striking to protest scantily clad 'startenders' with huge social-media followings — here's a look inside the battle

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bartender aces

  • New York strippers are organizing a strike to protest discrimination in the industry.
  • One issue: A new wave of bartenders — known as "startenders" or "bottle girls" — have started taking away tips, sometimes even snatching money off the stage.
  • Startenders have risen to prominence in the last few years with the rise of Instagram, where they command huge followings.

 

New York City strippers are speaking out against what they say is unfair treatment at the hands of club promoters and managers.

With the rise of "bottle girl" bartenders in the city, dancers say they're dealing with unfair treatment, including insufficient pay and racial discrimination, The Washington Post reported. According to strippers, bottle girls — who often are just as scantily clad as strippers — are given preferential treatment and hurt strippers' profits, sometimes literally taking dancers' cash off of tables.

About a week ago, strippers organized under the hashtag #NYCStripperStrike to shine a light on these issues.

Here's how bottle girls rose to prominence in recent years — and how they play a role in the recent strike:

SEE ALSO: One of America's best chefs just opened a cocktail bar with drinks like nothing you've ever seen

Clubs began to hire startenders as Instagram became more popular.

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While strippers have been club mainstays for decades, about five years ago club owners began hiring attractive women with sizable social-media followings to serve as bartenders.

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Source: The Washington Post



Many of these bottle girls have hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. And some of these followers will show up to clubs just to see the bartenders in person.

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See the rest of the story at Business Insider

We got in line at 4 AM to wait for an iPhone X — here's why some people love 'the wait' (AAPL)

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iPhone X billboard

The hype around the iPhone X has been building since the gadget was first unveiled in September.

On Friday, Apple's new phone finally landed on store shelves. But hordes of eager consumers had already begun gathering outside Apple retail stores well before the doors opened. Whether motivated by a desire to be first, or a fear of Apple running out of stock, techies love to line up outside Apple stores — sometimes camping out for days — when the device goes on sale.

Word was that the crowds for the $999 iPhone X, the tenth anniversary model of the iconic device, would be even larger than usual. And I decided that experiencing what it's like to be part of this curious subculture of Apple fanatics and line waiters was something I couldn't pass up.

As it turns out, a coworker in New York was desperate for the new iPhone X, so I volunteered to do the line thing and get it for her. I chose the Union Square Apple store in San Francisco. It's a flagship location, and because of its central location I knew there'd be a big crowd. 

I had no idea what was in store, but at 3:30 a.m., my alarm went off and the adventure began. 

 

SEE ALSO: Scalpers are already reselling the iPhone X outside of Apple Stores

Since I'd be getting there in the dead of night and San Francisco is getting chillier, my main concern was the weather. So the night before I laid out my many layers in preparation.



I arrived at 4:00 a.m. to a drizzly morning.

I claimed a spot at what I thought was the end of the line about two blocks up from the store entrance. I quickly learned that the line actually kept stretching around the corner, and moved to my place in the back. 

The people in the very front of the line had been there since the morning before, and had come prepared with chairs, umbrellas, and lots of blankets. 



Lacking my own camper chair, I set a (rather sad) brown paper bag down to mark my place in line.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A professional matchmaker and elite club founder shares her tips for 'time poor' young professionals dating in London and New York

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nana 2

  • Nana Wereko-Brobby is the founder of Social Concierge, an elite dating club which operates in London and New York.
  • Business Insider met with her in London to hear her top tips for young professionals in the modern dating game.
  • She's not a fan of swiping to find love, and has a simple philosophy: to see results, you need to get out there and meet people.


Nana Wereko-Brobby is a professional matchmaker and the founder of Social Concierge, an elite dating club which operates in London and New York.

She's also a dating columnist who has written for the "Millionaire Matchmaker" Patti Stanger, who has been called the "fairy godmother of love" for her reality show where she sets wealthy and successful people up on dates.

Business Insider caught up with Wereko-Brobby at The Curtain, a trendy new private members' club in East London, where she shared her pearls of wisdom for "time poor" young professional singletons who are looking for a match.

1. Forget about swiping.

NanaThe first thing Wereko-Brobby is clear about is that finding love is not easy and it takes real effort — if you want to see any results, that is.

She's not a fan of swiping to find a date and, in fact, Social Concierge is one of the few apps where users don't have profiles and don't swipe. Instead, the app puts on a series of events which are free to its members.

Her philosophy is simple: get out there and meet people.

"Yes, it is difficult, but you have to remember it always has been," she said. "The pain of your first kiss when you were younger, being asked out or trying to get noticed, we just had to man up and get through it.

"Now we are adults we expect the awkwardness and vulnerability to disappear and for meeting someone to be easy."

In fact, this is not the case.

2. 'Qualify your buyer.'

The best dates are those without strict time restraints, she explains, but this all depends on your expectations before you arrive.

Wereko-Brobby advises her clients to "qualify your buyer" by doing their homework before agreeing to a date. "Have at least one good conversation before you lock it in," she said.

"If it goes wrong, 45 minutes is polite enough," she went on. "If it goes well, stretch it out but change locations after a couple of hours to bring some variety into it."

HNMN_160930_SOCIALCONCIERGE_5thBirthday 7138

As far as when to wrap it up? Wereko-Brobby said you should call it a day (or night) "when you have the option for just one more drink/location/thing, to leave the adventure unfinished. Don't do the whole three dates in one."

For second dates, she advises her members scale it back and meet for either brunch or to take a walk "to see if you can bond without the smoke and mirrors."

"And pin down the third during this date, just to complete the set," she added. "We all take stock after date three."

3. Dress up.

nana wreko

"I always tell clients to peacock at parties," she said. "A red dress goes a very long way, as does a silly pocket square."

According to Wereko-Brobby, a man's best bet is a white shirt, but the most important thing is to look like you've made an effort.

"I've seen busy corporates just leave the office and head straight to a date with wet gym hair, a crumpled shirt, saying to themselves 'they should take me how I am.'

"As with anything in life, you get out what you put in. And what's more attractive than showing you can be bothered in life?"

4. Be time efficient.

witness the fitness

If you're time poor, there are ways to be efficient with your dates, Wereko-Brobby said. This can be a coffee on your lunch break or even two dates in one evening, but she also suggests incorporating dates into your fitness regime.

"Many of my clients sometimes take a break from dating to alleviate their health and bank balance, especially in London where "loving food and drink" now qualifies as an interest.

"But an interest in fitness and looking after yourself is up there with one of the most asked for qualities when matchmaking, so why not play on this by inviting them to workout alongside you and then just grab coffee?"

Social Concierge's unique selling point has to date been hosting boozy parties, but the club has recently started working with gyms like 1Rebel and BXR to introduce an alternative — group fitness dates.

"It's already gone down such a storm. The idea that you have to compromise your lifestyle in order to find the one is an outdated one."

5. Go sober.

social 3

"I'm a massive fan of coffee dates that could lead to more," she told Business Insider. "The GRIND coffee empire in London has perfected the first date formula by offering a coffee-meets-cocktail setting where you can get away with a sober chat, or descend into full debauchery."

And it's one of the first places Wereko-Brobby recommends to her clients.

"Five to 10 years ago sober dating seemed highly bizarre. Now, city professionals are more perfectionist, the boozy lunch culture is dead, and we are more conscious of health, performance, and the cult of self-improvement — so it's no big thing to go sober. It can be more deeply bonding, in fact."

If her members do fancy a glass or two of wine at one of Social Concierge's events, Wereko-Brobby just advises them to pace themselves. "The tolerance for sloppy drunks is low in our network," she added.

6. Remember: whoever picks, pays.

Eliza Bailey and Adi ChughWhether or not to "Go Dutch" on a first date is so subjective that Wereko-Brobby conceded there are no hard rules.

"I used to pay for a lot of dates and that didn't always go well. You need to read the person and the situation and do what feels comfortable and fair," she said.

"The rule of 'whoever picks, pays' is a good one to follow in the early days — it's courteous to pay if you've picked an expensive place. If you got dinner and all is going well, they can get the drinks at the bar after. If the date went badly, split it."

"And if it's all a bit unclear but you'd prefer them to pay, at least attempt an offer or reach for your wallet."

These are here go-to date venues:

party

For London singletons:

For New Yorkers:

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here’s how to stay friends with your ex

Major pizza brands are stuck in the middle of a fierce culture war — but here's how Papa John's really stacks up to Pizza Hut and Domino's

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Pizza Taste Off 4

Americans adore pizza.

According to a 2014 study by the US Department of Agriculture, about one in eight Americans eat pizza on any given day. That's a lot of pizza.

Acolytes of the Pizza Big Three are steadfast in their preferences: Domino's, Pizza Hut, and Papa John's.

And as discussion of NFL national anthem protests impacting pizza sales drags the Big Three into the fray, the humble pizza slice has never been more politicized.

But the question is, from which chain to order?

We decided to take the matter into our own hands and test the Big Three pizzas head-to-head to see, hands down, who has the best pizza.

Who is crowned the classic-cheese champion, and who snags the supreme-pizza prize? Keep scrolling to see the results.

SEE ALSO: We tried chicken tenders from every major fast-food chain — and the results are surprising

Our test has three categories: the classic cheese pizza, the supreme pizza, and breadsticks — the pizza palace essentials.



First, the cheese pizza choices — still hot and cheesy.



The smell of mozzarella and tomato fills the room. No matter how disappointing, all pizza is still good, so this will prove tricky. Are any pizzas truly bad?



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Go inside the gorgeous New York offices where startup Rent the Runway wants to revolutionize fashion

8,000 people are on a waitlist to join this women-only co-working space and club — here's what it's like inside

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The Wing Soho

  • The Wing is a female-only co-working space and club with two locations in New York City.
  • Their newest location, which is in SoHo, provides its members with desks, a beauty room, space to nap, meeting rooms, a library, and a cafe.
  •  8,000 women are on the waiting list for membership to The Wing.


When The Wing, a co-working space and social club for women, launched in October 2016, its founders, Audrey Gelman and Lauren Kassan, didn't realize how large the demand for membership would be — or exactly the type of comfort it would provide its members.

In the months before the 2016 presidential election, Gelman, who has past experience working in politics, said she believed Hillary Clinton would win.

"This was [going to be] the golden age of women in power, so women could have rooms like this," she told Business Insider, gesturing around The Wing.

"It was sort of a triumphant concept." 

"Obviously that's not what happened," Kassan said. Overnight, after President Donald Trump's victory, The Wing was inundated with calls from members and people on the waitlist, who, according to Kassan, were saying, "I didn't realize how much I wanted or needed a space like this."

Now, the club has 1,500 members and an 8,000-person waiting list for its two open locations. It also plans to launch two more spaces: one in Brooklyn and one in Washington, DC. 

With a focus on growing a community between its members, the club provides more than a place to set up your laptop. Speaking events, community volunteer opportunities, movie screenings, and happy hours provide a home base for its members to build relationships.

We got a tour of the new SoHo space on its opening day — and it was already buzzing with members. 

SEE ALSO: Go inside the gorgeous New York offices where startup Rent the Runway wants to revolutionize fashion

Gelman realized she needed a space like The Wing while working a job that had her on the go on a daily basis. Instead of changing outfits for events and meetings in "random bathrooms around the city," Gelman envisioned a space designed with her needs in mind.



The Wing's spacious bathrooms, showers, lockers, and beauty room — pictured here — provide women with a safe space to prep and primp for their day.



Kassan, who is the COO, saw an opportunity to create a community. "For me it's really about the community that can come out of this space. The original idea of having a space of convenience — but also creating a space that you can meet new women in," she said.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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