This year we found the coolest small businesses in New York, Austin, New Orleans, Detroit, Seattle, and D.C., but small businesses in many other American cities are continuing to innovate like never before.

These up-and-comers—like a floating island restaurant, a vegan strip club, and a pirate supply shop— are shaking up the food and retail industries.

Here's our year-end roundup of the 50 hottest small businesses around the U.S.

Bearded Bastard

Online, based in Austin, Tex.

What it is: A new brand of mustache wax.

What makes it cool: The man known as Jeremiah Newton, who also sports an impressive face full of hair, started Bearded Bastard to help soften the burliest of beards and tame the unruliest of mustaches.

Products include the Woodsman mustache wax, Woodsman beard oil, and a natural shave oil, but the new Austin-based company is developing many new man-inspired oils and tonics, which will be available soon.

Big Gay Ice Cream

125 E. 7th Street and 61 Grove Street, New York, N.Y.

What it is: A gay ice cream parlor.

What makes it cool: Big Gay Ice Cream started in 2009 as the Big Gay Ice Cream truck—a concept that became so popular that the founders put down permanent roots in both the East and West Village.

BGIC, which is known for its soft-serve and shakes, whips up cool flavor combos with ingredients like crushed Nilla wafers, pumpkin butter, and key lime curd, but even cooler are the names they give their concoctions. Nothing's more fun than ordering a "Mexican Affo'gay'to" with extra whip.

Blacksmith

1018 Westheimer Road, Houston, Tex.

What it is: A renegade coffeehouse.

What makes it cool: Blacksmith is a coffeehouse with a rock star attitude. It pays homage to Queen, and has a photo of lead singer Freddie Mercury on the wall. Any time a Queen song plays in the shop, the first customer in line gets their drink for free. As they say, “When Queen plays, Freddie pays!”

According to a new survey by online beauty retailer escentual.com, men and women have different ideas about what features make a woman beautiful.

1,000 men and women in the UK were asked to choose the best features of famously beautiful actresses, singers, and models to build the perfect female face.

The men surveyed prefer blonde hair with full lips, strong cheekbones, and a petite nose, taking Shakira's blonde hair, Miranda Kerr's nose, and Angelina Jolie's cheekbones and full lips to build their ideal woman.

Women, on the other hand, preferred a stronger nose and forehead with strong brows and narrow bone structure. They picked Keira Knightley's cheekbones, Cara Delevingne's eyebrows, Blake Lively's nose, Natalie Portman's forehead, as well as Freida Pinto's dark hair. Women also went with full lips, but chose Scarlett Johansson's pout over Angelina Jolie's.

Both genders agreed that actress Mila Kunis had the most alluring eyes (52% of men and 51% of women), and that Megan Fox had the most attractive, defined chin.

"Interestingly, the faces are made up of a mix of different ages — 38-year-old Angelina Jolie was men's preferred choice for cheekbones and pout while 21-year-old Cara Delevingne was the women's top choice for eyebrows," Emma Leslie, the beauty editor at escentual.com, said of the research. "Meanwhile, Shakira, 36, had the men's preferred hairstyle and a 44-year-old Jennifer Aniston’s was their preferred forehead shape."

Of course, both faces chosen by UK participants were extremely similar in that all of the chosen features were from white women and showed very little diversity, with the exception of both Shakira and Frieda Pinto's hair.

SEE ALSO: Men In The Philippines Will Go To Great Lengths For Beauty

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More bad news has arrived for Sriracha fans.

According to The Los Angeles Times, the California Department of Public Health has imposed a 30-day holding period for the three sauces produced by Huy Fong Foods, which includes Chili Garlic, Sambal Oelek, and the beloved Sriracha. 

Department spokesman Anita Gore told the Times that additional safety measures are needed since the sauces are ground fresh and not cooked, which leaves them vulnerable to harmful microorganisms. Holding batches of the sauces for 30 days should ensure that the sauce will be bacteria-free before they are sent out to stores. 

The new holding period means that Huy Fong cannot ship any more Sriracha, or the other sauces it makes, until mid-January. 

The distribution hold comes at a difficult time for the hot-sauce manufacturer, who is currently involved in a legal battle with the city of Irwindale, where its main factory is located. Residents complaining of headaches and burning eyes sued Huy Fong Foods back in late October, and a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge recently ordered the factory to shut down any operations that could be causing the smell.

Sriracha distribution is expected to continue as normal after the holding period ends, though many businesses are worried about the effect it could have on their profits.

Damon Chu, president of wholesale Asian food supplier Giant Union in Whittier, Calif., told the Times that his company could lose about $300,000 in sales. His company buys up to $150,000 worth of Huy Fong Foods products each month.

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Looking for a new drink to try this Christmas season?

Dave Lutz of Stifel, Nicolaus passes along this "seasonal favorite" in his household — George and Martha Washington's Eggnog.

But be wary, he warns. It's strong. It also takes a fair amount of prep-time.

Back in 1783, Annapolis was the Temporary Capital of the US.  George Washington - fresh off military victories - lived in Annapolis with Martha over that winter - resigning his commission leading the Continental Army on Dec 23rd in our State House.  Well, George and Martha could throw a heckofa party - and it was all centered around their "infamous" EggNog.

So if you are a fan of the nog - dive right in and check out what Martha and George served that Christmas.  Don't let the raw eggs spook you; the alcohol takes care of any bacteria.  Made 5 days ahead, good for about a month (but many have kept much longer) - Disclaimer:  It's strong.

Ingredients:

12 egg yolks, beaten
12 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
12 tablespoons sugar (Instant Dissolving)
1 quart cream
1 quart milk
1/2 pint Bourbon (Makers) or Rye Whiskey
1 pint brandy
1/2 pint dark rum (Goslings)
1/4 pint sherry

Make at least five days ahead of time for the alcohol to cure the raw eggs (an important health consideration).  Make sure all equipment is absolutely clean.

Mix liquors together first. Separate yolks and whites of eggs.  Whites need to achieve room temperature.

Beat the egg yolks with sugar until they turn to a creamy, light yellow paste.

Add liquor to beaten yolks, drop by drop first, slowly beat. Add cream and milk, slowly beating. Once blended, set aside.

Beat the whites of eggs until seeing “stiff peaks” - Peaks will form in the foam,  and the tips will curl over. Carefully fold into the creamy yolk mixture making a "figure 8" motion with a spatula. Folding in the egg whites adds a fluffy texture that will keep your Egg Nog from being too heavy.

Let set in a cool place for several days (5+) so flavors can blend.  The mixture will separate as it cures. This is OK. Just be sure to re-incorporate mixture before serving cold.  Top with a sprinkle of nutmeg. Garnish with cinnamon stick if desired.

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One of the surprising moments on the Jack Daniel Distillery tour in Lynchburg, Tenn. was seeing the thing that killed the famous whiskey founder.

Jasper Newton "Jack" Daniel ran away from home when he was seven, some time in the 1850s, and moved in with Reverend Dan Call and helped him with his whiskey business. Call later adopted Jack and eventually sold him his whiskey business.

"Church people started talking about how the minister was working for God on Sunday and then making liquor on Monday. In order to keep the church family happy the Minister sold the business to Jack for $25," said distillery guide Jesse James.

Decades later Daniel came into work early one morning before anyone else had arrived at the distillery. He wanted to complete some paperwork and needed to open the safe. He had trouble remembering the combination, however, and grew so frustrated that he kicked the safe with his left foot.

Tour guides joke that Daniel could have saved himself by dipping his toe in whiskey. Instead, the blow to his big toe gave him a nasty infection and his foot had to be amputated. The gangrene continued to spread throughout his system and he eventually lost his left leg due to poor blood circulation. 

Daniel, who never married and had no children, began turning more of the company’s operations over to his favorite nephew Lem Motlow and eventually gave him the business. He died due to complications from the gangrene infection on Oct. 9, 1911 at the age of 61.

The company was sold in 1956 to the  Brown-Forman Corp., but the Motlow family is still the majority owner and continues to operate and manage the company.

SEE ALSO: How Jack Daniels Makes So Much Whiskey In Such An Old Distillery

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This amazing new time-lapse video from Michael Shainblum called "Into The Atmosphere" shows the amazing natural diversity of California. Although California is often thought of as the sunshine state, the video focuses on the clouds, fog, and other atmospheric conditions.

The locations include Mono Lake, Anza Borrego Desert, Alabama Hills, Trona Pinnacles, Big Sur, Mount Laguna, Santa Maria, Yosemite, Gaviota, The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, La Jolla Coves, Santa Ynez, the San Francisco Coast, and the Santa Barbara Mountains.

The whole thing is set to Daft Punk's "Tron Legacy" soundtrack, as noted by Slate's Bad Astronomy.

Take a look:

Into The Atmosphere from Michael Shainblum on Vimeo.

He notes on Vimeo that he took about 75,000 images, but only about 12,400 made it into the clip. It took about a year to film. He writes:

To create this video there were many nights sleeping outside, and many days spent in the wild to embrace the environment and get to know the surroundings. There is a common misconception about Timelapse shooters that we quickly set up cameras and go sleep in the car for hours at a time, which is far from the truth. We are constantly hiking heavy equipment through dangerous areas and spending time camping in uncomfortable situations, I love it and wouldn't trade it for anything else.

Shainblum dedicated the video to his grandmother, who passed awhile while he was shooting it. Learn more about him in this video interview from The Creator's Project.

SEE ALSO: The 66 Most Stunning Science Pictures Of 2013

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In what sounds like the craziest party ever, a bunch of California teens allegedly broke into a multi-million dollar mansion, invited all their friends, and stole $1 million worth of stuff after trashing the home, according to KTLA 5 News.

The break-in reportedly took place in November, when the homeowner was out of town. High  school students supposedly noticed that the home, which was for sale, was empty and announced a party in the mansion's backyard on Twitter, Lt. Arthur Scott of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Industry Station said in a press conference yesterday.

The teens allegedly trashed the house and stole more than $1 million in property, including a stuffed snow leopard, suit of armor, scuba gear, and multiple Versace suits, KTLA 5 News reports.

So far, 14 minors and one 18-year-old adult have been arrested for allegedly breaking into the gated home last month.

The five bedroom home in the La Habra Heights neighborhood is currently listed on real estate website Redfin for just under $7 million, where it's described as a "European inspired masterpiece." It definitely looks like the perfect place to throw an illegal party.

And for those curious, here's the stuffed snow leopard the teens allegedly stole:

SEE ALSO: Eccentric Billionaire David Murdock Is Selling His Bel Air Mansion For $30 Million

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Everyone's favorite burrito chain now offers catering across the U.S. 

That means you can order Chipotle food for parties at home or meetings in the office. 

We did some research and compiled everything you need to know about the game-changing option. 

• If you live in New York City, you can't get it—yet. Because Chipotle locations are generally smaller in the big city, management is trying to figure out where they will put the catering food and supplies. Catering is expected to hit next summer, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. 

• There are four different meal options that can serve between six and 200 people. Some of the options let people make their own tacos and burritos, while smaller orders come ready-to-eat. 

• To order you can call 1-800-Chipotle. It doesn't appear you can place orders for catering online. The company asks you give them 24 hours' notice. 

• The meal options cost between $8.20 and $13.50 per person. Chips and salsa cost as little as $2 per person. 

• You can get free food if you order this month. Anyone who orders catering for more than 20 people and presents a receipt in January will get two free burritos. 

SEE ALSO: How To Get Huge Portions At Chipotle

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Ever dreamed of living like Scrooge McDuck and swimming in a pool of money?

Well, your dream could become a reality. On the website JamesEdition, the "truly global luxury marketplace" that's something like an eBay for the mega-rich, there's a listing for a Swiss bank deposit safe full of 8 million real Swiss coins, which will supposedly be moved to a location of your choice, where you can do whatever you want with it.

It's an enticing idea. As Gizmodo puts it, "Holy wow, you can actually swim like Scrooge McDuck in this bank vault," though Slate acts the killjoy by pointing out that swimming in 400,000 Swiss francs (roughly $450,000) "would be extremely painful at the best, and potentially life-threatening at the worst."

But what's really fascinating about the stunt is the origin of the coins and who will profit from the sale.

Back in October, a group called the "Generation Basic Income Initiative" dumped the 15 tons of money in front of the parliament building in Bern, the capital of Switzerland.

The group had acquired the coins to celebrate their initiative gaining the 100,000 signatures it needed to go to a national referendum in Switzerland's direct democracy system. Their idea? Giving everyone in the country an unconditional basic income of 2,500 francs ($2,800) a month.

It's important to note that unconditional basic income isn't a minimum wage (which, incidentally, Switzerland doesn't have): It's far more radical. The money isn't designed to go to the needy — it goes to every adult citizen, regardless of their financial circumstances. Most Swiss political experts we've spoken to don't think that the proposal could pass (it will probably be voted on in early 2016), but the idea is making waves: Even American libertarians have begun debating whether such a system would work in the U.S.

"A minimum wage reduces freedom — because it is an additional rule,"  Daniel Straub, one of the people behind the initiative told Business Insider in October. "It tries to fix a system that has been outdated for a while. It is time to partly disconnect human labor and income. We are living in a time where machines do a lot of the manual labor — that is great — we should be celebrating."

Money from the sale of the vault full of money will go to support "Generation Basic Income Initiative," who say they will use the money to "promote the idea of the basic income worldwide and especially in Switzerland." Thus what's real awesome about the sale of this "money swimming pool" isn't the Scrooge McDuck fantasies — it's the subversion of a "truly global luxury marketplace" to help promote a radical egalitarian idea.

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America's Fox News wants to make one thing clear: Santa is not black.

Presenter Megyn Kelly made the pronouncement while discussing a piece by Slate’s Aisha Harris on her show The Kelly File - in the piece, Harris wrote of seeing a white Santa in the local shopping mall, and a black Santa in her own home. She proposed creating a more inclusive Christmas symbol: a penguin.

At this, Kelly pauses to deliver a message to the children undoubtedly watching this late night news programme:

By the way, for all you kids watching at home, Santa is white but this person is just arguing that maybe we should also have a black Santa. Santa is what he is…I wanted to get that straight.

She goes on to say:

Jesus was a white man too. He was a historical figure, that’s a verifiable fact – as is Santa. How do you just revise it in the middle of the legacy of the story, and just change Santa from white to black?

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Michael Jordan's sneakers that he wore during Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals were sold at auction on Thursday for $104, 765.

The sale broke the record for the highest price paid for a pair of game-worn shoes in any sport.

That game is famously known as the "flu game" after Jordan scored 38 points against the Utah Jazz in the Finals while he had the flu and a 103-degree fever.

Jordan gave his shoes to the Utah Jazz ball boy Preston Truman.

Five years ago, Truman got an estimate from a different auction company that priced the shoes at $5,000. He says he previously rejected an offer of $11,000 according to USA TODAY. 

He finally decided it was time to sell them telling ESPN:

"I have looked at the shoes maybe four times since putting them in a safety deposit box 16 years ago...I just didn't see the point to something so cool and a part of NBA history sitting at my bank anymore."

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LA-based comedian Randy Liedtke regretted using cookies to trick cops into pulling him over this week after he realized there was a warrant out for his arrest.

On Wednesday, Liedtke drove around pretending to talk on an iPhone-shaped cookie, hoping to lure cops into trying to give him a ticket.

The plan, he tweeted, was to "just take a bite and ask if cookies are against the law."

According to Liedtke's Twitter account, he did get a police officer to pull him over, who was "confused and angry" when he realized the "iPhone" was in fact a cookie.

But the comedian's plan was derailed when the officer discovered there was a warrant out to arrest Liedtke for unpaid parking tickets. About ten hours after being pulled over, Liedtke admitted defeat:

SEE ALSO: I Took Nissan's 'Taxi Of Tomorrow' For A Spin, And It's Clear New Yorkers Will Love It

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The global airline industry should see record-breaking profits in 2014, and the key sources of revenue are the myriad fees that annoy passengers so much.

Called ancillary fees, they're what you pay when you want to check a bag, have extra legroom, or change a reservation.

They may seem minor and annoying, but they are an absolute gold mine for airlines.

In 2010, airlines around the world made $22.6 billion in ancillary revenue, worth 4.2% of industry revenue, according to an October 2013 report by IdeaWorks. In 2013, that number will reach $42.6 billion, worth 6% of total revenue.

About half of that comes from commissions for hotel bookings and sale of frequent flier miles. The rest is from "a la carte fees," like the $100 fee Spirit and Frontier charge some passengers for the right to have a carry-on bag.

That extra money is keeping the entire industry in the black.

According to a new forecast by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), fuel efficiency, consolidation, and robust passenger demand all play a role in pushing profits up, but ancillaries are especially crucial:

Ancillary revenues are a key driver of improved financial performance. Worldwide ancillary revenues have risen to an estimated $13/passenger. Airlines are underpinning their profitability with innovative products and services.

On a per passenger basis, ancillary revenues are greater than the $5.94/passenger profit that airlines are expected to earn in 2014. Without ancillaries, the industry would be making a loss from its core seat and cargo products.

This IATA chart tells the whole story. Over the past few years, revenue from fares has flatlined, while ancillaries are steadily bringing in more and more money:

According to IdeaWorks, KLM makes €65 million ($89.4 million) annually by charging extra for economy comfort seating. Southwest raked in $161 million with EarlyBird boarding charges in 2012.

So travelers should get used to fees like these, and be prepared for more: They're too effective to disappear anytime soon.

SEE ALSO: Flying Today Is So Much Better Than It Was In The 'Golden Age' Of Aviation

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On Saturday, there will be SantaCon, an all-day pub crawl where New Yorkers dress in Santa suits to allegedly celebrate the holiday season.

It doesn't matter that bars tried to ban it, and it doesn't matter that there are horror stories on horror stories about things that have happened on this fateful day.

It's coming.

And the problem with it — the real problem — is that on SantaCon, New York City gets hazed, and New York City has no choice in the matter.

The City gets hazed by hundreds of drunken fools escaped from the Donkey Island where Pinocchio lost all semblance of shame. It gets hazed by girls who are crying because they lost their jacket. It gets hazed by the boyfriend holding that jacket who can't stop saying "you always get this way when you're drunk, Lindsey."

It could be an awesome event. New York can handle St. Patrick's Day's coordinated outfits. It can handle the all-day drinking involved with the World Cup. New Years Eve, even. This is a town that survives tons and tons of outsiders coming in for New Year's Eve. Yet we can't do SantaCon.

People — a bar owner actually saw a midday knife fight one year.

During SantaCon, the moment someone puts on that Santa outfit, they do not decide to be a jolly twinkle-eyed gift-giver with a love for sweets. They become the biggest, jerkiest, frat star on the planet and it's time for rush. There is a true sense of nastiness and mischief in the day.

This is only natural, as SantaCon is used as an excuse to competitively drink hard liquor the same way people drink beer on Super Bowl Sunday.

Now the rest of us New Yorkers can hide, or we can go about our business. By going about our business, though, we implicitly participate in the day. We give these drunken Santas people to torment. We are the reindeer, the elves, and our town is the North Pole. We are the pledges.

There is no containing this, really. All we can do is be glad that Mayor Bloomberg has been so strict about concealed weapons.

SantaCon isn't about being merry or a sense of holiday community; it's about the kind of debauchery that has people lighting cars on fire after hockey games — the wild immature desire to invade, overrun and destroy a space that doesn't belong to you.

People do this because they want to feel powerful, they want to feel in control. In that way it is a perfect haze.

And it has to stop.

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The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show aired this week.

The show is the modeling event of the year, featuring dozens of superstars on the catwalk. 

We reached out to Yahoo! Search data to find out which Victoria's Secret Angels people were searching for. We've listed them here in order of overall search popularity, and included how much their search traffic increased in the week preceding the show.

1. Candice Swanepoel.

The South African beauty saw a 56% increase in searches from last week. 

2. Behati Prinsloo. 

Sexiest Man Alive Adam Levine's fiancee saw searches increase a whopping 634% this week on Yahoo!. 

3. Adriana Lima. 

The Brazilian favorite's searches were up 87% this week. 

4. Karlie Kloss. 

Kloss, who is known for her signature short haircut, had 74% more searches this week.

5. Alessandra Ambrosio. 

The longtime Angel was one of the most popular this week. Her Yahoo! searches remained steady. 

6. Doutzen Kroes. 

The popular Dutch model's searches also remained steady this week. 

7. Lily Aldridge. 

The pretty model's searches were up 101% this week on Yahoo!. 

8. Lindsay Ellingson. 

The Angel's 3D-printed wings helped her searches increase by 71% this week. 

9. Erin Heatherton. 

The blonde beauty's searches remained steady this week. 

SEE ALSO: 51 Photos From The Outrageous Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

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The eccentric producer-director behind "Transformers" and "Armageddon" is selling his three-story contemporary home at a $13.5 million listing price, real estate blogger The Real Estalker reports.

The house has four bedrooms, six bathrooms, and four stone fireplaces, and it's located in the coveted Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles.

There's also a private screening room, wine cellar, and a pool with stunning skyline views. It's an ideal Tinseltown escape, with high ceilings, beautiful details, and big windows that will let in plenty of that California sunshine. 

The house is located on nearly an acre of property in the in-demand lower section of Bel Air.

This small dining area opens directly onto the backyard area.

The kitchen is sleek and modern, and the bamboo forest adds a touch of zen.

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Will Malnati and Doug Jacob, the team behind Toro and Willow Road, have opened a hip new bar called backbar in New York's Meatpacking District. 

New World Design Builders, who worked on ABC Kitchen and The Empire Hotel Rooftop, collaborated with the backbar team for the design of the new place, located in the old Nabisco Factory at 10th Avenue and 16th Street. 

The entrance to the new spot, which officially opened for business last night, is hidden behind a pair of unmarked steel doors that open onto a room with both Spanish and industrial elements. Flowers hang from the ceiling, and several long, leather couches line the concrete walls. 

The owners describe it as a "laid-back, discrete nightlife experience unique to the area, catering to art, fashion and creative crowds."

This part of the concrete wall is lit up by candles in their own individual alcoves. 

The bar itself is very industrial chic.

The menu is "extremely simple, without many details, meaning the flavors in the drink can change and evolve."

Wednesday's opening party lasted well into the night. 

Will Malnati and Doug Jacob pose at the opening. 

SEE ALSO: MAP: The Best Bars In New York City Are In These Neighborhoods

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Cat cafes, where patrons pay to hang out with cats, have become huge in Japan and spread around the world since the first one opened in Taiwan in 1998. Adorable felines, after all, may be the one thing that Starbucks can't match.

For some business owners, the cafes also offer a way to provide a better life for cats. Case in point is Horii Mayuko, who opened Kyoto's first cat cafe in 2008 with 13 stray kittens (and the ancient city is full of stray cats).

"We adopted the stray cats from a volunteer when they were about two months old. Some cat cafe shops have rare or pedigree cats. But we value Kyoto's abandoned cats," Cat Cafe Nekokaigi manager Horii wrote via email. 

"We refuse it because our other customers who love the cats will be sad to see them go. Those customers may not come back if the cat is gone," Horii wrote via email. 

Below are photos from Cat Cafe Nekokaigi: 

SEE ALSO: Why These Cats Cost Thousands Of Dollars

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Winter can be hard on dogs, especially in the city. It's cold, it's icy, and the rock salt on the streets and sidewalks can burn a dog's paw pad.

So, what can you get your dogs to protect them against the elements this winter? Andy Schulman of pet boutique shop DoggyStyle NYC gives us her three must-have accessories for a dog in the winter.

Produced by Kamelia Angelova & William Wei. Follow Us On YouTube >

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