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20 Restaurants With Breathtaking Views Of The World

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Chevre d'or

Sometimes a fantastic dining experience isn't just about the food. Sometimes the beauty you can see right outside your window matters just as much. 

Inspired by this Quora thread on the restaurants with the best views in the world, we've created our own list of eateries with incredible sights to offer. 

From cafes perched in the sky to gourmet eateries only accessible by boat, these places are sure to satisfy more than just your stomach. 

Perched 1,151 feet above Toronto at the top of the CN Tower, the revolving 360 Restaurant offers fresh cuisine and a constantly changing city view.



Watch fishing boats go by as the sun sets at the Rock Bar at Bali's Ayana Resort and Spa.



Enjoy some traditional Hawaiian food with a view at the Canoe House at the Big Island's Mauna Lani Hotel.



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Watch This CEO Make Jay-Z Go Wild On Stage As He Sings Frank Sinatra's 'New York, New York'

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David Weinreb, CEO of The Howard Hughes Corporation, was pulled on stage at Jay-Z and Beyonce's Super Bowl after-party to sing.  

Weinreb, 48, spontaneously performed Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" and it was incredible. Even Jay-Z started jumping up and down when he was hitting his notes.  

Check it out: 

A year ago, the Howard Hughes Corporation was called one of the "best kept secrets on Wall Street," by hedge fund manager Bill Ackman. Ackman, who runs Pershing Square, is the chairman of Howard Hughes' board and his hedge fund owns a big stake.  

In the last year, the company's stock has skyrocketed more than 67 percent.  

Howard Hughes has some cool plans for the South Street Seaport that will transform it into a venue for fashion shows and rooftop concerts, etc.  (See the rendering below). 

Weinreb is scheduled to speak at the Harbor Investment Conference, a hedge fund industry conference hosted by Bill Ackman and Mark Axelowitz that benefits the Boys & Girls Harbor.   

Howard Hughes South Street Seaport

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These Are The Most Romantic Restaurants In America, According To OpenTable Users

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La Mer Hawaii

California overwhelmingly plays home to the most romantic restaurants in the country, according to the restaurant reservation site OpenTable.

Florida and Hawaii round out the top three states with the most romantic restaurants.

"These states have beautiful coastlines," OpenTable's chief dining officer Caroline Potter said to Business Insider. "It melts your heart to sit at one of their restaurants. They have mother nature on their side helping them woo diners. Also, California, Florida and Hawaii are popular honeymoon destinations, so people are in the mood for romance. These restaurants are treating their locations very wisely."

OpenTable looked at over five million restaurant reviews written between January 2013 and January 2014 to determine the 100 most romantic restaurants in America. They scored restaurants according to their average rating in the "romantic" category and ranked how many diners indicated romance was a specific consideration in choosing the restaurant. 

Here's the full list of romantic restaurants:

Acquerello – San Francisco, Calif.

The American Restaurant – Kansas City, Mo.

Armani’s – Tampa, Fla.

Briarhurst Manor – Manitou Springs, Colo.

Brown’s Beach House - The Fairmont Orchid – Kohala Coast, Hawaii

Café Central – El Paso, Tex.

Café Matisse – Rutherford, N.J.

Café Renaissance – Vienna, Va.

Canlis – Seattle, Wash.

The Cellar – Fullerton, Calif.

The Cellar Restaurant – Daytona Beach, Fla.

The Cellars – Virginia Beach, Va.

Chakra – Paramus, N.J.

Chez François – Vermilion, Ohio

Chez TJ – Mountain View, Calif.

Ciera-MontBleu Resort – Stateline, Nev.

Circa 1886 – Charleston, S.C.

Ciro’s Speakeasy and Supper Club – Tampa, Fla.

Collage Restaurant – St. Augustine, Fla.

Different Pointe of View – Phoenix, Ariz.

Dominic’s on the Hill – St. Louis, Mo.

Driskill Grill-Driskill Hotel – Austin, Tex.

Eagle’s Nest-Hyatt Regency – Indianapolis, Ind.

Eiffel Tower – Las Vegas, Nev.

The English Inn – Eaton Rapids, Mich.

Erminia Ristorante – New York, N.Y.

Erna’s Elderberry House – Oakhurst, Calif.

Fearrington House Restaurant – Pittsboro, N.C.

Ferraro’s Bar e Ristorante Maui – Wailea, Hawaii

Flagstaff House – Boulder, Colo.

Fleur de Lys – San Francisco, Calif.

The French Room – Dallas, Tex.

Gamba Ristorante – Merrillville, Ind.

Geja’s Café – Chicago, Ill.

Giardina’s Restaurant – Greenwood, Miss.

Goldmoor Restaurant – Galena, Ill.

The Goodstone Inn & Estate Restaurant – Middleburg, Va.

Il Cielo Gardens Restaurant & Bar – Beverly Hills, Calif.

The Inn at Turkey Hill – Bloomsburg, Pa.

Isabela on Grandview – Pittsburgh, Pa.

Jacmel Inn – Hammond, La.

La Caille Restaurant – Sandy, Utah

La Mer at Halekulani – Honolulu, Hawaii

Latitudes – Key West, Fla.

L’Auberge Provençale – Boyce, Va.

L’Auberge Restaurant on Oak Creek – Sedona, Ariz.

Le Vallauris – Palm Springs, Calif.

Les Nomades – Chicago, Ill.

The Little Door – Los Angeles, Calif.

Log Haven – Salt Lake City, Utah

McNinch House – Charlotte, N.C.

The Melting Pot – National locations

Michael’s-South Point Casino – Las Vegas, Nev.

Michel’s at the Colony Surf – Honolulu, Hawaii

Nick and Nino’s Penthouse Steakhouse-Hilton – Springfield, Ill.

Nikolai’s Roof – Atlanta, Ga. 

On The Marsh Bistro – Kennebunkport, Maine

One if by Land, Two if by Sea – New York, N.Y.

The Painted Lady – Newberg, Ore.

Palace Arms at the Brown Palace – Denver, Colo.

Palme d’Or – Coral Gables, Fla.

Pamplemousse Le Restaurant – Las Vegas, Nev.

Pearl Café – Missoula, Mont.

Penrose Room-The Broadmoor – Colorado Springs, Colo.

Peter Shields Inn – Cape May, N.J.

Picasso-Bellagio – Las Vegas, Nev.

Primavista – Cincinnati, Ohio

Quiessence Restaurant & Wine Bar – Phoenix, Ariz.

The Ranch House – Ojai, Calif.

Red Fish Grill – Miami, Fla.

The Refectory Restaurant & Bistro – Columbus, Ohio

Republic of Texas Bar & Grill – Corpus Christi, Tex.

Restaurant Iris – Memphis, Tenn.

Restaurant Jezebel – Austin, Tex.

Ristorante Massimo – Portsmouth, N.H.

Roof Restaurant – Salt Lake City, Utah

Salacia Prime Seafood and Steaks – Virginia Beach, Va.

Sarento’s Top of the ‘I’ – Honolulu, Hawaii

SASSI – Scottsdale, Ariz.

Seven Glaciers – Girdwood, Alaska

Shadowbrook Restaurant – Capitola, Calif.

Ski Tip Lodge – Keystone, Colo.

The Sky Room – Long Beach, Calif.

The Spiced Pear – Newport, R.I.

Spindletop – Houston, Tex.

STARS-A Steak Restaurant – Chatham, Mass.

Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch – Santa Barbara, Calif.

Studio at Montage Laguna Beach – Laguna Beach, Calif.

thirty-two – Biloxi, Miss.

Tidepools-Grand Hyatt Kauai – Poipu, Hawaii

Top of the Point – West Palm Beach, Fla.

The Tree Room @ Sundance – Sundance, Utah

Tulalip Bay at the Tulalip Resort Casino – Marysville, Wash.

‘Ulu Ocean Grill and Sushi Lounge – Kaupulehu, Hawaii

V.Mertz – Omaha, Neb.

The Wentworth – Jackson, N.H.

White Barn Inn – Kennebunk, Maine

Wildflowers at Turning Stone – Verona, N.Y.

Yamashiro – Hollywood, Calif.

Zenkichi – Brooklyn, N.Y.

SEE ALSO: 20 Restaurants With Breathtaking Views Of The World

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How Michael Kors Went From Design School Dropout To Billionaire Fashion Tycoon

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michael kors heidi klum

Fashion designer Michael Kors became a billionaire Tuesday as shares of his namesake company surged 18% after reporting that its third quarter profit jumped 77%.

The 54-year-old CEO founded the luxury goods company in 1981 after dropping out of fashion school.

For years, he struggled to make the brand successful and even filed for bankruptcy along the way.

Now he joins the billionaire's club just three years after taking the company public.

How did it all go down?

Kors was born on Long Island and started designing at age 19, as a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology.



He dropped out of school and launched his first womenswear collection at 1981. It debuted in high-end department stores like Bergdorf Goodman and Saks.



Kors developed a celebrity fan base early on--Barbara Walters, Demi Moore and Julia Roberts wore his designs. But he was forced to file for bankruptcy in 1993 after his Italian backers went bust.

Sources: The Observer, People



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How A 19-Year-Old Skied To The South Pole Faster Than Anyone In History

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Willis Resilience ExpeditionParker Liautaud set a record in December as the fastest unsupported person to ski from the Antarctic Coast to the South Pole, completing the 314-mile journey in 18 days. 

At 19, the polar adventurer is also the youngest man to reach the most southern point on Earth by foot, without any assistance. 

But the records come second to Liautaud's main goal, which is to advance the discussion on climate change. During the first part of the mission, Liautaud and four others crossed the continent in a custom-built truck collecting ice and snow samples for a global warming study. Liautaud and his teammate, Doug Stoup, then skied unsupported to the South Pole, while the other men followed at a distance. 

"The speed record was to engage people about climate policy," Liautaud said in an interview with Business Insider. "It was also a good metaphor for the urgency of climate change."

The mission, called Willis Resilience Expedition, began in late November last year when Parker and a four-man team touched down at a base called Union Glacier near the Antarctic coast on the Ronne Ice Shelf.



The team unloaded all their gear, including a customized truck called the Ice Broker.

 



The mission was split into two parts. First, the entire team traveled across the continent in the Ice Broker collecting ice and snow samples.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider
    






The Ivy League Colleges With The Most On-Campus Drug And Alcohol Arrests

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Last week, we brought you a series of maps showing which colleges across the country have the most on-campus drug and alcohol arrests.

Surprisingly, or not, all of the Ivy League schools were absent from this list. However, Rehabs.com— who put this information together — compiled a separate ranking for the elite eight universities.

"We wanted to find interesting data that's been under-explored," Drugs on Campus project head Jon Millward told Business Insider. Many of the previously existing reports on campus drug use were "more surface," Millward said.

The information comes from the Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education, which only tracks campus crime reports, not those from the surrounding area.

Dartmouth College leads the Ivy League in both on-campus drug arrests and alcohol arrests — the latter by a significant margin. The Rehabs.com report attributes this to Dartmouth's dominant Greek culture:

What's obvious is that there weren't very many of them. Dartmouth College sits comfortably in first position, with more than five times more alcohol arrests than Yale University. This result matches a known problem Dartmouth has with drinking on its campus, attributed mostly to the fact that fraternities dominate the social scene there. About two-thirds of undergraduates at Dartmouth join a fraternity or sorority, which is nearly double the rate of any other Ivy League school. And Greeks are known to be more likely to abuse alcohol.

Ivy League Drug Alcohol Arrest Ranking

SEE ALSO: The Colleges With The Most On-Campus Drug And Alcohol Arrests

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This Photographer Brought Her Camera Paragliding And The Photos Are Incredible

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paragliding_namibia1_jodymacdonaldphotography

For the last eight years, photographer Jody MacDonald has spent her days jetting around the world, finding the highest points she can, and jumping off of them. Luckily, she brought her camera around for the ride.

An avid paraglider, MacDonald has made a living off photographing the sport and its athletes for the likes of National Geographic, Outside Magazine, and Niviuk. In the last five years, she’s traveled to more than fifty countries, including such exotic locales as Morocco, Mozambique, and India.

MacDonald posts a ton of her photography on her website, but she shared some photos from some recent trips with Business Insider.

MacDonald began paragliding in 2002 when her brother, a pilot in Alaska, bought a second-hand paraglider. This shot is from Alaska, where they learned to fly.

Alaska



MacDonald's paragliding adventures have brought her all over the world.

Azores, Portugal



MacDonald was a photographer before she began paragliding. She says it was only natural that she would merge the two interests.

Azores, Portugal



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One Serving Of Nutella Has As Much Sugar As Five Oreos

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Nutella

It's officially Nutella day — a day made to celebrate the addictive and delicious hazelnut and chocolate spread.

But if you are celebrating by chowing down on this delicious treat, keep in mind that even though it contains nuts, it isn't actually all that good for you — even one serving has as much sugar as five Oreos.

The company has gotten in some trouble before for their advertisements that suggest that "breakfast loves" the chocolate hazelnut spread and the ads seem to imply that the "94 hazelnuts" in each jar make the spread good for you.

Yoni Freedhoff, a Canadian doctor and professor at the University of Ottawa, was interested in what's actually in the addictive spread, because: "I think its supposed to make me think: 'that it's good for me — 94 hazelnuts in every jar.'"

The problem? There is too much sugar in the spread for it to be considered a healthy snack.

Freedhoff runs the blog Weighty Matters. In a post from September 2013 , he pointed out that two tablespoons of Nutella (the amount you see spread on a slice of toast in Nutella's delicious looking ads) has as much sugar as FIVE OREO COOKIES.

Here what else he found in one serving size of the hazelnut spread:

  • Five hazelnuts
  • Skim milk powder and whey powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of palm oil
  • cocoa powder
  • Five and a half teaspoons (or packets) of sugar

The official Nutella nutrition facts say that two tablespoons of the spread contain:

  • 200 calories
  • 12 grams of fat
  • 21 grams of sugar

That's an impressive feat for something they are marketing as a healthy breakfast addition.

"Make no mistake, Nutella is spreadable candy. It is not healthy. Breakfast does not love it. You might love it. But this does not help to make a nutritious breakfast fun, it helps to make a nutritious breakfast non-nutritious," Freedhoff says in the video.

This comes just a few years after a class action settlement against Ferrero, who produces the product. In that settlement, the company also agreed to "modify the Nutella label, modify certain marketing statements about Nutella, create new television ads, and change the Nutella website."

Looks like their new campaigns aren't getting the message through that the spread isn't health food. Watch the YouTube video to see what that much sugar looks like:

Nutella even has a "build your breakfast" option on their website, which gives you comparable breakfasts to one with Nutella. Here's what they offered me:

Nutella breakfast optionsI have a feeling that I would stay fuller longer with the oatmeal or eggs, bacon, and fried potatoes, than I would with a single slice of Nutella-spread toast, a few strawberries, and a glass of milk, but they all have about the same calorie content.

If you compare the two toast breakfasts, you can see you literally get a whole bowl of cereal instead of the 2 ounces of hazelnut spread. Compared to peanut butter, Nutella has less fat but a ton more sugar.

Freedhoff isn't saying you can't have Nutella, but it's pretty obvious that it isn't something parents should be feeding their kids for breakfast every day before sending them off to school — the sugar will send them crashing by mid-morning.

More From Freedhoff: Doctor Goes On An Epic Rant Against The Food Industry

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12 Hacks For Surviving This Miserable, Icy Weather

It's World Nutella Day — See How Many Countries Contribute To A Jar Of The Tasty Hazelnut Spread

Here's Why You Have It All Wrong About Pit Bulls

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Since the 1980s, pit bulls have had a bad rap, mainly persisting by overhyped stories in the media of terrifying attacks on humans and their use in dog fights.

Recently, with the help of rescue organizations devoted entirely to pit bulls like the Animal Farm Foundation and the Pit Crew Rescue, and the popularity of shows like "Pit Bulls and Parolees," their image is being revamped. Find out what is myth versus reality when it comes to this highly contentious breed.

Produced by Alana Kakoyiannis. Additional camera by Justin Gmoser.

Keep up with BI Video on YouTube

NOW WATCH: Here's What Halal Really Means

Follow BI Video: On Facebook

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12-Year-Old Boy Gives Hilarious Advice On How To Understand Women

The 17 Most Ridiculous Photos From The Nightmare Sochi Olympic Hotels

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sochi hotel rubble

Sochi officials say that the city's hotels are 97% complete on the eve of the Olympics.

But given the nightmare travel stories rolling in from reporters in Sochi, that 3% difference goes a long, long way.

There are reports of rooms without light bulbs or doorknobs. There are stories about unfinished hotels without lobbies or working elevators or running water. There are anecdotes from people who've checked into their rooms, only to find them occupied by stray dogs or construction workers napping in between shifts.

The venues and Olympic Village all look perfectly fine, and we haven't seen any complaints from athletes. But the hotels, specifically media hotels, aren't finished yet and it's a total mess.

The photos are ridiculous.

This hotel fitness center isn't in great shape:

A hallway under construction:

The room:

Needless to say, there are no hotel bars:

Hotel staff is seemingly coming and going into people's rooms as they please

Yahoo's Dan Wetzel is hoarding lightbulbs and bartering them for a doorknob:

One hotel doesn't have a floor in the reception area yet. But they do have a Putin picture in every room:

No idea what this is:

Electricity has been an issue at a number of hotels:

Someone found an orange peel in their room

This hotel had some curtain issues:

Good spot for the wifi

The water in one hotel was yellow

"Please do not flush toilet paper down the toilet!"

Charles Robinson feared his room was bugged when he saw these random things in his ceiling:

Fire hose in the bathroom:

Not quite enough desk space:

SEE ALSO: Photos Of the Historically Expensive Olympic Venues

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The French Would Rather Eat A Burger Than A Baguette Sandwich

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burger mcdonalds

Burgers have become the food of choice in France, beating out steak-frites and baguette sandwiches, according to a new study by consulting firm Gira Conseil.

Roughly 75% of France’s 110,000 restaurants now include hamburgers on their menus, and their sales have jumped 40% since 2011, the study found, according to Bloomberg.

And one third of the restaurants that offer burgers are finding that they have been outselling grilled meat and fish dishes.

"Protein between two slices of bread — the French love it," Bernard Boutboul, head of Paris-based restaurant researcher Gira Conseil, told Bloomberg. "The explosion of burgers is coming from restaurants. It’s affordable and chefs want to show they can make a quality burger."

France's burger market is still dominated by fast food chains like McDonald's.

Last year, traditional, non-fast-food restaurants accounted for just quarter of the 970 million burgers sold in France, the study found.

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100 Books Everyone Should Read Before They Die

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man reading library old antiques

Amazon book editors have just released a list of their 100 Books To Read In A Lifetime.

Many of the books are 20th century classics or recent bestsellers — the oldest book on the list is Jane Austen's 1813 masterpiece "Pride and Prejudice." It also spanned multiple genres, with adult fiction, nonfiction, children's, and young adult novels such as "The Hunger Games" and "Harry Potter" making the list.

“With 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime, we set out to build a roadmap of a literary life without making it feel like a homework assignment,” Sara Nelson, Editorial Director of Print and Kindle Books at Amazon, said in a press release. “Over many months, the team passionately debated and defended the books we wanted on this list. In other words, we applied plenty of the bookish equivalent of elbow-grease, and we can’t wait to hear what customers have to say about our final picks.”

Check out the final list of books in alphabetical order below.

  1. "1984" by George Orwell

  2. "A Brief History of Time" by Stephen Hawking

  3. "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" by Dave Eggers

  4. "A Long Way Gone" by Ishmael Beah

  5. "A Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning: The Short-Lived Edition" by Lemony Snicket

  6. "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle

  7. "Alice Munro: Selected Stories" by Alice Munro

  8. "Alice in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll

  9. "All the President's Men" by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein

  10. "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt

  11. "Are You There, God? It's me, Margaret" by Judy Blume

  12. "Bel Canto" by Ann Patchett

  13. "Beloved" by Toni Morrison

  14. "Born To Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen" by Christopher McDougall

  15. "Breath, Eyes, Memory" by Edwidge Danticat

  16. "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

  17. "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Roald Dahl

  18. "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White

  19. "Cutting For Stone" by Abraham Verghese

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

  21. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 1" by Jeff Kinney

  22. "Dune" by Frank Herbert

  23. "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury

  24. "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream" by Hunter S. Thompson

  25. "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn

  26. "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown

  27. "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

  28. "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

  29. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling

  30. "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote

  31. "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri

  32. "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

  33. "Jimmy Corrigan: Smartest Kid on Earth" by Chris Ware

  34. "Kitchen Confidential" by Anthony Bourdain

  35. "Life After Life" by Kate Atkinson

  36. "Little House on the Prairie" by Laura Ingalls Wilder

  37. "Lolita" by Vladimir Nabokov

  38. "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

  39. "Love Medicine" by Louise Erdrich

  40. "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl

  41. "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

  42. "Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides

  43. "Midnight's Children" by Salman Rushdie

  44. "Moneyball" by Michael Lewis

  45. "Of Human Bondage" by W. Somerset Maugham

  46. "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac

  47. "Out of Africa" by Isak Dinesen

  48. "Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi

  49. "Portnoy's Complaint" by Philip Roth

  50. "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

  51. "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

  52. "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut

  53. "Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin

  54. "The Age of Innocence" by Edith Wharton

  55. "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" by Michael Chabon

  56. "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Malcolm X and Alex Haley

  57. "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

  58. "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" by Junot Diaz

  59. "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger

  60. "The Color of Water" by James McBride

  61. "The Corrections" by Jonathan Franzen

  62. "The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America" by Erik Larson

  63. "The Diary of Anne Frank" by Anne Frank

  64. "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

  65. "The Giver" by Lois Lowry

  66. "The Golden Compass: His Dark Materials" by Philip Pullman

  67. "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

  68. "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood

  69. "The House At Pooh Corner" by A. A. Milne

  70. "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

  71. "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

  72. "The Liars' Club: A Memoir" by Mary Karr

  73. "The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)" by Rick Riordan

  74. "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

  75. "The Long Goodbye" by Raymond Chandler

  76. "The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11" by Lawrence Wright

  77. "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien

  78. "The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat: And Other Clinical Tales" by Oliver Sacks

  79. "The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals" by Michael Pollan

  80. "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster

  81. "The Poisonwood Bible: A Novel" by Barbara Kingsolver

  82. "The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York" by Robert A. Caro

  83. "The Right Stuff" by Tom Wolfe

  84. "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy

  85. "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

  86. "The Shining" by Stephen King

  87. "The Stranger" by Albert Camus

  88. "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway

  89. "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien

  90. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle

  91. "The Wind in the Willows" by Kenneth Grahame

  92. "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle: A Novel" by Haruki Murakami

  93. "The World According to Garp" by John Irving

  94. "The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion

  95. "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe

  96. "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee

  97. "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption" by Laura Hillenbrand

  98. "Valley of the Dolls" by Jacqueline Susann

  99. "Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein

  100. "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak

SEE ALSO: 25 American Classics Everyone Should Read At Least Once In Their Lifetime

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7 Reasons You Should Teach Your Children To Speak French

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melissa theuriau

The New Republic's John McWhorter just came out with an essay on why we should stop pretending French is an important language.

The piece comes in response to a New York Times article about a new initiative from the French government to increase the amount of French instruction in American schools.

To be sure, it's a little heavy handed for a foreign government to be attempting to quasi-infiltrate another country's education system.

But here's why McWhorter's wrong, and why everyone should learn French, even if this guy's the one telling you to do it: 

1)  For English speakers, French is the easiest language to learn.

You may have heard it's Spanish. That cannot possibly be true though, because English is actually the mutant stepchild of German and French, and it got most of its genes from its Gallic side. In fact for several centuries French was the official language of the English court. The list of English words with French roots is basically infinite.  

2)  And learning French makes learning Spanish way easier. 

If you're reading this, we probably don't need to spell out all the socioeconomic benefits that come with learning a second language. We again assume America's natural inclination is to learn Spanish (we'll exclude Chinese). Since French and Spanish are the mutant step children of Latin, you can practically cut out a step if you ever decide to take up Spanish. And If you already know Spanish, it requires very little effort to make the jump to French. 

3)  All over Europe, French is still the main second language taught in school.

Forget about the Nordic countries, who've consciously abandoned their own languages for English — their languages were never important to begin with. When I lived in France, I found it impossible to communicate with the kids from Italy, China, Japan, and Mexico in anything other than French. Nor was English an option when I traveled to Poland and the Czech Republic. 

Here is how the French government defines what it calls "the sphere of French language." It's much larger than you think:

francophonie

4)  If you want to understand modern China and Russia, you need to know French.

guillotine

For all the good stuff it led to, the French Revolution gave the world its first glimpse at totalitarianism. The Russian Revolution of 1917 was basically an attempt to reenact that part of the French Revolution. And Mao's Communist revolution in China was basically an attempt to reenact the Russian Revolution. This is why Alexis de Tocqueville's book on the tragedy recently became a best-seller. Yeah, you can get it in English. But translations suck — and who is going to do the translations in the first place if we run out of French speakers?

5)  Half of Africa speaks French.

To continue on the China point: As you've probably heard, Chinese corporations have begun flooding into Africa, where deals are cheap and resources are abundant. French speaking countries, Algeria top among them, comprise a significant chunk of that investment. Half of the top-10 fastest growing countries in Africa have French as an official language. We can thus expect Africa to be an going to be an increasing focus of global trade and international relations.

6)  Americans still hear French all the time.

jean dejuardin

If you live in New York or Washington, you probably catch snippets of French conversation on the subway all the time. Ever wanted to be treated like an American hero? Give out directions to a lost French tourist family in their own language.  

It also pops up in moives and TV shows. Knowing I spoke French, one of the first things my family asked me after seeing "Wolf of Wall Street" was what Jean DuJardin and Leo DiCaprio were saying to each other in the Geneva negotiation scene. 

7)  French politics is the greatest show in news.

Hollande

Regularly reading the news can get depressing. The best cure for this, which your child will come to appreciate, is reading news out of France. Nothing too terrible ever really happens there these days. As a result, the French end up putting themselves in absurd situations to make life more interesting. You may have heard French President Francois Hollande was recently caught leaving his attractive actress mistress' house wearing a ridiculous motorcycle helmet. In the U.S., this would have resulted in scandal. In France, this resulted in a resurgence in Hollande's popularity.

Bottom line: For relatively minimal effort, you can learn a second language that will allow you to access useful, important and entertaining stuff.

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The Most Romantic Restaurants In 15 Big Cities Around The US

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Grace Restaurant, Chicago

There are few things more romantic than sharing a great meal with the one you love, but the wrong restaurant can really kill the mood.

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, our friends at Zagat shared their picks for the most romantic spots in cities all around the country.

Make one of these restaurants this year's pick for a Valentine's Day date.

ATLANTA: Bacchanalia

1198 Howell Mill Road NW

The atmosphere at Bacchanalia combines the coziness of your own dining room with the extravagance expected from an upscale restaurant. Feast on the five-course prix fixe dinner along with a bottle from a wine list befitting of the restaurant’s name.



AUSTIN: Hudson’s on the Bend

3509 Ranch Road 620 North

Few restaurants can take wild game found in the back country of Texas and elegantly present it the way Hudson’s does. It has a modern look and a knack for artful presentation.



BOSTON: Coppa

253 Shawmut Avenue

The intimate ambience serves to enhance the rustic Italian cuisine offered at Coppa. Each dish features locally sourced and sustainable ingredients, which can be paired with one of Coppa’s famously creative, cordial-based cocktails.



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Heart-Stopping Video Shows How Dangerous Slopestyle Really Is

18 Bookstores Every Book Lover Must Visit At Least Once

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church bookstore holland

Bookstores can be a destination upon themselves. 

From Venice to Mexico City, check out some of the most interesting book retailers out there. 

1. Libreria Acqua Alta, Venice, Italy. 

This bookstore features classic volumes of American and Italian books packed in traditional Venetian gondola boats. But the show-stopping attraction is the back of the bookstore, which opens up to a beautiful canal.

“It’s a bookshop right on the canal that floods every year, so the eccentric, stray-cat-adopting owner keeps his books in boats, bathtubs and a disused gondola to protect them,” writes Paris Review

The store is also lauded for its extensive art and postcard collections. 

libreria acqua alta

2. John K. King Used And Rare Books, Detroit, Michigan. 

This houses more than a million books in an abandoned glove factory in Detroit's industrial wasteland.

"Cardboard signs, musty paperback aromas, and a hand-scrawled map out of a Wes Anderson panic attack are your only tour guides as you lose track of time and the person you came with," writes Megan Cytron at Trazzler.

john k. king used and rare books detroit bookstore

3. Boekhandel Selexyz Dominicanen in Maastricht, Holland. 

This epic bookstore is a converted Dominican church from the 13th century. The serene alcoves of the church now serve as reading nooks. 

"A superb example of adaptive re-use, the Selexyz Dominicanen infuses rich and historic architecture with plentiful shelves ripe with information," writes Diane Pham at inhabitant.com. 

church bookstore holland

4. BookPeople, Austin, Texas. 

Texas' largest independent bookstore is situated in the trendy Market District of Austin, Texas. The store prides itself on its knowledgable staff and epic selections. 

"Tending to more books than anyone could read in a lifetime – from international bestsellers to a remarkable showing of local authors, BookKids to MysteryPeople—plus almost daily events and a quirky collection of toys, BookPeople’s wonderful staff are on their toes expanding horizons and making literary dreams come true," the Austin Chronicle raves

bookpeople austin texas

5. Strand, New York City. 

This East Village retailer boasts 18 miles of books. 

"Its prices and selection are seldom beat, and there's still the unique thrill of finding a copy of The Grapes of Wrath once belonging to the Rikers Correctional Library in their 49-cent bin," writes Gothamist. 

strand bookstore

6. Livraria Lello & Irmao, Porto, Portugal. 

This gorgeous, 100-year-old bookstore is known for its stunning architecture and "stairway to heaven." 

"Once inside, there is the curvaceous red stairway connecting the two levels (inspired on the Parisian Galleries Lafayette), the heavily decorated walls and ceilings, and the magnificent stained-glass skylight with Lello’s motto vecus in labore will no doubt impress you," one visitor writes on bookstoreguide.org

livraria bookstore portugal staircase

7. The Bookworm, Beijing, China. 

The Bookworm is both a lending library and a bookstore with a ridiculously expansive collection. There's also a gourmet European cafe on the premises. 

"We love this Beijing spot when we're craving a double-dose of intellectual stimulation and decent café food. Thousands of English-language books fill the shelves and may be borrowed for a fee or read inside. New books and magazines are also for sale," writes Fodor's Travel. 

bookworm beijing

8. El Ateneo, Buenes Aires, Argentina. 

This bookstore is housed in an ornate theater building from the 1920's. Customers can sit in still-intact theater boxes to relax and browse their books. 

"While the selection of books on offer is standard chain store fare, bibliophiles will find the staggeringly opulent display of books to be reason enough to pay El Ateneo Grand Splendid a visit," according to Atlas Obscura

Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore

9. Cafebreria El Pendulo, Mexico City, Mexico. 

This bookstore and cafe has ample greenery inside. 

"At once bar, cafe and bookstore, the Cafebreria El Pendulo offers a well air conditioned abode for reading and lounging, and living plants decorate the interior," The Huffington Post writes

cafebreria el pendulo bookstore

10. Books & Books, Coral Gables, Florida. 

This Miami-area bookstore is especially known for its great selection of art titles and is housed in a stunning building from the 1920's. 

"No local author considers himself “made” until he’s read at Books & Books, and no lit-minded visitor considers a vacation complete until he’s browsed for autographed stock in at least one of the stores," CBS Local writes, adding that the store has constant special events. 

books & books coral gables florida

11. Shakespeare and Company, Paris, France. 

The original Shakespeare & Company  on Paris' Left Bank was a hangout for Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, and James Joyce, but closed during World War Two. 

The store re-opened in 1951 and has become a popular favorite because of its ambience and selection. 

"Time has not sundered the love-in between literature and Paris's Left Bank," writes Time. "The Shakespeare and Company bookstore has long been a fixture of the affair."

shakespear and company paris

12. Politics & Prose, Washington D.C. 

This bookstore in the nation's Capitol is best-known for its amazing line-up of speakers. Past guests have included J.K. Rowling and Bill Clinton. 

"Priding itself on its well-read staff and inside-the-Beltway speakers, this bookstore dating to 1984 makes its home in a nondescript neighborhood north of the Van Ness metro," writes Travel & Leisure. "Politics and Prose combines impressive on-site inventory with a pleasant downstairs cafe."

politics and prose

13. Bart's Books, Ojai, California. 

Bart's books is the largest outdoor bookstore in the world, and is situated in a picturesque town in Southern California. 

"Bart’s Books is a beautiful outdoor bookstore where you can sip lemonade in the courtyard surrounded by a maze of bookshelves, play a game of chess in the shade or read a short story under the apple tree," writes travel and lifestyle blogger Messy Nessy Chic

bart's books

14. Corso Como, Milan, Italy. 

This gorgeous bookstore, named one of the 10 most beautiful in the world, doubles as a flea market and is sure to keep everyone entertained. 

"Corso Como is a wonderful low profile high-end fashion, café, bookstore, and art hub in one of the nicer parts of Milan," a fan of the store writes on Yelp. "If you're not careful you can walk right past this place, but when you enter into its gates you know you are in for an experience."

corso como milan

15. Barter Books, Alnwick, UK. 

This shop used to be a train station, and miniature trains still go around the shelves. The architecture, which includes rounded ceilings and decorative lighting, is stunning. 

"The books range from such categories as paperback and fiction, poetry and plays, history, philosophy or women studies to crime, biography, business and economics and even such topics as transport, maritime, gardening, needlework, etc.," according to bookstoreguide.org.

"Barter Books also has open fires in the winter, a station buffet with a menu made up of home-made and/or locally sourced food (both hot and cold) and speciality coffees and teas, and a children's room filled with toys," according to the guide. 

barter books U.K. bookstore

16. Prairie Lights, Iowa City, Iowa. 

This bookstore is next door to the University of Iowa's famous Writer's Workshop, a program with famous alums including Kurt Vonnegut. 

"Owned by a pair of poets, the shop features 40,000 titles leaning heavily toward fiction, travel, children’s, and—no surprise—poetry," writes Travel & Leisure magazine

prairie lights bookstore

17. Boulder Books. 

This eclectic bookstore is known for its indie vibes and knowledgable staff.  It's also a hub for famous authors' readings and book signings. 

"Despite its size, Boulder Bookstore has the feel of that around-the-corner gathering place that is a favorite to frequent, linger, read, visit and shop," writes CBS Denver. 

Authors who have visited in the past include Christopher Moore, Joyce Carol Oates, Deepak Chopra, Garrison Keillor, Jon Krakauer, Mitch Albom, David Sedaris, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Prachett, and Sherman Alexie.

boulder bookstore

18. Powell's Books, Portland, Oregon. 

This former car dealership takes up an entire city block and boasts more than 1 million titles. 

"The sixty-eight-thousand-square-foot space is divided into nine color-coded rooms, which together house more than 3,500 sections," writes Poets & Writers. "From the moment you walk in, it feels as if you could find anything there."

powell's books portland

SEE ALSO: 25 Awesome Things You Can Buy For Under $25

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The 10 Best Fitness Trackers On The Market

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fitbit forceSome of you may have made a New Year's Resolution to get more exercise. Luckily, there are plenty of high-tech devices out there that can track your exercise and recommend some better habits. 

To give you a head start, our friends at FindTheBest have put together a list of the best fitness trackers you can buy right now.

While evaluating each tracker, FindTheBest compiled reviews from CNET, Wired, PC Mag, Men's Health, in addition to their own internal ratings.

The more advanced a tracker was, the more points it got. Prices listed here reflect manufacturers' suggested retail prices. 

10. Nike Fuelband ($119

Made to wear on your wrist, the Fuelband can track steps taken, calories burned, and where your progress ranks among your friends. Read our review of the Nike Fuelband here >

9. Nike Fuelband SE ($190)

The SE is an update from the original Fuelband, complete with brighter colors, more accurate sensors, and better connectivity with Bluetooth 4.0.

8. Jawbone UP ($100

In addition to tracking your activity and calorie intake, the Jawbone Up can give you detailed stats like how long it took you to fall asleep and how much time you spent in light sleep versus deep sleep. Read our review of the Jawbone UP >

7. Larklife ($150)

Larklife goes a step beyond tracking your essentials and provides helpful tips throughout the day to help you improve your habits. 

6. Fitbit Flex ($85)

The Fitbit Flex will measure how many steps you take, how far you've walked, and how many calories you've consumed in a given day. It also has a silent alarm that can wake you up with gentle vibrations so you don't disturb your partner. Check out our review of the FitBit Flex >

5. Withings Pulse ($95)

Clip the Pulse on to your clothes before your run and it will keep track of all of your stats, including your heart rate. Read more about Withings >

4. Misfit Wearables Shine ($120)

The Shine is the size of a quarter and weighs less than 10 grams. Since it's waterproof, it can even track your exercise while you're swimming. Read more about the Misfit Shine >

3. Basis B1 ($179)

This fitness tracker looks just like a digital watch and can automatically detect when you're asleep. 

2. Fitbit One ($74)

In addition to the features the Fitbit Flex has, the One also has a useful LED screen and an altimeter than can track the stairs you've climbed. It's more versatile than some of the other fitness trackers, and you don't have to wear it on your wrist if you don't want to. 

1. Fitbit Force ($130)

While previous Fitbit models required that you check an app to get your daily stats, the Force displays it on a tiny LED screen. Read our review of the Fitbit Force >

SEE ALSO: 7 Awesome Fitness Gadgets To Get You Moving This Year

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