Would you pay $28 million for this one-ton steel sculpture of Popeye?

If you're Steve Wynn, the answer appears to be, why not. The casino magnate was the lone bidder for the 2009 Jeff Koons piece in a Wednesday Sotheby's auction that saw mixed results, with a dozen works, including another Koons piece, a glass case of three basketballs floating in water — going unsold.

In fact, Sotheby's now trails rival auction house Christie's significantly — check out this chart from Art Tactic (via Art Market Monitor) showing evening sales levels.

The Wall Street Journal recently discussed what's behind the divergence: While Christie's has diversified its customer base in recent years, Sotheby's has doubled-down on the highest-end bidders. It's the old funds-versus-flows debate, and Christie's seems to be winning.

Wynn said he plans to display Popeye at one of his Las Vegas hotels.

SEE ALSO: Why Someone Would Pay $142 Million For A Weird-Looking Portrait

Join the conversation about this story »

Produced by Alana Kakoyiannis. Additional camera by Justin Gmoser.

NOW WATCH: Psychologists Reveal What People Think About You Based On What You Wear At The Office

Follow BI Video: On Facebook

Join the conversation about this story »

If you've ever wished you could have a bit of bubbly delivered to you by a flying robot, perhaps a stay at the just-opened Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa would be a good fit for you. 

The hotel, which opened May 6 in Sausalito, Calif., announced this week that guests in its ultra-pricey Alexandrite Suite would be able to have the champagne of their choice delivered by drone. The machines were custom-built to hold two bottles of champagne each.

According to 7x7, the hotel plans to build more drones that could deliver cookies and other treats to guests.

The 5,000-square-foot Alexandrite Suite comes with panoramic bay views and the services of a private chef, personal trainers, and travel planners. It can be reserved for $10,000 a night, though you can also book the entire 24-capacity mansion for $25,000. 

The drone delivery service may be the suite's most outrageous perk, but the interior looks beautiful as well.

SEE ALSO: Step Inside The Rosewood Sand Hill, The Swanky Hotel Where Tech Billionaires And VCs Go To Socialize

WE'RE ON INSTAGRAM:  Click Here To Follow Us

Join the conversation about this story »

A Romanian castle from the 13th century went on sale this week for a jaw-dropping £47 million, or roughly $80 million at today's conversion rates, according to The Daily Mail.

The hilltop fortress, known as Bran Castle, is a huge tourist attraction with 560,000 annual visitors — many attracted by its reputation as “Dracula’s Castle.”

Click here to skip right to the pictures >>

The castle dates back to 1211 (it was completed in 1388) and is believed by some to have been the inspiration for Irish author Bram Stoker’s description of Dracula’s castle in his 1897 book:

The castle is on the very edge of a terrific precipice. A stone falling from the window would fall a thousand feet without touching anything! As far as the eye can reach is a sea of green tree tops, with occasionally a deep rift where there is a chasm. Here and there are silver threads where the rivers wind in deep gorges through the forests.

Of course, the bloodsucking Count Dracula was fictional and there's no proof that his real life inspiration — Vlad the Impaler, prince of Wallachia in the 15th century — ever lived in this fortress either.

In reality, the castle was occupied by warriors and knights during its early history before being gifted to the Habsburg royal family in 1920.

When the Communists came to power in 1948, the Habsburg heirs were forced to leave the country. Today, those heirs run the castle as a tourist destination, but are looking to sell it to a new owner who will continue to run the museum and potentially open a small hotel.

The Daily Mail reports the Romanian government has been offered the castle for the price of £47 million, but the owners are open to other bids. Mark Meyer of Herzfeld and Rubin, a New York law firm handling the sale, told The Daily Mail: “If someone comes in with a reasonable offer, we will look at who they are, what they are proposing, and will seriously entertain the idea.”

Bran Castle is located in Romania, near the city of Braşov.

It was built between 1211-1388, and housed warriors, knights, and the Habsburg royal family.

Queen Marie, the last queen consort of Romania and granddaughter of Queen Victoria, and later her daughter Princess Ileana were the last owners before a Communist takeover in 1948. That's Queen Marie and Princess Ileana on the left, and Ileana by herself on the right.

In one of the best examples of science working, a researcher who provided key evidence of (non-celiac disease) gluten sensitivity recently published follow-up papers that show the opposite.

The first follow-up paper came out last year in the journal Gastroenterology. Here's the backstory that makes us cheer:

The study was a follow up on a 2011 experiment in the lab of Peter Gibson at Monash University. The scientifically sound — but small — study found that gluten-containing diets can cause gastrointestinal distress in people without celiac disease, a well-known autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten.

They called this non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

Gluten is a protein composite found in wheat, barley, and other grains. It gives bread its chewiness and is often used as a meat substitute: If you've ever had "wheat meat," seitan, or mock duck at a Thai restaurant, that's gluten.

Gluten is a big industry: 30% of people want to eat less gluten. Sales of gluten-free products are estimated to hit $15 billion by 2016.

Although experts estimate that only 1% of Americans — about 3 million people — actually suffer from celiac disease, 18% of adults now buy gluten-free foods.

Since gluten is a protein found in any normal diet, Gibson was unsatisfied with his finding. He wanted to find out why the gluten seemed to be causing this reaction and if there could be something else going on. He therefore went to a scientifically rigorous extreme for his next experiment, a level not usually expected in nutrition studies.

For a follow-up paper, 37 self-identified gluten-sensitive patients were tested. According to Real Clear Science's Newton Blog, here's how the experiment went:

Subjects would be provided with every single meal for the duration of the trial. Any and all potential dietary triggers for gastrointestinal symptoms would be removed, including lactose (from milk products), certain preservatives like benzoates, propionate, sulfites, and nitrites, and fermentable, poorly absorbed short-chain carbohydrates, also known as FODMAPs. And last, but not least, nine days worth of urine and fecal matter would be collected. With this new study, Gibson wasn't messing around.

The subjects cycled through high-gluten, low-gluten, and no-gluten (placebo) diets, without knowing which diet plan they were on at any given time. In the end, all of the treatment diets — even the placebo diet — caused pain, bloating, nausea, and gas to a similar degree. It didn't matter if the diet contained gluten. (Read more about the study.)

"In contrast to our first study … we could find absolutely no specific response to gluten," Gibson wrote in the paper. A third, larger study published this month has confirmed the findings.

It seems to be a "nocebo" effect — the self-diagnosed gluten sensitive patients expected to feel worse on the study diets, so they did. They were also likely more attentive to their intestinal distress, since they had to monitor it for the study.

On top of that, these other potential dietary triggers — specifically the FODMAPS – could be causing what people have wrongly interpreted as gluten sensitivity. FODMAPS are frequently found in the same foods as gluten. That still doesn't explain why people in the study negatively reacted to diets that were free of all dietary triggers.

You can go ahead and smell your bread and eat it too. Science. It Works.

SEE ALSO: Jimmy Kimmel Asks Gluten-Free People What Gluten Is — And Hilariously, They Have No Idea

Join the conversation about this story »

Melissa Hie does what probably most of us dream of doing: stuffing our faces while traveling in the world.

She just documents it in a really cool way.

The Singapore-based 29-year-old posts selfie-like photos of food or drinks with cities in the background on Instagram.

She started snapping these shots the summer of 2013 when she took a solo trip across Europe.

"If I wasn't traveling by myself, my pictures would have been just generic travel pictures," Hie said. "But since I was alone and I don't like asking people to take my picture, I just started taking them myself."

Some of her photos include a chocolate cookie in front of Big Ben, a Nutella-covered waffle in front of Brussels' Grand Palace, and even a Butterbeer in front of 4 Privet Drive.

Although her travels are mainly in Europe and Asia, she says on her profile that she will "eat absolutely anywhere."

Here are her photos and original captions from her Instagram account, girleatworld.

These eggs are regular chicken eggs, but were boiled in high temperature sulfur spring water which gives the color to its black shell. Eating each one is said to extend one's life by seven years, but you shouldn't eat more than two. They sell the eggs in packs of five though, so I ate all five. This was in Kurotama at Owakudani in Hakone, Japan.

Takoyaki at a small festival in Ueno, Asakusa area. Takoyaki is a common snack sold at such festivals in Japan. It's a ball of batter filled with diced octopus, ginger and green onion, served with takoyaki sauce, a bit of mayonnaise, and topped with aonori (seaweed shavings) and bonito (shavings of dried fish). It's then cooked in a special takoyaki pan to give its round shape. Delish!

Hello Kitty Donut at the Shibuya crossing in Tokyo, Japan! This was too cute to pass up, from the basement of Hikarie building, one street away from Hachiko.

Travelers love to eat. That's why, every year in our Readers' Choice Survey, we ask our readers to rate the U.S. cities that have the best restaurants. This year, we were surprised by some of the winners in our Top 20. We think you will be too. Agree with their picks? Disagree? Want to see your favorite foodie city in the winner's circle next year? Vote in the next Readers' Choice Survey at cntraveler.com/vote.

10. BOSTON

Readers' Choice Rating: 83.1

While history may associate Boston dining with such old-school (and often bland) dishes as brown bread, baked beans, and clam chowder, there’s been a changing of the guards in recent years. Chefs who have spent years studying under the city’s most notable cooks are breaking out and opening up their own joints, which couple upscale eats with laidback vibes. In the South End, Merrill & Co. promotes sharing plates of fried oysters in a squid ink aioli, cast iron mussels with red curry and ginger, and pork belly with baby carrots and za’atar. In Harvard Square, Alden & Harlow(pictured) does the gastropub trend proud with a 'secret' burger that is packing crowds in. While in Downtown Crossing, The Merchant is putting a New England spin on the American brasserie, serving up everything from green curry mussels to fish and chips into the wee hours of the morning. —Jennifer M. Wood

9. HEALDSBURG, CA

Readers' Choice Rating: 83.6

Ask any twenty- or thirty-something in the Bay Area to name their favorite city in California wine country, and chances are you’ll hear Healdsburg’s name. Like the locals, the food scene is friendly and welcoming, with an impressive range of creative talent for such a small place. Chalkboard has a contemporary vibe and house-made pastas with accents like duck fat breadcrumbs. And SHED Café (pictured) serves delightfully simple and seasonal brunches in an airy, indoor-outdoor setting. —Stacy Adimando

 

8. SANTA FE

Readers' Choice Rating: 84.2

An introduction to New Mexican cuisine usually starts with a declaration of allegiance: green chile or red chile? Start by sampling both at The Shed, a James Beard Award–winning restaurant that’s been managed by the same family since 1953, and serves some of the city’s best chicken enchiladas, wrapped in blue corn tortillas and smothered in red and green chile sauce. But the Santa Fe experience has grown beyond the chile war to embrace fusion fare: Mark Kiffin’sCompound (pictured) blends Southwestern and Mediterranean flavors, while Restaurant Martín dishes out 'progressive American cuisine'—Southwestern and Asian influences with French technique. —Laura Dannen Redman

 

7. CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, CA

Readers' Choice Rating: 85.0

This coast city's quaint downtown area is a perfectly walkable size, which means you can cover a lot of ground (and some notable restaurant newcomers) in just one weekend. Mundaka, a Spanish tapas bar, has a rotating paella of the day and a new, next-door café pouring Ritual coffee. The attentive staff at Akaoni (24381 San Juan Rd, 831-620-1516) serves top-quality, traditional sushi, and La Bicycletta spins out inventive thin crust pizzas with combos like butternut squash and speck. Some say the three are among the best spots to dine in all of Monterey County. —Stacy Adimando

 

6. CHICAGO

Readers' Choice Rating: 85.0

The Second City’s food scene has never been hotter, thanks to a healthy ratio of stalwart restaurateurs—notably Paul Kahan (posh Italian spot Nico Osteria(pictured) is his newest; perennial New American favorite Blackbird is his calling card) and Brendan Sodikoff (High Five Ramen opens in May; flattop burger joint Au Cheval is the favorite)—and a smattering of ethnic eateries reflecting the city’s diversity. In this town, to-die-for taquerias like L’Patron are just as popular as molecular-gastronomic mainstays like Next.—Lauren Viera

 

5. NEW ORLEANS

Readers' Choice Rating: 85.4

This food-obsessed city is constantly redefining its local flavor, perfecting beignets and gumbo while experimenting with the latest from nearby farms. New French Quarter restaurant Eat serves comfort food—chicken and dumplings, red beans and rice, fried green tomatoes—with the freshest ingredients; while Isaac Toups proves he's a master of Gulf shrimp, dirty rice and pork skin cracklins at Toup's Meatery. Pork paradise Cochon (pictured) delivers traditional Cajun fare in a renovated warehouse in the Lower Garden District. And we’ll follow creative Chef Ian Schnoebelen from fine-dining restaurant Iris, which (sadly) closes in May, to his Italian-inspired Mariza in the Bywater. —Laura Dannen Redman

 

4. CHARLESTON, SC

Readers' Choice Rating: 86.0

Our readers' favorite city in America (and the one they also voted the friendliest) has gone way beyond standard-issue Southern in recent years, with restaurant creativity to rival much larger cities’ and, in the form of a local edition of the food blog Eater, the discriminating diners that go with it. New restaurants like The Ordinary (pictured)—where local oysters are shucked inside a former bank vault—and Xiao Bao Biscuit—where Lowcountry riffs make Asian recipes sing—prove that the trendsetting Husk—while still a winner—is far from the only game in this electric eating town. —Paul Brady

 

3. SAN FRANCISCO

Readers' Choice Rating: 86.5

There’s no doubt SF has earned its reputation as one of the top food cities in the U.S., thanks to culinary destinatons like the 18-course seasonal-fare spotSaison (which started out as a pop-up) and off-duty-chefs' favorite Rich Table. But to experience the rustic, farm-to-table dining that helped put it on the map, have lunch at Delfina Pizzeria. Start with young fried favas or Sonoma-derived duck conserva with giardiniera, and don’t miss the housemade fennel sausage pie, which comes out perfectly charred and bubbly. Speaking of pie, head to the unfussy corner spot Mission Pie(pictured) for dessert. Plop down with a rhubarb-filled slice and do an hour of people watching among the hipster patrons. —Stacy Adimando

 

2. NAPA

Readers' Choice Rating: 87.1

It wasn’t always a foodie destination, but locals will tell you the food scene across Napa Valley (which is loosely collected into a "city" for our Readers' Choice Survey) is improving every day. Of course, it started with a bang, thanks to Thomas Keller's French Laundry. And now, there's plenty more to taste. To experience a new world example, eat at the bar at Goose and Gander (pictured). The dim-lit pub-like interior is a fun contrast to the bright, fresh food and exquisite seasonal cocktail list by Scott Beattie. Don’t miss out on the more classic fare, like Model Bakery’s light as air English muffins, a dream come true when slathered with butter.—Stacy Adimando

 

1. NEW YORK CITY

Readers' Choice Rating: 87.3

It's no surprise that New York landed in the No. 1 spot on our readers' list of America's top food cities. This is, after all, a city of culinary experts and of culinary upstarts. It's the foodie mecca where other chefs come to learn to be chefs, and where regular citizens learn to be food critics. This is where David Chang, April Bloomfield, Daniel Boulud, Wylie Dufresne, Bill Telepan, Tom Colicchio, and Marcus Samuelsson ply their trades. This is where you can eat burgers at Shake Shack, indulge in authentic curry in Queens, and throw back oysters and cocktails at Maison Premiere. But it's not all about famous chefs in this town—it's about authentic international cuisine and small mom-and-pop kitchens too. Oh, and desserts. It's definitely about dessert. After all, this is the town where the cronut was created. —Billie Cohen

 

More From Condé Nast Traveler: 

• America's Best Sandwiches 
• The Best Hotel Bars in the World 
• This is What a “Flying Apartment” Looks Like 
• How Google Earth Led to the Discovery of a Long-Lost Forest 

SEE ALSO: The 45 Best Restaurants In America

Follow us! Business Insider Is On Instagram

Join the conversation about this story »

If you want an easy transition into the real world, try a job in tech.

Occupations in STEM, especially technology, are the happiest professions out there for grads just starting out, according to a new study from CareerBliss, an online career community.

"Technology is constantly morphing, leaving a great deal of opportunities for new and rising talent," said Heidi Golledge, CareerBliss co-founder.

And according to Forbes, the tech, web, and IT field has great pay. The median annual wages are in the $90,000 to $99,000 range and the opportunities are expanding. Jobs in tech have been projected to grow as much as 22% between 2012 and 2022, allowing for more open positions and more mobility.

CareerBliss analyzed more than 25,000 independent company reviews and looked at things like who the person works for, their co-workers, their support and rewards, the growth opportunities available, and the company when determining their overall 'happiness.' 

This year's 10 happiest jobs for new college grads are:

1. Java developer

2. Embedded software engineer

3. .NET developer

4. Medical technologist

5. QA engineer 

6. Credit analyst

7. Management consultant

8. Network engineer

9. Data analyst

10. Web developer

SEE ALSO: There's A New Way Of Doing Subtraction — And It's So Much Better Than How You Learned In School

FOLLOW US: On Instagram

Join the conversation about this story »

Nutella is marking its 50th anniversary on Monday, and famous New York City pastry chef Dominique Ansel has come up with the perfect dessert to celebrate.

They're mini versions of Ansel's smash-hit croissant-doughnut hybrid, the Cronut.

Ansel's Cronut holes are filled with Nutella and coated with sugar, and they have an advantage over the regular Cronut — they're bite-sized, so they're not as overwhelming as the full-size versions, which pack a lot of sugar between the icing, sugar crystals, and filling.

The Nutella Cronut holes are crisp on the outside and spongy on the inside, but the Nutella is a bit thicker than the typical filling you'd find in a full-size Cronut.

And good news if you live in New York City — Ansel is giving away the bite-sized treats from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Broadway Pedestrian Plaza near Madison Square Park at 23rd Street.

The bad news — for now, the Cronuts holes are available for one day only for Nutella's anniversary celebration. But that could change if they're a big hit.

The beloved hazelnut spread has been getting a lot of buzz in recent weeks. Eataly, also near Madison Square Park, just opened a Nutella Bar that offers crepes, tarts and breads slathered with the Italian hazelnut spread.

Join the conversation about this story »

Invest in a well-tailored suit today and you'll be wearing it for years to come. But when it comes to finding the right style and getting the perfect fit, we turn to the experts—Michael Bastian, Tom Ford, Paul Smith—and others for their input on color, cut, and comfort.

Giorgio Armani

"When choosing a suit, a man should look for something that he can wear, and not something that will wear him. In other words, elegance, sophistication, and timeless style are always better than of-the-moment trends, which will date—and date the wearer."

"As for style, a two-button suit is more timeless than a three or a one-button. A single-breasted is more versatile than double—allowing you to dress your suit up or down more freely and use the jacket as a separate more easily."

Frank Muytjens

"When buying a suit, by default guys go one size bigger to hide their bodies. Don't do this; you should always buy your size. The rule of thumb is that it all starts with the shoulder: Make sure that the shoulder of the jacket follows your natural shoulder line. The jacket should be slightly tapered. This is one of my favorite features in our Ludlow suit. It should also feel snug, but not tight, and you should still have some room to move. You'll be amazed at what a good-fitting jacket does for your posture and confidence."

Todd Snyder

"A perfectly fitted navy suit is the most versatile thing in a man's wardrobe. It can be worn to almost any occasion from a wedding to an interview."

Tommy Hilfiger

"On a suit, if the sleeves are down to the knuckles or substantially above the wrists, you know it isn't fitting well. And then there are the shoulders. You don't want to look like Herman Munster and you don't want to look like Pee-wee Herman. If you button the top button or center button of the jacket and it's not pulling around the waist and the vents aren't spreading but it's still snug, you know you have a good fit."

Jeremy Hackett

"Nothing spoils a good suit like a pair of cheap shoes. Properly made ones are a real investment. I've always been of the opinion that it's better to own one item that's beautifully made than three inferior products."

Gianluca Isaia

"Get a suit you really like even if it's not the safe choice. Buying another blue or gray suit makes you another sheep in the herd. I want to be the black sheep."

"In Neapolitan dialect, there's an expression, fare una sciammeria, which means to have a wild, passionate, crazy night of sex. They don't come easily—you need to make a bit of effort. To get one you need to invest money—take a woman out to the right restaurant, buy her flowers, do vacations. The money spent will bring you pleasure. It's the same with a suit—you need to spend money to get the most from one."

Viktor & Rolf

"The right suit should be comfortable but tailored. It shouldn't restrict your movements, but it should enhance your figure and give you the silhouette you wish for when you're undressed."

Sam Shipley and Jeff Halmos

"Invest in a well-tailored suit. Although the 'buy two suits, get three shirts, seven belts, 96 socks, and 34 ties FREE' deals are tempting, go with something nice and get it tailored to fit you perfectly."

David Hart

"Mohair suits are a must for spring—they're crisp and lightweight. It breathes so well in the summer months and helps you stay cool."

Garrett Leight

"Get yourself a nice tailored suit. Girls love a guy in a great suit, and it's really obvious when it doesn't fit you. Plus, every man needs at least one for weddings and special occasions. Dark navy or black are the most timeless."

Tom Ford

"I don't believe in playing around much with suit cuts. I like a fairly classic shape that gives a man strong shoulders, a fitted waist, and long legs. Classic simplicity always works."

Rick Owens

"When a suit gets middle-of-the-road it kind of loses me—it has to be sharp and classic and almost forties."

Consuelo Castiglioni

"I like a guy in a suit that's cut a little smaller—slightly shorter, with smaller lapels. Inside, the jacket should have beautiful finishing that only the guy wearing it notices."

Dwight Fenton

"The rules of tailoring are a little more ambiguous these days, but the waist and shoulders of a suit should always fit you perfectly."

Paul Smith

"Generally speaking, I wear a suit every day, because my suits are custom-made. They are comfortable. They move with me."

Frida Giannini

"A nice suit is important, but a well-done jacket is the most essential part of a man's wardrobe. A good fit in the shoulder is, to me, crucial."

Timo Weiland

"Add a boldly colored and/or patterned tie or cravat to a suit or trench-look as an easy, automatic conversation starter. Not only will you look sharp, people will feel more inclined to approach you to compliment you on your dapper look."

Elisabetta Canali

"Choose a comfortable style, the shape that best suits your silhouette to make you feel at ease without losing your savoir-faire."

More from Details: 

The 4 Hottest Roof-Optional Weekend Warrior Cars to Invest in Now

The Ultimate Guide to the Top Men's Hairstyles

9 Summer Suits In Shades of Blue

5 Foods That Make You Look Younger

14 Healthiest Snack Foods to Buy

5 Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Protein

Join the conversation about this story »

Everyone knows the feeling of spilling hot coffee on their hands or pants.

With a conventional coffee cup lid, spills and leaks are a constant threat. Some establishments, like Starbucks, offer plugs to seal their cups, while others, like Dunkin’ Donuts have annoying flaps that “close” the hole, but don’t seal the cup all the way.

The new Viora Lid from Seattle-based Vaporpath is designed to solve the annoying spills and leaks that come with conventional coffee cup lids. The opening of the Viora Lid is inside the top, and closer to the liquid (we first saw it on Cool Hunting). If the fluid does jostle or funnel up out of the cup, the lid is designed to direct the splash right back into the drink well and drain into your cup.

In the GIFs below, the Viora Lid is on the left, and the conventional coffee lid is on the right.The lid also simulates the experience of drinking from a regular mug. Instead of sucking the drink through the opening and anticipating when the liquid will reach your tongue, this new lid mimics a regular glass since the opening is lower than the rim.The exaggerated ventilation hole also increases the aroma and taste of your drink without the need to take off the lid.

The odor-free, recyclable lid officially launched earlier this month at the Speciality Coffee Association of America trade show in Seattle. The company is currently taking orders and and offering sample kits on its website (pricing upon request).

SEE ALSO: The Best Snack Food From Every State

DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's Life on Facebook!

Join the conversation about this story »

The 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York held its ceremonial opening today, and guests including President Obama, New York City mayor De Blasio, and former mayor Rudy Giuliani spoke to commemorate the ground zero exhibit.

The new, underground museum will honor the heroes, remember the victims, and preserve the history of the 9/11 attacks through multimedia displays, personal narratives, and thousands of monumental and personal artifacts.

The space includes two main exhibitions: the memorial, called “In Memoriam,” and a three-part historical exhibition that shows the events of September 11th, what led to the attacks, and their aftermath.

For the next five days, its doors will be open 24 hours a day for 9/11 families, rescue workers, responders, survivors, and local residents. 

The 110,000-square-foot exhibition by architect David Brody Bond was completed May 14th and officially opens to the public May 21st.

Here are some poignant artifacts inside.

The Museum’s entry pavilion, which includes two steel "tridents" from the towers, was designed by the international Snøhetta company. The Foundation Hall includes the "Last Column." The 58-ton, 36-foot tall piece of steel was signed by recovery workers, first responders, volunteers and victims’ relatives. The "Slurry" wall was part of the World Trade Center’s original foundation, and was built to keep the Hudson River from flooding the site.On September 11th, these 'Survivors' Stairs' as well as an adjacent escalator provided an unobstructed exit for hundreds seeking to escape. This quote from Virgil’s “Aeneid” sits in Memorial Hall. The letters were crafted out of World Trade Center steel by New Mexico blacksmith Tom Joyce. Its meaning has been widely debated.The front of this fire truck was broken off when the North Tower collapsed. All 11 members of FDNY Ladder Company 3 who responded to the 9:21 a.m. call and reached the 35th floor were killed when the tower collapsed.The owner of Chelsea Jeans, a nearby retail store, maintained the dust and debris that covered his shop from the collapsed Twin Towers.These projections on remnant steel, called "Recovery At Ground Zero," highlight the experiences of workers at the recovery site through personal accounts and film footage. Recovered handwritten notes and other documents that flew from the towers are on display.This column from the South Tower folded over onto itself during the collapse. Visitors can write messages on the interactive tables located in front of it, which will then be projected onto the wall. 

Join the conversation about this story »

Getting married in New York can be a nightmare.

The sheer number of vendors, boutiques, florists, musicians, and locations to choose from means that New Yorkers who are tying the knot can be overwhelmed.

“First of all, New York weddings are more expensive than any other part of the United States,” Harriette Rose Katz, founder and president of Gourmet Advisory, an upscale event planning and party coordination consultancy, told Business Insider. “Secondly, there’s a lot of great competition here."

That intense competition led Katz to dip into her knowledge of the event industry to start The Chosen Few. Just like the Michelin Guide for restaurants or Consumer Reports for gadgets, Katz hopes that The Chosen Few will help brides and grooms choose the absolute best NY has to offer in catering, décor, entertainment, invitations, lighting, music, photography, and more.

“I’ve been in the business for 35 years,” Katz told us. “And it’s such an unregulated business. Anybody can be a party planner, anybody can be a florist, or a caterer, or whatever. I thought it was time for someone to say these people are not only the best at what they do, but then also why they’re the best.”

Katz plans to keep her picks as up-to-date as possible and make sure that her list showcases companies that display excellence, artistry, and professionalism across every category.

“I give my stamp of approval to every single [company] that’s in here,” Katz said. “They cannot be in here if I have not worked with them over and over and over through the years, and if they’re not fundamentally great.”

You can find out more information at The Chosen Few website. The full 2014 group of industry leaders is below.

CATERING

Abigail Kirsch Catering

Catering by Restaurant Associates

Creative Edge Parties

Michael Scott Catering

Stephen STARR Events

DESIGN/FLORAL

DeJuan Stroud Inc.

Diana Gould Ltd.

Ed Libby & Company Events NYC

Frank Alexander NYC

Mark Rose Events

Stonekelly Events

ENTERTAINMENT

Total Entertainment

Untouchable Events

INVITATIONS

Alpine Creative Group

Fancy That

LIGHTING

Frost Productions

MUSIC

Element Music

Starlight Orchestras

PHOTOGRAPHY

Gruber Photographers

Hechler Photographers

Michael Jurick Photography

TENTS

Stamford Tent & Event Services

Starr Tent

SEE ALSO: Go Inside The $80 Million 'Dracula Castle' That Just Went On Sale In Romania

DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's Life On Facebook!

Join the conversation about this story »

More and more startups are setting up offices on Los Angeles' west side, making the nickname "Silicon Beach" even more appropriate. Santa Monica and Venice in particular have grown to be tech hotspots — Google, Snapchat, and Whisper are just a few of the companies with offices there. 

These communities are known for their proximity to the beach and laid-back lifestyle, but there's a huge foodie scene there as well. Chefs at the area's top restaurants source ingredients from the Santa Monica Farmer's Market nearby, and the juice movement is still going strong. 

We've asked some of our friends working in Silicon Beach startups where they like to eat and drink in their neighborhood. Whether it's for a quick power lunch or after-work drinks, the focus is on fresh, high-quality ingredients they can enjoy on the go. 

Gjelina

1429 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice

Gjelina has a menu of inventive small plates meant to be shared among groups. Diners especially rave about the pizzas — options include a gruyere version served with caramelized onion, fromage blanc, and arugula, as well as one that comes with house-made chorizo, tomato, cream, fennel, and basil. 

Though techies say they enjoy Gjelina for a power lunch, it's a popular spot for people in lots of different L.A. industries. Plenty of celebrity sightings have been reported here. 

OpenTable recently named it one of the hottest restaurants in the country. 

Bar Chloe

1449 Second Street, Santa Monica

Bar Chloe's intimate atmosphere makes this lounge an ideal spot for after-work dinner or drinks. There are lots of cozy details inside, including vintage bar stools, maroon upholstery, and backgammon boards anyone can use.

The menu features upscale comfort food like bruschetta and macaroni cheese, while the chamomile mai tai and a classic sazerac are highlights on the cocktail menu. 

Lemonade

1661 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice

With more than 20 types of salads, eight pot roasts, and a huge variety of flavorful soups and side dishes, Lemonade is an innovative, if overwhelming, take on the cafeteria lunch. There are currently 13 southern California locations, but the brand is growing, and there's even one heading to Dubai soon. 

Don't forget the lemonade — there are six flavors to choose from daily. 

A beautiful Mediterranean-style home in San Francisco's Telegraph Hill neighborhood has hit the market for $16 million. According to Curbed SF, the Villa de Martini is one of the most expensive homes currently for sale in San Francisco. 

What makes this house unique, though, is its detached garage and motor court. According to the listing, it comes with its very own Tesla charging station, though there's no word on whether the car is part of the package. 

The four-bedroom house is gorgeous, with travertine marble walkways, Venetian plaster walls, and Italian-inspired art throughout. 

The Villa de Martini sits on a triple-wide lot on the top of Telegraph Hill.

It dates back to 1929 and was reportedly the first building in the city to be built using concrete.

Here's a look at the detached garage, where you'll find a Tesla charging station already built in.

Humans are so blasé. When you take a trip to a place as epic as Kenya, why not spend your time with the country's other residents?

Specifically the really tall, four-legged, patchy ones.

Giraffe Manor, located southwest of Nairobi, lets guests spend quality time with local giraffes: The long-necked friends roam the property and even partake in meals.

The herd of endangered Rothschild giraffes visits the Manor in the mornings and evenings "to greet guests and sniff out some snacks" before venturing out into their 140-acre sanctuary run by African Fund for Endangered Wildlife's (AFEW) Giraffe Centre, according to the website.

Initially built as a residence, animal-activists Jock and Betty Leslie-Melville purchased the Manor in 1974. They developed the AFEW to rear and re-introduce Rothschild giraffes to the wild.

Access to the Giraffe Centre is within walking distance and included in the hotel fee. Also included is transportation to the nearby Karen Blixen Museum, Kazuri Beads store, and the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphange.

Rooms at Giraffe Manor start at $505 per person per night. 

This is Giraffe Manor. It is located between Nairobi and the Ngong Hills Nature Reserve.

The hotel is an iconic historical building dating back to the 1930s. It is described as "reminiscent of the early days of Europeans in East Africa."

But the real reason the people come here is to encounter the hotel's other visitors.

The recent explosion of craft breweries in the U.S. has shifted the beer industry's attention to quality, not quantity. May 12-18 is American Craft Beer Week, which means it's the perfect time to discover a new artisanal brew.

We found the 24 coolest American craft brewers making waves in the industry, from a Latin American-style cervecería in Chicago to a sustainable brewery in Maui that uses local Hawaiian ingredients to make its brews.

A brewery is considered a craft brewery if it produces fewer than 6 million barrels a year, with 75% or more of the company owned by the craft brewer, according to the Brewers Association.

5 Rabbit Cervecería

Located:Bedford Park, Ill.

Located outside Chicago, the first Latin American-style brewery, or cervecería, in the country infuses its brews with ancho chili, piloncillo cane sugar, and other Latin flavors.

5 Rabbit was inspired by an Aztec myth, and the names of the beers all coincide in some way with the Aztec calendar.

The brewmasters believe in enjoying and savoring life, so every few weeks they publish a recipe on their website that would pair well with one of their beers.

Alchemist Brewery

Located:Waterbury, Vt.

Alchemist sells just one beer: Heady Topper, which is found only in Vermont. They say they'd rather focus on doing one beer perfectly instead of doing many imperfectly.

Heady Topper is a double IPA brewed with a proprietary blend of six hops that blend together to make a great beer.

Amplified Aleworks

Located: San Diego, Calif.

Amplified Aleworks isn't the only craft brewery in San Diego by a long shot, but it's one of the coolest.

Operated out of the popular California Kebab and Beer Garden, their best deal is on Sundays when you can pay $20 for four Amplified beer samplings and some thick-cut hickory smoked bacon. It's pretty hard to go wrong with bacon and beer.

Today, Red Lobster was purchased for $2.1 billion. 

The seafood chain's most important asset? The free Cheddar Bay Biscuits. 

The biscuits recently ranked #1 on Buzzfeed's list of free restaurant bread. 

"Does anyone even care that Red Lobster serves anything other than these? No, they don’t," Buzzfeed author Lara Parker writes. 

If you don't feel like trekking out to Red Lobster, there's a simple way to make the biscuits at home. 

We've tried a copycat recipe that basically calls for Bisquick (or any biscuit mix), garlic, butter, milk, and Old Bay Seasoning, and it tastes identical. 

Here's what you end up with when you follow the recipe: 

And here's the restaurant version (courtesy Red Lobster)

The Cooking With Jack Show on YouTube broke down the major steps. 

Here are the ingredients: biscuit mix, butter, cheddar cheese, milk, garlic powder, and parsley flakes. 

Mix the ingredients together: 

Put them on a greased pan, sized as follows. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 450 degrees. 

Once you take the biscuits out, whisk melted butter, parsley, and garlic powder over them. 

Here's the full video from YouTube with full recipe and instructions. 

SEE ALSO: Red Lobster's New Owner Has 4 Major Problems To Solve

Follow Us: On Pinterest.

Join the conversation about this story »

Teenagers are apparently spending more money on prom than ever before to make sure they're impressing their friends on Facebook and other sites.

With the rise of Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, high schoolers know the dance will be remembered for more than just one night, because everyone will be looking for validation on social media long after the lights go up in the ballroom.

Check out the hashtags some teens are using in order to get more views on their prom photos. They're hoping people are searching for these tags, and will see their photos (then 'like' them):

Then there's the money. 

Olivia Perrault, a senior at St. John’s Prep in Astoria, spoke to The New York Post about her prom, which was held at The Pierre a few weeks ago.

Perrault spent over $4,000 on prom night, from the shoes to her transportation.

Here's how the costs broke down (as per The New York Post):

• $700 for a cut, highlights, and hairstyle from the Louis Licari salon on Fifth Avenue.
• $100 for her share in a Mercedes S550 — her ride to prom with her date and a friend.
• A whopping $3,000 on Swarovski crystal-encrusted Louboutins.

That doesn't include the cost of her dress, which wasn't mentioned.

But even for those who weren't advertising how much money they spent, it was clear that everyone cared about looking flawless on social media.

Amy Perez, a high school senior in the Bronx, says she got a job last year just to be able to commission a custom gown because she didn't want to run the risk of wearing the same dress as anyone else in her class. 

Perez also suspects her "Instagram is gonna blow up" when she uploads her prom pics.

In order to make sure two girls don't show up to prom wearing the same dress, students have taken initiative to create "Prom Dress" Facebook groups so girls can post photos of their dresses ahead of time. This has been going on for a few years and are taken as serious as bridal gowns on wedding days— no boys allowed in those groups.

We did a quick search for #prom and #promdress on Instagram, just to see what people were posting. 

This user made sure to get lots of pictures wearing her dress:

There were tons of couples photos, of course:

Because even the guys are in on the game, shelling out big bucks for Movado watches and designer sunglasses. 

For Perrault, it was all worth it when one of her photos got 143 'likes' on Instagram.

"It's a great feeling," she was quoted saying.

Join the conversation about this story »

A painting reportedly owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sold for an astounding $56.2 million during an auction at Phillips in New York City earlier this week, Bloomberg reports. 

The piece was "Untitled (Red, Blue, Orange)," completed by modern artist Mark Rothko in 1955. Rothko works are extremely valuable — a similar painting sold for $66.2 million at Christie's earlier this month.

Allen bought the work for $34.2 million in 2007, and he was guaranteed an undisclosed minimum amount regardless of how much it sold for this week. 

The $56.2 million Allen's painting fetched made up for 43% of total sales for the night's auction, which also featured pieces by Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat. The night's $132 million total was the auction house's highest tally since November 2010. 

According to Bloomberg, many stylish young people were in attendance, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Christie's contemporary art specialist Loic Gouzer. 

SEE ALSO: Take A Look At Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen's Incredible Collection Of Landscape Art

WE'RE ON PINTEREST: Click Here To Follow Us

Join the conversation about this story »