Small spaces are the next big thing in real estate.

Thanks to problems like rising housing costs, overpopulation, and environmental damage, it seems the solution is to think smaller. Much smaller.

Here are 20 of the smallest homes we could find around the world. They're on roofs, on wheels, and in backyards; they have bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchens.

But just because they're small doesn't mean that they can't be livable—or beautiful, for that matter. Architects and designers have taken to the tiny home movement, creating beautiful designs that make the tiny spaces as efficient and livable as possible.

A Brooklyn couple bought smaller furniture to make their 350 square-foot apartment feel more spacious.

Size:350 sq. ft.

Location: Brooklyn, New York

Homeowners Tiffany and Allan use small furniture instead of full-size pieces to make the most of their 350 square-foot studio in Brooklyn. The space was formerly the parlor of a ship captain's home from the 1800s, and still features the original crown molding and large, light-bearing windows.

Their home was the U.S. overall winner of Apartment Therapy's 2014 Small Cool contest.

This 330 square-foot apartment in Hong Kong transforms into 24 different room combinations.

Size: 330 sq. ft.

Location: Hong Kong

Gary Chang, an architect in Hong Kong, turned his family's tiny 330 square-foot tenement apartment into a sleek and efficient living space with 24 different room combinations, including bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, and even a guest bedroom area.

So, how does he do it? Chang installed a number of sliding panels which he can move around the space to reveal hidden areas and storage. It's a system he calls the "Domestic Transformer."

This 258 square-foot home in Barcelona was once an old pigeon loft.

Size: 258 sq. ft.

Location: Barcelona, Spain

When photographer Christian Schallert moved to Barcelona in 2003, he went searching for the perfect, affordable home. He found it in an old pigeon loft on top of a building, about 100 steps up.

When Schallert arrived, the 258 square-foot space was dirty and had not been maintained, but he designed and remodeled it into a warm, open, "Lego-style" apartment. The walls slide to reveal different room set ups. Moving panels hide his kitchen, closet, bathroom, dining room and living room, and the bed is stored under the terrace balcony that overlooks the city of Barcelona.

Social media use at weddings is a tricky subject. 

On one end of the spectrum, you have couples with specialized hashtags and Pinterest boards showing all of the up-to-the-minute details of the planning process. 

One New York City hotel has gone so far as to offer the services of a "social media wedding concierge," whose job it is to create a hashtag and streamline guests' posts up to and during the big day.  

On the other end there are couples who are opting for "unplugged" weddings, where guests are asked to refrain from using their smartphones during the ceremony. At some unplugged weddings, you'll even find a special area designated for cell phone use, similar to a coat check. The practice was first started at celebrity weddings where privacy was of the utmost importance, but it's become common at mainstream weddings as well. 

As the guest, it's your responsibility to navigate the complicated waters of social media use. 

Maggie Lord, founder of wedding blog Rustic Wedding Chic and author of three books about wedding planning, has plenty of advice when it comes to social media and marriage. 

"Everybody is aware of the role social media plays in weddings now, so it’s a part of the planning process," Lord said to Business Insider. "Some are saying, ‘We only invited these people, so let’s keep this an exclusive event.’ Some people want to wait for professional photos to be released to see them. Either way, you have to tackle it." 

Lord shared some of her tips for properly using social media as a wedding guest.

1. Play it safe.

When you're the guest, it's best to avoid whipping out your phone until you know what the couple has planned.

"These are things couples think of ahead of time now, with planned hashtags and other things," Lord said. "They’ll put a sign in a prominent place or put a notice in the program, and that gives you the green light to use your phone and post to social media."

2. Once you know the plan, respect it.

If the couple has asked you to refrain from taking photos on your phone, follow their rules. 

"First and foremost, you’re a guest at this wedding, so be respectful of the fact that they’re paying a big chunk of money for professional photographers to be there," she said.

But if they've created a hashtag just for the big day, go ahead and tweet away. 

3. Don't go overboard.

If you're at a wedding where social media use has been approved, you should still keep yourself in check.

"Less is more when it comes to being a guest," Lord said. "Don’t upload 90 unedited photos."

As with any big celebration, wedding guests tend to let loose as the night goes on. Lord suggests putting the phone away after dinner is served so as to avoid embarrassing anyone. 

4. Enjoy the moment firsthand. 

But most of all, Lord says, make sure you enjoy the event as it's happening in front of you, instead of through a screen. 

"Share those memories," she said. "But be sure to put the phone away and enjoy this experience the couple has put so much time and money into planning." 

SEE ALSO: This Couple Had A Great Reason For Hiring A Social Media Consultant For Their Wedding

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Sometimes, knowing when a particular item will go on sale is just common sense: Chances are you would spend a lot more on a winter jacket in November than you would in April.

But it's more difficult to know when to shop for other products, like wedding dresses, champagne, and used cars.

We came up with a definitive calendar for the best things to buy in every month of the year, based on expert advice from websites like DealNews, DailyFinance, and Cheap Flights, among others.

Check out our infographic below to see what you should buy in August, and during every month the rest of the year.

SEE ALSO: 12 Hilarious Photos Of Men Who Hate Shopping

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Syracuse University just nabbed the top spot on The Princeton Review's list of the best party schools in the U.S.

Although Syracuse isn't particularly proud of the title, any Orange-man or woman will assure you that there are plenty of explanations why Syracuse deserves the place of honor. We would know, we both are proud alums. 

Here are a few reasons why Syracuse is the best party school in the country:

1. Mayfest, Syracuse's all-day outdoor celebration, is the biggest party of the year.

After braving a long winter and nearly making it all the way through second semester, Syracuse students get to let loose with a gigantic free-for-all party that spans down Comstock, up Euclid, and on every street in between. Everyone party hops from yard-to-yard (and bouncy house to keg stand) until the night culminates in Block Party, a big concert held in the Dome, which has included recent performances by 2 Chainz and Kesha.

The University even started giving out free beer and food at Walnut Park in 2012. "Mayfest is the happiest day of the year," Syracuse alumna Megan Corbet says."It's like Christmas." (Ironically, Mayfest is almost always held in April.)

2. Juice Jam starts first semester off with a wild time.

Earlier in the school year, the university puts together Juice Jam, a gigantic outdoor concert, although sans free beer.

Sweaty students gather in the sunshine of a large field on South Campus and dance their faces off to headliners like Phish, Avicii, and Lupe Fiasco.

3. If you get lucky at Faegan's Flip Night, all your beers could be free.

Every Wednesday, Faegan's Pub right off Marshall Street hosts Flip Night. When you order a drink, the bartender flips a coin, and if you call it correctly, your beer is free.

Faegan's is also known for Senior Sundays, which means a super-cheap Long Island Iced Tea special, and World Beer Tour Tuesdays, where you pay $3 for a pint and try to drink every beer on the menu throughout the course of the semester.

4. Syracuse is one of the snowiest cities in the country, which leads to plenty of outdoor shenanigans.

Syracuse winters may be almost unbearably freezing, but they also mean sledding on cafeteria trays down Crouse hill, building giant snow creatures in your front yard or at your dorm, and snowball fights in Thornden Park.

(And yes, even when it's freezing, you'll still see students trekking across slippery sidewalks at 11 p.m. to "warm up" at parties.)

5. You can always find a house party (often with a theme).

Because Syracuse has a lot of student housing close together on several streets (like Euclid, Ackerman, Livingston, Sumner, and Clarendon, to name a few), you can always find something going on and open on a Friday or Saturday night, even when you're an underclassman.

Whether you're packed into an attic or a basement, you'll be greeted by some combination of flip cup, beer pong, dancing, and Jungle Juice. Ugly sweater party, anyone?

6. Castle Court parking lot parties are a great way to celebrate outside.

Because the Castle Court apartment complex is so close to all the sororities and fraternities on Walnut, a lot of members live there and will host big outdoor parties that fill the entire lot.

Bouncy houses (and Afroman) have been known to make appearances.

7. Pre-gaming, literally

On game days all across campus, massive tailgating sprees break out. Fraternities even host all-day ragers, like Alpha Tau Omega's annual pig roast, to kick off specific rivalries or just a season in general.

And of course, the aforementioned Castle Court gets involved. Claustrophobics or anti-social types should avoid the area entirely.

8. Students camp out in "Boeheimburg" outside the Dome for a week or more before a big game.

"Bleeding Orange" is a major part of the SU experience. This year, students camped out for 14 days in subzero temperatures before the Duke game.

Basketball coach Jim Boeheim himself even made an appearance: He and his staff handed out donuts and coffee to all the dedicated (and exhausted) fans.

9. Playing beer pong in your South Campus apartment.

After freshman years spent in tiny dorms, hordes of students turn to South Campus living for their sophomore (and even junior) years. Located by the athletic complex, South Campus acts as its own little community, complete with a dining hall, a gym, and laundry facilities, all just a five-minute bus ride from main campus.

With no RAs and mostly athletes living there, kitchen tables converted for beer pong games become a routine sight. The Inn Complete, a bar(n) with a trivia night, also resides on South Campus for the 21-and-over crowd.

10. Buying beer at the Dome.

Once you get inside the Carrier Dome, more shenanigans await. Not only is Syracuse's stadium loud, it's one of the few that sells beer. 

And trust us, no sight parallels a sea of orange at the record-breaking 2010 'Cuse-Villanova basketball game.

11. Trivia night at the Inn Complete lets you feel like a brainiac while downing free popcorn and cheap brews. 

Every Thursday, the South Campus bar puts on a trivia night where teams of 10 students put their knowledge to the test with tough questions on any topic while endlessly refilling their bowls of free popcorn and buying one another rounds of beer. (Added bonus: Because Inn Complete bartenders get paid through the school as an on-campus job, there's no tipping required!)

The grand prize: A jumbo plate of delicious appetizers, a free bar tab, and a whole lot of glory.

12. The annual Totally Fabulous Drag Show brings out the best burlesque students have to offer.

Every winter, Pride Union hosts the fiercest competition on campus, encouraging teams of students to dress in drag and put on a lip-synced, choreographed show. While the performers bump and grind on stage, students throw tips and faculty judges rate their acts.

Shangela Laquifa Wadley, a former contestant on "RuPaul's Drag Race," has emceed the event several times, as has another former contestant, Jujubee.

13. If you want some variety from the typical 'Cuse party, ESF students know how to have a good time, too.

Because Syracuse and SUNY ESF practically share a campus, it's easy to become friends with students from the other school, which means a whole new group of people with whom to meet and party.

Every year ESF students have their own version of Mayfest, called Redfest, which features live music and lots of body painting.

14. Fishbowl's at Lucy's 

Although under new management recently, another bar, Lucy's, kept the best item on the menu — the Fishbowl.

Fishbowls actually come in classic fishbowl-shaped glass containers, formerly sold in two sizes: small (one pint) and large (about two and a half pints). They also came in about 20 different flavors, the Newshouse, an SU publication, reports. Personal favorites include the "Georgia Peach" and "Key Lime Sunset."

The bartenders would also throw in multiple straws, sometimes of the bendy variety, so you could share with your homies. Braving the rum/vodka drink alone might be too much and not enough all at the same time.

15. Write on the walls of the campus' favorite bar at a gloriously cheap happy hour.

Ask anyone — students fondly look upon Chuck's Cafe, a divey bar just a short walk from both the dorm and residential areas on campus — oh, and Jimmy John's.

From 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. every weekday for happy hour, Chuck's-goers can throw down $3.50 for a pitcher of Honey Brown Lager, poured with love by their favorite bartenders, Thor and Flower. The fried pickles ain't too shabby, either.

Once they've gorged themselves on carbs, students can grab an aerosol can or permanent marker and leave their marks on the graffiti-ed walls. The bouncers will probably turn the other cheek. Or you can play it safe with the pool table, basketball-shooting game, and dart board.

16. Riding (and falling off) the Bull at Daisy Duke's

Not only the campus bars offer the opportunity for tipsy memories. Benjamin's on Franklin, the Syracuse SUDS Factory, and The Blue Tusk all give students a taste of downtown Syracuse. One of these bars, however, Daisy Duke's, stands out.

On the side of the bar opposite from the laser-soaked dance floor, patrons can ride a mechanical bull for free. But first, you have to lose your shoes — and your dignity. 

[Update: We just heard that Daisy Dukes recently closed down. Looks like the mechanical bull will have to ride on in Cusers' memories.]

17. Sampling the finer drinks in life at Al's Wine and Whiskey Bar.

Speaking of downtown Syracuse, Al's Wine and Whiskey bar adds an element of class to the usual drinking scene.

Usually reserved for "over-it" seniors and grad students, the hip speakeasy offers a literal wall of whiskey, live music, perfectly worn leather couches, and a pool table in the back.

18. The "Heaven and Hell" Party

Speaking of fraternities, Phi Psi's annual Halloween event, the Heaven and Hell party, is about as exclusive as events get on a college campus.

Students plan weeks in advance to find a guy who knows a guy who knows a brother in the house who can give them some tickets — which you actually need. Phi Psi keeps a pretty strict guest list, with hired security guys checking tickets, along with student IDs, at the entrance.

For the record, we're both GDI's (or in 'Cuse speak, "god damn independents") not involved in Greek life. But who can resist the chance for a ridiculous costume, free beer, and a slippery dance floor?

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SEE ALSO: Here's Why Colgate Is The Most Beautiful School In America

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After four years of formal attire, Hugh & Crye, is moving into casual wear.

Hugh & Crye is a D.C. menswear company that specializes in a new way of sizing shirts. The company currently offers dress shirts, blazers, ties, and pocket squares, but is launching a T-shirt Kickstarter campaign after hearing requests from some customers for more casual options.

Cofounders Pranav Vora and Philip Soriano said the Kickstarter will help support funding for the bootstrapped company, as well as feel out general customer demand.

"Guys tend to have this odd relationship with their T-shirts. They tend to be kind of legacy items that are either collegiate wear, or T-shirts that even have holes in them or don't necessarily fit that well," Vora said. "We do get feedback from customers about how they love our dress shirts, but they're looking for the same sort of fit, but something they'd wear on the weekend more causally."

There have been many startups born out of a need for better men's fashion and fit: other kickstarter campaigns, personal measuring services, and a rethink for fit with every one. 

Vora said all these new entrants are showing men that there's an alternative to malls and department stores. But many custom options still aren't doing the job.

"When people often refer to bespoke or custom, they're really talking about made-to-measure," Vora said. "Even with some of these custom offerings on the market, the amount of time it takes to get something made, the number of fittings and measurements that have to be given, the inconvenience really over that period, and sometimes the cost as well, often leads to a product that's not any more well-fitting than what we could have got off the rack."

For Hugh & Crye, the focus is on specific body types. The company offers 12 sizes based on three heights (short, average, tall) and four body types (skinny, slim, athletic, and broad).

Vora said he sees the potential of a T-shirt to become one of their core products. The addition of casual clothing will serve a percentage of existing customers, but also expand their customer base to others who don't wear dress clothes frequently.

"It's surprising how few people tend to wear button-down dress shirts in Los Angeles," he said, where the T-shirts will be manufactured.

Pocket squares and ties are made in the U.S., but Vora said the simplicity of T-shirts will allow for easier domestic production. Dress shirts and blazers are manufactured overseas.

The Kickstarter will run for 30 days with a goal of $30,000. If it goes well, Hugh & Crye will incorporate the new T-shirts into its current line of products.

T-shirts, around $20 each, come in one, three, six, and ten-packs. You can check out the Kickstarter page here.

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Look around the room at a meeting during your next business trip and try to find that guy — the guy in the wrinkled shirt who may or may not be wearing two slightly different socks.

The guy who's going to un-tuck his dress shirt at the bar after dinner to be more "casual."

If you don't see this guy, look down. Make sure you're not him.

Why? Because you do not want to be this guy. You want to be a gentleman.

At some point in every man's life he will have to pack a suit. In fact, he may have to pack up his entire life and be on the move for weeks. Neither of these circumstances are an excuse for not looking fresh.

"It comes down to wear-ability, versatility, and then style," says Colin Hunter, co-founder and CEO of men's custom suiting shop, Alton Lane.

Hunter himself worked as a consultant for Bain before launching Alton Lane in 2009, and during his time traveling extensively on projects, he perfected the art of looking like a gentleman while living out of a bag.

So first, lets talk about wear-ability. Even if you're going to a warmer climate, you don't want any fabric that wrinkles easily. No linen or light wool — in fact toss the light fabrics all together. When it comes to shirts go with broadcloth or oxford over poplin.

If you travel a lot, you may even want to invest in a suit made with a material repels water, like Aquaplan by Dormeuil, which Alton Lane carries.

As for versatility — "It's all about efficiency of packing," said Hunter. "Leave the bold patterned suits or blazers at home... You want solid colors you can get more than one use out of — shark skin [gray] or navy."

Think seriously about the number of suits you need. They can be re-worn with the right easy-to-pack accessories — like pocket squares, ties, or shirts — to change their look. If you're on a business trip for about a week, bring up to 3 suits.

"I try to wear my dress shoes on the flight, even if I'm flying to Hong Kong," said Hunter. "You don't want to be packing shoe trees — [you need one] pair of lace ups, one pair of loafers. I try to stick with brown...it's more versatile, better with navy and gray."

If you must bring a black shoe, bring a loafer in brown. This isn't rocket science.

Hunter favors putting his suits in garment bag and carrying it on the plane. You can put your loafers and ties in there as well.

The garment bag thing is, however, a hot debate. Justin Jeffers, of The Fine Young Gentleman blog told Business Insider that the key is really making sure that everything in your suitcase is tightly packed so there's no movement.

"When they are able to shift around a likelihood of creases (and thus ironing) increases...garment bags are a waste of money. You can pack your suit, shoes and shirts in your normal suitcase and they will emerge in a similar, if not a better state."

SEE ALSO: How To Pack A Suit Without Getting It Wrinkled

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Research suggests that people in committed relationships are more deeply satisfied with their lives than their single peers. 

It turns out that long-term monogamy makes you smarter, too, according to a new study by psychologist Celia Harris of Macquarie University in Australia.

As io9 reports, when you're part of a closely connected couple, you form "an interpersonal cognitive system where each is dependent on the other to fill in certain memory gaps."

Interestingly, couples didn't perform better in remembering lists of words or other rote recall tasks, but they could better tease out vivid information about the things they had experienced together. 

The BPS Research Digest explains that the "collaborative memory benefits" between couples can take three forms: 

1. "New information" such as finally snatching an elusive name of a musical thanks to a chain of prompts between the two parties.
2. Richer, more vivid descriptions of events, including sensory information.
3. Information from one partner that paints things in a new light for the other.

The benefits depended on the couple. The more intimate that people felt with their partners, the better they did with the recall.

The approach mattered, too. When partners could riff on each other's ideas they did better on memory tests than if they were "passive or critical." 

This is significant, because we tend to assume that thinking happens within the individual. Harris concludes that cognition is "distributed," meaning that it's a process that happens between people. As she writes, a couple isn't just a pair of individuals hanging out a lot — they become a "socially distributed cognitive system." 

SEE ALSO: 7 Memory Skills That Will Make You Way Smarter

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Everyone knows there are high markups in restaurants, bars, and most retail goods, but what about celebrity real estate?

The folks at real estate website Movoto looked at a number of celebrity homes in the Los Angeles and Malibu areas to see if the prices of these homes were inflated compared to similar non-celebrity homes in the same area simply because a famous person used to live there.

The answer, they found, is "yes" ... depending on the celebrity. Robert Pattinson's place in Los Feliz, for example, sold for 202% above the average home price in the neighborhood, but Katy Perry's Hollywood Hills home went for 27% below average.

Here's an infographic Movoto created looking at 12 different homes and whether they fell victim to "celebrity inflation":

SEE ALSO: The Most Expensive Celebrity Homes In New York City

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It's a real estate tale that could only take place in New York.

A princess — yes, a real one — is fighting to stay in the Upper East Side walk-up that she has lived in for more than 20 years, according to The New York Times.

Her Imperial Highness Zeynep Osman was married to the late Ertugrul Osman, who was an heir to the Ottoman Empire throne. After their marriage, she moved into the third floor walk-up on 74th and Lexington.

Since Osman's passing in 2009, Princess Zeynep, 69, has been residing in the 1,600-square-foot, rent-controlled apartment for only $390 a month.

However, after her building was sold in 2011 for $10.1 million, her new landlord, Avi Dishi, told her in October that he was planning to evict her, according to The New York Times.

"The first words out of his mouth were: 'I want you out. I paid too much for this building to have you here,' " Princess Zeynep told The New York Times. 

Right now, Dishi and the Princess are entangled in a legal battle over the eviction. According to the Times, Dishi said in court papers that the only lease he received was from 1977. Past expiration, the occupancy then became month to month.

In his attempt to terminate the lease, he is currently seeking proof from Princess Zeynep that she is even entitled to the apartment, as the only names on the lease were reportedly that of her late husband and his first wife who died in 1985.

While Princess Zeynep is determined to stay in her apartment (the only one in the building), she is open to a deal for the right price. “It pains me to leave, but he must be reasonable,” she told The New York Times. “I am accustomed to a certain lifestyle, and he cannot just throw me out.”

SEE ALSO: Step Inside Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch, Expected To Sell For Up To $50 Million

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Princeton Review released its annual college rankings on Monday. 

The Review surveys 130,000 students about topics that range from how good the food is to how much financial aid they are receiving.

Vanderbilt University took the top spot for the college with the "happiest" students. 

Students do have a lot to be happy about at Vandy. The school offers great financial aid and ranks as one of the best value colleges in America.

The campus environment is welcoming and friendly. One student told the Princeton Review that “the campus is beautiful” and “the people—staff, students, professors—are warm and welcoming.” Another student said there is an “atmosphere of individual achievement instead of competition. The students are academic…but at the same time they are not ’showy’ about it.” 

Here are the happiest campuses in the country, according to Princeton Review.

1. Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.
2. Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, Calif.
3. Clemson University, Clemson, S.C.
4. Tulane University, New Orleans, La.
5. Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
6. Rice University, Houston, Tex.
7. Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
8. Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine
9. Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
10. Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Mich.

SEE ALSO: Here's Why Colgate Has The Most Beautiful Campus In The Country

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These might be the most honest reviews of children's books we've ever seen.

The New York Public Library has a catalog of about 6,400 index cards featuring hand-typed reviews, all written by librarians voicing their opinions about books for children and young adults. Morgan Holzer, an information architect at the NYPL, has been posting some of these reviews on the library's Instagram page (via Quartz).

They're from the 1960s, '70s, and 80s, long before library catalogs moved online.

The reviews cover classics such as "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss, as well as lesser known stories like "Let's Go Logging" by George Herman. According to Quartz, Lynn Lobash, who oversees reader services at the library, found the index cards with some of her colleagues, and decided to archive them at the NYPL Bryant Park headquarters.

We've compiled some of our favorite reviews. To see more, visit the NYPL's Instagram page. New reviews are posted by Holzer every Tuesday.

The "Angry Book (My ABC of Mean Things)" by Robin King seemed a little too negative.

This librarian was not enthused by "Let's Go Logging" by George Herman. 

On "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss: "There must be better ways of teaching a child to read than this."

Not all of the reviews are bad. This librarian praises "Hi Jolly!" by Jim Kjelgaard. 

"The Mets Will Win The Pennant" by William R. Cox wasn't good enough for this Mets fan. 

Some of the sports books, like "Soccer" by George Kirby and George Sullivan, received great reviews. 

Another positive review for "Fourth of July" by B. Josse, which teaches children that they can prove their worth. 

Apparently we need to read the chapter about the three girls and the banana in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" by Cameron Crowe.

"Little Animals of the Countryside" by Eileen Mayo was totally shut down. It was apparently not worth its price of $1.80.

"Forever" by Judy Blume is "A DIRTY TEENAGE Novel" we've all been waiting for.

And finally, a glowing review of a young adult favorite: "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle.

SEE ALSO: 12 New Books You Need To Read This Summer

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Epic Rap Battles of History is one of the most successful YouTube series of all time. What started as a live improv skit by two friends has become an online sensation, with more than 10.6 million subscribers and 1.1 billion views under the Maker Studios network.

The premise is simple: founders Peter Shukoff (NicePeter) and Lloyd Ahlquist (EpicLloyd) pick two figures from history or pop culture and imagine what it would be like if they faced off in a battle in rap form. The videos are highly entertaining, with characters as varied as Darth Vader, Adolf Hitler, Abraham Lincoln, and Chuck Norris battling one another in full costume. 

The videos have become so popular that the duo has been able to land cameos from celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Weird Al, and plenty of YouTube stars. They were featured in commercials during the World Cup and are now appearing on billboards in cities across the country.

Shukoff also just finished up a tour that took him across the country and Europe, from Los Angeles and New York City all the way to Amsterdam. 

We recently caught up with Shukoff.

Business Insider: What's the story behind your YouTube channel?

Peter Shukoff: That story is long but very simple. I realized, in one flash of a moment, that the person behind each YouTube view is real, genuine, and they are present in real time. If you talk to them, they hear you. If you listen to them, they know you are really there. That basic philosophy has helped me grow into five different YouTube channels, with a total of approximately 14 million subscribers.

Each video I put out myself, or together with my partner in ERB, is as good as we can make it with the resources we have. When we had a $200 budget, we did the best we could, and now that we have a larger budget for each rap battle, we still do the best we can.BI: Do you have a background in comedy?

PS: Yes. I studied improv at iO in Chicago and was hired by Lloyd Ahlquist's (my partner in rap battles) comedy troupe, Mission Improvable, to tour colleges around the U.S. performing improv comedy. I also did a one-man show of comedy and music, anywhere I could get up and play.

BI: Where do you get inspiration for your rap battles?

PS: History, the audience, my friends, Netflix, books, television, my dog, my local farmer's market, my mother, my girlfriend — everyone has input.

BI: There's a ton of historical details in each of your videos — how much research is involved?

PS: As much as possible. I read and digest history constantly.

BI: What is a typical day in production like?

PS: Hectic, fun, full of stress turning into great celebrations of laughter.

BI: Has your production process changed over time?

PS: It has gotten more streamlined. We write the songs in a chunk, then shift to producing the videos. That helped us keep our eye on the prize: a great song first, with a great video to support it.

BI: How do you make a video go viral?

PS: You work on it until it makes people feel good to show it to their friends.BI: Was there a moment when you knew you had made it? What was that like?

PS: I made it the first time I got paid anything to do what I love. That was many years ago — this is all just a wonderful bonus.

BI: How did it feel to see your commercial during the World Cup? And the billboards?

PS: I never saw the commercials; I don't watch much TV. I got my joy from the fans' tweets telling us how proud they are. It reminded me how much we and the audience are in this together.

I did see the billboards; it was surreal. I stood next to one waiting for someone to recognize me. They didn't.  

BI: What are your plans for the channel's future?

PS: Which channel? Which future? What is a plan?

My goal is to make entertainment that is real, that is satisfying, that inspires and teaches, but perhaps most importantly, is fun and makes people feel good watching it. It's a very simple plan; I'm going to keep doing that.

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Some cocktails are classics for a reason. They are so tasty that they never go out of style.

With the help of our friends at Food52, we've put together recipes for the 10 best classic cocktails. They range from a sophisticated Old Fashioned to an adventurous mai tai. 

Here are the best classic cocktails.

Martini

Probably one of the most classic cocktails of all time, the martini is a delicious mix of gin and vermouth. This martini recipe comes Erika Kotite, founder of Toque Magazine.

Follow this recipe to make a martini >>

Tom Collins

The Tom Collins is a wonderful drink, especially because its ingredients—lemon, sugar, soda, and gin—are very easy to obtain. Mixologist Erik Lombardo says this classic is delicious even if you switch out gin for a different spirit, like vodka or bourbon. Traditionally, Old Tom gin is used for a Tom Collins, though London dry gin also works well.

Follow this recipe to make a Tom Collins >>

Whiskey Sour 

A good whiskey sour is typically made with whiskey, sugar, an egg white, and citrus, with a lemon typically being the citrus fruit of choice. The egg white gives the drink a frothy texture, and Lombardo says it actually gives drinkers an often necessary boost of protein at the end of a long night.

Follow this recipe to make a whiskey sour >>

Mint Julep 

A mint julep is made with bourbon, rich mint syrup, a bunch of mint, and crushed ice. Lombardo says even though mint juleps are traditionally made with bourbon, you can use a different spirit instead. He suggests a real peach brandy, which is difficult to find but worth the hunt. He also suggests stuffing as much mint as possible into your glass.

Follow this recipe to make a mint julep >>

Margarita 

This classic margarita recipe contains tequila, Cointreau, fresh-squeezed lime juice, agave syrup, ice, sea salt, and lime wedges. Kotite prepares the drinking glass by rubbing a spent lime around the rim, turning the glass upside down on a plate of salt, and then filling the glass with ice and pouring in the liquid.

Follow this recipe to make a margarita >>

The Negroni 

The Negroni is made with a simple 1:1:1 ratio of smooth gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. This drink is great before a meal, as it cleanses your taste buds.

Follow this recipe to make a Negroni >>

Old Fashioned 

This delicious classic is made with rye whiskey, Angostura bitters, sugar, water, and ice, with an orange peel as a garnish. Kotite notes that it's important to make sure your sugar is thoroughly crushed.

Follow this recipe to make an old fashioned >>

Sazerac 

This New Orleans cocktail is made with a small amount of absinthe, as well as rye whiskey, simple syrup, Peychaud bitters, ice, and lemon twist. Kotite says the lemon twist should be simply rubbed on the rim of the glass and then discarded.

Follow this recipe to make a Sazerac >>

Mai Tai 

A mai tai is a little more adventurous than the other classic cocktails, and contains a mix of rums, citrus, and flavored syrups. Since the original mai tai called for a Jamaican rum that no longer exists, you can mix rhum agricole with a dark Jamaican rum instead. Lombardo says this drink is meant to be a little crazy, so save limes for garnish, and add lots of umbrellas and edible flowers.

Follow this recipe to make a mai tai >>

Southside

The Southside shows how mint can totally transform the taste of a drink. This cocktail is basically a gin gimlet, with some mint leaves tossed into the mix. This drink can easily be transformed into an Eastside cocktail by adding two wheels of cucumber.

Follow this recipe to make a Southside >>

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Chef Ivan Orkin was the underdog of the ramen scene.

A self-described "Jewish guy from Long Island," he set out to open a ramen restaurant in Japan, where the dish has a cult following. He soon earned the distinction of being the only American to run a noodle joint in Tokyo, and a hugely successful one at that.

In 2012, he left his two Ivan Ramen locations in Tokyo for the U.S., with a dream of exposing New Yorkers to a ramen unlike any Cup Noodles they'd ever had. Earlier this year, we toured the pop-up location, Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop in Gotham West Market, and were blown away. (And grateful to his team for teaching us the right way to eat ramen.)

We recently got to spend several hours in the kitchens, offices, and dining rooms of Chef Ivan's brand new, flagship U.S. location on the Lower East Side, speaking with everyone from the waitstaff to the line cooks about their roles in the restaurant. It takes a lot to run the little-ramen-shop-that-could.

This is the entrance to Ivan Ramen, at 25 Clinton St. on the Lower East Side. It's Chef Ivan Orkin's flagship noodle joint in the U.S.

The restaurant is laid out railroad-style, with a long row of tables for two and larger tables toward the kitchen.

A couple diners nosh on ramen bowls at the counter. It's near the end of lunch hour, so theirs is the last table to clear out.

There was once a time when every professional, no matter their industry, put on a suit each morning.

But today, there are so many interpretations of formal and business casual that it can be easy to look sloppy or over-dressed if you're not aware of the environment.

Sylvie di Giusto, founder of Executive Image Consulting, works with executives looking to improve how they present themselves and professionals hoping to impress their clients and bosses. In her new book "The Image of Leadership," she breaks down the five levels of dress code that she uses with her clients.

We've represented them below, and included di Giusto's insight into how to make your clothes work for you in the office:

If you're not sure which level is most appropriate for your work environment, the basic rule of thumb is "the more you deal with a client's money, the more traditional and conservative you should be dressed," says di Giusto.

That means that people in finance, law, and accounting, for example, should stick to traditional business attire, and those in creative industries, such as entertainment and advertising, can dress flexibly within the casual levels.

If you're a member of the board or meeting with a member of the board, boardroom attire is most appropriate — regardless of the size of the company.

SEE ALSO: 8 Ways To Look Like A Millionaire, Even If You're Not

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New York in the 1980s was a far cry from the city it is today. At the time, Manhattan was crime-ridden and full of burned-out buildings and unresolved tensions. For photographer Brian Rose, who lived through that era, the present-day city can be startling.

“New York was at a precarious point in time. The city could easily have gone the way of Detroit. We didn’t know,” Rose told Business Insider. "Lower Manhattan was a post-apocalyptic landscape of crumbling buildings and abandoned streets. You couldn't tell things were going to get better until the late '80s."

Rose recently completed a photographic study of one of Manhattan’s most-changed neighborhoods, the Meatpacking District, which has transformed over the last 20 years from an open-air industrial meat market to a glittering hub of nightlife and restaurants. Rose originally photographed the area in 1985 and returned in 2013 to document the same street corners.  

Rose has collected his photos from both 1985 and 2013 in a book, "Metamorphoses," which you can purchase here. He has shared some photos with us, but you can check out the rest in the book or on his website.

The Meatpacking District in the 1980s was a derelict scene. In the early morning hours, trucks rolled in and workers got started on the meat trade. By midday, the streets were "semi-abandoned," according to Rose.

Today, the area is bustling day and night with tourists, diners, shoppers, and nightclub attendees.

The area used to be blue-collar.

Instagram/detroitvseverybody

Tommey Walker launched the Detroit Vs. Everybody clothing line.

Still, many Detroiters are toughing it out, pouring their resources and their talents into rebuilding the city.

We wanted to shine a spotlight on the people in Detroit who are making remarkable contributions to the city. We asked our readers, who are the folks across industries — from finance and automotive to entertainment and retail — who are dedicated to the revitalization. The nominations came pouring in.

These are the people making their city proud.

Alicia Marion George opened the only coffee shop for miles.

Owner of Motor City Java & Tea House

When Detroit native Alicia Marion George moved to the Brightmoor area in the late 1990s, she described the neighborhood as "being in a coma." The devastation of financial resources had touched every facet of life: businesses wasted away, homes were abandoned, and crime surged.

"People didn't think the light went past the end of their block," George says. An executive assistant at the time, she wanted to give residents hope that someone was paying attention to them.

She began visiting coffee shops across the region and touring roasting plants, and she even got a nine-month gig as a barista at Starbucks. It took 10 years to find a location and gather the funds, but in 2010, she opened Motor City Java & Tea House in a foreclosed house.

Inside, George takes customers behind the bar to teach them how to use the cappuccino machines and to explain how she paid for them. Local festivals, art galleries, youth groups, and block clubs host gatherings there. And since launching, half a dozen businesses have opened in Brightmoor.

Andy Didorosi created a bus line to mobilize Detroiters.

Founder of The Detroit Bus Company

Detroit is not in a good place when it comes to infrastructure. Forty percent of its street lights are broken, and $7 million was cut from the city's transportation budget.

When the city abandoned its proposal for an M-1 light rail on Woodward Avenue — the Broadway of Detroit — 20-something serial entrepreneur Andy Didorosi bought up half a dozen old school buses, hired local artists to paint them and drivers to drive them, and installed a GPS tracking app so passengers could track their ride. All of a sudden he was running The Detroit Bus Company.

Buses are biodiesel-fueled and can be hailed by the tracking app during slow times. The bus is a godsend for the 11,000 students who use the buses each month as their primary means of getting to after-school programs around the city, and the buses can also be rented out for private functions. Didorosi uses them to give city tours and bar crawls as well. Next he's working on creating a public service to and from the airport.

Dan Gilbert has started a chain reaction of new growth in his hometown.

Founder and chairman of Quicken Loans

About three and a half years ago, billionaire Dan Gilbert began "picking up" properties in downtown Detroit, with the intent to bring commerce back to the Motor City.

The architectural relics he bought sometimes sold for as little as $8 a square foot. Gradually, over 120 companies opened shop in his nine-million-square-foot spread of prime real estate — including Chrysler and Twitter. To date, Gilbert has invested about $1.3 billion in the downtown area alone.

"[Gilbert] has helped rebuild Detroit one day at a time," one reader tells Business Insider. "He truly cares about making Detroit a better place to live."

Gilbert also walks the walk. Until fairly recently, Quicken Loans was headquartered out in the 'burbs. In 2012, Gilbert moved the company to a new HQ downtown, where he and more than 12,000 employees can work in the heart of the action.

New York City is an extremely cosmopolitan place, and walking around the city, one often hears a plethora of languages being spoken.

The American Community Survey is a massive annual effort by the Census Bureau to measure various aspects of American life. Among many other things, respondents are asked if they speak a language other than English at home, and if so, what language is spoken. Using this data, as explained in more detail at the bottom of this post, Business Insider was able to map out New York City's most popular non-English languages.

First, here's the most commonly spoken non-English language in each NYC community district. Unsurprisingly, Spanish is pretty dominant. There are quite a few Chinese speakers in the southern Brooklyn neighborhoods of Bensonhurst and Bay Ridge, and in Flushing, Queens, and a few other language enclaves scattered around the city.

Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from 2012 American Community Survey PUMS

Because Spanish shows up in so many neighborhoods, we made an alternate version of the map where we found the most common non-English, non-Spanish language:

Business Insider/Andy Kiersz, data from 2012 American Community Survey PUMS

The maps were made using the ACS Public Use Microdata Sample, an edited version of the individual responses to the survey. With this data, we were able to calculate the most commonly spoken non-English language in each of New York City's Census-designated "Public Use Microdata Areas," which closely conform to the city government's community districts, for which the city provides very nice-looking map outlines.

SEE ALSO: Here's How All 50 State Economies Are Doing, Ranked From Slowest To Fastest

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Vincent Meertens, a Dutch graphic designer, and his partner spent a year tracking their movements through New York City  using OpenPaths.

They collected a total of 10,760 datapoints between March 2012 and January 2013.

Meertens, who now lives in Amsterdam, describes the map as a personal diary of his everyday life in the city. "It shows where we lived, worked and explored the city in the weekends," he told BI in an email. "For us personally, with every dot or route there is a memory and a story behind it."

We think it might also tell us something about urban planning and development. 

Vincent’s check-ins are in blue, his girlfriend’s in red, and the yellow dots represent where they took photos. The lines between the dots mark the route, with the long lines over water standing in for subway routes.

Vincent Meertens

We first saw this at Peteski. 

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REUTERS/Euroluftbild.de

Cape Town, South Africa.

Cities might be humanity's greatest invention — if you listen to Harvard economist Ed Glaeser, author of  "Triumph of the City."

"So much of what humankind has achieved over the past three millennia has come out of the remarkable collaborative creations that come out of cities," he said in an interview. "We are a social species. We come out of the womb with the ability to sop up information from people around us. It's almost our defining characteristic as creatures. And cities play to that strength." 

Indeed, many modern metros are pushing the limits of industry, design, and urban planning, while rethinking the way people live and work. 

With that in mind, we assembled a list of the 18 most innovative cities in the world, using a range of metrics from patents per capita to skyscraper height.  

Singapore has the best infrastructure in the world, including an airport complete with a butterfly garden, pool, movie theaters, hotels, spas, showers, and of course a four-story slide.

[Business Insider] 

Amsterdam is the most bike-friendly city in the world, with a full 38% of all trips in the city made by bicycle.

[Amsterdamize]

Bangalore, India, is known as the Silicon Valley of India, with a tech sector that brings in $17 billion in revenue a year. Venture capital has noticed, investing $300 million in venture funding in 2012.

[BBC]