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The Most Expensive Range Rover Of All Time Is An Homage To A Famous Gun Maker

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Range Rover Holland And Holland

At $285,000 (£180,000), the Range Rover Holland & Holland is the most expensive SUV ever produced in the brand's 44-year history. This special edition — which costs $100,000 more than the top-of-the-line long-wheelbase Range Rover Autobiography Black upon which it's based — is a collaboration between the company's Special Vehicle Operation (SVO) and storied gun maker Holland & Holland. 

So what makes this Range worth so much more than any other luxurious SUV?  The Holland & Holland edition is completely decked out in the finest soft-touch leather, and its interior woodwork is cut from a single massive piece of walnut to make sure all of the trim match up perfectly. The walnut is also finished with oil to resemble the stocks of Holland & Holland's signature rifles.

Range Rover Holland & Holland

 The inside of the Range also features embroidered Holland & Holland logos and engraved metallic accents — an homage to the handcrafted shotguns and hunting rifles synonymous with the brand since 1835. 

“The whole SVO team is very proud of this car, a bespoke design, which perfectly meets the very particular needs of Holland & Holland’s customers," said Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations managing director John Edwards. "This shows the huge potential of SVO, which encapsulates both off- and on-road performance as well as luxury and craftsmanship.”

Range Rover Holland & Holland Interior

The backseats are particularly impressive. Rear-seat passengers are treated to a pair of executive jet-style reclining seats, retractable walnut tray tables, and a pair of massive infotainment screens. 

The Holland & Holland edition will be available with a variety of engine options — ranging from a humble diesel engine to Jaguar Land Rover's 500 horsepower supercharged V8 shared with Jaguar's XJR supersedan and the F-Type sports car. 

Range Rover Holland & Holland

Another reason why this Range Rover costs so much is the fact that Holland & Holland guns are expensive — ridiculously expensive. With price tags ranging from $43,000 to $277,000 for the "Royal" double barrel shotgun, the company's guns make the high priced-Range Rover feel like a bit of a bargain. 

To store these guns, Range Rover has installed a carbon fiber and aluminum gun case that can slide out through the tailgate. As with the rest of the car, it's finished in fine leather and polished walnut. 

Range Rover Holland & Holland Rear

The Holland & Holland Range Rover will be very rare. Jaguar Land Rover plan to build roughly 40 examples a year over the next three years. Whomever is fortunate enough to get their hands on one of these mega-buck Range Rovers will certainly have the ultimate in luxurious hunting vehicles.

SEE ALSO: This $263,000 Panamera Is The Most Expensive Porsche Sedan Ever

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Jay Z Bought A Luxury Champagne Brand Just To Spite Cristal

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jay z beyonce champagne

On Wednesday, it was announced that a new company led by Jay Z had acquired Armand de Brignac Champagne  a celebrity favorite — from Sovereign Brands for an undisclosed amount.

The luxury champagne brand, more commonly name-checked in rap lyrics as "Ace of Spades" because of its logo, sells bottles for $300 and up. A 30-liter bottle, which weighs 100 pounds and is equivalent to 40 regular bottles, can sell for over $200,000, according to the New York Times.ace of spades champagne

But Jay Z's involvement with the company goes back much further than this week — to May 2006, to be exact — when Frederic Rouzaud, the manager of the company that makes Cristal champagne, made an unsavory comment about his brand's clientele.

“What can we do?” Rouzaud replied when a reporter from the Economist asked his thoughts about the popularity of Cristal among rappers. "We can’t forbid people from buying it. I'm sure Dom Pérignon or Krug would be delighted to have their business."

jay z champagneJay Z, a major Cristal client who had given the brand shoutouts in songs, didn't appreciate the comment.

Many in the hip-hop industry viewed the comments as racist, so Jay Z called for a boycott of the brand.

Later that year, a gold bottle appeared in Jay Z's music video for “Show Me What You Got” and with that, the ever-present Cristal was officially replaced with Ace of Spades  despite Cristal being more highly regarded among wine critics.

In "Show Me What You Got," Jay Z sings the lyrics, "H.O.V.A., gold bottles of that Ace of Spade/Why even fool with these other guys" and in the video is seen rejecting a bottle of Cristal in favor of Ace of Spades.

Jay Z ace of spades party champagne

jay z GIF champagne show me what you got

Jay Z and his attractive friends then party with buckets full of the gold bottle. The entire music video reads like an advertisement for Ace of Spades. 

Jay Z ace of spades party champagne

The product placement wasn't an accident.

As Zack O'Malley Greenburg reported in his 2012 Jay Z biography "Empire State of Mind" and later wrote on Forbes, the rapper "had a financial interest in Armand de Brignac since its inception  helping boost his net worth to $520 million, by Forbes’ latest estimate  as the $300-per-bottle champagne has become one of hip-hop’s favorite brands."

In a new Forbes story on Jay Z's champagne deal, O'Malley Greenburg writes that one of his sources previously pegged the value of the rapper's stake in the company at $50 million.

So what was this week's big acquisition announcement all about?

Essentially, O'Malley Greenburg presumes, "Jay Z added to his existing share in the Armand de Brignac brand by buying out Sovereign’s stake."

He adds, "As one source with knowledge of the situation told me, Jay Z saw a chance to purchase more of something he thought would be worth more in the future than it is today, so he did. He was investing, essentially, in himself."

And it appears the Jay Z brand synergy is already working, with Ace of Spades now infiltrating the sports world, as well, in part thanks to his sports agency, Roc Nation Sports.

"Various sports teams, including the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Bruins, have celebrated championships by taking big gulps from enormous metallic bottles of Armand de Brignac," reports the NY Times. "David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox popped a 15-liter bottle of the Champagne after his team won the World Series in 2013."

david ortiz champagne celebration

SEE ALSO: JAY Z: How The Hottest Agent In Sports Makes And Spends His $500 Million

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All 72 Of Oprah's 'Favorite Things' Will Cost You $13,407

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oprah winfrey speech

For middle-aged women across the country, it’s their favorite time of year — Oprah’s Favorite Things is finally out for 2014. 

The huge list of 72 Oprah-approved items would cost you $13,407 if you bought every single thing on it**. Among some of the pricier items are a Beats by Dr. Dre headphones set for $700 and a trio of Swiss Army luggage for $1,160. 

Of course, it wouldn’t be an Oprah’s Favorite Things list without a little self promotion. Oprah’s book, a movie she co-produced, a shirt she designed for the Peace Love Oprah collection, an Oprah Teavana set, a meditation transformation trilogy she helped create, and a membership to the Oprah ‘Circle Of Friends’ club all make appearances. 

But probably my favorite item on the list this year is an $85 “365 Gathered Truths Box” which is literally just a box filled with sayings printed on handmade paper. “I like to read as many as I can while I'm waiting five minutes for my [Oprah] chai to steep,” she says. “If you get only one of my Favorite Things this year, I'd want this to be it."

Oprah, never change.

Below, a comprehensive list of all of Oprah’s favorite things this year for those curious, from least expensive to most expensive.

*Blackberry Patch Premium Fruit Syrups, $7 each

*Emi-jay Infinity Soft Headbands, $10

*May Designs Customizable Notebooks, $14-$22

Nate Berkus At Target Dessert Plate Set, $20

"What I Know For Sure" by Oprah Winfrey, $25

*Sweet Lady Jane Holiday Cakes, $30

Kate Spade Ballpoint Pens, $36

*Bantam Bagels Mini Filled Bagel Balls (36 in six flavors), $36

Garnet Hill Kids Character Hats, $40

“The Hundred-Foot Journey” Blue-Ray Combo Pack, $40

*Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Express Brow Kit, $40

Heart Snapshot Mix Photo Art, $42

Remarkable Bark Holiday Tins (set of two), $42

Tatte Bakery Petit Quiche Assortment, $42

*Astrological Star Map Necklaces, $48

*Annie B’s Candy Handcrafted Caramel Mixed Assortment Box, $49

*Olympic Provisions European Salami Sampler, $50

*Eat This Local Jams And Marmalades Sampler Gift Set (six jams), $55

*Sabatino Truffles Truffle Oil Holiday Set, $59

Cowgirl Creamery Cheese Holiday Collection, $60

*Petal Lane “Be Bright” And “Surprise And Delight” Magnet Boards$65 each

Vineyard Cuff Links, $68

*Maggie Louise Confections Holiday Statement Chocolate Box, $70

Tequila Casa Dragones Blanco, $70

Sfoglini Pasta Of The Month Club (three months), $75

Edward Bess Black Sea Precious Pearl Perfector Lotion, $78

Echo Touch Quilted Cuff Glove, $78

O Circle Of Friends Gift Tier Membership, $79/year

Nine West Hadley Tote, $79

*No Matchy-Matchy Initial Stud Earrings, $80, or $150 with diamonds

*Sheepy Fleece Robe, $84

*365 Gathered Truths Box,$85

*Teavana Oprah Chai Holiday Collection, $90

*Doo Bop Butter Trio, $93

Warby Parker Eyeglasses And Sunglasses, $95-$395

Peace Love Oprah ‘I Love Sundays’ Collection Shirt, $98

*Oprah And Deepak’s Meditation Transformation Trilogy, $100

UGG Australia Alena Waterproof Suede Slippers, $120

Big O Key Rings and Ossential and Big Ossential Card Cases, $120-$130

*Set of Four French Bistro Coffee Mug, $120

*Burt’s Bees Baby Ultimate Take Me Home Basket, $125

*Hampton Forge Forte 13-Piece Cutlery Block Set, $130

Williams-Sonoma Waring Popcorn Maker With Melting Pot, $130

GoPro Hero Camera, $130

Morelle & Co. Pullout Jewelry Box, $135

*Côte 9 Nail Polish Gift Set, $144

*Foot Cream and Sock Gift Set, $144

Eliza Bar Happy Holiday Loaf, $150

Suzanna Dai Khepri Large Drop Earrings, $155

*Lurin Long Pajama Set, $155

Charter Club Cashmere Zip Hoodie, $169

*Deluxe Vine and Bloom Box, $189

*The Smokehouse NY Smoked Salmon Sampler Gift Box, $195

*Naked Undies Charlie V-Neck (set of three), $214

*Lafco Complete Holiday Candle Collection (set of four), $240

La Cienega Wedge Boots, $245

*Oyo Box Eyewear Case, $250

*Ginger Beauty and Wellness Collection, $265

*Classic Plain Travel Collection, $289

*Copper Tray And Mug Set, $365

Tory Burch Double-Wrap-Strap Reva Watch, $395

Le Creuset Baking Dishes, $405

Vitamix S30 Blender, $409

VertuoLine Single Serve Brewer And Espresso Maker, $430

*Cushy Dog Beds, $445-$710

Samsung NX Mini Camera, $450

*Donna Salyers’ Faux-Fur Coat, $499

*Chamilia12 Days Of Christmas Gift Set, $500

*Yoga Tablet 2 Pro, $500

Electra Loft 7-Speed Ladies’ Bike, $550

Beats By Dr. Dre Golden Beats On-Ear Headphones & Pill Speak, $700

Swiss Army Luggage Set (Carry-on, Duffel, Upright), $1,160

*Special discounts or promotions with the code OPRAH. You can see the entire list here.

**Assuming you bought the most expensive variation.

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We Tried On The Norwegian Onesie That Could Be The Next Snuggie

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Norwegian clothing brand OnePiece, which specializes in jumpsuits, or "onesies," as they are affectionately called, is bringing its product to the US. 

The OnePiece was born on a "lazy Sunday" in 2007 when three friends decided it would be cool to sew together a pair of sweatpants with a hoodie and have a giant zipper.

The jumpsuit is perfect for cozying up at home, but it's also meant to be worn in public. This fashion trend seems to be catching on with some celebrities like Khloe Kardashian and Justin Bieber. 

This week, OnePiece opens a pop-up shop in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City, where it will offer discounts on the jumpsuits based on the size of customers' social-media footprint.

We got a group of Business Insider employees to try out the onesies, which retail for up to $299.

Produced by Graham Flanagan. Audio by Devan Joseph.

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The 30 Best Universities In The World For Economics

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harvard campus

Given that economics is one of the most popular majors among millionaires around the world, it's probably a valuable degree.

But not every school shows strength in its economics department. QS World University Rankings published a list of the best schools in the world for economics.

To come up with this list, QS asked professors and people in academics around the world to identify the institutions where they believe the best work is currently taking place within their field of expertise. The list below shows the picks from economics professors.

You can read the complete methodology here.

Here are the top 30 universities around the world for economics:

  1. Harvard University (USA)
  2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA)
  3. London School of Economics and Political Science (UK)
  4. Stanford University (USA)
  5. University of California, Berkeley (USA)
  6. University of Chicago (USA)
  7. Princeton University (USA)
  8. Yale University (USA)
  9. University of Pennsylvania (USA)
  10. University of Cambridge (UK)
  11. Columbia University (USA)
  12. University of Oxford (UK)
  13. New York University (USA)
  14. University of California, Los Angeles (USA)
  15. Northwestern University (USA)
  16. National University of Singapore (Singapore)
  17. University College London (UK)
  18. The Australian National University (Australia)
  19. University of Tokyo (Japan)
  20. Università Bocconi (Italy)
  21. University of Warwick (UK)
  22. Cornell University (USA)
  23. The University of Melbourne (Australia)
  24. Monash University (Australia)
  25. Duke University (USA)
  26. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (USA)
  27. University of Toronto (Canada)
  28. The University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
  29. University of California, San Diego (USA)
  30. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Hong Kong)

SEE ALSO: The 50 Best Colleges In America

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The Latest Trend In High-End Liquor Is Blending Them Together

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greygoose

Hybrid foods aren't stopping at cronuts and ramen burgers—they're coming for your cocktails next. 

Over the last year and beyond, craft distilleries and established high-end liquor brands alike have successfully marketed hybrid spirits.

Creations like Grey Goose's VX (vodka and cognac) Red Eye Louise's Vodquila (vodka and tequila) and Jim Beam's Kentucky Dram (bourbon and scotch) have all been at least moderately successful in boosting flagging sales.

Wine combinations have also entered the mix, with Smoke (Moscato and vodka), Sutra (vodka and sparkling wine), and Ferdinands's Gin (infused with Riesling) all jumping into the mix.

Why are liquor purveyors doing this? According to Bon Appetit, it's clear they're trying to market their products to a younger, hipper, primarily female demographic "seeking the next new party drink."

That's not to mention the runaway success of other flavored liquors, such as the now-famous Fireball. 

Grey Goose's sales dropped unexpectedly more than 5 percent last year, which may explain the sudden spirit of invention. Grey Goose, for its part, is also attempting to separate themselves from the flood of hybrids. 

“It is not a hybrid,” Grey Goose brand ambassador Guillaume Jubien told Bon Appetit regarding Grey Goose VX. “It’s a love story of Maître de Chai François Thibault’s two passions: Grey Goose and Cognac.”

SEE ALSO: How To Taste Liquor Like A Pro

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The 25 Best Value Suburbs In America

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Suburban life can have a ton of perks — great schools, open spaces, a sense of community — but some suburbs aren't cheap to live in.

We went through our list of the 50 Best Suburbs in America and came up with the suburbs with the best value. We believe that value is more than just affordability: It's about getting a great education, a safe and thriving community, and affordable real estate. 

To come up with this list, we looked at over 300 suburbs across the country with populations between 5,000 and 100,000 that were within 40 kilometers (24.9 miles) of the the nearest metropolitan area. We then factored in two criteria: housing affordability and school ratings from GreatSchools. To gauge affordability we looked at the percentage of homeowners in each suburb spending no more than 30% of their income on housing costs.

Elm Grove, Wisconsin, which was No. 1 on our full list, dropped to No. 8, while Morton, Illinois, which was No. 28 on the full list, ranked first when it comes to value.

Suburbs With The Best Value

Click here to see our full methodology.

SEE ALSO: The 50 Best Suburbs In America

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Here's Why NFL Fans Are Getting Screwed When It Comes To Watching Football

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Some 16 NFL games are played every Sunday.

Unless you have the DirecTV Sunday Ticket premium service, you will be able to watch only five or six of the games on television. DirecTV has about 20 million subscribers in the US, so the majority of NFL fans are left without access to the games on TV.

DirecTV recently signed a deal with the NFL that will keep this system in place for the next eight years.

What are football fans supposed to do in the current TV landscape, especially if they prefer not to run the risk of having beer spilled on them while watching the big game?

Produced by Graham Flanagan. Camera by Devan Joseph. Map Animation by Alex Kuzoian.

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A 270-Square-Foot Attic Apartment In Paris Somehow Has Room For A Guest Bed And Home Office

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Tiny Paris Apartment

Paris is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, which often forces its inhabitants to think of creative ways to make a space both livable and affordable. 

So when a client approached designer Marianne Evennou with the seemingly impossible task of transforming a 270-square-foot attic into a full scale apartment, she used her imagination. 

Evennou told Business Insider that her client wanted to be able to have many friends around a table, a nice kitchen, an office space to do work, cupboards to hide her things, and a mattress under a window to enjoy the light in the apartment — not a small request for such a diminutive space. 

Evennou’s solution was to take out the old ceiling and embrace the space’s verticality and loft the beds, according to Apartment Therapy. As for the request for a window to enjoy the light — Evennou took out part of the ceiling and made a skylight. 

Tiny Paris Apartment

One of the client’s goals was to have a kitchen big enough for entertaining and cooking, which Evennou accomplished by lofting the beds above the kitchen and ingeniously putting the staircase above the counter. 

The staircase was the most difficult obstacle Evennou overcame in designing the apartment, she told Business Insider. It was very hard to organize the stairs underneath the beams in the attic.

Tiny Paris Apartment

The client wanted to be able to host overnight guests, and so Evennous lofted another bed above the kitchen. This bed is accessible by a ladder and the stairs behind the kitchen. 

Tiny Paris Apartment

Although it would be difficult not to hit your head in a space like that.

Tiny Paris Apartment

The home office has incredible storage systems. There is a library and two wardrobes hidden behind those curtains, plus more storage space above. 

Tiny Paris Apartment

There was even space for a coffee table to entertain friends. 

Tiny Paris Apartment

Evennous says she doesn’t know how she fit so much into such a small space and proclaims that it was, “just a miracle.”

For more information about the place, visit her blog here

SEE ALSO: See Inside A Tiny 86-Square-Foot Paris Apartment With A Bed In The Cupboard

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Welcome To The Lightning Capital Of The World

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Lightning TownLAKE MARACAIBO Venezuela (Reuters) - When Venezuelan environmentalist Erik Quiroga was five years old, his mum showed him a spot on the horizon where magnificent lights appeared from a huge storm most nights, about 40 miles from his hometown of Valera at the foot of the Andes.

When his family moved to Lake Maracaibo four years later, the epicenter of that eternal storm, he met close-up what would become a lifelong passion: the Catatumbo Lightning.

"It amazed me. At nine, I fell in love with the lightning," Quiroga said in an interview.

As the years passed, Quiroga became an environmentalist and has spent two decades studying the cinematic natural phenomenon.Lightning TownThanks to his lobbying, this year the Catatumbo Lightning was approved for inclusion in the 2015 edition of Guinness World Records, dethroning the Congolese town of Kifuka as the place with the world's most lightning bolts per square kilometer each year at 250.

So what causes such a powerful storm to develop in the same spot, up to 300 nights a year?

Scientists think the Catatumbo, named for a river that runs into the lake, is normal lightning that just happens to occur far more than anywhere else, due to local topography and wind patterns.

Lake Maracaibo basin is surrounded by mountains that trap warm trade winds coming off the Caribbean. These winds crash into cool air spilling down from the Andes, forcing them up until they condense into thunderclouds creating an average 28 lightning strikes per minute across a wide area - an energy burst that could power all the lightbulbs in Latin America.Lightning TownHistory books show the lightning has played a significant role in Venezuelan history, helping thwart at least two nocturnal invasions of the country.The first attempt was in 1595 when it illuminated ships led by Sir Francis Drake of England, revealing his surprise attack to Spanish soldiers in Maracaibo. The other was during the Venezuelan War of Independence in 1823, when it betrayed a Spanish fleet trying to sneak ashore.

Quiroga, now 64, said the Catatumbo helps regenerate the ozone layer, based on a study led by Harvard University.

Despite its fame, the nearby villages of Ologa and Congo Mirador barely receive any tourists.Lightning TownIn 1981, then-surfer Alan Highton came to Venezuela from his native Barbados, in love with a local girl. Years later, working as a tour guide in the Andes, he too saw the Catatumbo Lightning, but said: "I didn't know it was anything special."

It was not until 1995, when he reached Lake Maracaibo on a visit to see its colorful houses on stilts when he was captivated by the phenomenon. The early explorers described the region as a "Little Venice," thereby giving rise to the name Venezuela.Lightning TownHighton bought a stilt house on the lake and started to bring visitors to see the lightning. "We're working on trying to get the world to know more about Venezuela," said the 51-year-old entomologist on the porch of his home.

Despite its natural beauty, Venezuela received just 1.2 million tourists last year, while neighboring Colombia welcomed nearly 4 million.

"There's still much to do," said Highton, crossing his arms shortly after dark, as the latest storm began to gather.

(Writing by Diego Ore, editing by Andrew Cawthorne)

SEE ALSO: Norway's Island Prison For Violent Criminals Looks Like No Prison We've Ever Seen

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Check Out The Google Campus Restaurant Where Waiters Serve Employees Gourmet Indian Food

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With more than 30 cafes serving up a huge variety of cuisine, Google's free food is the stuff of legends. 

Last year, Bon Appetit Management Company, which operates cafes at Google, eBay, Oracle, and many other tech companies, opened a new Indian restaurant at the Googleplex. 

"It was in an old cafeteria that they had, and we wanted to change it up," Fedele Bauccio, CEO of Bon Appetit, said to Business Insider. "It's healthy, and the flavors are great." 

It's the first restaurant at Google to offer full service from a wait staff, and Googlers can make reservations for friends, family, or other team members. 

The decor at Cafe Baadal is cozy and colorful. Diners can sit on cushions at these corner tables.

 on

 

 on

Flags, photos, and maps of India adorn the walls. 

 on

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They even screen Bollywood movies on one wall.

 on

 

Overhead lanterns are a nice touch.

 on

The menu is prix fixe. You won't see any prices listed because at Google, all cafeteria food is free.

 on

The food comes out on a large platter.

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Cafe Baadal has become a popular destination for team lunches at Google. 

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SEE ALSO: How Larry Ellison's Vision For An Italian Sandwich Shop Started A New Era For Food In Silicon Valley

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A Man's Guide To Stylish Winter Coats

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When it comes to finding the right outerwear, you need some options.

1. The Refined Parka

The parka you throw on to walk the dog this is not. What's great about technical pieces of late is that designers are taking them seriously as a substitute for traditional overcoats. Consider the slate-gray canvas version by Hermès. It's slick enough to wear over a suit or with a pair of jeans, but it doesn't look like a slicker.

men's winter coats

2. The Work-Appropriate Puffer

Go ahead and wear a puffy coat over a suit—as long as it's as aesthetically pleasing as the Balenciaga iteration shown here (left). Besides its hidden magnetic closures (which are pretty cool), what sets this puffer apart from its athletic, cropped cousins is a streamlined silhouette that reads more office-friendly than ski-lift-ready. 

men's winter coats 2

3. The Unlined Overcoat

Why lose a layer when you're trying to keep warm? Because the soft-shouldered construction of an unlined coat, a hallmark of Neapolitan tailoring, is the epitome of relaxed elegance. We especially like Burberry's modern interpretation of the caban coat seen here: The double-faced cashmere protects against the chill while the generous cut offers room to move. 

men's winter coats 3

More From Details:

57 Rules of Style

Top 5 Hairstyles for Men

10 Rules of Style When Dressing For Work

The Only 5 Exercises You'll Ever Need

What to Do If Your Hair Starts Thinning

 

SEE ALSO: Look How Much Tailoring Can Improve Men's Clothes

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Watch This Sea Lion Chase Down A Boat Going 25 MPH

12 British Sayings That Americans Don't Understand

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union jack flag british britain english england united kingdom

Everyone knows that for the Brits, an elevator is a “lift,” an apartment is a “flat,” and those chips you’re snacking on are actually called “crisps.”

But British people also say some other really weird, confusing things.

To celebrate the launch of Business Insider's UK website, we compiled 12 British phrases that will leave Americans utterly flummoxed. You might just see these on our new site. 

1. “They lost the plot.”

When someone has “lost the plot,” it means they have lost their cool. It’s a common phrase in English football in particular, and is generally used when a player or coach gets in a fight or does a terrible job during the game

2. “I haven’t seen that in donkey's years.”

“Donkey’s years” translates to “a really long time,” mainly because “donkey’s ears” kind of sounded like “donkey’s years” and became a rhyming slang term.

The phrase was underscored by the belief that donkeys live a long time (which can be true) and have very long ears (definitely true).

3. “Quit your whinging!” 

union jack boots british britain english england united kingdom rainWhen someone is “whinging,” it means they’re whining or crying. The next time your coworker is complaining about something, feel free to call him a whinger.

4. “He’s such a chav.”

This is a pejorative epithet in Britain that’s used to described a specific kind of stereotype: A working-class person who’s loud or brash and wears (usually fake) designer clothes — especially the classic Burberry check.

It’s essentially the British version of “white trash” and should be used sparingly.

5. “You’ve thrown a spanner in the works.” 

When you “put/throw a spanner in the works,” it means you’ve ruined a plan. A spanner is the word for a wrench in England, so it’s the British equivalent of “throwing a wrench in the works.”

6. “Let’s have a chin-wag.”

Though fairly self-explanatory, having a “chinwag” (sometimes "chin-wag") means that you’re having a brief chat with someone, usually associated with gossip. Just imagine a chin wagging up and down, and you’ll get the idea why.

7. “I’m chuffed to bits.”

If you’re “chuffed to bits,” it means that you’re really happy or thrilled about something. It’s also acceptable to say “chuffed” all on its own: “I’ve just scored free tickets to the Beyoncé concert, and I’m well chuffed!”

8. “That’s manky.”

Something that is “manky” is unpleasantly dirty or disgusting. Its slang usage dates back to the 1950s, and was probably a combination of "mank" (meaning mutilated or maimed), the Old French word "manqué" (to fail), and the Latin "mancus" (maimed).

You can also feel “manky” if you’re under the weather.

9. “My cat? She’s a moggy.”

union jack cat flag british britain english england united kingdomA “moggy” or “moggie” refers to an alley cat or a cat without a pedigree, but is often used interchangeably as another word for “cat."  

10. “This was an absolute doddle to do.”

Something that’s a “doddle” is a task or activity that’s extremely easy. Though the origin is unknown, it dates back to the 1930s and is still common today. 

11. “You’re taking the piss.”

When you “take the piss” with someone, that means that you’re being unreasonable or taking liberties. For example, if a cashier overcharges you on something, he is taking the piss.

It can also be a stand-in phrase for when you’re mocking or teasing someone, though this is more commonly said as “taking the piss out of” someone or something. For example: “They’re always taking the piss out of John because he likes Taylor Swift.”

12. “I’ve dropped a clanger.”

When someone makes an embarrassing gaffe that upsets someone else, they’ve “dropped a clanger.” 

For example, if you offer your seat to a pregnant woman on the subway and she tells you that she’s not actually pregnant, you may have dropped a clanger.

Know of other great British idioms that we missed? Add them in the comments!

SEE ALSO: 12 Sayings Only People From California Will Understand

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This Is What Makes A Sculpture Worth $100 Million

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Quick quiz: Which of these sculptures by Alberto Giacometti is worth $10 million, and which is worth $100 million? 

LOT 26_Giacometti_Diego sur stele

 

9219 Lot 25 Giacometti, Chariot

 This isn't a trick question! The first image is Giacometti's "Stèle III," which sold for $9.9 million at Christie's on Wednesday night. The second, "Chariot," brought in just over $100 million at Sotheby's the night before.

But it's hard to say what makes one worth ten times the other. The basic answer is that these works are worth whatever someone is willing to pay for them. On Tuesday, a buyer was willing to pay $100 million for Chariot, making it, on that day, worth $100 million.

On Wednesday, someone was willing to pay $10 million for Stèle — and that was actually more than the auction house expected to get for it. The hammer price, which is what the seller gets after the auction house's fees, was $8.7 million, quite a bit above the auction house's $4.5-6.5 million pre-sale estimate. It probably got a bump from the big sale of Chariot the day before.

Going back to that: Chariot is the more famous work. It is the better work. But what motivates someone to pay $90 million more for it? Well part of it is being able to show people who come to your house that you have the $100 million piece of art. Here's Felix Salmon, with an explanation I can't top:

The art market has become a world of conspicuous consumption—a hundred-million-dollar sculpture is simply the most ultra-luxe end of the luxury market, a gilded toy to one-up the guest who arrives in a Bugatti. Art, at these levels (or even at a tenth of these levels) is instantly recognizable: you see a Giacometti and you know, in a fraction of a second, that it’s a Giacometti. It’s branded. And if you know anything about the high-end auction market, then when you see “Chariot” you’ll know that it’s “Chariot,” the hundred-million-dollar sculpture. 

It's worth reading Salmon's full post, as he goes through why the $100 million that Sotheby's got for the sculpture was actually quite a disappointment, and how the auction house may have even lost money on this huge sale.

The thing is, these iconic works are really just trophies. They are an ad for the fact that their owners can afford to pay whatever gigantic sum gets splashed across the headlines. The art market at the highest level is nothing more than making sport out of consumption.

There are two ways to think about this: A common reaction is that it's obscene that $100 million is going to change hands over a single, relatively small object. You could probably buy a small island for less money.

At the same time, if you have $100 million to throw around, there are worse ways to spend it. You can't stop rich people from spending their money how they like. Even the low end of the evening auctions is out of reach of the 99.9%. These artists, particularly in the Impressionist and modern auctions, are mostly dead. There are very few people for whom this purchase actually means something material.

Not all of the art market is a game. But this is. So have fun talking about it and thank god you don't owe anyone $100 million this week! 

Here are the other top trophies works that were sold at the New York evening auctions this week: 

Manet

Édouard Manet's "Le Printemps" sold for $65,125,000 at Christie's on Wednesday.

Miró

Joan Miró's (1893-1983), "Tuilerie à Mont-roig" sold for $8,677,000 at Christie's.

Modigliani, Tete

Amedeo Modigliani's "Tête" sold for $70,725,000 at Sotheby's on Tuesday.

Van Gogh, Still Life

Vincent van Gogh's "Still Life, Vase with Daisies and Poppies" sold for $61,765,000 at Sotheby's.

New York's fall auction season continues next week, with the contemporary evening sales.

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This Map Shows The Most Famous Book Set In Every State

The 10 Best Public School Districts In The US

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Lower Merion School Bus Students

The Edgemont School District in Westchester County, New York has the best schools in the country, according to a new ranking from education review website Niche.

Interestingly, all of the top 10 school districts on Niche's list are in New York or Pennsylvania. Four of the 10 districts serve towns in Westchester County, a suburb right outside of New York City.

Niche rankings are based on a combination of user reviews and education statistics sourced from the government and public databases. According to Niche, "a high ranking indicates that the district contains great schools with exceptional teachers, sufficient resources, and a diverse set of high-achieving students who rate their experiences very highly."

Student and alumni reviews also show a lot of school pride. As one recent alumnus writes at Niche, "The teachers at Edgemont are really above and beyond, for the most part. The newly revitalized administration is also working to keep the standards of schools high."

Here are the top 10 school districts in the country, via Niche:

  1. Edgemont School District — Edgemont, New York
  2. Jericho Union Free School District — Jericho, New York
  3. Tredyffrin/Easttown School District — Tredyffrin Township, Pennsylvania
  4. Lower Merion School District — Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
  5. Scarsdale Union Free School District — Scarsdale, New York
  6. Great Neck School District — Great Neck, New York
  7. Pittsford Central School District — Pittsford Town, NY
  8. Rye City School District — Rye, New York
  9. North Allegheny School District — Wexford, Pennsylvania
  10. Chappaqua Central School District — Chappaqua, New York

See the full list of the top school districts in the country at Niche >>

SEE ALSO: The 25 Best Public High Schools In The US

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11 Things You Didn't Know About Ikea

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It has more than $30 billion in revenue, stores so massive people get lost in them, and products filling up homes across the world. We're all familiar with Ikea's dominance in home furnishing.

But when you're that big, there are a lot of little details that many people might not be aware of.

Produced by Matt Johnston

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