Anthony von Mandl is the inventor of Mike’s Hard Lemonade, which has made him rich. But ask him why he created the company, and his answer is, “The winery.” More than 20 years ago, von Mandl, who grew up in Vancouver, decided to turn a hilltop in central British Columbia — part of a wine-growing region known as the Okanagan Valley — into a winery meant to last generations.

See the 7 best high-design wineries >

He named it the Mission Hill Family Estate and began looking for an architect to design buildings that would stand the test of time. Teaming up with Tom Kundig, von Mandl transformed a working winery inside a bland, factory-like structure into a destination for oenophiles and architecture-lovers alike. A massive bell tower in the center of its six large buildings (pictured above) can be seen from much of the surrounding area.

Von Mandl isn’t the only winemaker to use architecture, as much as viticulture, to give his products an edge. All over the world — from Rioja in Spain to New Zealand’s Gibbston Valley — striking design is attracting visitors to wineries that would otherwise get lost amid gorgeous wine-country scenery.

The world’s most celebrated architects have gotten into the act. Norman Foster gave Bodegas Portia in Burgos, Spain, a futuristic look; Juan Carlos Fernandez designed Cade Winery in Angwin, California, to be grand and green; and Santiago Calatrava, known for bridges and train stations, gave Bodegas Ysios in Rioja, Spain, its animated exterior. These buildings are as distinguished as their wineries’ best vintages and all well worth a visit.

More articles from Departures:

• World's Best Wine Resorts
• World's Most Bikeable Wine Regions
• A Wine Tour of Chile
• Best Starchitect-Built Theaters
• Great Golf Courses In California Wine Country

Mission Hill Family Estate, West Kelowna, British Columbia

Founder Anthony von Mandl says it took a lot of earth moving, but he got just the view he wanted from Mission Hill’s Terrace restaurant. Rows of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines seem to extend to the shores of Lake Okanagan, and the view of the restaurant, with a colonnade by architect Tom Kundig, is almost as appealing. Kundig’s buildings tend to be made of rough materials, including poured concrete, but they have the perfect proportions of Greek temples —and have won his firm, Seattle-based Olsen Kundig, countless architectural awards.

1730 Mission Hill Rd.

250-768-6448

missionhillwinery.com

Bodegas Portia, Burgos, Spain

Foster + Partners, designers of some of the sleekest buildings in the world, including Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok Airport and Berlin’s renovated Reichstag, gave its first winery (part of the Faustino Group) a memorable form: three leaf-like wings, dedicated to the three stages of the winemaking process, that extend from an “operations core.” A raised public gallery reaches deep into each wing, giving visitors unobstructed views of the production process. (Portia’s capacity is one million bottles a year.) The concrete and glass interior is futuristic, but the exterior surfaces of Cor-Ten (pre-rusted) steel give the building an earthy demeanor. A road leads onto the roof, where harvested grapes are delivered directly into a hopper. Daily tours include tastings.

Antigua Carretera N1

34/947-102700

bodegasportia.com

Dominus Estate, Yountville, California

The architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron are known for the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing, the condo building at 40 Bond Street in Manhattan and a half dozen of the world’s most beautiful museums, including the de Young in San Francisco and the Tate Modern in London. Their Dominus Estate winery, located an hour north of the Golden Gate Bridge, is a much-admired, much-photographed structure made of gabion (chunks of local basalt in steel cages), which the architects employed to exploit the randomness of nature within a well-ordered environment. It also creates stunning effects when light shines through the gaps between the hunks of stone. Dominus isn’t generally open to the public, but occasional architectural tours on weekday mornings offer hardcore buffs a chance to see the structure up close.

2570 Napa Nook Rd.

707-944-8954

dominusestate.com

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Troubled movie star Lindsay Lohan was arrested again last night on assault charges at a Chelsea nightclub, according to NBC New York.

Lohan and her team were at a 10th precinct police station on Thursday morning.

According to NY Post, Lohan's alleged punch caused "bruising and swelling to the victim's face, cops said." Also: "Lohan was actually banned from Avenue years ago, after tweeting about Justin Timberlake's dating blunders, but that ban was later lifted."

The 26-year-old was first placed on probation in 2007 for driving under the influence and again in 2011 for taking a necklace from a jewelry store without permission, along with various other legal incidents.

And here's a video of her being taken into custody from TMZ:

Now check out ALL of the times Lindsay Lohan has gotten in trouble >

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According to the consensus, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) will fall in popularity as young people grow up and demand chemical medicines.

But Morgan Stanley's Bin Li disagrees.

"TCM is becoming more popular.  According to CEIC, growth in the TCM industry is higher than in the western medicine industry. TCM industry sales reached Rmb423bn in 2011, representing a 24% CAGR over 2003-11, versus 21% for western medicines. Based on our AlphaWise survey, nearly 30% of doctors trained in western medicine use TCM as a first-line therapy and 46% use TCM alone or together with western medicines to treat patients. Because TCM has a long history in China, many Chinese people, including the younger generation, prefer to use TCM to combat chronic diseases. Given the strong endorsement from physicians, we believe demand for TCM will remain high, as drug choices are generally made based on doctors’ recommendations."

Check out this long-term demand chart:

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... unless you are one of two people in Arizona and Missouri who will split the epic prize. Almost nine million players won smaller prizes.

The numbers drawn on Wednesday night are: 5, 16, 22, 23, 29 and Powerball of 6.

A lottery official said late Wednesday that the jackpot increased to $579.9 million by the time of the drawing.

The drawing Wednesday night's prize followed 16 consecutive drawings that produced no top winner, boosting the Powerball to become the second-largest potential lottery payout in US history.

Tickets were selling at an average of 130,000 a minute across the United States in the hours before the drawing, said Chuck Strutt, executive director of the Multi-State Lottery Association, which runs the Powerball game. That equates to players buying 7.8 million tickets an hour, spending $15.6 million an hour for a chance at the huge jackpot.

The huge sales volume, which was about six times the rate of the week before, prompted game officials to boost the jackpot twice in two days.

There had been no Powerball winner since Oct. 6, and the jackpot was initially posted at $425 million, which was a record for the game. However, it was revised upward on Tuesday to $500 million when brisk sales increased the payout.

On Wednesday morning it was increased again to $550 million and revised once again prior to the drawing to $579.9 million. That was rapidly closing ground on the $656 million Mega Millions prize of March, the largest lottery jackpot in history.

"Sales have been so fast and so strong it's difficult to keep up with the estimates," said Mary Neubauer, spokeswoman for the Iowa Lottery, one of the founding Powerball states.

It took nine weeks for the Mega Millions jackpot to get that high, before three winners – from Kansas, Illinois and Maryland – hit the right numbers, each collecting $218.6 million for their share of the split.

Source: AP

SEE ALSO: 18 Signs That The Lottery Is Preying On America's Poor >

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Katherine Heigl and her husband Josh Kelley are selling their home in Los Feliz, Calif.,  for $2.659 million, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Heigl, who has starred in TV's Grey's Anatomy and films such as 27 Dresses and Life As We Know It, bought the house in 2007 for $2.55 million. 

The 3,700-square-foot Southern Colonial-style home has four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms.

SEE ALSO: A 'Real Housewives Of Miami' Star Is Selling Her Guady Miami Beach Mansion

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They have style, a job, often many children and a figure to die for: with such a formidable reputation, no wonder the prospect of matching Frenchwomen on their home turf is a terrifying prospect for most British women.

But one is determined to help dispel the myth of the perfect Gallic female while showing British and other English-speaking expatriates how to avoid the faux pas that can lead to embarrassment or humiliation in potentially hostile French territory.

Always turn up late, take a crash course in politics and never take a compliment as a come-on: these are just some of the crucial tips listed on Géraldine Lepère's website Comme une Française (Like a Frenchwoman).

British women are subjected to a constant torrent of books and articles telling them how the French do it better. First came French Women Don't Get Fat; now another, French Children Don't Throw Food, invites us to marvel at their parenting skills.

"Our reputation is such that they get the impression they're doing it all wrong," said 27-year-old Miss Lepère from Grenoble.

"We daunt them, so I break down the clichés and explain without taboos our codes – ones we don't even know we have."

Take an invitation to dinner, where arriving on time in France is a cardinal sin.

"You British are so punctual, but in France if you arrive bang on time you are likely to be met by someone without make-up and an uncooked dinner," she said.

She advises her foreign friends to be 15 to 20 minutes late, but no more as this would be "impolite".

The non-initiated should also brush up on current affairs as the French love to debate, she added.

British women, and perhaps even more, American women, must also learn to take compliments in their stride, and not as a come-on, or worse, sexual harassment.

"How many foreign married women are thunderstruck to hear their French friend's husband tell them: 'You look ravishing this evening,'?" she asked.

"We flirt all the time. If a man in the street tells you: 'You are very pretty mademoiselle', this doesn't mean he wants to sleep with you, it just means he thinks you are attractive so he tells you.

"My advice is say: 'Thank you', take it as a free pick-me-up, like a sunny day."

Miss Lepère decided to launch her website, and new online course, Your Vie en Rose, after struggling with cultural misunderstandings during two years living and working in Leeds.

While she said people were very "warm and open", she was foxed by tea break conversations revolving around TV and popular culture, and shocked to see her colleagues go out with miniskirts in sub-zero temperatures and drink her under the table.

Her first breakthrough was joining them at their Friday lunchtime pub outings, she said.

She realized many of the women among the 150,000-odd British expatriates in France must have been through similar issues.

Pamela Druckerman, American author of French Children Don’t Throw Food, said she felt daunted by Frenchwomen upon arrival in Paris.

“Ten years later, I still feel totally daunted. I’m still the fattest women in every cafe I go into - and I’m not overweight for the record,” she told the Daily Telegraph.

While the theory of “how French women tie their scarves and or seduce their husbands” is well documented, the practice was harder, she said.

As a few pointers, she said expect friendships to grow far more slowly than in the UK or US and above all, be discreet.

“In France, thoughts and sensuality and mystery are supposed to be bubbling up inside you and not quite coming out.

“I was used to is the When Harry Met Sally model of being adorable; your childhood, your neuroses, your failures and your boyfriend troubles all come out all of the time. I just don’t think that’s adorable to French people, who view it as sloppy and a little uncouth.”

The French way, she said was to “maintain mystery in your relationships and slowly reveal yourself like a blooming flower. It’s is a very smart, pragmatic and playful idea that is very appealing to foreign women.”

Miss Lepère admitted French women do have high standards, saying her personal role model was Inès de la Fressange, the sophisticated 50-something fashion icon and businesswoman.

But she said you need not be an uber chic expert on poetry or literature to fit in. Even a stab at a few stock phrases like “comment allez-vous” can break the ice.

"French women are like coconuts, often cold and hard on the exterior but once you crack the shell, it’s easier and easier to get to know them,” she said.

“If you start going towards them, you'll find they love foreign culture and the British have a very good reputation in France.”

SEE ALSO: 10 Scientifically Proven Ways To Make Yourself More Attractive To The Opposite Sex

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Survey finds that the average salary people say they'd need to be happy in Dubai is $276,150.

The price of happiness is an average of $161,810, according to four out of five individuals across 13 territories, who identified the amounts they would need to earn each year to “make them feel really happy”.

This works out to be more than 15 times the global average for an individual’s income, according to the latest Wealth Sentiment Survey commissioned by Skandia International, part of Old Mutual Wealth. However, the disparity between the actual amounts that people wanted to earn in different parts of the world was marked.

Dubai came out top as people there said they would need to earn an average of US$276,150 a year to meet their earnings aspirations. Singapore and Hong Kong were not far behind, where the desired annual income was US$227,563 and US$197,702 respectively.

However, us Europeans seem to have less lofty aims when it comes to earnings and happiness, with Germans asking for an average of just US$85,781. But in the UK we need US$133,010, second in Europe behind only Italy, where residents would want US$175,825 to feel really happy.

Phil Oxenham, marketing manager at Skandia International said: “There are many more things in life that can make people happy but there is no doubt that money can help. It is fascinating to see the regional differences in levels of income and capital that people think they need to feel happy and wealthy. These figures are, of course, aspirational and for most of us the important thing is to have a financial plan and make sure that we are saving as much as we can to give us financial security.

“Interestingly, in some territories women reported having higher ambitions than men in order to feel content. For example, in Hong Kong, Italy and Brazil women say they desire 13pc (US$207,924), 11pc (US$187,036) and as much as 55pc (US$192,929) per annum respectively, in excess of the amounts quoted by men in order to feel happy.”

Globally only three in 20 people regarded themselves as wealthy. The average number of assets required to be “wealthy” was US$1.76m in disposable assets, but there were again distinct regional variations.

Mr Oxenham added: “In Singapore, the average figure quoted was an ambitious US$2.9m, while Dubai and Hong Kong cited the next highest levels at US$2.5 and US$2.46 respectively. Europe, on the other hand, reported relatively modest requirements needed for somebody to be considered wealthy. People living in Austria and Germany stated they would need just US$0.9m and US$1m to call themselves wealthy.”

In fact, people in Germany and Austria were more likely than people anywhere else in Europe to consider themselves wealthy, with more than one in five saying this was the case. The highest wealth sentiment however was in Brazil, where over a quarter of those surveyed said they felt affluent.

SEE ALSO: 10 Scientifically Proven Ways To Make Yourself Happier

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Coconut Water

Coconut water may be nature's version of Gatorade but some brands have already caught fire for over-hyping its nutrient content. 

Vita Coco agreed to settle a $10 million class action lawsuit over an independent study that showed the drinks didn't pack near as many electrolytes as advertisements implied.

Some coconut water is also loaded with added sugar, which will do nothing to help your waistline. Instead, pick up your own young green coconuts on the cheap from an Asian produce market. Just crack them open with a cleaver and pop in a straw. 

"All-Natural" Foods

Nearly 30 percent of Americans bought more natural foods in 2011, according to a Rodale study. But what are we really paying more for?

There's no clear cut regulation on what makes food "natural," which means just about any company can slap that label on its packages, add a fancy "green" design and jack up the price.

Says Andrew Schrage of MoneyCrashers: "Before buying any food that is touted as being “all natural,” take a look at the ingredient list before you check out. Keep in mind that butter and salt are indeed natural ingredients. So stocking up on natural foods may not achieve anything other than increasing your grocery bill."

Weight Loss Wardrobes

When it comes to ridiculous-looking toning shoes and clothing designed to help shed pounds faster, you might want to hold off. 

Reebok's already paid $25 million to consumers for allegedly over-marketing its line of toning shoes' weight loss power. And the one study that seems to support the claim that tight-fitting threads help burn more calories only involved about 15 participants.

"I think there are much simpler and less expensive ways the average person can bump up calorie burn and build strength," says Shape.com's Liz Neporent. "For instance, interval training and hill work. These workouts certainly have the science behind them."

Hormone Injections

People really will do anything to shed pounds, even if it means injecting themselves with hormones made from another woman's placenta.

The FDA ordered companies to stop selling hCG (a protein made in the placenta and passed through pregnant woman's' urine) after it was used in conjunction with low-calorie diet regimens. A 40-day kit sells for $120 but the hormone's only been approved for use in fertility treatments.

Per the MayoClinic: "HCG is not approved for over-the-counter use, nor has it been proved to work for weight loss. Companies that sell over-the-counter HCG weight-loss products are breaking the law."

Detox Diets

Here's a trend that makes just about every nutritionists' blood boil: the idea that people can purge their bodies of toxins by consuming different variations of liquid diets. 

From the cabbage soup plan to the infamous Beyonce "Master Cleanse", there's hardly any science to back them up, says Essential Nutrition for You's Rania Batayneh.

"What consumers need to know is that your body naturally detoxifies itself through our lungs, skin and kidneys," she said. "Sweat it out, breathe it out and eliminate. Eating a clean diet daily will give you the feeling you are looking forward to at the end of your depriving cleanse, so get started. Besides, cleanses are unnatural and typically based on eliminating food groups and or foods altogether."  

Artificial Sweeteners

Gluten-free Diets

Batayneh calls this one of the worst weight loss myths out there and another attempt to play on the low-carb fad sparked by the Atkin's diet. 

"A gluten-free diet does not necessarily mean a low-carb diet," she says. "A person who eats gluten-free can ingest plenty of carbohydrates from gluten-free breads, pastas, cereals, and baked goods as well as vegetables, fruits, beans, and legumes."

Gluten-free lifestyles have been proven to ease symptoms of Autism in children and, obviously, are vital to anyone with a gluten allergy. But "if you don’t have a medical reason for following a gluten-free diet, there’s probably no benefit,” says Tricia Thompson, R.D., founder of glutenfreedietitian.com.

Most Organic Produce

Whether or not there are added health benefits to eating organic produce, it's a common misconception that they somehow come packed with less calories than their pesticide-laden brethren. 

Even federal guidelines on what's certified organic aren't all that stringent and plenty of regular produce isn't "dirty" enough to warrant paying top dollar (as much as 150% more) for organic versions anyway. 

The Environmental Works Group has an excellent chart detailing the "dirty" and "clean" products we should worry about.

Snack Packs

Weight loss has much to do with portion control, but those helpful little 100-calorie pack snacks are nothing but a big budget suck.

"We have portion distortion in this nation and even though I like that (100-calorie packs) are pre-portioned, that can be a more expensive option," Batayneh says.

Instead, keep a measuring cup in your desk drawer to scoop out perfect portions of whatever you're munching on at work (almonds, trail mix, etc.) rather than paying more for packaging. 

Acai Berries

There are literally no clinical studies that support claims that antioxidants in Acai berries will make you live longer, help you fly, smooth your crow's feet or anything else.

"We've had waves of costly 'super juices' in the marketplace that were nothing more than fruit juice," says clinical nutritionist Stella Metsovas. "Testing chemical properties in a laboratory is completely different once the product is pasteurized. There is no possibility of processing a super-fruit to compete with the natural form (i.e.: a handful of berries)." 

The Acai berry's popularity in the U.S. spawned a new wave of consumer scams involving "free trial offers" for smoothies, juices and other products.

Diet Drinks

Not only will they destroy your teeth, but a recent study by the American Diabetes Association pretty much proved diet soda drinkers were packing on pounds, not shedding them.  

Zero-calorie sodas have also been linked to a slew of nasty diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

If you're looking to kick the habit, try weening yourself off slowly with fizzy substitutes like seltzer water or reducing your portion size bit by bit. 

SEE ALSO: 15 ways to lose weight without blowing your budget >

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America's best college towns have huge student populations, loads of cultural opportunities, and a relatively low cost of living.

Thanks in part to the economic recession, towns with 250,000 people or fewer beat out mid-size cities and major metro areas as the best places to go to school on the American Institute for Economic Research's latest index of college destinations.

According to the AIER, college towns are relatively recession-proof since they are home to a high proportion of students who consistently spend money. As a result, their economies tend to be more stable than those of larger cities.

These 10 are the best of the best.

This is part of our series on The Best Colleges In America.

#10 Columbia, Missouri

Population: 172,319

Student concentration: 212.1 (per 1,000 people)

2-bedroom apartment: $666/month

Earning Potential: $36,241

Colleges: University of Missouri, Columbia College, Stephens College

Source: The American Institute for Economic Research

#9 Morgantown, West Virginia

Population: 130,288

Student concentration: 205.7 (per 1,000 people)

2-bedroom apartment: $586/month

Earning Potential: $34,412

Colleges: West Virginia University

Source: The American Institute for Economic Research

#8 Lawrence, Kansas

Population: 111,130

Student concentration: 255.5 (per 1,000 people)

2-bedroom apartment: $536/month

Earning Potential: $31,250

Colleges: University of Kansas

Source: The American Institute for Economic Research

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David Wilkenfeld, the president of online retail company PromGirl.com, purchased a beautiful penthouse in Manhattan's TriBeCa for $16.5 million, according to the New York Post.

This penthouse is in the prestigious PH200 building on Chambers Street.

The 4,700-square-foot apartment has four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms.

The condo has three exposures: to the west there are views of the Hudson River, to the east there are views of lower Manhattan, and to the north there are views of midtown.

Welcome to the penthouse on Chambers Street.

The living room is huge.

The living room has custom dark oak flooring.

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Victoria Beckham is about to become a major name in fashion. 

Beckham is most recognized for her gig as The Spice Girls' Posh Spice 15 years ago. She also has a high-profile marriage to soccer star David Beckham. 

But Beckham is on her way to global sartorial success. Her clothing lines are selling out at high-end department stores like Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, reports Rachel Brown at Women's Wear Daily. Beckham sold about $12 million worth of clothing in 2011.  

The former pop star has built clientele by hosting private events in major cities. She doesn't do a lot of press, and limits the number of garments she releases, which can run $1,500 and up.

The main complaint with Beckham's clothing is that it runs out of stock quickly, a Neiman Marcus executive told WWD. 

Beckham, like Stella McCartney, focuses on providing slimming dresses to women in their 30's and 40's. Women at an event called her garments "lipo in a dress" and "almost magic." 

Even though she's popular with women in the U.S., Beckham's true fan base is forming overseas in the Middle East and Asia, according to WWD. 

Many women there haven't heard of her besides as a fashion designer. 

"You assume that everyone is going to think of that side of Victoria. That’s not the case. The Middle East is very much about as her as a designer. People never refer to her as Posh. The same is true in Hong Kong and China," a Neiman executive told WWD. 

Like the Olsen twins, Jessica Simpson and Stella McCartney, Beckham is using her celebrity to build a global fashion brand. 

SEE ALSO:  Why Tory Burch Is Accusing Her Ex-Husband Of Copying Her Style >

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This is the Moxie Showerhead from Kohler.

Why We Love It: Most shower speakers take up space in the bathroom. Instead of sacrificing room for your music, why not have a speaker in your showerhead? Kohler's Moxie design is waterproof, magnetic, and easily rechargeable. All you need to do is pop the speaker into the Moxie showerhead and it will stay until you're ready to recharge. You can also take the speaker with you anywhere else, from the kitchen to the beach.

The Moxie comes in chrome or white, and has a built-in lithium-ion battery. The speaker plays wirelessly from devices up to 32 feet away, and has a 7-hour battery life.

Where To Buy: Available through Kohler showrooms and home goods stores. Find one close to you on the Kohler website.

Cost: $199.

Want to nominate a cool product for Stuff We Love? Send an email to Megan Willett at mwillett@businessinsider.com with "Stuff We Love" in the subject line.

Don't Miss: iStick Multifunction Desktop Organizer

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In the Namib desert in southern Namibia lies a ghost town known as Kolmanskop.The town was once home to approximately 1,000 miners and their children, but today only tourists with the proper permits may enter the perimeter of the "Sperrgebiet" or "Prohibited Area."

The story goes that in 1908, a worker named Zacharias Lewala found a shiny stone and showed it to his supervisor, August Stauch. Stauch saw the rock, and realized the area was rich in diamonds. The news spread quickly, sparking the migration of German miners and fortune-seekers to the area.

The diamond field was called "Sperrgebiet" by the German government, and the miners began to settle down and build the town with their families. Homes and establishments were erected in the German-style, and Kolmanskop became prosperous due to the enormous wealth of those first miners.

The town had a hospital, ballroom, power station, school, swimming pool, casino, and even a bowling alley, and it was also the first in the South African region to own an x-ray machine.

But by the end of the first World War, the diamond field was near-exhaustion. And by 1954, Kolmanskop was completely abandoned. The remaining homes today are slowly filling with sand and only visited by tourist groups who come to see the ghost town.

Kolmanskop is located in lower Africa, in The Republic of Namibia.

An aerial view of Kolmanskop shows how secluded it is in the middle of the Namib desert.

A lone sign welcomes visitors as it warns against diamond theft — a problem the barren desert region no longer faces.

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Do you have someone on your holiday list who lives in graphic tees and beanie hats? Someone who is technically a millennial, but thinks it's super uncool to use that word?

Do they wear skinny jeans, like folk music ironically, and have a picture of a sunset as their Facebook profile pic?

You might have a hipster on your list. And we're here to help.

Hipsters hate everything, but we think we have a pretty good handle on what they'd want.

Take retro photos with the Diana F+ & Flash Metropolis Lomography Camera.

We've written about how hipsters love Lomography analogue cameras before, but they will especially love this Diana F+ Metropolis camera.

Not only is it a film camera (hipsters love retro stuff), but it also has a quirky travel theme and comes with a Lomography art book. Hipsters love art, too.

Price:$99.

Spin some old school tunes with the Sony USB Stereo Turntable.

Remember how hipsters love analogue? Well, who needs iTunes when you could experience the nostalgia of vinyl?

But for all those who want to appear cool but don't want to abandon their iTunes, there's even a USB output for importing records onto a computer in MP3 format.

Price:$129.99

All hipsters need graphic tees.

There's something about the big moist eyes, scrunched face, and barrel body of a pug that hipsters can't resist.

Thankfully, Urban Outfitters has more than enough pug paraphernalia to go around like these "Pugs Not Drugs" and "Pug Life" tees.

Price:$24

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We are right in the middle of the holiday travel season, so we’ve got some advice for you when it comes to picking your airline seats. It’s not just for travel over the next few weeks, but a trick for all year long.

We imagine that it’ll only get worse as airlines continue to hold back—and charge for—premium seats like aisles, windows, exit rows, and pretty much everything else.

So you booked your ticket and all went well, but when it’s time to select a seat you only have the option of picking a middle seat. Here’s the tip—don’t pick a middle seat—and leave your seat selection unassigned.

First of all, there’s always the possibility that better seats will pop up closer to departure. You never know who will cancel or who will change their plans, so keep an eye out for better up in the air opportunities.

We're thinking that you should check-in without an assigned seat, and if you can’t check-in without doing so maybe just wait until you arrive at the airport. Sure we see how this could make you nervous, as you’re kind of heading to the airport without a seat. Your ticket has been confirmed and you do have a seat—like 99% of the time—you just don’t know where it will be yet. What’s going to happen here is that your carrier is going to pick one for you right at the gate, and yes there’s a chance they’re just going to give that middle seat that you could have selected months ago.

However, what you want to happen is that the gate agent has plenty of open seats that usually are blocked off for an extra fee, for frequent flyers, or for folks that have a hard time getting around. When the agent sees that you need a seat and that there are plenty of other seats available, there’s a chance they’ll stick you in a better option. If you had selected a middle seat on your own prior to arriving at the airport you’re probably just going to be stuck in that seat. Sure you can ask—and do it nicely—if there’s any other options, but we like to gamble a little bit at the gate.

We’ve had friends and colleagues play middle seat roulette, and most of the time they make out better by not selecting a middle seat in advance. Exit rows, premium seats, and extra legroom options can all be yours if you’re willing to wait on picking out your spot. You don’t have to take our word for it either, as just the other day we kind of saw things in action over Twitter.

Qatar Airways was chatting someone up about his upcoming flight, and mentioned that an upgrade is always possible—especially if the economy class cabin is full. Sure this is a more extreme example, but if one set of seats is full then another set of seats just might be in your future.

SEE ALSO: The World's Best Airlines Offer Some Crazy Amenities

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I took a look at closed rental activity for the first part of November, two days after Sandy left us to observe it’s impact of rental activity in Lower Manhattan. For these purposes, I defined this area as the 4 zip codes of 10280, 10004, 10005, 10006 when trying to show a before and after metric. I could have gone later in the month (ie today) but I wanted to have a good week of data to fall in after the expiration of the period analyzed so the year-over-year was more comparable.

There were 199 closed rentals in this period in 2011 compared to 60 closed rentals in 2012, a 69.8% drop in rental activity. However, the decline is due to buildings being off line and there being initial access issues, not lack of demand. With 40 something commercial and rental buildings off line in a more broadly defined Lower Manhattan, inventory remains tight and it is hard to see much in the way of a reprieve in rental price levels as a result of the storm.

The mapping software I have isn’t able to reflect multiple apartment rentals in a building. Still, you can see fewer locations represented in 2012.

SEE ALSO: The Best All-Inclusive Hotels On The Planet

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When you first enter Kathleen Perkins' Brooklyn home, it's hard not to feel like you've stepped into an Anthropologie catalog.

But the pieces inside Perkins' home actually come from foreign countries such as India, the Philippines and Turkey. The lights above the kitchen island are from a boat, and retail at nearly $15,000 from Urban Archeology. And the scarf hanging above her bed is from India. 

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The home, in Fort Greene, is a converted carriage house with so much character that it's easy to see why a celebrity like Kevin Spacey wanted to rent the space last winter.

The actor rented the upstairs for about four months when he was in New York working with the Brooklyn Academy of Music. His assistant lived in the bottom portion of the house.

"The house just really flowed," Perkins said. "It turned out better than I thought."

But when Perkins moved in eight years ago, the home needed a complete renovation. It took her six months and $250,000 to fix structural issues and redo the interior.

Perkins is now a self-employed interior decorator and project manager. She's flipped six homes at this point, mostly in the Brooklyn area.

Perkins often renovates multiple homes at once, so when Spacey moved in last winter, she stayed in one of her other properties. She describes herself as a gypsy of sorts, moving into a home, designing it, selling it, and moving on.

She got her start at Waterworks, a New York-based design company, where she specialized in kitchens and baths. For her very first job, she was commissioned to design the tiles for the kitchen and bathroom of Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley's Mendocino home. The duo split before the tiles were ever installed.

Perkins has also done design work for Harrison Ford and Whoopi Goldberg.

Perkins' own home is filled with items from friends or her travels. Old tattered books, Buddha statues, and ceramic bowls can be found throughout.

She rents out the first level, and lives on the second and third floors. The house has two patios, one for grilling and another that she uses for outdoor summer parties.

Welcome to Ft. Greene, Brooklyn. Perkins' home was a carriage house that previously serviced the mansion behind it.

Perkins studied Feng Shui, and believes that since horses once lived in the carriage house, the home had great energy before she even moved in.

The appliances in the kitchen are all stainless steel, and there enough gadgets and trinkets around to make the room feel homey.

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A French court overturned the conviction of Continental Airlines and its mechanic in the crash of a Concorde that helped lead to the demise of the whole supersonic jet's program.

Here are key moments in its history:

1950s: The idea of a supersonic passenger plane gains momentum after legendary U.S. aviator Chuck Yeager's 1947 blast through the sound barrier.

1969: The plane, manufactured jointly by France and Britain, lifts off from Toulouse, France, for its first test flight.

1976: The Concorde begins commercial service at Air France and British Airways. It mainly flies from London and Paris to New York and Washington, DC. It is hailed as a technological marvel, but its economics are shaky and it never makes back the billions of tax dollars invested in it. Protests emerge about its noise and lack of fuel efficiency during an oil crisis.

1984: Britain and France stop underwriting the Concorde's costs, and the two airlines take responsibility.

2000: An Air France Concorde crashes after takeoff from Paris on July 25, 2000, killing 113 people and forcing both airlines to ground their supersonic jets for over a year.

2001: Overhauled Concordes return to service two months after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, in the middle of one of aviation's worst slumps.

2003: Air France and British Airways both retire their Concordes, citing financial losses on the planes' routes.

2010: A French court convicts Continental Airlines and one of its mechanics, John Taylor, of manslaughter in the 2000 Concorde crash. The court says Continental was to blame because one of its planes dropped metal debris onto the runway before the Concorde took off, rupturing one of its tires and sending rubber into the fuel tanks, sparking a fire.

2012: A French appeals court overturns the convictions, ruling that the mechanic's mistakes did not rise to the level of legal responsibility for the deaths.

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When they weren’t frantically throwing together ingredients during Quick Fire challenges, stressing over dishes during Elimination Challenges or sweating it out in the stew room prior to Judges' Table, the contestants of “Top Chef” Season 10 did their best to relax in the penthouse of Olive 8, a condo tower in downtown Seattle.

Finding the right place for 18 contestants, as well as judges and the host to stay in secrecy in Seattle was no easy task, but Olive 8's location as well as its secure penthouse made for the best option.

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“Olive 8 provided an ideal center-city location, resort-like amenities and wraparound views of the downtown skyline,” said Dean Jones, principal of Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty, the listing brokerage for the development. “We were thrilled to offer the 38th floor for staff and cheftestants to stay while in residence in Seattle.”

Although producers did their best to keep everything under wraps, stars were spotted — including a few dining in the restaurant of the Hyatt on Olive 8's ground floor — leading some to presume that the contestants were staying in the condos above.

Host Padma Lakshmi, in particular, said it was hard to keep a low profile in the Emerald City.

“I was in this very awkward and undiplomatic position of not being able to talk about why I was there,” she told The Seattle Times.

Located just north of downtown’s Pacific Place shopping center, Olive 8 is the tallest residence tower in Seattle, featuring 229 condo units. The homes range in price from 1-bedroom open floor plans at $460,000 to million-plus 3-bedroom penthouses, all with views of downtown. Additional amenities of the building include hardwood floors, 10-foot-plus ceilings and balconies in each condo, as well as access to 24-hour concierge service, spa services, a dog run and gym.

And of course, fitting with “Top Chef,” the “kitchens are fit for a chef, said Jones, but he continued: “I suspect most ordered room service from the hotel after a long day competing.”

This is the Olive 8 high rise located in downtown Seattle.

It has 39 floors, with the penthouses where the 'Top Chef' staff stayed located at the very top.

Source: Olive 8

The wrap-around balcony provided stunning views of Seattle to the contestants.

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