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Architects plan on reconstructing one of the lost wonders of the ancient world... but bigger

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More than two thousand years after the original Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was destroyed in an earthquake, a group of architects wants to build a 21st-century version of it.

The project calls for a 492-foot statue in Rhodes, Greece, that straddles the harbor and houses a library, cultural center, and lighthouse. 

A video animation of the design looks like something straight out of "Game of Thrones."

Story by Tony Manfred and editing by Stephen Parkhurst

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SEE ALSO: A law professor tricked his students into lying, which shows why you should never talk to police

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Here's how the 1% celebrated the holidays on the Caribbean's ritziest island

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st. barts

St. Barts — also known as Saint-Barthélemy or St. Barths — has long been a favorite vacation spot of the rich and famous.

The French Caribbean island and its beautiful beaches get especially busy during the holidays, when celebrities, fashion icons, and socialites head out to glamorous parties at beachfront clubs and on yachts. 

Leonardo DiCaprio, George Lucas, Paul McCartney, Karlie Kloss, Diane von Furstenberg, David Geffen, and Justin Bieber are just a handful of the celebrities who were spotted around the island during the New Year's celebrations. 

Let's see what they were up to.

SEE ALSO: 15 photos that show why the rich and famous love to travel to St. Barts

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Legendary fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg looked content while celebrating her birthday on a yacht New Year's Eve.

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Model Karlie Kloss (center) and Jennifer Meyer (left), a jewelry designer and wife of Tobey Maguire, joined in on the festivities.

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The yacht life really doesn't look too bad.

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This man is selling a calendar with photos of his back hair for charity

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Idaho resident Mike Wolfe had always been embarrassed by his back hair, but at age 35 he decided to turn it into profitable works of art.

Wolfe recruited his friend and artist Tyler Harding to shave an American flag into his back. From there, the duo decided to create and sell a 12-month calendar appropriately dubbed "Calendhair." Each month has its own backscape and a corresponding seasonal pun.

Harding told INSIDER that the "'scaping" process for December's "Away in the MangHAIR" photo took about one and a half hours. It also takes Wolfe a few months to grow enough back hair for Harding to work with.

The "Calendhair" costs $20 and 10% of the proceeds go to Gates of Hope, a charity that helps Kenyan youth and resettled refugees in Idaho. 

Story and editing by Alana Yzola

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This hot, spit-roasted cake is best thing to eat at Berlin's winter market

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Every winter, Christmas markets pop up all over Berlin. Besides handmade gifts, they feature incredible food — most notably, insane desserts.

The best dessert is undoubtedly the "Baumkuchen," or "tree cake," named for its resemblance to a tree trunk. The cake's batter is heated on a large, rotating spit, and then removed and cut into small pieces. It's then topped off with chocolate, cherries, and powdered sugar. 

It's unbelievably tasty.

Story and editing by Jeremy Dreyfuss

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SEE ALSO: The best fondue in Colorado is at the top of a mountain

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14 ways I trick myself into going to the gym

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sneakers exercise gym workout

My gym membership costs $90 a month.

I know.

Really — I know.

Yes, I have tried to negotiate, and yes, I've looked into other gyms, but after joining my Manhattan chain on a corporate discount that was about $20 less than I currently pay, I couldn't bear to leave the gym when I went back to civilian status after changing jobs. I love the teachers! I know the schedule! The locations are so convenient!

That's how they get you.

Anyway, the price of my gym is what it is, and I paid for a year in advance just to get that rate. So I better make it worth my money. Every night that I "don't feel like going" means I'm wasting cash, and as someone who would be naturally well suited to those hover chairs from Wall-E, there are lots of nights I need to turn "don't feel like" into "can't wait."

How do I force myself to go? Below, I'm confessing the motivation tricks that get me off the couch and onto the spin bike. I can't guarantee they'll work for you — I can't even guarantee they'll continue to work for me — but this is what works right now.

SEE ALSO: 13 ways to pay less for your gym membership

I leave my gym bag at the office.

This is decidedly trickier if you're the type to work out before and after work, but I haven't yet reached that level of lunacy. As someone who exclusively exercises at night, I bring my gym bag home, empty it, refill it, and bring it to work the next day, whether I'm planning to go to the gym or not. On the weekend, I just bring it home and then back on Monday morning. This way, I'm never caught without sneakers … and I get an arm workout during my commute.



I ask my gym buddies if they're going ... every day.

Because you can't ask and then go, "Oh, just wondering. I will not be joining you. I have some important Netflix to watch."



I go to classes.

If someone isn't standing in front of me, barking out reps and making sure I do them, it's not going to get done. That's something I know about myself. As much as I admire those sneakered, self-motivated New Yorkers bounding through Manhattan at a brisk jog all hours of the day and night, I'm just never going to be one.



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This is the single best diet for your overall health

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ihealth wireless blood pressure monitor

The way we think about diets is undergoing an important shift.

The word "diet" is no longer synonymous with deprivation and rapid weight-loss. Rather, the best diets of today focus on balancing healthy eating and exercise as means toward a lean, strong body — for life.

Helping Americans move forward with this new, healthier concept to dieting are the editors and writers at US News & World Report.

On Tuesday, the company released their annual ranking of the best diets of 2016, and for the sixth time in a row, they named the DASH diet as their number one choice.

DASH stands for "Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension," or high blood pressure. While the diet focuses on a meal plan that helps lower or prevent high blood pressure, it is a diet for everyone.

In fact, in 2010, the USDA ranked it as one of the most ideal eating plans for Americans.

"The DASH diet is really a safe plan for everyone," Angela Haupt, who is the senior health and wellness editor at US News & World Report, told Business Insider. "There's nothing exciting about it and that's what makes it a good plan. It's not some fad diet making outlandish claims that you can't rely on."

And for people with hypertension, the DASH diet may, over time, help drop systolic blood pressure by as many as seven to 12 points.

How to DASH your diet

NoMad fishThe main way DASH helps to control, or prevent, hypertension is by limiting sodium intake.

Since many frozen and pre-packaged foods contain high doses of salt, DASH dieters stick to fresh produce and lean proteins, like fish and poultry.

It also includes a lot of whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and legumes.

The typical day on a 2,000 calorie DASH diet looks like this:

  • No more than 2,300 milligrams of salt, eventually working down to no more than 1,500 mg
  • 6-8 servings of grains
  • 4-5 servings each of veggies and fruits
  • 2-3 servings of fat-free or low-fat dairy (plain dairy is much lower in sugar than flavored)
  • 6 or fewer servings (equal to about one ounce) of lean meat, poultry and fish
  • 4-5 (*per week) of servings of nuts, seeds, and legumes
  • 2-3 servings of fats and oils
  • No more than 1-2 alcoholic drinks (a serving is equal to 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1 1/2 ounces of liquor)
  • 5 or fewer (*per week) of sweets

"Definitely not steaks, hamburgers, or pulled pork," Haupt warned us. "It's very sensible and emphasizes eating exactly the same foods you've always been told to eat."

Moreover, with all the fiber-packed fruits and veggies in the DASH diet, Haupt said you won't go hungry on this diet.

Getting the facts straight

Haupt first launched the company's diet ranking six years ago and has been leading the annual report ever since.

"There's just so much misinformation out there so we really saw ... this place where we could make a real impact by providing really in-depth, thorough, accurate information," Haupt said.

For each annual report Haupt, along with other editors and reporters at US News & World Report, comb through the medical literature for the healthiest, most-effective diets, and then consult with dietitians, nutritionists, food psychologists, and other experts for which diet ranks the highest.

Benefits and downsides

Woman JoggingPart of the reason experts file the DASH diet at the top of their lists each year is because it comes with a handful of added benefits beyond blood pressure, particularly, weight-loss.

But generally if you want to shed some excess pounds, you'll likely need to incorporate exercise into your regular routine.

In one 2010 study, researchers assigned 144 overweight adults to one of three diets: the DASH diet, the DASH diet plus exercise, and a control diet where the participant maintained his or her typical eating habits. At the end of four months, those on the DASH plus exercise diet lost on average 19 pounds. The other two groups lost little-to-no weight.

Despite its many benefits — healthy eating, controlling hypertension, and weight-loss to name a few — DASH can be difficult to adopt at first, which is why the US News & World Report says it's OK to ease into the diet.

"It does take will power to stick to that [diet] and cut out things you like," Haupt told us. "Red meat, sugar, salt, these are big parts of most people's diets, and if you've been accustomed to eat those things for so long then making the changes and sticking to them will definitely take will power."

Another potential downside to the diet is the time it takes to prepare fresh food for meals.

"Maybe if you're really crunched for time and you're not into cooking, at all, then maybe this diet isn't the right diet for you," Haupt said.

She added that a couple of the other top 10 diets in this year's report, like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig, either have pre-made foods you can pick up at the store or have delivered to your door step, which might accommodate people who want a diet-on-the-go.

"We want people to think about what is the best diet for me," Haupt said.

While the DASH diet is considered to be the best by the US News & World Report, there are plenty others for people looking to specifically eat healthier, lose weight, or lower cholesterol or blood pressure. You can check them all out here on US News & World Report.

RELATED: Dietitians, nutritionists, and food psychologists got together and ranked the best diets of 2016 — here's their top 10

SEE ALSO: These are the best diets to lose weight, get in shape, and eat healthier

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NOW WATCH: A Victoria’s Secret model perfectly shut down a reporter for asking about her diet

Under Armour is using IBM Watson to put a really smart personal trainer in your pocket (IBM)

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runner at sunrise

IBM and Under Armour have created an app that has the potential to revolutionize the health and fitness industry.

They demoed it during IBM CEO Ginni Rometty's keynote speech at CES on Wednesday, when Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank joined her on stage.

UA has put IBM's supersmart computer, Watson, inside its new fitness/health tracking app "Record."

Record is an app that tracks and analyzes your workouts, sleep data and nutrition taking info from fitness trackers, smart watches, third-party apps, from data you enter into it, or that you enter into UA's other popular fitness apps like MyFitnessPal or UA's MapMyFitness apps.

Watson will look at all that data and serve up personal nutrition and training advice. It will base its coaching on the results of other people who have similar health/fitness profiles, as well as data pulled from things like nutritional databases, physiological and behavioral data. 

In a press release, IBM explains it like this:

A 32-year-old woman who is training for a 5K race could use the app to create a personalized training and meal plan based on her size, goals, lifestyle. The app could map routes near her home/office, taking into account the weather and time of day. It can watch what she eats and offer suggestions on how to improve her diet to improve performance. 

Between trackers, apps, and information data generated by health/sports researchers, there's a massive amount of fitness data in the world. UA, with Watson, wants to take all that data and turn it into insights for each individual person.

That's an amazing goal and if the app works as advertised, it's one that could change how you think about your sport, your body and your fitness tech forever.

SEE ALSO: Under Armour and HTC make a bold move into fitness tech with HealthBox

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NOW WATCH: Silicon Valley’s most creative designer reveals the next wave of innovation — and we can’t wait

A science-backed 21-day program to be happier, healthier, and more successful in 2016

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BIBetter

So you want to be happier, healthier, and more successful in 2016?

Faced with unlimited advice and little time to spare, it's hard to know where to start.

#BIBetter is a 21-day self-improvement program designed for the busy professional, featuring a few habits that will make a big difference and a bunch of tasks that most of us have been putting off for too long.

We recommend participating with at least one other person, so you have more fun and keep each other in check. You can start on any Monday and should complete actions on their specified day when possible.

The following slides go through the days and the science behind them in detail. You can also reference our infographic calendar.

SEE ALSO: 33 business books every professional should read before turning 30

MONDAY, DAY 1: Floss your teeth. Do it every day for the rest of your life.

Believe it or not, as many as 50% of Americans say they don't floss every day. If you are one of those people, then make today the day you start doing it consistently.

How can you get in the habit?

Stanford psychologist B.J. Fogg is one of the foremost researchers on habit formation. The takeaway from all his work: Floss one tooth.

As in, if you're trying to form a habit, it can be helpful to start as small as possible, with a minimum viable habit. The point, Fogg emphasizes, is to insert the structure of the activity in your day, rather than doing it perfectly every time. This way of thinking works for all habits, and it works for flossing, too — and if you floss the whole mouth, then you're doing even better.

Indeed, this core dental hygiene technique will clean your teeth and gums of plaque, protecting your teeth as you age and saving you on dental bills. Some studies have even found that flossing is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, and dementia.



TUESDAY, DAY 2: Break a sweat. Do it every day for the rest of your life.

For a wide range of ailments, exercise is an almost magical cure, which "can improve memory and concentration, lessen sleep disorders, aid heart disease by lowering cholesterol and reducing blood pressure, help sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction, and raise low libido," notes Slate.

Just a little bit of exercise has huge benefits. Research shows that running just five to 10 minutes a day can add years to your life, and if you establish that minimum habit now of doing at least that, you can build on it. A seven-minute workout using interval training can make a huge difference.

Longer workouts are obviously great, too.

Think you're too busy to work out? Tell that to GE CEO Jeff Immelt, who gets up at 5:30 every morning for a cardio workout; or Xerox CEO Ursula Burns who has an hour of personal training at 6 a.m. twice a week; or Twitter and Square CEO Jack Dorsey, who gets up similarly early to take six-mile jogs; or Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, who likes to ride his bike every morning.



WEDNESDAY, DAY 3: Write in a journal. Do it every day for the rest of this program.

Psychologists have been studying "expressive writing," or journaling about difficult moments in your life, for a few decades. They've found that a few minutes journaling improves everything from mood to immune system to sporting performance.

It works for work, too: A Harvard Business School study found that people who wrote about their jobs improved their performance by 23%.

"When people have the opportunity to reflect, they experience a boost in self-efficacy," says HBS professor Francesca Gino. "They feel more confident that they can achieve things. As a result, they put more effort into what they're doing and what they learn."

So as a part of this life-improvement adventure, we're asking you to reflect on your day, plus on whatever journeys we send you on. You should also take the opportunity to look at the tasks that lie ahead and start making plans for the ones that require preparation.

If you find journaling to be useful, then we encourage you to keep it up for the rest of your life.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

This rigorous climb up a Colorado mountain leads to the most beautiful skiing

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When expert skiers or snowboarders are looking for a challenge, one place they look is the Highland Bowl in Aspen, Colorado.

With its peak located 12,392 feet above sea level and 48-degree vertical climb required to get there, "The Bowl," as locals call it, is the perfect way to push skilled skiers.

On a recent trip to Highlands Mountain, we tried the hike for ourselves.

Story by Aly Weisman and editing by Stephen Parkhurst

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SEE ALSO: The best fondue in Colorado is at the top of a mountain

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This is the best thing you can do for your wardrobe this year

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wardrobe

Like anything valuable, a wardrobe requires maintenance. It needs to be preserved, trimmed, and kept in proper order so that it can be used in its full capacity. 

The new year is the perfect time to do this.

Take stock of your wardrobe and fill any holes you may have. Go through your closet and see what items you already own so that you can remind yourself you have them — and so that you don't buy them again this year.

Also take note of  the essentials you still need to pick up. Make sure you have at least these 18 essential items, and make mental notes for any pieces you'd like to acquire in the coming year.

As you're going through your closet, prune things you don't wear anymore. If you haven't worn it in a year, chances are that won't change anytime soon.

Paring down your closet serves two functions: you'll be able to better envision the outfits you can make with your remaining clothing items, and you'll have more room for the pieces you actually enjoy wearing.

And while you're at it, take stock of what you actually like wearing — and what you don't. We all do it. Whether it's a vest that's become synonymous with your job or a piece that has suddenly become trendy, we all sometimes wear items of clothing we don't really like that much.

Resolve to do less of that this year, and you'll learn to develop your own personal style away from the crowded trends.

SEE ALSO: 8 New Year's style resolutions every guy should make

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This is the most affordable time of year to visit the 39 most popular cities in the US

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Vail, Colorado

In the world of travel, peak season means ideal weather but higher prices that most people don't want to pay.

A recent study by travel deals site Hipmunk identified the ideal time to visit the most popular travel destinations across the US, analyzing the average cost of airfare, the price of a three-night hotel stay, and weather temperatures.

In order to determine the most popular travel destinations, Hipmunk took a look at hotel and flight data from the past year, noting where customers had traveled to the most.

Keep scrolling to see the best time to book your upcoming vacations.

 

SEE ALSO: This is the most affordable time to visit 24 of the world's most expensive destinations

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ANCHORAGE, ALASKA: August and September

Average price of a flight and three-night hotel stay in August: $831

Average price of a flight and three-night hotel stay in September: $825

 



ASPEN, COLORADO: March

Average price of a flight and three-night hotel stay: $1518



ATLANTA, GEORGIA: September and October

Average price of a flight and three-night hotel stay in September: $674

Average price of a flight and three-night hotel stay in October: $672



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These will be the 10 hottest New York City neighborhoods in 2016

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queensboro bridge

Queens appears to be the hot spot for New York City residents this year.

That's according to online real estate and rental marketplace StreetEasy, which recently came out with their 2016 list of "New York City's Hottest Neighborhoods."

"Five of the top ten hottest neighborhoods are in Queens, with Jamaica topping the list," reports StreetEasy data scientist Alan Lightfeldt. "Strong competition in Manhattan and the Prospect Park submarket of Brooklyn may push more buyers to Queens, but there is a pull factor as well. Relatively lower prices, easy access to large job centers in Midtown Manhattan and Long Island City, and more living space for families will pull more New York buyers and renters towards Queens in 2016."

The rankings come from StreetEasy's Hot Market Index, which ranks all of New York City's neighborhoods against each other using four key metrics: changes in median asking rent, median asking sales price, population count, and StreetEasy page views per listing.

Read the full methodology.

In addition to highlighting the 10 "hottest neighborhoods," we've included the three-year population change and the 2015 sales and rental prices, from StreetEasy:

SEE ALSO: Where residents of 17 New York City neighborhoods could move abroad and live for the same price

10. Kew Gardens Hills, Queens

Three-year population change: +9.9%

2015 sales price: $200,000

2015 rental price: $1,950



9. Bedford Park, The Bronx

Three-year population change: +12.2%

2015 sales price: $148,918

2015 rental price: $1,398



8. Elmhurst, Queens

Three-year population change: +10.7%

2015 sales price: $350,000

2015 rental price: $2,050



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Every year, thousands of reindeer travel across Norway — and it's majestic

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Every year, thousands of reindeer migrate from Norway to Finland.

This year, a whopping 3,500 of them are making the trip, accompanied by dozens of Sami herders — indigenous Scandinavians traditionally linked to reindeer herding

The journey begins in the Sami capital of Karasjok in northern Norway. The reindeer spend two months crossing icy plains, where temperatures can easily reach -15 degrees Fahrenheit.

Herder Jan Helmer Olsen took this footage with his drone, and said "My footage felt very special as nobody ever manages to see how the herd moves as one body from the air. It's [like] watching a huge flock of birds in flight."

Story and editing by Ben Nigh

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SEE ALSO: A 6-foot flower just bloomed for the first time in 10 years

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25 housing markets where home buyers will find a true bargain

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Dayton OH

The term "bargain" is used generously in real estate. But when it comes to buying a house, how do you know if you're truly getting a deal?

Online real-estate-listing site Truliadecided to find out if homes listed on its site and claiming to be a "bargain" — or something similar — are really discounted (or listed for less than the median listing price). Its analysts considered homes in the 100 largest housing markets across the US. 

Trulia discovered that only 55 of the country's largest housing markets actually offer homes at a discounted price, and 10% to 20% of them are located in the Bargain Belt, the name given to the highly affordable markets in the South and Midwest; they often have discounts of more than 10% off the median listing price.

In contrast, the Costly Coasts, or expensive metro areas in the West and Northeast, have the smallest discounts on homes, often ranging from 2% to 4%.

Two housing markets in Ohio — Toledo and Dayton — came out on top as the most discounted housing markets in the country. Scroll through to check out the rest.

SEE ALSO: Here's what a one-bedroom apartment looks like in America's most expensive rental markets

SEE ALSO: Inside New York City's first micro apartment

25. Fort Worth, Texas

Median listing price: $189,000

Average discount: 7.8%



24. Silver Spring, Maryland

Median listing price: $475,000

Average discount: 8%



23. Rochester, New York

Median listing price: $137,000

Average discount: 8.2%



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These are the foods that you should — and should not — refrigerate


Are you a medical marijuana user in Los Angeles? We want to hear from you

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san francisco baked sale edible medical marijuana

Do you live in the Los Angeles area? Are you a medical marijuana card carrier and user? Do you have a story about how marijuana has helped you? And would you like to learn how to properly cook with cannabis? 

If you said yes to these questions and are comfortable on camera, we'd love to hear your story for possible inclusion in an upcoming series. Email srega@businessinsider.com with your name and a brief description of how medical marijuana has helped in your life and why you want to learn how to cook with cannabis. 

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The FDA just released new warnings about painkillers like ibuprofen — here's what you need to know

12 up-and-coming New York City restaurants you need to try right now

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mr taka

What's the point of going out to eat if you're not going to hit up a hotspot?

Luckily, Foursquare, the city guide app for discovering new places, has taken all of the guesswork out of choosing the most in-demand new restaurants in town.

They recently launched a feature called "Trending This Week," which ranks the food and drink establishments that are generating the most attention on its two apps each week. Using implicit visits from Foursquare users' activity along with the check-ins that came from its sister app, Swarm, "Trending This Week" is a weekly roundup of new places that are sure to be buzzing. The list is updated each Tuesday morning. 

Don't let January get you down: try something new in New York City by checking out this week's top 12 trending restaurants.

SEE ALSO: The best New York City restaurant for every type of cuisine

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12. Baita by Birreria

200 5th Avenue

Eataly can do no wrong. Witness: Baita by Birreria, the new Italian Alps-inspired rooftop pop-up restaurant. Open only until March, the space has been transformed into a cozy winter-wonderland-style dining experience, complete with retractable roof and revamped menu.

Tuck into some hearty melted raclette or pork and veal sausages and pretend you're in Piedmont while the winter lasts.



11. Bierocracy

12-23 Jackson Avenue

Bierocracy is a new upscale European-style beer hall located in Long Island City, serving a large collection of beer varieties on tap and by the bottle.

This place adds finesse to the standard beer hall food selection. Instead of the usual pretzels and brats, you'll find a brunch and dinner menu that's filled with unexpected offerings like baby kale salad and duck confit.



10. Combina

330 West Broadway

For those moments when you find yourself craving creative tapas in SoHo, Combina will come in handy. A Spanish-Israeli small plates spot from restaurateur Einat Admony (of Balaboosta, Bar Bolonat, and Taïm acclaim), open-kitchen Combina serves up dishes like persimmon carpaccio, a merguez burger, and fried eggplant in a window-filled corner space.



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There's a new cologne 'inspired by' Vladimir Putin, and reviewers are saying it smells like 'cheap perfume'

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leaders

Who wouldn't want to smell like Vladimir Putin?

A new fragrance for sale in a luxury Moscow department store is "inspired by" the Russian president, according to a report by Reuters. Called "Leaders Number One," the cologne was formulated by perfumer Vladislav Rekunov, who said Putin's strength inspired him to make the fragrance.

It smells like lemon, black currant, and fir cones and comes in a "sleek glass bottle," according to the report.

It costs 6,500 rubles ($95) for a 3.3-ounce bottle — quite expensive when designer perfumes and colognes in America can be had for far cheaper.

The bottle also has a picture of Putin's bust in profile, similar in shape to the bust of a US President on American currency.

Putin, as far as we know, is the only world leader to inspire a fragrance, though he joins legions of celebrities like David Beckham, Kim Kardashian, and Prince who also have their own scents.

Rekunov says the scent is "attractive, matter-of-fact, and natural," adding that thinks the smell is "uniting." Reviewers interviewed by Reuters disagree, however, comparing the fragrance to "cheap perfume."

SEE ALSO: Vladimir Putin pumps iron in a $3,200 track suit for his latest bizarre photo shoot

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NOW WATCH: Russians can now buy a perfume to smell like Vladimir Putin

This apartment building has a 1,000-foot ski slope on it

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An apartment building with a 1,000-foot ski slope could be coming to Astana, Kazakhstan. A design for the building from Shokhan Mataibekov Architects was named a finalist at the World Architecture Festival.

This video shows what the outside-the-box building would look like if it ever became reality.

Story by Tony Manfred and editing by Chelsea Pineda

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SEE ALSO: Architects plan on reconstructing one of the lost wonders of the ancient world... but bigger

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2 grooming resolutions every guy needs to make this year

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haircut

This year is the year where "good enough" isn't cutting it anymore.

In 2016, you're going to figure out how to ask for the haircut you really want, and learn how to style it properly.

Every guy knows how to get a haircut. Not every guy knows how to get the haircut they really want. There's a specific jargon that you can use when talking to your barber that will make it easier for him to know exactly how you would like your hair to be cut.

Barbers are experts in their craft, but they aren't mind readers. You can't just expect them to fill in the gaps. Don't just say, "short on the sides, long on the top." That's not enough for them to go on.

Here's some terminology to use to get the haircut you want:

  • When specifying how long you want your hair to be, inches are the best figure (1 inch, 1 1/2 inches, etc.).

  • It can also be helpful to know the specific number of the clippers you want your barber to use. If you don't know what setting of clippers you prefer, ask your barber to start with a longer setting and progressively get shorter until you find a style you like.

  • Men with longer hair especially need to be clear about how much hair they want cut off. Most will tell the barber just to keep the hair off their collar. This gives a neat, professional look.

  • Men with longer hair might also ask for a layered cut, which gives more movement and dimension to longer hairstyles.

  • If you don't want your sides to be all the same length, ask for a tapered cut, which means your hair gets gradually longer toward the top of your head.

  • Make sure to specify how sharp you want your hair's transition from long to short to be. For no transition, ask for a shaved part (long on top, buzzed on the sides). For a more conservative style, ask for a natural or blended transition.

  • For more manageable hair, ask the barber to add some texture to the top. Texturing will thin out the bulk of your hair and is great for anyone with thicker hair.

  • You can either ask for a tapered (natural) neckline or a squared (block)neckline in the back. A tapered neckline will follow your natural hairline, while a block hairline cuts straight across. Most men opt for the tapered neckline, which usually looks more natural.

  • Tell your barber how long you want your fringe (bangs) to be in the front, and if you sweep it to the side or style it in any way.

The goal is to be specific enough that your barber will know exactly what you're imagining.

And once you get your perfect haircut, learn how to use hair product to keep the style.

You've probably heard a lot about hair product, but you're still not sure what it is or what it does. This year, you're going to figure out how to use the best hair product to complement your new haircut and your hair type.

There are really only three products men need to worry about: wax, pomade, and styling cream.

  • Wax is best for guys with straight or wavy hair. It makes hair look effortlessly styled with a medium hold and the lowest shine of all hair products.
  • Pomadescombine a lot of hold with a lot of shine and are the best product to use for a slicked-back pompadour look or "Mad Men"-style side part. Again, pomades work best for men with straight or wavy hair, especially if it's on the long side.
  • Instead of a waxy solid like our first two products, styling cream is more of a thick liquid and is suitable for all types of hair — even curly. It offers a light shine with no hold at all, and it takes care of the frizz and unruliness in your hair. In short, styling cream will leave your hair manageable without drying it out.

pomade

Have a burning men's style or grooming question? Ask me, and I may answer you in a future post. Email me at dgreen@businessinsider.com with the subject line "Men's style question."

SEE ALSO: 8 New Year's style resolutions every guy should make

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