Several buildings have fallen into an enormous sinkhole in Guangzhou, China, destroying at least five shops and taking out power for 3,000 residential units nearby, Shanghaiist reports.

The sink hole was 300 square meters wide (3229.2 square feet), and appears to be growing. Thankfully there does not appear to be any injuries at present.

This video shows the moment the sinkhole expanded, taking out much of the building and creating a chaotic scene.

Another photo from the scene, posted by a Weibo user based in Guangzhou, appears to show the huge scale of the sinkhole:

Sinkholes are becoming a worrying problem in China. In 2007, there were 54 sinkhole collapses, and by 2009, that number was all the way up to 129. According to one estimate, between July 21st and August 12th 2012, 99 sinkhole collapses occurred just in Beijing.

While the cause of this sinkhole has not been determined yet, most appear to have been caused by rapid economic development and poorly planned infrastructure.

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I blame celebrities for nearly killing off this elegant evening dress code known as Black Tie.

The Golden Globes heralded the start of the annual massacre.

And at almost every luvvie love-in up until the Oscars, the same crimes will be committed.

We’ll be subjected to endless pictures of the A-list at these Black Tie events, at which the male guests will ignorantly ignore the dress code.

Nowadays it seems that with any dress code or sartorial convention there is an urge to tweak it. But bother going to the event if you don’t want to adhere to the rules?

Admittedly, the current conventions did come from fiddling around with a previously accepted dress code (White Tie). But what is now Black Tie looks so chic, and I am yet to see a celebrity improve what is, to me, the epitome of sophisticated contemporary evening dress.

The origin of Black Tie is hotly debated. Americans will argue that it was first seen at the Tuxedo Club in New York, and was the doing of Pierre Lorillard and his son Griswold.

Apparently the latter became rather bored of the White Tie faff. He turned up one evening to the club in a bastardised version of White Tie and, after the initial cries of shock had died down, men decided they rather liked the idea of something less fussy and formal, and so it caught on.

We British say that it was the Prince of Wales, the future Edward VII, who first wore a similar outfit to an event in Monte Carlo for similar reasons as Lorillard. The jury is out and a definite answer will probably never be found.

But the rules are perfectly clear. Hollywood A-list men take note: here is what you should and should not be wearing.

Hair: This should be washed and brushed. Similarly, you should be clean-shaven (unless you always have a beard or moustache). There is no point going to a smart event if your head and face looks like it hasn’t seen a comb or razor in years

Shirt: A white dress shirt with a turned-down collar is called for with Black Tie. Winged collars, once acceptable, are now the reserve of the White Tie dress code. Dress shirts, which are generally slightly thicker in material, have a marcella or frilled front. Button-down collars are a no-no. Dress shirts can be fastened with buttons or with studs and are double-cuffed.

Bow tie: Black Tie does not mean a black necktie: they are for funerals and downmarket actors. Bow ties should be hand-tied (Her Majesty the Queen is said to be able to spot a ‘fake’, pre-tied bow tie a mile off.) If you cannot tie one, then I suggest you learn.

Jacket: Black, or midnight blue, jackets can be single- or double-breasted with either notched or shawl lapels. Double-breasted jackets (of any variety) often look best on very slim men. Dinner jackets are never fastened when single-breasted. Unlike day suit jackets, dinner jackets have no vents at the back, and the buttons are ‘covered’. White dinner jackets are only acceptable in tropical climates – unless you want to look like the barman

Pocket square: If you wish to wear a ‘top pocket handkerchief’ then you may do so. In white.

Decorations: Not usually worn to Black Tie events unless the invitation reads ‘decorations’

Waistcoat: Very rarely seen nowadays but they should be low-cut and worn only with a single-breasted jacket

Cummerbund: Worn around the waist instead of a waistcoat, cummerbunds are sadly a dying breed. The folds should point upwards

Braces: Don’t wear a belt, even if hidden by a cummerbund. Instead opt for braces, preferably black, if you need to keep your trousers up

Trousers: These should match the material of the jacket and are usually tapered slightly with one braid running down the outside of each leg

Socks: Black silk evening socks are technically correct but these are not widely sold and most people wear conventional black wool or cotton socks

Shoes: Well-polished, smart black shoes are perfectly acceptable. But if you have black patent leather shoes by all means wear them

Accessories: Visible timepieces are technically not worn (although a subtle wristwatch is now okay) because Black Tie events are not something in which timekeeping is a priority. White gloves and scarves are a bit OTT nowadays and were only worn when travelling to and from the venue.

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We take a look at 24 beauty hours in the life of Sweden's most famous fashion blogger, Elin Kling.

Former model turned icy cool Scandi blogger Elin Kling, of Style by Kling, opens up her beauty diary.

MY MORNING RITUAL
After scrubbing my face with Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant in a five minute shower, I spray Dermalogica Ultra Calming Mist over my face and neck before I mix my Kiehl’s Super Fluid UV Defense SPF50 with my smoothing cream from Dermalogica.

I've been told to protect my skin with sunscreen, even when there's no sun, too many times to not do it. It took me a while though until I found a product which is not greasy or too heavy. Kiehls Super Fluid Defense is very, very light and the best I've found so far.

Kling's morning ritual. Dermalogica Smoothing Cream, £34.80,Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense, $38 (available from the US website only) & Daily Microfoliant, £30.50 .

MY MAKE-UP REGIME
While I let my hair dry naturally with some Extreme Anti-snap from Redken, I start my make up routine. To wake my skin up, the first thing I put on my face is my daily moisturiser, let it dry for a while, then after a few minutes I start with the make up.

READ: Who's that girl? Elin Kling

If I have a long day ahead of me I start with primer from Mac before I continue with Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser. Since this product is very light, I need something more to cover dark circles, so I use Reflex Cover by Make Up Store . This is one of my favorite products. It has a 'highlight' effect which really helps me if I have a stresssed schedule.

Besides my concealer my other best friend is my eyebrow pencil by Dior. I'm obsessed with eyebrows, they can really change your face.

Now I have my base, the only thing missing is some shine and glow. Instead of using a powder or blush, I use Soleil Tan De Chanel.

Kling's make up must have's. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser, £33, Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel, £33, and MAC Prep & Prime, £28.

MY PERFUME
Before I leave my house I spray on some perfume from Byredo, 'Blanche' is my favorite for the moment. Or, I use some Chloé by Chloé, which you can always find in my bathroom. I prefer to not have more then two or three options, so it won't be hard to choose. I'm very picky when it comes to selecting which perfume for which day.

Blanche by Byredo, £135, the Stockholm based fragrance house founded in by Ben Gorham.

MY HANDBAG MUST-HAVES
During my day I always make sure that I have my cream blush by Nars in my handbag. I love cream products and this one, that I apply on my cheeks, gives me a fresh look during the day. I prefer cream products because I love the shine that comes with it. It gives you very healthy and fresh looking skin, compared to matt products.

Healthy, fresh looking skin in a palette; Cream Blush by Nars, £21 .

MY HEALTH KICK
If I'm lucky, and not too tired, I stop by my gym, even if it's only for the steam room... (I'm so bad). This is my favorite place. It gives your skin so much glow, and I never feel more fresh then after 15 minutes in here. I always make sure to get a green juice before I head out - I almost feel like I've been working out!

MY PRE-SLEEP SKIN-BOOSTING RITUAL
My night time ritual starts with a Pre-Cleanse by Dermalogica. I massage it on my dry face for a minute or two before I add some water and contiune with my Ultracalming Cleanser by Dermalogica. The pre-cleanse is another favorite of mine. You feel so much more clean when using it.

Finally I use vitamin E oil. I do this three times a week during winter time. I buy mine at the pharmacy, no fancy label. The whole idea is that it should be 100% Vitamin E. Good night!

Kling's night time favourites, Dermalogica Pre-Cleanse, £25.99& Ultra Calming Cleanser, £9.90 .

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Here we go!

Taco Bell CEO Greg Creed confirmed to CBS This Morning that the next flavor in the incredibly successful Doritos Locos Tacos line, Cool Ranch, is coming soon.

The Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Tacos have been spectacularly popular and its helping the chain turn things around.

Earlier, Taco Bell had teased the Cool Ranch tacos on Facebook, saying that "anything could happen in 2013." 

There's more Doritos taco shell goodness on the way too. Taco Bell is also working on a Flamas shell— a chili-lime flavor.

SEE ALSO: How Taco Bell Created The Doritos Locos Tacos >

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The island of Manhattan is home to the greatest concentration of private clubs in this country, and no, we are not talking about the velvet-roped club doors of the Meatpacking District.

These elite institutions date back to early nineteenth century, modeled after the gentlemen's clubs of London and retain the codes of behavior from that era.

The buildings are reverent but nondescript, the fees are astronomical, and the dress code is de rigueur.

Here are 7 members-only clubs, where the upper echelon of New York Society can freely mix business with pleasure.

The Union Club of the City of New York

The first private social club to claim Manhattan was The Union Club, established in 1836 in a landmark building known for opulence and details including five dining rooms, a humidor with 100,000 cigars, card room, library, lounge, and squash courts.

Location:East 69th Street and Park Avenue

Membership: This club is thought of as the most exclusive of the social clubs, even refusing admission to the sons of some prominent members. However, they remained fiercely loyal, refusing to expel their Confederate members during the Civil War.

Notable Members: Cornelius Vanderbilt, William Randolph Heart, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Ulysses S. Grant.

The Century Association

The Century Associationwas established in 1847 by William Cullen Bryant, a poet and long-time editor of the New York Evening Post to promote interest in the fine arts and literature. Consequently, the clubhouse, which is also the oldest surviving, is home to a notable art collection and acts as a venue for the contemporary art pieces of their members. The clubhouse also contains the Century Center for the Performing Arts, a 248 seat theater, ballroom, and studio.

Location:43rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenue

Membership: The club intended to have only 100 men who were artists, literary men, scientists, physicians, officers of the Army and Navy, members of the Bench, Engineers, Clergymen, and merchants, but those restrictions evolved to consist of mainly businessmen, lawyers, and doctors, and then women in 1988.

Notable Members:Fredrick Law Olmsted (designer of Central Park), Franklin D. Roosevelt, Mayor Bloomberg, Jackie Onassis, and Toni Morrison.

The Brook Club

The Brook Club is one of the final clubs to retain its status as a private gentlemen's club. It was founded in 1903 by dissatisfied members of the Union Club and the Metropolitan Club. Legend tells, however, that it was formed by two young men who were expelled from the Union Club for trying to poach on egg on the head of a bald club member. The club is so exclusive, it's nearly impossible to find a photo of the inside...

Location: 111 East 54th Street

Membership: Aside from only accepting men, The Brook accepts only those with a large international presence.

Notable Members: John F. Kennedy, Fred Astaire, and Michael Bloomberg.

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Nordstrom CMO Brian Dennehy has been playing the same game of tag with a group of friends for the past 23 years.

It started when the 10 friends were in high school in Spokane, Washington.

Russell Adams at The Wall Street Journal got to the bottom of the group's game and he revealed the seriousness of the game.

During his first week at his new job, Dennehy asked a colleague how hard it was for a non-Nordstrom employee to enter the building.

What are the rules? It's simple. Adams explained:

The game they play is fundamentally the same as the schoolyard version: One player is "It" until he tags someone else. But men in their 40s can't easily chase each other around the playground, at least not without making people nervous, so this tag has a twist. There are no geographic restrictions and the game is live for the entire month of February. The last guy tagged stays "It" for the year.

That means players get tagged at work and in bed. They form alliances and fly around the country. Wives are enlisted as spies and assistants are ordered to bar players from the office.

Pretty intense.

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After queuing on the street, diners are sat next to strangers in the cramped Hong Kong restaurant before rinsing their own cutlery. Welcome to the world's cheapest Michelin-starred experience.

Ho Hung Kee (Ho Hung's restaurant) was first awarded a coveted star in 2011 and on any given day is packed with local and foreign diners ordering bowls of wonton or fried flat noodles with beef for around HK$35 -- less than US$5.

Wontons, a traditional dish served in Hong Kong and in China's southeastern province of Guangdong, are similar to dumplings but their skin uses less dough, into which succulent shrimp and pork servings are wrapped.

Like hundreds of other Hong Kong "tea restaurants" or "Cha chaan teng" in the Cantonese dialect, Ho Hung Kee also serves quick, simple dishes ranging from congee and fried rice to a selection of Western-style sandwiches.

Squeezing onto tables with strangers is a normal dining experience in the cramped restaurant that seats about 50, nestled between towers of retail in the teeming shopping district of Causeway Bay.

Chefs start from 7:00 am to batter shrimp and wrap wontons for the roughly 1,000 customers served daily at the family-run restaurant, which began life as a humble street stall in the 1940s before it opened up as a full shop in 1964.

Patty Ho, the daughter-in-law of the restaurant's founders and its current owner, said she has stuck to original recipes because she wants customers to experience a "traditional eating culture".

"More modern restaurants have already changed the culture of making wontons, where they only use shrimp, but we have continued to use our original recipe which includes pork, which preserves the meaty flavour," Ho told AFP.

She believes that staying true to tradition was one of the reasons Ho Hung Kee was awarded a star.

"They must have recognised our methods," she said of the anonymous Michelin inspectors. "The fact that such a local shop was awarded a Michelin star, it is a recognition of Hong Kong's dining culture."

Taiwanese diner Jerry Lin, 55, arrived at the restaurant early to avoid the lunchtime crowds.

"I have tried other Michelin restaurants in Shanghai, but this is a restaurant that is very accessible for normal people, we really like it," he said.

"The price is great for a Michelin-starred restaurant and the taste is really good," 45-year-old Riamida Ichsami from Indonesia said, while waiting outside Ho Hung Kee with her family five minutes after it opened.

Michelin guide's international director Michael Ellis said it was a surprise for diners to discover inexpensive starred restaurants in the Asian financial hub, which is better known for its courting of expensive luxury experiences.

"To have a one-star experience for around HK$50 is something unique to Hong Kong," Ellis told AFP. "You do have, at extremely affordable prices, just some absolutely stunning food.

"Obviously it's going to be cramped quarters, you're going to be waiting in line, you'll rinse your eating utensils with hot tea before you eat."

Ellis was speaking after Michelin awarded 10 new restaurants with a one-star rating in the fifth edition of its guide for Hong Kong and Macau for 2013, where the cachet of the star continues to carry allure for diners.

Ho Hung Kee, along with dim sum restaurant Tim Ho Wan and Pang's Kitchen, a new addition to the list, make up "the least expensive, most affordable starred experience" in the world, Ellis said, with dishes for as little as HK$30 to HK$60.

Tim Ho Wan is famous for its steamed dumplings and its barbecue pork bun, all staple dim sum selections, while Pang's Kitchen serves home-style renditions of Cantonese cuisine with specialties including baked fish intestines in a clay pot and seasonal snake soup.

However, the guide is not without its critics, who question whether the most deserving eateries have been recognised or if the food quality of Hong Kong's cheaper restaurants can compare to ones in Europe despite the price difference.

"I've eaten at the one-star Benoit in Paris, and it's on another level, in terms of quality of food, service and ambience, to Tim Ho Wan," wrote the South China Morning Post's food and wine editor, Susan Jung, soon after the 2013 guide was launched in December.

The Michelin guide has for more than a century recommended restaurants throughout Europe and now covers 23 countries across three continents.

It gives one star for "a very good restaurant in its category", two for "excellent cooking, worth a detour", and the top three stars for "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey". Hong Kong has four three-star restaurants.

"After our restaurant got one Michelin star, we have seen a lot more people come in, not just people from Southeast Asia, but people from Europe and the US have also increased," Patty Ho said.

Ho Hung Kee has braved the city's notoriously high rents to open a second branch in a gleaming shopping mall to handle the influx of customers who discovered the restaurant through the guidebook. The new branch offers a wider selection but at the same price range.

"We hope that by increasing the selection, customers will spend more," she said.

SEE ALSO: The 20 Most Expensive Cities For Luxury Rentals

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This is Michael Symon's Carnivore: 120 Recipes For Meat Lovers cookbook.

Why We Love It: Michael Symon, from Food Network's Iron Chef America and ABC's The Chew, has put together 120 recipes for meat lovers. Not only does he tackle classic dishes — such as steaks, chops, wings, and more — he also shows readers what to do with more uncommon cuts that might intimidate the average cook, like liverwurst, head cheese, and tripe.

With 75 full-page pictures of the meals, Symon breaks down how to make and prepare a multitude of meats, from beef to wild game. The cookbook is broken down by the type of meat, and also includes recipes for the side dishes, too.

Where To Buy: Available through Amazon.

Cost: $19.98.

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.

SEE ALSO: This Weather-Proof Suit Will Change Your Winter Work Commute

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is planning its first major expansion since it opened in 1971 as a "living memorial" to President John F. Kennedy, with new features including pavilions to house rehearsal halls and classrooms, a memorial garden and a floating stage on the Potomac River.

The plans unveiled Tuesday call for a $100 million addition that would create a more lively outdoor space for gatherings and performances, with a pedestrian bridge connecting the center to the river. Architect Steven Holl drafted the initial concept and was hired from among several contenders to design the expansion.

New marble pavilions — made from the same Italian Carrara marble as the original building's walls — would rise from a new garden situated beside the center, and the pavilions would be connected underground. Most of the new facility, totaling about 60,000 square feet of usable space, would be buried below the surface to help preserve the silhouette of the center's primary building.

Officials plan to raise private funds to build the project. To kick off the capital campaign, Kennedy Center Chairman David Rubenstein is giving $50 million to fund half the cost. The center aims to raise an additional $75 million to complete construction and establish a programming fund. Officials hope to open the new space in 2018.

Kennedy Center President Michael Kaiser said the new pavilions would have windows to allow visitors to look in on rehearsals of opera, theater or dance.

"We're giving a great improvement in public access to the Kennedy Center, to our art making," Kaiser said. "It's going to allow us to engage our audience in new and different ways."

The new space for rehearsals and education programs also is desperately needed as the center has grown since 1971, Kaiser said. The center now includes a national arts education program and houses the Washington National Opera as a permanent affiliate.

In an interview, Holl said he is honored to work on a memorial to a president he saw inaugurated in 1961 and respected so much.

"The Kennedy Center is a living memorial. It's active, open to the public for performance, the arts, which he really believed in," Holl said.

Preliminary plans call for a memorial garden to honor Kennedy. It could include 46 Gingko trees to note the number of years Kennedy lived, 35 lavender rows for the 35th president, and a video wall for projections of performances from inside the Kennedy Center.

"The idea really is that the landscape is activated," a fusion of architecture and landscape features, Holl said.

It could include a reflecting pool the exact length of the PT-109 boat that Lt. John Kennedy commanded during World War II. Holl envisions a deck along the pool made from the same mahogany wood as the boat. It could also include inscriptions of Kennedy's words.

The biggest challenge in the design concept could be winning approval for a performance stage that would float on the Potomac River, Holl said. Still, he said he has successfully negotiated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a past project that fell inside a flood plain.

"I'm ready for the fight," he said.

Open-air performances were once held on a floating river stage nearby at the Lincoln Memorial in the 1930s.

The new expansion plans come more than 10 years after the Kennedy Center announced a major project to build two new buildings and a plaza over a nearby freeway to connect the center with the National Mall. The $650 million project was essentially canceled in 2005 after budget constraints forced Congress to eliminate $400 million in federal funding for the project.

Kaiser envisioned a museum of the performing arts as part of that project. Now, he said, the center can plan future exhibition galleries in its main building as education programs and rehearsals move to the new facilities.

Rubenstein, a billionaire businessman and a former vice chairman of New York City's Lincoln Center, said the Kennedy Center has been limited by its building over the years. So he wanted to plan a realistic project that could be privately funded without relying on Congress. As the federal budget tightens, Rubenstein said more Americans should consider supporting nonprofit federal entities like the center.

Rubenstein's gift is the largest in the center's history. Combined with previous gifts, he has donated $75 million, making him the center's largest donor.

Adding a garden and outdoor pavilions will make the center more inviting, Rubenstein said.

"Rarely do people say in Washington, 'I'm going to go over and spend a couple hours at the Kennedy Center,'" Rubenstein said, noting it's often an evening destination for shows. But that will change, he said. "What we wanted to do was to remind people that this is a living memorial to a president."

Follow Brett Zongker at https://twitter.com/DCArtBeat

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For some people, the Super Bowl is as much about eating and drinking as it is about cheering for your favorite team.

We asked Greg Engert, a beer expert and beer director for the Alexandria, Va.-based Neighborhood Restaurant Group, to suggest some local craft beers in honor of each team, along with appropriate food pairings.

For Baltimore Ravens fans, Engert suggested serving Flying Dog Brewery's Underdog Atlantic Lager, a pale lager brewed in Frederick, Md.

The UnderDog pairs well with lighter dishes, and salty, spicy, and fried foods, Engert said. He suggested serving it alongside bar foods like wings, fries, and pizza, or roast chicken and pork.

Another option for Ravens fans is the Stateside Saison from Stillwater Artisanal in Westminster, Md., a versatile concoction that pairs with everything from mixed green salads to Thai and Vietnamese cuisine to charcuterie and tangy cheeses.

For San Francisco 49er diehards, Engert proposed Lagunitas Sucks, an imperial IPA from Petaluma, Calif.-based Lagunitas Brewing Co. The company originally released the brew as a temporary replacement for one of its popular brews, but liked it so much that it recently reissued it.

The hoppy IPA can be difficult to pair, but can work with rich proteins and salty fare like steak, duck, and burgers, as well as hard cheeses, Engert said.

As an alternative for 49er fans, Engert suggested Marooned on Hog Island, an "oyster stout" brewed with Hog Island Sweetwater oyster shells.

The brew, made by San Francisco's 21st Amendment Brewery, can also be difficult to pair, Engert said. But he said it would also work with rich proteins as well as salty seafoods, like East Coast oysters and clams, as well as hard cheeses.

No matter who your guests are cheering for, these brews are sure to please.

SEE ALSO: The Best Sports Bars In New York City

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International cruise lines looking to tap demand for all-inclusive vacations among China’s growing ranks of outbound tourists are set to face new domestic competition from China’s first home-made luxury liner.

Boasting a traveler capacity of 1,965, the Henna has 739 guest rooms, including nine suites, 432 ocean-view staterooms and 298 interior cabins, as well as the usual amenities, such as a casino, spa, recreational area and swimming pool.

Launched this weekend at Sanya Phoenix Island International Port, the “Henna” was christened by Miss Asia 2009, Xu Ying, and officials from the National Tourism Administration of China, the Hainan Tourism Bureau, and the cruise management department of HNA Tourism Co.

Though the outbound cruise market in China is in its infancy, with the industry mostly concentrated on domestic river tours, home-grown players have aimed at expanding into more international destinations. Though the Henna is a big first step, China’s luxury liner hopefuls have a long way to go, in terms of size and scope. Though China’s largest liner to date, the Henna is dwarfed by global ships like Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas (maximum guest capacity 6,296) and Norwegian’s Norwegian Epic (5,183).

From January to April, the Henna will run along three routes: Halong Bay to Sanya, Hainan; Sanya to Da Nang; and Sanya to Halong Bay to Da Nang. Starting in May, the ship’s home port will switch to Tianjin, whereupon it will start new routes that include Incheon and Jeju Island, South Korea.

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Having a bachelor pad isn't just about the location — it's also about all the cool accessories you can stock it with.

But which ones do you need to make sure everyone, from your friends to your mom, are impressed with your place?

We rounded up a list of nine of our favorite home accessories on the market right now that will take your apartment to the next level.

For your inner frat guy, this domino-shaped invention allows you to turn any stable surface into a beer opener. It's made with a built-in magnet to catch the bottle caps, and will keep your furniture and counter tops ding-free.

Buy the Bropener here for $14

It's always a good idea to keep a candle in the house, whether you need to set the mood or cover up an odor. But instead of choosing a flowery option, go for these Cire Trudon candles that smell like tobacco, leather, cedar, and cut grass.

Buy them on the MR PORTER website for $85

Every guy's place should have some sort of game table — pool, ping pong, foosball, or poker. We recommend this electropolished steel foosball table since it would look great in any loft space.

Buy the table at Restoration Hardware for $3,995

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A picture is worth 1,000 words, but the pieces by young artist Rubén Belloso Adorna may be worth even more than that.

Born in Seville, Spain, Belloso is trained in the fine arts from the University of Seville. His primary medium is pastels, and now his name is becoming legendary in the art world for his realistic-looking portraits of both real and fictional characters in a style of art known as hyperrealism.

Belloso, who also teaches classes on how to work with pastels, shared some of his beautiful masterpieces with us. They're so lifelike, you might forget they're only drawings.

Elia Vázquez Díaz — Belloso created this portrait of Elia, his maternal grandmother.

"Ernst VII" — Belloso's portrait of Ernst VII. To give you an idea of the scale of his work, this piece is 185 cm by 122 cm, over six feet tall.

"Estudio Portugal 4" ("Portugal Study 4") — This piece was done from an original photo by Belloso's favorite photographer, Javier Pardo.

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International credit agency Fitch has stated that it now expects property prices in Ireland to fall 60 percent from the peak values of 2007.

The agency had previously predicted values to halve.

For the last couple of years, the Irish papers have been full of similar statistics.

While the situation on the island is painful for many homeowners who find themselves now in negative equity, if you don’t yet own on the Emerald Isle but would like to, this could be the time to start paying attention.

Until the past few months, the problem had been that sellers and agents hadn't yet learned to let go of their peak-value thinking. Properties were still being listed at hugely inflated and wholly unrealistic prices.

As a foreign buyer looking at the market, you had your work cut out for you. How could you know where to start with an offer?

Now, five years on from the start of the collapse, the market is finally starting to make sense. The prices listed in agents' windows and on the web today are far more realistic, reflective of both Fitch's outlook and the figures for which properties are actually changing hands.

Does this mean it's time to jump in and buy a place of your own in this country? There's likely still room for more leveling in this marketplace. However, if you have your heart set on a foothold in Ireland, this is the time to start looking.

To give you an idea of what's possible, here are some examples of properties on offer in some of the most appealing and sought-after spots around this country that hold something special for the discerning expat or retiree:

200-year-old Georgian house with stables in Graiguenamanagh, County Kilkenny.

On the banks of the River Barrow, "Graigue" is a tranquil, scenic village that's a favorite stop-off for bargers and a haven for fishermen. With mountain views, the house has five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a sitting room, kitchen, dining room, gardens, orchard, courtyard, stables, and stone outbuildings that could serve many uses. Price: 310,000 euro (about $415,000).

Muir Cottage at Kilmore Quay, County Wexford.

Despite its best efforts, County Wexford, particularly the southern area and coast, is largely overlooked by tourists. Those in the know head to Kilmore Quay in summer for its long, half-moon stretch of white-sand beach, pretty harbor, and friendly cafés and restaurants.

This three-bedroom cottage, with island views, has been refurbished to maintain its original features. On a half-acre, it's ideal as either a vacation or full-time home. Price: 139,000 euro (about $185,000).

Lodge and cottage on the Ring of Kerry.

Riverstar Lodge in Kenmare is a two-bedroom home with an adjoining two-bedroom cottage. On 3.2 acres, it's on a quiet cul-de-sac with views over the Blackwater Valley. The main house has an open-plan kitchen/dining/living area, conservatory, bathroom, and two bedrooms.

The cottage has a kitchen, living room, sun room, shower room, and two bedrooms. The property also includes a number of outhouses. Price: 185,000 euro (about $250,000).

Stone house in Kenmare Town.

If village living is more your style, there's a charming little stone property in Kenmare proper, in need of modernization, for just 80,000 euro (about $110,000).

Period apartment in South Dublin.

Dublin property still commands the highest prices, especially the south of the county. But who could fail to be charmed by this one-bedroom apartment-style home in Blackrock?

Just 63 square meters, laid out over two floors, it has a living/dining room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, patio off the kitchen, 10.5-foot-high sash windows, and many period features throughout. Price: 160,000 euro (about $215,000).

Again, these are properties in some of the best locations throughout the country. A little looking can find you many cheaper options, too. For country-wide listings, www.daft.ie is a great starting point.

SEE ALSO: The 20 most expensive cities for luxury rentals >

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The sad, strange phenomenon of China's so-called "leftover women" — women criticized for being unmarried over the age of 27— has left many around the world scratching their heads.

Perhaps the saddest thing is that, the Chinese government and other establishments seem to encourage the concept. For example, China's All-China Women’s Federation, a group founded in 1949 by the Communist Party to protect women's rights, has this great advice on its website:

Pretty girls don’t need a lot of education to marry into a rich and powerful family, but girls with an average or ugly appearance will find it difficult. These kinds of girls hope to further their education in order to increase their competitiveness. The tragedy is, they don’t realize that as women age, they are worth less and less, so by the time they get their M.A. or Ph.D., they are already old, like yellowed pearls.

When you think about it, any kind of hysteria over unmarried Chinese women seems absurd. It's well known that the Chinese government's one-child policy has left China with far more males than females — one report from 2007 suggested that there would be 30 million more men of marriageable age than women by 2020. 11 of the 20 richest self-made women in the world are Chinese, according to Forbes.

So why worry about the women who are not married?

Perhaps the best explanation we've seen so far comes from Mary Kay Magistad of PRI's the World: the "leftover women" are simply too high quality.

“There is an opinion that A quality guys will find B quality women, B quality guys will find C quality women, and C quality men will find D quality women,” Huang Yuanyuan, a 29-year-old unmarried Chinese woman tells her. “The people left are A quality women and D quality men. So if you are a leftover woman, you are A quality.”

These "A quality" women have often worked and studied hard for much of their lives, leaving their romantic lives til later. "While you’re at university your parents constantly discourage you from having relationships; they tell you to focus on your studies," one so-called "leftover woman" told the Telegraph last year.

The problem is that these "A quality" women are exactly who China wants to be getting into relationships early,Leta Hong-Fincher, an American doctoral student at Tsinghua University’s Department of Sociology, tells Magistad.

“The Chinese population planning policy used to officially have a law promoting eugenics; they actually had the word ‘eugenics’ in the name,” Hong-Fincher, who has written about the imbalance before, says. “Now they’ve changed it, because they recognize that’s kind of offensive. But that’s what the family planning policy is.”

The aim is twofold — not only to have the "best" people procreating, but also to stop there being a large number of unsatisfied male elites.

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With pristine beach views, warm turquoise waters, and mild tropic temperatures, it's hard to argue that a Caribbean vacation sounds like a bad idea.

U.S. News & World Report just released a list of the 10 best hotels in the Caribbean as part of its 2013 Best Hotels Rankings, which ranks properties on the opinions of travel experts and guests, hotel awards, recommendations, and ratings.

These hotels offer amenities like infinity pools, private chauffeurs, and complimentary watersports activities.

#10 Seven Stars Resort; Providenciales, Turks & Caicos — On the serene Grace Bay, many watersports activities are available to guests, including complimentary use of kayaks, surfboards, snorkeling equipment and pool floats.

#9 Amanyara; Providenciales, Turks & Caicos — At the gym, guests can book private fitness sessions with the resort's personal trainer.

#8 Jumby Bay, A Rosewood Resort; St. John's, Antigua — Jumby Bay is stationed on a 300-acre private island, whose secluded beauty is accessible only by boat.

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The Sundance Film Festival wrapped up this weekend and not only did many films come out with distributors, but celebrities walked away with a boat-load of free swag.

Stars who attended this year's festival — whether to promote a film like Naomi Watts or to party like Paris Hilton — received free trips to the Caribbean, beauty products, electric bicycles, flat screen TVs, Samsung tablets, head phones, jewelry, winter jackets and more.

We spoke with Kari Feinstein, founder of Kari Feinstein PR, who puts on elite annual gifting suites for Sundance, Golden Globes, Oscars, MTV Movie Awards and the Emmys to find out exactly what it takes to pair A-list talent with quality brands.

Business Insider: This is your 12th year doing a gifting suite at Sundance. Tell us your company's role in getting certain brands into the hands of celebrities. 

Kari Feinstein: I do gifting suites year round, I do them five to six times a year so product seeding is a core part of my business for my retainer clients and celebrity endorsement deals but then we also do the style lounges. 

BI: How do you choose your clients? How do you get certain brands involved?

KF: We have sponsorship decks that, because we do these all year round, we have brands asking me what do you have for the Summer? What do you have for Sundance? So I have a lot of people that reach out to me. I work with a lot of other PR companies and I work with some advertising agencies as well that have clients, but we go out to companies that we think would be a good fit, and we also have people that come to us and want to sign up for the events.

BI: What brands did you work with this year at Sundance?

KF: Built, they're out of New York, they're one of our bigger sponsors and they make laptop cases and iPad cases, all out of waterproof material. It protects all of your electronics and that’s been a big hit because everyone has an iPad and a laptop. Then we have a handful of beauty lines, a bicycle worth $3,000, and $1,200 Apple laptops from Melrose Mac, which got like 10 press hits already over the past two days.

BI: How many trips to the Caribbean did you give away at Sundance?

KF: We’ve probably given away 25 trips. Katherine Heigl, Matthew Mcconaughey, Paris Hilton, Adrian Grenier, Allison Janey, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Casey Affleck are among the stars we gave vacation packages to this year.

BI: Can you put a dollar amount on the cost of free swag celebrities walk away with in one visit?

KF: An A-list celebrity will walk out with over $10,000 for sure, because they're getting trips to the Caribbean for a week, which is already 

worth over $5,000. They're getting Apple laptops which are worth $1,200 dollars. From bikes we're giving to top talent worth $3,000 to high ticket items, because you need to have things that entice them. 

BI: Are there any celebrities you don't want in the suite? 

KF: Usually a publicist will submit names. We deal with all the publicists and agents and managers before the event and invites go out saying please submit your client for our upcoming event, so they know it's not 'invite your client' it's 'submit your client.' We do the filtering process and start approving names that make sense. There is a lot of up and coming talent at Sundance that aren’t exactly household names, but if they're one of the leads in one of the main films then of course we’d love to have them come.

But there’s some people that come up to Sundance every year that aren’t really related to the festival in anyway but just come for the free stuff. I usually try to avoid them and decline and we say “unfortunately we can’t accommodate your client at this time” — we do that a lot. If you’re a main role in a Sundance film or if you're an A-list actor then I would rather have quality versus quantity. I know there’s a lot of other lounges going on which is kind of like a party atmosphere, but ours is a fun, mellow, atmosphere. It's like a lounge so I try to be really specific with the guest list. 

BI: How exclusive and hard is it for a brand to get a spot in one of these gifting suites?

KF: If it’s a brand I think celebrities would like, then I take them into the event. But we have a range, from trips to the Caribbean to these hemp socks that have marijuana leaves on them.

BI: Other than obviously these brands getting great press from you guys is there any financial benefit or is it strictly press they're after? 

KF: A lot of the celebrity photos get utilized for sale purposes, like when brands have trade shows. Brands also send the photos and press hits to all of their existing accounts and potential new accounts. I’ve had many sponsors open new accounts now that they have a celebrity following.

US Weekly, for example, won’t write about your brand unless you have a handful of A-list celebrity photos and followers. So when somebody can go back and say, 'Here’s my picture of Matthew Mcconaughey using my brand, and Katherine Heigl' and they get placed in US weekly — Those press hits generate tons of sales. And we have celebrities tweeting and instagramming pictures. Jewelry by Veronique had a celebrity [Kourtney Kardashian] take a picture of somebody wearing her necklace and in one day this small brand did over five thousand dollars in sales.

Paris Hilton tweeted a picture using one of the beauty products from the Sundance lounge before she went to bed and that’s kind of priceless. If sponsors wanted to pay her to do that it would of cost them over six or seven figures, but they paid $20,000 to be here and things are coming out every hour. So it's actually saving companies money for product placement.

BI: So sponsors pay you to put their product in your gifting suite? What is that investment usually worth?

KI: Yes, they pay me. For Sundance, the sponsorships range from $20,000 to $100,000, but I would say the majority of our sponsors pay between the $20 - $40,000 range.

BI: Is it the same price range at other gifting suites throughout the year?

KF: For L.A. events such as the Golden Globes and Oscars, it ranges from $5,000 to $40,000. So some smaller brands can do the $5,000 level, while some bigger brands that have bigger budgets want to be exclusive in their brand category with types of brands that are like them. They want a bigger a booth at the event, so they’ll pay the $20,000 and up as a sponsorship fee.

For Oscars it starts at $5,000 and goes to $40,000. So if I have 20 sponsors paying a range of those fees there’s a nice profit for me. I think why I’ve been in business so long doing this is because I have a consistent good celebrity turnout and press coverage keeps it going and helps sign new sponsors. When other companies read about my event they want to sign up for the next one. And what is really key for me is having the right celebrities and the right press coverage. 

BI: When you do an Oscar lounge, that’s the biggest entertainment event of the year, what’s the difference between the product brands are giving out there and at the more low key Sundance Film Festival?

KF: Oscars we’ll have a lot more jewelry, fine diamonds. We have a company that’s doing cutlery that’s very expensive, but we do still have lifestyle and fun grabs there too.

BI: How does your company benefit financially? 

KF: The sponsorship fees help pay for the cost of the venue, the production of the event, my staff, and so we obviously have to make sure for each event we bring enough sponsorship money to cover all the costs and make it worthwhile. 

BI: What’s your background? How did you get into gift lounges?

KF: My first job was at CAA,. It was a big talent agency and I worked for two agents who repped a lot of A-list celebrities and I made a lot of connections and contacts that way. Then I started a PR company when I was 23-years-old and our first client was E! Entertainment and they hired me to do their event at Sundance and we did all the product placement and celebrity outreach and we did a gift bag sort of thing and we got photos of celebrities taken with the product and there wasn’t gifting suites at the time.

I decided that for the Emmys, I would do a gifting suite on a large scale because so many brands were so excited when I sent them those photos of celebrities using their product. The only gifting suites that were happening were maybe two brands at a hotel room displaying fine jewelry brand and a dress company for the red carpet and it was mostly stylists coming through and a celebrity here or there to look at the dresses but it was all for borrow, for loan.

So what I did in 2001 was take over a few bungalows at the Chateau Marmont and brought in 15-20 companies. It was the first time there were ever gifting suites on a bigger scale, so it spiraled from there. Some other companies came up that replicated what I was doing — some were successful and some were not and they’ve kind of disappeared through the years.

Now check out all the free swag celebrities got at Sundance > 

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The potential for self-expression that comes with a personalized license plate can be used to offend just about anyone on the road.

So it makes sense that states have lists of license plates they won't allow.

Essentially, they're long lists of slurs, profanities, and threats.

But Washington, D.C.'s list — which is 68 pages long— has a lot of items that seem pretty tame, or downright normal.

Here are 33 that are especially innocuous, unless there's a lot of new slang we haven't heard of:

ALLISON

BARCODE

BALLOON

BADWOLF

BOSOX04

BRTUS

BUCKET

CHATEAU

CHEF

CUTIE

DAKOTA

DEBB

DCWEST

DREAMIN

DJROD

DORITOS

EXPOS

FERRARI

FRED

GODLUVS

HAND

HEIDI

KEN

NYMETS

OKAY

PUG

ROADSTR

ROCKCTY

SNOT

STAR

TRUTH

V1

WWW

And here's the full, 68-page list:

Banned License Plates by

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Whether you're putting your money on the 49ers or the Ravens this Sunday night, there's one thing every Super Bowl fan can get behind — Gameday snacks.

But after an ugly drought hit the Midwest this summer, Super Bowl partiers could be shelling out a few extra dollars to keep their Super Bowl spread stacked this weekend. 

Here's what you'll likely pay more for:

Wings. Chicken wing price hikes are nothing new around Super Bowl season, but this year, record high chicken feed prices have caused the party table staple to be even pricier than usual. They were going for around $1.90 per pound in December — 26% higher than a year before, according to a CNN Money report. Despite the spike, the National Chicken Council projects Americans will still chow down 1.23 million pounds of wings this Super Bowl season — enough to stretch from Baltimore to San Francisco 27 times.

Burgers. If you were hoping to fill the chicken hole with beef, better luck next year. Beef prices also are on the rise, which could make the burgers and burritos you planned on stocking up on for halftime cost a few extra pennies. After livestock herds declined by record levels in 2012, beef prices rose about 6 percent and the USDA projects they could go up another 4 percent this year, according to KCCI. Veggie burgers, anyone?

Bacon. The threat of a worldwide bacon "Aporkalypse" might have been exaggerated last fall, but that doesn't mean the price surge on the meat lovers' favorite has died down yet. Experts predict the price tag on bacon to soar this year. 

All things corn. If you check the ingredients on just about any carb in your pantry, chances are corn will show up –– and that you paid more for it this year than last. Thanks to the devastation caused to corn crops this year,    harvests were down nearly 30 percent, sending prices soaring. From corn chips to corn on the cob, these snacking basics might not be quite as cheap compared to last year.

Booze. Alcohol sales managed to survive the recession and chances are the price hikes forecasted on beer this year won't deter thirsty fans either.  But it's worth noting that Anheuser-Busch beers cost about 5 percent in the fall — making prices about 55 to 75 cents more for a case of Bud Lights, according to MSN. Regardless of the slight cost increase per can, Save on Brew estimates Americans will throw down 50 million cases of beer during the big game, adding up to a nationwide tab of $10.8 billion. 

SEE ALSO: Here's The Real Cost Of Attending Super Bowl XLVII >

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Jake Chesson was approaching retirement and sensed something had to change. An avid cyclist, he pushed himself hard on his bike and found himself dreading riding.

"I know me, and if I'm not having fun, I'm not going to stick with exercise," he says.

His solution: He started a Meetup social club online for people who want to have fun exercising outdoors. They ride bikes, hike, kayak and go ice skating. One thing they don't dwell on is how fast they go. They take breaks. Sometimes, they even sip a glass of wine.

"That wasn't the old me," says Chesson, of Falls Church, Va. "We never took breaks when we were riding. But when you start to reach 60, you need to figure out what your next game is going to be and how to come out a winner."

For the millions of Baby Boomers coming up on retirement, making investments in exercising, having fun, making new friends and continuing to learn are the closest thing to finding the fountain of youth, according to Harvard researchers. The 73-year-old Harvard Study of Adult Development is one of the oldest and most respected studies on aging in the country. "Exercise is the No. 1 ticket item to have for ensuring a long, happy life," says Robert Waldinger, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Waltham, Mass., and director of the Harvard study. "It protects your heart and prevents disability later in life."

Chesson, 65, retired two years ago from a law practice and says he "is more active now than ever before. I never used to find time for the fun stuff."

Setting goals before retiring can help you manage the stress that often comes with ending a lifetime of work, says Laurie Lawson, a life transition coach in New York. Even someone who can afford to "take cruise after cruise still needs a game plan for when the ship finally docks," she says.

For some, the answer is jolting. In a Harvard study of 5,422 people over 50, those who had retired were 40(PERCENT) more likely to have had a heart attack or stroke than those who were still working. The increase was more pronounced during the first year after retirement and leveled off after that.

Those pitfalls are mostly preventable, according to the Mayo Clinic. Healthy eating and exercise help reduce risk factors for heart disease and stroke by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol and keeping off pounds. Exercise also fuels your brain, helping to delay cognitive deterioration, a part of aging for many.

"When you no longer have a job, you need to find a new mission," Chesson says. "My Meetup club is my new mission." He has attracted nearly 800 members, many of whom are retired or thinking about retirement. Two weeks ago, after meeting at a German bistro for a beer and lunch in Leesburg, Va., they walked several miles on a trail to a vineyard, where they sampled wine before heading home on foot.

"That's a brilliant approach to retirement," says Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer. "We all need to do what we enjoy rather than what is a chore."

It's even OK to skip moderate to intense exercise, according to the Mayo Clinic. Ten minutes of exercise three times a day can be almost as beneficial as a 30-minute workout. Buettner studied health habits in Sardinia, an Italian island inhabited by some of the world's longest-lived men. Many are shepherds, who walk up to 5 miles a day over hillsides. "They don't work out hard or pump iron," he says . "They don't worry about running marathons. Their day is laced with gentle or moderately stressful physical activity."

His research and the Harvard Study of Adult Development show similar findings about staying healthy after retiring. Among them:

- Make new best friends.(AT) "People who replace work contacts with other contacts are happiest," says Waldinger. "You see a lot of people every day at work, and it's energizing and sustaining. People want to find ways to plan who they're going to see. You don't want to have a well-feathered nest and to be socially isolated."

- Work those brain cells.(AT) "The happiest people in our group learn new things," Waldinger says. "It might be taking a college course, or learning a new language or refinishing furniture. Learning seems to carry its own satisfaction."

- Find new meaning.(AT) "Purpose is an easy thing for younger generations," says Buettner. "You graduate, get a job, get married and have kids. But then you stop working and lose that thing that gets you up every morning. Finding what gets you out of the easy chair is every bit as important as having a physical fitness plan."

Some people might need to dig to find new purpose, says life coach Lawson. "But I tell them they finally get to be the boss and to enjoy it. "

Waldinger adds that finding new purpose need not be "fraught" with emotional upheaval. "That's the stereotype," he says. "But it is a transition -- and one that the happiest people enjoy making. They can start having fun without having to worry about being productive all the time."

SEE ALSO: The 10 Best States To Retire In This Year

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