Historian and author Anthony W. Robins and journalist Sam Roberts of the New York Times guide Architectural Digest through every detail of Grand Central Terminal. Our narrators walk us through the legendary structure from the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Foyer through Vanderbilt Hall to the main concourse (and the famous four-faced clock).
From there, we learn more about the underground walkways, whispering gallery, Oyster Bar restaurant, Campbell Apartment, Pershing Square, and more. For more on expert Anthony Robins, visit is his site http://www.AnthonyWRobins.com Still haven’t subscribed to Architectural Digest on YouTube? ►► http://bit.ly/2zl7s34 ABOUT ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST The leading international design authority, Architectural Digest features articles and videos of the best in architecture, style, culture, travel, and shopping.
Intermittent fasting (IF) is an umbrella term for various diets that cycle between a period of fasting and non-fasting. Intermittent fasting can be used along with calorie restriction for weight loss
A 2014 review described that studies done in animal models have shown fasting improves indicators of health—blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and inflammation—likely through adaptive cellular responses to better handle stress. These findings suggest intermittent fasting has the potential to improve health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases; however this has not been reproduced in long-term human studies. The review concluded that intermittent fasting has not been studied in children, the elderly, or the underweight, and could be harmful in this population.
They also suggest that those choosing to fast for periods of time greater than 24 hours should be monitored by a physician, as changes to the gastrointestinal system or circadian rhythm can occur.
Booking cheap flights today is almost like a science. You may see a good rate in the morning, and within a few hours it can quickly double in price. In fact, airlines often fluctuate their prices throughout the day to help fill empty seats.
As a frequent traveler and having handled the corporate travel bookings at my previous job, I’ve picked up a few travel tricks and money-saving hacks along the way.
Here are 23 secrets to booking cheap flights.
1. Plan ahead and be patient
Planning ahead is the first step in finding cheap flights. That doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find last minute discounts, but you’ll have more options and flexibility to score cheap flights when you plan ahead.
This means that if you wish to travel in spring, you should start checking prices in the fall or winter season.
Tips for planning ahead:
Check travel websites for prices first thing every morning (around 9:00am) and in the evening (after 6:00pm).
Sign up for email alerts. I like using Skyscanner for this tool as this allows me to see how the price fluctuates (up or down) and know when the cheapest fight is available.
Start your search three months before your trip. As a general guideline, the cheapest flights can be found at least 47 days before the departure date.
2. Search incognito
Always search for flights in incognito or private browsing mode to get the lowest price.
Sometimes there is no difference in price when searching in incognito mode, however I always recommend comparing rates before booking your flight.
3. Search tickets one at a time
Even if you’re traveling with a group, sometimes airlines can sell multiple airfare classes at different prices.
For example, if you’re traveling as a pair and there is only one seat left in the lowest fare class, the website will usually show the highest fare class for both tickets.
However if you search each ticket separately, the website may show a cheaper rate. This can help at least one person – if not both of you – save money on your flights.
4. Delete your browser history and cookies
You’re not crazy if you’ve seen the price of a flight change after searching it a few times. Travel websites and airlines will remember your search, and this might cause prices to actually increase.
Always delete your browser history and cookies before searching for flights. Your best bet is to search in incognito or private browsing mode (as mentioned in tip #2).
5. Check the airline’s direct website
While third party travel websites can be great, sometimes the best unadvertised deals are found directly on the airline’s website.
6. Join the email list of your favorite airline and third party travel website
I recommend signing up for email promotions offered through your preferred airline and third party travel website. This allows you to receive special offers as soon as they go live online or exclusive offers for email subscribers.
7. Check departures/ arrivals from alternative airports
Some major cities have multiple airports within close proximity. For example, New York City has three main airports which visitors can choose from: LGA, JFK and EWR.
Prices can vary significantly based on which airport you choose, so it’s important to always compare rates.
One thing to keep in mind though is to determine if flying into an alternative airport is worth the savings.
For example, if you’re traveling to New York City and fly into EWR, you will have to pay for New Jersey transit (or taxi) to get to Manhattan.
The savings that you got from flying into EWR may quickly disappear by the time you factor in the ground transportation costs to get into Manhattan.
8. Follow airlines and third party travel websites on Social Media
One of the great features about social media is that airlines can use these platforms to share special travel promotions with their followers.
Sometimes an airline will offer a special promotion code through their Twitter or Facebook page, so it’s important to follow along with them online.
9. Bundle your flights, hotel and car rental
Bundling your trip on websites like Expedia can help you save up to $300. These savings can provide more room in your travel budget for sightseeing, entertainment, dining out and shopping.
10. Or don’t bundle your flights, hotel and car rental
While great deals can be found when you bundle your trip, sometimes this is not always the case. Always compare prices to determine if bundling or booking separately is more cost effective.
11. Mix and match airlines
Sometimes booking a round trip or multi-city trip with the same airlines can save you money, however this is not always the rule.
Always compare prices to determine if you’re getting the cheapest flight when you book with one airlines vs. multiple airlines.
The easiest method to compare prices is using a third party website, such as Skyscanner, which will list the cheapest flight combination for your chosen dates.
12. Fly on the cheapest day of the week
Traveling on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are usually the cheapest days of the week. Also, searching mid-week for flights produces the best deals too.
From my personal experience, I also find that Thursday can sometimes offer a good price as well.
Days that tend to be the most expensive are Mondays, Fridays and sometimes Sundays. Airlines know that most business trips take place between Monday and Friday, which is why it tends to be more expensive to depart Monday and return on Friday.
However, business travelers have started to recently fly out on Sunday, rather than Monday to try and get a better rate on airfare, but this isn’t always the case.
13. Fly during off-peak hours
Sure you may already know that flying after 8:00pm is usually cheaper than flying during the day. But you can also score a deal by taking an early morning flight as well (between 5:00am and 7:00am).
14. Fly indirect
While nonstop flights are usually preferred, sometimes you can save a significant amount by choosing a 1-stop flight.
A 1-stop flight may also give you more options.
For example, I just recently booked flights to Victoria, BC and the only direct flight from Toronto arrives late at night. Instead, I picked a 1-stop flight that arrives in Victoria by noon, which also saved me over $100.
You may also decide to choose a flight with a long layover, which can allow you to explore the city as an added bonus.
15. Fly during the shoulder or off-season
Flying during the shoulder or off-season can lead to significant savings.
I was able to score a great 7-day vacation package to Paris in February for only $1,000 CAD (which included flights, hotel and taxes).
This was a lot more affordable than traveling during the summer months and traveling during the off-season tends to be less busy too—which is a win-win for me.
The take-home point is to be flexible with your travel dates, as prices can fluctuate significantly throughout the seasons.
16. Save money on checked baggage
Most airlines now charge you $25 each way to check your luggage, and they will also charge you extra if it’s over the weight limit.
You can avoid this by packing lightly and wearing your heavier items on the plane.
If you’re traveling with a close friend or significant other, consider sharing a suitcase with them. This can save you $50 together on baggage costs ($25 each way).
Another option is to bring carry-on luggage only if you’re going on a short trip, such as a weekend getaway. Most hotels offer basic toiletries, and you can bring travel-sized items with you on the plane (provided they meet the TSA liquid guidelines).
17. Bring your own food
Many airlines now charge for food on board. Save money by bringing your own snacks from home instead of buying them on the plane. I promise that your own food will taste a lot better too.
18. Shop around for travel & health insurance
I always recommend having travel or (extra) health insurance for your trip, however the one offered when you book your flights isn’t always the best rate.
Sometimes your work place might offer travel or health coverage, which is included in your benefits package.
You can also purchase insurance through your bank for the year — which is what I currently do.
Since I travel multiple times per year, an annual insurance plan is more cost effective for me (instead of having to pay separately for each trip).
If you are over 40 years old (or have a history of health issues), I recommend purchasing extra health coverage (even if you’re already covered through work).
Unfortunately we can never predict what might happen while we’re traveling, which is why it’s always important to be prepared.
19. Avoid paying for seat selection (if possible)
While advanced seat selection is sometimes included in your airfare, some airlines charge a fee to select your seats.
Unless you’re particular about where you sit on the plane, I recommend skipping this step when booking your flights.
Instead, check-in 24 hours before your flight, which allows you to make your seat selection for free.
20. Sign up for a frequent flier program
Frequent flier programs are great for scoring free flights and upgrades.
Even if you’re not a frequent flier I recommend signing up for an airline rewards program. You can earn points by shopping at partner stores, taking advantage of special email offers (sign up for their newsletter) and by flying of course.
Amongst the pantheon of notable public television personalities, Bob Ross easily ranks alongside the likes of Mr Rogers and Elmo as a star who is almost universally loved and respected by the public. Despite being famous the world over for his balmy, soothing demeanour, his show The Joy of Painting and his amazing ‘fro, we know surprisingly little about arguably one of the best known artists in modern times.
This is partially because, for some reason, nobody ever really asked Bob Ross to do any interviews and he only gave a handful of them over the course of his life. In fact, in one of the surprisingly few quotes from the man himself that don’t come from his show, he stated “I never turn down requests for interviews. I’m just rarely asked”. However, in another interview Ross gave with Egg Magazine, who specifically sought him out because they realised nobody knew anything about him, Ross sheepishly admitted that he liked to “stay hidden” adding that he was “sort of hard to find“. In fact, Ross was so hard to find that PBS once lost track of him, though it would seem few, if anybody, noticed, until Ross called to let them know he’d moved to Orlando after the fact.
As a result of Ross’ love of privacy, coupled with the apathetic attitude of interviewers back then, details about his life are notoriously hazy and difficult to nail down to the point that even the book, Happy Clouds, Happy Trees: The Bob Ross Phenomenon, chronicling his life and career was, in the end, forced to admit that their “text is… about an understanding we have of Bob Ross and his life. If we had wanted to write an accurate biographical book on Bob Ross, that goal would be difficult to accomplish“.
A further hurdle for those looking to write about Ross is that his company, Bob Ross, Inc, today is fiercely protective of their intellectual property and Bob Ross’ privacy, even in death. One of the few things they’ve authorised that would come close to an “official” biography of his life is a documentary titled “Bob Ross: The Happy Painter” that can be viewed by pledging money to PBS or by tracking down a copy of the DVD, which is exactly what I had to end up doing to fill in the huge gaps of what I could find elsewhere about the elusive Bob Ross.
Finally, although Ross was a notable public figure who did a lot of charity work and met with hundreds, if not thousands of people over his lifetime, he only had a handful of close friends who understandably don’t like discussing his life out of respect for his privacy. In fact, some of the only known interviews with Ross’ family and friends about him can only be found today in the documentary mentioned previously.
Could the club drug, ketamine, be the best hope for curing chronic depression? Every year millions of Americans struggle with major depression, but 30% of these people don’t get any better on anti-depressants.
However, low dose ketamine infusions can offer complete relief from depressive thoughts and feelings in as little as 1-2 hours. Though the FDA hasn’t approved ketamine for psychiatric disorders, pioneering doctors have been administering ketamine in a practice known as “off-label” treatment in clinics popping up across the country.
But with no FDA approval, no oversight, limited data and no regulations, some medical professionals are concerned patients are essentially lab mice, not realizing the potential risks with this “miracle drug.”
The 1998 movie got so much right about mass surveillance, reality TV and vlogging, and the developing need for affirmation from strangers. But it’s also an awesome commentary on how people believe what they want to believe.
Battlefields are sites where huge numbers of people meet their end. With so much human emotion focused in one area, many believe the battlefields of the world to be littered with ghosts and paranormal activity.
Whether you believe in the paranormal or not, it is undeniable that some places have a creepy and unsettling atmosphere, which may or may not explain why so many reports of ghost sightings exist. Here are my choices for 5 of the most haunted battlefields on Earth.
5. Marston Moor
4. Lake Poyang in China
3. Mametz Wood
2. Battle Abbey
1. Gettysburg
LOCAL RECORDS OFFICE – Real estate has been booming in 2016 in this article the pros at Local Records Office will be talking about tenants and loans. Because homeownership is often less expensive than rent, we could see some of our rent-to-own tenantbuyers start trying to execute their options. If you don’t have tenant buyers, you may want to consider using them for your rental property. You will generally get more rent and less hassle. In my experience, less than 20% of tenant buyers end up buying the home, but for me, I am happy when they do.
I like getting a large payday, with no Realtor fees that I can roll into another deal. For this reason, I want to be sure my lease option documents are prepared correctly, to help their chances of getting a loan.
Buyers vs. Sellers
There are many effective and valid ways to structure a lease option transaction, depending on the parties involved and the objectives in mind. What a lot of sellers and buyers often overlook is that one of the most important “parties” to this transaction is the underwriter on the buyer’s loan, when the time comes to exercise the option.
One of the most important things to know about today’s new underwriting climate is that the tolerance for inaccuracy is down to almost zero. Much like I would recommend a good attorney review your documents, I think it is crucial for a good mortgage broker or banker to do the same. Here are ten helpful hints to ensure the tenant buyer’s loan closes:
“Rent credit should be allowed to be used towards the buyer’s down payment”
Rent credit should be allowed to be used towards the buyer’s down payment or minimum borrower contribution only if the rent actually charged does not exceed the fair market rents in that neighborhood. It is actually best to write your agreement that the rent credit reduces the purchase price and is NOT considered down payment. If they need the additional down payment, you may be asked to prove the rent credit is equal to the amount they paid above market rent, which is not going to be an easy task.
Fair market rents will be determined by the appraiser in the subject property’s appraisal report. Credit for down payment must be accrued for a minimum of 12 months.
It is best to get as much money upfront as possible because all of that can be credited as down payment. You can reduce the amount of money the tenant buyer needs by offering to pay their closing costs. This could also be part of the rent credit, if it is structured correctly.
The Lender Needs the Right Documents from You
The lender will require a copy of the rental or purchase agreement evidencing a minimum original term of at least 12 months, clearly stating the monthly rental amount and specifying the terms of the lease.
The lender would like to see that the lease agreement references the purchase option and vice versa, or they are contained in a single contract, so the underwriter can have documentation of both aspects of the transaction. I have my option reference the lease but I want the lease to stand on its own; so for me the lease is a separate agreement that does not reference the option. This is how most attorneys would suggest you do it, so it is a good idea to run your contracts by a competent attorney AND a mortgage professional.
In no case should the seller ever commingle the borrowers rent credit, purchase option deposit, or security deposit with their own personal accounts.
Make Sure to Document Every Transaction That way You’ll Be Prepared
Any rent credits, option payments and security deposit funds should be thoroughly documented to include copies of the original checks, copies of the cancelled checks, and copies of the account statements showing their entrance into and retention in those accounts.
Lenders will require copies of the buyer’s cancelled checks or other proof of payment for the last 12 months evidencing the rental payments. Be sure the tenant knows this if they are paying with money orders.
Equity
Sweat equity is normally not an acceptable source of funds or credit; only actual monies paid as outlined above, so don’t count on the buyer “earning” their down payment in lieu of rent payments.
Taking the above measures should help ensure a successful closing if your buyer can still qualify in all other required areas. With that said this article is not meant to replace a competent mortgage professional. Please visit Local Records Office’s webpage for a list of vendors they recommend.
