• I worked out with Justin Gelband, a celebrity trainer who has worked with Victoria's Secret Fashion Show models Candice Swanepoel and Lais Ribeiro.
• Instead of launching clients into a one-size-fits-all routine, Gelband analyzes each person and creates specialty workouts to help create the best results.
• People of any age or fitness level can do Gelband's workouts, not just Victoria's Secret models.
• He designed his exercise method after being in a car crash that resulted in four herniated discs and a struggle to walk.

Social media is filled with videos of Victoria's Secret models exercising to get show-ready and, oftentimes, their sweat sessions look intimidating. Take, for instance, models Taylor Hill and Jasmine Tooks completing high-intensity strength training workouts at New York City's Dogpound.

So when I was offered the chance to train with Justin Gelband, a fitness instructor who has worked with Victoria's Secret models like Candice Swanepoel and Lais Ribeiro, I was worried.

After I arrived at Gelband's New York City studio, however, I was introduced to a variety of low-impact, functional exercises focused on toning the body and improving day-to-day movement and health. Each move required little equipment and the smallest of movements, making it a workout practically anyone can do.

Gelband believes a workout should be tailored to the person who is doing it

Today, group fitness classes tend to focus on high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and assume all participants can complete the same routine. But Gelband believes differently. 

Instead of launching clients into a one-size-fits-all routine, Gelband analyzes each person and creates workouts accordingly. That means a Victoria's Secret model would perform exercises that prepare her to walk in seven-inch stilettos, while I, a desk-ridden worker in the throes of corporate America, would focus on hip-opening exercises.

Read more:The trainer who gets Victoria's Secret models into shape reveals 3 mistakes you're making with your ab exercises

Gelband created this special training method after he got into a car crash in 2004 and herniated four discs in his back, making even walking difficult. Since then, he's gotten back on his feet and opened studios to share his fitness method with people of all lifestyles.

There is one central goal to every person's tailored routine, including mine, though.

"My goal is to open people's hips and lower back and everything, because the core isn't just the stomach, it's your hips, back, and butt area," he told INSIDER. "If your core is working well, you're going to be good." 

We started with a five-minute warm-up that focused on hip opening moves

First I completed a warm-up, where Gelband took note of my movements, something he does for all of his clients. He noticed my foot would turn out whenever I took a forward step, signaling tight hips.

Gelband then suggested a five to 10-minute warm-up to prepare the muscles for the toning, lengthening, and resistance exercises I would complete later in the program.

Each exercise focused on small movements and resistance

After the warm-up, I performed a series of slow, controlled movements using hand weights and resistance bands, which are essential to Gelband's training method.

"Unless you're training to play a sport, full range of motion isn't important for your day-to-day, like if you sit at a desk all day," Gelband told INSIDER. 

Rather than doing the burpees, deep squats, or push-ups I often find myself struggling through in high-intensity classes, I was coached through tiny toe taps while I held a squat, or rotational movements that opened my hips and made my leg muscles burn.

Throughout the workout, Gelband stressed the importance of never locking out your elbows or knees, since doing so lessens the resistance and stops the muscles from getting a full burn.

Gelband then showed me an exercise that prepares Victoria's Secret models to walk in mile-high heels

I also got to try an exercise that's aimed at people who wear heels on a regular basis — aka Victoria's Secret models.

"They're torquing their bodies in strange ways, so a lot of what I do with the models is prepare their bodies for those torquing motions," Gelbrand said.

Read more:5 things models do before they walk in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

For the high heel-prep exercise, I stood with one leg on a slanted wooden structure and another staggered behind me on an elevated box. Then, I did tiny toe taps backward and to the side with my back leg, using my butt muscles to guide the motion. Beware: even though the exercise looks easy, it burns — a lot. 

Throughout the routine, I could feel tiny muscle groups in my thighs, abs, and glutes, core working hard.  Although I didn't sweat nearly as much as I would in a cardio or HIIT class, I felt challenged the entire time and sore the following day.

We finished the session with foam rolling to release any muscle tension

Following the workout, Gelband demonstrated how to properly use a foam roller for myofascial release, a technique that massages stiff body tissue to release pain, according to the Mayo Clinic. "Most people use big, sweeping motions when foam rolling, but that's all wrong," he told INSIDER.

Instead, Gelband said foam rolling should be done in, you guessed it, small and slow movements. We focused on rolling the areas I just worked out: my quads, butt, and hamstrings. While each motion looked like nothing, I could feel the tension releasing from my body and vowed silently to make the technique part of my regular workout routine.

After working out with Gelband, my body felt looser and more aligned, two things that anyone, not just Victoria's Secret models, could use more of. 

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

You can find all of INSIDER's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show coverage here.

• Read more:
• 14 things about the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show you probably didn't know
• What it's actually like to audition for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
• Victoria's Secret says its 'runways have been culturally diverse for a long time,' but it has been accused of cultural appropriation over and over again

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The first woman in space almost didn't make it back to Earth and she had to keep it a secret for 30 years

• Video obtained by TMZ appears to show Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt shoving and kicking a woman during a dispute in February.
• The incident reportedly occurred after Hunt and his friends had been on a party bus with the woman and invited her back to Hunt's apartment.
• The woman said she was assaulted by Hunt, while a member of Hunt's group said the woman had assaulted her. No charges were filed at the time.

New video from TMZ published Friday appears to show Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt shoving and kicking a woman in a February dispute at a hotel.

Cleveland.com previously reported that cops were called to the hotel early on February 10. Abigail Ottinger, 19, accused Hunt of assaulting her, while another woman who was with Hunt's group accused Ottinger of assaulting her, according to the report.

Citing police reports, Cleveland.com said that Hunt and his friends had spent the night on a party bus with Ottinger and others traveling to Cleveland bars. Ottinger and her friend said they were Kent State University students.

After going back to Hunt's hotel apartment, the women were kicked out when Hunt and his friends learned the women couldn't legally drink, the report said. Ottinger alleged they were kicked out because one of them would not hook up with one of Hunt's friends.

In policy body-cam footage also obtained by TMZ, people in Hunt's group say the woman called them racial slurs while leaving.

The surveillance video appears to show Hunt confronting a woman, with another man trying to stay between them. TMZ did not specify whether the woman in the video is Ottinger.

The man in the video identified as Hunt can then be seen shoving the woman, then the woman hits him in the face. Moments later, as several people try to break up the two and corral the man down a hallway, he charges forward, hitting another man who fell into the woman. Both stay on the ground for several moments before the woman is kicked, knocking her over.

According to TMZ, no charges were filed at the time. Cleveland.com quoted a police sergeant as saying that because it was a "cross complaint," each person would be directed to the prosecutor's office if they wanted to pursue charges.

According to reports, the Chiefs were aware of the incident at the time. But Nate Taylor of The Athletic reported on Friday that the Chiefs were made aware of the video only recently.

Hunt's agency and the NFL did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the video.

Watch the video of the altercation on TMZ »

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Inside an intense training session where aspiring WWE wrestlers learn how to fight

• Bank of America Merrill Lynch has dominated the US IPO market in terms of deals and volume in 2018.
• BAML is first on the league table for IPO volume by a wide margin, working on 57 IPOs in the US this year that have raised $25 billion in capital, according to Bloomberg data.
• The bank's 11.13% share of the market is nearly 2.5 times its share from last year.
• The stark turnaround from 2017 is in part because of the episodic nature of the IPO business, as well as the firm's deep experience in healthcare and tech.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch's investment bank may be having a down year, but there's one area where it has positively trounced the competition: the US initial public offering market. 

The Charlotte-based lender has worked on 57 IPOs in the US this year that have raised $25 billion in capital, according to Bloomberg data. Bank of America is credited directly with $4.76 billion in deal volume, an 11.13% share of the market, which is nearly 2.5 times its share from last year and puts it in first place on the league tables.

And it's not even close. Goldman Sachs, with $3.7 billion in credited deal volume across 47 IPOs and an 8.64% market share, ranks second. According to Bloomberg, BAML's lead on the league tables is the widest gap in at least a decade.

It's a stark reversal of fortune for the bank's US IPO team, which worked on 30 deals in 2017 and ranked 8th with a 4.6% share of the market. The last time it topped the tables was in 2013, when it underwrote 67 public offerings and grabbed an 11.6% share of the market. 

So what's different in 2018?

BAML's rise to the top of the league table isn't the result of any substantial changes in focus or strategy, according to insiders at the bank. Instead, the turnaround is in part attributable to the episodic nature of the business, and the firm's strong position in tech and healthcare, two active areas of the IPO, according to the sources.

IPO league tables are volatile by nature. A different bank has come out on top in deal volume each of the past five years, according to Bloomberg data. 

Read more: Bank of America Merrill Lynch just promoted nearly 140 employees to managing director — we got a leaked list of all the names

"The league tables for IPOs jump around a bit from year to year partly based upon specific deals," said Jay Ritter, an IPO expert and finance professor at the University of Florida. "This year has not had any megadeals that have a huge impact on the rankings."

That's expected to change in 2019, as unicorns like Uber, Lyft, and Airbnb could make long-awaited debuts on the public markets.

But even without any earth-shattering listings in 2018, it's nonetheless been an above average year for US IPOs in terms of deal volume, Ritter said. And industry-specific trends can also tip the scales — different IPO underwriters excel in different sectors — and this year a slew of biotech public listings has tilted the rankings, according to Ritter.

Healthcare is the second-hottest sector in terms of deal volume behind financials, and the hottest in terms of total listings, according to Bloomberg data.

Among the healthcare and biotech deals that BAML has been a lead bookrunner on:

• Guardant Health, raised $273 million in October
• Homology Medicines, raised $165 million in March
• Axonics Modulation Technologies, raised $138 million in October
• SI-Bone, raised $124 million in October
• Inspire Medical Systems, raised $124 million in May
• Principia Biopharma, raised $122 million in September. 

Deal volume doesn't always directly translate into fee revenue. Different IPOs will command different fee splits depending on the size of the issuance, how many banks are involved, and how active a role a bank has running the deal. 

BAML ranks third in revenue from US IPOs with $192 million, according to Dealogic, trailing JPMorgan Chase and first-place Goldman Sachs. 

But with only December remaining in 2018, Bank of America Merrill Lynch has a firm grip on the number one ranking for deal volume. 

• Read more:

• Bank of America Merrill Lynch just promoted nearly 140 employees to managing director — we got a leaked list of all the names

• A wave of senior departures, lost market share, and a 20% drop in fees: A dismal year in investment banking at Bank of America

• 2018 has been one of the wildest years in M&A since the financial crisis — here are the 40 biggest investment-banker moves

• Investment banks are waging a war for star talent in 2018. Here are the banks that won — and the banks that lost.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why you shouldn't be afraid to fly, according to a pilot with over 20 years of experience

Beauty gift sets are the easiest way to go when it comes to value, size, and convenience. Most are already packaged nicely in pretty boxes so you can skip the gift wrap, the total value of products in the kits are usually way more than what you actually paid, and it's just so easy to grab a box of something and be done with shopping.

But that also means that some sets are less thoughtfully curated than others, like makeup palettes that don't have coordinating colors, or brush sets that are missing the essentials.

Well, these sets are not those. Here are 22 great beauty gift sets that are so thoughtful it's almost like you curated them yourself.

And if you're still searching for the perfect gift, check out the rest of our gift guides here.

SEE ALSO: All of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides, in one place

DON'T MISS: 30 amazing beauty gifts under $25 — from magnetic eyelashes to Fenty lipsticks

A makeup brush set that has all the ones they’ll actually use

EcoTools Radiant Complexion Beauty Brush Kit, $14.99, available at Target

More doesn’t always mean better in the case of this essential brush kit that has all the ones they’d use on a daily basis and none that’ll just collect dust.

This set contains:

• Precision Foundation Brush
• Micro Blending Brush
• Highlighting Fan Brush
• Everyday Eye Brush

A cat and beauty lovers dream lip kit

Winky Lux Kitty Glam Kit, $22, available at Ulta

Cat moms will love this feline-inspired beauty set. The lip balm applies on quite sheer, but changes color depending on their lips’ pH level, and the blush-highlighter combo adds just a light flush, so you can’t go wrong.

This set contains: —

• Radiant Pink Strobing Balm 
• Pink Flower Balm
• Zippered kitty pouch

Masks they can use while 34,000 feet in the air

Patchology On the Fly Multi-Masking Travel Skincare Kit, $20, available at Amazon

Help keep their skin happy and hydrated with this set of masks and gels. They can use them solo or layered for maximum moisture.

This set contains:

• Hydrate Flash Masque Sheet Mask
• Illuminate Flash Masque Sheet Mask
• FlashPatch Rejuvenating Eye Gel (pair)
• FlashPatch Hydrating Lip Gel

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• For those who are always on the road, the right gift can help make life easier, more comfortable, or more efficient.
• From luggage and backpacks to plane-friendly workwear and headphones, this gift guide has the perfect travel gifts for any road warrior.

People who travel often, whether for business or leisure, tend to be one of two kinds of packers: light, or organized (of course, they can also be both).

If you have friends or family on your shopping list who spend a lot of time on the road or in the air, this guide has the perfect gift for them, no matter what kind of packer or traveler they are.

Still shopping for more gifts? Check out all of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides for 2018 here.


SEE ALSO: All of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides, in one place

DON'T MISS: 25 creative and unexpected gifts for 'Star Wars' fans of all ages

The most comfortable travel shoes you can buy

Wool Runners, available at Allbirds, $95

Allbirds wool runners come in all colors and sizes and are comfortable enough to wear on the plane, in the city, or even in the hotel gym.

The latest and greatest e-reader

Kindle Paperwhite, available at Amazon, $129.99

The Kindle Paperwhite is thin, light, waterproof, and has an absurdly crisp screen.

Performance workwear for her

Commute and Work Performance Clothing, available at Athleta, starts at $38

Performance workwear is comfortable, stretchy, and wrinkle-resistant, but looks fashionable and perfect for the office.

• Bill Gates, Sheryl Sandberg, Mark Zuckerberg, and other leaders have been asked the same question in interviews time and time again: "What advice would you give to your younger self?"
• Business Insider has gathered our favorite quotes from successful leaders, pulled from interviews conducted over the years and quotes compiled by a marketing campaign from the company AdView.

The people we've come to associate with the most successful technology companies were once relatively unknown names with big dreams. So if they could do it all over again, would they do it any differently?

The answer to this commonly-asked interview question tells us what we want to learn from the people who have, in our eyes, "made it." And leaders in the tech industry are successful because they created something — or saw potential in something — in a way that no one else did. The advice they would give their younger selves, then, is often informative and motivational. 

Digital advertising company AdView compiled quotes from across the internet to create these inspirational posters for a series called "What Would You Tell Your Teenage Self?" We found our favorites and pulled a few others from various interviews over the years from the leaders and executives at companies like Apple, Facebook, Intel, Pandora, Airbnb, and more.

Here's the advice these 16 leaders in the tech industry told interviewers they would tell their younger selves:

"Smartness is not single dimensional and not quite as important as I thought it was back then."

In Bill Gates' Reddit AMA from 2017, user UncomfortableChuckle asked "If you could give 19 year old Bill Gates some advice, what would it be?"

The second richest man in the world — behind Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos — responded:

"I would explain that smartness is not single dimensional and not quite as important as I thought it was back then. I would say you might explore the developing world before you get into your forties. I wasn't very good socially back then but I am not sure there is advice that would fix that - maybe I had to be awkward and just grow up...."

"Find work you love. Believe you can do anything. There is no straight path to where you are going."

The question was posed by a Quora user, and Sandberg took the time to lay out a detailed response, in the form of three pieces of advice instead of just one.

1. Find work you love. When you believe in what you are doing, you can combine passion with contribution - and that is a true gift. Keep trying and you will find what you love to do… and once you do, you will crush it.
2. Believe you can do anything. This is important for everyone and especially for women. Don't let anyone tell you can't have both a meaningful professional career and a fulfilling personal life. When you hear someone say you can't do something, know that you can and start figuring out how. Ask yourself, "What would I do if I weren't afraid?"
3. There is no straight path to where you are going. If you try to draw that line you will not just get it wrong, but you will miss big opportunities. As Pattie Sellers of Fortune Magazine says, careers are not ladders but jungle gyms. You don't have to have it all figured out. I recommend adopting two concurrent goals.

"A healthier lifestyle ultimately makes me more creative and allows me to think more cohesively."

That was Dorsey's simple response when Y Combinator interviewed the Twitter CEO in 2016.

"When I was young I didn’t understand the value of exercise or health and how that affected my intellect," he said. "I think it was useful for me to go to all the extremes to find the balance I have now, but I wish I focused more on being healthier in the past. A healthier lifestyle ultimately makes me more creative and allows me to think more cohesively."

• Cellphone data recovered by detectives in their investigation into Chris Watts show the Colorado man was falling in love with his mistress in the days before he killed his pregnant wife and two kids.
• Wife Shanann picked up on the distance and was desperately trying to sa lavage their relationship, but Watts remained cool, making internet searches for the prices of Audis while she bought self-help books online.
• Shanann and their two daughters, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste, were killed sometime in the early morning hours of August 13. Their bodies were dumped at an oil site where Watts worked.

Cellphone data obtained in the investigation into Colorado murderer Chris Watts show he was looking up ways to marry his mistress and the lyrics to love songs in the days before he killed his pregnant wife and two kids this past August.

The data was included in a batch of nearly 2,000 documents first obtained by the Daily Mail in a Freedom of Information Act Request this week.

The cellphone data showed Watts striking up a romantic relationship with a woman he met at work, Nichol Kessinger. He entered her phone number into his phone on June 14, and they proceeded to start dating while his wife and daughters Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, were away for most of the summer visiting family in North Carolina.

Watts' phone data showed that he had his first phone call with Kessinger on July 7, and a week later they visited a Mustang museum together. Four days later, Kessinger started sending him semi-nude photos of herself, according to the data obtained by the Mail.

In July, Kessinger typed this phrase into Google""Man I'm having affair with says he will leave his wife." A few hours after that search, Watts makes a search for "Victoria Secret [sic]."

That same day, a worried Shanann sent a slew of texts to her husband saying she has realized "what's missing in our relationship!" and accuses him of not reciprocating her feelings and effort. The following morning, Watts made several Google searches between 8:41 a.m. and 12:07 p.m., including "When to say I love you,""When to say I love you for the first time in a new relationship,""What do you feel when someone tells you they love you," and "How does it feel when someone says I love you."

During an interview with the Denver Post earlier this month, Kessinger said that she started dating Watts at the end of June and that he told her that he was in the final stages of his divorce. She claims she didn't know that he was actually expecting his third child with Shanann.

On July 28, investigators wrote in documents that Watts and Kessinger traveled together to spend a night at the Great Sand Dunes. Two days later, Watts started looking up "love letters" and lyrics to love songs.

The next day, Watts flew to North Carolina for the final week of his family's vacation.

On August 4, while Watts was away, Kessinger spent two hours looking for wedding dresses on Google.

On August 8, a day after the family returned from North Carolina, Watts searched Google for topics related to "marrying your mistress." Meanwhile, Shanann had started confiding in her friends that her husband had become distant and they were having issues.

In the five final days of her life, Shanann Googled couples counselors in her area and bought relationship self-help books online, according to the documents.

Read more:Text messages and phone records show pregnant Colorado woman murdered by her husband told friends before her death that he had 'changed' and didn't want another baby

Meanwhile, on August 9, four days before he killed his wife and kids, he looked up the prices on an Audi Q7. That day, his wife left for a quick business trip to Arizona. The following day, he spent the morning arranging a babysitter to look after his girls so he could attend a Colorado Rockies game the next day. In reality, he went out on a date with Kessinger.

The Watts' home surveillance system records Shanann returning home from Arizona just before 2 a.m. on August 13. The report notes that at 5:58 a.m. Watts left home with his family's bodies "piled in the backseat of his truck."

Earlier this month Watts pleaded guilty to counts including first-degree murder. He was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences.

• Read more about the Chris Watts case:
• Mistress of Chris Watts, the man accused of murdering his pregnant wife and 2 daughters, speaks out about their affair
• 'I put my hands around my wife's neck': Video shows the chilling moment Chris Watts confessed to strangling his pregnant wife
• Friends of slain Colorado pregnant woman say she was worried her husband was cheating and was thinking about leaving him

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The science of why human breasts are so big

• I went to TomTom, the restaurant made famous by the Bravo show "Vanderpump Rules."
• It was actually pretty great. 
• The food was fresh and the drinks were pretty fairly priced. 

As any die-hard "Vanderpump Rules" fan knows, castmembers Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz's collaboration with Lisa Vanderpump and Ken Todd officially opened its doors and TomTom season is officially here.

And while the opening night (filmed for an episode of Bravo's reality show "Vanderpump Rules," naturally) and the press preview delivered images of a TomTom packed to the brim with Bravolebrities and opportunities aplenty for face time with the Toms, that's not exactly how things go down at the fourth West Hollywood Vanderpump creation on a daily basis.

Life doesn't often imitate reality TV, after all. To find out what it's like for the average Vanderpump fan, I ventured out to the brand new bar and restaurant on a Friday night. And it was actually kind of fantastic.

Of course, a few factors lined up perfectly. For starters, I'd heard there was a line out the door to get into the place on most popular nights, so I nabbed a seat just after the doors opened at 5:30 p.m. The result was a prime bar spot, smack dab in the middle of the front parlor.

It was close enough to the front to watch people walk by and realize they recognized the bar from TV and to keep an eye on the famous giant portrait of the Toms mid-kiss. As a bonus, I decided to visit the bar a few days before Halloween, and as it turns out, TomTom's decor is kind of perfect for those synthetic spiderwebs that we all love so much on the spookiest holiday of the year. So, pro-tip: plan your TomTom visit for next October.

Since my friend and I were at the bar, we were able to make conversation with the bartenders (all of whom look like they could star in their own "Vanderpump Rules" spinoff), who were kind, talkative, and instantly knew that I was the sort of person who'd want to know if the drink I just ordered was, in fact, "a Sandoval original." (For the record, I ordered the "Toulouse Your Mind" precisely because it sounded like a Sandoval original, but kudos to the kind staff for knowing exactly why I was in their establishment.)

Not only were the staff welcoming and surprising chill with the knowledge that 90% of their customers were bound to be fans of the Bravo series, but the foods and drinks were actually pretty wonderful too.

I had heard that some of the cocktails were a bit off (and having been to SUR, I can attest that Ken and Lisa's hot spots don't always have the best cocktail inventions), but would wholeheartedly recommend the Toulouse (named after Toulouse Lautrec, made from Absinthe, pineapple, fresh lemon, ginger liqueur, and habanero crystals, and topped with a tiny red rose). It's only a tad spicy, great for Instagram (especially if you nab a spot at the marble bar), and it's got a delightful, unique flavor without being over-the-top sweet (like so, so many Vanderpump cocktails tend to be).

But since the drinks at TomTom are pretty strong (which is great since they're $16 bucks a pop), I couldn't leave without getting a little something to snack on, too.

The menu is packed with options, though most of them have descriptive names like "avocado purses" or "crab & scallion cakes," but since I wasn't at this reality TV gem to eat regular food items, I opted for the first punny item I could find: The Bubbapump Shrimp Tacos. God bless whoever knew, deep down, that "Vanderpump Rules" fans would appreciate a Bubba Gump/Lisa Vanderpump joke. (I'd put money on this being a Schwartz idea, considering his affinity for the word "Bubba.")

The tacos are an extremely LA dish, eschewing the usual corn tortillas for jicama, cut into thin, tortilla-esque slices. I initially assumed that this choice was done for low-carb reasons, a concession to offset the fact that the shrimp are deep-fried, but after (quickly) finishing off all three tacos on my plate, I have to confess the jicama switcheroo is kind of genius.

First of all, the cool, veggie shell not only offsets the actual calories of the breaded shrimp, but it's gives a genuinely nice counterbalance to the greasy fried seafood element. Secondly, because the jicama is a bit sturdier than a corn tortilla, the tacos hold together much better than actual tacos. Add to that a legitimately delicious spicy aioli with radishes and cilantro on top, and these little low-carb tacos might actually be the perfect cocktail snack.

Lastly, the prices at TomTom are surprisingly ... normal 

The restaurant could open its doors to Bravo fans and charge an arm and a leg for everything on the menu and probably still do alright. Instead, the prices are pretty in line with most upscale LA eateries (around $14-16 for an appetizer, $16-24 for most entrees, and $16 for most cocktails).

The beers are a little too expensive for my taste ($10 dollars for a Peroni when you could buy the same beer as a six-pack for $7), but if you're having a beer at TomTom, you're missing the point of TomTom.

TomTom is a pretty decent place to stop for a drink or two and some snacks. And while, yes, there are far better restaurants in West Hollywood just steps away from this place, they don't all promise the same immersive Vanderpump experience.

So go for it, Vanderpump obsessives. Nab a table, soak in the little details, and make sure you order a Sandoval original.

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Donald Nixon filed a lawsuit against Playboy.com on Wednesday, alleging the website was in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act.
• Nixon, who is legally blind, claimed Playboy.com and Playboyshop.com are incompatible with his screen-reading software.
• Nixon reportedly hopes to make the website more accessible for the blind; he is also asking for unspecified damages.

A legally blind man has filed a lawsuit against Playboy.com and Playboyshop.com, claiming he is unable to "fully and equally use or enjoy the facilities, products and services" provided by the websites, TMZ reported Wednesday.

The complaint alleges Playboy.com and Playboyshop.com are in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act because the websites are incompatible with Nixon’s screen-reading software. According to People, Nixon is asking the sites to be more accessible to the blind. He is also requesting unspecified damages.

Read more: Hugh Hefner founded Playboy after Esquire denied $5 raise

Despite its longstanding penchant for nude photos, the men’s lifestyle and entertainment magazine also has a history of publishing short stories by famous novelists and in-depth interviews with various public figures. Presumably, Nixon is only trying to read Playboy for the articles.

Although news of the lawsuit sparked jokes on Twitter and other social media, there’s actually a precedent for complaints of this kind. In 2017, a woman sued Kylie Jenner’s cosmetics website over similar allegations; the year prior, DASH, a boutique clothing and accessory chain founded by Kourtney, Kim and Khloé Kardashian, was also subject to claims it provided no access for blind customers.

As of Friday morning, Playboy had yet to comment publicly on the lawsuit.

Read more:

The creative director of New York City's Playboy Club says that he looks for 2 qualities when hiring a Playboy Bunny — and that one red flag will keep someone from getting the job

Here's what will happen to the Playboy Mansion now that Hugh Hefner has died

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The first woman in space almost didn't make it back to Earth and she had to keep it a secret for 30 years

• North Carolina officials are delaying certification of the results of the race for North Carolina's 9th congressional district while they investigate possible election fraud. 
• In the November 6 election, Republican Mark Harris defeated Democrat Dan McCready by a margin of 905 votes after beating incumbent Rep. Rob Pittenger in the primary.
• State election officials are investigating potential absentee ballot fraud as a possible cause for irregularities in the results from two countries in the district.

The 2018 midterm elections were held almost a month ago, but the results of a closely-contested North Carolina Congressional race are in doubt as the state elections board delays certification of the results while it reviews allegations of ballot tampering and election fraud. 

In the Nov. 6 election, Republican Mark Harris defeated Democrat Dan McCready by just 950 votes in the race for North Carolina's 9th Congressional district, after beating incumbent Congressman Rob Pittenger in the May primary.

But earlier this week, the North Carolina State Board of Elections and Ethics Reform voted unanimously to delay certification of the results due to the number of mail-in ballot irregularities reported in Bladen and Robeson Counties, including unusually high rates of absentee ballots being requested by voters but not returned.

 "We encourage all allegations of voter fraud to be investigated and prosecuted, and perpetrators should go to prison," the North Carolina GOP said in a Thursday statement."However, Democrats are throwing everything, including the kitchen sink, at the wall to try and steal an election." 

The investigation and move to delay the certification was not, however, spearheaded by Democrats. The Board of Elections is made up of four Democrats, four Republicans, and one unaffiliated member. 

See also: Here are the results of the 27 most competitive House races in the 2018 midterm elections

"Today's news reports of the serious allegations in Bladen County are troubling,"the McReady campaign said Thursday. "I stand with voters all across the 9th district in wanting to make sure any wrongdoing is investigated and prosecuted regardless of the outcome of the election."

In at least six affidavits obtained by WSCO-TV, some witnesses described overhearing a local political operative working on behalf of Harris — Leslie McRae Dowless — saying she hired 80 people to do "absentee" for the Harris campaign, and would receive a $40,000 cash bonus if Harris won. 

Bladen and Robson County voters who submitted other sworn affidavits said they received absentee ballots they did not request, and were canvassed at their homes by operatives who told them to fill out only a few races on absentee ballots, with the canvassers telling voters they would fill out and send in the rest of the ballot. 

Bladen County not only had the highest rate of votes that came from absentee ballots at 22%, compared to no more than 1.6% in any of the other counties in the district, but Harris won 96% of the absentee ballots from Bladen, compared to 62% of absentee ballots from other counties. 

Under North Carolina law, "ballot harvesting," or filling out and submitting absentee ballots on behalf of others is illegal. On Friday, the NCSBE decided by a 7-2 vote to hold an evidentiary hearing into the allegations before December 21st. 

While the Harris campaign said in a Thursday statement that they are preparing for Harris to take office on Jan. 3rd, the fraud investigation and possible litigation over the election results could drag on for weeks, leaving control of the seat in limbo.  

As WSCO-TV reporter Joe Bruno pointed out on Thursday, the State Elections board doesn't need to determine that voter fraud influenced the outcome to order a new election. They only need to determine that "irregularities occurred to such an extent that they taint the results of the entire election and cast doubt on its fairness."

Gerry Cohen, a North Carolina elections expert who served as chief counsel to the North Carolina General Assembly, told INSIDER on Friday that if the Board ordered a new election, it would be re-match of just the general election contest between Harris and McReady. 

The House Committee on Administration — which has the final say in the results of contested House races — could also vacate the results of the election and re-start the entire process, which would include ordering new candidate filings, primaries, and a general election, Cohen added. Eventually, the House could end up seating McReady instead of Harris. 

Bladen County has been the subject of voting controversies in previous years, though complaints against absentee ballot results in 2016 were dismissed. “I’m very familiar with the unfortunate activities that have happened in my part of the state," NCSBE member Joshua Malcolm said Tuesday.

"And I am not going to turn a blind eye to what took place to the best of my understanding, which has been ongoing for a number of years, and which has been repeatedly referred to the United States attorney and the district attorneys to clean up," he added. 

SEE ALSO: Here are the results of the 27 most competitive House races in the 2018 midterm elections

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NOW WATCH: Trump once won a lawsuit against the NFL — but the result was an embarrassment

• We've made it to championship weekend.
• Across college football, teams are getting ready for their biggest game of the year, hoping to win their conference and for some, earn a spot in the College Football Playoff.
• This week, we're backing Alabama, Clemson, and Oklahoma all to cover the spread in their conference title games.

College football season has made it to championship weekend.

After a thrilling year of college football action, conference championships will settle scores between old foes and give the teams at the top one final chance to prove themselves to the selection committee for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

It also happens to give bettors some chances to add to their bankrolls just in time for holiday shopping.

Take a look below for our seven best bets of the Week 12 college football slate (* indicates home team).

LAST WEEK: 4-3
OVERALL: 45-42-4

Alabama (-13.5) over Georgia

Georgia is good enough that if Alabama didn't exist, they'd likely be a lock for the playoff and second-favorites behind Clemson to win it all.

But Alabama does exist, and in their current iteration, they exist as an unstoppable force of football prowess. Even if the Bulldogs can keep things close through the majority of the game, Bama always seems to find a way to win by 20.

Clemson (-27.5) over Pittsburgh

In 2016 Pittsburgh spoiled Clemson's shot at a perfect season with a shocking 43-42 victory in Death Valley, but I wouldn't count on another upset for the ages this weekend.

The Tigers have been beating their lesser opponents with ease so far this season, and while this is nominally a conference championship game, the Panthers have done very little to impress this year. Clemson will run them out of the building.

Northwestern (+14.5) over Ohio State

Northwestern has played up for big games all season, taking down Michigan State, Iowa, and Wisconsin while all three teams were ranked, and playing Michigan and Notre Dame close.

Ohio State is coming off of a huge win over Michigan that has them overvalued in the eyes of the public, juicing this line a bit further than where it should probably be set.

Only one of these teams beat Purdue, and it wasn't the Buckeyes.

• The Pentagon has been shifting its focus to preparations for a potential clash with a peer or near-peer adversary like Russia.
• Amid heightened tensions with Russia, the US Army in Europe has made a number of changes to how it operates.
• The most recent change was the return of an air-defense unit stationed on the continent permanently.

The US Army in Europe has made a number of changes in recent months as part of a broader effort by the Pentagon to prepare for a potential fight against an adversary with advanced military capabilities, like Russia or China.

The latest move came on November 28, when the Army activated the 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment in a ceremony at Shipton Barracks in Ansbach, near the city of Nuremberg in southern Germany.

The battalion has a long history, serving in artillery and anti-aircraft artillery roles in the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War II, and the Vietnam War. It was deactivated in the late 1990s, as the US military drew from the Cold War.

Its return brings new and important short-range air-defense, or SHORAD, capabilities, according to Col. David Shank, the head of 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, of which the new unit is part.

"Not only is this a great day for United States Army Europe and the growth of lethal capability here. It is a tremendous step forward for the Air Defense Enterprise," Shank said at the ceremony.

Read more: As Russia stokes tensions with Ukraine, it's trying to gain a military edge over NATO elsewhere in Europe

The battalion will be composed of five battery-level units equipped with FIM-92 Stinger missiles, according to Stars and Stripes.

Three of those batteries will be certified before the end of the summer, Shank said, adding that battalion personnel would also "build and sustain a strong Army family-support program, and become the subject-matter experts in Europe for short-range air-defense to not just the Army but our allies."

Those troops "will have a hard road in from of them," Shank said.

Air Defense Artillery units were for a long time embedded in Army divisions, but the service started divesting itself of those units in the early 2000s, as military planners believed the Air Force could maintain air superiority and mitigate threats posed by enemy aircraft.

But in 2016, after finding a gap in its SHORAD capabilities, the Army started trying to address the shortfall.

Read more: The US Navy is pushing north, closer to Russia in freezing conditions — and it's planning on hanging around up there

In January, for the first time in 15 years, the US Army in Europe began training with Stinger missiles, a light anti-aircraft weapon that can be fired from shoulder- and vehicle-mounted launchers.

Lightweight, short-range anti-aircraft missiles are mainly meant to defend against ground-attack aircraft, especially helicopters, that target infantry and armored vehicles. Unmanned aerial vehicles — used by both sides in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine — are also a source concern.

US Army Europe has been relying on Avengers and Stinger missiles from Army National Guard units rotating through the continent as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, which began in 2014 as a way to reassure allies in Europe of the US commitment to their defense.

Guard units rotating through Europe have been training with the Stinger for months, but the 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment will be the only one stationed in Europe that fields the Avenger, a short-range air-defense system that can be mounted on a Humvee and fires Stinger missiles.

The Army has also been pulling Avenger systems that had been mothballed in order to supply active units until a new weapon system is available, according to Defense News, which said earlier this year that Army Material Command was overhauling Avengers that had been sitting in a Pennsylvania field waiting to be scrapped.

The Army has also fast-tracked its Interim Short Range Air Defense program to provide air- and missile-defense for Stryker and Armored Brigade Combat Teams in Europe.

The Army plans to develop IM-SHORAD around the Stryker, equipping the vehicle with an unmanned turret developed by defense firm Leonardo DRS that includes Stinger and Hellfire missiles and an automatic 30 mm cannon, as well as the M230 chain gun and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun. It will also be equipped with electronic-warfare and radar systems.

Final prototypes of that package are expected in the final quarter of 2019, according to Defense News, with the Army aiming to have the first battery by the fourth quarter of 2020.

The activation of the 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment is part of a broader troop increase the Army announced earlier this year, saying that the increase in forces stationed in Europe permanently would come from activating new units rather than relocating them from elsewhere.

The new units would bring 1,500 soldiers and their families back to Europe. (Some 300,000 US troops were stationed on the continent during the Cold War, but that number has dwindled to about 30,000 now.)

Read more: The US military's largest base outside the US just got its biggest ammo delivery in 20 years

In addition to the short-range air-defense battalion and supporting units at Ansbach, the new units will include a field-artillery brigade headquarters and two multiple-launch rocket system battalions and supporting units in Grafenwoehr Training Area, and other supporting units at Hohenfels Training area and the garrison in Baumholder.

The activations were to began this year and should be finished by September 2020, the Army said in a statement.

"The addition of these forces increases US Army readiness in Europe and ensures we are better able to respond to any crisis," the Army said.

SEE ALSO: 'A fighting war with the main enemy': How the CIA used Stinger missiles to land a mortal blow to the Soviets in Afghanistan 32 years ago

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The 4 longest range missiles in the world

• Netflix was originally called "kibble."
• It's technically been around longer than Google. 
• Netflix is responsible for 15% of the world's internet traffic.

It's hard to imagine life without Netflix, but there's a lot you probably don't know about the popular streaming service.

Read on to learn 19 facts about Netflix, from what it was originally called to how you can search for niche categories.

In its early stages, Netflix had a different name.

Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph told Fortune that the streaming service was originally called Kibble. Although the name was simply a placeholder, it referred to the idea that a product isn't a success unless "the dogs eat the dog food," as he phrased it.

In the future, there could be an "Ultra" membership tier.

In July, word got out (via the Italian blog Tutto Android) that Netflix would start offering members a new tier of service. The so-called Ultra plan would allow users to stream Ultra HD video and audio on up to four devices at once.

Currently, those with a Netflix subscription can choose one of three options that determine how many device screens they can watch simultaneously. A Basic plan costs $7.99, with Standard and Premium plans going for $10.99 and $13.99, respectively.

The Ultra tier is still in development, as Netflix spokesperson Smita Saran explained in an email to consumer electronics site CNET.

"We continuously test new things at Netflix and these tests typically vary in length of time," Saran wrote. "In this case, we are testing slightly different price points and features to better understand how consumers value Netflix."

Netflix made a goofy test film ― and you can still watch it.

You may have thought that "House of Cards" was the first original content that Netflix produced. But the service's first "original series" was actually a 2010 project called "Example Show."

The 11-minute test video (which you can watch here) is pretty goofy. "Actor," the episode's star, performs feats such as moon-walking while holding a laptop and reciting a monologue from Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar."

If that doesn't sound wild enough, the video is inexplicably subtitled with the line "There's no crying in baseball," which was borrowed from the film "A League of Their Own."

• A new study from Simply Be revealed stark differences between the Victoria's Secret Angels who have worn the Fantasy Bra and the average woman.
• There is a big difference between these Angels' and average women's appearances, bust sizes, dress sizes, and annual income.
• In November, Victoria's Secret's chief marketing officer Ed Razek said that the brand has no future plans to include transgender or "plus-size" models in the show.

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is practically an institution in holiday TV programming, but lately, many people have been criticizing the brand for its lack of diversity in models and Angels. And according to a new study, the Victoria's Secret Angels are even more different from the average woman than you might have thought.

The study, which was conducted by United Kingdom clothing retailer Simply Be, compared the average US woman to the Angels chosen to wear the Fantasy Bra in the fashion show each year — an honor that's carefully chosen before the show.

According to the research, most Angels stand at 5'10" tall, wear a size six dress, and wear a bra sized 32A to 32D. However, most average women stand at 5'4" tall, wear a size 16 dress, and wear a bra sized 34DD to 36DD.

Angels tend to have blonde or brown hair while the average woman has brown or black hair. Although Angels have an average income of $4 million a year, the CNBC reports that the average woman in the US earns between $21,008 and $41,600 annually. 

By comparing stats from the models who wore the Fantasy Bra over the fashion show’s 23-year history to the average woman, it's evident that they don't exactly represent the average woman who might be watching the show and buying Victoria's Secret's products.

Read More: 14 things about the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show you probably didn't know

But Victoria's Secret doesn't seem to have plans to change their Angel standards anytime soon 

Despite criticism, Victoria’s Secret doesn’t seem to be planning to change the standard for their models anytime soon. In an interview with Vogue, chief marketing officer Ed Razek said they have no intentions of including a plus-size or transgender model in the show in the future, claiming that viewers weren't interested when they tried to do a TV special for plus sizes in 2000.

"Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I don’t think we should," Razek told Vogue. "Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It's a 42-minute entertainment special. That's what it is. It is the only one of its kind in the world and any other fashion brand in the world would take it in a minute, including the competitors that are carping at us. And they carp at us because we're the leader."

Later, Razek apologized for his comments in a statement Victoria's Secret released via Twitter, saying, "To be clear, we absolutely would cast a transgender model in our show. We've had transgender models come to castings ... And like many others, they didn't make it. But it was never about gender. I admire and respect their journey to embrace who they really are."

Calls for body diversity in the show have become even more common in recent years and this year, model Robyn Lawley called for a boycott of the show on Instagram.

You can find all of INSIDER's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show coverage here.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This mind-melting thought experiment of Einstein's reveals how to manipulate time

• Apple's stock has fallen sharply since the beginning of the month due to concerns over weak iPhone sales.
• The company and its fans insist the "services" will provide the next leg of growth.
• But Jeffrey Kvaal, an analyst at Nomura, cast doubt on that argument in a new research note.
• Apple's services business faces multiple challenges and could be hurt by declining iPhone sales, he said.

Apple's services business may not rescue it or its stock from declining iPhone sales. 

In fact, a drop in phone sales could hinder the company's services effort, said Jeffrey Kvaal, a financial analyst who covers Apple for Nomura Instinet. What's more, parts of Apple's services business already seem to be slowing, and others promise only slim profits at best, he said. 

"Services [are] not a panacea," Kvaal said in a research note published Friday.

Apple's shares have plunged over the last month over concerns that its iPhone sales are slowing. When it reported its earnings at the beginning of this month, the company offered lower-than-expected guidance for the holiday quarter. It also alerted investors that it would no longer be reporting unit sales of its phones and other devices, which many saw as a red flag that the company expected its iPhone sales to drop. Those fears have been compounded by subsequent reports that it has cut orders from its phone manufacturers and that Foxconn, its primary phone maker, expects a tough year ahead.

Apple and its backers have been touting its services business

In explaining why Apple would no longer disclose unit sales of its devices, company officials argued that they are no longer closely linked to its financial health. Thanks in part to all the services Apple now offers, it often sees much more revenue from its customers than just what they spend on its phones and other gadgets. Indeed, its services business, which includes revenue from Apple Music, its AppleCare warranty program, and its iCloud storage offering, is now its second largest after the iPhone and has been among its fastest growing.

By 2020, Apple expects its services revenue to double from the $24 billion the segment posted in the company's 2016 fiscal year. Some analysts who are bullish on the company's shares point to that growth as reason for their optimism.

Read this: Investors focused on Apple's disappointing iPhone sales are missing the company's hidden goldmine

But color Kvaal unconvinced. Apple's services revenue is linked to its device sales and particularly to the kinds of devices it's selling, he said. The company pushed up the prices on its phones over the last two years with its X models, and it seems to be having increasing trouble convincing customers to pay its premiums. Many consumers are either putting off purchases or buying refurbished phones instead, Kvaal said.

The services business faces numerous challenges

That's a problem for Apple's services business, in part because consumers are less likely to buy warranties on less expensive phones, he said. Such price-sensitive customers are also less likely to spend up for Apple's other services offerings, he said.

"We continue to believe services is tied to the quality of the installed base growth and not independent of units," Kvaal said. He continued: "We believe services growth is unlikely to be durable should units continue to decline and new iPhone user growth slows."

But there are other reasons to be skeptical of Apple's services story, Kvaal said. 

Much of the company's services revenue — some 36% by Kvaal's estimate — comes from its cut of sales through its app store. That business is slowing, he said. Sales grew by 18% in October, compared to 23% in Apple's last quarter, he said.

Much of that slowdown is due to China, Kvaal said. The bulk of App Store revenue comes from the sale of games. Unfortunately for Apple, the Chinese government has halted the approval of new games for sale while it sorts through a regulatory shakeup. That's put the brakes on game sales in China through Apple's App Store. Overall sales through the store grew just 8% on an annual basis in October, down from 17% growth in the prior quarter, Kvaal said.

Even if that regulatory mess gets sorted out, Apple faces other troubles with its App Store business. Companies that offer subscriptions, including Spotify and Netflix, are finding ways to convince their customers to sign up for them through their own websites rather than through Apple's App Store, Kvaal said. When customers sign up for a subscription inside an app, Apple charges the app maker a commission; it doesn't get that commission when they do so through the app maker's website.

What's more, Apple is facing a legal dispute that just reached the US Supreme Court that could potentially overturn its whole App Store business. 

Apple is confronting a "slowing App Store from multiple fronts," Kvaal said.

Don't expect Google to bail out Apple

In addition to the App Store, a sizeable portion of Apple's services revenue — 13%, according to Kvaal — comes from the money Google pays the company for the search traffic Apple sends its way by making Google the default search engine on the iPhone. Google has indicated to investors that such payments to Apple and other companies that send search traffic its way will grow more slowly in the future, and Wall Street analysts have been reducing their forecasts for how much Google will spend on such traffic acquisition, Kvaal said. That's a strong sign that Apple's revenue growth from Google likewise will slowdown, he said.

Part of the optimism about Apple's services business has come from the growth of Apple Music and the expectation that it will next year launch a streaming video service that it will offer on some kind of subscription basis. But Apple may not see a huge windfall from such a service, Kvaal warned.

The streaming video market is already crowded and getting more so. In addition to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and HBO, Warner Brothers and CBS both offer streaming services. And Disney is getting ready to launch one of its own. Thanks to such competition and the major investment needed to produce original videos for the service, Apple's profits on its streaming video offering could be relatively slim, Kvaal said. 

All told Kvaal's not buying the bull case for Apple. Instead, he said, investors ought to sit on the sidelines; he maintained his "neutral" rating and $185 price target on the company's shares. Apple's stock closed regular trading Friday down 97 cents, or less than 1%, to $178.58.

"Apple is in too much flux to recommend for now," he said. 

• Read more:
• Apple told investors not to worry about iPhone sales — but now it seems worried about them
• Microsoft's surprising comeback over Apple is the outcome of two new CEOs with radically different game plans
• New AirPods didn't make the cut at Apple's big event — here's what else Apple left out
• Here are the 3 missing features that keep Apple's new iPad Pro from really replacing a laptop

SEE ALSO: Apple's $1,000 iPhones are turning it into a luxury brand — and it could lose a whole generation of customers

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Jeff Bezos on regulating giant tech companies: 'I expect us to be scrutinized'

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• If you need an ugly Christmas sweater that will speak volumes at your next holiday party, consider shopping at Tipsy Elves. 
• The "Shark Tank" alum responded to the growing demand for ugly sweaters by making it easy to shop funny designs and comfortable fabrics online. 
• The celebrity-favorite brand has hit the jackpot in this niche clothing category, selling over two million products and making over $70 million in sales to date. 

You can't go a weekend in December without being invited to at least one ugly Christmas sweater-themed function. Once a tacky piece of apparel that you might've been a little embarrassed to wear in public, the ugly Christmas sweater is now fully embraced as an essential part of the holiday season. The uglier and more outrageous, the better. 

Surprisingly, one of the most popular places to find a fun sweater for your holiday party wasn't born out of Santa's workshop. Instead, it's the brainchild of a former corporate lawyer, Evan Mendelsohn, and a former dentist, Nick Morton.

With an interest in internet marketing and a good eye for growing trends, Mendelsohn noticed one holiday season that it was difficult to find new Christmas sweaters online. He thought he could fill the void. He was joined by his former college roommate and then-endodontist, Morton, and in 2011 they began selling holiday sweaters online. 

They sold just over 5,000 sweaters during their first year and quit their jobs in 2012 to pursue their company Tipsy Elves full time. The last six years have shown that the risk was worth it. 

In December 2013, they appeared on an episode of "Shark Tank," during a season that saw fellow memorable pitches like Doorbot (later, Ring), Freshly Picked, Kodiak Cakes, Plated, and The Bouqs Co. While a number of these now-successful companies didn't receive funding, Tipsy Elves did, from judge Robert Herjavec. 

The orders, partnerships, and celebrity exposure moments have continued to roll in since. Tipsy Elves has now done over $70 million in sales and sold over two million products.

While its operations and growth plans are streamlined and strategic, its products are far, far from serious. The whimsical and oftentimes downright crude designs strike a chord with younger audiences and cut straight through the formal stuffiness of the holidays.

If you want to be amused, entertained, or faced with the struggle of picking out only one sweater to buy, scroll through its online shop. Rather than sugar-plums, you'll find visions of Santa riding a unicorn and angels with beer bongs dance through the designers' heads. You can show off your knowledge of pop culture with a Kardashian-inspired sweater, or sit yourself under the tree as a wrapped present. Hanukkah celebrants, you're not left out.

Sweaters range from $40 to $60, but you're not simply paying for the novelty, then putting up with the uncomfortable itchiness. They're actually soft and substantial, made from high-quality acrylic that won't shrink. 

We can't guarantee that your Tipsy Elves sweater won't offend anyone, so consider your audience as you put one on in the upcoming weeks. We would take the risk, though, in the name of unadulterated holiday fun. 

Shop Tipsy Elves sweaters at Amazon here

Check out more ways to prepare for the holidays:

• Check out all of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides for 2018 here
• 23 festive and fun Christmas decorations under $25
• 16 festive outdoor holiday decorations that'll brighten up your yard
• The best Christmas stockings you can buy
• The best places to buy Christmas and holiday cards online

Join the conversation about this story »

• Shake Shack is a chef favorite for chain burgers
• Whataburger's mustard sauce makes it stand out
• Five Guys' customizable burgers give them an edge

Chef-ed up hamburgers — that is, burgers made with premium meats and designer beef blends and labor-intensive toppings like caramelized onions — may be hyper-trendy, but sometimes all you want is a simple fast-food burgers.

Double that if you're a chef, short on free time and well, maybe burnt out of all the over-the-top burger creations taking over restaurant menus across America. We asked chefs to share their favorite fast food burgers from chain restaurants, so you can order like a pro next time you pull up to the drive-thru.

Shake Shack has lots of fans.

"Hands down, Shake Shack. It is fairly priced and delicious." - Dianna Daoheung, executive chef of Black Seed Bagels

"I have say Shake Shack's Shack Stack. Simply put, it's an umami bomb. The stuffed portobello, the cheese, the patty, the potato bun – I love everything about it." - Eric Sze, chef-owner at 886

"No other chain hamburger comes even close to a Shackburger at Shake Shack. When we opened Somerset, the Chicago Shake Shack location sent tons of burgers and fries to our staff for family meal and everyone was thrilled!" - Chef Lee Wolen, Somerset

"Shake Shack's ShackBurger is my jam.  When I'm trying to not eat meat I'll get the Shroom Burger and feel less guilty." - Billy Riddle, co-executive chef, Spice Finch

In-N-Out is super fresh.

"I ate two In-N-Out double doubles in one sitting. Its meat, produce, and bun are all super fresh. The burger itself aside, In-N-Out is family- and community-oriented, and the nostalgia, story, and warmth of familiarity of tradition for its region just makes the In-N-Out Burger that much more delicious." - Simone Tong, chef-owner of Little Tong Noodle Shop.  

Whataburger is a Texas classic.

"In Texas, the king is Whataburger. What makes it so delicious is the mustard, Whataburger is so different from the other guys when it comes to sauce. It's so mustard forward, which they blend with mayo to make a creamy sauce. I love to go into Whataburger and get what everyone is getting, a burger at 2 a.m. when I'm buzzed from honky-tonks." Chef Doug Adams of Bullard .

This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here.

Emerging markets are going to be essential for e-commerce growth, as retailers in developed markets may soon reach saturation in terms of consumer growth.

For example, almost half of US households now have a Prime membership, diminishing Amazon's growth potential in the country. Meanwhile, in China, the world's largest e-commerce market, nearly half of the population is actively making online purchases, leaving little room for growth. 

However, India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America are worth keeping an eye on. E-commerce penetration rates in these areas hover between 2-6%, presenting a huge opportunity for future growth as online sales gain traction. Moreover, these regions are expected to grow at compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) of 31%, 32%, and 16%, respectively, through 2021.

This report compiles several e-commerce snapshots, which together highlight the most notable emerging markets in various regions. Each provides an overview of the e-commerce industry in a particular country, discusses influential retailers, and provides insights into the opportunities and challenges for that specific domestic industry.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

• Emerging markets are going to be essential for e-commerce growth, as retailers in developed markets may soon reach saturation in terms of consumer growth.
• India is the clear overall leader in e-commerce potential, but countries in Southeast Asia and Latin America are also worth keeping an eye on. Within Southeast Asia, Indonesia shows the most promise for retailers, as the government is loosening restrictions on foreign investments, and its massive population is gaining spending power and more access to internet. Meanwhile, Mexico is a retailer's best bet for expansion in Latin America, due to its stable economy and rising middle class, but Brazil may be gearing up to steal the top spot.
• However, doing business in these regions can be difficult. In most of these emerging markets, infrastructure is underdeveloped and the population is largely unbanked, making digital payments a challenge.
• If retailers can build a brand presence in these markets while online shopping is still in its nascent stages, they may become market leaders as e-commerce takes off in the regions. Moreover, these markets could provide new sources of growth for companies that would otherwise stagnate in more mature e-commerce markets.

 In full, the report:

• Explores the e-commerce industry in India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
• Highlights the leading country in each region, as well as key e-commerce players there. 
• Outlines the challenges and opportunities each region faces.
• Gives insight into how these emerging markets may shape the future of e-commerce.

Join the conversation about this story »

• Olivia Pope had some killer fashion moments. 
• Neutrals were her signature.
• She also rocked capes. 

Kerry Washington is known for her excellent red carpet looks, but while she played Olivia Pope on ABC's "Scandal," her fashion was similarly stunning.

Costume designer Lyn Paolo took Olivia Pope's style to the next level and it's hard to deny that Washington's character was consistently one of the most fashion-forward characters on TV.

Here are some of Olivia Pope's best looks on "Scandal."

The first time Olivia wore a white trench coat is so memorable.

Olivia Pope handled all of her business in pieces that sent a message that she was in charge. Throughout the seasons, she wore many coats, particularly structured or belted coats.

The first time she wore a trench coat, however, was in the pilot episode and Paolo chose white, which became closely associated with Olivia and her "gladiators" over the course of the series.

"The Tory Burch white trench from the pilot started it all," Paolo told Fashionista.com. "We still have the trench and it is sadly a bit worse for wear, but I will always have a special place in my heart for Tory and her line because this coat started it all for ‘Scandal.'"

Handbags and coats or capes were always the centerpiece of Olivia's ensembles.

This Olivia Pope look is a classic. From the gloves to the elegant coat, this is the sort of stylish, yet understated outfit fans came to expect. Olivia wore gloves quite a few times on the show, but the association with the character started by happenstance.

"About four years ago the three-quarter sleeve length coats were in fashion again," Paolo told Newsweek. "We had one with a belt and [Kerry and I] were chatting about a scene where Olivia had to run down a hallway to see Fitz. We both said, 'You know, it feels a bit naked. It doesn't feel Olivia Pope worthy.' So we threw in some gloves."

Olivia Pope really knew how to rock a coat.

At the beginning of season five, things changed a bit wardrobe-wise for Olivia, with her wearing much more color.

Like many of Olivia's coats over the years, this one is dramatic, stylish, and sends a clear message that she's in charge.

Read More: 15 surprising things you probably didn't know about 'Scandal'

Felix Sater, a Russian-born businessman with a checkered past, has emerged as a central figure in the special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election interference.

Here's a rundown of Sater's background and why his name continues to pop up in relation to Mueller's ongoing probe.

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Felix Sater, 52, was born in Moscow, but his family moved to Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, New York, when he was 8 years old.

Sater has an extremely colorful history, involving bar fights, prison time, mob ties, and work as an FBI informant.

Sater, the former managing director of the real-estate development firm Bayrock Group, has close ties to the Trump Organization.