Tag: Business

• Boeing's delayed 777X picked up a 65-strong order from Emirates at the Dubai Airshow in November.
• The jet hosts a suite of cabin perks, such as bigger windows and turbulence reduction.
• Airlines can customize the mood lighting to show unique scenes, like the northern lights.

Boeing just got a much-needed win for its long-overdue 777X.

UAE-based Emirates placed an order for 65 additional 777X widebody planes in a deal worth $38 billion at list prices during the Dubai Airshow in November.

That brings its order total to 270 for both variants, including the 777-9 and the smaller but longer-ranged 777-8. It also ups Boeing's 777X total order book to over 600 units.

The 777X is the largest passenger jet in production, featuring revolutionary folding wingtips and improved range, capacity, and efficiency compared to its predecessors.

The order comes despite Emirates' President Tim Clark having long criticized Boeing's ability to deliver the jets after years of waiting.

Clark told Business Insider in February that Emirates has spent $4.5 billion "gutting all the old 777s and retrofitting them" while waiting for the 777Xs. He said in October 2024 that it's also expensive to continue flying old, less fuel-efficient airplanes.

Still, he said at an industry conference in June that he was happy with the new Boeing CEO, Kelly Ortberg, and was "cautiously optimistic" about the plane's updated delivery timeline.

The 777X, initially expected to enter service in 2020, has been delayed until at least 2027 due to mechanical, certification, and pandemic-related setbacks. The delays have already cost Boeing at least $4.9 billion in charges.

But the fresh vote of confidence from Emirates gives Boeing's most important jet some much-needed runway. And what will ultimately matter to passengers is what's inside.

The 777X's immense size — particularly its wider frame — is one of its most notable characteristics, providing operators with flexibility regarding the cabin layout and travelers with a lot more space.

In July 2024 at the Farnborough Airshow outside London, Boeing showed what passengers could expect on board — including mood lighting that resembles the northern lights.

The 777X can accommodate up to 10 seats per row in economy.

Airlines favor the 777-9 for its huge capacity. The aircraft can carry up to 426 people, with a majority spread across 10-abreast rows in the economy section.

This isn't new to the 777 family. Previous models offer the same feature. The A350's build was modified in late 2022 to also offer 10-abreast seats.

But the 777X's larger cabin, which is 4 inches wider than the 777-300ER, the plane it is derived from, means those seats can offer more width than its predecessors and its competition.

The customizable economy cabin mockup on display featured 18-inch seats.

The 777X's 18-inch-wide seats improve on the 17.2 inches of seat width previously achievable, Boeing's regional director of cabin marketing, Stephanie Werner, told media at the airshow near London.

The customizable seats also offer more seat width than the up to 17-inch seats Airbus can provide on its 10-abreast A350.

"Airlines have total flexibility and choice in how to configure the planes, so they can do anything in between," she said. "So if they want to get more aisle width or seat width, that's up to them."

Up front, airlines can install their unique business- and first-class seats.

Qatar Airways, for example, has said its future 777X planes will have a new first-class cabin, though details are still limited.

Emirates, for its part, plans to install its new "Game Changer" first class on its 777X fleet. The cabin, which features a floor-to-ceiling door and "virtual windows" in the center seats that replicate the view outside the plane, is already operational on Emirates' 777-300ERs.

Coach can include regular and premium economy.

The 777X launch customer, Lufthansa, will feature its new Allegris cabin on its future 777Xs.

Cathay Pacific is expected to equip its 777X fleet with the upgraded premium economy and business-class seats already featured on its 777-300ER fleet.

The airline also plans to introduce a new first-class cabin, exclusive to the 777X.

Beyond seating, Werner said the 777X's design also includes two ceiling options for operators.

These can exist on the same plane but differ in curvature, providing operators with "architectural flexibility."

The "A" option removes the overhead bins in the center section to increase the cabin's height. Werner said this would benefit premium cabins where less luggage storage is needed and seat space is highly valued.

The "B" option flips that 180 degrees to create a downward arch with overhead bins. Werner mentioned this would probably be preferred in coach, as it creates a greater sense of width.

The ceiling complements the 777X's interior lines with curves that Boeing has added to create a sense of spaciousness.

Werner pointed to the entry arch that opens into the cabin.

"We do that intentionally so that passengers, as they enter the space, can begin to mentally reset and reframe and start to relax a little bit as they get to their seats," she said.

Boeing has created bigger windows that are higher on the fuselage.

BI has toured the experimental 777X at several airshows. Boeing consistently includes a side-by-side comparison with the A350's windows to show Boeing's higher placement and 29% larger size.

"Whether you're seated at a window seat or seated in the center of economy, your line of sight will see the sky from your seat," Werner said.

The windows can be dimmable.

Boeing has added the 787 Dreamliner's staple dimmable windows as an option on the 777X. The 777X's dimmer is turned on with a switch above the window that changes how much light passes through the window.

"This is something that gives passengers more autonomy on how much light they want," Werner said.

Travelers shouldn't have an issue finding overhead bin space, even if they are last to board.

Werner said the 777X's overhead bins can hold up to four bags each, and added that Boeing has reduced the closing force by 40% to make them easier for passengers and crew.

"If anyone has ever had anxiety before, hoping you don't have to gate check your bag, this can help relieve some of that bin anxiety," she said.

Considering the 777X is set to be a long-haul workhorse, mood lighting was a point of focus.

Mood lighting serves several purposes, including calming travelers and combating jet lag. The 777X offers new customizable color hues and scenes to amplify that effect.

"Instead of having the pressure on the cabin crew to select the custom lighting scenes, we want to make it easier for them overall to select ones that are predetermined by the airline brand," she said.

We saw several different scenes, including a starry night sky, a sunset, and the northern lights.

Werner said airlines can choose lighting schemes that change over the course of the flight, from boarding to food to sleep.

"It gives a little bit more comfort for passengers as you have this dynamic lighting instead of switching from one light to another," she said. "We want them to have a gradual change of light."

Several passenger enhancements on the 777X aren't visible to the human eye.

Improvements include better cabin humidity and altitude, with the latter at 6,000 feet on the 777X. Werner said these conditions would help passengers feel refreshed upon landing.

Thanks to the plane's enhanced engines and aerodynamics, there's also less noise on board. Werner also said passengers would experience less turbulence because of the jet's "lateral and vertical gust suppression."

"When there is more turbulence, which we are seeing more of these days, and passengers are white-knuckling in their seat because they're nervous, the [system] can smooth it out," she said.

Editor's note: This article was originally published in July 2024 and has been updated.

• I made apple pie using recipes from Gordon Ramsay, Ree Drummond, and Alton Brown.
• Ramsay's was easy to make compared to Brown's, which took all day to prep, bake, and chill.
• However, Drummond's buttery caramel-filled pie was my favorite.

Apple pie is a classic fall staple, but recently, I realized I didn't have a go-to recipe.

So, I decided to test some from celebrity chefs Gordon Ramsay, Ree Drummond, and Alton Brown.

Here's how it went.

Ramsay's recipe uses caramelized apples

For many pie recipes, you can throw in the raw apples — tossed with spices, lemon juice, some flour, and sugar — into the crust, and they'll soften as they bake. But Ramsay's apple pie adds depth to the filling by caramelizing the apples first.

The recipe calls for a simple, sweet-tart pastry crust, bitter apples, butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and egg wash.

This was the easiest pie to make, but the crust gave me some trouble

The entire pie is made with kitchen staples, and it came together in no time.

I started by creaming butter and sugar together in a food processor. I added an egg and all-purpose flour to form the crust.

Once the dough started to stick together, I placed it onto a floured cutting board to knead it. I rolled it out slightly and wrapped it with plastic to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

While the pie crust chilled, I worked on caramelizing the apples for the filling. I coated them with cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar, then heated some butter in a pan.

I cooked half of the cinnamon-sugar apples at a time to avoid crowding the pan.

I let them cook for about 10 minutes per batch. They smelled amazing and made my entire apartment smell good, too.

After 30 minutes in the fridge, I removed the dough onto a floured work surface, cut it in half, and rolled one part out. 

When it was time to lift the crust into a tin, though, it fell apart.

Luckily, I was able to patch it up, and the top crust didn't seem too patchy or torn.

Finally, I brushed the top crust with egg wash, sprinkled it with sugar, and baked the pie for about 40 minutes.

Despite the crust issues, the pie turned out great and looked better than I expected

The crust was crispy and flaky, although the caramelized juices did leak out a bit along the edges, making some parts extra crispy and hard to cut into. 

The apple filling was flavorful, thick, and gooey. 

My only complaint is that I wanted more apples in the stuffing. Ramsay's recipe called for about four apples, but the others I tested had seven or eight. Next time, I'd definitely use more.

Drummond's apple pie called for a long list of ingredients

Drummond's recipe for caramel-apple pie has a long list of ingredients — 15 total — for the crust, filling, and topping.

This recipe uses Granny Smith apples for the filling, but the most notable part was the amount of butter and shortening it needs.

The dough for the crust includes 12 tablespoons of butter and nearly a cup of vegetable shortening, or lard. The topping includes another stick and a half of butter.

This pie took a couple of hours to make

Despite the intimidating list of ingredients, this pie was pretty easy and quick to make.

I made the crust first, and because I didn't have a pastry cutter, I had to work the butter and shortening into the flour and spice mix with my fingers.

I cut it into two pieces, formed two dough balls, and stored each in a plastic bag, rolling them out slightly so they'd be easier to work with later. I let them chill in the freezer for 20 minutes while I prepared the filling.

Luckily, the filling was easy to make. All I had to do was combine diced apples with sugar, flour, salt, and lemon juice.

I removed one dough ball from the freezer, which was a breeze to roll out. It didn't stick to the cutting board or rolling pin and transferred easily to the pie tin.

Then, I added the filling to the pie crust, and then started working on the crumble topping.

Again, I had to work the butter into the flour for the topping with my hands before adding brown sugar, a little salt, and oats.

I added the topping to the pie and put it in the oven for an hour.

I'm glad I put a baking sheet on the bottom rack of my oven because the pie dripped a lot while it baked. 

After an hour, I poured pecans on the top of the crust and baked it for another five minutes. When it came out of the oven, I topped it with half of a jar of premade caramel sauce.

This buttery, sugar-loaded pie was so delicious that I made a second one

Unfortunately, when I cut into the warm pie, it completely fell apart and looked more like an apple crumble. Thankfully, it still tasted amazing.

The bottom crust wasn't soggy at all, but it was so flaky it couldn't hold the weight of the apples. I stored the pie in the fridge and when I cut cold slices of it, each piece held together nicely.

The crust was incredibly buttery and flaky, and the added spices in the crust kept it flavorful.

The added caramel on top might make this pie a bit too rich, but it's still really, really good. I enjoyed it both plain and à la mode.

Brown's pie called for one spice that was hard to find 

The ingredients for Brown's apple pie are pretty standard, but I did have to order the grains of paradise for the filling online because no grocery stores near me carried it.

The crust called for butter, shortening, flour, sugar, salt, and one surprising ingredient: apple brandy.

The filling also included different types of apples, salt, sugar, apple jelly, apple cider, lime juice, and tapioca flour.

Making this pie was an all-day affair

I started by chilling the brandy, butter, and shortening for the pie crust in the fridge for an hour.

Once it was cold, I started making the crust in the food processor per the recipe's instructions.

After the dough was ready, I divided it into two pieces, wrapped them, and chilled them in the fridge for a few hours. The recipe advises chilling the dough for at least one hour — or up to all night.

I sliced the apples into wedges and combined them with sugar.

Then, I had to let them drain over a bowl for an hour and a half. I cooked the juice on the stove until it was reduced to about 2 tablespoons.

This mixture was meant to replace an egg wash, but it was too sticky and tore the top crust. I was only able to brush on a tiny amount across the top of the pie.

After they drained, I tossed the apples with the tapioca flour, sugar, apple jelly, apple cider, lime juice, and the freshly-ground grains of paradise, which were not easy to grind.

The dough was pretty manageable to roll out and held together as I transferred it into the pie tin. I placed a pie bird in the center and then layered the apples into the center.

I topped the pie with the second piece of dough and crimped the edges.

I tried brushing the reduced apple juice on top, but it kept tearing the crust, so I gave up.

I baked the pie for 30 minutes on the bottom of the oven, then 20 minutes on the lower rack.

I had to cover the edges with foil halfway through baking because they were browning too much.

The toughest part was letting the pie rest for at least four hours before enjoying a slice.

I thought both the crust and the filling were a little bland

After hours of chilling the dough, draining the apples, and cooling the pie, I was ready to eat it.

However, it wasn't as good as I had hoped. The crust was a little dry and slightly overdone.

I thought the center tasted strongly of apple but nothing else. I didn't get any hints of spiciness from the grains of paradise.

I would have loved more spices like cinnamon or nutmeg for more flavor.

Overall, this pie took the longest, and I wouldn't make it again.

Drummond's apple pie is my new go-to, but I'd also make Ramsay's recipe again

Anything loaded with butter and sugar is bound to be delicious, and that's definitely the case with Drummond's caramel-apple pie. It's rich and indulgent, and I hope to make it for many Thanksgiving dinners to come.

For a classic pie with crust instead of a crumble topping, I would make Ramsay's recipe again but with double the number of apples for the filling.

Both of these pies were pretty easy to make and turned out to be very impressive for homemade creations.

Click to check out the other celebrity-chef recipes we've put head-to-head so far.

This story was originally published on September 25, 2021, and most recently updated on November 21, 2024.

• "Wicked: For Good" is a film adaptation of the Broadway show's second act.
• The movie and its soundtrack feature two new songs that aren't from the original musical.
• Both are solos: Ariana Grande's "The Girl in the Bubble" and Cynthia Erivo's "No Place Like Home."

Note: Minor spoilers ahead for "Wicked: For Good."

Even the most loyal fans of Broadway's "Wicked" are in for surprises and unfamiliar tunes when they watch Elphaba and Glinda's latest turn on the big screen.

"Wicked: For Good," in theaters now, is the sequel to last year's blockbuster starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. It adapts the second act of the stage show, which typically runs for about an hour.

The film, however, clocks in at two hours and 17 minutes — more than double the original runtime.

When director Jon M. Chu decided to split "Wicked" into two movies, he reimagined the second half to include new scenes for its lead actors. He also enlisted "Wicked" composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz to write brand new songs for the movie — not that Schwartz needed convincing.

Schwartz told NBC affiliate KGET that he's always felt Act II of "Wicked" could have used more storytelling and character development, but the time constraints of a live production meant that many key moments had to happen offstage.

When he signed on as composer, lyricist, and executive producer for Chu's big-budget adaptation, Schwartz already had fresh material in his back pocket.

"We really had a wonderful opportunity to explore aspects of the story and the characters that we weren't able to in the show," he said.

"To be perfectly honest, if we didn't have a length issue with the show, 'Girl in the Bubble' probably would have arisen as an idea for the show because it's an important event in the story," Schwartz added.

'The Girl in the Bubble' is an emotional solo for Glinda

One of the movie's two new songs, "The Girl in the Bubble," is performed by Grande as a disillusioned Glinda.

It's the penultimate musical number, and by this point in the story, Glinda is finally coming to grips with her "beautiful life built on lies." The song title refers to both the literal bubble that Glinda uses for transportation and the privilege that's kept her popular and protected.

"In this film, Glinda reaches a point of crisis where she just cannot continue to live the way she has been. She has been insulated from what is really going on, cutting off her own morality and sense of decency in order to have the trappings of what she thinks she wants," Schwartz told Rolling Stone India. "Finally, there is a moment where she must confront this, and it felt essential that we take the time to have a song in which to do that."

Elphaba's new solo, 'No Place Like Home,' explores her complicated relationship with Oz

Erivo performs "No Place Like Home" earlier in the movie, when a still-hopeful Elphaba comes across a group of animals fleeing Oz. They tell her they have no choice but to leave since their species has been demonized by the Wizard, and some have even been kidnapped by his military forces.

The lyrics illustrate Elphaba's determination to fight for a better future in Oz, even as hate is taking hold.

"When you want to leave, discouraged and resigned / That's what they want you to do," she sings. "But think how you'll grieve for all you'll leave behind / Oz belongs to you, too."

"Without giving spoilers about the ending, I will say that the character of Elphaba makes a great sacrifice, and it has to do with giving up something she dearly loves, which is her land Oz," Schwartz told KGET of the new song. "It was clear that from a storytelling point of view, that was the emotion we wanted to express."

Schwartz also consulted Erivo during the song's writing process to make sure the lyrics resonated with her character.

"Before, it was sort of like a grand platitude to everyone, but it needed to really connect with her and her experience as well," Erivo told USA Today. "So there were some lyric shifts and changes just to make it feel really human, because I think in the specificity, it then connects with everybody else as well."

"No Place Like Home" is a deliberate callback to "The Wizard of Oz." In the classic 1939 film, Dorothy (Judy Garland) returns home to Kansas by clicking the heels of her magic slippers and chanting, "There's no place like home."

Older songs have also been tweaked and lengthened for the movie

The "Wicked: For Good" soundtrack album, released concurrently with the film, primarily features familiar tunes from the Broadway show, including "As Long As You're Mine," "No Good Deed," and the titular duet.

But even these have been updated with fresh compositions and, in some cases, extra lyrics. The opening number, "Every Day More Wicked," features new material to reacquaint audiences with key characters. (It's a little more disorienting to wait a full year to watch Act II, versus a 15-minute intermission.)

The Wizard's signature song "Wonderful," performed primarily in the film by Jeff Goldblum, has also been partially rewritten to include a part for Grande.

Notably, "The Wicked Witch of the East," performed by Marissa Bode as Nessarose, Ethan Slater as Boq, and Erivo as Elphaba, is featured on the "Wicked: For Good" soundtrack album at track four. Although a version of the song is performed in the stage production, it was never released as an official recording by the Broadway cast.

"I'm especially happy that the soundtrack album for 'Wicked: For Good' has so much new music on it," Schwartz said in a press release. "So not only listeners coming to the score for the first time, but longtime fans of the original Broadway cast album, will have a great deal to discover."

"Wicked: For Good" is in theaters now.

• Jeff Goldblum has been a movie star for 50 years.
• Most recently, he played the Wizard of Oz in "Wicked: For Good."
• Some of his other best-known films are "Jurassic Park," "Thor: Ragnarok," and "The Fly."

Across Jeff Goldblum's 50-year career, he's appeared in some huge franchises, such as "Independence Day" and its sequel, multiple "Jurassic Park" films, and even made a couple of appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

But while his movies have made over $5 billion at the box office, not all of them have been enduring classics.

We used Rotten Tomatoes to determine what critics have deemed his career's best and worst films.

First: the worst films in Jeff Goldblum's career.

Goldblum, 73, has been in dozens of films since making his film debut in 1974's "Death Wish" as Freak #1. Not all of them can be instant classics.

10. "Nine Months" (1995)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 26%

"Nine Months" is a rom-com starring Julianne Moore and Hugh Grant as a couple who are surprised by an unplanned pregnancy. Goldblum plays Sean, the free-spirited oddball friend of Grant's character.

"'Nine Months' is one of those movies where the outcome is abundantly clear to everyone but the hero, who remains in the hapless position of playing dumb because, if he didn't, there wouldn't be a plot," wrote Roger Ebert.

9. "Hideaway" (1995)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 23%

Goldblum stars as Hatch, a husband and father who almost dies in a car crash. At the same time as his near-death, a serial killer attempts to kill himself and the two become connected, with each gaining the ability to see through the other one's eyes.

"It helps, in a movie like this, if the actors are first-rate. Goldblum and [Christine Lahti] transform scenes that in other hands might have simply been laughable," wrote Roger Ebert.

8. "Man of the Year" (2006)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 22%

"Man of the Year" is a comedy starring Robin Williams. He plays the host of a satirical news show, à la "The Daily Show," who decides to run for president after a petition gains traction online. Goldblum plays a sinister executive at the computer company that runs the voting machines.

"Cynicism or stupidity? It's hard to say which has the run of this idiotic satire in which Robin Williams plays a talk-show host who runs for president on a ticket of cleaning up politics," wrote The Guardian's Cath Clarke.

6 (tie). "Transylvania 6-5000" (1985)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 20%

Goldblum and Ed Begley Jr. star in this horror-comedy, which follows two tabloid reporters who travel to Transylvania to prove that Frankenstein's monster exists. Hijinks ensue.

"The anti-'Young Frankenstein,' 'Transylvania 6-5000' might be the worst horror-comedy ever made," wrote Film Frenzy's Matt Brunson.

6 (tie). "Mad Dog Time" (1996)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 20%

Goldblum plays a mob enforcer who's simultaneously dating two sisters, Rita (Ellen Barkin) and Grace (Diane Lane). To make matters worse, Grace is also the ex-girlfriend of his boss, Vic (Richard Dreyfuss), who's currently in jail. When Vic gets out, all hell breaks loose.

Roger Ebert called this "the first movie I have seen that does not improve on the sight of a blank screen viewed for the same length of time."

5. "Beyond Therapy" (1987)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 17%

"Beyond Therapy" is a film based on the 1981 play of the same name. It stars Jeff Goldblum and Julie Hagerty as two single New Yorkers who, at the behest of their respective therapists, put personal ads in the paper to find significant others. They meet and sparks fly.

"There's no special logic at work. The performances are good, but the film has been assembled without an overriding sense of humor and style," wrote The New York Times' Vincent Canby.

4. "Vibes" (1988)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%

Goldblum and Cyndi Lauper star as two psychics who are hired by a treasure hunter to help him find El Dorado, the lost city of gold, in Ecuador.

"'Vibes' stumbles and fumbles and misfires sure-fire one-liners and zany situations; it ends up being both a confused and confusing jumble of half-witted comedy and ridiculous drama," wrote Cathy Burke for UPI.

2 (tie). "Holy Man" (1998)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 12%

"Holy Man" is a comedy starring Eddie Murphy as a messiah-like figure only known as G, who is hired to host a show on a home-shopping channel and becomes hugely successful, much to the delight of network employees Ricky (Goldblum) and Kate (Kelly Preston).

"It's a miracle, really: 'Holy Man' diminishes the strengths of everyone and everything it has going for it. Goldblum's manically funny aggression? Sedated. Preston's interestingly hard-edged sexuality? Blunted," wrote Lisa Schwarzbaum for Entertainment Weekly.

2 (tie). "Mortdecai" (2015)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 12%

"Mortdecai" is a comedy starring Johnny Depp as the titular character, an art thief, swindler, and all-around general conman. When he's hired to help the police track down a stolen painting, he meets Milton Krampf (Goldblum), a potential buyer.

"Every time Depp gave a phlegmy little stammer and jauntily uttered lines like, 'I say, old bean,' I wanted to bop him on the same with a rotten tangerine," wrote David Edelstein for Vulture.

1. "Perfume" (2001)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 11%

What makes "Perfume," a film about the fashion industry, interesting is that the dialogue was 100% improvised by the stars. It's split into three storylines; Goldblum's part stars Leslie Mann as a designer who is leaving a small fashion house for a huge brand — one that, it just so happens, her latest hook-up Jamie (Goldblum) works at as a talent scout.

"Another attempt to nail the fashion industry, 'Perfume' is more coherent and serious-minded than Robert Altman's mess 'Ready to Wear,' but remains a less alluring creation," wrote Variety's Todd McCarthy.

Now, for the highs of Goldblum's career.

Goldblum has appeared in some of the highest-grossing franchises in history, including "Jurassic Park," "Independence Day," and the MCU. He's also been nominated for Independent Spirit and Emmy Awards, and he's appeared in multiple best picture nominees.

Here's what critics have ruled his best films.

11. "Wicked" (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%

We've been living in a state of "Wicked" mania for two years, but if you've somehow missed it, here's what "Wicked" is about: It's an alternate take on "The Wizard of Oz," one in which our hero is actually the Wicked Witch of the West (Elphaba), our villain is the Wizard, and Dorothy's irrelevant.

Goldblum plays the Wizard.

"'Wicked' is expansive, indulgent, and a few minutes too long. It's also extraordinarily, immersively good," wrote Palmer Haasch for Business Insider.

9 (tie). "Nashville" (1975)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

"Nashville" is director Robert Altman's sprawling magnum opus. It follows multiple characters across Nashville in the five-day period leading up to a campaign fundraiser for a long shot presidential candidate.

Goldblum has a completely silent role; he's credited as "Tricycle Man" and is the connector of the disparate plots in the film.

Writing for The Chicago Tribune, Michael Wilmington called it "Altman's great kaleidoscopic ensemble comedy-drama about a frenzied few days in country music's capital, with an unlikely, quirky, explosive crowd of musicians, hangers-on and politicos all converging on a fateful concert crossroads."

9 (tie). "Le Week-End" (2013)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan star as a married couple, Nick and Meg, on vacation in Paris. Both are dissatisfied with their marriage, careers, and financial status. Goldblum plays Morgan, an old friend of Nick's who has become a successful writer.

"By its ambiguous yet hopeful end, we're at one with Nick and Meg: Sometimes, you just have to dance. Somehow, you go on," wrote Moira Macdonald for The Seattle Times.

8. "Isle of Dogs" (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

"Isle of Dogs" is Goldblum's first collaboration with director Wes Anderson on this list (but not the last). In this stop-motion film, the mayor of the Japanese city Megasaki has ordered the deportation of all dogs in the city to the nearby Trash Island to quarantine them after an outbreak of canine flu. Goldblum voices one of the dogs, Duke, a Siberian husky.

"It's gorgeous — filled with so many bits of visual whimsy and imaginative detail that it would take several viewings to fully catch them all. And it's idiosyncratic and witty and dark," wrote Max Weiss for Baltimore Magazine.

7. "Jurassic Park" (1993)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

Goldblum's performance as the mathematician and chaos theory expert Ian Malcolm in "Jurassic Park" is one of his most beloved, most quoted, and most memed.

As we all know, the scientists behind Jurassic Park, a theme park filled with dangerous dinosaurs, were so preoccupied with whether they could bring dinos back to life, that they didn't stop to think if they should.

"The effects have barely aged and the joy is timeless. Take a child who's never seen it and watch their imagination expand before your eyes," wrote Olly Richards for Empire.

6. "The Grand Budapest Hotel" (2014)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

The second of Goldblum's collaborations with Wes Anderson, "The Grand Budapest Hotel," is a story within a story.

Most of the action takes place at the hotel in the mid-1900s, where a lobby boy, Zero (Tony Revolori), and a hotel concierge, Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), team up to keep a priceless painting in the proper hands after its owner, Madame D. (Tilda Swinton), dies.

Goldblum plays Vilmos Kovacs, the Grand Budapest's lawyer and the executor of Madame D.'s estate.

Jason Bailey of Flavorwire wrote, "Just plain fun, full of the filmmaker's signature flourishes and curlicues, worked out with skill and finesse."

4 (tie). "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1978)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

A remake of the 1956 film (and the second adaptation of the 1955 novel), "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is a sci-fi and horror classic. It focuses on two health inspectors, Matthew (Donald Sutherland) and Elizabeth (Brooke Adams), who discover that an alien race has come to Earth and is secretly replacing humans with emotionless doubles.

Goldblum plays Matthew and Elizabeth's friend, Jack, who believes them.

"'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' is more sheer fun than any movie I've seen since 'Carrie' and 'Jaws' and maybe parts of 'The Spy Who Loved Me,'" wrote Pauline Kael for The New Yorker.

4 (tie). "Thor: Ragnarok" (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

Goldblum steals the show as The Grandmaster, the ruler of a trash planet called Sakaar, in "Thor: Ragnarok." Thor (Chris Hemsworth) encounters The Grandmaster after he accidentally crash-lands on Sakaar. He is then forced to participate in a gladiator-esque battle against the Hulk to amuse The Grandmaster and Sakaar's inhabitants.

"Perfectly acceptable as an action movie but inspired as a comedy — which is probably where the 'Thor' franchise should have been aiming from the start," wrote The Atlantic's Christopher Orr.

2 (tie). "The Fly" (1986)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%

David Cronenberg's horror classic stars Goldblum as Seth Brundle, a scientist who accidentally becomes entangled with a fly and slowly transforms into a human-fly hybrid.

Time's Richard Corliss called "The Fly" "a gross-your-eyes-out horror movie that is also the year's most poignant romance."

2 (tie). "Between the Lines" (1977)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%

"Between the Lines" follows the various staff writers at The Back Bay Mainline, an alternative newspaper in Boston, as they prepare to potentially be taken over by a huge parent company. Goldblum plays Max, the Mainline's music critic.

"'Between the Lines' is barely about a newspaper at all, more about a bunch of youngish people whose energies are running out, as American counterculture itself had run their course, with the '80s and its hard-nosed principles about to kick in," wrote Jonathan Romney for Film Comment.

1. "Annie Hall" (1977)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%

Goldblum's best film is Woody Allen's 1977 rom-com classic "Annie Hall," which every romantic comedy that came after it owes a significant debt. Goldblum has a tiny part in this film as an attendee of a Christmas party who "forgets his mantra."

"'Annie Hall' is bracingly adventuresome and unexpectedly successful, with laughs as satisfying as those in any of Allen's other movies and a whole new staying power," wrote Janet Maslin for Newsweek.

• I think Boerne, Texas, is one of the state's hidden gems.
• I love visiting restaurants and coffee shops, like Darkside Brick Oven Pizza Co and Richter Bakhaus.
• There are also plenty of shops and opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.

The first time I visited Boerne, Texas, was to see my boyfriend's parents. It was Christmastime, and the picturesque Main Street was aglow with lights — even Santa Claus made an appearance.

Now, I visit the charming city just 30 minutes north of San Antonio several times a year to visit my now-husband's family, and it never loses its charm.

In fact, I've grown to love it even more — not just for all the good coffee shops, restaurants, and fun city events, but also for the people who live there.

Here's everything I love about Boerne, and why I think you should consider a visit the next time you find yourself in the "Lone Star State."

Main Street, known as the "Hill Country Mile," is lined with cafés, galleries, restaurants, and more.

In my opinion, one of Boerne's best features is its Main Street. Known as the "Hill Country Mile," Boerne's charming downtown is lined with boutiques, restaurants, bakeries, galleries, and specialty stores.

On most days, I've found plenty of community events taking place on Main Street.

Last month, I attended the city's annual "Hill Country Mile Rod Run," where downtown is packed with beautiful classic cars and a vendor market offers local handmade goodies.

From bookstores to antiques, the shopping opportunities are endless.

I think the shopping scene in Boerne is unmatched in unique finds, from clothing and jewelry to home decor and antiques.

As an avid reader, The Boerne Bookshop is one of my favorite places to visit, as the small store features a surprisingly large selection.

For antiques, you can't go wrong with visiting the Johns Road Antique Mall, which is a warehouse-sized shop with thousands of treasures.

And after enjoying brunch at The Dienger Trading Co. on Main Street, I like to walk inside the connected boutique for an assortment of clothing, accessories, and gifts for people of all ages.

On Saturdays, I also recommend stopping by the Cibolo Farmers Market at Herff Farms for a selection of handcrafted goods and plants. In my experience, the locals are always friendly and happy to share samples and stories about their products.

There are so many good places to eat.

As I alluded to earlier, I think Boerne is full of amazing food and drinks.

For a great brunch, I suggest ordering a stack of pancakes at Sunny's, a new all-day brunch spot downtown.

Fans of Star Wars and science fiction must stop by Darkside Brick Oven Pizza Co.: Part delicious pizza restaurant, part pop culture museum. Just make sure to order the garlic knots, which were out of this world (pun fully intended).

I also recommend stopping by The Dodging Duck, a local favorite craft brewery and restaurant with a patio overlooking the duck pond across the street.

And the coffee is great, too.

There are lots of excellent places in Boerne to grab a coffee and a pastry, including Bear Moon Bakery, The Daily Grind, and Bakery Lorraine.

But my favorite is Richter Bakhaus, a bakery known for its Texas-sized cinnamon rolls (literally the size of my face).

There are plenty of opportunities to get outdoors, from spotting ducks at River Road Park to hiking at Cibolo Nature Center.

I also love Boerne's natural beauty. Located in the Texas Hill Country, the city is situated among breathtaking landscapes and features miles of scenic trails.

Cibolo Nature Center has more than six miles of trails and is one of my family's favorite spots, thanks to its peaceful, slow-moving creek lined with tall cypress trees.

I think River Road Park is another great spot for watching ducks, taking a walk, or enjoying lunch at one of its many picnic tables.

And finally, I think visiting Boerne at Christmastime feels like stepping into a Hallmark movie.

Complete with a gazebo, bakeries, and novelty shops, I think visiting Boerne feels like walking onto the set of a Hallmark movie — and during Christmastime, that feeling is at its peak.

The festivities kick off on Thanksgiving weekend with "Dickens on Main," an annual community celebration featuring live performances, shopping, food, and a Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

In addition to other holiday-themed events and a pop-up ice rink in the city's center, you can also find The Christmas Shoppe on Main Street, which sells seasonal decor all year round, but is admittedly extra magical during this time of year.

After years of visiting, Boerne has become one of my favorite places in Texas. Between its thriving Main Street, friendly locals, and Hill Country scenery, I think it's one of the best weekend getaways in the state.

• Babak Hodjat is one of the inventors of the tech that led to Siri.
• Hodjat said Apple was obsessed with the "look and feel" of Siri, rather than the overall user experience.
• He thinks making Siri primarily a voice-only assistant was a misstep by Apple.

Apple's voice assistant Siri gave it a considerable head start in the chatbot race. So why has Apple never had a ChatGPT-style breakthrough in the new AI era?

Babak Hodjat, one of the inventors of the backend natural language processing technology that led to the development of Siri, has a theory. He thinks Apple didn't capitalize on its early lead with the voice assistant because the company was too narrowly focused on its visual appeal rather than the quality of users' interactions with it.

"They would be nitpicky about the look and feel of Siri," Hodjat told Business Insider in an interview at the Web Summit conference in Lisbon this month.

Apple didn't respond to a request for comment.

The original idea and technology behind Siri dates back to the late 1990s. Hodjat was the chief technology officer at a startup called Dejima, which he cofounded with friends from Kyushu University, in Japan. Dejima invented and patented agent-oriented technology that became part of the basis for a large-scale US government-funded AI research project called CALO, or Cognitive Assistant that Learns and Organizes. In 2007, a group of engineers from the project — which didn't include Hodjat — created a startup called Siri to commercialize the technology. Three years later, Apple acquired Siri and then rolled it out for mass-market use in iPhones in 2011. Hodjat wasn't involved with Siri after the Apple acquisition.

Hodjat is now the chief AI officer at the professional services firm Cognizant, where he is responsible for a team of AI scientists and researchers within the company's innovation labs.

In Hodjat's view, as an outside observer, the initial rollout of Siri primarily as a voice assistant was also a misstep. Apple did place more emphasis on the ability to "type to Siri" when it introduced its Apple Intelligence AI system last year.

"When we started at Dejima, modality to us was secondary. You can talk, you can type, it depends on where you are, and how you're interacting," Hodjat said.

Trying to have a conversation aloud with an inanimate object, such as a phone, can make some people feel uncomfortable, he added.

"It is surprisingly easier to talk to your car, maybe because it moves and its headlights look like eyes, than it is to your fridge," Hodjat said.

While there might be some discomfort, voice assistants on devices such as smartphones, wearables, and speakers are expected to reach 148.7 million users this year, according to a forecast from the research firm EMARKETER, a sister company of Business Insider. Siri is forecast to notch up around 87.3 million users in 2025, per EMARKETER's May forecast.

Despite the wide adoption, Apple has struggled to upgrade Siri for the AI age. Apple was forced to delay a planned overhaul of Siri earlier this year. Now, the company is nearing a deal to have Google's Gemini model handle some of Siri's features, Bloomberg reported this month, citing people with knowledge of the matter.

Hodjat said a Gemini deal would be a "smart move" for Apple, "but only if they stay with it."

"They keep changing their minds on this thing," he said.

• "Wicked: For Good," the film adaptation of the musical's second act, is in theaters now.
• Cynthia Erivo's performance is the highlight, but there's too much focus on Ariana Grande instead.
• Director Jon M. Chu said he intentionally reshaped the narrative around Grande's Glinda.

"Wicked: For Good" was at a disadvantage from the start.

As the sequel to last year's hit "Wicked" and an adaptation of the Broadway show's shorter second act, it has blander material to work with: There's nothing as touching as the Ozdust Ballroom dance scene, or as delightful as "Popular," or as exhilarating as our green-skinned heroine Elphaba belting out "Defying Gravity."

Director Jon M. Chu must have known this on some level. For the sequel, he's gone out of his way to fluff up the narrative for the denouement, add new songs, invent backstory, and give his actors more emotionally tender scenes to chew on.

The problem is that in doing so, he focused too much of his attention on one character: Ariana Grande's Glinda.

Chu isn't hiding the fact that he was so inspired by Grande's performance that he reshaped the sequel in her image, inserting her into musical numbers where she hadn't existed before and even adding more backstory scenes for her character in reshoots. In Chu's vision, Glinda is the emotional core.

"In a weird way, she took the reins and I had to follow her and just capture it as much as I could," he told The New York Times.

But for all Chu's talk of how Grande naturally drew the spotlight, the movie's fixation on the Good Witch feels structurally ham-handed and thematically misguided.

Grande's comedic chops are underused, while her dramatic chops are overused

Grande won over theater nerds and critics alike with her finely tuned operatic vocals and knack for physical comedy in 2024's "Wicked."

In "Wicked: For Good," Grande still shines brightest while singing and cracking jokes. In her best scenes — as when Glinda tests her vehicular bubble for the first time, or when she tries to fist-fight Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) in Munchkinland — she brings color and lightness to the bleaker turns of Act II, which include glimpses of animal abuse and low-grade body horror. (Let's just say Dorothy's friends are not as whimsically resigned to their strange fates as they are in "The Wizard of Oz.")

The problem is that "Wicked: For Good" is not satisfied with using Grande as comedic relief or, more necessarily, as a foil to Erivo's ethical outlaw. Instead, in repeated attempts to justify Glinda's selfishness as its own kind of bravery, it forces Grande into the foreground.

The movie spends a lot of time lingering on close-up shots of Grande's tear-stained face. It adds doting flashbacks to Glinda's childhood (she was showered with love and expensive gifts, but still yearned for magic most of all, so it's meant to be tragic, I guess?), and gives her a new solo, "The Girl in the Bubble," the film's penultimate musical number.

The timing suggests that "The Girl in the Bubble" is intended to be the film's introspective centerpiece, the tearjerker that sells Glinda's heroic arc: "All that's required to live in a dream is endlessly closing your eyes," she sings mournfully. Of course, this is the same revelation Glinda has been having (and then cyclically repressing) for nearly five hours' worth of screen time; she just had yet to say it out loud.

There's no question that Grande is a capable balladeer, and she delivers the song as convincingly as she can. Nevertheless, "The Girl in the Bubble" is a lifeless tune — I couldn't hum a single bar after leaving the movie theater — not to mention that it has the misfortune of following Erivo's hair-raising rendition of "No Good Deed," the film's actual centerpiece, when Elphaba collapses under the weight of her own reputation and explodes like a supernova.

Erivo is the true star of 'Wicked: For Good'

Plenty of reviewers have lavished praise on Grande's performance. "A radiant Ariana Grande owns the continuation of Jon M. Chu's musical marathon," goes The Hollywood Reporter's headline, while Variety proclaims, "It's Ariana Grande's time to shine." Vulture's Bilge Ebiri noted how the film is "bending toward her every chance it gets."

It's not that reviewers are wrong about Grande's impressive debut as a dramatic actor. It's that she never should have been positioned as the film's focal point to begin with.

"Wicked" is ultimately Elphaba's story, and both halves of the adaptation rightfully belong to Erivo. Her ability to transition from naive schoolgirl in part one to an indignant, embodied sorceress in part two — without losing the sensitive heart that makes Elphaba so compelling — is the feat that reviewers should be applauding. In "Wicked: For Good," she even portrays that duality within a single sequence, veering from righteous fury to cautious optimism and back again, all while Jeff Goldblum's Wizard bounces around the screen singing "Wonderful."

Like Grande, Erivo is also given a new solo. Unlike "The Girl in the Bubble," which rehashes what we already know about Glinda's inner turmoil, "No Place Like Home" is a memorable addition that adds depth and realism to Elphaba's motivations.

"No Place Like Home" explores Elphaba's determination to fight for a future she believes in, despite being ostracized from birth. "Why do I love this place," she wonders aloud, "that's never loved me?" She realizes that Oz is her home, and it's more than just a scrap of land that can be swapped out for any other. "It's a promise, an idea," she sings, "And I want to help make it come true." She faces a complicated, heartbreaking reality that many will find relatable — especially in an era of militarized deportations and deflated American Dreams.

Glinda, who's always been loved by her fellow Ozians, is rewarded handsomely by the film's end. She keeps her privilege, her popularity, and her pink gowns. (That's not a spoiler — we see this play out in the very first scene of "Wicked," while the Munchkins are celebrating Elphaba's downfall.) But "Wicked: For Good" can't help but go even further than its source material, giving Glinda one more significant reward in the film's final minutes, as one last reminder that she's the only witch left to root for.

All these additions make Glinda's arc in "Wicked: For Good" feel like a betrayal of the story's key themes, which warn us not to worship those in power, especially if their stories seem too good to be true.

Or perhaps Glinda being heralded as the savior of Oz — and Grande as the heart of this film — brings the story full circle. As the Wizard prophetically tells Elphaba, an appealing brand is easier to sell than reality.

"Wicked: For Good" is in theaters now.

• A former Western trainer who worked with Ukrainian troops said the hardest thing to teach was fire control.
• He said the Ukrainians often want to shoot until the Russians give up, rather than conserve ammo.
• He also said the Ukrainian army has many strengths.

One of the toughest lessons for Western military instructors to teach Ukrainian soldiers has been fire discipline — holding fire and conserving ammunition instead of unloading relentlessly at Russian forces, a former training leader told Business Insider.

Maj. Maguire, a UK military officer who spoke to Business Insider on the condition that only his rank and last name be used, said that when he was working with the UK-led training program for Ukrainian soldiers, troops in training had a "massive tendency" to unleash everything at opposing forces.

The attitude, he said, was that if you see a Russian, "you shoot them," and you don't stop until they're dead or they surrender. Ukraine's defense ministry did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Thousands of rounds of small arms ammunition might be fired down range in a matter of minutes, "and clearly that's not sustainable," Maguire said, sharing that this was "the biggest thing I think we gave them" — helping the Ukrainians identify and communicate clear targets and then measuring the correct response.

He said that this kind of control and coordination was "the hardest thing we found to train them in."

The training didn't eliminate this tendency, though; it merely redirected it. "When they needed to send it, they were far more aggressive in their aggressive use of offensive firepower than I think any Western army might be," Maguire said.

Operation Interflex has trained more than 56,000 Ukrainians. It is led by the UK with support from 13 partner nations, including Canada, Australia, and Denmark.

The training is provided to both new recruits and Ukrainian soldiers with prior combat experience fighting against Russia. Last year, Maguire led a subgroup that trained experienced fighters while also producing reports for the UK and its allies on battlefield tactics observed in Ukraine and the lessons Western forces could draw from them.

Limited ammo

Col. Boardman, the commanding officer of the UK-led training program Operation Interflex, previously told Business Insider under the same conditions that the training is designed to make sure that Ukrainian soldiers make every shot count.

"The Ukrainians don't have the luxury of a huge amount of ammunition in the way the Russians do," he said. As a result, Ukraine needs to "make best use of the ammunition they've got."

Ukraine has faced shortages of ammunition and other weapons throughout the war. Western war aid has often been delayed — and in some cases halted — amid concerns about stockpiles and political debates in countries like the US. Ukraine's defense industry has boomed and expanded rapidly, but it still can't produce everything the military needs.

It is a stark contrast to the kinds of conflicts Western militaries have fought in recent decades, counterinsurgencies and campaigns against terrorism, where they enjoyed overwhelming advantages in both the quantity and sophistication of equipment.

Maguire said Ukrainian troops had an aggressiveness that surpassed what he's seen in Western troops, noting that Western armies haven't fought a large-scale, high-intensity war in a long time.

Ukraine has had to fight without many of the advantages that Western armies have enjoyed, like quickly getting care to wounded troops. Because there's a possibility the West could face similar hardships in a future fight, it's learning from the Ukrainians even as it provides training for them in their fight against Russia.

Lessons from Ukraine

Western militaries are watching this war closely. Maguire said the UK military has learned many lessons from Ukraine, both from observing the war and its aid to it, as well as through its interactions with Ukrainian soldiers during Operation Interflex.

Maguire said the British Army has already adopted a range of lessons from the Ukrainians, from how to employ drones and trenches to how quickly troops should advance.

He said that the Ukrainian soldiers are often "far more comfortable in taking tactical risks." They are "far happier taking levels of tactical risk, and consequently they're just able to show a bit more imagination," he said, describing many of the Ukrainian officers as "less indoctrinated" in military rules and norms.

"I think that we took from the Ukrainians that they have a much greater tactical imagination than we do," Maguire said.

That creativity often impressed the trainers. When planning an ambush, the major recalled, Ukrainian officers came up with what he described as "the most tactically brilliant plan I could think of," using the terrain in ways he hadn't even considered and showing confidence in departing from standard doctrine.

Those leading Operation Interflex recognize that many Ukrainian trainees have more battlefield experience than the Western instructors. Boardman previously told Business Insider that the program draws on Ukrainian combat experience, blending their battle-tested methods with NATO doctrine to create tactics greater than the sum of their parts.

Maguire said that training Ukrainians who had been involved in high-intensity war "could be quite intimidating for us" as there are some areas where "they are much better than us."

Ultimately, he said, that didn't get in the way of helping them understand and become better soldiers and leaders. When meeting new Ukrainian trainees, he said, he would explain: "We're not here to impose our doctrine on you. We're just here to show you different ways of doing things."

• From Revolutionary War-era inns to classic diners, every state has restaurants with stories.
• The '76 House in Tappan, New York, was the site of key moments during the Revolutionary War.
• The White Horse Tavern in Rhode Island dates back to 1673.

If you want to dine like it's 1899, look no further than these historic restaurants.

From 17th-century taverns to classic dining cars, enduring historic restaurants are scattered across the United States, each with its own rich history.

Business Insider identified the oldest continuously operating restaurants across the country. Some date back to before the United States was even founded and are packed full of historic charm, as well as comfort-food bites like traditional turkey dinners, burgers, and more.

While some historic restaurants are more upscale, others are far more casual, roadside stops. 

Here are the oldest restaurants in every state.

ALABAMA: Payne's Sandwich Shop and Soda Fountain, Scottsboro

This old-fashioned restaurant dates back to 1869. Whether you sit in a booth or right at the soda fountain, you'll feel like you've gone back in time at Payne's Sandwich Shop and Soda Fountain.

Classic menu items include chicken melts and ice cream sundaes.

ALASKA: The Historic Skagway Inn, Skagway

Olivia's Bistro at the Historic Skagway Inn in southeast Alaska dates back to 1897. The charming inn specializes in local seafood, offering dishes such as smoked salmon puff pastry and elk meatballs.

ARIZONA: The Palace Restaurant and Saloon, Prescott

This frontier saloon has served locals and tourists alike since the 1870s.

The Palace Restaurant and Saloon serves lunch, dinner, and drinks in an authentic rustic fashion. History buffs also love the Western-themed dinner theater. 

ARKANSAS: Oark General Store, Oark

The Oark General Store has been a popular roadside stop since it opened in 1890. Today, the store still sells gasoline and groceries, but it is also famous for its daily breakfast and burgers.

CALIFORNIA: Tadich Grill, San Francisco

Tadich Grill serves classic San Francisco cuisine, featuring seafood cioppino and a variety of fish dishes. The restaurant first opened in 1849, and it's been in the same family since the late 1920s, SFist reported.

COLORADO: The Buckhorn Exchange, Denver

First opened in 1893, the Buckhorn Exchange is one of the oldest steakhouses in the US. Guests may come for the menu, but they stay for the unique décor, which includes a large collection of taxidermied animals. 

CONNECTICUT: The Griswold Inn, Essex

In addition to providing lodging, The Griswold Inn offers a charming restaurant and taproom. The inn has been operating since 1776 in the small Connecticut town of Essex.

Popular menu items include clam chowder and the 1776 sausage sampler, which features puff pastry and Dijon mustard. 

DELAWARE: Kelly's Logan House, Wilmington

Aside from being the oldest restaurant in Delaware, Kelly's Logan House has also been the go-to spot for St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Wilmington for over 150 years, according to the restaurant's website.

The Irish bar and restaurant specializes in comforting pub food, including everything from grilled cheese sandwiches to pork nachos. 

FLORIDA: Columbia Restaurant, Tampa

Columbia Restaurant in Tampa, Florida, was founded by Cuban immigrants in 1905. Their original menu specialties included Cuban coffee and sandwiches, and the menu has since evolved.

Customers love the devil crab croquettes and other samplings from the restaurant's tapas menu. 

GEORGIA: The Plaza Restaurant & Oyster Bar, Thomasville

The Plaza Restaurant & Oyster Bar has been serving families for over 100 years in southwestern Georgia.

The restaurant's menu has maintained a distinctly Greek influence over the years, thanks to its many Greek owners. 

HAWAII: Manago Hotel Restaurant, Captain Cook

The restaurant at the Manago Hotel in Captain Cook dates back to 1917, years before Hawaii became an official state. 

Since its founding, the restaurant has served family-style pork chops.

IDAHO: The Snake Pit, Kingston

Located in a rustic wooden building, the Snake Pit has seen its fair share of change over the course of its nearly 145-year history.

Since the restaurant opened in 1880, it has gone through several different names and owners, as reported by the North Idaho Business Journal, although it is still a hub for travelers visiting the Coeur d'Alene National Forest. 

ILLINOIS: The Village Tavern, Long Grove

The Village Tavern in Long Grove, Illinois, has been a local favorite since 1847. Visitors can still rely on the restaurant for comfort food, featuring items like onion rings and a Reuben sandwich.

INDIANA: The Log Inn, Haubstadt

The Log Inn prides itself on the fact that President Abraham Lincoln once visited the restaurant in 1844.

Aside from a helpful dose of history, the restaurant is also known for its menu of American comfort foods, including homemade pies. 

IOWA: Breitbach's Country Dining, Balltown

Breitbach's Country Dining takes family dining seriously. The restaurant has been in the same family for six generations.

The Breitbachs also take their food very seriously. Their deep-fried pork tenderloin has even earned a spot on the Iowa Pork Association's Pork Tenderloin Trail.

KANSAS: Hays House 1857, Council Grove

Hays House was founded by Seth Hays, the great-grandson of explorer Daniel Boone, in 1857.

From then on, the establishment was a popular restaurant and trading post for the local area. Customers will still get a historic feel when they walk through the doors. 

KENTUCKY: The Old Talbott Tavern, Bardstown

The Old Talbott Tavern has offered food and shelter to travelers since the late 1700s (it was built in 1779). According to the tavern's website, it was particularly popular among people traveling west by stagecoach — even pioneer and explorer Daniel Boone reportedly stopped there during his travels.

On its website, the tavern claims to have a long history of "ghost encounters" and "has always been known for the ghostly stories told by the locals and some guests."

LOUISIANA: Antoine's Restaurant, New Orleans

Antoine's Restaurant, established in 1840, has evolved into one of New Orleans' most popular brunch destinations.

In addition to specials like oysters Rockefeller and lamb chops with port demi-glace, the historic restaurant provides a luxurious atmosphere perfect for anyone looking to explore the Big Easy. 

MAINE: Palace Diner, Biddeford

Palace Diner in Biddeford, Maine, may be small, but it is entirely worth the cramped quarters. The restaurant, housed in an old train dining car, has been operating since 1927. 

Visitors flock to the unique restaurant for classic diner breakfast, fried chicken sandwich, and other diner specialties in a vintage atmosphere.

MARYLAND: Middleton Tavern in Annapolis

Nothing says Maryland cuisine quite like seafood, and Middleton Tavern has it down to an art. Located in the quaint marina city of Annapolis, Middleton Tavern has been open since 1750.

The restaurant serves traditional Maryland fare, including crab cakes and mussels, as well as a variety of other American and seafood favorites.

MASSACHUSETTS: Warren Tavern, Charlestown

Massachusetts is filled with early American history, and the Warren Tavern in Charlestown is no exception. The restaurant has been in operation since 1780, and the historic presence remains strong.

Even the menu has a historic flair, including a burger called the "Sons of Liberty Burger."

MICHIGAN: The White Horse Inn, Metamora

The White Horse Inn began serving customers in 1850 and has been providing cozy getaways during even the coldest Michigan winters ever since.

Classic menu items include ribeye steak and fish fry.

MINNESOTA: Hubbel House, Mantorville

The Hubbel House has been serving customers since 1854, five years before Minnesota was officially granted statehood.

History still plays a significant role in the restaurant's operation, as some of its dining rooms are named after famous historical figures.

In addition to enjoying a variety of meat-focused comfort dishes, customers can also explore historical documents and artifacts while at the restaurant. 

MISSISSIPPI: Weidmann's, Meridian

Weidmann's restaurant in Meridian, Mississippi, was founded by an immigrant from Switzerland in 1870. Since then, the restaurant has been a staple in the local community.

According to the restaurant's website, staff still put a jar of peanut butter and crackers on every table, a tradition they've been practicing since the butter shortages of World War II. 

MISSOURI: J Huston Tavern, Arrow Rock

If you're looking for a classic meal of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and, of course, a biscuit, look no further than the J Huston Tavern.

Founded in 1834, the tavern began as a family home that eventually started offering food and lodging for travelers in the area. The restaurant is still known for its warm hospitality.

MONTANA: Pekin Noodle Parlor, Butte

The Pekin Noodle Parlor was founded by immigrants in 1911 and takes pride in being one of the first Chinese-American restaurants in the US. 

Customers can choose from a wide variety of Chinese dishes as well as classic American sandwiches at this hybrid restaurant.

NEBRASKA: Glur's Tavern, Columbus

Glur's Tavern has remained true to its historic roots, which date back to 1876. Now, the restaurant is a family favorite known for its burgers, but in its early days, the tavern was frequented by the old Western hero Buffalo Bill.

NEVADA: The Martin Hotel, Winnemucca

The Martin Hotel in Winnemucca, Nevada, is a unique eatery that has been open since 1898, specializing in Basque dishes.

The restaurant continues to serve up dishes like pork loin simmered with garlic and pimentos.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: The Hancock Inn, Hancock

The Hancock Inn is a bed and breakfast with classic New England charm. The historic inn has been open since 1789.

The inn's restaurant serves classic dishes, including steak frites, grilled short ribs, and salmon.

NEW JERSEY: The Black Horse Tavern and Pub, Mendham

The Black Horse Tavern and Pub in Mendham, New Jersey, prides itself on having been in business for over 270 years.

Originally a stagecoach house in the mid-1700s, the restaurant now specializes in American comfort food.

NEW MEXICO: El Farol, Santa Fe

El Farol is a historic restaurant and bar in Santa Fe, New Mexico, dating back to 1835, that specializes in tapas, steaks, and paella. 

NEW YORK: The '76 House, Tappan

The '76 House, which was established in 1686, holds a special place in American history since the restaurant bore witness to crucial moments of the Revolutionary War. 

According to the restaurant's website, the '76 House acted as a prison for Major John Andre, a spy who worked alongside the famous traitor Benedict Arnold, until he was executed.

NORTH CAROLINA: Carolina Coffee Shop, Chapel Hill

Located in the charming college town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the Carolina Coffee Shop has been a local institution for over 100 years. 

While it's labeled a coffee shop, the establishment also serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and even has a thriving bar scene. 

NORTH DAKOTA: Peacock Alley, Bismarck

Peacock Alley is a classic American-style bar and grill that opened in 1933 in the historic Paterson Hotel in Bismarck, North Dakota, just as Prohibition ended in the US.

OHIO: The Golden Lamb, Lebanon

In addition to being the state's oldest restaurant, the Golden Lamb is also the oldest hotel in Ohio.

The establishment first opened in 1803. Its on-site restaurant is known for its signature turkey dinner with sage sausage and apple dressing, seasonal vegetables, cranberry chutney, and mashed potatoes.

OKLAHOMA: Cattlemen's Steakhouse, Oklahoma City

When it first opened in 1910, Cattlemen's Steakhouse was most popular among ranchers, cowboys, and cattle haulers.

Over 100 years later, customers still enjoy hearty meals from the classic restaurant that has served famous clientele, from President George H.W. Bush to Reba McEntire. 

OREGON: Huber's Cafe, Portland

Huber's Cafe first opened in Portland in 1879, although the restaurant has been serving customers at its current location since 1910.

In its early days, the historic restaurant was renowned for its tradition of serving complimentary turkey sandwiches and coleslaw to patrons who purchased drinks.

Now, you'll have to pay for your turkey sandwich, but the classic dish is still a restaurant specialty. 

PENNSYLVANIA: Dobbin House Tavern, Gettysburg

While other restaurants may have opened their doors as boarding houses or inns, the Dobbin House Tavern is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the state of Pennsylvania.

Dobbin House Tavern in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, has officially become the oldest restaurant in the state, following the permanent closure of two other historic restaurants — The Stockyard Inn and the Revere Tavern — in recent years. 

RHODE ISLAND: The White Horse Tavern, Newport

The White Horse Tavern is not only the oldest restaurant in Rhode Island but also one of the oldest in the country.

The historic restaurant, housed in a red barn, dates back to 1673 and is filled with history. According to the restaurant's website, The White Horse Tavern is also acknowledged as the 10th oldest continuously operating restaurant in the world.

The restaurant stays true to its roots, maintaining a menu that focuses on local products like honey, cheese, and seafood. 

SOUTH CAROLINA: Henry's On The Market, Charleston

According to its website, Henry's On The Market "was the only place to be in Charleston" from 1932 to 1960.

While the restaurant has gone through various transformations over the years, it's also a popular spot for live music and features a rooftop bar and dance lounge.

SOUTH DAKOTA: Legends Steakhouse, Deadwood

Located in the Franklin Hotel in Deadwood, South Dakota, Legends Steakhouse lives up to its name.

The hotel and restaurant, which date back to 1903, have hosted President Theodore Roosevelt and other important historical figures.

TENNESSEE: Varallo's, Nashville

Varallo's is one of the few remaining "chili parlors" in the US. The 120-year-old, old-school restaurant is still going strong, offering three varieties of chili: classic, spaghetti, and tamale.

TEXAS: The Stagecoach Inn, Salado

When it opened up shop in 1852, the Stagecoach Inn was, as its name suggests, a popular stop for traveling stagecoaches.

The historic inn has honored its history with its classic, cozy southwestern design.

UTAH: Hi-Mountain, Kamas

This classic convenience store and restaurant combination is ideal for those seeking a quintessential American meal.

From bacon cheeseburgers to milkshakes, Hi-Mountain in Kamas, Utah — which opened as a confectionery in the early 1900s — is a local go-to for comfort food in an old-school setting. 

VERMONT: Ye Olde Tavern, Manchester

As its name suggests, Ye Olde Tavern in Manchester, Vermont, boasts a rich history dating back to 1790.

The historic restaurant specializes in New England cuisine, such as lobster bisque and traditional pot roast. 

VIRGINIA: The Red Fox Tavern, Middleburg

Located in a charming stone building in Middleburg, Virginia, The Red Fox Tavern dates back to 1728.

The restaurant now welcomes both locals and travelers who enjoy comforting dishes, such as rack of lamb and seared sea scallops.

WASHINGTON: Horseshoe Cafe, Bellingham

Since 1886, the Horseshoe Cafe in Bellingham, Washington, has been a local favorite. From chicken and waffles to burgers, this restaurant has been serving up comfort food for over 130 years. 

WEST VIRGINIA: North End Tavern & Brewery, Parkersburg

The North End Tavern & Brewery has been in business since 1899. In addition to serving pub food, this restaurant also serves beer from its very own brewery.

WISCONSIN: Red Circle Inn & Bistro, Nashotah

Located in a stately home that opened in 1848, The Red Circle Inn & Bistro is a cozy escape in Nashotah, Wisconsin. 

Among the historic restaurant's menu items are chicken marsala, beef strogonoff, and braised pork shank. 

WYOMING: Miners and Stockmen's Steakhouse & Spirits, Hartville

The name of this restaurant reveals a great deal about its extensive history in Wyoming. Since it first opened in 1862, Miners and Stockmen's Steakhouse & Spirits has been a local favorite. 

Today, locals and travelers still enjoy the rustic bar and classic menu.

Madeleine Diamond contributed to an earlier version of this story.

• Sir Christopher Ball began running in his 60s and, at 67, ran his first marathon.
• He is now in his 90s and continues to run marathons.
• He says that mindset, exercise, diet, and reducing stress have enabled him to live healthily.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sir Christopher Ball. It has been edited for length and clarity.

In the few years before my 70th birthday, my doctor informed me I had become a bit overweight and had high blood pressure. This came as a shock to me, considering I thought I was healthy and fit for my age. She urged me to lose weight, saying I needed to eat less and exercise more.

I'd always been a fairly active person. Raised during World War II, when our food was rationed, I learned early on to eat only what I needed and never to excess.

After joining the Army, I stayed fit during my service, always marching and running about. Despite my age, I remained active even after retirement, but I clearly needed to do more to maintain a healthy weight.

I started running

I easily could have ignored the doctor's advice, resigning myself to the fact that I only had a few more years left to live anyway, but I didn't want just a few years more — I wanted to live until well over 100.

The only way to live that long would be to take my doctor seriously. I decided I would focus on running, as it felt a bit boring to eat less food.

My daughter took me to a running shop, and I quickly selected a pair of running shoes that were very comfortable.

The staff person helping me said, "You don't think I'm going to let you buy those shoes without seeing you run in them first?" She made me run outside in them, me in my suit and these new shoes. I told her one day, I hoped to run a marathon, and she sold me a book that would go on to become my Bible, called "The Non-Runners Marathon Trainer."

Although my first run was difficult, I quickly got up to 10 miles and decided I could definitely run a marathon, which I did later that year, when I was 67.

I had a heart attack in my 70s

I worked my way up to running back-to-back marathons, one on a Monday and then on Tuesday, and then to seven marathons in one week, and finally, 10 marathons in 10 days.

The weight dropped as a result of all the running I was doing.

In my late 70s, I suffered a heart attack and then had to have a triple bypass. It obviously slowed me down for some time, but I tried to see it as a fascinating setback, rather than an end to my running — it was part of having a positive mindset. I started running again, slowly but surely.

Part of the reason I think I have aged well is down to mindset. In my later years, I've always looked on the bright side, seeking a silver lining in every cloud, and I've enjoyed life.

Meeting and talking to positive people has hugely helped to maintain this positive outlook. It doesn't necessarily come naturally — several people in my family actually suffered from depression — so it's something I have to actively work against.

I switched my diet to vegan

My granddaughters asked why I ate animals. They said it wasn't kind to eat animals and that raising animals to eat wasn't good for the planet. It was following these conversations that I began eating a vegan diet. I didn't expect such health benefits, but eating this way, alongside exercise, enabled me to maintain my weight.

In addition to moving, eating well, and maintaining a positive mindset, I've made sure to plan projects, connect with people regularly (including my wife), and take daily cold showers, all while reducing stress whenever possible.

I'm still running, although I haven't planned to run another marathon. Instead, I've planned to run 10K on 10 successive days.

When I talk to others about how they, too, can live long and well, I encourage them to make the process gradual. Set reasonable goals and plan stages to work through to meet the goal. It isn't a competition with other people — it's about living your best life while you still have it.