Living

The Yawahada marshmallow shop in Japan makes these kitty-shaped puffs

Is there anything better on a cold winter day than curling up with a mug of hot chocolate? Yes there is. And it involves curling up with a mug of liquid chocolate filled with marshmallows shaped like kittens. (Ignore for a second that they’re drowning.) The Yawahada marshmallow shop in Japan that makes these kitty-shaped puffs recently launched international shipping, so if you or someone you know melts every time you see a cat you should order these right now.

The carefully-crafted marshmallows cost about $6.80, plus shipping, for a box of four.

Timing is cutting it close for stocking stuffers, but you should be able to have these sugar kittens in time for all your #cozyscenarios come January (and Valentine’s Day). You can order them on the Yawahada website; information is translated into English here.

With America finally getting some cat cafés of its own, we see a bright future for the cat-shaped confection business.

This article originally appeared on Food & Wine.

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Robicelli’s has decided to give New York City the holiday gift of gluttony

Lasagna is a tough dish to improve upon, but a Brooklyn bakery recently decided to take it in an entirely new direction: dessert.

Robicelli’s in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, is selling what they’ve dubbed the “Nutellasagna.” We’ll give you a second to let your dreams run wild.

So what exactly is the Nutellasagna? According to Gothamist, creator Allison Robicelli describes it as “layers of buttery lasagna noodles, cannoli custard, copious amounts of Nutella, crushed roasted hazelnuts and chopped chocolate, with some marshmallows on top for additional sweetness.”

Not surprisingly, the idea was birthed during a summer promotion where the bakery purposefully attempted to make some of the most ridiculous desserts they could think of. What was probably a bit more unexpected was how popular the Nutellasagna became: it sold out quickly and sparked continued interest.

Thus, Robicelli’s has decided to give New York City the holiday gift of gluttony. Over Christmas week, they’re once again offering the Nutellasagna by the half tray or the full tray. The $65 half tray claims to serve between 10 – 15 people, but don’t let that discourage you from having a go on your own.

The bakery offers delivery to most of the New York City area. For everyone else, grab your baking pans. You have some experimenting to do.

This article originally appeared on Food & Wine.

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U.S. Navy officials are investigating the incident

U.S. Navy officials are investigating who secretly filmed female officers showering and changing clothes while aboard a submarine, according to a CNN report.

“Incidents that violate the trust of our sailors go against every core value we hold sacred in our naval service,” Navy Vice Admiral M.J. Connor wrote in a letter, according to CNN.

At least three female officers were videotaped over the course of a year aboard the USS Wyoming, and the recordings were sent to members of the crew, according to an incident report cited by CNN.

Read the full story from CNN.

'We have come to the conclusion that our trust in her was misplaced,' the magazine's managing editor says

The magazine that published a detailed account of a gang rape at the University of Virginia said Friday that it no longer considers the woman behind the story to be a reliable source.

Rolling Stone‘s vivid depiction of a gang rape suffered by a woman it called “Jackie” at a fraternity house drew national headlines and renewed conversations about sexual assault on college campuses. The magazine apologized to readers about the story Friday.

“In the face of new information, there now appear to be discrepancies in Jackie’s account, and we have come to the conclusion that our trust in her was misplaced,” managing editor Will Dana wrote in a note to readers.

MORE: No police investigation yet in UVA rape case

The story has come under growing scrutiny after its author acknowledged not contacting the men accused of wrongdoing.

“We were trying to be sensitive to the unfair shame and humiliation many women feel after a sexual assault and now regret the decision to not contact the alleged assaulters to get their account,” Dana wrote. “We are taking this seriously and apologize to anyone who was affected by the story.

MORE: The sexual assault crisis on American campuses

The story prompted UVA’s president to temporarily suspend fraternity activity and to promise an investigation, along with wider calls to reform the way sexual assault allegations are handled on campuses.

The fraternity in question, Phi Kappa Psi, released a statement Friday detailing what it said were a number of factual inaccuracies in the Rolling Stone account. And in a series of Twitter messages later Friday, Dana said the story was Rolling Stone‘s responsibility, not Jackie’s.

And in a statement, UVA President Teresa A. Sullivan said administrators were aware of the new reports. “The University remains first and foremost concerned with the care and support of our students and, especially, any survivor of sexual assault,” she said. “Our students, their safety, and their wellbeing, remain our top priority. Over the past two weeks, our community has been more focused than ever on one of the most difficult and critical issues facing higher education today: sexual violence on college campuses. Today’s news must not alter this focus.”

Read next: Questioning an Accuser’s Story: A Rape Victim Group Weighs In

Get comfortable being uncomfortable

This article originally appeared on Live in the Grey.

In a dusty corner of the Internet is a post from my angsty, teenage Tumblr that reads: “Life is SO full of possibilities. I think my greatest fear is regret.” Years later, this feeling still resonates. Regret might be one of the most unpleasant feelings life has to offer, so it’s worth noting that over the long-term, we’re much more likely to regret the things we didn’t do. Which leads us to our #FailureFriday message: Don’t let your passions and interests become regrets. If there’s something you really want to try, go for it.

I know. This is a little easier said than done. Putting yourself out there and exposing yourself to failure can be daunting, so we’re here to help. When doubts and fears begin to crowd out your thoughts, you need ways to bring yourself back to reality and keep your eyes on the prize. The next time you’re facing a new situation or taking a big risk, try the following tips adopted from a great book called The Charisma Myth:

1. Destigmatize Discomfort

Risk makes us uncomfortable because we feel like we aren’t in control. One way to overcome this feeling is to remind yourself of how completely normal it is to feel discomfort in this situation. For example, think of someone you greatly admire, someone who has accomplished amazing things. Imagine them in a similar situation, feeling equally scared and uncomfortable. (They all really have felt like that, by the way.) Now, think of all the other people in the world who are probably feeling the same way at this exact moment. You aren’t crazy. You aren’t overreacting. You’re just human like everyone else, and you’re trying to wrap your head around a new situation.

(MORE: The 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started My Business)

2. Neutralize Negativity

In these situations, we’re often our own worst enemy. We see things from the worst possible angle, and before even giving ourselves a fair shot we convince ourselves that things are going poorly. Instead, realize that your thoughts and perceptions aren’t necessarily the objective truth. Try assigning a label to your feelings, like “self criticism” or “frustration.” Think about them through the lens of a scientist. Your negative thoughts may simply be your brain’s instinctive reaction to a high-stakes situation. Now, imagine that all of these thoughts in your mind are just noise from a radio. Slowly turn down the dial.

(MORE: You Should Discover Your Dream Career Instead of Defining It)

3. Re-write Reality

Let’s say something goes really wrong, whether it’s because you took a risk or because you didn’t. You’re here now, so what can you do about it? All it takes to turn a stressful situation into a positive one is a change in your perspective. You’ve probably heard something like this before, so how do you actually translate this into reality?

Let’s think through a real situation. Maybe you just received a negative performance review at work. Find a piece of paper and write down all the possible ways in which this situation could actually end up being good for you. Imagine how this might be the first step in a series of events that leads to a great ending. Maybe the performance review shines a light on a problem that you can now work through so you can become incredible at what you do. Or maybe you realize the way your company measures you simply doesn’t mesh with who you want to become.

By deciding to interpret bad situations as first steps in a story with a happy ending, not only will you see the light at the end of the tunnel but you’ll actually be equipped with the perspective to turn the situation around.

(MORE: How I Funneled My Scattered Interests Into a Career)

4 steps to help you make risky decisions when you have a family

This article originally appeared on Live in the Grey.

As a parent, the idea of disrupting corporate America, pursuing passion and living in the grey is so exciting. I feel such pride that our generation is fundamentally changing the way our kids will work.

At the same time, I’ve reflected a lot on whether being a parent impacts your ability to take big risks. Naturally, the stakes for parents are higher. It’s not just a personal money issue. The well-being of your family might be on the line.

All of this was running through my mind last year when my husband and I hit a point where we needed a change. I was miserable in my job and couldn’t suppress this nagging feeling that I needed to spend more time with our kids. So we talked about our options:

• I could quit and stay home with our kids
• I could quit and pursue my marketing consulting business full time
• I could find another job and pursue consulting on the side

The conversation ultimately came back to the tension between our desires and how our decisions could impact our kids. But instead of getting stuck in indecision, we came up with a plan that would address our need for change and our family’s well-being. When you find yourself unable to make up your mind about a career decision, try taking these four steps:

1. Clearly outline your financials

First, we needed to be able to compare our options objectively and understand the level of financial risk they presented. I created a spreadsheet with all the relevant factors (income, bills, savings, and spending money). This way, we were able to see the financial impact of each scenario side by side. It helped arm us with concrete facts and made it easier to know exactly what we were sacrificing, which in turn took some of the emotional difficulty out of our decision.

(MORE: 5 Reasons Yoga Can Help You Live & Work Better)

2. Weigh in additional pros and cons

Once we had a good financial comparison, we listed the rest of the pros and cons associated with each option. This included things like the time I would get to spend with our kids, schedule flexibility, contributions to savings and retirement, ability to pay for private school and more. These will be different for everyone.

We also factored in our financial safety net, the sacrifices we’d have to make, how long we could realistically live on one salary, and what I could bring in should I start my own business.

(MORE: From Rock & Roll to Peace of Mind: Meet Meditation Guide Biet Simkin)

3. Set a goal.

Armed with a full picture of our options, we decided to set a savings goal of 6 months worth of income before making any big changes. All of our options were technically possible, but because of our kids we needed a bigger savings cushion.

4. Iterate.

Don’t stop there. We re-evaluate our situation at the end of every month because all of these factors can change quickly.

As of this month, I’m excited to say we exceeded our savings goal and I have officially started a new career! The summer brought a couple surprise expenses which detoured our goal date by a month, but we pivoted as needed and re-established our goal.

I feel motivated by the fact that we’ve become more flexible while still keeping true to our goals. We are working together more than we ever have and are much more in tune with what we ultimately want to get out of our lives. In other words, we are living our grey.

At the end of the day, remember that this is your path. Consider your options and unique challenges, set goals and constantly re-evaluate. This way, you’ll make real progress while cutting down on stress along the way.

(MORE: Tumblr’s Annie Werner Shares Career Advice)

Rack up rewards and avoid foreign transaction fees

This article originally appeared on Map Happy.

I think the time when Ben Franklin’s old adage “a penny saved is a penny earned” rings truest is when I’m traveling abroad. ATM and foreign transaction fees just add up too fast.

Generally, any money I save is money I can put toward something I actually want to spend it on. Whether that’s a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia, wine tasting in Mendoza or street food at 4 a.m. pretty much anywhere in the world, I can think of infinite better uses for my money than forking it over in fees. (My utopia is also one in which roaming charges are nonexistent, but that’s a conversation for another time.)

The great thing is that it’s totally avoidable to hold onto that money if you play your cards right. When you’re spending money fee-free on a flight for your next trip or meal out, many cards will even throw that back to you in forms of cash or valuable points toward travel. Behold, Map Happy’s list of the best credit and debit cards for traveling. This plastic, its fantastic.

Barclaycard Arrival World MasterCard

This is one of the best travel credit cards out there because there’s no foreign transaction fees and no annual fee. Every time you spend money, you’re pretty much earning travel-related rewards. Users earn double miles for every dollar spent on travel and dining, and a mile per dollar for everything else. Plus if you redeem your miles for any travel purchase, you get 10% of those miles back. There’s also a 20,000 mile sign-up bonus if you spend at least $1,000 in the first 90 days your account is active. Can you see yourself circling the globe yet?

There’s also the even-more-baller Barclay Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard (for an $89 annual fee that’s waived after the first year) that has beefed-up benefits including a 40,000 mile sign-up bonus and double the miles on all purchases. This card also possesses the EMV chip that’s pretty much a requirement to swipe your plastic pretty much all over Europe these days.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

If you have commitment phobia when it comes to particular airlines or hotel groups but want to rack up the travel rewards all the same, this could be your card. Chase has partnerships with a ton of travel industry biggies like United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Marriott, Ritz-Carlton and more. What that means for you is that you can transfer all your points 1-to-1 hassle-free to all those companies. The sign-up bonus isn’t slouchy either: 40,000 bonus points for $3,000 spent in the first three months the account is open.

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you can earn double points for money spent on travel and dining while earning one point per dollar for everything else. There are no foreign transaction fees and the $95 annual only kicks in after the first year. Of course, there’s no way it could make this list without having an EMV chip option. We actually did a full review on this credit card a few months back.

Chase has a whole travel-friendly infrastructure set up, too, and if you book anything like flights, hotel stays, cruises and car rentals through their Chase Ultimate Rewards program with points, there’s an automatic 20% discount. (And they’re not jacking up their prices, either; they’re comparable to all the major travel search engines.)

This could be the card for traveling couples, too: There’s 5,000 bonus points when you add an authorized user soon after opening the card. Chase is pretty helpful to cardholding travelers in other nice ways, too, like lost luggage reimbursement or if you’ve accidentally lost your phone at Disneyland. (If the airline doesn’t care, at least Chase should!)

Capital One Venture Rewards

Travel credit cards don’t get much more straightforward than this Visa card. You earn two miles for every dollar spent—whatever it is—and there are no foreign transaction fees. The sky really is the limit on how many miles you can earn and those miles never expire. Like most of the premium travel cards, the sign-up bonus is 40,000 miles if you swipe $3,000 worth of purchases in the first three months. The card comes with some thoughtful amenities, too, like automatic travel and car rental insurance and around-the-clock roadside assistance.

The annual fee, waived the first year, is $59. The watered-down but also rather impressive version of this card is the VentureOne Rewards Card which comes with no annual fee and rewards users with 1.25 miles for every dollar spent.

Charles Schwab Bank

In truth, credit cards can only take you so far, because no matter where you are you’re also going to need cold, hard cash. The way I like to do it is to take out money in manageable increments as I go along to avoid ending up with mounds of foreign currency at the end of a trip (and losing out when changing it all back). But that really only makes any sense at all if you can dodge ATM fees. Enter Schwab Bank.

The High Yield Investor Checking Account quite frankly sounds intimidating. In fact, the name potentially scaring people off is the only reason I can think of as to why everyone isn’t already carrying this card, because it’s a real win. (Or if you’re like Erica, you’ve managed to find a real use for that brokerage account.) There is no minimum balance—really, $0—no monthly service fees and you will never pay an ATM fee. To be accurate, every single one of your ATM fees will be rebated when you withdraw money with the debit card tied to your Schwab account. That’s money in the bank for you.

Armed with this debit puppy and any of the other listed credit cards, you’re set to pay for everything on the road fee-free. Go forth and draw money freely.

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards

There aren’t any specific traveler perks per se with this card but it’s still one of the simplest, travel-friendly cards there is. Swipe away around the world without a care, because there are no foreign transaction fees nor is there an annual fee.

It’s a card where you don’t have to worry about the who, what, when, where or how when it comes to managing with your points. You’re getting cash back at a flat rate of 1.5% for everything. Brainless. That’s a slightly better cash-back rate than you’ll get with most other cards and it adds up.

Worth noting

NerdWallet has done some good legwork and rounded up a pretty exhaustive list of all credit cards with no foreign transaction fees. Some key points:

• All Discover and Capital One credit cards have no foreign transaction fees.
• Thinking small isn’t a bad idea. Most local credit unions don’t charge foreign transaction fees.

While it’s also common to see airlines hawking credit cards at the airport, hotel credit cards are another route that people also often overlook. If you feel allegiance to one particular chain or just happen to find yourself staying with one brand more often than others, it’s worth considering. The Starwood Preferred Guest American Express credit card has a number of airline and hotel benefits that add up fast and is also another favorite

Ultimately, go with what’s right for your budget and travels. There’s a card out there for everyone.

Read more from Map Happy:

• The Best Gifts and Gadgets for Travelers on the Road
• What a Hotel Concierge Actually Does
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A supervisor accused her of “stealing” from the company

A woman in Portland, Ore., claims she was fired from her job in 2013 for taking too many bathroom breaks while pregnant with her second child.

People reports that Dawn Steckmann was told by her supervisor at Maxim Integrated Products that “not clocking out to use the restroom is stealing from the company” and she could have been “watching a movie” during bathroom breaks.

Steckmann, who worked for Maxim for ten years, claims she had been told during her previous pregnancy not to bother with clocking out when using the restroom.

Steckmann is reportedly seeking $400,000 in damages in a gender and discrimination lawsuit.

Read more at People.