• I took a day trip to Florida from New Jersey and back with my best friend.
• We spent 11 hours in Las Olas and had a great time lounging on the beach, shopping, and eating.
• My roundtrip flight was just $58, and I didn't need to pay for a hotel or tote around luggage.

Let's be honest, it is way too easy to spend $200 nowadays.

That money could be spent participating in one girls' night out or restocking just a few beauty staples at Sephora. However, that got me thinking: Why not spend the same amount of money on a memorable travel experience?

So, I recently challenged myself to take a same-day trip from New Jersey to Florida for under $200. Not only was my itinerary perfect, but also I didn't need to pay for a hotel or deal with toting around luggage.

Here's how I did it — and why you should try a quick turnaround trip on your next day off.

• Escalating tariff threats are likely short-lived and theatrical, BCA Research's Marko Papic said.
• Markets may be overpricing trade war fears amid a reversible, policy-driven slowdown, the analyst said.
• Papic said this week's tariff rhetoric is "for the LOLz" and sees a US-China trade deal as likely.

Investors fretting over escalating US-China tensions may be overreacting, according to one leading macro strategist who said the latest tariff threats might just be "for the LOLz."

Marko Papic, chief strategist at BCA Research, downplayed the long-term significance of renewed threat rhetoric by the US and China, suggesting that much of the current tension is performative and likely to be walked back.

"As the kids would say — just for the LOLz," Papic said in a CNBC interview on Friday.

He pointed to both China's and the US messaging as evidence.

On Friday, China's finance ministry accused the US of "bullying". It warned the US risked becoming a "joke" on the world stage if it continued imposing higher tariffs that "no longer make economic sense."

The White House posted on X on Wednesday that the public should let President Donald Trump "cook," a meme-like phrase commonly used to suggest someone is executing a plan.

Papic argued that markets are already adjusting to the rising risk of policy-induced recession, especially in commodities. But he cautioned against becoming "overly bearish."

"It's not like this is a great financial crisis," he said. "It is a policy-induced slowdown," he said, saying such slowdowns can be reversed.

"I think the market, including for commodities, is going to look through further pain that may come from fundamental hard data if policymakers start talking about this as being just for LOLz," Papic said.

He also questioned whether elements of the administration's trade strategy, including using tariffs to raise revenues and reshoring US manufacturing, would materialize.

"I think the markets are going to slowly move away from the worst-case scenario, which is that we're in some sort of a neo-McKinleyist world where tariffs are used to raise revenue to finance tax cuts. When was the last time any US policymaker actually referred to them as revenue raisers?"

Markets appear to be taking a more cautious stance. The S&P 500 recently pulled back from a high of about 4,800 points, while the dollar has weakened sharply, especially against the euro, which has been up 10% over the past several months.

Still, Papic suggested investors take a step back from the headline volatility, noting that Trump on Thursday said he is looking forward to reaching a deal with Beijing.

• I was raised in the Coachella Valley, and I've gone to the Coachella music festival many times.
• I've seen visitors make the same mistakes, like not bringing a jacket or skipping small artists.
• Bring a reusable water bottle, and don't force yourself to the front barricade of every show. 

I was raised in the Coachella Valley, a destination known for its excessive heat, older demographics, and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

I've been attending the festival since I was 15 years old — I've hung out with my parents there, partied both weekends, and even sat front row.

Luckily, I've been able to avoid some common missteps using my local knowledge and experience going to the festival. 

Here are 10 mistakes I always see festivalgoers make at Coachella — I suggest you try to avoid them if you want to have a great time. 

Taking rideshares to and from the event

When you're in the Coachella Valley for festival weekends, avoid taking a rideshare at all costs. 

The festival has multiple entry points, including a parking lot, shuttle hub, camping spaces, and rideshare entrance. In my experience, the rideshare entrance is typically the most hectic, with more lines of traffic than any other entry point. 

Getting home with a rideshare is also challenging since the cell service on the festival grounds isn't always great. Plus, rideshares get expensive because of surge pricing. 

Ideally, you may be able to avoid all of this by purchasing a shuttle pass. There are multiple shuttle hubs throughout the desert, and they tend to be much more efficient at getting you to and from your desired locations.

Not having a meetup spot for your group 

As I said above, the cell service is not always the best on festival grounds, so keep that in mind if you're going in a group and plan to split up.

Pick a landmark as a safe spot to meet if anything goes awry. I recommend the gigantic, easy-to-find art area or the Ferris wheel.

I also suggest each person in your group bring a charging cord or a portable charger because it's almost a guarantee that any phone battery will die at least once during the long weekend.

Forgetting to securely store and protect your pricey belongings

I've heard tons of horror stories about people losing expensive accessories or having their phones stolen at Coachella.

Make sure you have a secure place to hold your belongings (like a fanny pack) and consider keeping recognizably expensive designer accessories at home.

If you don't have a bag, try to keep your phone in your front pocket or an area where someone else can't get to it without you noticing.

Not bringing a jacket or hoodie

Contrary to popular belief, the desert does get cool. After the sun goes behind the mountains, the Santa Ana winds pick up, which can make for a crisp evening. 

If you can, rent a locker on the festival grounds and store a jacket for later. The lockers have a secure code and are easily accessible throughout the day.

Packing a hoodie in your bag is also ideal or, although you might be hotter during the day, wearing pants or a long-sleeve top can be a lifesaver at night. 

Spending your whole day running from stage to stage for music

It's easy to get caught up in running across the grounds to catch the next show, but I've always found my most relaxed years at Coachella were my best ones.

Instead of hopping from stage to stage, see all that Coachella has to offer beyond music.

Arrive early and visit the different art installations, ride the Ferris wheel, or explore the different brand events, which sometimes include food tastings and styling booths.

Thinking you need to force yourself to the front of every barricade to have fun

At some shows, being at the barricade for a performance can be enjoyable.

However, I don't recommend spending your day waiting for a front-row spot at packed performances (like the headliners) or pushing your way through the crowd at the last minute to get to the barricade.

If you hang out in the back or middle of the crowd, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised. There's more space to dance, the surrounding crowd is usually more accommodating, and the view is still superb.

Forgetting to bring a reusable water bottle

I suggest you bring a reusable bottle to avoid paying for overpriced water on the grounds.

The music festival usually has water-bottle-refill stations and they aren't super crowded, in my experience. 

You'll have to wait in line for water regardless, but your reusable bottle will most likely last longer than the small bottles you can buy.

Wearing something that's not comfortable 

If you want to make the most of your festival experience — and avoid annoying your friends by groaning in pain all day — try to wear something comfortable.

For starters, break in your shoes beforehand and test if they will give you blisters by going on a long walk. Wear clothes that won't cause chafing or dig into your skin. 

If you (understandably) want a stellar outfit you can Instagram, at least bring cozy clothes to change into.

Skipping the smaller artists and only seeing headliners 

Keep an open mind by researching all the artists on the lineup, no matter how small — you just might end up going to some of your favorite shows to date.

One year, for example, my boyfriend dragged me to a French band called L'imperatrice and it was unexpectedly the best show I saw all weekend.

Plus, there's nothing like the satisfaction of feeling like you saw (or knew) about an artist before the rest of the world. After all, huge stars such as SZA, The Weeknd, and even last year's headliner BLACKPINK started out on the small-font portion of a Coachella lineup.

This story was originally published on April 4, 2023, and most recently updated on April 11, 2025.

• Epaulet is a menswear brand that makes all its clothing in Los Angeles, New Jersey, or Rochester.
• Owner Eva Kuhle says Trump's tariff policies are too inconsistent to help American manufacturing.
• Her core customer base is being squeezed by the cost of living. Tariffs make things worse.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Eva Kuhle, the CEO and designer of Epaulet, a Los Angeles-based menswear brand that manufactures all of its products in the United States. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

We opened Epaulet in 2008. I'm the owner and the founder. Originally, we had a storefront in Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn. We expanded and had a whole bunch of retail stores. In 2016, we revised the concept and became primarily an online direct-to-consumer seller.

My guiding light has been that I've always wanted to make everything in the United States. The most important thing is a local production that I can personally visit and interact with. I really love fabrics. I like being close to where things are made. And I take a lot of pride in providing local jobs.

To the extent that the Trump administration is kind of hyping up the idea of American workers and blue-collar labor and the American dream — that's actually really important to me. I don't want to be just a person who sells clothing and makes X amount of dollars every time somebody buys a pair of chino pants.

Donald Trump is a chaotic and unpredictable person. None of this is going to help manufacturing in America. No one is going to see that now there's a 10% tariff on UK fabric and say, "Wow, this is an amazing business opportunity. Let me retool a woolen factory from scratch, all using my own money to match a tariff policy."

This administration is not consistent, and you can see that after Trump flipped-flopped on the tariffs with no notice. We need to expect the government to stick by the numbers it commits to. Who in their right mind would ever take the policies seriously and risk their own money to expand production? The tariffs could change tomorrow.

I believe in manufacturing in America

100% of Epaulet-branded clothing is manufactured in the United States.

I have two aspects of my business. There is a ready-to-wear collection, which is almost all made in Los Angeles. The clothing is completely designed, cut, sewn, and constructed there. I also work with Rochester Tailored Clothing and Individualized Shirts in New Jersey to make one-off custom pieces for customers.

I like seeing that people are supported by the work that I do, and a really good example of that is Rochester Tailored Clothing. It took over the Hickman Freeman factory in Rochester, New York. I'm one of its largest independent clients. They make beautiful stuff. I think you could argue that they make the best-tailored clothing in North America.

This place is literally the American dream. It has first-generation immigrants from all over the world. Rochester is a reasonable city to live in. The wages are good. They're unionized. They have benefits. In a way, that company is a snapshot of how the American manufacturing industry should work.

People have built their lives around low-cost products

The stuff I sell is very high quality. Last year, we had about $900,000 in sales. My average retail price per order is about $375. I have plenty of people who buy one pair of chinos for $140, and then I sometimes have people who spend $8,000 on a custom order of several suits.

If you sell clothing like I do, a big portion of your business is going to be done with people who are DINKs, or maybe they're a SINK. A lot of lawyers, physicians, tech engineers. This is always a prime customer for buying clothes. They want to look cool, they're going out, they're taking vacations, they're earning money.

When you expand, eventually you'll hit a ceiling of how many customers will pay for American-made. And then you've got to use Facebook and Instagram ads to try to find new clients. And you'll find there are some people who are just not spending $150 on jeans, no matter what. It doesn't matter. It has to be cheap.

I'm not saying this to be a wise-ass or an elitist, but we're at a point now where people are used to much lower prices for clothing. They've built their lives around the fact that jeans can only be $25.

The ship has sailed. People have gotten used to decades of lower-cost imported merchandise. The idea that they're going to go back, now that they've been given all these low-cost options, is crazy.

My biggest problem is the cost of living. Tariffs make it worse.

In theory, I should be pretty happy. I have fairly low exposure. All my manufacturing is done here.

I will have to pay tariffs on imported fabrics. In terms of my LA production, I'm not using cashmere or vicuna or anything crazy expensive. The duty won't be the end of the world when I have to order fabric from abroad.

But I don't see a single positive aspect of the tariffs. At my level, the overall cash squeeze on prime fashion customers is an even bigger issue than cheap imported competition.

Increasingly, the SINKs and the DINKs are facing a higher cost of living. My customer base is paying more for rent than ever before. They're paying a ton of money for health insurance. When they have a kid — forget about it. The expenses are through the roof.

When their iPhone goes from being $1,000 to even higher, or when they want to buy a car and the car is now suddenly $10,000 more, and you add that to the fact that car insurance is going up, people just have less discretionary income spend on whatever is not a total necessity, which includes Epaulet chore coats.

I used to sell a lot to Canada, and that has largely been decimated. I think that's due to the rising US dollar and the Canadian cost-of-living crisis. And now the fact that the Canadians very reasonably hate the United States is probably going to kill whatever remainder of business I had left in Canada.

Trump is already undermining the idea of helping domestic manufacturing

This notion that these tariffs are somehow going to inspire domestic production is ridiculous. I'm a good example.

I would need tax credits to expand my business. Maybe tariff exemptions for raw materials used to manufacture American end-products.

Suiting wool is a great example. There is literally one company in the United States that makes suiting wool. That's the last one. So if you want wool for a suit or a pair of trousers, that's the only place. Any suit that you find anywhere in North America is made with wool from abroad because all those industries are gone.

We need a consistent policy that we can trust. We can't have a policy where tariffs may or may not be enforced 90 days from now, and tariffs could also be any number whatsoever. Especially the really huge numbers — like 145% on China — these hysterical numbers make everything seem even less trustworthy.

You also can't support American manufacturing and also strike zero-tariff free trade deals. Look at Vietnam. Vietnam said it'll drop all the tariffs on US products. And then Trump said America would drop its tariffs and then celebrated that as a win because now there are no more tariffs on American goods.

But then how the hell do you repatriate anything? Then Vietnamese products will be cheaper than they've ever been.

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• I've been to Palm Springs over 20 times and have eaten at many great restaurants in the area.
• Workshop Kitchen+Bar and Bar Cecil are my favorite fine-dining establishments in Palm Springs.
• When I want a more casual environment, I get brunch at Norma's or Billy Reed's.

Palm Springs is famous for its midcentury modern architecture, vibrant hues, and relaxing energy, and its food scene is also top-notch.

I live in Los Angeles but visit Palm Springs multiple times a year (it's just two hours away without traffic) and have enjoyed some of the best meals of my life there.

At this point, I've visited the vibrant California desert oasis more than 20 times — and finding great restaurants is always on my itinerary.

Whether you're looking for a fine-dining experience or a casual joint where you can stroll in wearing a T-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops, there's a plethora of options.

Whenever someone asks me for dining recommendations, these nine places always make my must-visit list.

• I sailed on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, one of the largest cruise ships in the world.
• It can hold up to 7,000 guests and has eight "neighborhoods" full of activities and amenities.
• The ship was even bigger than I imagined. Here's a tour of the 18 decks and all the venues.

In April 2022, I took my first cruise on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas and it was bigger than I could even imagine. With 18 decks to wander, I felt like I was in a small town in the middle of the ocean.

Back then, Wonder of the Seas was the largest cruise ship in the world. Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas took over the title in January 2024.

Step aboard the Wonder of the Seas, complete with eight "neighborhoods" full of activities.

• Sports teams and leagues have been relatively stable investments amid recent economic uncertainty.
• Arctos Insights, the research arm of a top PE firm in sports, outlined why the sector is resilient.
• The firm also shared key risks for the sector in a global trade war.

Sports franchises may be safe from some of the worst effects of the economic turmoil, new investor research suggests.

President Donald Trump's tariff policy incited investor panic and sent markets on a roller coaster this month.

But sports have proven relatively resilient to outside chaos during recent market downturns, Arctos Insights, the research and content arm of private-equity firm Arctos Partners, outlined in a note shared with Business Insider. The firm expects the industry to remain a relatively stable area for investment.

"Sports franchises have proven to be remarkably resilient assets during periods of economic instability," Arctos Insights wrote in a research summary. "While trade wars and macro volatility will likely disrupt many sectors of the economy, North America's professional sports franchises will likely emerge largely unscathed."

Arctos Partners has invested in sports teams, including the Golden State Warriors, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Arctos Insights wrote that loyal fans, revenue from long-term media deals, and fixed costs have helped sports franchises remain relatively stable.

There are still potential risks. The National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association have franchises based in Canada, which could pose exchange rate issues. The tariffs could also affect stadium construction as the cost of steel and other raw materials goes up.

Tariffs also slashed the value of sports stocks by $318 billion in a week, roughly 10% of the sector's value, Sportico reported Wednesday. Companies like Under Armour and Nike, which produce apparel outside the US, were some of the hardest-hit sports companies.

But, some investors have continued flocking to sports teams and leagues in recent times of uncertainty.

"Over the past three market cycles—including the Tech Bubble, the Global Recession, and the COVID-19 shock—sports franchise valuations have not only held firm but in many cases appreciated," Arctos Insights wrote.

Fixed costs, media rights revenue, and fan engagement help keep sports stable

One of the biggest reasons sports could be relatively insulated from the impact of the trade wars is that its supply chain — namely its players — is largely US-based, according to Arctos Insights. Player salaries, which typically represent about 45% to 50% of revenue, aren't subject to tariffs and are fixed per their respective collective bargaining agreements.

"Beyond athlete compensation, franchise operations rely heavily on local human capital — executives, coaches, marketing teams, and stadium staff — whose wages are unaffected by trade policy," said the note.

Media rights deals between leagues and broadcast companies, apparel deals, and stadium naming rights run for years at a time, with some lasting decades. The revenue these deals generate helps build up sports' resilience to market instability because they may not need to be renegotiated for a while.

The NFL and NBA, for example, have media deals that run into the 2030s, though some sports organizations like the Ultimate Fighting Championship are looking to renew their media contracts this year.

Additionally, sports teams can lean on fans during hard times. While the rising cost of consumer goods could hit consumer's wallets and make them wary of spending on tickets to a game, history suggests the impact won't be alarming. Arctos Insights found that the Big Four sports leagues — NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB — experienced "marginal declines in attendance" during the 2008 financial crisis.

Risks of a global trade war could affect money and stadium development

Still, there are risks for some corners of the industry, such as Canadian teams within US-based leagues. The NHL, for example, has several teams in Canada. Those teams tend to generate a lot of revenue in Canadian dollars but pay expenses like player salaries in US dollars. Arctos Insights said there could be potential issues with exchange rates tied to a global trade war.

Construction for new arenas and stadiums could also face challenges. According to Arctos Insights, roughly one-third of the cost of a new stadium goes toward raw materials. Though Arctos said recent US stadium projects, such as SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, relied largely on domestically sourced materials. Still, projects in the planning phases could face supply-chain issues depending on the tariff situation.

Stadium development and upgrades have been big draws for some PE firms investing in sports franchises. While stadiums and arenas are largely used by the professional teams that call them home, these investors see an opportunity to expand events like concerts as alternative ways to grow revenue.

• Eating enough protein is important for muscle development and your overall health.
• Protein is also more filling than other foods, which can make it hard to eat a lot of.
• Making high-protein swaps and splitting meals into snacks can help you hit your targets.

I calculated my recommended protein intake, as someone who works out and wants to build muscle. I needed a minimum of 53 grams of protein a day, but closer to 114 grams if I really wanted to make gains.

But hitting that isn't so easy. On a typical day, my morning oatmeal is 5-6 grams of protein, my lunch salad or grain bowl is a measly 10-15 grams, and my salmon fillet dinner is 25 grams — just 40-45 grams of protein total.

Morgan Walker, a sports nutritionist at Lebanon Valley College, said this is a common occurrence.

For one, high-protein foods fill you up faster because they're structurally more complex than most nutrients. Protein needs additional enzymes to be broken down in the body, Walker told Business Insider. When we consume protein, hormones are released that "help to promote satiety, too," she said.

Additionally, if you work out a lot, you might even lose your appetite. "Exercise itself can be appetite-suppressant for a lot of individuals, especially high-intensity exercise and endurance-type training," Walker said, due to anti-hunger molecules that form in the body.

Ironically, very active people who need to eat more protein for muscle repair may struggle to get adequate amounts of protein in their diets.

Walker shared a few ways to eat enough protein if you feel too full to even think about another hard-boiled egg.

Use versatile ingredients like cottage cheese and Greek yogurt

Walker is a "big fan" of cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, which are complete protein sources and easy to snack on, such as Greek yogurt with honey and berries or cottage cheese on toast.

They both have more amino acids than lower-protein foods, which help muscle-building by repairing and growing new muscle fibers.

You can also use them as protein boosters in other meals. Cottage cheese, at about 200 calories and 23-28 grams of protein per cup, can be blended into pasta sauce or eggs. Greek yogurt, with similar levels of protein and caloric content, can be used in smoothies, dips, or condiments.

Make easy protein swaps

A balanced diet isn't all protein — you also need fiber and carbohydrates. Fitting all of that in can be tough, though.

Walker recommended protein swaps to get more protein and other nutrients, such as using farro or quinoa as a base instead of rice. You can also replace regular pasta with higher-protein versions that use lentils or chickpeas.

If you're cooking grains and want to sprinkle in some extra protein, Walker said you can also boil them in bone broth, which contains 9 to 11 grams of protein per cup.

Break your meals up into snacks

If fitting in three big, protein-heavy meals a day just isn't working for you, there's good news: snacking might be better for you in the long run, anyway.

"Consistent protein intake throughout the day is very beneficial for promoting muscle-protein synthesis," Walker said.

Breaking big meals down into smaller and more frequent protein-rich snacks also makes it easier to get more protein without stuffing yourself. In the long run, consistent protein intake is more important than chugging a huge protein shake after a workout.

Walker loves Greek yogurt, string cheese, hard-boiled eggs, turkey jerky, shelled edamame, nuts, and smoothies to graze on throughout the day.

Divvy up your protein powder

Protein-packed liquids, such as smoothies and shakes with protein powder, are usually less filling than big meals.

Still, not all protein drinks are the same. Walker said ready-to-drink shakes, which can pack 20-30 grams of protein per bottle, tend to be more filling. If they're too difficult to chug, she suggested incorporating protein powder in drinks and meals throughout the day, rather than all at once.

"Maybe it's scooping a little bit of the protein powder and mixing it into a yogurt, smoothie, or oatmeal," she said. If one scoop is 30 grams of protein, you can have 15 grams in your breakfast and 15 grams in a post-workout shake.

Add variety

Some active people assume gains require culinary sacrifice, subjecting themselves to the same cliché gym bro meal of chicken breasts, brown rice, and broccoli every night.

"I have a lot of clients who will eat very similar meals and even though they're extremely well-balanced, they're not getting a lot of variety," Walker said. Not only is variety important for gut health; it also keeps you from getting bored.

Walker said sheet pan dinners are an easy and versatile way to change up your main protein source, like chicken or fish, as well as your vegetables and seasonings. You can also use Greek yogurt or cottage cheese to create a high-protein sauce.

Fitting in enough daily protein, especially if you're strength-training, can take some creativity.

Fermin Salguero-Quijada was permanently disabled after a fall from a ladder while working for a painting company in Utah.

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Marco Rubio said in a memo Khalil's campus activities were "otherwise lawful" but he should be deported due to potential "adverse foreign policy consequences."