When faced with the decision of choosing between a job you love and a job that pays well, remember this: You can have your cake and eat it too.

The second annual list of the best employers in America by PayScale and Business Insider evaluates companies by both pay and happiness.

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For the second year, New Jersey biotechnology company Celgene Corporation topped the list as the Best Employer in America. In fact, many of the best companies are in the health-care industry.

The tech industry was booming last year, with typical top companies such as Google and Yahoo taking the second and eighth spots, respectively. This year, however, tech companies took a noticeable tumble: Google dropped to No. 8 this year, Yahoo fell to No. 17, and Microsoft, which ranked No. 14 last year, fell off the map.

In creating this list, companies in the Fortune 500 were ranked using PayScale's salary and survey database. Final scores were determined by multiplying six criteria: high job satisfaction, low job stress, high work-schedule flexibility, high job meaning, experienced median pay, and salary delta (that is, how the median pay compares to other companies in the same industry). Since we think that pay is one of the most important factors, we double-weighted pay in our calculations. Read the full methodology here.

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Click here to see an infographic with data on the 50 best companies »

Click here to see our methodology »

50. Pacific Life

Headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif., this insurance company has 2,700 employees.

Employees report high rates of work schedule flexibility (87%) and job satisfaction (60%).

Median pay is $91,000 after five years and very high compared to industry peers.

This ranking of Fortune 500 companies was created by Business Insider using data gathered and crunched by PayScale. Read the full methodology here. Find out how your salary stacks up on PayScale.

49. Exxon Mobil Corporation

Headquartered in Irving, Texas, this oil and gas company has 75,000 employees. While it claims No. 49 on our list, Exxon Mobil is No. 2 on the 2013 Fortune 500 list.

Employees report high rates of job satisfaction (77%) and work-schedule flexibility (73%).

Median pay is $104,000 after five years and very high compared to industry peers.

This ranking of Fortune 500 companies was created by Business Insider using data gathered and crunched by PayScale. Read the full methodology here. Find out how your salary stacks up on PayScale.

48. Medtronic Inc.

Headquartered in Minneapolis, this medical-device company has 45,000 employees.

Employees report high rates of job meaning (91%) and work-schedule flexibility (81%).

Median pay is $88,500 after five years and high compared to industry peers.

This ranking of Fortune 500 companies was created by Business Insider using data gathered and crunched by PayScale. Read the full methodology here. Find out how your salary stacks up on PayScale.

From Prince William and Kate Middleton's royal bundle of joy — third in line of succession to the British throne — to 98-year-old David Rockefeller, the oldest billionaire alive, it's evident that authority transcends shape, size, and age.

Power is, in fact, relative to a person's capacity to enact change or direct the behavior of others when compared to his or her peer's ability to do the same.

In creating this list, we considered three criteria to determine power. A person's sphere of influence was the greatest indicator, followed by potential for acquiring future power, and estimated net worth. If two candidates of the same age seemed equally powerful, their net worth served as the deciding factor.

Now it's time to meet the most powerful people in politics, tech, finance, entertainment, sports, retail, and culture, ages 0 to 100.

AGE 0: Prince George of Cambridge

Son of Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

What makes him powerful: After his grandfather and father, the royal bundle of joy is third in line to succeed his great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. In April, the 8-month-old embarked on his first royal tour, a 19-day visit to New Zealand and Australia.

AGE 1: Margaret Laura “Mila” Hager

Granddaughter of former President George W. Bush

What makes her powerful: The younger twin daughter of Laura and George W. Bush, Jenna Bush Hager and her husband, Henry Hager, gave birth last year to their first child, Margaret Laura Hager. Little "Mila" joins the Bush family as the first granddaughter — and great-granddaughter — to two former U.S. presidents.

AGE 2: Blue Ivy Carter

Daughter of Beyoncé and Jay Z

What makes her powerful: Blue Ivy — a name her parents tried (unsuccessfully) to trademark — is the offspring of hip-hop and pop's two biggest moguls. She's already a fashion trendsetter, world traveler, and recording artist, having appeared on Jay Z's song "Glory" and Queen Bey's song "Blue."

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Every school has a hole-in-the-wall restaurant where patronage is practically a graduation requirement.

It’s not necessarily pretty to look at, and sometimes the food is subpar, but by senior year you and your buddies have countless memories of reeling out of the bars and heading there for sustenance.

Whether it’s the late-night burrito hut that consistently kept down your PBR, the bagelry with the best hangover cure, or the cookie delivery service that fueled marathon sessions in the library, these restaurants are central to the college experience.

We dug up the best and most beloved food establishments in college towns across America. They're listed alphabetically by city.

AMHERST, MASS.: Wings Over Amherst

181D University Dr.

Popular with: University of Massachusetts – Amherst and Amherst College

There are more than 30 Wings Over franchises scattered on college campuses across America, but none is more near and dear to students' hearts than the flagship location in Amherst. This takeout- and delivery-only chain cooks up wings meaner than ever conjured in Buffalo, N.Y.. Wings come in five degrees of Buffalo-style heat.

One alumna joked that Wings Over is "the reason for my freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior 15. The College 60."

AMES, IOWA: Hickory Park

1404 S. Duff Ave.

Popular with: Iowa State University

Located in the heart of Iowa, where meat and potatoes reign supreme, Hickory Park feeds roughly 14,000 Cyclones and guests each week. Furnished with church pews and antiques collected by the owner through the years, this BBQ joint has a smokehouse out back and an old-fashioned ice cream fountain.

The Saucy Southerner, Hickory Park's rendition of a pulled pork sandwich made with chopped hickory smoked pork, beef, and turkey simmered in BBQ sauce, is practically a graduation requirement.

ANN ARBOR, MICH.: Zingerman's Delicatessen

422 Detroit St.

Popular with: University of Michigan

Co-founded by a UMich alum, Zingerman's opened its doors in 1982 and has since racked up 11,000 followers on Twitter, a visit from President Obama, a feverish cult following, and this praise from celebrity chef Mario Batali: "Ahhhhh, Zingerman's ... my temple of deliciousness."

Ari Weinzweig and Paul Saginaw decided Ann Arbor needed a traditional Jewish deli like the ones they grew up with, and today Zingerman's serves up thousands of made-to-order sandwiches, including its masterpiece, the Reuben.

Whether through money, talent, or just good publicity, certain families dominate American life. 

There are legendary old money dynasties, twentieth century industrial dynasties, entertainment and sports dynasties, and political dynasties that hold a surprising amount of power for a democratic country.

We picked out today's most impressive American dynasties and ranked them, considering historical legacy, current influence, and estimated wealth.

23. The Trump-Kushner Family

Real estate royalty

One of the most powerful real estate tycoons today, Donald Trump started his career as real estate investor and developer at his father’s company. While he battled bankruptcy and SEC charges in the ‘90s, Trump has re-established himself as a successful businessman, and today is probably best known for his reality show, "The Apprentice." 

Trump’s daughter Ivanka is proving to be just as shrewd in business. She acquired The Doral Resort and its Blue Monster golf course in Miami for $150 million, according to Forbes, and is planning to spend $200 million renovating it. She also has a successful jewelry, fragrance, and shoe line.

Ivanka's husband, businessman Jared Kushner, runs his family's real estate development firm, Kushner Properties; is the founder of investment fund Thrive Capital; and owns The New York Observer, which he bought in 2006 for $10 million. 

Two-year-old Arabella Kushner and six-month-old Joseph Kushner, Ivanka and Jared's kids, have quite the empire to inherit: Donald Trump has an estimated net worth of $3.9 billion, while Ivanka is reportedly worth $150 million. Jared's net worth is around $200 million.

22. The Barrymore Family

Film and stage legends

Dubbed "Hollywood's first family," the Barrymores span the entertainment industry from screen to stage since before the American Revolutionary War. The family started with Maurice Barrymore — his stage name — who gave birth to actors Lionel, Ethel, and John Barrymore.

John, also known as "The Great Profile" for his aristocratic good looks, was the most acclaimed actor of the early 20th century. John's second wife, Dolores Costello, was also a well-known silent film actress. The two gave birth to John Drew Barrymore who, when his parents divorced, rebelled against his mother's wishes to keep him out of the limelight by signing his first acting contract at age 17.

John Drew's daughter, Drew, the youngest and best-known of the Barrymores, has been acting since the age of three. She's the goddaughter of director Steven Spielberg, who directed the movie in which she had her breakout role, "E.T." Drew went on to star in "Riding in Cars With Boys,""Charlie's Angels," and "The Wedding Singer." Drew, whose net worth alone is an estimated $125 million, gave birth to her first child in 2012 and had her second just last month.

21. The Ford Family

Auto tycoons

Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903, and the Fords have been the first family in American automobiles ever since. His only son, Edsel, took over the company in 1919 at the age of 26 and is credited with the sleek designs that made the brand so popular. 

Edsel's son Henry II took the reigns of Ford Motor Company in 1943 at the age of 25, and he really revived the company after WWII. His brothers held high and powerful positions under him.

Today, the family is still involved in the company: Henry II's son, Edsel II, still sits on the company's board of directors, his granddaughter Elena is a vice president at the company, and William Jr. (a grandson of Edsel Ford) was the Chairman and CEO until 2006 and still remains Executive Chairman at the company.

Today the descendants of Henry Ford control the Ford Motor Company, although they have a minority ownership of 2%. Based on a market cap of $48 billion, the Ford family holds $1.2 billion worth of common stock.

The restaurant industry is notoriously cut-throat: According to the National Restaurant Association, 30% of restaurants fail in the first year they open, and of those that survive, another 30% close in the next two.

To stand out in an increasingly bloated market, restaurants need to wow diners with incredible meals, outstanding service, and great ambiance — especially if they're charging upwards of $100 a person for the experience.

With dozens of best-restaurant lists and user-generated reviews crowding the internet, the definitive winner can get lost in the shuffle. We looked at five notable restaurant rankings compiled by food critics, diners, and experts, and combined these rankings to come up with the ultimate list of the Best Restaurants in America.

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The rankings we used were The Daily Meal's 101 Best Restaurants in America; OpenTable's 2013 Diners' Choice Top 100 Best Restaurants in America; The World's 100 Best Restaurants; the James Beard Foundation's 2014 Restaurant and Chef Award Semifinalists; and Zagat's 20 Top-Rated Restaurants Across America.

We gave each restaurant a numerical rating based on how many lists the restaurant appeared on and how high it appeared on lists that were ranked. Restaurants that appeared on multiple lists ranked higher on our list, while restaurants that ranked on only one of these lists ended up closer to the bottom. You can read our complete methodology and see numerical scores here.

45. Zuni Café

Location: San Francisco, California

Chef: Judy Rodgers

Co-owner and chef Judy Rodgers has been at the helm of Zuni's kitchen since 1987, making this Bay-area restaurant a standout on multiple "best" lists, including spot No. 23 on The Daily Meal's 101 Best Restaurants.

Zuni's menu draws on classic Venetian comfort food with a modern twist, using local and organic ingredients wherever possible.

44. Cochon

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

Chef: Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski

The brainchild of chef Donald Link and chef-owner Stephen Stryjewski, Cochon makes traditional Cajun comfort food cutting-edge.

Cochon appeared on last year's list at No. 33 and makes a return at No. 44. This Big Easy restaurant ranked 22nd on The Daily Meal's list.

43. The Publican

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Chef: Paul Kahan

A newcomer to our list, The Publican is "an homage to beer, pork, and oysters." Executive chef Paul Kahan and chef de cuisine Brian Huston serve their farmhouse fare, which takes on both French and Belgian influences, to eager meat-loving guests along communal beer-hall-style tables.

Publican ranked No. 21 on The Daily Meal's list but didn't rank anywhere else.

London is arguably the financial capital of the world.

Though recent banking and market scandals have rocked the city's standing atop the Global Financial Centres Index, its small business scene has exploded in recent years — giving a good name to the capital city of the U.K.

Europe's rival to Silicon Valley has sprouted a digital wardrobe concierge service, a cat cafe, a monster supply store, and a grungy bar with a nationally trending hashtag. Even Business Insider is opening an office in London later this spring!

The 22 coolest small businesses in London are model examples of how to carve out a niche market, get people talking, and create an unforgettable experience for your customers.

Alice Through The Looking Glass

14 Cecil Court

What it is: An "Alice in Wonderland"-themed shop.

Why it's cool: At Alice Through The Looking Glass you'll find all sorts of Wonderland-inspired knick-knacks and curios, from framed illustrations to Victorian top hats to chess pieces. The store is also home to the resident white rabbit, Harley, who lives in a little burrow in the shop's front window.

Archipelago

53 Cleveland Street

What it is: An exotic meats restaurant.

Why it's cool: Archipelago invites you on a sensory culinary journey amid the glow of golden Buddhas, dwarf palm trees, and giant peacock feathers. This dimly lit, exotic dining destination serves crocodile, wildebeest, kangaroo, zebra jerky, alpaca, and other fare you might recognize from a Disney animated film.

Channel your inner "Survivor" contestant and top off the evening with a memorable dessert: Chocolate Covered Locusts.

The Bowler

Follow them on Twitter for locations

What it is: A meatball-peddling food truck.

Why it's cool: Greasy hamburgers and limp hot dogs, be gone. This restaurant on wheels, nicknamed the "Lawn Ranger," specializes in meatballs made with love— containing free range meats and fresh, seasonal veggies. 

And when in London, do as owner Felwick says customers do: stroke the van's "grass-fed," astroturf exterior while you wait for your food to be prepared.

Business Insider recently released an exclusive list of the 45 Best Restaurants In America. 

Of the top 15 restaurants, eight are located in New York City and three are located California, but there are also top restaurants in Chicago, Florida, and Maine.

And dining at these restaurants doesn't come cheap: an average meal at Le Bernardin, the #1 restaurant in America, costs $169 per person, according to Zagat — and that's a bargain compared to some of the other restaurants on this list, like Coi ($228), The French Laundry ($297), and Per Se ($325).

The map below shows the locations of the 15 Best Restaurants In America, as well as how much it costs to eat in them:

SEE ALSO: The 45 Best Restaurants In America

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With 65 Michelin-starred restaurants — seven of which hold three star ratings — and more impressive new establishments opening up year after year, New York City is the gourmand capital of America.

It's easy to see why so many of the places on our list of the 45 Best Restaurants In America are located in New York.

We looked at five notable restaurant rankings compiled by food critics, diners, and experts, and combined these rankings to create the ultimate list of the Best Restaurants. (You can read our complete methodology and see numerical scores here).

We pulled the top New York restaurants from our list, and ranked them here so you can see the best of the Big Apple in one place.

13. Gotham Bar and Grill

12 E. 12th Street

Chef: Alfred Portale

Chef Portale's Gotham Bar & Grill ranked No. 29 on our overall list of The 45 Best Restaurants In America; it also ranked high on The Daily Meal's list and made an appearance on OpenTable's ranking.

A New York fixture, Gotham, which just celebrated its 30th anniversary, makes guests feel as if they're dining in Paris, even when eating from the local Greenmarket prix fixe lunch menu.

12. Del Posto

85 Tenth Avenue

Chef: Mark Ladner

The Daily Meal and OpenTable both included Del Posto on their best-restaurant lists, and it made our overall list at number 27.

Chef Ladner's menu is classically Italian, which makes sense given that it's the love child of restaurateurs Mario Batali and Joe and Lydia Bastianich. Intricate flavors of truffle and bee pollen help to balance the hearty courses, which you can sample for between $126 and $179 on the prix fixe menus.

11. Gramercy Tavern

42 E. 20th Street

Chef: Michael Anthony

Since it opened in 1994, Gramercy Tavern has continued to rank high on New York City restaurant lists. This year it made The Daily Meal and OpenTable lists, and No. 22 on our overall Best Restaurants list.

The restaurant can be enjoyed through two distinct dining experiences: à la carte in the tavern or fixed price in the dining room, which is either $102 (vegetarian) or $120 (non-veg).

Regional differences in landscape, from forests and waterways to geological formations, vary drastically from state to state.

Just as some people are fanatically proud of the food, books, and colleges that represent their states, others feel just as proud of their states' natural wonders.

Can you guess which state the picture to the right is from? Follow along to find out.

With input from folks who have lived in these places, here are the most beautiful natural attractions in each state. (They're in alphabetical order if you want to find yours quickly.)

Take advantage of your state's wonders by visiting your national parks and monuments.

ALABAMA: The Heart of Dixie is home to a number of natural caves, like Russell Cave National Monument, a rocky cavern used as shelter during all prehistoric periods.

Source: National Park Service

ALASKA: Our northernmost state is the only place in the U.S. where the Northern Lights are a common occurrence. Known as the aurora borealis, this natural light show is caused by the collision of solar wind with particles in our atmosphere.

Source: Alaska Tour Jobs

ARIZONA: The Grand Canyon is Arizona's best-known natural beauty, but it isn't the only one. The Wave is a sandstone rock with thousands of linear carvings caused by time and erosion.

Source: TheWave.info

Women are having a bigger effect on our world than ever before.

In the past year, women have taken on serious new leadership roles around the world: Janet Yellen became chair of the Federal Reserve, Park Geun-hye became president of South Korea, and Angela Ahrendts was tapped to become the head of Apple's retail stores.

These moves are redefining women's roles and empowering younger generations of women to step up.

From tech to finance to retail, we've found the 30 women who are changing the world.

Melia Robinson contributed to this story.

30. Sasheer Zamata

'Saturday Night Live' cast member

After audience unrest about the lack of diversity on NBC's "Saturday Night Live," executives recruited Sasheer Zamata to the cast — the first African-American female cast member since Maya Rudolph.

Zamata, who attended the University of Virginia and trained at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York, has floated in the New York comedy scene since 2009, and is perhaps best known for impersonating Beyoncé in a hilarious YouTube series. Good news for SNL: She also does Michelle Obama.

Positive feedback from viewers prompted SNL execs to expand diversity behind the scenes by hiring two more black women, Leslie Jones and LaKendra Tookes, as writers for the show.

29. Alice Munro

Nobel Prize-winning writer

Called "master of the contemporary short story," Munro recently took home literature's highest honor: the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature. The 82-year-old has been in the industry a long time, and her work often jumps around from past to present to future, revamping the structure of time.

Her storytelling, which often involves difficult relationships and moral conflicts, is psychological realism at its best. The Nobel win makes the Canadian native the 13th woman to win the prize and the first Canadian woman. Her last collection, "Dear Life," was published last year, and Munro has since announced that it will probably be her last. Not a bad place to end.

28. Brittney Griner

WNBA player with the Phoenix Mercury

Brittney Griner is one of the most dominant professional female basketball players in the WNBA.

The 6'8" athlete plays for the Phoenix Mercury and dominates the court in nearly every game she plays. She tied the WNBA career dunk record her first game and has more dunks than every other woman who has dunked in a NCAA game combined. Griner is making people take women's basketball seriously and paving the way for more girls to play.

She came out last year when she told Sports Illustrated that she was gay and has emerged as an advocate for gay athletes. She said she sees herself as a gay role model for girls.

London is the most expensive city in the world, so it's no surprise that its hotels are also pricey.

Our friends at Hotels.com put together an exclusive list of the 20 most expensive hotels in London, based on base-level room rates.

These hotels may cost a lot, but hey, don't we all deserve marble bathrooms, scheduled tea times, and butler service once in a while? 

20. The Wellesley London: $502 per night

Click here to book this hotel >

19. Cafe Royal Hotel: $503 per night

Click here to book this hotel >

18. The Berkeley: $509 per night

Click here to book this hotel >

When it comes to academic prestige, Cambridge is the Harvard of the U.K. It's notoriously difficult to get into, with more than 16,000 undergrad applicants vying for one of 3,400 places.

So it makes sense that the students who pass the long and rigorous interview process deserve to be here.

They're inventors, actors, athletes, and philanthropists — and some of the most impressive students we've met.

Special thanks to student-led organizations The Cambridge Student, The Cambridge Union Society, Cambridge University Entrepreneurs, Cambridge University Expeditions Society, International Cambridge University Students Union, Footlights, and Cambridge University Eco Racingfor submitting nominations.

Adam Crafton covers sports for one of the largest newspapers in the U.K.

Homerton College, class of 2016

Adam Crafton has been writing about sports for U.K.-based publication The Daily Mail since he was 16, and last summer was handed the opportunity to work as the Manchester Football Reporter for the paper's online division, MailOnline. In this role, Crafton covers one of the most demanding and competitive beats in the country by conducting exclusive interviews, planning features, and reporting breaking news.

Crafton admits he’s not gifted in playing sports, but his sportswriting has been widely read and recognized. In February, Crafton was nominated by the Sports Journalist Association for the Young Sports Writer of the Year Award — an impressive accomplishment for a 19-year-old. The year before he was nominated for Feature Writer of the Year at The Guardian Student Media Awards.

During the semester, Crafton works as a contributor for MailOnline, and during school breaks he’s a full-time reporter. He resumed his full-time position this summer, with a focus on the World Cup. He’s also a prolific writer for Cambridge publications, including his work as a contributing editor to The Cambridge Tab, the most widely read student publication in the U.K.

Outside of his work as a sportswriter, Crafton has been a soccer coach and referee since the age of 14 and, after a four-week intensive, gained professional coaching qualification.

The French and Spanish major, who speaks five languages, ferries off to Barcelona in August for a year abroad. He plans to combine teaching at a school with sports journalism in Barcelona while writing a book. When he graduates in 2016, Crafton hopes to join a graduate scheme (similar to a work-study program) at a national newspaper.

Amber Cowburn started a national mental-health organization with her family after a devastating tragedy.

Emmanuel College, class of 2015

Amber Cowburn suffered an unimaginable loss when her brother, after a short and debilitating period of mental-health issues, took his own life in 2010. She and her family were determined to enact positive change after the tragic event. They set up The Invictus Trust, a charity to support teenagers with mental-health issues that started off as a local organization to her county of Cornwall, but soon gained national support.

Today Cowburn and her sisters organize all the fundraising events and lead branding efforts, with Cowburn at the helm of their online and social-media presence. To date, they have raised over £50,000, produced three short films that were picked up and broadcast on Sky TV, and started lobbying for a £5 million adolescent-specific mental-health unit in Cornwall, the first time this age group has been recognized in patient care.

Cowburn is also an unwavering mental-health advocate at university. As the president of the Cambridge chapter of Student Minds, Cowburn organized the largest mental-health conference ever hosted at Cambridge, which included five key speakers and the debut of the first-ever video of students talking about their mental-health issues. The event was over capacity, and was attended by the chief executives of the three largest mental-health organizations in the U.K.

Outside of her work in the mental-health field, Cowburn is a jack-of-all-trades. At various points she’s worked as a professional Bollywood dancer, photographer, and brand ambassador, and is passionate about fitness.

Cowburn, whose mother is an entrepreneur, hopes to go into business. With dreams of one day starting her own fitness brand, Cowburn hopes her upcoming summer internship at Goldman Sachs will give her a well-rounded insight into big business.

Carina Tyrrell is a contender in the Miss England competition.

Murray Edwards College, class of 2015

Last month, Carina Tyrrell ran against 11 young women for the title of Miss Cambridgeshire and won, which now puts her in the running for the prestigious title of Miss England. Contestants for Miss Cambridgeshire are scored on more than just beauty: They have to be sporty, personable, eco-friendly, charitable, and talented (Tyrrell is a skilled tap dancer).

Tyrrell’s charity is Beauty With A Purpose, a Miss World nonprofit that donates money to disadvantaged children around the world. She has raised over £3,000 for her cause, and will continue campaigning until the Miss England finals in June.

When she’s not prepping for her upcoming competition, Tyrrell spends a lot of time at Cambridge University’s teaching hospital, Addenbrooke’s, where she works as a student doctor as a part of her premed degree. There she studies under physicians to learn good bedside manner, a skill she says is fundamental to being an effective doctor. Tyrrell will receive a first-class honors degree — meaning perfect grades, essentially — when she graduates, an esteemed accomplishment achieved by just one in six undergrad students.

Tyrrell is the president of Cambridge’s Global Health Committee, through which Tyrrell is championing a project to help the homeless community in the surrounding Cambridge area.

Tyrrell was born in Switzerland and speaks French fluently. She plans on spending the summer working at the World Health Organization in Geneva developing leadership and international-relations skills. She eventually aims to become a doctor and work in the global- and public-health fields.

Elegant, rustic, and exquisite — French cuisine both intimidates and inspires diners around the world.

Adaptations of French cooking here in the States have garnered no shortage of recognition. Le Bernardin, New York's high-end seafood restaurant helmed by Chef Eric Ripert, recently topped our list of the 45 Best Restaurants In America. In fact, 11 French restaurants secured spots.

For the list, we looked at five notable restaurant rankings compiled by food critics, diners, and experts, and combined these rankings to create the ultimate list of the Best Restaurants. (You can read our complete methodology and see numerical scores here).

We pulled the top French restaurants from our list, and ranked them here so you can see the best places to get your foie gras on in America.

Bon appétit!

11. Galatoire's

209 Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA

Chef: Michael Sichel

Debuting at No. 37 on Business Insider's list, Galatoire's emphasizes French culture and tradition from its French Quarter kitchen.

Chef Sichel spent more than 13 years honing his skills in Provence, France. He brings some New Orleans Cajun cooking to the table as well with signature dishes like the seafood-okra gumbo and the chicken creole.

10. Le Pigeon

738 E Burnside St., Portland, OR

Chef: Gabriel Rucker

You can't go to Le Pigeon and not order its namesake dish, which is served with blood sausage, cipollini, asparagus, and egg yolk. Or try some other dishes from their $75-to-$95 prix fixe menus.

Le Pigeon scored the No. 36 spot on our list.

9. Chez Panisse

1517 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA

Chef: Alice Waters

Chez Panisse took a dip on BI's ranking this year (from No. 9 to No. 28), but this neighborhood bistro remains distinguished for its dedication to a "good, clean, and fair" food economy and for growing the slow food movement.

Chef Waters and friends opened its doors in 1971 and named the restaurant after Honoré Panisse, a character in a 1930s movie trilogy about waterfront life in Marseille, France.

With fees on the rise and service quality on the decline, flying commercial these days can be seriously unpleasant. Fortunately for fliers, some airlines still put customers first. 

We found the world's best airlines for flying economy class. 

To create this list, we devised a ranking system based on the two most important factors for a pleasant trip: an enjoyable experience in the plane and timely departure and arrival.

We looked at dozens of major international airlines that fly long-haul routes, and evaluated the quality of the economy-class flying experience and the airline's on-time performance.

To evaluate the in-flight experience, we looked to leading airline reviewer Skytrax. We considered several categories from Skytrax, including seat comfort, in-flight entertainment, cabin cleanliness and condition, quality of meals served, service efficiency, and cabin safety standards. Skytrax ranks each of these categories out of five stars. We ascribed 20 points for each star. So if an airline received five stars in a category, they would get 100 points for that category. We tallied the points for each category, and then averaged those points to come up with a final in-flight-experience score.

Flightstats.com provided the on-time performance figures (from April 1, 2014, to May 31, 2014) for each airline. Figures are for marketed, or codeshare, flights. For example, if American Airlines advertises a fare for a flight that is operated by Delta (carriers often make such marketing agreements), and the Delta flight is delayed, that delay is reflected in the on-time performance ratings for both airlines.

We then combined the two categories, but because we believe that the in-flight experience is one of the most important factors when flying, we weighted the Skytrax stats more heavily. We found the average score of the in-flight experience average (70%) and the on-time performance (30%) to come up with an overall score. Ratings are out of 100 points.

See the graph below for the full data.

SEE ALSO: The 20 Best Airlines In The World

Join the conversation about this story »

With fees on the rise and service quality on the decline, flying commercial these days can be an unpleasant experience. Fortunately for fliers, some airlines still put customers first.

We found the world's best airlines for flying economy class, and, for the second year in a row, Singapore Airlines has taken the top spot on our list.

To create this annual list, we devised a ranking system based on the two most important factors for a pleasant trip: an enjoyable experience in the plane, and timely departure and arrival. We looked at dozens of major international airlines that fly long-haul routes, and evaluated the quality of the economy-class flying experience (based on data from leading airline reviewer Skytrax) and the airline's on-time performance (based on data from Flightstats.com).

We combined data from the two categories to come up with an overall score for each airline. Ratings are out of 100 points. 

Click here to see the full methodology.

20. Austrian Airlines

In-Flight Experience: 75

On-Time Performance: 82

Though the Lufthansa-owned airline has been rocked by a protracted series of labor disputes, its high level of service seems to have remained intact. The Austrian flag carrier boasts a fleet of newly renovated long-haul Boeing 767-300ER and 777-200 jets flying out of its Vienna base. 

Economy fliers gave the Star Alliance member high marks for its efficient and effective service as well as the wealth of on-board dining and entertainment options. While the airline may provide good in-flight service, it is Austrian's stellar on-time performance rating of 82 that pushed it past many of its contemporaries to take the final spot on our list.

See additional airline information at Skytrax and Flightstats.com. Read our full methodology here.

19. Swiss International Air Lines

In-Flight Experience: 75

On-Time Performance: 83

Another member of the Lufthansa corporate family, Swiss International Air Lines emerged in 2002 from the remnants of the now-defunct Swissair. The Basel-based airline employs a relatively young fleet of Airbus A330-300 and A340-300 wide-body jets for long-haul routes.

Though some fliers found economy-seat comfort to be lacking, most praised the cabin crew for its friendly service and the airline's wide assortment of complementary adult beverages. Like its corporate cousin Austrian Airlines, Swiss, too, differentiated itself from a crowded glut of competitors by living up to its national stereotype and posting a superb 83 on-time rating. 

See additional airline information at Skytrax and Flightstats.com. Read our full methodology here.

18. Virgin Australia

In-Flight Experience: 77

On-Time Performance: 81

As the biggest airline in billionaire Richard Branson's portfolio of Virgin brands, Virgin Australia has experienced massive growth in the Asia-Pacific market since its founding in 2000.  

In typical Virgin fashion, the airline's fleet of long-haul Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 jets come bathed in interior mood lighting and features a state-of-the-art 9-inch touchscreen entertainment system. 

See additional airline information at Skytrax and Flightstats.com. Read our full methodology here.

Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota's famous Twin Cities, have a lot of love for their local culture, from beer to bands to food trucks. Put together, there's little you can't find.

The Twin City small-business scene is thriving, with everything from an "Alice in Wonderland"-themed Korean restaurant to a custom hair-dye bar to a regional sake brewery.

We found 27 cool small businesses that show the best and brightest of the Twin Cities' innovation and creativity.

Askov Finlayson/The Bachelor Farmer/Marvel Bar

200 N. 1st Street, Minneapolis

What it is: A trendy clothing store/restaurant/bar owned by the sons of Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton.

Why it's cool: The Bachelor Farmer, Marvel Bar, and Askov Finlayson are all located in the same historic warehouse that brothers Eric and Andrew Dayton bought and restored.

Popular with hip diners, the Bachelor Farmer honors Minnesota's Nordic heritage and grows its produce on the roof. While they do great wine pairings, for cocktails you'll want to pop over to Marvel Bar, where whimsical mixed drinks dominate.

Waiting to be seated at either? Browse the racks at Askov Finlayson, a chic clothing and home-decor store that showcases brands one can't typically find in Minneapolis.

The Beez Kneez

2204 Minnehaha Ave. S., Minneapolis

What it is: Raw and local honey, delivered by bike.

Why it's cool: The Beez Kneez is an urban apiary, community beekeeping program, and educational honey house in the middle of Minneapolis. Run by two friends with a passion for cycling and sustainable beekeeping, they make it their responsibility to teach the community about the importance of bees to our food system and how to keep a hive.

They also fill orders of honey from their own hives and deliver it, by bicycle, wearing antennaed helmets.

Benjos Shoelaces

Online, based in Minneapolis

What it is: A stylish specialized shoelace company.

Why it's cool: Ben Hertz makes shoelaces that allow the wearer to express his or her individuality. It started years ago when he replaced some broken laces in Rome with a red pair, and the compliments started pouring in. But because Hertz couldn't find anything similar in the U.S., he decided to make his own so that he and others could add a cool, new punctuation of style detail with this distinct wardrobe addition.

Before queuing up "Pomp and Circumstance," let's take a moment to recognize the best and the brightest high-school seniors in the U.S.

All of these wunderkinds — including an Olympic athlete, a cancer survivor, a researcher, a Thiel Fellow, a self-published novelist, and a musical darling who's been admitted to all eight Ivy League schools — show that age has no bearing on what people can accomplish.

Based on reader nominations, local news stories from around the country, and word of mouth, we found the most impressive students graduating from high school this year.

Kate Avino built an online magazine with a team of 30 writers.

High school: Indian Hills High School, Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

What makes her impressive: Avino founded Her Culture magazine so that women around the world would have a place to read about and share experiences, lifestyles, traditions, languages, and customs. She created the website — which has articles, online forums, and a blogging platform — in two days.

Magazine issues are published twice monthly and have featured prominent women such as Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and Congolese women's-rights activist Neema Namadu. Her Culture partners with organizations like World Reader, Hello Perfect, MissHeard Magazine, and Molly & Fox magazine, to help advance Her Culture's mission.

Avino writes for The Huffington Post and Chelsea Krost and is a member of the National Association for Professional Women and the International Women's Association. At school she is the editor-in-chief of the newspaper and the yearbook.

Plans for next year: Avino will be attending New York University in the fall, majoring in media, culture, and communications and minoring in entrepreneurship. She says she plans to continue working with Her Culture and "kick-starting other magazines to spread women's empowerment."

Ryan Betz completed a half-marathon in all 50 states.

High school: Park Tudor School, Indianapolis, Indiana

What makes him impressive: When he was a freshman, Ryan Betz sat at the kitchen table one day with his mom and racked his brain for a way to give back to the community, which had given him so many opportunities for success. They decided he should run a half-marathon in every state to raise money for charity.

Over the past four years, Betz has run 655 miles and raised $40,000 through his website, ryanrunning.com. He created an endowment allowing inner-city students to attend Park Tudor High School, Betz's private college-preparatory school, tuition-free.

He's talking to Guinness World Records for verification that he is the youngest person to achieve this feat.

Betz averaged one half-marathon a month — running up a mountain in Hawaii, limping through a trailer park in Kansas with a broken toe, and exploring corners of the U.S. that he never expected to visit. "The smaller, more obscure states showed me how truly awesome America is," Betz says.

Plans for next year: Hoping to earn a college track scholarship, Betz will compete next year as a postgraduate at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire, to beef up his transcript and run faster times.

Saira Blair is on her way to becoming the youngest person to ever serve in the West Virginia Legislature.

High school: Hedgesville High School, Martinsburg, West Virginia

What makes her impressive: Saira Blair turns 18 — the legal voting age — in July, but she's already defeated a two-term incumbent in the primary election for the West Virginia House of Delegates.

"I was surprised that the people in my community understood that someone as young as I am could share their conservative beliefs," says Blair, who characterized herself as a pro-life, pro-family, and pro-jobs fiscal conservative on her campaign fliers. "You don't have to wait until you're 40, 50, or 60 years old to recognize the social and economic benefits of conservative principles."

When Blair decided to run for office, she set out to make a more business-friendly West Virginia. "You can get a good education in W.V. if you choose to. What is difficult to get is a good paying job," says Blair, describing students as "our greatest export."

If elected, she plans to address that issue through tax reforms, judicial reforms, and reducing government bureaucracy.

Plans for next year: Blair plans to double-major in economics and Spanish at West Virginia University this fall. She will appear on the ballot in November, facing off against Democratic candidate Layne Diehl.

Call for nominations!

Behind every executive is an assistant who makes stuff happen.

We're not talking about low-on-the-totem-pole employees who get coffee and dig up unpublished "Harry Potter" manuscripts for their bosses.

For our list of Most Powerful Executive Assistants In America, we want to acknowledge the behind-the-scenes operators who carry decision-making power at their companies, and make an impact in the lives of their employers, co-workers, and clients. We're looking to include assistants in all industries, from finance to tech to entertainment.

Nominate a powerful executive assistant by sending an email to lists@businessinsider.com, including the executive assistant's name, email address, a brief description of their role and impressive feats, and any relevant website links.

To be eligible, candidates must work in the United States.

We'll be accepting nominations through Friday, July 4.

Thanks!

SEE ALSO: 11 Assistants Who Run Hollywood

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While blenders are all made to do the same job, some are far superior to others in their blending capabilities. 

Whether you're whipping up smoothies, juices, cocktails, ice cream, or even soup, you'll want to know which blender creates the best consistency for your needs.

Our friends at FindTheBest helped to compile this list of great blenders you can buy.

FindTheBest used a Smart Rating which ranked products based on criteria like power, speed, height, features, price per watt, type, pre-programmed cycles, category, and other.

10. Waring MX 1000R ($399)

The Waring MX 1000R is a 2,600-watt blender with two speeds, high and low, to fulfill different needs. Its pulse feature is a great option for making chunkier dishes, but it can also smoothly puree soups and smoothies.

9. Vitamix Creations GC ($516)

The Creations GC has ten speeds for ultimate blending control. Its 64-oz. container is a good size for entertaining, but not too overbearing for individual recipes.

8. Blendtec Tom Dickson Extreme ($1,035)

The priciest item on our list, the Blendtec Tom Dickson Extreme is a professional blender of 2,400 watts that includes features like auto shutoff and an LCD display. The blender also has 10 speeds, and although it holds up to 90 oz. of liquid, it will fit nicely in the average sub-counter cabinet.

7. Black and Decker BLC12650HB ($27)

The Black and Decker BLC12650HB is the most reasonably priced option, at six cents per watt. But while it's good for most purposes, the blender is not compatible for making soups and nut butters.

6. Vitamix Certified Reconditioned Standard ($329)

The Vitamix Certified Reconditioned Standard is another professional blender from Vitamix with a 64-oz. container and 10 different buttons for speed. One FindTheBest reviewer writes that it is "surprisingly quiet for how powerful it is."

5. Blendtec Signature Series ($619)

The Blendtec Signature Series has five speeds, 1,560 watts, an LCD display, and self-cleaning feature. It's also pretty lightweight at six pounds.  

4. Vitamix Creations II ($449)

The Vitamix Creations II has a lot of power for such a small container, and will likely take up a minimal amount of space on your countertop or under most cabinets. It has 1,380 watts and 10 different speeds, and comes with its own cookbook.

3. Vitamix 5200 with Compact Container ($499)

The Vitamix 5200 with Compact Container is a 48-oz. blender with 1,380 watts and 10 different speeds. It also has a seven-year warranty to ensure happy blending for years to come.

2. Vitamix 5200 Deluxe - Complete Kitchen ($499)

The Vitamix 5200 Deluxe - Complete Kitchen model is a step up from the 5200 with Compact Container, as it comes with three blades and two containers — 48 oz. and 64 oz. — instead of one.

1. Vitamix Creations GC with Compact Container ($418)

The Vitamix Creations GC with Compact Container tops our list with 1,500 watts and a FindTheBest Smart Rating of 100. This blender can be used for any culinary process, whether that's chopping, churning, heating, or grinding.

SEE ALSO: The Best Coffee Maker You Can Buy

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