Day: October 25, 2025

• This post originally appeared in the BI Today newsletter.
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Welcome back! If you’re like me, you’re putting the finishing touches on your house in preparation for trick-or-treaters. To help find the best Halloween or fall-inspired offerings, we sent a reporter to two big-box retailers to see which one had the best stuff. Find out who won.

On the agenda:

• The longevity sport CEOs, actors, and other high performers can’t get enough of.
• Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes just opened a new steakhouse in Kansas City. Here’s what it was like.
• A Beverly Hills plastic surgeon shared the red flags to look out for if you’re considering a facelift.
• BI’s Amanda Krause went to one of the biggest watch fairs in New York to understand what the timepiece hype was all about.

But first: “It takes what it takes.”

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This week’s dispatch

How to get through Q4: mental discipline

“Take care of yourself.”

That was a text I had sent to my friend last week, reminding her to take time for herself after a pretty grueling week. You see, she was working on several major projects in her high-performance corporate job, and she was often working late into the evenings, frequently not leaving the office until after 8 p.m.

“It takes what it takes,” she replied.

Impressed by how she seemingly had adapted to this period of high work stress, I asked if she had created that mantra. If I’m being honest, part of me wanted to uncover how she had effectively coped with her work pressure; pressure that we all feel, regardless of our role.

She’d eventually reveal that it came from her favorite book, which has now become my obsessive read of the week: “It Takes What It Takes” by the late Trevor Moawad, a mental conditioning and performance expert who had worked with the likes of NFL quarterback Russell Wilson.

The book is 12 chapters centered on mental discipline. It serves as a blueprint for training your mind to think neutrally, rather than positively, in order to achieve results. And in the doldrums of Q4, we could all use a bit of motivation to simply get it done.

“It Takes What It Takes” resonated with me when Moawad wrote about the “illusion of choice.” In order to achieve results, it’s simply a matter of studying those who’ve achieved it before you, building routines to support your goals, and just — as the title suggests — doing what it takes.

“This game rewards people who do it right. This game has demands. You do them and succeed, or you don’t do them and you struggle. There is no middle area,” Moawad writes in chapter three, titled “It Takes Hard Choices.” “My point is, we don’t have a choice about how we are going to do things if we are going to stay true to the goals we all made to start this year.”

Good, right? So, if you’re ready to complete those goals you made in Q1, let’s do it. It takes what it takes.

Are you obsessed with a new book that’s unlocked a new mindset or taught you something to help you achieve your goals? Share it with me!

The new midlife workout

Jiu-jitsu — the Brazilian martial art of taking an opponent to the ground and controlling their movement — is becoming popular thanks to its physical and mental benefits.

“Physically, it’s a full-body workout that builds strength, endurance, and flexibility. Mentally, it teaches patience, humility, and problem-solving,” actor Mario Lopez told BI. Plus, it’s great for those who want to start combat sports in their 30s, 40s, or 50s.

Mind-body connection on the mat.

A meal fit for a Chief

Tables at 1587 Prime — the steakhouse opened by Kansas City Chiefs players Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes — seemed to book up within minutes after reservations opened. Kelsey Huson was among the lucky few who nabbed one.

Huson, a longtime Chiefs fan, said the $800 dinner felt like more than just a meal. She was impressed by 1587’s menu, service, and ambiance — and felt like it paid homage to Kansas City.

Steak for dinner.

The dark side of the facelift boom

Plastic surgeries have become a means to advance in corporate America, as an improved appearance can often lead to more confidence and better work performance. Facelifts in particular are on the rise, but not everyone is qualified to perform this type of surgery. Plus, the procedures aren’t always regulated — or safe.

Dr. Daniel Gould, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon in Beverly Hills, shared the red flags to look out for if you’re considering the procedure, from oversimplified language to a surgeon’s credentials.

Before you nip and tuck.

Time spent looking at timepieces

Prior to attending WatchTime New York, BI’s Amanda Krause was indifferent to watches. The multi-day event brings watchmakers, brands, experts, and fans together to experience the latest watches on the market.

Almost instantly after entering the event, Krause said she felt like she’d joined a luxurious and exclusive club. From chatting with experts to trying on watches, she said she was bitten by the watch bug by the end of the day.

Take a look.

What we’re watching this weekend

• “Nobody Wants This”: Season 2 of Netflix’s hit show brings back Kristen Bell as a podcaster who has the hots for a rabbi played by Adam Brody.

  “IT: Welcome to Derry”: Over on HBO Max, Pennywise is back as this series delves deeper into the beloved Stephen King novel.

  “Weapons”: Also on HBO Max is the hit horror movie starring Julia Garner and Josh Brolin in search of missing children.

What to shop

• Tall boots for all legs: We tried DuoBoots’ wide-calf-friendly styles on a range of legs, from petite to statuesque, slim to curvy, and spoiler: Tthey passed the zip test. With nine calf sizes and three shaft heights, these boots walk the walk and fit like they mean it.
• Bite this, not the couch: We dove into the world of aggressive chewers and tested dozens of toys — because when your dog destroys everything in minutes, you need something that lasts. Our picks focus on durability, safe materials, and real chew power.
• Everyday fitness tracking, simplified: This slim tracker nails the basics: step counting, heart‑rate tracking, sleep insights, all wrapped up in a lightweight band that you barely notice. Learn more about why the Fitbit Inspire 3 kept us coming back over flashier models.

Could one pill help us live longer?

Scientists and investors are racing to find a drug that slows aging, but the breakthrough might not come from humans.

More of this week’s top reads:

• I visited Sleepy Hollow and think it’s a far better place to celebrate Halloween than Salem.
• Nicole “‘Snooki”‘ Polizzi: I go to bed at 7 p.m. now and tell my kids that I was acting on “Jersey Shore.”
• Hairstylists share the 6 men’s hair trends their clients can’t get enough of.
• Take a look inside Palmer House, a Gilded Age hotel that has hosted US presidents and Hollywood legends.
• We flew basic economy with Delta and American Airlines. Both were better than expected, but one key difference surprised us.
• Soapy, low-cost micro dramas are exploding in the US, challenging Hollywood streamers like Peacock and HBO.
• I spent 2 days at Yosemite National Park during the government shutdown. I got in for free, but my trip wasn’t perfect.
• The ultrawealthy are ditching their own private planes to avoid jet-trackers.Here‘s how the VIPs fly under the radar.

The BI Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Akin Oyedele, deputy editor, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in New York. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York.

• Zohran Mamdani is leading the NYC mayoral race with plans centered on affordability.
• Mamdani plans to make childcare and buses free, freeze rent, and pilot city-owned grocery stores.
• Mamdani’s proposals would be funded by tax hikes on corporations and wealthy residents.

The frontrunner of the New York City mayoral race has big plans ahead.

Zohran Mamdani‘s meteoric rise as the Democratic candidate is not just fueled by his social media prowess. It is also spearheaded by his plans to provide universal childcare, make buses free, freeze the rent for rent-stabilized units, build more affordable housing, and create a pilot program experimenting with city-operated grocery stores.

His key plans would be funded by a proposed 11.5% increase in state corporate tax, which is estimated to bring in new annual revenue of $5 billion, as well $4 billion in income from a proposed 2% increase in income tax for NYC residents who make more than $1 million a year. Both plans would need the approval of the state legislature.

Mamdani has also proposed increasing the efficiency of city contracts and hiring more auditors to enforce the tax code, which his campaign estimates would bring an additional billion in revenue.

Affordability became a national focus in recent years due to pandemic-era inflation. Two new polls conducted in October by Lake Research Partners, a progressive polling firm, indicate that measures to boost affordability, such as raising the minimum wage, are popular across competitive swing districts and major cities.

Here is a look at Mamdani’s key plans for NYC and how much they will cost, as he faces off independent candidate Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa on Election Day on November 4.

Universal childcare

Expanding free childcare to babies and to toddlers under the age of three is Mamdani’s most ambitious and costly plan.

NYC already offers free pre-school to many toddlers above three, but for parents with even younger kids, accessing childcare is a struggle. According to the New York Comptroller’s Office, annual average childcare prices for one child in New York in 2023 were about $12,000 for home-based care, $17,476 for toddler center-based care, and $20,459 for infant center-based care. A 2024 report by public policy think tank 5BORO Institute found that more than 80% of families cannot afford day care for their children.

The Mamdani campaign estimates that providing childcare to all NYC families could cost $6 billion annually. The plan would be funded by the proposed tax raise on corporations and the wealthiest residents, and the campaign said it would also generate revenue through expanding the labor force. According to a January report from the NYC Comptroller, expanding free childcare would bring 14,000 mothers to the workforce and generate $900 million in labor income.

Fast and free buses

NYC has one of the highest densities of public transit users in the country, yet the city’s buses only average a speed of eight miles per hour, and Mamdani wants to change that.

Mamdani proposed that buses be completely free to the more than a million riders every day, who are mostly commuters for work purposes.

He also plans to create more busways that are limited to other through traffic to speed up the transit.

The city currently provides a 50% discount on public transit fares for low-income residents, but fare evasion has remained at around 40% every quarter since 2024. Mamdani’s campaign estimates that free buses would cost under $800 million every year.

This estimate does not factor in Mamdani’s plan to build more bus-only lanes.

More rent-stabilized homes — at better rates

Last summer, a city lottery opened for the first time in 15 years for NYC residents to get help paying their rent, and more than 630,000 people applied to get on the waitlist. The application only remained open for one week, but the need for affordable housing was on full display.

Mamdani plans to address the housing issue by tripling the city’s production of publicly subsidized, rent-stabilized homes, at 200,000 new units over the next 10 years. The plan would benefit households that make less than $70,000 a year, and it would cost the city $100 billion over the next decade.

Separate from the plan to build, Mamdani plans to freeze rent for the one million rent-stabilized units across the city, which could be achieved with relative ease and comes at zero direct cost to the city’s budget. This rent freeze would only affect rent-stabilized units, which make up a little under half of the city’s rental stock, and would not apply to market-rate units.

If elected, Mamdani as mayor could appoint members to the Rent Guidelines Board who align with his affordability goals.

The plan could draw the ire of building owners who would need to shoulder more costs in maintenance and property taxes.

City-operated grocery stores

Mamdani has also suggested a pilot program of five city-run supermarkets, one in each borough, to bring down the cost of groceries. The program would require approval from the city council, and these grocery stores would be selling food at wholesale prices.

According to the NY State Comptroller’s Office, the cost of food at home grew 65.8% between 2013 and 2023 in NYC, which far outpaces the rate of broader inflation.

Including cost of rent, utilities, warehouse, property taxes, and the initial cost to stock up goods, the Mamdani campaign estimates that the five stores would cost $60 million annually.

Chicago’s mayor, Brandon Johnson, is also pushing forward a similar idea. According to a feasibility study done in 2024, building three stores would cost the city $26.7 million upfront.