The end of the year is near, which means we’re kicking off the third annual Best of Nice News series. Today is the culture edition, featuring a report on the best cities to call home, some good news for walkers, and more. We’re excited to come back with new positive stories starting Jan. 1, 2025, and, most of all, we’re so grateful you’re part of this optimistic community. Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all who are celebrating today!
Culture
Naples, Florida, Tops List of the Best Places to Live in the US
Sean Pavone/ iStock
U.S. News & World Report is well known for its rankings of everything from top colleges to retirement hotspots. In May, the publication released its annual list of the best places to live in the country, with Naples, Florida, taking the No. 1 spot. The ranking looks a little different than previous years due to methodology changes — rather than using metropolitan area-based data, the 2024-2025 edition relied on city-based data, resulting in more Midwestern and Southern locales moving up the list. U.S. News also put more weight on a city’s value and job market this year, citing “rising concerns about career prospects, housing affordability, and increased cost of goods and services,” reporter Erika Giovanetti explained in a press release. Naples, with a strong job market and an unemployment rate of 2.9% as of April, clearly fits the bill when it comes to economic considerations. And its Gulf Coast location and temperate weather make for easy living. The locals put it best: “I love seeing sunshine almost every day,” Mark Danni, a resident of 22 years, told the Naples Daily News. Check out the rest of the cities that made the top 15.
Together With FinanceBuzz
One of the Best Credit Cards for Balance Transfers
If you have outstanding credit card debt, getting a new 0% intro APR credit card could help ease the pressure while you pay down your balances. FinanceBuzz’s credit card experts identified a top credit card that is perfect for anyone looking to pay down debt and not add to it. Beyond the balance transfer benefits, this card also offers up to 20,000 miles after you spend just $500 on purchases in the first three months. Click below to learn what all the hype is about.
Sebastian Willnow/ picture alliance via Getty Images
You know the work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart when you hear it: From “Requiem in D minor” to his many successful operas, the musician wrote around 600 pieces in his lifetime. This year, 233 years after he died at age 35, new Mozart music hit the charts, so to speak. In September, researchers at Germany’s Leipzig Municipal Libraries discovered a previously unknown, 12-minute piece Mozart wrote in his youth. The handwritten manuscript is believed to be a copy of a composition for a string trio dating back to the mid-to-late 1760s. Ulrich Leisinger, head of research at the International Mozarteum Foundation, explained that Mozart’s father had kept a list of his son’s earlier works, but all had been believed lost. “It looks as if — thanks to a series of favorable circumstances — a complete string trio has survived in Leipzig,” he said in a statement. Titled “Ganz kleine Nachtmusik,” the piece seems to be sourced from Mozart’s sister, who herself was an accomplished musician. “It is tempting to think that she preserved the work as a memento of her brother,” Leisinger added. “Perhaps he wrote the trio specially for her and for her name day.” Listen to Mozart’s new drop.
Culture
American 7-Elevens Taking Inspo From Japanese Stores in Business Strategy Shift
tupungato/ iStock Editorial / Getty Images Plus
If you’re in the U.S. and fancy a Slurpee or hot dog, 7-Eleven is the place to go. In Japan, however, the chain’s customers can choose from a far wider range of food options, including higher quality prepared dishes curated for each establishment’s location and clientele. As of this year, American stores have started to follow suit. The shift represents a new business strategy for the brand, as fewer people are smoking and more are driving electric vehicles. “We believe that we need to change our business model from one that relies on gasoline and cigarettes to one in which customers choose us based on our products,” Ryuichi Isaka, president and CEO of 7-Eleven’s Japanese parent company, explained to Bloomberg Television. “The key to this change is fresh food.” By introducing new, fresher fare, the world’s largest convenience store chain is hoping to make one-third of its total sales from store-brand goods, like food, in 2025, The Wall Street Journal reports. “In Asia I think there is so much excitement around convenience stores and the types of food and snacks they offer,” said JinJoo Lee, a columnist for the outlet. “So if they can bring even a little bit of that excitement to the U.S., that would be a great success.” Look inside a Japanese 7-Eleven.
Culture
US Pedestrian Safety Is Trending Up, With First Drop in Deaths Since 2019
After pedestrian deaths hit a 40-year high in 2022, street safety is now thankfully trending in the right direction. According to data released by the Governors Highway Safety Association in June, 2023 saw 7,318 pedestrian fatalities in the United States — the first decrease since 2019. The number is still much higher than pre-pandemic times, but officials are optimistic that safety measures being introduced around the nation, like more sidewalks and street lighting and lower speed limits, are working. “There’s a lot of construction going on across the country that’s making the roadways safer. We’re engaging law enforcement in some new and creative ways,” Jonathan Adkins, the association’s CEO, told NPR. “We’re looking at vehicle technology. So we’re doing a lot of different things, and that’s a different approach to safety in the United States.” Adkins added that 2023’s data hopefully represents just the beginning of a long-term trend. To evaluate how walkable and safe your community is, consider trying out the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s walkability checklist activity.
Hume Is the Ultimate Home Health Hub
You can get a full picture of your health like never before with Hume’s Body Pod. The device uses eight frequency sensors to deliver precise weight, full body composition, and heart health. Let the Body Pod be your guide to easily understanding how your body reacts to food, sleep, stress, and other factors, so you can start making informed health choices.
