The New York Times reported in July that at least eight buyers were vying to purchase one of the five parking spaces in the basement of the new condominiums at 246 W. 17th St., for $225,000 each.

And in Chappaqua, N.Y., the owner of the Via Genova water bar told WCBS-TV in July that she offers 80 different bottled waters from around the world, with the most popular at $30 and "Bling H2O" priced at $55, but hopes business picks up: "There are so many people that are uneducated about water."

How Executives Deal With Stress: In June in Spain, about 30 executives were chosen in a contest by NH Hoteles to help demolish Madrid's NH Alcala hotel; they were let inside with mallets and told to have at it.

In London and Tokyo, another option recently became available, according to the Daily Mail: misery clubs (such as Loss in London). Executives can rent rooms and view weepy movies or attend group crying sessions and "tear therapy" to "indulge their inner gloom," wrote the newspaper.

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