On the banks of San Franciscos bay sits a grassy oasis. Children swing on a wooden playground while pedestrians navigate around rocks and native plants. Tourists flock to the waters edge to snap photos of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island. The Presidio Tunnel Tops are just one of the winning projects recognized by the American Society of Landscape Architects New York chapter (ASLA-NY) in its annual design awards program. As in past years, winning projects span the countryfrom a pier in New York City to a park in Vancouver. Out of 94 submissions, one award of excellence, eight honorable mentions, and 20 merit awards were selected by an interdisciplinary team of professionals from the ASLA Florida chapter. Each of the projects were chosen to highlight landscape architecture with design quality, innovation, and community and professional impact.All awards will be presented at ASLA-NYs Design Awards Ceremony on April 24 at the Arsenal in Central Park and an outdoor exhibit of winning projects will be on display in Midtown during NYC DOTs Car-free Earth Day event on April 26.The list of winning projects is reproduced below.2025 ASLA-NY Award of ExcellenceThe Presidio Tunnel Tops (Courtesy of Presidio Trust)Presidio Tunnel Tops | Field OperationsBuilt on top of the tunnels of Presidio Parkway, the Presidio Tunnel Tops is an ecological 14-acre expanse serving as a public space in San Franciscos historic Presidio. Field Operations, the landscape architects behind New York Citys High Line, was selected to develop the Tunnel Tops in 2014, following an international design competition. The park has become a gathering place for the community that surrounds it, featuring a network of trails, sweeping bluff landscapes, and biodiverse meadows.2025 ASLA-NY Honor AwardGeneral DesignEast Midtown Greenway (Timothy Schenck)East Midtown Greenway | StantecThe East Midtown Greenway stretches from 53rd to 61st Streets on Manhattans East Side. Engineered by Stantec, the East Midtown Greenway is a novel nine-block-long in-water structure designed to create a green space for pedestrians and cyclists. The design ensures safety and accessibility, as the 20-foot- wade walking path is separated from the 20-foot-wide bike lane by luscious greenery and benches. St. Johns Terminal (Courtesy of Google)St. Johns Terminal | Future Green Landscape ArchitectureOnce a rail terminal for the New York Central Railroad, St. Johns Terminal, was repurposed as a workspace for Google. On Manhattans west side, St. Johns Terminal connects the High Line to Hudson River Park, creating 1.5 acres of green space along New York Citys coastline. Future Green Studios landscape design emulates a historic New York park, lush and tree-dense. The landscape both surrounding and topping the building features plants and trees indigenous to the area which has brought over 40 native birds back to the area.Pier 42, Upland Park and Pier (Barrett Doherty)Pier 42, Upland Park and Pier | MNLAPier 42, located on the East River shoreline, was previously an eight-acre parking lot and is now a park with a playground, picnic area, soccer field, tennis court, and fitness station. The pier sits right next to the Vladeck Houses, a public housing community in lower Manhattan. The area was decimated in November 2012 by Hurricane Sandy, and the residents of this community were left without electricity and services for months. MNLA designed Pier 42 to serve the community around it, and to add ecological value to the area.Analysis, Planning, Research and CommunicationsBergen Arches Greenway Rendering (Supermass Studio)Bergen Arches Greenway & Transit Feasibility Study | Supermass StudioThe Bergen Arches were once a part of the Erie railroad, linking a Manhattan-bound mainline to the banks of the Hudson River. The blue rock tunnels, abandoned in 1959, sit along the Jersey City waterfront. Jersey City commissioned the New Yorkbased Supermass Studio to conduct a feasibility study to assess the viability of transforming the Bergen Arches to a greenway and transit corridora tangible step in the urban revitalization of Jersey City.West End Waterfront Master Plan (Snhetta and PFS Studio)West End Waterfront Master Plan | Snhetta and PFS StudioNew Yorkbased architecture firm Snhetta joined Vancouver-based urban planning and landscape architecture firm PFS Studio to create the 30-year masterplan to adapt Vancouvers West End Waterfront to climate change and intensifying weather events. In recent years, the waterfront has fallen victim to flooding, erosion, and poor water quality, vastly damaging the landscape. The masterplan tackles these concerns while addressing the communitys demand for public green space in downtown Vancouver. Residential DesignGreylock Datum House (Neil Landino)Greylock Datum House | Wagner Hodgson Landscape ArchitectureNestled among the rolling hills of the Berkshires, the Greylock Datum House is a contemporary homestead designed to accommodate a large family. Intent on blending the natural landscape with modern architecture, Wagner Hodgson Landscape Architecture worked to restore the ecological and agrarian integrity, of the 130-acre land.Analysis, Planning, Research and CommunicationsRendering of Interplay Park (Terrain Work)InterPlay Park | Terrain WorkInterPlay Park was built on top of Interstate-74, connecting the neighborhoods in Peoria, Illinois, that were divided in 1958 with the construction of the expansive highway. The project was designed by Terrain Work to combat urban sprawl and increase foot traffic in Peorias downtown. The park is to be intergenerational, featuring several play areas and activity spaces to serve the surrounding population of all age groups.Community ImpactStephen Wise Towers (Courtesy of Kalel Companies)Stephen Wise Towers | Dirtworks Landscape ArchitectureThrough interviews and community meetings, Dirtworks Landscape Architecture was able to identify improvements for the Stephen Wise Towers, a 2.7 acre public housing development in New York. Improvements increased play options, benches, and green spaces, while also preserving the fabric of the community, including the conservation of Constantino Nivolas historic concrete horse sculptures.2025 ASLA-NY Merit AwardA Woodland Respite on the Upper East Side | Harrison GreenBeech House | Hollander Design Landscape ArchitectsChelsea Waterside Park, Phase 2 | Abel Bainnson ButzEast Newark Riverfront Park | AECOMGravity Field | Terrain WorkLantern Terrace | Hollander Design Landscape ArchitectsLedge House | Steven Yavanian Landscape ArchitectureMalt Drive Park | SCAPE Landscape ArchitectureManhattan West | Field Operations NYCHA Playground Redevelopment Post-Hurricane Sandy: A Story of Resilient Community-Driven Design | Grain Collective Landscape Architecture & Urban DesignOoms Nature Conservancy: Bridging Accessibility and Ecological Integrity | Dirtworks Landscape ArchitecturePort of Los Angeles Wilmington Waterfront Promenade | SasakiPratt East Hall Plaza | SCAPE Landscape ArchitectureRebuild by Design Hudson | AECOMSeaside Villa | Enea Landscape ArchitectureSendero Verde | AECOMThe Shepherd Arts Park: Community, Art, Play | OSDOffice of Strategy + DesignTHE VILLAGE GREEN: a catalyst for the community | Louis Fusco Landscape ArchitectsTribeca Green | Hollander Design Landscape ArchitectsWayward Point | STIMSON

Trump is closing the de minimis loophole. Here's how this policy change will impact Chinese imports - and your wallet.

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During the 2024 elections, the crypto industry spent an unprecedented amount of money on campaign donations in the hopes of encouraging Congress to pass pro-crypto legislation. Those efforts seem to have largely succeeded, with pro-crypto legislators filling the halls of Congress. The first crypto-related area theyve decided to tackle? Stablecoin regulation.Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to hold the value of a U.S. dollar. Proponents argue that stablecoins help the U.S. preserve the global importance of the dollar, while allowing people worldwide to transact more freely, cheaply, and securely. Stablecoin usage is growing enormously: its total market cap is around $235 billion, up from $152 billion just a year ago. In March, President Trump said that he hoped to sign stablecoin legislation by August. Congress has responded accordingly: In the past month, both the House and Senate have advanced stablecoin bills out of committee.Heres a brief overview of stablecoins, the proposed legislation, and potential risks.What are stablecoins and who supports them?Stablecoins are somewhat like bank deposits. Typically, a consumer who wants a stablecoin gives a dollar to an issuing company, who mints a stablecoin on a blockchain. The user can then send that stablecoin around the world as a form of payment to anyone who accepts it. Crypto traders like stablecoins because they do not fluctuate in price nearly as much as assets like Bitcoin or Ethereum, making trading more predictable. And many non-traders across the world appreciate stablecoins because they hold their value better than currencies in countries with high inflation, like Argentina and Turkey.In the U.S., stablecoin supporters come from across the political spectrum. On the right, political leaders like House Majority Whip Tom Emmer argue that stablecoins help maintain the dollars status as the worlds reserve currency. A massive number of Eurodollarsunsecured, unofficial dollars that are issued by foreign banks as opposed to the Federal Reserveremain in circulation across the world. Stablecoins could fill this significant demandand offer a safer, more transactable alternative. And because stablecoin issuers often secure their stablecoins by buying U.S. Treasuries, an increase in stablecoin demand could help ease the burden of the U.S.s ballooning debt, proponents argue.On the left, some Democrats believe that stablecoins provide paths to financial inclusion and toward dismantling biased banking systems. New York Representative Ritchie Torres told TIME in September that he believed stablecoins could help constituents in his heavily-immigrant district send money home to the Caribbean and Latin America quickly, while avoiding check-cashing fees or predatory loan sharks. The ability to move a tokenized dollar at the speed of the blockchain has the potential to create a better, cheaper, and faster payment system for the lowest-income communities, he said. Torres was one of six Democrats who voted in favor of the STABLE Act, which passed out of the House Financial Services Committee on April 2.What are the main stablecoins, and how is Trump now involved?The stablecoin market is currently dominated by two players: USDT (issued by Tether) and USDC (issued by Circle). Tether is extremely popular outside the U.S. but has been accused by regulators of making misleading statements about its reserves. Howard Lutnick, Trumps new Commerce Secretary, previously had financial ties to the company. The bills being considered by Congress would open the door for many other types of companies to issue their own stablecoins. Notably, the Trump familys crypto company World Liberty Financial recently announced its own stablecoin. This is just the latest of Trumps crypto ventures, which have included a federal Bitcoin reserve and a meme coin.World Libertys stablecoin announcement drew swift criticism over concerns that Trump would yet again have a direct financial stake in an industry he is supposed to regulate. California Democrat Maxine Waters, who has been working on stablecoin legislation for years, now says she staunchly opposes any bill that would allow Trump to own a stablecoin. French Hill, a Republican from Arkansas and the House Financial Services Committee Chair, said this week that Trumps crypto initiatives made drafting legislation more complicated.What kind of legislation is being considered?Both the House and Senate have passed stablecoin billsThe STABLE and GENIUS Acts, respectivelyout of their respective committees. The bills lay out guidelines for how stablecoins will be regulated, and the amount and types of reserves stablecoin issuers must have on hand. The House and Senate will now have the opportunity to reconcile the two bills in the hopes of getting a unified bill onto President Trumps desk by the summer.If legislation passes, many financial institutions would likely seek to create their own stablecoin. Bank of America, for instance, said it would launch a stablecoin once lawmakers make it legal to do so. PayPal and Stripe have also announced stablecoin initiatives.What are the main critiques of stablecoin legislation?The appetite in Washington for a stablecoin bill is high among legislators on both sides of the aisle. But some lawmakers have raised concerns. Elizabeth Warren, one of the most vocal crypto skeptics in Congress, has argued that the legitimization of stablecoins comes with systemic risks, especially because they could be susceptible to bank runs. In 2022, the stablecoin UST caused a massive crypto crash when it lost its dollar peg and hurtled to zero. UST, however, was an algorithmic stablecoin, a type of currency that the STABLE Act bans from getting federal approval for two years. The bill lacks basic safeguards necessary to ensure that stablecoins dont blow up our entire financial system, Warren said at a hearing for the GENIUS Act in March. Under this bill, stablecoin issuers can invest in risky assets, including the very assets that were bailed out in 2008.Some critics also worry that the stablecoin bills, as they are currently written, allow for Big Tech companies like Meta and X to issue their own currencies, further consolidating corporate power. If people think there's a Big Tech surveillance state now, imagine what there would be when they have access to every piece of financial information about you, says Arthur Wilmarth, a professor emeritus at George Washington University Law School. There's very little, if anything, in the bills that would give you protection.

In context: The "thin client" concept is almost as old as computing itself, dating back to the first terminals used to access mainframe computers in early multi-user systems. Today, thin clients are primarily used in the enterprise market to simplify the management of employees and off-site operations and Microsoft clearly wants a piece of that. Microsoft announced the Windows 365 Link in November and is now beginning to offer the new device to customers in select markets. Link is the first custom system the company has built specifically to access cloud computing resources within the Windows 365 ecosystem, though third-party manufacturers have been offering similar systems for quite some time.From a hardware perspective, the Windows 365 Link is a compact, purpose-built device designed to do just one thing: connect users to Microsoft's cloud infrastructure. It cannot perform any productive tasks without first accessing a Microsoft cloud account. However, Redmond noted that its local processing capabilities are sufficient to handle high-performance video playback during remote meetings.More than 100 organizations helped Microsoft test the Link through a dedicated preview program, and the company says it has refined the remote computing experience based on that feedback. Setting up the thin client takes only a few minutes with minimal configuration, according to Microsoft. IT professionals can manage the device via the Microsoft Intune platform, while end users can easily access their Windows 365 Cloud PC accounts from remote locations.The Windows 365 Link has no local storage capabilities, meaning employees cannot save files on the device or launch programs outside their cloud environment. According to Microsoft, the client is secure by design, featuring technologies such as Secure Boot, Trusted Platform Module, BitLocker, and Hypervisor Code Integrity all of which are permanently enabled and cannot be turned off.Windows 365 Link is now available for purchase in the US, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, and New Zealand, with a suggested retail price of $350 in the US. However, the device is not aimed at traditional consumers. Microsoft recommends that interested buyers contact their Microsoft account representative or purchase through select resellers like Insight Enterprises and SHI International. // Related StoriesWhile the Windows 365 Link marks Microsoft's first venture into the thin client hardware market, several OEMs already offer similar "dumb" clients optimized for accessing Windows cloud environments on Azure or other platforms. Moreover, Windows 365 Cloud PC subscriptions can be accessed via a web browser or the Windows App, so enterprise organizations don't need to rush to deploy thousands of Link devices just yet.

Apples iPhone might see a serious price hike in response to the recent tariffs, according to a report from Rosenblatt Securities. Analysts suggest the tariffs could result in a price increase of anywhere from 30% to 40%, if Apple chooses to pass the increased costs on to consumers. Neil Shah, an analyst from Counterpoint Research, suggests Apple would need to increase prices by 30% on average, while Rosenblatt analysts say the number is closer to 43%. To illustrate what that might look like, take a look at the current $799 price point for the iPhone 16. If its price increases by 43%, it would come out to around $1,142. On the other hand, the iPhone 16 Pro Max currently priced at $1,599 for its base model could jump to just under $2,300 ($2,286.57, to be exact.) Recommended VideosApple faces a difficult choice. Increasing the price of its phones to cover the cost of tariffs would result in fewer sales, as it would become more of a luxury item that those with limited budgets couldnt afford. A report from earlier this year showed that more people are buying used iPhones than new, and an increase in price would only further that trend. Andy Boxall / Digital TrendsEven the current cheapest iPhone, the iPhone 16e, would see a tremendous hike. It starts at $599, but would jump to more than $850 per unit. Amid the controversy surrounding Apples failure to fulfill its promises of a smarter, improved Siri, iPhone sales have floundered.RelatedChina responded to the tariffs by announcing reciprocal tariffs of 34%. Considering that many iPhones are still manufactured in China, alongside necessary components, this will result in even further price hikes. The end result of the tariffs isnt clear, but it seems obvious that the price of electronics and other consumer goods will increase by a not-inconsequential amount. Editors Recommendations

The extension will give investors more time to reach an agreement to keep the app operating in the U.S.

How to compare golfs most celebrated players? One sportswriter says his system delivers the definitive ranking.

"Victory" Adults told her to move on. Instead, teen won fight to criminalize deepfakes. Here's how one teen plans to fix schools failing kids affected by nudify apps. Ashley Belanger Apr 4, 2025 2:19 pm | 3 Credit: Akiko Aoki | Moment Credit: Akiko Aoki | Moment Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreWhen Francesca Mani was 14 years old, boys at her New Jersey high school used nudify apps to target her and other girls. At the time, adults did not seem to take the harassment seriously, telling her to move on after she demanded more severe consequences than just a single boy's one or two-day suspension.Mani refused to take adults' advice, going over their heads to lawmakers who were more sensitive to her demands. And now, she's won her fight to criminalize deepfakes. On Wednesday, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a law that he said would help victims "take a stand against deceptive and dangerous deepfakes" by making it a crime to create or share fake AI nudes of minors or non-consenting adultsas well as deepfakes seeking to meddle with elections or damage any individuals' or corporations' reputations.Under the law, victims targeted by nudify apps like Mani can sue bad actors, collecting up to $1,000 per harmful image created either knowingly or recklessly. New Jersey hopes these "more severe consequences" will deter kids and adults from creating harmful images, as well as emphasize to schoolswhose lax response to fake nudes has been heavily criticizedthat AI-generated nude images depicting minors are illegal and must be taken seriously and reported to police. It imposes a maximum fine of $30,000 on anyone creating or sharing deepfakes for malicious purposes, as well as possible punitive damages if a victim can prove that images were created in willful defiance of the law.Ars could not reach Mani for comment, but she celebrated the win in the governor's press release, saying, "This victory belongs to every woman and teenager told nothing could be done, that it was impossible, and to just move on. Its proof that with the right support, we can create change together."On LinkedIn, her mother, Dorota Maniwho has been working with the governor's office on a commission to protect kids from online harmsthanked lawmakers like Murphy and former New Jersey Assemblyman Herb Conaway, who sponsored the law, for "standing with us."When used maliciously, deepfake technology can dismantle lives, distort reality, and exploit the most vulnerable among us," Conaway said. "Im proud to have sponsored this legislation when I was still in the Assembly, as it will help us keep pace with advancing technology. This is about drawing a clear line between innovation and harm. Its time we take a firm stand to protect individuals from digital deception, ensuring that AI serves to empower our communities.Doing nothing is no longer an option for schools, teen saysAround the country, as cases like Mani's continue to pop up, experts expect that shame prevents most victims from coming forward to flag abuses, suspecting that the problem is much more widespread than media reports suggest.Encode Justice has a tracker monitoring reported cases involving minors, including allowing victims to anonymously report harms around the US. But the true extent of the harm currently remains unknown, as cops warn of a flood of AI child sex images obscuring investigations into real-world child abuse.Confronting this shadowy threat to kids everywhere, Mani was named as one of TIME's most influential people in AI last year due to her advocacy fighting deepfakes. She's not only pressured lawmakers to take strong action to protect vulnerable people, but she's also pushed for change at tech companies and in schools nationwide."When that happened to me and my classmates, we had zero protection whatsoever," Mani told TIME, and neither did other girls around the world who had been targeted and reached out to thank her for fighting for them. "There were so many girls from different states, different countries. And we all had three things in common: the lack of AI school policies, the lack of laws, and the disregard of consent."Yiota Souras, chief legal officer at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, told CBS News last year that protecting teens started with laws that criminalize sharing fake nudes and provide civil remedies, just as New Jersey's law does. That way, "schools would have protocols," she said, and "investigators and law enforcement would have roadmaps on how to investigate" and "what charges to bring."Clarity is urgently needed in schools, advocates say. At Mani's school, the boys who shared the photos had their names shielded and were pulled out of class individually to be interrogated, but victims like Mani had no privacy whatsoever. Their names were blared over the school's loud system, as boys mocked their tears in the hallway. To this day, it's unclear who exactly shared and possibly still has copies of the images, which experts say could haunt Mani throughout her life. And the school's inadequate response was a major reason why Mani decided to take a stand, seemingly viewing the school as a vehicle furthering her harassment."I realized I should stop crying and be mad, because this is unacceptable," Mani told CBS News.Mani pushed for NJ's new law and claimed the win, but she thinks that change must start at schools, where the harassment starts. In her school district, the "harassment, intimidation and bullying" policy was updated to incorporate AI harms, but she thinks schools should go even further. Working with Encode Justice, she is helping to push a plan to fix schools failing kids targeted by nudify apps."My goal is to protect women and childrenand we first need to start with AI school policies, because this is where most of the targeting is happening," Mani told TIME.Encode Justice did not respond to Ars' request to comment. But their plan noted a common pattern in schools throughout the US. Students learn about nudify apps through ads on social mediasuch as Instagram reportedly driving 90 percent of traffic to one such nudify appwhere they can also usually find innocuous photos of classmates to screenshot. Within seconds, the apps can nudify the screenshotted images, which Mani told CBS News then spread "rapid fire" by text message and DMs, and often shared over school networks.To end the abuse, schools need to be prepared, Encode Justice said, especially since "their initial response can sometimes exacerbate the situation."At Mani's school, for example, leadership was criticized for announcing the victims' names over the loudspeaker, which Encode Justice said never should have happened. Another misstep was at a California middle school, which delayed action for four months until parents went to police, Encode Justice said. In Texas, a school failed to stop images from spreading for eight months while a victim pleaded for help from administrators and police who failed to intervene. The longer the delays, the more victims will likely be targeted. In Pennsylvania, a single ninth grader targeted 46 girls before anyone stepped in.Students deserve better, Mani feels, and Encode Justice's plan recommends that all schools create action plans to stop failing students and respond promptly to stop image sharing.That starts with updating policies to ban deepfake sexual imagery, then clearly communicating to students "the seriousness of the issue and the severity of the consequences." Consequences should include identifying all perpetrators and issuing suspensions or expulsions on top of any legal consequences students face, Encode Justice suggested. They also recommend establishing "written procedures to discreetly inform relevant authorities about incidents and to support victims at the start of an investigation on deepfake sexual abuse." And, critically, all teachers must be trained on these new policies."Doing nothing is no longer an option," Mani said.Ashley BelangerSenior Policy ReporterAshley BelangerSenior Policy Reporter Ashley is a senior policy reporter for Ars Technica, dedicated to tracking social impacts of emerging policies and new technologies. She is a Chicago-based journalist with 20 years of experience. 3 Comments

I might've hit the budget airline jackpot.I have taken plenty of budget flights before, with my previous record being a $50 flight from Miami to Los Angeles in 2021. But while looking for a flight to New York, I found a fare I originally thought to be a scam.The Spirit Airlines flight from Miami International Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, a short drive from Manhattan, cost me under $10, although it was limited in some ways.The basic economy ticket meant I couldn't bring or purchase carry-on bags, and there were no refreshments on the flight. It was late, too, which made for a tiring trip, but for $9.97 total, I'd do it again without a doubt.I found the flight while looking through available routes from Miami to New York.I sorted flights from lowest to highest price and was surprised when this popped up on my screen. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider While planning to travel up to the city during the first half of April, I compared dozens of different flight options.I didn't have a defined budget, but I knew I wanted to opt for lower-priced options. Of the budget-friendly airlines, I had traveled with both Spirit and Frontier before and had good experiences, so I was open to both.My priority filter was departure and arrival time. I wanted something that wouldn't interfere with my work schedule. That meant that the earliest flight I could take on a weekday would depart by 7 p.m. and the latest would arrive by 7 a.m.With those filters, and while playing with Google Flights' different filters, sorting, and price comparison tools for the first week of April, a surprising price appeared at the top of my screen.The one-wayThe flight was scheduled to depart Miami at 9:51 p.m. and arrive in New Jersey at 12:59 a.m.I wanted to be flexible in my schedule and get the best deal on my return flight as well, so I waited until later to book my return, which I would also buy as a one-way ticket.At first I wasn't too trusting of the third-party website, but I booked it anyway.I booked the flight after reading reviews of the third-party website online. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider The third-party website offering the $10 fare was called eDreams. I had never heard of it.I knew there were risks associated with booking through third-party retailers. For example, if the airline cancels or delays the flight, it might not be possible to get a refund or reach a customer service representative.After looking up reviews on forum websites like Reddit and Quora, I figured it was safe enough to book the flight through them. After all, if it turned out to be phony, it would only be a $10 gamble.Accepting the risk of booking through a third-party website, which I had never done for flights before, I bought my ticket.Once confirmed, the flight seemed legit.The email from the airline was exactly like the ones I had received before when booking through them directly. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider After receiving the airline's confirmation email, my initial doubts faded. The email looked like others I had received before. Plus,I found it curious that on Spirit's confirmation email, the total for the flight was different than what I actually paid. While only $9.97 left my bank account, in the email, Spirit listed the total as $19.30, which is close to what it would've cost to book through their website.I could only bring a personal item.With my basic economy flight, I could opt to check a bag or select a seat for an extra fee. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Once the flight was confirmed, I reviewed the conditions of the ultra-cheap fare.Under the airline's basic economy option, I wasn't allowed to bring a carry-on bag, although checked bags were available for purchase for $75.Committed to traveling on as low a budget as possible, I opted to only bring with me a personal item bag, which I was allowed. The bag, defined a backpack or a laptop bag, needed to fit under the seat on the airplane, measuring 18 x 14 x 8 inches at a maximum.I packed a capsule wardrobe with work and casual outfits.I packed all the essentials I needed for a 10-day trip inside the personal-item-sized bag. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider With my trip schedule revolving around going to the office and meeting up with friends in the city after work, I packed a capsule wardrobe of outfits I could dress up or down during the day.I brought a limited color palette that could be worn in different ways, using green as the signature color and light and dark neutrals as the bulk of what I packed.For the 10 days, I packed four white tops and blouses, four darker tops and blouses, three work pants (black, cream, and khaki), two skirts (grey and green), one workout set, two pairs of comfortable, office-friendly shoes, one pair of sneakers, a big work bag, and a smaller purse for going out.I kept toiletries and electronics to a minimum, only bringing products in small pouches and limiting myself to one small bag for the rest of my makeup and toiletries.I also packed strategically, putting all the shoes at the bottom and fitting socks in between them, then arranging clothes in space-saving ways and using the purse for extra storage space within the bag.I wore the other half of my luggage to the airport.I was able to bring seven extra items I couldn't fit in the small bag by wearing them to the airport. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Wearing my bulkiest items and layering for maximized stuff-bringing, I layered my workout set under a pair of wide-leg jeans and a thick knit sweater, which I topped with a leather blazer (with books and other essentials in every pocket). I also wore a pair of boots and a scarf to the airport.The outfit was efficient and beyond well equipped for the 45-degree weather waiting for me in New Jersey, but it was certainly too hot for the 79-degree Miami that I was departing. I ended up taking off the scarf and jacket in the Miami airport and carrying them along with me during the flight as well.Despite carrying 10 days worth of clothes, my bag fit in the personal item bin.The overstuffed bag might've needed a push to fit, but nevertheless, it met the requirements. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider After much anticipation and preparation including arriving at the airport extra early, identifying items I'd be OK leaving behind and asking my ride to wait until I could confirm my bag fit I dropped my slightly overstuffed bag carrying 10 days worth of clothes into the measuring bin. It fit!I might've had to push it down into the compartment quite a bit in order for it to fit, but after getting a thumbs-up from an airline agent, I was on my way to check in with no luggage fees.Check-in was easy at a surprisingly quiet Miami International Airport.The usually hectic airport was pleasantly calm. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Having traveled out of Miami International, my home base airport, dozens of times, I was very surprised by how quiet and empty the airport was.It may have been the departure time my flight had been pushed back by about an hour to 10:50 p.m. It was also a middle-of-the-week night, which tends to be quieter, SimpleFlying.com reported.Being able to go through a line-less TSA check-in in under 10 minutes made my travel experience all the better.Once on the plane, the staff was friendly, and the aircraft was clean.The boarding process was seamless, and some of the delays were pushed up, allowing for an earlier departure. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Once at the gate, the airline personnel were organized, friendly, and eager to start a conversation. One flight attendant asked about the book I was reading.The friendly service was made even better by the seamless boarding process, which took under 30 minutes for all groups.Being in basic economy, I was in the second-to-last group to board. Not many of the people at the gate seemed to board during the first four groups, usually reserved for first- and business-class seats.While seating, the crew made an announcement about the flight not being too crowded and asked passengers not to seat themselves in the empty seats for weight distribution purposes.I didn't select my seat, leaving me with an aisle seat near the back of the plane.I was satisfied with my seat, which I had not paid extra to select. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider I opted out of the airline's seat selection option, as it came with an extra fee, and I was too committed to traveling for under $10.The seat I was assigned was near the back of the plane in an aisle seat, which gave me some extra space.The seats themselves weren't the most comfortable, but they were bearable enough for a three-hour midnight flight.The legroom wasn't too bad, and my bag comfortably fit under the seat.My feet were perhaps a little crammed, being unable to fit under the seat with my bag there. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Once in my seat, I put my personal item bag under the seat in front of me and made myself comfortable.While the legroom itself wasn't too bad, I didn't have much space for my feet with my luggage under the seat. Thankfully, having the aisle seat meant I could extend my legs a bit to the side during the flight, making it more comfortable.The flight didn't have complimentary snacks or drinks, but they were available for purchase.I eyed the snacks for a while but stuck to my extreme budget for the sake of traveling for $10. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider While the basic economy ticket did not include refreshments, a snack and menu drink were available, including sweet and savory bites, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages, as well as packages offering a combination of all.Unlike what I had expected, the prices of the items were good and not too inflated, although I wish they had been included with the flight.Snacks and soft drinks cost between $3.35 and $5.49, and alcohol ranged from $9.49 for a can of beer to $12.49 for a small bottle of brut sparkling wine.WiFi was also available for purchase on the flight for $8.I thought of getting some tea to help me fall asleep during the flight, but I fell asleep before the crew started offering refreshments.The flight was peaceful, and I slept the entire time.Most passengers around me were also sleeping during the flight. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Even with the slightly uncomfortable seats, I was able to find a way to make myself comfortable and nap during the flight, as were the people around me. Some rested their heads against the seat in front of them or reclined against the windows.I woke up once we were close to landing as the lights came on and the crew promoted the airline's credit card offers.The most expensive part of the trip was the ride from the airport.The ride was six times the price of the flight, but I didn't expect anything less. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Arriving at a quiet Newark Liberty International Airport at around 1:30 a.m., a few minutes earlier than programmed, I found my way to the rideshare lot.The ride cost $66.91 plus tip, but based on other airport rides I've had, I thought the price wasn't too bad.Overall, the experience was great and totally worth its value price. The friendly crew, efficient boarding and arrival, quiet airports, and schedule-friendly timing made the trip everything I needed it to be for a quick trip. If the same route had that price every day, I'd be super-super-commuting