Insider Today: Italian reno nightmare

In this Saturday edition of Insider Today, we're talking about the backlash to a young couple's Italian apartment renovation.

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Welcome back to our Saturday edition! One 60-year-old CEO says she's been aging in reverse for the past four years with simple and cheap tricks.

That's cause for celebration, and we know a thing or two about that: Our docuseries, "Quiet on Set" just nabbed two Emmy nods. Wahoo!

On the agenda:

• A couple who renovated an old Italian apartment faced some unexpected backlash.
• Want to live a long, healthy life? Focus on these three fitness metrics.
• A solo cruiser has cracked the code for the perfect getaway.
• They built a fitness juggernaut. Then they divorced — with the company caught in the middle.

But first: A vacation where you don't need your wallet.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Insider's app here.

This week's dispatch

Busy travelers' favorite words: all-inclusive

All I want to do on vacation is sit in a beach chair, book in hand, while ever so often peering up at a beautiful sunset. If that type of laid-back vacation is your speed, get in: We're talking about all-inclusive vacations.

As the person often tasked with planning and making decisions for my family, all-inclusive vacations offer a reprieve from the never-ending decision-making.

"The convenience of all-inclusive is that it does all of the homework for you. You are presented with this mapped-out series of days," Travelzoo's senior editor Gabe Saglie told Business Insider. "It can make the planning aspect of a vacation easier."

But all-inclusives aren't completely rigid. Some are customizable, offering options for excursions, multi-generational families, adults-only, and even solo travelers.

And if the idea of an open bar 24/7 isn't your cup of tea, sober travelers can also enjoy the all-inclusive experience, writes Terri Peters.

She enjoyed "zero-proof cocktails and mocktails" along with "tons of fresh juices and coconut water" while vacationing in a new all-inclusive resort with her husband in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

If you're convinced, one travel planner rounded up the best all-inclusive resorts of 2024.

Renovation devastation

Hell hath no fury like TikTok's comment section — a lesson one couple learned the hard way. After remodeling a dusty old Italian apartment and sharing the results on social media, they received some unexpected backlash.

Some commenters said the couple "destroyed" the home's vintage aesthetic. But the pair defended their makeover, which modernized the 1950s apartment.

Inside the controversial renovation.

Live long and prosper

Three essential fitness metrics can help you maximize your workouts for longevity, according to a personal trainer at a longevity clinic.

"It's not necessarily one-size-fits-all," the trainer said. But paying attention to cardio fitness, muscular health, and stability can help streamline your workouts.

Metrics for a longer, healthier life.

Also read:

• Dick Van Dyke, 98, says his secret to living a long life is going to the gym 3 times a week.

The perks of cruising solo

After discovering his wife didn't share his love for cruising, Bradley Carroll started going on cruises alone. While the first few trips were lonely, he said he slowly learned how to make them great.

Instead of forcing himself to attend ship events and dine with other passengers, Carroll stopped prioritizing socializing. He started only doing the things he wanted to do — and has since been on more than 30 solo cruises.

The key to enjoying solo cruises.

Also read:

• Cruises are expensive but they're the best value. My family's cruise cost $3,500 less than a similar trip on land.
• I've been on over 110 cruises. There's one onboard option I hate and avoid at all costs.

Who gets the company in the divorce?

Billionaire heiress Rachel Katzman has been hailed as the visionary behind Pvolve, the trendy fitness juggernaut she built with her then-husband Stephen Pasterino.

But when Katzman and Pasterino's personal relationship imploded, its fallout included an arrest and a legal battle.

The rise and fall of a pilates power couple.

What we're watching this weekend

• "Abigail": One of the best horror movies of the year is now streaming on Peacock.
• "Cobra Kai": The final season of the Netflix hit kicks off with the premiere of its first batch of episodes.
• "Big Brother": The long-running CBS reality show returned this week for its 26th season — featuring a controversial AI twist.

See the full list.

Deals we love

• The perfect men's T-shirt: We tested and reviewed dozens of brands to find the 21 best T-shirts for men. These comfy tees look great and maintain their fit after countless washes.
• New Samsung smartphone plus a $300 gift card?: Sign us up. Here's how to preorder Samsung's new foldable phones, the Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6, and get an Amazon gift card while you're at it.
• Plus-size apparel brands we love: These brands do fashion, and they do it right. Here are 36 of the best plus-size clothing brands, like Universal Standard and Madewell.

More of this week's top reads:

• Six "House of the Dragon" filming locations that fans can visit IRL.
• People are paying $500,000 to hire two surrogates at once and have "twiblings."
• Rucking can turn a daily walk into a challenging workout.
• Credit card points helped me see Taylor Swift in Amsterdam for $384.
• This school has 12-hour days, "relaxing" meals — and no smartphones.
• Review: Dining at a Paris bistro that's now owned by the richest man in Europe.
• I'm Gen Z and my parents help me financially.
• Rich Chinese tourists are flocking to Japan in search of luxury bargains.
• Overrated tourist destinations, according to someone who's been to 40 countries.
• David Duchovny had a specific idea for making his "Zoolander" cameo funny.
• Nantucket's wealthy residents have yet another beach problem.

The Insider Today team: Joi-Marie McKenzie, editor in chief of life, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York City. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York.