• As a chef, I've picked up a few tips for making a perfectly cooked, juicy burger with great flavor.
• Look for ground beef with an 80% meat to 20% fat ratio for optimal taste and texture.
• Only salt your patties right before grilling, and pay attention to their temperature as they cook.

As a chef, I strongly believe the best way to feed a crowd is to have all of your party foods prepped and ready to go — and that includes your burger patties.

When I worked as a line cook a few years ago, I learned the subtle art of working with ground meat and making the perfect, juicy burger. 

As you prepare to make those burger dreams a reality, remember these eight tips to help get you out the door and grilling.

Thaw your meat completely

Whether you ordered good-quality ground meat from your local farmer or stocked up at the grocery store during a sale, the most important thing to do is fully defrost it before cooking.

There are three main ways to defrost ground beef: in the refrigerator, in the microwave, or in cool water.

I recommend the refrigerator method, which is great if you're planning a day or two in advance. Simply place your frozen meat into a bowl or container, leave it on the bottom shelf of the fridge, and your meat should be fully thawed the next day.

If you're using a microwave, use the defrost setting and thaw the meat in three- to four-minute increments, remembering to turn it over. Microwave for as long as 12 minutes or until the meat is thawed.

For the cool-water method, place the sealed package of meat in a large bowl and weigh it down. Fill the bowl with cold, running water, turning it on and off. Refill the bowl with fresh water every 20 to 30 minutes until the meat completely softens.

Pay attention to the grind

If possible, ask your grocery-store butcher if they'll grind some fresh beef chuck to medium-coarse to coarse, about ¼ inch, for you on the spot.

This grind allows the fat to appropriately integrate with the meat and retain a beefy texture and moisture, even when it's dripping juice on a hot grill.

You can also ask your butcher if they suggest any other meat combination or if they can throw in some fancy scraps at a lower cost. 

If you can, try grinding the meat at home

You can try at-home grinding with a stand-alone, hand-crank meat grinder or use an attachment like the kinds KitchenAid offers.

Simply dice cold meat into 1-inch chunks, freeze on a sheet pan for about 10 minutes, and then grind. I suggest experimenting with the flavor differences of a ⅜-inch and ¼-inch grind. 

You can also make ground meat in the food processor. Pulse 1-inch thick cold meat and fat for about 10 seconds at a time until everything looks nice and uniform, working in small batches so the beef doesn't get warm.

Pay attention to the fat percentage

Good beef just tastes better, and the best butchers know how to balance tender or sinewy meat with fat to enhance its potential.

If you can, try to find a local farm that sells whole cuts or its own frozen ground meat. The most common burger cut is chuck steak, which has 80% meat and 20% fat.

In a pinch, 85% ground meat will do just fine, but be very cautious about overcooking, and don't go higher than a medium-level temperature to retain moisture and flavor.

Remember that the shape of the patties matters

The center of burgers that are 6 ounces or more can bulge before they're done cooking, but there's a quick fix to keep your patties from looking like meatballs.

Don't overwork the meat when forming your patty since this can lead to a dense, tough burger.

Gently shape your burgers into evenly round, 1-inch thick, flat discs. Once those patties are formed, press your thumb in the center to make a dimple to help it cook evenly.

Only use salt right before cooking

Once you've got your formed burger disks, it's time to add some salt.

Adding salt to ground meat changes the consistency. For example, a breakfast sausage is a far cry from a fresh burger — all thanks to salt and its molecule-changing capabilities.

Right before placing on the grill, take a large pinch of kosher salt and gently cover the outside of the patty with a thin layer. Add the burger salt-side down to the grill and sprinkle some on the other side.

This shouldn't make the burger taste overly salty but will create a perfect ratio of seasoned meat to each bite. 

Cook everything to the right temperature, or just below

Keep in mind that a big burger, just like a steak, will go up a few degrees after cooking.

Medium-rare burgers are cooked to 130 degrees Fahrenheit and have a cool, pink center with a charred exterior and a beefy taste with tons of juices.

A medium-well burger is cooked to 150 degrees Fahrenheit and has a hot pink center. However, this can quickly lean toward tasting dry, especially if the fat content is low.

Finally, feel free to enjoy that well-done burger, but don't expect it to be the juiciest of the bunch. You can also experiment with different quality meat and see the difference for yourself.

There's no need to add lots of extra ingredients

Of course, the truth remains that good meat, treated well, should be more than enough for a perfect, juicy burger. Additional ingredients like onions, bread crumbs, and eggs can be just fine in other dishes but can make a burger taste like meatloaf.

Keep the extra flavorings like spicy mayo, crisp lettuce, and sliced tomatoes as add-ons. Go fancy with aged cheddar or Gruyere, top with some caramelized onions (a personal favorite), or mix chile crunch into aioli for a little kick.

However it works out, the best burgers are the ones you end up craving again.

This story was originally published on July 1, 2022, and most recently updated on July 3, 2024.

• Hailey Welch, who went viral for saying "hawk tuah," says she wants to pursue her viral fame.
• But it's unclear exactly what that means.
• Because the path for a Viral Human in 2024 is very different than it was in the 2010s.

The "Hawk Tuah Girl," Hailey Welch, has quit her day job in a Tennessee spring factory and announced plans to ride out her viral fame.

But what does cashing in on viral fame look like in 2024, and how is that different from the other kinds of Viral Humans who have come before?

Welch, 21, hasn't said exactly what her plans are for the future, but she has signed with a management and publicity team. Her new management team told me their first priority is to stop any unlicensed merchandise, fake social media accounts, or other content being made without her permission.

"We are here to protect 'the Hawk' from the vultures," Jonnie Forster of The Penthouse management told Business Insider.

She also plans to launch her own website and merchandise line later this week, Forster said.

You've become a meme. Now, monetize it.

"Hawk Tuah Girl" may discover that viral fame alone is not an instant windfall — capitalizing on social media popularity requires hard work.

Accidental memedom is very different from social media stars who can make their (sometimes lucrative) living by grinding out content for years and studying platform mechanics. Someone like Jake Paul doesn't stumble into it; he hustles. As he famously rapped, "It's every day, bro."

Luckily (or not), there are nearly two decades of internet history of Viral Humans, and it's worth examining some of those past examples to see what we might glean for Welch's future.

Let's focus on other versions of people who, like Welch, accidentally go viral by appearing on the news or by being filmed by someone else.

Antoine Dodson of the 2010 "Bedroom Intruder" song. Sweet Brown of the 2012 "Ain't nobody got time for that" line. "I like turtles" boy. These people all appeared as man-on-the-street interviews on local news, not unlike the way Welch ended up going viral.

Being thrust into the spotlight isn't always a happy story in the long run. It wasn't always clear how to profit from early viral fame, and sometimes the people who went viral watched as unrelated companies and people made money off them without giving them a cut. (That's what Welch's new management says they're trying to stamp out.)

Dodson recently posted on TikTok about his frustration with how his image had been exploited for gain by others, like an unlicensed Halloween costume.

The "Damn, Daniel" teens got a lifetime supply of Vans but have mostly retreated from public life. Alex from Target, another unsuspecting meme, told People Magazine this spring that he had attempted being a social media personality for a little while after turning 18, but didn't enjoy it and now works for UPS.

And in early 2021, as NFTs were taking off, a handful of people who had been early internet memes took the opportunity to finally cash in — sometimes for quite a lucrative sum. ("Disaster Girl" sold her image as an NFT for around $500,000 at the time; "Bad Luck Brian" netted only $36,000.) Sadly, I don't imagine NFTs are going to be a viable strategy today.

'Hawk Tuah' more than a meme?

Welch's viral fame exists largely inside a space on the internet that didn't really exist 10 years ago — best described by Max Read as "the Zynternet":

Over the last ten years or so, a broad community of fratty, horndog, boorishly provocative 20- and sometimes (embarrassingly) 30-somethings — mostly but by no means entirely male — has emerged to form a newly prominent online subculture. This network is adjacent to the "sports internet" of 40something dads and the "hustle internet" of Miami crypto bullshit and the "reactionary internet" of trad influencers, but is its own distinct community with its own distinct cultural referents —college sports, gambling, light domestic beers, Zyn nicotine pouches …

Perhaps the Zynternet allows for a new path for someone like Welch — a path that is quite different from the previous iterations of viral fame where an appearance on the family-friendly "Ellen DeGeneres Show" was the end goal.

The Zynternet, which helped propel Welch to fame, may already have a good spot waiting for her.

An attractive young woman with a big personality who talks candidly? That's already a winning formula for podcast hosts like Alex Cooper of Call Her Daddy, Tana Mongeau, Bobbi Althoff, or even Brianna LaPaglia.

In fact, Welch's first public interview (she didn't have any public social media accounts before — a fact that led to lots of false speculation about her) was on one of these podcasts: "Plan Bri Uncut" with LaPaglia, who also has a podcast called "BFFs" with Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy.

LaPaglia also dates country star Zach Bryan, and Welch appeared onstage at Bryan's recent concert. Welch's management said this was a happy coincidence: She'd had tickets to Bryan's concert, and LaPaglia was able to interview her for her podcast after the show.

So what's Welch want to do now? She gives us a hint on LaPaglia's podcast. She wants it all: "I think we're doing to do, like, a show, and then being on a bunch of podcasts and everything in between."

LaPaglia is happy to cheer her on.

"You're so much more than just the 'Hawk Tuah Girl.' I'm excited for your future," LaPaglia says. "I have no fucking idea where you're going to pivot or how you're going to pivot from this, but I'm excited to see what you do."

I don't think we've seen a Viral Human quite like Hailey Welch before — I'm also very curious to see what she does next.

• Whole Foods co-founder John Mackey says the grocery chain isn't so expensive anymore.
• He credits Amazon and Jeff Bezos for making changes to Whole Foods over the last several years.
• I compared Whole Foods with another grocer and found that it is cheaper under certain circumstances.

Whole Foods has long had a reputation as a pricey place to buy groceries.

No more, according to cofounder John Mackey.

Since Amazon acquired the grocery chain in 2017, it has cut prices several times. The reductions appeared to take aim at Whole Foods' higher-than-average prices — something that had long led critics to refer to the chain as "Whole Paycheck."

"Amazon let us drop our prices four times," Mackey said in an interview last month with Fortune. "I hardly ever hear the 'whole paycheck' narrative any longer—that's due to Amazon."

Mackey said former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos deserves credit for the price cuts. He called Bezos "a genius," saying he believed in a long-term strategy to make Whole Foods more competitive.

Seven years after the acquisition, shoppers can find evidence that Whole Foods is trying to appear more budget-friendly. Shelves at many stores are full of yellow tags pointing to discounted items and signs on endcaps that read "Sale."

And this year, Whole Foods has cut prices on more items, such as oysters and rotisserie chicken, CEO Jason Buechel recently told Fortune.

To see if Whole Foods has truly shed its expensive reputation, I visited one of the supermarket's stores in Fairfax, Virginia — a suburb of Washington, DC.

I then compared the prices I found there with those at a nearby Safeway, a middle-market grocery chain owned by Albertsons.

I put a couple of conditions on my shopping trips. Since I was focused on affordability, I looked mostly at store-brand products. I also used loyalty programs to get discounts at both stores — including Amazon Prime at Whole Foods.

And while I compared prices on some of the most commonly purchased grocery items, like milk, I also decided to shop for ingredients for a specific dinner recipe — spaghetti with a side of green beans.

Here's what I found.

I started my comparison by going to this Whole Foods Market store in Fairfax, Virginia.

I visited this store around noon on a Monday when it wasn't very busy.

Despite the price cuts, Whole Foods still has higher standards than most other grocery chains.

Whole Foods has a variety of quality standards, from animal welfare requirements for meat to bans on certain artificial ingredients.

First up was the produce section, where I found this pack of basil for my spaghetti.

This 1.25-ounce container of basil was $2.99 with my Prime discount. Nearby, I picked up a 12-ounce package of trimmed green beans for $3.99.

Next, I headed to the butcher counter to get some ground beef.

At $6.99 a pound, these pre-portioned packs of ground beef were the best option. Slightly larger packs were $7.99 a pound.

I also picked up grated cheese.

Five ounces of grated parmesan cheese was $4.49.

I was surprised to see how cheap many of Whole Foods' store-brand products were.

Many of Whole Foods' store-brand products were close in price to store brands at other supermarkets I've been to. These packs of spaghetti, for instance, were $1.39 each.

Whole Foods is also planning to open some smaller stores later this year that focus on 365 products.

I also bought pasta sauce.

This Marinara sauce was $2.69 for a 25-ounce jar. I also picked up some dried, ground oregano for $2.29. Both were 365-brand products.

Basic groceries, such as milk and bread, seemed slightly more expensive than other stores.

A gallon of whole milk at this Whole Foods was $4.59, about a dollar more than at the grocery store where I do most of my shopping in Washington, DC.

Many supermarkets use items like milk as "loss-leaders," or products they sell cheaply — or even take a loss on — to attract customers and get them to buy other things. Perhaps Whole Foods is relying more on Prime members trying to get value for the membership to get people in the door.

Specialty foods, like these chocolate bars from Hawaii, were cheaper than I'd seen elsewhere.

These Manoa Chocolate bars were $8.99 each — by far the cheapest price for them I'd seen anywhere, including in Hawaii, where they usually sell for around $12.

I noticed similar low prices on other specialty and organic products.

At Whole Foods, my spaghetti ingredients cost $20.62 including tax.

I got a total of seven items. It would've been eight if I had picked up the ground beef. In that case, my total would've been roughly $28.

Next, I headed to a Safeway store located just five minutes from the Whole Foods store.

I chose Safeway since it's a well-known chain in the Washington, DC area that has middle-market prices. This one was also located a few minutes from the Whole Foods store I visited.

This poster for cheap chicken led me to believe I'd be getting some good deals.

I was visiting on a Monday. While fried chicken wasn't on my shopping list, I thought it was notable that Safeway is trying to court shoppers who are still dealing with the effects of food inflation.

A number of items were the same price as Whole Foods, such as basil.

A pack of store-brand basil leaves at Safeway was the same price (and the same size) as the one I bought at Whole Foods ($2.99), while the organic version was $1 more.

Other ingredients cost less at Safeway than Whole Foods.

These packages of green beans were about 70 cents less than at Whole Foods.

Pasta sauce was also cheaper by 70 cents a jar.

Ground beef was the same price as at Whole Foods.

Per pound, 90% lean ground beef at Safeway was $6.99 a pound — the same price I saw at Whole Foods. I didn't see any single-pound packs at Safeway, though, so you would've had to buy this one-and-a-half-pound pack and spend a little more.

Grated parmesan was cheaper at Safeway, though only because of a sale.

I had to use my Safeway loyalty card to get $1 off.

Milk was only 20 cents less expensive at this Safeway than at Whole Foods.

Basic grocery items at Safeway varied from similarly priced to Whole Foods to much cheaper.

The sale items seemed cheaper than Whole Foods.

It's peach season here in the mid-Atlantic, so I expected to find deals on the stone fruit at both grocery stores.

With a digital coupon, these non-organic peaches were 99 cents a pound at Safeway. Whole Foods' peaches were organic and went for $3.49 a pound for Prime members.

At Safeway, my spaghetti ingredients cost $21.10 including tax.

Yes, you read that right: This basket of items was more expensive at Safeway by 48 cents.

Admittedly, 10 cents of that was the cost of two plastic bags at checkout. But I was surprised that the result was essentially a tie price-wise.

Most discounts at Whole Foods require a Prime membership, which costs money.

I used a Prime account to shop at Whole Foods, which costs money. At Safeway, I used a Safeway for U account, which is free, to get many of the discounts.

A Prime account comes to $14.99 a month or $139 a year. If you get certain kinds of government assistance, such as SNAP or Medicaid, you can pay $6.99 a month.

That added cost could well be worth it, especially if you do most of your shopping at Whole Foods or use other Amazon Prime benefits. But most grocery stores don't require a paid membership for customers to get the best deals.

Without the Prime discounts, my Whole Foods purchases would've been slightly more expensive than the Safeway equivalents — though by less than a dollar.

There are also even cheaper chains in the area that would've likely underpriced Whole Foods.

Earlier this year, I visited a store run by hard-discount grocer Aldi in Maryland. Based on my experience there, I could've probably saved more money by shopping for my spaghetti ingredients there.

There would have been fewer organic and specialty options at Aldi, as well as fewer choices for each product, though.

Ultimately, Whole Foods is cheaper than it used to be.

Five years ago, Business Insider found that Whole Foods was clearly more expensive, based on an analysis of commonly bought grocery items. The fact that many items are now similarly priced to conventional grocery stores shows that the cuts made under Amazon's ownership have made a difference — even if you have to pay admission in the form of a Prime membership to get the best prices.

I guess John Mackey had a point.

Do you work at Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh, or another part of Amazon's retail business and have a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com

• I tried beef hot dogs from Nathan's, Sabrett, Applegate, and Ball Park.
• Ball Park had the thickest frank, but I thought Applegate's organic hot dogs packed the most flavor.
• I didn't think Sabrett's less-than-flavorful hot dogs warranted their higher price tag.

Ahead of the Fourth of July, I decided to try four different kinds of hot dogs to see which one I would choose for my own cookout.

The months between Memorial Day and Labor Day are recognized as "hot dog season" by the sausage industry. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans consume roughly 7 billion hot dogs during this time and produce roughly $614 million in hot-dog sales. Intent on contributing to that number this summer, I wanted to see which store-bought brand was most worth my money.

I opted for beef hot dogs from Applegate, Sabrett, Nathan's, and Ball Park. The Sabrett, Nathan's, and Ball Park packages each included eight beef franks, while the Applegate package included six.

I cooked each type of hot dog the same way. Then I tried each one on a Martin's long potato roll, topped with Heinz ketchup and French's classic yellow mustard.

Here's how all four hot-dog brands ranked, from worst to best.

My least favorite brand that I tried was the Sabrett skinless beef frankfurters.

This was the second-most expensive brand I tried. A pack of eight hot dogs cost $8.49, excluding taxes and fees. Since it's a New York brand — and I live in the city — I half-expected to pay a little less for a local product.

The hot dog was about the same thickness as the Nathan's hot dog, which I ultimately ranked higher.

The Sabrett hot dog fit perfectly inside the potato roll bun without hanging too much off either end.

I felt like the flavor in the Sabrett hot dog was lacking.

The only flavors that came through were from the ketchup and mustard — a distinct no-no in my book as far as hot dogs go. While the texture wasn't overly chewy, I thought it didn't have the distinct snap I often look for in a hot dog. 

While it wasn't bad by any means, I didn't think this brand was worth the higher price tag.

I also tried a New York staple: Nathan's skinless beef franks.

Nathan's is a New York institution famous for its annual Coney Island hot-dog-eating contest on July 4. I managed to snag an eight-pack of these hot dogs on sale at my local Key Food. The original price was $9.79, but I managed to get them for just $4.49, excluding tax.

I thought the Nathan's hot dogs were a perfect size.

It looked like a really classic hot dog you would eat on the pier in summertime: crispy on the outside, while still retaining that classic red hot-dog color.

The hot dog from Nathan's tasted slightly saltier than the other varieties.

I needed water after just a few bites of this hot dog, and I definitely couldn't imagine consuming dozens of them to win a contest. Overall, it was a flavorful hot dog with a slightly snappy texture, but the salty aftertaste made it nothing to call home about.

My second-favorite brand was Ball Park's beef hot dogs.

The Ball Park pack of eight hot dogs cost me $8.69, excluding taxes and fees. It was the most expensive brand I tried.

The Ball Park hot dogs were the thickest and shortest ones on my list.

I also noticed they cooked a lot faster than the other brands. While the other brands retained their red, crispy consistency in the pan, the Ball Park dogs quickly began to char and crisp up after only a minute or two of cooking.

I personally like really well-done, almost charred hot dogs, but it's something to keep in mind if you have different preferences. 

The Ball Park dog was well done on the outside, but the inside was still slightly chewy.

I thought the hot dog had a nice, smoky flavor that was complemented by the bun and condiments. The flavor came through, even though I wasn't crazy about what I thought was a slightly more rubbery texture.

My favorite hot-dog brand was Applegate's organic uncured-beef hot dogs.

The pack of six franks cost me $7.39 at my local Key Food grocery store, excluding taxes and fees.

The pack came with six hot dogs, two less than the other packs.

This smaller package count is definitely something to consider if you're planning for a large cookout.

When the Applegate hot dog was done cooking, I noticed it was skinnier than the other brands.

I wondered whether it would be less filling, or how the slightly thinner shape would affect the eating experience. 

Right away, I noticed that the hot dog had a lot of flavor and the frank had a satisfying snap.

The ketchup and mustard definitely came through but didn't overpower the hot dog's distinctly savory, beefy taste. 

Despite being the thinnest dog, it also didn't taste like an unbalanced hot-dog-to-bun ratio. Every ingredient was perfectly complementary. 

In the end, I had to give the win to Applegate.

I was surprised that this brand won. Even though I call New York City home, neither of the local brands, Nathan's or Sabrett, deserved the win in my book. 

I thought Applegate's hot dog, though thinner than the others, had the best flavor and texture. It was also a great value, despite the pack being two dogs short. If I had to choose which hot dog brand to eat at my cookout, it would be Applegate hot dogs all the way.

• The CFPB found student-loan servicers put up "excessive barriers" when it came to helping borrowers.
• Long hold times and inaccurate information about debt relief harmed borrowers, the report said.
• The CFPB and Education Department have enforced oversight over private and federal servicers.

Many student-loan borrowers aren't getting the help they need from their servicers, according to a new report.

On Tuesday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released the latest edition of its supervisory findings covering the auto and student loan servicing industries from April 2023 to December 2023.

Over the past few years, borrowers with both federal and private student loans have reported challenges with their servicers, from an inability to get the information they need to make their payments to inaccurate information. The CFPB's latest report detailed its findings that many of those companies did not operate in borrowers' best interests.

"Loan servicers and debt collectors harm borrowers when they fail to provide required information, create barriers to customer assistance, or harass people about their debts," CFPB Director Rohit Chopra said in a statement. "The CFPB is working to ensure servicers, debt collectors, and other financial service providers follow the law to protect consumers."

According to the report, servicers put up "excessive barriers" for borrowers when they needed help — specifically with hourslong hold times with customer service that lead to many borrowers dropping their calls without actually speaking to anyone. This was representative of an "unfair and abusive" act because servicers didn't give borrowers an avenue to resolve issues in a timely manner, the CFPB said, and since borrowers cannot choose their servicer, they had no other option but to continue waiting on the phone for help.

The hold times were not just inconvenient; the report also said it caused injury to borrowers because they were sometimes unable to make payments on time due to the lack of assistance from their servicer, resulting in late fees. The CFPB said that in response to its findings, servicers "developed plans to reduce hold times and drop rates."

Additionally, the report found servicers provided inaccurate information to borrowers regarding forms needed to qualify for certain program benefits or debt relief, like forbearance, delaying borrowers' abilities to access those benefits.

Federal servicers have previously said they do not have the funding they need to fully assist borrowers, which is a factor for the long hold times and errors borrowers have faced. Business Insider has also previously reported on the administrative difficulties some borrowers with private loans are facing to get debt relief — an issue the CFPB said it would be monitoring, as well.

Both President Joe Biden's administration and the CFPB have taken action against student-loan servicers for failing their contractual obligations. The Education Department withheld pay from all four major federal servicers for failing to deliver on-time billing statements to borrowers, and the CFPB recently filed a lawsuit against PHEAA, a servicer that facilitates private student loan programs, accusing it of illegally collecting discharged payments.

• After growing up in the US, I decided to move to Dublin, Ireland after graduating from college.
• I've experienced affordable healthcare, better work-life balance, and a greater sense of safety.
• Traveling to nearby cities is cheap and easy, but the cost of living in Ireland isn't super low. 

I first fell in love with the idea of moving abroad five years ago after spending a semester in England.

I met incredible people, tried new things, and focused on what I wanted most out of life while temporarily letting go of everything stressing me out at home. But after I returned to the US, the stress came back, and I realized I'd do anything to make my dream of living abroad a reality.

Picking up and moving to Ireland rather spontaneously a few years later has presented many challenges, but I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. 

Here are some of the things that surprised me when I first got to Ireland. 

It took me a minute to train my ear to the sounds of the Irish language

From the Irish names that no one outside of Ireland can ever seem to pronounce to the varied accents that I need live subtitles to understand, it's been a real personal journey getting where I am today with Irishisms.

I thought a lot of the phrases in Ireland would be similar to what I heard in the UK. But the Irish have their own national language, and it tends to bleed into everyday conversational English.

For instance, the national police force is called An Garda Síochána, which translates to "Guardians of the Peace," and officers are referred to as the Gardaí. 

To better explain the complexities of Irish slang, here's an actual conversation that occurred in my group chat when I first moved:

Person 1: "Are you coming out with us tonight or not?"

Person 2: "Sure look, put me down, I'll pop along. And I better not get the vid of anyone. Scooops! Also shurrup, Person 1, ya bleedin' tick."

They had me in the first sentence. After that, I was frantically and unsuccessfully searching through Irish pages on Urban Dictionary.

But I knew I finally adapted to the language when I found the words "thanks a million" (or "thanks a mil") and "bye bye bye … bye bye bye bye" after any phone call slipping off my tongue.

Day trips and weekend getaways are abundant and encouraged here

Ireland is home to RyanAir, meaning we have cheap flights to nearly any European destination at our fingertips. This results in the urge to take a weekend abroad as often as possible.

Ireland itself is also packed to the brim with stunning natural landscapes.

Although the Republic of Ireland is pretty small — it's a little smaller than the state of Indiana — its 26 counties all vary greatly from each other, leaving many wonders to explore. 

Trek the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher in County Clare; explore the Neolithic monument, Newgrange, in County Meath; and spend a week (or a lifetime) in my favorite part of the country, County Kerry, while driving through the spectacular Dingle Peninsula.

The slower pace of life in Ireland means nothing ever runs on time

The Irish pride themselves on being "great craic" (fun), but, unfortunately, this way of life often leads to losing track of time.

If you find yourself perpetually late to everything, you'll feel right at home in Ireland. If not, prepare to spend long stretches of time staring at your phone while waiting for your mates.

Although it's been an adjustment, unpredictability is what makes Ireland feel like things are still run by people, not by algorithms and advancement.

It's precisely what makes a tremendous difference in the overall work-life balance here compared to the US, where my life constantly revolved around work schedules, promotions, and little time off.

Alcohol is a big part of the culture

In Ireland, pubs are more than just places to have a pint of Guinness. They're more like a community center where people go to meet and catch up with old friends, have a hearty meal, sing along to live traditional music, and catch an Irish jig. 

At a pub, friends are also usually more likely to rotate buying rounds for each other instead of opening up individual tabs. Sharing is caring here in Ireland.

I've never considered myself much of a drinker. In the US, I would go out maybe once or twice a month. But my alcohol consumption has definitely increased since living in Ireland because socializing here often happens exclusively at the pub.  

Although Dublin is the capital city, it has more of a small-town feel

Despite being the capital city of Ireland and housing a lot of the country's population, Dublin has a small-town atmosphere.

I'll never forget the first day I moved into my house. I was waiting outside in the rain with my luggage for my landlady, and my next-door neighbors ushered me in and carried my luggage into their house. After offering me several cups of tea (which I naively declined), we chatted in their sitting room until my landlady arrived.

With the charming small-town feel also comes the harsh reality that shops don't stay open as late.

Most businesses close at 6 p.m., with some, like post offices, often closing for lunch as well. On Sundays, most businesses close even earlier — if they're open at all.

Coming from the US, where one-stop supermarkets stay open 24 hours, it was a huge adjustment. But now I find the giant stores and selections a bit overwhelming during visits home.

I finally understand that tea is the elixir of life

I'll never forget my first few weeks in Ireland when I was constantly offered tea by my coworkers and housemates. After politely declining and declaring that I'm not much of a tea drinker, they'd exclaim, "But then what do you drink?"

I soon realized that they were right about how incredible tea is. 

Once you accept your cuppa in Ireland, there's an even more important question: "Barry's or Lyons?"

Everyone has their opinions about which of the two major brands is best.

I've never felt safer than I do living in Dublin 

Crime doesn't typically permeate the nightly news here.

Ireland has pretty strict gun laws, so the rates of gun violence, and violent crime in general, are low. 

My Irish friends are always shocked when I explain past crime or violence I've been through in the US because it's something they've only experienced through Hollywood films.

If you visit or move here, get ready to talk about the weather all the time

Small talk with strangers is the norm in Ireland, and crowd-favorite topics include the traffic, how one is keeping, how one's brother is keeping, and, the favorite of all favorites, the weather.

The country is well-known for being windy, dreary, and rainy almost year-round. Although the summers are much milder, it's commonly overcast, and rain can start pouring out of a perfectly blue sky at any time.

The unpredictable weather prompted the age-old Irish saying, "You can see every season in a day." 

Although housing and other costs of living are pricier, affordable healthcare is a plus

Dublin is one of the most expensive cities in Europe, with most one-bedroom apartments going for close to $2,000 a month. There's also a lack of housing throughout the country that's forced rent prices to skyrocket.

Because of the high cost of living and low wages, it's the cultural norm for many young people to live with their families until their 30s. 

Although housing is cheaper if you move outside of Dublin, public transportation throughout the country is also one of the most expensive in Europe. 

But I'm grateful for affordable healthcare. Since moving, I've found myself prioritizing my health in ways I never could've afforded to in the US. I used to go years without scheduling appointments, but now I'm able to easily and cheaply see a doctor, dentist, therapist, massage therapist, or chiropractor — even without health insurance.

There are so many unique traditions to discover in Ireland

Leprechauns may not exist, but Irish superstitions do.

Whatever you do, don't cut down a lone tree standing in the middle of a field — especially if there are ribbons tied to the branches or a formation of rocks around the base. In Celtic folklore, those are fairy trees, which serve as the gateway between our world and that of the wee fellas. 

Alas, these Irish creatures are closer to the spiteful pixies in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" than Tinker Bell. Damaging the tree is said to result in a lifetime of bad luck.

The Irish take this cultural tradition very seriously, even today. An entire motorway was once built around an existing fairy tree in County Clare.

Ireland also celebrates several unique rituals.

For example, for more than 400 years in Killorglin, County Kerry, locals have held the Puck Fair where a wild goat is captured in the mountains, brought back to the town square, and crowned King Puck by a local schoolgirl (chosen as Queen Puck).

King Puck's subjects celebrate this coronation during a festival that spans three days before he's released back into the mountains.

I was glad I was living in Ireland during the pandemic lockdown

Ireland takes public health very seriously, so the country remained under strict lockdown restrictions for nearly two whole years of the coronavirus pandemic.

One of these restrictions meant that, for a period of time, I couldn't travel 2 kilometers, then 5 kilometers, then 20 kilometers from my home.

But Dublin is sandwiched right between the sea and the mountains, meaning I was never short on beautiful scenery to explore. And because Ireland is a country steeped in ancient history, there's something to discover around every corner.

This story was originally published in February 2022 and most recently updated on July 3, 2024.

• Interior designers shared their best affordable tips for making an outdoor space feel larger.
• Hanging light fixtures and tall, colorful plants can distract the eye and draw it upward.
• Dividing your space into distinct areas can make it feel more complete and roomy.

Choose a focal point, like a gallery wall or faux fireplace.

Michelle Harrison-McAllister, interior designer and owner of Michelle Harrison Design, told Business Insider that adding a focal point can make your outdoor space immediately feel larger.

She suggested repurposing a console table to add to your outside wall as a makeshift fire feature. 

"Simply add flameless candles to the bottom shelf inside the console to give it a faux-fireplace focal point," Harrison-McAllister said. 

You can also layer thrifted art or a mirror against the wall to give the illusion of an additional room or extension of your home. 

Colorful plants can add visual interest to your outdoor space.

Greenery can lend style to just about any room, but Harrison-McAllister said you can get a bit more creative with landscaping in an outdoor space.

"Colorful plants not only liven up the outdoors but also allow the eye to dance around with visual joy," Harrison-McAllister told BI. 

She added that with some strategic plant placement, you can trick the eye into following different seating and dining areas to make the space feel larger. 

Look for pieces that work double-duty, like multipurpose seating or tables with storage.

Jessica Harris, interior designer at Living Spaces, told BI you can use multipurpose seating and furniture to save space. 

"A table with a hidden compartment makes it easy to stash tabletop accessories and hide them away when you need to clear the tabletop in a jiffy," Harris said. 

She added that a bright-colored stool can serve as an accent piece, additional seating, or a surface to set down a cocktail. 

Tall plants and accent pieces bring the eye upward.

Although a small outdoor space may not provide you with a lot of decorating freedom, you can often look upward for extra room.

"Tall outdoor pieces that branch out, such as outdoor umbrellas, will add height and keep the point of focus upward," Harris said. They added that decor like hanging greenery in trendy macrame planters can also open up surface space and lift the eye line.

Harrison-McAllister added that layering plants of various heights can also give your space an artistic feel and redirect focus from the ground. 

Place your patio furniture near your plants and trees.

Harris recommended positioning your patio dining set against your greenery so that it complements the natural scenery. 

"By placing your table next to your planted flowers or trees, you save the space you would have used for planters," Harris told BI. 

You can continue the look by adding some greenery or flowers to the table as decor.

Opt for smaller furniture pieces instead of one bulky item.

Harris recommended buying several smaller pieces to serve the same function as a single, bulky one so you can easily arrange the furniture in a way that makes the most sense for your space.

"Play to the cozy effect of a small backyard by grouping the furniture in small circles," she told BI. "The tighter the circle, the cozier the feel, making it easier for guests to relax and engage in conversation."

Plus, you can easily reconfigure the pieces when you need more room for other events or activities.

Mirrors can open up natural spaces.

Barrett Oswald, principal designer at Barrett Oswald Designs, told BI that mirrors can make just about any small space seem larger, including outdoor ones. 

Oswald added that you can opt for a standing mirror to lean against a wall or piece of furniture, so there's no hanging necessary.

Opt for light colors and woods for outdoor furniture.

Oswald recommends avoiding dark wood and dark furniture when shopping and choosing the color palette for your space.

The designer recommended focusing on lighter woods and materials for your outdoor furniture and opting for white or neutral cushions and accents to keep the space light and bright.

Dividing the space into distinct sections can give the illusion of more room.

Harrison-McAllister said that dividing your outdoor space can make it feel much larger, so consider designating one section as a dining area and another as a lounge. 

Harris added that you can easily do this with outdoor rugs. 

"You can layer an outdoor rug under your furniture to help create a visual point of focus and designate one area of your backyard from another," she told BI. 

Greenery and light fixtures are also accessible ways to divide your space.

Fill in awkward corners with attention-grabbing pieces.

Awkward corners or hard-to-access pathways often go overlooked, so make use of those spaces by adding statement pieces or decor. 

"Train the eye to look beyond the usual limits of your backyard by placing an attention-grabbing accent piece in those spaces," Harris said. "For example, an outdoor egg chair is a great statement piece for a corner."

You can also opt for a colorful art piece or a beautiful plant.

Brighten up the area with string or accent lights.

Oswald said adding more light fixtures or string lights can visually enlarge an area and create a cozy vibe. 

Harrison-McAllister added that more lighting also draws the eye upward to make the space feel roomier. 

This story was originally published on June 24, 2021, and most recently updated on July 3, 2024.

• I tried 19 Trader Joe's frozen appetizers to figure out which is the best for a large party. 
• I thought the artichoke timbales were kind of bland and the pastry pups left much to be desired.
• I was a big fan of the breaded mozzarella-cheese sticks because they were delicious and flavorful.

As a habitual snacker, it'd be cruel not to share my opinions on the best Trader Joe's frozen appetizers to bust out for a party.

So, I picked out 19 of the best-looking frozen appetizers at Trader Joe's to review.

I was disappointed that almost none of the items came with a sauce. As such, I tried almost every item without a sauce to see how the flavor stood up. 

As for the cooking, I ignored the instructions for most dishes and put everything in the air fryer for five to eight minutes at either 370 or 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Most of them turned out fine. 

Here's how the appetizers stacked up, from my least favorite to my top picks I'd love to eat at a party. 

I started off with a wildcard item, Trader Joe's artichoke timbales.

First Impression: Trader Joe's artichoke timbales were one of the biggest wildcards. I was afraid it would have too much cheese and not enough flavor but I also could see it tasting like spanakopita.

I also anticipated a longer time in the air fryer. The artichoke timbales took 18 minutes to cook at about 370 degrees. 

Review: If I were eating Trader Joe's artichoke timbales at a gathering, I'd likely only have one or half because I think they're pretty big for an appetizer.

I love spinach and artichoke, but this didn't do it for me. I didn't think there was enough cheese to call it cheesy, and I felt like the artichoke tasted bland and salty — there didn't seem to be any additional spice.

I think the timbales would've been much better with lemon and butter. I also didn't like how crispy the top got by the time it was finished cooking.

The coconut shrimp didn't have a lot of flavor to me.

First Impression: Out of the box, I already thought Trader Joe's coconut shrimp could benefit from a sweet-and-sour sauce. I thought they looked easy to overcook, which I could see impacting my decision to repurchase.

I also wondered how well this snack would hold its flavor on its own.

Review: If I was at a party, I'd have two of these. The coconut flavor wasn't very prominent, but I enjoyed the shrimp. After five minutes at 370 degrees, the coconut shrimp was still quite juicy.

I could enjoy the shrimp with the proper sauce but I think it really needs it. By themselves, the breading was way too overpowering and didn't taste like coconut to me.

Trader Joe's Parmesan pastry pups combine cheese and hot dogs.

First Impression: I thought Trader Joe's Parmesan pastry pups looked exciting. I hoped the dough would rise in the air fryer and have a buttery flavor.

I wasn't totally sold on the cheese — I just don't put that on my hot dogs.

Review: I'd only eat about three of the Parmesan pastry pups. The bun tasted close to a Costco chicken bake with its delicious doughy breading and slightly cheesy flavor but it didn't hit the mark. I thought it was a little too bland to carry the entire dish.

The hot dog was basically all end, which, to me, is the worst part of the food. But if the pastry puffs came with a honey-mustard sauce, I might've been down for more.

There was a little too much going on in the vegetable spring rolls.

First Impression: I like spring rolls a lot so I was excited to try the kind from Trader Joe's, which has shredded tofu, kale, mushrooms, and edamame.

I was confused about why Trader Joe's version needed kale — I feel like there are better vegetables for spring rolls. Nevertheless, I love mushrooms and I thought the edamame could be interesting.

Review: I could see myself eating about two of Trader Joe's vegetable spring rolls at a party. In my opinion, the flavors just didn't go well together.

To me, there were too many alpha dogs in the room between the edamame, kale, and tofu so they didn't mesh as a unit. I think the spring rolls needed a sweet-and-sour sauce, just like the coconut shrimp.

I wasn't sure what to expect with the ratatouille bites.

First Impression: Primarily, I predicted the ratatouille bites would be too bread-heavy. I was also a little concerned by the lack of cheese since I'm used to having this ingredient in fried dishes. Still, as a ratatouille fan, I had high hopes for the quality.

Review: I could eat about four or five of Trader Joe's ratatouille bites at a party but I didn't feel the breading was necessary. At the same time, the vegetables weren't enough to carry this dish. I'd rather have a bowl of ratatouille.

However, the bites were easy to eat and unoffensive to the mouth.

Trader Joe's gnocchi alla Romana was missing something.

First Impression: The gnocchi alla Romana looked pretty delicious, but I've been fooled by clever appetizer packaging before.

These were larger than I expected, so I air-fried them at 430 degrees for 13 minutes. The fully cooked gnocchi smelled cheesy, but I was worried they'd taste bland. 

Review: I liked these, but not as much as the other appetizers on this list. The gnocchi texture with the semolina was a little mealy, and I felt like I needed to drink water after I took a bite.

The cheese sauce added a lot of flavor, and the gnocchi itself was well-seasoned with the perfect amount of pepper. But ultimately, it needed another texture or flavor to reach its full potential. 

The mini vegetable samosas were a little bland.

First Impression: I like samosas but I'd never tried a frozen prepackaged version. I was a little nervous to see what they'd taste like but they looked like they'd be good.

I regretted not having a sweet-and-sour sauce.

Review: I could eat three or four samosas. Trader Joe's vegetable samosas were certainly spicier than I expected but ultimately lacked a deep flavor.

I thought the potato and crust were good, but nothing more. I'd like to see what the samosas would taste like with a sauce.

The mini beef tacos were all right but I think they needed more fixings.

First Impression: I thought Trader Joe's mini tacos seemed bare, just beef in a shell, but according to the label, there were salsa ingredients somewhere in there. Looking at the taco, I wasn't sure how it would cook in the air fryer.

Review: I'd eat three or four of the mini beef tacos. The shell held up well while not being overly crunchy and the beef was OK. But my first impression was spot on. I got only a little of the salsa flavor (it was mixed in with the meat), including the tiniest hint of lime.

If I could dip Trader Joe's mini beef tacos in salsa and add other fixings, they'd be pretty good, it just requires more preparation. Later on, I had them with sriracha and enjoyed the dish.

Trader Joe's Southwest-style chicken quesadillas were pretty hearty.

First Impression: When I took the quesadillas out of the box, they looked really good. I was hoping for a little more cheese but I liked how large each quesadilla was.

I thought the beans and corn would go well together and make the quesadillas heartier than the average appetizer.

Review: These were good. There was a decent amount of chicken, but they could have used more cheese. Here, I tasted more corn than cheese and believe those ratios should have been flipped.

Trader Joe's perfectly pickled pups surprised me.

First Impression: I'd tried Trader Joe's dill-pickle items before, so I was excited to try the pickled pups. I didn't have any mustard in my fridge, so I used ketchup for dipping. 

Review: The pickled pups were fantastic. I can't believe I didn't have the foresight to realize that a dipping sauce wasn't even necessary. The dill already gave the pups so much flavor.

The breading was perfect and the hot dog inside was nice and soft. The bread got a little dry by the end, but I didn't mind too much. 

Trader Joe's Buffalo-style chicken poppers came in a shape I didn't expect.

First Impression: I feel like poppers are usually molded into spheres, but I thought an appetizer of any other shape would taste as good. Though the label said the Trader Joe's Buffalo-style chicken poppers were fried, they didn't look particularly crispy to me.

Still, I love Buffalo chicken so I was excited to try them. But even before I tasted them, I felt they'd need sour cream.

Review: I'd eat five or six of Trader Joe's Buffalo-style chicken poppers. For me, there was too much wrapper around the corners of the poppers but the filling was fantastic. I thought it was spicy, with a Frank's RedHot-flavor profile.

I can see them being excellent with a little sour cream just as I predicted. I also thought they could've used more cheese because the amount there was in the filling didn't feel very satisfying.

The mac-and-cheese bites needed a sauce in my opinion.

First Impression: I heard Trader Joe's mac-and-cheese bites had a moment a couple of years ago, though I don't remember trying them. Mac-and-cheese balls seem hard to mess up so I had high hopes.

Review: Trader Joe's mac-and-cheese bites were gooey but the number I'd eat depends on what kind of sauce I'd have with them. The picture on the box depicted what seemed like a marinara, which would have paired well.

With the proper accompaniment, I could have about 10 of these. Without it, I'd probably eat six. Appetizers with cheese are easy for me to eat, though I'd use a tiny pinch of salt and even more pepper if I prepared the mac-and-cheese bites again.

The crispy vegetable pouches had a great combination of ingredients.

First Impression: Trader Joe's crispy vegetable pouches, a holiday item, had what I considered the most exciting vegetables, with jicama, taro, cabbage, carrot, onion, shiitake mushrooms, and garlic.

I was also interested because soy sauce was included in the box. I saw myself having quite a few of these bad boys.

Review: I'd have 10 to 12 of Trader Joe's crispy vegetable pouches at a party. There was a ginger flavor at the end and the jicama and delicious flaky pastry gave them a great crunch.

With some soy sauce, the pouches reached another level. I didn't get that many mushrooms, but overall, this was a tremendous team effort from all of the vegetables. The top of the pouches had too much pastry for me but I ate from the bottom and felt satisfied.

The breaded fried ravioli was tasty.

First Impression: I hoped there'd be some sauce in Trader Joe's breaded fried ravioli. Judging by the packaging, it looked like just bread and cheese. I feared the ravioli would leave me wanting more.

Review: I could probably eat 15. The ravioli tasted almost exactly like Trader Joe's mozzarella sticks but not as good. I prefer the stick's single cheese to the ravioli's complex taste of ricotta, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Asiago, and Parmesan.

Secondly, the ravioli had a little too much breading that wasn't as flavorful as I hoped. It also didn't have any kind of marinara-sauce filling.

The pastry bites with feta cheese and caramelized onions had a great taste.

First Impression: I thought Trader Joe's pastry bites with feta and caramelized onions would be the hardest to cook. I put them in my air fryer for a bit, and they burned a little, but I still wasn't sure if they cooked through. Still, done well, I thought they'd be excellent.

Review: I'd eat 15 of these, if not the entire tray. They were much easier to cook than I thought — seven or eight minutes in my air fryer at 375 degrees — and the caramelized onion added an irresistible sweetness.

The onions went perfectly with the melted feta cheese. I thought the pastry itself was the tiniest bit bland but it didn't matter because it was surrounded by premiere flavors.

Spanakopita was a childhood favorite of mine.

First Impression: Full disclosure, I already knew I loved spanakopita. I made them all the time as a child and had my own method of eating them slowly and savoring the leftover phyllo dough.

Review:  I could see myself having about 18 pieces of spanakopita. I loved the blend of feta and ricotta, and the spinach balanced it nicely.

Somehow, the dough remained soft and chewy on the inside while staying flaky on the outside. Even the extra-crispy parts were delicious. Trader Joe's spanakopita is a must-have for every plate.

Trader Joe's corn-and-cheese arepas looked amazing when I took them out of the box.

First Impression: Right off the bat, I was a big fan of how the corn-and-cheese arepas looked. The cheese seemed fluffy and rich, and the corn appeared flaky.

I knew the final verdict would come down to the ingredients and flavor, but it looked like the pieces were all there. 

Review: Truthfully, Trader Joe's nailed it. The rich, savory cheese paired perfectly with the sweet corn.

A frozen meal can only be so good, but this was a fantastic imitation of street arepas. My only critique is that it could've used more cheese.  

The breaded mozzarella-cheese sticks were basically perfect.

First Impression: It killed me to not eat Trader Joe's breaded mozzarella-cheese sticks with tomato sauce, but in the name of consistency, I didn't.

I thought the picture on the bag made them look more seasoned than I remembered from times previous times I'd had them. I was expecting delicious melty cheese.

Review: I could easily eat 20 Trader Joe's mozzarella-cheese sticks. The cheese was delicious and worked alongside a tasty, flavorful breading.

Just get a hearty marinara sauce, and you're well on your way to a satisfying appetizer. I also love that the cheese is a little stringy and firm, even after I've cooked it.

I'll definitely be repurchasing Trader Joe's mini cheeseburgers.

First Impression: I was excited to try Trader Joe's mini cheeseburgers, especially since they came with their own sauce.

The bun got a little hard when I air-fried it at 350 degrees for seven minutes, but I'm not holding it against the cheeseburgers. If I'd prepared them in a microwave, I'm sure the bun would've been light and fluffy. 

Review: This is another item I'll buy more of. The bread was good, the meat was perfectly seasoned, and the cheese tied everything together.

Honestly, I'd choose these over a McDonald's patty any day. Even the sweet-and-tangy burger sauce was delicious. I only hope Trader Joe's will consider including more cheeseburgers in the box one day. 

In the end, the mozzarella-cheese bites were the winner.

Overall, there are a variety of respectable contenders for the perfect appetizer. Almost all of the Trader Joe's foods I tried would require little to no oversight while cooking and would give any host more time to chat with guests.

But in the end, Trader Joe's mozzarella-cheese sticks came out on top. Not only are the cheese sticks a classic choice for any party but they're also easy to eat, simple to cook, and pack a wallop. The sticks I had sorely missed a red sauce but they were still delicious even without it.

I think the spanakopita and the pastry bites with feta and onion would also satisfy even the hungriest of guests. Both dishes had great flavors and included plenty of cheese.

The next time I'm choosing what to eat during a party, I know which appetizers I'm picking.

• My family visited Rome during the peak summer season, and it was hot and crowded.
• I wish I'd bought travel insurance for my whole family and hadn't relied on the hop-on, hop-off bus.
• We should've explored more in the morning and at night to avoid the sweltering midday heat. 

When I planned a trip to Rome for my family in late July last year, I knew it was dubious timing, and I could expect the destination to be hot and crowded.

Summer is high season in Rome, and the city saw an estimated 35 million tourists that year — a huge increase from 2022. Plus, those numbers are only predicted to go up in 2024.

But, I reasoned, what choice did I have traveling with school-aged kids bound by school vacation schedules? We went anyway, and our trip wasn't flawless — but I definitely learned a lot.

Here's my first and best tip, unfiltered: If you can, avoid Rome in the high season when landmarks are packed shoulder to shoulder, rates are expensive, and it's extremely hot.

If you go anyway like I did, preparation is key to a successful, comfortable trip that's memorable for the right reasons.

Here are my five top takeaways to help you enjoy your stay.

Just get the travel insurance

Our trip got off to a rough start when my son got sick and couldn't travel as scheduled. Unfortunately, I only had a travel insurance policy for myself, not my whole family.

That meant my daughter and I traveled to Rome without my husband and son, and we spent hours working the phones to get them rebooked for the following day when my son was well enough to fly.

In the high season, this medically necessary reshuffling cost us a small fortune, sending us way over budget right off the bat and setting a stressful tone to the trip.

When I returned home, I bought a policy that covers all four named members of our family for an annual term, and I'll never travel without one again.

Sit out the midday heat indoors

Rome is beyond hot in the high season, with regular highs in the 80s and 90s Fahrenheit. (Fortunately, we missed the historic heat wave the previous week that actually forced the closure of certain European landmarks for safety.)

Try to stay indoors during the excruciating midday heat — ideally in a place with air conditioning. The best option is to plan to explore as much as possible in the cooler early mornings and evenings.

Fortunately, many top attractions are open at night, including the Colosseum, which has lighting installed to make it glow. Unfortunately, we positively baked in the sun here during our daytime tour.

One thing we did right was visit Rome's catacombs at midday. I'd read it's a great thing to do during the heat because it's always cooler underground, and it was indeed a wonderful reprieve from the heat.

Spring for the pre-opening tour at the Vatican to avoid crowds

To that end, if the Vatican is on your list of must-visit landmarks in Rome, I'd strongly advise you to pay extra and book a pre-opening tour. These allow you to visit before the crowds come after the official opening time.

You can avoid the midday heat, and you might have a more spiritual experience if you're not being jostled by crowds of people wielding selfie sticks.

Book everything well in advance

Don't wing your trip during Rome's high season.

Plan to book all your tours well in advance of your travel dates — months ahead, if possible — otherwise, you'll likely find them all sold out when you try to find last-minute bookings.

If it helps, you can filter for tours with generous cancellation policies when you search on platforms like Viator.

Manage your expectations for the hop-on, hop-off bus system

After a wonderful solo experience riding the hop-on, hop-off bus in the springtime in London, I had high hopes that this mode of transportation would be a great option for our family in Rome.

Unfortunately, our bus moved achingly slow — so much so that we were a half hour late for our Colosseum tour (which we would've had to forfeit had it not been semiprivate with a forgiving guide).

Plus, the air conditioning felt tragically ineffective as we sat in traffic for hours. It was hardly the scenic delight I had hoped for, and I'll know not to depend on it for the next trip.

• Deborah Szekely, 102, still works at the wellness resort she co-founded in 1940.
• Szekely shared her secrets to longevity including daily walks and having no regrets. 
• Her healthy habits are backed up by research. 

At 102, Deborah Szekely still works three days a week at the health resort she cofounded over 80 years ago.

Szekely opened Rancho La Puerta in Baja California, Mexico, with her late husband in June 1940. She doesn't see her age as a reason to change, she told Women's World in May.

"When nature says, 'You got to stop Deborah,' Deborah will stop. Until then, she'll keep going," she told CNBC Make It on June 28.

While how long a person lives depends partly on luck and genetics, certain lifestyle choices can extend our healthspan — or how long into our lives we're healthy and active.

Given that more people are living to 100 than ever before — the number of Americans aged 100 and over is projected to more than quadruple in the next 30 years, according to Pew Research Center — it's easy to see why longevity is a buzzy topic.

Szekely, who has structured her lifestyle to stay healthy, shared four tips on how others can do the same.

Do 'good old-fashioned' exercise

Szekely believes that "good old-fashioned" exercise is a key part of staying healthy, Barrons reported in April.

"The specific type of exercise doesn't matter; what matters is that you're pushing yourself enough to feel it, getting your heart rate up, and breaking a sweat. If you get really huffy puffy, you're doing a good job," Szekely said.

One 2019 study published in The BMJ found that people who were sedentary for 9.5 hours a day were about twice as likely to die early than those who did the most exercise, but any physical activity, regardless of intensity, was linked with a lower risk of dying from any cause.

Szekely walks at least a mile each day, which she likes to do in local parks, she told Women's World.

Eat healthily

Szekely is against fad diets and believes that food is a "way of life," she told Barrons. Dietitian Elena Paravantes previously told Business Insider that making gradual changes to your diet is the best way to start eating healthily.

Szekely has been a pescatarian since childhood and tries to eat "as fresh as possible," growing much of her own food on the ranch's farm.

Her daily breakfast consists of bananas and yogurt, according to Women's World, but she doesn't shy away from the occasional treat — her favorite is coffee ice cream.

BI previously reported on a 2020 study that found eating mostly plant-based whole foods is linked to lower blood pressure and a lower risk of heart disease.

Stay positive and have no regrets

"The world has tons of problems, and you can't do anything about them," Szekely told Women's World. "When you worry, you add to the problems. By not worrying, you subtract from the problems."

She also doesn't believe in looking back, she told CNBC. "That's a total waste of time. You can't do anything about it, it's done," she said.

Instead, she tries to reframe everything in a positive light and always look ahead, moving on from things she can't fix, she told Barrons.

Research suggests that a positive mindset and a tendency to look for silver linings are common traits of centenarians.

Get involved in the community

"Community survival is absolutely vital to longevity. The health and happiness of our neighbors are not only important; they are a requirement. Without the health of the things surrounding you, it's hard to be healthy," Szekly told Barrons.

A 2021 meta-analysis of studies published in Frontiers in Psychology found a link between having a support network and living longer. A 2024 study by researchers at Purdue University, Indiana, meanwhile, found links between positive relationships and longevity, and the ability to continue doing daily tasks such as walking, climbing stairs, or carrying groceries.