Insider Today: Skip the supplements

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Welcome back and happy Taylor Swift album weekend! The singer's rollout strategy for "The Tortured Poets Department" — releasing zero singles and barely promoting — is a true power move.

Now, let's dive into this week's top stories.

On the agenda:

• "The Tortured Poets Department" won't be Swift's biggest money-maker this year.

• Sorry, but Alex Garland isn't going to dumb down "Civil War" for you.

• Michael Pollan says to skip the supplements and grab this one vegetable instead.

• Some things are really hard to get, even if you're really rich.

But first: Stay close to home this summer.

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This week's dispatch

Get into destination dupes

Are you sick of high prices to travel to your favorite destination across the pond? Well, you're not alone.

According to Expedia, one of the biggest trends of 2024 is destination dupes — places where you can travel for way less. With inflation still pinching consumers and airline ticket prices rising thanks to the Boeing controversy, travelers are looking for more cost-effective ways to see the world.

Want a taste of Scandinavia? Trek to Solvang, a quaint town in California founded by Danish-American settlers. That's reflected in the town's architecture, which includes a replica of the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, among other things that make the town feel far from home.

If you'd rather traipse through the tulips in the Netherlands, try visiting Mount Vernon, Washington, instead. The northwestern city hosts the largest tulip festival in the US. Close your eyes, and you might feel you're walking among the Dutch.

Swift's album won't be her biggest money-maker

Taylor Swift dropped her new album, "The Tortured Poets Department," on Friday, and it's almost guaranteed to be a bestseller. But that doesn't mean it'll make her most of her money this year.

Instead, the remaining leg of her Eras Tour — kicking off in Paris next month and running through December — is expected to be what contributes most to her fortune.

Inside Swift's earnings this year.

Also read:

• Taylor Swift's new album rollout strategy shows she's too big to fail

• Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' is the messiest, horniest, and funniest album she's ever made

Alex Garland talks "Civil War"

Garland's new movie, a take on America's political landscape, has garnered criticism for not explaining the root of the conflict at the center of the film. The warring parties' ideologies aren't clear, either.

Some viewers see this omission as apolitical and ambiguous. But Garland told BI he doesn't want to correct people; he wants them to make them think, question, and feel.

Read our interview with Garland.

Also read:

• Kyle MacLachlan's first-ever film role was a spectacular flop. He got the last laugh.

Broccoli > supplements

Michael Pollan, the author of "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and "In Defense of Food," told BI it's "much better" to get nutrients from food than supplements.

Broccoli, in particular, can provide tons of health-boosting benefits. It's great for improving circulation and blood flow, and can help prevent several age-related diseases.

Why Pollan loves broccoli.

Also read:

• Taking too much of these 4 popular supplements can be dangerous, a toxicologist warns

• 2 foods Michael Pollan always buys organic to reduce his exposure to harmful chemicals

Good luck getting your hands on these items

As it turns out, money can't buy everything — some products require more than just a thick wallet.

Getting a membership at Augusta National Golf Club, for example, is a challenge regardless of one's net worth. The same is true for scoring a table at Rao's in New York City, or procuring a brand-new Hermès Birkin bag.

Five status symbols money alone can't buy.

Also read:

• Stop thinking your expensive watch is an investment, says Rolex boss

• 4 Hermès Birkin collectors cracked the code to getting their hands on the coveted bag

"The Circle": The new season of Netflix's reality competition series has an AI twist.

• "The Jinx Part 2": HBO's new docuseries revisits the story of convicted killer Robert Durst, premiering nine years after that infamous hot-mic moment.

"Under the Bridge": The Hulu crime-drama starring Riley Keough and Lily Gladstone fictionalizes the chilling true story of a murdered 14-year-old girl.

See the full list.

More of this week's top reads:

• A millennial who moved to Canada shares why he wants to return to Texas.

• I used points to upgrade my teen to business class. I'm afraid he's spoiled forever.

• Patrick Mahomes is defending his "dad bod."

• The new American dream? Leaving the United States.

• A company turns former cruise ships into floating hotels — see inside its largest "floatel."

• How overwater bungalows became a luxury in the travel world.

• I'm a single mom. I date, but I don't date single dads.

• Why Munnar, a small mountain town in India, must be on your bucket list.

• It might be time to fire your real estate agent.

• Harry and Meghan's mega-deals have been mega-busts.

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