Insider Today: The Hamptons of Florida
Courtesy of the Blankenship Group
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Welcome back to our Saturday edition, a rundown of our best lifestyle reads. Moms always figure it out. That was the case for Suzanne Hayes, who moved her family of three into a hotel because it was cheaper than renting and came with amenities.
On the agenda:
- J.Lo and Ben Affleck's ultra-public love story may have been their downfall.
- Fitness enthusiasts have a controversial new health hack: glucose monitors.
- How Boquete, Panama, became the go-to destination for retiring boomers.
- Gen Z women love wearing corporate-inspired clothes outside of the office.
But first: Summer never ends in Florida.
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This week's dispatch
Courtesy of the Blankenship Group
Meet the "Hamptons of the South"
A 26-mile stretch of Florida highway has been a well-kept secret for years. Now, the secret's out.
Known as 30A, it's become one of the hottest luxury travel destinations thanks to its crystal-blue water — courtesy of the Gulf of Mexico — and white sandy beaches. Sitting between popular spring break locales Destin and Panama City Beach, the 30A beaches comprise a few towns: Rosemary, Santa Rosa Beach, and Seaside.
What's attracting those looking for a vacation, and even a vacation home, is the area's reputation for being "quiet, family-oriented destinations somewhat off the beaten path," writes Business Insider's real estate reporter Dan Latu.
Since 2019, vacation-rental sites have seen an increase in bookings, and hosts can list at higher rates, climbing from $450 to $530 per night. Those wanting to stay a little longer may have noticed that median home sales have also seen a boom, according to Redfin, going from $1.1 million in July 2019 to $3 million in July 2024.
Despite the influx of interest and visitors, Kemp Stewart, a luxury rental owner who's seen 30A blow up in popularity, said that the beach towns' appeal has remained the same.
"It's stayed consistent," Kemp told BI. "This is a place for families to go on vacation and connect with one another in one of the most beautiful environments in the world."
Monica Schipper/Getty Images
Bennifer's downfall
This week, Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck after two years of marriage. The news broke six months after the release of her documentary, "The Greatest Love Story Never Told."
In the documentary, Affleck expresses reluctance and concern about the inner workings of their relationship becoming public — and it may have been the first look at the pair's undoing.
What the documentary foreshadowed.
Also read:
Getty Images; Jenny Chang-Rodriguez/BI
Contentious new health trend
Continuous glucose monitors, traditionally used by people with diabetes, have become fitness enthusiasts' hot new hack — even if they don't have the condition.
Proponents say the monitors can help people make proactive choices about their health. On the other hand, research isn't clear about exactly what certain blood sugar levels mean, so users may be operating in a scientific gray area.
Pros and cons of glucose monitors.
Also read:
Monica Humphries/Business Insider
Boquete is booming
Boquete, Panama, used to be a quiet town known for its coffee plantations and annual flower festival. For years, the town was a prime destination for Panamanians looking for a weekend escape. Then came the retirees.
American boomers have been flocking to Boquete in recent years, citing the high cost of retirement and divisive political climate in the US. In becoming one of the most popular places to retire, it's also changed drastically.
Inside the evolution of Boquete.
Also read:
Getty Images; iStock Photos; Natalie Ammari/BI
Calling all "office sirens"
Gen Zers are embracing elements of corporate attire, but they're not wearing it to the office.
Thanks to the "office siren" trend, Gen Z women are taking tailored pieces and prints like pinstripes into the streets, out to brunch, and to the club. The trend's virality is a way of asserting a claim to adulthood, and shows how blurred our personal and professional lives have become.
Fashion in the work-from-anywhere age.
Also read:
Warner Bros, BI
What we're watching this weekend
- "Horizon: An American Saga": The first chapter of Kevin Costner's western drama trilogy is hitting Max two months after it flopped at the box office.
- "Untold: The Murder of Air McNair": The latest installment of Netflix's docuseries focuses on the career of NFL quarterback Steve McNair and his shocking death in 2009.
- "Pachinko": The critically acclaimed Apple TV+ drama returns for its second season.
iStock; Rebecca Zisser/BI
Deals we love
- Skip the theater: Catch your next movie from the couch instead. Our TV-testing expert recommends these 11 items for the perfect home theater setup.
- No more night sweats: We found the three best cooling pajama sets for women to help hot sleepers chill out. Goodbye, hot and sticky nights; hello, beauty sleep.
- Labor Day mattress deals: Here on the Reviews team, we've tested a lot of mattresses — and now tons of them are on sale ahead of Labor Day.
More of this week's top reads:
- LA's hottest new club is an invite-only fitness studio.
- A mom of two describes life after moving from DC to Dubai.
- Goodbye backpacks. The cool kids are going back to school with a $155 Longchamp tote.
- Review: Staying in a bare-bones bungalow inside Kruger National Park.
- One of Oprah's former employees shares what it's like to work for her.
- A longtime expat explains her decision to move back to England.
- One local on the fight for the heart of her tourist-ridden hometown.
- Heading to Spain? Try Zaragoza instead of Barcelona.
- Five Gen Zs and millennials explain how they pay for travel.
- Pop stars are criticizing "creepy" fan behavior. Is music in its anti-fan era?
- Being less sedentary at work made one reporter worse at her job.
- Venting about mutual friends may make you more likable. It can also backfire.
- New side hustle: designing decadent dorm rooms for college kids.
The Insider Today team: 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.