SoWal Scene - South Walton County, Florida Blog

SoWal Scene Q & A - Lauren Romano of Heartworks Kids

If there really are angels amongst us, local resident and one of my dearest friends, Lauren Romano, is one of them.  I caught up with Lauren recently online to ask her about her new venture called Heartworks Kids.  Read on, folks ... it truly is an amazing thing Lauren is creating in our community.

How long have you lived in South Walton?  Where did you move from?

Our family has been here for about 5 years now. After living in Boulder, Colorado for 17 years we decided to make the move to the beach.

Why South Walton?

We had heard about this area for a long time and planned a trip to travel from Panama City to Gulf Shores eight summers ago. When we came across South Walton...we fell in love.

A year later we came on vacation again with our first born. Before we left, we put a contract on a cute little Florida beach house. We were crying as we drove to the airport, our hearts were heavy, this place was really getting to us. My husband and I would find every excuse to come for a visit over the next two years.

Then in Aug of '03 we said, "That's it with the rat race!" and moved down in December. People thought we were crazy, but we didn't care. Florida had captured our souls and we never looked back. I think my husband would agree that it was the best decision we ever made.

Tell us all about Heartworks Kids. Where did the inspiration come from to start it?

SoWal Scene Q & A - Tom Losee of Sun Landscape and YOLO Boards

I recently caught up with local resident, outdoor enthusiast, and entrepreneur Mr. Tom Hottie ... um (blush blush)....I mean Mr. Tom Losee ... for a SoWal Scene Q & A.  Enjoy!

How long have you been in South Walton?  Where did you move from?

I moved here six years ago from Hattiesburg, MS.

Why South Walton?

Why not?!  My love for the water attracted me to South Walton.  I grew up in Long Island and as a result I was always surrounded by a diversity of water from the Atlantic Ocean to bays and harbors. 

When I first came here I immediately felt at home.  And the weather is amazing.  I think the best part of living in the southeast is the southern hospitality and the people.  There really is no other place like it.

You own a landscaping company AND a paddle board company – YOLO Boards.  You are a busy man!  Please tell us about both.

I opened my landscaping business, Sun Landscape, 10 years ago in Hattiesburg.  My main motivation for opening Sun Landscape was my natural love of the outdoors.  I have always aspired to be the kind of entrepreneur that has fun while making a living at the same time – to turn a hobby into one’s vocation. 

After a few years, our company started to secure jobs around the southeast and this is how I discovered South Walton.  We always joke that the consensus of the crews was that they loved digging in the sand as opposed to the red clay! 

YOLO Board is a hybrid-style stand-up paddle board (SUP) company that I co-founded two years ago with my business partner, Jeff Archer.  The roots of SUP have evolved over the years from a traditional surfing water sport to a more soulful and versatile recreational means so that all fitness levels can enjoy time on the water from an entirely new perspective – anywhere – anytime. 

Our company is currently experiencing a significant growth mode as a result of the international SUP movement.  Many magazines have touted stand-up paddling as the fastest growing water sport in the world.  We see great things on the horizon for YOLO and we couldn’t be more excited. 

Is your background in landscaping?

No, I actually grew up in an advertising and publishing family.  My father was at one time the publisher of Architectural Digest and my grandfather was a pioneer back in the early advertising days of New York City.  I received my B.A. in Art History from Duke University and after college started out working in the advertising industry in New York City. 

I caught the entrepreneurial bug at an early age and decided to open my first business called Hub City Coffee Company in 1994 and, after spending several years in the coffee business, I founded Sun Landscape in 1998.  Today we have over 20 employees and manage commercial and residential maintenance accounts between Pensacola and Panama City.

Recent Celebrity Sightings in South Walton

[Faith Hill & Tim McGraw] were seen at WaterSound.

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[Jason Castro - from American Idol] was seen at The Red Bar in Grayton Beach.

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[Lovebirds Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson] were seen all over South Walton.

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[Jim Cantore of the Weather Channel] broadcast live from Alys Beach and spent a few days there for some R&R.

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SoWal Scene Q & A - Peter Stoddard on The State of The Market - Spring/Summer 2008

Peter Stoddard, Broker Associate, RSPS®, GRI® - Sunburst Group at Davis Properties, Seaside | www.sunburstgroup.com |  850-585-7332 (cell) - 850-231-0360 x 45 (office) | pete@sunburstgroup.com

Peter, how do you think the increase in gas prices may or may not affect this year's season for rentals and real estate sales?

We own a rental house in Seagrove and a condo in Destin.  Both are more heavily booked for summer and fall than in any previous year, and they each booked up further in advance than ever.  (Following the 2004-2005 storm years rental guests continued to come, but they tended to wait longer before reserving.  That no longer appears to be the norm.)  The agencies that manage our properties also advise that advance reservations for the 2008 season are at record high levels across the board.  Only time will tell if we see any cancellations due to prohibitively higher gas prices.

Two weeks ago I was trying to arrange for our family of 4 a short notice June "house swap" with a family in Chicago.  In our second day of discussions we re-checked airfares, only to find they had spiked by over $120 per ticket overnight.  We researched further to see if some advance booking deadline had lapsed, but the increased fares applied to travel in July & August as well, and they applied to all airlines serving any of our nearby airports.  Fuel prices obviously impact air travel too, and in this case we nixed our "non-budgeted" trip due to increased ticket costs.

I have heard things in the real estate market specifically are picking up - thoughts? 

SoWal Scene Q & A - John David Sullivan on The State of the Market-Spring/Summer 2008

I asked several of the top local Broker/Real Estate Associates to opine on the current real estate climate in South Walton and how they think the current state of the economy and gas prices may, or may not, affect our season this year.

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John David Sullivan, Co-Owner/Realtor® of Beach Properties of Florida in Grayton Beach | www.beachpropertiesofflorida.com |  850-376-7778 (cell) - 850-534-3006 (office) | jd@beachpropertiesofflorida.com

John David, how do you think the increase in gas prices may or may not affect this year's season for rentals and real estate sales?

It is hard to believe gas prices are where they are today.  I filled up my Tahoe this morning (I know, not the most fuel efficient vehicle) and it cost me $90.00.  Are you serious?  But you know what, you deal with it.  What choice do I have?  Until I have my own personal gas well in my back yard at WaterColor, I am just going to have to deal with it.

When it comes to traveling this summer, how will that $90.00 tank of gas affect the road warriors?   One thought is that Americans will not give up their love affair for the road.  Three out of four adults say they plan on taking a road trip this year; however 66% of those people are likely to take a shorter trip than originally planned due to the gas situation.  Road travelers are used to traveling long days and experiencing many different locations along their way. 

In my opinion these are the trips that will be most affected.  The family that loads everyone up in the family truckster (including grandma) and heads out west to see the glory land, may still do that but instead of ten days it is five days and instead of making it to Colorado they make it to Iowa.

People are also more hesitant today to take advantage of the friendly skies, basically because they are not friendly anymore (were they ever really friendly?  I remember stories of beautiful flight attendants and actual sandwiches on planes, now you are lucky to get a bag of peanuts from a service woman not too happy about being there.)  Growing concerns about the airline industry will drive travelers to take to the road again this year.

So there will be people on the road this year, probably more than in the past, but they are more aware of the costs today and will be frugal when deciding where to go and for how long.

Local South Walton Resident Tim Yandell is Running for School Board

Disclaimer *This post is for informational purposes only - SoWal Scene is not affiliated with and is not claiming to be for or against any candidates currently running for office*

I cannot tell a lie - I know very little about the political climate in South Walton.  There are no excuses so I won't throw any out there for sympathy but I have made the commitment to learn all about it this year.  It's an election year, no better time to dive in.

That said, what little bit I do know, I understand that South Walton is very under-represented in all sectors of the county government.  So I have decided to give all South Walton residents running for future positions an opportunity to have a voice on SoWal Scene.  And I'm starting with Santa Rosa Beach resident Tim Yandall who is running for the Walton County School Board. 

Without further ado, I turn the forum over to Mr. Yandell. 

"Living in South Walton (Santa Rosa Beach) has allowed me the opportunity to interact with parents and citizens South of the Bay.  Since District 1 runs from the Southwestern corner of the county to North of Red Bay there is a substantial difference in the needs of the North end and South end of the district.  Being a graduate of Freeport High School but residing South of the bay I have the distinct advantage of understanding this diversity and how the differing attitudes can be balanced to form a combined, objective outlook. 

My family has been in this area for many generations.  My children are the 5th generation to attend Bay Elementary.  An advantage of living in this area for so long is seeing the changes that have gone on throughout the years. 

In the past, there were no schools located in South Walton causing an unbalanced arrangement of geographic political boundaries.  South Walton represents nearly 1/3 of the voting populace of Walton County while only having the potential to elect 2 school board members.  Now we are seeing the South Walton area grow at a surprising rate, which requires a person that has the education, experience and drive to readily adapt to those changes while understanding the values of different subcultures in both areas.

SoWal Scene Q & A - Chris Sennett of Opici Import Company

Chris Sennett and his lovely wife, Lucy, are local South Walton esidents and busy professionals.  Chris works for Opici Import Company, a wine distributor based in New Jersey, and Lucy is a professional singer who performs all around the Emerald Coast.  I caught up with Chris for this week's SoWal Scene Q & A.

Thanks for doing this week’s SoWal Scene Q & A with me, Chris!  

You aren’t from South Walton originally – where did you move from and how long have you guys been here?

Grew up in France and have been coming to the Panhandle since I was 15. Lived in Pensacola just before moving to Walton County over 10 years ago.

Why did you choose South Walton?

It made sense for my work since this was a growing area so I wouldn’t have to burn so many miles to and from Pensacola. I also thought it was a very cool area, quiet and beautiful.

You and I share a similar interest – wine!  When and where did your passion for the grape start?

My family was actually in the business. My grandparents had vineyards in Algeria that was then a French possession. So wine has always been a tradition in the family. The not so serious explanation is that I fell in a barrel as a kid and so it has been in my blood ever since. :)

SoWal Scene Q & A - Romance/Erotica Author Michael Ferguson

Having lived in many cities around the country in my 37 years, I have had the pleasure of meeting people from all walks of life, from all parts of the world, and from all different professions.  Recently, not in some big metropolitan city but here, in our little slice of paradise, I had the incredible fortune to cross paths with a gentleman who writes romance/erotica novels - now that was a first for me.  Cool!

Michael Ferguson, author of My Space Her Space - Love Found on The Pages of MySpace, is a recent transplant to the Beaches of South Walton.  A few years ago, life offered him a bitter pill.  As he shares on his website, his wife of almost 20 years pursued, and was granted, a divorce he did not want.  Instead of  letting the devastating experience stop him cold in his tracks, he somehow found clarity and courageously channeled his emotions into a passionate, steamy novel which he recently had published.  WOW ... a very inspiring story to say the least.  His book is now on sale at Sundog Books in Seaside, Barnes and Noble Online and Amazon.com.  Attention ladies ... this is a great beach read! 

I caught up with Michael online for this week's SoWal Scene Q &A.  Welcome to paradise, Michael!

You are a recent transplant to South Walton – where did you move from and when?

I moved to Seagrove Florida in January of this year from South Louisiana.

ZOË Magazine - Women Celebrating Life on the Emerald Coast

Ooooohh...another lifestyle magazine is coming to the Emerald Coast this summer....another positive medium to celebrate people, business and life in general!  This is music to my ears.

Called ZOË Magazine, Owner/Publisher Mary Ann Rundo and her family had vacationed here for over 10 years when they decided to pack it up in Ohio and move here permanently a few years ago.  Mary Ann's decision to start ZOË (I LOVE this) was born out of her passion for the area (hmmm...sounds familiar).  In Mary Ann's words: "The allure of the Gulf Coast is too rich to describe in a few words and that's why I wanted to launch ZOË Magazine - expressly for women; I wanted to somehow capture all that appealed to me and my family here and bring it out to all of you."

"From 1978 Dateless Geek to 2008 Prom King..."

As you may have noticed, I have been posting information on the campaigns of the those that have been nominated for Prom King and Queen for this year's fundraiser for the Seaside Rep.

To bring you up to speed, the Seaside Repertory Theatre holds an annual themed ball fund-raiser and this year the theme is going to be "The Prom".  Six women and six men have been nominated for Prom Queen and King and all are spearheading their own fund-raising campaigns as the King and Queen who raise the most money will be crowned.  You can read all the fine details about it HERE.

I received an email yesterday from JD and Kate Johnson of Beach to Bayou Property Inspections about one of the King candidates, Ed Walborsky.  Mr. Walborsky has created his own website (www,78prom.com) for his cause which I think deserves special consideration.  Not only does creating a website show a noteworthy dedication to the task at hand, but the website itself is absolutely hysterical!  Make sure you watch the videos!  Great job, Ed!

Marla and Shane Photographers in Redfish Village

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting someone yesterday I really hope to see more often - Marla Carter, of Marla and Shane Photography in Redfish Village (Blue Mountain Beach). 

I needed a head shot for business purposes and Marla graciously accepted my request, although her specialty is children's and teen photography.  Marla is not only one of those magnetic people whom conversation with just comes very naturally - like you've known them for a while - but she and Shane are gifted photographers whose talents are going to make them superstars in their field. 

Look at this photo she got out of me!!

Fonville Press Design Wins Architecture Award

Alys Beach, Florida - Local architects Erik Vogt and Marieanne Khoury-Vogt received a 2008 Palladio Award for their design of Fonville Press, a popular coffee shop, newsstand and wine bar located on Scenic 30A in Alys Beach.

The design captured the award for “Commercial, Institutional & Public Projects – New Design & Construction – Less Than 30,000 Square Feet.”

“We were told that the judges were especially excited to recognize and give an award to a project with such a relatively small retail design,” said Marieanne Khoury-Vogt. Fonville Press’ interior measures roughly 650 square feet.

Billie Gaffrey Chosen as ArtsQuest 20th Anniversary Poster Winner

The Cultural Arts Association is proud to announce that the ArtsQuest 20th anniversary poster contest winner is Billie Gaffrey, a self-taught, award-winning artist and Walton County resident.  Gaffrey’s poster was chosen from over twenty submissions by other local and regional artists.

Gaffrey says she was thrilled when she learned she had been chosen, especially in ArtsQuest’s twentieth year.  “I’ve been a part of ArtsQuest for many years, she says, “For my work to be represented during the twentieth anniversary is a real honor.”

SoWal Scene Q & A - Kelli Arnold, Events Coordinator at Alys Beach

Wow, what a job - organizing events for an affluent, exclusive beach resort community.  That is exactly what Kelli Arnold does as Events Coordinator for Alys Beach.  It's gotta be exciting, especially considering Alys Beach is garnering much deserved national acclaim which, I'm sure, will position them to attract some big time talent and to host some incredible events.  I caught up with Kelli online for this week's SoWal Scene Q and A.  Enjoy!

Thanks for doing the Q & A, Kelli!  Why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself – how long have you been in the area, where are you from, that kind of thing.

I lived in southern California until I was twelve.  Then, moved to Hoover , AL and on to Tuscaloosa , AL where I graduated from the University of Alabama .  I moved to the area six years ago next month!

You work at Alys Beach – what do you do?

I am lucky enough to coordinate the events on property.

How long have you been with them?

I just celebrated two years with Alys Beach!

Do you expect a busy season at Alys this season? 

Spring has already sprung!  Alys Beach has all sorts of fun activities going on this year – from an Earth Day Celebration to a classic style beach party to sandcastle building lessons, a visual arts festival…the list just goes on!

Celebrity Sighting

Just got word that Sheryl Crow was not only spotted at the Red Bar last night, but that she jumped on stage with Dread Clampitt to sing a tune!

Ms. Crow owns a home in Grayton Beach.