SoWal Scene - South Walton County, Florida Blog

Business in South Walton - Starbucks closing in Rosemary Beach & WaterColor - Say it ain't so!

A few weeks ago, Olivier mentioned he had been hearing rumors that the Starbucks at Rosemary Beach AND WaterColor were slated to close as part of a major downsizing the company was undertaking in response to the sluggish U.S. economy.  Alas, the rumors were laid to rest a few days ago.  Starbucks released a list of 616 company-owned U.S. stores to be closed and - gulp - Rosemary Beach and WaterColor are on the list.

When Olivier first told me the rumor, my initial response at the time was something like...

"Aaaahhh...well, that is the stupidest rumor I've heard in a long time, my love!  Geesh."

My denial had kicked in - I'm an unashamed brand snob and Starbucks is right up there for me - their Café Americano is my absolute favorite coffee drink in the world - and Starbucks at WaterColor as it is an adorable location and really convenient for me as they have lots of parking and outdoor seating, making it a practical place to meet friends or clients.  My denial skewed my rationale on this matter, looking something like this: 

• Rationale: Every time I stopped in at either location, there were customers, sometimes in a line that went out the door! 
  Truth: OK OK - that was usually only up until around noon but when they were busy, they were busy!
  
• Rationale: Both stores are in some of the best "prime" South Walton commercial locations on Scenic 30A!  Most businesses would love to be in those spots! 
  Truth:  30A commercial lease prices are unjustifiably as high as some major metropolitan areas around the country, thanks to the run up in real estate pricing a few years ago which is still adjusting itself.
  
• Rationale: I'm sure they had put a chunk of change into renovations and space costs.  Why would they close down and lose their past, and future, investment?
  Truth: It's either close 616 company-owned stores now or die.  Plus, they can always re-enter the market in the future (which they will).

So, what does this tell us about the state of the economy - not only in South Walton - but the country at large?

The Battle of the Bikini Line at The Aesthetic Clinique

Hangups - we all have 'em.  And if you say you don't?  Sorry - you are either a narcissist or you are lying.  Hangups are just part of the human condition - nothing to be ashamed of here.  If it's not your cottage cheese legs, it's your bald spot, your crooked teeth, your hairy back, your bulbous nose, your junk-in-the-trunk butt, your frizzy hair, your third chin, your stumpy toes ... and on and on.  If it's a body part, someone out there has a hang up about it.

I have to admit one of my biggies has always been my - ahem - outta control bikini line.  Unless you suffer from this condition, I can't explain how embarrassing this is, not to mention the painful lengths one must go to in order to manage and hide the overgrowth if a trip to the beach in a suit is going to be a possibility.  Tweezing, Epilady (that little torture device that rotates like 35 tweezers and pulls the hair out at the root), frequent waxing - all of it hurts like a MF but are the only things that actually work.  No pain, no gain as they say.  And forget shaving - the in-grown hairs and razor bumps are not only terribly unsightly, they have a host of their own issues like infection (I know, it's horrid).

Needless to say, when I heard The Aesthetic Clinique (850.622.1214) - a boutique medi-spa with two locations, one at Redfish Village and the other at Rosemary Beach - had moved to South Walton and offered Laser Hair Removal, I was absolutely overjoyed!   I had always considered electrolysis but laser is so much quicker!  And I thought if I could use the Epilady on my bikini line without screaming or crying, a few quick laser treatments would be a piece of cake.  I saved up for 4 treatments (note 6 is recommended) and made my appointment. 

So, what was my experience like?

Adieu - The Gourd Garden Courtyard Shop in Rosemary Beach

The Gourd Garden Courtyard Shop will be closing its doors on April 15.  Owner Randy Harelson and Manager Sheila Kelley wish to thank their many wonderful customers for five years of patronage.

Please stop by the Courtyard Shop for your last Gourd Garden shopping before April 15, and make your purchases at significant discounts.

Good luck in all your future endeavors Randy and Sheila!  SoWal will miss you!

The Gourd Garden Courtyard Shop is located at 66 Main Street in Rosemary Beach [map].  Phone is 850.534.0070.

5th Annual Torre Rosa Benefit to be held on April 26

The 5th annual Torre Rosa benefitting the South Walton Montessori Academy will be April 26, 2008 from 6:00 to 9:30 PM on St. Augustine Park in Rosemary Beach. The theme this year is a good old fashioned barbeque, with great local music by Dread Clampitt & dancing under the moon! Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q will be catering and we’ll have a cash bar (wine and beer). Tickets are $75 each. We’ll also have a silent auction and are getting lots and lots of great stuff! Order your tickets securely online by clicking the button below or by calling 850-231-5955.

The South Walton Montessori Academy, Inc. is a 501(c)(3), not for profit, private school in Walton County Florida, currently located in Rosemary Beach, FL.  The schools serves children from 18 months through 6th grade.  Your generous support of the school is sincerely appreciated.

Cowgirl Kitchen - Giddy Up

Olivier, the boys and I finally made it over to Cowgirl Kitchen for some dinner last Thursday night.  Nikki Nickerson (see picture below), owner of Cowgirl and real estate agent with the Nickerson Group/Keller Williams-Seagrove, recently moved the restaurant from the Grand Isles in Seagrove to Main Street in Rosemary Beach. 

As the saying goes, "Location. Location. Location." and Nikki has seen an exponential increase in business since re-opening earlier this month.  Situated in the town center on the south side of 30A, the restaurant is in a prime location near Courtyard Wine & Cheese, Tracery Interiors and Onano Neighborhood Cafe.

A small space, the place was packed when arrived at around 6pm but we  were able to saddle up to the bar to eat.  Nikki has done a great job of conveying the "Beach Meets West" theme in her new location and has some great Texas-themed decor hanging on the walls.  There is a large bar and several tabletops with red leather banquette seating against one wall as well as a few tables outside.  It's a great bar - they offer 6 different beers on tap - I had a icy cold Sam Adam's which I haven't had in eons - as well as wine, bloody mary's, mimosas and frozen toddies.  You can order chips, cheese sauce, guac and/or salsa if you just want to wet the whistle instead of staying for dinner.

Time to hit the gym

It was that time of year again for me recently - time for the dreaded annual physical.  Now, I knew going in that I am not in top condition.  I turned 37 last year and I have noticed little things starting to fall apart - body parts appear to be sagging in a whole new way, my skin seems to have lost some of that youthful glow, recovery after a big meal or a night of wine drinking with friends is longer, and, most noticeably, my clothes began to shrink. 

But even my awareness of these things didn't prepare me for the news that I now weigh as much as I did when I was pregnant with my second son, Luc - and he was an 8lb, 8oz bundle of joy at birth.  OMG.

Not one to mull around after receiving shocking news, I took immediate action and joined a gym.  There are a few gyms in SoWal and I did a little homework before making the decision to join Grayton Beach Fitness.