South Waltoners enjoy their travels

South Waltoners stay busy traveling about

Seaside's Brad and Holly Speight just returned from a short south Florida vacation at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo. Deep-sea fishing was the highlight of the trip, with Holly catching an 8-foot sailfish. After the photo op, he was thrown back into the ocean to enjoy his life. 

The Speights have a new neighbor in Ruskin Place retail spaces. Inspired, a gallery of paintings and wearable art, opened this month. Welcome to the neighborhood!

Albert F's in Ruskin Place reports that Susan Plessala, one of its artists, has completed a commission for all of the artwork in the newly renovated Louisiana Lagniappe in Destin. Congratulations, Susan.

The first Seaside Jazz Festival got underway last weekend and will continue this weekend with the Neville Brothers headlining.

I stopped in Modica Market on Sunday and was pleased to get a hug from Mr. Modica, Sr. He was looking well.

Moseying on around the circle to Café Rendez-vous, I encountered Anne Hunter. Good to see her again.

Rosemary Beach hosted the first Voices of the South literary reading Sunday at the Town Hall. Tom McGee, Betty and Claude Duncan, Sandy and Jerry Fisk, and Zandra Wolfgram were some of those attending.  

Mary Elizabeth Sikora of Gulf Trace and Albany, Ga., was married last weekend on the beach. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Sikora.

Marie and Ron Waters of Seagrove Beach celebrated their 40_th wedding anniversary recently. Congratulations!

On May 17 Bill and Joan Wright of Seagrove hosted the Del Sol Soiree for Shelter House, Inc. Jim Hopson won a vacation stay from Emerald Sun Properties and Patti Witbeck won a vacation stay from ResortQuest. The fundraiser was a $125 club event for Shelter House, Inc., which serves victims of domestic violence in Walton and Okaloosa counties.

A.J. and Roy Kleindolph have been in Kansas City and are traveling on to Colorado from there. They will return home to the beach at the end of June.

William Schissler and Dana Jusselin went to Atlanta last weekend to see the Eagles. Cool.

Last Wednesday night, after closing their Wine Down Wednesday wine tasting, I hear that Fire's staff topped it off with a stop by Seering's Piano Bar.

David and Lori Seering were among those enjoying a Mother's Day lunch at Criolla's, I hear. Chef Johnny says that lunch at Criolla's is going well. They are open for lunch Tuesday through Sunday, and dinner is served Tuesday through Saturday.

Twenty-eight members of the Women's Art Network enjoyed their monthly meeting at the bayside home of Becky Brodersen May 12.

Through May 30 Eileen West Gallery in Ruskin Place in Seaside, is showing the work of Janis Sawyer.

Gigi's in Rosemary Beach now hosts a lemonade stand every Saturday afternoon (weather permitting) in front of the store. Gigi's supplies the lemonade and local kids donate their time to sell it for donations benefiting the Alaqua Animal Refuge in Freeport and C.A.R.E. The lemonade is served with a strawberry twizzler straw. Greer Hirschman and Holland Wakeford volunteered last Saturday and raised $158 on its first afternoon open.

Happy birthday wishes go out to Max Goff and Dana Saffel tomorrow. I hear that Dana's is a Big "O."

Gallery Nu director Sarah Svoboda will celebrate another on Thursday.

Thank you to all of you who sent me "happy birthday" wishes last week. I really appreciate the thoughts.

Sympathy goes to Jim and Karen Tucker of Seaside in the passing of Jim's mother, Inez, who was 92. She was on the faculty at Auburn University for many years.

Also to Vince Pasquarello in the passing of his wife, Anna.

Sympathy is also expressed to Walton Sun Editor Gwen Break in the passing of her husband, Richard.

Deborah Wheeler is the arts and entertainment reporter for The Walton Sun. She may be reached at (850) 267-4555 or e-mail debbie_wheeler@link.freedom.com. Party Line Talk appears weekly in The Sun.