For locals, it's a case of so many parties, so little time
It was nice seeing Esther Kolko Saturday night at Sally's Backside enjoying Redd's cabaret performance with Lane and Brenda Rees. Esther was here from her home in San Miguel de Allende.
Lane and Brenda are readying to leave for Augusta, Ga., Lake Junaluska, and Boone, N.C., where they will continue celebrating 30 years of marriage. Lane will attend to some Methodist Foundation business along the way.
Redd said she has not spotted any celebs but was spotted as a celebrity when she stopped by Grayton Corners grocery last week. As she exited her car, two ladies in a mini van pulled up and asked if she was Redd, the singing bartender. They had seen her streaming on 30A Television.com in Kansas City.
"It was really fun to BE a celebrity sighting," said Redd.
The Kansas City folks showed up to catch her show Saturday night.
I saw Tom and Dana Saffel at Santa Rosa Beach Club's brunch on Sunday.
Jamie Lynn Spears was sighted at Destin Commons shopping with her new baby last week.
Pish Posh Patchouli's and Willow at Rosemary Beach celebrated their one-year anniversaries last weekend.
Bill Evett played last Friday night at Santa Rosa Beach Club and performs every Saturday at Courtyard Wine Bar in Rosemary Beach. Edd and Alicia Fleckenstein host wine tastings there on Saturdays between 5 and 8 p.m. The Fleckensteins just returned from visiting family in North Carolina.
Susan Lucas and Richard Stein celebrated their second wedding anniversary on Monday, also Susan's birthday.
Executives from the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans were here last week to attend the first artist reception at Ogden at WaterColor. The reception for Hunt Slonem and Richard Sexton Saturday evening was successful, according to director Eileen West. At least 300 folks attended and did a lot of buying. Congrats, Eileen!
Emerald Coast Plein Aire artists held an art show/reception at the Inn on Destin Harbor July 24. The artists have been painting along the Harbor every Sunday this summer.
Dorothy Baratta said kids continue to swamp the art classes at Quincy's at Seaside.
Quincy will do its first Abrakadoodle/Doodle beat-combining art education and music education Aug. 1.
Lisa Hinds lunched at George's at Alys Beach last week and said it was wonderful. She was commissioned to do the restaurant's artwork.
WaterColor's Mary Gay Gordon has her grandchildren for the week. They attended bug class at Imagination Station before stopping in to see Lisa at The House of Art.
Sally and David Smith's daughter (Julia Crye) and her husband and two children visited during the 4th of July week and hoped to catch a glimpse of Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo. Jessica and Tony apparently stayed at WaterColor and dined at Cafe 30-A and Bud and Alley's.
The Smiths have just finished renovation on their home. They are heading to Atlanta for the month of August to work - whatever it takes to get to continue to live here, said Sally.
Suzanne Boatright of WaterSound just returned from Chicago, visiting family and doing a little shopping while her better half, Peter, worked on advancing his pilot's knowledge.
Ladd Goodson's son, Bo, of Freeport Steel, and his wife Rachel celebrated their first wedding anniversary July 28.
Ladd's better half, Teresa, is in Birmingham visiting their grandson, Lance Wilkerson, who just celebrated his first birthday.
Mark and Robin Partington have entertained seven visiting family members recently. That's the price of living at the beach, Mark. He said he has lots of new art on the way.
Sharon Jenkins celebrated husband Ed's birthday last Wednesday at Fire's wine tasting.
The Jenkins attended a pool party last Friday night at WaterColor hosted by Barron and Nancy Strothers and Vickie and Jeff Miller. Ladie Bea and Wayne Carlisle, Ann and Jay Stone, Tom Rymer, Linda Miller, Sara Reinhart, and Bill and Sarah Sullivan were there.
On Saturday, the Jenkins attended another pool party at Bob and Irena Soper's for clams and shrimp on the barby. Jan and Joe Stanko, Jim and Brenda Radtke, Sue and Sam Borden, Joe and Betty Mustachio, Victoria Hunt, Ann Perry, Kay Raines, and Cynda Jones and other neighbors were there.
On Sunday night, the Jenkins' hosted a fish fry for Eddy and Jeannette Smith, who were here from their home in Cashiers, N.C.
So many parties, so little time.
Kay Phelan was interviewed at the recent 36th annual Covenant Hospice Telethon on Cox TV. She paid tribute her son, Brad Van Hoosear, and the excellent care he received from Hospice during the last few months before he passed away from pancreatic cancer in December at the age of 36. Her client, Destin Commons, presented a check for $5,000 to Covenant Hospice in memory of Brad. Kay brought friends Marge Hoover, who recently lost her husband to pancreatic cancer, and Gale Murray, co-owner of the Solaris, who answered phones during the telethon. The telethon was successful, raising more than $50,000.
I enjoyed meeting Kay last Thursday at Tommy Bahama's for happy hour and catching up.
I hear that Hank White is doing well after surgery on Aug. 22.
Happy birthday today to pearl-man Richard Arriaga.
Tomorrow to young Rowan Saunders turns 2. His brother, Cale, turned 13 on July 23.
Monday to wine-man Lance Greenwald, attorney Susan Von Hoene, food-guy Adam Caperton and Joe's Stacy Hamilton.
And on Thursday to CAA lady Christine Burroughs.
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. Contributions are welcome.
