Visitors to paradise survive monsoon

Sally Powell, and Ashley and Brett Wheeler came from Birmingham and Summer Wheeler from Tallahassee last weekend, just in time for monsoon season in paradise.

I saw Lane Rees and Ada Barnes last Thursday night at the new restaurant Paradis in Rosemary Beach.

Lane also hosted some friends from Minnesota last week.

Alan Powdermaker, Laura Gerard, and Charles and Cookie Siskin were at the grand opening of Magnolia Residence Inn last Friday night in Seacrest Beach.

Phillip and Brenda Nunnery were on their fifth annual trek to Spring Training in Celebration, Fla., last weekend with their daughter Camille, and Andy and Lacy Bonjean of Seagrove Beach. They were joined by Mike and Valerie Thompson of Destin. They were watching the Braves lose to the Yankees when they heard a sonic boom and witnessed the space shuttle returning to Earth's atmosphere on its way to landing at Cape Canaveral. The game came to a stop as everyone in the stadium was thrilled with this magnificent site, said Brenda.

Marti Schmidt is relaxing in Orlando with friends.

Eric Marcus' dad was here visiting him last week.

Stacy Hamilton is headed to the Blue Ridge Mountains with her mom. She wasn't sure if it was going to be a "Thelma & Louise" kind of trip or more like ‘'Laverne & Shirley hit the road." Keep us posted on that.

Gale Culling and Demetrius Fuller just returned from Grand Cayman along with her daughter and grandsons. It was a lot of fun and a nice break, said Demetrius.

I hear some owners and friends at Sandestin had their second POETS society (P--- On Everything, Tomorrow's Saturday) get together March 27. Dennis and Margie Dumler hosted Jim and Susan Reddick, Doug and Bonnie McCathey, Mike and Maggie Grogan, Richard and Daphne Degaetano, Pete and Judy Seale, Jim and Laura Bocchinni, Michele Argo, Becky Bruce, Walter Yeager and Ralph and Robbie Carroll. The POETS society meets every other week to solve the world's problems.

Bud ‘n Alley's new Pizza Bar opened last weekend. Everyone said it was great.

Bert Summerville is opening a small boutique art gallery in Seaside behind Quincy called the Back Door Gallery. She will begin by featuring one artist at a time, with Rolland being her first, with paintings and some sculpted pieces he has done. She hopes to have it up and running by the first Friday in April.

Bert's vision is for a chic New York-type gallery that will be accessed through the toy store and also from the parking lot out back, thus the name, the Back Door gallery. She is planning a grand opening Easter or Memorial Day.

Singer Reed Waddle has some good things cooking. He opened for The All American Rejects last weekend at the Taylor Haugen benefit and he received an e-mail from his buddy, John Oates, inviting him to open for his legendary band Hall and Oates at the Pensacola Civic Center tomorrow, April 5. Reed said he is excited about the opportunity.

Reed will also be hitting the road in April, with stops in Louisville, Atlanta, Nashville, New York City, and Boston. Visit his Web site www.reedwaddle.com for tour dates and local gigs.

Happy birthday today to former artist of the year Justin Gaffrey and Dr. Steve Weiner.

Tomorrow to Kay Skibbe.

Tuesday to my precious first born, Ashley Wheeler.

Wednesday to Leslie Bumpas.

And Thursday to Rebecca Job and Traci Stokes.

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