Marta, tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m a creative, artistic, entrepreneurial, driven businesswoman. I love living here in the Grand Lagoon and since moving into Martinique six years ago, I’ve had a personal interest in helping build, develop, and evolve the Grand Lagoon community into its full potential. The Grand Lagoon is a special enclave to me and living here is all about nature and outdoor living at its finest. I launched a media company, Grand Lagoon Life, in June of 2017 and have enjoyed a slow, steady growth for the past three-and-a-half years. At a certain point, probably sometime in the past year, I took a 30-thousand-foot view at what I was doing with this magazine, all the social media, videos and live events, and the realization hit me that Grand Lagoon Life really isn’t so much of a place as it truly is a lifestyle. People come here for that easy-going lifestyle… days filled with being outside in nature. Being a part of a small community where everybody knows your name. Maybe they’ve left a corporate job in the city, or they’ve relocated here following retirement. They are ready to live the easy, breezy, beach life now. My new web-based show, Grand Lagoon Life, is a little “slice of life” in the Grand Lagoon. I am the host, and I interview local residents, business owners and entrepreneurs on what life here is all about. This is a passion project that I’ve had in the works for a while.
Tell us about your family.
I live with my sweet hubby Jimmy and kids Leo, 15 and a sophomore at Arnold High School, and Cruz, also 15 and a freshman at Arnold. We have three cats and the household is always busy! My sister Liz lives right up the street with her family – she’s my best friend, and the reason I relocated here from Los Angeles once upon a time – to be closer to the family.
Tell us about your current, past, or future career.
In Los Angeles for 18 years I worked at ad agencies, large and small, and later launched a catering & event production business which I ran for the last ten years. Upon moving to Panama City Beach in 2004 I first worked at the Panama City Beach Chamber as Director of Communications for nine years, then jumped over to Harley-Davidson of PCB as their Director of Marketing & Events for four years. By that time the entrepreneur in me was ready to roll again, so I left Harley and went into business for myself in June 2017.
What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
Firefly’s Caesar salad, Grand Marlin’s tuna tartar, C-Level’s prime rib, Juan Taco’s for a good taco or shrimp quesadilla.
Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
That’s hard – I meet a lot of interesting people every week through interviews and events. The most interesting person to me probably didn’t take the road more traveled. I love meeting young adults and asking them about their aspirations, and why. Oftentimes I learn a lot of new things from the world’s future leaders.
What advice do you have for us?
It’s possible to manifest nearly any dream if you believe in it and can envision it. The old saying is so true: “Whether you think you can – or think you can’t – you’ll be right.”
What is something on your bucket list?
To own a sangria bar on St. George Street in St. Augustine.
What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
Out in L.A. I catered a fiesta party for Fran Drescher in her Malibu home. Her friends and family were SO NICE! As my crew was getting ready to wrap it up and leave, the whole party stood and applauded us.
