Where do you live in Palm Beach County?
I have lived all over this beautiful and diverse county we’re lucky enough to call home, but I currently live in Palm Beach Gardens. My kids and I moved to Alton a few months ago, and we’re loving the old-fashioned neighborhood vibe, mixed with all of the community’s modern amenities, and convenient location.
How long have you lived here?
I’m a proud Florida Native—which means that (like our local weather) my personality is mostly sunshine…mixed with a little hurricane. I grew up in Palm Beach County, attended The Benjamin School for 14 years, and moved away after graduation to pursue higher education and my journalism career. But South Florida came calling again about 10 years ago, and I’ve been here ever since.
What do you love about living in Palm Beach County?
If you could go back and ask my teenage self if I’d be living here as an adult—and whether I’d be happy about it—I’m sure you’d have gotten a sarcastic eye roll that clearly meant: No.Way.In.Hell. But these many years later, I find that what I love most about living here is how well it suits me; how comfortable I am in my own (heavily sunblocked) skin here. I love being able to mix the glamour of Palm Beach with a laidback saltwater vibe, and then throw in the excitement of a day in Miami for work or a weekend in the Keys to blow off some steam. We’re truly in the middle of some really great stuff—from culture to sports, from food to fun—in this little slice of paradise, and there’s nowhere I’d rather be.
How many children do you have?
I’m a solo mom to three kids. My husband, Joffre, passed away in 2020 after a brutal battle with cancer.
What are their ages?
My sons are 14 and 11; my daughter is 7.
What is your job description?
As Senior Editor for lifestyle magazines Palm Beach Illustrated, Fort Lauderdale Illustrated, and Aventura Magazine, I work with a team of writers, editors, and designers to create titles that showcase the best of our local communities each month. From reviewing restaurants and vacation destinations to making editor’s picks to conducting interviews with local folks to writing long-form feature stories, I’m passionate about giving our readers just what they’re looking for (even before they know they’re looking for it). I’m also the Managing Editor of Florida Design, Florida Design Miami, and Florida Design Naples, so I get to keep my finger on the pulse of the absolute best in design and architecture (and yes, with each new issue I can’t help but mentally redecorate my own home). Additionally, I have privilege of coordinating two of our annual titles: Palm Beach Charity Register and The Palm Beach 100 which (respectively) celebrate our area’s rich philanthropic traditions, and recognize our most distinguished leaders.
What is your favorite activity to do in Palm Beach with your family?
With three kids and only one adult to coordinate the chaos, our lives are often ruled by who-has-to-be-where-at-what-time for various sports and such. But we still find time to hang by the pool, take our Wheaten Terrier to the Alton dog park, or beach it for an afternoon.
We’re Miami Dolphins season ticket holders, so football season sees us driving to Hard Rock Stadium most weekends to cheer on the ‘Fins. And if we’re not driving south to watch a game, we’re driving north to make sure we get every last drop of magic out of our Walt Disney World Annual passes.
Closer to home, it’s the little things that make life here so special. During citrus season, we love to frequent Ter Marsh Groves in Juno Beach for Florida-grown produce and the best freshly-squeezed orange juice in the county (we suffer all summer with regular grocery store brands). And if the smart folks at NASA or SpaceX are shooting a rocket off from Cape Canaveral, you can bet we’ll be on the beach at Jupiter’s Carlin Park to cheer as the craft climbs into the skies.
Best piece of parenting advice you have received:
For me, the last few years have seen some serious upheaval—from losing my husband to handling the pandemic. It may sound strange, but during that time, a quote from boxer Mike Tyson has come to mind again and again: “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
As a (now recovering) Type A personality, it’s hard for me when things don’t go to plan. (And boy have things deviated from my personal plan of late.) Suffice it to say that my kids and I have been punched in the mouth. Hard.
But really, even when we’re not talking about the tragedy of losing a spouse to cancer (or losing a year to a pandemic), let’s be honest: rarely do our lives ever really go to plan. And when you get punched in the mouth, do you just lay down in the ring and give up? No. You fight on.
Plan A may be optimal…and when it works, my gosh it’s a good feeling. But when it doesn’t work the way you thought it might (or you get clocked in the kisser and knocked to the mat), let it go and find a way to get back up on your feet again. You can get a new plan: there are 25 other letters in the alphabet just waiting for you to try them out.
