From snowsuits to flip-flops and surfboards, Linda's journey to Vero Beach began with skepticism but quickly transformed into a 25-year love affair with this charming Florida coastal town. Despite her initial resistance—"I've done spring break, I've done Florida"—Linda found herself captivated by the lush greenery and stunning beauty of Vero Beach during what was supposed to be a brief reconnaissance trip for her husband's job opportunity.
Linda's story takes us from beachfront living (where she learned that salt air "eats everything") to the historic district near the arts village, and finally to Coconut Casita, her current home and thriving vacation rental. Her insights about Vero Beach living are invaluable for anyone considering a move to the area—you're never more than nine minutes from either the ocean or the river, offering endless opportunities for kayaking, paddleboarding, and beach walks without necessarily dealing with the maintenance challenges of oceanfront property.
What truly makes Vero Beach special, according to Linda, is its soul. Local coffee shops know your order before you place it, art "paints the sky and buildings," and vintage stores "smell like the seventies and smell like a dream." She beautifully articulates the community feeling that the podcast hosts themselves have discovered: "Everybody knows your name. Everybody waves, everybody cares." It's this strong sense of community that inspired the creation of the Vero Beach Podcast—to share these stories and showcase the unique character of a place where "every place is a story." Whether you're planning a visit, considering a move, or already call Vero Beach home, Linda's perspective provides a heartfelt glimpse into what makes this coastal paradise so special. Check out Coconut Casita at coconutcasita.com or follow on Instagram to experience a piece of this magical community yourself.
The Vero Beach Podcast & MyVeroBeach.com is presented by Killer Bee Marketing, helping local businesses in Vero Beach reach more customers. Learn more at killerbeemarketing.com
Presented by Killer Bee MarketingHelping local businesses in Vero Beach connect with their neighbors.
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Episode Transcript
All right, welcome back to the Vero Beach podcast.
This is part three of ourrecording with Linda at the
Coconut Casita, so during thisepisode we're going to talk
about Vero Beach.
What do you love most aboutVero Beach?
Did you grow up in Vero?
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Beach.
No, no, I did not grow up hereand my husband was working.
He was contracting with acompany that opened up doors
here.
They looked all over Floridaand they wanted to find the best
little town and they opened uptheir doors here.
It was called MC Miller andthey kept sweetening the deal,
sweetening the deal, and I said,no way, I've done spring break.
(00:37):
We were in New York, we were inthe Catskills at the time.
I'm like I've done spring break, I've done that, I've done
Florida.
And as we drove down, I'm likeI've done Spring Break, I've
done that, I've done Florida.
And as we drove down, just totake a little reconnaissance, we
took the plane, came on downand as we drove down A1A and hit
Vero Beach and it was so greenand so beautiful and his company
(00:59):
treated us like kings andqueens and we stayed in just
little local hotels and startedfalling in love and so we stayed
here and I said if we're goingto stay here, we're living on
the beach.
So for our first year and a halfwe lived on the beach and soon
realized, like boy, that's toughbecause the salt air eats
everything, but it wasabsolutely beautiful.
So it just cemented how much welove this community and lived
(01:22):
in a little great littleneighborhood in a little old
area that is now a historic area.
It's the historic district andit's right next door to the arts
village, which you guys reallyneed to take advantage of seeing
what's going on there, becauseit's beautiful.
And then when my mom moved down,we found this place.
So we've been in Bureau for 25years now.
(01:43):
So the kids came and it wasnice giving up the snowsuits for
flip-flops and surfboards.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
So that's my youngest .
Speaker 2 (01:51):
You know, this is what she knows the most is Vero
Beach.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Listen, everybody that's tuning in and listening.
If you're thinking about movingto Vero, pay attention to every
single thing that our guestssay, because we've always
dreamed of living on the beachand right now, now that we live,
I think we're nine minutes fromthe beach, seven minutes, seven
minutes from the beach.
And as we looked for places tobuy, you know, probably the next
three or four years, uh, whichI'm probably gonna get hit up by
real estate agents like crazynow, uh, but as we're looking to
(02:17):
buy in the next three or fouryears, shauna has said maybe we
can move closer to the water.
I was like maybe we can movejust a few more minutes inland,
just because I mean it's waycheaper, just like five more
minutes inland.
We're only.
I mean we're seven minutesright now, but never thought
about the salt water if youlived on the beach.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
So sea bay salt water , you know, causes some issues,
so just keep that in mind,Although for many it's really
really worth it, and it wasabsolutely wonderful waking up
and just opening your doors andhearing the ocean and going for
walks every morning, butanywhere in Vero Beach.
You're no farther than you know.
You're nine minutes.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
And so we're spoiled.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
And we have the beautiful river which we can,
you know, we can kayak andpaddleboard and boat ride and
fish.
So it really is a beautiful.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Do you ever rent boats around here?
Speaker 2 (03:03):
There are places and in my guidebook I have many
places listed where people canrent kayaks and boats.
There's all sorts of places,yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
I think actually your guidebook.
What were some of the places welearned about?
First, when we looked atLinda's?
Speaker 2 (03:18):
guidebook.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Kilted Mermaid.
We learned from there.
And then there was somewhereelse.
We went and I can't think of ohit was a taco dive oh yeah,
taco dive yeah I lovehighlighting local places, small
local places.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
um, you know, vero, my favorite thing is that you,
you can, you can feel the soularound every corner and you go
to your coffee spot and theyknow what you want and you,
there's, there's, there's artthat that is painting the sky
and the buildings, and there'sartists, and around every corner
, and there's, there's, there's,there's art that that is
painting the sky and thebuildings, and there's artists,
and around every corner, andthere's, there's little vintage
stores that smell like theseventies and smell like a dream
(03:53):
.
I mean, we've, we've gotphenomenal thrift stores, and
the businesses aren't just shops.
There's stories.
Every place is a story, andthere's so many hidden ones and
beautiful ones.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
I love that, and so it's so exciting about the
podcast is that we want to bringup more of those stories.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
I love that you're doing that.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
What really caught me there is you talked about how
the coffee shops and stuffpeople know what you want.
They know you.
There was something said to mewhen we moved here in January
and it was just recently, Iguess it was in April when I was
like I know what we need to do,we need to launch this podcast.
And it was because I was havinglunch with somebody and I was
(04:30):
processing like what is it herein Vero?
We love Vero, we love thecommunity here.
The more people we meet, themore stories we hear.
So the person I was at lunchwith said people here at this
restaurant, they know you byname.
It's like cheers.
Now, anybody that's youngeraren't going to know what cheers
is, but it's just basicallywhere everybody, everywhere you
go, everybody knows your name.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Everybody waves, everybody craps, everybody cares
.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
And that's what I knew.
I was like that's that's whatit is.
It's the community here.
The community is amazing.
So, uh, so yeah, that's what weabsolutely love about V and
love that you took the time tosit down and have a podcast with
us to come and share part ofyour story.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
I'm delighted, I love that you're doing this and
opening up Vero and its hiddensecrets and gorgeous places and
its soul to everybody.
So thank you for what you do.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Anybody that you know .
If you know anybody that you'relike, hey, they should be on
your podcast.
Let us know if they'd be goodfor it.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
I've got a list.
Awesome, I have a list.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
And anybody listening .
You can in the show notes.
There's a link right there youcan click to text us.
You can text us someinformation or connect with us
on Instagram or Twitter.
Pretty soon we'll be launchinga website.
It'll probably be launched whenthis episode drops.
So go to mybrowbeachcom and youcan contact us there.
Let me ask you a couple morequestions before we wrap up.
What does support local mean toyou personally?
Speaker 2 (05:46):
when it comes to support local, Support local
means literally the faces thatare running the businesses and
the stories behind those faces,and that's what I want to
anybody that comes here.
I want them to know that andfeel that.
Feel it in their, just in theirheart.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Linda, what is the best way you would encourage
people to kind of learn moreabout Coconut Casita?
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Well, the simplest way is coconutcasitacom.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
We have a website.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
On the website there's some pictures and you
can book us through Airbnb.
We have Instagram, which isCoconut Casita, vero Beach.
I believe that sounds right.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
I think so.
I think that's right.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
And we have a Facebook page too.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Linda, thank you so much for joining us and coming
to share your story on the VeroBeach podcast.
We loved having you.
We know this won't be the lasttime we see you.
Thank you, we podcast.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
We loved having you.
Oh, we know this won't be thelast time we see you.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
It's a thank you.
We have so many great memorieshere.
It's been great learning moreabout your story, even
rekindling some funny storiesfrom the tea kettle.
And, if you know, we do plan oncoming and staying again, cause
I know Shawnee even said she'slike even though that we live
here.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
I want to go stay there.
I was like we world and when wecome back.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Well, you already have a label on the tea kettle,
but I'm still not touching it.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
No, that cabinet will be locked.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Everybody thanks for tuning into the Vero Beach podcast.
We hope you guys have enjoyedit and, if you have, please make
sure you leave us a review.
That helps other people learnmore about your local podcast
and.
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