When you ask people about the benefits of living in this part of the world, the first response you often get is about natural beauty. We typically assume “the natural beauty of The Panhandle” refers to the white sands and turquoise water of our beaches. People sometimes also refer to our lakes and piney woods.

These appreciations of nature are primarily visual. We love how the appearance of the natural setting makes us feel. But few of us stop to appreciate the life that these seascapes and landscapes support.

The sea, of course, is teeming with fish. We all know that. But how many of us who live here, or the millions of tourists who sit on our beaches, are aware that a few miles behind the white sands there are families of black bears?

Nobody around here knows that better than film maker Arix Zalace. Arix is the Co-Founder of film production company AZA Productions, and director of the feature film, The Paper Bear. In a unique combination of live action and animation, and documentary and drama, The Paper Bear is a love letter to the black bears who live alongside us, but are unseen by most of us.

One of the reasons we like to go to movies is, they take us away from our everyday lives, make us sit still, and give us an opportunity to think about more than our daily obligations and routine. That’s also the reason people smoke cigars.

People who smoke cigarettes are mostly looking to replenish the level of nicotine in their metabolism. People who smoke cigars are doing something quite different.

You can, of course, smoke a cigar while you’re doing something else, but most cigar smokers don’t. For most cigar smokers, sitting down to smoke a cigar is either a part of socialization and conversation, or it’s a form of solitary meditation.

Nobody around here knows more about cigar smokers and cigars than Paul Copeland. Paul is the Co-Owner of two stores, both called Shore Thing Cigars, one in Gulf Shores Alabama and the company’s flagship store, here in Watersound.

Paul’s partner in the business is music icon Luke Bryan. Luke’s enthusiasm for cigars is the inspiration for some of Shore Thing’s exclusive custom blends, but it’s Paul who has the cigar cred, going all the way back to working at Franklin Cigar in Tennessee, a store he got fired from and later bought. 16-plus years later, Paul has won awards, including like Tobacconist of the Year, and he’s a three-time Davidoff Golden Band Award winner.

Entrepreneur Of The Week

Out to Lunch Entrepreneur this week is Ross Flick. Ross is a Fragrance Consultant with Scentsy. It’s a fragrance company that sells through independent reps instead of stores. Ross works out of her home in Panama City. You can visit her Scentsy store there, buy from her online store, or catch her at markets, pop-ups and other events up and down the coast.

If there are three things that are somewhere between difficult and impossible to convey on the radio or a podcast, it’s the sensation of smoking a good cigar, the experience of seeing a good movie, or the scent of anything. So, congratulations are due to Paul, Arix, and Ross – for having successful businesses and for managing to pull off the impossible and describe them on today’s show.

Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at Farm & Fire restaurant on Highway 331. Farm & Fire is one of Chef Jim Shirley’s family of fine restaurants. It’s open from 4pm, 6 days a week, and from 11am for brunch on Sundays.

You can find photos from this show by Brandan Babineaux at outtolunchemeraldcoast.com.

When you ask people about the benefits of living in this part of the world, the first response you often get is about natural beauty. We typically assume &ldquo;the natural beauty of The Panhandle&rdquo; refers to the white sands and turquoise water of our beaches. People sometimes also refer to our lakes and piney woods.
These appreciations of nature are primarily visual. We love how the appearance of the natural setting makes us feel. But few of us stop to appreciate the life that these seascapes and landscapes support.
The sea, of course, is teeming with fish. We all know that. But how many of us who live here, or the millions of tourists who sit on our beaches, are aware that a few miles behind the white sands there are families of black bears?
Nobody around here knows that better than film maker Arix Zalace. Arix is the Co-Founder of film production company AZA Productions, and director of <a href="https://www.thepaperbear.org/">the feature film, The Paper Bear</a>. In a unique combination of live action and animation, and documentary and drama, The Paper Bear is a love letter to the black bears who live alongside us, but are unseen by most of us.
One of the reasons we like to go to movies is, they take us away from our everyday lives, make us sit still, and give us an opportunity to think about more than our daily obligations and routine. That&rsquo;s also the reason people smoke cigars.
People who smoke cigarettes are mostly looking to replenish the level of nicotine in their metabolism. People who smoke cigars are doing something quite different.
You can, of course, smoke a cigar while you&rsquo;re doing something else, but most cigar smokers don&rsquo;t. For most cigar smokers, sitting down to smoke a cigar is either a part of socialization and conversation, or it&rsquo;s a form of solitary meditation.
Nobody around here knows more about cigar smokers and cigars than Paul Copeland. Paul is the Co-Owner of two stores, both called<a href="https://shorethingcigars.com/"> Shore Thing Cigars</a>, one in Gulf Shores Alabama and the company&rsquo;s flagship store, here in Watersound.
Paul&rsquo;s partner in the business is music icon Luke Bryan. Luke&rsquo;s enthusiasm for cigars is the inspiration for some of Shore Thing&rsquo;s exclusive custom blends, but it&rsquo;s Paul who has the cigar cred, going all the way back to working at Franklin Cigar in Tennessee, a store he got fired from and later bought. 16-plus years later, Paul has won awards, including like Tobacconist of the Year, and he&rsquo;s a three-time Davidoff Golden Band Award winner.
Entrepreneur Of The Week
Out to Lunch Entrepreneur this week is Ross Flick. Ross is a Fragrance Consultant with <a href="https://scentstand.scentsy.us/">Scentsy</a>. It&rsquo;s a fragrance company that sells through independent reps instead of stores. Ross works out of her home in Panama City. You can visit her Scentsy store there, buy from her online store, or catch her at markets, pop-ups and other events up and down the coast.
If there are three things that are somewhere between difficult and impossible to convey on the radio or a podcast, it&rsquo;s the sensation of smoking a good cigar, the experience of seeing a good movie, or the scent of anything. So, congratulations are due to Paul, Arix, and Ross &ndash; for having successful businesses and for managing to pull off the impossible and describe them on today&rsquo;s show.
Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at <a href="https://www.farmandfiresouthwalton.com/">Farm &amp; Fire restaurant on Highway 331.</a> Farm &amp; Fire is one of Chef Jim Shirley&rsquo;s family of fine restaurants. It&rsquo;s open from 4pm, 6 days a week, and from 11am for brunch on Sundays.
You can find photos from this show by <a href="https://www.brandanbabineaux.com/">Brandan Babineaux</a> at outtolunchemeraldcoast.com.

Fletcher Isacks hosts a weekly informal business lunch at Farm & Fire in scenic Santa Rosa Beach. Local business people, community leaders, and beachside luminaries dive under the surface of the surf and sand lifestyle, sharing insider info about who and what makes The Emerald Coast tick. Whether you're a a beach-loving visitor or an Emerald Coast lifer, Out to Lunch will surprise and delight you as you get to meet who's here and what they're doing. You'll also find the show on NPR station WFSW 89.1FM on The Emerald Coast.

Fletcher Isacks hosts a weekly informal business lunch at Farm &amp; Fire in scenic Santa Rosa Beach. Local business people, community leaders, and beachside luminaries dive under the surface of the surf and sand lifestyle, sharing insider info about who and what makes The Emerald Coast tick. Whether you're a a beach-loving visitor or an Emerald Coast lifer, Out to Lunch will surprise and delight you as you get to meet who's here and what they're doing. You'll also find the show on NPR station WFSW 89.1FM on The Emerald Coast.

Out to Lunch Emerald Coast

Fletcher Isacks hosts a weekly informal business lunch at Farm & Fire in scenic Santa Rosa Beach. Local business people, community leaders, and beachside luminaries dive under the surface of the surf and sand lifestyle, sharing insider info about who and what makes The Emerald Coast tick. Whether you're a a beach-loving visitor or an Emerald Coast lifer, Out to Lunch might surprise you as you get to meet who's here and what they're doing. You'll also find the show on NPR station WFSW 89.1FM on The Emerald Coast.

Fletcher Isacks hosts a weekly informal business lunch at Farm &amp; Fire in scenic Santa Rosa Beach. Local business people, community leaders, and beachside luminaries dive under the surface of the surf and sand lifestyle, sharing insider info about who and what makes The Emerald Coast tick. Whether you're a a beach-loving visitor or an Emerald Coast lifer, Out to Lunch might surprise you as you get to meet who's here and what they're doing. You'll also find the show on NPR station WFSW 89.1FM on The Emerald Coast.