Blog Review: Living in and Loving South Florida

By Stevie Duffin Updated on 12/18/2013

In Virginia Robinson’s South Florida, most every day is an adventure: food truck invasions, block parties, tiki bars and a number of other “Hot Spots” are regularly within reach. Accompanied by photos of glistening waves, tanned passers-by, and the bright Florida sky, the Hot Spot entries on the Living in and Loving South Florida blog make it easy to forget the winter weather and feel warmed, inside and out.

The Hot Spot entry from September 17 reads, “Set on a lush, tropical acre in the heart of downtown Stuart – [Terra Fermatta Tiki Bar] features a large collection of craft beers, wines, live music, and art and collectibles from local artists.” If South Floridian culture is what you seek, look no further.

Features curiously absent from Robinson’s blog are property listings. They can be found under the same domain – virginiarobinson.keyes.com – but are kept entirely separate from Loving South Florida, making for a highly unusual real estate blogging format. What results is a truly enjoyable reading experience, and one completely free from what often feels like spam. If site visitors choose to browse real estate, they can click “Treasure Coast Listings” from a sidebar on the left of the blog.

Despite a heavy emphasis on community activities and a lack of for-sale posts, Loving South Florida is still a realty blog at its core. “Why do you need a realtor with so many online real estate sites?” poses an entry from November 15. Robinson continues, “Buyers report that realtors find the right property, assist with the paperwork, negotiate the terms of sale, assist with price negotiations, have access to multiple homes, can identify comparable properties, and a capable realtor listens and advises their clients ethically and knowledgeably.” I wouldn’t even try to argue.

Robinson’s honesty doesn’t escape her, which is perhaps the most compelling hook going for Loving South Florida. Her Hot Spot post dated December 6 is especially revealing:

“Yesterday, I was at my local Walmart and there was an elderly woman in front of me in one of those carts you can drive, and she was having so much trouble. This woman couldn’t lift the groceries out of her cart or figure out how to pay, and then her cart ran out of batteries. At first, I am thinking lucky me, I picked the wrong line.”

But before you write her off, keep reading,

“She asked for my help and I found out she could barely walk . . . This lovely woman said her kids were very busy and she just wanted to live . . . So, I offered to drive her home, found out we shared the same name, Virginia, and she was delightful, talking kindly about her kids and stories of her past.”

The Hot Spot entry is called “Volunteering,” and Robinson ends her tale by encouraging South Floridians to think about donating some time and energy to helping the elderly during the holiday season.

I encourage you to visit Living in and Loving South Florida. If you do, enjoy the blazing, brilliant pictures of the Sunshine State, but read on – you’ll find a lot of sunshine in Robinson’s words as well.

See for yourself here.