- December 26, 2024
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I must confess, I had no idea what I would write for my column this week. I didn’t cook for the Fourth of July: I was in charge of the fruit. And since I am leaving for my Guatemala mission trip this Saturday, I am trying to avoid doing groceries. Luckily I have leftover fruit and I scored an invitation to dinner at my parents’ house.
But inspiration can come at the most unexpected of times.
After church Sunday, I stood in the parking lot with a friend debating where we would eat lunch. This process usually takes a good 10-15 minutes. With the risk of getting caught in the impending storm, we decided on Java Joint. As we walked up the ramp, we noticed a somewhat familiar face chilling barefoot and shirtless in his board shorts at the front table.
With the dark cloud rolling in fast, we elected to sit inside to save ourselves from the storm, but couldn’t help glancing back outside. Could it be, we thought?
It had been a while since either of us had watched an episode of “Trading Spaces” or “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” but, we were pretty positive that familiar face was in fact Ty Pennington. We Googled a recent picture of him, did a quick comparison and decided it was so.
It was confirmed in February that Pennington is building a home on Hernandez Avenue overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Coast’s The Hammock. A statement released at that time also said that Pennington has spent a lot of time in the Palm Coast/Daytona Beach area since his childhood.
“I love the east coast of Florida and have so many good friends who live up and down that side of the state,” he said.
His relaxed attitude Sunday afternoon certainly showed that Pennington had a comfort in Flagler County and this was not his first sit down at Java Joint. In 2012, the Palm Coast Observer reported that Pennington stopped in while “traveling through.”
I sat there, eating my Mahi and spinach salad wrap plotting how I was going to approach the celebrity. I didn’t want to be a total creeper and I certainly didn’t want to interrupt his Sunday funday. But I’m press. I feel like I have a duty to report a celebrity sighting — especially if it’s at one of my favorite breakfast/lunch spots.
Since his table was conveniently located next to the exit, I strategized that I would stop there on my way out, say a quick “hello” and ask for a comment. But my plans were squashed when the sky opened up and all the outside tables quickly scurried inside for cover.
We sat there waiting out the storm and talking to other customers when I almost missed my opportunity. The rain had let up and Ty was making a run for it. I glanced back at him and he looked over at me, he could tell I wanted to talk to him. So I followed him out and while standing in the rain, I was able to make my introduction.
He said the construction of his home is going incredibly well and he is excited to call Flagler County home. While jogging down the ramp as the rain picked up again he answered my last question saying that Java Joint is absolutely one of his go-to spots in town.
