Loran Smith catches up with Brookwood alumna Julie Moran

VININGS- Here in this unincorporated garden spot of South Cobb County where there are upscale homes, polo fields, the swift moving waters of the Chattahoochee — Georgia’s most romantic river — a plethora of deer and a bobcat or two, there is a universal lust for the outdoors, flowers, greenery, with no motorcycles backfiring to pierce an ambient, easy living atmosphere that is as seductive as Marilyn Monroe was in her prime.

This area is home to a great many young people, many seasoned businessmen and women who travel relatively short distances to their respective workplaces, depending on how they manage Atlanta’s unending traffic gridlocks.

The working environment in Atlanta is very refreshing in most instances with courtyards and green space to accommodate men and women on the go as well as staffers who want to enjoy a healthy lunch where there is shade, green space and uplifting surroundings — even in summer.

Atlanta’s economy, according to cursory research, is the 10th largest in the country with several corporations with national and international addresses headquartered in Georgia’s capital city. Seven Fortune 100 companies call Atlanta home.

Those who rest their head at night, and on weekends in Vinings, are the beneficiaries of inherent inspiration and “feel good” living opportunities. You can fly fish the Chattahoochee where tubing and canoeing are also popular. Buckhead, with abundant dining options, is a little more than an arm’s length away. So is Truist Park, Major League Baseball’s grandest stage.

Recently, we were the house guests of Rob and Julie Moran, who have been affiliated with the movie and entertainment business since college graduation — Julie, magna cum laude from the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism, and Rob, a Rhode Islander who matriculated at Emmerson College in Boston.

They met while on a Ford commercial photo shoot in Hollywood where Julie became the weekend anchor for Entertainment Tonight. She has also co-hosted NBC’s “Inside Stuff” with Amad Rashad early in her career and is the first woman to solo host ABC’s Wide World of Sports.

She has co-hosted the Academy Awards pre-show for ABC, the Grammy Awards, the Miss Universe pageant, Miss USA pageant and the Miss America pageant. She stays busy with shows for the Fine Living Network and is a special correspondent for Access Hollywood. Primarily, she stays busy with CBS’ TV morning shows across the country with a popular segment, “Steals and Deals.”

Rob experienced several noteworthy credits in the movie world, highlighted by roles in “Dumb and Dumber,” “Hall Pass,” “Kingpin,” and the 2011 horror movie, “You’re Next.” For the History Channel’s three-part miniseries, “Hatfields & McCoys,” he played the role of John B. Floyd, governor of Virginia.

For that production, the entire cast and production crew, including the main star, Kevin Costner, along with carpenters, electricians, screen writers, forklift operators, and camera people flew to Bucharest, Romania, where they shot the three episodes in two weeks. That venture cost much less than shooting it in Hollywood or at some location in the U.S.

By that time, Rob was beginning to produce as well as act, which has always been a priority with him. He worked as a producer on several of the 60 films — both screen and television — of his career.

His latest venture is to take the movie, “There’s Something about Mary,” to Broadway as a musical, working with Peter Farrelly, Academy Award winning producer.

Julie gave up her plush gig with Entertainment Tonight to raise a family, and Rob has followed a path to movie production. Their company, “Silver Fox Productions,” has offices wherever they are — with a branch office in the basement of their home in Vinings — where there is solitude for creative thinking; and inspiration which readily comes about from the bountiful flora that envelopes their becoming property.

He and Julie enjoy entertaining which means many celebrity types find their way to Casa Moran for a meal that is likely to be unforgettable along with choice wine and stimulating conversation. Life is good with daughters Maiya Dupree and Makala-Amet dropping by, making their guest cottage resemble a sorority house — enter at your own risk.