Every now and then, Local Pulse sends me on a side quest.
This week’s mission? Meet Rosie, North Hill’s most famous resident.
I arrived with offerings from my fridge, watermelon and celery. Rosie immediately made her preferences known. The watermelon disappeared almost instantly. The celery, however, was met with considerably less enthusiasm.
What I quickly learned was that Rosie has earned the right to be picky.
According to her owners, Olivia and Carlisle Lastowski, the beloved pot-bellied pig welcomes more than 30 visitors a day during the summer months. When you’re Pensacola’s favorite neighborhood celebrity, you can afford to turn your nose up at celery.
In a neighborhood known for its historic homes and friendly front porches, one of North Hill’s most beloved residents doesn’t live in a Victorian mansion. She has four legs, a curly tail, and a serious love for fresh produce and peanuts (shell on).
Meet Rosie.
The pot-bellied pig has become something of a local celebrity in Pensacola’s North Hill neighborhood, drawing visitors from across the city who stop by to say hello, snap a photo, and bring a snack or two.
“People know Rosie more than they know us,” laughed owner Olivia Lastowski. “People will ask, ‘Do you know Rosie?’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I live with her.’”
According to Olivia and her husband, Carlisle Lastowski, meeting Rosie has become a rite of passage for new neighbors.
“Oh my goodness, from everywhere,” Olivia said when asked where Rosie’s visitors come from. “People move into the neighborhood and their first order of business is to come meet Rosie.”
But Rosie’s story almost had a very different ending. A little over two years ago, Olivia spotted what looked like a tiny pink pig while driving for work.
“I call her my soul pig,” she said. “The moment I saw her, I knew I had to have her.”
At the time, Rosie was living on a property with several other farm animals. Olivia asked if she could buy the pig and, after some convincing, eventually brought her home.
Then came the task of convincing Carlisle.
“I came home and told my boyfriend, ‘We’re getting a pig. I need you to build me a pig pen,’” Olivia recalled.
His response?
“‘No, we’re not.’”
Her response?
“‘I don’t think you understand. We’re getting a pig.’”
Today, that boyfriend is her husband, whom she affectionately refers to as her “Wesley” from The Princess Bride.
“If you’ve seen the movie, it’s the whole ‘As you wish’ thing,” she said.
Over the years, the couple has built multiple versions of Rosie’s enclosure, added rescue chickens to the property, and embraced life with a pig who quickly became part of the family.
Rosie enjoys three to five pounds of fresh produce every day, much of it from Bailey’s Farmer’s Market or brought from neighbors who have grown fond of the neighborhood mascot.
When Olivia and Carlisle got married, Rosie was included in the celebration, sporting a pink tutu for the occasion. The famous pig has even had birthday parties of her own, complete with neighborhood guests who came to celebrate her special day.
And while Rosie may be Pensacola’s most recognizable pig, fame doesn’t seem to have changed her. She’s still the same sweet, snack-loving girl who spends her days greeting visitors, accepting treats, and making new friends.
