There is no standard formula for achieving social media fame. It can even happen without the de facto celebrity’s knowledge. Such is the case for identical twin brothers Razvan and Sebastian Blidariu, also known as the Twins of Buckhead.
Around 2018, an Instagram account was set up by a local restaurant owner who shared photos of the Romanian immigrant brothers taken by passersby as the Blidariu’s walked around or mingled in Buckhead. The account effectively encouraged those in the area to “spot” the twins. That was easy enough. The fit, handsome brothers, with their well-manicured gray hair, regularly walked around Buckhead and visited its hot spots, always together. Additionally, each day, the twins don what they call their casual time “uniform” of brown shoes, blue jeans, and either a light blue or white dress shirt. One brother would sport a white dress shirt for the first part of the day before switching to a blue shirt in the evening, resulting in constant speculation as to which was Razvan and which was Sebastian. That keep-them-guessing strategy wasn’t due to their internet popularity, however.
The brothers were, at first, unaware they had become local celebrities even as the account grew to more than 4,000 followers and “spotting” the twins became a chance pastime for many in Buckhead. It wasn’t until a follower finally explained to the brothers about the Instagram account that they understood why so many people were inexplicably snapping their photo as they went about their daily routine. Soon after, the twins took over their online presence and started their own account, The Twins of Buckhead. Despite the change, their account continued to gain popularity featuring photos those around Buckhead had taken of the brothers, always donning their “uniform” and walking together. It was a particular Buckhead-centric bright spot in the harrowing early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s been several years since the Blidariu brothers have been spotted around Buckhead, however. So, what are the Twins of Buckhead up to now?
The Twins of Buckhead become the Twins of Palm Beach
In October 2021, the brothers relocated to Palm Beach, Florida. The decision to move from the “city in the forest” to the Gold Coast was part personal and part business venture. The twins continue to develop their concept, Trombi’s Tower, a kid’s obstacle course featuring interactive activities, for the Palm Beach area. One such location operates in New York.
“We used to go for fun on [a] regular basis to Palm Beach,” Sebastian said. “Obviously, we liked the island a lot. More of that, developing our Trombi’s Tower as a hotel amenity for families, we came to the conclusion Palm Beach was the right place for us to build a network of valuable connections.”
The relocation could have marked the end of the twins’ social media fame, but Razvan said, “Surprisingly, that was not true.”
Several Buckhead residents also own homes in Palm Beach, Razvan said, and as such, their “paparazzi Instagram story” continued. Only now the brothers, and their Instagram account, have become the Twins of Palm Beach. The brothers were introduced to the community at large through a front-page article in the Palm Beach Daily News in 2022 highlighting their unlikely rise to internet fame and relocation.
“The Palm Beach community is smaller than Buckhead, so everybody knows us (here),” Razvan said. “People say we are celebrities in Palm Beach.”
Occasionally, they are still spotted by those from Buckhead who visit Palm Beach or own homes there.
“It is very nice to meet people from Buckhead in Palm Beach who ask for a picture even after three years we moved from Buckhead,” Sebastian said. “As a funny story, we are at Trevini at the bar and three nice girls from Atlanta come in. One of them sees Sylvester Stallone with his wife at a table and tells the other ones, ‘Let’s ask for a picture.’ The other ones see us and say, ‘Look, the Twins of Buckhead are here.’ Long story short, first they have a picture with us and then with Stallone. We guess that is not bad for us.”
Life in Palm Beach
The twins’ Instagram account, now “the_twins_of_palm_beach” continues to grow in popularity despite the far smaller pool of potential paparazzi in Palm Beach. The account boasts over 2,200 followers with spotters continuing to post photos of the twins walking around the city. The move hasn’t impacted the twins’ influence, either. A post last fall showed two men donning the Blidariu’s “uniform,” with apparent gray wigs to complete the look, to serve as the men’s Halloween costumes.
Like their time in Buckhead, the brothers continue to traverse their hometown and walk to many of its hot spots each day. Of course, the St. Regis, Buckhead Village District, and Umi have been replaced by Palm Beach area headquarters. Razvan said their daily routine still begins with a one-hour intensive workout, followed by coffee at The Royal Poinciana Plaza where the brothers “set up the highlights of the day and make important business calls.” After lunch and a second espresso, they visit Trevini Ristorante owned by a friend, Gianni. At night, Razvan said, “all the island is ours.”
They still share strong business aspirations, as well. The brothers, who grew up in communist Romania, began their first venture together with $100 in seed capital to begin what became an internationally successful clothing manufacturing company. Now their attention has turned to developing Trombi’s Tower locations across the country.
Do they still live together?
“Yes, of course,” Razvan said. “We are twins. This is something natural for us. Not so natural for our girlfriends, but this is their issue.”
Their lives have changed drastically in one regard since their move. In 2022, the brothers’ father passed away.
“We left home at the age of 18,” Razvan said. “Since then, every single day started with a short call to our parents. Unfortunately, our father is not here anymore, so we first call our mother back in Romania and then go to the church to light a candle and have a few minutes to talk to our father. This is our daily call to Heaven.”
The Blidariu brothers are content in their new hometown, which Sebastian said is “la dolce vita” whereas Buckhead is “more cosmopolitan.” Although they don’t have any plans to move back to Buckhead, their connection with the area could continue as the brothers said they hope to start a business project with a hotel group based in Atlanta.
No matter the location, they still enjoy being recognized.
“Being noticed anywhere we go is the story of our life,” Sebastian said.
