Wintering at the Beach!
If you have never visited the white, sandy beaches of South Walton County, Florida, you are truly missing out. The Emerald Coast is hands down the most beautiful I have seen. Stunning nature and white sand beaches with waters that only the Caribbean could come close to. There are tons of restaurants to chose from and shopping is huge here, of course. There are also loads of bike rentals and water activities for the family. It definitely has a great family atmosphere. So if you are looking for a new vacation spot, check out Santa Rosa Beach.
Here is a list of some of the restaurants we ate at during our stay and just for the record, we did cook some nights!
The Local Catch is located on 30A between Blue Mountain Beach and Gulf Place Town Center. They serve coastal seafood with a Southern twist in a casual environment.
The Bay, which is located on Hwy 331 overlooking Choctawhatchee Bay, serves Southern gulf coast cuisine, sushi, a 12-draft beer system, excellent wine selections, and inventive bar-crafted cocktails. Seating is available inside and out.
The Perfect Pig has 3 locations; Gulf Place, Watercolor, and Seagrove. Their menu features fresh local grouper, pulled pork, and hand-sliced, applewood smoked bacon. We visited two out of the three locations for breakfast and were not disappointed with either meal.
Pizza by the Sea has four locations on Florida’s Emerald Coast, Watercolor Crossings, Gulf Place Town Center, Seacrest, and Miramar Beach. The restaurants specialize in a wonderfully thin crust pizza and also feature a great selection of fresh Italian cuisine, salads, sandwiches, retro sodas, beer, and wine. They are a family-friendly pizza place. Since D is a huge fan of thin crust, we were weekly regulars here.
Grayton Seafood Company is a nice neighborhood gathering spot and seafood restaurant on scenic 30A in Grayton Beach, Florida. The owner is super friendly and very understanding of seafood allergies!
The Great Southern Cafe is located in the heart of Seaside and is well known. The owner and chef, Jim Shirley, prides himself by using local ingredients in international cuisines with a southern flair. He also owns North Beach Tortilla Company, The Bay, Ji Shi KiChn, and The Meltdown on 30A. He is also the co-owner of The Fish House, The Atlas Oyster House, and The Fish House Deck Bar in Pensacola, Florida.
A few honorable mentions include; Chiringo, Basmati's Asian Cuisine, Johnny McTighe's Irish Pub, Blue Mabel Smokehouse, Farm & Fire Southern Pizzeria, Siam Thai Cuisine, and Chop Stix Chinese Restaurant
My Sisters Come for a Quick Visit
In February, my sweet sisters flew down to visit for a week. My daughter-in-law was away in NYC for fashion week and bummed that she wasn't going be there during their visit. So we decided that they will just have to come back next year when it's not fashion week so we can all hang out together.
During the week we, of course, shopped, took walks on the beach, dined out, and then shopped some more. Their visit overlapped with Valentine's Day so Dennis treated us all out to dinner at Mimmo's Italian Restaurant in Destin and afterward, my son headed to the airport to pick up his homesick wife. The next morning it was my turn to drive to the airport and drop my sisters off. I'm always so surprised how time flies when you are with loved ones. So until we are together again..hugs to my sisters!
Putting our Remodel Skills to Work!
During our stay, I helped out with a few improvements that my son and D-I-L wanted to make on their new home. First on the list was painting all of the walls and ceilings. By the time we moved out, most of the first floor rooms were done. Unfortunately, they have two more floors to go. Sorry kiddos but the reservations at our next campground were booked and the road was calling. Whew! Got out of that!
A big thank you to R & V for the hot showers, room to stretch a little bit, and of course, the hospitality! We love the new house and can't wait to meet the newest family member in person. Welcome to the family, Huddy!
