The Naked Grape at Gulfplace is a great place to start! With an extensive wine and beer selection as well as gourmet tapas, this intimate wine bar is the perfect place to begin an evening of romance. Just six miles east and you’ve arrived at the best spot in town to watch the sunset. Bud & Alley’s is famous for their outside, upstairs bar overlooking the green gulf waters.

Next on the list is V in Seagrove Beach for a special Valentine’s Day dinner. This sleek, South Beach style venue is serving a three course meal with a sweet heart theme. Enjoy delicacies such as: Lobster Gnocchi, Strawberry Sweetheart Salad, Pink Rose Pepper Seared Shrimp, and Triple Chocolate Molten Cake. The perfect ending is found at The Red Bar in Grayton Beach where you can dance into the next day to live music in a cozy atmosphere.

Make this the perfect Valentine’s Day and bring your date to 30A!  

Of course, for a vacation rental call Garrett Realty Services @ 1-800-537-5387

Susanna Hoffs is not the only Songwriter that our beautiful City of South Walton has inspired. Recent releases such as “Life Shines (The 30A Song)” performed by Bryan Kennedy and written by Kennedy and Mike Ragsdale can be heard on YouTube. The Beaches of South Walton are truly music making material!

Susanna Hoffs will debut her song live at the upcoming Songwriter’s Festival. Music lovers don’t want to miss this event. I guarantee you’ll “like it right here”.

For more information and accommodations, contact Garrett Realty Services @ 1-800-537-5387.

Venues vary from intimate settings to open air amphitheaters and include 30A hot spots such as: Gulf Place Amphitheatre, Naked Grape, First Note Music Hall in Blue Mountain Beach, and Bud & Alley’s in Seaside. Performances by The Bangles, Rodney Crowell, Shawn Mullins, Matthew Sweet, Indigo Girls, Joan Osborne, and so many more. Truly a world class event of amazing performances at one of the most beautiful spots in the Country!

For a full list of artists and venues or ticket information visit www.30asongwritersfestival.com. Need accommodations, call Garrett Realty Services @ 1-800-537-5387

There is no better place to be this holiday    season than at the beach! This Florida girl’s idea of a white Christmas includes walking in the snow-like sand of South Walton Beaches with my bare feet — where the temperatures are in the mid-to-high 60’s and wearing a scarf and boots never cross my mind!

Along with beautiful beaches that can be enjoyed all year round comes a calendar full of holiday happenings. On specific evenings throughout the week you can find lots of great events and activities going.  For instance, try visiting the Seaside Amphitheatre for an outdoor concert under the stars. These concerts feature performances from talented, local musicians. They are free and open to the public.  Included in the festivities are outside holiday movies on the big screen, visits with Santa, Art-Walks, and New Year’s Celebrations.

For those who don’t mind the cold, WaterColor presents The Polar Bear Dip. Take the plunge into 2012, on January 1^st at 8:00AM.  Meet at the WaterColor Beach Club as you join the other daring dippers into the brisk waters of the Gulf of Mexico — guaranteed to wake you up no matter how hard you partied on New Year’s Eve!

The Beaches of South Walton are made up of 15 beach neighborhoods. Each one with its own unique flare and famous celebrations that call me home for the holidays.  Why not make it yours this year?

          Come Rent & Relax along Scenic 30-A with Garrett Realty Services, Inc.

From: Nashville Lifestyles

Visitors continue to enjoy great weather and events along Beaches of South Walton’s 26 miles of unaffected coastline, as the destination prepares for a new international airport and an influx of summer travelers.

“The daily headlines might be full of doom and gloom, but what our visitors are seeing are emerald waters and white sand beaches,” said Tracy Louthain, director of communications for the Beaches of South Walton Tourist Development Council (TDC). “Our community is prepared for any potential impacts, but our primary message is that our destination is open for enjoyment.”

Visitors flocked to the destination for Mother’s Day weekend to enjoy a multitude of events, sunny skies and temperatures in the low 80s. The region is now gearing up for a busy summer travel season, marked by all-new air service from major cities around the country.

New air service by Southwest Airlines to Northwest Florida is on schedule to begin May 23 to the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. Nonstop service will be available from markets including Orlando, Nashville, Baltimore and Houston via Southwest and from Atlanta via Delta.

Lodging partners are preparing for the summer season with a host of travel packages and events, including sand sculpture demonstrations along Rosemary Beach, Le Grande Cirque performances in Sandestin, movie nights in WaterColor, the Digital Graffiti festival in Alys Beach, and many more.

Oil Status

According to the latest projections from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the oil slick in the Gulf is more than 150 miles from Beaches of South Walton and winds continue to move oil away from Florida waters. The TDC and lodging partners are monitoring conditions closely, and partners are developing generous travel policies should any of the beaches be impacted. Visitors are encouraged to contact their lodging provider directly to discuss specific policies and programs. To keep visitors informed about beach conditions and the county’s preparedness the TDC is continuing to post daily updates and images on www.BSWupdate.com, including information on a fully funded action plan to protect the destination in the event of oil reaching the shore. For more information about Beaches of South Walton, please visit www.beachesofsouthwalton.com or contact the Visitor’s Center at (800) 822-6877. To access a 24-hour information line devoted to information regarding the drilling incident, contact the Walton County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 267-2000.

About Beaches of South Walton

Beaches of South Walton is a destination located along a 26-mile stretch of Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast and comprised of 15 picturesque beach communities, and white sand beaches and emerald green waters for which the region is renowned. Named as one of the Top 12 travel destinations for 2010 by Frommer’s, visitors to the destination enjoy a relaxing escape: an upscale, yet casual, place to unwind and rejuvenate.

Beaches of South Walton, Fla., (March 29, 2010) –

Visitors and residents of Northwest Florida will now be able to enjoy an international entertainment attraction unlike any other offered in the region. The positive economic news for the area continues to grow with the news that “Le Grand Cirque,” a highly popular live entertainment attraction, is premiering in Grand Boulevard and will play throughout the summer and possibly beyond.

“The introduction of the world class production ‘Le Grand Cirque’ to our region will take our area to another level by providing a much needed quality entertainment attraction that will complement the most beautiful beaches in the world. It will provide another reason to visit, live, work and play in Walton County,” said John Heiser, executive vice president for Howard Group.

Seen by millions of people around the world, this Cirque extravaganza has broken box office records all over the globe, including becoming the biggest ever selling show in the history of the Sydney Opera House, attended by 50,000 people in two and a half weeks.

This multi-million dollar production is two years in the making, including acts from around the world and the debut of new acts specifically tailored for this market. Howard Group and Grand Boulevard teams worked for months behind the scenes to secure this high-profile addition to the Sandestin area and worked closely with major area business sectors to secure the project for this market. The production is expected to employ at least 30 local staff in positions such as marketing communications, ushers and ticketing personnel.

“We chose Grand Boulevard as our new home because it is perfectly centered in between the markets that we want to attract customers from along the Emerald Coast. Additionally, it is a beautiful upscale site that fits the look and feel of the show beautifully. Patrons will be able to eat, drink and relax before and after the show in the Town Center,” said Simon Painter, producer of Le Grand Cirque.

“Le Grand Cirque” is a visual feast of breathtaking group acrobatics and white-knuckle stunts and has been described as “The next generation of Cirque Du Soleil.”

Featuring more than 40 champion acrobats and performers from Brazil, Canada, Russia, Mongolia, Europe and China, the performers have been hand-picked from around the world for their amazing abilities and precision skill. The result is a fast-paced, heart-pounding spectacle that will astound and keep the audience at the edge of their seats.

This spectacular production features contortionists, tumblers and incredible aerial acts as well as the breathtaking Wheel of Death – one of the most dangerous acts ever attempted in a live show.

The show is a two-hour extravaganza for the entire family and is ideal for all generations. The show is very family friendly and is designed to entertain families with children and also adults who enjoy sophisticated entertainment.

Starting in late May, “Le Grand Cirque” will perform in Grand Boulevard for the entire summer in the Grand Arena, one of three, cream-colored Italian-style, air-conditioned fabric structures which comprise the venue. The Grand Arena, located adjacent to Grand Park in Grand Boulevard Town Center, will hold just under 1,100 people and is within short walking distance to seven signature restaurants and casual eateries.

From May 25th, 2010 thru August 15th, 2010, there will be evening and matinee shows throughout the week. Evening shows are at 8 p.m. Tues– Saturday. Matinees are slated for 2 p.m. Visit the Web site or call the box office for matinee days, times and ticket prices. Best seats do sell out fast so be sure to book your tickets now at www.cirquedestin.com or by calling the box office at (866) 973-9610. For best savings, book online.

“Le Grand Cirque” provides a spectacular experience to enhance the perfect vacation and is the new must-see attraction for visitors and locals alike in this region.

                         “What do you call a lawyer who hangs out in restaurants?

                                                       An ambiance chaser”    ; }

   Which nicely seques into our comments on one of our favorite local restaurants:

                                Garrett Realty Services Invites You to Experience:

                         Good Friends Good Food and Good Times at The Red Bar

 My BFF since I was twelve years old is visiting from Germany and wanted authentic local atmosphere not to mention, food.  I immediately thought of The Red Bar.

The first impression one has is that the vine covered restaurant has been there for a long time and deeply ensconced in the historical little town of Grayton Beach.   The Red Bar’s eclectic Bohemian decor is artsy and creative and BOY are they ready for the Holidays.  There is something interesting to look at in every square inch down to the international posters on the ceiling which patrons have contributed.

Needless to say, we LOVED the food.  There were five of us so we ordered several different dishes for sampling.  The Red Bar is famous for their Chicken Panne and Gulf-fresh seafood (especially the crab cakes).  There is quite a selection of side orders:  ranging from sweet potatoes, delightfully varied salads and freshly battered onion rings… YUM.  The specials change daily and are quaintly hand-written on a large chalk board presented by the waitress. 

My friends, Laura and and hubby Jerry, said their Shrimp PoBoywas the best they have had (and they are seasoned travelers).  Laura also added that the bread was as good as she gets in Europe.  That is quite the compliment. 

The two important things Laura and I have in common are our tastes in food and laughing (We haggled over a few beaus but that is fodder for another blog!).

We had so much fun (of course we always do… that is why we are still friends after —?! zillion years) reminiscing about slumber parties and debating the best techniques for tormenting our little brothers.  Some stories never get old…

A little Red Bar History 101: 

The Red Bar is venerable.  Belgian brothers, Olly and Phillipe Petit, have built The Red Bar from a former Grayton Grocery into one of the area’s most famous eateries.  The restaurant is actually called Picolo’s, but the whole place is best known by the bar’s name, The Red Bar.

The Red Bar Jazz Band plays almost nightly and is the best in NW Florida featuring the great Jabbo Starke, formerly James Brown’s drummer who played in Sex Machine and Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag.  When Starke is not at The Red Bar, he still performs all over the world.

The Red Bar has always been known for featuring the best in South Walton County music, first and foremost with the Great Red Bar Jazz Band but also with regular appearances from area favorites like Dread Clampitt, The Waco Ramblers and Hubba Hubba.

Don’t be surprised to spot celebrities here late at night.  “…But please, everybody just wants to chill at The Red Bar.”

Located in the old part of Downtown Grayton Beach, Florida on Scenic 30-A, (Just down the road and west of Garrett Realty Services) The Red Bar is also a short drive from Destin & Panama City Beach. 

Phone:  850-231-1008

Check out their website: http://www.theredbar.com/ for more information.