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I remember dancing at Butler's Store (now the Red Bar) to the juke box, carving our initials into the wooden booths there, watching guys jump out the back windows into the sand dunes if a fight began. There was no place to eat, but you might get a hotdog with no expiration date at Butler's--out...

Grayton Beach in NY Times Imagine my surprised, sleepy-eyed with a full cuppa java, to find Grayton profiled in the NY Times and a snappy photo of Conch Out right there! Almost spilled my morning coffee over that. Hope all of you are enjoying a terrific summer down there and I will see you in...

Sarafunn's Tortilla Soup I think this is Sarafunn's recipe for slow cooker Tortilla Soup. It has become a Christmas Eve favorite at our house, served with lots of toppings. Yum, yum! Thanks, Sarafunn!

I love all of the late Lee Bailey's cookbooks, but my favorite of them is "Country Weekends." It contains the best blackberry cobbler recipe I have ever found. And I love the baby lima beans cooked with pears in the oven. For southern food, any of Craig Claiborne's cookbooks are wonderful. I...

Yes, it is sad that Fido cannot go to the beach with visitors at SoWal. And quite possibly a question of equal protection when property owners are allowed the exclusive priviledge. But who's going to sue the County over dog poop? I recall many famous Grayton Beach dogs of the past and also...

Lil Seaside used to live in Corona del Mar? So did I, on Fernleaf Avenue (next to the bridge of geraniums over Bayside Drive), from 1978 until 1985. What street in CDM, Lil Seaside? If you are from CA you will be amazed (and I think pleased) at the differences of SoWal to the Pacific coast...

The college spring breaks are the horror story, not spring breaks for elementary and high school kids. Those are usually families and occur later than the (earlier) college spring break period. I, too have had it with parents who bring their angels down, sometimes even stock my house with...

Re: Bogie's in Defuniak Springs appalling Too bad you had this experience at Bogie's. When the hotel and restaurant were under the previous owners' management, it was quite good and the service was good. I urge you to contact the owners and let them know about this experience, perhaps send them...

Re: Chicken Place at Redfish Village Oh, noooooo! :eek: The last thing I need is yet another source for my all-time fav, fried chicken. I have never had Lee's chicken. KFC is good and Popeye's will do in a pinch, although I've never forgiven Popeye's for taking chicken livers off their menu. I...

Sea urchin (baby pooh) Corned beef hash (dog barf)

The restaurant has barely been open a week. Most restaurant reviewers won't even go in until several weeks have passed and all the operations and wait staff snafus have been worked out. PF Chang is a quality Asian restaurant and not like the standard Chinese take-out joints, anyway. Part of the...

PF Chang is a restaurant chained started and owned by friends of mine in the Napa Valley, Kelly and Paul Fleming. I did their winery, one called Kelly Fleming Winery and their wine is selling out by subscription. They also did the Fleming Steakhouse chain, famous for offering more than 200...

As a native of Walton County and now an absentee owner at Grayton, I have mixed feelings on this topic. On the one hand, on a beach that is a protected biota habitat, driving seems at cross purposes. Then again, the area where driving can occur is such a confined one (with state parks anchoring...

D&K Cafe and Borago, both in Grayton. If you go to D&K, don't skip dessert, that chocolate extravaganza...mmmmm! If Borago, ask for the "Miss Kitty Special," which is: Mixed Green Salad with Pears, Cheese & Spiced Pecans Seared Scallops with Roasted Tomatoes and Soft Polenta Chocolate Creme...

Oh, goodie! I can hardly wait. I want gumbo and peel-n-eat shrimp on that lunch menu, don't care what you charge for it! See you in late July/early August with any luck. :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

We have a number of different forms of insurance: Liability (fire, etc.) Umbrella from primary residence that covers the second home Wind (always a separate policy) Flood (FEMA) Lost rental revenue policy Ours runs $4,617 per year on a three-story house in the coastal area, in a flood zone...

Please, oh, please...tell me this new taco bar has fish tacos?!? And that they will give me a hunk of lime to squeeze over mine? And do you use red snapper in these fish tacos? Be still, my heart! :wub:

This looks awesome! Is this the historic schooner that a couple of guys were trying to rehab and were having problems getting liability insurance to operate as a charter? New or historic, it is a peach and I am making my inquiries and reservations ASAP for October. Thanks for posting this.

Good point, Paula. And your cottages have great amenities, also close to the beaches. The Bainbridge Island place has a HOA because there are nine acres of landscaped area and a walkable waterfront, pavilion with outdoor kitchen, boat storage facilities, its own water company and septic system...

With all due respect, Shelly, do you ever have a good day? I am amazed that you can get out of bed in the mornings with such an attitude. Chicken Little was not necessarily right, you know. :bang:

I am no indicator of comparables, because when I wanted to buy a beach house, only wanted Grayton and wanted at least a good view. Now so glad that Gulf front was not a "wanna," because I wouldn't want to replace my walkovers with every tropical storm. However, one of the big considerations when...

Is this $900K house called "Crab Shack," by any chance? I am not surprised that WaterColor is filled for the summer. The Beach Club alone is worth the price of admission. Nice amenities and a nice beach.

Smilin' Joe, you're the peach who told me about Hunt's. Happens that it is on the far end of the road my cousin's house is on. We meet there for sippin' and dippin' and great oysters. I like the jalapeno oysters best, although it's hard to beat the unadorned bi-valve. Love the comment about...

All very interesting feedback. I can tell you that the rentals of our house at Grayton (Conch Out) are higher than ever. Plus, the house books almost solid for the entire season from one spring/summer to the next. So Grayton seems in demand as a family vacation rental venue. I had to laugh at...

Thanks for this post! The thing I miss most on my recent SoWal visits is finding boiled, grilled, or peel-and-eat shrimp. The one place I found them had drowned them in butter and served it with a bunch of overly-rich side dishes. Also, way too expensive for lunch. Doug and Kathy at D&K used...

I am curious to hear thoughts as to why no homes in Grayton Beach seem to be moving right now. I know the market is slow in general (overpriced inventory, too much inventory, slow national trend in second homes, investors lurking in hopes of a "bottom-out," etc.). But I have also heard from some...

I saw Paula's two cottages last time I was down. They are adorable! And I love the porches and pool area. Very nice for one or two couples or a small family and quite accessible to the beach. I seem to recall that she has them on VRBO Web site and you can also contact her on this board. Paula...

You can bet the St. Joe Company would not be pushing a new international airport if it would not have a huge positive impact on their investments in the area. The advantage of improved access isn't just that it becomes easier to get here/there or that air fares will be lower. It is direct access...

Best Ever Margaritas: 1/2 cup Cuervo Gold tequila 1/4 cup Grand Marnier 1 can frozen limeade concentrate 2 cups ice 1 egg white, slipped whipped Combine all ingredients in a blender and whir until smooth. The egg white goes in at the end and keeps the ice from clumping (no brain freeze). Dip...

The Fonville Press at Alys Beach is a kick! Paula and I stopped by there one night after dinner a couple of weeks ago. There was a small party on the back terrace, a really cool steel band playing, everyone having drinks and boogeying around having a great time. I can't wait to go back. And if...

:idontno: I hope that you manage to find something for those dates and at that price. Sounds like a challenge to me, since many places are booked for June and July from a year back and so few allow pets. Someone clue me in on rental rates here...is $1,300/week for a Gulf view place generally...

Beachrunner, I am in awe of your hubbie's acumen with the Blackberry. Heck, I cannot key in my own telephone number in reading glasses and standing stock still. Yes, there is madness out there and you ain't seen nuthin' until you drive in CA. Once was, a person had to be a skilled driver or...

My experience with Citizens (wind) is that their rates were actually considerably lower than two other insurance carriers I received estimates from. At least they were offering coverage when others were running for the hills (2005).

This is really bizarre, because I received a refund in a rather substantial amount as a result of the rollback. I was quite pleased. Of course, also horrified at what the increase was in the previous year. In Florida, everyone shares a bit in the pain of the coastal customers (of which Conch Out...

Well, I will read the thread and get back to you with comments. I will say that legal nonconforming uses are traditionally the most abused of all planning status projects. By definition, they are not allowed to expand the footprint or the use beyond the existing. But people are allowed to take...

This is a problem that seems to be getting better, but one that requires significant oversight by the management company to screen out losers. I continue to be amazed at parents who will rent a house with the understanding they must be there, then leave minors unsupervised with a huge stash of...

This rumor has been going around since the earth's crust was cooling. Seems the basis of it earlier was that the Grayton Grand resort/condos wanted a place for a "beach club" with easy access to the public beach. That turned out to be fiction. FYI, without benefit of a rezoning (not likely) of...

Here's one of my favorite comfort foods, which I think of as Italian grits. It is easy to make, a good "make ahead" dish, and pairs up well with all kinds of things like wild mushroom fricasee, marinara sauce, or just topped with steamed veggies. Every cook that you have as a dinner guest will...

:blush: I am soooo embarrassed...."MANDATORY EVACUATION," of course! Could have been a lot worse, pals: Mandatory Ejac-------. :eek: And I probably will get kicked out of the site for that one. Just call me Ms. Malapropism. Thanks for posting this remarkable photo again, Kurt. It was...

For those of you who purchased Kurt's photo, "Mandatory Evaluation," I took mine to a framer here on Bainbridge Island yesterday and he took a good magnifying glass to it. We spent about 30 minutes just looking at the fine detail in that photo, particularly below the ominous cloud bank and at...

I am interested in photos, particularly those of Grayton Beach and Western Lake. How do we view and order? Thanks...this is wonderful of you!

Many coastal properties are owned by those who cannot vote in Florida. We pay far higher property taxes because we do not have homestead exemption status. Many of us rent our properties part of the year, which translates into very healthy revenues to local government in the form of bed tax...

Welcome to your new Valhalla in South Walton County. Although I grew up in the area, have lived in California for nearly 30 years now. Frankly, I have been amazed that the beaches were not discovered sooner. And fortunately, have been very pleased (for the most part) that development there...

I read this article in my morning NY Times and it seems pretty accurate. The real challenge at Panama City will be overcoming the honky tonk factor. On the other hand, that is something that has always been somewhat endearing to those of us who have lived at the beaches or have been going...

Conch Out has wonderful views of the Gulf and is right next to the public beach access. It also has huge covered decks on two levels that could accommodate a reception, as well as a private pool. The house will sleep 24 and has 6 bedrooms, 6 baths (four master bedroom suites with bath, walkin...

Kathy, I am thinking about you and Doug tonight. I hope that you will soon have some peace around all of this. Our SoWal community has had a really difficult week, haven't we? The loss of IBD's family in the plane crash, Tommy Sholes, and Doug's dad. There is no way to understand this sort...

Kathy and Doug, Please accept our condolences on the loss of Doug's father. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family. We feel almost as if we are part of your family, at least part of the very extended Family of SoWal. Please give Doug our heartfelt sympathy. The first such loss is...

Rebecca, there are no words to express the sadness we felt at hearing the news of your loss. You are in our thoughts and prayers. Your entire SoWal support group grieves with you. I remember having dinner with you and your Mom down at Seaside when I was here last and she was such a strong...

I deal with this underground parking issue all the time and also with underground space for wineries. It is generally envisioned as a way to increase density or to reduce visual impact. And I can tell you that more than 90 percent of the time, this concept is either not even close to being...

Doug and Kathy, our thoughts and prayers are with you and all your family during this difficult time. I wish your dad godspeed. Know that he is proud of all of you and that he will somehow know all about the new restaurant. Look forward to seeing you soon.