"You're So SoWal If..." Presenting the 2011 Winners

There are some wonderful, unique, and often quirky things about South Walton. Even if you're just visiting our beach paradise, you can feel it in your bones. We've had so much fun reading every entry to the 2011 edition of our “you're so SoWal if...” contest and we're thrilled to share the best with you. Although our top three came from locals, we had hundreds of great entries from folks far and wide.

Our overall 2011 winner is from Jenny Dargavell who wrote her entry in reference to Sundays at Grayton Beach's famous Red Bar, "You're So SoWal if... church consists of giant mimosas, a cheeseburger and Dread Clampitt as your choir."

Our second runner up comes from Stacy Pritchett who wrote, "You're So SoWal if... you consider a long distance relationship dating someone in Destin."

Third runner up is from Susan Vallee who wryly noted, "You're So SoWal if... all of your friends are either realtors or photographers."

A big thanks to our great panel of judges who volunteered to laugh and cry their way through all the entries and narrowed them down to the best. The judges for 2011 are Kevin Boyle, Renee Georgeff, Alicia Leonard, Jami Ray, Kelli Arnold, and Debbie Wheeler. Names were removed from entries prior to judging.

We're already looking forward to the 2012 edition of “You're So SoWal If...” and we hope you'll keep SoWal on your mind and send in your entries next year. Enjoy these entries and winners from 2011!
 

"You're So SoWal If...Your dog wants his own YOLO paddle." Joann G
 

More Great Entries for the 2011 Edition of “You're So SoWal If...”

• You remember the Seaside Water Tower as part of the skyline. Bobby Johnson
• You bought a Woodie from Woodie. Bobby Johnson
• You know how Blue Mountain Beach got it's name. Jill Benson
• You remember when deer ran across 30A in the daytime and you could sit on the porch all day long and see only 2 or 3 cars pass in the mid-sixties. Dawn Simpler
• Your idea of dressing up is taking a shower. Susan L
• The flat world ends at Chevron. Or at Shades. Julie
• You spot a SoWal sticker in your town and chase the person down to see if it's someone you might know or want to know! Carol
• You don’t own a pair of pants. Jim Carter
• You pediatrician always finds sand in your kids' ears. Teresa L
• Your visa is maxed out and you cry when your vacation is over. Tom Paoletti
• You have dogs named Opal, Ivan, Dennis, or Rove in memory of unwanted visitors. Tim Tricker
• The morning after a drunken sex romp in the beach dunes, you are more guilty about stomping on the sea oats than anything else. Tim Tricker
• The idea of white water rafting is an inner tube, a six pack of beer, and a dune lake outflow. Will Bruner
• You have no problem becoming a vegetarian on Sundays for Cheri at Hibiscus. Rebecca Sullivan

"You're So SoWal If...the tag on your Tennessee car reads 'SOWAL'." ThirtyAgal

• You once picked up your mail at Butler's Store in Grayton Beach. Virginia
• You YOLO to work. Jim Stesserl
• You haven't driven your car in three days, yet you've been out and about every day for the past week. Miles N
• You've had your birthday party at Nick's on the Bay. Tiffany Bogan
• You have dolphins and alligators living together in the bayou behind your house. Anon
• You've made fun of tourists so often for saying the "Red Barn" instead of the Red Bar that you start saying the "Red Barn" all the time yourself. Anon
• You live in a mobile home on a 2 million dollar property. Tom Willet
• You have a fuBP sticker on your car. Annie Carrigan
• You had a loose gunman hiding under your front porch and posted his whereabouts on SoWal. Anon
• You plan your day around what color the beach flag is. Bill Pickson
• You should be able to collect bed tax off your guest bedroom. Anon
• You post on the SoWal forum to see if anyone is going to Destin and can pick up some things for you. Anon
• You gave your city clothes and shoes to Caring and Sharing. Anon
• You've met Prudence from the song "Dear Prudence". Anon
• You factor in at least 30 minutes of socializing into your Watercolor Publix run Anon
• You know that the Gathering Spot has the best happy hour in town and you have to educate friends on where exactly the Gathering Spot actually is. Anon

"You're So SoWal If...your beach car is a mini electric Rolls Royce." Bess Bickley

• You have three jobs and one of those is as a realtor. Anon
• You wrote a letter to Robert Davis in the 80s concerned about his tin roof "shacks" in Seaside negatively affecting your property value. Anon
• You make less money per month than you used to make in 5 days in Los Angeles…and are happier than you've ever been. Analogman
• You know that the off season is the best season to go the beach. Anon
• You know what a GOBB Party is and never miss it. Anon
• You remember when the Red Bar was a store and when driving on the beach from Grayton to Seagrove was allowed. Anon
• You cried when dogs were banned from the beach in one of the biggest County Commission Meetings ever. Anon
• You have one too many of Mo's Cosmos and end up with a SoWal tattoo. Renee G
• You remember and long for Coco's Mexican Grill and their giant margaritas with a huge table full of friends. Anon
• You bring a garbage bag to the beach on July 5th. Bob L.
• You know the real reason live music was banned in Seaside. Buster

"You're So SoWal If...you got your sushi from a German dude in an airstream in Seaside." Tom Berry

• Your dial has not moved off 30A Radio in years. Buster
• You don’t own a watch or a tie. Buster
• You attend over 4,300 fundraisers per year. Buster
• You have been on Grayton Beach on the night of July 4th next to a pickup truck full of the unsold inventory of an Alabama fireworks store. Anon
• You own two pairs of flip flops: One pair for casual and one pair for formal occasions. Anon
• You've seen the beautiful sunsets, dolphins playing, Loggerhead turtles nesting, black bears roaming the neighborhoods, wild pigs causing traffic jams, our Bald Eagles and the Whale Sharks of Grayton Beach. K. Parsons
• You don’t even notice the house from the bombs dropping at Eglin AFB anymore. K. Parsons

"You're So SoWal If...your megaphone and airstream, as well as your bicycle all boast a SoWal sticker. Shout it out…I so love SoWal!" Lynn Nesmith

• You were married in Blue Mountain Beach, had a baby in Miramar Beach, live in Santa Rosa Beach and own three businesses in SoWal. Candi Jerkins
• If you have a bumper sticker that says "Nice Dogs…Strange People" Sandie Marshall
• If you scribbled on your dirty car, "Tow back to SoWal with me in it!" Sandie Marshall
• You have your hair up, bathing suit on, with drink in hand and it's only AM. Amy
• You remember when Seagrove Village Market was the only place for miles and miles to buy gas, beer, a newspaper, beach towels, bait, t-shirts, ice, shrimp, flip flops or suntan lotion. J.D. Barker
• If you spent all day at the beach and you're still in your bathing suit, drinking a margarita when they ring the sunset bell at Bud and Alley's. Lynn Nesmith
• You happily drive 12 hours straight just to get here and when you arrive without even unpacking the car, you head to the beach to do your happy dance. Lisa Columbe
• You know where the secret parking spots are in Seaside. Murray Balkcom
• You carry a bathing suit, towel, beach chair, and a couple of coozies in your car at all time. Carol Gagliardi
• Your best suit is a swimsuit. Michelle Chandler
• You have a fleet of YOLO boards: one suitable for surfing, one stable enough for SUPing waves, and a YAK for your dog to ride along. Kim Polakoff

"You're So SoWal If...it takes nine dudes to trailer your boat." Kurt L

• You manage to finagle a free ticket to every pricey party and fundraiser in the county. (I don’t want my name attached to this one…I have a reputation to uphold.) Lynn Nesmith
• Your dog refuses to walk off the sidewalk because he knows he'll step on a sand spur. Elaine Parrett
• You have lips from Miss Lucille's on the dashboards of your cars, on your coolers and on your cat carrier. Fern Hallman
• Your cat sitter already has all of the beach t-shirts from SoWal. Fern Hallman
• Your bike is so rusted, it's been mistaken for trash. Anon
• Your unfazed by the presence of a dog in a pearl shop, bookstore or restaurant. Melissa
• You fought building the Walmart with all of your might, but were there at 7:30 the morning they opened. Debbie
• Your dog gets excited when you pull out plastic wine glasses at sunset, because he knows he's headed for the beach. Jay Schaudies
• You’ve walked the South Walton beaches for almost 50 years and you still stop, point, excitedly yell "dolphins!" and watch in awe until they swim out of sight. Leslie Gorman-Anich

"You're So SoWal If...your bike has a big ole' sun on it." Jenny Critz

• You eat Goatfeathers boiled shrimp for breakfast because you know you will have to wait a whole year until vacation time to eat them again. Colleen Rushing
• The condo dumpsters are your Walmart superstore for chairs, floats, boogie boards, brand new or slightly used. Myra
• You know immediately when something has been added or removed from the Red Bar décor. Kelli Arnold
• You factor in at least 30 minutes of socializing into your Watercolor Publix run, Rebecca Sullivan
• You have SoWal stickers covering the rust on your Jeep. Anon
• You know which restaurant has the "Colby Special." Murray Balkcom
• You know how to spell FUNN. Murray Balkcom
• You live miles away and your first cup of coffee each morning is enjoyed while viewing the beaches on SoWal.com Rebecca Harris
• You toss cold cans of beer off the balcony from your quaint and whimsical room above Zoo Gallery to people waiting for seats at the Red Bar. Becki Davis
• You refuse to wash one of your beach towels when you get home from vacation so you can smell it, because it reminds you of the beach. Kathy Wells
• You have to watch the sun set on the beachcam when you are away. Gretchen Infinger
• You remember the Sip and Dip. Collins Addison
• You know which intersections on 30A make the best spots to get airborne. Bobby Johnson
• You know what Coach Flowers had for breakfast at the Wheelhouse every day. Lisa Ruby
• You remember the real Gourd Garden and Paradise Café. Bobby Johnson
• You know Smiling Joe. Jfm
• You use a SoWal sticker so you can identify your luggage easier. Kathy
• You see someone with a SoWal sticker on their car, and you follow them to ask, "Who are you?" Kathy
• SoWal.com is your primary news source. Karen Hart
• You walk out your front door early in the morning and along the way meet up with several neighbors and friends, also out for an early morning walk. As you reach your destination, you realize you have all arrived at the same destination…to collect your cars from Seaside, because you had waaaaayy tooooo much funn at Bud and Alley's the night before! Sheila
• Just one more means three more. Leigh Ann
• Your pursuit of the almighty dollar is better if it's made out of sand. I know sand dollars are not made out of sand and I surely don’t want to get chastised by any marine biology critics who might be lurking. Mark Rich
• You know the taste of garlic mashed potatoes making the return trip back up after an evening of eating and drinking too much at a certain local establishment. Tim Tricker
• You got a check from BP and paid for your sex change operation. Anon
• Whenever you watch 30A TV, you wonder what they're smoking. Anon
• You killed a hog on Hogtown Bayou. Deb Orr
• You like to mount game fish but you're not a taxidermist. Mike B.
• You have ever considered sargasum weed a fashion accessory. Steve McQueen
• You and another SoWaller have matching SoWal tattoos. Linda Hatfield

"You're So SoWal If...you see a sign telling you to slow down and there is a donkey on it." Brooke Shattles