lousey new year's eve

We went to the party part at FOW and I have to agree, the band not keeping up with the time, the failed balloon drop, and midnight buffet????? Enjoyed the company of my friends, but the party itself was quite a waste of $$

We were there too....decided that next year we'll just cook it up at home. But the company of the friends was great.

Were you guys there when the girl got proposed to and started screaming?

I'm with you, I think the key to the best New Year's Eve is the company of GRAYT friends!! Think I missed the proposal:idontno:

Hubbie and I were there for a 9pm reservation and had the exact opposite experience! We love to sit at the table for a few hours, though, when we dine and to give us time to digest a bit between courses (this dinner was 5 courses) so slow service never bothers us. We splurged for the additional $55/person wine flight which paired wines with each course and it was absolutely wonderful! The only disappointment with our dinner was that my veal marrow was undercooked. We chose a 9pm reservation not for the party afterwards but because we knew if we ate that much earlier we wouldn't have made it midnight so we didn't have any expectations about the party. We made it downstairs about 5 minutes before the New Year rolled in and, I do agree, it wasn't anything spectacular. We did get to drink champagne which, because of all the wines we drank at dinner, my palate didn't mind that it was not Dom, and I did get to slow dance with my husband which is something we haven't done in years - that alone made the party a success for me. :wub:

We were there too....decided that next year we'll just cook it up at home. But the company of the friends was great.

Were you guys there when the girl got proposed to and started screaming?

Yes, we were there! :clap_1: That was too funny. I had no idea what was happening. Did you get a chance to see the ring? I thought it was hilarious all the men were coming to the table to peek and patting the guy on the back. Must've been nice!

We met the couple down in the tent. It was a 4 carat diamond/platinum beautiful ring. I woulda screamed too!

We met the couple down in the tent. It was a 4 carat diamond/platinum beautiful ring. I woulda screamed too!

Dang, yes I would've screamed, also! The kids were all adorable, too. I've never seen someone else be proposed to - it was neat.

We have learned to avoid the New Year's Eve dinner deals at restaurants like the plague. A great restaurant can come off looking really bad when everything is mass produced. Of course, it is one of the most lucrative nights for the restaurants, so they are more than willing to take the risk. Ever wonder why most are open for 'special' New Year's Eve dinners?;-)

We have learned to avoid the New Year's Eve dinner deals at restaurants like the plague. A great restaurant can come off looking really bad when everything is mass produced. Of course, it is one of the most lucrative nights for the restaurants, so they are more than willing to take the risk. Ever wonder why most are open for 'special' New Year's Eve dinners?;-)

That goes for Valentine's Day too! It's half the service with half the food quality at twice the price -- and people line up at the door. :idontno: :idontno:

That goes for Valentine's Day too! It's half the service with half the food quality at twice the price -- and people line up at the door. :idontno: :idontno:

Yes, yes, yes. Of course, you ladies applying the pressure does not help the dining out situation that night:funn:

Yes, yes, yes. Of course, you ladies applying the pressure does not help the dining out situation that night:funn:

:nono1: ...now, now...I refuse to dine or receive flowers on VD, yes VD. But, I don't mind a little bling now and again. 😀

:nono1: ...now, now...I refuse to dine or receive flowers on VD, yes VD. But, I don't mind a little bling now and again. 😀

You are a progressive pussycat:cool:

That goes for Valentine's Day too! It's half the service with half the food quality at twice the price -- and people line up at the door. :idontno: :idontno:

I think it's the half full/half empty glass perspective and personal preferences. We eat out often but I just really like the pomp and circumstance of going out to dinner on a holiday - there is a just different vibe on the holidays. AND you get to dress up:clap_1: We're not price shoppers so that is not a factor in the equation when we are deciding where to go on a holiday. We look at the menus and decide that way.

We were down in the area, too, and had a phenomenal New Year's Eve. We avoided the restaurants, had pizza, birthday cake for my son, and walked down to Norreiga (sp) Point to watch the little fireworks show and listen to the screaming revellers across the harbor. We were staying on Holiday Isle so it was a short jaunt. It was priceless. The best part was sitting on the beach the first day of the new year and watching my son run around barefoot and in shorts in the dead of winter. No wonder we're relocating to the area in July!

Happy New Year to all.

My ATL hairdresser is a property owner in South Walton and went to Fish Out Of Water for NYE with friends of his. I'll have to ask him how it was when I see him next week.

Our experience at fixed-price NYE dinners has never been good, regardless of city (rip-off prices, food that is not up to par as compared to the restaurant's normal standards, poor service). We normally cook a nice dinner and then either go to a party at someone's home or put on jammies and watch DVDs at our home.

I hear your complaints, but do you really expect a coat room in Florida? :floor:

Reading your post about the band not knowing the time, that is just plain unprofessional for such and event, but it reminds me a funn thing which we started doing at Country Club where I worked. Year after year, we all noticed that the old folks couldn't stay awake until midnight, so they would sit in the dining room and wait. Some danced, but most sat around very bored, and quite a few slept. Midnight would come, the balloons drop, Champagne was popped, that old song to which no one knows the words was played, and the old folks slowly ran to their cars and went home. Meantime the young folks were partying hard in the more funn party at the Club, and when 3am came, they began to filter out.

Noticing this, I came up with a genious idea to have the old folks balloon drop at 9:00pm. Keep in mind these guys eat at 6:00pm. The young folks party was kept on the midnight schedule. We briefed all guests on the plan and it was a huge success! I have never seen happier old people. They even stayed around to drink Champagne and dance a few songs after the 9pm balloon drop.

Personally, my schedule requires a 9pm midnight. 😀

Sorry to hear that FOW, which has such a nice appearance, really screwed this one up. That has to be the first time the entire WC Inn was fully booked, and when you have a full audience is the time you better shine. I still say that the labor situation in this town is hard for employers and as more and more retail shops are opened here, the labor is going to get even thinner.

That goes for Valentine's Day too! It's half the service with half the food quality at twice the price -- and people line up at the door. :idontno: :idontno:

Actually, unless people ask off (as they often do on holidays in the restaurant business :bang:), it is the same service and food, but it is divided among four times the number of guests, and for some reason the public doesn't seem to get it and are still willing to fork over twice as much money. :idontno: I think some places could triple the price and people would still go, and still come away disappointed.

I was at FOW, and I'm glad I was there with a group of friends, because I REALLY felt like a FOW. It seemed like all Hotel guests. The band was good, but after paying $50 to get in I was not overly impressed. I was shocked that the band noticed at 12:02 :bang: that it was New Years. I'm really disappointed that there was no 'ballet' parking. I'm glad my friends had a good time and danced, especially P & S. That made the whole deal worthwhile. It was fun to people watch.

HOWEVER....
The highlight of the whole evening was dinner at D&K's! I could do that everynight, but I'd probably end up having to be taken to the hospital- ON A FORKLIFT.:floor: My stomach still hurts, but I loved every ounce of it!
The dinner was absolutely incredible! One of the best I've had on 30A in years. The bacon wrapped jumbo shrimp served on a bed of cheese grits was to die for, and the steak was big enough to feed a family of four. Or just me. Everything was top rate. And the restaurant is beautiful. I can't say enough great things about it. I regret not knowing till later that it was K's birthday. What a way to celebrate!

I think house parties with family and good friends is still the way to go. There's something warm and fuzzy and sentimental about that.

I was just rereading prior posts and remembered something else I missed. What happened to the midnight buffet? Not that I could have eating another bite without blowing the buttons off my shirt (You'll poke your eye out!). I hope they weren't referring to the JellyBeans and candy spread.
True, the Fish Flopped, but we managed to have a good time in spite of it.