A quick look at the start of the Seaside race for 2011.

Kelsey Anna is as local as the wildflowers along Walton County roads, and her talent is blooming just like them. You can hear her at small local venues like La Botana, Amavida, and Hibiscus. Catch her while you can so one day you can say you did. She's got pipes and can strum a good guitar, but what sets her apart are her songwriting skills. She's penned more than 50 honest tunes to date and there are some gems among them.

The sixth annual Art in the Park at WaterColor, Florida was on a perfect spring day in the town center. Many different types of artists displayed and demonstrated their art for hundreds of people in Cerulean Park beside the beautiful pond and watercourse. As usual, Monark Events did an excellent job putting on the event for the WaterColor homeowners' association.

Cooking fish in the kitchen with Executive Chef Cody Smith at Seagrill in Seacrest. Chops 30A is now Seagrill, from Jim Altamura, owner of Marina Cafe and Fish Bar in Destin, and Crush in Seaside.

Seagrill is between the SoWal beach towns of Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach, featuring upscale casual dining with fine cuts of meat, fresh seafood and sushi.
The large and sleek bar is known for regular nightly specials and many different martini creations.

An early look at V Restaurant in Seagrove, phase one of the Viridian Hotel at the corner of Scenic 395 and Scenic 30A, next to the Seagrove Market. Opening night is scheduled for Friday, March 11, 2011. The striking and classic building was designed by DAG Architects, and built by Arkon Group of Santa Rosa Beach.

Vera Bradley co-founder Barbara Bradley Baekgaard chats with SoWal's Rebecca Sullivan about her company and her love for the beach from the porch of her family's home in Seaside, Florida.

Vera Bradley supports the Seaside Neighborhood School by presenting the annual Seaside School Half Marathon and 5K Run on Scenic Highway 30A in SoWal.

The 2011 Sandestin Gumbo Festival was a delicious success! Lots of good food, good people and good music make for a helluva good time - Nawlins style. Congratulations to Jon Seeling of 98 Bar-B-Que and his team for their 4th-straight victory at the Sandestin Gumbo Festival.

Sandestin Gumbo Festival February 18th & 19th in Baytowne Wharf. We visited  three-time defending festivalcChampion Jon Seeling of 98 Bar-B-Que to learn how he makes his award-winning Chicken & Sausage Gumbo.

If you need it, or don't need it but gotta have it, then check out the  annual Seaside Community Yard Sale every February at the central square  in the Seaside Amphitheater.
It's become one of the most popular  events in SoWal with tons of locals, snowbirds, weekend visitors, and  professional and local vendors.
Just like 30A Radio which plays the jams  during the event, you never know what you're gonna get, see, hear, buy .  . .

Songwriter Greg Barnhill performs at the 2nd annual 30A Songwriters Festival in SoWal with fellow songwriters Tim Jackson, Kaci Bolls and Doug Kahan in the Garden of Love in the back yard of Hibiscus Coffee and Guest House in Grayton Beach, Florida.