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Beach Properties of Florida hosted a grand opening celebration on September 10, 2009 to commemorate the opening of its second office location in WaterColor located in the front offices of the SunTrust Bank building in WaterColor Crossing. More info >>
[photo credit: Madra McDonald]
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Dynamic NYC-based husband and wife team - Chef James Briscione and Author/Foodie Brooke Parkhurst - entertained a group 15 last night, July 24 2009, at a Cooking Demonstration and Tasting held at Studio b in Alys Beach. Participants sipped on white wine and Cucumber-Bourbon-Lemon cocktails while Chef James and Brooke entertained and informed on how to create a simple, yet sophisticated, summer meal featuring several of their favorite seasonal recipes. Everyone was encouraged to jump in to help prepare the meal as culinary tips and hints were given and, right after sunset, everyone congregated around a beautifully decorated communal table to share the DELICIOUS meal. The menu included: Ratatouille Crostini, Grilled Snapper with Green Tomatoes and Pecan Sauce, Corn and Andouille Salad with Charred Scallion Vinaigrette, and Summer Berry Cornmeal Cobbler.
Studio b holds regular events at their Alys Beach location - check out their calendar at www.Studiobthebeach.com to view upcoming classes events. Learn more about James and Brooke here.
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On Tuesday, June 30 in Alys Beach, from 5-6:30pm, the Cultural Arts Association hosted an Preview Party for the first Designer Showhouse for the Arts where world-class
interior designers will fill the courtyard home at 35 Lady Bug Court (directions below) in Alys Beach.
Guests enjoyed wine and hors d'oeuvres prepared by Chef Olivier of Caliza Restaurant while getting a first look and opportunity to purchase the exquisite designs of the following nine nationally-renowned designers:
BOHLERT-MASSEY, living room; CAROL MURPHY DESIGN, upstairs study; DESIGN, dining room; DRAGONFLY DESIGNS,
courtyard; EASTERN LAKE NURSERY, porch/gallery; HOLLY SHIPMAN,
kitchen; PIZITZ HOME & COTTAGE, downstairs master; SPY, upstairs
guest bedroom; TRACERY, upstairs master; WORLD SIX GALLERY, east stairwell (CONTINUED BELOW)
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The Showhouse is now open to the public
Wednesdays - Sundays, from July 1 - 26, from 12:00 - 5:00 pm. The cost is
$20 and $10 for children under 13. Purchase tickets online, at the CAA office [MAP] or at the Designer Showhouse when it is open. Furnishing and accessories are available for purchase, and 10% of each sale goes back to the CAA.
For more information, visit the website.
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View More You've Been Scene Slideshows here.
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Founder Colleen Duffley of Studio b held two Grand Opening events yesterday - an afternoon presentation on "Island Life and Style" and book signing at the Rosemary Beach Town Hall with fashion and style icon and Bravo TV's host of "Top Design" India Hicks and her husband David Flint Wood and an evening Grand Opening gala event at Studio b's studio in prestigious Alys Beach.
Many locals were seen at both events, including: Dr. Steve and Sandy Weiner (The Aesthetic Clinique), Mike and Angela Ragsdale (30A.com), Dave and Carolyn Rauschkolb (Bud and Alley's/TACO Bar/PIZZA Bar), Leo and Tara Casas (Leo Casas Architecture, Seaside, FL), Peter and Seleta Howard, Teresa Cline (Teresa Cline Gallery), Jerry and Lisa Burwell (VIE Magazine and Cornerstone Marketing and Advertising), Demetrius Fuller (Sinfonia Gulf Coast), Jennifer and Baulder Saunders (CAA and Dread Clampitt), Mark and Paige Schnell (Tracery Interiors), Tim and Paige McNamara (TMc Architecture), Nikki Nickerson (Cowgirl Kitchen), Eric and Marieanne Khoury-Vogt (Alys Beach Town Architects), Jason and Anna Comer (Town Founder, Alys Beach), Nellie DeBruyn, Paul and Helen "Redd" Vizard (30A Television), Jeff Armstrong (CFO, Alys Beach), Susan Von Hoene (Von Hoene Law Firm) and many many more.
Studio b. - the new venture of local resident and professional photographer Colleen Duffley - is a creative venue offering seminars, classes and inspirational lectures from world-renowned and up and coming professionals in the fields of photography, art, design, literature, food and wine at venues around South Walton, the country and abroad.
View upcoming events on the Studio b calendar here. Space is limited so make your reservations early.
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We were "On The Scene" at this year's Seaside Reperatory Theatre's Dirty Santa Ball 2008 at Carillon Beach held on Saturday, December 6, 2008 at 7pm. Party goers dressed in semi formal attire and "ugly sweaters" for an evening of food, drink & live music from Hotwire to benefit the Seaside Rep. Local artists and designers had decorated ten different Christmas trees which were auctioned off at the event. A "Dirty Santa" Raffle was held where winners were able to steal the gifts others before them had won. Raffle items included gift certificates to:
About twenty South Waltoners attended the "Giving Thanks" Girls Night Out last night at Pizza By The Sea in WaterColor Crossing for good food, spirits, camaraderie and a good cause. Sponsored by Pizza By The Sea owners Bryan and Stacy Pritchett, all proceeds from the evening were given to Heartworks Kids who will use the money to provide a better Thanksgiving for local families in need.
For more information on Heartworks Kids or if you would like to make a donation, please email Lauren Romano, founder of Heartworks Kids, at laurenromano@earthlink.net or call 850-543-0323.
It was an absolutely gorgeous weekend in the Beaches of South Walton and SoWalScene.com was on the scene at many of the events!
Cottages For Kids 2008 Kick Off Celebration at Rosemary Beach on the East Long Green on Scenic Hwy 30A If you have little ones, you must make it over to Rosemary Beach this month to check out the "green" playhouses local builders and architects have created for this year's Cottages For Kids event - they are really amazing. The cottages are open to the public from 9am - 4pm daily until November 28 and can be explored and enjoyed by children and parents.
Cottages For Kids is an annual fundraiser which gives local builders, architects and designers the opportunity to support Children's Volunteer Health Network - a faith based, 501(c) 3 non-profit organization that facilitates free, immediate access to medical, dental and mental health care - by using their vision and passion to create fantasy inspiring cottage playhouses. The playhouses can be purchased "on the spot" or at the Auction and Raffle Event on November 29, 2008, starting at 10:30am. The "Crooked House" was purchased on the spot this past Saturday for a smooth $15,000!
Be sure to purchase a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of the cottages which will given away on the 29th! This year Cottages for Kids challenged the building teams to be Earth Friendly. For more information, call 850.622.3200.
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Seaside's 18th Annual Seeing Red Wine Festival Over 1100 wine enthusiasts converged on Seaside Saturday from 1-5pm for an intimate afternoon of wine, food and music. Hundreds of wines of all varietals were being poured and sampled from every region of the world. I enjoyed several unoaked Chardonnays and the Pinot Noirs were tasting great that day!
Telluride MountainFilm Festival on Tour at WaterColor I capped off my Saturday at one of my favorite events of the year - the MountainFilm Festival on Tour at WaterColor - and this year was as wonderful as the previous six I have attended (this was MountainFilm on Tour's 8th year at WaterColor).
We ate chili and chowder, sipped some nice wines and watched three hours of independent short films focusing on the environment under the stars. My camera battery had died by the time the festival started but you can view some photo's from the Festival on SoWal.com.
A group of around fifty attended the Alys Beach Induction Ceremony into Beaches of South Walton last night at the gorgeous Caliza Pool in Alys Beach.
Alys Beach has officially become the 15th beach community to join the exclusive Beaches of South Walton. Beaches of South Walton is a premier collection of beach communities located along the gulf coast in South Walton county. The area is the birthplace of New Urbanism and is also the only place in the United States to have 26 continuous miles of sugar-white sand certified “Blue Wave” by the Clean Beaches Council.
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Alys Beach was selected for inclusion in this elite group because the community meets the beach community criteria by providing retail shopping, restaurants, beaches, world-class public events and short-term vacation rentals. Alys Beach joins 14 other Beaches of South Walton communities including Inlet Beach, Rosemary Beach, Seacrest, WaterSound, Seagrove Beach, Seaside, WaterColor, Grayton Beach, Blue Mountain Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Dune Allen Beach, Sandestin, Seascape and Miramar Beach.
When complete, the resort town will be home to over 600 villas and courtyard homes, as well as numerous restaurants, parks, pools and shops. All homes in Alys Beach are built to “Fortified…for safer living” building standards, as designated by the Institute for Business & Home Safety, and are also built to the Green Home Designation Standard of the Florida Green Building Coalition.
