Don't miss the Destin Seafood Festival September 17-19!

  The 32nd Annual Destin Seafood Festival

promises to be bigger and better than ever!

  This years' Destin Seafood Festival will be on the Destin Harbor in the Fishing Fleet Marina, 

City of Destin Royal Melvin Heritage Park, and Fisherman's Wharf!

Photo Destin Seafood Festival

 “This year’s poster, by Judy Shilligburg, displays a beautiful geographical view of Destin’s amazing coastline and intercostals waterways. A compass rose is also proudly displayed within the poster, with a heart in the middle. "This symbolizes no matter where you are, home is always at the center of the ‘World’s Most Beautiful Beaches’and within the Destin Harbor,” explained Judy Shillingburg, watercolor artist and owner of Special Touch Gallery. 

“This year’s poster also features award-winning sport fish, shrimp boats, and seasonal anglers, which have become synonymous with our reputation as ‘the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village.’”

The theme for the official poster of the 32nd Annual Destin Seafood Festival was ‘Heart of the Harbor,’ in a nod to the festival’s new location right on Destin’s docks at the Destin Fishing Fleet Marina, City of Destin Royal Melvin Heritage Park, and Fisherman’s Wharf. 

Shillingburg’s entry was chosen from three entries in a vote by the Destin Area Chamber membership at the June 11 Business to Business Breakfast. This is her seventh consecutive win, eighth overall. The poster, along with other artwork by Shillingburg, will be available for purchase during the festival.

 Friday at 8 p.m.

Starship Starring Mickey Thomas 

performs the multi-platinum hits of

Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, and Starship. 

Billboard Top 40 hits include 

We Built this City,

Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,

Sara, and It’s Not Over Till It’s Over.

Photo Mickey Thomas

 Other entertainment includes 

Black Eyed Blonde, Donnie Sundal, 

The Blackbirds, The Forrest Williams Band, 

The Sal Salaz Project, and Jones and Company.

 

 Enjoy live music, arts & crafts, delicious seafood, and more on our beautiful Destin Harbor!
This change in location positions the festival amid Destin's fishing docks, and the change in dates makes it a true kick off to the Destin Fishing Rodeo, which takes place the entire month of October.

 Come join us for all the festivities!

We're saving a seat for you.

Barefoot By The Sea Vacation Rentals

Email us for rates & availability

barefootdella@gmail.com

Phone:  850.543.9239

Beautiful beaches of Destin, Florida!

I never tire of photographing our area.

There's a Kodak Moment around every corner!

No talent required!

Breathtaking scenery is all around us.

I like to 'collect' boat names.

Some days our water is every color & hue in the blue & green spectrum.

Barefoot By The Sea soccer team.

Ranch hand?

Destin Commons

Parasailing

Come on down and bring your camera.

 We're saving a seat for you!

Take a look at our beach rentals Barefoot By The Sea Vacations.

Email for rates & availability: barefootdella@gmail.com

Or give us at call:  850.543.9239

Dolphin Point condo on Holiday Isle available now!

This beautiful, furnished two bedroom, 2 bath condo right on the Destin Harbor is available now for long-term lease.  Only $1250/mo.  Call 850.543.9239 or email jeanne001@cox.net for details.

Sizzling August & September beach deals!

Wildly exciting news!

We have just received email from the Tourist Development Council that, through a $1.685 million grant from BP, they are introducing a new marketing program called "Be Rewarded" gift card program.

Guests who book and stay three nights or more in Beaches of South Walton by September 30 could be rewarded with their choice of a $250 gift card, good either at Silver Sands Factory Stores, the nation’s largest designer factory outlet, or for future travel on Southwest Airlines.  To promote the effort, they are launching www.250reasons.com to show visitors why they should book now. The program will run from August 2 through September 30, 2010. 

Imagine being paid to lie on the beach!

If you haven't planned your late summer beach vacation, there will never be a better time! 

The gift cards are being issued on a first come first served basis.

Get all the details here. Be sure to read the instructions to collect your gift card. 

Our beaches are beautiful and open for enjoyment. We are pulling out all the stops with new activities and events. Late summer/early fall has always been, and remains, a great time to experience all that we have to offer. 

 We're saving a seat for you!

Barefoot By The Sea Vacations

Email:  jeanne001@cox.net for rates & availability

Phone:  850.543.9239

 

Sizzling Summertime at the Beach!

Summertime and the living is easy......

What would summer be without beach music?

Beach music has always been a part of our summer celebration!

These samples are guaranteed to make you want to head for the beach!

 Some of my fav's are  Carolina shag music, 

Eddie Cochran's classic "Summertime Blues,

Jimmy Buffett's Boats Beaches Bars & Ballads, 

Steve Boone's Summer in the City,

Beach Boys Sounds of Summer & so many more!

 Remember this?

My fav Nat King Cole's

Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
You'll wish that summer could always be here

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer

I could sit here & listen to these samples all day!

What's your favorite Summertime Beach Music?

 We're saving a seat for you!

Emerald Coast Shrimp

Nothing is more delicious than succulent Florida shrimp  -

fresh off the boat!

 

 These shrimp are so fresh they slept in the bay last night.

As promised, I'm sharing my Emerald Coast Shrimp Creole with you here.

No, you won't use all 30 lbs. of shrimp for this recipe 

and these shrimp freeze beautifully!

 

 Shrimp Creole
1/2 cup butter


1 large onion, finely chopped


2 ribs celery, finely chopped

1 bell pepper, finely chopped

1 Tbsp Creole seasoning

2 Tbsp tomato paste 

(I like more tomato taste, so I use more)

2-1/2 cups tomatoes, diced


1/2 cup dry white wine


2 cups clam juice or shrimp stock
2 Tbsp garlic, minced


2 bay leaves

cayenne to taste


Kosher salt to taste


1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp white pepper

1 bunch fresh thyme

2 Tbsp Tabasco (or to taste)


1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 lbs. peeled and deveined shrimp
¼ cup chopped parsley
½ cup green onion tops, thinly sliced

Melt the butter in a large pan over medium high heat. 

Add onions, celery, and bell pepper. 

Reduce the heat to medium and season with Creole Seasoning and a pinch of salt. 

Cook until the vegetables are soft. 

Add the tomato paste mixing well, and cook, stirring constantly, 

until the paste begins to brown, then add the tomatoes 

and another pinch of Kosher salt, if desired. Stir well.
When the tomatoes start to break down into liquid add the white wine, 

Turn the heat to high until most of the alcohol burns off. 

Add the clam juice or shrimp stock, garlic, bay leaves, black pepper,

white pepper, cayenne (to taste), and thyme. 

Bring to a boil then reduce to a low simmer. 

Simmer for 30-45 minutes.
Add the hot sauce, Worcestershire, and adjust the seasonings with Kosher salt, if needed. 

Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat to low and add the shrimp. 

Do not overcook shrimp. 

Let them slowly simmer in the sauce until just cooked through. 

Enjoy!

If you would like a copy of the recipe, just click on the email link below

& I will be glad to share it with you.

We still have a few weeks left for your summer beach vacation!

Barefoot By The Sea Vacations

Email us for rates & availability.

Phone: 850.543.9239 

We're saving a seat for you!

Destin celebrates Independence Day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

Long may she wave!

There will be so much celebrating in Destin you won't know where to begin.

Photo Emerald Grande

 There will be the traditional fireworks display over the East Pass.

Commander's Palace in Emerald Grande or any of the restaurants in 

HarborWalk Village is a great vantage point.

More fireworks shows will be in Bay Towne Wharf, Ft. Walton Beach, and Niceville.

Or join the Hilton Sandestin Beach’s patriotic Fourth of July party with spectacular beach fireworks and festivities on the pool deck featuring a traditional buffet dinner with all-American and coastal favorites.

You might want to just catch a few zzzzz's.......

or surf the waves!

Have a safe & happy 4th of July!

It's not too late to reserve your beach condo.

See photos & descriptions of our vacation rentals at

Barefoot By The Sea

or send an email for rates & availability to

jeanne001@cox.net

Fan us on Facebook at Barefoot By The Sea.

Seashells and Wedding Bells

Nothing is more romantic and unforgettable 
than a beach wedding on the Emerald Coast.

Imagine the beach wedding of your dreams just as the sun is dipping into the shimmering

Gulf of Mexico or an incredible, starry night sky on the sugar white beaches of Destin as your backdrop.

There are experienced and creative consultants here to help you plan and design a beautiful wedding that reflects your personality, your style, your ideas, your dreams and your budget.

Some of the local Florida beach wedding consultants include:
Barefoot Weddings
Sugar Beach Weddings
Ultimate Beach Weddings
 

There are many locations to have your marriage ceremony or vow renewals all along the Emerald Coast beaches. There are several State Parks that also allow Beach Weddings that are free to use.  This is my cousin's wedding on the beach in Destin.

Footwear is important at beach weddings, since shoes don't work in the sand. We found these adorable Barefood Bridal Sandals at the Beach Theme Wedding Shop.  Pam just used silk ribbons wrapped to look like beach sandals and they were perfect.

Don’t forget that a Florida marriage license is required. You can contact the Clerk of Court's office for requirements.

Congratulations June brides!

  Barefoot By The Sea Vacations 

Vacation rentals in Destin, Florida

Email us for rates & availability:  jeanne001@cox.net

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Dream of living the island lifestyle right on the Destin Harbor?

AVAILABLE NOW ~ YEAR LEASE!

 Only $1250/month

2 bedroom, 2 bath furnished condo right on the

beautiful Destin Harbor.