Sugar-white sand, salty aqua waves and pinkish orange sunsets – all a part of Florida’s charm. I always feel a tad out of place. Modest in nature and porcelain in completion, I look more like a member of the Addams family but I don’t mind. My goal is to leave without any evidence I’ve even been to the beach so I lather on Sun Bum every hour. Freckles I can tolerate. Skin cancer, no thanks.
I haven’t been to Panama City Beach in a few years preferring new travel destinations instead. To me, the monotony of returning each summer to the same place, doing the same ole thing was, well, unsatisfying. However, my PCB break provided a change in perspective.
I’d forgotten how nice it is to lounge around reading with no rigid schedule in place … the comfort that comes with already knowing how to get around … the prior knowledge of what to do and where to eat without researching beforehand. It’s nice and easy.
This year, Ross and I flew down taking an Uber to Seaside to kill some time while waiting for his parents and brother to arrive by car. First stop – Modica Market, a quaint gourmet grocery. We devoured our lunch there before heading to Sundog Books to browse around.
After adding another novel to my bag, we headed to The Seaside Style for a few comfortable mementos. Seaside sweatshirts are the coziest and the only souvenir I care to bring home. We casually strolled through all the shops before heading to the condo located on the easternmost point of the PCB.
The Moonspinner is at the quiet end of the beach next to the State Park. We spent most of the trip just beaching it. I’d read awhile under the protection of the umbrella then cool off in the ocean by jumping along with its waves.
On our anniversary, we walked along the sand watching the waves roll in until we got to Schooners. As we ate our food, they led a countdown as the sun sunk and when it dipped below the horizon, they blasted off an old cannon. While sipping a strawberry daiquiri, we watched as locals Barry and Greg performed covers from the '60s to today.
As for other fun endeavors, each night we’d go out to dinner. We hit up some of the Garrisons’ favs including Angelo's Steak Pit and Capt. Anderson's Restaurant. For me, my top pick was C-Level. The owner was nice, the food was tasty and affordable and I just enjoyed the overall vibe of the restaurant.
Last week flew by. Although I wouldn’t consider myself a beach babe, I enjoyed spending my day reading on the sand. In fact, two of my vacation reads will be available in Bonnie’s Book Swap – The “Last House Guest” by Megan Miranda and “The Book Charmer” by Karen Hawkins. Both were fabulous!
Anyway, I’m home now. Mostly sand-free with a refreshed soul ready to see my grandparents and present my niece with her airbrushed T-shirt. Back to being a local instead of a tourist and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Standard reporter Lacy Garrison can be reached at 473-2191.
