When you vacation in the same place for more than 15 years like we have in Santa Rosa Beach, you gain a unique perspective on it. We're not locals, of course, but we're not really outsiders either. Coming down from Nashville once or twice a year and seeing the changes firsthand, I guess, is akin to seeing another family every year and watching the changes in their children from one year to the next. Suddenly, one year, they're no longer children and you're left pondering where time went.
The Gulf Place Town Center always has seemed like the town square for Santa Rosa Beach. Late last year, Gulf Place was sold to a developer of some sort. As often happens in those kind of deals, the new owner unceremoniously evicted several of the longtime shops in Gulf Place, including YOLO Board & Bike, from whom we had rented bikes in the past. A little internet research revealed it wasn't an exorbitant rent increase; rather, the new owner simply kicked the shipowners out.
There's been so much growth in Santa Rosa Beach and he surrounding area, particularly the last five or so years. Shunk's Gulley, next door to where I sit, was a needed addition. A place to eat, drink, and watch sports on one of several flat screen televisions upstairs or downstairs, all with a view of the ocean across the street. There's a new burger bar next to Shunk's Gulley, where we ate lunch yesterday. It's fine but nothing to write home about.
Gone, sadly, are Elmo's (an early favorite of JP's), Pickle Factory (the boys' favorite place for pizza), the Grove (here only briefly but where we had lunch and spent a wonderful afternoon last spring break), and Blue Mountain Creamery (it's still here, actually, but no longer owned by our friend, Jed's, family). Grayt Coffee Shop - a Grayton Beach favorite of mine in the early years - moved from one location to another, then closed several years ago.
One of the things that attracted us to Santa Rosa Beach in the first place, so long ago, was the fact that it wasn't as crowded and congested as Seaside, Seagrove, or Rosemary Beach. There is a "see to be seen" aspect to those places that's missing from Santa Rosa Beach and, probably, Blue Mountain Beach. More locals in Santa Rosa Beach. I fear that's changing, though, with all of the recent growth in Santa Rosa Beach.
As JP pointed out to us before we left Nashville, the MBA varsity baseball team always take a trip during spring break to play games out of state, often to Florida. If he keeps playing baseball and makes the varsity squad in the next couple of years, spring break would look very different for us. In other words, it's possible this could be our last spring break in Santa Rosa Beach, which is a sad fact to contemplate for sure.
Sometimes, I wonder what life will be like, especially for Joe, when JP goes to college. On spring break, for example, will Jude and I take Joe to Santa Rosa Beach? What will Joe do by himself at the beach? He and JP are so close and perfect companions, throwing the baseball with each other every day, running together, or riding in the golf cart. Things will be very different for Joe after JP leaves for college. No two ways around that.
JP is driving Jude and Joe to Gulf Place as I write this because we're going to try breakfast at the Perfect Pig. We love eating dinner there but we've never tried breakfast. Joe is our culinary tour guide and he's excited about breakfast, so there you go.
No comments:
Post a Comment