This weekend was a girl’s getaway to Carillon Beach on 30A along the Florida Panhandle. My friend and I LOVE the beach and we try to go once a year for tranquility, seafood, soaking in the sun, and shopping. We made a great decision by choosing Carillon Beach this year. There really aren’t huge crowds in the month of April. The beaches are very quiet which makes it so perfect to read a good book, hunt for shells, walk for miles or just enjoy the peace and quiet. The homes are exquisite and homey at the same time. I loved the exterior colors matched against the blue skies. The white picket fences add to the setting. So charming and beautiful!
Y’all need to click on the link below to see a beautiful video of pelicans flying above Carillon Beach. Keep watching as one nose dives for his dinner! Such great entertainment for us while we were soaking up some sun.
Calm surf for the first morning and absolutely clear skies. Heavenly beach day! Please comment to let us know what is your favorite beach to visit?
The honeysuckle was in bloom all along 30A. You can smell the floral scent just walking by. We decided to take in the Farmer’s Market at Seaside Beach on Saturday morning. It began at 8 a.m. which was a fun way to begin the day. Arrive hungry to taste all of the samples or to just sit and enjoy breakfast. There is a lot of green space where you can walk your dog or play frisbee with your children. The shops open anywhere between 9 and 10.
There are some fun food trucks lined up on 30A right at Seaside Beach. There are great choices from ice cream, juices, hot dogs, and BBQ. There are some gluten-free options to choose from.
Okay, I have to admit this was one of my favorite booths to see at the Seaside Farmer’s Market. Full of gluten and completely untouchable for me. But smelling these fresh baked goods and seeing them get bought up by so many people was fun enough for me. This table looked like this when we first arrived and by the time we left was barely stocked. My Mom would have bought a bag full back in the day! I am just thankful I was able to enjoy these goodies at one time. And it’s not that sad anymore to have to go without.
Check out this yumminess! These were some of my unexpected discoveries for the day. We purchased some gluten-free smoked fish spread, organic cucumbers and blueberries, genoa salami, and gluten-free piña colada bread for a picnic lunch in the car. We used the cucumbers sliced for ‘crackers’. Could not have gotten a better lunch in a restaurant. I also had some natural almonds leftover from the snack bag from our road trip. Our lunch was so fresh and delicious and completely gluten-free!
Now, this was a fun unexpected discovery! Gluten-Free fruit breads. I literally walked by this stand three times before I noticed these adorable little GF breads mixed in with the other completely gluten-filled breads. It was a tough decision but I bought the Piña Colada bread.
It went perfectly with our car picnic lunch.
The shops are so much fun while at Seaside. I always seem to find something I can’t live without at Mercantile. And it’s fun to pop into the other boutiques while there. Deja Vu is a super fun store as well. We visited other stores while walking around. They are full of anything and everything you could imagine. Plus they are decorated so lovely, it’s fun just to browse around and take it all in.
When we were driving back to Carillon Beach we stopped at Picket Fences. It’s right on 30A, but easy to miss. The owner of the shop is just as sweet as she can be. If you are looking for lovely home decor, candles, jewelry, beach coverups, baby items, or outdoor planting hardware, this is the stop for you. We dawdled in here for over an hour. It’s easy to do!
We headed down to Grayton Beach to tour Monet Monet. This home is so beautifully inspired by Monet’s home in Giverny France. Designer clothing graces the front entrance and all throughout the lower level, along with locally designed jewelry. Stepping through the back door feels like a step back in time with beautiful lighted gardens and bubbling fountains. Looks like the perfect spot for a wedding and reception.
Sunday Morning we decided to check out the Rosemary Beach Farmer’s Market. Another great place to sample delicious food and snacks! They are open from 9-1. Be sure to allow some time to pop into the lovely shops right in the same area. Again, there is ample green space to relax or play with the kiddos.
I purchased some of Veronica’s Health Crunch. Her very helpful brother is pictured here in the red shirt. All of the samples were so great. I brought home the original recipe with almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and pecans sweetened with local honey and dried cranberries The package says “healthy meets delicious”….it’s so yummy! Completely Gluten Free!
Lots of fresh fruits and veggies, honey and eggs, not to mention baked goods!
Heavenly Hushpuppies! Well, Susan and Douglas Hutcheson had it going on in their little booth. A deep fryer with multiple samples of their hushpuppies. With gluten and without! I wasn’t able to taste test there, because they didn’t have a dedicated fryer for gluten-free, but I was able to make them at home! The mixes will last 6 months in the pantry and two years in the fridge. The corn is grown and ground locally using flat stones rather than round stones which makes the cornmeal smoother and finer tasting. Not as gritty and less oily when cooked. The recipe has been in their family for three generations. So delicious! Give Susan and Douglas a call to place an order 850.585.2133. Tell them Rose sent you.
Carma Crackers was another treat of the day! Meet Joanne Trout. Her gluten-free Sweet Orange & Basil artisan crackers are delicious. She had a booth set up at both the Seaside and Rosemary Beach Farmer’s Markets. Notice the colorful complimentary lemon and lime-infused water decanter? We definitely needed that as it was getting warmer outside and to cleanse our palettes to continue taste testing.
The Fairy Kitchen was a great find! ALL Gluten Free! Wow!! I was in heaven. The sweet gal who runs this booth was so helpful and innovative. I purchased her Blueberry Pie, Peach Hand Pie, and Mini CocoNutty Protein Muffins. Delectable!!
We ventured out for dinner one night while in town. We headed out towards Panama City Beach on Beach Front Road and came across this delight! The parking lot was completely full at about 5:30 for dinner. I think we were the only tourists as the restaurant was full of locals. You know that’s a good sign for sure! We weren’t disappointed. I ordered Mike’s Steamed Seafood Platter which came with Crab Legs, Dungeness Crab, Royal Red Shrimp, red-skinned mashed potatoes, steamed green beans, and corn on the cob. I ate every bit of the platter! Sorry, I got so carried away when it was served, I dug right in and forgot to take a picture! Completely gluten free deliciousness! My friend ordered the fried shrimp and grouper. She loved it as well!
Well, that was our girl’s weekend in a nutshell. It was hard to leave and we can’t wait to go back! This sunset was on Carillon Beach.
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Safe Travels!
