DreamALYSicle

What is a "dreamALYSicle"? 

A mixed drink (orange soda + whipped cream vodka) that tastes like a Creamsicle, enjoyed at Alys Beach.

Oh, Alys Beach, how very nice it was to meet you, the idea of a vacation will never quite be the same....Remember when I mentioned that my friend Ashley won a contest and invited us along? Well, the week finally came and we all rendezvoused in the Florida Panhandle. Our longest and most relaxing vacation in a while. Not to mention luxurious! Anyone who has ever been skeptical of contests or believes that there is "no such thing as a free lunch", will need to continue reading this post (and a few more to come). 

I'll tell you a little more about how Ashley and her boyfriend Rilind won this trip - Last September they were vacationing in the area and Rilind was handed a t-shirt and a flyer on the beach, with the details of this contest. Requirements: Share a family beach photo, along with an explanation as to "why South Walton is your favorite perfect beach destination". 

When I told my dad he was quite skeptical. However, after sending him a few internet links, he realized it was legit. What happened was that BP gave the Florida panhandle $30 million dollars to boost tourism after the oil spill, so several tourism bureaus came up with promotions to raise the visitor count. Hence, the photo contest.

None of us knew exactly what to expect beforehand. We knew that the trip was worth $15,000 (insane, huh?) That our flights were taking care of (all of a sudden our tickets popped into my e-mail, like magic). That we were staying in a house, at Alys Beach ("a beach community founded in New Urbanism and built to exacting standards for the utmost in luxury living"). Other than that, a few days before we left, Ashley did receive an e-mail with a few more activities planned for us: professional beach portraits, a shrimp boil with a meet & greet/performance by a singer from The Voice (!!), gift cards to restaurants/local outlet mall/gas stations, YOLO board lessons (which we found out stands for "You Only Live Once"), hand crafted jewelry, etc.

Below is a video of our house, we LOVED it beyond words :)

It was also featured in Atlanta Homes Magazine! With 4 bedrooms to choose from, we chose the one that you can find at 0:43 (above), it was perfect and the green palette was quite soothing. It's making me re-think our brown and beige bedroom here at home. A few more pictures from our hood -

We were lucky enough to have Ashley's mom, cousins, niece and nephew vacationing nearby as well; they were a wonderful addition! 

We were even all featured in a local news website, the day after the shrimp boil: "Contest Winner Lives the Life at Alys Beach". More about that in my next blog post, as it was definitely one for the books.

There is so much more to share, but with an empty fridge and unpacking to do, it's time to get back to reality. Boo hoo...maybe some tunes will help?