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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Southwest Florida.

When Coastalbeat.com launched in August 2006, we didn’t know exactly where we were heading or what we were going to do; we just knew that Southwest Florida was missing something that we could provide. So, we booted up our laptops, grabbed our cameras and notebooks and got to work learning the ins and outs of Southwest Florida’s nightlife and entertainment scene. We even asked for directions along the way.

For the first few months we wandered like children through bar after bar, half lost at every turn, learning the lay of the land and collecting happy hour schedules, money$hots party pictures and music along the way.

When 2007 rolled around we were feeling pretty good.

“This is home,” we said.

Then we drank a beer, kicked up our feet and reminisced about Wednesdays at Dirty Larry’s, Irish car bombs at Paddy’s and all those nights we could only half reminisce about because we could only half remember.

In 2007 Coastalbeat pushed forward. We starred in Vitamin Water commercials, hunted for the rump monkey, learned to belly dance and interviewed up and coming bands.

We investigated the obstacles in obtaining a live music permit in Naples, took thousands of pictures at nightclubs and barsand ate plate after plate of $15 and under delights from local restaurants.

In the process we’ve met lots of you. We’ve heard your gripes and your compliments, and we’ve reacted. In 2007 we launched Coastalbeat Radio, our online music player that gives local musicians an opportunity to showcase their songs for free. We amped up our calendar and bar guides to help you find the best party every damn night of the week, and we’ve made the girl and guy next door into models for our sexy style section.

Coastalbeat.com has always been and continues to be more about you than about us. It’s about what you do when you’re not chained to a desk and where you go to unwind. It’s about the people you see dancing and drinking on Fifth Avenue South and the way you spend your 48 hours of freedom every week. Most of all it’s about making the most of this tiny corner of chilled out paradise at the edge of the Florida swamp.

Because when I look out my window on Christmas Day and see the sun skimming the glassy water, the pelicans diving determinedly after fish and the boats drifting by on their way to the Gulf, I can’t help thinking: It doesn’t get much better than this.

Happy Holidays, Southwest Florida. Thanks for everything.