For some Americans, natural beauty is all about the mountains. For some, the forestland or the desert or the lakes. For me, it's all about the beach. I grew up right next to South Padre Island, TX and spent my entire childhood standing in the Gulf of Mexico, looking out into the vast sea. Nothing obstructs the view, and I often wondered what was on the other side of that. This weekend, I've been on that other side, directly opposite of South Padre Island on the Gulf of Mexico. Today, in between our jury deliberations and the awards ceremony, we took two hours to soak up the blissful beach on Longboat Key island. And, again, I enjoyed the same kind of atmosphere I usually took for granted as a child. There's nothing quite like a beautiful beach, especially when you can stand in the ocean, look into the horizon, and - while you can't see it - know precisely what's on the other side.