this issue

“All The News
That Washes
Up On The
Beach”
Now online at
theseasidetimes.
com
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PRICELESS
WEATHER: INSPIRED
Best Beach For Families on Earth
Seaside Earns
International
Recognition as a
Favorite Beach
Destination
By Wendy O. Dixon
Families who live in and visit
Seaside know what makes this
charming beach town so special —
the white beach pavilions that stand
as gateways to paradise heralding
beachgoers toward the gentle waves,
the brick-lined roads and sandy paths
in between cheerful colored houses,
and the soft green lawn under the
twisted oaks at Ruskin Place, perfect
for a quiet afternoon spent napping
with a snuggling toddler.
Now the world knows it, too.
Travel + Leisure, the world’s leading travel magazine, has explored
the globe and named Seaside the
Best Beach for Families in its 2012
Best Beaches on Earth survey. The
magazine asked savvy globetrotters
Six-year-old Natalie Atchley splashes in the aquamarine water near the iconic Obe Pavilion in Seaside, voted Best Beach for Families by Travel +
Leisure readers. Photo by Lynn Nesmith
to rank their favorite places to savor
the sun, sand and water from a list
of 54 famous beaches all over the
world. Seaside earned the No. 1 Best
Beach for Families title because of
its picturesque scenery, fluffy white
sand, calm waves and casual restaurants and shops.
Edie Wenczl, from Nashville,
Learning from Seaside
Notre Dame and the Seaside Research Portal
By Jennifer Parker
The University of Notre Dame’s
School of Architecture has long
been enamored with the community of Seaside. Like most schools
of architecture, Seaside is a popular
topic taught in both architecture and
urbanism classes. Notre Dame also
has the good fortune of a personal relationship with town founder
Robert Davis. Davis sits on the jury
of the Richard H. Driehaus Prize
at the University of Notre Dame,
which is awarded to an architect
whose work embodies the principles
of classical and traditional architecture and urbanism in contemporary
society.
The Driehaus Prize has
celebrated the work of Seaside contributors Léon Krier, Andrés Duany
and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk.
In 2009, Notre Dame and Seaside
entered into another kind of relationship — as partners in preserving
and sharing the Seaside archives.
Supported by the Hesburgh Libraries
of Notre Dame, the Seaside archives
were studied, organized and cataloged with the ultimate goal of
creating a resource that students,
scholars, and enthusiasts could
Page 4
Seaside Institute’s
Academic Village
use to study the first New Urban
community. Notre Dame wanted
to do more than that though; we
wanted to create something that
would change the way architecture
and urbanism was studied through
archival materials.
The Seaside Research Portal (seaside.library.nd.edu) was born out
of a desire to understand and share
Seaside virtually. Rather than the
traditional archival methods, the
Seaside Research Portal allows
users to study the community geographically and spatially. It organizes materials by location and architect and includes original essays,
archival images, and content supplied by architects and homeowners. Best of all, the majority of the
written content in the portal was
done by students.
The Seaside Research Portal officially launched in January 2012 at
the Seaside Prize ceremony honoring architect and portal contributor Scott Merrill. During that same
month, 23 architecture students and
their professors traveled to Seaside
for the first official “Seaside Studio.”
Notre Dame students had visited Seaside prior to 2012, but this
was the first time their assignments
Page 9
Visions of Seaside
Book Excerpt
Page 12
Wines of
New Zealand
Tenn., grew up visiting Destin when
Seaside was being planned in the
early 1980s. “We’d drive along 30A,
and on the horizon were these precious little homes emerging from
the nothingness,” Wenczl recalls.
“It was like a little doll village, the
perfect dream town.”
Now, as her grown family is scat-
tered across the U.S., Wenczl looks
forward to seeing her brood in
Seaside every year. “It’s been one
of my family’s favorite places in
the world since my children were
born,” she gushes.
Though Wenczl visits Seaside
multiple times a year, she eagerly
Best Beach for Families page 18
focused primarily on
documentation for the
portal.
The students had
two primary projects.
The first was to create
an entry in the portal
for one of the yet-tobe designed buildings.
Students first sketched
the front façade of the
building they chose.
They then wrote a project description, project specification, and
painted a watercolor of
their building. Several
of the students had the
great fortune to interview the homeowners
and architects of the
buildings they selected.
Their second project
was to design a new
home for one of the
vacant lots adjacent to
Seaside’s recreational
facilities, which we
called Camp Smolian. University of Notre Dame students took aerial panoramic photos of
Seaside using a camera strapped to a hot air balloon. Photo
The students studied courtesy the Seaside Research Portal, University of Notre Dame.
the work presented in the
portal, were given guided
results were presented to community
tours by Davis and former town members and founders and have
architect and Notre Dame alumnus been incorporated into the portal
Braulio Casas, learned about the (see Seaside Future at http://seacode and plan from Duany, stud- side.library.nd.edu/seaside-future/
ied the architecture of Merrill and ND-01-2012).
conducted independent studies of
the town for their precedent. The
Notre Dame page 10
Page 13
Seaside Featured
Rental Properties
Page 16
Hot Trends
for Spring
Page 27
Escape to Create
Hosts Artists
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 2
www.seasidefl.com
DOWNTOWN AND BEACH
Happenings About Town
Letter from the Editor
As I write my first letter as editor of The
Seaside Times, I’m sitting at Pickles Burger
& Shake, enjoying a tasty beef burger with
a mile-high stack of pickles and red onions,
and the most exceptional fries I’ve ever tasted. The hand-cut fries, perfectly salted, are
blanched in hot oil and then fried a second
time, which makes them perfectly crispy on
the outside and fluffy on the inside. If you try
them, you should share — it’s a lot of fries.
The welcome I’ve received from the
Seaside Community Development Corp. staff has made me cherish
coming on board to work with them. And the Seaside merchants,
who are overflowing with Southern hospitality, have made me feel
right at home. Every day, I see homeowners and guests with smiling
faces; even the dogs here have a spring in their step.
I am thrilled to be able to share the stories of Seaside with you.
And I’m always on the lookout for them. Please share your story
ideas, or submit your own Seaside story at http://www.myseasidestory.com/, or just write it on a napkin from Pickles and give it to me.
Spring is here and it’s a beautiful day at Seaside
Warmly,
Wendy O. Dixon, Editor
Editor@TheSeasideTimes.com
www.seasidefl.com
Find SEASIDE on Facebook and join our
community of 21,665 (and growing!).
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Editor
Wendy O. Dixon
Designer
Scott Camp
Contributing Writers
Susan Benton
Makenzie Carter
Wendy O. Dixon
Lesan Gouge
Kevin Moran
Jennifer Parker
Anne Schultz
Adam Shiland
Lori Leath Smith
Dhiru Thadani
Deborah Wheeler
Photography
Brandan Babineaux
Susan Benton
Steven Brooke
Michael Granberry
Kurt Lischka
Madra McDonald
Lynn Nesmith
Director of Public Relations and Marketing
Seaside Community Development Corp.
Lori Leath Smith
(850) 231-6179
lsmith@seasidefl.com
Send Letters or Photos to the Editor:
The Seaside Times
P.O. Box 4730
Seaside, FL 32459
editor@theseasidetimes.com
(850) 387-6822
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Summer 2013 ad deadline March 29
For more information about ad rates contact Wendy O. Dixon at
(850) 387-6822 or editor@theseasidetimes.com
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 3
www.seasidefl.com
DOWNTOWN AND BEACH
Seaside Kids Celebrates 20 Years
Now a mom herself, a Seasider reflects on growing up as a Seaside Kid
By Makenzie Meyers Carter
Seaside Times Writer
Children have always been a big part of the
vision of Seaside. In the early years, many of the
people who worked in Seaside or lived nearby
had small children who formed a playgroup.
I was lucky enough to be a part of that group.
You could find us daily around town playing in
the amphitheater, parading to the beach, buying
treats at Modica Market, or gathering to hear
the storyteller.
Each afternoon during the summer, the storyteller would walk around Seaside ringing a bell to
signal it was time for a great tale in the amphitheater. Children would come running from
all directions to parade behind him. He always
seemed magical dressed in a long robe and head
wrap, and he told the most fascinating stories.
Seaside’s town dog, Bud the dachshund, was
never far behind.
Other than his owners, Robert and Daryl
Davis, Bud was probably the most common site
around town. The sound of the tags on his collar
clinking together as he ran beside our bicycles
will always be a favorite childhood memory of
mine. On a diet of homemade chicken soup, Bud
lived to the ripe old age of 21.
Our original group made friends with the
kids visiting each summer, and eventually Camp
Seaside was formed to give us organized activities
during the summer. As more and more families
started visiting Seaside the idea of creating a store
just for kids seemed like the perfect addition to
the budding retail shops opening at the time. So
in the spring of 1992, 4Kids was born.
4Kids was the original name of the store we
now call Seaside
Kids. 4Kids was
named after our
original playgroup
that included Micah
Davis, son of town
founders Robert and
Daryl Davis, Taylor
Boswell, son of James
and Linda Boswell
(who owned the
original Patchouli’s),
Nole King, daughter
of Tom King (coowner of Central
Records), and myself, Makenzie Meyers Carter (blonde girl with hat) plays with the other Seaside kids in the 4Kids play yard in
Makenzie Meyers 1993. Photo by Steven Brooke.
Carter, daughter of
The Kids collection of fun beach fashion feaErica Pierce (director of The Seaside Style).
4Kids had a whimsical type atmosphere that fea- tures original graphic tees designed exclusively
tured everything from cotton children’s clothing for Seaside, swim trunks for boys, bold graphic
to large inflatable alligator floats. I can remember dresses, and adorable bikinis for girls. I am sure
the excitement I felt as I entered the store and that the original Bud, who is a huge part of
saw my name painted on the graffiti ceiling along Seaside history, would be thrilled to know that
with all of my playgroup buddies. Surrounded by Seaside Kids is also the home for a wide assorta white picket fence, the play-yard that sat adja- ment of Bud logo items.
Twenty years have gone by in what seems like
cent to the store quickly became one of the most
an
instant, and now I am the mom to my very
popular places for children to hang out and play.
Through all of the changes the store has expe- own Seaside Kid. Campbell was born in 2011 and
rienced in the past 20 years, Seaside Kids has has filled my life with joy and laughter. Seaside
remained the headquarters for the young and has, and always will be, a huge part of my family
young-at-heart in Seaside. Today the store is quite and I cannot wait for Campbell to create memodifferent than the original funky version that sat on ries of her own in our special town. c
the south side of Highway 30A, but I like to think
Seaside Kids
that as we grew up, the store followed suit.
Seaside Kids now offers the Seaside logo 63 Central Square
(850) 231-1733
T-shirt for infants and children in the same
http://www.theseasidestyle.com
wonderful shades of its coastal surroundings.
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 4
www.seasidefl.com
DOWNTOWN AND BEACH
Town Founder’s Vision is Becoming a Reality
Construction on Seaside’s New Academic Village is Underway
By Lori Leath Smith
Seaside Times Writer
“My grandparents’ dream of their
Florida property becoming a center for learning has been part of
Seaside from the beginning,” said
Seaside town founder Robert Davis.
“The idea of an academic village in
Seaside predates the founding of
our town by a decade.”
And, thus, a creative vision was
inherited by Davis and over the
years shared by others. Now it is
becoming a reality. The Seaside
Institute, a leader in educating
architects, planners, developers and
civic entrepreneurs in the techniques of New Urbanism, has begun
construction of a new academic village in the Lyceum, an area within
Seaside already devoted to education and civic activities. “In the earliest plans,” said Davis, “the Lyceum
was at the heart of Seaside.”
The project, in development for
almost two years, involves installing
seven renovated cottages within the
Lyceum. The cottages will house
students and instructors who will
travel to Seaside to participate in
courses, seminars and workshops
primarily in the areas of the arts,
architecture/planning and health
and well-being. After all, “recycling
older buildings, elevating shacks,
The Seaside Institute’s academic village, due to be completed this spring, will be devoted to education and student housing, providing a collegial
atmosphere for a wide range of disciplines. Illustration courtesy The Seaside Institute.
airstreams and humble houses to
positions of civic dignity has been
part of Seaside’s genius loci — its
distinctive spirit and sense of place
— since the early eighties,” wrote
Davis, in a 2011 essay. “Downtown
Seaside started with a half-dozen
picnic tables under canvas and an
8-square-foot plywood shack, the
first Shrimp Shack. (The original
Shrimp Shack is now Pickles.) The
current Shrimp Shack, and the bar
of Bud & Alley’s were two sharecroppers’ cabins, moved to Seaside
in 1982 to frame Seaside’s central
axis from the chapel to the Gulf. A
third sharecropper’s cabin housed
Seaside’s first town architects. The
Great Southern Café was an old
house on its last legs, moved to
Seaside from Chattahoochee, Fla.,”
he continued.
The academic village was formally included as part of the Seaside
plan in late 1998, although, the
inclusion of the educational component for Seaside has been discussed by Davis and his wife, Daryl,
since the early 1980s. Several charrettes have been held during the
last several years in an attempt to
jumpstart plans for this phase of
the Lyceum, but financing proved
elusive. Earlier designs for an
Academic Village Page 24
Selling the Lifestyle
Seaside real estate brokers recall the early days of a town built for people
By Wendy O. Dixon
Jacky Barker and Donna Spiers
don’t just sell homes, they paint
a picture of what life would be in
Seaside — sipping lemonade on
the front porch, strolling along
untamed footpaths, feeling the gentle breeze on your skin, and sharing
stories with family.
This is the magic of Seaside, they
declare. “It reminds people of what
it used to be like going to the beach
with their grandparents, living in a
beach cottage with a front porch,”
says Barker, who has worked in
Seaside for 30 years.
Barker, who was the Emerald
Coast’s top selling real estate broker
along Scenic 30A in 2012 with sales
of nearly $37 million, began as a shy
receptionist at Seaside Community
Realty in 1983 and later became a
real estate broker. She recalls the
early days of Seaside, when prospective buyers would have to envision
what the first New Urbanist community would be.
“The first two Seaside cottages
were what we called the red house
and the yellow house, built to help
people see what Robert and Daryl
envisioned for the town,” says
of people were quite
incredulous
that
Robert wanted to
build a town right on
the beach.”
Chris Kent, an
experienced
real
estate broker and
counselor, thought
the business of real
estate could be done
in a more human
manner. He managed the real estate
office and considered Seaside a laboratory, structuring
real estate sales at
a totally different
level. “Jacky and
Seaside Community Realty brokers Donna Spiers (left) and Jacky
Donna were remarkBarker. Photo by Michael Granberry.
ably open to presenting this community in
Barker. “Robert and Daryl lived in
a new way,” Kent says. “They also
the yellow house and we used the
didn’t want to be typical real estate
red house for real estate sales.”
brokers, and that’s why they were so
Spiers, who has worked in Seaside
good at it and remain so.”
since the town was established in
Kent wove in the principles of a
1981, started out as a housekeeper
disciplined brokerage. “But it didn’t
for town founders Robert and Daryl
look, act or feel like a brokerage,” he
Davis. She says while many were
explains. “We were telling people of
skeptical of the design principles of
the humanity of Seaside, the planNew Urbanism, those who bought
ning of Seaside, the soul of Seaside.”
into Davis’ vision were pioneers of
The foundation of Seaside
a sort. “Some people thought they
Community Realty was a well-orgawere crazy,” Spiers recalls. “A lot
nized operation at every level, Kent
continues. “We used graphic materials that had not typically been used
in real estate sales. For example,
architecture and planning materials
that would only be used in academia
would be presented, page by page,
to every single prospect that walked
in the door,” he says. “Our assumption was that they were smarter than
they were given credit for.”
Those who were intrigued with
Davis’ plan for an elegant yet laid
back community were looking for
more than a high-rise condominium like those sprouting up all over
Northwest Florida in the 1980s. “A
few people would take the time and
stop to learn what we were doing,”
Spiers says. “So it wasn’t as hard as
you might think.”
With the entire concept of the
town not fully laid out, prospective
buyers saw what was only a patch
of dirt in a beautiful area that was
going to eventually become something, Spiers says. “We had people
who wanted an alternative lifestyle,
a beach cottage. Not a condo, not a
lobby — a neighborhood.”
“Seaside redefined the notion of
a planned community,” Kent says.
“We did the same redefinition with
the presentation, marketing and sale
Seaside Realtors Page 10
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 5
www.seasidefl.com
Fun Eats
Pickle’s celebrates 20 years
By Wendy O. Dixon
Seaside is a special place
for Bill and Heavenly
Dawson. Bill, from Florence, S.C., met town
founder Robert Davis
while on a trip here with
a friend when only a few
houses were built. He
appreciated Davis’ vision for
the town and bought a lot right
away. Later, he bought another
lot and soon after opened one of
Seaside’s first businesses.
Dawson’s Yogurt and Fudge
Works opened July 4, 1988, and
has been serving sweet treats ever
since. Bill later introduced the
heaven-sent love of his life, aptly
named Heavenly, to his little piece
of paradise. “He proposed to me
at Seaside,” Heavenly tells. “We
opened Pickle’s in April 1993 and
got married at the Tupelo Street
Beach Pavilion in May.”
Heavenly had worked in the food
business since childhood. “And of
course, being the oldest in a big
family, I always helped out in the
kitchen,” she says with a bright
smile. Their new eatery was a modest snack shack with a cute name.
Pickle’s Snack Station, which started out as a 48-square-foot hut, was
referred to as the temple. Since
its early days, Pickle’s evolved and
expanded a little every year, and is
now known as Pickle’s Burger &
Shake. The restaurant has a casual
’50s-burger-joint-on-the-beach vibe
by design. “Everything was farmto-table back then,” Heavenly says.
“And that’s our philosophy now.”
Pickle’s recently expanded its
outdoor seating and introduced
a new menu, unveiled in 2012.
“Families love the pickles at
Pickle’s,” Heavenly says. “For years,
people have come from all over
just to have our pickles.” But it was
the Dawsons’ commitment to the
farm-to-table approach that elevated the restaurant to a new level,
as Heavenly patiently searched for
a grass-fed beef and free range
chicken farm, where the animals
roam freely — grazing and pecking, rather than living in monocultural confinement. They found
it at White Oak Pastures, the largest USDA Certified Organic farm
in Georgia. The Dawsons even
took the employees to the farm
to educate them on the humanely produced meat and free-range
chicken. “It took me a while to find
the right farm,” Heavenly says. “I
wanted to be confident we could
provide a quality product.”
Now that they have the best
quality of beef, chicken and turkey burgers, Heavenly perfected a
harmonious balance of flavors for
the perfect seasoning about which
Pickle’s customers rave.
Heavenly next ventured on a
quest for the perfect bun and found
it at Masada Bakery in Atlanta,
Try Heavenly’s
favorite burger
Ground chicken burger with
Monterey Jack cheese and
pickled okra — with an Orange
Crush milkshake.
“It tastes like a Dreamsicle!”
Heavenly says.
which ships fresh brioche buns to
Pickle’s every day. The produce,
from local farmers, is also brought
in fresh daily. “With all our businesses, we carry items that are good
for you, making sure they come
from good sources,” Heavenly says
of Pickle’s and Dawson’s Yogurt, as
well as the Dawsons’ other Seaside
eateries — Heavenly’s Shortcakes,
Wild Bill’s Beach Dogs and The
Shrimp Shack.
To call Heavenly a food perfectionist would be accurate. She
worked with G.S. Gelato’s Guido
Trevelini to make the ideal butterfat
and custom flavor the ice cream
for what she describes as the perfectly rich and creamy milkshake,
with names like Salted Caramel and
Orange Crush. Debuting soon is the
Blueberry Cobbler shake, made with
real blueberry cobbler, of course.
It’s the attention to detail, business sense and passion for food
that has led to the Dawsons’ success. “Creating a great Seaside
experience for all the day-trippers
and vacationers is very rewarding,”
Heavenly says. “We feel grateful for
the opportunities we’ve had.” c
Pickle’s Burger & Shake
2236 Scenic Highway 30A
(850) 231-5686
Open daily 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Breakfast 9-11a.m. weekdays and
8-11 a.m. weekends
www.seasidefl.com
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 6
www.seasidefl.com
DOWNTOWN AND BEACH
Seaside Prize Dinner
Photos by Madra McDonald
Left to right: Seaside co-founder Daryl Davis and Table Five’s Theresa Thompson
Chef Phillip McDonald, owner and executive chef of Table Five Private Chef + Catering, prepared grilled
Mahi-Mahi.
www.seasidefl.com
Left to right: Seaside co-founder Robert Davis, Chef Phillip McDonald and Sen. Bob Graham, who was
honored for his contributions to the community.
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 7
www.seasidefl.com
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 8
www.seasidefl.com
DOWNTOWN AND BEACH
Seaside Neighborhood
School Gains Title
Town founders donate Founders Building
By Deborah Wheeler
Walton Sun staff writer
Seaside Neighborhood School got
some good news recently.
During a school assembly, Seaside
founders Robert and Daryl Davis
ceremoniously handed over the
deed for the Seaside Neighborhood
School Founders Building to Seaside
Foundation President Rick Helfand.
The Founders Building was the last
of three school buildings that was
not owned by the foundation.
Seaside Neighborhood School had
been renting the building from the
Davises for about $75,000 a year.
Helfand approached Robert Davis
last year with a proposal to buy the
building. Davis eventually decided
to donate it to the foundation
instead.
“It made sense for us tax-wise to
donate instead of sell,” Davis said.
The school’s main building was
paid for with fees the Davises
collected from allowing “The
Truman Show” to be filmed at
Seaside in the mid-1990s. The
school opened in 1996 as one of
Florida’s first charter schools.
During the ceremony, the Davises
were heralded as the visionaries
of Seaside and the school, which
started with 35 children in house
trailers. Today, 133 students attend
and are selected by a lottery.
The Davises donated the land for
all three buildings. c
Rick Helfand, president of the Board of Directors of The Seaside School Foundation Inc., with with Seaside
founders Daryl and Robert Davis at the deed presentation of the Seaside Neighborhood School Founders
Building, donated by the Davises. Photo by Lori Leath Smith
Dave Rauschkolb, owner of Bud & Alley’s restaurant, can propel for 265 miles on a single charge in his
all-electric 2013 Tesla Model S, listed among Time magazine’s Best Inventions of 2012.
Photo by Lori Leath Smith
Matt Miller, Kelsey Anna and Brooke Annibale perform at CRUSH. Photo by Kurt Lischka.
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 9
www.seasidefl.com
Visions of Seaside
ART AND COMMUNITY
Book author Dhiru A. Thadani shares an excerpt from his upcoming book
Visions of Seaside:
and imaginative interventions to complete the
town. Coincidentally, many contributors of drawings began to offer anecdotes, insights, and ideas
about Seaside, eventually to become interesting
components of the book. c
Foundations / Evolution / Imagination /
Built & Unbuilt Architecture
Introduction
by Dhiru A. Thadani
The idea for this book was conceived during my
artist residency at Seaside in January 2011. The
very nature of my month-long sojourn offered
time with Robert Davis. Experiencing the town
in the company of its founder, as well as among
its residents and merchants, I became aware of
the numerous projects that had been designed
for sites within Seaside but had not been built. I
knew of Léon Krier’s prolific drawings for Seaside,
but was amazed by the body of work by others. Intrigued, I delved deeper, only to discover
a treasure trove of design drawings of extremely high quality. Throughout its short history,
many architects, urbanists, and builders have been
drawn to Seaside to be part of its success. This
was evidenced in 2001, by the plethora of design
schemes submitted for a 20th anniversary competition sponsored by the Seaside Institute.
Impressed by what I had found, I began to
search for ways to share this little-known material with others. At an opportune moment, in
conversation with Andrés Duany and Robert, I
broached the idea of publishing this material, per-
Editor’s note: Visions of Seaside will be available for
purchase only at Sundog Books and the Seaside Institute
beginning in May and through September of 2013, after
which it will be available through Rizzoli International
Publications Inc. (RizzoliUSA.com). Sundog is taking
advance orders now.
About the Author
haps in a book to be titled Unbuilt Seaside. They
were more than encouraging. Galvanized, I began
to contact architects in search of additional
drawings suitable for publication. The response
was overwhelming, and the book began to take
shape. While I was beginning the initial page layouts, Robert and Andrés convinced me to expand
the scope to include essays, developmental drawings showing the evolution of the Seaside Plan,
Biography:
Dhiru A. Thadani is
an architect and urbanist
who has been in practice
since 1978. As a design
principal and partner for
more than thirty years, he
has completed projects
the world over, and he
continues to provide a
broad range of consulting services in architecture and urban design.
The Soap Pedaler
Follow that Bike to Seaside Farmers Market
By Anne Schultz
Bright and early every Saturday morning, Celeste
Cobena prepares for the 8.6-mile bike ride from
her home in Dune Allen to the Seaside Farmers
Market. She straps a tent onto her bike, piles up
soap products into a custom-designed carrier, and
takes off. “I’ve gotten caught in downpours and
stopped at La Loba’s Bakery or the bike shop to
cool off during 100-degree temperatures. But I’ve
always made it,” she exclaims. Once this energetic
woman starts moving, it’s hard to slow her down.
She charges full steam ahead, always arriving at
her destination, come rain or shine.
“It’s funny, you never know where something
might lead,” says Cobena, recalling a bike ride she
took through a state forest 20 years ago shortly
after moving down from Louisiana. It transformed
her into an environmental activist who helped
save the state lands she rode her bikes through.
“These soaps make an ideal gift
because they are a unique product
handmade in South Walton.”
One thing she did was to map out an extensive
network of greenway trails enjoyed by many today.
An action followed by helping to found Beach to
Bay Connection Inc., a grassroots organization
dedicated to keeping the land protected. With
modesty she clarifies her role. “I instigated the
trails,” she says. “But scores of volunteers worked
with me to clear and establish them.”
Or like the soaps she made for Christmas
presents more than 12 years ago that turned into
a flourishing cottage industry. “I always made
homemade chocolates for Christmas gifts until I
sampled so many that the only thing that fit over
the holidays was a pair
of baggy sweatpants with
a drawstring waist,” she
exclaims. “I decided to
create a non-edible gift for
the following Christmas
and chose handcrafted
soaps after reading how
to make them. That first
year I made too many,
so I hauled the rest up
to Barret’s Store on
Highway 98 and they
continued selling them
until the store closed.”
Cobena’s soaps are
made in small batches
by hand, and my formula
leaves in a little extra oil
so it doesn’t dry the skin. Celeste Cobena, known as the Soap Pedaler, sells handmade soaps at the Seaside Farmers Market.
With a master’s degree Photo by Kurt Lischka.
in
geology,
Cobena
approaches soap making like a chemist, using not divulge. Another customer favorite is Florida
her scientific knowledge to concoct unique and Sunshine, a zingy citrus blend of sweet orange and
interesting soaps by experimenting with a variety lavender. One of the latest is a soap that blends
of essential oils, fragrances and colors.
sweet orange and peppermint essential oils and
“Some of the synthetic ingredients used in includes duck egg yolk from Twin Oaks Farm
commercially produced soaps have harmful she named Wake Up Call. “These soaps make
affects on your skin,” Cobena says. “Triclosan, an ideal gift because they are a unique product
for example, is one that may cause dermatitis, handmade in South Walton,” she says. “Also
hormone disruption, or respiratory problems,” she terrific for a vacation souvenir, as their natural
warns. Cobena purchases high-quality, plant-based aromas evoke the clean outdoor scents of sea and
essential oils that are naturally beneficial to the skin. air that stimulate memories and are delivered by
Each herb or plant contains its own therapeutic bike whenever possible.” c
properties. For example, lavender helps relax and
pamper the body, while the oils in orange peel heal
The Soap Pedaler
and release an uplifting zesty scent.
Santa Rosa Beach
Her current personal favorite is Egyptian Musk
(850) 267-2227
— a blend of patchouli essential oil, lavender
mailto:soapedaler@mchsi.com
essential oil, sandalwood, and musk fragrance.
soapedaler@mchsi.com
Day at the Beach is one of the most popular and
is created from a trade secret recipe Cobena will
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 10
www.seasidefl.com
DOWNTOWN AND BEACH
Learning from Seaside
Cont. from page 1
The first trip was such a success
that two additional studios have
traveled to Seaside, and a third is
in the planning stages. Notre Dame
has also continued its commitment
to building and enhancing the portal. In December 2012, members
of the Seaside Research Portal
team, along with colleagues from
the Hesburgh Library and Notre
Dame’s Academic Technologies
unit, traveled to Seaside.
The team worked on site for a
week gathering content that will
eventually be added to the portal
Seaside Realtors
Continued from page 4
of the town. We pulled apart the
process of what is typically done and
presented new materials to help our
visitors understand the community
itself before they even looked at cottages. That presentation of the community was first and foremost, and
remains first and foremost.”
As construction began on home
after home, the design concept
turned into an inspired and inspiring reality. “The fact that this little
strip of the beach was now being
developed was exciting,” Spiers
adds. “The downtown was in its
infancy with only Daryl’s open-air
market. Back then it was a lot of fun.
It was a very social time for everyone
who worked here.”
to enhance the user experience.
Three members of the team worked
primarily on aerial photography —
taking Gigapans (zoom-able panoramic photos) from a 35-foot lift
and aerial panoramic photos from
a camera strapped to a helium balloon. This will allow the team to
create a virtual tour of Seaside.
Others worked on taking still photos for each structure in Seaside and
mapping the GPS coordinates for
each street in Seaside. The photos
and GPS will be combined to build a
better map tool with which users can
understand the urban development of
the town. The trip helped those that
had not yet been to Seaside to better
appreciate its importance in the history of architecture and new urbanism.
Notre Dame has benefited from
the generosity of the residents, merchants and homeowners of Seaside.
They have invited the students and
faculty into their homes and shared
their knowledge and experiences.
This has resulted in an uncommon
and rewarding experience for all who
participate. c
The first lot Spiers sold in 1982 was
for $15,000. Rapidly, the value of the
home sites rose, selling for $40,000.
With few remaining lots today,
one Gulf-front site is listed at $2.9
million. In the early days, one buyer
tried to trade a car for a lot at Seaside.
“A celebrated quarterback for the
University of Alabama, Norwood
Hodges from Anniston, Ala., tried
to trade a Volkswagen for the dirt,”
Spiers laughs. “But Daryl and Robert
didn’t need a car.”
Owning a Seaside home meant
kids could play in the streets, neighbors looked forward to seeing each
other season after season, greeting
fellow beach lovers with a friendly,
“Good morning.” Cars stayed parked
in the driveway and gas pedals gave
way to bike pedals.
Today, Seaside is just as friendly,
and for kids, it can mean their first
taste of freedom from their parents
for a few hours, taking a bike ride
throughout the streets without getting lost, or stopping at Modica
Market for a soda.
Though this gem of the Emerald
Coast now is one of the most
famous beach towns in the world,
the character of Seaside remains.
“Seaside still appeals to families,”
Spiers says. “Of those communities
on 30A, I think Seaside is probably
the most authentic of all the beach
towns. It’s laid back, unpretentious,
organic and real.”
Even though Spiers and Barker
didn’t start out as real estate brokers, their honest and comprehensive business approach has resulted
in satisfied customers. “And they are
remarkable brokers,” Kent says.
Robert Davis agrees. “They have
turned out to be our longest-running employees,” he says. “By never
telling a lie, by under promising and
Editor’s Note: Jennifer Parker is the
head of the Architecture Library
at the University of Notre Dame.
To learn more about The Seaside
Research Portal, visit http://seaside.
library.nd.edu/.
over delivering, and by selling the
experience and opportunity to aestivate (spend the summer in a state
of torpor), as well as to reconnect
with your children and grandchildren. And they are our most trusted
staff members.”
For Barker, seeing homeowners
from all over the world fall in love
with the town makes her work a
pleasure. “The best thing is having
homeowners from all walks of life,”
Barker says. “And the multi-generations of families coming here.”
“That’s really what Seaside is all
about,” Spiers agrees. “You can buy
a beach house anywhere, but this
place is special. You are constantly
reminded of just how special it is.” c
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 11
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MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 12
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Taste the Wines of New Zealand
By Kevin Moran
www.seasiderep.org
When setting
out to write this
short overview
of New Zealand
wines, I was
reminded of
the incredible
diversity New
Zealand offers.
It is a relatively small country comprised of two
small islands consisting of four million residents. Spending a year working in Hawke’s Bay, I was afforded a
close look at New Zealand’s warmest
and driest region. Building the wine
list at the restaurant at Elephant
Hill, I had the luxury of tasting several hundred different wines with
hopes of putting together the best
wine list of any winery restaurant
throughout New Zealand. I hope
in these few paragraphs to afford
you a look at the diversity of New
Zealand wines, which has many
parallels to those in the United
States. U.S. markets are flooded
with the wines of Marlborough;
as delicious and distinctly New
Zealand they are, there is more to
the story. The following is a look at
each of the primary wine regions of
New Zealand from North to South.
Though the region on the tip
of the north island, rightly named
Northland, produces wine, (I recall
enjoying a chardonnay from a small
winery there), the first real significant planting comes from the region
of Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city with more than one million residents. The region does well,
consuming a large percentage of
the production. Just a short boat
ride from Auckland is the Island
of Waiheke, which produces some
long-lived Bordeaux varietal wines.
There is also the delicious chardonnay from Kumeau River (available locally). Moving south, you go
through Maikato and the Bay of
Plenty region, which offers incredible beaches and camping, but not
the best wines.
Continuing southeast is Gisborne,
the self-proclaimed Chardonnay
Capital of New Zealand. South of
Gisborne is Hawke’s Bay. I may
have been partial, but after sampling Gisbornes, our best chardonnays were from Hawke’s Bay. Both
Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay benefit
from being at the widest point of
New Zealand, allowing plenty of time
for the prevailing winds from the
west to warm as they cross the island.
Hawke’s Bay is home to some
of New Zealand’s oldest wineries.
Like many in the U.S., they survived
time and the temperance movement
because of church ties. The warmth
of Hawke’s Bay allows it to ripen
Bordeaux varietals and those from
the Rhone, producing some of New
Zealand’s best syrah. One winery
in Hawke’s Bay named Trinity Hill
boasts some 15 different varietals
and do fairly well at most of them.
Though Hawke’s Bay has some of
the warmest vineyards, it does have
its cool pockets to make delicious
chardonnay or an occasional riesling.
Hawke’s Bay is also home to most
of New Zealand’s zinfandel, largely
planted by a Ravenswood alumnus.
Moving south to the region of
Wairarana is the city of Wellington,
the nation’s capital and possibly New
Zealand’s best pinot noir, produced
from the region of Martinborough.
Pioneered by a handful or wineries
in the ’80s, the region suffered problematic weather that devastated several of its early years. But with persistence and support of neighboring
Wellington residents, it prospered
and came to be known as a convenient wine country getaway.
With the Tasman Sea to the
Northwest and the Pacific to the
Southeast, we make our way across
the Cook Strait to the south island.
We travel northwest to Nelson which
produces delicious sauvignon blanc,
chardonnay and pinot noir. Heading
south we now find ourselves in
Marlborough which, as I mentioned
earlier, provides most of what we see
in the export market. More than half
of New Zealand’s vineyards are in
Marlborough, and a large percentage
of that is planted for sauvignon blanc.
Of the more than 40,000 acres of sauvignon blanc in New Zealand, 85 percent is in Marlborough. With half of
New Zealand’s wines being exported,
we are bound to see Marlborough
sauvignon blanc dominate the export
market. Leaving Marlborough and
headed south, you pass through
Canterbury, which, though they have
limited plantings, I do recall a few
interesting wines from Waipara.
Headed further south we eventually arrive in Central Otaga, which
holds the distinction of being the
world’s southernmost wine region,
working diligently to produce world
class pinot noir and, in many cases,
succeeding.
The next time you’re making a
wine selection, consider a wine from
New Zealand. Experience the diversity it offers. Here are a few New
Zealand wines available locally, some
of which you can enjoy at Crush and
other Seaside restaurants:
Sunday Mountain Sauvignon
Blanc (available at Crush)
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc
(available at Great Southern Café)
Alan Scott Davidson Sauvignon
Blanc (available at Great Southern
Café)
Kim Crawford “Central Otaga”
Pinot Noir (available at Bud &
Alley’s)
Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc
(available at Bud & Alley’s)
Serrasin Sauvignon Blanc
Craggy Range “Te Muna Road”
Pinot Noir Whitehaven Sauvignon
Blanc
If I can ever help in wine related matters, please come see me at Crush in
Seaside. Kevin.crush30a@gmail.com
or (850) 791-9265. c
MARCHAPRIL 2013
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VISITORS BUREAU
There’s No Place Like a Seaside Cottage
Seaside Visitors Bureau helps you have the ultimate visitor experience
Seaside is best known for the simplistic elegance
of the New Urbanism design principles. And the
partners of the Seaside Community Development
Corp. — Cottage Rental Agency, Homeowner’s
Collection and Sunburst Luxury Collection —
have the variety of cottages to meet any vacationer’s needs, whether it’s a cozy one-bedroom
romantic retreat or a luxury resort hotel experience with concierge service.
With amenities aplenty, the Seaside Visitors
Bureau partners plan to ensure guests at Seaside
have all they need to enjoy their vacation. By renting a cottage through one of the Seaside partners,
you’ll be assured you’re getting the right cottage
for your stay at Seaside.
“We want to offer folks staying at Seaside a
simple solution for finding the perfect cottage for
their vacation,” says Lori Leath Smith, director
Our Featured Properties
Cottage Rental Agency
Narnia
Experience grand living in Seaside at Narnia, a
4-bedroom/3.5-bath beachfront masterpiece with spacious
front porches overlooking the stunning Gulf of Mexico.
Cottage Rental Agency
(877) 811-5440
www.CottageRentalAgency.com
Homeowner’s Collection
Play Therapy
Stay with us and play. This traditional 3-bedroom Seaside
cottage features French doors opening onto deck, where
you will find table and chairs for outside dining, reading, or
game playing. If you want, simply relax and give in to the
Gulf breezes and music.
Homeowner’s Collection
(855) 411-1557
www.HomeownersCollection.com
Sunburst Luxury
Collection
Chatham House
New to the Sunburst Luxury Collection, Chatham House is
a luxury 4-bedroom house that can almost be entirely open,
blurring the distinction between indoor and outdoor living.
The home also has an oversized heated lap spa in the courtyard, a roof top hot tub, koi pond and outdoor eating area.
Sunburst Beach Vacations
(866) 310-5718
www.SunburstCo.com
of public relations and marketing for the Seaside
Community Development Corp. “We hope people
will find that the Seaside Visitors Bureau is a useful
tool in planning their vacation.”
Visit www.Seasidefl.com/vacation/rentals
PAGE 14
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MARCHAPRIL 2013
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 15
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Shopping and Dining
Albert F’s Home, Garden & Gifts
Artwork, gifts, home accents, great
garden art & custom design service
by Brad Speight. 800.974.5203 / www.
albertfs.com
Amavida
The one-stop shop for Fair Trade
Coffee, Fair Trade Organic Tea plus
coffee and tea accessories.
850.231.3539 / www.amavida.com
Amoré by the Sea
An eclectic shop filled with unique
treasures, antiques, furnishings, Turkish
ironwork, olive pots, jewelry and local
art. 850.231.0337
An Apartment in Paris
Come inside and experience the perfect
collection of original art, home furnishings, accessories, gifts, jewelry and
clothing. 850.534.0038 / www.anapartmentinparis.net
The Art of Simple . Downtown
Brimming with home accessories,
candles, unique finds and rare bath and
body lines ... browse, linger, be inspired
and leave with a happy find from the
store that has everyone buzzing with
delight. 850.231.6748 / www.theartofsimpleonline.com
The Art of Simple . Ruskin Place
An art gallery featuring a contemporary
mix of southern artists. 850.231.5748 /
www.theartofsimpleonline.com
Artful Eye
Creative eyewear and sunglasses.
888.264.4989 / www.theeyegallery.com
Barefoot BBQ
Barefoot BBQ specializes in hormonefree, steroid-free, antibiotic-free beachside BBQ in a retro, tiki style atmosphere. 850.534.0313
Bud & Alley’s Pizza Bar
Thin crust, wood fired pizza, antipasto
bar, salads & more. Italian wines and
beer and a full bar available. Located
right on the beach next to the Obelisk
tower. 850.231.3113 / www.budandalleys.com
Bud & Alley’s Restaurant & Roof Top
Bar
A Seaside tradition on the Gulf since
1986. Sunsets on the roof-deck are
a daily town ritual. Fresh, regional,
coastal cuisine served daily for lunch &
dinner. 850.231.5900 / www.budandalleys.com
Bud & Alley’s Taco Bar
Authentic border tacos, burritos & fun.
Offering a full bar featuring over 40
speciality Tequilas. Dine in or take out.
Located roadside next to Bud & Alley’s.
850.231.4781 / www.budandalleys.com
Central Square Records
An independent record store specializing in CDs, new & used vinyl, record
players, guitar strings & accessories,
Jittery Joe’s Coffee, unique gifts, cards
& more. Located above Sundog Books.
850.231.5669 / www.centralsquarerecords.com
CRUSH
Intimate wine bar and restaurant
including a menu of small plates, sushi,
a daily cheese board and extensive
wine list with friendly staff and hip and
trendy events. 850.468.0703 / www.crush30A.com
Dawson’s Yogurt & Fudge Works
A favorite since 1988. Fresh frozen
yogurt, homemade fudge and kid’s
candy, too! Don’t forget to try Yobe™
Yogurt, America’s newest taste sensation. 850.231.4770 / www.sweetwilliamsltd.com
Deja-vu on the Beach
Offering affordable trendy clothing with
a sophisticated urban eclectic style.
Apparel, jewelry, shoes, bags and accessories. 850.534.0710 / www.shopwithdejavu.com
Duckies Shop of Fun
Calling all kids and kids at heart!
Duckies carries hundreds of items to
put a smile on your face. We’ve got
toys, clothing for kids, gifts, beach gear
and so much more.850.231.4800 / www.
shopduckies.com
Elliott Boutique
Specializing in high quality women’s
apparel with a “beachy” resort look.
Also featuring dressy sandles, one-ofa-kind pieces of jewelry, scarves, beach
bags & hats. 850.231.1160 / www.thevillageboutique30A.com
Fired-Up Pottery Painting
A fun, friendly place where you can
paint your “art” out on over 500 unique
pottery pieces. Great for birthday parties, bridal showers, girls’ night out, and
corporate events.850.231.3211 / www.
firedupseaside.com
The Fitness Fetish
Fun & friendly family sport & beach
shop. “Life is Good” products, sports
apparel, swimwear, footwear, beach
stuff and cool gifts. 850.231.5000 /
www.fitnessfetish.com
Focus
A little boutique portrait studio by
the beach where fun memories are
made. Focus also features fabulous
gifts, frames and custom jewelry.
850.231.1842 / www.carlettawatkins.
com
Frost Bites
Hawaiian shaved ice, homemade frozen
custard, fresh squeezed lemonade and
cold drinks. Also available for birthday
parties, weddings and special events.
252.452.3013
Gordie Hinds
Contemporary Art
South Walton outdoor scenes, fishing,
still life, colorful people
(850) 231-1041
Great Southern Café
New-fashioned southern cuisine. Fresh
seasonal vegetables, seafood, aged beef.
Enjoy the “Littlest Oyster Bar” for fresh
oysters. Beer, wine, cocktails. Breakfast,
lunch & dinner. 850.231.PEAS (7327) /
www.thegreatsoutherncafe.com
Heavenly
Authentic, delicious gelato, hand-folded
and dipped ice cream. Enjoy shakes,
sundaes, cookies and strawberry shortcakes. Gourmet coffees and espresso.
850.231.2029 / www.sweetwilliamsltd.
com
The Justin Gaffrey Studio
Visit the Justin Gaffery studio gallery
and enjoy Justin’s contemporary works
mixed with his classics. A flowerful
treat!
850.231.0279 / www.justingaffrey.com
La Vie Est Belle
Featuring designer Wendy Mignot, the
originator of the Tahitian and Fresh
Water Pearl and Leather Jewelry collection. Largest collection of ancient coins
& shipwreck coins in the southeast.
850.231.4692 / www.lavieestbellegallery.
com
The MeltDown on 30A
Gotta have grilled cheese sandwiches
and soups. Serving traditional and speciality grilled cheese sandwiches.
www.meltdownon30a.com
Mercantile
Mercantile carries goods for men and
women that are time-worn, weathered, a bit western and where possible
– eco-friendly and American made.
850.213.0010 / www.shopmerc.com
Modica Market
Your exclusive grocery deli market in
Seaside. Breakfast, lunch and beach
foods to go.
850.231.1214 / www.modicamarket.com
Newbill Collection by the Sea
Gallery of Contemporary American Art,
fine craft, original paintings, photography, folk art & garden sculptures. Best
selection of handcrafted jewelry on the
Gulf Coast. 850.231.4500
ONO Surf Shop
Latest styles swimwear, footwear,
lifestyle clothing, surfboards, boogie
boards, skim boards & accessories.
850.231.1573 / www.onosurfshop.com
Per•spi•cas•ity
Open-air bazaar featuring bohemian
beach styles. Must have pieces for the
ultimate Seaside escape.
850.231.5829 / www.theseasidestyle.
com
Pickles Beachside Grill
Home of the paradise burger, best chili
cheese dog, famous fried pickles &
shrimp basket. Enjoy a cold beer or daiquiri. Serving breakfast, lunch & dinner.
850.231.5686 / www.sweetwilliamsltd.
com
Pizitz Home & Cottage
The luxuries and necessities for simple,
comfortable, relaxed Seaside living.
Custom orders available.
850.231.2240 / www.theseasidestyle.
com
Raw & Juicy
Offering organic juices and smoothies,
raw food and organic beach snacks. Sea
Turtle Flashlight filters and merchandise available here. 850.231.0043 / www.
rawandjuicylife.com
Seaside Beach
Casual Seaside fashion and accessories
for men and women. “bare feet & sandy
floors rule” in this Seaside lifestyle
store. 850.231.4193 / www.theseasidestyle.com
Seaside Classic
Classic collection of Seaside clothing,
accessories, books & prints. The flagship store for Seaside style.
850.231.2497 / www.theseasidestyle.
com
Seaside Kids
The original children’s store at the
beach. Fun fashion, toys and must have
accessories. Seaside logo wear for kids.
850.231.1733 / www.theseasidestyle.
com
Seaside Transit Authority
The official rental bike provider of
Seaside, Florida. Seaside Transit
Authority offers custom designed rental
bikes for all our Seaside guests and visitors. A variety of rental items available
include unisex bikes, mens bikes, boys
and girls bikes, tag-a-alongs, tandems,
kids trailers and cargo trailers. 850865-3808 www.seasidetransitauthority.
com
Shimmering Seas Jewelry
Elegant sterling silver, gold, diamonds,
pearls & many more shimmering jewelry collections and unique gifts.
850.231.5100 / www.shimmeringseas.
com
The Shrimp Shack
A walk-up steam seafood shack “on the
beach” with peel & eat shrimp, lobster
rolls and shrimp rolls plus fresh oysters
- raw, steamed or baked. Great selection
of beer & wine. 850.231.3799 / www.
sweetwilliamsltd.com
Snap Tweens
Apparel, footwear, jewelry and gifts
that are just right for pre-teens. Unique
fashion and designers that both parents and kids will enjoy. 850.231.3800 /
www.snapkids.net
Sundog Books
An eclectic selection of books, greeting
cards & gifts for all ages. 850.231.5481 /
www.sundogbooks.com
Wild Bill’s Beach Dogs
Serving up the best hot dogs on the
beach! We serve 5 different dogs that
are bursting with flavor & they have no
antibiotics, hormones, nitrates, nitrites,
filler or junk. They are dogs gone good!
850.231.0802 / www.sweetwilliamsltd.
com
Willow+Woods
An exclusive boutique for both men
& women designed to cater to all your
fashion needs - fun & flirty for her,
relaxed & casual for him. 850.231.0433
/ www.willowchicboutique.com
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 16
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Get a jump on all the hottest trends, right here in Seaside
Spring colors are back at Seaside Kids
with the classic tee coming in a bright crunchberry for the girls and kiwi for
the boys. Seaside Kids is also featuring new tee designs, such as the Seaside
street sign bike and the Dot Mermaid for the girls. $21–24. http://www.
theseasidestyle.com/seaside-kids/
New Town …
Old Ways T-shirts
Known for their classic and
timeless “New Town … Old
Ways” T-shirts, Seaside
Classic donated 100 percent
of the proceeds from the sales
of the shirts, which totaled
$4,000, to the Newtown
Connecticut Memorial Fund
in a campaign called “New
Towns for Newtown.” $24.
http://www.theseasidestyle.
com/seaside-classic/
Emerald Coast
Inspiration
Perspicasity has declared that
anything in emerald, the 2013
Pantone color of the year, is a
winner in the Seaside fashion
arena. Necklace $48.
For the Beach (and after)
Look good on the sand this season with a new beach towel
from Seaside Beach and be sure to treat yourself after a long
day in the sun with their body lotion line that contains aloe,
grape seed oil and Shea butter. towel $36; lotions $8–18.
http://www.theseasidestyle.com/seaside-beach/
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 17
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… For the bohemian
The all-natural Illume Boho glass candles are
a hand-crafted blend of coconut, beeswax
and essential oils, and will fill a room with a
generous bouquet for hours. $16–38. The Art
of Simple. http://artofsimpleseaside.com/
… For the baby
Dress your new bundle of joy to impress by shopping at
Duckies Shop of Fun. jewel flower headbands $25 each;
bonnet $22; bloomers $18. Duckies Shop of Fun.
http://shopduckies.blogspot.com/
… For the pet
For the special Seaside pooch in your life,
Fired Up Pottery has some great DIY pottery
pet bowls and dishes available to paint. For
Pepper and Twinkles, no standard tin dish
will do. Now, your furry loved ones can dine
in style. pottery from $15. Fired Up Pottery.
http://www.firedupseaside.com/
… For the scribe
This antique book press is useful for binding journals or
magazines into bound volumes, or for repairing good oldfashioned books — you know, those made with real paper.
The e-reader convert can use it as a decorative bookend.
$395. The Art of Simple. http://artofsimpleseaside.com/
… For the tween
Snap Tweens has some cool bracelets made by
kids for kids, and it started locally. Peace. Passion.
Positivity bracelets are the hot new thing and
serve as positive and inspirational reminders for
girls everywhere. $12 each. Snap Tweens.
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 18
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DOWNTOWN AND BEACH
Best Beach for Families
Cont. from page 1
awaits the days when her children
can take time off from work and
meet in their favorite spot. “This is
where my family connections are,”
she says. “My kids started coming when they were little, now my
grandkids come, too. It’s the one
time of year when they’ll block out
their week to see us in Seaside; we’ve
got three generations now.”
This 80-acre community was
thoughtfully planned to represent an homage to time well spent
together — where neighbors gather
and talk, where kids ride bikes and
play, and families enjoy a leisurely
walk to the open-air market and to
the beach. Town founders Robert
and Daryl Davis envisioned a small
Photo by Lynn Nesmith
patch of beautifully detailed, densely grouped cottages surrounded by
natural landscape, with easy access
to the emerald Gulf waters.
Far removed from condo living
or a gated community, this town
encourages friendships among families. “The paths between the homes
were designed so that everyone
would go out to speak to people,”
says long-time Seaside resident
Glenn Seawell. “I’ve watched kids
learn to ride their bikes with training wheels. Later, I see them come
back with their learner’s permit.
Then I see them come back with
their own families.”
Wenczl says her sons-in-law,
buttoned-up professionals most of
the time, let loose when sitting on
the front porch, enjoying a friendly
board game. You may even catch
one of them playing the ukulele.
“Everyone’s a kid again,” she says.
In Seaside, you’ll find nary a chain
restaurant. Instead, food vendors
sell hot dogs, barbecue and sweet
treats from Airstream trailers lined
side by side. You can find the owners
of the town’s restaurants — which
emphasize fresh, local seafood —
on site to compliment them on the
exceptional food. Here, you’re never
far from the town center, shops,
playground, pools or tennis courts.
“And of course you’ve got the
most beautiful beach in the world,”
Seawell says.
This charming town is also architecturally significant. As the pioneer
of New Urbanism, Davis carefully
planned for a town that defied the
trends of suburban sprawl and shortsighted construction, opting for timeless grace instead. While each home
Long-time Seaside visitor Mary Mapes (shown with sons Ben and Evan) says the yearly visit to
Seaside is the highlight of the year. Photo by Tim Mapes
has its own distinctive character, the
tin-roofed cottages are architecturally uniform, and most are elevated
to take advantage of cross ventilation. “Seaside was built to be a beach
town,” Seawell says. “Which is why
when you walk outside your cottage,
you see the beach walkovers beckoning you to the beach.”
As the icon of New Urbanism,
Seaside has drawn people from all
over the world to study the principles the town has come to embody.
Even Great Britain’s Prince Charles
has used Seaside as a model of
humane urban planning, according to Steven Brooke, architect and
author of the book “Seaside.” Other
towns have emulated it, but none
can replicate it.
The focus on Seaside has always
been on families. “It provides accommodations for all kinds of families,”
says Seawell. “You can go shopping,
or to an Airstream for a hot dog.
The entertainment is for families;
you can lay a blanket down on the
lawn at the amphitheater for a nice
afternoon concert.”
This community is meant to be
flip-flop friendly, Seawell adds. When
the cars are parked, they’re usually
abandoned for the duration of the
vacation. Instead, feet and bikes are
the modes of transportation. “Seaside
is also the baby stroller capital of the
world,” Seawell laughs.
The Best Beach for Families nod
doesn’t surprise long time Seaside
visitor Mary Mapes. She and her
husband, Tim, from Atlanta, Ga.,
were married at the beach in front of
Seaside in 1995 and have been coming here every year since. “We loved
it so much, we’ve celebrated each
anniversary here,” she says. “We have
so many happy memories here.”
The Mapes have brought their
kids, aunts, uncles and friends to
Seaside, sharing their little piece
SEASIDE in the
SPOTLIGHT
Since its first Seaside sign was
erected in 1981, Seaside has garnered countless accolades, awards
and recognitions. Some recent ones
include:
• Best Beach of Earth for Families Travel + Leisure
• Top 10 Best Beach Towns USA Today
• Top 12 Destinations of the
World - Frommer’s
• Top 12 Coastal Markets
(Seaside Farmers Market) Coastal Living Magazine
• Best Outdoor Dining (Crush) VisitSouth.com
• Golden Spoon Award (Bud &
Alley’s) - Florida Trend Magazine
• Celebrity Chef for the State of
Florida (Chef Jim Shirley of
Great Southern Cafe)
VisitFlorida.com
of paradise with them. “I hope our
children make Seaside a part of their
lives, too,” Mary Mapes says. “We
have a secret hope we can have a
retirement home here.”
For the
families who can’t stay away from
Seaside for too long, the town stands
ready to welcome them back year
after year, providing memories for
generations. As Wenczl looks fondly
at photographs in the multiple family scrapbooks, she notes that they
are all about Seaside. “We’ve moved
houses many times,” Wenczl says.
“But the one constant is Seaside.” c
Photo by Steven Brooke
MARCHAPRIL 2013
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ART AND COMMUNITY
www.seasidefl.com
www.seasiderep.org
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 20
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ART AND COMMUNITY
Seaside School Half Marathon & 5K Run • Fri.-Sun., March 1-3
Celebrating its 11th year, the Seaside School
Half Marathon & 5K is one of the most eagerly
anticipated races in the Southeast.
Participants receive a high-tech moisture
wicking shirt, a Vera Bradley tote bag, a finisher’s
medal and many other goodies. After the races,
runners and walkers will be treated to a meal
provided by Jim ‘N’ Nick’s Bar-B-Q. The biggest
perk, of course, is the opportunity to run along the
beautiful Gulf Coast and through the picturesque
communities of Highway 30-A, starting and
finishing in beautiful Seaside.
A Blue Ribbon School since 2008, Seaside
Neighborhood School has been recognized
for offering students a high quality education
that prepares them for high school, college and
careers in a global market. Proceeds from the
races provide students the opportunity compete
on a national level in robotics competitions,
as well as fund elective classes in mass media,
journalism, gardening, music, art, technology and
yearbook.
Events begin Friday evening, March 1, at 7
p.m. at the Caliza Pool at Alys Beach during the
pre-race party to benefit Seaside School Inc.
With live music, a silent auction and a gathering
of friends, this special event kicks off the 2013
Seaside School race weekend. Bring your friends
and family to enjoy a beautiful March evening
in a delightful setting under the stars. A limited
number of tickets are available for $30 per person
and are non-refundable. For race results, visit
www.snsrun.com.
Calendar of Events 2013
Children’s Theater Performance – Seaside
Repertory Theatre
Mondays, March 11, 18 & 25, 6:30 p.m. –
Seaside Amphitheater
Join the REP for a magical children’s theatre
performance in the Seaside Amphitheater. Each
Monday night throughout the summer, enjoy an
educational and entertaining experience for kids
of all ages. For more details on the REP’s offerings,
visit http://seasidereptheatre.wordpress.com/.
Children’s Theatre Performance – Seaside
Repertory Theatre
Mondays, April 1 & 8, 6:30 p.m. – Seaside
Amphitheater
Join the REP for a magical children’s theater
performance in the Seaside Amphitheater. Each
Monday night throughout the summer, enjoy an
educational and entertaining experience for kids
of all ages. For details on the REP’s offerings, visit
http://seasidereptheatre.wordpress.com/.
Sand Sculpting with Sand Odyssey
Tuesdays/Thursdays, March 12/14, 19/21,
26/28, 1 p.m. – Seaside
Tuesday and Thursday afternoons feature a
continued tradition this spring filled with all
things sand, as Seaside offers free sand sculpting
lessons by sand master Mark Flynn from Sand
Odyssey. Learn exciting techniques on how to
construct a sculpture that will wow your friends
and family. Pick up your wristband from Seaside
Beach before the event, as space is limited.
Sand Sculpting with Sand Odyssey
Tuesdays/Thursdays, April 2/4 & 9/11, 1 p.m. –
Seaside Beach
Tuesday and Thursday afternoons feature a
continued tradition this spring filled with all
things sand, as Seaside offers free sand sculpting
lessons by sand master Mark Flynn from Sand
Odyssey. Learn exciting techniques on how to
construct a sculpture that will wow your friends
and family. Pick up your wristband from Seaside
Beach before the event, as space is limited.
Central Square Cinema
Friday, March 15, 22 & 29, 7:30 p.m.
Grab your blankets and head to the Amphitheater
for a family movie under the stars. Enjoy a great
variety of films during this yearlong series.
“First Friday” ArtWalk
Friday, April 5, 5–8 p.m. – Ruskin Place &
Central Square
Enjoy live music and view beautiful works of
art and artist demos at the galleries and shops
of Ruskin Place and select Central Square
merchants.
Compiled by Adam Shiland
March
“First Friday” ArtWalk
Friday, March 1, 5–8 p.m. – Ruskin Place &
Central Square
Enjoy live music and view beautiful works of
art and artist demos at the galleries and shops
of Ruskin Place and select Central Square
merchants.
Seaside Farmers Market
Saturdays, March 9, 16, 23, & 30, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
– Amphitheater
Get your pick of fresh produce, baked goods, dairy
products, native plants and other unique offerings
during our Market on Saturday mornings. Find
local specialties that will help sustain our growers.
Enjoy special cooking demos and activities sure to
liven up your morning. Held behind Raw & Juicy.
11th Annual Seaside Half Marathon & 5K Run
Sunday, March 3, 7 a.m.
Whether you are a serious distance runner or a
casual weekend warrior, come join us in America’s
Classic Beach Town on Sunday, March 3 at 7 a.m.
for the Seaside Half Marathon and 5K Run. Stick
around for a great post-race party in the Seaside
Amphitheater following the completion of the
Half Marathon. For more info, visit snsrun.com.
Stories by the Sea
Mondays–Fridays, March 11–29, 3:30 p.m. –
Seaside
Join the Seaside Repertory Theatre as we present
a one-of-a-kind storytelling experience for
children of all ages. Each day will offer a new story
and there might even be opportunities for your
participation.
Saturday–Seaside Lyceum and Seaside
Neighborhood School
Noon–6 p.m.
Packet Pickup
Noon–6 p.m.
Expo
Noon–6 p.m.
Silent Auction
Seaside’s Easter Celebration
Sunday, March 31, 12–2 p.m. – Seaside
Join Seaside for this annual Easter Eggstravaganza including a visit from the Easter
Bunny, live music from 30A Radio and an egg
hunt featuring more than 12,000 eggs in the
Amphitheater all for the little ones to enjoy.
April
Stories by the Sea
Mondays–Fridays, April 1–12, 3:30 p.m. –
Seaside
Join the Seaside Repertory Theatre as we present
a one-of-a-kind storytelling experience for
children of all ages. Each day will offer a new story
and there might even be opportunities for your
participation!
Sunday-Seaside Amphitheater
7 a.m.
Half Marathon Starts –
Seaside Post Office
7:20 a.m.
5K Starts – Seaside Post
Office
8:30 a.m.–11 a.m. Post Race Party
9 a.m.–10 a.m.
5K Awards
10 a.m.–11 a.m.
Half Marathon Awards
Post Race Party
After Sunday’s race, participants can relax
on the lawn in Center Square and enjoy an icecold beer and picnic lunch, as well as the awards
ceremony and door prizes. Come shop at the
premier 30A Silent Auction tent located in the
heart of Seaside as we celebrate the end of the
Seaside School race weekend.
Central Square Cinema
Fridays, April 5 & 12, 7:30 p.m. – Seaside
Amphitheater
Grab your blankets and head to the Amphitheater
for a family classic movie under the stars. Enjoy a
great variety of films during this yearlong series.
Seaside Farmers Market
Saturdays, April 6, 13, 20, & 27, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. –
Amphitheater
Get your pick of fresh produce, baked goods, dairy
products, native plants and other unique offerings
during our Market on Saturday mornings. Find
local specialties that will help sustain our growers.
Enjoy special cooking demos and activities sure to
liven up your morning. Held behind Raw & Juicy.
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 21
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The Seaside Transit Authority
A simple, beautiful ride awaits you
in the heart of Seaside. And what
better way to get from place to place
in Seaside than on a new bike from
Seaside Transit Authority.
All Seaside Transit Authority bikes
are custom designed for Seaside to
withstand the elements, and built of
aluminum that allow for durability
and quality. Available rentals
include 26” & 24” unisex bikes, 26”
men’s bikes, 20” boys and girls bikes,
and 16” bikes with training wheels.
Add-on rentals available include
tag-a-longs, kid trailers, beach cargo
trailers and tandems.
Daily rates are $25 - $80
depending on the amount of
rental days.
Located in Central Square between
Great Southern Café and Sun Dog
Books
8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
(850) 865-3808
www.SeasideTransitAuthority.com
Seaside Welcomes Returning
Tennis Pro to Its State-of-theArt Tennis Facility
Tracy Townsend’s 30A Tennis to
Manage Seaside Tennis
Tennis professional Tracy Townsend
is returning to Seaside’s Swim and
Tennis Club. Townsend’s company,
30A Tennis, now manages the club’s
tennis program.
At Seaside Tennis, Townsend
and his staff of certified teaching
professionals offer a robust tennis
program with group and private
instruction for all ages and abilities.
The signature event is the Eye
Opener Clinic, held at 8 a.m. daily,
year-round. All players are welcome
and no reservations are required.
Along with Townsend’s return
to Seaside are new tennis facility
upgrades: All hard courts have been
replaced with Har Tru Hydrocourts;
a programmable Playmate ball
machine has been installed; the
pro shop has been remodeled and
re-merchandised and there are
new nets, lines and maintenance
equipment.
450 Forest Street (behind the
croquet board)
8 a.m.-10 p.m. (night play requires
reservations)
(850) 231-2214
email tennis@seasidefl.com
The Art of Simple: Curiosities.
Necessities.
Simplicity — the state of being
uncomplicated,
uncompounded,
freedom from complexity, in other
words, the “Art of Simple.” This is
the driving theme behind Michael
and Laura Granberry’s new store,
The Art of Simple, located in Central
Square, the heart of Seaside.
Owners Laura and Michael
Granberry will keep their other
shop, Art Only, at Ruskin Place
in Seaside. Art Only will feature
original artwork and handmade
items from artisans and craftsmen.
20 Seaside Ave., next to Modica
Market
9 a.m.–6 p.m.
(850) 231-6748
www.artofsimple.com
Gordie Hinds Contemporary Art
Featuring Gordie Hinds, occasional
charter boat captain and full-time
artist, Gordie Hinds Contemporary
Art opens at Seaside’s Ruskin Place
just in time for spring. Hinds, a self-
WHAT’S NEW
taught artist, loves to paint scenic
South Walton. With an eye for the
beauty of the area, most of Hinds’
paintings capture scenes familiar
in Northwest Florida — seascapes,
saltwater fishing and golden
retrievers.
In addition to Hinds, other
featured artists include Susan
Lucas, Carol Ann Cain and Melissa
Davis, all local artists, as well as
Nancy Hughes Miller, a coastal
contemporary artist.
124 Quincy Ave.
11-5 p.m. daily or by appointment
(850) 231-1041
Seaside’s Central Square is Now
One-Way
Please note new traffic signs, as
Seaside’s Central Square now has a
one-way traffic pattern, moving east
to west, to better accommodate an
increase in traffic and facilitate a
more efficient flow.
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 22
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ART AND COMMUNITY
Quest for the BEST
Seaside Neighborhood School receives top award at robotics competition
By Wendy O. Dixon
Grouped into design teams of
four, enthusiastic little engineers at
the Seaside Neighborhood School
tested each of their prototypes,
showing their fellow students,
as well as a group of grownup engineers, their best work at
building a robot that can transport
supplies on a space elevator tower. It
was all in preparation for an arduous
competition with schools from all
over the east coast.
Guided by engineer and mentor
Dan Brubaker, technical advisor for
the Air Force Research Laboratory at
Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton
Beach, Fla., the students learned
how to best use their supplies and
maximize safety. “Dan acted as a
guide or supervisor as they built
the robot,” Seaside Neighborhood
School principal Kim Mixson
explains. “He was really helpful
in bringing their ideas to life.”
Engineers from Brubaker’s unit then
attended the trial presentation on
the school’s campus.
While local engineers helped with
the technical work, the students were
also aided by Destin Toastmasters
Club, a group of communication
experts that helps people improve
public speaking and leadership
skills. Daniel Frankfurt, past
president of the club, guided and
assisted the students as they created
their marketing presentation. “This
is the second year Toastmasters
has come in and worked with our
students,” Mixson says. “They do
a phenomenal job at helping give
students confidence during their
public speaking.”
When the final robot was
designed and ready for competition,
the students headed to Auburn
University in Auburn, Ala., where
they engaged in an academic
competition with all the excitement
of the Super Bowl — the South’s
BEST (Boosting Engineering,
Science and Technology) program,
a regional robotics competition for
middle and high school students.
South’s BEST took place Dec. 1
and 2 and included teams from
Alabama, Connecticut, Florida,
Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee,
Louisiana and Pennsylvania. The
Seaside Neighborhood School
earned first place among middle
school participants in the BEST
Award category.
BEST Robotics is the third-largest
educational robotics program in the
nation and is the only one that is
free to schools. The primary mission
of the program is to inspire students
to pursue careers in engineering,
science and technology through
participating in a sports-like, science
and engineering-based robotics
competition.
While the students are having fun
building a robot, they’re also learning
to solve real-world problems
by incorporating the practical
application of math and science,
Seaside Neighborhood School seventh grader Hayden Stroop served as a driver in the BEST
Robotics competition held at Auburn University. Photo courtesy Seaside Neighborhood School
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 23
www.seasidefl.com
while including different areas of
study. Managing all elements of the
complex project, the students work
as a group to raise funds, design,
build, test and present their robot.
The hope of program is that the
students become technologically
literate and thus better prepared to
enter the workforce. The project also
helps students develop leadership,
project management, teamwork and
organizational skills and develop
confidence and competence.
Collecting donated items from
the community and selling things
through the Seaside yard sale, the
students raised money to go toward
the project. They then attended
the first phase of competition at
the University of West Florida in
Pensacola for the kick off, where the
eighth graders, this year’s leaders,
were presented with the problem.
“This year, the students were
tasked with building a robot that
would take supplies in a space
elevator from Earth to the midway
station,” says Mixson. “Our robot
had to ascend a 10-foot pole.”
All schools were given six weeks
to solve the same problem. “There
are many rules, so the first step is
to learn the rules and go over the
goals and have a needs assessment
asking, ‘What does this robot need
to do?’” Mixson adds. “They go over
what kind of materials they need
to use and create a Power Point
presentation.”
The build team went through
each idea and prioritized them,
determining the best way to meet
the criteria. “The robots have to
have some kind of an arm,” Mixson
says, recalling the brainstorming
sessions the kids held. “They have
to have a mechanism to get down
the space elevator. You’ve got to
be able to place a two-liter Coke
bottle in a cup.”
Eighth grader Ale Brown,
who served as builder, presenter
and spotter, admitted to a few
stomach butterflies during her
oral presentation. But she and her
“It’s a great honor,
especially because
we’re a middle school
competing with
high schoolers. ”
teammates used their wits — and
a little duct tape — to improvise
their robot, scoring the BEST
Middle School prize. “We had a little
mishap,” Ale explains. “After our
first round, we noticed our robot
wasn’t getting as many points as the
other robots so we decided to make
some tubes using two liter bottles,
which we cut off the top and bottom
of, and put rubber bands inside with
www.seasiderep.org
ART AND COMMUNITY
slits so they would act as hands so
that our robot could grab so many
balls. We could then hold up to
three balls and earned more points.”
Nicholas Hundley, a seventh
grader, enjoyed playing with his
classmates during their downtime.
“Going on the trip is a lot of fun,
but you’ve got to watch out because
there are teachers at every corner,”
he laughs. Fun aside, bringing
home the BEST Middle School
award means a lot to the Seaside
Neighborhood School students. “It’s
a great honor, especially because
we’re a middle school competing
with high schoolers,” Nicholas says.
Eighth grader Andy Smartt, who
was part of the build team and
drive team, agrees. “It was really
fun,” he says. “We had pretty good
equipment to help us build it. We’re
like one of the few middle schools
going up against a bunch of high
schools so it was really cool.”
The BEST Award is given to the
team that most embodies the concept
and spirit of the competition and is
the highest achievement a team in
the competition can accomplish. The
winner is judged on a combination
of project engineering notebook,
marketing presentation, team
exhibit and interview, and team
spirit and sportsmanship. Seaside
Neighborhood Middle School also
won first place for their team video.
Seaside School, Inc., also known
as Seaside Neighborhood School,
opened its doors in 1996 as one of
the first charter schools in Florida to
36 students, two faculty members,
and one administrator. Seaside
Neighborhood School currently has
136 students, 15 faculty and staff
members, and two administrators.
Seaside is one of the top
performing schools in the state of
Florida, recognized at the national
and state levels for its academic
achievements.
All of the school’s students
participated in the robotics project.
“We always call this our Super
Bowl,” says Mixson. “This is a small
school, and everyone has a talent
to lend to this project. So maybe
you’re not a robot builder but
you’re really good at art, so you’re
in charge of posters. If you’re a
good speaker you may be in charge
of the oral presentation. We have
students in charge of fundraising
and community outreach. It’s a lot
of fun, everyone enjoys going.”
To learn more about the
South’s BEST, including a complete
list of competition results, visit
southsbest.org.
Video clips of the competition
are available for download at this
link: http://auburn.edu/academic/
science_math/media/video/ c
www.seasideschool.net
MARCHAPRIL 2013
PAGE 24
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Executive Chef Travis Reese
of Crush Wine Bar
By Susan Benton, photos by Susan Benton
Tucked away among
the shops of Seaside and
located in the central heart
of town, is Crush, a favorite of locals and tourists
alike. Crush is known for
delicious small plates of
food, beautiful selections
of wine, its friendly staff
and a stunning location for
people watching.
The covered outdoor sidewalk dining, reminiscent of a European café, led Crush Wine Bar to be
selected as Best Outdoor Dining by VisitSouth.
com. With complimentary wine tastings and
daily happy hour specials, Crush is the place
to see and to be seen, especially on a beautiful
Seaside afternoon.
I stopped by Crush recently to visit with the
newly hired executive chef Travis Reese, who was
hard at work putting his stamp on the fare served
in the restaurant. Reese says, “I call my style
Caribbean, as that is what I am most familiar with
after spending seven years in Key West. I enjoy
the fresh flavors and spices it brings to the food.”
Reese grew up in Tucson, Ariz., working in
many restaurant kitchens with plans to attend
culinary school in Dallas. But prior to culinary
school, Reese decided to take the opportunity to
visit a friend in Key West. Reese says, “He convinced me to stay, and it didn’t take much, as it
was such a great place to be.”
The Conch Republic Seafood Company, an
award-winning restaurant that overlooks the
Historic Seaport and Key West Marina, hired
Reese as a line cook and quickly moved him to
sous-chef. With an impressive raw bar, Reese
became skilled at working with fresh oysters,
crab, shrimp and stone crab. Reese says, “I worked
seven days a week in a very fast paced, highvolume restaurant, and did catering. I basically
became tired and needed a fresh start.”
Though he did not attend culinary school,
Reese learned on his feet by jumping in, ask-
Academic Village
Continued from page 4
academic village included plans for a performing
arts center, student housing and hotel-like suites.
With construction of the village expected to
be completed this spring, long-overdue plans
and programs will be initiated. Seaside Institute
director Diane Dorney said, “Academic village
programming will be geared to a wide range of
people — from high school, college and graduate level students to senior adults — and course
offerings will be open to both boarders and day
students.” In addition, she said, “the village will
provide much-needed housing for students and
teachers, while allowing participants to enjoy a
collegial living environment where discussions
can continue after class is officially over.”
While many classes will be intended for students
who have already embarked on a course of study,
other classes will be designed to awaken new
interests. This spring, the institute will launch a
series called “Discover Your Inner Artist,” which
ing questions, and working diligently. Seeking a
change of pace, he moved to the Destin area to
pursue other passions and landed a position with
Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Searching for a managerial role, he came across the opening at Crush
in Seaside for the executive chef position, submitted his resume, and interviewed with general
manager Kevin Moran. Moran told me that he
had been interviewing for the position for more
than two months and says, “It was the perfect
opportunity in Chef Reese’s career to take on a
restaurant of our size. Chef Reese wants to discover new dishes, food styles, and flavor profiles
in his cooking. As he evolves, we are evolving, and
it was a good fit for us all.”
Meeting the unique challenge of cooking alone in
a smaller kitchen enticed Reese who says, “I needed
to be creative and try something different. I am
ready to roll up my sleeves and get the job done. I
am thankful to be the executive chef at Crush”
While at Crush, I spent an hour in the kitchen
with Reese watching him produce menu items for
the crowd descending on the restaurant for lunch.
Reese works at lightening speed, quickly and efficiently, and prepared some delectable dishes for
Tuna Nicoise Salad
me to try. The crab cakes with Asian slaw were a
favorite. The cakes contained fresh crab, corn, and
finely diced onion and red pepper; they were perfectly balanced, moist, and yet spicy. The braised
beef short rib quesadilla served with corn salsa and
lime sour cream had a nice kick and was satisfying.
The quesadilla, normally on the dinner menu, had
lunch patrons drooling at the mere sight of mine.
Many began requesting the dish and Chef Reese
graciously met their demands.
Lastly, I tasted the tuna nicoise salad, in which
ahi tuna was crusted with white and black sesame
seeds, and plated on a bed of local greens served
with baby Yukon potatoes, eggs, olives, small
tomatoes, and dressed with red wine vinaigrette.
It is a dish I have enjoyed many times, as it is
enormously fresh and flavorful.
The salads are popular among diners, and Reese
says, “I recently added a Caesar salad to the lunch
menu. I am trying new recipes and also added
jerk chicken to the dinner menu. I am planning to
will offer five-day courses in photography, plein
air painting, drawing and room design.
To help pay for renovations of the cottages,
the Seaside Institute has launched an “Adopt a
Cottage” fundraiser. Those who adopt a cottage
will become founding members of the academic
village and have naming rights to a cottage,
including other benefits. Thus far, four cottages
have been slated for adoption under this program.
Seaside is considered the first new urbanist
town and has been made famous for both its
design and architecture. All but a handful of
homes in Seaside are second homes to people
living elsewhere; two-thirds of the population
rent their properties to an average of 60,000
people per year. Close to a million people pass
through town on an annual basis to visit the
shops and restaurants or attend an event.
The completion of Seaside’s academic village will further allow the institute to focus on
its mission of providing continued leadership
in the multi-disciplinary field of new urbanism
and educating other practitioners in the fields of
planning, architecture and development. After
Crab Cakes With Asian Slaw
switch up the sandwiches and panini, and will be
adding a lobster panini. Other items will include
a Caribbean shrimp cocktail with mango salsa, as
well as a goat cheese and roasted fig tart.”
Moran is thrilled with the changes taking place,
and the new menu items. Crush will soon be
working with a local baker offering artisan breads
with creative spreads prepared by Reese. Moran
says, “We are calling it Breads and Spreads. We
will also offer incredible Basque olives and our
own unique blend of nuts that will be seasoned
and candied in house. I want guests to feel comfortable sitting and enjoying a nibble with a glass
of wine in a relaxing atmosphere, or before ordering from our menu.”
Reese and Moran are working as a team to have
Crush revered as a food and wine lovers’ destination. Moran says, “I am very happy with the new
and interesting flavors coming from the kitchen.
Chef Reese has even taken the current menu and
enhanced the dishes adding his own twist.”
Crush offers lunch and dinner with menus of
small plates made for sharing. Sushi, a daily cheese
board, and 24 wines by the glass with almost 100
bottles of wine are available with exciting wine
flights. Monthly wine dinners are also offered. c
Crush
Open Daily
Noon–3 p.m., 5–10 p.m.
Happy Hour includes half-price wine, beer and
sushi 4–6 p.m.
25 Central Square, Seaside
(850) 468-0703
www.Crush30a.com
Susan Benton is the owner of 30AEATS.com where
she shares her passion for food and travel, and her
commitment to promoting local farmers, fisherman, chefs, artisans and restaurants along the
Gulf Coast. all, Seaside has been the inspiration behind the
founding of numerous new towns both here and
abroad. “It is our belief that the new, academic
village environment will easily allow a diverse
network of professionals to collaborate with the
mutual goal of creating better places to live,”
said Dorney.
“Seaside’s founding vision has begun to be
realized through the talents of many people from
all over the country: planners, architects, builders, business owners, homeowners and others,”
said Davis. “It is a vision that has not yet been
fulfilled and should never be, because renewing and reinvigorating the vision provides the
energy that keeps a place vibrant and strong.” c
For more information about the Seaside’s
academic village, the Seaside Institute or the
adopt-a-cottage program, please contact Seaside
Institute director, Diane Dorney, at ddorney@
seasideinstitute.org.
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Artist Hub
ART AND COMMUNITY
Seaside provides cultural inspiration for distinguished artists-in-residence
By Wendy O. Dixon
Photos courtesy Escape to Create
Creative types sometimes need a change of
scenery to nurture their artistry. The natural beauty
of the gentle coastline of Northwest Florida — as
well as the inspirational treasure that is Seaside
— seduces artists, poets, novelists, musicians,
playwrights and composers from all over. Each
winter, Seaside plays host to a spectrum of artists,
who can immerse themselves in their work.
Escape to Create (E2C), a temporary artist
residency program, is the only such residency
of its kind in the Florida Gulf region, and has
welcomed artists to 30A since 1993.
Seaside provides a unique setting for this
multidisciplinary residential retreat. Founded as
a meaningful component of Seaside’s civic life,
E2C has gained national attention for its impact
on the local community and in the creative lives
of the artists. And while the fortunate few who are
awarded a spot in the program share their talents,
they add to the thriving cultural flavor of Seaside,
drawing audiences from all over North Florida.
The heart of the Escape To Create experience
is the gift of time and place to artists fully
engaged in creative ideas, says Marsha Dowler,
president of the board. Housed in private cottages
donated in support of their projects, artists enjoy
complete immersion in their work balanced with
opportunities for cross-disciplinary dialogue in
an intimate group setting.
“We own no studio, nor practice room for the
musicians,” Dowler says. “We just start with the
intent to create this experience for artists every
year. Houses are different every year, artists
are different every year. And we find that for
the artists who respond to this, that’s what
they are really seeking—the permission to fully
surrender to their art.”
Area restaurants and markets provide E2C’s
weekly “soup kitchen,” a tradition that brings the
group of no more than eight artists together in
the casual intimacy of a private home. E2C artists
are celebrated in programs and salons produced
as community service. Readings, performances,
lectures, and exhibits take place in the intimate
venues, each distinguished for architectural
design. Educational outreach brings a larger
world to schools located in an underserved
county. And just a short stroll away, the beauty of
Visual Artist Heidi Pitre
the Gulf of Mexico is a constant source of creative
inspiration, reflection, and renewal.
For many of the artists, the change in atmosphere
has produced a surge in productivity.
Comedy playwright Rich Orloff, from New York
City, shares his sidesplitting take on the battle
of the sexes during his reading held at the REP
Theatre. Though he doesn’t require new material
for his play, his time spent at Seaside helps
him become more productive. “It’s a beautiful,
inspiring environment,” he says, just coming in
after a walk on the beach. “It’s so quiet and easy
to be here. It clears my head, which allows for
creative thoughts. I’m getting a lot more work
done here than if I were in New York.”
With fewer distractions and a relaxing
atmosphere, the artists can take advantage of
a more flexible work schedule, and make time
for a swim, bike ride, yoga session or even the
treasured, but elusive sleep. “I haven’t set the
alarm since I’ve been here,” Orloff laughs. “Last
night, at 10 o’clock I was relaxed, but not sleepy
so I got more work done.”
Musicians Jeff Freling and Erin McGrane, the
antique pop duo known as Victor & Penny, along
with singer-songwriter Kyle Carey, perform
lighthearted musical delights during their stay at
Seaside. McGrane and Freling enjoy a bike ride
through the neighborhood streets, where the
hospitable weather is a joyous departure from the
frigid February days in Kansas City.
“I’ve struggled a little about the need to rest and
the desire to work,” McGrane says. “But we’ve got
a whole month to find
our rhythm. We tour
a lot, so for us to be in
one place for a month is
relaxing and restful.”
Dowler acknowledges
that it seems counterintuitive to remove
structure when trying
to work. “But what we
find is that this allows
them the freedom to
surrender to their craft,”
she says. “I think that
artists find that their
productivity is nothing
they could predict, it’s
so far beyond what they
could do before.”
Spending
time
with the other artists
is helpful, too, says
McGrane. “That’s been
fun, meeting everyone,
Artwork by Visual Artist
Heidi Pitre
and meeting artists who understand our antisocial tendencies,” she says. “I’ve been doing
voiceover work in the recording station we set up
in the house and am happy as a clam. Having all
the tools is a nice gift.”
Heidi Pitre, a visual artist from Hattiesburg,
Miss., is completing a portfolio based on the female
nude and contributing a commission of one of her
highly prized pet portraits in a fundraising effort
benefiting Alaqua Animal Refuge, a local animal
rescue sanctuary. She says the month she spends
here is necessary for her to focus on and improve
her craft. “I’ve been raising kids and husbands my
whole life, so now I’ve decided to take it more
seriously,” she says. Describing her intensely
hued oil painting depicting a woman setting a
mousetrap, she recalls the inspiration behind
the series of paintings featuring strong women.
“When the sink broke I had to fix it myself; so
this represents a woman who can fix anything,”
she says. “She has this tool I invented that is half
paintbrush, half blowtorch.”
Comedy Playwright Rich Orloff
Pitre, who earned a bachelor of fine arts from the
University of New Orleans, has been drawing since
five years old, but found that lately the daily duties
of life have been distracting. E2C has allowed her
to focus on nothing but her artwork. “Not just the
immersion, but the un-interruption of daily life,”
she says. “Here I have nothing to do but paint.”
Pitre says the generosity of the board
members and the homeowners is invaluable
and appreciated. “This is changing some of
the decisions and plans to move forward in my
career,” she says. “It allows me to produce better
works of art, as well as more in quantity.”
Dowler sees the program as a benefit for everyone
in Seaside, including those temporary residents.
“We are accumulating a list of distinguished artists
here,” she says. “The collective body of work that
bubbled out of this experience is something that
this community takes a lot of pride in. It’s a legacy,
not just for the community but for all our artists.”
To learn more about the Escape to Create
artists-in-residence, visit www.Escape2Create.
org/Artists.html. c