WATERFRONT

WONDERLAND
CELEBRATE THE SEASON AT A SLOWER PACE
IN A PICTURESQUE GULF COAST BEACH TOWN
WHERE COMMUNITY AND YULETIDE SPIRIT
RUN AS DEEP AS THE BREATHTAKING WATERS
THAT BECKON VISITORS YEAR-ROUND.
by Elizabeth Bonner Czapski | photography by Art Meripol
-
SO HOF

A HE M
©

S
UT FMA

SE N DIA
E N LA 20
R

I N DY 22
N

-
E

93 SOUTHERNLADYMAGAZINE.COM NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020 94

 I
f you’re dreaming of a white
Christmas in the South, try
trading the idea of snow-covered Nine unique pavilions punctuate the streets of Seaside at the
scenes for sparkling sun-bleached edge of town, designed to promote community as prime places
shores. While December might to meet up before hitting the beach. The most recognizable,
not seem like the ideal time for a beach Coleman Beach Pavilion (page 93), is a gateway to the epicenter
vacation, the charming town of Seaside, of the city. Impressive Christmas trees stand tall along the sky-
Florida, transforms into a winter line, ringing in the season.
wonderland that captures the magic of
holidays gone by.
GREAT SOUTHERN CAFÉ
Saunter along brick-paved streets and
sandy footpaths devised with pedestrians
in mind, and revel in the eclectic window
displays of artisan shops, galleries, and
restaurants. Glowing palms blend with
Christmas trees to illuminate the short
trek from quaint residential cottages to
the bustle of downtown and the serenity
of the ocean.
“I was drawn to Seaside because of
the people and the sense of place that
was unlike anywhere on the coast,” says
Kerri Parker, executive director of
-
SO HOF

A HE M
©

S
UT FMA

communications for Seaside Community

SE N DIA
E N LA 20

Development Corporation and a local of

R

I N DY 22
N

-
E

95 SOUTHERNLADYMAGAZINE.COM NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020 96

Come December, the village is cloaked in
merry décor with its own local spin: a
scheme of lime and russet tones more
closely linked to the native palms than
traditional green and red. Christmas
embellishments at the Seaside Chapel take
an understated approach. The architectural
marvel, the highest point in town with its
68-foot bell tower, requires few frills to shine.
the broader South Walton area for more
than 20 years. “There was something
special about the town and especially the
townspeople.”
The small resort city touts a
distinctive cultural ambience, and Kerri
says the hospitable merchants are the
true heart and soul of the community.
Many got their start soon after Seaside
was founded in 1979, making a stroll
through town “a daily reunion among
friends,” as she puts it.
At Christmastime, these convivial
relationships and experiences come alive
all the more. “Seaside is just so
beautifully lit—it’s captivating,” Kerri
says. “I love the window-shopping
aspect, seeing all the displays and
holiday cheer. It brings you back to the
old days of shopping.”
The nostalgic feel that infuses the
town was an intentional facet of the
exacting plans for Seaside, the first New
Urbanist community in the country.
When renowned builder and developer
97 SOUTHERNLADYMAGAZINE.COM
Robert Davis inherited 80 untouched
acres along Florida’s Gulf Coast from his
grandfather, he and his wife, Daryl,
immediately relocated from Miami and
set to work on a visionary escape that
borrows from the values of the past.
Inspired by the simple pleasures of
storied small towns, as well as the time-
tested cabins Robert remembered from
childhood visits to his grandfather’s
land, the Davises teamed up with
architects Andrés Duany and Elizabeth
Plater-Zyberk to bring their dream to
fruition. Together, they created a retreat
where walking and biking are favored
over driving, and fellowship is fostered
through outdoor gathering spots that
function like alfresco living rooms.
What started with two houses on a
single lane, plus a shared pavilion
leading to the beach, has grown into a
village of more than 300 cottages,
known for their coordinated pastel hues,
-
Y
N IN
IA D
2
02
sprawling porches, and native
E D LA
ER EN
2
E
landscaping. Anchoring each street of
UT S S
M
SO - A
FF H
N
A
M
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020 98
O
H
©

abodes, nine pavilions stretch across the
shoreline and provide communal access
points to the sea. The pedestrian-scale
design ensures that every dwelling is
within a 5-minute walk of the town square.
This central hub is home to a wide array
of beachfront businesses with evolving
inventory that guarantees fresh finds for
repeat vacationers, as well as structures
like the classic Seaside Post Office, dressed
in ornate garland and flanked by rows of
gleaming palm trees this time of year.
“Seaside is the natural downtown of
all of South Walton,” Kerri says. “It’s a
very urban beach environment, and it
draws you in with all the shops you don’t
have anywhere else.” Peruse the
commercial district for one-of-a-kind
art, antiques, and home goods, and be
sure to stop at Cabana by The Seaside
Style, the city’s original open-air market,
for the latest coastal-influenced fashions.
99 SOUTHERNLADYMAGAZINE.COM
Family-owned Sundog Books has
delighted residents and tourists alike for
three decades, as have their “sun dogs,”
who have become furry fixtures of the
community in their own rights. “We are a
bit more relaxed during the winter, giving
us extra time to spend with customers,”
says bookseller Laney Blanchard. “It is a
very sweet time when we can pay a little
extra attention to our regular customers
and get to know new ones.”
At Modica Market, a gourmet grocery
store opened in 1989 and currently run by
the second generation of its namesake,
the laid-back off-season allows for
weekday lunch specials, like Friday’s
famous Fried Grouper Po-Boy, and
delectable premade dishes for holiday
meals. The culinary scene includes
vintage Airstream travel trailers that
serve grilled cheese, barbecue, and more;
Bud & Alley’s, a beachside favorite
Those who come for the beach will be
pleasantly surprised by all this resort town has
to offer beyond sand and surf, with everything
accessible by foot or bike. Visit Modica Market
(top left) at the start of your trip. From fresh-
baked goods to Southern culinary essentials,
the shop has ample provisions to stock your
home away from home. If you’d prefer to dine
out, options range from flip-flop-friendly gems
to formal venues. For a casual bite, choose
from a lineup of retro Airstreams (top right)
with grab-and-go fare or a classic haunt like
The Shrimp Shack (right). Last-minute holiday
shopping will be a breeze at boutiques like The
Art of Simple (bottom right), a fun destination
filled with necessities and luxuries that include
since the late 1980s; and venues like
apothecary, tabletop, decorative accents, and
Great Southern Café, which boasts
more. Employees at Sundog Books (left) love
“new-fashioned” regional cuisine with
to help patrons find the perfect gifts, sending
international and seafaring flair.
them off wrapped and ready to bestow.
Just steps from the flourishing
square, Seaside’s towering Coleman
Beach Pavilion offers a grand portal to
the pristine blue-green waves beyond. For
Christmas, it’s festooned with thousands
of lights, showing off its striking
architectural details as it stands as a
beacon to the beach in all its wintry glory.
Kerri says there are also seasonal
intangibles. “Have you ever walked on
the beach with a bit of chill to your feet
from the sand? It’s a really interesting
feeling, like velvet,” she says. Stunning
sunsets in the brisk air and private
cottages that enable families to
congregate add to the enticing equation.
-
Y
N IN
IA D
2
02
“At the holidays, that’s what I always
E D LA
ER EN
2
E
think about—gathering with family.”
UT S S
M
SO - A
FF H
N
A
M
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020 100
O
H
©