Seaside Neighborhood School

May 21, 2023

Digital Graffiti: A night of lights and bites

Projection art exhibition pairs nicely with local cuisine

By Michelle Farnham
May 20, 2023

ALYS BEACH – The stark white architecture of Alys Beach is a stunning sight during the daylight hours, but at night, it transitions into a blank artist’s canvas unlike anything you’ve seen before. The site of the 16th annual Digital Graffiti Festival May 19 and 20, guests strolled the streets of this idyllic beach town, viewing projection artwork while enjoying locally sourced food and drinks.

Friday night was an all-inclusive experience, offering small plates like prime steak from Seagar’s; herb cavatelli with lamb shoulder and a cucumber yogurt soup from Roux 30A; and fried rice with green apple kimchi and carrot gazpacho by The Citizen.

Bites among the lights

Smoked bay scallops with sea urchin espuma by RC Weddings + Events.

Idyll Hound Proper served Divide N’ Conch fritters.

Oxtail marmalade and grit by Marrow Private Chefs.

Pink Coyote Dessert Co. offered strawberry lemonade sorbet and ice cream sandwiches.

Even the seating areas got their glow on!

Marrow Private Chefs was an early stop along the exhibition path.

“Tonight we’re serving oxtail marmalade and grits. It only took us three days to cook the oxtail for you,” laughed Marrow Executive Chef Richard McCord.

Idyll Hound Proper, the gastropub expected to open at 30Avenue this July, got a jumpstart on festival season, deep frying Bahamian-style Divide N’ Conch Fritters on-demand, by the light of a headlamp.

“These fritters are from our chef, Nick Walton – he’s an island guy – and are infused with our double IPA Divide and Conch’r and served with spiced mango chutney,” said Dan Tinghitella, CEO of No Reservations Restaurant Group.

There was plenty to sip on as well, from such purveyors as Good Clean Wine, Castle & Key Distillery, Lugo’s Craft Spirits and Herradura Tequila. Santa Rosa Beach-based Distillery 98 shook up “Lights, Camera, Action,” featuring their Dune Laker Vodka, lemon, blackberry and bay leaf syrup.

Glow on!

Among the 50 digital artists represented from around the world, Seaside Neighborhood School and Seacoast Collegiate High School got in on the action, presenting compilation works titled “Who Are We, Digitally?” and “Our Personal Digital Brand.” Each student and their parents were given a ticket to Saturday evening’s exhibit. Robyn Wallace, the school’s art teacher, spoke about the young artists’ process.

“A lot of this was a self-reflective piece,” explained Wallace. “Our fifth- and sixth-graders really dug into logos and then they had to think about themselves and how they would represent themselves digitally. They used primarily Google Drawing.

“For the seventh- through 10th-graders, we did a self portrait and the back images are photographs they’ve taken either off their social media or that represent themselves, and then they had to recreate themselves using Google Drawing as well. This was their first experience with anything digital. It was an opportunity to dig in and determine how they could change shapes and manipulate them to represent themselves.”

Ticketholders wrapped up the evening with an after-party at Caliza Restaurant, featuring a light show across the iconic pool.

Catch video of the inaugural Digital Graffiti livestream here.

Photos by Michelle Farnham

Caliza Restaurant hosted the after-party.

February 22, 2023

Schoolhouse rock!

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Taste of the Race culinary event supports Seaside School

By Michelle Farnham
Feb. 22, 2023

SEASIDE – Race weekend is always Seaside’s time to shine, but Friday was Seaside’s night to rock!

The sold-out crowd of more than 700 filled the Lyceum Lawn at Seaside Neighborhood School Feb. 17 for Taste of the Race, sampling eats from 19 restaurants, sipping on drinks from the open bars, and rocking the night away to the classic rock sounds of The Velcro Pygmies.

The evening benefits the Seaside Neighborhood School Foundation, which supports the public charter school, and is held in conjunction with the Seaside School Half Marathon & 5K.

The SNS eighth grade performance band opened the evening.

Marrow Private Chefs brought their pork belly kabobs.

The amigos 30a team offered chicken tacos.

Havana Beach plated beef ropa vieja over grits.

Sweet Henrietta’s offered a sweet spread.

Taste of the Race was the place to be Friday night.

The Velcro Pygmies kept the crowd rocking!

Shunk Gulley served a grilled BBQ chipotle bourbon butter oyster.

The chefs of Taste of the Race pose for a photo with the Seaside Neighborhood School culinary students.

Nathan Corchis, who was working the tables for his family’s restaurants amigos 30a and amici 30a, served up honey sriracha chicken tacos, cheese quesadillas, and tiramisu; and rigatoni vodka pasta, ravioli cheese sticks, and cannoli, respectively.

“Everybody’s loving it and we’ve been having fun, too,” Corchis said. “We love doing this every year. It’s awesome seeing this many people in a small space, having fun.”

Havana Beach Bar & Grill enticed guests with the flavors of Cuba from their beef ropa vieja.

“We did it our way, Southern-style, over Manchego cheese heirloom grits,” said Food and Beverage Director Kevin Dixon, pointing out the dish will be appearing on their new spring menu starting March 6. “This is a great local event, especially when we can support something like the Seaside School. We love getting to network with the other restaurants and see guests who dine with us all the time.”

Over at the Fish Out of Water table, WaterColor Culinary Director Blaine Wilkinson was plating up a tequila sunrise chicken satay, served with a shot of tequila.

“It’s Friday night and the tequila has been very popular!” Wilkinson admitted, adding, “The feedback has been very, very good.”

The participating restaurants and caterers compete for a trio of awards, voted on by ticket-holders, a panel of judges, and the restaurateurs themselves.

People’s Choice: Jackacuda’s Seafood + Sushi
Judge’s Choice: Shunk Gulley Oyster Bar & Restaurant
Chefs’ Choice: The Shrimp Shack

A special VIP experience preceded the main event and included a performance from the SNS eighth grade performance band.

Other restaurant partners included Aegean Greek Restaurant, amici 30a, amigos 30a, Black Bear Bread Co., Blue Mountain Bakery/Swiftly Catered, Bud & Alley’s, Daytrader, Fish Out of Water, The Chicken Shack, Havana Beach Bar & Grill, Marrow Private Chefs, The Red Bar, Signature Catering of 30a, Surfing Deer, Sweet Henrietta’s, and Wild Bill’s Beach Dogs.

Photos by Michelle Farnham

Contest winners

People’s Choice: Jackacuda’s Seafood + Sushi

Chefs’ Choice: The Shrimp Shack

Judges’ Choice: Shunk Gulley Oyster Bar & Restaurant

February 20, 2022

Taste of the Race makes its triumphant return!

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The Red Bar, Wild Bill’s Beach Dogs take prizes at Seaside fundraiser

By Michelle Farnham
Feb. 20, 2022

SEASIDE – It had been two years since Taste of the Race – the culinary fundraiser for Seaside Neighborhood School – was held, and those in attendance Feb. 18 were clearly ready to party! The giant tent filled in the blink of an eye with hundreds ready to eat, drink and dance the night away – all for a cause.

Chef's photo — SNS students, TOTR chefs and VIP event host Tom Glavine gathered for a pre-event photo.

Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Tom Glavine hosted the pre-event VIP experience. As a resident of the area and with a son at the school, he felt compelled to help.

“Seaside is a hidden little gem and a great place,” said Glavine, who is also on the school’s board. “When you see a bunch of middle school kids – especially boys – that are smiling at school during the course of the day, it must be a pretty good place.”

Glavine was excited to try bites offered by all 15 vendors, but was particularly eager to try the fare from amici 30A Italian Kitchen and amigos 30A Mexican Kitchen, owned by the Corchis family, who served as event co-hosts.

Family patriarch George Corchis was on hand, stocking the VIP area with everything from cannoli to fried ravioli cheese sticks to yellow tomato pepper poppers.

“It is an absolute great honor and we’re super excited to participate and to work with the children in the culinary arts program,” George Corchis said. “Every single one of the kids was impressive. I enjoyed talking with every one of them and my wife Amy and I can’t wait to work with them over the next year.”

Son Jordin Corchis was also a part of his family’s team, and was very pleased the family restaurants have become so involved.

“We have a blast with this every year, and of course the cause. We’re in the people business, and the kids here love to cook,” Jordin Corchis said. “You can tell they’re actually passionate about it, and that’s what we’re passionate about, so we love to be a part of that.”

As the evening came to a close, the People’s Choice Award was presented to The Red Bar for their crab cakes and smoked salmon and tuna dip. Wild Bill’s Beach Dogs accepted the Chef’s Choice Award for their wagyu beef-loaded Frito pie.

There was plenty more to sample, including shrimp and grits from Fish Out of Water, Korean-style pork burnt ends from Swiftly Catered, and Surfing Deer Chef Greggory Smith’s famous sweet tea-glazed clothesline bacon.

Party hearty — The band closed the party down!

Emcee Kevin Boyle concluded the evening with genuine thanks for all involved.

“It warms our hearts having everyone back here. I know this has been a really tough two years for a lot of us and thank you for supporting this school,” Boyle said. “To see you all back in such force for such a wonderful school, it really means a lot.”

Photos by Michelle Farnham