April 2009 Newsletter
Volume 3, No 4
Have you heard all the twitter about the arrival of spring here at the Grand Strand? Warmer weather means beach weather! Warmer weather also means that everyone here is enjoying the sun, balmy days, green leaves, and colorful flowers. As our locals let the sun shine in to air their feathers and visitors check out all the new features around Seaside and the Strand, the longer days give renewed energy to everything and everyone.
On April 12th, Seaside participated in Easter festivities by coordinating a children's coloring contest, Easter egg hunt, and Easter basket drawing, all with the intent of calling attention to the Easter weekend and to cancer awareness through Relay for Life.
Later in the month, another event that brought guests to Seaside was The Society of Stranders' (SOS) Spring Safari, held April 17-26. With a big parade on April 25 along Main Street in North Myrtle Beach, everyone had a great time. Always a huge crowd-pleaser, this 15th anniversary of the parade also included the 20th anniversary of SOS and the 25th anniversary of the shag's designation as South Carolina's official state dance.
Spring is certainly a season of renewal, and Seaside continues its own energetic revitalization efforts. Among our staff's continuing efforts has been volunteering on behalf of the charity Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society. Partnered with its sister property Avista Resort, Seaside employees have been instrumental in raising money from endeavors such as chicken "bog" lunch sales, bake sales, book sales, and collecting donations for Relay.
Seaside employees have worked hard with fund-raising sales from endeavors such as chicken "bog" lunch sales, bake sales, book sales, and collecting donations for Relay.
Then, on April 24th the Relay team joined many others from around the metropolitan area at The Relay for Life event in downtown Myrtle Beach. Donations came in through contributors who had agreed to sponsor relay walkers at The Ripken Experience. This huge baseball field in Myrtle Beach served as the venue for a 24-hour relay way in which a member from each team walked for a designated amount of time before being replaced by another member. At no time during the session was a team to be without representation on the field. Final results from the entire Relay event appear in next month's newsletter.
Even though technically we have not reached summer yet, some guests here are getting head starts on their tans. Others are booking summer vacations so that they can stay longer during tan season. Nothing says "refresh" like a dip in the ocean, so life is springing into action here at the beach. We are waiting for YOU, too!
Your friends at SeaSide
News and Happenings at Seaside
Easter Imagination at Work
Spurred on by enthusiasm for the spring season, Seaside's own Flo Lineberry, the Breakfast Lady of the 6th floor breakfast room, brought Easter to the beach by designing two Easter baskets as part of the April 12th festivities. Filled with Easter sweets, colorful Easter toys, plush animals, and children's entertainment, the baskets made a perfect surprise for children on Easter vacation. Guests could contribute to the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life by buying raffle tickets to win one of these baskets, with the prizes drawn on Easter Sunday morning.
Also during this festive weekend, Seaside held a coloring contest with the "finals" held on Sunday at 10 am. Divisions occurred by ages, and in the end all children received a prize of some kind. Flo also turned her artist's hand to designing charming characters on child's faces, as requested on Saturday and Sunday of Easter weekend.
In addition to the lively decorations that Flo used in the breakfast room, other staff members got into the spring spirit with Easter frivolity and ornaments, and all in all everyone enjoyed the holiday at Seaside. We hope that you and your family had a chance to spend Easter at Seaside this year, but if not, consider coming on over for Mother's Day or other special occasion.
Mayfest on Main Street - May 9th
Mark your calendar for May 9th for the 2009 Main Street music blowout called Mayfest in North Myrtle Beach. This is a great place to wander around to see the sights, meet up with old friends, and meet new ones. Everyone will be there, so we hope to see you there.
This family-friendly event includes big-name legends from The Beach Boys and Jan and Dean, beach-music bands, and plenty of surprises that come from a live show. You'll also find lots of other action going on starting from the morning when the craft and food booths, information, and children's area open.
The music action starts in the afternoon at what the locals call "The Horseshoe," a semi-circular spot tucked up against the ocean at the end of Main Street. Headlines tell us that the power-house talents known around here as "The Legends of Surf Music" will be great! Al Jardine (original founding member of "The Beach Boys"), Dean Torrence (original member of "Jan and Dean"), and David Marks (one of the original members of "The Beach Boys") with co-stars "Mother's Finest," "The Chairmen of the Board," and "Coco Loco Party Band." Bring your lawn chairs and settle in for many hours of music delights or get up and dance! Everyone else is doing just that!
This free concert comes to you thanks, in part, to Avista Resort, North Myrtle Beach Chamber, and Water Dog Promotions.
Featured Recipe - Fresh Strawberry Jam by Microwave
This recipe makes 2 quarts and should be refrigerated at completion, especially after opening the container to use. (Do not double the recipe as the mixture might not set properly.) Use ripe, but not overly ripe, fruit.
Ingredients:
- 5 cups crushed fresh strawberries
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 package (approximately 60 grams) powdered fruit pectin
- 7 cups sugar
DIRECTIONS:
- Combine fruit and juice with pectin in a 4-quart microwave-proof bowl.
- Cook covered on high in the microwave for 10 to 11 minutes or until mixture boils.
- Stir once during cooking.
- Stir in the sugar.
- Cook uncovered on high for 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture boils hard for at least one minute.
- Using a metal spoon, skim off any foam.
- Pour the mixture into hot sterilized glasses or jars.
- Seal each container (label with date that you made the strawberry mixture).
Local Events Calendar
The Grand Strand area has a wide choice of things to see and do. Click here to check accommodations availability.
5/1. Pelicans versus Salem Avalanche. 7 pm. Free kid stuff and a great day at the ball park. BB&T Coastal Field (1251 21st Avenue North, Myrtle Beach). Call 877.918.8500 or go online www.MyrtleBeachPelicans.com.
5/2. 13th Annual Blessing of the Inlet at Belin Methodist Church, from 2 pm to 4 pm. A favorite day for all Inlet locals and returning visitors, this special event includes great food from local restaurants, baked goods from the church ladies, entertainment all day long, games for the children and arts and crafts treasures for sale. This is an opportunity to bow our heads in prayer to give thanks for our beautiful marsh. For more information, call 843.651.5099.
5/2. The Oak Ridge Boys at the Alabama Theatre in North Myrtle Beach. Make a date to see this live performance, starting at 7 pm. Call 800.342.2262 or see www.alabama-theatre.com for more information.
5/2 to 8/31. The Summer Arts Project at The Market Common begins and runs through the end of August. 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. The Market Common is excited to host artists creating original works of art on Adirondack chairs. They will be displayed throughout The Market Common and auctioned off at the end of the summer! Location is 4017 Deville Street. For more information, call 843.839.3500 or go online at www.marketcommonevents.com.
5/8-17. Myrtle Beach Bike Week. For more information see www.myrtlebeachbikeweek.com. [Note: according to the news, the May 15-16 Carolina Harley-Davidson Dealers Association May Rally is being moved from Myrtle Beach to New Bern, NC. The larger rally called "Cruising the Coast-Spring Bike Week" is not being moved, per the Festival Promotions head and the head of MB Harley-Davidson. The "Bike Fest" held in Atlantic Beach at the end of May is still on, but the town is apparently opposed to it.]
5/9. Mayfest on Main Street in North Myrtle Beach. Main Street is the site and sounds of legendary musicians Dean Torrence, Al Jardine, and David Marks, plus numerous other beach bands. Whether you want to stroll on over to "music central," the horseshoe at the beach end of Main Street, or check out the craft show or watch the kids play in the children's area, you will enjoy this music and this entire day. Sponsored by the North Myrtle Beach Chamber and Avista Resort, plus a number of the area's businesses, loads of fun for the entire family. This free concert starts at 1 pm. The festivities begin at 10.
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Guest Comments
We so much enjoy getting the newsletter, and look forward to making our October visit at Seaside an annual event! We have told all our friends about your wonderful property.
Email from the Mitchell Family from a newsletter response, March 24, 2009.
We stayed at Seaside and loved it. We had stayed at many places in Myrtle Beach before, but Seaside was our favorite. We loved our clean rooms and the view of the ocean and beach. The lazy river was a favorite of all in the family. All of the staff were always very helpful. I used and enjoyed the computer in the lobby, for guests. One of the most special things about our stay was breakfast. We looked forward to starting the day with a visit with Flo in the breakfast room. She was always quite cheerful, pleasant, and helpful making it a great way to start the day. We have stayed in condos, hotels, resorts in Myrtle Beach, but Seaside is at the top of the list. If [we are] ever in Myrtle Beach again, that is where we would want to stay. Thank you, Seaside, for a great vacation.
Email from the Bowman Family from a newsletter response, March 24, 2009.
Last weekend the weather, as you are well aware, was less than perfect. We had 20 hours of [flight] delays and travel time out of Newark. Stacy [golf agent] was just terrific in rearranging plans as the flight was moved over and over again. I cannot be happier with the Seaside and your assistance. We had a great trip even with the weather and travel problems.
Email from the Nalbach Family from a golf vacation response, April 1, 2009
Fun Facts
The Gulf Stream can carry a message in a bottle at an average of 4 miles per hour. That explains how the bottle of one young guest of ours traveled from the coastline of South Carolina across the Atlantic Ocean all the way to Wales. The process took a few years, but nevertheless the child was awestruck to find that his bottled message was finally received.
The next time you order the Champagne-and-Chocolate Special here at Seaside, have raisins on hand when you pour a glass of champagne. Try this little experiment -- put a raisin in your glass of champagne and watch it float to the top, then sink to the bottom, then float back to the top, over and over again.
Is the cause of this action due to the raisin's wrinkles (extra surface for the bubbles to attach to, floating it to the surface)?
Does the cause lie in the carbonation? Bubbles attach to the item (need not be a raisin) until it is light enough to float. At the surface, the bubbles burst, and the item sinks. Repeat performance.
We think that both explanations are the same. The effect, though pointless, is as mesmerizing as watching a lava lamp.
The typical American eats 263 eggs a year.
Every year the sun loses 360 million tons of its material that makes it shine. Not to worry -- the sun weighs two billion-billion-billion tons, about 333,420 times greater than the Earth.
America's best selling ice cream flavor is still vanilla.
Because of Animal Crackers, many kids reach the ripe old age of 10 believing that bear is as tall as a giraffe.
On average, a 4-year-old child asks 437 questions a day.
Ah, the teenager! In the U. S. alone, every minute of every hour 6 people turn 17. Of those teenagers surveyed in 2008, 8% owned iPhones.
On an average work day, the fingers of an average person using a computer or typewriter keyboard travel 12.6 miles.
"Jaws" is the most common name for pet goldfish.
Cranberry Jell-0 is the only Jell-O that contains real fruit.
The entire population of the world can live within the state boundaries of Texas.
Approximately 3 people are born every second. Approximately 1 to 2 people die every second. The result is that about a 2 to 3 increase of people every second. Almost 10 people more live on this planet now than before you finish reading this "Fun Fact" segment.
Every drop of seawater contains approximately 1 billion gold atoms.
Iceland has the highest concentration of broadband users in the world.
In terms of the price and usage, the best consumer purchase is an electric kettle.
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