February 2009 Newsletter
Volume 3, No 2
Spring has come to the beach, inspiring everything from walks in bare feet to cook-outs. With February's thoughts of love at Valentine's Day to the anticipation of Mardi Gras Festival celebrations around town to the Shag Championships- certainly, life is in the air!
Such an array of things to do means that our own newsletter calendar cannot possibly hold everything. While February still might be better suited to some indoor activities, warmer weather is breaking through the off-shore ocean mist, and many events are moving outside. The region even has an Inaugural Myrtle Beach Beer Fest on tap on March 28th to showcase the new Market Common! Whether your tastes include the SOS Spring Safari, "bike" week in May, or just an antique-hunt through the outskirts of town, we invite you to come together with family and old friends to meeting new ones here. Our knowledgeable staff can recommend sights to see, but one favorite activity needs no introduction - shoreline walks hand-in-hand.
With the level of warmth rising along our beautiful coastline, with the emerging green buds and early spring flowers, people are venturing southward from their icy locations in the north to thaw out and enjoy our area's many attractions and Southern hospitality.
If you have begun to think about planning a spring get-away or summer vacation, consider the convenience and affordability of coming to the North Myrtle Beach area. Seaside's charm and comfort await you, plus we have loaded on some exciting new special packages that can make any vacation one to remember!
Your friends at SeaSide
News and Happenings at Seaside
What's Up at Seaside?
In addition to general tasks that are all part of the making Seaside sparkle for spring, we also have been participating in numerous other community-based activities:
- Seaside participates in the American Cancer Society's The Relay for Life, partnering with the Reservation Department at its sister property, Avista Resort, in such fund-raising efforts as sales and contributions. This past month, Seaside's employees held a chili cook-off event, illustrated here in photos, to promote awareness of the Relay and to raise funds in the fight against cancer. Additionally, they held a joint bake sale with Avista for the same cause, selling t-shirts and "foot-print" acknowledgements, as well. We plan another chili cook-off in the near future to raise funds for this worthy cause, and to date this joint effort with Avista has yielded $524 toward the joint goal of $2,000 by April.
- Welcome, Snowbirds! Seaside salutes its intrepid guests who brave the northern climates. We are so glad that they come to visit us, and we want to make sure that they have everything they need for comfortable stays at the beach, away from the snow and ice.
- Community Meetings. When not in use for dining, the breakfast room at Seaside service has served nicely as a site for monthly informational talks by members of the North Myrtle Beach Police Department. They found this spot especially good for holding their monthly meetings on crime-watch.
Plan now for a warm and relaxing break from winter's brutal cold by coming to Seaside where we are always ready to warm you up, to help you build back your strength, and to pamper you with our Southern hospitality. Say, here is an idea! We have some great special deals going! Why not visit us in mid-spring when the flowers are blooming, the sea is sparkling, and the mild temperatures beckon you with options, such as seaside walks.
Seaside Announces Winner of the 2008 Sweepstakes
Seaside has proudly announced the winner of the 2008 Sweepstakes drawing for the 42-inch HDTV. A previous guest at Seaside, Denise Powers of Easley, SC, is our 2008 prize winner, exclaiming that she is amazed at her luck and looks forward to receiving her award, due to arrive later this month from the distributor.
Our hearty congratulations to Ms. Powers!
All of us at Seaside invite all of you to participate in the 2009 Sweepstakes, now in progress (see www.SeasideMB.com and click on the sweepstakes icon for details). Register now to win a four-night vacation in a 2 bedroom condo here in beautiful North Myrtle Beach. The dates of this sweepstakes contest is January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009. The drawing date to determine the 2009 winner is on or about January 1, 2010. Please see the web site for details on rules and regulations for this sweepstakes drawing.
So, enter now, and good luck!
Employee Spotlight - Keith High
How can we best serve you during your stay at Seaside? That is a question that Seaside employees ask in all sincerity when talking with our guests. Customer service is our focus, and the employee in the spotlight this month for demonstrating exceptional customer service is Keith High, entering his fourth year here with Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts.
A native of North Carolina, Keith came here to the South Carolina coast to enjoy the warm weather and to participate in the growing hotel business. With his love of people, history, travel, and his vast experience in international bed-and-breakfast inns, he enjoys sharing his adventures and learning about others. An avid reader with diverse interests in everything from historic buildings to handmade millwork, his current extracurricular activity is designing and planting a traditional English country garden at his home.
Keith's position at Seaside as front desk/night auditor covers many responsibilities including processing guest registrations, payments, and inquiries to general property security. Truly a job for someone with flexibility, Keith's attention to detail ensures his accuracy in reconciling the day's transactions, security walk-arounds, compiling reports for the next day, and assisting with guests' needs at any time. Keith has proven himself to be a valuable employee in this highly responsible position that bridges both the nuts and bolts of the hotel business with the finer, more subtle aspects of customer service.
Thanks, Keith, for all of your hard work!
Featured Recipe - Lemon Meringue Pie
This delicious pie serves 8. Use a homemade or pre-made pie crust with this recipe (crust recipe not included here).
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- dash salt
- 1 1/2 cups hot water
- 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 scant teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 baked pie pastry, 9-inch
- 3 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, optional
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
Preparation
- In a medium saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, the cornstarch, flour, and salt.
- Whisk to blend well. Gradually stir in hot water.
- Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; continue cooking, stirring, for 8 minutes.
- Stir about 1/3 cup of the hot mixture into the slightly beaten egg yolks, then return to hot mixture in saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for 4 minutes longer. Add butter and lemon peel. Slowly stir in 1/3 cup lemon juice.
- Pour into pre-baked and cooled pie shell.
- For the meringue, beat egg whites with 1 teaspoon lemon juice (if used) to soft peaks.
- Gradually add the 6 tablespoons sugar, beating until stiff peaks are formed and sugar has dissolved.
- Spread meringue over the hot filling, covering completely.
- Bake pie at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.
- Cool pie completely before serving.
Local Events Calendar
3/1 to 10/09. Coastal Kayaking, Huntington Beach State Park. Every week from Oyster Landing on Monday during this period, from 10 am to 12 noon. Call 843.235.8755 for more information. Participants should meet at the Education Center for this guided tour of the salt marsh (bring drinking water, sunscreen, and lace-up shoes for muddy conditions.)
3/1 to 10/09. Coastal Birding, Huntington Beach State Park. Every week on Wednesdays depend on fabulous birding experiences from the causeway through freshwater and salt marsh areas with experienced bird experts. Event lasts from 10 to 11 am. Call 843.235.8755 for more information. Participants should meet at the Education Center for this guided tour.
3/6-21 on selected days. Singles Speed Date Competition. From 7:00pm - 9:00pm Friday, Saturday - week 1, 2, 3 every month, the SOS Singles' Club has dedicated the month at the 2001 Night Club to this event for single people 25 to 65 years old. Participation is low cost, no pressure, and safe, designed to help people of like interests meet other people. See www.sossinglesclub.com (need not be a member to attend.)
3/6-8. Craftsmen's Classic™ Arts & Crafts Festival in Columbia, SC. Huge crafters' (over 300 artists) show and sale with something for every style, taste, and budget with items pleasing to the most traditional to the most contemporary. Located at the SC State Fair grounds at 1200 Rosewood Avenue. For more information, email contact@GilmoreShows.com or call 336.282.5550.
3/7. The Myrtle Beach Area I. C. E. (Incredible Customer Experience) Awards. Palace Theatre at Broadway at the Beach. 6 pm to 10 pm. Tickets $30 includes cocktail reception, awards ceremony, and after-party event. For more information, www.MyrtleBeachICEAwards.com.
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Guest Comments
We encourage guests to let us know what went right and what did not quite meet expectations. More often, we hear from guests who plan to come back to see us for a variety of reasons, everything from our location to our friendly service at breakfast to our comfortable accommodations.
Here are just a few of those:
My wife and I spent a long weekend at the Seaside Inn this February. We've been to Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach on several occasions. Seaside is by far the nicest property we have stayed at. Rates were competitive but the quality of the property and our room was top shelf. It's a smaller property …so you don't feel overrun by other guests. Staff at the property were friendly helpful and seemed genuinely interested is us as guests. Located very close to shopping and decent restaurants (i.e. Bearfoot Landing). We will definitely book the Seaside Inn next time we are in Myrtle.
Email to TripAdvisor.com from "rocnrobn" in Raleigh, NC, February 5, 2009
I will be at your fine resort in late March for 12 days with four other couples. Hope the weather changes by then….This is our second stay at your fine resort. All ten of us are looking forward to our visit !
Email in response to our newsletter from the Duff Family, January 22, 2009.
As always, we enjoy your newsletter and hearing what's new. We stayed at "Seaside" last fall and had a wonderful time; we plan to come back next fall. Thank you for staying in touch.
Email in response to our newsletter from the Mitchell Family, January 24, 2009
Fun Facts
10,000 BC is the earliest known and proven inhabitation of Horry County. As far as we know, they did not bring beach chairs with them.
In/around 1776-1783 Francis Marion (better known as "The Swamp Fox") camped in the Conway area on his way to the Battle of Black Mingo.
In 1801 The District was renamed Horry District (then changed to "County") in recognition of Peter Horry, a local citizen. The town of Kinston was renamed Conway Borough in tribute to General Robert Conway.
In 1881-1865 the area's first newspaper The Horry Dispatch was launched.
1876 marks politician Wade Hampton's speech by the old oak tree in Conway at Fifth and Main Streets. If you drive to Conway; look for that tree. It is still there.
In 1886 Charleston experienced an earthquake, felt all the way to Horry County.
1887 Conway gained rail transportation.
A tidal wave hit the coastal areas of the Grand Strand in 1893, but future beach-goers were not too worried about a second wave. By 1900-1901 they had extended their railway travel to the beach.
In 1936 workers completed the Intracoastal Waterway, dedicated April 11th.
In 1954 Coastal Carolina University was founded. The 1984 Olympic runner Zola Budd Pieterse, who competed in Los Angeles, works there today as an assistant coach while her husband enjoys the area's golf courses. Because she just enjoys running, she trains for marathons at age 42 and just won this year's Myrtle Beach Half-Marathon on February 14th.
Carolina families can date some ancestors back to include Hessian mercenaries who lived here centuries ago. Hessians were bands of soldiers from Europe, here to fight in the Revolutionary War. Some Hessian soldiers stayed on after the war, mingling their "gypsy" ancestry and culture with the locals.
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