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February 2010      Volume 34 North Myrtle Beach, SC
FAMILY VACATION NEWSLETTER
What are the signs of spring here?
  • Sunshine sparkling off the ocean waters, tickling our daydream fantasies that spring lies right around the next corner.
  • Tufts of tender bright-green grass spears springing up, tucking themselves into sunny moist corners of buildings and landscaping.
  • Birds, silent during the sharply cold days of the past few weeks, now singing away as they preen on bare tree branches.
  • Bare-footed adults strolling at surfside, looking for shells and sharks' teeth. Children have the knack of throwing on a bathing suit for a quick dip in the ocean at any time of year, and we adults look at them in amazement, but when adults put their bare feet in the ocean, the season is definitely shifting out of "winter" mode and into a warmer gear!

Yes, indeed! 2010 seems to have turned the corner from winter to, well, LESS winter, almost spring. Have you seen our special notices for early-booking price saving on vacations here? Contact one of our reservations agents to be included in our guest subscription list to receive exclusive notices about discounts.

Even during the deepest part of winter, we have enjoyed the warmth of seeing wonderful guests coming here. We have welcomed a "princess" to our resort, a troupe of congenial and talented "snowbirds," a number of groups, and many guests. See more details below about these delightful guests, but to all of them, we express our appreciation for choosing Avista Resort as THE winter get-away!

Come see us again soon!

Your Friends at Avista Resort!

News from Around Avista:

  • Arrival of her royal highness, Kennedy Randle -
    Her highness visited us this month through Avista's special "Perfectly Pampered Princess" package. With tiara, "magical Princess" wand, official regal clothing (shown here in hues of princess-pink and royal blue), Princess Kennedy received the pomp and circumstance which Avista provides to sovereigns of her exalted stature.

    Prior to her arrival, our special "princess" staff of housekeepers adorned Princess Kennedy's condo bedroom with the trimmings befitting one of such regal distinction..

    We extend our congratulations to Princess Kennedy and our hopes that she will grace us with her royal presence again very soon!

  • Delightful Snowbird Guests - Playing the domino game "Train," getting a cardio-workout with the Wii game of bowling, or sharing pot-luck treats with their friends are all among the many activities that our snowbird guests have been enjoying here at Avista this winter. Thank you, Canadian and northern U.S. visitors, plus the many others who over-wintered here. We appreciate your choosing our part of the beach to wiggle your toes in the sand!

    Here are some of our favorite scenes of our snowbirds:



  • Hallways and Breezeways -- Our hard-working engineering staff have been busy with improvements to hallways, breezeways, fitness center, poolside, elevator entrances, lobby foyer, and even various office suites (Reservations, Golf, and Marketing to begin with others to follow). All received a "face lift" of sorts -- new carpeting, refreshed wall painting, and other improvements.



  • JUST OFF MAIN Restaurant - New buffet covers to protect the food, new paint, and refreshed décor help to freshen Avista's dining area.


  • AROUND TOWN THIS MONTH

    Snow on Valentine's Day weekend - The North Myrtle Beach Fire Station #2 on Sea Mountain Highway, only a few blocks from Avista make the most of the brief snow on Valentine's Day weekend.

    Avista had its own snow experience, and by noon on Saturday, the sun popped through the clouds to warm up the air and melt the snow.

    Back to the beach!



    SMS and Facebook Provides Inroads to Savings

    Did you know that "SMS" or "short message service" lets you stay in touch with our valued discounts known exclusively to people who link to us electronically? Text the word B E A C H to 85700. Not only can you enter our 2010 Sweepstakes where you could win a 3 day/2 night vacation, you will also automatically receive notice of our latest specials by text messages.

    Another useful tool for you to stay in touch with our discounts is the social networking system called Facebook. Like SMS, this also puts you in touch with our discounts and much more, plus you can use it with your friends and family to share your news and photos. By being our "friend" in Facebook, you stay in touch with our news, our specials, our price discounts, in fact any of our great and sometimes spur-of-the-moment deals and events. Both of these appear on our home page for your convenience!

    If you are not sure about either of these great tools, just give a call to our Reservations agents who can help you find your closest path to the beach!

    2010 is going to be a fabulous year! Don't miss it!

    Featured Recipe: Microwave Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

    This fast and easy recipe makes 8 cabbage rolls and takes 30 minutes with 10 minutes for preparation. Use them for the main course of your dinner or a healthy appetizer while watching TV.

    Ingredients:
    • 8 cabbage leaves
    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 1/2 pound mushrooms, finely chopped
    • 1 cup quick-cooking (instant) white rice
    • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
    • 1/4 teaspoon dry oregano
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
    • 14- to 16-ounce jar marinara sauce
    • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

    Directions:

    Shave down the rib on each cabbage leaf until thin. Place cabbage leaves in an 11 x 7-inch glass baking dish along with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover with plastic wrap, vent one corner, and microwave on "high" for 8 to 10 minutes or until soft and pliable. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

    Place oil and onions in a 2-quart micro-safe casserole dish. Stir to coat the onions. Cover with plastic wrap, vent one corner, and cook on "high" for 3 minutes. Uncover, add garlic and mushrooms, re-cover, vent, and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes on "high" until mushrooms are tender. Remove from oven and stir in uncooked instant rice, Parmesan cheese, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and let cool for 5 minutes.

    Place about 1/3 cup in the center of each cabbage leaf. Fold the bottom of the cabbage leaf up over the rice. Fold both right and left sides to the center, then roll tightly to the end of the leaf. Place each cabbage roll seam-side down in an 11 x 7-inch glass casserole dish.

    Pour marinara sauce evenly over cabbage rolls. Cover with plastic wrap, vent, and cook on "high" for 8 to 12 minutes, rotating dish halfway through cooking time, until tender and cooked through. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, re-cover, and let stand for 3 minutes before serving.


    Groups at AVISTA RESORT

    Thank you to the following groups for staying with us over the past month:
    • Great Canadian Holidays
    • Aynor High School Class of 2000
    • Helsman Soccer
    • Little River Chamber of Commerce - Annual Meeting
    • Gospel Baptist Church
    • Rivers Transport Services
    • South Brook Church
    • Raleigh First Church of the Nazarene
    • Sports Zone - Coastal Hockey Tournament

    Small, medium, and large groups find just what they need here at Avista Resort. We have the ways and the means to help you put together the best event for your budget. Spaces for meetings, banquets, seminars, and other get-togethers all have the ample 14-foot ceilings that provide comfortable temperature settings yet do not interfere with acoustics. They also make set-up easy with many possible options in designs (round tables, half-rounds, classroom arrangements, theater style, U-shaped, H-shaped, or conference set-up.
    • Avalon Room (3,599 square feet)
    • Ballroom A (744 square feet)
    • Ballroom B (1,616 square feet)
    • Ballroom C (1,226 square feet)
    • Ballrooms A and B combined (2,363 square feet)
    • Ballrooms B and C combined (2,848 square feet);

    Do you have several hundred people or twenty and need to find a place to put them all for a group meeting or social gathering? We have meeting rooms that would suit your event, so contact our experts in the Group Sales office to help you with the details. Click here
    GUEST COMMENTS


    We encourage you to keep your constructive emails and letters coming to us as we find them helpful and, in many cases, gratifying to know so many enjoy our property and services! Here are just a few that show how people take pleasure from their visits here:

    We were there in May, 06. The parking attendant, front desk persons, all of them, and restaurant were above our expectations. When the chef was at the breakfast bar, I asked if there were any other meat besides pork. He readily told us that he would prepare for us turkey bacon and sausage. My husband loves bacon, [and] I love sausage - three pieces of each was brought to our table both mornings - absolutely wonderful to be catered to with our food choices. Thanks so much; we will always remember our COLD stay at your resort, BUT we needed to have a restful break from our hectic lives right now. THANKS for the wonderful Resort. We only hope we will be able to bring our two beautiful granddaughters there soon. They are 6 and 8 and would absolutely LOVE all the pools, lazy river, etc. Thanks again!
    Email on Avista's quality control system from the Landers family 02.01.2010.

    Well, I have to tell you. my sister and I had spent months trying to find the "perfect place" to go on vacation this summer with our families. We found the Avista Resort and we were sold! The staff was extremely helpful, informative, and courteous on the phone and had a great sense of humor. So as we wait for the summer to come so that we can finally get down there, we enjoyed receiving a copy of your January newsletter. With that being said, I must say. WE MOST DEFINITELY MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE!
    Email from newsletter response from Cambriello family, 01.28.2010.

    We stayed at Avista North Tower. We were very pleased as usual with out stay. We will be back. Thanks for your concern.
    Email from newsletter response from McGhee family, 01.30.2010.

    Thanks for the update. It wonderful to see all the charity and community support. Also, it's nice to know as we are considering returning [to Avista] in August based on our children's work/summer school. We really enjoyed the view from the 16th floor, and the condo was very accommodating. Regards, from the cold north Canada.
    Email from newsletter response from Della Mora family, 01.29.2010.

    We stayed in room 920S on 2/5 and 2/6. Our stay was perfect. We have never seen a hotel room(s) as neat and clean. Your cleaning person, Doris, is to be congratulated. Parking, dining, amenities, and view were all better than hoped for.
    Email from newsletter response from Reichle family, 02.08.2010.


    Fun Facts




    Given that February is Valentine's month, we must include mention of the food of love. Some think it is chocolate. Not so. As far back as ancient Rome, celery was considered an aphrodisiac. Today, scientists know that celery contains androsterone, a pheromone released by men's sweat glands that attracts females.

    Hippocrates described celery as a nerve soother.

    Celery, onions, and bell peppers are considered the "holy trinity" of Louisiana Creole and Cajun cuisine. For some Southerners, gumbo and jambalaya are "love" food, too.

    The ancient Greeks called the carrot a "philtron," meaning "love charm." One cup of raw carrots, about 52 calories, was considered a love potion (perhaps because of its sugar content).

    Carrots are a root vegetable that originated in Afghanistan. Then, they were purple, red, white, and yellow, but never orange.

    Carrots come in various colors, and orange carrots get their color from beta carotene, containing more beta carotene than any other vegetable. One cup of carrots has 16,679 IU of beta-carotene.

    Today, China is the world's top carrot producer - 35% of the world's carrots in 2004. Russia is the second top producer and the United States the third.

    China is also the top eggplant producer in the world.

    According to a 5th century Chinese scroll, fashionable Chinese women used to make a dye out of the skin of purple eggplants and polish their teeth with it until they were a shiny gray.

    According to a 2002 survey, Brussels sprouts are the most hated vegetable in Britain.




    Avista's On-Going Green Effort



    Avista Resort's has a growing commitment to working with the community in promoting a better environment. From our huge trash collection system to our room-by-room recycling initiative, we are re-evaluating what we do, how we do it, how we can recycle, and how we use energy more efficiently.

    Currently we are in a transition period to discover our hidden recycling opportunities here at the resort, to "farm" the wind that is so plentiful on our coastline through a turbine-test process in conjunction with the North Strand Coastal Wind Team, and to join with our neighbors in the community in the Green Plus Program, a global trend of sustainability that is right here in North Myrtle Beach through the NMB Chamber of Commerce.

    Join us, won't you, even if on a small scale of recycling cans, plastic, paper while you are here at Avista Resort. If you have other suggestions on ways to recycle, we would gladly receive them (see the email address at the end of this newsletter).





    Local Events Calendar - February, 2010



    Even when the sunshine lies over your shoulder, when the temperatures linger around 40-60, when wearing a jacket feels more comfortable than going without, the Grand Strand's calendar teems with life and activities.

    Come see for yourself! We everything from live theater, quiet river kayaking, sailing, indoor and outdoor sports, musical performances, art exhibits, many museums, and so much more. Watch our list of events on our website's calendar under the menu section for "Activities." Click here.
    Ebb and Flow of Information
    Where did you stay? We would love to hear from you!

    Special note to former guests: We invite you to send us a list of the 7 best things that you
    saw or did while staying here at Avista Resort! Please identify the name of the resort, too!

    ~



    Check out what’s happening on the beach right now with our Web cam

    Avista Resort 300 N. Ocean Blvd.
    N. Myrtle Beach, SC. 29582
    Toll Free 800.968.8986 Email Vacation-Planner@avistaresort.com