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What are the signs of summer here at the beach?
For Avista Resort, those indicators include our fresh new carpeting now in place with matching new furniture, children's activities lined up by the pool, and a fresh new menu in the restaurant, just to name a few items. We invite you to come discover for yourself that summer 2010 has, indeed, arrived!
Guests have already jumped into the season with both feet, figuratively speaking. The warm weather has brought out vacationers by the SUV-load, bringing beach toys and luggage with the help of our bell staff at the ground level. Golfing groups are also out, enjoying our balmy coastal conditions as they explore the Grand Strand's premier courses. The air virtually rings with the voices of children of all ages playing at the amusement park at the O. D. Pavilion, now open for the season.
With many schools around the country wrapping up their 2009-10 terms, more families with children are due to arrive any day now, and others are arranging plans to spend the Fourth of July here with us (see the July 4th program below).
Your Friends at Avista Resort!
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Avista's New Online Booking System: We Would Love Your Opinion
What do you think about our new online booking system?
The previous system showed calendar dates, preferred room types and layouts, and other information. The current system lets you put in your dates to see what is available.
Which system do you prefer?
Send your response to sue.duncan@mbseasideresorts.com and be sure to mention the name "Avista."
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Heart Walk and Avista Resort
Heart Walk is the American Heart Association's premier fund raising event to combat heart disease. Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts is participating in Heart Walk this year through team organization according to departments across its sister properties. Our teams' names are as follows:
- STRESS FREE - Upper Management/Administration
- FRIENDLY BETABLOCKERS - Food and Beverages
- KEEP ON TICKING - Front Desks / Reservations
- HEART CLEANERS - Housekeeping
- THE TRANSPLANTS - Maintenance
With an overall goal of raising $3,000 by the October 16th walk, participants are busy organizing their teams and accepting donations on their behalf for the walk. Watch for more about this event in future newsletters.
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Travel Guard Travel Insurance
Avista Resort invites you to protect your vacation investment through our new opportunity called Travel Guard. For more details, click here or contact Reservations.
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News from Around Avista:
The U. S. Army's 173rd Airborne Infantry Brigade Combat Team (known as the "Sky Soldiers") stayed with us recently during its reunion. This prestigious group served as the conventional airborne strategic response forces for Europe during their respective tours of duty. Representatives of the group honored our community, in particular Avista Resort, with their visit when North Myrtle Beach won the distinction of being the group's host city for their reunion.
Among the events held for the 173rd was the honor for Avista to sponsor CMS Nicholas Rolling, deployed in Afghanistan. Also, Avista hosted a special commemorative luncheon at Just Off Main for which Executive Chef Marvin and his staff prepared and served a special meal. Retired LTC Hal Nobels presented an award to Avista Resort's Corporate Director of Sales, Jennifer Morse, for helping to organize the visit by these distinguished members of the military! During her acceptance speech, Jennifer referred to the close bond built during her association with the members of the group: "I am honored to have worked with all these wonderful people. After 3 years of planning, they all feel like family to me. Thank you so much for everything you have done for your country sky soldiers!"
Veterans, some with special needs, took the time and effort to travel from around the world to attend this exciting oceanfront reunion held during the first week of June. Honored guests also included members of "Rolling Thunder, a group of biker-veterans. Out on Main Street, Waterdog Productions put together a great show, starting with a demonstration of a parachute drop to the beach by the U. S. Army's elite Golden Knights' Black Team. Later, guests enjoyed the main stage performance at 7:00 PM by the 82nd Airborne Division Chorus, followed by the national recording stars, Cimmaron! Veterans and your families, we at Avista Resort salute you!
Email from Smitty Out of the 173rd Airborne Infantry Brigade~
Somehow we didn't get the chance to meet during the reunion. Just want to drop you [Jennifer Morse] a note of thanks from this attendee and onlooker. It was clearly evident you and your facility did a superb job in support of our reunion. Whenever Eddie [Hair], Wayne [Bowers], or Hal [Ret. LTC Nobles] were asked to tend to any special need, almost instantly it was taken care of. This speaks highly of you, them , and the staff at the Avista. Thanks again!
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What is Avista Doing for the Fourth of July?
Summer is nature's way of saying, "Let's PARTY!" Join in our Fourth of July, Independence Day, celebration right here at Avista where DJ Cecil Chandler of TV13 will be live and in person from noon until 5 PM with plenty of music, contests and give-aways, games for the kids, and fun galore! Cecil is a not-to-be-missed experience! Then, fireworks at 9 PM!
Food on the Fourth! We're having an old fashioned July 4th cookout, so plan now to be here for your fill of barbequed chicken, hamburgers/cheeseburgers, hotdogs, chicken sandwiches, watermelon slices, ice cream. Each is sold by cash or tickets (example: watermelon = $1or 1 ticket per slice), and tickets are on sale now. Also, you can buy them during your reservation process or at the Front Desk (Hot Tip: buy 10 and get 2 free)! Chicken, burgers, and other sandwiches come with sides of slaw and potato salad. We'll have plenty of beverage choices, too, and the pool bar will be open from 10 AM to 7 PM for sale of sodas, traditional Southern iced tea, and adults' frozen concoctions, thirst-quenching cocktails, and ice cold beer.
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Around Town This Month
Beautiful McLean Park is open for family enjoyment all year 'round, but this summer each month on every 3rd Friday a special concert featuring a different band for each occasion will delight the crowd. The music is family-friendly, so we invite our guests here at Avista to bring a beach chair or blanket or other comfy reclining device and settle in for an evening's enjoyment. These concerts are great for having a picnic (non-alcoholic beverages only, please), but if you don't get around to bringing something, the North Strand Optimist Club will provide food and drinks for sale. McLean Park is located at 93 Oak Dr., North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582.
Fireworks. As mentioned earlier, Avista is having a huge party for July 4th! Take advantage of a great view of The Cherry Grove Pier's famous fireworks after dark, whether from Avista's beach or your private oceanfront or ocean view (northward) balcony. Fireworks are scheduled to begin at 9 PM.
Musical Thursdays on Main Street at the Horseshoe. Everyone is encouraged to come downtown after work or after a long day on the beach to taste the flavors of Main Street, listen to live music, shop and dance. Family-friendly music will occur on here once a month during the summer on Thursday evenings from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. This is a great place to unwind and relax, so bring a beach chair and settle in. Don't forget that the O. D. Pavilion Amusement Park is open from 4 PM to 11 PM at night!
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Avista Resort on Facebook
While some people merely use Facebook to stay in touch with friends and family and upload a large number of photos, some use it to shop, such as checking for discounts at favorite stores before going to the mall. We do some of both - communicate with our "fans" who have either stayed here in the past or are planning to come for a visit, AND put out unadvertised rate discounts when they become available. Have you tried Facebook yet to see how it benefits you? Click on the Facebook icon to see what's going on at Avista!
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Featured Recipe: Blue Crab Dip
Enjoying fresh blue crab meat in a dip makes a wonderful way to enjoy a sunset here at Avista Resort. Catch your own crabs or buy from any of our local fresh seafood shops. This recipe makes 4 1/2 cups. Serve on crackers or your favorite French bread slices, slightly toasted.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 2 cups (approximately 8 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- 1 pound fresh lump blue crabmeat
- Crackers or toast points
Directions:
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the green onions and garlic, and sauté until tender. Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually stir in half-and-half and next 3 ingredients.
- Gently fold in the crabmeat without breaking up the lumps. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 8- x 8-inch baking dish. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.
- Serve with crackers or toast points.
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Groups at AVISTA RESORT
In addition to members of the 173rd Airborne Infantry Brigade, Avista's staff and management want to thank the following groups for their selection of our resort!
- Waterdog Promotions
- Ripkin Experience
- Rollings Luncheon
- Resurrection and Life Ministries
- Graziano / Parker Wedding
- Bold Church
- DSS 2010
- New Century Church
- USBA Basketball Tournament
- Te-Lo Accents
- Floyds Fashions
- Spice Kids Reunion
- Herff Jones Yearbook
For your next group or family gathering, consider using our meeting space here at Avista Resort. Our ample 14-foot ceilings provide comfortable temperature settings yet do not interfere with acoustics. Set-up is easy, too, whether you need meals and conversational space or seating. Here are some of the areas for your selection:
- 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);
This link to our experts in the Group Sales office will get you started in pricing out your options and arranging the details.
Click here.
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GUEST COMMENTS
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Those who have stayed and those who have received recommendations to stay here often write in with their commendations and questions. Here are a few of the recent emails that we have received:
Our second visit to AVISTA was in May, between the "biker weeks," and it was just W O N D E R F U L. While not usually a fan of the "resort" situation, we find the Avista is very different: beautiful, convenient, fun and, yet, with controlled privacy and quiet. Terrific accommodations and staff -- a huge thank you to staff and, don't forget your wonderful concierge, Ms. Scarborough. Just can't say enough good about the experience. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Can't wait until our next stay.
Email through Avista Quality Control from Houk Family, Memphis, TN. 06.04.2010.
My daughter stayed at Avista in North Myrtle Beach for my birthday in 10/09. It was so nice [that] we are thinking of bringing the entire family [there] this summer.
Email through the newsletter response from "jjireth," 05.28.2010
Second time staying at the Avista. Both times were exceptional. We were able to do whatever we wished. There were virtually no distraction or interruptions. In fact, we probably slept better here than in our own beds [at home]. The lobby and staff were very helpful with area information. The pool area was very well maintained and inviting.… One the men installing the carpet assured us that there would not be any problem retrieving our laundry after it was complete as promised. We returned 52 minutes later, and he assisted us in retrieving our laundry service. This is rare, and you should be very proud of your entire staff. I don't believe during our week long stay not a single member of the staff did not greet us with a smile and a truly friendly hello. Keep up the great work. During these rough economic times people are making hard decisions on how to spend their time and money, and I have no regrets about spending my money at your resort, for I feel that I am getting my money's worth and then some!
Email through Avista Quality Control from unnamed source. 05.18.2010.
Fun Facts
History reveals that the 13th century Romans loved and made their own version of ice cream. Later, our 17th century forefathers here in the "new world" made their own type of ice cream. By the late 20th century wild and wacky ice cream flavors were "out there," though 29% of ice cream lovers still prefers vanilla.
The invention of the ice cream soda allegedly came from Robert M. Green who operated a soda water concession during a gala in Philadelphia. According to legend, in 1874 Green sold a mixture of carbonated water, cream, and syrup. One day, he ran out of cream and so substituted with ice cream, hoping his customers wouldn't notice. They did, and the daily sales receipts climbed from $6 to $600.
The 19th century Victorian era deemed soda water to be a "controlled substance," therefore not sold on Sundays. Soda fountains (found in drug stores then) sold ice cream sodas and needed to find an alternative, so a forward-thinking druggist in Evanston, Illinois, created a treat of ice cream and syrup, calling it a "sundae" (changing the spelling from "Sunday" out of respect to the religious day).
Today, more ice cream is sold on Sunday than any other day of the week.
The first ice cream parlor in America opened in New York City in 1776. If you have been coming to the Grand Strand for many years, what is the earliest year you remember being served ice cream and where?
The Northern Central states have the highest per capita consumption of ice cream at 41.7 quarts with the top selling cities being Portland, Oregon; St. Louis, Missouri; and Seattle, Washington. For several years, Portland came in as #1.
July is National Ice Cream Month. No surprise that more ice cream is sold during the summer than at any other time of year.
Ice cream is on the grocery list for 98% of American households.
The average number of licks to polish off a single scoop ice cream cone is approximately 50.
Local Events Calendar
Some events occur only once, such as an annual sailing regatta. Some recur every week. Other events just happen, no matter what, day after day such as our beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Click here for a list of activities to enjoy here along the Grand Strand.
Avista Resort for Travelers Who Value the Environment
Staying at Avista Resort for your summer vacation is smart from a number of reasons. Especially for those interested in renewable energies and environmental issues, staying at Avista means participating in the "green" effort which includes conservation, recycling, and innovation.
Furthermore, you can help while you are here:
- Keep showers brief, especially those casual sand-rinsing showers at the seashore. Be sure to turn off the public foot shower after use.
- Turn off unused running water during tooth-brushing, dish-washing, and other chores.
- Participate in our towel reuse program in which you reuse towels after one use instead of tossing them back in the laundry after every use.
- If possible, pack your own toiletries in your trip to the beach.
- Buy local products (especially fruits, veggies, seafood, and other of our specialties).
- If you fly to Myrtle Beach, rent a hybrid car for use while here.
- As possible, use local public transportation or walk. Avista's location to Main Street activities, the O. D. Pavilion, or the Pier provide built-in fun and exercise, too.
- When out in nature, do not disturb the wildlife or vegetation. If you see a plant you want, ask at one of our local nurseries rather than take it from the wild. Rather than taking a live sand dollar or crab, capture the image of the critter on digital cameras and cell phone and let the animal stay where it lives.
Have a wonderful summer in our beautiful coastal environment!
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