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Is it just the school children who count down to Memorial Day, waiting eagerly for the last day of ... school or job or project or something else that is not fun? We hope that your own calendar is in a fast-forward mode toward the lazy days of summer.
Ah, SUMMER! Most people of any age can hardly wait for that carefree energy that warm weather brings, perfect for coming to the beach! Once we slip into that laid-back time of year, miraculously life slows, causing wandering minds to want to sleep late, eat fun foods, act bored, and run around in bare feet! That plan might not work so well elsewhere, but when here at Avista, when every minute is your own to play and relax as you wish, that's LIFE AT THE BEACH.
While June 21st marks the first official day of summer, somehow the Memorial Day weekend has become a starting line to launch summer activities. If you and your family still haven't decided on what to do for summer vacation, consider reserving accommodations at Avista's full-service, oceanfront location! Though our Reservation Department reports brisk activity in bookings, vacation procrastinators can still find options in 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units, depending on when. Ask about availability.
Once here, guests find our relaxing oceanfront location, the many festivals and events, and many varieties of food to be perfect for burning off layers of winter stress. Just don't forget that "burn" has two sides to it, so do pack the sunscreen.
If you just want to contemplate our colorful sunrises and sunsets over the ocean, be sure to add your camera to your packed bag because the wide variety of vivid colors here will amaze you!
Congratulations, everyone! We made it to SUMMER!
Your Friends at Avista Resort!
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News from Around Avista:
With the arrival of the warm weather, people are jump-starting their vacations. Schools are wrapping up the year with graduations and final exams, so we will begin to see more and more families arriving here at the beach, and our staff is ready with a refreshed interior décor just sparkling with vitality! Here are a few other enhancements around Avista:
To round off guests' fun, Just Off Main, Avista's on-site restaurant, now features frequent menu changes to provide tantalizing vacation experiences for diners' taste buds while they have equally enjoyable times here at the beach! So, whether you stay for a week or just need a place for dinner, stop in for a meal! Come for dinner especially and see what the chef has planned. Reservations are encouraged but not required.
Besides the increase in guests, Avista has additional support staff to ensure that all guests have what they need for their stays. Some of the workforce are students working in part-time, temporary positions to help us in the following ways:
- Avista welcomes foreign exchange students, here to share their hospitality skills and also to experience American culture. In particular, guests might meet these young people working as bell staff, pool attendants, and housekeeping. As always, our primary interest is to provide you, the guest, with a full vacation experience, ensuring that you have what you need for a memorable stay.
- Other interning students in the hotel industry are those from the American Hospitality Academy who work primarily with the summertime activities, beginning the week of June 6th. Look for them as the moderators and mentors guests of all ages wanting to participate in a long list of activities: pool sports, surfside searches for sharks' teeth, and much more. Announcements of the 2010 list of activities will be out soon.
Avista's ability to serve as a cultural exchange site in the above programs helps to fosters international friendship, understanding, and goodwill.
As we welcome May visitors, we also prepare for June guests, in particular a large group with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. This U. S. Army airborne infantry brigade combat team which some call "sky soldiers" serves as a conventional airborne strategic response force for Europe. Avista Resort will proudly sponsor CSM Nicholas Rolling (Command Sergeant Major serving in Afghanistan) for a stay from June 2-6, 2010. More in the June newsletter.
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The Ocean Drive Pavilion Amusement Park and the "Hippo" water slide both are returning to the beach sometime after Memorial Day.
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Around Town This Month
On May 8th The 5th Annual Mayfest on Main Street took place near the Ocean Drive Horseshoe in North Myrtle Beach. The weather matched the superb performances, too! Sunny, warm, bright, and relaxing. Summer must surely be just around the corner.
The festival included wonderful live musical performances of Eddie Money, the headliner for the festival, also The Bar-Kays and The Mighty, Mighty Tams. Other enticements included the car show, arts/crafts displays, and food vendors. Children came to play in the "Kids' Zone," and audiences set up beach chairs for the free show later that afternoon. The musicians kept the crowds toe-tapping and even dancing in the street. Rock and roll fans enjoyed hearing their favorite hits plus beach songs beloved by many who have been coming here for years to dance.
Also around town this month, the launch of the Grand Strand's latest "jewel," the new oceanfront boardwalk. Most of it opened ahead of schedule at the Easter holiday. Then, with the final sections completed, the City of Myrtle Beach held its grand opening in May. The entire promenade, located between the Second Avenue Pier and the Fourteenth Avenue Pier, encourages visitors to use its bench access points, take in relaxing scenery, and stroll the oceanfront walkway. Even dining is available. The 1.2 mile pathway provides a great opportunity for viewing the ocean, especially for people who normally cannot go through sand.
A few days later, the 25th Cruisin' the Coast Spring Rally drew motorcyclists to our area. Though fewer actual numbers of participants, the event had its own brand of success nevertheless. Some bikers experienced life-changing experiences such as the couple from Ohio who chose a concert stage as a venue to be married and another couple who chose Pelicans' baseball park for their nuptials.
The Atlantic Beach Bike Festival begins May 27th, running through May 31st. Fun, food, and festivities head the line-up of this long weekend. If you are planning to attend, we recommend that you reserve your accommodations early as possible due to the timing with Memorial Day and the launch of summer vacations from schools.
Avista is one of the active sponsors of the North Myrtle Beach Promotion Tour from May 17-20. As the bus filled with Chamber and hospitality representatives cruises through several metropolitan areas of North and South Carolina, they hold campaigns along the way to inspire beach vacationers in a rally of "Twice the Fun, Half the Distance - Experience North Myrtle Beach." Watch the progress through this link: www.ExperienceNorthMyrtleBeach.com.
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Facebook and What It Does for You
Check us out on Facebook where you can become a "fan" of the resort to learn about our special ways to save even more money on vacations, also last minute discounts and unpublished events.
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Featured Recipe: Crunchy Onion Barbeque Chicken
Try making this in your condo's kitchen when you are exhausted from a day out exploring the Waterway or fishing on a nearby pier. Prepare everything ahead of time. Then just pop the chicken parts into the pre-heated oven. Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 1-1/3 cups french-fried onions, crushed
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
Directions:
- Place barbecue sauce in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine the onions, cheese and pepper. Dip both sides of chicken in barbecue sauce, then one side in onion mixture.
- Place chicken, crumb side up, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 22-27 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads 170 degrees.
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Groups at AVISTA RESORT
We extend a warm "Thank you" to the following groups who selected us as their accommodations by the sea:
- Benchmark Management Ocean Garden Villa HOA
- Pi Kappa Alpha
- Buroker Get Together
- Ft. Bragg Federal Credit Union
- Teamwork Motorcycle Club
- USBA Basketball
- Bayman Turecki Wedding
- PSA
- Waterdog Promotions
- Segars Group
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- 173rd Airborne Brigade
- Construction & Design Solutions
- Murray Law Firm
- Duke University Prgrm in Genetics and Genomics
- Waterway Landing HOA
- Atalaya Property Management
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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.
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The "Green" at Avista Grows On
- Oysters improve water quality, reduce bank erosion, serve as breakwaters, and provide habitat for other marine organisms. Our estuaries, sounds, bays, tidal marshes, and creeks (brackish to full salty sea water) all are habitat for oysters. Tolerant creatures, oysters put up with quite a lot of variation to their environment, but is water pollution getting the upper hand? Scientists wonder if oysters have they reached their limit.
- Each of us generates about 3.5 pounds of trash a day. Most of it is paper. Each person can do his or her part, just by recycling, tossing gum or cigarette pieces in the trash, and by picking up trash even if not self generated.
- In October 2009 the Governors of North and South Carolina, plus other Southern states, announced an agreement to work together for the better management and protection of our marine resources. Called The South Atlantic Alliance, this group leverages resources from each state to protect healthy coastal ecosystems. That is a huge effort, but Coastline environmental solutions come in many shapes and sizes.
Avista Resort encourages its guests to find a personal way to help keep our coastline, water, and air safe for future generations.
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GUEST COMMENTS
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Each day, making sure that you have a wonderful vacation is our primary goal. Here are some guests who found vacation satisfaction here at Avista and emailed or texted their thoughts to us.
I have just booked a week's stay at the Avista for July. I made the reservation with Debbie. She is one of the most courteous and helpful people that I have ever dealt with. She went out of her way to accommodate me. I was about to give up, and she just kept trying to find the right fit for me. She is an employee to keep.
Email through Avista's quality control from V. Brady, 05.15.2010.
We stayed at the Avista for one week in September of 2007 and again for a week in September of 2008. Despite the over 18 hour drive from our home near Ottawa, Canada, we are now counting down the weeks until our next stay in April this year. Our 7 favourite things are 1-walking on the beach in the early morning or at dusk (except during beach rejuvenation); 2-swimming in the surf; 3-lounging in the lazy river; 4-enjoying sunset from our balcony with a glass of wine; 5-trying to learn the shag with a DVD from Judy's; 6-well-equipped units; and 7-the cleanliness of the resort.
Email through newsletter response from McDowell family, 02.25.2010.
Love the Avista at N Myrtle Beach. Stayed for SOS [and] loved the high end unit. Making plans next month for next visit. Loved the band you had for SOS on the last Saturday outside. [Spent] all day listening to them and sharing beverages.
Email through newsletter response from Harris family, 02.25.2010.
I had stayed at Avista on several occasions in the past 5 years. It is the only place I would think of staying with my family. Great location, nice friendly staff. Great value. I work for a large law firm, and I have recommended Avista to all of my co workers.
Email through newsletter response from Tammy from Snow Camp, NC, 04.29.2010.
My family and I stayed at The Avista last week to celebrate two St. Patrick's birthdays. Our 4 year old birthday girl was also recognized as a "Princess." This extra package was well worth the few dollars! This was our first visit, and we found every one to be very helpful from the main desk, to housekeeping and maintenance. The breakfast and lunch we had was also very good and the staff nice. Our "Princess" package was well-handled and delivered by 2 staff members, plus the house keepers did a great job w/the "turn down"' and all the towel critters [made from the towels]! Even though it was the beginning of spring break with a lot of college kids, the security guards were always moving around (in the background) and that kept things "cool." …. I was very impressed with the warmth of the indoor "water park." ... I hope to return again soon - maybe for a Mothers Day/ birthday this time!
Email through newsletter response from Deaton family from Gastonia, NC, 03.28.2010.
Hello there. We stayed 2 different times at your Avista, in Myrtle Beach, S.C. It is my favorite hotel in all of N. Myrtle Beach. Hopefully, this year we shall get a chance to come visit ya'll, again. I love hotel pools, and that is actually the MAIN factor that determines where I stay, when going on vacation somewhere. Your hot tub was nice, as well. The rooms' view-gorgeous. The decor-really tasteful-as some newer hotels seem to skip on details like this-yours does not. Service was more than accommodating ….Uniqueness is wonderful. And the location for parking was so easy to lug 2 kids and all my stuff quite easily. I am a single mom of now 3 kids, and ease is so overlooked in some points at hotels. Yours hasn't overlooked really anything that I am aware of! 5 stars for you-kudos!
Email through newsletter response from Utley family, 02.25.2010.
Fun Facts
What is Spring Break, and how did the ritual of going away somewhere for Spring Break begin? Some speculate that spring break began in the agricultural community when farmers celebrated the end of the winter and the beginning of growing season.
Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent, saving 20 - 50% in energy used for heating.
An obscure study has concluded that there are about 60 to 200 million empty places along our city streets and highways where trees could be planted. This translates to the potential to absorb 33 million more tons of CO2 every year, and saving $4 billion in energy costs
The word "Dixie" comes from the French word for 10, "dix." "Dix' was also once a French currency in Louisiana, shown here. English-speaking Southerners called them "dixies." That is also why the area around New Orleans and other Cajun territories was called "Dixieland."
Other authorities speculate say that the term "Dixieland" came from Jeremiah Dixon, an English surveyor. He lived in an area between Maryland and Pennsylvania. A border dispute from 1763 to 1767 between British colonies in Colonial America brought him in collaboration with Charles Mason to form the Mason-Dixon Line to resolve the issue.
In China, blocks of tea were once used as currency.
Another Southern favorite, grits come in yellow and white varieties. Yellow grits involve the whole kernel of corn, whereas white grits use hulled kernels.
True lovers of grits have them for all three meals of the day: grits over fried eggs for breakfast; grits all cheesed up and served with fried fish for lunch or dinner; grits as a dessert with lots of buttered sugar poured on top. All of these dishes begin with creamy grits, either white or yellow.
Local Events Calendar - February, 2010
Golf tournaments, farmers' markets, festivals, open-air concerts, and picking fresh strawberries. This is just a part of May here at the beach and only a few of the long list of reasons to mark your calendar and come to the beach at any time.
Avista poolside entertainment-June 12 and 26 hear Jeff Landrum, Ocean Drive Happens DJ. Details of our poolside fun on the website
Click here for a list of events, plus watch the local news when you arrive. We have quite a lot of activities to fill your days and nights while you are here at the beach.
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