Hi Friends,

Many people are coming to town this fall to enjoy not only the weather, but also the wide array of fun things to see and do. With Daylight Savings Time about to end and fall festivals in full swing, much of our activity now spills across daylight to dusk and dark.

Some recent news around the Grand Strand includes the annual Little River Shrimp and Jazz Festival held on October 11th and 12th, two days of exuberance in the Little River Harbor, surrounded by tall oaks hundreds of years old. Over 5,000 people enjoyed the event with its lively music and frivolity. The featured "guest(s)" of honor, the shrimp, appeared in a wide array of aspects: fried, steamed, boiled, and combined with other foods-delicious! Despite a bit of rain and the well-publicized economic crunch, people had a good time. The next weekend, October 18th and 19th, approximately 45,000 people attended the North Carolina Oyster Festival at Ocean Isle, NC, where musicians such as The Embers, The Band of Oz, and Cousin Homer, to name a few, played rock and blues. Other entertainment included oyster competitions, a road race, a children's area, many food options, huge amounts of local color in full view of the ocean!

Even our blustery days do not last long. As the old saying states: if you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes for it to change. In fact, on a recent rainy day, the Cherry Grove Pier was packed with people catching fish right and left, and barefoot beachcombers were below, walking hand in hand looking for shells washing to shore. People have a great time here along the Grand Strand, whether fishing, sightseeing, listening to a local band, or watching a live performance. The Strand enjoys mild temperatures at this time of year, warm enough to swim in the still pleasant sea and comfortable enough for 18 to 36 holes of golf a day, long walks on the beach, even swimming in the surf. If you have not visited the Grand Strand, we hope you can come here to see for yourself just how idyllic life is here at any time of year.

Your Friends at Avista Resort!

With one of the S.O.S. themes being, "to dance like nobody's watching," the revelers in the 2008 Fall Migration of S.O.S'ers had a "blast." "Well organized" and "having the time of our lives" were a few of the comments from the Avista guests as they lounged by the pool listening to beach tunes. Over the course of the week of September 14-20, Main Street appeared to be a sea of people. By night, everyone migrated to Main Street's shag events where they danced the nights away, and by day they lounged at the Avista.

Here are just a few of the Avista pool-party photos showing people having a great time. As you relive shag week, don't forget to go online to your favorite beach music streaming, too!

Party time for Avista shaggers started on Monday, September 15th with the DJ Bugger at the pool, rocking the place from noon to 4 pm. Music resumed on Tuesday, same time/same place, and Thursday through Saturday, same time/same place, with dancers popping up spontaneously.

With Avista Resort being only three blocks from North Myrtle Beach's Main Street, the S.O.S. event took over almost the entire street for its Fall Migration. People enjoyed themselves, whether dancing in the sun poolside or by night in Fat Harold's, Ducks', Ducks' II, the OD Arcade, to name a few of the hot spots. Most shaggers made the rounds from place to place, with Avista Resort as a central "home" for many. Here, people could relax, have fun, walk to the events, and have few-to-no complications due to traffic. We talked with Avista guests from Washington, DC, Maryland, West Virginia, and other states here for their second or third time this year. "The music is great," said a couple from DC, "This is the 14th year we've come here, and we've been here since you opened," said the guest from 509. "We are here from Rocky Mount," said another well sun-tanned guest. "This is always very well organized. We love it."

Our thanks to these and the many shaggers who chose the Avista Resort as their Migration headquarters. All in all, this 2008 Fall Migration was a huge success, both here and around the North Myrtle Beach area!

October is here, and the Fall Bike Rally got underway with plenty of great weather to go around and miles of roads to enjoy. Motorcycle-friendly properties such as Avista Resort welcomed bikers this year to a new and improved Grand Strand with renourished beaches, fabulous weather, new shops and restaurants added to the existing ones, and plenty of good ol' North Myrtle Beach-brand Southern hospitality to go around.

This year's final Harley rally of the season along the Grand Strand ran from October 1st to the 5th. Though some vendors and events remained in the traditional locations of Broadway at the Beach, Myrtle Beach Mall, and Barefoot Landing, others found new locations to reflect recent changes in the rally. Additional bike-related news around town included safety reminders issued by The City of Myrtle Beach whose police department provided courtesy sound checks on October 3rd and 4th in order to meet the City's new noise restriction ordinance.

All in all, the bikers enjoyed a great fall rally with no shortage of things to see and do around the Strand, all the while enjoying our high-70's / low 80's.

Bikers, we were glad to see you at The Strand!

Thanksgiving

Some good news is that gasoline prices fell recently, inspiring people to consider road trips once again. The Avista reservation desk is busily booking guests for Thanksgiving by the beach, where sandals, shorts, and perhaps even a bathing suit or two will find their way into suitcases in November. Where else can you expect to spend a relaxing Thanksgiving holiday, free from food preparation or clean-up, free to play in the waves or go fishing or golfing? That is Avista Resort for Thanksgiving!

Our chef at Just Off Main, has a delicious, traditional menu planned that's sure to please every member in your group. All the preparation, all the hard work, all the time-consuming chores usually associated with making a huge meal stay with us, and all you have to worry about is whether you want one helping or two with a menu like this: www.avistaresort.com/thanksgivingmenu.cfm.

Then, afterward, with all the free time you'll have after the huge feast, you can watch football, go golfing, or head for the surf. So, consider spending Thanksgiving at the beach! We'd be honored for you to join us. Make a call to to assure your place at Avista's Thanksgiving feast.

New Year's Eve

Are you ready for New Year's Eve? With so much to do between now and December 31st, it just makes good sense to reserve now for New Year's? Then, you can welcome in 2009 with a special oceanfront party at Avista Resort, one of the coolest New Year's venues along the Grand Strand!

Whether you are a local looking for a great party site or whether you are coming in for a week's stay during this special event, Avista can put you in the right party mood. You're in the heart of North Myrtle Beach, too, perfect for enjoying fabulous amenities, close proximity to the North Myrtle Beach night-life scene, plus New Year's Day golf, shopping, and so many things to see and do.

So, come stay at the Avista for New Year's!

As the temperature lowers in the Grand Strand and the sun sets a little earlier, all around town people are putting up their autumn lawn decorations and thinking about the Thanksgiving meal.

Here is an easy and tasty recipe for a traditional fall favorite, Caramel Apples: Preparation time for experienced cooks is 30 minutes. Intake time for experienced consumers is no time at all!

Caramel Apples

Ingredients:

• 6 wooden craft sticks
• 6 small apples, any variety, stems removed
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup dark corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preparation:

1. Insert sticks into tops of apples. Prepare an ice-water bath.
2. Bring cream, sugar, corn syrup, and butter to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Clip a candy thermometer to pan, and continue to cook until mixture reaches 245 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Place pan in ice-water bath to stop the cooking. Dip bottom of each apple in caramel. Using a spoon, coat apple halfway to three-quarters of the way up sides. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes (or overnight).

Meet Mary M. Friend who works in Housekeeping at the Avista Resort. A seasoned employee, Ms. Mary is recognized as a welcoming face by returning guests and owners who often see her on the job around the resort.

Originally from Whitman, Massachusetts, Ms. Mary has been in the Myrtle Beach area about 8 years, first in the Avista's housekeeping department cleaning rooms, later as a "public area" housekeeper, cleaning everything from offices to bathrooms, lobbies to the fitness center and laundry. Her thoroughness and dependability make her a valued asset.

With a love of people and a preference to stay busy, she likes working at Avista where she does a number of different tasks. In fact, staying busy at home is also one of her pleasures, and she enjoys taking care of her family and working out in the yard in the warm weather. On temperate days, Ms. Mary delights in going for walks and chatting with neighbors. So, if you encounter Ms. Mary here at Avista, she would enjoy a friendly greeting.

Avista welcomed the following groups to our autumn ocean setting:

• Shriver / Miles Wedding
• Destiny International Ministries
• Crosstalkers Sunday School Class
• Atalaya Property Management, Inc.
• USS McCaffrey Reunion
• Covenant Church International
• Church Of God
• Harding-West Class Reunion
• USS Davis 2008 Reunion
• Catlin Company
• Faith Assembly of God
• Beach First National Bank
• Sigmon / Gray Wedding
• Freedom Baptist Church
• Dawson / Mahoney Wedding
• Johnson / McIntyre Wedding
• Chi Mu Epsilon
• MCIV Church

Groups have a great time here at Avista Resort where there is something for everyone in the group.

November:

11/1 to 12/31 South's Grandest Christmas Show at the Alabama Theatre. Presented six nights a week with selected matinees and "kid friendly." For more information, 800.342.2262 or www.alabama-theatre.com.

11/1 to 12/31 Carolina Opry's Christmas Special Presented by Calvin Gilmore. A yuletide experience for the whole family, "kid friendly." For more information, 800.843.6779 or www.TheCarolinaOpry.com.

11/1-2 16th Annual Cultural Arts Festival and Pow Wow by the Waccamaw Indian People. Event at 10 am, Waccamaw Tribal Grounds (591 Bluewater Road, Aynor, SC 29511). Information at 843.358.6877 or www.waccamaw.us.

11/7-9 Dog Agility Trials. Canine athletes compete in obstacle course hurdles, Murrell's Inlet (A Dog's Way Inn, 761 Pendergrass Avenue). Information at 843.357.4545 or www.ADogsWayInn.com.

11/9 Musical Awards, Carolina Beach Music (CBMA), Alabama Theatre, North Myrtle Beach. Festival's program starts at 3 pm honoring winners, categories, and pioneers of the music genre of beach music. Fun, clean-cut music with diverse harmonious style. Ticket information at www.cammy.org.