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October 2009      Volume 31 North Myrtle Beach, SC
FAMILY VACATION NEWSLETTER
Take in all the glorious colors of the season with a kayaking trip down the Intracoastal Waterway on a crisp autumn day with a gentle breeze swaying the colorful marsh grasses and the sun sparkling off of the water. Pack a thermos of hot cocoa, some apple bread, and beach chairs to spend a morning sitting at the surf's edge, contemplating nature and your surroundings as the dolphins glide silently in search of fish, breaking through the surface now and then for air. All of these activities and many, many more are waiting for you here at the autumn beach! Though summer's enveloping heat is behind us for another year, the tunes of summer linger on with the October 31st Endless Summer Festival of beach music concert at North Myrtle Beach's Main Street "Horseshoe" (see more below).

Plus, there is no limit to tempting activities here. Long a fall favorite, golfing along the Strand continues to bring in enthusiasts from across the country and the world, especially this year with our "Terrific Tuesday" golf deal (see below) and other specials that hold many advantages to golfers. Some have discovered the "Girls' Getaway" combination. Especially when it is added to a golf package, it makes a wonderful enticement for family members to join golfers on their outing, perhaps to assemble scrapbooks, quilts, or to shop for holiday gifts at our many discount stores and malls.

As Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve lie just ahead, all plans are in place here at Avista for guests to have fun and plenty of great food for those occasions. What a great way to wrap up the year - spending the holidays where someone else does all the work while you have all the fun. Just what you need after a year such as 2009.

Whatever you are doing this fall to mark the season, we thank you for spending any part of it with us, and we look forward to your return.

Your Friends at Avista Resort!

The Endless Summer Festival in North Myrtle Beach

On October 31st, the "Horseshoe" at Main Street once again will serve as the site of musical entertainment and festivities in a tribute to beach music, beach weather, and all things "beach" related. Arranged by the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce and sponsored principally by Avista Resort and the sister properties of North Myrtle Beach, this festival is, as always, free and open to the public.

Celebrating the fabulous sights and sounds of the warm months of the year, the festival will offer an opportunity to hear, live and in person, some of the legends of beach music: The Fantastic Shakers, SeaCruz, and The Catalinas. Hit songs include "Shaking the Shack," "Summertime's Calling Me," "Myrtle Beach Days," and "Ain't No Big Thing." Sitting is hard to do when the rhythm gets going, and many people feel inclined to get up and dance at times like this.

In addition to the concert, visitors always enjoy the other activities: a classic car show, arts-and-crafts exhibit/sale, lots of food opportunities, and a children's play area with inflatables and carnival rides.

News from JUST OFF MAIN and TREE TOP LOUNGE:

Our chef has planned some tasty treats for the holiday. Check out our online menus for Thanksgiving and the party at New Year's Eve.

In the meantime, whether you are staying here for a mini-get-away vacation before the hectic holiday season or coming in on a golf package, stop in for a meal at Just Off Main where you can enjoy a steak dinner without much fuss or an intricate dish made with that super-delicate fish, the grouper. Not sure what to order? Ask Chef Marvin!

Don't forget "Happy Hour" at the relaxed Tree Top Lounge on the 4th floor here at Avista. You can enjoy conversations with friends and relations or mix and mingle as you make new friends over a game of billiards or a new mixed drink from the bar. Live entertainment on selected occasions, so come on over to the beach and see what's going on at Tree Top Lounge.

Around Town This Month:


Following the fun of summer comes the festivities of fall. Some are group activities such as The Endless Summer Festival mentioned above and others just pop up unexpectedly such a family walk at sunset along a shimmering beach. Here are some of the things people found to do this month:

  • Golf: As the cooler weather takes more of a front-row seat along the coast, our water parks shed some of their guests and attendance tends to increase at the area's golf courses during in the cooler weather. Booking autumn tee times means that you can enjoy golf from start to finish with invigorating air to stimulate you.

    Check out the "Terrific Tuesday" Golf Package - Play your choice of either Myrtlewood's Palmetto and Pinehills courses or River Hills, then add 3 more rounds on your choice of Farmstead, Meadowlands, or Arcadian Shores (one of these will be a free round to be played on Tuesday). This package is valid for arrival on a Sunday or Monday, so stay 3 nights or more and get a 4th night with breakfast for free. You also receive a gift certificate valued at $20 on a purchase of $40 or more in any of the "pro" shops (note: excludes golf balls and equipment).

    Check our other featured courses at www.MyrtleBeachGolf.net such as Thistle, a Tim Cate facility, lying just over the North Carolina/South Carolina border in Calabash, NC. Rated four and a half stars by Golf Digest, Thistle offers players a chance to experience a Scottish-links design with its generous wind-swept fairways, stacked sod bunkers and large greens.

  • New Life along the Strand: - Long a respite for golfers and retirees looking for a long holiday, the Grand Strand area is taking on a new look as we near 2010. Increasingly, young professionals are moving into our communities, as well as established career-builders who come for the rejuvenated economy.

    The new Edge Parkway is another feature that turns guests at Avista Resort into permanent residents. They find that they can drive easily down Main Street through North Myrtle Beach to this new roadway which leads straight to Highway 31. From that six-lane highway, drivers can move easily up and down the Strand.

    Autumn incentives for locals and guests include incredibly fresh seafood caught daily, historic tours and archeological dig sights, unique shops, ocean and Inland Waterway cruises, two ocean side State Parks, deep sea and inshore fishing, and magnificent gardens such as Brookgreen to the south and Vereen to the north.

  • Endless Summer: The Annual Endless Summer Festival has included many events, food, and festivities all summer long at a relaxed but fun-filled atmosphere that ranged up and down the entire Grand Strand. Fairly mild temperatures have kept more people outside doing things, rather than finding relief inside in air conditioning. Even though Labor Day has come and gone, we are still enjoying delightful weather. Fall might begin on September 22nd, but summer fun lives on here at Avista Resort! Come stay with us at the beach and keep your own summer going!

    • Avista Helps People Stay Healthy

    Avista Resort's flu shot clinic took place on October 9th from 7 AM to 9 AM in the fourth-floor lounge. With nearly 50 people coming to the clinic for their immunizations of the standard vaccine against flu, the health care providers also presented each with a free sample of spray hand sanitizer. The best way, they said, to prevent flu is to wash hands frequently. Let's everyone stay healthy this year!

    • Get enough sleep and eat healthy food.
    • Wash hands often.
    • Keep hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth.
    • Sneeze into your arm, not your hand.
    • Avoid close contact.
    • If sick, stay home to avoid spreading the illness.

    Featured Recipe: Beer Steamed Shrimp Cocktail with Avocado Vinaigrette and Mixed Greens



    INGREDIENTS:
    • 12 ounces beer (Pilsner, 1 can or bottle)
    • 1 tablespoon of white vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons of Old Bay Seafood Seasoning, divided
    • Shrimp, deveined shell on 16-20 ct.
    • 3/4 cup of water
    • 1 cup of orange juice, fresh squeezed
    • 1/3 cup of lime juice, fresh squeezed
    • 1 teaspoon of garlic, minced
    • 1 medium avocado, peeled and chopped
    • 1/2 cup of cilantro leaves, whole packed
    • 1/2 whole Serrano pepper, chopped
    • Kosher or sea salt
    • Black pepper
    • 4 cups of mixed greens, baby lettuce- rinsed and patted dry


    For Cocktail Sauce:
    • 1/2 cup of ketchup
    • 1 tablespoon of horseradish
    • 1/2 tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce
    • 1/2 lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon of Old Bay Seafood Seasoning


    Directions:

    Place beer, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of Old Bay in bottom pot of steamer. In a bowl toss shrimp with remaining tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning and place in steamer basket, cover and steam for approximately 5 minutes until the shrimp are pink and cooked through (be careful not to overcook). Remove from basket. When the shrimp are cool enough to handle, peel them, leaving tail intact. Set the shrimp aside.

    For the avocado vinaigrette -- In a blender cup add water, orange juice, garlic, avocado, Serrano pepper and process until smooth. Pulse in cilantro until chopped but not pureed, then season with salt and pepper.

    In a mixing bowl toss mixed green with ½ cup of vinaigrette and divide mixed greens among 4 chilled martini glasses. Place 3 shrimp on each martini glass and garnish with additional diced avocado and lime wedges.

    For a variation on the cocktail sauce, mix all ingredients together and whisk well to combine.

    Groups at AVISTA RESORT

    Because Avista Resort features a wide array of amenities, many groups enjoy staying here. They have found that every member of the group has the potential to find something of interest during the stay.

    Additionally, our catering and banquet facilities make planning a wedding or other large event easy. Avista's location offers easy access to cross-town connector roads so that guests can participate in anything anywhere along the Grand Strand.

    If you are planning an event for a group of people, check with our Group Sales department to begin the process of arranging your next event.

    We want to thank the following groups who chose Avista Resort as the site of their group meeting:

    Sharrer / Egan Wedding
    Church of God
    Destiny International Ministries
    Frobe Sherman Wedding
    Mack Cruz Wedding
    Harding West Class Reunion
    Zerona Plus Med Spa
    Groveton High School Reunion     		Harris / Sitton Rehearsal Dinner
    Value Pest Company
    Cooper Wedding
    Hemingway Class of 1984
    St. Mary's Church
    Tar Heel High School
    Thomas Hogan Travel

    Local Events Calendar - November, 2009

    Autumn events along the coast revolve around seafood harvests, playing in the surf, bicycling along dirt roads, and many more activities. Here are just a few events to tempt you into visiting the beach: Our web site offers more events in the 2009 Calendar.

    11/8. Nationalistic Fervor presented by Long Bay Symphony. During the upheaval of the "Age of Revolution", national cultural identities also began to emerge from the landscape. Experience some of symphonic music's finest examples of this musical independence in Sir William Walton's regal Crown Imperial Coronation March, the Spanish folk music-based Three-cornered Hat: Suite No. 1 by Manuel de Falla, Czech composer Antonin Dvorak's beloved Symphony No. 8, and the ethereal Violin Concerto No. 1 by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev. For more information see http://www.longbaysymphony.com/tickets.cfm or 843.448.8379.

    11/12-15. The 28th Annual Dickens Christmas Show and Festival. Held at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, this huge juried show of craftspeople makes a wonderful place to obtain ideas for decorating, to shop for holiday gifts, or to see the sights. For more information , 843.448.9483 or www.dickenschristmasshow.com.

    11/21. 6th Annual Murrells Inlet Oyster Roast. Spud's Waterfront Dining parking lot. Oyster eaters belly up to the tables for an all-you-can-eat afternoon of steamed oysters. A menu of other food items and beer and soda are available. Oyster Roast tickets are $25.00. Call 843-357-2007 for tickets and more information.

    11/26-28. South Carolina Bluegrass Festival. Kick back and relax with the time-honored tradition of Southern bluegrass at this renowned South Carolina festival, held at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Free parking. Chairs provided. See http://www.aandabluegrass.com/Festivals/SouthCarolinaStateBluegra.html to order tickets.

    11/26. Poplar Grove's Plantation Christmas. Decorated for the holidays, the Manor House at night is full of old fashioned charm and nostalgia. Bring a cozy blanket for cuddling on the hayride. More information at 910.686.9518, or come to Poplar Grove Plantation, 10200 US Hwy 17 North, Wilmington, NC 28411 (www.poplargrove.com).

    11/28. Christmas Market in Little River, SC. The 4th Annual Christmas Market celebrates the season starting at 9 am to 6 pm. Get into the Christmas spirit at join us at the historic waterfront where you'll enjoy the entertainment, the unique and popular Pet Parade, the annual Christmas Parade around the waterfront, and the annual Intracoastal Christmas Regatta at dusk. Highway 17 north from Myrtle Beach with a right turn at Mineola to the waterfront.

    11/28. Intracoastal Christmas Regatta Boat Parade. Boats assemble at Tilghman's Point at 4:30 PM and begin the parade at 5 PM (dusk). It proceeds down the waterway to Dock Holidays Marina. View the regatta from several locations along the waterway. More information at http://christmasregatta.com.

    Book now to save your place for fall festivals, Thanksgiving feasting, and fun at the beach: www.AvistaResort.com.
    GUEST COMMENTS


    Avista Resort hears from recent and past guests through various means, both electronic and traditional postal service. Here are some of the comments that we have from people who wanted to let us know about their stays here on the beach.

    We stayed at the Avista Resort and absolutely enjoyed everything about it!!! We will definitely be back and hope for an even longer stay next time.

    Email to Avista's Marketing Department from G S Barker, 09.24.09.



    This is by far the nicest place I ever stayed. It was clean, spacious, and the staff went out of their way to make you feel at home. Can't wait to go back!

    Email to Expedia from Dara Jean R in Oak Hill, 06.20.09



    My grandson and I stayed Monday of this week and had a perfect time. [The] rooms [were] so nice and clean. The staff is really great. They let us check in early and check out a little late and treated us as if we were the guests. Wow We will be back. Keep up the great work and keep your great staff!

    Email from newsletter response from the Stout family, 09.24.09.



    Fun Facts




    Harvested in Florida and native to Central and northern South America, the Canistel fruit is yellow-orange in color, creamy in texture, and sweet to the taste. With wonderful nutrients and taste, you might see it now and then in specialty groceries here in the South.

    The language of English in South Carolina includes Charleston-"speak" which has a cultural influence even in rural areas. Many upcountry speakers of Scotch-Irish background retain /r/ after a vowel, as in the word "hard," a feature now gaining acceptance among younger speakers in Charleston. At the same time, a longtime distinctive Charleston feature, a centering glide after a long vowel, so that the words "date" and "eight" sound like /day-uht/ and /ay-uht/, is losing ground among younger speakers.

    Bomb Island on Lake Murray (near Columbia, SC) is the site of a very unusual event. Thousands of purple martin birds return to this island each spring and summer to roost for the summer before leaving again for overwintering elsewhere. Declared a bird sanctuary, the island is the sunset resting spot for birds.

    Sumter, SC, has the largest gingko tree farm in the world, with gingko being one of the best-known examples of a living fossil as well as being used medicinally for thousands of years. The Gingko plant has two genders: male and female.

    South Carolina became the 8th state in the Union on May 23, 1788.

    Built in 1909 just off what is today Highway 14 near Gowensville, Campbell's Covered Bridge is the only remaining covered bridge in South Carolina.

    Americans consume 1 billion pounds of shrimp per year. Have you had your shrimp today?

    An average shrimp has 10 legs. Do you know where your shrimp are?

    Raw, uncooked shrimp are called "green" shrimp. Best if not eaten until cooked.

    Some birds' eggs are not "egg" shaped at all. Some are long and blunt at both ends (the swift), round (birds of prey such as owls), and pear-shaped (a rocky-ledge shore bird).

    The woodpecker has a tongue that is five times the length of its beak, which means it can probe into holes as far as five inches in search of deeply hidden food.

    We humans might think that the woodpecker finds storing his long tongue in his beak to be a problem. However, he has a system - the tongue (part of a flexible system of bones and tissues) starts at the top of the beak, anchored near the bird's right nostril. From there it curls across the top of the woodpecker's skull and down the back of the head, exiting as the tongue through the beak.



    Green Zone

    Avista Resort stays vigilant in looking for ways to help, not hinder, the health of our immediate environment and ultimately the planet. Here are more ways we conserve energy and resources.
  • Turning off computers at night (or when not in use for prolonged periods of time)

  • Recycling unused paper from the office printers (reversing the side to print drafts on the back sides of unused pieces)

  • Recycling newspapers, cardboard boxes, and plastics.

  • Statistics show that, nationwide, up to 90% of plastic water bottles are discarded, not recycled. Avista offers guests an opportunity to fill their reusable containers with tap water, a great choice for the environment, the wallet, and possibly the health (metal, not plastic, for your drinking water). Did you know that the EPA's standards for tap water are much more stringent than are the FDA's standards for bottled water?

  • Avista's employees use their own coffee and other beverage cups rather than using and discarding Styrofoam cups.

  • Using linear fluorescent tubes and energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in fixtures as possible throughout the resort to provide high-quality and high-efficiency lighting.

  • Dirty filters block air flow through the heating and cooling systems, so Avista's housekeeping staff increase energy use by checking and replacing air filters.

  • Some homes and condos have overhead fans to circulate air, thus saving money by not having to operate the air conditioning system at energy-sapping settings during either the high heat of summer or the cooler months of winter.

  • Sliding doors and moveable windows with adequate seals and weather-stripping ensure that heat or air conditioning is not wasted by escaping through leaks to the outdoors.
    • Ebb and Flow of Information
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    Avista Resort 300 N. Ocean Blvd.
    N. Myrtle Beach, SC. 29582
    Toll Free 800.968.8986 Email Vacation-Planner@avistaresort.com
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