10 Days of Thanksgiving Recipes -- Day 9

Purple Ribbon Pumpkin Cake - This cake is so easy to make and it tastes just incredible....so moist and sweet! We aren't that crazy about the frosting, but we can live with it.

 

Purple Ribbon Pumpkin Cake

	For the cake:
1	Can solid pack pumpkin (15 oz)	2 Cups	Sugar
4	eggs	1 Cup	Vegetable oil
2 Cups	Flour	2 tsp	Baking soda
2 tsp	Ground cinnamon	1 tsp	ground cloves
1/2 tsp	Salt	1/2 tsp	ground ginger
1/4 tsp	ground nutmeg
	For the frosting:
6 oz	Cream cheese	2 Cups	Confectioners' sugar
	Pecan halves

Directions: In a large bowl, beat the pumpkin, sugar, eggs and oil until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, salt, ginger and nutmeg; gradually beat into pumpkin mixture until blended. Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost top and sides of cake. Garnish with pecan halves if desired. Yield: 12 servings.

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10 Days of Thanksgiving Recipes -- Day 8

It's appetizer day again today....seems that's all we eat! We have 2 recipes today, both of which are ideal for year round use. The 1st one is Scallops Sauce Verte, which is more of a salad than an appetizer and it will make a great addition to your Thanksgiving table. They also ...make a great luncheon salad on hot and humid summer days when you just don't feel like cooking.
The other is Parmesan Spinach Balls which are ideal as little 'candy poppers' as you're hanging around the kitchen watching everyone else cook! They are also great to make ahead, freeze and pop in the oven when someone pops over and you want a quick snack.
Best thing is, they both take such little effort to make!

Scallops Sauce Verte

1/2 Cup	Dry Vermouth	1/2	Onion, chopped
1	sprig of parsley	1	bay leaf
	salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 lb	Sea scallops, halved	1 Cup	Mayonnaise, approximately
1/4 Cup	Finely chopped parsley	1/2 Cup	Finely chopped spinach
1/4 Cup	Chopped chives or green onions	1 Tbs	Fresh dill

Directions: 1. In a saucepan heat the vermouth with the onion, sprig of parsley, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Add the scallops and simmer gently until tender, shaking the pan occasionally, about seven minutes. Drain and cool. 2. Meanwhile, blend the mayonnaise, chopped parsley, spinach, chives and dill. Add more mayonnaise, if desired. 3. Place the scallops in a bowl lined with lettuce leaves, cover with the green sauce and top with a sprinkling of additional finely chopped parsley. Chill.

 

Spinach Balls

2	10 oz pkgs, frozen spinach, thawed & drained	2 Cups	Italian style bread crumbs
1 Cup	Parmesan cheese	1/2 Cup	Butter, melted
4	Green onions, chopped	4	Eggs, slightly beaten
	Salt & pepper to taste

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix the frozen chopped spinach, Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, butter, green onion, eggs, salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into 1 inch balls. Arrange the balls in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned.

10 Days of Thanksgiving Recipes -- Day 7: Mashed (sort of) Baked Sweet Potatoes

People either love 'em or HATE 'em! We love 'em and we think we've found the best way to prepare them with not much prep or work at all. We HATE boiled potatoes that are mashed....they lose all their flavor and end up like mush. We HATE the... 'candied' style because they just a bit too over the edge sweet and gooey!
Baking the potatoes first and then 'mashing' them maintains a nice 'chunky' consistency and the pineapple, maple syrup, and pecans add a little Caribbean flavor to them.

Mashed Baked Sweet Potatoes

 

5 lbs	Sweet potatoes	1/4 lb	Unsalted Butter
1/2 Cup	Crushed pineapple, drained	1/2 Cup	Chopped pecans
1/4 - 1/2 Cup	Maple syrup or honey

 

Directions: Pierce each potato a couple times with a fork and wrap them individually in aluminum foil. This will stop them from leaking all that gooey liquid inside them all over your oven. It will also make it much easier to peel the skin. Bake them at 400 degrees until a sharp knife slides in easily, but do not overcook. Let them cook a few minutes and them peel them and place them in a large mxing bowl. Cut them in pieces and gently mash them with a potato masher or continue to cut them with 2 knives, criss-cross. They should be more of a 'lumpy' coarse consistency rather than finely mashed. Do not use an electric mixer! Add the butter in small pieces and mix until melted and blended. Add the pineapple, the pecans, and the maple syrup to your desired degree of sweetness. Stir until all is incorporated. This will be enough to serve 8-12 people with some left over. You can make these ahead of time if you like and then bake at 350 until heated through.

10 Days of Thanksgiving Recipes -- Day 6

 

Let's stuff it today! If you like meat in your stuffing...this is for you! Lots of ways to vary this recipe too!

 

Savory Meat & Spinach Stuffing

 

2 lbs	Lean ground beef	1 lb	Ground pork
3 Pkg	Frozen, chopped spinach; thawed & drained	3	eggs, slightly beaten
2	Loaves, day old Italian bread, cubed (approx 4 quarts dry)	3 Cups	Milk
1 Tbs	Bell's seasoning	3/4 Cup	Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 Cup	Onion, chopped	1 1/2 Cup	Celery, chopped
1 Cup	Red pepper, chopped	1 Tbs	Garlic powder
1/2 Cup	Chopped mushrooms	1/4 Cup	Pignoli (Pine nuts) -- optional
4 Tbs	butter		salt & pepper to taste

 

Directions: Combine milk and bread cubes; mix until moistened and set aside. Saute ground beef and pork until browned; drain and set aside Saute onions and celery over medium heat until just tender, but still slightly firm. Add red pepper and mushrooms and saute for 1 minute more. (vegetables should stay crispy) Return meat to pan and add spinach; mix to incorporate and cook for just a minute or 2 more. Take off heat. Mix in seasonings, parmesan cheese, pignoli, & bread cubes. Add eggs and stir to incorporate. This should be enough to stuff a 20 lb turkey with extra to cook on the side. Variations: Substitute bulk pork sausage or Italian sausage for the ground pork. Substitute 2 cups cooked long grain & wild rice for the bread. Subsitute chestnuts for the Pignoli (As with all nuts, ensure that no guests have nut allergies)

 

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10 Days of Thanksgiving Recipes -- Day 4

We'll switch gears today and give you a recipe for a scrumptious Sweet Potato Cloverleaf Roll. This is a nice variation on the traditional cloverleaf roll that adds those special Autumnal flavors of sweet potato and nutmeg. Enjoy!

 

Sweet Potato Cloverleaf Rolls

 

3 Tbs	Sugar	1	1/4 oz package active dry yeast
2	large eggs	1/3 Cup	Milk
1/4 Cup	Unsalted butter	1 tsp	Salt
3/4 Cup	Sweet potatoes, mashed	4 Cups	Flour
1/2 tsp	Nutmeg		additional melted butter for brushing the rolls

 

In a small bowl, stir together 1 Tbs of the sugar and 1/4 Cup warm water, sprinkle the yeast over the mixture and let it proof for 5 minutes, or until it is foamy. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, the remaining 2 Tbs of sugar, the milk, the butter, the salt, the nutmeg, the sweet potatoes, and the yeast mixture until the mixture is combined well.. Stir in 3 cups of the flour, 1 cup at a time, and turn the dough onto a floured surface. Knead the dough, incorporating as much of the remaining 1 cup of flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking, for 8 to 10 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball, put it in a well buttered large bowl, and turn it to coat with the butter. Let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place, for an hour, or until it is double in bulk. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, cut off pieces of dough about the size of a walnut, and form them into balls. Put 3 balls of dough into each of 18 buttered 1/3 cup muffin tins. Brush the tops of the rolls with the additional melted butter and let the rolls rise, covered loosely, in a warm place for 30-40 minutes, or until they are almost double in bulk. Bake the rolls in the middle of a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until they are golden.

 

10 Days of Thanksgiving Recipes -- Day 3

 

One more appetizer.....Festive Italian Sausage Cups. These are DANGEROUS!!
While you're hanging around having a few Thanksgiving morning cocktails....put these in dishes everywhere and watch everybody pop them in their mouths like candy! Beware...they are addictive!
If you want to stay with a seafood theme......substitute crabmeat for the sausage.

 

 

Italian Sausage Cups

1	Pastry for a double crust pie (9 in)
1 lb	bulk hot (or sweet) Italian sausage
6	chopped green onions
1 tbs	butter
1/2 cup	chopped canned mushrooms
1/4 cup	sliced pimento-stuffed olives
3/4 tsp	salt
1/4 tsp	pepper
1/4 cup	all purpose flour
2 cups	heavy cream
1/4 cup	freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
1 cup	shredded swiss cheese

On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry to 1/8" thickness. Cut with a 2 1/2" round cookie cutter. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased miniature muffin cup tray. Bake at 400 for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pans to cool on wired racks. In a large skillet, cook sausage until no longer pink; drain well and set aside. In the same skillet, saute onions in butter until tender. Add mushrooms, sliced olives, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with flour; stir until flour is incorporated. Add cream; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in sausage and parmesan cheese. Reduce heat; simmer until thickened, about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Spoon into pastry cups; sprinkle with Swiss cheese. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. This should yield approx. 48 cups. NOTE: Instead of making the cups from pastry crust, use pre-made phyllo dough cups. It will save you lots of time and they taste just as delicious! (maybe better!)

10 days of Thanksgiving recipes – Day 2: Grilled Proscuitto-Wrapped Shrimp

Grilled Proscuitto-wrapped shrimp

2/3 Cup Fresh or frozen cranberries 1/4 Cup Sugar 1/2 Cup Cider vinegar 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1/4 Cup Orange Juice 3/4 Cup Olive oil 1/4 tsp Salt & pepper 3/4-1 lb Thinly sliced proscuitto (not wafer thin) 1 lb Fresh,uncooked shrimp - no smaller than U30's Place cranberries, sugar and vinegar in small saucepan and heat over medium heat until cranberries pop, 5 - 10 minutes. Let cranberries cool slightly and then transfer to a blender. Puree the mixture until fairly smooth - there will still be pieces of bright red skin. Add the mustard and orange juice and lightly mix. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Slowly add the oil while continuously whisking until all oil has been incorporated. Peel the shrimp and marinate in the cranberry vigniarette for a few hours. Lay proscuitto out and slice in half (if they are very long pieces of meat). Wrap each shrimp with a piece of proscuitto and skewer on bamboo skewers. Brush with olive oil and grille over medium high heat until shrimp turn pink. Do not overcook. For a variation, use thinly sliced cured (NOT processed) capacola or sopressata. Serve warm or cold.

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Thanksgiving! 10 Days of Recipes – Day 1

With Thanksgiving less than 2 weeks away, we'll have a recipe a day to help you prepare for the big feast!
We'll start with appetizers...today's contribution is Oysters Rockefeller

The best oysters on the planet come from the waters of Cape Cod Bay in Wellfleet, MA....but if you're in the Carolinas, try the  Lockwood Folly oysters which are in season right now! Get them at your local fish market...our 2 favorites are Haag & Sons  and Clem's. Both markets are located in Southport/Oak Island.

<---Oysters from marshland of the Lockwood Folly River

 

 

Oysters Rockefeller

24	Shucked oysters , liquor and deep shells
1	pound fresh spinach
8	tablespoon butter
1/2	cup chopped parsley
2	chopped anchovy fillets
1	tablespoon Pernod
1 1/2	teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1/2	cup fresh bread crumbs
	salt and freshly ground pepper
	tabasco
1	cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano

Set oven temp to 450 degrees. Drain the oysters and set aside in bottom shells. Strain and reserve the liquor for the spinach mixture . Rinse, wilt, drain, and chop the spinach. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the spinach, parsley, and anchovies. Gradually add the pernod, worcestershire sauce. and bread crumbs. Coarsly puree the mixture in a food processor or blender, thinning with oyster liquor if necessary. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and tabasco. Place the oysters in the shells on a baking sheet. Spoon the spinach mixture over the oysters and top with cheese. Bake from 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and light brown.

 

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Myrtle Beach Amusement Parks Are Reborn

More to do in Myrtle Beach on a tight budget thanks to some aggressive marketing!

Just when you thought the roller coaster was off its track…..we have 2 “New” amusement parks in the Myrtle Beach area!

When the Pavillion closed a couple years ago, the death knell was sounded for the amusement park business in Myrtle Beach. Where once stood one of the most vibrant and exciting attractions along the beachfront was reduced to a vacant lot…..’hopefully’ to be more unwanted, unaffordable, unnecessary high end condos. Hopefully in the eyes of the developer for sure….for the families looking for a great place to spend an afternoon with their kids….not so much!

All was not lost however….along came the Hard Rock with a plan for a mighty Rock ‘n Roll Theme Park. Fast forward one year…..design flaws, mis-management, mis-marketing…..MIS-TAKE! Enough said!

One year later……The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming! A group of investors purchase the park at a song and look like they may be singing a sweet tune! They made the park much more family oriented, reduced ticket prices and are just marketing the heck out of the place! Just take a look at their latest promotion:

 

“Countdown to Lockdown” promotion through August 30th July 28, 2009 Special Pricing of $19.99 for Two Tickets and Family Value Meals Highlight Promotion July 28, 2009, Myrtle Beach, S.C. – Freestyle Music Park today announced “Countdown to Lockdown,” a special promotion that will run through August 30. This promotion includes special admission pricing of $19.99 for two tickets, plus tax, for admission before 4 p.m. Single ticket prices are $19.99, plus tax, for park admission after 4 p.m. “Countdown to Lockdown” celebrates the final days of summer vacation for families visiting the Grand Strand who are heading back to school at the end of the August. Freestyle Music Park is also offering the picnic pack for four for $19.99 at the Big Q Smokehouse restaurant. The picnic pack consists of four Nathan’s hot dogs, four Pepsi fountain drinks and four side dishes, which include a choice of potato chips, potato salad or cole slaw. Individual meal deals are also available at participating restaurants throughout the Park. “We are pleased to announce our ‘Countdown to Lockdown’ special now through August 30st,” said John Stine, director of marketing and sales for Freestyle Music Park. “It is due to the overwhelming success of our July promotion that we are going to make every day in August as memorable as possible for children and teens who are headed back to school at the end of the month. With this great admission price, tremendous meal options, a moving nightly fireworks show and variety of rides, shows and attractions, Freestyle Music Park is a great family getaway before the 2009 school year begins.”

This is the sort of marketing that Hard Rock chose not to do…thinking that they could survive on their name alone. Not so much I guess…as it turns out. Freestyle entered into the social networking foray as well with a Facebook page keeping their name in front of thousands of potential customers and offering discounts, contests, free tickets, etc.

In spite of a troublesome economy, it’s very possible that Freestyle will live to see another summer in Myrtle Beach. That would be a very good thing indeed!

Another New Park Rises in North Myrtle Beach

North Myrtle Beach Amusement Park opens with strong attendance

AUGUST 2, 2009 NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC ― “They have been looking forward to this all week, “ said Jennifer Schwarz’s Dad. In from Statesville, NC just a little north of Charlotte, Jennifer Schwarz and Sara Setzer were the first in line as the park opened at 4pm to experience the thrill of the new Ferris Wheel at the O.D. Amusement Park.
Jennifer’s Dad was just walking around watching them with a big grin on his face.
After the Ferris Wheel ride they scurried off so fast to go on other rides, North Myrtle Beach Online was not able to get comments from them, but, Sara’s expression and Jennifer’s smile in their picture says it all.
One of the great things about the O.D. Amusement Park was that it was wide open with no entry fees. Neither high fences nor barriers obscured the view from the outside.  Passer-byers were able to not only smell the pop corn popping and the funnel cake cooking but also hear the screams of delight from the city side walks but also to walk in, watch the fun and participate.
The view from the top of the Ferris Wheel was spectacular.  The sky was blue and the day was sunny.  Off in the near by distance the ocean could be seen as an emerald green with white wave crests washing upon the beach.  Swimmers were enjoying the water and children were skimming down the City’s three story water slide.  
The opening hours were a great time to go through the Park. Crowds had not yet left the beaches and lines were short and waits were pleasant.
Parents (and grandparents) of young children who had never been in an amusement park were experiencing “will they or won't they do it” moments as they climbed stairs to ride on the Ferris Wheel, Bumper Cars or Roller Coasters.  
I’ll admit that I was one of those grandparents.  My grandson Sean was three and a half and had never been on these types of rides. I didn’t know whether it would be too much for him or not.  But he and his Dad, Scott, got on the Ferris Wheel and Sean didn’t want to get off.  They made about three trips before Scott could persuade Sean that it was time to try something else.  
After a strong dose of cotton candy, Sean was ready for anything. He rode everything he wanted, except for the bumper cars.  Sean kept coming back to the bumper cars but, he was too short for that ride.  However, the one ride I thought he would shy away from he climbed on with enthusiasm – the roller coaster – and hung on for dear life as the coaster swept up, down, round and around.
Additionally, the O.D. Amusement Park offered more than rides and food, there were modest games of chance where, for example, a lady would offer to guess your weight and/or age within so many pounds or years and if she was wrong, a prize was won.
While money may not buy happiness, it sure buys memories and that’s how visitors to the O.D. Amusement Park get their money's worth.

Strolling around one could see laughing children and beaming parents (and grandparents) having spontaneous fun. Going to the O.D. Amusement Park can provide hours of entertainment with little preparation and organization – all is needed is a little money (tickets are only $1.25 apiece and the most tickets that rides require are three tickets) and as many kids as you can handle.
At the day’s end, Mark Lazarus, one of the organizers along with the Worley family, said “It was a great opening – better than expected.  We had about 1500 or more people that visited the rides.”  The crowds peaked from 8 to 9 pm when beach time was over and families had finished their visits to their favorite restaurants.
Lazarus said, “Most exciting was the number of local people that came to the Park.  Many remembered coming here in the 50’s as children and riding the rides.  They said they never thought they would have the chance to come back with their grandchildren. It was very heart warming.”
“Very optimistic” is the way Lazarus characterized the future of the Park.  It was raining when he was contacted but he was hopeful that the slight drizzle would let up by 7pm and “people would see the lights and come on out.”  
For first day pictures go to the Gallery.

Reprinted from North Myrtle Beach Online

Here Comes Summer……Myrtle Beach Style!

The temperatures are rising….the boards are coming off of the windows….fresh paint is on the shutters….all the signs that Summer is getting set to return to Myrtle Beach! Here are some sure signs that summer’s just around the corner:

 

Myrtle Beach Speedway ready for season

 

The 52nd season of racing at Myrtle Beach Speedway will take the green flag tomorrow! While a struggling economy has changed the way many people live, Myrtle Beach Speedway General Manager Bill Hennecy said he is expecting a solid turnout of cars and trucks to compete on Saturday nights at the 0.538-mile semibanked oval.

Over the years, Myrtle Beach Speedway has been the training grounds for some of NASCAR’s biggest stars including Dale Earnhardt Jr. (former late model stock car competitor) and Jeff Gordon (former Busch Series track record holder). All four generations of Petty's and all three generations of Earnhardt's have taken a green flag around the .538 mile asphalt oval.
Myrtle Beach Speedway is hands down the best value for the entertainment dollar in town. No where else on the Grand Strand can you watch live racing action and see the future stars of NASCAR every Saturday night. In addition to the weekly racing schedule, they hold several major events during the year including the year ending Seneca 400 weekend in November.

Saturday Night Local Racing Schedule (all times approximate) 

Pit Gates Open at 1 pm

Rotating practice throughout the afternoon

Grandstands open at 4 pm

Qualifying for Late Models and Super Trucks Approximately 5:00

Race time 7:30 pm

Heat Races, Super Truck/Late Model Warm-ups, followed by Main Events.

Photo Courtesy of Google Maps

Myrtle Beach Speedway is .538 mile in length with a seating capacity of 12,000 plus. 

Local Divisions

NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Cars

Super Trucks

Limited Late Models

Street Stock

Mini Stock

Speedway Ticket Pricing - Saturday Night Local Racing Events

All Seating is General Admission

Adult $12.00

Kids 10 and under Free

2009 Schedule

April 2 Thursday Night Practice - All Classes

April 4     Opening Night - Late Models, Super Trucks, Limiteds, Mini-Stocks, Street Stocks

April 11  Late Models, Limiteds, Mini-Stocks, Street Stocks

April 18 Super Trucks, Limiteds, Mini-Stocks, Street Stocks

April 25 Late Models, Limiteds, Mini-Stocks, Street Stocks

May 2   Super Trucks, Limiteds, Mini-Stocks, Street Stocks

May 9 Off Weekend - Support Darlington

 

Hard Rock Park Readies To Reopen……(just not so Hard and not so Rock!)

The good news is…The Park is Reopening!!….and hopefully before Memorial Day!….the better news is…indications are it will be a much more user friendly park! The year-old theme park will have a new name when it opens by Memorial Day under new ownership, officials said Thursday. FPI MB Entertainment, which bought the $400 million park out of bankruptcy for $25 million, said a new name would be announced within a week. "It's a new name, so the identity is not there," said John Stine, the director of sales and marketing for the park. "The con is re-establishing the identity going forward, but we're very positive that we'll do that in a very expeditious manner based on the support and the cooperation that we see within the community."

The park also appeared to be backing off a solely rock 'n' roll theme. Stine said the new name would have a musical orientation and that the park would have an emphasis on rock 'n' roll but also include other musical genres. Two roller coasters named after Led Zeppelin and The Eagles would also be renamed, Stine said.

The good news….the reopening will provide a much needed stimulus for a sagging local economy. Up to 1,000 jobs will be created and offered first to former Hard Rock employees and then to the general public. More good news…some new rides will be added; admission prices plan to be much less than last year; season passes from last year will be honored and locals will take advantage of discounted admission prices!!

Hard Rock never was nor probably ever would have been a true “theme’ park on the scale of the Disney parks, but it can serve to be a viable entertainment option in an area that thrives on entertainment. Let’s hope that the new owners market the park for what it is, not something it never can be. And lets hope they support the local community for without them, they will definitely be between a rock and a hard place!

 

Myrtle Beach State Park Means Fun For Families!

The Myrtle Beach State Park celebrated its second annual Park Palooza, even with statewide budget cuts hitting the park. Amanda Taylor, the park’s assistant interpretive ranger knows the affordability of events at the park is just what people are looking for in this ailing economy. With a park admission price of just $4 for adults and free for children 5 and under, it’s the ideal choice for a fun family day at the beach!….and it’s not just the beach!

Myrtle Beach State Park was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a New Deal Program created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The program was designed to provide employment during the Great Depression while addressing national needs in conservation and recreation. The CCC was instrumental in the development of many of South Carolina’s state parks. A number of buildings built by the CCC in the 1930's are still in use at this park.

• Admissions: $4 adults; $2.50 SC seniors;
  $1.50/ child age 6-15; Free for children 5 and younger.
• Office Hours: M-Fr 8am-5pm; Sat-Sun 11 am-5pm
• Days and Hours of Operation: Daily 6am-10pm, March through November
  Daily 6am-8pm, December through February

 

Here’s a sampling of some of he activities offered at the park. For more information, click here.

Myrtle Beach Vacation Rentals – Know your TOTAL COST Before You Book!

Technorati Tags: myrtle beach vacation condos,condo rentals by owners

Technorati Tags: myrtle beach vacation condos,condo rentals by owners

All Myrtle Beach Vacations are NOT the same! We discovered from interesting information recently regarding what it will cost you to rent a Myrtle Beach condo for your next vacation. We needed to try to find a suitable rental for a prospective guest of ours who we could not accommodate due to an availability issue.

Let me preface this by saying that this in no way is meant to demean any property owners, management companies or the rental units themselves. We would almost never even consider comparing ourselves and our condo with any others in the area. We do this merely to try to educate and remind everyone that when searching for a vacation rental, make sure you get ALL your costs, fully outlined before you commit to your reservation.

I don’t even want to mention the name of the management company listing the property….it’s not really important because I know they are a very reputable company that has been around for quite some time. I can tell you that the unit we looked at was at Tilghman Shores in N Myrtle Beach, mainly because of the proximity to our condo. We are familiar with this complex and it is indeed a very lovely area, even closer to the beach than we are. You could probably even walk to a nearby beach, although not transporting a great deal of extras. We’re about a 6 minute drive to Cherry Grove Beach. You make the call as to how much the trade off is worth.

Here’s what we found….very much to our surprise. We chose this particular unit because it was listed as having a 25% savings. Evidently, the discounted saving was included in the price quoted.

 

	Their Condo	Our Condo	Details
Accommodation Charges	$ 475.00	$ 475.00	Their rate of $475 reflects a discount of 25%! Our rate is our everyday published rate with NO discount!
Reservation Fee	$ 99.00	$ 0.00	Reservation fee? This is a property managed by a property management company who charges the property owner a fee to list their property, manage reservations and the property itself. So what are you getting for a $99 charge? Save the money and spend it on groceries for the week!
Vacation Insurance	$ 48.22	$ 0.00	Vacation Insurance?? OK….we believe in Vacation Insurance too, but we don’t charge you for it up front! We will give you options so that YOU can choose who you want to cover your vacation! At least you allowed to opt out of this coverage….AFTER you have paid for it. Want to see what it takes to do that? * (read below)
Linen Package	$ 110.00	$ 0.00	Our rate includes ALL bed and bath linens…not to mention some beach towels, beach chairs, beach toys, beach cooler.
Taxes	$ 68.88	$ 52.25	Why the difference? You pay taxes on your Reservation Fee & your Vacation insurance.
Total Cost	$ 801.10	$ 527.25	What could you do with $275 ??
Security Deposit	At least $ 500	$ 200	We do not charge returning guests a security deposit.

 

Again, this is not an attempt to show that our condo is somehow better than theirs. It isn’t quite an apple to apple comparison. It’s more an effort to show you that what you think you may be paying is not necessarily what you will pay.

One more point to consider. We are not in the rental property business, therefore our motivation is going to be significantly different from those who are relying on an investment property for income. We do not own an investment property; we own a condo near a beach we love and visit as often as possible and ultimately where we will live. When you choose to share our condo, you deal with us and us only. We understand what it takes to make a vacation a memorable one and we make every effort to ensure that your stay with us is truly a memorable one! We rent our condo so that other families may come to enjoy what we enjoy so much and hopefully, make some friends in the process!

Stop by and take a look at some of the sights and sounds from many Myrtle Beach vacations.

*At your option, you may decline the insurance and not be subject to the insurance premium. Declining insurance may be done, in writing, using the reverse of the reservation confirmation we send you, or by writing to us via fax, email, or post, a letter that includes the reservation number, reservation name, and clearly indicates that the vacation insurance is to be declined for the reservation. Declines are subject to our receipt thereof at least thirty days prior to the arrival date on the reservation. If vacation insurance is declined, but later desired, it may be added to the reservation no later than thirty days prior to arrival. Vacation insurance coverage is subject to our receipt of the premium for the insurance and to the terms of the policy (and only those terms). Reservations made less than thirty days prior to arrival will not include vacation insurance.

How About A ***FREE*** Myrtle Beach Vacation!

Tough economic times got you down?…….Spoiling your vacation plans?

Here’s a GREAT opportunity to come down to Myrtle Beach this Spring or Summer courtesy of one of our partners, hotpads.com! With our competitive rates and a thousand dollars from HotPads, you’ll probably end up with money in your pocket on your way home from your best ever Myrtle Beach vacation! Take a look at our listing on Hotpads by clicking here. and click on the contest picture below to enter to WIN!

Good luck to you and see you at the beach!

 

 

Greetings from HotPads!

With all the talk of the down economy and bailouts permeating the news, we here in Washington, DC have decided to do a little bailout of our own: a $1,000 Renter Bailout!

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$1,000 Renter Bailout

Who: This $1,000 sweepstakes is open to everyone- renters and non-renters alike!
What: A grand prize of $1,000 will be awarded to one lucky winner to help with rent, your mortgage... whatever!
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Great Food & Drink in Southport/Oak Island!

Since we’ve been focusing so much on the Oak Island/Southport area, we thought we’d pass along our choice for one of the best places in the area for food, drink, relaxation and spectacular views. More importantly….it won’t set you back an arm and a leg! It’s a little difficult to find the Dean End Saloon & Fish Factory, but it’s well worth the effort. The restaurant sits right on the Intracoastal Waterway in the long shadow of the Oak Island bridge. It’s just a beautiful setting with a marina, condos and a handful of small shops just at the end of Fish Factory Rd.

They are open 7 days a week for food and drink and they also have some of the best in local musicians performing out on the deck. They have quite an extensive menu sure to please almost every palate with:

• Appetizers like Cajun Crab Lumps-broiled jumbo crab lumps in a spicy Cajun imperial sauce, served w/ french bread and veggie stix.
• Chili Taco Salad-fresh greens, tomatoes, onions, olives, jalapenos, in a fried tortilla shell topped w/ our home-made chili and finished w/ shredded cheese, sour cream and salsa
• Jerked Chicken-two breasts marinated and grilled in our own house-made sauce, serve over fries with a side of honey mustard
• “Dean End Cheese Steak-thin sliced beef, fried onions, jalapenos, choice of cheese, lettuce tomato & mayo on a fresh baked roll

….and not to be forgotten…an assortment of burgers, breasts, and quesadillas!

The icing on the cake is…..EVERY day is Specials Day!..with prices that can’t be beat!

Your map to great food & drink!

View the slide show below for some views of the Dead End!

More Myrtle Beach Vacation Activities – Lots of Fun……NOT lots of money!

It’s always a challenge to find vacation activities that will please children and adults alike and won’t burn a hole in your pocket! A trip to Fort Caswell on Oak Island is sure to fit that bill! For only $3 per person, you can spend hours touring the grounds of Fort Caswell. If you’re a history buff…..the Fort Caswell/Southport area is rich in Carolina history!

Fort Caswell, is located at the tip of Caswell Beach at the mouth of the Cape Fear River to the south is the Atlantic Ocean and to the north is the Elizabeth River. Considered one of the strongest forts in the world when it was built in 1825, Fort Caswell originally covered 2,800 acres at the eastern end of Oak Island. It was the first thing constructed on Oak Island and its inhabitants were some of the first people to permanently settle on the island when it was still connected to the mainland by marshlands. Fort Caswell was built simply because Southport and Bald Head Island were havens for notorious pirates, including Blackbeard. Considering that this river highway stretched all the way to Fayetteville and ships were being pirated, Congress authorized the construction of a fort in 1825 to strengthen the area’s defenses.

The original fort was built at a cost of $473,402 and was fortified with both brick walls and large earthworks in a pentagonal design. Fortified with over 61 gun emplacements, it guarded the mouth of the Cape Fear River, and was a key in the defense of Wilmington an important port 50 miles upriver and, at the time, the state's largest city. When the issue of secession was debated in 1861, it was seized twice by a group called the "Cape Fear Minutemen", who were subsequently ordered by the NC Governor to return it to the keeper of the fort, the only man stationed there by the US Army at the time.

Fort Caswell was such a formidable adversary for the Union, that it saw very little action during the Civil War. During the Civil War no soldier lost his life at Fort Caswell due to combat. Many soldiers did die however, from yellow fever, small pox, and other diseases. This is amazing since Fort Caswell changed hands between Union and Confederate forces four times during the war! When the supply lines were cut off to Fort Caswell after Fort Fisher fell to Union forces in January 1865 the Fort Caswell soldiers had to abandon their fortifications. However, before they did so they ignited the powder magazine with all the gun powder they had left and heavily damaged the fort, the citadel, and the surrounding earth mound fortifications.

On January 31, 1946 Fort Caswell was designated as a war surplus and assigned for disposal. The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina purchased the 250-acre fort from the government on September 1949 for 86,000. The remains of the citadel are still intact and are preserved by the Baptist Assembly of North Carolina, The N.C. Baptist Assembly at Fort Caswell is a religious retreat and conference center and is opened year round, with the exception of Christmas through New Year's Day.

To access the fort, drive down Caswell Beach Rd, past Oak Island Lighthouse, and continue until you reach the guardhouse at the entrance to the Baptist Assembly and Fort Caswell. Only a limited number of guests are allowed on the property at any one time. You may have to wait at the guardhouse for a very short while….but it will be well worth your wait! Once you are allowed in, you can either simply drive through the property (without leaving your car) or if you want to tour the area by car and foot, you’ll be asked to check in at the office where you’ll pay a $3 fee and receive a guest pass for as long as you’d like to tour the property. There is also a very nice gift shop in the office building. Accommodations are also available for extended stays. Please visit the Ft Caswell website for more details.

We would strongly encourage you to walk throughout the property. Your kids will love wandering through the maze of hallways and rooms inside the fort, many of them hidden away under the earthen embankments. You can walk the shoreline facing out into the Atlantic on one side….watch barges, super tankers and freighters coming into the mouth of the Cape Fear on their way up to the state port or make your way to the inland side of the island for great views of the Intracoastal Waterway and Southport, NC.

If you haven’t had enough history yet and you have time….a ferry trip across the Cape Fear will bring you to Caswell’s partner of defense, Ft Fisher, not to mention the spectacular NC Aquarium at Ft Fisher. Click on the picture below for a slide show of some of the sights of Fort Caswell.

Hard Rock Park finds buyer for $25 million - Local - Myrtle Beach Online

Some surprisingly good news that might….just might resurrect the ‘Park formerly know as Hard Rock!” This would be such great news for the people of Myrtle…visitors to Myrtle and this suffering economy in general. It is so depressing to drive on the 501 over the ICW and see that entire area just slipping into wasteland!

News - Local Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009 Hard Rock Park finds buyer for $25 million.

Hard Rock Park may not be quiet for much longer.

 

According to bankruptcy court documents filed today, the rock 'n' roll theme park has found a buyer, willing to pay $25 million for the property, as is. The park's purchaser, FPI MB Entertainment, has put down a $2.3 million down payment and is hoping to close the sale quickly, by Feb. 20 if possible. According to the asset purchase agreement, the price will go down $1 million if the sale isn't completed by Feb. 20 and will continue to drop $50,000 for each day after Feb. 20 until the sale is closed. By Tom Murray / tmurray@thesunnews.com * Gallery Available Hard Rock Park Timeline * Read the motion to sell Hard Rock Park * External Link Full coverage of Hard Rock Park The new buyers are hoping to reopen the park quickly. The reason for the quick sale, according to the court documents, is that the buyers are hoping to reopen the park's gates in a soft opening prior to Memorial Day -- with a full opening that weekend. The sale must still be approved by the bankruptcy court at a sale approval hearing Feb. 17. Horry County Council Chairwoman Liz Gilland said a group of individuals were behind FPI, though she declined to say whether any were local or whether she knew any of them prior to the court documents being filed. The corporation was created on Feb. 4 in Delaware, according to the Web site of that state's division of corporations. It is registered to The Corporation Trust Co. in Wilmington, Del., a firm that helps businesses legally form corporations. Gilland said she did not know all the people involved in the corporation and declined to say whether any had prior theme park management experience. Gilland also said there had been informal discussions regarding assistance from the county and the state, though there had been no formal request so far. She said the county did not play a role in locating the buyers. "Because of the economy, this is even going to be better news than it would have been without the economy being so bad," Gilland said. "I feel like this will be a shot -- just a real boost from a whole lot of perspectives. And that's everything from jobs to tourism and all the related businesses." Gilland said she was confident the company would learn from the mistakes of the previous managers and make the park successful financially. She said it would have been dreadful had the park remained closed and its assets been sold off piecemeal. "That is a real negative for the word to get out that maybe Myrtle Beach couldn't sustain a theme park, which would discourage anybody for years to come," she said. "To come back in and bring back to life what has died such an untimely, early death in a sense would be just tremendous PR for the beach as well as a huge boost for tourism." More details will be posted as they become available.

This story courtesy The Myrtle Beach Sun News – your local source for all the news that is Myrtle!

Fun things to do with kids around Myrtle Beach for under $10 « Shout About South Carolina Travel, Family Attractions and Free Things to Do

Fun things to do with kids around Myrtle Beach for under $10 « Shout About South Carolina Travel, Family Attractions and Free Things to Do

 

I just found this fantastic blog (click on the link above) with oh so many wonderful ideas for things to do not just in the Myrtle Beach area, but also some great finds throughout South Carolina as well as up into NC. In our troubling economy, it’s so helpful to be able not only to even take a vacation…but to have a ton of good ideas to help you plan a great vacation WITHOUT breaking the bank.

If you’re planning a Myrtle Beach family vacation this year, do yourself a favor and visit this blog now and throughout your vacation planning.

This could be YOU!!

Pinched eateries set meals within reach - Local - Myrtle Beach Online

 

Our theme lately seems to be following our troubling economy; its effect on our vacations and not just how to cope with it, use but also using it to our advantage whenever possible. In our effort to find ways to save you some money on your vacation (if you’re going to be lucky enough to take one!), we came across this article from the Sun News in Myrtle Beach. It’s no secret that business is tough just about everywhere……the restaurant business more so than many others (unless you’re selling Chevies!).  It’s always a good idea to look for bargains, coupons, nightly specials, 2-fers and the like anytime you’re having a meal out! Why spend more than you you have to! Right now, restaurants are trying to vie for a shrinking pool of dining dollars and they’re going to go out of their way to get you into their dining rooms. Take advantage of their offers!….you’ll be saving money and doing them a favor as well…..a few dollars less revenue is better than NO revenue and you’ll be doing your part to get this economy off of life support!

Here’s some interesting news from the Sun News regarding how the local Myrtle Beach restaurants are coping with the current economic downturn.

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Specials, coupons, cuts in prices aim to attract today's thrifty diners

By Johanna D. Wilson - jwilson@thesunnews.com

Restaurant owners are using common-sense management and marketing to survive a storm of slow business riding on the back of a broken economy. Faced with customers who have abandoned splurging and become intimate with thriftiness, restaurateurs are doing their best to draw them in. "People are spending less money," said Barbara Woolfort, who operates and owns The Breakfast Klub in Murrells Inlet with her husband, Nick Woolfort. "They are coming in here and getting water and one pancake." Restaurants Salt Creek Cafe owner Keith Wolff (left) stacks menus during the restaurant's early-bird hour on Friday in Murrells Inlet. For the past two or three months, Nick Woolfort said, his business has been down about 30 percent. And owners have to suck it up because they know business gets bogged down in an unpredictable economic storm.

Instead of whining, many are trying plans they hope will keep them afloat. "Some run buy-one-get-one-free dinner specials, and maybe they will mix up their menus and offer special food items, and typically those items will have a deep discount," said Pauline Levesque, president of the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association. "Business is very slow, so they need to keep up with ways to attract customers." Levesque said restaurant owners have entered a typically slow period - January and February - when they were already down 20 percent to 25 percent on the heels of 2008. Restaurants nationwide saw a 1.3 percent decline in sales in 2008, the second consecutive year of decline - the first such occurrence in the almost 40 years the National Restaurant Association has been tracking industry sales. Restaurateurs in Southern California, Miami and Chicago recently interviewed by The New York Times reported a decline in business, resulting in more customers sharing plates, buying cheaper wine, ordering less and not dining out as much.

Elsewhere in South Carolina, restaurants also are being punched by the economy. Kirkman Finlay, a Columbia City Council member who owns Doc's Barbecue on Shop Road and Congaree Grill, called his business brutal. "I'm down 30 percent," he said. Pinch takes toll Restaurateurs seem to know more folks suffering than those well and not worrying. "This year has been a challenging year for everybody in the restaurant business," said Dino Thompson, a restaurateur since 1976 who owns Cagney's and the Flamingo Grill with Dino Drosas. "I have noticed that more restaurants than ever before are couponing and doing half off and buy one get one free. Those things will help your cash flow for a while, but you can't keep that up." For about two or three months now, Thompson said, business has been down about 20 percent. Thompson, whose restaurants are well-known in the area by locals and tourists, said he started a happy hour at Flamingo Grill, a move he has never before made. "I will probably do it at Cagney's, too, when we open [Feb. 6]. We will probably run some new appetizers and entrees to stimulate interest, too."

Other restaurants owners are already knee-deep in marketing campaigns and are restructuring the way they do business: J. Edward's, a steakhouse in Myrtle Beach, is advertising what it is calling "Economy Bailout." According to the ad, nine entrees start at $5.99, a price reduction that reflects what prices were back in 1994, with some going back to 1989. J. Edward Fleming, the owner, said he will run the early bird specials all year long. T.G.I. Friday's is offering a free lunch entree, if you buy one, until March 31. At the River Room in Georgetown, Sally Swineford, an owner, has half-price wines by the bottle on Monday nights. "That is catching on by word of mouth," she said of the feature that started in November.

At Aspen Grille, a fine-dining restaurant in Myrtle Beach, an 8-ounce hickory-smoked prime rib that usually sells for $26 is $12.99 every Tuesday. In November, owner Joe Sutherland said his business was down by 10 percent, but in December he broke even. This month, he said that it looks as if business will be up. "We have not increased our prices at all," he said. "We have actually lowered some things and reconstructed it with other items. We have put more pressure on our suppliers. Instead of dealing with one, we will shop around for the best prices." Aspen Grille has also become a little like Burger King, allowing customers to have it their way. They can share plates without being charged extra and even bring in their own wine to drink, although there's still a $10 corking fee. Eateries get creative Diners said they are looking for bonuses and deals when they eat out, while also making a point of dining out less. "We are definitely eating out less, and I'll tell you what we have also started doing - we started being more thrifty," said Christina Prince of Longs, who recently dined with her family at Friendly's and saved by ordering specials and taking advantage of a locals discount. "We had a very bad habit of eating out all the time before the economy went sour."

Jay Benson, the manager of Friendly's on 47th Avenue North in Myrtle Beach, said coupons have worked well to draw customers to his restaurant. At Ella's of Calabash in Calabash, N.C., owner Kurt Hardee is sticking to daily lunch specials for $5.75 and is doing work others once did for him. Hardee, the grandson of the restaurant's founder, said he refuses to raise prices because he knows his customers will go somewhere else or stay home. Instead, he buys his own towels, mats and aprons and launders them himself, instead of using a linen service. "I was spending about $200 a month, and now I spend about $15 a month," Hardee said. He has generated additional revenue by finding a company that will pay him for used cooking oil, and he dropped the company that paid him nothing. "The last check I got was $1,000," Hardee said. His revenue is up about 10 percent, he said. Nevertheless, like other owners, he sees a change in business. "People are spending less money," Hardee said. "They are cutting out dessert or that second beer. People are looking for bargains, and you can't blame them in this economy."

Wendy and Keith Wolff, owners of Salt Creek Cafe in Murrells Inlet, felt the industry tremble last year when food and fuel prices soared. They paid close attention, studied the forecast and decided to make bargains, happy hour and entertainment a part of their business out of the gate. "We opened knowing there is an offseason," Wendy Wolff said. "We are not taking anything for granted because of the economy." When the Wolffs saw that people wanted the less expensive lunch entrees during dinner, they made both menus available all day. Wendy Wolff doesn't doubt that the economy eventually will turn. "This is what my husband knows how to do," she said. "We are going to make it work. We have four children. There is no other choice for us. The economy is just a bump. I think it could only get better, and with a new president, I can only be hopeful."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Pinched eateries set meals within reach - Local - Myrtle Beach Online