Spring is arriving along the Atlantic coast! Many of you visiting this month have enjoyed our special tribute to Valentine's Day while you watched the change of the seasons along the Strand. The warmth of Spring 2009 is nearly here!
Everything seems to be stirring and shaking off lingering bits of winter sluggishness. Spring holds promise and energy, and we at Grande Shores are ready to move forward! We are involved with everything from community participation in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life to making our property even more inviting for our guests.
Our energetic staff has been busily preparing for the arrival of warmer-weather guests. Some already here chose to over-winter with us. They are already shedding winter jackets in favor of shorter-sleeved clothing. Grande Shores sparkles with the promise of a fabulous 2009, and we invite you to take notice of our sharper image when you come. Check out the fresh look to the pool area, for example, where our painters have created an ocean-current theme of wall designs. See the color and brightness of the garden as our grounds-keepers change colorful plants with the seasons. Take a walk towards the ocean and breathe in the clean, fresh air of spring. Invigorating!
Grande Shores invites you to come to Myrtle Beach as soon as you can to renew your spirit for the year! Bask in the sunlight! Spend time on the beach! We are here to warm you up!
Hoping to see you soon!
Your Friends at Grande Shores Resort
Congratulations to the Pollock Family -- Grande Shores' 2008 Sweepstakes Winner
Grande Shores has proudly announced the winner of the 2008 sweepstakes drawing for the 42" HDTV. Kathleen Pollock and her family of Texas have been notified to expect their prize later this month. Their enthusiastic emails express their delight and anticipation of enjoying its use in the up-coming sports and TV-viewing season.
Our sweepstakes drawings occur annually. Entry is free, so we encourage you to log onto www.GrandeShores.com and find the icon reading "click here" 2009 Sweepstakes Information. The prize this year is a new IPod Touch 32GH plus an ITunes Gift Card valued at $300. Entries will be accepted through December 31st of this year, and the drawing will occur on/about January 1st, 2010.
Entry is easy, and winning can happen to you, too! Best wishes, Pollock Family!
Special Valentine Mention of a Guest Family from New York
After a delightful stay with us at Grande Shores, many of you leave to return to, shall we say, more challenging environments. Perhaps you can identify with this special family, the Mercurios, who visited Grande Shores this month. Read the note, shown below, that they sent us after returning home. It seems that their hearts never quite left here, perhaps touched by February's "love arrow" - the special allure of the Grande Shores.
If your own weather is getting you down, if the snow packs around your home, making it hard to get in and out of the door, if the icy winds sting your face as you walk to the bus because your car's engine refuses to start, why not take a break, as the Mercurio's did. Come visit us for spring break or for any reason at all. Nothing says "warm embrace" like gentle spring Carolina winds.
Mercurio Family, thanks for your note! We will keep you in our hearts. May you be warm and safe until for your next visit!
Grande Shore's Super Bowl Party, February 11, 2009
Around 6 pm on Sunday, February 1st, Super Bowl XLIII kicked off! While its actual location was Tampa, FL, the real party occurred at 77th Avenue where Grande Shores' packed its banquet room with eager football fans! Jeannie Pearson, the Director of Food and Beverage, and our own Executive Chef Raphael Mauras, worked hard and long with their staff to plan and carry out a fabulous event, and guests merely had to sit back and enjoy the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals.
OK, sure, attending the game first hand had a certain thrill, but not everyone could go to Tampa. Besides, being at Grande Shores was better in many ways! The good cheer, ample seating, plenty of delicious food and beverages, no lines in the restrooms, abundant parking at Grande Shores for the Super Bowl, AND none of Tampa's road delays or security checks!
|
Super Bowl XLIII Trivia -- Frito-Lay, one of the sponsors of this year's Super Bowl, created a promotional campaign offering $1 million to any non-ad-related person who could create a homemade ad for the Super Bowl AND have that ad voted #1 by the entire viewing public. The odds seemed overwhelmingly against that happening because other big-dollar sponsors had previously aired some hugely popular ads. This year, Frito-Lay did achieve the vote of #1 ad by viewers. The real winners - Joe and Dave Herbert, unemployed brothers, age 30-something, from Batesville, Indiana. They made marketing history with a funky "snow-globe" 30-second spot called "Free Doritos!"
|
So, if you were not at Grande Shores (or anywhere else) to watch the Super Bowl this year, you missed the winning ad showing a guy shattering a vending machine with a crystal ball. Oh, and by the way you also missed seeing Steelers' linebacker James Harrison's 100-yard dash for the end zone and the great "Super Bowl" food by Chef Raphael and his staff!
Think 2010, and plan to come see Super Bowl XLIV action, not in Miami, but here with us at Grande Shores!
Relay for Life Garners Participation at Grande Shores
Grande Shores and its sister property Horizon have been working together since January with the community in mind, helping to raise cancer awareness locally through Relay for Life.
In cooperation with the American Cancer Society, Grande Shores has been organizing fund-raisers to earn money on its behalf. Even in these challenging economic times, we have raised funds toward for this worthy cause. We at Grande Shores are enthusiastic in moving toward the fund-raising goal of $3,000 by April of this year, thinking of creative ideas and volunteering time and hard work.
Our dedicated volunteers have been holding bake-offs, chili suppers, candy bar sales, "foot-print" tribute donations, t-shirt sales, and online donations, accumulating to date over $1,000. Grande Shores held a raffle this past Valentine's Day, as well. Jennifer Dolan and Jenna Hillman contacted area merchants for many donated items to the raffle, and tickets for them went on sale in the lobby at our resort for $1 (6 for $5 and 12 for $10). The event became quite a party with refreshments donated by the managers and a buoyant atmosphere generated by each and every guest and passer-by. No shortage of fun here! Everyone enjoyed the festivities of the raffle which generated $297 for the Relay for Life.
Some of the donations included:
- Dixie Stampede, gift bag (2 tickets, mugs and tee shirts)
- Rose Mary Johnson (a Grande Shores winter guest), an afghan
- Chris Cottreau (winter guest), handmade wall hanging,
- Star Bucks Coffee, a gift basket
- Shoreline Café, 2 dinners,
- Party Makers, balloons to decorate lobby.
If you are in the Myrtle Beach area on or around April 24th, join us in Myrtle Beach at baseball complex called The Ripken Experience when the community's collaborative effort for Relay for Life, including Grande Shores, will meet.
Featured Guests -- Mr. and Mrs. Gray, from Canada
Doug and Sue Gray from Ontario, Canada, have been traveling to Myrtle Beach for 20 years and staying at the Shroff hotels for 9 years. In the earlier days, they stayed at the Helms Vista in North Myrtle Beach until it was reconstructed to become today's modern Avista Resort. As frequent winter guests at Grande Shores since 2005, they love Myrtle Beach for its premium golf, and they love staying at the Grande Shores in particular for its friendly staff who make them feel so well cared for and comfortable. Some of their favorite activities here are dining at The Shoreline Café, participating in the social gatherings on Friday nights with other monthly guests, and experiencing the many diverse attractions along the Grand Strand area.
This charming couple has two children and eight grandchildren. Given their love of golf, it is no surprise to learn that their son Todd is a golf professional who introduced them to Myrtle Beach in the first place. Prior to retirement, Mr. Gray worked in the field of industrial equipment sales, and Mrs. Gray worked for Kodak in Canada for 35 years, in charge of employees' pensions and benefits.
For many reasons, the Grays are special people to us at Grande Shores, not least of which is their warm demeanor and kindliness to everyone here.
Grande Shores is Ready for Your Arrival!
According to weather reports and your comments by mail and email, some of you might have experienced an especially hard winter. In fact, much like the Mercurio family mentioned earlier, you might still be up to your window-sills in snow and ice from an on-going brutal winter.
We want you to know that we are here for you! Our oceanfront, sunshine haven awaits you!
Over the past several weeks, our hard-working team* has been polishing, cleaning, sprucing up, checking and re-checking odds and ends, and generally making sure that every detail of your stay here is prepared - as examples, see the Valentine's décor and the new wall décor below. We are team-building through continuing training and applying physical efforts toward painting, cleaning, and polishing in anticipation of your visit. Our sunshine is turned on! Our blue sky is gleaming! Our shoreline along the Atlantic Ocean is rippling, all to make your beach vacation here the best that you have ever had. So, whenever you arrive, we are ready!
* See the "Featured Employees" article below for a tribute to some of the hard-working people who make Grande Shores truly "grand."
Grande Shores' Featured Employees
Success at this resort comes in large part from the many labors of love from its diverse staff–the engineering staff, food/beverage, housekeeping, front desk/customer service, and administration. Certainly the efforts require teamwork and creativity. Over time, we hope to pay tribute to as many as possible of the individuals who work together to make our resort shine.
Flor, Manuel, Raphael, George, Thomas, Dominga, and Heriberto are just some of the busy staff at Grande Shores!
Featured Recipe - Hushpuppies
Distinctly Southern, hushpuppies are a centuries-old recipe of an American food. Consisting of small cornmeal breads made into a spherical or oblong shape, each one is quickly deep-fried or baked to golden perfection. Yielding about 15 fried hushpuppies, this recipe comes from EasySouthernStyleRecipes.com
Ingredients:
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon bell pepper, chopped (optional)
- 1-1/2 cups cornmeal
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 egg
- 2 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise
Directions:
- Heat cooking oil in a 2-quart saucepan.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add equal parts of milk and water to make the batter the desired consistency that will easily drop from a spoon or shape by hand.
- Carefully drop into the hot grease.
- Cook and turn each hushpuppy until browned on all sides.
- Remove from the oil and drain on paper towel covered plate.
- Best eaten when warm.
Local Events Calendar
3/1 to 10/09. Coastal Kayaking, Huntington Beach State Park. Every week from Oyster Landing on Monday during this period, from 10 am to 12 noon. Call 843.235.8755 for more information. Participants should meet at the Education Center for this guided tour of the salt marsh (bring drinking water, sunscreen, and lace-up shoes for muddy conditions.)
3/1 to 10/09. Coastal Birding, Huntington Beach State Park. Every week on Wednesdays depend on fabulous birding experiences from the causeway through freshwater and salt marsh areas with experienced bird experts. Event lasts from 10 to 11 am. Call 843.235.8755 for more information. Participants should meet at the Education Center for this guided tour.
3/6-21 on selected days. Singles Speed Date Competition. From 7:00pm - 9:00pm Friday, Saturday - week 1, 2, 3 every month, the SOS Singles' Club has dedicated the month at the 2001 Night Club to this event for single people 25 to 65 years old. Participation is low cost, no pressure, and safe, designed to help people of like interests meet other people. See www.sossinglesclub.com (need not be a member to attend.)
3/6-8. Craftsmen's Classic™ Arts & Crafts Festival in Columbia, SC. Huge crafters' (over 300 artists) show and sale with something for every style, taste, and budget with items pleasing to the most traditional to the most contemporary. Located at the SC State Fair grounds at 1200 Rosewood Avenue. For more information, email contact@GilmoreShows.com or call 336.282.5550.
3/7. The Myrtle Beach Area I. C. E. (Incredible Customer Experience) Awards. Palace Theatre at Broadway at the Beach. 6 pm to 10 pm. Tickets $30 includes cocktail reception, awards ceremony, and after-party event. For more information, www.MyrtleBeachICEAwards.com.
3/14. Pine Lakes Country Club. Grand Re-Opening following renovations to the course and club house. See more information at www.PineLakes.com or book tee times with us at www.teetimesonly.com.
3/14. 21st Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival. Come see the parade at Main Street in North Myrtle Beach, starting at 9 am. The event lasts until 4 pm with bands, street festival, children's area, arts and crafts, food, vendors, and lots of fun. See more at www.StPatNMB.com or call 843.280.5570.
3/14-22. The 48th Annual Canadian-American Days in Myrtle Beach. The nine-day event line-up will feature events, activities, and discounts, including welcome receptions, military band concerts, athletic tournaments and wildlife and history days. For more information, call 800.356.3016 or visit www.CanAmDays.com.
3/21. Taste of the Coast at Barefoot Landing. Affiliated with the Risen Christ Lutheran School, the event lasts from 10 am to 5 pm. For more information, see www.tocnmb.com or call 843.272.8163.
3/19-21. Pee Dee Street Rodders. Classic Car Rally at Waccamaw Factory Shops at 3200 Pottery Drive in Myrtle Beach. For more information, www.peedeestreetrodders.com or through the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce at 843.626.7444.
3/27. Brewers' Dinner. Affiliated with the Myrtle Beach Beer Festival. This event kicks off the festival shown below. Dinner from 7pm until 9 pm with admission $50 for dinner and sampling. For more information, please contact Andrea Hensley at 843.712.2618 or email andrea@festivalpromotionsmyrtlebeach.com.
3/28. Myrtle Beach Beer Festival at Market Common, from 12 noon to 7 pm. Plenty of food (including non-alcoholic beverages), live entertainment and more. This is a great opportunity to sample beer from all around the world, with tastes for every interest. Admission $25 in advance ($35 at the time). For more information, see www. myrtlebeachbeerfest.com.
|
|
Guest Comments
Often guests communicate their vacation experiences by phone, email, voice, or paper. They let us know about their stay at the Grande Shores, and frequently we find that their views can help inform others about ideas to make their own oceanfront vacations unique and special. Here are some of the latest words from previous guests:
I LOVE your newsletter. I stayed twice - 2004 and 2005, in room #1111 at the Grande Shores resort, and both times it was absolutely perfect! The resort is spotless, the customer care and resort staff is exceptional, bar none; my room with a mini patio was impeccable, and the grilled food and drinks served near the ground-level pool, oh, still makes my mouth water! Even the parking garage is a wonderful attribute! I can truly think of nothing displeasing when I think of Grande Shores. Each day of both vacations I made use of your Shoreline Café restaurant for either breakfast or supper, but ALWAYS had my poolside grilled lunches! There was absolutely no need for me to go any further than the resort grounds to the beach. From beach to resort, from resort to beach and back again, now that's my idea of a vacation, and my idea of living! My first visit to Grande Shores was a belated honeymoon, as I had never seen the ocean before (I'm from Wisconsin). I thought it was so magical that the following year I just had to bring my son and his girlfriend to see the ocean and to experience what Grande Shores has to offer. Your newsletter is wonderful reminder and a walk down memory lane for me. And I always check out the webcam! My goal is to always come back. I would leave right this minute without packing a single item if I could afford the travel expenses. Thank you for all the memories! Wishing Grande Shores a prosperous and successful 2009, and of course: I remain a very satisfied past patron and future vacationer!
Email from Christine from Wisconsin, January 22, 2009
I stayed at the Grande Shores (hotel) - ocean front. Enjoyed the stay. Always looking to find good deals for the July period of the year as this is my birthday, and I like to spend the week there at the beach.
Email from Diane from Durham, January 22, 2009.
Just wanted to let you know that my husband and I have stayed at the Grande Shores 4 times in the last 15 months. I have recommended it to my friends and family. We are planning on relocating to South Carolina in 2010. But before we do that, we will vacation at the Grande Shores a few times more. It is our favorite hotel. It is so convenient to the area. Have a great holiday and a Happy New Year!!!
Email from Patricia of New Jersey, December 23, 2008.
We love Grande Shores! We discovered it on a February night when traveling back home from Hilton Head. We needed an overnight stay when we discovered our destination was in a blizzard. This escape ended up being our new best friend! For the past 4 years we have visited twice a year, staying in a 3-bedroom condo. We have our favorite "stack" and the staff has always been successful in fitting us into one of our favorite units. Our teenagers enjoy bringing friends along for the week. Although our teenagers' activities cause us to limit each stay to one week, when we become an "empty nest" we are looking forward to an annual 2 MONTH stay! We hope to have our ENTIRE family stay for a reunion next summer. Thanks for the hospitality, accommodations, exceptional housekeeping staff, and the amenities that make our stay so special. See you this spring!
Email from the Kay family of Fairfax, VA, January 22, 2009.
Fun Facts
Gullah is a Creole language (English vocabulary with West African grammatical structure) spoken by people of the Gullah community of the Middle Atlantic coast. Pitch and tones of the language vary the meaning, plus using non-verbal gestures such as body language.
Du Bose Heyward's 1925 novel Porgy, upon which Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess is based, was written in the Gullah dialect.
By some count measuring only in several dozen remaining, the Gullah people live on the Sea Islands. Some also live at other sites in the lowcountry region along the South Carolina and Georgia coast. The island communities of Gullah with the least tourism development are where the Gullah way of life has bee left intact.
The Gullah people are known for preserving more of their African linguistic and cultural heritage than any other African American community in the United States.
Many of today's Gullah ancestors came from Angola and Liberia in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Through the centuries, the Gullah people manage to keep cultural traditions rooted in their African homeland. Their language, music, physical attributes, folk beliefs, and food all link back closely to West African origin.
The Gullah version of "gumbo" has roots in African cooking. "Gumbo" is derived from a word in the Umbundu language of Angola, meaning "okra." Recipes vary, but true gumbo contains okra.
Welcoming Groups to Grande Shores
Our thanks to these groups for selecting Grande Shores this month:
- South Carolina Association of Clerks to County (6th annual visit to Grande Shores)
- Dixon Family Reunion
- Stinson Family Reunion
- North Side Baptist Church
If your group is looking for somewhere to hold its annual meeting, a family reunion, a meeting of the minds, or any other reason for coming together, let the capable staff at Grande Shores help you with everything from room reservations to extra-curricular events such as golf package, shopping adventures, and spa treatments.
|
