Myrtle Beach Blog
Welcome to the Seaside Vacations, the Myrtle Beach Experts, blog. Here we will be bringing you the latest news and specials in the Myrtle Beach vacation rentals industry, as well as local real estate info and area events.Be sure to check back often or subscribe to our RSS feed using the link at the bottom of the page.
Thanks for stopping by!
By Brande Brock
Written on Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Smile pretty for the camera! 
What's better than making unforgettable memories with your loved ones? Being able to relive those treasured moments again and again. Everyone who visits the Myrtle Beach area for vacation loves to have their picture taken on the beautiful sandy beaches with the crashing of the ocean waves in the background. You will probably fill a whole memory stick on your digital camera taking photos of family members at your North Myrtle Beach vacation rental. But what about a nice family beach portrait?
Professional and local photographer Charlie Laney, owner of Barefoot Guy Photography, can help make that happen - and at an affordable price! Take home quality beach portraits of the whole family that you will cherish for a lifetime. Rarely do ALL family members get in the photos -someone is always missing (ummm, that would be the shy person who volunteers to take all the photos!)
Visit Charlie's website and make a plan to get those long overdue family portraits taken this year while visiting the beach. http://www.barefootguyphotography.com/ Black and white, all color, solo portraits, just the kids - just about anything you can think of. No artificial lighting and faux backdrops - we do everything all natural here! Charlie is knowledgable about the best time of day for outdoor shots as well as setting the scene for a perfect photo.
So while planning your North Myrtle Beach condos vacation this year, plan to set aside an afternoon to get the family beach portraits done with Barefoot Guy Photography - they make great gifts and it is a much more precious souvenir than a hermit crab (and let me say, less SMELLY too). Locals, don't forget that Barefoot Guy Photography also caters to sporting events, high school senior photos, business and special event photos, and weddings.
By Brande Brock
Written on Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Spring has sprung and it is a GREAT time to visit North Myrtle Beach! We have lots of fabulous deals on oceanfront condos and homes for last minute vacations during the whole month of April. If you cannot get away for a week, no worries - enjoy a mini vacation and still get a great deal! Seaside Vacations offers a variety of
North Myrtle Beach vacation rentals at 20 to 30% off - we know what a hard winter everyone has had and we want you to be able to come and enjoy this beautiful beach weather. Not only is the weather fantastic, but there are festivals and activities throughout the area to entertain you during April and May. Call us today for a unbeatable deal on a North Myrtle Beach vacation rental!
North Myrtle Beach Easter Activities:
Saturday, April 3:
Enjoy breakfast with the Easter Bunny! 9am to 10am at the Children's Museum of South Carolina. Get free photos with the Easter Bunny, a continental breakfast, and participate in an Easter egg hunt and other special activities. Call for pricing info and reservations. (843) 946-9469 or
http://www.seasidevacations.com/mailtCMSCprograms@sc.rr.com
Annual Easter Egg Hunt at McLean Park in North Myrtle Beach - 10am to 12pm. Bring the kids out for a great day and enjoy at beautiful McLean Park. Free to the public. For more info call 843-280-5673.
By Brande Brock
Written on Tuesday, March 09, 2010
22nd Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade - North Myrtle Beach
If you are heading to the beach this weekend, or if you happen to already be here, you definitely don't want to miss this annual event! The St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival draws one of the larger crowds for an event in the area. The parade will kick off at 9am on Saturday, March 13th. After the parade, there will be vendors setup at the end of Main Street offering great food, beverages, arts and crafts. While you enjoy a delicious reuben sandwich and ice cold beer at Flynn's Irish Pub, walk around and enjoy a variety of entertainment from local bands, vocalists, and dancers. Its a wonderful event and lasts all afternoon until 4pm.
The Grand Marshall for the parade this year is Heather Edwards - winner of the Optimist Club "2010 Youth of the Year." This outstanding young lady has actively participated in the commuity, church, and schools helping others and bringing awareness about our environment and how we can all play an integral role in its preservation. Congratulations Heather and thank you for all you do in our community!
This event is sponsored by the City of North Myrtle Beach and the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce. For more information about the event, including vendor information and directions, visit http://www.stpatnmb.com/index.html
By Brande Brock
Written on Thursday, February 11, 2010
Tired of average, boring vacations? Come spend your vacation at Myrtle Beach. It's 60 miles of beautiful beaches, unlimited water activities, first class amenities, and much more. It's one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world for millions of visitors every year. A great way to get the most out of your vacation is to stay in one of their Myrtle Beach vacation rentals. Seaside Vacations work hard to ensure you'll get the perfect rental for you and your family.
Myrtle Beach vacation rentals offer a luxurious lifestyle for vacationers looking to experience the best beaches and accommodations on the east coast. They offer a huge selection of condos, villas, town houses, and beach homes. You can choose to spend your vacation right on the beach, close to the beach, or inland. No matter what you decide, it's going to be a vacation of a lifetime that will offer lasting memories for you and your family.
By Brande Brock
Written on Wednesday, January 27, 2010
A tragedy has occurred in our community. We at Seaside Vacations want to send our deepest sympathies along with our thoughts and prayers to the Bellamy family, who lost their youngest son last week to a an accidental shooting. Please read the letter below from Melissa Edge in reference to a memorial fund set up to help this family as they are not only in need of spiritual guidance, but also financial assistance - let's pull together as a community and help this family in their time of need.
Most of you know of the recent tragedy that occurred in North Myrtle Beach involving two young boys, both of whom were friends of my son, Pierce. In that accident, one little boy, Matthew Bellamy, lost his life. A fund has been set up at the National Bank of South Carolina to help Matthew’s family with funeral and other expenses related to Matthew’s death. If you would like to help this amazing family, you can drop checks off at any NBSC branch or mail them to me at 1423 Edge Drive, North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29582. Checks should be made out to the “Matthew Bellamy Memorial Fund.”
Matthew was a precious child who loved life! He was always smiling, always happy. He was active in baseball, soccer and Upward basketball and was very active in his church. To sum it up, Matthew was a phenomenal child. But I would like to tell you a little you a little bit about his parents, Chip and Mylissa Bellamy. Chip and Mylissa are honest, hard-working people who are always the first to give but would never ask for anything in return. They volunteer their time at church and have touched the lives of countless children. Also, they are active in coaching youth sports. In addition to Matthew, the Bellamy’s have a 14 year old son, Will and are in the process of adopting a child. They give and give and never ask for anything in return. So I am asking on their behalf.
No one plans to lose a child! In addition to the heartbreak and devastation this family is experiencing, this tragedy has also created a financial burden for them. We can’t take away their heartbreak, we can only be there to pray for them and support them. But we, as a community, can pull together and take away this financial burden. Please consider contributing to Matthew’s memorial fund. If you have any questions, please call me at 843-455-4638.
*Thank you Melissa for allowing us to post your letter. Seaside Vacations
By Brande Brock
Written on Tuesday, December 08, 2009
North Myrtle Beach is located on the northern part of the Grand Strand in South Carolina. It's known as the most desired vacation destination in the US and for good reason. They offer first class amenities which include shopping, dining, entertainment, and more! If you've never been here North Myrtle Beach condo rentals are highly recommended. They allow you to enjoy a true beach vacation with all the privacy you want. Many people love North Myrtle Beach because it's a lil more relaxed than its southern part.
North Myrtle Beach condo rentals give guests an opportunity to experience a vacation that's second to none. Condos have many locations within the area but the most popular ones are ocean front or close to the beach. Who doesn't love waking up to the sun setting over the Atlantic Ocean, right! Come to North Myrtle Beach and see why millions of people come here to spend their vacation year after year.
If you're in the area and have a pet you may enjoy the Pets Light Up Our Lives event at McLean Park in North Myrtle Beach. It starts at 6pm and events will consist of tree lighting, refreshment, and a blessing for your pet. It's a great way to show your pet you appreciate them.
By Brande Brock
Written on Monday, December 07, 2009
North Myrtle Beach is located in northern section of the Grand Strand in South Carolina. It's considered by many locals and vacationers to be more of a quiet and family oriented section than others. North Myrtle Beach condos are a great way to enjoy all of the Grand Strands first class amenities such as white beaches, fine dining, great entertainment, shopping, and more!
North Myrtle Beach condos come in all sizes and shapes. You can experience this vacation destination in a beach house, ocean front condos, town homes, off ocean property, patios homes and more. As the temperatures start to cool vacation rental deals start to heat up. Don't miss your chance to vacation in North Myrtle beach so you can start making new memories.
If you're in the area around December 12th you may enjoy Breakfast With Santa event held at the Hard Rock Cafe in Myrtle Beach. It starts at 8:30am and you can enjoy a breakfast buffet and free kids activities. It's a good time for the whole family.
By Brande Brock
Written on Saturday, December 05, 2009
Myrtle Beach is located in the beautiful state of North Carolina. It's one of the most desired beach and golf vacations getaways in the country. It's known as the golf capital of the world because they have over 100 championship golf courses in and around the area. If you would like a vacation filled with beaches, golf, and rest and relaxation then Myrtle Beach golf vacations are the perfect choice.
Myrtle Beach golf vacations offers guests a chance to play at some of the best courses on the east coast. Some of the top courses in Myrtle Beach are Tigers Eye at Ocean Ridge Plantation, The Dunes Golf and Beach Club, Barefoot Resort Love and Fazio, and Tidewater Golf Club and Plantation. Come experience the best golf at the best vacation destination in the US.
By Brande Brock
Written on Monday, November 16, 2009
The Deep Fried Turkey – The Equipment (don’t freak out health nuts!)
Okay, here’s the scoop – I have eaten turkey every year for…let’s just say enough years to be an authority on the subject….and the truth is, there is not a better, more flavorful, juicy turkey than one that has been deep fried. Yes, I know that Jenny Craig would faint if she heard me say “best and fried” in the same sentence, but facts are facts and while the deep fried turkey does have more calories and fat grams than the baked version, it isn’t enough to warrant a 3-week fast prior to Thanksgiving. Think of it this way, you get a great tasting bird in less time and the oven is free for baking those must-have pies! (silver lining in every cloud, but you have to look for it)
If you are truly that worried about it, or cannot muster up enough bravado to take on the deep fried turkey, don’t sweat it as we will talk about the baked turkey method on Monday, November 16th. For those of you who like to live on the edge, let’s talk grease.
First things first – there are some very important safety precautions that need to be addressed before we can get to the actual cooking process. I was actually going to skip this part and go straight for the recipes, but I thought better of it - any time I have ever “assumed” that folks already know something, I am almost always sorry for it.
SAFETY RULES:
- Make sure you have a heavy duty propane burner and large (they range from 26 quart to about 36 quart) stainless steel or aluminum stockpot. No homemade, rig em’ up jobs – you can buy the turkey frying kits that include the burner, the pot, a basket and/or poultry stand, and a hook at almost any home goods or hardware store for a reasonable price – WalMart, Lowe’s, etc.
- If you purchase a turkey fryer, it will come with a “hook” on which you lower you bird in and out of the fryer – this is a big deal as you can be severely burned using improper equipment. If you did not purchase a turkey frying kit, then visit your local hardware store as they usually sell individual items such as extra pots and hooks.
- There are electric turkey fryers, and you can certainly use those, but the method we are going to explore uses propane, therefore, you MUST DO THIS OUTDOORS. That means, NOT on the deck, NOT in the garage, but OUT in the YARD away from the home and anything else that could cause a problem should the grease spill over. And of course, you cannot leave the turkey unattended while it is cooking. In other words, if you are responsible for cooking the rest of the meal, then appropriate a person to watch the turkey. (no checking football scores – eyes on the turkey!)
Quick Review to make sure you have all the tools:
1. Turkey Fryer – consists of propane burner, large stockpot, basket/ and or turkey stand with grab hook
2. Propane tank
3. Thermometer – to check oil temp – food thermometer to check turkey temp
4. Oil (we will talk about what kind later) – 3 to 5 gallons
Whew – I feel better now. I was worried about everyone being cautious. Okay, so NOW let’s talk grease. No really, I want to talk about the oil you will be purchasing. Let me go ahead and throw this out there – it isn’t cheap. It just isn’t. Maybe if you can go to Sam’s Club or somewhere like that you can save a few bucks, but let’s face it, you have crossed over to “big daddy cooking.” The bottle of vegetable oil you have in your pantry that lasts you 6 months is not going to cut it.
Again, where the turkey fryers are sold, most of the time you find the large containers of oil. There are several you can use, but whatever one you choose, make sure it has a high smoke point like peanut oil, refined Canola oil, and corn oil to name a few. Peanut oil has the best flavor but is a little more expensive than the others. You can even mix half peanut and half Canola if you want to lower the saturated fat content. You will need 3-5 gallons of oil.
Okay, you have your “stuff” so take the turkey fryer out to a safe spot in the yard, pour the oil in up to the fill line. (*note, if your pot doesn’t have a fill line, then simply place your bird in the pot and fill it with cold water until the top of the turkey is covered; remove the bird and use a ruler to measure from the water line to the top of the pot – remember to dry the pot thoroughly). Heat oil to 375° F.
Once the oil has reached the correct temperature (use your thermometer), lower the turkey down (slowly to avoid splatter) into the pot using the grab hook – it’s a good idea to kill the fire prior to lowering the turkey in, and then resume the fire once you have it safely in the pot.
Alright, so now you have a good idea of what you need in the way of the cooker and the oil. This is pretty much the basics and will get the job done, but as always with any product, it wouldn’t hurt to read the instruction booklet for the cooker that you purchase just to be on the safe side. Next post will cover the turkey size, preparing it for the fryer, and an idea for injecting seasoning if you are inclined to try that.
Resources: tips and tricks from
www.eatturkey.com and some hometown deep fried turkey professionals.
By Brande Brock
Written on Friday, November 13, 2009
Can you believe it is really November? Oh my goodness - weren't the kids just out of school and everyone was wearing bathing suits? Time flies for sure. So here we are with the holidays approaching and that means three things: 1. countless hours of shopping and spending money, 2. dragging out all those decorations to prove we are in the spirit, and (drum roll please)........3. marathon eating! No seriously. The holiday season is here and one thing most everyone looks forward to is a wonderful Thanksgiving Day meal. (and the Dallas Cowboys' football game!)
Now having put everything into perspective, the next order of business is to decide what will be on the menu for that most joyous occasion, AND more importantly.....how do you prepare it? Go ahead and get your mind set to spend some time in the kitchen, since none of us have that really cool thing going on with our nose like Samantha on Bewitched. Don't panic though - you can do this. All you need are a few good recipes, an apron, a photo of Martha Stewart (or your favorite food guru), and a bottle of wine.
The recipes will come in a ten part series from your friends at Seaside Vacations -The Myrtle Beach Experts. We are going to cover how to prepare a complete Thanksgiving meal that will make your guests think you are a closet chef! The apron will come in handy as this may get messy as we go along. The photo of Martha Stewart or other famed food lover of your choice is for inspiration; um, or if things go terribly wrong, a target to sling mashed potatoes at. And the wine...ah the wine. Its not for the recipes. No, this is for you, the unsung hero, who slaved away and prepared a "perfect" feast for your loved ones. Enjoy your celebratory glass of vino once the last pie is out of the oven (or if by some chance the pilot light went out on the oven and the pies are still raw, the turkey burned up in the deep fryer, and the mashed potatoes are something even the dog won't touch - drink the whole bottle and call for Chinese take out).
Okay, so visit us starting Saturday, November 14 for Part 1: Deep Fried Turkey. The last part in the series will end on Wednesday, November 25. We will cover it all from the turkey to the dessert. Stay tuned.