Hard Rock Park files bankruptcy - Local - Myrtle Beach Sun News

Hard Rock Park files bankruptcy

Attraction shuts early but plans to reopen in 2009

By Lisa Fleisher - lfleisher@thesunnews.com

The grand opening event Monday June 2, 2008 at the Hard Rock Park in Myrtle Beach. Photo by Steve Jessmore sjessmore@thesunnews.com Steve Jessmore/The Sun News

Telephone booths are stacked in Phonehenge with the Led Zeppelin in the background at Hard Rock Park on Wednesday, July 30, 2008. Janet Blackmon Morgan / jblackmon@thesunnews.com

* External Link More of our Hard Rock Park coverage

The owner of Hard Rock Park filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection today and the park will be closed for the rest of the season, a company spokesman said.

The 55-acre, $400 million park plans to re-open in 2009, said Jim Olecki, a park spokesman. He would not go into detail when asked about the plans to emerge from bankruptcy protection.

Olecki said the park never had enough money for promotion to begin with when it opened in April, and the credit crisis that unfolded across the country over the summer made it impossible to get more, he said.

“The economy, the frozen credit markets, the global drop in tourism all just created a situation where … we weren’t getting the attendance that we needed and the costs exceeded what we were bringing in,” he said. “Everything just kind of added up.”

Economists and theme park industry experts said the park, which had been in the works since 2001, could not have opened at a worse time, as home prices fell, consumer confidence was lower than it had been in nearly two decades and gas prices were at all-time highs.

“The stars were clearly not aligned for them to get going this year, some of which was their own doing and some of which were other factors,” said Don Schunk, a research economist at Coastal Carolina University who studies this area.

Annual pass and other ticket holders will have to wait until a bankruptcy judge decides whether those passes will be valid, refunded or forfeited, Olecki said.

Of the 2,000 employees the park had during peak season, 75 nonseasonal employees will remain throughout the off-season, Olecki said.

The park, which has been the biggest investment in the history of the S.C. tourism industry, was heralded as the marquee draw that would attract more national and international tourists and investment.

“We’re naturally disappointed, as we were hopeful Hard Rock Park would establish itself as an anchor attraction for the Grand Strand, and clearly that has not happened,” said Brad Dean, president of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. “Clearly in the future, we would encourage them to revisit the pricing strategy and consider more out-of-market advertising.”

Schunk questioned whether the financial landscape would be better this winter than it was over the summer, given the recent market turmoil and credit drought.

“They certainly have a better chance of having a better year in 2009 just in terms of attendance,” he said. “But realistically, how can they, between now and next spring, given everything that’s going on right now, how likely are they to go out and attract new investors? With the kind of markets we have right now that’s a challenge for any business.”

Critics have said the $50-a-head ticket for everyone over age 3 was too high for this market.

Last year, the park’s marketing director, who left the company shortly after the park opened, said it would rely primarily on the media buzz generated by the park’s billing as the world’s first rock-and-roll theme park to get it started.

When it opened in April, the park said it expected to see up to 30,000 visitors a day in the high season and around 3 million for the full year. Executives later backed off that claim.

In a goodbye message on the park’s Web site late Wednesday, it thanked the “hundreds of thousands of guests” who visited.

In August, the park said that attendance was not meeting expectations. It laid off 21 employees and reduced operating hours. A month ago, one of the park’s main investors, Africa Israel Investments, wrote off its $10 million investment in the park.

County Council Chairwoman Liz Gilland said she was saddened to hear the news.

“That breaks my heart,” she said. “Because they did exactly what they dreamed they would do and they said they would do, and that is they built a first-class, world-class park that would have helped boost the economy along the Grand Strand. There couldn’t have been a worse time to open.”

Gilland said she would be open to hearing what the park had to say if it asked for financial assistance from the county.

“We’ll be open to any suggestions, but that doesn’t mean we’ll act on any,” she said.

HRP Myrtle Beach Holdings LLC, the park’s parent company, filed under Chapter 11 in Delaware bankruptcy court, Olecki said. The company licensed the brand name from Hard Rock International, which owns the restaurant chain.

September 25th, 2008 | Category: Amusement parks, myrtle beach | Leave a comment

It looks like it has finally happened……the death knell has rung for the Myrtle Beach Bike Rallies. After months…perhaps years….of threatening, MB City Council has passed legislation that will result in the rallies going on life support and dying a slow death.

We don’t live in SC full time so we can’t begin to claim to have all the facts nor have we experienced the full force of the Rallies. We’ve been at our home during a number of the rallies and from our narrow perspective…..never saw or experienced anything that would prompt us to want to put an end to the rallies. We’ve rented to bikers….had many bikers staying at other condos in Sun Colony and never could we say we’d prefer not seeing them here. We’ve spent many an afternoon or evening amongst the bikers and neighbors up the road at HB Spokes and we will always enjoy have Spokes as a neighbor.

Many a night, with the windows wide open, we’d be awakened by the din of the Harley mufflers up and down Highway 9. Big deal! In all honesty…we kind of enjoyed sitting out on the deck and watching the bikes roll by.

There’s more to the story I’m sure…..but from this vantage point….I just don’t see the point. Looks like far more to lose than gain for what appears to be a little inconvenience.

Here’s the story from the Sun News as they reported it earlier today. I’m sure there will be MUCH more to come!

___________________________________________________________________________________________

MB passes rally ordinances - Local - Myrtle Beach Sun News

MB passes rally ordinances

By Lorena Anderson

By Rebecca Koenig/rkoenig@thesunnews.com Donnie Emery (from left), owner of the Dog House, Mike Caron and Tony Spinnato talk Tuesday about EPA stickers and stamps that are referenced in the ordinances that Myrtle Beach City Council members are considering to curb the bike rallies. Also on the table is a law that would make it illegal for motorcycles to park two to a parking place.

All 15 of Myrtle Beach’s proposed bike rally options have become law, though with some modifications.

At this morning’s city council workshop, rally proponents raised objections to some details and some entire proposals, like the one that requires riders to wear helmets and protective eyewear within city limits.

Of all the proposals designed to curtail the May motorcycle rallies that draw more than 300,000 to the Grand Strand each year, the helmet law is the least popular among rally supporters.

They say wearing a helmet is actually unsafe and that the city’s rule making noncompliance an infraction instead of a crime still supersedes state law.

That ordinance didn’t face any changes before it passed 5-1, with Councilman Randal Wallace dissenting. He has never agreed with the helmet law.

The other ordinances passed 6-0, with Chuck Martino absent.

The city planned on limiting parking to one motorcycle per space, but after bikers made the case for multiple bikes in one spot to save parking spaces for other users, the council at this afternoon’s meeting voted to allow no more than two bikes per public space.

Councilmembers also passed the 2 a.m. bar-closing law, which says any bar that wants to remain open after 2 a.m. must apply for an exemption and make its security, underage drinking and overpouring policies and procedures clear to the city.

But until this afternoon, the council had been planning to require all official security personnel to be licensed and bonded. Councilmembers removed the bonding requirement before passing the second and final draft of the ordinance.

The juvenile curfew will go into effect in 90 days, as will anti-loitering and public drinking rules and more. Other rules take effect immediately, like stricter noise standards and adding rallies and other unpermitted, unmanaged events to the city’s list of nuisances.

Lawyers representing some of the businesses that object to the ordinances attended both the workshop and meeting. Suzanne Coe of Greenville, an attorney for The Dog House and The Masters’ Club, spoke up several times during both gatherings to warn the city about legal challenges she sees coming.

In the end, though, the city council said it would face whatever legal challenges come up.

Speakers accused the council of discriminating against bikers, attorney Beth Marlow of Charleston, representing Harley-Davidson of Myrtle Beach and Festival Promotions, registered her objections to a variety of ordinances, including the one that allows the city to hold promoters of events that spill over into the city liable for the city’s expenses.

But she said after the meeting that she doesn’t anticipate filing any motions to try and stop the city from enforcing the new laws — yet.

For more on this story, read tomorrow’s Sun News.

This story has been edited since its original posting.

September 24th, 2008 | Category: Bike week, HB Spokes, Harley, myrtle beach | Leave a comment

Our current vacation down at the condo was not so much a planned vacation…but merely a result of finding a great airfare deal! ($65 RT for the both of us on SpiritAir!). The available days for that fare were limited but we were able to work it into our schedule to take advantage of such a deal. That coupled with a car rental for less than $15 a day made it a no brainer.

What we didn’t know at the time of course was the projected arrival of Hanna, who has been vacillating between a hurricane and tropical storm.Initial forecasts didn’t seem to be that bad so we decided that there was no reason to cancel the trip…even viewed it with some nervous anticipation.

Day 1

First day started out as uneventful as you would not expect! 3:30 AM out the door on the way to Logan and by 4:30 pulling into the terminal for our 5:30 flight. Perhaps a record 2 or 3 minute wait in the TSA screening line and less than 5 minutes through the scanners. You always expect some fly in the TSA ointment….but just wasn’t in the cards today. We actually had time to sit and relax before we boarded…coffeeless unfortunately…..why would anyone imagine people would need coffee at 5:30 AM?? We’ll open at 6:00 instead.

One little note about Spirit….thei incredibly low rates most of the time aside…they still try to nickel and dime you now. Checked bags ae extra, from bag #1; assigning seats ahead of time will now cost you (unless you want the center seat…uh huh!)…..I think it was $5 for an aisle seat and $10 for a window. Otherwise you take your chances with random assignment when you check in. One more little peeve….these folks encourage (almost insist) on doing everything online, including printing your boarding pass which is just fine with us! Since we keep most everything down at the condo, we pack light…only carry on…so once we get to the airport, we can bypass the ticket counter. Do you think that they night have gate assignments posted ANYWHERE?? Enough said.

Pat on the plane waiting to take off

We boarded on time…departed on time….even landed probably a little early. Not even 7:30 and we’re on the ground in Myrtle…still waiting for one of the shoes to drop. A slight dealay picking up our rental at the USave counter…no big deal given the incredible rate. A band new Aveo and we’re on our way up north to Little River under brillant sunlight! Hurricane?

It’s just wayyy too nice to avoid the beach…..drop our stuff off at the condo…load the beach gear and we’re off to Sunset Beach….looking for the massive waves and rip currents. We either took a wrong turn or went back in time because it is one of the most elegant days on the beach we’ve seen down here. Tide was just about high so there was some decent surf…nothing like we haven’t seen before. There was a pretty good crowd at the beach as well…especially for a post Labor Day weekday. Maybe everyone racing to get that one last day in before all hell breaks loose. There weren’t many (if any) signs of anyone preparing for foul weather along the way…although there was talk everywhere we stopped…supermarkets were gearing up for sure.

We spent the better part of the day at the beach…under the umbrella relaxing and spending far more time

Now this is the life!!

than usual in the water. We assumed that the rip currents would be far too strong to do much of anything but wander knee deep along the shore. Surprisingly there were many more people in the water than we imagined there would be so ultimately we ventured farther out in the water and were just astonished and how benign the surf was. Water was remarkable clear and oh soooo warm…better than bath water…made it very difficult to want to leave. One good surprise wave caught Pat pretty well…taking a mouthful and losing her sunglasses!

We finally packed up…reluctantly….and still gazing into the horizon looking for signs of trouble….nothing there! Headed home for a few adult beverages, dinner with Matt & Tracy and make plans for tomorrow…which promises to be a different day!

Sunset Beach....no storms here!

Sunset Beach — One Day Before Hanna

Day 2….still no Hanna!

The forecast for today was initially for a wonderful start to the day with conditions deteriorating over the course of the day. With that in mind, we headed out well before dawn in hopes of seeing a beautiful sunrise over Oak Island. Unfortunately, not only was it pretty much overcast in Little River, it was also raining lightly along the road to Oak Island, which is about an hour drive from the condo. Conditions improved a bit as we moved father north but there was no way we were even going to see the sun at all that morning.

Pat walking the shore on Oak Island

We drove out to the southernmost tip of Oak Island expecting to see some rough surf, but even this morning, conditions just did not seem to suggest that a tropical storm was on her way. The outermost bands of Hanna stretched nearly 300 miles from her center and we started feeling the effects of some of them….nothing more serious than a few quick downpours….enough though to make walking the beach a little tedious.

One discovery we made along the shoreline was a small cache of sea turtle eggs….none alive unfortunately. Most of the towns along all of the barrier islands in NC are very protective and supportive of the sea turtles as well as much more ocean wildlife. Sadly, as you’ll see from the picture below….we humans really don’t much care about preserving wildlife or caring for our environment.

Sea Turtle eggshells on the shore at Oak Island, NC

Protecting the turtles eggs with trash....broken umbrellas!

Here is a video of what the conditions looked like out at Oak Island.

Day 2 1/2

Hanna finally arrives!!….(with little fanfare!). We were awaked around 3:30 AM or so by the sound of rain battering the windows and the wind, howling in between the buidings. Sheets of rain cascading down the sides of the buildings and wind tunnels in the hallways of the building. Palm tree tops bending from the force of the wind. All in all…rather benign and not a lot worse than other ’storms’ we’ve seen down here. Most of the rain came from the forward outer bands earlier during the day and by about 4:15 AM or so…..she moved her way up into NC….we pulled he covers back up and waited for morning to see what (if any) damage down at the beach.

Day 3

Hanna came…and left just as quickly as if she’d never even stopped by. Sort of anti-climatic and disappointing, but it was still a treat to see Mother Nature at work, but still being gentle with us! After a stellar breakfast at Boston’s Best Breakfast…..(yes, opened by Bostonians who moved down here…filled with Boston sports memorabilia)……we returned to beautiful blue skies and gentle breezes blowing through the open windows now…..promises to be a wonderful day!

The morning after Hanna - outside the condo. Looks like any other morning!

From the back of the condo over to the golf course....virtually nothing for damage....wouldn't know a tropical storm blew through just a few hours ago.

Just amazing how the rest of the day turned out….except for Matt. He got called into work to clean up the damage around the course and ended up staying until after 3:00. As for Pat & I….we did what you’re supposed to do on vacation….NOTHING! We wandered over to the pool and spent the entire afternoon there, relaxing in the water…chatting with new neighbors. 92 degees….brilliant blue skies; who could ask for more?

Day 4

The Boathouse in Myrtle Beach on the Intracoastal Waterway - click on the picture for more details.

More bad news……for Matt!  :o(  Got called into work for Sunday as well to finish clean up and set up for re-opening. Many of the courses down here closed early on Friday in advance of Hanna and many had plans to stay closed through the weekend, however, a good portion of the courses opening up Saturday afternoon and virtually all will be open today.

The good news is…he’ll be home in time for FOOTBALL! It’s opening weekend for the Pats and we’ll be heading down to the Boathouse in Myrtle Beach to watch the game. We’ve read and heard lots about this place and oddly enough…seems like there’s a subculture of Phisheads and Deadheads hidden away down here and they frequent the Boathouse for an occasional hippiefest.(Yes….of course Matt was there. Actually, he and I found out about the place at a Phil Lesh show we went to earlier this summer at the HOB in Myrtle) Should be interesting! Hopefully pics and details later.

The Boathouse Myrtle Beach

What a special treat to be able to find a place not only to just watch the Patriots…….but have spectacular views on the shore of the ICW, great food and cheap beverages. Our only problem….our tab was $30 for food and $60 for booze!….and that’s with $10 buckets (5 beers) of Coors….what’s wrong with us? No doubt this is one of the best places we’ve been down here…..when you come down, make sure it’s on your must visit list!

Matt & Tracy inside the Boathouse and not the only Patriot fans!

2 bars outside....one with hammocks overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway. Tough to take!

Tie up your jet ski or your boat on the dock and walk up to the bar.

For more photos of the Boathouse, please visit the Gallery.

Day 5

With Hanna well to the North by now and fizzling out, we ventured back up to the Oak Island and Southport area on the last day of this trip. It was apparent at first sight of the shore road along the island that Hanna was more troublesome up in Brunswick County, NC than she was down our way. The shore road on Oak Island is separated from the ocean by homes and dunes….most not much more than 8 or 10 feet above beach level; some areas with almost nothing for protection from the ocean It was in those areas where we saw most of the damage…mainly just ocean spillover and debris collecting in the yards left by the receding water and tide. By this time the entire road was passable, but I’d imagine that was not the case a day earlier. The storm was mild, by all reports but seeing what damage was clearly visible conjured up all sorts of visions of what it really could have been like had Hanna been a powerful hurricane.

Lots of debris at the entrance to the beach. The 'accordian' walkway in the foreground extended a couple hundred feet to the beach. It was probably pulled back prior to the storm to protect it and allow easier access to the beach afterwards.

This is just a few feet from the parking lot and you can see that the water came up this far by seeing all the debris that was caught by the plants that were growing here.

The strong winds ripped a portion of the siding off of this house which sits in the dunes back quite a few hundred yards from the shoreline.

You can see more photos from Hanna at the Gallery.

Southport, which sits at the mouth of the Cape Fear River and is buffered and protected by Oak Island, is one of our favorite little towns in the area. Aside from some downed limbs, leaves, and pine cones, it appeared that the town was spared any significant damage. Many folks were out raking and piling by the roadside for later pickup. The warm temperatures and brilliant sunshine brought lots of people out to soak up the late summer warmth. It’s a great town to just stroll around, visiting the many small shops and boutiques, relax at the beautiful waterfront park or fish off of the town pier. (one of the few where there is no charge to access!).

The town is rich in history from Civil War days when the blockade runners guarded the Cape Fear area from the war vessels from the North. There are a number of self guided tours through the town and it is also home of the greatest $5 cruise aboard the NC ferries that make the short trip across the Cape Fear from Southport to Kure Beach, home of one of the wonderful NC Aquariums.

Waterfront Park in Southport -- a great place to just stroll, relax on one of the swings, enjoy your lunch (and feed the gulls!), fish off of the pier...or just gaze off into the ocean!

One of many lovely old Victorian Southern homes along Bay Street overlooking the marsh, the harbor and the Intracoastal Waterway

Another lovely gem along Bay St, sheltered by oaks, dripping spanish moss. Mint Julep anyone?

The marina at Southport has undergone multi-million dollar renovations over the last few years and it has been transformed into a thing of beauty! Sitting directly on the ICW makes it a perfect stop on your journey up and down the Atlantic coast.

For many more pictures of the Southport area, please stop by at the Gallery.

Sadly, our day in Southport couldn’t be as long as we would have liked it to be. Our 10:00 PM flight out of Myrtle was only a few hours away. Departing is surely such sweet sorrow….and we’ve become so comfortable in our new ‘home’ that it’s very easy to call home. Boston beckons…..but our return to Blackstone serves to merely reset the countdown til the next trip down!

T minus 7 weeks!!

September 4th, 2008 | Category: Beaches, Brunswick County NC, Cherry Grove Beach, Golf, Hurricanes, Nature walks, Sunset Beach, Travel, myrtle beach, vacation | Leave a comment

From our friends at WPDE, NewsChannel 15

TUESDAY 2AM   ED PIOTROWSKI

The peak of the hurricane season is historically around September 10th so it’s no wonder the tropics are incredibly active.  As one of my co-workers said to me Monday…”It’s crazy busy out there!”….boy, is she right! The African wave train rolls on with several other tropical waves expected to emerge from the African coast this week. Let’s begin with Hanna…

HURRICANE HANNA                                                                                                                                

INTENSITY: Frankly, I was surprised Hanna was able to strengthen in the face of 25-30 knots of wind shear on Monday. Winds of this magnitude often prevent or even weaken a tropical system by pushing the deep thunderstorm activity away from the center. Wind shear is expected to remain quite high for the next 1 - 2 days, so strengthening should not occur and weakening is possible. Unfortunately, that trend may reverse itself by Wednesday since the current wind shear is expected to relax. It’s possible Hanna could strengthen and become a category 2 hurricane (Winds 95-110 mph).

TRACK: Steering currents that have been pushing Hanna ever so slowly west to west-southwest have all but collapsed so motion over the next few days will be slow and erratic. By Wednesday, another ridge will build in from the Atlantic forcing a northwest track with an increase in forward speed. The forecast models are in decent agreement with a majority converging on a track across the coastline between Savannah, GA and Wilmington, NC. sometime Friday. Keep in mind that the models don’t necessarily do well with a slow and erratic tropical system.  NOAA will send their high altitude plane up Tuesday evening to sample the environment around Hanna.  This, combined with a more definitive motion to the northwest Wednesday, should improve the forecast track of Hanna. Landfall is still more than 3 days away and any shift in the track, north or south, could significantly change our impacts.  Assuming the forecast track is reasonably close, impacts would be felt Friday and Friday night:

WHAT TO EXPECT: Given the current track, and I know this is subject to change, we could experience winds higher than 75 mph and rain totals of 6 inches. If the forecast track doesn’t change much, a perpendicular hit on the southeast coast would put us on the northeast side of the storm and would certainly push some sort of a storm surge ashore. In addition to that, we would be on the side of the storm capable of producing tornadoes.  Once again, how much wind and rain will ultimately depend on where the storm crosses the coastline.  Remember, a tropical storm or hurricane is not a point and impacts can be felt far from the center!  In this case, those impacts will be felt inland as well.  So many of the tropical systems we’ve had in recent years have moved almost parallel to our coast keeping the worst of the storm over the ocean.  Impacts inland have been minimal. Hanna will likely go further inland so high wind, rain and tornadoes are possible across the Pee Dee and on the BorderBelt.  Bottom-line, I think there’s no question we will see signficant impacts from Hanna.  To what extent is still yet to be determined because of the uncertainty in future strength and track.

________________________________________________________________________________________

 We must be nuts!

Talk about flying into the eye of the storm!!…..call us crazy, but Thursday morning we head out to Myrtle….hopefully just ahead of this gal, lumbering through the Caribbean and on her way up the East coast. Maybe this is our payback for our $32 SpiritAir flight! In any event…..it should be quite an interesting vacation!

I believe that the last time any hurricane has had any significant effects on our area was back in 1999 when Floyd blew through, but it was actually not directly related to Floyd, but more from the series of disturbances that followed. After Floyd, a tropical disturbance from the Gulf of Mexico brought heavy rain on 9/20 to the Carolinas; only to be followed by heavy rain in North Carolina due to the passage of a front 9/22 and then again by a tropical disturbance 9/26-9/27. The severity of flooding in North Carolina was related to the cumulative effects of all the precipitation from Floyd and those three storms that immediately followed.

In our area, most of the damage was a result of the Waccamaw River flooding its banks. From what we’ve been told…..(since we weren’t here back then!), 5 miles of Highway 9 between Little River and Loris was closed for a number of days and the entire Aberdeen complex (which sits just about on the banks of the river!), especially the condos had their entire 1st floors under water.

We’re certainly hoping that we’re spared any severe hurricane activity and damage……but there sure is some kind of perverted anticipation in being able to see Mother Nature’s fury at work in the ocean. I will be bringing every camera, still and video, along just in case it’s safe enough to explore and capture. Having seen the fury of Bob up here about 15 years ago…..I may just stay dry and safe on the 3rd floor! At 5 miles from the ocean and a couple from the Waccamaw……don’t think we’ll see the waves crashing on the balcony!

Wish us luck!

Gerry & Pat

September 2nd, 2008 | Category: Hurricanes, Waccamaw River, vacation | Leave a comment

Here are a couple more ways to save yourself some cash on your next Myrtle Beach vacation:

FLYING IN

If you’re planning on flying in, be sure to check Spirit Air. We’ve been flying down to Myrtle a lot lately because of the incredible deals we’ve been able to find through Spirit. For instance, next week we’re flying down via Spirit, non-stop from Boston for $65 TOTAL for Pat and me. Yes……$65 total, including fare, taxes, and fees. Believe it or not……that’s not the lowest price we’ve ever found. Last January we flew down for about $38 or so. The flights themselves were just 99 cents each way, plus taxes, fees.

Here’s the deal…..

• First of all, you need to sign up for their email alerts in order to get in on the deals as quickly as possible, otherwise you’ll have to keep randomly checking their website (which is how I first stumbled upon their deals!).

• You may need to enroll in their $9 fare club in order to get some of the special fares. Many of them are available to the general public as well; sometimes they have 2 sets of fares, one for club members and one for non-members. There is a 60 day trial membership available for just $9.

• You definitely will need to be flexible with your dates. They offer special rates only for certain flights and certain dates, but if your plans can be flexible enough to work around their dates, you can save a ton!

• They are now, like so many other airlines, starting to nickel and dime you with fees for certain services, like checking bags, getting water on the flight, and now even charging for pre-selecting ‘premium’ seats (window or aisle). As with everything, if you don’t need it…..don‘t buy it. Furthermore…..if you’re saving a couple hundred bucks on a flight….$10 or $20 isn’t going to make a bit of difference.

If you can’t find a good rate flying into Myrtle, consider an alternate airport, like Wilmington (ILM). If you’ve ever flown in or out of Myrtle and love how easy it is to get in and out….you won’t believe Wilmington! It is such a breeze….and such a beautiful little airport! It’s a little less than an hour’s drive to the condo and a real easy drive down Highway 17.

RENTAL CARS

On all but a couple of occasions, we have rented through USave Car Rentals when flying into Myrtle and have consistently gotten great rates and great vehicles (sometimes BRAND NEW!). The key is not to rent directly from their website. We have found the the lowest rental rates can be found on carrentals.com. You’ll find rates from all the major rental companies there, but invariably, USave ends up being the cheapest and there is always a 10% discount applied.

We’d also recommend checking Hotwire and checking often! Rates change sometimes hourly and there were a couple occasions where we got a lower rate than USave through Hotwire and it ended up being a Hertz rental.

If you’ve had any similar success with travel expenses, we’d love to hear them!

August 28th, 2008 | Category: Travel | Leave a comment

Dangerous box jellyfish wash ashore at Sunset BeachBy Shelby Sebens
Staff WriterPublished: Friday, August 15, 2008 at 5:00 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, August 15, 2008 at 8:44 p.m.Experts say area swimmers should be aware and cautious after a resident found what have been identified as box jellyfish on the beach and in the water at Sunset Beach.

Jo O’Keefe was stung by a small jellyfish after picking it up and trying to return it to the ocean. After 20 minutes of pain similar to a bee sting, she said, she was feeling fine.

But the jellyfish species, also know as the sea wasp, is the most venomous found in U.S. waters and is not one to be toyed with, according to an N.C. State University researcher. Its sting has killed, though rarely.

In 1990, a 4-year-old boy at Galveston Island, Texas, died within 20 minutes of being stung, said Gayle Plaia, of N.C. State.

Plaia emphasized the box jellyfish is not the one people might hear about in Australia, with a sting that can kill in five minutes.

This box jellyfish has four corners - hence the name - and thin, brown tentacles.

Swimmers should get out of the water if they see these 1- to 2-two inch jellyfish bobbing around. They can be up to 7 inches, with tentacles up to 10 inches. She said those susceptible to allergic reactions to stings would probably be in the most danger.

Steve Smith, deputy chief of the Sunset Beach police department, said the town received four or five reports of jellyfish stings this week. But he said town officials do not believe they were box jellyfish.

After discovering the jellyfish she had never seen before, O’Keefe sent a photo to a Smithsonian Institution employee who identified it as a box jellyfish and warned her to be careful.

Box jellyfish are not unheard-of in this area, but they are not seen too often, Plaia said.

Most stings cause a painful, but minor, reaction that can be treated with vinegar, she said. If the reaction turns bad, however, the person stung should seek immediate medical attention.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Sunset Beach is one of our favorite beaches in the area and on one of our visits to the beach this summer, we tool our usual (very long!) walk along the beach down to the breakwater at the mouth of the ICW. What we found when we went around the corner and walking the ICW shoreline was amazing! Jellyfish everywhere!!…and all dead! Click on the picture to the left to get a better idea of where we were. At the time, the tide was receding and it appeared that a gazillion of those ugly little buggers got left behind as the tide moved out. It was one of the ugliest sites we had seen…can only imagine what it would have been like if we were actually walking through the water while they were still alive and afloat!  Gerry

_________________________________________________________________________________

Shelby Sebens: 755-7963

shelby.sebens@starnewsonline.com

August 22nd, 2008 | Category: Jellyfish, Sunset Beach | Leave a comment

Stay in a condo away from the beach…not on the beach. You can save $100’s by only going 5 miles from the beach. Even with higher gas prices, you’ll still be way ahead of the game!

Eat in more!…Dine out less! Yes….we know you don’t want to be in front of the stove all week; you’re on vacation…not at home! With today’s varieties of ‘ready to serve’ meals available, you can both eat well and inexpensively. We’ve also got an electric outdoor grille on the patio for your convenience…grill a steak or a burger. (I’d still rather be AT THE BEACH and cooking, then not at the beach at all!)

Pack a cooler for your trip down. It is far cheaper to buy a case of soda or bottled water at the grocery store than it is to pay gas station prices along the interstate. Likewise, snacking on the road is much less expensive if you pack your snack bags before your trip. You’ll spend $20 or more every time you stop at McDonalds….make your sandwiches ahead of time; you’ll save money, eat healthier and they’ll taste MUCH better!

While at the condo (or wherever you’re staying)….MAKE ICE…don’t buy it. Keep filling the trays(or emptying the bin for the automatic ice maker) and dump them in a plastic bag to store. If have those re-usable ice packs at home…bring them with you and keep them in the freezer. Keep the cooler in the car with you when you leave for the day and keep if filled! That case of water at Food Lion or WalMart at $3.99 is a heck of lot cheaper than a buck a piece at the gas station or convenience store.

Slow down! Sounds pretty simple…maybe silly, but….According to FuelEconomy.gov, fuel efficiency decreases rapidly as speed rises above 60 miles per hour. Each 5 miles per hour above 60 adds approximately $0.20 per gallon to the cost of driving. Plus….if you have a 400 mile drive, that 5 mph less will cost you only an additional 30 minutes driving time!

Clip coupons! Pick up coupon books at local markets or shopping plazas or surf the internet for coupons. Plan your activities around the best discounts. If you’re going to dine out….look for restaurant discounts or early bird specials. You can get get certificates at restaurant.com at as much as 70% off face value!

Going to an amusement park?…..mini-golf?….any other attraction? You can probably get discounts for admission, but not for food, beverages, etc. Prices are typically overinflated and every option in the park is expensive. Since the parks don’t offer any cheap alternatives, you have to make up your own to cut back on costs. Bring your own water bottle and refill it at water fountains or bathrooms. Bring your own snacks, sandwiches, fruit, etc. Don’t buy souvenirs!..they are ususally way overpriced anyway. Bring your digital camera and take LOTS of pictures. When you get home, use one of the photo services to make your own souvenirs: mugs, calendars, mouse pads, etc.

Save Up Ahead of Time!! Ok….that’s easier said then done, but it can work. Many banks (such as Bank of America) have a ‘keep the change’ program in which a purchase with your debit card is ’rounded up’ and that amount is automatically transferred to your savings account. Use this account as your vacation account. Every time you go to the gas station, pump oone penny more than a full dollar and 99 cents will go into your vacation fund. It’ll add up fast! If you can find a bank that will do any kind of ‘matching’ of your transfer, make multiple, smaller purchases instead of just one. Bank of America did this when they first started their program and we’d put $5.01 worth of gas in our car every day just to get as much matching money as possible.

Saving money at home while you’re away: Turn OFF and UNPLUG all your electronics that don’t need to be on. Believe it or not….even in standby mode, these devices are still chewing up electricity. Eat everything in your frig BEFORE you go!…then you can turn it down (up) to conserve as much electricity as possible. Turn your water down to its lowest possible setting or OFF if you can. If you keep lights on while you’re away, use multiple timers set differently for a more realistic effect.

Any tips or ideas of your own?…..please share them here!

July 24th, 2008 | Category: Uncategorized | Comments (1)

The past few weeks have once again reminded us of the fragility of life with the loss of 2 wonderful people, Tim Russert and George Carlin. Both of these people brought such a breath of life to their ‘trades.’ As has been the case for so many people, Tim was like a friend, a colleague, the neighbor next door…a man we could all relate to and with whom we felt so comfortable and George…with all his irreverence in tow….reminded us that nothing was sacred in humor (or life) and unless we could laugh at ourselves and our inconsistencies and contradictions, we were doomed. Above all, they were truly ‘humans’ among men and a model for what we would like to see in all of us!

I recently received an email from a couple guys who have been on the music scene for about 40 years now….Rex and Neal of Aztec Two Step fame. They, like Tim, George and us were lucky enough to grow up Baby Boomers through the 60’s and 70’s and now face the reality and consequences of our former youth……..age and death! I thought I would share that email with you since their words ring so true.

If you don’t know who Rex and Neal are……shame on you! :o) Here’s a sampling of their art:

Aztec Two-Step E-News

Missives, Musings & Malapropos….

First a malaprop compliments of the king himself, Yogi Berra. “It ain’t over till it’s over.” Sadly, it is over now for Tim Russert and George Carlin. When I turned the BIG SIX OH! in September 07, several people kindly suggested that 60 was now the new 30. OK! I liked that. But after thinking about it, I eventually came up with the best Carlin-esq line I could muster. “No,” said I, “60 is how old my grandparents were……just before they kicked the bucket!” It’s reality now. We boomers ain’t babies no more. In fact, we’re dropping like flies. Oh well. C’est la vie. Que sera. Or, as our good buddy Dave Sleight likes to say, “A happy Woody Guthrie on ya!”(So long, it’s been good to know you.) And boy, was it ever good to know Tim Russert and George Carlin. TR was the real deal. An advocate for working class, taxpaying Americans who vote and who are trying to hang on and earn a fair and decent living in this country. These were the roots from which he sprang. No pol itics. No punditry. Just straight forward and often tough questions aimed at the accountability of those wielding the most power; most often in Washington. Plus, how could you not like a guy who was a diehard Buffalo Bills fan.

My earliest recollection of GC was his hippie dippy weatherman skit, probably on the Smothers Brothers show back in the mid-sixties. Even at 71, he never seemed to lose his kid-like innocence and enthusiasm for life, for our quirky American language, and for the everyday world we live in: large issues or small. Our counterculture hero’s jokes usually targeted misplaced shame, religious hypocrisy and linguistic quirks. Here are just a few of his chestnuts gleaned from the Hartford Courant:

“Why do we drive on parkways and park on driveways?”

“I’m completely in favor of separation of church and state. These institutions completely screw us up on their own, so both of them together is certain death.”

“The word bipartisan usually means that some larger-than-usual deception is being carried out.”

“One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor.”

“Why do they lock gas station bathrooms? Are they afraid someone will clean them?”

“Whose cruel idea was it for the word ‘lisp’ to have an ’s’ in it?”

“Why is there an expiration date on sour cream?”

“If the No. 2 pencil is the most popular, why is it still No. 2?”

“One nice thing about egoists, they don’t talk about other people.”

“When you’re born you get a ticket to the freak show. When you’re born in America, you get a front row seat.”

“The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends. I mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time and what do you get at the end of it? A Death! What’s that, a bonus? I think the life cycle is all backward. You should die first and get it out of the way. Then you live in an old-age home; you get kicked out when you become too young then you get a gold watch and go to work. You work forty years until you’re young enough to enjoy your retirement. You do drugs, alcohol; you party; then you get ready for high school. You go to grade school; you become a kid; you play; you have no responsibilities. You become a little baby; you go back into the womb where you spend your last nine months floating… and you finish it off with an orgasm!”

What more can one say except thank you for tuning in this month and Happy Birthday America!

Peace (and love) if you want it,

Rex & Neal

P.S. In deference to Dan Fogelberg’s brilliance and my commitment to listen to more of his musical canon since his sad departure, I am in total awe of To The Morning. “And maybe there are seasons, and maybe they change, and maybe to love is not so strange…”

SUMMER SPECIALS

Days of Horses

$10

Buy CD

“Fans of the duo’s harmony-driven tunes and easygoing acoustic guitar riffs will recognize their
James Taylor-meets-Simon & Garfunkel sound. What’s new is the mood. This album sits back on its haunches as Rex Fowler and Neal Shulman look back wistfully at American pop culture and their own ride through it.” Boston Globe

PLUMS

$ 10

buy CD

LIVE at TCAN

35th Anniversary Concert DVD

$ 15

Buy DVD

UPCOMING SUMMER SHOWS

Sat July 5, 2008 Manchester, CT - Rex’s Kids’ Show!

Fri July 11, 2008 The Center for Arts in Natick, MA

Sat July 12, 2008 Levitt Pavilion, CT

Sun July 13, 2008 Maplewoodstock, NJ

Fri July 18, 2008 Stone Mountain Arts Center, ME

Sat July 19, 2008 Huntington Arts Council, NY

Sun July 20, 2008 Private Party, CT - Rex solo!

Wed July 23, 2008 Stephen Talkhouse, NY

Sat July 26, 2008 Private Party, PA

Thu July 31, 2008 Monroe Twp, NJ

Sat August 2, 2008 Private Party, NJ

Sun August 3, 2008 Monty’s Room House Concert, NY - Rex Solo!

Wed August 6, 2008 Lake George Arts Project, NY

Fri August 8, 2008 Guthrie Center, MA

Sat August 9, 2008 Caffe Lena, NY

Sat August 16, 2008 ArcStock, NY

Fri August 22, 2008 Ridgefield Playhouse, CT w/ Hal Ketchum!

Sat September 6, 2008 Mitchell Farm Music Festival, CT

Sat September 13, 2008 Crossroads Coffeehouse, MA

Sun September 14, 2008 Mansfield on the Green Festival, CT

Please log on to http://www.aztectwostep.com/tours.htm for all the details.

Don’t forget our Set List Request link http://aztectwo-step.blogspot.com if you’re coming to a show. Also, please book a private party http://www.aztectwostep.com/privparty.htm. Remember, we simply can’t do it without you. Thanks!

Contact Info

To contact Aztec Two-Step just click on the addresses below. Replying to this email does not insure that they will recieve your comments.

rex@aztectwostep.com

neal@aztectwostep.com

Booking & Press

bobbi@aztectwostep.com

July 1st, 2008 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

By Amy Hotz
Staff Writer

Published: Friday, June 13, 2008 at 7:42 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, June 13, 2008 at 8:05 a.m.

Ann Buddenhagen remembers the exact moment she became a shell collector.

The Raleigh resident visited North Myrtle Beach in 1979, as she and her family did every year. But this time, it was soon after a hurricane. Other tourists had gone home, but Buddenhagen couldn’t get a refund on her lodging.

The walk along the beach was quiet, and the storm had blown in all kinds of odd-looking shells.

“I’m finding things along the beach that I had never seen before,” she said. “I started asking people, ‘Do you now what this is?’ . . . And nobody knew. They couldn’t be bothered. I guess it’s common place to them, like people who live in New York City and have never been to the Statue of Liberty or something.”

Later, Buddenhagen and her mother stopped at a local bookstore and purchased Seashells Common to the East Coast, by R. Tucker Abbott. It was a beginners’ guide, and that’s what Buddenhagen was.

Not any more. The avid shell collector has traveled the world, including two trips to Egypt, and dived to the ocean’s depths to find specimens.

Most shell collectors don’t go to such lengths. Taking home shells that catch your fancy seems to be a natural pastime for anyone who walks a beach strand.

For serious collectors like Buddenhagen, or just curious beachgoers, though, Southeastern North Carolina’s shores offer a shell collecting treasure trove.

Peter Meyer, author of Nature Guide to the Carolina Coast, says any beach around these parts can yield unexpected finds. But your best bets locally are probably Sunset Beach, Masonboro Island, the south end of Fort Fisher and Bald Head Island.

“Any of the beaches, if you go out before other people get out there. Or after storms, especially. After hurricanes is wonderful,” he said.

If you’re planning a shell collecting outing, it’s best to do it during low tide, too. You’ll want to walk the “grunge line,” basically the high tide line where shells are deposited after washing ashore.

Also, don’t forget to look behind sand dunes, if you’re allowed. After very big storms, shells get caught behind the dunes. And it’s likely no one else has thought to look there.

John Timmerman, president of the North Carolina Shell Club and an exhibit designer at the Cape Fear Museum, says collecting is seasonal. Summer months here, he said, can be “frustrating.” During the fall and winter, beaches see more wave activity and more shells turn up.

The most common shells found in our area, he said, are bivalves. These are shells that have two main parts such as clams, scallops and cockles.

If you’re looking for univalves, knobbed whelks are found now and then on Wrightsville Beach, whereas lightning whelks tend to be found more at Fort Fisher.

Other common shells are angel wings, Atlantic winged oysters, olive shells and keyhole limpets.

Some of the more uncommon specimens can be seen in an exhibit Timmerman has put together at Cape Fear Museum. Until October 5, museumgoers can view oddities such as a lion’s paw, cameo helmet, horse conch, thorny oysters, sundial shells and the Scotch bonnet, North Carolina’s official state seashell.

But the “holy grail” of shells found on North Carolina shores, according to Buddenhagen and Meyer, is the wentletrap. In this area, if you can find one, it’s usually going to be one inch long or less. It’s white-ish in color and often called a “staircase shell” because of its spiral ribs.

Buddenhagen can think of four “holy grails” that rarely wash ashore and are normally only found underwater. A 7-inch deer cowrie will sell for about $1,000, she said.

“It is not a rare shell, but the waters off North Carolina, even in the Caribbean province, are cooler than they are in the Caribbean. And cooler water means more nutrients in the water. More nutrients means the shells can get better nutrition; they can grow to a bigger size,” she said.

The Atlantic thorny oyster is her third favorite. Brilliant orange is the common color. The more rare are white with purple around the edges. She once found a beige one, even more rare, under a wreck.

Buddenhagen’s No. 2 choice would be the lion’s paw scallop. Brilliant orange or red is common. Brown is more uncommon.

And her No. 1 pick for North Carolina offshore shells? The junonia.

“It’s more common in Florida, and you can actually find them onshore occasionally in Florida. But it would be a holy grail anywhere,” she said.

Timmerman suggests to increase your chances of finding a specific, elusive shell, do some research and learn the animals’ habitats. Lightning whelks, for example, like to hang out in oyster beds. Scotch bonnets prefer marshy areas.

Except for oysters, clams, scallops, conchs and mussels, no laws prohibit collecting shells with the animal alive in it, according to Patricia Smith, spokesperson for the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries.

That doesn’t mean killing shell-

bearing animals doesn’t have an environmental impact.

“Most people don’t realize that every single shell they see along the beach once had a living organism inside it,” said Dee Rudolph, outreach coordinator at the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher.

Some animals, such as conch, are difficult to see unless you flip the shell over and look inside. Other animals, such as cowries or sea snails, come outside the shell much farther and for much longer periods of time.

Still, Rudolph said, if you see a shell with no animal in it, the animal’s already dead. So pick it up, take it home and enjoy it for years - guilt-free.

“When you’re walking along the beach and picking up shells, that’s really fun and it’s a great thing to do and it’s a great way to bring a little bit of the beach back with you. Especially if you’re not from the area. It’s a great memento,” she said.

Amy Hotz: 343-2099

amy.hotz@starnewsonline.com

June 18th, 2008 | Category: Beaches, Brunswick County NC, Ocean Isle, Sunset Beach | Leave a comment