October 2009
Volume 2, Issue 10

Temperatures soared to the ninety-degree level earlier in the month, but it seems likely that the high heat has made its last appearance here at the beach, not to appear again until 2010. Now, as the year ends, we welcome the Southern sun's soothing warmth, such an advantage of living in the Carolinas.

If you were with us during the early weeks of October, you might have swum in the ocean, surf-boarded, fished from the Cherry Grove Pier, and otherwise played in what seemed like nearly 90-degrees. By mid-month, the thermometer was much lower, though, with chilly nights to keep the air crisp, reminding everyone that fall has arrived. Gray skies replaced blue ones, and the air took on a sharp feel, just enough of a crispy nip to the air to launch changes in colors of tree foliage and bedding plants. Then we returned to the high 70's with clear blue days and cool nights. All of this weather report is to announce that the fish, especially the "spots," have started to increase their hits on anglers' hooks, with drum fish providing their usual challenge on the lines, and bait fish running in schools, drawing in flocks of seabirds and dolphin just off shore. What a gorgeous time of year, whether you fish, stroll, kayak, or just sit on your balcony at Prince and watch the world turn.

Living as we do at the beach, we always have a way to keep summer in our hearts. This year, Prince and its sister properties sponsored the October 31st Endless Summer Festival, a tribute to the sounds and traditions of summertime (see more below). Some guests visited us just for this event, and others used the festivities to begin their months-long stay here through the winter. Golfers arrived this month, as well, to take advantage of the discounts on playing premier courses around the Grand Strand.

Of course, with Halloween on the same day as The Endless Summer Festival, plus the November and December holidays only a few weeks away, our chef at 3500 Ocean Grill is in action mode with some exciting dishes on the menu and all plans made for holiday fun. We invite you to see more about the events below, also online at our website under "Specials," and join us for the merriment.

Hoping to see you back here at the beach!

Your friends at Prince Resort!

Dancing to the Beat of The Endless Summer Festival in North Myrtle Beach

The end of summer means even more amusements and entertainment activities! The long list of things to do includes fall harvest events, school days, football games, and more. The days and weeks in autumn seem to fly, and we see a quickly approaching holiday season of Thanksgiving through New Year's Day.

One eagerly awaited celebration occurs every year at the end of October. This year the Endless Summer Festival falls on October 31st. The event will include three well-known beach-music bands that come together on October 31st at the "Horseshoe" on Main Street in North Myrtle Beach. The free concert, the focal point of the afternoon, was arranged by the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce and sponsored principally by Prince Resort and the sister properties of North Myrtle Beach. In addition to the concert, visitors always enjoy a classic car show, arts-and-crafts exhibit/sale, lots of food opportunities, and a children's play area with inflatables and carnival rides.

Perhaps this annual party is especially meaningful to devotées of beach music because it always offers an opportunity to see and hear in person some great legends of this type of music. This year's line-up are bands named The Fantastic Shakers, SeaCruz, and The Catalinas with hit songs including "Shaking the Shack," "Summertime's Calling Me," "Myrtle Beach Days," and "Ain't No Big Thing." Sitting is hard to do when the rhythm gets going, and many people feel inclined to get up and dance at times like this. If still time, we hope that you can attend this free concert. Let's get out there and keep up with the beat of summer!

Prince's Wellness Program

The current 7 members of Prince's Wellness Program (a decrease from the original 12) continue their enthusiastic participation in weight-loss efforts — taking in fewer calories and putting out more energy.

Three people in the group carry on their trend in losing pounds with some others, shall we say, deviating now and then. This month the group lost a total of 3 pounds (not our best month with .2% loss in total body fat). The recent end-of-month award of $153 went to an employee who managed an individual monthly loss of 12.2 pounds, approximately a .58% loss of excess mass.

Well done, everyone!

The Culinary World of

Come say hello to our chef and his assistants, plus all the servers, kitchen staff, and front desk personnel! Everyone here is preparing for the holidays which are only a few weeks away. Let's take a peek at some of the special dishes on the menu now or planned for this special time of year:

South Carolina Crab Cakes — On the menu now and ready to introduce you to Lowcountry style cooking (some say that the Lowcountry approach to cooking includes a natural and moderate salinity with just enough spicy pizzazz to alert your taste buds to the difference between this and any other kind of recipe). 3500's crab cake has plenty of gently sautéed crab meat, capped with a complementing garnish of spicy shallot cream sauce.
Roasted Turkey Breast with Oyster Stuffing and Giblet Gravy. — This dish is being planned for the Thanksgiving feast. No dry turkeys here. Our moist and flavorful birds roast slowly in their own juices until ready for you to enjoy their flavor. Servings of your choice of dark and light meat go well with the rich aroma and taste of the traditional Lowcountry oyster stuffing that melts into your mouth when topped with the giblet gravy. This is only one part of a huge banquet that 3500 plans for your Thanksgiving dining. Click here to see the entire Thanksgiving menu.
Vodka Penne with Chicken — On the menu now and ready for you to savor! A delectable pasta, not Lowcountry-style at all, which helps illustrate that our chef seeks out ways to please all types of taste buds. This tender penne is hand-tossed with cream, tomato, vodka, and succulent chicken, with all flavors blending gently until served to your table — a veritable symphony of flavors going on in your mouth. First greeted with its aroma, pasta-lovers will want to linger over this meal, enjoying one of our complementing wines available to enhance its essence even more.
Grouper with Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce — The grouper provides fun in catching and delight in eating because of its light, white-meat taste, relatively boneless serving, and natural talent for sustaining diners' interest without added spices and flavors, just a hint of lemon and butter. Here, our chef has included the barest hint of garlic in a cream sauce to add a festive flair for the New Year's Eve gala dinner. See the entire menu for New Year's when you click here.

These are only four dishes on several menu arrangements, all assembled by our talented and hard-working staff at 3500 Ocean Grill. Go online to see all the menus, and then plan your calendar filled with office holiday parties held here, family holiday gatherings held here with us, or just bring a special someone here for a meal. Dine here and relax, right in front of the ocean, the big, beautiful Atlantic Ocean!

Featured Recipe - Not Just Any Pumpkin Roll

Hints: Use freshly ground nutmeg if you can find the nutmeg nut. Doubling this recipe is a recipe for disaster. Only bake one sheet pan at a time. The type of towel you use to roll determines whether the cake stays together or not. Cooks report that the best kind of towel is the cotton towel used in flour sacks, and the worst kind is a terry towel.

Ingredients for the cake:

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup canned or cooked pumpkin
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional
Powdered sugar

Ingredients for the filling:

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions for the cake:
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan with wax paper and grease paper. Set aside. Beat eggs till lemon colored. Gradually add sugar. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice. Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt; add to egg-pumpkin mixture. Pour batter into pan; sprinkle with chopped nuts (if using.) Bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle powdered sugar on kitchen towel. Turn cake onto towel, and remove wax paper. Roll up cake and towel lengthwise. Cool. Refrigerate or freeze.

Directions for the filling:
Whip butter and cream cheese together. Beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. Add vanilla. Unroll cake and spread with filling. Roll up again. Wrap in plastic wrap until served.

Click here for a printable version of recipe

Groups at Prince Resort

A hearty "thank you" to the following groups for selecting Prince Resort as the site of their meeting or event:

Dobbin Family Reunion
Kirklin / Ryans Wedding
Loris Health Care Systems
Pontiac Oakland Club
Forms and Supply
Raleigh Wake NCCU Alumni
Picture Perfect Events
City of Faith

Liebenau / Duncan Wedding
Vinson Family Reunion
Peace Haven Baptist Church
Western Avenue Baptist Church
Porter Family Reunion
Whitney / Serfess Wedding
Spradling / Hankins Wedding
City of Faith

If you are planning a group meeting or special event such as a wedding or family reunion, keep us in mind as an affordable and fabulous gathering spot that will earn rave-reviews from your members. Looking for a place for your office holiday party, family reunion, or special birthday?

Our Group Sales Office can provide the details and planning assistance that you need.

Local Events Calendar - November 2009

11/1. Battleship North Carolina Half-Marathon and Bay Six Battleship 5K. 11th annual Carolina Sports Medicine Battleship North Carolina Half-Marathon and Bay Six Battleship 5K. Information at 910.398.5539, www.battleshiphalfmarathon.active.com.

11/7. Island Fever Music Fest at La Belle Amie Vineyard. Saturday, Nov. 7, from noon to 5 PM. $8 admission for ages 18-80 (other ages have free admission). La Belle Amie Vineyard in North Myrtle Beach. Information at www.labelleamie.com or 843.399.WINE (9463).

11/7. Cape Fear Kite Festival. Cape Fear Kite Festival. Free event with kites from many origins filling the sky with color, unbelievable sizes and styles! Wrightsville Beach, NC. Information at 910.520.1818, www.capefearkitefestival.com.

11/8. Nationalistic Fervor presented by Long Bay Symphony. A variety of music from the "Age of Revolution." Information through www.longbaysymphony.com or 843.448.8379.

11/12-15. The 28th Annual Dickens Christmas Show and Festival. Myrtle Beach Convention Center. A huge show of craftspeople, great place to find ideas for decorating, shop for holiday gifts, or just see the sights. Information at 843.448.9483 or www.dickenschristmasshow.com.

11/14. Urban Bush Women Dance Troup. One-of-a-kind dance troupe integrating dance, music, and text with the history, culture, and spiritual traditions of African Americans and the African Diaspora. University of North Carolina in Wilmington. (601 S. College Rd.). www.uncw.edu/presents.

11/21. 6th Annual Murrells Inlet Oyster Roast. Spud's Waterfront Dining parking lot. A menu of oysters plus other food items and beverages are available. Tickets $25.00. 843.357.2007.

11/26-28. South Carolina Bluegrass Festival, Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Relax with the time-honored tradition of Southern bluegrass. Free parking. Chairs provided. http://www.aandabluegrass.com/Festivals/SouthCarolinaStateBluegra.html.

11/26. Poplar Grove's Plantation Christmas. Decorated for the holidays, the Manor House at night is full of old fashioned charm and nostalgia such as music, hayrides, more. Poplar Grove Plantation, 10200 US Hwy 17 North, Wilmington, NC 28411. 910.686.9518 and www.poplargrove.com.

11/28. Christmas Market in Little River, SC, 9 AM. The 4th Annual Christmas Market celebrates the season at the historic Little River waterfront. Entertainment, unique and popular pet parade and holiday parade regatta (see next item). Highway 17 north from Myrtle Beach with a right turn at Mineola to the waterfront.

11/28. Intracoastal Christmas Regatta Boat Parade. Boaters, assemble at Tilghman's Point at 4:30 PM and begin the boat parade at 5 PM (dusk). Leads to Dock Holidays Marina. More information at http://christmasregatta.com.

Guest Comments

We thank each of you who sent notes to us through the online system, from a Prince newsletter, by email through our contact information, or by regular postal mail. All of your ideas, feed-back, and suggestions are helpful.

Here are a few of the recent statements from guests:

We came to the Prince because our "new" daughter-in-law, Ashley, granddaughter of the former owner of the Prince, was marrying my son...Always a little nervous about staying somewhere new,[we found] the Prince [to be] absolutely the best. We had a suite and really enjoyed it. Our other son stayed with us, and he generally doesn't say much about a place to stay, but he voiced his desire to stay here again. From the front desk to the housekeeping staff, we enjoyed everyone very much. They all were very courteous and friendly. From early in the morning to late at night the staff at the Prince was very accommodating and enjoyable. We look forward to staying at the Prince on our next visit to North Myrtle! Thank you.

Email note to Prince management from the Kain family, 09/09/09

This was the 4th time staying at the Prince Resort and again very enjoyable. My 2 bedroom condo was very nice and clean. The service was great and everyone connected with the Resort was very nice. Can't wait to get back down there. I love to fish and the pier is right there as you come off the elevator. By the way, I had a great week fishing and caught a lot of fish. I connected with people on the pier that I see every year. If you want to have a great vacation in a great area come to the Prince Resort in North Myrtle Beach. Everything you could want is there.

Email sent to Prince Resort's "quality control" center by the Lovelace family of Lawndale, NC. 10/10/09.

My wife and I enjoyed the few days very much. It was good to get away for a few days and enjoy the sounds of the sea, the good food, and views from our junior suite. We stayed in 1440 and [enjoyed] the views of your great marsh inlet and the ocean. Hope on our next return we can get this same room. Everything was in order, had just what we needed for our stay. The people at the front desk on check in were very helpful ...We look forward to returning for a longer stay.

Email sent to Prince Resort's "quality control" center by the Helms family. 10/03/09.

I have multiple degrees in hotel and restaurant management. I was an assistant general manager and general manager of multiple hotels, so when I tell you that your property is right on as far as guest services and making the guest feel at home you can take my word. Free drinks would have helped, maybe a little more in the room along the lines of cooking tools, but really everything was great. I'll be back next year. Thanks for a great vacation.

Email sent to Prince Resort's "quality control" center by Mr. Codichini of Matamoras, PA. 09/18/09.

Making Holiday Plans: Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve

Prince Resort has begun its plans for the holidays, in particular Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve. Our oceanfront location makes this the perfect place for an affordable get-away. Make a change from the usual holiday hassles, the frenzied cooking for unexpected guests, and the on-going housework that never seems to end and overloads with exhaustion after our unusually trying year.

Take a peek at these great options to planning your own holidays:

Thanksgiving: Click here for details
With our sumptuously traditional feast and a glorious view of the vast Atlantic Ocean, you and your family and friends can have a holiday never to be forgotten!

New Year's Eve 2009: Click here for details. Our delicious meal, festive atmosphere at ocean front, and cool band keeping things hopping though midnight, you are sure to have the time of your life this New Year's Eve!

Reservations are recommended for either or both events. Either go online through the links above or call toll-free at 866.503.9518 (locally 843.417.1300).

Fun Facts

Ancient bald cypress forests in black-water swamps, clusters of live oaks draped with Spanish moss, and wild coastal terrain dotted with salt marshes and river deltas all form just a small part of the exotic environment known as South Carolina.

Water at the surface of the ocean may look like it is moving forward with the waves, but it is actually sliding up and down in the same spot, just as the marsh grass (fixed to the ground) sways in one spot with the movement of the wind!

While solid chocolate certainly contains a high fat content, just over half the calories found in bittersweet, semisweet, and milk chocolate. Though the cocoa butter in chocolate is mostly saturated fat, studies show that it does not appear to raise blood cholesterol.

The Great Lakes have a small but measureable tide of several inches. While the lakes are huge, they still are not as large as oceans, and some of the shifting of the water is attributed to wind speed, too.

The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows. During Renaissance Florence, women followed the fashion trend to shave them off, so the artist did not paint them.

The oldest known vegetable is the pea.

A bean has more DNA per cell than does a human cell.

"Naked" means to be unprotected. "Nude" means unclothed.

There are no clocks in Las Vegas gambling casinos.

We are born with 300 bones, but when we grow to be adults, we only have 206.

We lose about 75 hairs from our head each day through natural loss and regrowth.

Lemons yield more juice if microwaved for 30 seconds before squeezing (hint: pierce the fruit with a fork to prevent bursting).

One ton of iron turns into three tons of rust.

Sleep-walking is more common in children than in adults!

One of the nation's largest children's museums is in Columbia, SC. The EdVenture Children's Museum includes a butterfly house, subtropical plants, hands-on learning, and much more, right in the middle of the city. A three-hour drive (155 miles) one way.