Day: December 19, 2018

January and February are prime luxury cruising times and the time to book your vacation for the best deals and promotions is now.  Pampered Journeys: Where Travelers Are Well Taken Care Of In an interview with the Insider, Marina Foy speaks about her company, Pampered Journeys, and what’s available to tempt Myrtle Beachians to explore the realm of luxury travel this winter.   Insider: Tell me about Pampered Journeys.   Marina: I specialize in customized luxury travel trips for individuals, couples, and groups with an emphasis on food, wine, art, and culture. I design each trip differently for each of my clients, because it’s based around their unique interests. I can help a client to realize almost any authentic dream that they have for a foreign travel experience.   Insider: How are you able to offer such hugely customized trips?   Marina: About 80% of the time, I’ve been to the country. So I’m familiar with the culture and have first-hand experience and knowledge of the place.   Additionally, I’m affiliated with Virtuoso, a large luxury consortia comprised of the world’s finest travel agencies and advisors. I forge personal relationships with the people who represent them, and have contacts all around the world, so I can call someone in any country, give them specific instructions for the accommodations, activities, and experiences my clients are looking for— and they will work with me to orchestrate a trip.   We also make suggestions based on a client’s interests of really unique things for them to do. I’ve arranged for clients to share a private tea with Buddhist monks in Korea, a country famous for their teahouses. I’ve planned the itinerary of a group of golfers cruising around Europe, so they hit all the top golf courses enroute; and for a couple who were wine connoisseurs to have a private dinner in one of the best wine cellars in South Africa while they were on safari.  I can also secure people reservations to things that book out six months in advance— I arranged for clients cruising around South America to have dinner at two restaurants in Lima that are on the list of the 50 best restaurants in the world—seats not easy to come by.   Insider:  Tell me more about your customization process and the resources you have at your disposal.   Marina: I have my clients fill out a questionnaire that elicits the information that I need to give them the best tailored travel experience. My contacts in country through Virtuoso can provide me with current information about construction in hotels or sites, unexpected changes, or cultural upheaval, so I can help my clients avoid the pitfalls that you often can’t discern from researching a place online or in travel magazines.  With Virtuoso, I get benefits for my clients like reduced rates, complimentary perks, and special destinations for cruises, as well as upgrades like private charters. I also have my own personal travel magazine that is tailored to what I offer, which gives clients ideas and options about what’s available for them.     Insider: What’s on tap this winter with Pampered Journeys?  Marina: Winter is cruising season and the time to book is now. Luxury cruise lines are hugely popular because they are like 5-star hotels that you can move around the world in without packing and unpacking. There are a lot of luxury cruise lines as well as European River Cruising operators offering promotions for great trips and experiences now.  Promotions arise and sell out so quickly that someone who isn’t a travel agent couldn’t keep up with it, or manage the breadth and depth of what’s being offered. That’s the value that I bring.  Pampered Journeys, Women’s travel group; travel e-newsletter and more.   Facebook Phone Internet-explorer At

Geoff Koskinen of T-Squad Fitness coaches a client at the X-Gym.“I push people, but in the right ways,” he says. “We make training approachable, non-intimidating, and highly personal.” — Photo Meganpixels Parker Your Place For Mind, Body, and Soul Rejuvenation by Melissa LaScaleia T’s Squad Fitness is a one-on-one personal training business and facility located on George Bishop Parkway. Trainer Taqouri Lott is the owner and operator, and Geoff Koskinen is his partner.   The two met about four years ago at a local fitness club and became instant friends. Taqouri is a former college football player from Wisconsin. Geoff used to live in Saratoga Springs, New York, where he worked in the New York State Senate.   “After almost ten years, it felt like the right time to move on,” he says. “My parents moved to South Carolina in 2007, and I decided I was tired of the long winters and decided to take a new direction with my life. I came down in 2010.”  Geoff switched careers and became involved in personal fitness full-time. “Here you have the beach and sun— and that equals fitness,” he says. “I’ve always enjoyed working out, and I wanted a career in fitness because I enjoy helping people. It makes me happy and joyful. It’s just like playing sports again— being around people who are paying attention to their bodies. It’s healthy for my mind, body, and soul; it made life matter again. This is a very rewarding career.” Geoff and Taquouri share a common vision of personal training that is truly personal and accessible for all ages and fitness levels. — Photo Meganpixels Parker Geoff and Taqouri have almost twenty-five years of collective experience working in the industry. When they met, they discovered that they shared a common vision of personal training that was truly personal and accessible for all ages and levels— with instructions and techniques that inspired their clients to develop greater self-trust and feel at ease throughout the process.   They decided to branch out on their own to offer personal training that reflected their values of tending to one’s body, mind and soul through personalized training instruction. Taqouri opened T’s Squad Fitness last year, and Geoff came on board soon thereafter.   “We get along with anyone,” Geoff says, in reflecting on his and Taqouri’s strengths as trainers. “We’re very down to earth. We’re comfortable working with people of all levels and all ages. We’re patient. We cater to people who are beginners or haven’t worked out in a while, and we make training approachable and non-intimidating.  “It’s one-on-one, it’s tailored to the individual and we meet them at their level. Safety is first with us. We see each client as different, so we train each client differently.   A lot of their clients are seniors, and Geoff and Taqouri both specialize in the unique fitness needs of this population— especially with regards to safety. — Photo Meganpixels Parker “We offer a more tailored and personalized approach than you can typically find at a gym. We’ve seen it a lot as trainers, the discomfort people feel with their assigned trainer at a gym, in a new space, learning a new technique. So we look for the specific things that each of our client’s needs, and build a rapport with them, taking their training and fitness goals one step at a time.”   A lot of their clients are seniors, and Geoff and Taqouri both specialize in the unique fitness needs of this population— especially with regards to safety.   “This is a perfect opportunity for people to get out of their house, to move, to stretch, to get the blood pumping, and it’s community— they get to interact with good people,” Geoff says.   “The clients I have are progressing. Many of them say to me, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I found you! Without your guidance, I never would have gotten to where I am.’ Training makes them feel strong— in the gym and in life. To see their confidence level increase is great, to see them reach their goals is the best.” “We’re reliable, we offer support, we’re going to be there for them in the long run,” he adds. “Encouragement builds confidence, perseverance, and a good affinity with yourself. And then it just becomes fun.”   T’s Squad Fitness Training 6am-8pm daily. Envelope Facebook Phone Internet-explorer

This aerial shot shows the crew of D.R. Horton at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Meridian subdivision, August 2018. — Photo Meganpixels Parker Myrtle Beach’s Leading Homebuilding Company Offers Value for Homebuyers by Melissa LaScaleia Locally, D.R. Horton serves the entire Grand Strand area, from Carolina Shores, NC, to Pawleys Island, SC, and inland to Conway and beyond. While D.R. Horton is a nationwide organization, the Myrtle Beach division is served by a group of seventy-five locals who live and work in the community and treat their clients like family.  As the nation’s largest homebuilder by volume since 2002, the company’s size affords them greater buying power, which creates more value for the customer.    This Beech style home is a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2-car garage home. Brought to you by D.R. Horton. Forty years ago, Donald R. Horton had a vision of livable and affordable new homes built with unmatched efficiencies and uncompromising quality, and a business that would grow by making customers’ dreams a reality. That philosophy of creating value every step of the way was the company’s signature focus when Horton unveiled his first neighborhood in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area four decades ago.  As the company grew from a local homebuilder to a regional homebuilder, to ultimately the largest homebuilder in the United States, that philosophy has never wavered.  D.R. Horton continues to demonstrate their leadership in residential development through design innovation, superior craftsmanship, and responsiveness to the needs of their customers. A D.R. Horton Express Home, located in the Meridian subdivision. — Photo D.R. Horton D.R. Horton’s Myrtle Beach division offers four lines of homes within its family of brands: Express Homes provide entry-level homes for value-focused buyers; D.R. Horton’s flagship brand provides homes that are engineered for maximum livability and value for the price; Emerald Homes provide a luxury option for the move-up buyer; and Freedom Homes are geared toward active adults who are looking for a low-maintenance home. An Express Home in the Meridian subdivision. — Photo D.R. Horton Five years ago, D.R. Horton’s Myrtle Beach division welcomed three hundred and fifty homeowners into the D.R. Horton family, and last year they welcomed eight hundred and eighteen. The company continues to grow and change along with the Myrtle Beach area, and continues to deliver new and exciting communities and amenities for new home seekers within the very best locations.   An express home by D.R. Horton. — Photo D.R. Horton D.R. Horton has model homes available for viewing at Meridian at the Market Common, one of their newest communities and one of the lowest priced single-family home options in the Market Common.  The Meridian community features a variety of floor plans and pricing options, and plans include a large amenity center opening next spring.   The community is located at 2913 Skyler Drive in Myrtle Beach, and is available for viewing Monday through Saturday from 10am – 6pm, and Sunday from noon – 6pm. D.R. Horton Community model homes are open for viewing Mon- Sat 10am-6pm; Sun noon-6pm. Envelope Phone Internet-explorer