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Irish Fest

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Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day Here by Melissa LaScaleia There’s a great way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year in the Market Common— with Irish Fest.  Mike Shank envisioned and organized the start of the festival here nine years ago. Mike owns his own company called Festival Promotions.  He has been organizing and promoting popular events in Myrtle Beach for the past twenty years— events like the Turkey Trot, Oktoberfest, the Wine Festival, and the Myrtle Beach Marathon. He says of Irish Fest: “It’s something that wasn’t happening that I thought people would enjoy.  St. Patrick’s Day seemed like a natural time to have a festival to me.  It’s a built-in holiday, a time when people like to get together and want do something. The traditions of Irish Fest live on: (from top to bottom) beer, green smiles, and live music “At the time when I first created it, Market Common had just been built, and they created a great space for events.  I saw an opportunity to add some events in Myrtle Beach, because there weren’t a ton at the time.” Mike began working with the Market Common as a way to bring people from the outside to its doors. “People love coming to festivals at the Market Common, they love coming to the Market Common in general, experiencing the restaurants and the shopping,” he says.  “I saw the longterm potential of Market Common in terms of its growth— the amount of people and businesses that would be out here.  Nine years ago, I envisioned what we see today, people bringing golf carts to the events, and support for these festivals coming from those who live here.” This year’s event will feature live music all day.  Three bands will take turns on one stage— a mix of Irish music by Paul Grimshaw as well as other artists from different genres. There will be inflatable bouncy zones, a petting zoo, and face painting for the younger set or the young at heart, a variety of craft beers, and over forty vendors offering crafts, food, and an assortment of beverages.  Some of the food vendors will be selling authentic Irish food. The main sponsors of this year’s Irish Fest are: the Market Common, The Sun News, Maguire Law Firm and PNC Bank. “The response has been great,” Mike says.  “It’s exceeded all my expectations.  It’s a really family oriented event, and the sponsors have been great.” Festival-goers enjoying the Springtime weather at last year’s Irish Fest. – Photo courtesy of Katherine Taylor. Wondering when to go?  In the past, retirees come both early and later in the day; families more towards the middle; and a younger crowd arrives later in the day. Don’t forget to show your spirit and wear green. What does Mike appreciate the most about his own event? “I like that it’s outside, and it’s festive,” he says. “People come to have a good time and they can relax.  It’s a positive atmosphere.  It’s different every year– the crowd makes it, and their energy shapes the event.” Irish Fest Irish Fest, at Grand Park in the Market Common, Saturday, March 17, 11am-7pm.  Family friendly event.  Free admission.  Free parking in the garages.

Coastal Green Wellness

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Bringing the Healing Power of Plants to The Market Common and Beyond

by Melissa LaScaleia

This past December, Myrtle Beach native David Spang opened Coastal Green Wellness, South Carolina’s first CBD dispensary store in the Market Common.  Together with his girlfriend, Crystal Walter, David conducts the primary aim of his business besides distribution to the public— to offer knowledge about the healing powers of CBD and to promote and normalize the use of cannabis in the community as a healing tool.

CBD (chemical name cannabidiol) is an organic compound that comes from the hemp, or cannabis Sativa L. plant.  In South Carolina, medical marijuana is not legal.  But CBD, which lacks the psychoactive compound THC, which is found in both recreational and medical marijuana and which makes the plant so controversial, is, and it’s been shown to positively benefit a vast majority of medical conditions— everything from Alzheimers and Parkinson’s, to arthritis, sleep disorders, anxiety, autoimmune disorders, and chronic pain.
The Coastal Insider
David Spang (left) and his girlfriend Crystal Walter (right) outside Coastal Green Wellness. The two work together to educate the community on the healing powers of CBD.

David followed the news about medical cannabis in the nation, watching documentaries and reading news articles, spurred by a fascination that something completely natural was helping people who didn’t get answers from traditional medicine.

He read every book he could get his hands on to learn more.

“One day, I read a story about a mother who started a company growing CBD in Conway; she built the company as a way to have access to resources that she needed to help her daughter heal from a rare medical condition,” David says.  “Her story inspired me and gave me a push to open my own store because she wasn’t doing quite what I wanted to do.
The Coastal Insider

“I saw how the market is being taken advantage of.  There are smoke stores, and their products are not as beneficial as what we carry.  Because CBD is not regulated by a government agency, there’s no stipulations on what you’re allowed to say in advertising or the quality of the products that you carry.  That’s why educating the community is so important to me.

“Everything I say CBD can do has been backed up with legitimate medical research.  Because testing protocols on illegal drugs in the U.S. is so diffcult and expensive to conduct, the majority of the documented research with case studies is coming from outside of the United States, with a large concentration from Israel and Italy.  Professor Raphael Mechoulam of Israel was instrumental in paving the way for medical research on cannabis for the world; he was the first person to really approach it as medicine.”
The Coastal Insider
Charlotte's Web and Mary's Nutritionals, two internationally known industry-leaders in the hemp industry, have a spot on the shelf here. David offers the highest quality broad spectrum and whole plant extracts that he can find.

David brings in the highest quality broad spectrum and whole plant extracts to his store that he can find, all grown in the U.S.  And he and Crystal are working to compile literature about CBD; the crux of their information being taken from medical facilities.

“Particularly because I’ve seen how much CBD can benefit communities, it frustrated me that it wasn’t available here,” he shares.  “I want to help my local community through natural, safe, and alternative medicine, and take away the negative stigma attached to CBD through education.”

Coastal Green Wellness

Coastal Green Wellness

Open M-Sa 10am-7pm. 

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DiCarlo’s Pizza

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An Ohio Valley Tradition in Myrtle Beach by Melissa LaScaleia Meet Steve Beatty, the owner of DiCarlo’s Pizza, and Jason Blackwell, the manager.  Two childhood friends who grew up together in the Ohio River Valley and northern panhandle of West Virginia.  After graduating from West Virginia University in 1995, Steve accepted an offer to be the quality manager at Wolverine Brass, and moved his family to Myrtle Beach.  Every time they went home to visit (along with everybody else from the Ohio Valley), DiCarlo’s Pizza was always the first stop. DiCarlo’s was started by Italian immigrants in 1945.  It’s a unique style of pizza, and for its followers, it’s something akin to a legend.  Steve and Jason explain it: “First, it is a square pizza cut in square pieces,” they say.  “It’s a mix between a Sicilian deep dish and a thin and crispy.  When you think of styles of pizza, you have thin and flimsy, and then you have Chicago, which is a deep dish.  And we’re right in between, it’s been coined the Ohio Valley style pizza.” “It’s flash baked so it’s crispy on the bottom and fluffy with lots of air pockets in the middle and top,” Jason adds.  “Vegetables and meats get baked on the pizza, the only thing we don’t cook on is the cheese and pepperoni.  That’s the key— those toppings go on fresh.  We cook the pizza with the sauce on it, and then we add provolone cheese and pepperoni after the pizza has been baked.  When you put it in the box and put the top on, the heat melts the cheese.  The pizza is best eaten right out of the oven.  However, leftover pieces in the refrigerator are also good cold.” “The original DiCarlo’s is carry out only, so patrons would take the pizza to their car and eat it there.  It’s like a cult,” Jason says of the pizza’s followers and their zeal. “I’d always wanted to open one in Morgantown, West Virginia when I went to college,” Steve says.  “But they weren’t licensing or franchising and refused point blank. “In 2014, I was on a cruise in the Mediterranean, and I overheard a guy from Hilton Head, SC say something about DiCarlo’s Pizza.  He was also raised in the Ohio Valley and wanted to open one in Hilton Head and said they had begun licensing the name and trademark. Just like the original: DiCarlo’s pizza is always square, cut in square pieces. – Photos by Meganpixels Parker. “I decided to open one in Myrtle Beach, and while I was trying to find the right location, Jason called my company, Four Star Plumbing & Air Conditioning, Inc., for service at his house.  That’s how I discovered he was down here, and we reconnected.  When I told him I was opening a DiCarlo’s Pizza down here, he was like, ‘Oh my God, thank God!’.  And it just so happens he had experience in the restaurant industry.” “So I bought a license agreement from DiCarlo’s,” Steve continues, “and they showed us how to make their pizza.  Our pizza is made from scratch and we use 100% hand grated provolone cheese.” “We saw it as an opportunity to bring this pizza to Myrtle Beach,” Jason says. “Our customers who haven’t been back to the Ohio Valley in a long time, they come in, and say, ‘I haven’t had DiCarlos Pizza in nine years!’ And they’re in heaven.  We’ve had people drive from Raleigh, NC, and from Augusta, Georgia.  It’s a lot shorter of a drive than West Virginia.  People just go wild because they haven’t had it in years.” “We’ve basically brought a piece of history from our hometown to share with the many now local Ohio Valley transplants and visitors of the Grand Strand,” Steve says. And they’ve been serving Myrtle Beach this little slice of heaven for two years now. Steve concludes, “Other than we offer the cheese melted if you prefer, and dine-in services so you don’t have to eat in your car, we stick to our roots.” DiCarlo’s also offers calzones, sandwiches, wings, and pepperoni rolls, which are a new product for many people.  A pepperoni roll is pepperoni rolled up in bread– like a calzone without the cheese.  It makes a good lunch time snack, and is another great DiCarlo’s tradition that is popular in West Virginia. Call your order in 20-30 minutes ahead of time, and they will have it ready. Unfortunately this company is permanently closed. We have admired their business and are sad to see them go.

Beach Landscaping

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For This Self-Taught Father-Son Team, No Challenge is Too Big by Melissa LaScaleia Matt Freedman, the owner of Beach Landscaping in Myrtle Beach, is originally from the Washington, D.C. area.  He moved to Myrtle Beach in 1995 to start a commercial cleaning business with his father after the invitation of a family friend. “A friend of my father’s had a cleaning business down here,” Matt tells the Insider in an interview.  “And he had a commercial account which he was on the verge of loosing because he didn’t have any on-site management.  So he asked us if we wanted to take it over.  We said yes and came down, and after a year or so of working for him, we decided it was time to branch out on our own.  That was the start of our own commercial cleaning company, Beach Commercial Cleaning. “After five years or so, when we had things pretty well structured and my involvement on a day-to-day basis wasn’t essential, I looked for a new challenge.” Through an acquaintance, Matt found what he was looking for— the opportunity to start and grow another business from their existing client base.  It was in landscaping. “We ended up partnering with someone who had a smaller, semi-established business already,” he says.    “And with our contacts, we were able to grow both commercial and residential accounts to a decent size.  In 2010, my father and I split off to start our own company, Beach Landscaping, and we’ve been running it ever since.” “I didn’t have much landscaping experience when I first started,” he continues, “and neither did our partner.  I basically learned on the job, through hands-on doing it. “One of the reasons why we were able to get business from the onset was that we called people back and followed through with what we said we were going to do.  It was basically our customer service, and we stick with that to this day.  It’s huge for people that we’re here and we’re accountable for what we provide.  People continue to be amazed that we actually return their calls.” Beach Landscaping has since grown from its humble origins, but remains a true family-owned and operated business.  Matt and Bob spearhead the operation, and Matt’s wife Tracy manages the accounting and scheduling.  Since those early days, Matt has brushed up on his formal education, attending classes and logging hours in the study of plant identification, pesticide application, and weed identification and control.  The trio oversees a team of about twenty employees. “We try to maintain as much communication with our clients as we can,” he says in speaking about what makes his company stand out.  “Rich is instrumental to our team— he follows up behind our grounds crew to make sure they’re doing everything according to our standards.  We have a lot of old time customers at this point, and we take care of them. “We have a lot of different avenues and infrastructure in place so that if people call, they can speak to Rich; and Kim answers my phone Monday through Friday.  If there’s a conflict, Rich is the one that we send to go talk to the homeowners to make things right.” Today Beach Landscaping offers numerous landscaping services for both businesses and residences: regular lawn mowing and maintenance services; bed design, planting, and maintenance; bush, perennial, palm and other tree pruning services; full landscape design; and irrigation installation and servicing.  They also cover you and your yard for spring and fall cleanup, overturn soil, give recommendations on what plants would thrive in specific areas of your yard, and conduct soil testing and treatment for lawns that need more perk.  The only thing they don’t do is take down large trees. Beach Landscaping also offers design and execution for hardscapes, paver patios and walkways, and retaining walls.  These latter skills evolved over time, Matt explains.  Along the way, they met and hired individuals who were skilled in these additional areas, learning from them until Matt and his father were able to expand their repertoire of offerings on their own.  Their ability to successfully teach themselves new skills, and consistently offer excellent service with great attention to customers is both impressive and inspiring. Matt’s favorite thing about his job is doing a complete landscape redesign for a customer.  “I enjoy having a clean palate to work from, going in and adding everything new from the beginning,” he says. His penchant for starting from scratch and loving the process shows.  From commercial cleaner, to landscaper, to patio construction; where will this father-son team head next?  We don’t know but we hope we’re there when it happens.  Someone tell us if we’re not. Beach Landscaping P.O. Box 70937, Myrtle Beach, 29572.  Call anytime to schedule an appointment. Facebook Phone Internet-explorer

Real Living Real Estate Press Release

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Properties at the Market Common Joins Real Living Real Estate Brokerage Network by John Jobson MYRTLE BEACH, SC (Mar. 20, 2018) – Real Living Real Estate, one of the nation’s leading real estate franchisors and a member of the HSF Affiliates LLC family of real estate brokerage franchise networks, today announced that independent brokerage, Properties at the Market Common has joined the network. Real Living’s newest member will operate as Real Living Home Realty Group. “We’re proud to be joining the Real Living Real Estate network family,” says Jim Parker, co-owner. “We see this relationship as an opportunity to leverage Real Living’s marketing tools and industry resources. Working with Real Living will expand our reach and help even more homebuyers and sellers in the Myrtle Beach area.” The brokerage already has a long-standing reputation for connecting with the community and local businesses through its print and online publication, the Insider at the Market Common.  The Insider has a readership of over 77,500 and is currently mailed to over 21,000 residences and businesses; 10,000 copies are distributed throughout the over one hundred business locations along the Grand Strand. With their membership in the network, the brokerage will also benefit from Real Living’s comprehensiveand integrated suite of resources aimed at helping real estate agents and their clients successfully navigate the home buying and selling process.  The technology and systems provided by Real Living will allow the brokerage’s current agents to provide an even higher level of support to clients while encouraging new agents to join the brokerage. “The Real Living brand is synonymous with lifestyles.  Real Living Home Realty Group is a natural fit to market the distinctiveness of Myrtle Beach and the surrounding communities,” says Allan Dalton, chief operating officer of Real Living Real Estate. Robert McAdams Jr., president of Real Living Real Estate, welcomes Real Living Home Realty Group to the network.  “We look forward to providing this already exceptional firm the support it deserves to groweven further,” he says. “We’re thrilled they’ve chosen Real Living, and we’re confident they’ll continue their tradition of serving the community of Myrtle Beach under the new name and brand.” CEO of HSF Affiliates Gino Blefari adds, “Jim and the Real Living Home Realty Group team will be exceptional ambassadors for the Real Living network, and we’re excited to support them in their strategic growth.” Real Living Home Realty Group will celebrate joining the network with a community ribbon cutting in the spring of 2018.  Details regarding the event, the new branding, and new opportunities to work with the brokerage will be available online at www.reallivinghomerealtygroup.com. Real Living Home Realty Group A full service Real Estate Company in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina specializing in residential and commercial Real Estate sales and Property Management. Real Living Real Estate Real Living Real Estate is a full-service real estate brokerage franchise company with a comprehensive and integrated suite of resources for franchisees and their sales professionals, as well as for consumers who work with them.  In 2016 and 2017, Real Living Real Estate was named “Real Estate Agency Brand of the Year” in the ongoing Harris Poll EquiTrend® study; and was named “Most Loved” and “Most Trusted” real estate brand in the study in consecutive years.  Additionally, the Real Living brand and its innovative concepts were recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as well as by Inman News with several Inman Innovator Awards.  Real Living Real Estate is a network brand of HSF Affiliates LLC, majority owned by HomeServices of America, Inc. Visit www.RealLiving.com.  

The Cost of Convenience

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Market Common Cost of Convenience.

by Emma Ware, D.H.N, C.N, C.H.H of the Market Common The cost of convenience teaches people to make choices in a hurry. Being in a hurry causes you to compromise in your decision making with your health habits.  Convenience more often than not, is a result of lack of organization, planning, having structure and rules.  These are details that one has to have, either in a job, school or even at home.  Why not apply these good habits to your health?  Why not slow down and smell the peace? Develop some structure for living a healthier, happier life. Begin your day with a plan and weigh your choices:  do I cook a couple of eggs or grab a donut and coffee at the drive through on my way to work?  Should I enjoy breakfast at my table at home with the family or in the car after waiting behind five cars ahead of me, which will make me late anyway? We need some structure to help us put into perspective the “important” before what we view as “urgent”.  Life becomes unbalanced when all we do is hurry.  But, there is hope!  Take a break from the rush, formulate a plan, be organized, and make your own rules for your needs– whether it is cooking, exercising, or taking vitamins.  Take baby steps, and you will see how much better, easier and more comfortable it will be.  My suggestion, start today. To read more health tips from Emma Ware click here.

Girls On The Run

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Empowering The Girls of The Grand Strand by Melissa LaScaleia Girls On The Run is a national, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, after-school program dedicated to the empowerment of elementary and middle school girls in the Grand Strand area.  Girls are taught fitness in a creative way that inspires them to be the best versions of themselves, is non-competitive, and fun.  They also learn tools to help them navigate social interactions with their peers. Kerri Oxendine and Paige Cribb are volunteer coaches for Girls on the Run at St. James Elementary School in Murrells Inlet and share with the Insider more about what the program does for these youngsters, as well as what it means to them personally. “I have a heart for young girls, and community is a big deal to me,” Coach Kerri says.  “When I found out about this program, I called and asked how I could be involved. “This has been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had.  Watching these girls grow over a ten-week period is one of the most exciting things I’ve ever seen.” The program uses running to motivate the girls to realize that they can set and achieve goals, and instills confidence through accomplishment.  At the end of the season, the girls are physically prepared to complete a celebratory 5k running event which they do with their families and other neighboring Girls On the Run teams. Before the start of the November 2017 5k. The girls get energized before the event by dressing up with face paint and hair dye. There’s a DJ to give it a real party atmosphere. “They can run, walk, dance or skip it, but they keep going, and they get it done,” Coach Kerri says.  “It’s a fantastic high-energy event.  A lot of the girls paint their face and color their hair. “When they complete the run, it’s a defining moment for them because it turns a theory into a tangible.  What seemed impossible at the beginning is now possible.” “The other aspect of the program, the really cool part,” says Coach Paige, “is that we’re teaching the girls life lessons with physical activity woven in, and through games that we play, we impart skills.  That’s the strong point of our program. “We address the challenges that face them at that age, and teach them techniques to help them better handle situations like bullying, peer pressure, gossiping, clicks and jealousy.  How to confront a situation in which you have a good friend and make a new one and the old one is jealous.  We teach them how to embrace each other’s differences rather than issuing put-downs.” Coach Paige, a golf professional at Coastal Carolina University, became involved in the program when her niece, a third-grader wanted to repeat the program.  There were no coaches available, so Paige volunteered. The girls at the Surfside Beach Christmas parade this past season. Kerri Oxendine far right. “It is a ton of fun,” she says.  “I get as much out of it as the girls do.” The program teaches the girls to be intentional in their choices, and reflective about the choices they make to learn about themselves.  They cover positive self-talk, and how to eliminate negative self-talk. “They try to instill gratitude as well as healthy habits.  They give lessons on nutrition and the importance of making healthy food choices, as well as getting adequate sleep and exercise, and getting away from too much screen time. “We teach compassion, caring, and especially confidence,” Coach Paige says.  “Because already at that age they think about not being pretty.  Already at this age they are afraid of taking action because they’re afraid to make mistakes. “We teach them to take responsibility for their actions and help them see what they can they learn from a situation and do differently next time, rather than seeking perfection. “We teach them realism, that every day won’t be their best, but as with anything in life, it’s about moving forward.  It’s not that different from living life as an adult with these 3rd and 4th grade girls.” “And there are a lot of teaching moments that aren’t in the curriculum,” Coach Kerri adds. St. James Runner Sophie after the 5k race, reminds us of wise words to live by. Another key element of the program is the community impact project.  The girls as a team choose a group of people or a cause that is important to them, and then come up with a way to serve those people or cause to make a positive impact.  The purpose is to give them a sense of empowerment— to choose, plan and execute the project. In the past, the girls voted to take better care of nature.  They collected pine cones, which they covered in peanut butter and rolled in bird seed to hang on the trees to help feed the birds— their way of compensating for natural habitat destruction. Another time, one of the program participants had cancer, which inspired the girls to be more aware of other children suffering from the same disease.  The situation gave them the idea to write letters of comfort and cheer to children at MUSC in Charleston. “We are trying to build more awareness of this program,” Coach Kerri says.  “We just want people to be aware that this is here, this is out here.” Girls on the Run   For more info, contact executive director Danelle Greer 412-480-7177.  Facebook Phone Internet-explorer

The Spanish, the French, and the Landscape in the 1500s

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by Melissa LaScaleia Last month’s history article explored possibilities about where the name Chicora originated, and this month, we continue where our story left off— with the Spanish and French making initial discoveries and colonizing attempts of the coastal land.  The first documented visitation to the South Carolina coast by the Spanish was in 1521.  The first documented visitation to South Carolina by a French ship occurred in 1524, when King Francis I of France, sent the Italian, Giovanni da Verrazzano on an exploratory journey along North America’s eastern coast.  Verrazzano however, wasn’t looking to colonize, rather he sought a passage to the Pacific Ocean, and continued on. But it wasn’t until five years after Spain’s initial visit, that the explorer and conquistador who spearheaded the original exploration of the area and enlisted the aid of Pedro de Quejo and Francisco Gordillo to do so on his behalf, one Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon, attempted to colonize the Winyah Bay area (near what is today Myrtle Beach).  Lucas amassed a group of colonizers aboard three ships, and set sail for the South Carolina coast.  However, his slave/guide whom we introduced last month, Francisco Chicora, abandoned him upon arrival and he lost one of his three ships in an unknown river off the coast.  Off to a rocky start, things didn’t improve.  The colony was called San Miguel de Gualdape, and it’s impossible to know it’s exact location because it was never documented and was abandoned in a matter of months. Ravaged by fever and a harsh winter, almost everyone perished, including Ayllon.  He is however, known as the first European colonizer, and, what is also fascinating, was the man responsible for bringing the first African American slaves to what is now the United States.  Ayllon brought the slaves as labor to help him erect the colony. Seeing the colony’s weakness however, they soon rebelled, and fled away from the coast, where it is theorized that they settled with the Native Americans. The same year that saw the first colony here, 1526, is also remembered in history as the year of the first slave uprising on the continent.  More than thirty years passed before the French made a first attempt to set up a colony; it was much further south of Myrtle Beach, at Parris Island. This attempt also failed, and had a rather grim end.  The Myrtle Beach area remained sleepy, peaceful, and undisturbed by further attempts at colonization for over a century until the mid 1600s.  The first permanent English settlement in South Carolina was founded in 1670, mostly by Virginians exploring what lay to the south.  It was called Albemarle Point in present day North Carolina, about three hours away from Myrtle Beach by car.  Around the same time, the English King Charles II doled out parts of the North American coast to favored noblemen and made them colonies under the British Crown, with the noblemen as protectorates of the land.  Carolina was one of these pieces, and originally included what is today the areas of North and South Carolina.  The territory was overseen by eight so-named Lord Proprietors, who were eager to further populate the area and thus ensure it stayed out of the grasp of the Spanish, who had firm establishments further south.  The Lord Proprietors implemented liberal and generous living, political, and religious policies to incentivize people to move to the vast tract of land.  It worked.  And in ensuing years, the settlement at Albemarle moved further south into the Charleston area and became known as the hub of the southern colonies, with opportunities for industry and a new start arguably the backbone of its success. 

Uncovering the Mysteries of St. Patrick’s Day

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Charlie's Corner

Charlie’s Corner is the domain of Charlie, the furry four-legged lady’s man of Market Common.  Each month, he’ll share information to help all new, visiting, and existing doggie community members get the most out of life alongside their human companions.  Here, we’ll feature his reflections on what it’s like to be a dashing downtown doggie, as he reminds all of us how to play well together.  This month, Charlie honors the Irish with some notes about St. Patrick’s Day.  In case you didn’t already know this about me, I just love holidays.  Whoops! I just realized I forgot to add that to my “List of Loves” for Valentine’s Day in last month’s edition.  In case you missed all the ways I’m delighted by life, you can read the archives here, then mentally tack on love of holidays for a more complete picture of me. But getting back to my original thought: I’m so happy that March gives us St. Patrick’s Day because it’s another cause for a celebration.  What a great holiday.  A bunch of merry people come together and then become more merry.  Hmmm.  I guess I don’t know that much about St. Patrick’s Day.  Let’s learn more.  I’ll put my doggie research skills to work. Apparently, Patrick, for whom the day is named, was a boy living in Britain in the fifth century AD.  When Irish marauders invaded his father’s lands and tried to take over the estate, they captured Patrick and brought him to Ireland to work as a slave. Patrick eventually escaped, and somewhere along the way, became a devout Christian.  As an adult, he returned to Ireland as a missionary.  But what was unique about Patrick, and made him so beloved to the people of Ireland wasn’t that he cast all the snakes out of the country (this is actually a myth, although an interesting one.  Also it’s probably good that it’s a myth because snakes are good for the garden, and in addition to cats, can stop a mouse-in-the-house problem.  You have to envy things that can stop a mouse-in-the-house problem because I certainly can’t.) Anyhow, what made him beloved to the people was that he incorporated aspects of their culture that they were proud of and valued into his teachings of Christianity, so he was able to meet them on their level rather than belittling their traditions and customary ways of thinking. Clever chap. He used fire for Easter celebrations— an important aspect of Irish ceremonial and ritual practices.  He also incorporated the sun, a major symbol, into representations of the crucifix; today we know this as the Celtic cross. After his death, the Christian church named him a saint, and St. Patrick’s Day became a religious festival day that honored his life on the day of his death.  Over time, the day evolved to become a time to remember and celebrate Irish culture. During the Potato Famine of 1845, scores of Irish immigrated to America seeking a better life, and were met with fierce contempt and prejudice.  St. Patrick’s Day became a time for the Irish immigrants to celebrate their roots as well as their strength in numbers, and take pride in their culture. Over time, as people wisened up, and cultural differences became something to embrace rather than shun, St. Patrick’s Day became a day everyone could enjoy.  A time to step into another culture and experience all the beauty they have to share.  I say Amen to that.  Let’s party! Until next time, P.S. Follow me on Facebook to keep up with all my latest news, www.facebook.com/InsiderCharliesCorner and on Instagram @charlieparkerscorner.

The Surfside Beach Business Committee

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by the Town of Surfside Beach Surfside Beach has several committees that provide an additional way for citizens to be involved and have input on the managing of the Town. The Business Committee is one such advisory board. The Business Committee consists of 9 current and retired business owners who either reside in the town or have businesses within the town limits. The duties of the committee are to improve communication with and to make recommendations to Town Council to implement necessary regulations consistent with the business community’s interests, and cultivate a business-friendly environment to help new and existing businesses succeed and prosper within the Town of Surfside Beach.Members volunteer their time and talent to the committee, and do not receive any compensation. All members have to be approved by the Town Council, and report to the Council via a Council Member, who volunteers to act as liaison. The members serve a four-year term, and can renew their term if they wish. The public is always welcome at meetings. The Business Committee has: Assisted in updating the Sign Ordinance, working over several months to reduce the number of pages from 25 to 12 and an easier ordinance to understand and enforce. At the request of Town Council, reviewed the Commercial Overlay and proposed Entertainment District zoning changes Recommended updates to the Town’s website creating a listing of licensed businesses in Town Promoted the Town’s businesses through the Taste of Surfside Spearheaded the Insider Surfside Beach section in the Market Common Insider publication, providing content that highlights what Surfside orrers including Town services, events, parks, committees and non-profits. Ongoing exploration of other approaches to promote the Town and its businesses. Our goal is to increase traffic to the area, helping businesses in Surfside Beach to grow and thrive. We urge all business owners and the public to attend the meetings and be involved. For more information or to find the meeting schedule go to www.surfsidebeach.org. Article written and edited by the Surfside Beach staff and administration.

J&J Air – Keeping You Comfortable

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Service and Repairs Anytime, All Along the Grand Strand by Melissa LaScaleia Jeremy Hartlaub started J & J Air in Myrtle Beach in 2001.  He’s originally from the Baltimore Maryland area, and graduated from Bridgewater College in Central Virginia with a degree in economics in 2001. “Right when I graduated, the Dotcom Bubble burst and there were more layoffs than hirings,” he tells the Insider in an interview.  “I had worked in air conditioning when I was in high school and in college.  And my business partner had a place to live in the North Myrtle Beach area, so I moved here and started the company.  I really just built the business on customer service, staying true to our word, honoring our warranty, and treating people fairly.” Jeremy does everything air conditioning and heating related: from residential to commercial installation, maintenance, replacement and repairs. “We work with larger and well known chains, like Chick-Fil-A, IHOP, and Five Guys Burgers and Fries,” he says.  “We are a Trane Comfort Specialist dealer.  That is the best quality brand of air conditioner units out there.  They’ve been rated the highest in customer satisfaction products in the industry for 2017, and have been rated highly, consistently, over the years. “Trane holds us to a very high standard where even though we’re privately owned, they survey our customers for their satisfaction and we’re required to maintain a 90% satisfaction rating in order to continue carrying their products. We’ve been in this business for the past 16 years, and we’ve maintained a 99% satisfaction rating.  We’re routinely the highest ranking in the area.  Our focus is on quality and customer support and service, whether that be a homeowner or commercial business.  Our motto is— “keeping you comfortable” and for us, that means every step of the way.” Anthony, a service technician, performs routine maintenance on the top of a condo building in Myrtle Beach. When Jeremy first began, it was himself, one helper and a van.  They built the business slowly, one customer at a time.  Many times, he got business because he showed up when no one else would. “To this day we are still available 24/7 for service,” he says. Over the years, as the business grew so too did his staff — from the original two, to now eighteen. “I definitely look forward to coming to work every day,” Jeremy says.  “We have a great team of people, and we all have the same goals, which are serving our customers and being the best at what we do in the industry.  There are a lot of other companies out there that do what we do, but there aren’t any out there that do it as well as we do.” For Jeremy, the most rewarding aspect of being a business owner is serving customers. “About a week ago, I had a gentleman who was 80 years-old call at midnight because he had no heat,” he says.  “I sent a technician out right away, and he was able to fix it and get it back on for him.  For folks like that, it can be a life threatening situation; helping in situations like that is meaningful to me.” Jeremy puts a lot of effort and expense into technical as well as business training for himself and his technicians. All of J & J Air’s technicians are NATE certified, a stringent HVAC certification that ensures technicians know what they are doing in every capacity.  In addition to this, all of his employees go through over 80 hours of training annually. He is also actively involved in and supports the community.  In December, J & J Air kicked off their third annual Gift of Warmth in which they took nominations through Bob FM 104.9 for a family who was without heat.  J & J Air donated and installed a new Trane system for the winner for the holidays. An aerial shot of the roof of Chick-Fil-A in Surfside Beach, which J&J Air redid. See the interactive video on our website for more. They annually support the Christmas Toy Drive through Harley Davidson; they were one of the sponsors for the McLeod Seacoast Cancer Benefit Golf Classic golf tournament this past year, held to raise funds for cancer research.  And they also acted as a sponsor for the Palmetto Pee Dee Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation 5k Run and Walk that was at Pelican Stadium in Myrtle Beach, recently. Upon being asked if he misses the world of economics, and if he ever considers returning to it as a career now that the economy has improved he replies: “I’ve always been mechanically inclined by nature.  Where I’m at is definitely where I belong.  I don’t work in the field as much as I used to, but sitting behind a desk and wearing a tie every day is not something I would enjoy going back to. “Myrtle Beach is my home.  My wife and I have two young children, and we see ourselves as part of the community as well as the business.  The amount of business that has grown here in the past sixteen years is amazing.  A lot of it is entrepreneurial, small businesses.  And I think that speaks volumes to the people who live in this area.  It’s comprised of a lot of hard workers who hold themselves to a high standard.” “When you own a small business,” he continues, “sometimes, if you’re not careful you can be isolated from what’s going on in the community because you’re so focused on what you’re doing.  Being a part of the chamber of commerce in North Myrtle Beach and Little River gives us a chance to connect and interact with other local, small business owners and learn about what’s happening in the community.  It benefits our business and helps generate new business as well.  It’s a wonderful networking and marketing opportunity.” For their residential and commercial customers, J & J Air is currently offering specials on heating and cooling … Read more

Love Sparkles Cut-Out Cookies

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Love our Sparkles Cut-Out-Cookies Add a little sparkle to your winter and Valentine’s Day in the Market Common with these traditional all-time favorite cookies— Butter and Sugar Cut-Outs. Who doesn’t like to bake cookies, play with sparkly things, or delve into dessert? Well, it may not be everyone’s cup-of-tea, but it sure is Melissa’s, and this month’s recipe comes from her kitchen. Butter and sugar forms the base for these mouth-watering treats you can savor over a cup of tea, coffee, or steamed milk and vanilla. Make it a food-art project for yourself or the whole family, and then share the finished product with the people in your life that you love. Ingredients 1 1⁄2 cups sugar 1 1⁄2 sticks of butter 2 eggs 2 Tbs orange juice 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 1⁄4 cups our 2 1⁄2 tsp baking powder 1⁄2 tsp salt heart shaped cookie cutters pink sugar Directions  Oven 400°, Bake 6-8 min. Chill time 2 hours. Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat to combine. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat until well mixed. Remove the dough from the bowl, wrap it in waxed paper, and chill for 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to desired thickness. Flour cookie cutter and cut heart shapes. Transfer the cookies with a thin metal spatula onto an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with pink and red sugars, and bake for 6-8 minutes.  Cookies are done when the bottom is golden. Carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool. You can also bake the cookies without sugar and frost them when cool.  Store in a seal-tight container, or freeze. To see some of our previous recipes, visit our Recipe Corner!

Tales From the Past: Eric Heiden and the Story of Captain Bill

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Photographs of a Myrtle Beach Legend by Melissa LaScaleia Every town by the sea has their own local legend, whisperings about a certain someone shrouded in mystery who peaks everyone’s curiosity. And the Insider was happy to know that Myrtle Beach is no exception; we have the story of Captain Bill. To find out more about him, the Insider contacted Eric Heiden, a local amateur photographer and charter boat captain of sixty years, who has lived in this area his entire life. He managed to capture some rare photos of Captain Bill in the ’70s. “Captain Bill was never a real captain,” Eric begins. “So his acronym remains a mystery.” His real name was Bill Hickman and he was a gentle recluse who lived on the beach in Murrells Inlet. He paddled around in a white rowboat, near what used to be the old government pier built during WWII, and is now the boardwalk. He never had a job or a vocation, but he made a few dollars by operating a bait stand at the end of the pier. When it was cold, he lived in a handmade, one-room shack in the woods. Bill’s unusual lifestyle is attributed to the loss of his brother, who died tragically and violently in a car accident; after that, Bill retired from the world forever. “I’ve been interested in photography as a hobby for years,” Eric says. “And I’m always looking for subject matter that is different and eye-catching. I try to notice things that may not be obvious to some. I try to train myself to look at the leaves on the tree, rather than the whole tree. “One day, I happened to see Captain Bill in the Inlet in his white rowboat, and I jumped at the opportunity to take his picture. When I approached him, he screamed at me to get away from him, as he did everyone, and refused to allow me to take his photo. He wanted his private life, and to be left alone.” The value of a box of Cuban cigars and a pack of beer? This close up shot of Captain Bill. (Photo Eric Heiden) Captain Bill wasn’t a bad character, but a lot of people were afraid to approach him for two reasons— his scruffy appearance, which didn’t instill confidence in most; and he wielded a cane, which he would brandish at anyone who tried to take his picture. Eric, however, undeterred, tried to bargain with him. He told Captain Bill that he wanted to take his picture to give to him and his family. When Captain Bill continued to grumble, Eric asked him what it would take for him to allow him a photo? “He wanted a box of Cuban cigars (which were very illegal to own, impossible to buy, and if you were caught coming back through customs with them, you could receive a fine in the tens of thousands of dollars range), and a six-pack of beer,” Eric says with a laugh. Eric was in luck. Synchronistically, he had a friend, Dr. Jim Schuster from Florence, whom he knew had Cuban cigars, and was, remarkably, willing to part with them. “So I drove to Florence, I got the cigars and the beer, and then I went back,” says Eric. “And when I did, he looked at me with delight. And so, it was a deal. I just started shooting up. “I gave a photograph to my friend Russell Vereen, who owns Russell’s Seafood Grill in Murrells Inlet, who was a friend to Captain Bill. There’s also a photograph of him at Pawley’s Island Raw Bar, that someone bought.” And now, for the first time, you can see the full exhibit of these photos at the Seacoast Artist Gallery in the Market Common, through the end of March. Seacoast Artist Gallery Reach Eric Heiden via Facebook down below. Take a chartered fishing boat and hear the story in person.  Open M-Sa 10am-6pm, Su 12pm-6pm. Envelope Facebook Phone Internet-explorer

Many Places to Play in Surfside Beach

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by the Town of Surfside Beach Surfside Beach has several parks for enjoyment for both residents and visitors. There is something for everyone from children to seniors. All Children’s Park is located on the corner of 10th Avenue South and Hollywood Drive. It contains two playgrounds, a picnic area, and restroom facilities. The park and play equipment is accessible to both physically challenged and able-bodied children. The town also has two small Bark Parks located on Pine Drive next to the library. They are open from sunrise to sunset except on Wednesdays from 10 to noon when they are closed for cleaning. Dogs must have a town license which costs $10 annually and can be purchased at Town Hall (115 US Highway 17 N.) See map, 24-25. Fuller Park is located on the corner of Surfside Drive and Myrtle Drive. It has two lighted tennis courts, a naturally shaded playground, and a picnic area with restroom facilities. It is conveniently situated next to the library. See map, 24-25. Situated just o Glenn’s Bay Road on Spanish Oak Drive is the Huckabee Recreational Complex. is park has three lighted baseball fields, a picnic shelter, and restroom facilities. The Complex is host to both youth and adult so ball programs and, also, youth baseball during the spring and fall. The fields are also available for tournament rental. See map, 24-25. In addition, Surfside Beach offers a picturesque park, called Martin Field, located on Dogwood Drive between 6th and 7th Avenue South, just three blocks from the ocean. It contains one lighted baseball/softball field, a covered picnic shelter and restroom facilities. It is used for youth athletic practices, T-Ball, Coach Pitch and adjacent to the ball field is Martin Park, a small waterfront recreation area located on Lakeside Drive and 8th Avenue South. It contains two shuffleboard courts, one horseshoe pit, two bocce ball courts, and four picnic shelters. Also located at this park is Floral Clubhouse, which accommodates approximately 35 people. The clubhouse is available to rent year-round. See map, 24-25. The newest of the Town’s parks, called Passive Park, is a peaceful area located on the corner of Surfside Drive and Willow Drive next door to the Surfside Library. Amongst the parks beautiful live oaks, you’ll find picnic tables, a gazebo, and a Veterans Memorial fountain. There are also lighted sidewalks for walking at night and 6 multi-use exercise stations, especially designed for seniors. See map, 24-25. For more information, contact Debbie Ellis At Phone

Ocean Lakes Family Campground

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Six Time Winners of The Mega Park of the Year Award by Melissa LaScaleia Ocean Lakes Family Campground is well known by Myrtle Beachians as being a premier campground and RV park near Surfside Beach. This month, we recognize the many ways they help support the community, and celebrate that this past November, they took home the Mega Park of the Year Award for 2017 during the Awards of Excellence Dinner at the annual National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds conference. The conference was held in Raleigh, NC, from November 6-10. Dawn Bryant, the communications and social media specialist for Ocean Lakes, was in attendance for the first time. “One of the first things I picked up on at the conference,” Dawn tells me, “was that people know Ocean Lakes, and they want to pick your brain because they know that you do it right there.” Dawn joined the Ocean Lakes marketing team in August of 2016, a er more than twenty years in the newspaper business. “I had lived in Myrtle Beach for more than 16 years, and when I decided it was time for a change, I sought them out, because of their reputation for being a great community partner,” she says. “They give back to this community in so many ways, and I wanted to be a part of that. I’ve been proud to be a part of this team because of their standards for excellence, not just locally, but nationally, in the campground industry.” “As part of my job, I help plan some of the events to promote the campground and get folks interested in coming here,” she continues. “It’s a great place to come, so it makes my job easy.” This is the sixth time that Ocean Lakes has received the coveted Mega Park of the Year Award. The award is given for all around excellence in the categories of operations, professionalism, customer service, marketing, and industry involvement (how well they work with other campgrounds to share ideas and compare trends of what customers want, as well as the contributions they make to help the industry grow). “Ocean Lakes has a reputation for setting standards that keep folks coming back year after year,” Dawn tells me. “We’re all really excited about this award. Our team works every day to make sure our guests are happy. To win a national award is kind of like ‘icing on the cake.’” The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds annual five-day conference attracts campground owners and operators from all over the country and includes seminars, networking opportunities, and vendors. Also in attendance with Dawn was Barb Krumm, their marketing director, who’s been with Ocean Lakes for nineteen years. Ocean Lakes Family Campground was founded by Nelson and Mary Emily Jackson in 1971. It is still privately owned and family run; today it is a subsidiary of the Jackson Companies which also owns Prestwick Golf and Country Club, the Sayebrook development, and Crystal Lake Mobile Home Village, all in Myrtle Beach. Winners of the 2017 Mega Park of the Year Award in Raleigh.From left to right: Johnny Williamson, Chairman of the Board of Directors for The Jackson Companies; Joe Mize and wife Jeanne Jackson Mize, daughter of the cofounders; Barb Krumm, Ocean Lakes Director of Marketing and PR; Kaki Jackson Williamson, daughter of the co-founders; and Paul Bambei, President/CEO of the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. Ocean Lakes is so well known and well spoken of for many reasons. For starters, they have world class amenities. In 2016, they opened a water park with the requisite lazy river in addition to some speedy slides, and it’s been a huge hit with guests ever since. They have a mile of oceanfront property, a heated indoor pool, several dining facilities, and an array of housing options like converted trailers, single-level and elevated, and one and two-story houses, cabins, and 859 campsites. ere are 2,566 lease sites that owners can, in turn, rent out. They rent, sell and repair golf carts as well as RVs, and have 24/7 security. “But one thing that makes us truly special,” Dawn tells me, “is our teammates. Customer service is a priority for us— it’s the core part of our culture. Our goal is to create family memories that last a lifetime.” “The number one thing we look for is that ability to fit with our culture of service,” says Bonita Lloyd, HR director. “We strive to be the best. We need somebody that has a desire to be part of that, and likes to challenge themselves with a higher standard.” “We’re in the people business,” says Dawn. “When you adopt that mindset, then everything else just flows from there. We want to make guests feel like they’re coming home, that this is their home away from home, and we treat everyone like family. We’ll do what it takes to make sure they’re having fun while they’re staying here.” “We get folks on Facebook every day who are thanking our staff for going above and beyond,” she continues. “And our staff stick around; they’re proud of what they do. We’ve won this award six times now, that says something about us. Our guests weren’t surprised at all, and from the feedback we received on Facebook, neither were our fans on that platform.” Winter is a much more mellow time of year at the campground, but people are still having a ball. They had over 500 people come out to participate in their annual New Year’s Eve Polar Bear Plunge. It was some 30 degrees, but that didn’t stop adventurous ocean bathers. And the event supported a good cause. Everyone who registered brought non-perishable food items which Ocean Lakes donated to South Strand Helping Hand. Ocean Lakes Campground guests can enjoy the annual Beach and Boogie weekend, Friday, February 16, through Saturday, February 17. There will be two live bands this year: the Embers and the Band of Oz. Last years event sold … Read more

Making Music in Myrtle Beach

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The Style and Story of Stevie Mac

by Melissa LaScaleia

Steven McLendon, aka Stevie Mac, is a South Carolina native with a penchant for the acoustic guitar. The Insider caught up with him to learn the story of his journey as a singer-musician living in Myrtle Beach.

“I picked up guitar when I was twelve,” he tells me. “My neighbor played guitar, and between him and my uncles who were into music, it inspired me to start. I would stay in my room practicing for 6-8 hours a day. I started playing in bands while I was still in middle school, and got my first paying gig when I was fifteen years old; I made $100 playing at a venue in Greenville, SC.”

Stevie moved to Nashville with some friends when he was twenty-one to make music his career. But he and his band quickly realized that their style leaned more towards rock than country, and they didn’t jive with Nashville culture.

“And quite frankly,” he says with a laugh, “we weren’t good enough to be there. We decided to move to Myrtle Beach because we knew that there was a really good music scene here that had more variety, and was more rock-focussed. The Hard Rock Cafe and the House of Blues have always had top touring bands of-the-day come to play. It gave us promise to have a venue and have a place to hone our craft. We moved here to try to make a name in the Myrtle Beach music scene.”
The Coastal Insider
“Travinia has been very loyal to me, and the staff are incredible," Stevie says. Here he stands with his guitar with the warm lights of the restaurant in the background. - Photo by Meganpixels Parker

But soon thereafter the band broke up, as bands often do, and Stevie joined the Tim Clark Band as backup guitarist while also running sound for the Dixie Stampede.

“I knew when I started with the Tim Clark Band in 2000 that there was no turning back for me to do anything else but music as a career,” Stevie says. “Tim taught me about business in music. He was the one who coined me Stevie Mac, when he was introducing the band members on stage, that’s what he would call me, and it caught on. I give him a lot of credit for being the one who helped establish me in Myrtle Beach as an artist.”

Stevie stayed with the Tim Clark Band for almost six years then left to start his own, Eason, which he named after his grandfather. After a few years, the band dissolved as key members moved on to join well-known country music bands: Craig Morgan and Love and Theft.

The dissolution inspired Stevie to begin work as a solo singer-guitar artist, which he’s been doing now for ten years. With so much time invested in both aspects of musical performance, I ask him his thoughts on each. He says:

“I would liken being on stage and playing music with other people to playing on a sports team— you need those other people to accomplish something good. When everybody is playing their parts correctly, there’s something magical that happens. I think personality clashes and egos make that magic even better, because sometimes you lay back and let that person shine, and sometimes you try to outshine them. Of course I miss that aspect of playing music. Also, being in a band is like having another family. So it can be hard to move on from that when it’s that personal. But the flip side of that coin is playing solo, you have much less to worry about with others being responsible, with ego classes and personalities.
The Coastal Insider
“Music makes me feel alive... it’s about trying to connect with people. If you play a song the way it’s supposed to be played, people feel it and relate, and... interpret it in a different way.” —Stevie Mac - Photo by Meganpixels Parker

“It took me time to figure out how to make a living playing music, but today I am. Now I play as many gigs as I want, I do something I love for a living, and I can sleep in my own bed at night, rather than having to be constantly on the road, which isn’t the life for me. I’ve done it on my own terms, and I’m able to make a decent living doing so. I’ve been around the music scene here for awhile, and I know almost every musician in town.

“Music for me personally makes me feel alive. In my early days of playing, I was just trying to learn how to play. As I’ve gotten older, it’s about trying to connect with people. If you play a song the way a song is supposed to be played, people feel it, and connect with you on an inexplainable level, which is why I think everybody plays music.

“When that special something happens, people definitely feel it and relate. The beauty of a song is, I can hear it, and you can hear it, and everybody can interpret it in a different way. It’s soothing, it helps you cope, it lifts you up, it can make you more sad.”

Today, Stevie is known for his versatility— for the range of songs and genres that he plays. He is at Travinia Italian Kitchen in the Market Common, where he’s been playing every Wednesday night for the last five years. He loves the staff, and thinks the food is great. He even has an occasional partner in 5 year-old Adam Brown, his godson.
The Coastal Insider
Stevie Mac on stage at Travinia Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar in the Market Common, where he has been delighting loyal patrons with his versatile musical style every Wednesday night for many years. - Photo by Meganpixels Parker

“Everyone thinks he’s my son,” Stevie says. “He has a plastic guitar and microphone, and at least once a week someone asks me if he’s going to show up. I call him my 401k plan because i’m going to teach him what I do, how to play guitar and sing in the future.”

“Market Common is like a little mini city unto itself in Myrtle Beach,” he continues. “People will come from other places to go there, but the people who live in Market Common are very loyal to the businesses there and consistently support them. I’ve made a lot of friends in the Market Common who live there and come out every time I play. It’s what allows me to be successful at Travinia, and everywhere else.

“Peoples’ support of live music is the only way that musicians can make a living around town. The tourists support musicians during the summer, but it’s because of the locals coming out in the o season that we’re able to continue year round. Without them, we wouldn’t have anything.”

Some years ago, Stevie began tagging his gigs on his Facebook page with the hashtag Macshow, and the name stuck. Once Stevie Mac, and now, Macshow.

Stevie Mac

Book him for your next wedding or event. He can also DJ and MC weddings and special events around Myrtle Beach.

See him live every Wednesday at Travinia Italian Kitchen in the Market Common from 6-9pm.

To read some more of our features, click here!

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St. James Dentistry

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Cutting Edge Dentistry with Dr. David Savage by Melissa LaScaleia David Savage was born and raised in Kentucky. He graduated with a degree in dentistry at the University of Louisville, in Kentucky, in 2010. “I always wanted to live in the Southeast, in a coastal environment,” he tells me. “After graduation, I decided to move to South Carolina, and I landed in Myrtle Beach. In school, I originally thought I wanted a career in marine biology, but I decided to pursue dentistry. The decision allowed me to decide where I wanted to begin my career. It allowed me to take a risk right out of school and move somewhere I didn’t have any family or friends.” David is thankful to have had an opportunity from Dr. Mark McCoy and Dr. Craig Milburn right after graduation. “I worked at their office on Hwy 707, and in 2013 I purchased the business from them,” he says. The office was growing and expanding so quickly, that soon he needed a bigger space. David bought a piece of land on Holmestown Road in Myrtle Beach, and built his own dental office from the ground up. He moved into the new location this past March. “It’s certainly a dream come true to have moved away, gone out on my own, and to now own my own business,” he says. “I have a wonderful team of six employees. We’re a growing dental practice in a growing area, and it’s exciting to see the growth we’ve already had in the past few years.” Dr. Savage in the front reception area of his office. He and his team value being partners in their patients care, to find the appropriate method of treatment for them. – Photo by Meganpixels Parker/Latoya Grayson St. James Dentistry is a full-service, general dentistry office, which focuses on cutting-edge technology to offer the best care to their patients. “Our office is as up to date with sterilization protocols and equipment as it can be; we adhere strictly to infection control guidelines and everything is brand new,” David says. “Technology is really important for us; we do a lot of digital dentistry, from digital x-rays, to digital impressions, to in-office milled crowns. All the equipment helps aid better dental treatment.” But an equal priority is offering patients a warm, welcoming, friendly environment in a modern setting, to ensure going to the dentist is a comfortable experience. And part of creating that comfort is achieved by David’s approach to treating patients. “No one likes going to the dentist and not being treated well,” he says. “Many people have had experiences of being talked down to, or made to feel wrong or ashamed for the condition of their teeth. So here, we not only give patients great care, but we also give them great customer service and turn that dynamic of scolding on its head.” “Technology is really important to us. All of our equipment is brand new, and as up to date as it can be.” — Dr. David Savage “A lot of offices offer the same services,” he continues, “but the number one principle for us is that we’re partners in our patients’ dental health. Modern dentistry has changed from the old dynamic of, ‘everything I say to you to do, you need to do,’ to a more results-oriented dynamic of working together with patients to ascertain, together, the solution that’s best and most appropriate for them. “So we utilize monitors, and show patients their situation to bring awareness to it, and help them come up with sustainable solutions that they can implement into their lives in a way that is practical, moving forward. There’s a million ways to x something. But we want to really get on our patients’ level and let them kind of steer the ship. “We take what our patients say about us very seriously. As a result, over the years, we’ve accumulated over 600 patient testimonials and reviews that you can read on our website, that show us that we’re doing the right thing for them, and they’re pleased with how we approach dentistry. “We’re continuing to grow because of the great team I have put together, and our ability to help patients feel comfortable,” David says. “We’re involved in a lot of continuing education, and we’re always learning as an office to improve and get better. That’s pretty important to us, that we’re constantly learning.” St. James Dentistry Open M&W 8am- 6pm, Tu & 8am-4pm. Learn more about the services they offer and see all their testimonials on their site. To read more of our featured articles, click here! Envelope Facebook Phone Internet-explorer

Crystal Lee and Hannah Ruth Photography

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Two Gals Under One Roof In the Market Common

by Melissa LaScaleia

Crystal Lee and Hannah Ruth are business roommates and photo partners with a studio on Deville Street in the Market Common. They each own their own business as well as operating their studio space together as Crystal Lee and Hannah Ruth Photography.

Crystal is originally from New York, and started her journey as a photographer right out of high school in 2001.

“I started working at one of those cheesy little portrait studios in the mall trying to save money for college,” she tells me. “I never made it to college. Instead, I stayed for seven years with that company, and became a manager, working in New York, San Diego, and Myrtle Beach.

In 2008, I wanted to move back to Myrtle Beach, and when there wasn’t a position available for me with them, I left that behind and moved on my own, choosing to start my own business. I started out photographing weddings, then began doing a little bit of photographing babies in peoples’ homes.”

Hannah is originally from Cape Cod, MA, and studied photography when she was a student at Coastal Carolina University.

“I’ve always liked taking pictures,” she says simply. “I’ve always had a camera with me.”

It was while she was at Coastal that Hannah began considering and researching a career as a professional photographer.

“I started by taking pictures of my roommate, and I really liked it,” she says. “Then people started offering me money to take their pictures. It was through word of mouth that I became known as a photographer — friend to friend, to friend.”
The Coastal Insider
The photo artists at home in their studio. “As partners we’re able to offer more to our clients.” — Crystal Lee

“Two years ago, I was going through a partner change at my studio and was looking for someone new to bring in,” Crystal tells me. “Someone mentioned Hannah’s name to me and we connected via Facebook. When she saw the space, she really liked it.”

“I had heard of Crystal and wanted her to teach me,” says Hannah with a laugh about their meeting. “But she never did.”

“Being photo partners works really well because we do very different things and have different styles,” Crystal explains. “I focus on weddings, newborns and babies up to a year old, and pets. Getting married and having a baby are probably the two biggest and most important events in your life — they’re beginning stages; and I like to think that I can be there for both. A lot of my brides have brought me their newborns to photograph.”

Crystal also hosts a pet event once a month. She will take photos of your pet for a small fee and a bag of pet food, which she donates to the humane society.

“I started this as a way to offer sessions at a lower price, but still give back. I get to photograph puppies and the humane society gets food, so it’s a win-win,” she says.

Hannah photographs weddings, seniors, older children, and other compositions. And the way both women shoot weddings and the type of clients they bring in are very different.

“In my photography, I like to focus on lots of bright color and lighting. And Hannah has a bright and airy style; it’s a much more relaxed look,” Crystal says.

“With my portraiture, I like to make people feel pretty and really laugh,” Hannah says. “I don’t like fake laughs or posing. I like real laughs and candid shots. My approach with weddings is, I like for them to have fun and then catch those moments. I just like to see people smile and be happy and give them those memories on lm. The happiness I’m able to give is what inspires me.”

 
The Coastal Insider
Charlie never says no to a photo op. -- Photo by Meganpixels Parker

“For weddings, I’m more technical than emotional,” Crystal says. “I focus on the lighting and background and colors. I try to get people to be natural, but my photos are a little bit more serious.

“As photo partners, we refer clients back and forth a lot. It means someone will always be here in the studio to answer questions, and we can serve a larger group of people with photos. If a family comes in while I’m here, I hand them her card.”

“We love what we do,” Hannah says. “We’re always here if they want to stop by and meet us. We just started a joint website this year too, for the studio, along with our own individual photography websites. We want people to look at the studio as a whole to see what we both can offer, versus just individually.”

“We can refer each other those topics or things that the other doesn’t do, and in that way we are able to offer more to our clients, versus them having to reach out to a bunch of different photographers, with different pricing and styling,” Crystal says. “We do all studio lighting which means we can shoot rain or shine, and we have a huge selection of backdrops. Hannah is excellent with putting backdrops together. In the future we’ll be doing more studio events like open houses. is studio is an awesome location because if the client wants, we can step right outside and use the Market Common as a backdrop. And it’s nice and quiet here.”

What else do they like about the location?

“Myrtle Beach keeps me here because it doesn’t snow,” says Crystal. “And the people. Southern hospitality is definitely a thing. I would visit New York after living here and it’s so different. I love Market Common because it’s like a little piece of New York without the New York attitude.”

“I’m here because my family is close by, I like my studio, and it’s nice here,” says Hannah. “I love the Market Common. I like the restaurants, the shopping, the people, and the vibe.”

Crystal Lee and Hannah Ruth Photography Studio

Open M-F 9am-5pm, Sa 10am-12pm. Photography sessions by appointment only.

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Living In Paradise

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From the North to the South, One Man’s Perspective by Melissa LaScaleia Living in Paradise, Beauty of God’s Creation in Myrtle Beach, a book by Michael Martin, came out November 1, 2017, published by Micro Press Publishers. Michael is originally from Ohio and moved to Myrtle Beach almost four years ago. He is so captivated by the beauty of this area and the joy of his journeying here, that he was inspired to write a book about his experience from the perspective of a Northerner. “My point was to make it personal, to touch the heart,” Michael says. “I saw real beauty here. In the ocean, the trees, the environment, the palm trees, alligators, and birds. Everything down here is really beautiful.” Michael, his wife, and their family of eight children and five grandchildren used to vacation in Myrtle Beach before they moved here. “We really loved it,” he tells me. We owned a house in Kentucky, and said we could move here if we sold it, and so we did.” Michael has traveled the world, and use to write for a newspaper. “This book was something very different from any of the other books I wrote because it was inspired by a place,” he says. “This was a new venture for me. It’s a really great story about a family that moved here. And it’s informational too. I talk about the best restaurants I’ve eaten at, and places I’ve visited. So it’s a fun read, and in story form.” Michael loves the Market Common and wants to live here eventually. For now, he’s right around the corner near the Myrtle Beach State Park. Living in Paradise, Beauty of God’s Creation in Myrtle Beach To read more of our featured articles, click here! Facebook At

The Native Peoples and First Settlers to Our Shores

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by Melissa LaScaleia Usually our history section recounts the stories of people who were involved in the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base in some capacity or another. This month, we turn the clock back further, to share who and what was in this area long before the United States existed. Like the rest of North America, the area of South Carolina was populated by Native American tribes. In our area, there were the Pee Dees, the Waccamaw and Winyah tribes. What is today known as Kings Highway was once upon a time a Native American walking trail for these people. Warring neighboring tribes kept the Pee Dees, Waccamaws, and Winyahs safely near the coast. And they learned to live o the land in this area. They harvested oysters, hunted deer, turkey, and bear, as well as fish, crabs, shrimp and clams. They built houses out of palmetto and pine trees. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of evidence giving us insight into what their lives and customs were truly like. But there are a multitude of legends and rumored stories. One of those has to do with Chicora. Some accounts say, and then many accounts repeat, that the Waccamaws and Winyahs named the area around what is today Pawleys Island “Chicora,” which means “the land.” But another account shares a possible explanation for the name’s existence being attributed to Spanish settlers rather than Native peoples. According to this account, on June 24, 1521, two Spanish ships, manned independently by Pedro de Quejo and Francisco Gordillo, discovered the coast of South Carolina via the mouth of what is today known as the South Santee River. The Spanish initially had peaceful encounters with the natives they met, but their intentions were to capture them and return to Spain with them as slaves. According to the account of one Peter Martyr, one of these eventual slaves was named Francisco and his nickname was el Chicorano. It’s here that the story breaks down in veracity and we’re left with conjecture. There have been theories that the name was a derogatory joke by the Spanish, a permutation of the Spanish word for “frog,” mixed with the poorly understood sounds of the native peoples’ word for “boy.” Hence the nickname means something along the lines of frog boy. But it is for certain that the name “Chicora” stuck, and the land that the two Spaniards discovered that day became known as Chicora. It also became the stuff of legends, and somehow through word of mouth or the passage of time, or both, Chicora morphed into a Garden of Eden, overflowing with the abundance of pearls, jewels, richness, lush fruits and vegetation, and the promise of gold and silver further inland. The very word conjured up images of earthly paradise, and spurred the Spanish and French to vie for acquisition of pieces of the coast over the next sixty years, as they sought and fought to find the fabled land of milk and honey. Today, we all know that the silly fools simply weren’t looking properly because those of us who live here know we’ve found paradise, our own version anyway. To read more of our history features, click here!

Ask Your Expert – Einstein’s Dog Sitting Service

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A friend of the Market Common, Einstein’s Dog Sitting Service, is hear to answer questions about potential danger in feeding dogs. Why is chocolate toxic to dogs? Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine. Both are stimulants that affect the central nervous system and heart, as well as increasing the frequency of urination. What are the symptoms? Depending on the amount of chocolate ingested, a dog may experience agitation, panting, vomiting, diarrhea, rapid heart rate, tremor, or seizures. Death may occur in extreme cases. What is xylitol? Xylitol is an artificial sweetener used in sugar-free products, such as, peanut butter, chewing gum, mouthwash, toothpaste, and sugar-free candy. It is also used in breath mints, baked goods, cough syrup, and chewable vitamins. What does xylitol do to dogs? Xylitol causes a fairly sudden drop in blood sugar (within 10-60 minutes), resulting in depression, loss of coordination, and seizures. Ingestion may possibly lead to the development of liver failure and death. What should dog owners do in case of chocolate or xylitol poisoning? Transport your dog to the veterinarian immediately for treatment. What are other potential dangers to pets during Valentine’s Day? For cats, watch for flower bouquets that include lilies. They are very toxic to cats. Rich foods can cause upset stomach and possibly pancreatitis when ingested by pets. Keep all alcoholic beverages out of reach of pets. Pet Poison Helpline 1.800.213.6680 24/7 Animal Poison Control Center Einstein’s Dog-Sitting Service To read past editions of Ask Your Expert from the Insider at the Market Common, click here! At Phone Internet-explorer

Charlie Celebrates All the Love in His Life

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Charlie’s Corner is the domain of Charlie, the furry four-legged lady’s man of Market Common. Each month, he’ll share information to help all new, visiting, and existing doggie community members get the most out of life alongside their human companions. Here, we’ll feature his reflections on what it’s like to be a dashing downtown doggie, as he reminds all of us how to play well together.  This month, Charlie gets into the spirit of love and with an expostulation about Valentine’s Day.  Oh boy, it’s Valentine’s Day this month, and aside from Christmas and my birthday, Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday. (And no that’s not a grammatical error, I consider my birthday a holiday.) I’m such a loving, lovable guy that how could it not rank up there amongst my favorites? Do you know why I love Valentine’s Day so much? It’s not just a day to celebrate romantic love; and frankly after last year’s run-in with a mischievous love-potion-wielding sprite, I’m a little lukewarm in my aspirations in that department anyway. (You can check the archives on our website if you missed my adventures from last year. Sheesh.) I love Valentine’s Day because it’s a reminder to celebrate all the love in your life! Sharing love, giving love, feeling love… for everyone I know and everyone I haven’t yet met— all those people out there who are totally awesome, living their lives, loving and working to make a difference in their lives and the peoples’ lives that they love. And then those people that they love, are out there living and loving all the people in their lives, and it just keeps growing and expanding outwards until it makes my doggie brain hurt with the magnitude and expansion of it all. But it doesn’t hurt my heart. It makes my heart feel very glad. And it makes my tail wag. Isn’t it amazing how if I stuff too much information in my doggie brain it feels simply like too-much-information— not a good feeling at all— but the more people, things, and experiences I love, the lighter and happier I feel. It seems I always have room in my heart to love and an inclination to bark and wag at someone new. So this Valentine’s Day, I’m celebrating by recognizing all the things I love. Here goes. In no particular order: Chew toys Jim’s slippers. Sort of the same as number one, but very different in both texture and aroma. My awesome family. The Insider. This column. It’s just so much fun to write! My doggie dish (cause it’s usually filled with awesome yummy things). Treats. People. My doggie bed at work in the Insider office so I can be close to Megan. Megan. Everyone who comes to Charlie’s Morning Coffee Hour. The lake, ’cause I love all the wildlife (except when wildlife chases me). Seagulls. The ocean. Car rides. Warm laps. Belly rubs. Did I say people yet, because that includes you! I love everyone and I hope this Valentine’s Day you remember to love you too and remember the things you love in your life as well. Until next time, P.S. Follow me on Facebook to keep up with all my latest news, www.facebook.com/InsiderCharliesCorner and on Instagram @charlieparkerscorner.

Our Lakes, More Than a Pretty Sight

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by the Town of Surfside Beach Many residents do not realize the lakes in town are water features that are not only an attractive addition to our town, but also serve to control flooding during storms. The Storm Water Committee is one of six statutory committees required by South Carolina State Law. Committee volunteers work with the town’s Public Works Department to monitor the condition of the water in the lakes in Surfside Beach. The committee’s function is to develop complimentary strategies for managing the town storm water systems through public education, outreach, and participation. The committee hosts two free annual education seminars in the council chambers. These seminars allow the public to learn about our storm water system through hands on exhibits. The committee members and professionals are there to answer questions and give advice on managing storm water. Twice a month, our lakes are inspected for water quality and debris. These lakes retain storm runoff so the water discharge can be controlled and cleaned before it is released into the ocean. The lake water is inspected for such things as bacteria, dissolved oxygen, suspended solids, and nitrogen nutrients. Silt runoff from construction sites can affect water flow and affects nitrogen levels in the water. The wild waterfowl in town are interesting to watch, but their excrement adds bacteria to the water. Excess fertilization of your lawn raises the nitrogen levels. The monitoring system enables the town to reduce pollution by finding the causes of these changes, and fixing it where possible. A bathymetric study of the town’s larger lakes is beginning. The topography of the lake beds and the volume of water in the lakes is being measured and recorded. This data is important in determining if and when the town needs to dredge the lakes. We need to be prepared for future storms and town growth. Te town needs and appreciates its volunteers. Next time there is a vacancy on a committee; won’t you please consider giving your time and talent to your town? Surfside Beach: in the middle of it all! To read more from our Surfside Beach section, click here!

28th Annual Multicultural Fair

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Local School Celebrates International Cultures by Donna Parker St. James Middle School will be celebrating international cultures on February 22, 2018, from 5:30 pm until 7:00 pm at our Multicultural Fair in the Commons Area. SJMS staff and students within our school family will have booths set up for families to peruse and experience various cultures from around the world. There will be lots of entertainment such as singing, dancing, and musical instruments during the fair. Please come and enjoy the multicultural experience of St. James Middle School. Has your child mentioned to you that they will be able to participate in the event by sharing information at a booth? Booths will include music, costumes, food samples, PowerPoint presentations, and trifold boards to display languages and other customs that are indicative of their culture. If you know of anyone in the community that would be willing to share something unique about their culture or would be a great addition to this experience please contact Ms. Parker, Mr. Vega, Ms. Dickinson, Mrs. Morello, Mrs. Howard, or Ms. Carter at St. James Middle School, 843.650.5543. Let Ms. Parker know if you have any additional questions at dparker@horrycountyschools.net. There will be several performers including Mexican dancers, a Puerto Rican singer, and possibly steel drummers or re dancers. As of right now, performances will take place at set times. During the fair, we will direct everyones’ attention to the specific areas where the performance is being held— either the cafeteria or outdoor patio. is will give our booths time to regroup and the transition will more than likely happen every 15- 20 minutes. We will not have the pot luck like in years past. We are asking individuals running booths to share samples of their country’s cuisine. As a reminder, this is a sample-sized portion, and will not be a dinner or meal; additionally, not every booth may choose to participate in this aspect of the fair. We welcome you to come and join the fun and festivities! To hear about some more of the events in and around the Market Common, click here!

No Bake Energy Balls

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Market Common Recipe Corner is your go-to source for local recipes!

No bake Energy Balls Kick off the New Year right, with Megan’s healthy and tasty, grab-n-go treat— No Bake Energy Balls.  We suspect she created the recipe herself, but she won’t say.  Megan is all about quick, and easy-to-make energy boosting snacks that get you through your day now matter how you work or play.  She takes these along with her to the office, on a photo shoot, and with Charlie.  Where will you take yours?    Ingredients 1/2 cup sunflower butter 1 heaping tablespoon coconut oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup dairy-free or regular chocolate chips 1/4 cup hemp seeds (available online or at a health food store) 1 tablespoon chia seeds 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon dash of salt Directions   Combine the sunflower butter, coconut oil, and vanilla extract in a pot over low heat until the ingredients are melted and mixed together.  Remove from the heat and let cool.  In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir to mix until a soft dough forms.  Spoon a small amount of the mixture into your hands and roll them it into a ball approximately 1-2 inches in diameter, depending on how big you’d like you’re energy balls to be.  To prevent the dough from melting, don’t over-handle it.  Place balls on a cookie sheet or plate, and cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate overnight or until hard, and enjoy all week long!  * Store in the refrigerator, and take them with you in a cooler bag so they won’t melt.  Click here for last month’s recipe! 

Local Business and Community Connection

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The Insider Mission Is What We Do Best By Melissa LaScaleia Since the Insider’s inception one-and-a-half years ago, we’ve been committed to informing community members and visitors to our community about what’s happening in and around our neighborhood. Every month, we bring you information about local events, local non-profits, and introduce you, within our pages, to some of the people who live, work, and play here. But by and large, we focus on the local businesses that serve us. “We pride ourselves on writing about local businesses so the community is more well informed about what’s available to them,” Jim Parker says. It’s one of our missions here at the Insider— to share the many services available to our community with our readers. After all, that’s what they’re there for. But additionally, the business articles serve to introduce everyone to the people behind the storefront facade, those who bring us those services day after day. We all have a story, we all have a reason about why and how we got to where we are today. In a world which o en feels isolated and impersonal, those stories reconnect us to ourselves and to one another. Learning about what motivates people to continue doing what they’re doing reminds us that we all have talents to share, and inspires us to support one another. When we support local businesses, our local economy prospers, and everyone benefits. That’s why we’re so thrilled that these stories now live on our website, where they are available to you, our reader, any time. The website is easy to search, so you can find the topic you’re looking for with ease. We’re always improving it, and welcome your feedback about how we can serve you better with it. At the start of this New Year, we wanted to not only remind you of why we do what we do, but to share with you what some of the business owners who have been featured in our paper have to say about their experience. Clayton Matthews of Peace, Love, and Little Donuts holding the things he loves: The Insider edition in which he was featured, last month’s edition, and a box of donuts. “Between the ads, recipe column, and the article, being in the Insider has really opened the doors of my business,” Emma Ware, of Emma’s School of Healthy Eating on Howard Avenue in the Market Common, says. “What I love about the Insider is that it has brought four different aspects of my business to life for me: it’s brought people to contact me about consultations, to see my vitamin store, to learn how to cook, and to learn how to eat better. And because of that, more people are buying my cookbook. “The article has made me more approachable,” she continues. “I’ve had a lot of people asking me a lot of questions. The write up is a testimonial to how well my business is doing, and every month after the ad comes out, new people come by to check out the store and my office.” Emma’s enthusiasm extends beyond her own business into the community. “What I love about you, is that you’re educating people from all over Myrtle Beach, but most of all, Market Common people. It’s giving people a chance to know what exists and what’s going on here. I get phone calls from all the areas you target, from Surfside Beach and outside of Market Common, just from the Insider.” “I grew up seeing a lot of advertising in magazines in LA and elsewhere,” she continues, “but it was never very effective and I was never impressed by it. But I love the Insider because it reminds me of the way advertising used to be. It’s almost like you’ve brought the air back. You’re an old-fashioned business and you still have standards of old-fashioned customer service, which I love. You’re professional, you’re informative, you’re there for me in every aspect. I contact you and you’re right there. The way people approach advertising today, it’s not what you do. But the way you run it is wonderful. “The Insider… the staff are so different. It’s not a one man operation. You’re left feeling as if you have all these departments taking care of you. When I walk into your office, someone’s offering me coffee and offering me help. You’ve validated the fact that I’m a human, I need help, and you are there to help me be successful. I praise you guys all day long.” Woody Bower at the Seacoast Artist Gallery in the Market Common says: “We had a really positive response from the article, it reached a lot of folks, and a positive experience with the Insider as a whole. Quite a few people came into the gallery because they read it. Now, especially as you’re reaching more people, we’re getting quite a bit of traffic based on what they’re reading there.” Emmy Stanton, whose been a hostess at the Seacoast Artist Gallery for the past three years, holds the Insider edition which captured the beauty found at the gallery. Clayton Matthews opened Peace, Love, and Little Donuts in the Market Common a few months ago. He says: “The month the article was written, several times a day, people would come in and say, ‘we read about you in the Market Common paper.’ We got a lot more out-of-town people who read about us and came in than locals. “Overall, everything was great. There were several steps to go through before it got published, and I always felt like I was in the loop and knew what was going on before final publication.” Don Rau of Eggs Up Grill in the Market Common shares: “I got a huge response from customers about the article, and they loved the information that was provided about myself and my wife. It was very beneficial. I was very pleased with the article and the Insider overall. “You’d be the first one I’d … Read more

DeFalco’s Automotive and Towing

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DeFalco's of Surfside Beach is here to help!

Striving To Ensure Customers Are Totally Satisfied by Melissa LaScaleia My father was in the automotive industry for 50 years,” April DeFalco-Rempfer tells me. “He grew up working on cars. My parents started DeFalco’s Automotive and Towing; we are completely family owned and operated.” DeFalco’s is the preferred towing and service provider for AAA in the Myrtle Beach area. For the past seven years, they have been recipients of the AAA Service Provider of Excellence Award for the entire East coast region. They are also a AAA Approved Auto repair shop, and a NAPA car care center. NAPA is known in the automotive industry for their high quality products, their guarantee and warrantee of those products, as well as competitive pricing. The DeFalco family has two locations: one in NJ established in 1994, and the other in Surfside Beach, established in 2007. “We always vacationed here and loved the beach,” April says. “So my parents decided to relocate, while others in my family continue to run DeFalco’s in New Jersey.” DeFalco’s provides complete automotive repair and maintenance on all vehicles; they have ASE certified mechanics, and offer 24hr roadside and towing assistance. April is the office manager at DeFalco’s. For her, it’s rewarding to be able to offer service to the community, especially when they’re helping stranded motorists on the road. “We have old fashioned business practices and values,” she says. “We offer prompt, honest, and reliable service, that’s priority number one. We stand by our work, and that’s why our customers have confidence in us. We take pride in exceeding our customers expectations. Being family run, our family values translate into how we treat our customers. We value our customers because they are our family too.” Last year, April’s father Bill, passed away from lung cancer. And several months ago, April collaborated with the Lung Cancer Foundation of America to create a specially wrapped tow truck in his honor. She worked with the LCFA on the design and had a new truck wrapped in the LCFA’s colors and brand. “It was a unique honoring of him,” she tells me. “We held a truck unveiling once it was completed, and the Surfside Beach Police as well as the South Carolina Highway Patrol escorted it to our garage. It was a pretty awesome event.” The truck is still out on the road, helping to raise awareness for lung cancer. After her father’s passing, April, her mom Cheryl, and her brother, Sean continue the running of DeFalco’s along with their 50 employees with the same standards that the company has been operating with for over 20 years. Does she always see herself staying in the family business? “My siblings and I have been working in the business all of our lives, and will continue the family business for generations to come,” she says. DeFalco’s Automotive and Towing Open M-Fr 8am-6pm, Sa 8am-2pm. To see more from our Surfside Beach section, click here! Envelope Facebook Phone Internet-explorer

Enagic Kangen Water With Alsuna Roland

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Alsuna Roland, the Grand Strand's Kangen Water respresentative, is being photograpphed at the Market Common.

Change Your Water, Change Your Life By Melissa LaScaleia “I see Enagic Kangen Water as a true health principle: you improve your physical health, you improve your financial health, and the two together create peace of mind,” Alsuna Roland tells me with a smile. Alsuna lives in Emmens Preserve in the Market Common, which she has called home since 2014. “I love Market Common,” she tells me. “I chose it because of the vibrancy. This place is for people who want to be young again, who want to begin to be kids again after their kids are grown.” Alsuna is originally from the islands of Tobago and Trinidad in the Caribbean. She immigrated to Staten Island in 1975, and received undergraduate and graduate degrees in the field of microbiology. She worked for the NY State Institute for Basic Research as a research scientist/microbiologist studying mental retardation. She was in charge of the clinical laboratory in microbiology, which encompassed bacteriology, parasitology and mycology, for ten years. “I like to work for myself. I come from a family of independent people,” she tells me. “So several years into my job, I opened the first Caribbean restaurant and bakery on Staten Island, called Alsuna’s Caribbean Cafe. My food was all about a healthy lifestyle. I baked, broiled, and steamed, but never fried. I’m a roots person; those were my roots, and I needed that balance.” When Alsuna’s father was diagnosed with prostate cancer, she changed course to focus on his care. “The diagnosis shocked me, because in the Caribbean, my father was a druggist/pharmacist. He compounded drugs from scratch; he watched what he ate,” she says. In search of answers to get him the best care, Alsuna learned why disease can’t live in an alkaline environment— and specifically how to balance the alkalinity of the body with each unique blood type. Every Kangen Water machine is made by hand in Japan, constructed of high quality platinum and titanium plates. e plates ionize the water, and accelerates bodily hydration. “So with that start, I closed my business, packed up, and went to India,” she says. “Because I had the background working in the lab, I was introduced to microscopy, live blood analysis—looking at the blood in its true form. I also learned Ayurveda and gem therapy, and a lot of the modalities that are used in the East for healing.” From her studies, she was able to put to rest the question that plagued her: why two people with the same disease could have such different outcomes— one getting better and the other not. “There’s a mental cause attached to a physical illness, and they’ve proven it,” she says. “And once we can address that, we find that the organ that is imbalanced will provide the physical healing process; also addressing the mental healing process gives a lot of positive results.” When she returned from India, Alsuna started her own wellness business incorporating this knowledge; she focused her program on four main areas— hydration, detoxification, nourishment, and exercise. “And in my 21 years of practice as a wellness coach, the key factor, I’ve found, is hydration,” she tells me. “Because the human body is 70% water; the brain is 85% water. However, not all water is the same. And that’s what the big missing link is. When I discovered Enagic Kangen Water, which is alkaline and ionized, that’s when my business in terms of wellness, became a lot easier. Simply by hydrating with it, a lot of other symptoms and imbalances got results. That was the feedback from my clients and continues to be the feedback. And so I feel very passionate about spreading the word about this device.” When Alsuna’s mother was 80 years old, she was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and given a life expectancy of several months of life. Alsuna implemented her four-step program to bring her mother’s body back into balance. For the hydration aspect she used Enagic Kangen Water. And she used alkalizing and beneficial foods and supplements based on her mother’s blood type. Today, her mother is 93 and thriving, and lives alone in her home; repeated cat scans of her brain show no trace of the tumor. “I’m not saying that this ionizing machine is the one and only thing,” says Alsuna. “But because dehydration is such a big issue, when we hydrate with the right type of water, things begin to get better. For me, the boon is not just the alkalinity. It’s about the antioxidant properties and ionization.” The Enagic Kangen machine removes the lead, chlorine, and impurities in tap water through a carbon filtration process, and then sends the water through an electrolysis chamber that consists of seven or eight titanium plates. The plates create the negative charge that makes the water ionized, which allows the water to get absorbed into the tissues and cells very quickly. Charlie likes Kangen Water too. Alsuna has found that dogs consistently self-select Kangen Water at 9.0, as does Charlie. Alsuna cautions that there are other devices on the market that are using the trademarked term Kangen Water illegally, and they are cheaper, but people should be educated as to why, and what the differences are, so they can make an informed choice. “The plates that the water passes over in the Kangen Machine are made of platinum and titanium,” she says. And that is very expensive. With knockoffs, there is a risk of heavy metal toxicity, because they are using cheaper materials.” “Our device is priced to accommodate the best quality materials,” she tells me. “This is a Japanese based company and it’s been around for over 43 years. Our products come directly from the factory in Japan, are individually assembled by hand, and have no moving parts. If something goes wrong, they can trace it back to the individual who made it.” The Kangen machine dispenses five different types of water. There is strong Kangen which can be used to clean fruits and … Read more

Coastal Transformations

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Ken van Keyningen and the rest of the Coastal Transformations staff made the Insider at the Market Common team feel right at home!

Bring in The Light and Do It Right

by Melissa LaScaleia

Ken van Heyningen, a friend of the Insider at the Market Common, is a self proclaimed army brat, and himself a veteran of the Coast Guard. His wife is from the Myrtle Beach area, and the two have made Myrtle Beach their permanent home since 1990.

One day, several years later, Ken’s mother told her son about tubular skylights that she had seen in Florida homes; she was impressed by their beauty and quality and encouraged Ken to research them. Ken was inspired by the idea of transforming your home to let in more light, and decided to open his own business installing skylights. He opened Carolina Solar Lighting in Conway, in 1995. Almost a decade later, he began transforming the darkened interiors of house entryways by installing decorative glass panels on the front doors.

Ken changed the name of his company to Coastal Transformation in 2004, to reflect the broader scope of the additional services that he provided.

“We picked the name because we’re actually transforming your space, inside and out,” he says.
The Coastal Insider
A decorative glass window on the front door of your house increases your home's resale value by up to 6%. — Photo Meganpixels Parker

Today, Coastal Transformations installs Velux natural skylights which bring in light without heat or leaks— making them the skylight of choice for the South. They also install solar powered exhaust fans in attic spaces, which remove heat in the summer and moisture in the winter. Similarly, he installs GF 14 attic coolers; they are like fans, but designed specifically for attics and garages, and literally pull out the hot air and moisture from the garage and the attic space above it. All of this results in reduced energy costs, greater temperature regulation, and better protection against mold and mildew.

Ken feels strongly that you shouldn’t have to turn the lights on in your home during the day, and enjoys transforming peoples’ homes to be more light-filled and energy efficient. His work also measurably increases your home’s resale value.

“Having a decorative glass window on the front door of your house will increase its resale value because it has greater curb appeal,” Ken explains. “It just looks richer. If you have two identical houses side by side, one with a front door that has decorative glass, and one without, the one with the glass draws your eye to the house, and it’s worth more to you, because it’s prettier. Statistically, the perceived value of the home is increased by up to 6%. Full pieces of glass start o at $6.99 to install. So it’s not a really high price point to make the upgrade.”
The Coastal Insider
Ken stands next to the Velux Sun Tunnel skylight which brings in the light but not the heat.

Jason, Ken’s son-in-law, began working with Coastal Transformations in 2005, and the company has been family owned and operated ever since. Between the two, they consult and install everything. They have a showroom in Murrells Inlet, where people can see and select all of the products that they carry.

Ken loves what he does.

“Our tagline is, bring in the light, and do it right,” he tells me. “Because our two main products bring in light and do it with energy efficiency.”

“My biggest thing,” he concludes, “is making people happy. I don’t have any dissatisfied customers. And you can’t ask for anything better than that.”

Coastal Transformations

Showroom open M-F 10am-4pm, Sa by appointment.

To see more featured articles from the Insider at the Market Common, click here!

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A Road Trip To Tinsel Town

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Market Common's Charlie Parker talks about the new year.

Charlie’s Corner is the domain of Charlie, the furry four-legged lady’s man of Market Common. Each month, he’ll share information to help all new, visiting, and existing doggie community members get the most out of life alongside their human companions. We’ll feature his reflections on what it’s like to be a dashing downtown doggie, as he reminds all of us how to play well together.  This month, Charlie and his friends go on a road trip to Tinsel Town. Well, I got lots of good quality time with my family, scores of belly rubs, and a new chew toy over the holiday. I was also very relieved to know that none of my friends accidentally ate a poinsettia plant or chocolate. (You never can predict what we four-legged fuzzy ones will get into when there’s excitement in the air and we get a bit giddy.) I myself, had a great adventure with a new friend. One night, just before New Year’s Eve, I lay curled up in bed thinking warm snuggly thoughts, and was just drifting off to sleep when I heard a tapping at the window. I looked up to see a skinny looking man about two feet tall, with pointy ears, and a pointy, funny little hat standing outside. He beckoned to me. I opened the window, and he bounded in and began to zip around the living room. “Yippee! Wooo hooooo! It’s Charlie’s house,” he cried. “Whoa, who are you? What are you?” I asked. “My name is Binky,” he replied, suddenly skidding to a halt, doing his cap, and offering me a deep bow. “And I come from a very long line of elves. I’ve come to take you to Tinsel Town, land of sparkly stuff. So pack up that chew toy, and we’ll be off.” “Gosh!” I exclaimed. “Tinsel Town? Why I’ve never even heard of it. Who knew there was a land just full of it. But how did you know I love tinsel, and how did you find me?” “Online,” Binky said. “You can find anything online nowadays. Come on, we’ll take my car.” Binky’s car was an elf-and-Charlie-sized silver convertible with glittery trim and a sparkly silver interior. It reminded me of tinsel, and I felt quite at home in it. Binky programmed “Tinsel Town” into his GPS, and then the car shook and rattled, and glitter fell from the dashboard all around us. It slowly rose high into the sky, and we took off like a shot into the clear night, leaving a stream of glitter in our wake. We flew through the night with stars overhead and twinkling lights below us, till the lights became more dim, and then we flew over mountains and lakes and tall trees, and then all at once I saw a glittering, sparkling glow from down below. “That’s Tinsel Town!” cried Binky. We landed in the center of town, where other elves came running to great us. “We heard tinsel is one of your most favorite things,” they said. “So we sent Binky to bring you here so you could see and enjoy our wonderful town.” I stepped out of the car, wow! There was tinsel everywhere! All of the houses were silver and sparkly, and draped in tinsel. The trees were made of it, and long strands hung from the branches. Everywhere elves were frolicking in it. “And we’ll never tell you not to make a mess because you can’t!” they cried merrily. We danced and frolicked, and played all night long. Finally, exhausted and satiated, I curled up in a big soft pile of it under a tinsel tree and fell asleep. I vaguely heard voices saying as if from far away, “There he is! He’s all worn out. Careful not to wake him now.” But I was dog-tired, and couldn’t budge an inch. When I awoke I was back in my own bed. Binky must have brought me back while I slept. Hey, you can’t convince me that it was only a dream. Until next time, P.S. Follow me on Facebook to keep up with all my latest news, www.facebook.com/InsiderCharliesCorner and on Instagram @charlieparkerscorner To see more Charlie’s Corner articles, click here. 

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