The Coastal Insider

Spring is in the Air

March 8, 2023April 30, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

Fitness and healthy lifestyle concept. Female is resting and eat

Living Well Nutrition By Jen Kavanagh Many of you know that I suffer from SAD-seasonal affective depression. This winter has been particularly hard on me. And I’m not alone: I hear it every day from clients and friends too. The affliction is common, with more than 3 million cases per year in the U.S. alone. Even though nature is well on its way to progressing into the warmth of the season, there are actions you can take that will enhance the upswing in your mood. One solution to help you start feeling better is to move. Get your daily dose of vitamin D from the sun naturally with a brisk walk, jog or bike ride. It’s been shown that movement and sunshine are a powerful combination to reset your mindset and combat the blues. And on those rare days when the sun isn’t shining, it’s especially important to get outside and breathe the fresh air. Staying connected to nature in simple, small ways is an important step in countering the negative affects of SAD. Additionally, if those clothes are feeling tight because you just haven’t felt like yourself, and that funk, as so many describe it, has led to overeating or indulging in comfort food, it’s time to take control over food. Here are some tips to getting on track: 1) Establish a movement goal. Do you know how many steps you average daily? Get a smartwatch or other counting device or app so you can keep track. Measure what your current number of steps is over the course of several days to get a good average, then set a goal to increase that number by an amount that feels manageable to you. You can pick up extra steps by keeping your home more tidy, running errands on foot, even parking further away in the parking lot from your destination. Aim to gradually increase your steps every few weeks— monitoring your mood as a compass point by which you set your goal. 2) Do you exercise? If not, find something you like to do, and get started with just 20 min a day three days per week. If you already exercise but your routine is feeling a bit stale, can you add or substitute something to spruce it up and give it a fresh energy? Consider combining lifting weights with cardio, or high intensity exercise with yoga or stretching. Aim for a balance and switch it up regularly if you get bored. 3) What you eat, when you eat it, and the mindset you have when eating is so important in regulating your nervous system. Many people default into a grab-and-go takeout routine, not realizing that they’re robbing themselves of a healing opportunity in cooking at home. When you cook, you’re putting your own intentionality into the food. Cooking slows you down—it’s a grounding, nourishing activity that counters the go-go-go mentality, and eating as an afterthought or while on the run. Cooking at home puts the power and control back in your own hands— to consume what you choose in your own timing and way. If you’re new to this, start small by planning to eat just one meal a day at home several days per week. Put a positive spin on the experiment by turning grocery store runs into an opportunity to discover something delicious that you’ll love. Remember to opt for whole foods, to give your body the nutrients it needs. On the weekend, plan which days you’ll cook at home, and shop in advance for those foods so your larder is stocked. What are your health goals? If you need help establishing a weight-loss routine, call me. I can help get you started on a plan to reach your goals and stop the yo-yo dieting. Living Well Nutrition www.eatplantsloseweight.com 610-742-1093 610-742-1

Einstein’s Dog-Sitting Service, LLC & Cat-Care

March 8, 2023April 30, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

Einstein's Dog Sitting Professional Dog Walker Sitter Myrtle Beach-1204

Pets are Family Members Too by Melissa LaScaleia Cindy Bright is the owner of Einstein’s Dog-Sitting Service, LLC & Cat-Care, a pet service for people who are busy, working, or away from home and want to make sure that their pets are well cared for in their absence or while they are tending to life’s other obligations. Cindy loves the canines and pets she sits for— and works seven days a week from 7am-11pm when needed, within the geographical radius of the Myrtle Beach, Socastee, Surfside, Market Common, and Garden City areas. She offers 30, 45 and 60 minute visits for dogs, and 30 minute cat-care visits, but can create a customizable schedule, offering any combination of those times to suit her clients’ needs. “A mid-day dog walk is anytime from 11am to mid-afternoon,” Cindy says. “It includes going outside for a walk and potty break, playtime, fresh water, and a treat. I also do in-home visits for both dogs and cats. I’ll take dogs out two to three times a day for walks, or to play in the backyard, and visit cats one or two times a day, depending on what the owner wants.” Cindy administers any medications the animals take, and gives them water and food according to the schedule the owner requests. She also provides transportation to and from the groomer or the veterinarian for scheduled appointments made by the pet parents, if needed. In addition to dogs and cats, she also cares for birds, fish, lizards, and rabbits. “As far as in-home visits for those out of town,” she says, “I take care of the home as well: the lights, curtains, trash, mail, TV/radio, and watering plants. This gives the home a lived-in look.” Cindy worked as a registered nurse in hospital emergency rooms for twenty-seven years as a career. “I was looking for a change,” she says. “And one day, my neighbor needed to go out of town and asked me to take care of her dogs while she was gone. I had so much fun, I thought, ‘I can do this.’ I got some books and began doing research, and decided to start my own business. Now I’m in my fifteenth year as my own small business owner.” “Being a nurse is very helpful in caring for pets,” she adds. “Many pets get medicines, and a lot of pets get the same medicines that people do. The equipment used and ways of administering the medicines are very similar.” Cindy has a list of accreditations. She is a member of Pet Sitters International; her company is bonded and insured; she is certified in Pet CPR and First Aid; and has background clearances. Her business is licensed and renewed in Horry County yearly. What’s her favorite thing about this career? “Every pet has their own personality,” she says. “And that is the best part— getting to know who they are.” Einstein’s Dog-Sitting Service, LLC & Cat-Care Facebook Globe Phone

Gaye Driggers

March 8, 2023April 30, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

Principal, Relationship Builder, and Avid Traveler by Melissa LaScaleia Introduce me to your family. My mom is eighty-eight years old, and my dad is eighty-nine, and both live here in Myrtle Beach in a retirement community. I have a sister, brother-in-law, and two nephews that live in Columbia, SC. I love spending time with them. Where are all the places you came from? What area of the Grand Strand do you now call home? I grew up in Wallace, SC. I lived in Johnson City, TN before moving back to SC in 1990. Today I live in the Burning Ridge Community. Tell me about your background. What do you do in Myrtle Beach for a career? I’ve been in the education field for over thirty-two years. I went to Lander University and played basketball and softball on scholarship, and received my graduate degree at East Tennessee State University. I got my master’s degree in administration from the University of South Carolina. I taught at Conway High from 1990 to 1997. In 2007, I became assistant principal, then principal in 2011, and I’ve been working in that capacity ever since. Tell me about your students, the community culture, and how Covid has affected your school. We have about 2600 students. And I always get compliments on them and their behavior. I’m genuinely proud of them as a whole in how they present themselves. Our parents and our community are supportive of the programs we offer; we have a great performing arts program, and stellar academics and athletics. I have around 280 staff, and over 150 teachers. There are five elementary schools and three middle schools. We plan events together such as the homecoming parade. We continue to try and build a strong culture within our attendance area schools. I love working with the feeder schools and their principals. The teachers have done a phenomenal job of not only providing instruction in the classroom to make sure students didn’t fall behind during Covid, but also found innovative ways to make sure our students could stay active in extracurricular activities. I feel there’s been a lot of flexibility and innovative thinking to provide students with the best environment possible given what we’ve been going through with Covid. We’ve received several awards in the midst of all this. It’s because of how well the students have worked through adversity, and the teachers not lowering expectations just because we’re going through a pandemic. We all expected a lot of ourselves, and I couldn’t do the things I do without the staff I have around me. What we do at CFHS is a team effort. I am very proud of our teachers, staff, and administrators; I wouldn’t want to do this job with anyone else. What is your favorite place in this area? I love boating and playing golf. I really enjoy the simplicity of being outdoors and at the beach, spending time with my family and friends. Covid has reminded me that the things that are the most important to me are those relationships that you build with others, and what you can build when you work together. And outside of work, the relationships that I build with my family and friends, and how that pushes me to grow as a person. What do you like the most about living here? It’s such a diverse county. You can go to the western part and be in the countryside, or head east and be at the beach. The Grand Strand and surrounding areas have a lot to offer. I appreciate the diversity of the student body in Carolina Forest. Being able to see them learn and grow everyday— developing into the best versions of themselves— that’s what’s most exciting for me.

Mushrooms and Eggs

March 8, 2023April 30, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

Mushrooms have long been the subject of fascination, fear, and to avid cooks, gastronomic delight. For centuries, they have been steeped in myth and fairy-lore, hunted by pigs for vast sums, touted as medicinal miracles, and sought for their psychedelic pleasures. For centuries, only China’s royalty were permitted to consume Reishi, known as the mushroom of immortality, or suffer death. The mushroom’s odd appearance, and to the average person, their moderately distasteful growing environment (damp and decaying matter) only seems to add to their charisma. The modern and ever-pervasive trend of eating organic, local, and wild foods has brought a resurgence to mushroom enthusiasm— placing the little white buttons firmly on the map. Attend a farmers market in any city across the county and you’d be hard pressed not to find a multitude of varietals. It’s even quite common to purchase a decaying log on which to grow your own personal supply. A book about mushrooms, Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds and Shape Our Futures, recently made the NY Times Bestseller list. It is safe to say that mushrooms are having their moment— and that moment may be lasting. Beyond all their hype, they really are miraculous powerhouses of nutrition, resilience, and tasty to boot. A perfect way to start your day. Mushrooms and Eggs Ingredients 14 oz cremini or white mushrooms 2 Tbs butter 1 ¾ cup creme fraiche 1 Tbs Dijon mustard ¾ cup fresh tarragon, chopped 2 slices of hearty, high quality bread, diced small 3 ¼ oz Emmenthal Cheese 4 eggs salt and pepper to taste Directions Chop the mushrooms into quarters and sauté in the butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Once they are nicely browned, add the creme fraiche, mustard, and tarragon and bring the mixture to a boil for several seconds to thicken. Fill four small pyrex baking dishes with equal parts bread and cheese, and pour the mushroom mixture on top. Place to rest in the refrigerator for an hour to allow the bread to absorb the cream. Remove from the fridge, and crack an egg over the top of each mixture. Steam in a steamer (or place the dishes in a pot with a half-inch of water in the bottom) for ten minutes or until the egg white is set. The yolk should remain loose. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Jerry A. Quinn

March 8, 2023April 30, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

Vietnam Veteran, Recipient of the Purple Heart, Creator of the SC Blinded Veterans Association Celebrate Our Veteran gives voice to the stories of the U.S. military veterans living amongst us. The actions of these brave and dedicated people, who have served our country both in active military duty as well as administrative positions, have and continue to contribute to the protection and preservation of us and our country. We hope that this section of our paper is an opportunity for our community to hear and see veterans with new eyes, and for veterans to receive recognition and honor for their experiences and life journeys. This month’s Celebrate Our Veteran recounts the story of Jerry A. Quinn, as told in his own words. by Melissa LaScaleia “I was born in Union, SC on June 6, 1947. I went to elementary school in Buffalo, SC, then Union High School. I was drafted on November 28, 1966, for the Vietnam War. I completed basic training at Fort Gordon, Georgia, and advanced infantry training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Then I was sent home for ten days before they flew me out to Oakland, CA to board TWA for my flight to Vietnam. My feeling about the war was, if it had a reason, I wanted to be involved. My entire family on both sides were military people. But I didn’t know it would turn out like it did. I was put in the first infantry division, known as the Big Red One. My base camp was Di An, Vietnam. I went through a week of jungle school and then was sent out to the jungle itself with my company. I was in the third platoon, where I became a squad leader. Vietnam had monsoons six months of the year, and tremendous heat. They had hogs laying around in their yard as big as Volkswagens but they wouldn’t eat them; they’d eat rats that they caught instead. Then an officer I admired, Captain Shapeland, became my commanding officer and he wanted to form a recondo squad. I was selected to be a part of that team. I turned down two promotions to stay in the recondo squad, that’s how much I liked doing it and how much I respected Captain Shapeland. Our job was to neutralize any land mines; and handle demolition or additional threats, like snipers, outside of the confines of the concertina wire. My captain made all the difference in the world in terms of operations and safety. The day I was hit, we had a different captain. And he died shortly thereafter. At this point, I was the acting sergeant. Captain Shapeland had just left to go into intelligence, and the new captain sent my squad into the jungle. We walked up a number of rice paddies, when suddenly machine guns opened up on us from the wood line; the woods were filled with Vietcong, and we had to fall back. My squad had just got inside the wood line when I called the captain and told him that the enemy had open-fired on us. He gave the order to hold our ground and said he would send artillery in to back us up. But when the artillery arrived, they started dropping bombs, and they got so close, they were hitting us. So then the captain told us to fall back. The guy that carried my radio was my RTO. He went down with a round of RPG (rocket-propelled grenade), and he had been in Vietnam for three days. I was hit by the same round, from my knee caps through my head. We were sitting ducks. Then our side sent in the gunships with the 50 calibers on them to fire on the Vietcong. Since we were out of the wood line, they could work the artillery successfully and medivacked me out. At this point, I had been there for nine months. They took me to Japan where it was discovered I was bleeding internally. I was a mess. I stayed in that hospital in Japan for a month. And during that time, I saw everything that could happen to a soldier because it was right there all around me. While I was in Vietnam, I saw four guys from my hometown; two were killed and two made it back. Buffalo Methodist Church in my hometown of Union raised all kinds of money so my mother could stay with me for six months because she couldn’t afford to come and stay. Then I was sent to Walter Reed hospital in Washington, D.C. A lot of people from Union, SC came to see me there. I was there when Dwight D. Eisenhower was there. I didn’t have my right mind in me for a long time. I was hit January 5, and released from the hospital December 18. I was twenty years old when I finally got out. I had been in the hospital so long, I had gained a lot of weight which made everything a struggle. And my brain was really messed up, and initially I was blind. I couldn’t be responsible for what I said. If I wanted a hamburger, I’d ask for a pencil. I had numerous brain surgeries; they had to cut pieces of my brain out. In 1973, I went to Edward Hines hospital in Chicago, and it gave me a new outlook on life. I joined the Blinded Veterans Association. Later, I formed the South Carolina Blinded Veterans Association; I’ve been a national officer for them. I went to college and graduated from the University of South Carolina, and Wofford College. My major was in psychology. Then I went to work in Daytona, Florida as a food vendor; then two places in Columbia, SC and one place in Akon, SC. I owned my own business. But in Daytona, my wife’s health really went downhill. So I had to quit there and we moved back to SC so I could focus more on her health. I … Read more

Coastal Real Estate April Edition

March 8, 2023March 31, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

The Coastal Insider and Coastal Real Estate From entertainment, leisure and beaches to local businesses and community, we bring it closer to you. Plus advertising with us is in alignment with our mission! Current Edition Coastal Insider This month’s edition is all about the local communities, specifically the Market Common community. The Annual Dragon Boat Festival has returned to the Market Common on the big lake in Grand Park. Read more inspirational stories about the several businesses and local neighbors here in the Market Common. Take a peak at our past editions of the Coastal Insider. Coastal Real Estate Welcome to the Market Common Edition of Coastal Real Estate brought to you by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Coastal Real Estate. With this edition, our goal is to share the available real estate opportunities in the Market Common community in Myrtle Beach. The Market Common is a 114-acre lifestyle district located blocks from the ocean in the heart of the Grand Strand, set on the site of the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. Take a peek at this extraordinary edition. Take a peak at our past editions of the Coastal Home Insider. Current Edition A MESSAGE FROM OUR TEAM Welcome to the April edition of Coastal Real Estate, and our second Market Common Edition. Within, we’re delighted to be able to share with you the monthly and annual real estate for the Market Common. As I reflect on this highly sought after neighborhood’s origins, I realize one thing has remained a constant, and indeed, a bedrock in its trajectory from Air Force base to upscale, urban beach-living environment— community. The Market Common is more than a location— it’s a lifestyle that isn’t easily matched in our market. One that rests on the wide array of people of all ages and backgrounds that it attracts, and the variety of activities that it offers. The years of the pandemic have created huge shifts in people’s lives and lifestyles nationwide; suddenly, what was once a popular community along the Grand Strand became one of the most sought-after areas in our market. We began to see more people from across the country opting to move here for the more relaxed pace of life, the beauty, and a greater sense of joy in everyday living. Spring and summer are traditionally the times when buyers scan the market in response to the increase in sellers listing real estate. But the Market Common is such a desirable place to live, there’s been a shortage of homes for sale, and an exponential growth in sales prices. In the past three years, the average resale price for single family homes has risen nearly 34%; from an average of $348,144 in 2020; to an average of $395,009 in 2021; to an average of $475,915 in 2022. In just three years, nearly twice as many resale single family homes have sold in the Market Common compared to 2019, with 119 homes sold, compared to 228 homes sold in 2021. If you’ve been considering selling your home in the Market Common for an upgrade or a change of pace, now is a great time to do it. We have a website that is exclusively dedicated to Market Common real estate— homesatmarketcommon.com. Once all phases of new construction are complete, Market Common will become a resale community, and there is no telling how much buyers will be willing to pay. -Jennifer Hamilton, Director of Sales Stay tuned with latest information by subscribing to receive the Coastal Insider directly into your inbox. Click on Subscribe below! You shall receive an email from us in about 5 minutes, if you do not receive anything please check your junk/spam folder.

Coastal Insider April Edition

March 8, 2023March 31, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

Current Edition Stay connected with our top stories delivered every month! A MESSAGE FROM OUR TEAM Welcome to the April edition of Coastal Real Estate, and our second Market Common Edition. Within, we’re delighted to be able to share with you the monthly and annual real estate for the Market Common. As I reflect on this highly sought after neighborhood’s origins, I realize one thing has remained a constant, and indeed, a bedrock in its trajectory from Air Force base to upscale, urban beach-living environment— community. The Market Common is more than a location— it’s a lifestyle that isn’t easily matched in our market. One that rests on the wide array of people of all ages and backgrounds that it attracts, and the variety of activities that it offers. The years of the pandemic have created huge shifts in people’s lives and lifestyles nationwide; suddenly, what was once a popular community along the Grand Strand became one of the most sought-after areas in our market. We began to see more people from across the country opting to move here for the more relaxed pace of life, the beauty, and a greater sense of joy in everyday living. Spring and summer are traditionally the times when buyers scan the market in response to the increase in sellers listing real estate. But the Market Common is such a desirable place to live, there’s been a shortage of homes for sale, and an exponential growth in sales prices. In the past three years, the average resale price for single family homes has risen nearly 34%; from an average of $348,144 in 2020; to an average of $395,009 in 2021; to an average of $475,915 in 2022. In just three years, nearly twice as many resale single family homes have sold in the Market Common compared to 2019, with 119 homes sold, compared to 228 homes sold in 2021. If you’ve been considering selling your home in the Market Common for an upgrade or a change of pace, now is a great time to do it. We have a website that is exclusively dedicated to Market Common real estate— homesatmarketcommon.com. Once all phases of new construction are complete, Market Common will become a resale community, and there is no telling how much buyers will be willing to pay. -Jennifer Hamilton, Director of Sales

The Homes of the Market Common

March 8, 2023March 31, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

A Brief History of a Real Estate Boom by Melissa LaScaleia The Market Common is a 114-acre lifestyle district located blocks from the ocean in the heart of the Grand Strand, set on the site of the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. From 1954 until it closed permanently in 1993, the base, and those who lived and worked there, were an integral part of Myrtle Beach’s economy and livelihood. Seagate Village was an existing development during the time that the Air Force Base was in operation, but it stood relatively alone. With the base’s closure, the question arose— how would this area rebirth itself to become a part of the community? That’s where the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base Redevelopment Authority comes in. It was established to spearhead the undertaking, and retired Air Force Colonel, Buddy Styers, as executive director, was charged with the task of repurposing and redeveloping the land. As the former commander of two Air Force bases, and with a master’s degree in public administration, Buddy was familiar with how to find talented individuals skilled in their trade, and to successfully work with a variety of governing bodies to make a plan come to fruition. But it was his ability to understand what held meaning to the people in the community, and to hold that at the forefront of his vision, that ultimately made the Market Common one of the most desirable places to live, work, and play along the Grand Strand. A vision come to fruition. Homes in the Market Common today, overlooking the Big Lake. — Photo Meganpixels Parker Buddy and the Redevelopment Authority envisioned the area taking shape as an urban village, and ultimately selected Dan McCaffery, of McCaffery Interests, to develop the property. Retail and restaurant spaces were built for nationally-known and smaller, local establishments, as well as a multitude of live-work units to accommodate entrepreneurs. Today, the area boasts parks and ball fields, a sports complex, a large recreational lake, and numerous other attractions. Everything is easily accessible by foot, and nestled in a thoughtfully designed, picturesque setting. The area pays homage to its past, with historical commemorative markers located throughout, as well as a local history museum and outdoor military park, Warbird Park. Because of the thoughtfulness of its design and the variety of activities and options available, the Market Common has always attracted a diverse array of people and a wide range of age groups who gravitate to an upscale, modern lifestyle. One that exemplifies laid-back, Southern beach living, but in an urban environment. And the recent national trend that sees people opting for a lifestyle that is based more on simplicity, health, and joie de vivre, means that real estate in the Market Common has been on a steady growth trajectory, and developers have had to continuously build new homes to meet demand. Beazer, DR Horton, Lennar, and Pulte are some of the national companies that have and continue to build homes in the Market Common since its inception. Since 2008, the following subdivisions became communities in the Market Common: Balmoral; Battery; Belle Harbor; Cresswind; Emmens Preserve; Estate at Withers Preserve; Highlands at Withers; Lakeside Battery; Meridian; Monarch Estates; Park Place; Reserve; Sanctuary at Withers; Sweetgrass Square; The Cottages; Wentworth Row; and West Lake. The townhomes include communities like: High Market, Market Common Townhomes, Sail House, Emmens Preserve Townhomes and Windsor Gate. The Market Common Townhomes (the work-live units), were the first townhome development since the redevelopment of the Air Force Base. Since 2008, over 4000 single-family homes, and over 1000 townhomes were transferred through CCAR, Coastal Carolina Board of Realtors. To give a more specific example, a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1822 square-foot home in Emmens Preserve sold for $114 sq/ft, $207,990 when it was built in 2009. Within the last twelve months, it sold for $170 sq/ft, $310,000. That’s a 33% increase in home value. A 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath 1200 square-foot condo/townhome in the Sail House community sold for $141.58 sq/ft, $169,900 when it was built in 2016. Within the last twelve months, a similar 1200 sq/ft home sold for $193.33 sq/ft, $232,000. That’s a 27% increase in home value. If you’ve been considering selling your home in the Market Common for an upgrade or a change of pace, now is a great time to do it. The sellers market remains strong.

The Fourteenth Annual Ground Zero Dragon Boat Festival in the Market Common

March 22, 2023March 31, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

Saturday, April 30, 2022 by Melissa LaScaleia The annual Dragon Boat Festival has returned to the Market Common on the big lake in Grand Park. A beloved Market Common tradition, the festival acts as a fundraiser for Ground Zero, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Founded by Scott and Kimberly Payseur twenty-three years ago, the organization offers support to students during what is, for many, difficult pre-teen and teen years. “There are students who feel like they don’t fit in anywhere,” Scott says. “So we try and create a place where everyone feels welcome no matter their background, family situation, or religious beliefs. We are a ministry-driven organization, but we support students no matter their beliefs.” Ground Zero remodeled the old Rivoli Theater downtown, which they use for student events and outreach, to provide a safe space for teenagers to spend time together in meaningful ways. It is a place where teens can go, belong and grow. Through life-changing events and nurturing relationships, Ground Zero makes a positive impact in the lives of today’s teenagers, equipping them with life skills like self-reliance and confidence, to help set them up for success and start their journey as young adults on the right footing. “Here, we let teens know they are not alone,” Scott says. “We establish authentic relationships with them and teach them how to do the same, empowering them by sharing tools they can use to impact their world. And we do it by focusing on sharing fun, wholesome, and rewarding experiences with them— both as a means to uplift, as well as to expose them to new ways of having a good time.” The Dragon Boat Festival is a perfect example of the type of activity Ground Zero champions— fun, uplifting, unique, and memorable. “After two years of Covid, it really is exciting to be able to gather at Market Common in person once more and really have a fun day,” says Stephanie Sebring, advancement director for the organization. “It gives me purpose to do what I do. We get to make a positive impact in the lives of kids during the years they’re most susceptible to influences that change the course of their lives. I have children of my own, and I think the best legacy we can leave with them is time spent together.” Now in its fourteenth year, the festival draws people by the thousands. Lavishly painted, ornate boats are brought in for the event, along with professionals who know how to steer them properly to avoid any directional mishaps on the lake. The boats are powered by teams formed from a diverse array of local groups all eager to row to victory. A team can be formed by any number of special interests such as: churches; schools; families; businesses; HOA’s, medical groups; gyms; investors; clubs; golfers; friends. Each participant is asked to raise $200 to paddle, and Ground Zero works with each team to secure additional members, funding, and sponsorship if necessary. Also manning the boat is a drummer, an individual who, as the name implies, beats steadily on a drum for motivation and to keep everybody, hopefully, paddling in unison. Each team gets a one-hour practice session the week leading up to the races, which is typically a noisy, uproariously fun time. Then it’s time for the big day. “We race four boats at a time, and we can have over sixty teams,” Scott explains. “While four are racing, four boats are loading, so there’s never any lag in time for participants. There’s a first heat in the morning, then there’s a second heat in the afternoon in which everybody races again. We take the best time from all of the teams and pair them up in the final race, which will be around 4pm. In the afternoon, we pair up similar groups to race against each other, like real estate or media— we also have middle and high school boats— and the winning team is awarded a trophy.” “Holding the festival at the Market Common is part of what makes it so special,” he adds. “It’s a beautiful, ideal location. Because it’s a smaller body of water, people can see easily and watch right at the finish line. I’ve seen other Dragon Boat Festivals held on big lakes, and you almost need binoculars to see what’s happening. If people want to leave, they can walk around and explore the area. The setting of Market Common makes the festival unique in addition to the uniqueness of the Dragon Boats themselves.” And there’s plenty at the festival besides the races. There’s a DJ going all day long, food, and other festivities. The vendor area will consist of seventy vendors offering arts and crafts, sundries, and those cool festival treats everyone knows and loves. There are activities for children like face painting, a family fun zone, and inflatables— with inflatables for the adults too. This year’s platinum sponsor for the event is Dependable Plumbing Service and Air. Other sponsors include: Tidelands Health; Monarch Roofing; J and L Kayak Ecoventures; Homewood Suites Coastal Grand Mall; United Contractors; Hadwin-White; Carolina Cool; and DRG, to name a few. “These sponsors help support the festival and make our year possible for the youth in our community, as do the participants and attendees,” says Stephanie. Be sure to register for the event early to secure your commemorative t-shirt. 14th Annual Dragon Boat Festival Grand Park in the Market Common Saturday, April 30, 8am-4pm Visit www.GZdragonboat.com to register. Participants are asked to raise $200 per person to participate in this fun-filled day. Free admittance; Family Fun Zone $10 per person for daily pass. Globe Phone

Tatyana Gluzberg

March 8, 2023March 31, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

M.D. PhD, Flower Photographer by Melissa LaScaleia Introduce me to your family. I have a son, Boris, and two grandchildren: Daniel is twelve years old and Ken is fifteen. Then there’s Sugarglitter, my small, Australian opossum. Where are all the places you came from? What area of the Grand Strand do you now call home? I moved to Michigan from Siberia more than twenty years ago. Twelve years ago I moved to Murrells Inlet. I recently purchased a live-work space in the Market Common from which I run my boutique medicine business, MD4 Vitality, and now I split my time between both locations. Why did you move here? For the ocean, it is a huge healing body. What is your favorite place in this area? The entire Market Common and what it has to offer. It’s very health and wellness oriented which I appreciate. I walk around the lake every morning. I love the small coffee shops and restaurants; and my hairdresser, nail salon and massage therapist are here. I only opened my office here last year, but I was already firmly entrenched in the area. What are your favorite things to do here? Dog watch from my window. I see people in my office all the time, so I prefer to watch dogs. I have a deep connection with flowers, and in my free time I photograph them. Some of my work is in the Seacoast Artist Gallery, and last year it was featured on the front cover of Market Common Neighborhood magazine. What do you like the most about living here? I like how clean it is and that everything is within walking distance. The population here is looking to be healthy. And the people and animals are so friendly and always smiling. My neighbors feel like a family. What business do you own in the Market Common? I am board certified in lifestyle medicine. I do personalized protocols for every patient, and train and teach people how to be healthy and strong. I do healthy gut protocols; post Covid recovery treatment; family practice; and skin wellness. I also conduct lymphatic drainage massage. People love it— it improves the immune system. What’s one thing your neighbors don’t know about you? I’m a retired major in the U.S. Army where I served as a medical doctor. I was a family physician in Murrells Inlet and won the Readers Choice award in 2018 for Best Family Physician in Myrtle Beach. How has your lifestyle changed or what new activities have you taken up since moving here? I walk more, and make my own schedule. Is there anything that you miss or would like to see in Myrtle Beach? Grocery stores that sell healthy foods.

Solutions and Magic in the Design World

March 8, 2023March 31, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

ER Home Eric Richards Interior Decorating Remodeling Market Common-1

The Genius of Eric Richards and ER Home LLC by Melissa LaScaleia For interior design maven, Eric Richards, creativity has always come naturally— as well as a penchant for positivity and a fantastic sense of humor. “You’re gonna need a margarita after you’re done interviewing me,” he accurately quips with a deep belly laugh. Eric approaches both his life and his work as owner of his interior design company, ER Home, with passion, drive, and full engagement. In his youth, he blew his professors away with his talents— and over the thirty plus years that he’s worked in this industry, his talent has grown both in sophistication and the scope of what he is able to achieve, no matter the size or budget of his project. He has undertaken projects for multi-billion dollar corporations, Luxury Living magazine, as well as numerous private homes along the Grand Strand and coast to coast. Eric learned all the skills he considers essential for his creation process. Together with his team at ER Home, he works as an all-inclusive, multi-talented contractor completing tasks such as: painting; wallpapering; tile work; custom furniture design and building; refurbishment; carpentry; kitchen and bath remodeling; electrical; plumbing; and decorating. Eric Richards in a newly redesigned space in Myrtle Beach. — Photo Meganpixels Parker “Interior design is not as much about decorating as people believe,” Eric explains. “It’s more influenced by configuring and utilizing a space, to achieve a certain lifestyle and feeling depending on how people interact with their home and with one another.” But to get to that point, a lot of work has to be done in terms of architectural construction and installation— things Eric loves doing. ER Home is proficient in green construction and building practices as well as feng shui— the latter, a technique which Eric was already employing intuitively in his designs without realizing it. He spent six months of study in San Francisco to gain a deeper understanding and confidence in the art. “We as humans think we see with our direct eye,” he explains, “but we actually see more with our peripheral vision. When we’re in nature, there’s a natural flow to it— that’s why you feel soothed. This same peripheral flow that exists in nature, I try to replicate in the home. “Coming from the outside to inside and seeing a drastic change will confuse the eye. Learning this technique allowed me to elaborate my visions and give my clients things they didn’t even know they wanted. It’s nothing I question now, it’s just second nature in how I design a space.” For Eric, interior design is a highly individual and joyful process for each and every client— as well as a fluid and constantly evolving one. “The longer you’re personally in the home and around the clients,” he says, “the more they all speak to you. So the different layers will change throughout the process. Because of this, I don’t provide drafts or even sketches. There’s a psychology about working with clients and with design— you have to be able to use psychology to marry many different styles together— of husbands and wives, or partners.” This may seem like an impossible task, but Eric truly lives by the mantra: there are no problems, only solutions. And in his capable hands, it’s a reality he creates for all of his clients, no matter the dilemma. ER Home LLC Facebook Phone Globe

Springing Into A More Positive Mindset

March 8, 2023March 31, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

by Jen Kavanagh The right mindset is the key to creating long term success with reaching your goals: both in losing weight, and in any area of your life. It’s something that many of us know, but changing and maintaining a mindset that keeps you on the right track is not merely a matter of intellectual knowing. So below are some tips for helping you to set your internal compass to success. 1) Exercise, even for short bursts, serves a greater purpose than just caloric burn. It’s a huge help in keeping your thoughts positive and in developing greater discipline; it also helps you stay on track with eating throughout the day. 2) Start and end each day with ten reps of your favorite exercise. It could be squats, push-ups, sit ups, stretches … you choose. 3) Start and end each day by writing down what you’re grateful for. Gratitude for what we do have shifts our focus to one of fulfillment and positivity rather than lack and negativity. 4) Start each day by setting or even writing your intention for the day. What do you intend to do, feel, or accomplish today? How do you want to show up for yourself? For others? End your day by reflecting on how your day went. It doesn’t matter what you choose, but why you choose it. Starting and ending your day with intention sends a strong message to your mind that you are serious about your goals. One small step toward self accountability each day will start to create healthy habits that will lead to success over time. It doesn’t take much time to do, or to see results. Try this for one month, and see what a difference it makes for yourself in your own life. People often struggle with change because they don’t feel motivated and are waiting until they do to begin a new habit or to stay consistent with one. But unlike inspiration, which seems to arrive like magic from nowhere, motivation is something that has to be cultivated. It gets stronger the more you use it (just like your muscles). And just like your muscles, it takes regular upkeep. When you can achieve quick mini daily goals, like smile more, give someone a compliment, inhale deeply, stand in the sunshine for a few minutes and soak it up— whatever it is, and you begin to see that you can accomplish these small tasks you set your mind to, it drives you forward to greater success. If you were to take on this challenge, what one small action would you commit to? Make it an amazing day, Jen Living Well Nutrition Globe Phone

Delectable Lemon Cake

March 8, 2023March 31, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

The Ancient Romans had great regard for the lemon, due to its many uses and healing properties, as well as for its beauty, which enhanced the appeal of their lavish gardens. Lemons grow in sunny Myrtle Beach, and if you’re lucky enough to have a tree or two, you’re sure to delight in this recipe all the more as you reminisce about bygone centuries. This recipe may err more on the side of indulgent rather than medicinal, but we celebrate the philosophy that balance in all things is the key to happiness. This lemon cake just may be the most lemony-tasting one you’ve ever had. The secret to its incredible, tangy flavor lies in the syrup drizzled on at the end. If lemon is your flavor d’choice, then be sure not to skip the topping. Serve with lavender tea for an afternoon treat that mirrors the perfection of our sunny April weather. Delectable Lemon Cake Ingredients 2 lemons 1 stick, ½ cup unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup sugar ¼ tsp sea salt 2 large eggs, beaten ¾ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup + 2 Tbs milk 3 Tbs sugar, for topping Directions Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and line an 8-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, set aside. Grate the lemons and reserve the rind, being careful not to include the white bitter pith. Juice one lemon and combine with the 3 Tbs sugar; set in a warm place to create a syrup and set aside. Cream the butter with the rest of the sugar and salt until fluffy, and add the eggs gradually, beating thoroughly to combine. Stir in the lemon rind and flour, then beat thoroughly for 3 minutes or so. (The longer you beat, the softer the cake.) Add the milk, then beat again. Pour the cake into the pan and bake for 50-60 min. It is done when the cake springs back when gently pressed. Immediately prick the top with a fork or skewer and pour the lemon juice syrup all over the top. Cool in the pan.

Glenn Hero, Part 2

March 8, 2023March 31, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

MYV Mr. Glenn Submarine Veteran US Navy-5980

A Submarine Naval Veteran From the ‘60s Celebrate Our Veteran gives voice to the stories of the U.S. military veterans living amongst us. The actions of these brave and dedicated people, who have served our country both in active military duty as well as administrative positions, have and continue to contribute to the protection and preservation of us and our country. We hope that this section of our paper is an opportunity for our community to hear and see veterans with new eyes, and for veterans to receive recognition and honor for their experiences and life journeys. This month’s Celebrate Our Veteran recounts the story of Glenn Hero, as told in his own words. This is the final chapter of a two-part series, continued from last month. Click here to read Part 1. by Melissa LaScaleia “When I got off the Triton, I was sent to the Torsk SS 423, which sank the last ship in WWII. It’s in Baltimore now as a tourist attraction at the Inner Harbor. While I was on it, we went to Ireland. On the way, we ran into a Noreaster, and consequently, 50-foot waves. The Navy has some unique regulations. One of those being, if you’re crossing shipping lanes, you have to be either submerged at 500 feet deep, or on the surface. The test depth of the Torsk was 325 feet, and we were crossing shipping lanes, so we had to be on the surface. And since we were, we had to have one officer and one lookout on the deck at all times. It fell to my lot to be the lookout. And the waves were so high that they had to chain me to the deck to prevent me from being washed overboard. Believe it or not, I wasn’t scared. And the chains worked. This was during the ‘60s. We were engaged in NATO operations and mock war games in the event of a war. I had a clearance where I could decode crypto messages. It was our job to go in and lay mines down, but we got sunk before we could. Afterwards, I was transferred to the Argonaut SS475 because the Torsk was going to the Mediterranean for six months, and I had four months left on my contract. The Argonaut was also used in WWII, and received one battle star from that time. I was enlisted for a total of 3 years, 9 months, and 27 days. And I remember that so precisely because, as yeoman, I typed up my own discharge papers. After I was discharged, I attended a variety of colleges. I started at Pace College in NYC, then transferred to Fullerton Junior College in California, and then transferred to Humboldt State in Eureka. Somewhere along the way, I decided forestry would be a good career, so I changed my major from accounting to that. But in the ‘60s, everybody was going into some field that was ecological, and there weren’t enough jobs. So I transferred back to accounting, and ended up graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University. I remained in the accounting industry for the duration of my career. My wife and I have lived in Pawleys Island for the past eleven years. We were living in Charlotte, and I had a client who lived in Pawleys. When we came to visit, we really liked it and decided to move here. Today, I’m the commander of the Pawleys Island American Legion, and a member of the Myrtle Beach USSVI Submarine Base— it’s also called the Grand Strand base.”

Coastal Real Estate March Edition

March 8, 2023March 1, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

The Coastal Insider and Coastal Real Estate From entertainment, leisure and beaches to local businesses and community, we bring it closer to you. Plus advertising with us is in alignment with our mission! Current Edition Coastal Insider This month’s edition is all about transformations, specifically window transformations. Coastal Transformations bring in the light and does it right learn more about this business and what they can do for your home. Read more inspirational stories about the several businesses and local neighbors here in the Market Common. Take a peak at our past editions of the Coastal Insider. Coastal Real Estate Welcome to the very first Luxury Lifestyle Edition of Coastal Real Estate brought to you by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Coastal Real Estate. With this edition, our goal is to share the available real estate opportunities in the luxury home market in the Myrtle Beach area. We define the luxury market as those unique homes in the top 10% – in terms of price, as well as refinement of the architectural layout, craftsmanship, and attention to detail. Take a peek at this extraordinary edition. Take a peak at our past editions of the Coastal Home Insider. Current Edition A MESSAGE FROM OUR TEAM Welcome to the March edition of Coastal Real Estate, and our very first Luxury Collection Edition. Within, you’ll be able to explore a variety of luxury listings with eclectic architecture ranging from modern Mediterranean, to 1800s Barbados, contemporary beach, and more— as well as content pertinent to the luxury home community. We define luxury homes as the top 10% of listings in sales price of the total number of homes that we represent across our local board. And for this edition, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Coastal Real Estate is delighted to be able to collaborate with other real estate companies in our area to bring you the finest homes along the Grand Strand. The luxury market overview (page 8) provides insight into how our area has expanded over the past three years. It’s amazing how much growth we’ve had in the luxury market since that time— growth which continues to the present. With daylight savings time on March 13, temperatures beginning to get warmer, and the first day of spring falling on the 20th— the time has finally arrived when traditionally, more homes hit the market for sale. Whether you’re beautifying your home to enjoy it anew, or getting it ready to sell, there are plenty of local providers who can help. Ken at Coastal Transformations (page 23) can transform your doors and windows into works of art. And if it’s efficiency you’re looking for— Ken’s your man— finishing your project in a matter of hours. While you’re busy spring cleaning your home— consider sprucing it up with some new furnishings from SV Furniture. Their focus on customer service is only rivaled by their passion for sourcing products made in the U.S.A., leaving you, the buyer, with an experience par excellence. -Megan Parker, Marketing Director Stay tuned with latest information by subscribing to receive the Coastal Insider directly into your inbox. Click on Subscribe below! You shall receive an email from us in about 5 minutes, if you do not receive anything please check your junk/spam folder.

Coastal Insider March Edition

March 8, 2023March 1, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

Current Edition Stay connected with our top stories delivered every month! A MESSAGE FROM OUR TEAM Welcome to the March edition of Coastal Real Estate, and our very first Luxury Collection Edition. Within, you’ll be able to explore a variety of luxury listings with eclectic architecture ranging from modern Mediterranean, to 1800s Barbados, contemporary beach, and more— as well as content pertinent to the luxury home community. We define luxury homes as the top 10% of listings in sales price of the total number of homes that we represent across our local board. And for this edition, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Coastal Real Estate is delighted to be able to collaborate with other real estate companies in our area to bring you the finest homes along the Grand Strand. The luxury market overview (page 8) provides insight into how our area has expanded over the past three years. It’s amazing how much growth we’ve had in the luxury market since that time— growth which continues to the present. With daylight savings time on March 13, temperatures beginning to get warmer, and the first day of spring falling on the 20th— the time has finally arrived when traditionally, more homes hit the market for sale. Whether you’re beautifying your home to enjoy it anew, or getting it ready to sell, there are plenty of local providers who can help. Ken at Coastal Transformations (page 23) can transform your doors and windows into works of art. And if it’s efficiency you’re looking for— Ken’s your man— finishing your project in a matter of hours. While you’re busy spring cleaning your home— consider sprucing it up with some new furnishings from SV Furniture. Their focus on customer service is only rivaled by their passion for sourcing products made in the U.S.A., leaving you, the buyer, with an experience par excellence. -Megan Parker, Marketing Director

Luxury Market Overview

March 8, 2023February 28, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

by Jennifer Hamilton Exceptionally strong buyer demand continues to cause a low-inventory market, driving prices up nearly worldwide. As the world around us has changed, so too has the luxury market along the Grand Strand. The ubiquity of work-from home arrangements is inspiring people to reevaluate where they want to live and enabling them to move there. And many from the Northeast and West Coast are selling their modest homes and reinvesting in luxury homes in this area. People are increasingly drawn to the relaxed beach lifestyle, mild climate, and lower cost of living compared to other areas of the country. Many too are now spending the majority of the year in their additional home here. In 2021, the average sales price for single-family resale homes in the top 10% of our market was $1,004,549, and the average days on the market across the board was 138. The highest-price home sold for $4,100,000. The top 10% in our market for new construction homes was $591,523, selling in 187 days. In December, there was a mere 3.3 month-supply of luxury homes for sale, leading to a still-strong seller’s market. Looking ahead, experts anticipate many of the housing market trends of 2021 will continue in 2022, albeit at a more moderate level. Strong buyer demand and inventory shortages are likely to persist over the next year. However higher mortgage rates, which began the year at historic lows, still remain attractive, and homeowners who choose to sell in the coming months can expect to see plenty of buyer activity due to pandemic demand.

Coastal Transformations

March 8, 2023February 28, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

Bring in The Light and Do It Right by Melissa LaScaleia Ken van Heyningen is the owner of Coastal Transformations in Myrtle Beach. For more than thirty years, he’s been specializing in home modifications which can transform a darkened interior into a more light-filled, energy-efficient space. Over the years, he’s grown in the knowledge, products, services, and transformations that he offers. Today he has a myriad of options for making a home brighter and more visually appealing by utilizing natural resources. Ken feels strongly that you shouldn’t have to turn the lights on in your home during the day, and works to remedy this for his clients if they do. His work measurably increases a home’s resale value because it enhances its visual appeal; the reduction in energy consumption and costs is an added incentive. The company installs several different varieties of skylights: Velux Sun Tunnel skylights bring in light without heat or leaks— making them the skylight of choice for the South. They can also reinstall existing skylights, outfit you with blinds, and retrofit solar blinds. They install solar powered exhaust fans in attic spaces, which remove heat in the summer and moisture in the winter. Similarly, they install 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’s transformations can leave a home looking and feeling brighter and more beautiful. — Photo Meganpixels Parker They also brighten up darkened interiors of house entryways by installing decorative glass panels on front doors. “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 off at $769 to install. So it’s not a really high price point to make the upgrade.” Coastal Transformations carries tubular skylights that come in three different configurations depending on the style and orientation of your roof. One of the configurations, called TLR, is a flat, tempered safety glass which replicates a skylight. It brings in the natural light without the heat and leaks; it looks like an overhead light, but disperses a completely natural glow. “For $35 more, I can outfit the tube with a solar night light,” Ken says. “During the day, the sun charges the batteries in it, and at night, the tube puts light out as a night light. It’s perfect for a bathroom, walk-in-closets, or anywhere you want real light.” The upgrade qualifies homeowners for a tax credit in South Carolina, and the additional benefits are profound. — Photo Meganpixels Parker Ken explains: “Your color retention is way better with natural light. The tubular lights alleviate seasonal affective disorder, and reduce electrical lighting costs. It’s a one-time installation cost, versus continuous high electric bills.” Ken’s tubular light of choice is by Velux. Dubbed the Rigid SunTunnel, it offers the best performance in terms of the light that you receive in your home. All of Ken’s work comes with a ten year installation and ten year product warranty. Coastal Transformations has a showroom in Murrells Inlet, where people can see and select all of the products that they carry. Jason, Ken’s son-in-law, began working with the company in 2005; it has remained family operated ever since. The two consult with clients and do all the installations themselves. “My biggest thing is making people happy,” Ken says. “I don’t have any dissatisfied customers. And you can’t ask for anything better than that.” Coastal Transformations Facebook Globe Phone Map-marked-alt

Arugula, Mozzarella, Fig and Prosciutto Pizza

March 8, 2023February 28, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

The shoulder seasons like to toy with our emotions. One moment we’re ready to hit the beach, and the next, those nippy temps send us from the brink of summertime exuberance back to a deflated countenance and whatever indoor winter incubation activity we’ve selected. During such a time, it can be hard to know what foods will satisfy us. So we’ve selected a recipe for this month that adds a bit of the promise of spring, while still paying homage to the slumber still blanketing most of the Northern Hemisphere. Fresh mozzarella is substantive and fatty, adding solace when the thermostat dips, while arugula, though a winter green, has a bitter flavor that helps the liver perform its natural spring detoxification process. The simplicity of this recipe demands you use the highest quality ingredients you can find. Arugula, Mozzarella, Fig and Prosciutto Pizza Ingredients Makes 2 pizzas 1 ball pizza dough, divided, at room temperature 2 cups fresh mozzarella, sliced ½ inch thick 1 cup dried figs 2 cups baby arugula 12 slices Italian prosciutto, sliced tissue-paper thin 1 ball fresh burrata cheese Organic cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil Coarse sea salt Freshly ground black pepper Cornmeal or flour Directions Soak the figs in water overnight to reconstitute. Drain and slice; set aside. Pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees or as high as it will go. Sprinkle a light coat of cornmeal onto the pizza stone to prevent sticking. Roll or press one half of the dough into a circle the diameter of your pizza stone or dish; transfer to the dish. Evenly distribute half of the fresh mozzarella around the dough. Sprinkle half of the dried figs on top. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil, and sprinkle sea salt on top. Bake for ten minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven, and add half of the prosciutto, spread evenly on top. Then add slices of fresh burrata. Top with fresh arugula, and drizzle with additional olive oil. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Transfer pizza to a cutting board, and serve. Repeat the process with the remaining ball of dough and ingredients. The pizza tastes great served warm or at room temperature.

SV Bedding, Furniture and Hospitality

March 8, 2023February 28, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

SV Furniture Myrtle Beach furniture store next to Fresh Market-1

Where the Procurement of Anything is Possible by Melissa LaScaleia Step into SV Bedding, Furniture and Hospitality for an experience of camaraderie, personalization, and customer service that only used to exist in a bygone era. Owner Sam Vitharana brings his unique and diverse life experience to the business he opened in December 2021, to make furniture-buying as fun for his patrons as it is for his team of close-knit employees. Sam was born and raised in Sri Lanka. He came to the U.S. in 1989, and lived in California and then Texas. “I decided to become a pilot and put myself through flight training and flew for American Eagle for several years,” he says. “Then I attended hotel school and joined the Hyatt Regency Hotels group. At that time, Mr. Hyatt was hiring young managers for his hotels, and I was one of the people he chose for the Dallas, Fort Worth area. I worked for him for six years until he passed away. Then I joined a company called Rank Hotels North America, where I was a corporate food and beverage director.” The team of SV Furniture and Bedding. — Photo Meganpixels Parker In 1999, Sam visited a friend in Myrtle Beach and fell in love with the area. He eventually joined with an area furniture company for work. “I created so much business for him that in two years he had to move from a 3,000 square foot location to a 10,000 square foot one,” Sam laughs. “I chose to branch out on my own because I felt I could offer a level of customer service that nobody else does. My background taught me so much in that arena. And I wanted to work more with local USA made businesses rather than import goods; and to create a fun environment with the entire process, from start to finish.” Matt Butts runs the commercial division for SV Bedding. He met Sam five years ago, originally as a furniture customer. The two hit it off, and forged a business partnership as fruitful as it is fun. SV Furniture carries SC made mattresses; supporting local as much as possible is important to them. — Photo Meganpixels Parker Along the way, Sam built his own side business in interior design, which today, he incorporates into the services his company provides. Doriana Zink is their in-house designer who will visit with clients at their home and help them design any project from start to finish. Their 8,000 square foot showroom showcases a wide variety of furniture for your entire home. “If you walk around your house and you see it, we supply it,” Matt says. “We also deliver and set up.” — Photo Meganpixels Parker “My biggest goal in starting this business, is to keep all of our products made in the states, and as local as possible,” Sam says. “All of our upholstery is made in Conway; our mattresses come from Columbia and Charleston. Things that come in overseas take months to arrive. When you buy local, you not only support the local economy, but you also cut the lead times down. “We carry a very good inventory, so most of what we carry on the floor can be taken off the floor. And we can deliver within 24-48 hours. We offer competitive pricing on home-packages— the more you buy, the less you pay.” SV Bedding, Furniture, and Hospitality Globe Phone Map-marked-alt

Glenn Hero, Part 1

March 8, 2023February 28, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

A Submarine Naval Veteran From the ‘60s Celebrate Our Veteran gives voice to the stories of the U.S. military veterans living amongst us. The actions of these brave and dedicated people, who have served our country both in active military duty as well as administrative positions, have and continue to contribute to the protection and preservation of us and our country. We hope that this section of our paper is an opportunity for our community to hear and see veterans with new eyes, and for veterans to receive recognition and honor for their experiences and life journeys. This month’s Celebrate Our Veteran recounts the story of Glenn Hero, as told in his own words. This is Part 1 of a two-part series. Click here to read part 2. by Melissa LaScaleia I was born in Worthington, Ohio, number four in a lineup of eight children. In the second grade, we moved to Groton Long Point, Connecticut— seventeen miles from the naval submarine base. There were a lot of officers stationed in my hometown; the captain of the Thresher lived on my street. In April 1963, his submarine went down and all hands were lost. Growing up in the ’50s, the officers would take us to the base movie theatre on Saturdays; it was a real treat for us. Perry Hall, the captain of the submarine, Bang, had nine children and also lived in my neighborhood. So we were always a big crowd at the movie theatre. And outside, they had one and two-man submarines on display that we would climb on until shore patrol came by and chased us off. Because I lived right on the water, I was always swimming. So between this and my experience with the officers as a boy, when I decided to join the military, it seemed natural to me to sign up with the Navy, and to volunteer for submarines. I joined in October 1962. In order to get into submarines, you have to pass various tests to make sure you can withstand the change in cabin pressure. And, you also have to have all the fillings in your teeth drilled out and filled with pressure fillings so your teeth don’t crack. As part of the first test, we had to go to the submarine tender where they have a decompression chamber. Normally, four people would be comfortable in there; they put twelve of us inside, then increased the pressure gradually until you got to the equivalent pressure of fifty feet underwater. As they increased the pressure, it would affect someone, and when they would start to yell, they would let that person out, then begin again. By the end, there were only three of us left. And once you passed that, then you went to submarine school for two months. There, I learned all the different systems on a submarine. There were also more tests to ensure you could withstand pressure and water simultaneously— one took place in a 140-foot tower filled with water, which slowly increases in pressure. For me, these tests were a piece of cake. Once I graduated, I was assigned to the Triton SSRN 586, in Norfolk, VA. It was the first submarine to go around the world underwater. Two of my other brothers also went into submarines, and one was on the Triton two years before me. Once I was assigned, then I had to qualify, which means having a functional knowledge of all the electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic components of each compartment. Once I passed, I received my dolphins, the submarine insignia. Then we were sent on patrol. My job was to stand watch for four hours at a time at either the bow planes, the helm, or the stern. I was also the yeoman— I performed the functions of clerk and bookkeeper. On the submarine we went hundreds of feet deep, at a speed in excess of 20 knots. One patrol we stayed submerged for 79 consecutive days. It’s a long time to be underwater. That was why for me, when everybody complained about lockdown during Covid, I thought it was a piece of cake.” To be continued. Click here to read Part 2.

Coastal Insider February Edition

March 8, 2023February 1, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

Current Edition Stay connected with our top stories delivered every month! A MESSAGE FROM OUR TEAM I remember what the Market Common area was like when Jim and I opened our new, expanded real estate office here five years ago. At that time, it seemed to the naked eye that only about 30-40% of the homes that were slated to be built, had been. Since that time, we’ve seen this area transform from a defunct Air Force Base and wooded area to an almost fully developed community of homes and bustling urban neighborhood. We originally opened our office in the Market Common as a boutique real estate company— to cater to the new growth in the Market Common area. But our reach has long since become more regional. We are continually expanding our team of agents to meet our company’s growth and the fast pace of this demanding market. Along with that, our support staff is unparalleled in skills and talent to bolster our agents in everything from technology and coaching to customer service and marketing. We really have a unique intermingling of agent support that is more multi-faceted than any other company we’ve seen. And our publication, Coastal Real Estate, is further evidence of that; we don’t know of any other real estate company in the region that promotes real estate as aggressively as we do. I’ve been in the real estate industry for over forty years, from building development, to broker ownership and property management. Our agents have responded to the complexities of the current market, from bidding wars, to Covid, to economic and social barriers, with resilience and renewed dedication that I’ve never seen during my entire career. Staying true to our motto, our staff and agents strive to earn people’s trust to become their forever real estate agent partners. I’m so thankful and happy for where we are today, for each member of our team, and what we can bring to our community, both with real estate as well as with content that engages and give back. -John Jobson, Vice-President

Coastal Real Estate February Edition

March 8, 2023February 1, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

The Coastal Insider and Coastal Real Estate From entertainment, leisure and beaches to local businesses and community, we bring it closer to you. Plus advertising with us is in alignment with our mission! * Take a peek at our past editions * Check out our latest Coastal Insider Issue Click to view Coastal Insider * Take a peek at our past editions * Check out our latest Coastal Real Estate Issue Click to view Home Insider Stay connected with our top stories delivered every month! A MESSAGE FROM OUR TEAM I remember what the Market Common area was like when Jim and I opened our new, expanded real estate office here five years ago. At that time, it seemed to the naked eye that only about 30-40% of the homes that were slated to be built, had been. Since that time, we’ve seen this area transform from a defunct Air Force Base and wooded area to an almost fully developed community of homes and bustling urban neighborhood. We originally opened our office in the Market Common as a boutique real estate company— to cater to the new growth in the Market Common area. But our reach has long since become more regional. We are continually expanding our team of agents to meet our company’s growth and the fast pace of this demanding market. Along with that, our support staff is unparalleled in skills and talent to bolster our agents in everything from technology and coaching to customer service and marketing. We really have a unique intermingling of agent support that is more multi-faceted than any other company we’ve seen. And our publication, Coastal Real Estate, is further evidence of that; we don’t know of any other real estate company in the region that promotes real estate as aggressively as we do. I’ve been in the real estate industry for over forty years, from building development, to broker ownership and property management. Our agents have responded to the complexities of the current market, from bidding wars, to Covid, to economic and social barriers, with resilience and renewed dedication that I’ve never seen during my entire career. Staying true to our motto, our staff and agents strive to earn people’s trust to become their forever real estate agent partners. I’m so thankful and happy for where we are today, for each member of our team, and what we can bring to our community, both with real estate as well as with content that engages and give back. -John Jobson, Vice-President

New Home Development Along the Grand Strand

March 8, 2023February 1, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

Development Grand Strand: The Boom That Keeps on Sounding

The Boom That Keeps on Sounding by Melissa LaScaleia It’s not a secret that the real estate market in the Myrtle Beach area has been on a steady growth trajectory for years, nor that it has seen explosive growth since the onset of the pandemic. And it’s still a trend; at this juncture, the economy is improving, unemployment is falling, and the U.S. real estate market remains strong. Buyer demand is high, bolstered in part by still-attractive mortgage rates and a low supply of inventory. The most recent data from the National Association of REALTORS® reports that inventory decreased 36% for single-family homes and 74.4% for condos from last year. The Median Sales Price was up 20.8% to $320,000 for single-family homes and 25% to $199,950 for condos. Days on Market decreased 17.2% for single-family homes and 30.5% for condos. Supply decreased 42.9% for single-family homes and 81.1% for condos. The median single-family existing home sales price rose 16% in the third quarter of this year to $363,700, with all four regions of the country experiencing double-digit price growth. In new construction, builder confidence increased in November, surpassing analyst expectations and rising to 83 on the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), the highest level since spring, despite persistent labor and supply chain challenges and a shortage of available lots. The Insider reached out to Steve Powell, who has lived and worked in Myrtle Beach as a civil and structural engineer since 1984, to glean his reflections on new home construction and growth in the area. Steve graduated from West Point with a degree in engineering. Afterwards, he served in the U.S. Army, with assignments that reached worldwide. His work designing communities and homes led him to create Venture Engineering in 1990. Steve’s extensive professional involvement in the growth and evolution of this area over the past three decades gives him a unique perspective on where we’ve come from as a community, and where we’re headed. “It’s curious to see how growth has expanded to include so much of the county,” Steve says. “And it’s interesting to see how most of the buyers in this area are out of state retirees mostly from the Northeast. By some accounts, it’s been said that 85% are aged 55 and up from the Northeast. That has caused a greater demand for services, and has provided jobs and industry for the other 15%. “Back in the ‘80s, when I first started, nobody would have dreamed of doing a subdivision west of the Intracoastal Waterway, because no one was there. Zoning was not enacted until 1987, and even then it was implemented for the eastern end of the county, from the Waterway to the ocean. So you had no legal limitations in terms of what you could build either commercially or personally.” In the 1980s, the national interest in golf and available, unrestricted land west of the waterway spurred a burst in golf course development, and birthed a number of courses including Long Bay, Black Bear, Shaftesbury, and the Witch Golf Links. The courses pulled traffic west, and ultimately inspired the creation of the Carolina Forest community in the late ‘90s, which accounted for a planned 33,000 rooftops in that area. Just prior to the advent of Carolina Forest, the county rezoned the western portions of the county. And the state passed a law that cities and counties had to develop a comprehensive plan— a roadmap that forecasts where the growth is going to go, and what it might do— a crystal ball, so to speak, of what will happen next. Horry County has had one since 1987. To some degree, the county controls the trajectory of growth— but that power is really held by the market— those private investors and entrepreneurs who, with their far-reaching buying and selling choices, influence trends, and those people that buy homes, condos, and businesses. “Some of the things that have happened here that have caused growth have defied explanation,” Steve says. “Long before there was anything in Myrtle Beach, Waccamaw Pottery opened, and it became the #2 destination to visit after the beach. People would come to Myrtle Beach just to spend a weekend shopping there.” The first commercial waterpark in the world was built in Myrtle Beach in 1973 by a client of Steve’s who owned a campground in North Carolina. One day, this man went on vacation to Switzerland, saw a luge, and decided to add water to the concept to entertain his guests. “Then people wanted to come here because it was the only waterpark in the world,” Steve says. “So you have more hotels, so then you have more jobs. And those workers need somewhere to live. So every time something like the waterpark happens, you change the community fabric in multiple ways. “As to the recent surge of home building and buying down here, I think Covid is one contributing factor, but much more so are Covid policies. And down here they are much more relaxed. The huge increase in home prices in the Northeast has enabled many to sell their homes and retire early and purchase something down here at a low interest rate. “The decisions we make as a collective body have also stimulated growth, in terms of creating highways and infrastructure and expansion that has stimulated growth more west. But quite simply, it’s the age-old formula of supply and demand. This past year has been one of the craziest I’ve seen in my thirty-five years in this industry. “In the past, you’d list a house before you broke ground in the hopes that someone would come and look at your brochures and buy the house before you finished building it. In the past year, material prices are changing literally daily. And the house isn’t being listed for sale until they are hanging drywall, and then it sells in two days.” “The demand is so far in excess of supply, nationwide, that it’s really upset … Read more

Coastal Carolina Home Watch

March 8, 2023February 1, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

Your Eyes and Ears When You’re Not Here by Melissa LaScaleia Now in its 16th year, Coastal Carolina Home Watch mitigates out-of-town homeowner’s fears about the condition of their home with their fully comprehensive home watch services. Owned by Jack Luber, the company provides secure house and condo checks to part-time, seasonal, or traveling residents of the Waccamaw Neck and Grand Strand areas. They can also be your local contact for alarm companies, HOAs and service providers. Jack and his fully vetted and insured team ensure there’s a presence watching over your home while you’re away— they perform home-watch checks using a time-stamped geo-location reporting system, so you, as the homeowner can track their status and see the current condition of your home while you’re away. The company is there to look for issues that can arise in a homeowner’s absence, and stop them before they become big problems. “If we suspect a problem, we immediately contact the owner — most times with a solution,” Jack says. “We’ll coordinate with the client and follow their directions and wishes but have an extensive array of contacts to provide needed services. Think of us as your advocate when you aren’t at the beach.” Jocelyn Dewey, who manages the business side of the company as well as customers’ needs, adds, “Our company creed really says it all: it’s to represent a client’s best interests at all times.” Coastal Carolina Home Watch also offers handyman, concierge and even cleaning services for their clients. “People love the fact that we can perform services ourselves or make arrangements for bigger projects,” Jack says. “We’ll meet the HVAC, pest control, and any other company technician to let them in and out. We always check that the work or service performed is up to our very high expectations. I’ve learned that when the homeowner doesn’t have local representation, work done is not always up to par.” Covid’s two-year presence has caused many people to forgo visiting as much as they ordinarily would, leaving homes unoccupied for longer periods and susceptible to things like, mold, mildew, water leaks, storm damage, insect or critter infestation, and break-ins. “As a result, more people have needed our services,” says team member Steven Montesano. The company has always worn protective booties in homes, but have now added additional steps to their visits and cleaning procedures to ensure the peace of mind of their clients in the age of Covid. “We’ve also seen an increase in the number of clients requesting that their car be waiting for them at the airport, so they can have less contact with people while traveling,” Jocelyn says. Estate and trust attorneys, conservators and executors also use the company’s services. “Because of our insurance, bonding, criminal background checks, local knowledge and accurate and timely reporting, we are the go-to for estate assistance,” Jack says. “People pass away and their homes need to be checked. Families need help with arranging for the home to be secured, cared for, and many times packed up and readied for sale. Trying to do that from a long distance is almost impossible without local help. And that’s what we do. “We are quite experienced dealing with estates, conservatorships, and trusts. And, because we are extremely confidential, that part of our business continues to grow.” Some people confuse Coastal Carolina Home Watch with property management, which is inaccurate. Jack clarifies: “While we do offer assistance to those homeowners that rent their properties using VRBO or Airbnb, what we do is act as their local representative to make sure that the home is in great shape and ready to rent. “We’ll be on call, schedule the cleans, keep the place stocked, and make sure everything is working properly. Then, we’ll check on it when it’s not rented. We don’t arrange for bookings, advertise the unit, or collect the rent like a property manager does. For many clients, we are the local contact for their property managers.” Coastal Carolina Home Watch is the founding member of the National Home Watch Association. The association exacts a strict vetting process which includes criminal background checks and consumer affairs check; they require proper insurance and bonding for all members. Coastal Carolina Home Watch is accredited by the association, and carries their professional designation, the highest accreditation in excellence that can be garnered. “My company is really the key to having peace of mind while you’re away,” Jack adds. “We’re your eyes and ears when you’re not here.” Office hours: M-F 9am-5pm. Available and on call 24/7. Globe Phone

Pomegranate Cordial

March 8, 2023February 1, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

In traditional Chinese medicine, winter is the season to nourish the kidneys. Our kidneys hold our body’s most basic and fundamental energy, and when they are taxed, it’s hard for us to function optimally. Foods that are beneficial to the kidneys tend to be dark in color— black beans, kidney beans, seaweed, beef, Goji berries, and you guessed it— pomegranates! Additionally, they balance hormones and are a storehouse of antioxidants. Did we mention that they look good and taste good too? This cordial recipe couldn’t be more simple. Use it as an after-dinner digestif, or savor it drizzled over vanilla ice cream. Either way, it’s a bright and festive accoutrement to the existing romantic vibes of the month. Pomegranate Cordial Ingredients 2 ripe pomegranates 1 cup organic pure cane sugar 1 cup water rosewater, optional Directions Roll the pomegranate on the counter to break the seeds away from the membrane. Cut the pomegranate in half, and squeeze one half over a pot to extract as much juice and seeds as you can. Repeat with the remaining halves and discard the peel. Add sugar and water to the pot, and stir over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a simmer. Simmer gently for 10 minutes or until it has reduced by a third. Cool completely; add a splash of rosewater if using. Pour into a glass jar and store in the refrigerator. Add a splash of cordial to regular or sparkling water.

Mr. Store It Self-Storage

March 8, 2023February 1, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

Storage with a Family Feel— Right at the Market Common by Melissa LaScaleia Mr. Store It Self-Storage, located on Socastee Blvd. just outside the Market Common, is a locally owned company that has been in business for over thirty years. It’s managed by a dedicated team that is loyal to serving the needs of the community. Penny Tharington is the official bookkeeper, but wears many additional hats. She’s worked for the company owners for as long as Mr. Store It has been in business. Clarice Linkous has been the office manager for over fifteen years and oversees the day-to-day operations. Her son, Dale, is the property manager and lives on-site. “We all work fluidly together and with a great deal of care for what we do,” Penny says. “We take a lot of ownership and pride in our respective jobs. I’ve worked with the owners for such a long time, this is like my second home to some degree.” “We treat people like we like to be treated,” Clarice says. “And consequently we receive a lot of referrals. People come to us all the way from North Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island because of how we treat our customers.” All units are on the ground floor with drive-up access; there are over 30 different storage sizing options to choose from, and options between climate and non-climate controlled units. Storage facilities aren’t just for people relocating or in between housing options. Many people move from the North where homes have basements for storage, and find that they need permanent additional storage space for their belongings. Many rent a small unit, a 5×5 space in which to store their holiday decorations, keepsakes, or yard equipment. Attorneys and business owners without a home office often require a space to keep their files safe. And those who spend part of the year in Myrtle Beach store excess belongings here. Mr. Store It hires all local contractors to maintain their property, to help support the community. “Some of the people we hired because we met them when they rented storage from us and we forged relationships,” Clarice says. Mr. Store It works with a pest control company that visits regularly to ensure critters stay out of people’s things. They also have professionals routinely tend to the air conditioning vents in their climate-controlled units to make sure that their large duct filtration system, which traps mold and dust, is working properly. The company recently increased their staff to provide a better experience for their customers, and constructed a new main office. “We’re very proud of the property,” Clarice says. “It’s just like having your things in your home. And as a result, I think people are very comfortable here. I feel like we have one of the finest properties on the beach.” In addition to its 24-hour on-site management, Mr. Store It implements other security measures that are partly architectural, and partly technological. “We have 24 hour surveillance cameras all over the property that are linked right back to the office,” Clarice says. “We have the widest hallways on the Grand Strand, both for ease of maneuverability as well as safety. There are no hidden hallways, and there are exits at the end of both main buildings.” Clarice truly loves her job and appreciates her employers and work environment. “Really we are a family— with our employers and with Penny,” she says. “And I think they look at us the same way. It’s a real joy for me to be here. And Dale feels the same way, and his wife and son love it too. So we’re just a happy little family. “People ask me when I’m going to retire, and I say, ‘I hope not for another 10 or 15 more years.’ Most people are shocked. But I love my work and being out on the lot and making sure it’s clean and running the way I want it. I love what I do.” Office hours M-F 9:30am-6pm, Sa 9:30am-3:30pm, Su 1pm-5pm. Gate hours daily 6am-9pm. Envelope Globe Phone

Happy Birthday to Lynn Mueller

June 15, 2022February 1, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

A Life Fully Lived and a True Love Story by Melissa LaScaleia Lynn Mueller was born on February 2, 1941 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and received an MBA in finance. “As an undergrad, I was elected president of the senior class and president of the student body,” says Lynn. “That same year I won the Mr. Bearcat award which is given to the outstanding senior. It was a big deal back then and a highlight of my younger years.” Lynn was awarded a teaching fellowship as a doctoral candidate at The George Washington University. “Afterwards, I founded the most successful political consulting firm in America at the time, Robert-Lynn Associates in Washington, D.C. in 1968,” he says. “Then I went to NY and worked with the Speaker of the Assembly. In 1991, I formed a business consulting firm, Decisions Strategies Group, and worked with national corporations and multi-national corporations in England, France, Switzerland.” In September 2001, he and his wife, Maria, came to Myrtle Beach for a vacation. “We started in Charleston and drove up the coast to Pawleys Island,” she says. “9/11 happened while we were there, and we decided that it was time to think about moving from New York. We bought a historic home in Georgetown that we refurbished, and lived there for twelve years. “But we really craved the urban lifestyle, the restaurants, theatre and walking, and we decided that the Market Common really fit our lifestyle. “So we moved there in 2017, and we’ve been here ever since. We just love living here. We’ve met dear friends. And boldly— we sold our cars. We take Ubers if necessary, or catch rides with friends.” While living in Georgetown, Lynn was very active in the community. He wrote a monthly column for The Georgetown Times on economics, government and politics. He served as president of the Georgetown Business Association, which was formed to promote the area, but wasn’t adding as much value as Lynn knew it could. After becoming president of the association, Lynn raised $30K to have Clemson University’s Center for Economic Development conduct a charrette for the area— three days of planning and assessment in which they interviewed stakeholders and forged ideas about how to develop the area economically. For the ensuing two years, Lynn acted as the chairman of the steering committee instituted to implement those ideas. He also acted as chairman of the board of the Friendship Place, a nonprofit that helps people overcome poverty. “We found a model that successfully took people from welfare to employment and it changed the organization entirely,” Lynn says. “The program is called Georgetown Works.” “Lynn is the smartest and most generous person I know,” Maria says. “He is always willing to reach out and help anyone, to share his knowledge and expertise to help others be successful.” The two were living in Albany when their paths crossed. “Ours is a true love story,” Maria says. “People often ask me how we met. We both worked for the NY State Legislature. Lynn was chief of staff and I worked in the Counsel’s office.” “We knew each other from afar,” Lynn says. “One evening after several political receptions, we ran into each other on the street, almost literally, and finally had a conversation; three hours later I was madly in love.” “I lived three blocks away from where we were standing, and when I bid him goodnight, I told him I was going to walk home,” says Maria. “And he said, ‘I’ll walk you.’ And never again did I walk alone. “At Lynn’s 80th birthday, my son said to Lynn: ‘I wish you and my mother had met sooner, that you had gotten together earlier in your lives…so you could have been happier longer.’”

Caleb Wygal

June 15, 2022February 1, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

Mystery Novelist and Stay-At-Home Dad by Melissa LaScaleia Caleb Wygal moved to the Carolinas when he was twenty-one, and has been living in the South ever since. The West Virginia native met his wife, Tasha, in Charlotte, and the two relocated to Myrtle Beach in 2019, when she was offered a job at Dolce Lusso in the Market Common. “I’m a stay-at-home dad, and we had family that lived nearby,” Caleb says. “We had a lot more support to help with my son, and that coupled with Tasha’s job— inspired us to move to Surfside.” Caleb has a track record as a prolific published author; he previously wrote four books in an adventure series. His new series, set in Myrtle Beach, began thanks to the foibles of his young son. “He was at an age where he was taking a daily nap but didn’t want to take one in his crib any longer,” Caleb says. “So I would put him in the car and drive up and down Ocean Blvd to lull him to sleep. Every day, driving past the same scenery, I began to reflect that this area has a really small town feel to it— the perfect backdrop for a story. “I did some research about books set in Myrtle Beach and saw that there weren’t that many. So I decided to write a mystery novel— a fast, fun, clean, easy, beach read. Something that people would be able to read in a couple of days and then be able to move on and enjoy the rest of their vacation. “The idea spawned the creation of a mystery series I could base in Myrtle Beach, with a main character who is relatable and who inspires empathy and interest,” Caleb says. “He’s dealing with the recent loss of his wife, and he learns that there may have been more to her death than he realized.” The first book of the Myrtle Beach Mystery Series, Death on the Boardwalk, won the Pinnacle Achievement Award for Best Mystery, while a review in Grand Strand Magazine in August 2021, lauded the book as “a must-read for Myrtle Beach locals and mystery lovers alike.” The second book in the series, Death Washes Ashore, was just released this past December. Caleb recently completed the first draft of the third book in the series, Death on the Golden Mile. It’s his favorite so far, and one that he deems very fun. He is hoping it will be out in time for summer vacation-goers. All of Caleb’s books are published by Franklin/Kerr Press, and available on Amazon, as well as locally at Barnes & Nobels, and other boutique bookstore and gift shops along the Grand Strand. “Since my family and I have moved here, this is the happiest we’ve ever been in our lives,” he says. “We love meeting our neighbors. Since the books have come out, I’ve met hundreds of people who love the books. It’s a wonderful feeling to have people come up to me and say something like, ‘Hey! I love your books! Thanks for giving me a few hours of joy in my life.’”

Trish Parris

June 15, 2022February 1, 2022 by The Coastal Insider

U.S. Marine Corp Veteran, and Mrs. Claus to her Santa Celebrate Our Veteran gives voice to the stories of the U.S. military veterans living amongst us. The actions of these brave and dedicated people, who have served our country both in active military duty as well as administrative positions, have and continue to contribute to the protection and preservation of us and our country. We hope that this section of our paper is an opportunity for our community to hear and see veterans with new eyes, and for veterans to receive recognition and honor for their experiences and life journeys. This month’s Celebrate Our Veteran recounts the story of Trish Parris as told in her own words. Today she lives in Myrtle Beach with her veteran husband and Santa to her Mrs. Claus role, Dale. Click here to read his story. by Melissa LaScaleia I’m from Jackson, Tennessee, one of four siblings; the baby of the family. Other than my dad serving in WWII, as most dads did back then, I’m the only sibling who chose to go into the military, mainly because I didn’t have a lot of options. I wasn’t a great student. And I was 19 years old, divorced and had a little baby, and I needed a way to support myself and make money. I knew the military had great benefits. I decided to join the Marines. I truly don’t know why I picked that branch. I walked in off the street to the main recruiting office for all branches of the military, walked into the Marine Corps office and said, ‘What do I need to do?’ And the recruiter there looked at me and said, ‘We don’t take women.’ I was really shocked. This was December 1977, two weeks before Christmas. So I turned to leave, and as I did, I bumped into the other recruiter coming in the door. And he said, ‘Hello, can I help you?’ And I said, ‘Well, I was going to sign up to join the Marines, but they just told me they don’t take women.’ And he said, ‘Well, technically, no, but come on in and sit down and let’s see if we can work something out.’ Basically they had a quota to fill for men, and if they had a woman who met all the criteria then they would look to see if they had a job that was appropriate for a woman and put me in that spot. Because back then, women were never assigned to combat units. Initially, I was disqualified because I had a child. But I actually ended up going to court and turning temporary custody over to my family to care for my child so I could go to boot camp. I went to Parris Island, South Carolina for boot camp. They sent me to administration school, I was going to be admin. Back then, as you got close to graduation time, the person who was graduating top in their class gets their pick of duty stations to go to. There were 50 of us in class, 49 openings in Okinawa, Japan, and one opening in Washington, D.C. The Japanese tours were unaccompanied tours, meaning you couldn’t take family with you. So the only way for me to get my daughter back was to make sure I graduated first and pick Washington, D.C. I did. And ended up staying in the D.C. area for most of my career. That was also where I met my husband, Dale, in 1978. I worked in administration until I was selected to work as a classified courier, transporting classified documents between the Pentagon and other buildings in the area. In the Marine Corps, you get transferred to a different location every three or four years. But I kept getting transferred to locations in the D.C area because of my classified clearances. Those clearances are expensive and valuable, so they wanted to keep me in the area. I was extremely fortunate that throughout my career, they moved me blocks away instead of states away. Dale and I were married by now, and had bought a house in the area. Because of my credentials, I was assigned to the commandant of the Marine Corps, the head of the Marines. I stayed with his office for three years. When it came time for me to transfer, his office arranged for me to go down the street and work in the secretary of the Navy’s office. I stayed there for three years. When it came time for me to leave, they asked me where I wanted to go. I told them I wanted to go to Quantico, VA because it was down the street from my house. I was assigned to the Presidential Helicopter Squadron, HMX-1. They are an incredibly tight-knit group, and there aren’t many women— it was still an old-school old boy’s club, and I was not very welcomed. But I did well. Then I got orders from there to go to Japan. It was 1988. But I got pregnant. It wasn’t my intention, but it happened. And at a certain point they won’t let you travel when you’re pregnant, so my orders got canceled, and they sent me back to Arlington, to headquarters for the Marine Corps. I went out on maternity leave, then returned to Quantico as an instructor at Officer Candidate School— the officers version of bootcamp. I then spent three years as a recruiter for the Marine Corps, still in Virginia. I eventually went to Okinawa, and spent one year over there with a helicopter squadron. I ended my career in Arlington, and retired in 1998. I had been in the military for twenty years and wanted to do something different. I wanted to be home with my second child and spend my time doing family and church-related things. I volunteered a lot at the school where my daughters were; I drove a school bus; I was a substitute teacher; I did all kinds of … Read more

Spring is in the Air

Einstein’s Dog-Sitting Service, LLC & Cat-Care

Gaye Driggers

Mushrooms and Eggs

Jerry A. Quinn

Coastal Real Estate April Edition

Coastal Insider April Edition

The Homes of the Market Common

The Fourteenth Annual Ground Zero Dragon Boat Festival in the Market Common

Tatyana Gluzberg

Solutions and Magic in the Design World

Springing Into A More Positive Mindset

Delectable Lemon Cake

Glenn Hero, Part 2

Coastal Real Estate March Edition

Coastal Insider March Edition

Luxury Market Overview

Coastal Transformations

Arugula, Mozzarella, Fig and Prosciutto Pizza

SV Bedding, Furniture and Hospitality

Glenn Hero, Part 1

Coastal Insider February Edition

Coastal Real Estate February Edition

New Home Development Along the Grand Strand

Coastal Carolina Home Watch

Pomegranate Cordial

Mr. Store It Self-Storage

Happy Birthday to Lynn Mueller

Caleb Wygal

Trish Parris

Follow Us

Watch Us

@coastalinsider

Awesome!

Follow Us

Watch Us

@coastalinsider

Awesome!

Join our Mailing List