Myrtle Beach at the Marriott

Michael flew down from Boston on Friday and met us at Surfside Beach. He and Larry went to play golf and later in the afternoon I checked us out of there and into the Marriott at North Myrtle Beach. 
I moved everything up to our room and did some grocery shopping just in time to meet them at the gate so I could open it for them.
It was a beautiful night and we sat out on the balcony for drinks and appetizers.  After each having a large glass of scotch and someone suggested another I suggested adding some more appetizers and call it dinner.  Everyone agreed and it was just perfect.  That is until the next morning, at least for me.  I'm so glad I wasn't going to play golf that morning.  I didn't really feel better until the next day. 
After they got back Larry and I walked the beach and we went to Bonefish Grill for dinner.  

 Above is a Pano picture taken with my
iPhone from the beach of the Resort

 And this is a pano of the pool

area where we were sitting

These birds that were hanging out 

with the seagulls are Royal Terns

Things to do in MB next year

Brookwood Gardens south of Murrels Inlet


- Posted from my iPhone

Thursday

We're having lunch at Drunken Jack's in Murrells Inlet and this is the view from our seats.

We went back to get the Seared Sesame Encrusted Tuna that we saw on the menu when we took the Marshwalk the other day.  We started with the She Crab Soup and according to my Weight Watcher tracker it was only 2 points for a 1/2 cup but it sure tasted like 10.

And the Salad was every bit as good, if not better than we were hoping.  There was also a croissant with some honey on it that was scrumptious and it took all my willpower to only eat half of it.  I had to ask the server to remove my plate.

We took another walk on the wharf to work off some of our lunch and the tide was low and everything was very marshy looking.  What a beautiful day.  It was 82 and sunny.  The best day  had since we left home and the rest of the next week is supposed to be just like this.
After we left we stopped at the Myrtle Beach Flea Market.  Larry got a pair of reading glasses and I got some stuff for the grandkids when I go to visit after we get home.

Later, back at our place, we checked out the Polynesian night at the pool and got our picture taken by the fountain near our room.

Potpourri

Today we went to the pool for the first time.  They have great facilities here.  Indoor and outdoor pools, a terrific aerobics room and in the lockers are a sauna and steam room.

In the afternoon, Larry took a nap because he didn't sleep much at night and I took a walk on what used to be a golf cart path along the property.

At night we went to the Carolina Opry where we saw a variety show that was pretty good.  The comedy sketches were the best part.  Unfortunately Larry had this real tall person and he couldn't see much of the stage around him, but fortunately, he traded seats with me because I started off behind that guy.  Thanks Larry - just another reason why I love you.

 A lot of laser lights at the Carolina Opry

Shop Around

Today was our timeshare presentation.  Supposedly we were to have breakfast, but it was coffee and English muffins (or other baked things - bagels, muffins, raisin bread).  The presentation went well, we didn't buy anything - heard the presentation about RCI points and then were done.
We got our tickets for the Carolina Opry for tomorrow night and the Aquarium that we can use anytime while we're here.  
We went to Tanger's Outlet looking for a Timex store so Larry could get a new battery for his watch.  We went to the wrong outlet mall first - the one on 501 and then found the right one on Rt 17.  Larry wound up getting a new watch instead of a battery.  Then we walked around the mall.  It was a beautiful day although it started our really cold.  We went to the Gourmet Chef store and bought a bunch of good stuff they had out for sampling.  
From there we went to the Market Commons which had many of the stores that were at the Outlet mall, but the non-outlet version.  The area was very nice.  It was an old Air Force base that was converted to stores and condos.  We had an early dinner, sitting outside at Gordon Biersch.  Mahi Mahi sandwiches with garlic fries.  The fries were worth every single point and I didn't eat the bread!  Everything was delicious as well as our beers.

Pork Loin With Apples and Prunes

We want to make this recipe when we get home.  Just saw it on GMA

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/recipe?id=11793231

This impressive pork roast is a great dish for the fall, when apples are in season at your local farmer's market and you can purchase fresh apple cider. Cozy up to a nice bottle of wine and you're there.


Pork Loin With Apples and Prunes
Ingredients
1/2 cup dried prunes
1 1/4 cups fresh apple cider
One 2 1/2-pound boneless pork loin
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 small onions, cut into 1/2-inch-wide wedges
2 Pink Lady or Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch-wide wedges
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Cooking Directions

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the prunes in a small bowl, add 1/4 cup of the apple cider, and set aside to soak while you proceed with the recipe.
• Season the pork loin with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and 3/4 teaspoon of the black pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. When it is hot, add the pork loin and cook until browned on all sides, 8 minutes. Remove the pork from the pan and transfer it to a baking sheet or platter.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, apples, and garlic to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the soaked prunes (with any remaining juices) and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup apple cider and the chicken stock, and bring to a boil.
• Return the pork loin to the pot, add the thyme sprigs, and bring to a simmer. Cover, and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook, undisturbed, until the pork registers 145°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the pork to a platter. Tent it with aluminum foil to keep warm.
• Place the Dutch oven over medium-high heat and bring the onion-apple mixture to a boil. Cook until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Add the vinegar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and stir to combine. While stirring, add the butter, little by little, until it is completely incorporated. Do not allow the sauce to boil or it will separate. Remove from the heat.
• To serve, spoon some of the sauce onto a serving platter. Slice the pork into thin slices, and arrange them over the sauce. Spoon more sauce over the pork slices, and serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy "Emeril 20-40-60: Fresh Food Fast" by Emeril Lagasse, Harper Studio Publishers, 2009, copyright MSLO, Inc., all rights reserved
I did make it and here is the picture
http://dinnerbook.blogspot.com/2010/10/cook-cook-cook.html

Golf at Wicked Stick

They did some work to this unit - granite countertops - before we got here and Larry noticed some cleaning that never got done.  I put a note on it for when they come to clean again. 

Today we played golf. Our tee time was at 12:23 and we finished by 4:30. The day started out cloudy and cool but when we got to the course the sun started to come out and by the time we were more than halfway through it turned out to be a beautiful day. 

 I took this panoramic picture with my iPhone using an app called Pano.  It was 6 pictures that were merged together in the app.  I think it came out pretty good!

Murrells Inlet

We went to Murrells Inlet today.  It was someplace we wanted to come to last year but never made it.  Now it was really close to where we're staying so we took a drive down there and did the Marsh Walk.  There were a bunch of restaurants right on the water that we may stop back to one day this week for lunch.

We came back home and had lunch and then took a walk around the premises.  In the evening we sat outside and had happy hour.  The turtles came to check us out.

Timeshare Resort review

We're staying for a week at Plantation Resort at Surfide Beach, SC before moving to the Marriott at North Myrtle Beach for the second week.  It's interesting staying at these different places which are all offered as timeshare resorts.
The one we stayed at in Virginia, Williamsburg Plantation, had some features that we liked and others that we didn't.  But once we came here, they became obvious because we had something to compare to.
My favorite thing at the Williamsburg resort was a thermal carafe with the coffee maker.  Although it was only an 8 cup, not the usual 10 that I make at home, it was enough.  I like not having to drink my coffee really fast, before it tastes like mud.  Here we have a 10 cup but a glass carafe.  My least favorite was that there wasn't free wireless internet and the internet they hadin the public area was so-o-o-o S-L-O-W I wouldn't have the patience to bring up a web site.  I used my iPhone the whole time I was there.  At the Myrtle Beach resort we have free wirelss.  It is so nice to come home to . . .

The amenities at both places are similar.  But in Williamsburg we had two bathrooms, here we only have one.  The bathroom in Williamsburg was really nice and large.  Jacuzzi type tub, separate shower, separate room for toilet.  Here the bathroom is about the size of the second one there with a tub (air jets though) and the shower is part of the tub, with a shower curtain.

The Williamsburg Plantation also had a small salt and pepper shaker - I should have taken it with me, but fortunately I brought pepper and seasoned salt with us, and coffee filters - about 10.  I took the leftovers but we bought some more since we've been here.

Each place offered us gifts to sit through a timeshare presentation, although they don't really call it that anymore.  Tomorrow morning we have the one here, with breakfast.  At the other place we got a Visa gift card that we used for winetasting at the Williamsburg Winery.  Here we get funny money to use for things at the resort or for some of the shows in town.  We plan on going to the Carolina Opry and the Ripley's Aquarium.

Leaving Virginia

Stopped for gas, still in VA and it was the least expensive we've seen so far.




- Posted from my iPhone

To Myrtle Beach

We had 2 ice cream bars left in our freezer and they were too good to toss. Ice cream for breakfast in the car.

- Posted from my iPhone

Jamestown and Yorktown

On our last day in Williamsburg, it finally stopped raining so we went to Jamestown and Yorktown.  We really could have used another day because just like Colonial Williamsburg, there is so much to see.  You can learn more here http://www.historyisfun.org/index.htm
 
Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take any pictures of the inside displays which were very interesting.  We took a tour inside and learned so much more than we would have just looking at the displays on our own.  There was an outside one which took about 90 minutes but we didn't have the time for that one too.
These are some pics from Jamestown, replications of what was thought to be on Jamestown Island.

Housing

A bed of deer skins

Replicas of The Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery

These are Yorktown:

 The sleeping quarters

 The doctor and his tools

 Cooking area

The Arsenal

 Laundry day

 Drying tobacco

Sun????

I thought I forgot what it looked like!



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