An animated afternoon

It feels like forever since I last posted! I've been designing the July issue of Visit! over the last week, and I can't wait for Grand Strand tourists to pick up a copy when it hits stands on Friday. 

Wait, that's not Christian Bale!
It's me, Kristyn Winch, taking the Batmobile for a spin.

Last weekend, my friend Megan and I took our first trip to the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum to check out its latest exhibit. Both of us had GPS issues on our way there (Tourist problems? You bet!), but once we reached our destination, we thoroughly enjoyed what we found inside. 

Walking through “Animation B.C. (Before Computers): A History of Art in Motion,” the current featured exhibit, is like visually traveling through time. From the earliest tools used to view moving images to the first color TVs of the groovy 1970s, you get to see and touch it all. The exhibition art and objects are on loan from the ToonSeum in Pittsburgh. 

The interactive exhibit is designed to keep patrons of all ages entertained. While many of the hands-on elements are geared toward young children, my friend and I had a blast driving the "Scooby Doo" gang's Mystery Machine and sipping tea at the "Alice in Wonderland" tea party.

While every inch of the exhibit was filled with fun, we were mesmerized by the all the history, too.  "Animation B.C." shows the evolution of the art form from the prehistoric era to the present, with artifacts like flip books, zoetropes and a 1930s animator's desk from Walt Disney studios sprinkled throughout the exhibit. 

"Animation B.C." gives patrons a chance to act like characters.
That's my friend Megan hamming it up.

“Animation B.C.” is on display in Myrtle Beach now through Sept. 22. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is always free. Donations are appreciated. The Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum is located across from Springmaid Pier at 3100 S. Ocean Boulevard. For more information, visit myrtlebeachartmuseum.org or call 843-238-2510.

Read my full story on our website, mbvisit.com.

Play ball!: Pelicans and pale ale

Well, it's a little bit smaller than Carolina's stadium, but Ticketreturn.com Field ain't too shabby.

Pelicans Summer Tide, the coolest ballpark beer I've tasted.

Who knew Myrtle Beach had a minor league baseball team?

I didn't — at least not before I moved here. I went to my first Myrtle Beach Pelicans baseball game on Tuesday night, and I had an absolute blast. 

One of my best friends, who also recently graduated from USC, moved to Myrtle Beach last week to complete a “manager in training” program with a national department store chain. While she's only for sure here for three months, it's nice to have an old friend in the area to go on adventures with. 

Myrtle Beach Pelicans, you've got yourselves a new fan!

The weather was wonderful, and the home team was playing great — we won! I got to meet Splash, the team’s mascot, and, best of all, the Pelicans had a new beer on tap.

Pelicans Summer Tide was created through a partnership with Myrtle Beach’s own New South Brewing Company, and it’s brewed using hops grown in the ballpark’s very own garden. How cool is that?

Pelicans Summer Tide is a white pale ale infused with a hint of citrus. Its light flavor is reminiscent of beers like Blue Moon and Shocktop, two of my personal favorites.

The Pelicans are working with another special community partner to bring its signature beer to the fans — and to give back to those in need.

Through the creation of the Hops for Hospice program, proceeds from the sale of Summer Tide benefit Mercy Care Hospice in Myrtle Beach. For every keg that is sold, the Pelicans will donate $10 to the hospice program.

It looks like I’ll be helping a lot of hospice patients this summer because that beer sure hits the spot.

Every Tuesday is craft beer night at Ticketreturn.com Field, with select drafts, including Summer Tide, flowing for $2 a cup from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Check out my story on the beer launch at myhorrynews.com.  

Exotic flavors at a hidden eatery

Yum! I enjoyed vegetables, shrimp, sausage and chicken cooked to perfection on the traditional Mongolian grill. 

This fast food can’t be ordered from a drive-through window, and it’s certainly much healthier than the grease-covered, salty fare you’d get from most national chain restaurants.

Tucked away in a strip mall near Bi-Lo off Highway U.S. 17 in North Myrtle Beach is Empire Fire Mongolian Grill. It may be an unassuming location, but the décor and flavors will transport you to another part of the world.

This exotic, buffet-style eatery was the site of my latest culinary adventure. Even though a tornado watch was in effect and the sky looked as if it could open up at any moment, I went to dinner at Empire Fire on Monday night after a long day of work. The food was just what the doctor ordered. 

At Empire Fire, you get quick service and a custom-made meal. The buffet-style set up is personal and customizable, as a chef cooks up the meat, seafood and vegetables you select on a large stone grill and delivers your dish to you with a blend of traditional sauces you choose as well.

The Mongolian grilling tradition dates back to ancient times, when Genghis Khan was expanding his empire. After a long day of battle, he and his warriors set up tents and then built a campfire on which they prepared dinner. Because they did not have cooking utensils, the men used their weapons, like swords, to thinly slice meat. The food was then grilled on the warrior’s upturned shields, which were placed over the campfire.

During my visit, I combined all my favorite from the cold bar: chicken breast meat, sausage, beef, shrimp, broccoli, pineapple, yellow squash, carrots and onions. It may sound like an odd blend of ingredients, but paired with a traditional mix of sauces and cooked to perfection on the grill, it was a delicious mix of flavors. 

In addition to dishes cooked on the Mongolian grill, Empire Fire offers a salad bar, pizza and appetizer bar, sushi bar, steak and rib bar, and desserts, including ice cream. It’s all included in the lunch or dinner meal price, and you can try as much as you like (or that your stomach can handle).

I love sushi, so the opportunity to try as many varieties as I pleased was wonderful and a great value, considering you’d pay around $6 for one roll at a sushi restaurant. From crunchy crab to the classic California roll, Empire Fire has all your favorites made fresh.

No dinner is complete without something sweet, so I sampled a few desserts from the buffet, too. A tiramisu square, a light cream puff and a morsel of chocolate cake graced my plate and served as a delicious close to a satisfying meal. 

Photos by Kristyn Winch

Read my full story about Empire Fire Mongolian Grill in the July issue of Visit! Head over to mbvisit.com to see what's happening on the Grand Strand now.