Local fish and natural beauty

Graham's Landing in Murrells Inlet pleases guests with maritime charm, a waterfront view and a bounty of local fish. 

We have been hard at work putting together the August edition of Visit! and can’t wait for you to pick up a copy when it hits stands next week.

While I’ve been busy at the office, I’ve still made time for adventures around town.

A few weeks ago, I had a chance to explore the Grand Strand’s south end. I had heard about the natural beauty I could find in Georgetown County and had seen pictures of the wildlife there, but so far, my beach living experience has been taking place in the more centralized tourist spots around Myrtle Beach.

Visit! editor Heather Gale and I had planned a trip to Brookgreen Gardens to check out the Cool Summer Evenings concert series. Former “American Idol” contestant and Coastal Carolina alum Elise Testone was taking the stage that week.

It had been a rather rainy morning that Friday, but we were feeling adventurous and decided to brave the weather and check out Brookgreen Gardens anyway. I am so very glad we did, as the sky cleared up for an evening of fantastic music.  (Check out Heather’s post about Brookgreen here.)

Before the concert, we stopped for dinner at a delightful waterfront restaurant in Murrells Inlet. Graham’s Landing, which opened last August, is inside a quaint log house off Hwy. 17 Business. With an old-fashioned porch that wraps around the entire building and twinkling Christmas lights illuminating the entrance, it’s clear the restaurant has charm before you even walk inside. Once you step through the doors, it only gets better. The walls are decorated with South Carolina and maritime artwork, including large metal fish, and the wait staff greets you with smiles and excellent service. We dined around 6 p.m. on a Friday night, and the place was buzzing with big groups and couples alike as friends met up for a few drinks at the bar and families sat for dinner on the outdoor patio. 

I’ve been a fan of seafood for as long as I can remember, so getting fresh, local fish has been one of my favorite things about living at the beach. The menu at Graham’s Landing is filled with tasty options. I chose the fried flounder platter and was satisfied with the flakey, tender delight that was presented to me. I do wish I tried the shrimp and grits, which our waitress highly recommended, but that just means I’ll have to make a return trip.

My dinner: fried flounder, fresh green beans and a twice-baked potato.

Murrells Inlet’s claim to fame is its scenic marsh, filled with wildlife and lush greenery. Whether they are sitting on the back porch or near the back of the restaurant, patrons can get a good look at nature while enjoying their meals at Graham’s Landing. From the swaying grass to the majestic white birds keeping watch on the water, it’s a sight to behold.

Graham’s Landing is open from 11:30 a.m. until…but the kitchen closes at 10 p.m. The restaurant is located at 5225 Hwy. 17 Business in Murrells Inlet. Graham’s Landing is closed on Sundays. In addition to dining in, take out and catering are available. Visit grahamslandingmurrellsinlet.com or call 843-947-0520 for more information.

Read my full story on Graham’s Landing in the August issue of Visit! or online now at mbvisit.com. 

Do you believe in magic?: Taking in a show at The Palace Theatre

Carol Maccri-Gossamer, Peter Gossamer, Palace Theatre mascot Magic and Ben Blaque want you to come to the show!

In addition to my passion for journalism, I’ve spent much of my life in the theatre, performing in choirs and community theatre shows since childhood. While I prefer being onstage myself, I’ve spent a lot of time on the other side as well.

Nothing beats the excitement of sitting in a dark theatre moments before a show begins. Everyone around you is silent, wide-eyed and filled with wonder as they wait for the lights to come up and the cast to bring their talents to life. It’s a chance to let your worries disappear as you are transported to another world.

That is exactly how I felt while sitting in the audience at Myrtle Beach’s Palace Theatre last week before a matinee performance of “Illusions of Magic.”

I’ve heard about the famous theater for several years but had not been inside until taking my seat that day. The gorgeous dome-topped building, located at Broadway at Beach, has been a part of Myrtle Beach history for several years. From the elegant staircase in the lobby to the ornate metal decoration on the end of each row of seats, The Palace should be applauded as often for its beauty as it is for its high-quality entertainment.

"Illusions of Magic" runs through Sept. 28 at The Palace. 

It doesn’t matter how old you are. Something in this show will make you smile. Something will make you gasp. Whether it’s the high-energy dancing and upbeat music, sensational costuming and smoke machines or goofy jokes and well-executed tricks, “Illusions of Magic” is packed with enough action to dazzle any audience member.  

Illusionist Peter Gossamer and his assistant/wife Carol Maccri-Gossamer are the show’s main act. They mix pun-filled humor and a little bit of audience participation with mind-bending magic that you can marvel at from any seat in the house. The pair works well together, and it’s clear that the duo has great chemistry both onstage and offstage. The show also features a cast of ten dancers, roller skating duo Andrea and Gino Torreblanca, who spin and turn with an incredible amount of speed and grace, and a beautiful Bengal tiger.

The show’s other big draw is Ben Blaque, who has wowed audiences around the world with his crossbow act and gained national attention as a finalist on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” in 2012. If you enjoyed his act on “AGT,” you can see some of the same epic feats from the show live at The Palace.

“Illusions of Magic” runs Monday through Saturday at The Palace Theatre, with evening performances nightly at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays features a 10 a.m. matinee and Thursdays feature a 2 p.m. matinee in addition to the evening shows. The Palace Theatre is located at 1420 Celebrity Circle at Broadway at the Beach. Visit palacetheatremyrtlebeach.com or call 1-800-905-4228 for more information, including reservations and ticket prices.

Check out the August edition of Visit! for the full story on “Illusions of Magic,” including an interview with Ben Blaque, or read it online now at mbvisit.com.

Kristyn in the house: My first trip to House of Blues Myrtle Beach

Relient K rocked the House of Blues Tuesday night. I'm so glad I was in the audience for this one.
Photo and video by Kristyn Winch

I've been a concert fanatic since I was in the 6th grade. It started out with one a year, two a year and then, I lost count. I've been to at least three big shows this year, and the fun will just keep on rolling.

I've been dreaming of attending a show at House of Blues Myrtle Beach for a long time. A lot of the acts that play the venue didn't make the trip to my Upstate South Carolina/Charlotte, N.C. market, and my parents said driving over four hours from Spartanburg to see a show in Myrtle Beach was just too much effort.

Now that I live in Myrtle Beach,  I'm only 30 minutes away from Barefoot Landing and HOB. I finally walked through the doors of the concert venue Tuesday night to see The Rocketboys, The Almost and Relient K. I'd seen the headliner several years ago at The Orange Peel in Asheville, but this was an entirely different experience.

The venue is absolutely beautiful. Charming folk art on the walls gives the place a Southwestern vibe. Though there is limited seating, the sprawling stage is visible from nearly anywhere in the house. Many indoor venues that are standing-room only get stuffy during packed shows in summer months, but the air conditioning was working wonderfully Tuesday night. If you need to turn your back from the stage, the venue makes every effort to make sure you don't miss much. You could here the bands playing loud and clear if you needed to run to the bathroom and watch a live feed of the show while ordering a drink at the bar.

The music was phenomenal. That's why I went, after all. I was exposed to some new sounds and old favorites, and the show rocked on for more than three hours. Check out my video for a glimpse at Relient K's set.

In addition to the main concert hall, the House of Blues hosts live bands and DJs regularly on The Deck, the venue's outdoor bar. While I did not get to experience this part of the place, I'd definitely come back to check it out.

Overall, I was really pleased with my first show at HOB, and I'm sure I'll be back for another show very soon!

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.