A Few Days at the Beach

We've been traveling, and actually, these photos from last year are just a preview of musings from Myrtle Beach, SC.

Late July/early August always takes us to Myrtle Beach.

It's Rick's second-largest trade show of the year.

I help him out on the floor and when he teaches seminars.

But most of the time I spend on the beach.

There's something about Myrtle Beach I love. And it's more than that almost-bath-warm water and enormous waves where I frolic in my swimsuit happily, not worrying too much people think about how I look. Everyone's so busy having fun, no one is looking!

It's not the hotel. I love our mom-and-pop motel, the Sun Fun, with its small pool and convenient kitchenette. What I don't love so much about it is the very loud (and essential) air conditioner that is never off and runs with an incessant din. It doesn't come with shampoo and creme rinse either, but it is only one block away from the ocean and I love that!

It's not the town. We don't generally come in a car, so we're afoot for the whole time. We're in a heavy tourist district and the beach condos seem to go for miles. When you do find a shop, you can count on tacky sea things. There are few restaurant choices in our area and they are of varying quality.

Yes, you can take the bus or a cab to the mall -- but why? Who wants to shop when the beach is there. Did I mention the beach?

But I love it. The people on the beach represent everything. All ethnicities, lots of foreign languages, teens and families. I love the little kids playing on their surf boards or collecting shells and the older people, hand in hand.

I love everything about it -- the beach grass...

The umbrellas on an early morning, before they are opened wide, one after the other, to protect our skin from the hot Carolina sun.

And the waves. Oh, those waves!

As I sit on the beach in my cheap folding chair (purchased from the tacky beach store for $12 -- beats renting a cabana, even if I leave it behind with some lucky soul staying at our hotel), I am enjoying my book ("Julia Child: My Life in France," in anticipation of "Julie and Julia" opening this week!). I periodically update my sunscreen, down water from the little cooler I packed, and just smile.

"Julie and Julia" -- Meryl Streep as Julia Child, Stanley Tucci as her beloved husband Paul and Amy Adams as Julie Powell. Oh, I can hardly wait (which is almost a surefire bet for disappointment!)

(If you've read The Marmelade Gypsy for about a year and a half or so, you may remember I raved about the book in this earlier post. It's about cooking and blogging. What's not to love?

And, if you want to read Julie Powell's blog, check it out here. And, here's the movie's website.)

AND, if you really want to know what it's like to style food for a movie where food plays a major role, this New York Times article about "Julie and Julia" food stylist Susan Spungen's challenges is well worth a read! (Yes, the Susan Spungen who used to work for Martha.)

(This is one of those cases where you hope and pray the movie is as entertaining as the book, even if it's not quite the same!)

I'm warm. I'm happy. I'm in the water and my shoulder feels strong as I wait for the "big wave" and ride it toward shore.

Hanging out at the trade show for a couple of days helping Rick is tough on the feet, but it's a small price to pay for a few days at the beach.

So, over the next few days, I'll be catching you up with some of the views of Myrtle Beach! Stay tuned for that, for a visit to Windsor, Ontario to meet up with a friend from Japan, and more! And coming soon, an introduction to the kindred spirit I never knew I had!