I got back to the Links condo from my excursion to Raleigh, North Carolina, on Wednesday, July 29, 2009, just in time to meet up with everyone and head out for our 5:30 pm dinner reservations at the Miyabi Japanese steakhouse. While I had been gone, two brothers named Stephen and David, who were friends of Ashleigh’s from home, drove down to meet up with her. Somehow Ashleigh had managed to get everyone’s approval for them to stay there the night before. I still hadn’t even met them and they didn’t go to dinner with us.
I chose to get all sushi for my dinner: the philly, tuna, dragon, samurai, salmonskin, dynamite, and the mysterious roll 17. I quickly regretted this when the sushi turned out to be in rather small portions and not all that good. Lesson learned about sushi in Myrtle Beach. Still it was a nice dinner and Adam was particularly fascinated by the fires that the chef made on the grill. Karen & Joe joined Mom, Bob, Ashleigh, Briana, Denise, Aaron, Adam, and Megan for the dinner.
Aaron peruses the menu, while Adam attempts to scrape his name into his plate with a fork
Ashleigh and Briana put on their steak house faces. Remember these expressions as you will see them again next time…
Mom is ready to order while Bob appears terrified of the establishment
Denise, Megan (hidden behind two bottles), me, Yaht, and Briana give our after-meal poses
When we finished we headed over to Broadway at the Beach and the Ripley’s Aquarium, my first visit here since Briana and I went through it in 2006. Karen & Joe didn’t join us and Ashleigh and Briana met up with Stephen and David to walk around on their own. The rest of us were particularly interested in seeing Adam’s reaction to all of the exotic sea life.
Outside Ripley’s Aquarium
Mom and Bob poke fun of my standard ‘pointing’ poses
We got to see the sharks, stingrays, octopus’, sea dragons, sea horses, jellyfish, and even got to hold the horseshoe crabs. During the Rainbow Rock dive show, we saw a diver frolic among the stingrays. By the removal of their spears we avoided any Crocodile Hunter episodes. We spent close to two hours in the Aquarium and I think everyone had a good time. Denise and Aaron and the kids headed out and Mom, Bob, and I headed to the Myrtle Beach Hard Rock Cafe.
Adam is mesmerized by the fishies
One of the sharks that swam above us. We called this one Steve.
Don’t try this at home
Denise oversees Mom’s handling of the horseshoe crab
Adam gets reflective as he enjoys the sea life
I tried to replicate my great jellyfish shot of ’06 – with only moderate success
The obligatory eerie Adam attacked by a stingray shot
As you can see, Megan enjoyed the Aquarium as well
I had nearly forgot about the KISS Coffeehouse that I had gone out of my way to see during my visit three years earlier. But as we were walking to the Hard Rock, we happened upon it again so I got some better photos this time and even had a Lick It Up Lemonade and picked up a magnet. And wouldn’t you know it…KISS member Eric Singer was scheduled to be making a personal appearance there that Saturday, after we would long gone from Myrtle Beach.
The KISS Coffeehouse at Broadway at the Beach
With my drink and some cool KISS memorabilia, including a fully signed Lick It Up album
The Hard Rock Cafe in Myrtle Beach was not a new one to me, as I had eaten there back in 1996 – but of course didn’t get any really good pictures of. So this was my ninth Hard Rock visit of the year, nineteenth altogether. Since we had eaten, I just had a sundae rather than a meal. The elders split one.
The Myrtle Beach Hard Rock certainly has one of the most unique exteriors
Getting ready to enter Hard Rock territory
Bob, Mom, and I enjoy our desserts
With individually signed drums from Bun E. Carlos, who used them on Cheap Trick’s Music For Hangovers tour
We left Broadway at the Beach at around 10:30 and headed back to the condo. We would be back on the road the next morning on yet another sightseeing adventure.
The trip will continue in Charleston, South Carolina…
The ‘Mom and Bob Pointing’ photo is hilarious.
The photo of Adam and his reflection is a real winner. It’s the type of photo that people pay the professionals big bucks for.
Dave Chasteen
October 25th, 2009