Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009
Making Waves
Proof that Editor, Kent Kimes has joined South by Southeast as a yearly member.
One of my wife’s more recent – ala not classic – favorite flicks is the 2002 surfer girl drama “Blue Crush.”
I bought it on DVD for her and gave it to her for Christmas or her birthday, I can’t recall which. The funny thing is, even though we own it and can watch it at any time, if “Blue Crush’’ comes on TV, she’ll sit and watch it, commercial breaks and all.
I’ll say, “You know we own this, right?”
She’ll say: “shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.’’
So I’ll shut up and sit down and watch some of it with her.
I mean, what’s not to like with a toned and tanned Kate Bosworth prancing around most of the movie in teeny weenie bikini?
Personally, I find the movie to be a bit silly (like the hotel maid scene) and unrealistic, but hey, it’s a Hollywood movie.
I asked my wife why she likes “Blue Crush’’ so much and she said it’s because Bosworth’s character, Anne Marie Chadwick, is battling to get back on the proverbial horse after a near fatal surfing accident and her peers encourage her and remind her that she used to be the champ. Positive reinforcement in the face of adversity.
Of course there’s the requisite romance, too, and some of the surfing scenes shot in Hawaii are breath-taking.
And my wife also likes that Chadwick’s goal is to be the champion, and “not to be a princess.’’
I asked her if the main characters were all male if she’d like “Blue Crush” the same and she said absolutely not. The appeal of the movie is that it depicts females competing and succeeding in a sport that’s “generally reserved for men,” she said.
Well my friends, as “Blue Crush’’ demonstrates, women can surf too.
And as you will see in this week’s cover story, there is a growing throng of female surfers along the Grand Strand – and one of them could be the girl next door, your co-worker, or your BFF and you might not even know it.
With this weekend’s Guy Daniels Memorial Surf-Off on tap in Surfside Beach, we’ve dispatched correspondent Blake Brown (manager of Surf the Earth surf shop in Pawleys Island) to take a look at the roles of female surfers both historically and locally as they make their indelible impressions upon the waves.
Yes, we realize this is not Hawaii, but the surfing culture has become an important part of the lives of four local women that we profile in this week’s cover spread.
Also, we’ve got details on the Guy Daniels Surf-Off as well as the inaugural Ocean Expo hosted by the town of Surfside Beach in conjunction with the surf-off.
the gauntlet, part II
If you didn’t attend Aug. 8’s South by Southeast Music Feast at the Myrtle Beach Train Depot, well, once a gain, you missed one hell of a show as Americana raconteur Verlon Thompson mesmerized the crowd from the get-go as he walked around the room with guitar strapped on, introducing himself via an autobiographical song in which he named dropped and sang about “the show they call the business; the business they call the show.’’
“I’m sizing you up,’’ he said, strumming and strolling.
I could go on and on…
But my main purpose is to re-issue a challenge I made in this space last week, and one that seemed to amuse South by Southeast director Jeff Roberts as he mentioned it several times during Thompson’s show.
Here’s what I said in the last column: “I’m going to finally join SXSE by purchasing an annual membership ($25) and I challenge you to do the same.
Now’s your chance to step up and ensure the future of a true Myrtle Beach treasure.”
So, as a follow-up note, I have indeed put my money where my mouth is. I have joined South by Southeast as a yearly member. (For proof, see image above).
As you can see, it doesn’t cost very much, therefore I’m re-upping my challenge: scrap together some money and support this invaluable organization which supports music education in local schools and also hosts some of the best concerts you’ll experience anywhere (and yet nowhere else) in one of the coolest settings.
You have another chance to get involved at the SXSE Music Instrument Drive set for 4:30 p.m. Sunday on the patio at Liberty Taproom and Grill, 7651 N. Kings Highway Myrtle Beach. If you have an old instrument collecting dust that you can donate, bring it. It will be refurbished and given to a local student in need. If you don’t, just come and enjoy the sounds of Sweet Nell and the Feast and Friends, and you’ll also be able to purchase SXSE memberships ($25).
For more information, go to http://sxsemusic.com.