function getBeaches() {

    $sql="SELECT * FROM `beaches` WHERE city=:city";

    try {
        $db         = getConnection();
        $stmt       = $db->prepare($sql);

            $stmt->bindValue(':city',   'seattle'); //should bind seattle
            $stmt->execute();
        $beaches    = $stmt->fetchObject();
        $db         = null;

        echo '{"map": ' . stripslashes(json_encode($beaches)) . '}';
    } catch(PDOException $e) {
        echo '{"error":{"text":'. $e->getMessage() .'}}';
    }

}