At The Ball (Page Nine)
It's that time... Reach for the "year hand" and move it back 10 1920's or 1930's ...
Time to dance
We had eleven tables reserved for us... Thank you Sharlene
Choy
The tables look empty... Must fix
Now that looks better!
Did You Know? - Ten things you must remember!
10) In the movie adaptations James Bond drinks Champagne more than any other beverage (nearly 40 glasses and counting).
9) The classic Champagne coupe was adapted from a wax mold made from the breast of Marie Antoinette.
8) There is about 90 pounds per square inch of pressure in a bottle of Champagne. That's more than triple the pressure in an automobile tire.
7) A Champagne cork reaches a velocity of about 40 miles per hour (64 kilometers per hour) if popped out of the bottle. We recommend carefully twisting the cork out with a towel covering the bottle so no wine escapes and you don't hurt a bystander.
6) Actress Marilyn Monroe took a bath in 350 bottles of Champagne. We are sure it was not at the proper temperature for drinking, however.
5) The longest recorded flight of a Champagne cork is over 177 feet (54 meters).
4) Don't drink Champagne quickly or the bubbles will cause the alcohol to enter your bloodstream too fast often causing a headache. Savor your Champagne in small sips to taste the wine but also dissipate the bubbles before swallowing.
3) A Champagne riddler can turn as many as 50,000 bottles in a single day.
2) The largest bottle size for Champagne is called a Melchizedek and is equal to 40 standard bottles or 30 liters.
1) There are approximately 49 million bubbles in a standard sized bottle of Champagne.
Looks pretty empty but just you wait
It is still the world's largest circular ballroom at 180 feet diameter
The band sets up
We had great seats right up front and perhaps
ten feet from the steps to the dance floor
Did You Know? - On May 29, 1929, the new Catalina Casino was completed under the direction of Wrigley and David M. Renton, at a cost of 2 million dollars. Its design, by Sumner Spaulding and Walter Weber, is in the Art Deco and Mediterranean Revival styles. It was the first movie theatre to be designed specifically for films with sound ("talkies"). It received the Honor Award from the California Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, as "one of the outstanding architectural accomplishments.
Getting ready for a picture
The music begins and they hit the floor running
Whirling and twirling the night away
The waltz's are so elegant
Checking out the camera equipment
View from the promenade just outside the ballroom
Sheri and Jose' are a fixture at the ball.... Also Nightlighters!
They look fantastic!
Did You Know? - With a height equal to a 12-story building, it was built to serve as a theatre on the main floor and a ballroom and promenade on the upper level.
Movie studio tycoons such as Cecil B. DeMille, Louis B. Mayer, and Samuel Goldwyn frequently came by yacht to the Casino to preview their newest cinema productions.
It also serves as the island's civil defense shelter, large enough to accommodate Catalina's entire year-round population. Within its walls is stored enough food and water for all Avalon's residents for two weeks.
The floor is full of dancers
The champagne is disappearing (Courtesy of Sam)
What? Any empty table... Careful of the champagne thief! (Courtesy of Sam)
"Sue! I see an unguarded bottle of champagne... What should I do?" (Courtesy of Sam)
"Sit! Stay!"
(Courtesy of Sam)
Eighty-five feet in the sky the Art Deco lighting hangs like a cloud (Courtesy of Sam)
The singers were fantastic (Courtesy of Sam)
The lighting around the periphery changes from time to time (Courtesy of Sam)
The pink lighting brings out the pink dresses (Courtesy of Sam)
Time for a pronouncement (Courtesy of Sam)
We are about to hit the floor... Watch us!
"Hey there... Sue here... Working hard watching Paul" (Courtesy of Sam)
The music was amazing... 20's and 30's all evening
(Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
Caught!
(Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
"Bottoms up!' (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
Sharlene dropped by to say hello (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
Did You Know? - The upper level houses the 20,000 square foot Catalina Casino Ballroom. It is the world's largest circular ballroom with a 180-foot (55 m) diameter dance floor, that can accommodate 3,000 dancers.
French doors encircle the room connecting the dance floor with the "Romance Promenade," an open balcony that runs around the building.
To reach the ballroom on the top level the Casino building has two ramped walkways, both in enclosed towers that extend out from the circular building.
Wrigley took the idea to use ramps instead of stairs from Wrigley Field, his Chicago Cubs stadium. The ramps allowed the large numbers of people using the ballroom to quickly move to and from their destinations. They each have a small lobby areas just below the dance floor level.
Studying the dancer (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
You could see a little of everything out there (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
We surrounded our bottle of champagne! (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
We had two lady singers this evening.. (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
Donna is resting from her job today...
Bringing us all together again!
Thank you Donna (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
What is Wally up to? (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
They escaped from their boat and made it to the dance (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
All smiles (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
A flapper without the flaps? (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
In case there was a dance contest, we brought our own ringers
(Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
24 Skidoo (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
Note: There has been inflation
"Hey... Dancers... Stop... I need to take a picture (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
Back from the floor and still ready to dance some more! (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
Ed and Kathy just returned form the floor (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
Someone left the door open... (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
"Who needs to dance... I'll just sit here and squeeze you" (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
"Yes... The blinding flash across the dance floor was us.... He
accidentally let go of me" (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
The moustache is looking at you (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
A delightful couple always with a costume surprise (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
Dang... Look like a million dollars (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
Everyone had a great time (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
"Gary... No blowing in my ear! The whistling noise annoys our table mates"
(Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
The birthday boy gets re crowned!
(Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
To cool off one simply walks outside (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
The dress does move the clock back a bit (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
The camera sees all (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
"Dang! How do I turn this on?" (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
"No dear... I think it is the Bunny Hop!" (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
New friends get introduced (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
The floor was perfect this evening (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
"We are sitting this one out..." (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
"Do you want to see my diamond?" (Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
It begins!
Were is our girls?
(Courtesy of Hans Thedens)
Hans is capturing the event
(Courtesy of Sam)
Looks to be about 300 strong (Courtesy of Sam)
Here comes Donna, Ghislaine, and Kerstin
(Courtesy of Sam)
Go get 'em ladies (Courtesy of Sam)
Around and around we go! (Courtesy of Sam)
Kerstin is getting into it (Courtesy of Sam)
The lights dim and they head outside for the promenade! (Courtesy of Sam)
"We are on lap #2... When does it stop?" (Courtesy of Hans)
They caught their second breath (Courtesy of Hans)
Getting ready to go... (Courtesy of Hans)
Sue and Paul took the Otis freight elevator...
Did You Know? - Each week, from 1934 through the 1950s, radio listeners across the United States could hear, "From the beautiful Casino Ballroom overlooking Avalon Bay at Catalina Island, we bring you the music of … (insert the name of any of the famous bands of the era)." You could then imagine that you were dancing in that magical place.
