Sue, The Light In Paul's Life!

Did You Know? - Catalina Casino Building - The Catalina Casino is without a doubt Catalina Island's most recognizable landmark. The round, Art Deco structure rises the equivalent of 12 stories, and is surrounded by the sea on three sides. During the day its white facade gleams in the sunshine, and at night it lights the harbor with a romantic glow. Built in 1929, the Casino – which is actually not a gambling hall but "place of entertainment" – played host to dozens of Big Bands through the 1930s and 1940s. Guests came by steamship to Charleston and later jitterbug on the huge parquet floor. They danced the night away to the music of Glen Miller, Harry James, Kay Kyser, and many others over the years.

The largest number of dancers ever in the Casino was 6,200 people dancing to the music of Kay Kyser, on May 8, 1940. Virtually every Big Band of that era played in the Casino Ballroom. Live broadcasts were carried over CBS radio from 1934 into the 1950s.

Although the Big Bands have long faded away, the Casino Ballroom still attracts crowds for celebrations of all sorts. Completely restored just a few years ago, the ballroom retains its original style—a lavish medley of rose-hued walls, black Art Deco reliefs, an arching fifty-foot ceiling with five Tiffany chandeliers, an elevated stage, raised seating areas around the dance floor, and a vintage, full-service bar in back. The outdoor balcony that encircles the ballroom overlooks the protected cove of Avalon Bay and Descanso Beach.

Did You Know? - A glass-bottom boat is a boat with sections of glass, or other suitable transparent material, below the waterline allowing passengers to observe the underwater environment from within the boat. The view through the glass bottom is better than simply looking into the water from above, because one does not have to look through optically erratic surface disturbances. The effect is similar to that achieved by a diving mask, while the passengers are able to stay dry, out of the water.

Did You Know? - The origins of the company lie with the grand scheme of magnate Henry E. Huntington and hydraulic engineer John S. Eastwood, developed around 1908, for a vast complex of reservoirs to be constructed in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of central California. Huntington founded Pacific Light and Power, one of the roughly two dozen companies he controlled at the time,[4] to execute what would eventually become one of the largest hydropower systems in the United States, the Big Creek Hydroelectric Project. Pacific Light and Power was one of the predecessor companies to SCE, along with Edison Electric, Mt. Whitney Power & Electric Co., California Electric Power Co., and others.

Did You Know? - The house was built in 1919-1921 as a summer retreat for the Wrigleys of Chicago, who owned 99% of Santa Catalina Island, one of the Channel Islands of California. It was designed in the Georgian Colonial Revival style by architect Walter H. Harris. The Wrigleys used it together until 1932, when Mr. Wrigley died.

Mrs. Wrigley then visited the house until 1947, when she retired to Pasadena, California. In its heyday, the Wrigleys entertained Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Warren Harding, and the Prince of Wales at the house.

In the 1970s, it was donated to the University of Southern California, and it was used as a conference center

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Los Angeles County, California in 1985.

Did You Know? - Green Pleasure Pier - Under the ownership of the Banning brothers who formed the Santa Catalina Island Company in 1894, Avalon flourished as both a tourist resort and fisherman's paradise.  By 1906, the beach was crowded with boat stands, launches, rowboats, people, racks of drying fish, and sea lions waiting for a handout!  In order to relieve the congestion, a pier was built running parallel to the beach, but a storm destroyed it in 1908.
In February 1909, the Freeholders Improvement Association of Avalon applied to the War Department to build a pleasure wharf, which the Santa Catalina Island Company would construct and maintain.  Permission was granted and the pier was completed in the same year.  In 1914, the pier was transferred to the City of Avalon.
For many years, it has been Avalon's official weigh station for sport fishermen.  Seaplanes also landed at the end of the pier in the 1950s and 1960s.
Today, the Green Pleasure Pier is still a hub of activity.  It is home to the Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce's Visitors Center, where you can get information seven days a week.  You can also find tours, water activities, dive centers, and some great places to eat on the 407-foot pier.   

Did You Know? - Catalina Country Club & Golf Course - For 30 years, with only a brief break during the war years, William Wrigley Jr. brought his baseball team, the Chicago Cubs, to Catalina Island for spring training. The baseball field on Catalina Island was built to match the dimensions of Wrigley Field in Chicago. A clubhouse was also built to house the team's lockers and provide a social setting for the players.

While only a plaque remains on the site of the field where the Cubs once played, the historic clubhouse still remains. Now known as the Catalina Island Country Club, the clubhouse is open to the public. It features a restaurant and bar and a great display of Chicago Cubs memorabilia.

Did You Know? - Beginning at the Hog's Back gate, high in the hills near Avalon and descending through Descanso Canyon, you will pause at several eco-stations along the way before continuing on your journey. At each station, your hosts will give you a presentation on some of the unique and interesting aspects of Catalina Island, its wildlife, history, and the areas you are passing through. Eventually exiting at Descanso Beach your journey will last approximately 2 hours and your memories will last a lifetime.

Did You Know? - The Avalon Grille offers fine dining with a relaxed upscale atmosphere overlooking the Avalon Bay. The Avalon Grille features new American cuisine and regional dishes with a seasonal approach, paired with a world class selection of wines, micro-brew beers and specialty cocktails.

This unique ambiance is found nowhere else in Avalon and is the perfect setting on the bay with large windows offering open air dining, high ceilings, a lively central bar and a large patio for outdoor dining.

Located on the corner of Crescent Avenue and Front Street in the heart of downtown Avalon's waterfront. Reservations recommended.