Catalina Island Part 1

Friday, May 1st 

Robin's cat-selfie tweet from last year!

Our morning in Portland, Oregon started VERY early in the morning to catch our 7:05 am flight to Long Beach. The positive was that we saw Robin Lopez from the Portland Trail Blazers at 6 am traveling with his orange kitty, Prince Edward Zephyr!!!

The Long Beach Airport was adorable! Unfortunately, I didn't take any pics because I was feeling too excited about getting to the island. Above video is us just before landing in Long Beach.

After the hour-and-ten-minute ferry ride to Avalon, Catalina Island, I shot these two pics of the picturesque Avalon Harbor as we walked to get our keys to our villa!

We stopped at Vons grocery store for Diet Pepsi and half-and-half after picking up our villa keys from the rental office. We then took a cab 1 mile up a windy road to our villa. :)
FYI - very few cars on the island! Just the cabs and construction/repair vehicles. People get around with their golf cart or bicycle. 

We chose Hamilton Cove villas because that's where the groom and groom were staying! I had fun choosing which villa we would stay in. In the end, we made the perfect decision with Villa 1-79. Having a golf cart included was icing on the cake! (The fee to rent a golf cart is $40-$60 an hour)

 

What we LOVED most about our villa -- THE VIEW!

Our villa was conveniently located on the bottom right - easy to come and go from the resort.

The Casino:

The Casino isn't a casino! (Casino is "gathering place" in Italian!)

It actually has a grand ballroom and movie theater. 

We will take a tour of the Casino on our next visit. 

Lunch and snapshots:

We sat outside and had tasty sandwiches here. 

Cute shopping next to our lunch spot.

Mini bowling! We will do this next visit!

I wouldn't mind being summoned for jury duty here.  

Gosh, let's just move here to have a cool PO Box. 

I fell in love with this building! It's the Hotel St. Lauren.

Green Pleasure Pier

Green Pleasure Pier

I'd like to try this place next visit!

Frank and Chris' Welcome Dinner:

Frank & Chris hosted a welcome dinner for all the wedding guests who had already arrived to the island at Bluewater Avalon. It was the perfect evening!

Brian, Lisa, Frank, Chris, Phillip and Billie

Frank, Phillip, Billie

Scott Babe drinking a Guinness!

Johnna and Chris

Chris

Frank and his Mom Irene

Frank and Scott

Frank, Chris, Chris's Mom Linda Jane, Pat, Ed (Ed wrote Frank & Chris' wedding song!), Frank's Mom Irene

Dinner was delicious.

"Chicken Under a Brick." Tasty.

 Perfect welcoming dinner on the water!

Frank with Johnna & Tom

Saturday, May 2nd:

Why yes, I did pack my favorite coffee!

Taking in the view. Browsing the villa's guest book, I quickly learned that visitors kept returning to this particular villa after trying others at Hamilton Cove.

From where I sit video.

Scott Babe and I supported the local charitable projects of the Rotary Club of Avalon and the Avalon High School Interact Club at The Lobster Trap!

 Scott Babe stretching at Von's Express

Pooch waiting for its owner at Von's.

 Hotel Mac Rae

El Galleon

 Gas prices! Photo courtesy of Frank.

Morning Wedding Rehearsal:

Pressure is on! Scott Babe was in charge of the ceremony music and playing DJ at the wedding!

Frank & Chris with their friend Tom behind (also the officiant!)

Practice kiss! ♥

Jeep tour of the island:

My girlfriend Kristina is the one who recommended this tour to us! :) We squeezed this two hour tour in before Frank and Chris tied the knot at 5 pm!

Shots from our jeep tour:

 Frank & Chris were actually at the spa when I shot this!

Selfie! (It was five of us total on this tour)

Our tour guide said this was the oldest house on the island.

Breathtaking view from our ride up.

 Hamilton Cove down below.

 Older bison chillin'

1952 island tour bus with newer engine coming our way.

Video of a plane taking off

We checked out the gift shop and restaurant and tried their famous cookies. :)

Unfortunately, we didn't see any foxes on this tour! We did however, see two island foxes by our villa! They were cat size!

That same bison on our ride back!

*Stay tuned for Frank & Chris' wedding!