RETURN TO PARADISE/ CATALINA
This text is featured in Lucire #29, and online.
'HcT! Press will soon publish a booklet version of this in handy 5 x 7 travel size, available online and at locations on Catalina Island.
Thanks to Paula Sweet for the fantastic images.
It hovers off the coast
of Los Angeles on the western horizon –visible those clear days when the haze
has burned off, when there’s no brown LA gunk in the atmosphere - an opalescent
apparition of dreams that inspired generations. It’s a place which has reinvented
itself multiple times over the years, today being no exception, a shimmering
jewel across the water, mythological land of peaks and canyons, clean air and
aquamarine bays. Catalina: rediscovered as a cool destination.
All eight Channel Islands
show evidence of inhabitants for 13,000 years, home to important Paleolithic
sites with traces of seafaring Indians who sailed these warm Pacific waters in plank
canoes. They lived a rather pastoral life for the first twelve millennia, until
1542 when the Spanish adventurer Cabrillo arrived on the scene. Then followed a
period of Spanish domination. By the 19th century all the Indians of
the islands had been removed to settlements on the mainland. Ownership of 75
square mile Catalina had passed from Spain to Mexico to the United States, and
in 1887 the island was purchased for development as a tourist resort. A 1915
fire devastated the community of Avalon, and led to a sale to William Wrigley,
Jr., the chewing gum magnate. He had a vision of making Catalina into an
affordable destination for all people. Under his patronage, Catalina turned into
a playground for the rich and famous, a haven for sportfishing, the summer home
of the Chicago Cubs baseball team, and an oft-used movie location. During WWII
the island became a restricted military installation and branch office of the
OSS. More recently, almost one-million guests a year visit, many arriving for a
day’s safari via bulging cruise ships. This favored scuba diving destination is
renowned for pristine waters with a legendary kelp bed, and a haven for dolphin
and whale-watching. But it also has suffered from a reputation as a type of honky-tonk
similar to Key West, a place where even hard-boiled locals admit the greatest
natural resource could be a drinking problem. All that is changing.
Eco-tourists have learned
to love Catalina. The Catalina Island Conservancy
-which since 1972 administrates 88% of the island, and maintains 200 miles of
roads - has embarked upon an ambitious strategy to accommodate them. These
hearty revenue-producing souls generally add one luxury night at the end of
their stay, especially during the high season, June-August. Guests come for the
wildlife, the flora, the unspoiled rugged hills and comfortable campsites, the clear
water harbors, and certainly the ease of getting there, a one-hour ferry ride across
the 25 mile channel from Long Beach. They bring their backpacks, luxurious camping
equipment, obscenely expensive mountain bikes, fluorescent-colored kayaks, diving
gear, binoculars and cameras. And they come to explore the TransCatalina Trail.
This well-marked and maintained 37.2-mile system of five interconnected legs transverses
the island, taking in vantage points and perspectives from sea level to the
tops of Catalina’s loftiest peaks. Along the route the traveler might catch
sight of bald eagles (there are 25 reported on the island), endemic foxes (a
dwarf species, current population 1500), or the ubiquitous bison (14 were
introduced in 1924, and their descendants now number 150), not to mention
quail, deer, indigenous squirrels and lizards galore. You will find the
Conservancy’s Explore Store and the Nature Center at Avalon Canyon both
informative and kid-friendly, and a shady rest stop on the way to the Wrigley
Botanical Gardens up the road. You can do a good deed for Catalina by signing
up for a membership in the Conservancy, which start at $35. At the top levels
of $2500 and above you get benefits beyond the usual admissions, passes and
discounts, like invitations to special events, trips to other islands in the
archipelago, private dinners and access to Wrigley family homes on the island
closed to the general public. The Conservancy sponsors the Wild Side Art Show
in June, a chance to see the latest in California plein air painting, and to view the latest acquisitions to their
collection.
The world’s fascination
with zip lines continues, and Catalina has its own connected along 5 stretched cables,
a wild 45mph ride hundreds of feet above a rugged canyon. If your tastes run to
the heart-stopping and daredevil, you can find packages which include ferry
tickets from the mainland just above $100 per person, available online. This hair-raising
thrill ride deposits you, wildly whooping, down on Descanso Beach, where
European style open air tables front a band-aid sized strip of white sand, and
tanning sunbirds sip Mojitos to a
background of mellow California rock pumping out over the PA system. Trinket
stands, swimwear booths and rental kiosks are close by for last-minute supply
needs.
Out at Rancho Escondido,17
miles east of Avalon, accessible only by a back-country dirt road, picturesque new
vineyards and a winery have been established by Geoff Rusack and his wife
Allison Wrigley Rusack. As of this writing the project is still under
development, though the first wines have been bottled under their Rusack label,
which features a Catalina tile on the labeling. It’s possible to taste an island-grown chardonnay, pinot noir and
zinfandel from the 2009 vintage at their Avalon Grill restaurant down in the
harbor area. Expect a high price point as these are small batch, limited
edition wines.
Island visitors
arrive mostly to tool around in rented golf carts, shop the boutiques and play
in the sun, but dig a bit deeper and real cultural possibilities appear. The
most visible forum is the Catalina
Island Museum, an active presence devoted to historic preservation,
commemoration and celebration, and one of the most visited island destinations.
The Museum draws from its collection of over 150,000 items categorized in
archaeology, photographs, ephemera, newspapers, archives, postcards,
three-dimensional historical collections, natural history, library, oral
history, audio/visual and art. The Museum features a large and comprehensive
collection of Catalina pottery and tile which was manufactured on the island
from 1927-1937. While the galleries can currently be found on the ground level
of the Catalina Island Casino, a new museum facility is under construction and the
new space opening late 2013 is designed to feature exhibitions of international
interest. Recently the British 60s rocker Spencer Davis, who is an island
resident, gave the museum access to his career archives for an installation entitled
“Gimme Some Lovin’”, which displayed never before seen artifacts and images. The
museum’s current offering examines William Wrigley’s vision for Catalina
through historic photography and displays. Patronage is the highest form of
flattery- membership or sponsorship of The Catalina Island Museum is a great entrée
to the community and brings with it real benefits and true satisfaction.
Catalina Tile and Pottery can
still be found on the island, though most original pieces have long gone to serious
collectors. Any authentic items you may discover in local stores will be priced
at a premium. The Museum sells a limited line of authorized reproductions, the
best-selling items in their gift shop. But since Catalina pottery already enjoys
a worldwide reputation as classic Deco artifact, ceramic aficionados looking
for a bargain may be disappointed. Your best chance at seeing this beautiful
aspect of local culture is a visit in the month of September, when the entire
Museum is filled with objects from its collection.
Another Catalina
cultural treasure comes in the form of outsider artist Will Richards, whose eccentric compound is worth a drop-in. Using
found objects of stone, wood, metal, vintage ceramic shards, paint and mixed
media, Richards shapes unusual and naïve works of fantasy and imagination,
which are displayed in a labyrinthine hillside warren. If you’re enchanted by a
particular work, it is probably best to make a deal for cash on the spot and
carry it home.
If you venture into the
back country, you will inevitably need to pass by the Airport in the Sky, a Deco era treasure constructed 1939-41. Travelers
arrive there via private or chartered
small plane, landing on its single 3,250-foot-long runway or by shuttles from
Avalon. There’s a great
little restaurant, patio and gift shop up there, and beautiful views. Once a
week in high season an outdoor barbecue serves up a tri-tip feast at $40/person,
though you may find that breakfast on the terrace is a convenient meal before
setting off into Catalina’s wilds. To get there from Avalon, you catch the
Wildlands Express shuttle or alternate vehicles from the downtown transit
plaza, then head up the precipitous Stagecoach Road, originally constructed a
century ago, which is lined with eucalyptus trees dating from its construction.
Watch for bison, regularly sighted en route.
With so many dining
options, where to feast on Catalina? Those seeking the St. Barth’s ambience
probably will find themselves quaffing California Chardonnay at the Avalon Grill, an upscale space owned by
the Rusack-Wrigleys. It’s one of those palm-frond-and-ceiling fan-and-rattan
kind of places with a huge bar, open to the street, presenting picturesque
food, trendy art and full-bodied retail prices. Impress your date with any of
the entrees. Lucire had a fun Italian-style
dinner at Ristorante Villa Portofino,
where we sampled grilled seafood and an antipasto your Uncle Vinny would have
relished. Steve’s Steakhouse also
served an interesting off-the-menu entrée of Sand Dabs, delicately breaded and
spiced, perfect with a glass of prosecco, recommended. Avalon locals frequent The Lobster Trap, where the club
sandwich is king, though you may wait an hour for a coveted table in high
season. The Marlin Club, a few doors
down, gets rowdy and raucous most nights. To the thumping beat of local
rockers, people take their nourishment in liquid form, proudly sporting their
branded t-shirts. On the waterfront, The
Green Pleasure Pier has a number of fast-food stands at the low end of the
price spectrum, the perfect place to indulge your taste for fried oyster
sandwiches and cold beer. Many of the stands accept cash only, so don’t bother showing
credit cards here.
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Luxurious nights in
Catalina? You could find a private home to rent from Catalina Island Vacation
rentals, who rep properties of all levels. Hamilton
Cove, a 160-condo development –about 10% owner occupied, if that tells you
something- next to Avalon even has 3-bedroom short-term flats for upwards of
$3000/week. But conventional hotels offer the full service package the top of
the market prefers. Perched 350 feet above the water on a hillside overlooking
Avalon Harbor, The Inn on Mt. Ada caters to the top end of
the luxury spectrum. This 6-room jewel of Georgian Colonial architecture, the
former Wrigley mansion, retains the elegance of a private home, bathed in natural
light. A favorite of single travelers, the Inn boasts a 60% return rate, and
has year-round occupancy, even during the month of August when a 2-night stay
is required. Breakfast and lunch are included in the room rate, not to mention
24-hour access to the very well-stocked Butler’s Pantry. Room 5, “Morning
Glory” has a terrace and sea view, perfect for a honeymoon. There’s a wonderful
display of real Catalina pottery downstairs, a tasteful design detail that adds
authentic gloss to the historic house. At rates of $600-900 a night, this
property is not for the faint of wallet, though some last-minute discounts are
available. Nevertheless, a property of this quality delivers every
justification for its generous price point.
Down the hill on the flats, The Avalon Hotel does all that
boutique luxury inns need to do to earn their repeat business, with a
complement of only 17 rooms on three floors. Housed in a heritage structure,
the Craftsman-style décor, location, amenities, superior beds, high breakfast
IQ, and patio with koi pond and fire pit, make this hotel the outstanding and
desirable option at $250-$600/night. Room 301 is the best room in the house,
with its wraparound balcony, harbor view and wet bar. Check online for deals
which include transport and other offers. Lucire
also looked in on Hotel Metropole, a
bustling 52-room family-friendly place which overlooks a shopping mall. The
property has a range of lodging configurations, including a 2-bedroom “beach
house” ($1400/night); luxury VIP suites ($900/night); and junior suites and
rooms (beginning at $350/night). L’Occitane amenities and vintage Catalina tiles
on display. We liked room 301 with its porthole window harbor view.
If you seek the
altogether otherworldly experience and the true definition of silence, a voyage
to the settlement called Two Harbors on the Isthmus of Catalina might be the
answer. Accessible by private boats, ferry, or an adventurous drive down twisty
roads from Airport in the Sky, there’s little to do except listen to yachties
talk about their boats, sunbathe, hike, or knock back a few Buffalo Milks and
watch the sun go up and down. The 12-room Banning
House Lodge, built in 1910, now functions as a bed and breakfast, and it’s
like sleeping at a weekend cottage, albeit one with Craftsman furniture, modern
plumbing, no television and paper thin walls. But there is a peculiar charm to
the place, as if you’ve come to another country, perhaps an arid island, or a
remote equatorial African port. Bring your own provisions, since the Lodge
allows use of its vintage kitchen. They do serve a nice breakfast, included in
the room rate, and a comfy terrace and sitting room with fireplace make for
cozy surroundings. Down the hill there’s even an ATM, two restaurants and a
funny little general store, a kind of semi-civilized Gilligan’s Island enclave,
and you will definitely feel you have left everything far behind, a
not-unpleasant sensation for a world gone frantic and mad for life in the fast
lane.
If
You Go…
- The
best off season months are March-May and October-November.
- Catalina
averages a dry 12” of precipitation a year.
- Catalina
Backcountry, a logistics company, will port your gear anywhere along the
TransCatalina Trail, outfit campsites, and generally make your “rough lux”
experience a not-so-rough one.
- To
explore adjacent islands, contact Channel Islands Outfitters, tel (805)
896-1201.
- Like
all oceanfront areas, the temperature can drop at night, so layers are
suggested.
- A
multitude of options are available for travel to Catalina. Ferry and catamaran boats will bring you
to the island from either Long Beach, Newport Beach, Dana Point, Marina
del Rey or San Pedro. There’s also copter, private or charter boat
or aircraft available, though no scheduled flights.
A
short digression on the Catalina Bison:
You’ll undoubtedly see much of the bison motif on tee shirts and postcards and
other memorabilia, since they are quite a common and beloved presence on the
island. But take note: even if you see Bison Burgers offered on local menus,
you can be certain they are not made from island meat: Catalina’s bison are
protected species and their population is controlled. You also will no doubt
come upon a signature alcoholic drink called Buffalo Milk in many institutions.
Take further note: the mind-altering concoction contains no buffalo byproducts.
Lucire was able to pry the recipe
from the bartender at the Harbor Reef restaurant at Two Harbors. It’s a mélange
of Kahlua, vodka, crème de banana, crème de cocoa, milk, whipped cream and
nutmeg. Let the imbiber beware.
Links:
http://www.channelislandso.com/
Will Richards, by appointment only, 201 Bird Park Road,
Avalon, tel (858) 922-5283
Labels: Avalon, Catalina, Catalina Airport, Catalina Island Conservancy, Catalina Island Museum, Channel Islands, eco-tourism, island trekking, Paula Sweet, Rusack Vineyards, The Avalon Hotel, The Inn on Mt. Ada
