Catalina Island: Vibrant Off-Season, San Diego Union-Tribune

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SUNDAY • OCTOBER 18, 2015

Vibrant off-season Birthday couple discover the only things missing on Catalina Island in December are the crowds

JOANNE DIBONA

The historic Avalon Casino on Catalina Island. In the off-season, the crowds are gone and the island is quiet. BY JOANNE DIBONA

B

eing born in December has its many challenges as far as birthday celebrations go. Your special day somehow gets swallowed up in the competition of an entire month of holiday revelry. This is why my husband Tony and I love to “escape” on travel for our birthdays, which are just a few days apart in early December.

JOANNE DIBONA

Island Spa Catalina is located in the historic El Encanto building.

Selecting a vacation getaway in the winter months can be a challenging task, as inclement weather and transportation delays are ever-present. As I was pondering where to celebrate Tony’s landmark birthday, fate intervened. I came across a photo of us, taken decades ago, holding hands on a summit overlooking the town of Avalon on Catalina Island. It was late October and the image showed us basking in a golden sun that cast a magical glow on the town’s picturesque harbor behind us. That did it; Avalon was where we would create our birthday memories. Catalina Express, a year-round ferry service to Avalon that departs from the California port cities of Dana Point, Long Beach and San Pedro, offers a free round-trip fare if you travel on your birthday (you have 30 days to return).

As is often the case on such trips, half the fun was getting there. During our one-hour sail across the channel, we smiled at frolicking dolphins leaping at our ship’s bow, marveled at a pod of gray whales breaching in the distance, chuckled at the antics of the vocal sea lions that make this region their home, and delighted in watching the many pelicans and numerous other sea birds demonstrate their fishing skills. We docked a mere two blocks from Avalon’s main street and easily wheeled our luggage to the Pavilion Hotel, a meticulously restored beachfront property nestled among landscaped tropical gardens. That afternoon, as we sipped wine and nibbled on appetizers during the hotel’s courtesy happy hour, it dawned on us: Catalina off-season is the perfect time for a visit. SEE CATALINA • E11

COOPERSTOWN: YES, IT’S BASEBALL BUT SO MUCH MORE Lush village in upstate New York has kept its charm amid the hoopla over sports history BY CHRIS ERSKINE Nothing I had read about this famed village prepared me for such a Shangri-La. The place is as lush as your lettuce bin and rests on the lower lip of a Dodgerblue lake graced with kayaks and canoes. Take away its vaunted National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and you would still have an uncommonly alluring destination. In winter, Cooperstown is as dormant as baseball itself. Come April, its rolling lawns and surrounding orchards bounce back to life. Anglers ply Otsego Lake

and hikers pick blueberries. There are craft breweries and little creeks on which to fly-fish. But late September is perhaps its grandest season. With playoffs beckoning, baseball matters more; the apples are ripe and summer crowds have fled. Idyllic yet energized by a constant stream of baseball junkies, Cooperstown should be painted in pinstripes. James Fenimore Cooper's father founded this village in 1786; about 50 years later, Abner Doubleday laid the groundwork for a promising new sport. In 1939, the museum opened. Then, somehow, it’s as

though time stopped. Thank the gods, sports and otherwise. “Baseball is ballet without music,” sportscaster Ernie Harwell once said. Cooperstown is one of its grandest stages, with activities — baseball and otherwise — as plentiful as the surrounding sugar maples that are beginning to show their fall colors.

Scouting gems from history Strolling down Main Street here is like entering a Saturday Evening Post cover — with a few thousand other travelers. Visitors pack the center of town in summer, less so now — all the more reason for an autumn trip. Still, even on Baseball Hall of Fame induction week in late SEE COOPERSTOWN • E12

THISISCOOPERSTOWN.COM

Main Street in Cooperstown is packed with visitors in the summer months. Memorabilia shops offer trading cards, pins and even custom-made bats.


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Tijuana Tequila Expo 2015: Ending today. One of Mexico’s largest tequila events features tequila tastings, food, music and dance each day. $6 admission; tastes are extra. Avenida Revolución and Seventh Street, Tijuana. expo-tequila.com, or facebook.com/expo.tequilatijuana Ensenada: Trova Festival: Ending today. Originally a form of Cuban folk music from the 19th century, trova has been embraced by other Latin cultures. Ensenada’s Trova Festival will feature nearly 20 notable artists such as Fernando Delgadillo, Raúl Ornelas, Edgar Oceransky, Alejandro Santiago, Edél Juárez, Miguel Inzunza, Gerardo Pablo and Ferra. In addition to concert performances, the festival will include workshops, lectures and more activities. General admission is about $20 per day (converted from pesos); $40 three days. Foro Coincidir, Calle Iturbide No. 888, Colonia Obrera, Ensenada. facebook.com/coincidirforo Baja California Missions Trip: Oct. 20-29. Local tour company Discover Baja Travel Club is inviting all to join them for an excursion with David Kier to visit the Spanish Missions of Baja California and other historical and archaeological sites along the peninsula. David Kier is a co-author of “The Old Missions of Baja & Alta California 1697-1834.” $2,095 per person includes roundtrip transportation from San Diego and all expenses; complete itinerary is posted on the tour company website. (800) 727-2252 or discoverbaja.com Tecate: The Baja Kitchen Dinner: 3:30 p.m. Oct. 24. Food enthusiasts are invited to enjoy culinary demonstrations and a gourmet sixcourse meal paired with Valle de Guadalupe wines and regional craft beer. Notable chefs participating in the farm-to-table meal, hosted by Troy Johnson, include Ryan Steyn, Chad White, Mariela Manzano, Matin San Roman, Drew Deckman and Rancho La Puerta’s La Cocina Que Canta executive chef Denise Roa. $160 per person includes round-trip transportation from San Diego. Toll-free from the U.S. (877) 440-7772, or thebajakitchen.com

CATALINA • Couple enjoyed jeep and hiking tours in the outback FROM E10 Gone are the crowds that flock to this famous destination during the peak summer months. In its place is a quiet, relaxing and infinitely romantic town, where you can do as much, or as little, as you like. There is no lack of off-season activities on the island. You can fly high on a zip line, kayak along the coast, scoot around town in a golf cart, hike or bike through town or on the magnificent Trans-Catalina trail, tour the famous Casino, or marvel at the underwater kelp forest and colorful fish from a glass-bottom boat — and that’s for starters. In our case, soothing our minds, bodies and spirits was high on our list. So, as a special birthday surprise, I arranged an afternoon spa retreat for us at the Island Spa Catalina, located in the former historic El Encanto building. The classic Catalina architecture of this building provided the perfect backdrop for a state-ofthe-art, beautifully designed spa that boasts luxurious ocean-view treatment rooms and lounges, as well as an outdoor soaking pool and multilevel decks. Tony’s deep-tissue massage included a unique hot sand therapy treatment, and I indulged in a “sea-oflife” facial that featured a cleansing mask made from plants and herbs indigenous to the island. Afterward, we napped on the spa’s spectacular veranda that overlooks the harbor, waking up from our slumber just in time to see the waning afternoon sun cast a glow over the hills surrounding Avalon. The next morning, feeling relaxed and rejuvenated, we embraced our next adventure: a three-hour Catalina Island Conservancy jeep tour into the island’s hinterland. Having never been further than the Catalina airport in terms of exploring the backcountry, we were excited to experience the “rest” of Catalina Island that the average visitor does not see. And nor had we — until now. We were greeted by our guide for the day, naturalist Scott Moyse, who has been leading visitors through Catalina’s pristine and protected natural environment (kept intact by the

If you go

JOANNE DIBONA

A view of the jaw-dropping landscapes at Little Harbor on Catalina Island. Catalina Island Conservancy) for years. Formed in 1972, the Conservancy is one of California’s oldest land trusts, with the goal of protecting 42,000 acres of land, 62 miles of rugged shoreline and more than 80 miles of trails on the island. Scott’s jeep tour was the ride of a lifetime. We bounced along backcountry trails, hugged narrow ridges with dizzying drops to the rocky coastline below, ventured off-road to view jawdropping landscapes at Little Harbor and Cottonwood Beach, and even happened upon Rusack Vineyards, a Tuscan-style winery nestled in this remote and wildly untouched region on the western shore. The crisp winter atmosphere afforded us crystal clear views onto the Southern California mainland and dazzling snowcapped mountains beyond, as well as onto the islands of San Clemente, Santa Barbara and several of the eight islands that comprise the Channel Islands archipelago. As we rode along, Scott gave us a fascinating account of the history and development of Catalina Island, from its beginnings some 8,000 years ago when the Native Americans thrived in its environment, to the influx of Spanish, Russian and American explorers (and entrepreneurs) who molded the island’s development over the centuries. Eager to learn more about Catalina’s rich history, we spent the afternoon at the Catalina Island Museum, located in the iconic Catalina Casino. In addition

to exhibits that chronicle the history of Catalina Island, which include detailed accounts of Hollywood’s many movie stars who frolicked on Catalina’s shores over the decades, the museum also features displays of the famed Catalina pottery and tile manufactured in the 1920s and ’30s. The distinctive tiles adorn many of the buildings, fountains and walkways in Avalon to this day. We weren’t able to resist yet another venture into the island’s glorious outback, so the next day, we booked a hiking tour with Catalina Backcountry. The company’s affable and knowledgeable guides led us through a three-hour nature tour that afforded us some wonderful panoramic views over the terrain, as well as a few exciting glimpses of the island’s renowned bison, brought to the hills of Catalina in 1924. Alas, we didn’t get a glimpse of any of the 22 bald eagles on the island (the population of which was almost wiped out in the 1970s due to DDT poisoning). Thanks to Catalina’s conservation efforts, we were thankful in the knowledge that they were thriving, propagating and slowly making a comeback. We spent our last evening in Avalon attending the annual Holiday Symphony Concert at the Catalina Casino Theatre. An ensemble from the Stanford University Symphony Orchestra mesmerized the audience with a moving program of Mozart’s most beloved works, embellished by outstanding acoustics

Getting there There are several transportation options from the Southern California mainland to Catalina Island, including helicopter service. Catalina Express, www.catalinaexpress.com, (800) 995-4386, offered a convenient schedule for our needs. And who can resist a free round-trip birthday cruise? Accommodations Explore a wide range of accommodations as well as other visitor information on the Catalina Chamber of Commerce website, www.catalinachamber.com, (310) 510-1520. The lovingly restored beachside Pavilion Hotel, (310) 5102500, offers stylish, well-appointed rooms in a lush garden setting as well as a complimentary breakfast buffet and evening cheese and wine tastings. We spent a romantic evening at the Aurora Hotel & Spa, (310) 510-0454, a modern and sleek boutique hotel set atop a hill just minutes from downtown Avalon. The roof deck commands a panoramic view of the harbor and downtown Avalon. A substantial breakfast buffet is included in the room price, and in-house massage and spa options are available. Dining Avalon may be a small town, but it boasts a big city foodie scene. Some 30 restaurants offer a wide variety of cuisine to satisfy any taste. Tony’s birthday dinner was celebrated in the Avalon Grille, (310) 510-7494, at the foot of Avalon’s Green Pier. We savored fresh mahi mahi on corn and fava bean purée, succulent scallops atop creamy celery root, and a roasted mixed beet salad with pistachio dressing. We toasted to another year of health and happiness with the restaurant’s signature Wrigley Martini, based on a 1950s recipe. Instead of birthday cake, we opted for a decadently delicious peanut butter cheesecake with pretzel crust. I chose to celebrate my special day with a lunch at Bluewater Avalon Restaurant, (310) 510-3474. We dined outside on the deck with a picture-perfect view on the Casino and harbor. Our meal was a seafood lover’s delight (all sustainably caught) consisting of fried calamari, scallop and shrimp skewers, and creamy seafood pasta. JOANNE DIBONA

and the theater’s art deco ambience. Hand in hand, Tony and I left the theater and walked along Casino Way, past the shimmering stars in the winter sky above, along Avalon’s main street resplendent with twinkling holiday lights, and quietly

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6:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. 7:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Balboa & Genesee Ave 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

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7:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

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Peter Rowe,The San Diego Union-Tribune George Varga,The San Diego Union-Tribune Steve Breen,The San Diego Union-Tribune

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10601 Tierrasanta Blvd (at Starbucks) Bridget Naso, NBC 7 San Diego

Horton Plaza (at Starbucks) 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Omari Fleming, NBC 7 San Diego

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esday, Oct. 20 u T s r a t s e es h t r o f

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DiBona is a freelance travel writer and photographer.

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celebrated our new year of life in this precious jewel of a destination — a mere 22 miles off the Southern California coast. Birthdays just don’t get any better than this.

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E11

SUNDAY • OCTOBER 18, 2015


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