OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS
To enhance your 2008 convention and California experience,
weÕve organized optional excursions to two remarkable and appealing destinations
in the Southern California area. The price of these trips is not included in
your convention package price. Sign up separately (and soon), as only
pre-registered ticket holders will be allowed on the bus and/or boat.
OPTIONAL EXCURSION #1
The Nethercutt Collection – Saturday, September 20,
2008 nethercuttcollection.org
(Buses depart at 9:00am and 12:30am)
$30/per person (Includes admission and bus
transportation)
Begun in 1956, the Museum is a
world class treasure house of prize winning automobiles, automobilia,
mechanical musical instruments and antique furniture. It is the lifeÕs work of J.B. Nethercutt, founder of Merle
Norman cosmetics. The heart of
this Òfunctional fine artÓ collection is 200 meticulously restored American and
European automobiles date from 1898 to 1982. Unique to automobile museums, every car in the Nethercutt
Collection starts and drives, as if brand new. The entire collection display
spans over 60,000 square feet in two magnificent facilities, including one of
the worldÕs top automotive research libraries.
Of special interest to AAPRCO
members, the Collection also houses a restored 1912 Pullman Railcar and a 1937
royal Canadian Pacific Locomotive.
The Museum is dedicated to the
acquisition, preservation, perpetuation, and exhibition of historically
important vehicles and memorabilia for public viewing and education. We will
arrange a guided tour of the Museum, and youÕll return to Union Station in
plenty of time for the evening cocktail reception in Trax Garden.
OPTIONAL EXCURSION #2
Catalina Island Boat Trip – Tuesday, September 23,
2008
(Boat departs San Pedro at 12:00 Noon)
(Boat departs Catalina Island at TBD for return trip to San Pedro)
$110/per person (Includes roundtrip boat transportation)
ÒTwenty-six miles across the sea,
Santa Catalina is waiting for me.Ó – and for you! Take a 60- minute cruise on a sleek
catamaran and disembark in quaint and friendly Avalon, where you can see and
tour the many buildings and landmarks that dot the town and are filled with Catalina
IslandÕs rich history. Here are just a few of them:
The Catalina Casino is without a doubt Catalina IslandÕs most recognizable
landmark. The round, Art Deco structure rises the equivalent of 12
stories, and is surrounded by the sea on three sides. Built in 1929, the
Casino – which is actually not a gambling hall but Òplace of entertainmentÓ
– 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 Glenn 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 coves of Avalon Bay where
seals, dolphins, and brightly-colored fish are usually found splashing about in
the clear waters. You can see the inside of the Casino Building on one of the
walking tours.
The Casino Art Gallery, Avalon
Theatre, and Catalina Island Museum are also
located in the Casino Building, on the lower level. Open daily, the
Museum boasts an outstanding collection of archaeological material excavated on
the island, as well as historic photographs, displays, and Catalina
pottery. During
the month of September, the museum features the country's largest exhibition of
Catalina pottery & tile, along with tile walking tours. You can discover the island's
colorful heritage of locally-made pottery & tile from 1927 to 1937 and
indulge in a rare opportunity to view unique pieces loaned from private
collections.
The Tuna Club was founded in 1898, and is the oldest fishing club in the
United States. The clubÕs main goals were to elevate the sport of fishing
to its highest possible standard, and for the protection of the game fish of
Southern California.
Located on the edge of Avalon Bay,
the Tuna Club is a California Historical Landmark and is on the National
Registry of Historical Places. Many notable dignitaries and personalities
have been members of the Tuna Club, including Theodore Roosevelt, Winston
Churchill, Cecil B. DeMille, Charlie Chaplin, and Bing Crosby.
Green Pleasure Pier Originally owned by the Banning brothers, who formed the
Santa Catalina Island Company in 1894, Avalon flourished as both a tourist
resort and fishermanÕs 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 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
AvalonÕs 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 CommerceÕs 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.
Catalina Country Club & Golf
Course was the site where (for 30 years, with
only a brief break during the war years), William Wrigley Jr.Õs baseball team,
the Chicago Cubs, came 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 teamÕs 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 not only a restaurant and bar, but a
great display of Chicago Cubs memorabilia.
Zane Grey Pueblo Hotel is where, in 1926, author Zane Grey built a home on the
hillside overlooking Avalon Bay. He spent most of his later life in
Avalon writing and fishing. His home is now a hotel that still includes
some of GreyÕs original furnishings.
Inn on Mt. Ada is a six-room private bed and breakfast inn and the only
hotel on Catalina Island to be awarded the Four-Star Award by Mobil Travel
Guide. Located on top of Mt. Ada, the inn boasts breathtaking views of
Avalon Bay and the town of Avalon. Built in 1921, it is the former home of
chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. The Georgian colonial style
inn has been meticulously restored and furnished to represent the time that the
Wrigley family lived in the house. It is listed in the National Register
of Historic Places. If you want to
have lunch at the Inn, you must make reservations well in advance. Call 310-510-2030.
Chimes Tower was built in 1925 and was presented as a gift to the town
of Avalon by Mrs. Ada Wrigley. Located up and across from the Zane Grey
Pueblo Hotel, the chimes have been tolling on the quarter of the hour between
8:00am and 8:00pm since 1925.
