High over Mt. Baldy

San Gabriel Mountains, LA basin & Catalina Island (Winter 2013)

My son took this photo with his iPhone during his soaring flight over Mt. Baldy (and "enhanced" it a bit.)

At the Glass Chapel - Now & Then

The Tower by the Glass (Wayfarers) Chapel (which is hidden by the trees)

Tower Completed
1954

 The glass chapel was designed by Lloyd Wright, the son of Frank Lloyd. I found the 1954 photo of the chapel with tower in the Visitor Center building of this Swedenborgian Church with the following caption: "The tower, sidewalks, berm planting stonewalls and Reflection Pool were constructed. Lloyd Wright called the tower a "Hallelujah" with a sense of upraised hands in celebration. The bells were added in 1978."

Fun before the summer ends...

Last Sunday, we headed off for an annual day trip to Catalina Island. It's a good way to end the summer. Jet skiing was the favorite activity for the younger set. And today, it's back-to-school time in Palos Verdes.

In Avalon, Catalina Island

"Old Ben" sea lion, "residing" on the South Side of Avalon Bay, sculpted orignianlly in concrete in 1975 by Stanley Rosin, and which was then replaced in 1986 by this bronze statue made from Rosin's original mold by students at the College of the Desert in Palm Desert.

Sillouette for Sunday

The fennel plants, cargo ship and Catalina Island - photographed at the back of Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall.

PV is having a bad-hair day...mostly cloudy, no blue skies.

We Are With the Band

Musician triplets (or at least it seemed so - note the young man in the left corner), enjoying a sunny day in Avalon, Catalina Island (30 August 2010)

Inside St. Catherine of Alexandria Church on Santa Catalina Island

Santa Catalina de Alejandria 28.XI.1602

"The first European to set foot on the island was Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, sailing for Spain. On October 7, 1542, he claimed the island for Spain and christened it San Salvador after his ship (Catalina has also been identified as one of the many possible burial sites for Cabrillo). Over half a century later, another Spanish explorer, Sebastian Vizcaino, rediscovered the island on the eve of Saint Catherine's day (November 24) in 1602. Vizcaino renamed the island in the saint's honor." [Ref. Wikipedia]

The beauty and tranquility inside the church is in large part due to the stained glass windows -- bringing the outside scenes, especially those of the nearby ocean, indoors.

Day Tripping - Catalina on the Last Day of Summer

School starts tomorrow for Palos Verdes School District...That was one short summer, and if you don't believe me, just ask my son. We went on our annual day trip to Avalon on Catalina Island today, and as always, it was a lovely warm and peaceful day (except for the others during the time they jet skied).

The Casino (never a gambling place) is a the best known Catalina landmark.

The Avlon bay looking from the Casino side. Up on the hill is the Wrigley Mansion, which is now an exclusive B&B and very private property, not allowing any day trippers a peak... which is not surprising since the guests pay a minimum $450 a night.

The little beach at Avalon with our stuff by the palm trees. "Hello, down there." Taken from th road to the old Wrigley Mansion.

"T" is for Tenderness (abc Wednesday)

View of the Pacific and Catalina Island from Pt. Fermin Park in PV adjacent San Pedro.
Join & view all the "T"s on ABC Wednesday.

"26 Miles Across the Sea, Santa Catalina is A-waitin' for..."

My lucky son took these photos on his flight over Catalina Island today. (I had so stay home so it was just him and his flight instructor viewing this amazing scenery.)

Looking NW, past the Isthmus toward the northern tip

"Twenty- six miles across the sea
Santa Catalina is a-waitin' for me
Santa Catalina, the island of romance, romance, romance, romance

Water all around it everywhere
Tropical trees and the salty air
But for me the thing that's a-waitin' there-romance..." 26 Miles by The Four Preps, recorded in 1958

The Isthmus of Santa Catalina (with the white Bird Rock).

The cliffs on the "hidden side", the coast not facing the mainland.

Briefing to Ride - Jetskiing at Catalina Island

Last Days of Summer Vacation

From last Wednesday's trip to Catalina Island (a bit of it is shown on the second photo). My son and his friend got to experience parasailing for the first time.
We are still having extremely hot days and the fires in the hills northeast of LA are still raging. Karin, our foothills hiker, is giving updates and a personal perspective of coping so close to blaze in
Altadena Hiker.

Moody Skywatch Friday

A mile south from the masion I posted on Wednesday, from a roadside turnoff on PV Drive West, the lighthouse and Catalina Island come into view. The lighting conditions provide a rare view of the hillside details of the island.

Tranquility

View from the Wayfarer's Chapel looking toward Catalina Island showing thru the mist.

'V' is for Vista (abc Wednesday)

My friend L. and I walked above the Pacific Ocean along the cliffs in San Pedro (on the South East side of PV peninsula) last Sunday. These are the tide pools at Pt. Fermin coastal access and on the horizon is Catalina Island, about 30 miles off the coast.



Join ABC Wednesday - Round3 here. Or click on the side bar for this week's anthology. Thank you, Mrs. Nesbitt.

Pacific afternoon (Sky Watch Friday)

Catalina Island and Pacific Ocean from end of Pacific St., San Pedro.
Views of the Pacific Ocean from the park by the Whale Watching Station, in Rancho PV.

Visit the Sky Watch Friday Home Page and see the other participants from around the globe.