From page 5
may have never have been to a
candlelight dinner at the Ristorante
Villa Portofino or taken a roman-
tic stroll on the Green Pier, but
plenty of their progeny have.
As long as there have been
people on the planet, February has
been the month wherein the Sun
shines for significantly longer than
the shortest days in December.
Young and old alike, we feel
the change and we instinctively
become more hopeful about the
future. We are reminded of the
power of love and romance in our
life. It becomes time again to take
a chance and reach out to one we
love, no matter whom we are and
-they might be.
And so in February, we have
Valentine's Day and a way for us
to express to someone that we not
only care about them, but how
wonderful life is with them in the
world. We express our Valentine's
Day thoughts and feelings in dif-
ferent ways at various stages of
our life. We are taught about it
though, from an early age.
Kindergarten school children
are often encouraged to exchange
Valentine's Day cards with class-
mates, not as a romantic expres.
sion, but to acknowledge that we
are all potential friends. In a per-
fect world, everyone in kindergar-
ten would get a Valentine's Day
card from someone and share in
the goodwill that signifies "The
Love Month?'
Fast-forward to adulthood and
Valentine's Day, and how it is
expressed takes on many forms.
Most of all, it is an opportunity
-b for grownups to show they.are not
too busy, too rich or too poor to
take the time to tell someone they
are special in some romantic way.
In our Corner of the world, there
seems to be an infinite number of
ways to celebrate Valentine's Day
and the spirit of what it stands
for.
That being said, Valentine's
Day offers a challenge for every-
one to express the holiday in his
or her own way.
For some folks, a gift of dia-
monds is the only thing that Will
cut it for Valentine's Day. One man
might give his wife an affordable
diamond each year they are mar-
ried. Such a gesture is usually
seen as very romantic.
It also ensures the couple has
a dependable nest egg. Who says
you can't be practical and roman-
tic at the same time? Besides, the
universe is full of paradoxes that
work side by side. Why else would
opposites attract?
For some, Valentine's Day
means going out and enjoying
some kind of romantic activ-
ity. This could be as simple as a
moonlight walk along the sand
at Descanso Beach. If the tide is
right, you might catch a glimpse
of Marilyn Monroe's spirit still
walking along the water's edge
there, as ~ome Say they have.
As it would still be February,
the night air is still a little chilly.
So what else will you do but hold
each other tight?
You might like to take an eve-
ning cruise with friends to Two
Harbors and toast the night with
champagne at the Harbor Reef
restaurant.
A romantic evening for some
peop!e might mean locking up
thehoUse or condo and making
in
Avalon Commiunity Tfeatre is ready to perform "Arsenic and Old Lace" in the Casino Theatre on Sunday, Feb. 10. The cast is made up
of all adults in the Awlon community. The evening will include a pre-curtain VIP party with hors d'ouvres prepared by Avalon's Chef Greg
of Island Caterers ant an open bar for beer and wine. Admission is $35 for adults and $20 for for students. The cost for the show only
is $15. There will alsobe a silent auction. The money raised from the event will go toward Avalon students to be able to visit Broadway
this summer in the pngram titled "Avalon Goes Back to Broadway." Seen above is a recent dress rehearsal. For more information, call
(310) 510-1745.
Photo by Renee Pantoja
reservations for a hotel, or other
hideaway for the night. Perhaps
your idea of rommce is to take
a trip overtown f~r the evening.
You'll go to a phce where you
don't have to worr' about making
up the bedding il the morning
and there is eithe room service
at your fingertip~, or you could
bring your own botle of wine and
preferred snacks. 3r perhaps you
take a trip to the nainland stay at
the bed and breakfast suite offered
by O'Malley's on Main in Seal
Beach.
Such a rendezvous could be
preceded by a night on the town.
You could hire a lime and ride
to a classy entertainment venue
such as the Cerritos Center for
the Performing Arts--what some
refer to as the Carnegie Hall of
west OrangeCounty. Afterwards,
perhaps you go for a nightcap
at a place that has music, and if
your feet are still happy you can
twinkle your toes together on the
light fantastic.
Romance may also have its
whimsical side. For some, a
Valentine's Day date could be as
simple as a romantic evening at
home in Avalon and in the morn-
ing, leaving one red rose on a
pillow with a card that says just
three words.
For this Valentine's Day edition
of OC Prime, we'll help you figure
out what those words should be.
THE CATALINA ISLANDER Friday, February 8, 2013 ! 11
