Black Tie NYE @ The Casino Ballroom | Catalina Island, California

Video Description

We usually stick close to home on New Year’s Eve—ending the year with friends at a local bar or maybe a party. But, last year, we decided to do something different. After visiting Santa Catalina Island in 2022 and taking a tour of the historic Catalina Casino, we decided to return for the 50th annual New Year's Eve gala celebration held in the glamorous Casino Ballroom, a black-tie optional celebration where we could ring in the new year in style. 0:00 Catalina Express Ferry 1:53 Arriving at Avalon 2:25 Hotel Atwater 3:37 Walking Around Town 4:14 Getting Dressed / My Thoughts on Black Tie 6:15 Dinner and Dancing at The Casino Ballroom 7:48 Happy New Year! 9:11 New Year's Day / The Journey Home Black tie. Black tie dress code. New Years Eve. NYE. Tuxedo. Classic menswear. Catalina Island. California. Avalon. Casino Ballroom. New Years Eve outfits for men. Black-tie optional, Dinner suit, Dinner jacket, Champagne Our New Year adventure started with a bagel and lox breakfast at the coffee importers at Dana Point Harbor in Orange County, California. When it was time to leave, we made our way over to the dock to board the Catalina Express, a ferry that would take us to Avalon, about 22 miles south-by-southwest of the Port of Los Angeles. The trip takes about an hour and a half and, if you sit toward the back of the boat like we did, it’s relatively smooth. Though, we took Dramamine about 45 minutes ahead of time to prevent motion sickness, just in case. When we arrived at the resort community of Avalon, it was lively with visitors wandering around the town, checking out the shops and attractions. Christmas decor lingered and added to the charm. People get around either by foot or by golf cart, as cars are a rarity here. We stayed at the Hotel Atwater, a stylish, historic building that originally opened in 1920, built under the direction of William Wrigley Jr. and named after his son’s wife, Helen Atwater Wrigley. The hotel was recently remodeled in 2019, sits in the heart of Avalon about a block from the beach and has been our go-to in Avalon, so far. We checked in and then grabbed some coffee at the hotel Bistro before heading to our room. This is the Classic Queen room which is a bit smaller than the Classic King that we stayed in a year ago; however, I actually prefer the open layout and design of the Classic Queen. Our room came with two complimentary mini bottles of sparkling wine so we started our celebrating early. Cheers. After settling in, we took a stroll around town. The pace in Avalon is slow but there are plenty of unique shops, restaurants and bars to visit as well as a mini-golf course, an arcade with vintage video games and a mini bowling alley. Of course, some of the main attractions are the beaches, beautiful views and outdoor activities like hiking and zip-lining. We found a local radio station, KISL 88.7 FM, that was playing great vintage yacht rock and looks like it hasn’t changed for several decades. Avalon has many hidden treasures to be found if you’re looking. A while back, I decided that I would like to have one proper black-tie ensemble at the ready for occasions that call for nothing less. Even though my lifestyle in Southern California calls for casual dress about 95% of the time, there are still those special events that require a fella to step up and look the part. For me, throwing something together at the last minute is just asking for trouble. Weirdly, once I did have my first tuxedo, the occasions and invitations began to arise more often. It’s funny how that works. Now, if you spend some time looking into the etiquette and traditions of black-tie attire, you’ll quickly find that there are rather rigid guidelines to the dress code and there isn’t a lot of wiggle room for self expression—especially for men. This is for good cause. However, when it comes to the black-tie OPTIONAL dress code, for better or worse, the rules loosen up quite a bit. Add New Year’s Eve to the mix and, well, pretty-much anything goes at that point. But since I’ve been enjoying the process of refining my black-tie ensemble for the last couple of years, I decided to go fairly traditional for this event. In my opinion, classic black-tie isn’t about standing out, impressing people or looking fancy, rich or flashy. Rather, it’s all about showing respect for the formality of an occasion as well as donning an elegant if not somewhat generic look that serves as a backdrop for the real star of the show, that beautiful special someone on your arm. Looking snazzy, we caught a shuttle to the Catalina Casino, where people were already lined up, dressed up and ready to party. It didn’t take long until we found our way into the ballroom and were directed to our table. The elegant architecture of the ballroom and the festive decor made it feel as though we had been transported into the set of a classic film from the golden age. #vlog #lifestyle #blacktie #tuxedo #catalina #menswear #classicmenswear