It’s a Holiday Season by By Photographer and Contributor Steve Tabor
Terranea Resort Kicks off the Holiday Season
With Thanksgiving clearly in the rear-view mirror and Christmas just around the corner, it is time to officially kick off the holiday season, and the Annual Tree Lighting and United States Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Toy Drive at Terranea Resort, did just that. After weeks of preparations, Ralph Grippo, President of Terranea Resort, and his staff transformed their seaside resort into a holiday wonderland with a warm welcome to one and all.
Melvin Robert, South Bay native and Entertainment Anchor for the KTLA News Team, served as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening’s live entertainment and other activities.
The evening began with a selection of Christmas Carols by the Joanna Medawar Nachef Singers. After taking the stage, they quickly began enlisting the voices of the youngsters and those young at heart on the plaza to accompany them and invited the children in the audience to join them on stage.
As daylight gave way to twilight and darkness fell on the Resort, Grippo, Robert, and a contingent of USMC’s representatives, were joined by Mr. and Mrs. Claus on the outdoor stage to begin the countdown to light the tree. As the switch was pressed, with the sounds and feeling of excitement in the air, the tree lights illuminated the smiles on the faces of those gathered around the tree.
With the tree aglow the Resort became abuzz with activities. Songstresses Olivia Pucci and Louise V. took the stage and continued to fill the air with their seasonal music selections.
With parents, and in some cases, extended family members, children quickly lined up for an opportunity to share Christmas lists with Santa Claus. Mrs. Claus took advantage of the opportunity to mix and mingle with guests to assist Santa with determining who should be on the Naughty and Nice List. Others gathered around the tree to take a snapshot to include in their Christmas card or social media post. Some guests were happy to take a moment to share a cup from the hot chocolate bar or an adult beverage to enjoy the spirit of the holidays.
Adding to the charm of the evening on the Cove Terrance Lawn and in the lobby of the Marineland Ballroom were a variety of activities for children and adults. Outside, Magic Castle veterans, Alex Kazaam and Aidan Corcoran, took to the stage amazing onlookers with slight-of-hand and other illusions. Guests were treated to excepts from the Nutcracker by the San Pedro Ballet Company. Balloon artists amazed children as they twisted and turned balloons into animals and other objects. The Terranea Express train rides, face painting, and posting letters to Santa were additional activities for children and parents.
In the lobby of the Marineland Ballroom, Santa’s Workshop was open to those wishing to “Build a Bear,” decorate Christmas ornaments, and an opportunity to sit for a caricature drawing.
At the Gingerbread Lounge, guests lined up for hot chocolate, seasonal beverages, and a selection of seasonal treats while enjoying the lounge and outside patio.
Wandering through the crowd it became very apparent that the celebration was not exclusively for Resort guests. Many attendees were residents of the Peninsula and surrounding areas as well as the greater Los Angeles area. They shared a variety of reasons for their visit, which could easily be summarized as “a chance to enjoy the holiday season at an incredibly beautiful location.”
The same sentiments were true for the Resort’s employees. No matter the length of time at the Resort, they referred to the evening as one they look forward to each year and genuinely enjoy spending their evening with their peers and visitors.
As the evening wound down, I had an opportunity to spend a brief moment with Santa, who shared, “I want you to be sure that you extend our holiday greetings to each of your readers. Please remind them that I do not finalize my ‘Naughty and Nice List’ until Christmas Eve. So, they need to be sure to be good for goodness sake.”
The Gingerbread Lounge is open evenings through January 4th. Terranea will continue celebrating the holidays with activities through New Year’s Day. The Resort will feature two movie screenings of the “Piney: The Lonesome Pine” with a book signing and the holiday favorite, “Elf”. Breakfast with Santa will take place on December 20th. Also, a reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Clement-Clark Moore will take place in the Lounge on Christmas Eve. The Resort is hosting two New Years Eve celebrations: The Grand Tour: NYE Family Dinner and Gatsby’s Golden Gala: NYE Extravaganza. For a complete list of scheduled activities visit: terranea.com.
Steve Tabor
This South Bay native’s photographic journey began after receiving his first 35 mm film camera upon earning his Bachelor of Arts degree. As a classroom teacher he used photography to share the world and his experiences with his students. Steve began his photography career photographing coastal landscapes and marine life. His experiences have led him to include portraits and group photography, special event photography as well as live performance and athletics in his portfolio. As a contributor and photojournalist, he has published stories about the people, places and events in and around the Palos Verdes Peninsula and beyond.
Interested in seeing more of Steve’s work, visit website at: www.stevetaborimages.com