Old Fort MacArthur Days - 12 JUL 2014

This was the 28th Anniversary of this fundraising event and the 100th Anniversary of Fort MacArthur (San Pedro, CA).
Considered one of the longest running Living History events in Southern California...
...this is the place to see fighting armor, military history buffs, and reenactors, representing all of recorded history.
The last time I attended this event was in 2009, when the hill along Roxbury Street held the overnight campers.
This time, that area held three times the campers, plus they were spread out all along W Paseo Del Mar.
Besides an increase in overnight reenactors, there were many more families (people with children dressed in period cloths).
There were several merchants selling vintage items.
I love attending as soon as they open, when there are more reenactors than visitors and better opportunity to get photos without modern day people in the background.
I only stayed long enough to witness one WWII battle...
...complete with a P-51 flyover.
Use the links to check out previous Old Fort Days:

Waterfront Los Angeles - 20 June 2014

Aerial View from www.portoflosangeles.org
Today was the official unveiling of the new Port of Los Angeles Downtown Harbor and Town Square on the LA Waterfront.
I have a running joke...when someone asks me where I live, I say, "That depends. If it is something good it's called 'The Port of Los Angeles,' if it's bad, it's called 'San Pedro', man." (And it is pronounced Peedro, not Paidro.)
Even Children Don't Trust a Mine
What was once a parking lot, located on Harbor Blvd. (between 5th and 6th St.), is now a harbor inlet surrounded with a public plaza/pedestrian promenade. The modifications to Berths 84-86 included three long docks that have the ability to berth 4-6 tall ships.
There is an official art piece called "The Ship Chandler" which is a 9'x12' cabin comprised of salvage materials. The cabin is locked but offers several windows for people to peck into the past and see old shipping artifacts and nautical items.
Congresswoman Janice Hahn
There was live surf music from the San Pedro band The Riptides...
...food and beverage booths...
...youth sailing demonstrations...
...the usual 'Dignitary' back-patting...
...and (my favorite) a fire boat water display.
One of the upcoming community events will be on August 1st at 7:00 PM, with a free showing of the movie "Big" projected from a floating barge.
Visit www.lawaterfront.org to find an interactive map  with 54 items of interest in the LA Waterfront.
I Love L.A.!