Tag Archives: REDONDO BEACH

Go Fly A Kite

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“True courage is like a kite;
a contrary wind raises it higher.”
John Petit-Senn

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Today is the 42nd Annual Redondo Beach Kite Festival at the Redondo Beach Pier. It’s a spectacular festival for kite lovers and is also Southern California’s longest running kite festival. As an avid kite connoisseur, I must say the variety of kites are spectacular.

I’ve enjoyed kite flying since I was a little girl and up into my adult life. When my son was born, I had several of my old large kites decorating his bedroom ceiling and walls.

My son’s favorite super hero is Superman. I remember when my son was four years old I bought him a very cool Superman kite. When we would fly this kite, the kite would sway up in the sky just like a flying Superman.

The last time we flew the Superman kite it was a rather windy day in the park and my young son kept wanting me to hand him the kite for him to fly. I reluctantly handed him the kite string holder when a big wind kicked up. My son released the Superman kite and the kite disappeared over some houses near the park. We both ran where we believed the kite had landed, and fortunately were able to get the kite down from a tree. The kite was badly damaged. Later when we got home, I was able to piece the kite back together, but we never flew the kite again. For many years my son saved the Superman kite, but I think he eventually parted with his favorite kite.

If you have young children or grandchildren, you might want to give kite flying a try. And if you’re looking for a cheap and entertaining hobby to share with young children, I say, go fly a kite.

Shine On

Days Gone By

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“Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and
the thrill of creative effort.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt

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Most Angelenos may not know, but for generations Los Angeles has been renowned as one of the world’s great mural capitals. This is due mostly to the government-funded Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) which hired hundreds of artists who collectively created more than 100,000 paintings and murals and over 18,000 sculptures across America.

The WPA Project was part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal during the Great Depression (1929-1943). Some of the 20th century’s greatest visual artists were employed by the Project under the guidance of the WPA.

Thanks to the WPA, there are three beautiful oil on canvas murals at the Redondo Beach post office painted by Paul Sample in 1937. These striking, colorful, insightful murals are an urban canvas expressing the history, concerns and aspirations of a community during the turn of the 19th century.

Although I don’t visit the post office often these days, when I do go to the post office I always enjoy seeing the murals. The murals remind me of the history and beauty of Redondo Beach in days gone by.

Shine On