HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY SANTA MONICA'S PIER
Just minutes ago we were by our pool looking at Santa Monica fireworks [the first major fireworks show in Santa Monica Bay in more than 18 years] celebrating Santa Monica Pier's 100th birthday and it looked fantastic as you can see on this shot!
The 1,600-foot-long pier opened Sept. 9, 1909 with swimming and boating races. Actor Robert Redford, who filmed "The Sting" there with Paul Newman, signed a petition in 1973 to save the pier from being torn down to build an island with a resort hotel. Last year, the pier's famed Ferris wheel, which was installed in 1996, was sold in an eBay auction for more than $130,000. It was replaced by a newer model in May 2008.