Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2009! I am so excited by the possibilities I can’t see straight.

First up, how did you spend the first day of 2009? I went to the Rose Parade for the first time in 30 years. I am incredibly crowd averse… but this was quite pleasant. We might do it again, someday!

For those who missed it, I present the Glendale City Rose Parade Float.

Tips For Next Year’s Parade

1. The Metro Gold Line runs along much of the parade route.  I hear the trick is to get on at Highland Park Station, ride to the Sierra Madre Villa Station, exit and walk south just a few blocks to the parade.  You are nearly at the tail end, so no need to get up at the crack of dawn.
2. We drove and it was hassle free.  We took the 210 East and exited at Windsor.  Take Woodbury east to Lake, turn left and then right on New York.  Continue until Allen and turn right.  Start looking for parking 3 blocks north of the freeway.class= “note”>The streets closer in have weekday parking restrictions and trust me, you do not want to park illegally in Pasadena.  The parking enforcement have serious mind reading jou-jou.
3. Find a spot on the south side of the street.  Everything is oriented toward the grandstand side of the street.
4. Find a place as close to a street signal light as possible.  It seems the “performances” take start just before a light.