This one’s for Suebob:
I like this detail from the Alaska float:
Frogs, I believe.
Some parade watchers:
My parade discovery this year? Marching bands sound fantastic under the freeway!
Remember our friends from the Los Angeles All City Band? I saw them at the beginning of the parade on Del Mar, about to turn onto Colorado Blvd.
Here they are at the end of the parade, still performing even though they’ve turned left from Sierra Madre Blvd onto Paloma.
Such stamina! In a few more steps they stop playing. Then they are handed a ticket. The ticket is then exchanged for an In-and-Out burger:
Even the floats get tired at the end of the parade. Oh, I know they had to lower the pointy thing so it would fit under the freeway. But it looks tired to me.
It’s difficult to get decent photos of the floats. They are big, and people’s heads get in the way. See above.
Even the sun had to “set” to fit under the freeway. Here’s a shot from the beginning of the parade:
Here’s the same float, 5 miles later:
So that’s my end-to-end parade coverage. Here’s how I did it: Around 9 am, I made my way to Del Mar and Orange Grove. I saw a couple of bands and a couple of floats. I saw the Jesus people assembling, and I knew the end was near. The end of the parade, that is.
I hopped in the car, re-parked near Hill, and walked the rest of the parade route to the end (I’d never seen the parade disassemble itself at the very end). Along the way, I saw three people I know, including TRZ. Pasadena really is a small town.
Happy New Year!
UPDATE: I just heard that the LA All City Band will be performing at Obama’s inauguration! How cool is that? (Though I can’t find them in the parade line-up I found on line…)
Previously:
West Coast Grrlie Blather 
Why, thank you! I feel honored.
@suebob – It’s the least I can do to thank you for making me laugh. I have laughed out loud many times reading your blog. I’m not an easy laugh, either.
I think In N Out may have been the highlight of the trip 4 many of de out of towner’s! I hope they go bak 2 their towns.
Kelly, you rock. These parade posts are great. Mind if I link? I’m gonna.
It’s great that they get an In ‘n Out burger. I love those.
I love that picture of the guy with the cigar
Like the end to end coverage. And wonderful photos. I didn’t know about the In N Out stuff.
That guy with the cigar! How USC is that? Could the guy have any more hubris? And the Alaska float: I didn’t know your old friend Sarah was on it!
Marg, the guy with the cigar probably could have more hubris, if he were wearing a Ucla cap.
Sadly I was out of town and could not chain-smoke along the route!
Ohh! Cafe Observer: you had to get ugly. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.