Happy New Year's Eve!

For my new year's festivities, we did the same thing we've done for the past several years - went to Pasadena and looked at the Rose Bowl Parade floats as they line up on Orange Grove Blvd in preparation for the parade. We went with a bigger group of people than we have in the past - as we know someone who had an official pass that would enable us to drive and park closer than we've been able to do on our own. It resulted in a lot less walking, which was a nice luxury.

"Bigger group of people" = 13 people in a 14-person van. Every time we unloaded, it felt a little bit like a circus clown car. 

It was cold! All you non-Californians can say anything you want about how not cold it is here, but it really can get cold during the winter months here! We were all bundled up in the brisk night air.

I always marvel at the people who camp out to save a place to watch the parade the next day. Many of them are ill-prepared for the cold weather and you can tell they don't do any REAL camping as their bedding consists of random Spider-Man and Sponge Bob blankets and precious little else.

 For me it wouldn't be worth it. I prefer walking the route, getting up close to the floats, then going home to the comfort and warmth of my own bed and watching the parade on TV the next morning.

These guys had a slightly better sleeping bags that looked like they might actually be 0-rated, and I liked their cute little tents.

But the real point of going is to get up close to the floats and seeing details you can't see even from the warm comfort of the living room.