2024 Rose Parade Float Decorating, dinner at Tokyo Central

Today, mmm-yoso!!! is being written by Cathy while Kirk attends to other things.

Yes, it's that time of the yea, the final countdown to the Tournament of Roses , which will include the Rose Parade shown on television on January 1, 2024, not long after the New Year officially begins in the United States.  Since June, I've posted about some of the Road Tests for some of the 42 floats which will appear in the Parade.  December has arrived and now it is time to begin decorating those floats.  

The Saturdays before Christmas are "Dry Decorating Days" and we volunteer with the Petal Pushers at Phoenix Decorating Company.  There are two shifts (8-4 and 4-8).  Everyone is welcome-and if this is one of your 'Bucket List' items, now is the time to show up!  Live flowers will begin being delivered on December 26 and decorating hours are extended.  

Here is a brief glimpse of this past Saturday.

We arrived at about 7:30, parked, checked in and were shown to our assigned float.

 Statice (three colors) all will have to be cut, dried and blended into powder.
Bark has to be peeled and brushed smooth so the glue can adhere.
 Straw flowers need to be cut and divided into colors (see the darker gold?)

It took hours for two of us to cut the bucket filled with the dark statice.

 Meanwhile, some people were decorating the City of Alhambra float (seen fully open and collapsing down on this post) 

 The Oddfellows were preparing their float for tourist groups and decorators (This is the 'off camera' side, which I didn't photograph during the second Road Test.
 Local students, earning Community Service Hours, were working quietly and efficiently.
 Gluing dry wheatgrass -to resemble dog fur- begins at the feet.

Plenty of people showed up, but still many more volunteers could be accommodated.

 The materials used on the 'candies' included powdered rice, mung beans and dark lettuce seeds.

 These completed 'lightbulbs' were spotted near the City of Newport Beach float (a group of seven satellites)
 People were working on the 'keyboard' of the Coding for Veterans float.  There will be two back to back large screens with a fun video on this symmetric float.  (Many floats are not symmetric, hence the "Camera Side" and the "Off Camera" side). 
 You can see more of the candies, which will be used on this satellite of the city of Newport Beach float.

There is so much more.  We will be driving up a few more times this year to decorate.   

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It was a long day and we knew the traffic home would be bad, but we also know there would be a football game on the radio.  We wanted a quick meal and stopped back at Tokyo Central, where we had stopped after the first Road Test this year.

 The steam trays were not available.
  A few Sandos were in the counter.
 The Noodle Bar also was not filled.
 There were plenty of desserts.
 We picked up a few things, paid and went to the seating area.

 We used the microwave for the Tempura Set ($6.99) Took home two sections of the Katsu Pork Sando ($4.99) We also heated the Yakisoba ($5.75) and ate about half.

Tokyo Central 1420 S. Azusa Avenue, West Covina (626) 214-9590

It took more than three hours to drive home, but listening to the football game and knowing who would be playing in the Rose Bowl made it a nice night.  Go Blue!