2022 Rose Parade float Road Test (One) Breakfast at Norm's

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog.  Today, Cathy is writing the post; Kirk is having a really busy Monday at work.

Link to 2022 Rose Parade Float Road Test #2

Link to 2022 Road Test # 3

We couldn't wait any longer.  Our last road trip to Pasadena was on January 2, 2020 to see the Showcase of floats of the 2020 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade. If you are a reader of this blog, you know that The Mister and I enjoy "Start to Finish" (as well as Decorating) Rose Parade floats. Last year, the Parade was canceled, however the Theme had been chosen and it will be used for 2022.

Road tests hadn't been announced online, but we drove North on Saturday and, indeed, "our" decorating barn (Phoenix Decorating) was not open, so we drove about two miles North, 

 saw several news trucks and parked.   The Fiesta Parade Floats barn was having a road test of three of their 2021 floats.
   You can see this float, by the City of Torrance, will be adorable!  The elephant's head sways back and forth and it looks like there will be a water feature. 
 The base of the Donate Life float (facing opposite of the drawing) will have people in the small boats at the bottom.  You can see where the "spotter" is sitting in the front.  The driver is way in the back (inside the boxed in area), since all he sees and follows is the 'Rose Colored Line' along Colorado Boulevard during the parade.

  
 This one might be difficult to envision now, but you can see by its size that it will be magnificent!  The UPS Store float will have to be able to 'collapse' along the parade route, that's why all the hydraulics are there.  Again, this is the 'off camera' side view of the float-the "basket" is at the front of the float.  The smaller photo is where the rooster tail feathers will be- and I think they will be moving. 

After this wonderful semblance of 'normal', The Mister and I drove about six miles, South East. We had to stop. Norms, one of the first 24/7 Los Angeles restaurants, an icon since 1949, has a Norms Junior location in West Covina,  in a former Spires Restaurant building.  Because of new protocols, the menu is simple,

  as is the order and pay area.
 Beverages and utensils are ready at the end of the counter and you can carry those to wherever you would like to sit.  Soon the food is brought to your table.  
 The Mister chose the "Bigger Better Breakfast" ($8.99).  Wow, two pancakes, two eggs, two bacon, two sausage, a large slice of ham and hash browns.  So much flavor!  Perfectly cooked over-easy eggs, really nice pancakes.  What a great meal. 
  I chose the breakfast sandwich ($5.99).  I used to always try breakfast sandwiches following road tests for the many years and somehow got out of the habit.  I am now back in the habit.  The toasted eggy brioche bun was quite large.  There were two eggs (I asked for over medium and they were).  The cheese and sausages were just the perfect compliments; quality sausage and a better American cheese. A great meal. 

So happy we stopped here. 

Norms Junior  501 N. Azuza Avenue West Covina 91791 open daily 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Website (626) 859-2375

Comments

[kat]

always amazed at the float designs!

[caninecologne]

I've always wondered about Norm's! Love their signage! Their hash browns look so nice and crisp!

Looking forward to seeing the Rose Parade in January. It's always a treat to see the floats in progress...I've missed seeing your updates this past year.

[Cathy]

Yes, the designers out-do themselves every year, Kat. Most of the designs were 'accepted' by the Tournament in 2020 before the cancellation of the Parade in June, so keeping within the same Theme has saved some work.

The Googie architecture with the sawtooth pennant signage is so 'familiar' indicating a Classic Diner, it couldn't be missed from the street, cc. The food was well prepared-it is difficult to make 'simple' correctly- and this was great. We really missed driving North just for a few hours to see the road tests as well as stopping for a quick bite for more than 18 months.

[Soo]

That's great they are working on the floats again!

[Cathy]

They had started working on/had approved designs last year, Soo. The Parade wasn't canceled until June and usually Road Tests start in late May/early June. It's good they kept the same Theme, President and plans; we'll see how much material price increases affect the bottom line.