Matt and I went up to the Rose Parade in Pasadena last week and shot some video.
We were filming for Shriners Hospitals for Children. The week before the parade, while I was in Ireland, Matt went up and shot some footage of the Shriners float being decorated - interviewed some of the kids and volunteers, etc.
Anyway, last Monday morning we woke up at dawn and headed up there. We had an official parking pass along with our credentials but when we showed up at 7AM the street closures and detours were ridiculous. Police had closed everything down and were funneling all traffic further and further away from where we were trying to go.
So, around 7:30 we were nowhere near where the street of our parking permit, so we decided to scrap that idea and just pay for parking wherever. Only, by that time, there really was no parking available - even being sold - anywhere near where the Media Tower, where we needed to go, was.
The whole traffic/parking/detour situation was looking sort of dicey for a moment. Even though the parade was about to start, Matt and I actually weren't stressing too much about it - just because that's not really our style.
Anyway, right around 7:50 or so a woman walking down the street held up a parking permit and began yelling and offering it no one in particular. I jumped out of Matt's car while it was still moving and went to talk with her. It was a pre-sale permit for a sold out garage around the corner from where we currently were and had a face value of $28. I asked the woman how much she wanted - knowing that there was no other parking available for miles and that I'd have to pay her whatever she asked.
She looked at me, sort of surprised, and simply said 'Oh no, it's yours'. She turned and walked away. I was sort of shocked and amazed. I thanked her and ran back to the car. A traffic cop moved a barricade and directed us into the parking garage. We grabbed our gear and made it to the Media Tower just before the parade got underway at 8.
No idea where that woman came from, but that whole situation really blew my mind. Very grateful.
Rose Parade up close was amazing. J.R. from DWTS was the Grand Marshall - Matt had no idea who he was. Saw Kenny G hanging off of a float playing his clarinet or whatever it is that he does.
And our boys from the Shriners actually took home the Volunteer's Trophy which was cool. Really nice project - always cool to work with these guys - such a good cause.
