Stop and smell the Roses!

There is something about the Rose Parade that inspires many to stop their activities and sit in front of a television for two hours. Then, there are the million or so people who choose to experience the parade live, in all its fragrant glory. In a world replete with cynicism these two hours generate happiness and a bit of frivolity. People watch just for the sheer joy of it. From exotic coconut to the sensuous red rose, these floral veneers never fail to captivate their annual audience.

It took a group of men with a rose-colored vision to initiate the fanciful and elaborate Pasadena tradition...