Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- Burbank's 2012 Rose Parade float "The Dream Machine" in the parking lot across the street from the Burbank Central Library at Glenoaks Boulevard and Olive Avenue January 4, 2012

Only a few more hours to view Burbank’s superb entry into the 2012 Tournament of Roses Parade. The float has been on display in the parking lot across from the Burbank Central Library at Glenoaks Boulevard and Olive Avenue since Wednesday, January 4.  Today is the last day to see the float up close, before it is dismantled.

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- A boy's sleeping dreams are depicted in the Burbank winning 2012 Rose Parade float, The Dream Machine" January 4, 2012

“The Dream Machine,” about a boy’s wishful dreams, won the Mayor’s Trophy for most outstanding presentation nationally and internationally.

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- Burbank's "The Dream Machine" won the Mayor's Trophy at the 2012 Tournament of Roses Parade January 4, 2012

I dropped by to see the float a couple times. On Wednesday, I chatted with some of the Burbank Tournament of Roses Association members/volunteers/leaders. I learned that a volunteer team creates and decorates the city’s float, and it all begins around February of  each year. “The Dream Machine” was built on a city budget of $62,000. It’s hard to believe there were efforts to try to cut the funding for the Burbank Rose Parade float project, which produces an incredible amount of positive PR for the city and joy for volunteers and viewers.

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- Folks watched the Burbank 2012 Rose Parade Float "The Dream Machine" come a live with animation in the parking lot across from the Burbank Central Library at Glenoaks Boulevard and Olive Avenue January 7, 2012

Oh, not only are you able to get up close to the float, but a food truck proves a yummy bargain lunch as well. Each day a different kind of cuisine. It was a terrific idea. I had a pastrami on rye from the Cantor’s truck last Wednesday and a taco special from the Don Chow truck last Saturday. Both lunches were quite good.

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- A line formed at the Don Chow food truck during the viewing of the winning Burbank 2012 Rose Parade float, "The Dream Machine," in Burbank on Saturday January 7, 2012

Today, lunch is from 11:30 to 2 p.m. and a food truck will be there offering deluxe crepes and fries. The entertaining animation on “The Dream Machine” will be in action several time today. You still have a chance to see it at 1 p.m, 3 p.m. 5 p.m. or 7 p.m.

Photo courtesy Guest Blogger Jean Youn

It’s been quite a while since the film, “Back to the Future,” hit movie theaters in 1985. Many of us probably have, at some point or another, thought about the idea of the ability to go back and forth in time from past, present, and future.

Many things have indeed changed throughout the course of time. Things that might have been unimaginable many years ago are a reality today. However, time travel is still just something that’s fun to think about, but not a reality.

People have varying levels of wealth, abilities, and power, but there is one thing that we all have been blessed with equally — time.

We all get 24 hours of time every day. Also, we’ve all been given a fresh new year.

This year, I would like to do everything I can to make my cleaners the best in quality of work and also the best in delivering honest service among cleaners in our area.

I hope that you would use this time to make 2012 your best year thus far and continue to make each year following even better.

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Jean Youn is the owner of Value Village Cleaners at 912 West Glenoaks Boulevard in Glendale 91202. For details on services, coupons and more, check out the Value Village Cleaners website  here.