I threw financial caution to the wind the moment I learned that Duran Duran (my all time favorite band) as coming to the States to wrap up their latest tour. I just had to see them. After all, it had been 23 years since I had last seen them play live at the Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles.
Totally excited, I know had to decide who I would take to the concert with me. As much as I love my husband, he’s more of a rock and roll kind of guy and probably would not get a kick out of me drooling over some guys in a band. next I went running into my daughter’s room and asked her if she would like to go with me. Her reply, “Heck Yeah!”
Then it was set, a Mother Daughter weekend in August. Which is perfect since part of this was a Mother’s Day Gift. Thank you Family!
Our big weekend had arrived. I was excited to say the least. After dropping our valuables off at my parents house in Huntington Beach, my daughter and I headed out in search of some healthy food we could devour before entering the Orange County Fairgrounds. Our Google search lead us to a restaurant called, 118 Degrees. I so wish we had more of these Vegan restaurants up in the desert where we live. The food was so good. I started with a Chopped Kale Salad and then moved on to a Fried Avocado Taco Entrée, while my daughter feasted on their Heirloom Tomato Stacks. Amazing how quickly wholesome organic food will fill you up. If you’re ever in Costa Mesa, I definitely recommend you stopping by for a bite to eat.
Onto the Fair!
First thing I had to do was make my way to the Pacific Amphitheater so I knew my way around. Then it was off to explore the fairgrounds. Once of the first exhibits we came to was a building hosting the Girl Scouts, which is celebrating 100 Years in 2012. This brought back many wonderful memories for my daughter and I. She spent 9 years in Troop 579 and I volunteered right along side her and even took over being a Troop Leader the last two or three. They had a larger than life magazine cover you could pose in front of. I just had to make her sit for me so I could grab a memory with my cell phone. Just putting it out into the universe that she is going to be a successful leader one day.
Then we moved onto the craft exhibits. So many talented people had merited in various categories. My favorite though was a handmade quilt with the Girl Scout Promise stitched in the center surround by many patches. This gave me a wonderful idea of what to do with all of my daughter’s patches. She has so many from her 9 years of scouting that they never all fit on her uniforms. Problem is I am not a quilter. So I will either need to pay someone to create this work of art for me or come up with another idea to preserve all those patches and the memories we created together.
With the sun setting, it was almost time for the concert. As we made our way to our seats, I got stopped a few times by fellow Duranies who were sharing their memories from the 1984 Us Tour with me. You see, I was wearing the T-Shirt from that concert. My daughter got a big kick out of this. Once we found our seats we began chatting with our neighbors. And some of those neighbors had traveled many a miles to see Duran Duran. In fact, they were from across the Pond. London actually and they just happen to be taking a holiday in the States. I found it ironic because Duran Duran had just performed in London at Hyde Park for the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics.
I felt like a teenager all over as the lights began to dim and the band took to the stage. I was one of hundreds of screaming fans at that moment.
The concert was awesome. Duran Duran played better then I remember. And I loved how Roger Taylor stopped playing his drums when introduced by Simon LeBon because the crowd went crazy at that moment. Surprised I could hear over my own screaming at that moment. Roger Taylor was always my favorite. I had my hair cut like his as a teenager and my nickname growing up was “kermie”.
I was thrilled that they changed up their playlist that night and included some of my favorite songs. I went nuts when I heard the first strands of “Careless Memories” my favorite song because of Roger’s drum solo. And I lost it when Duran Duran played “Ordinary World”. This songs sets off a waterfall of tears just about every time I hear it.
“Ordinary World” was popular on the radio the year my first husband (my daughter’s father) passed away in 1993, just 10 weeks after she was born. This song just represents so much to me. Trying to make my way to the ordinary world with my daughter after such a loss. If it hadn’t been for my daughter in my life at that time, I don’t know how I would have survived that moment in my life. But then the tempo picked right back up with “Hungry Like the Wolf”. Which is probably the 1st song of theirs I ever heard play on the radio.
The encore was beautiful as Simon asked everyone light up the audience with their cell phones as he sang “Save a Prayer” (another favorite of mine.) And by the time Duran Duran ended their concert with “Girls on Film”, I officially had no voice left. Between signing off key at the top of my lungs with everyone else and all the screaming, I was wiped out.
After the concert we sought out soothing relief for my sore throat by visiting a nearby Cold Stone. My daughter was surprised that such a place was still open that late at night. In our rural desert home, it’s pretty much a ghost town after 9pm.
Sunday found us cruising the aisles of the Golden West Swap Meet. My daughter has never been to a real Swap Meet before so this was a new experience for her. She was in awe of all that was for sale. We even found a sweet deal on a brand new Crockpot. I got it for her as an early Christmas gift since she is moving out on her own this month for the first time ever.
Once it got too hot at the swap meet, we ventured back to Huntington Beach. Did I mention that my parents live within a stones throw from the coast. Now why couldn’t they have moved here when I was a teenager. Would have saved me many miles on my beach cruiser and countless hours riding the bus back and forth to the beach. Our weekend ended with my best friend of 36 years (and counting) joining us at my parents house for a BBQ. And of course, no BBQ is complete without some silly family photos.
All in all, it was probably the best Mother’s Day Birthday Gift weekend a girl could ask for. That is until the next Mother Daughter Weekend!
Which is already set on the calendar. October 26th we’ll be heading to The Observatory in Orange County to see Macklemore perform live. My daughter is stoked because her Uncle owns The Observatory and will likely be able to introduce her personally to Ben Haggerty. It’s gonna be an epic moment for her.
Until October, rock on…