Parrotheads....unite!

The day all started with these simple earrings.  These were the one thing out of my Buffett concert costume box that I could justify bringing back to Paris with me.  

I left my house at 12:30 in order to reach the Hard Rock Café Buffett Concert pre-party on time at 1:00.  I had found out about it via Facebook (it is good for some things) and then of course got all involved in everyones conversations.  I was so excited that a simple concert had just turned into a day full of tropical fun!  I arrived to find a whole slew of parrotheads already pounding their way into Coronas and margaritas.  Ahhhh yes, that's the way its suppose to be....

Laura stopped by to pick up her ticket, she couldn't get off until 8 but we were hoping they would still let her in the doors!  

I couldn't let the day pass without having a "Cheeseburger in Paradise."  I have had an official Cheesburger in Paradise at the Margaritaville in Turks and Caicos overlooking the beautiful crystal clear waters, but Paris is pretty darn near close to paradise as well.  The Hard Rock did pretty well....lettuce, tomato, french fried potatoes, kosher pickles, an optional cold draft beer, no Heinz 57 but French's yellow....just as good!  Oh, and of course a margarita (or two....or three...)

These are my great friends I made from Vancouver.  She was quite a live one and he has held probably 50 jobs in his lifetime but it certainly made him interesting to talk to.  He also bought 2 of my 11 euro margarita's.  So nice!  She had to leave to go across the street to buy sharpie's.  She was so irritated that she left her markers in her other backpack.  It took her about an hour but she seemed so relieved to know that if someone were to be there to sign her forehead, she would have the correct writing utensil.  

I also met a really lovely young couple who are from the Raleigh area, North Carolina.  They currently live in Zurich, Switzerland and we were quick to meet each other being amongst the only younger crowd at the Hard Rock.  Really sweet couple, would love to get to Zurich for a visit as well!  

Unfortunately I had to go pick up Marie-Césare at 4:30 so I took a bus up the street a little ways and picked up her overnight bag.  Chloé told me that I could have off early, but she ended up having to work late and so did Franck.  So, the only option was to let her spend the night with Manon.  How kind of Manon's parents to say yes on a school night.  It seriously meant a lot to me.  I stayed at the park awhile after school, followed them to Manon's house and dropped off her bag and dou dou.  I didn't think twice after hugs and kisses and jetted to find my place in line for the concert.  I got in line behind 2 older women who had been parrotheads for life (58 concerts between the two of them) and behind me was a French couple with flamingo's on their head.  Now that's a sight to see.  There were gents who had been there since 7 am, just hoping to get front and center.  I'll have to say I got 11 more hours out of my day than they did and I got a pretty darn good spot.  

As everyone was setting up I noticed all kinds of signs and flags telling Jimmy to come to England!, Australia again!,  Ireland!, Finland!, you name it....it was there.  Who knew Jimmy even had fans in Finland?  Although his tour this year was "Welcome to Fin Land" so I suppose I get the pun.   

The last time I saw him was in Nashville in May of 2010 and he looked like a tiny peanut dancing around on stage at Bridgestone Arena.  If it weren't for the big screens I would have scarcely known who he was.  At the Olympia there were no big screens and no fireworks.  It was a small, intimate theater with 1200 of my closest worldly parrothead friends.  People from ALL over were there.  SO many from the states, all over Europe, South Africa, Australia, China, India, and of course...France.  It's pretty funny to hear the French sing Bama Breeze and Frank and Lola.  

Check out my awesome seats!!!!!  And please, excuse my shaky video hands...it had been a long day.....

Volcano

Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes

He was having so much fun, you think he ever gets tired of his tropical persona?  I can't imagine with the money he is making that you would ever get tired of it...but, you never know.  If there was anyone in this world from any period of time that I could sit down and have a drink with, it would be Jimmy Buffett.  Without a doubt in my mind.  

This one's for you, mom:

Chanson Pour les Petits Enfants

Please excuse my crazy eyes in the next photo.  They wouldn't allow my good dslr into the theater, so I had my little tiny Sony that creates really bad red eye.  Red eye auto fix obviously didn't work either.  

I had changed positions to try and find Laura, so this one is taken from a little farther back.  But, its good because you can see the crowd and their "fins!"  (I know, its 100%  goofy but please just humor me and enjoy the quirks that make me....me.)

Fins

People piled out of the theater headed towards the after party at Kitty O'Shea's............. 

while I hung out a few minutes outside the theater talking to my friends from Vancouver whom I met earlier.  All of a sudden he screams, "LOOK!!! HERE'S JIMMY!!!"  "No, couldn't be..." I doubtfully replied.  It was a gray BMW with no tinted windows.  I look again, HOLY 2y34uqo#(ergvs;d923p*@.  IT WAS JIMMY BUFFETT.  RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FACE.  WITH HIS WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN.  So what do I do?  Well naturally I stick my hand in the window.  bahaha..... Then I scream.  Then I jump.  After the initial shock I thought to pull out my camera and snap some photos, only wait.  Didn't have the dslr and the Sony batteries had died.  Good thing I had the back up iPhone!!! Not quite as fast but still did the trick!  

Still SO angry at whoever's camera this is.  And whoever's hand that is.  Argh.  

His bald head!! That is Jimmy dad-gone Buffett...I was in complete shock.  

I couldn't believe I was standing so close to a legend...and even shook his hand!!!! 

I called my mom freakingggggg out and practically hyperventilating.  I have never been so star struck but I think it was because I wasn't expecting it and the situation presented itself and so I profited BIG TIME.  Ah-mazing.  I would have been completely content with the concert but that was just icing on the big humongous margarita flavored cake.  You can ask Laura, it was the happiest she had ever seen me!  

The crowd at Kitty O'Shea's.  

The night came and went so quickly I was so sad it was over.  My life has been made.  That's one HUGE check on the Bucket List.  The set list was great, I will try and post it over the next couple of days (unfortunately Dad, no Boattt Drinkssss).  I continue to tell myself that this concert isn't the reason I decided to stay another year....but I think secretly it had a lot to do with it.  Now I must stay through at least next September so I can catch another one!  It had always been a dream of Jimmy's to play the Olympia in Paris, and this year being the second year to play at the venue, I certainly think he should continue.  He finished appropriately with He Went to Paris.  (Sorry I couldn't post that one, I was singing too loud and too terribly to post.)  It is safe to say that this year he started off with a bang and ended with a quiet hum and dreams of Paris lingering in the air.  

Which of course, for me, is what its all about.