"I want my MTV!"

“Care bear stare!”

‘Say hello to my little friend.”

“Transform and roll out!”  

“Who ya gonna call! Ghostbusters!”

“Now we do the Meposian dance of joy!”

“Never feed him after midnight.”

I miss the 80’s.  I truly and honestly do.  The 80’s were a huge part of my childhood!  In 1986, my childhood home consisted of gray tile and Pepto-Bismol pink walls.  Our couches were teal with huge (quilted) oversized peach flowers.  The rest of our furniture was either teak or brass or a combination of the two.  We had a standing lamp that would change intensity when you tapped it in a certain area.  Totally rad! 

Dad sported a blazer with a t-shirt and shoes with no socks, drove a metallic gunmetal gray BMW 318i that was completely tricked out with the spoiler kit, running boards and all.  He had one of the first car phones available.  It was a white monstrosity bolted to the center floor of the car which gave you about 90 seconds of talk time per charge.  Shortly after that came the brick, the “portable” cell phone.  The one that weighed about 12 pounds and could also be used as a deadly weapon if thrown at someone.

Mom was the epitome of 80’s fashion.  Alexis Colby and Crystal Carrington had nothing on her.  Mom sported her jumpsuits, bandanas, slicked back pony tail, football sized shoulder pads, and sky high heels with an elegance few women could master!  These were the Miami Vice days, brunch at Sunday's on the bay on Key Biscayne and dinner at Café Tanino in Coral Gables.  We had a J24 sailboat which we docked at Monty’s and on the weekends when we weren’t in Nassau, we would participate in the Biscayne Bay races.  Our boat was even used in 1988’s “Midnight Crossing” starring Faye Dunaway.  We raced in the Columbus Day Regatta every year which was the first time I ever saw live naked people (lots of them)!  When the artist, Christo, did the “Surrounded Islands” in 1983, we went by boat to see them.  Dad got close enough so that I could touch the pink plastic.  Christo hand signed a poster for us.

Because of Dad’s business we would take the Chalks afternoon flight to Nassau almost every Friday.  I’ll never forget those water takeoffs and landings.  It was always a bit worrisome to see the water come in to the cabin as they took off on the waterway.  On Sunday night’s flying home, I would do my homework.  The stewardesses thought this was adorable and would help me with my math problems.  During the summers we would live full time in Nassau.  Dad would take me to St Andrew's school on his way into the office.  My classes were shell craft and Bahamian history. 

One afternoon mom and dad picked me up from school and instead of heading to the seaport to fly to Nassau, they surprised me by saying that we were headed to MIA and would be flying to St. Croix for the weekend!  Imagine hearing that as an 8 year old!  That same weekend, Whitney Houston had just released “The greatest love of all.”  We sang it all the way to the airport.  “If I fail, if I succeed, at least I’ll live as I believe.  No matter what they take from me, you can’t take away my dignityyyyyyyy!”  Boy, could Whitney belt it out!

The 80’s were over the top and extravagant in every regard.  During this decade, Miami experienced a huge economic boom.  This decade put Miami on the map.  Before then, Miami was where you went to retire.  South Beach was God’s waiting room, an incredibly long row of crumbling hotels with senior citizens securing the fort as they rocked in synchronicity on the porch. 

Until 1987, I was an only child until my sister, Kelsey, was born that February.  I was ecstatic when I knew I’d have a sibling.  I had been alone for 10 years!  The first gift I ever got my sister, before she was even born was a teddy bear I bought for her at Lord & Taylor with my allowance.  She’ll kill me for this, but she still has him.  

Through all the glitz and glamour of the 80’s I can’t help but remember it as a decade of fun.  I remember the huge parties my parents would have after the sailboat races.  Whether we won or not was irrelevant, it was an occasion to throw a party.  I love parties, I always have.  My family jokes that I’m always looking for a reason to throw one.  I celebrate my birthday for the entire month of November.  Ironically enough, I throw parties for a living.  If we learned anything from the 80’s it was how to party.  As Matthew Broderick said in 1986 “Life moves pretty fast.  If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller