GGB Reno’s “Fall Back to the 80s” Brunch Recap
One week after we set back our clocks, the Reno chapter of GGB hosted our “Fall Back to the 80s” brunch, where we celebrated our love of all things 80s. The lively discussion (and totally tubular assortment of graphic tees) did not disappoint! We ended brunch with a raffle (featuring a perfectly themed Skeksis mug and Super Mario question mark note paper) of various swag.
Due to the sheer endless scope of nostalgia (including movies, music, TV, cartoons, toys, food, drinks, games, fashion fads, and more), much of the discussion ran like a laundry list of the things we loved that originated in the 80s. Many of us were old enough to remember the decade ourselves, but some of our younger members grew to love many things that came out of that time after it had passed. We discussed the things we loved back then, and also the reboots and revivals of many 80s properties that we are seeing today.
One of the first points of discussion was My Little Pony, brought up by Julie, both out of love for the original and also the revival, Friendship is Magic. Many at the table agreed that it is one of the best reboots of an 80s franchise. She also mentioned Labyrinth, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Back to the Future, and the Princess Bride.
Z grew up with a lot of 80s TV, including Full House (although she wasn’t a big fan of the reboot), Family Matters, He-Man & She-Ra, Happy Days, and The Golden Girls. She, too, is a big fan of Friendship is Magic. She also loved the Brat Pack movies, such as The Breakfast Club, and Emilio Estevez in particular 😉.
Connie, being born after the 80s and also growing up in a household that didn’t own a TV, had to play catch up on everything 80s-related. What she remembers the most is the music, specifically 80s rock. Star Trek: The Next Generation is one of her favorite things from the 80s, as well as classic fantasy films such as Willow and The Dark Crystal, and the show Jim Henson’s Storytellers. She also loves the new Blade Runner movie.
Describing her parents as “concert junkies,” Kayla also grew up surrounded by 80s music. She brought up classic films such as Big Trouble in Little China and The Terminator, and TV shows like Scooby Doo and the Ghostbusters cartoon. As far as reboots/remakes, she loves Mad Max Fury Road.
Danielle remembers watching morning and afternoon cartoons on TV, like Disney cartoons including Duck Tales, Tail Spin, & Gummi Bears, and also Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (cue a loving, nostalgic awwwwww from the rest of the brunch crew) and The Muppet Show. She also recalled when McDonald’s Happy Meals used to have toys based on their food items and characters!
Clara, having been born in the 70s, definitely remembers the 80s – she had the full “mushroom hair perm” to prove it! She was really into 80s New Wave music, used to talk like Michelangelo the Ninja Turtle, and remembers having sleepovers where they watched horror movies like Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street. We all agreed that movies geared towards children were MUCH scarier then than they are now! She also recommended the VH1 series I Love the 80s, as well as the Netflix documentary series The Toys That Made Us.
Janet loves 80s rock and metal, like classic Metallica and ZZ Top, and also remembers listening to pop music like The Pointer Sisters and Wham! (cue everyone at the table singing Wake Me Up Before You Go Go). As a lifelong Disney fanatic, she fondly remembers 80s Disney films, such as Oliver and Company (which she watched in the theater), and The Little Mermaid, which kicked off the Disney renaissance. She also brought up the crucial point that the early video games we grew up with are actually DAMN HARD!
Angela also had to catch up on her 80s experiences in later decades, as she didn’t move to the US from Taiwan until the mid-90s. Most of what she learned about the decade she saw through the 3 I Love the 80s series on VH1! She also remembers her older brother playing Nintendo. She definitely needs to catch up on a TON of 80s movies and TV!
Although she also grew up overseas, Vanessa grew up loving tons of 80s movies and TV. She mostly loved sci-fi/fantasy movies like Little Shop of Horrors, Cocoon, E.T., The Beastmaster, Close Encounters, and The Neverending Story, and TV shows such as Doogie Howser, Star Trek: TNG, TMNT, He-Man, Thundercats, and a slew of Saturday Morning Cartoons. She also had a totally rad (and massive) collection of My Little Ponies and loves the reboot as well!
We raffled off a few 80s themed items – check out these happy winners!
Next month we host our 3rd annual December Brunch and White Elephant Geeky Gift Exchange! Until then, be excellent to each other, carpe diem, and may the schwartz be with you!