Ponies & Weezer

Keeping with the horse theme, a few weeks ago Hubs and I went to Del Mar. Always have wanted to go, never been.

I love Santa Anita. It will always be my favorite racetrack because it's my home track. I love how it's a little grimy, crumbly, and the bathrooms haven't been updated in decades and I always feel like I'm in a church bathroom from my youth. And because of this lack of updating, the admission is dirt cheap and there aren't hoards of people unless it's Derby Day or the Breeder's Cup. Oh, Santa Anita, I miss you. Is it time for the Oak Tree yet?

Hubs took this stunning photo.

But back to Del Mar. Del Mar is a little more put together, and pricier. You have to pay to get in, and pay more if you want to sit down. But the food options are much better, and they have events. Currently, they have a not-too-shabby summer concert series featuring a bunch of solid bands, the two standouts being Jimmy Eat World and Weezer. Both bands are great live, but JEW was playing on a Friday and trying to get from LA to Del Mar after work on a Friday...it's not going to happen.

So we went on a Saturday and it still took freakin' forever to not go very far and we missed two races. But, alas, Del Mar is lovely. There were a bunch of close races. My sentimental favorite Switch (who almost beat Zenyatta at her last race at Hollywood Park and gave me a heart attack) did not win, despite being a heavy favorite. And that was the betting story of the day. We won absolutely no money, which was depressing, because we usually win enough to cover food. Sigh.

But then there was Weezer. As always, they brought it. Highlights were "My Name is Jonas" and their covers of "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People and "Paranoid Android" by Radiohead. I mean, "Paranoid Android"? Awesome. We were inspired to listen to OK Computer on the ride home.

Their show got me thinking. I haven't been a huge Weezer fan since Pinkerton. But they've had A LOT of radio songs since then. It's actually pretty impressive that a band that's been around that long can still keep cranking out hits and remain relevant. Their coolness is transcending decades. And I like knowing I was there at the beginning. And then I was there at Del Mar in 2011.