My rockin’ Sweet 16

(Miss Kristi Maddocks takes one step beyond childhood with a heavy, heavy monster party. Pick it up, pick it up!)

Detail: Kristi Maddocks’ Sweet 16 party, 1982 (collection Kristi Maddocks)Before there was MTV, princesses all over the world celebrated their teenage years with fabulous Sweet 16 birthday parties. Although by that time I was a child of the Che Underground, celebrating this rite of passage was an excuse to throw a wonderful party, as well as an old family tradition that I could not pass up.

When I turned 16 in 1982, the Headquarters and Distillery East were my favorite hangouts. I spent my days playing volleyball and studying at Torrey Pines High School, and hung out with the mod/punk/surfer clique known as “The Scrubboes.” In the evenings I was out dancing with my friends from UC, La Jolla, PB and downtown. It only made sense that my ska-theme birthday party included kids from both walks of life!

Detail: Kristi Maddocks’ Sweet 16 party (collection Kristi Maddocks)Detail: Kristi Maddocks’ Sweet 16 party, 1982 (collection Kristi Maddocks)Detail: Kristi Maddocks’ Sweet 16 party, 1982 (collection Kristi Maddocks)Detail: Kristi Maddocks’ Sweet 16 party, 1982 (collection Kristi Maddocks)Detail: Kristi Maddocks’ Sweet 16 party (collection Kristi Maddocks)

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The Che Underground