our song

Blue Iguana is a very tasty Mexican food restaurant on West Temple in Salt Lake City right behind the Capitol Theater.  We've gone there several times, usually when we have a groupon.  We just love their food!  But what's not to like about a place that puts chips and salsa on your table when you sit down?  And what I wouldn't give for their salsa recipe!!! 

On the weekends at dinner the cutest Hispanic couple in their mid 60s serenade the diners.  The man strums the guitar while he and his wife (I assume) sing their hearts out.  They are so joyful and LOUD.  It's amazing how much beautiful noise the two can make.  The first time we heard them was when we dined there about 6 months ago.  The couple had been singing for awhile, making their rounds to different tables to sing in different parts of the restaurants.  When they got to our table, they sang the cutest song with the catchiest melody, but we of course didn't have the slightest idea what they were singing about.  At first we were a bit uncomfortable because we weren't sure if they were wanting a tip and the song seemed like it was never going to end.  It must have about 6 verses, but eventually we caught their joyful singing spirit and started joining in on the chorus.  The words to the chorus are: La la la la laaaa la la laaaa la laaaa repeated about 4 times.  It made our family dinner out extra special, although anytime we can go out to eat to a sit down place on a weekend night because Brian isn't working, is special.

It became the sort of memory where occasionally Brian or I would say, "Remember those singers at Blue Iguana?  The woman with her deep, rich, loud voice?  Remember when they sang to us and we sang with them?  That was so awesome." 

Well tonight, Brian wasn't working, and we had a groupon, and the stars aligned and we went to Blue Iguana to eat our weight in chips and salsa, fajitas, and enchiladas (and let's get real, Lily ate dino nuggets and fries and Elliott a cheese quesadilla).  And Brian was saying, "This is awesome but I sure wish the singers were here."  And as soon as he said that, they walked in the door.  We heard a few songs as we were finishing our food.  We paid and Brian said, "Well they didn't sing our song."  So I got a dollar out of my wallet, and when they finished a song I walked right up to them and feeling a little silly said, "Can you sing the La la la laaaaa la la laaaa la la laaaaa song?" and put my measly folded up dollar in his pocket.  "Sure!  Where is your table?"  It may have been my imagination but I think they were glad that someone in the restaurant was valuing their work and requested a song!  So they came right over to our table and sang "our song" for us and we joined in loudly in chorus.  It was awesome.  Elliott joined in as well but Lily was terrified.  hehe.  It was a moment where we felt really connected to living in SLC and connected to strangers, through joyful music.  It was a moment where the kids will probably look back and remember the first time they were embarrassed by their parents.

Brian asked the name of the song and we of course didn't catch it, as the words were unfamiliar to us.  The man told us it was a Puerto Rican song about a man who lives on a farm but it's Saturday night and he wants to go to town and have a good time.  His wife is saying, 'I don't want to go,' and he sings about the great time he's going to have in town.  Cute.  But try googling that.  I'm having no luck. 

I suppose it'll just have to be a special song we look forward to hearing when the stars align for us at the Blue Iguana.