In the spirit of the Oscars, I thought it might be fun to have a little silly “Stars—they’re just like us”-style post for a Monday morning. Let’s swap stories! Having lived in both Los Angeles and New York for many years, I’ve had a lot of fun spottings and even though I play it all cool, I still get excited about recognizing famous faces around the neighborhood (even Julianne Moore, who is a West Village fixture, still prompts a “guess who I just saw” text to Aron). In fact, it was last Oscar Sunday that we saw Alan Rickman, characteristically lowering his glasses and cocking an eyebrow to read a distant sign. So cool.
My favorite sightings actually tend to involve Aron, because he’s terrible at this sort of thing. Besides literally bumping into Elle MacPherson near Union Square without noticing, or chasing down Tina Fey to try and prove me wrong that she’d just passed by, one of my favorite encounters took place in line at Magnolia Bakery. “Don’t turn around,” he whispered. “I’m pretty sure I know the girl behind us but I can’t think of her name. I think I should. Maybe we grew up together or went to school together?” So I got to the register, never looked, and then heard him start the conversation “Are you from California? Do we know each other?” and then a quite lengthy back-and-forth: “Did you go to UCLA? Are you in Medicine?” “I lived in LA.” I turned around and there was Darlene from Roseanne. She was being so polite, but her friend finally cut them off: “you know her from TV.” Yes, Aron, you did sort of grow up together!
Or the time—after we had just watched Darjeeling Limited and he’d been wanting some sunglasses like the ones Adrien Brody wears—and he pointed to a man on the street in NoLiTa: “I should ask him where he got his; they’re great.” And it was Adrien Brody.
In Los Angeles, we lived across from The Grove—which seems to be where they all hang out when they’re not eating at The Ivy, I guess—and there was an organic market just outside the mall where Winona Ryder and even Madonna would shop and I made Beck blush because he caught me staring at him in the check-out line (oops!), and said a soft “hello.” That was charming. But it almost seems like cheating to mention seeing someone at the Grove (TMZ must have a scout there 24 hours).
The equivalent here does seem to be the West Village; there’s always an actor or model to be recognized. Although once we were waiting for a table down the block from the “Friends” apartment exterior and a tour group came by. They were all snapping photos of the building when Giselle Bundchen passed by unnoticed.
Finally, Liv Tyler will always be a favorite now. She passed us on West 10th Street the other day and said hi to our Hudson and exclaimed: “Oh my goodness. What a handsome little man!” Awww, Thanks Liv! You’re not so bad either.
Any favorite celeb anecdotes?
[Photo via Denim Blog]
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