This week, I have several sightings to report. I know, I know, three sightings in two weeks, and you spend most of your time between preschool and work? Let's just say, I'm very good at what I do. And I'll let you in on some of my celebrity-spotting secrets, so you can try them at home. Three telltale signs that a person is "somebody": #1 they walk around like they own the joint, wherever it may be, and/or #2 they look around with a furtive glance, kind of like a scared animal (paranoid someone is staring at them, which I am), and/or #3 they make deadlock eye contact with you, daring you to look at them. I'm not sure if they're trying to get your attention or figure out if you have recognized them. For #3, this is often an F-lister. Once you see one of these three red flags, it's time to furiously rack your brain for who the person might resemble.
For my three celebrity sightings in the past two weeks, I had one of each type.
Oh and another helpful tip. Once you think someone might be "somebody," start intently eavesdropping on their conversation for clues and/or get going on your iPhone for background research. Sadly, this might be to the detriment of whatever friend/person you are actually spending time with, but if they are really a friend, they will know how important this is to you, and will be equally interested in your research.
#1: The type who owns the joint
Last week, my husband and I went out for date night. We usually stay close to home, but this time we ventured out to Sugar Fish in Studio City, which is a real hot spot these days. We arrived at 5:45, which you may know promises an evening filled with senior citizens and/or families. We were not disappointed. Soon after we were seated, a youngish guy shows up in a white t-shirt and jeans with two kids in tow. The guy seats his kids and starts milling about, striking up conversation with a waiter, walking back and forth in the middle of the restaurant, that sort of thing. I vaguely think, this guy looks like Cyclops from X-Men. Quick Google search, and I recall his name is James Marsden. Then, time for the eavesdropping, I hear him introduce his children and confirm it is him. In the process, I learned some background on James Marsden, and there is quite a juicy tale about his marriage and children, if you're interested in that type of thing. Also if you're wondering, James Marsden might be 5'10" on a good day, as reported on IMDB, and his arms were a little thin. My husband weighed in that he's had a lot of ripped photo shoots lately, and you have to be pretty thin for your abs to look really ripped.
Pictured two days later at the Studio City Farmers Market
#2: The scared animal
A couple weeks ago, I went to New Orleans for a bankruptcy conference. Stop now, don't be jealous. Actually, it was a fun trip and was a dual purpose work trip slash birthday celebration. So there we are, on a Delta flight out of LAX. As long as you're not flying Southwest, you pretty much have an 80% chance of seeing a celebrity while traveling in and out of LAX. Hot tip: check first class as you board the plane, that's where you'll see them, and they board first (Score for you!). My sister and I hit our seats very close to first class, and we start to see some buzzing from other passengers walking through the first class section. We hear something like "it's the Captain," quite cryptic and titillating. We imagine it's some athlete we won't recognize, but we're hopeful. Four hours later, we reach New Orleans and people start going for their bags. And who pops out of Seat 4A, giving that furtive scared animal look, but Angela Bassett. (Hence "the Captain" to our old ears.) Quick IMDB search confirms she's on the show American Horror Story which films in New Orleans. Ms. Bassett was quite short and not rail thin, probably as you would imagine.
Stella getting her groove back
#3: F-lister with direct eye contact
And finally, today. So I'm out to lunch with a couple of co-workers, in a stripmall in Encino. I must say, my defenses are a bit down when I'm at stripmalls in Encino, but in actuality that's where I get my F-list sightings. So we're sitting at lunch, and through the front window, I see a petite blond crossing the parking lot, bee-lining to the salad spot next door. It's literally called "Chop Stop" and only does salads. I bet it's a regular hot spot for famous ladies. I immediately know that it's Kendra from Girls Next Door, and later, Kendra on Top. She is probably 50 feet away, and keep in mind she is in the parking lot, and I am a few tables in at the restaurant looking through the front glass, but I swear she was making dead eye contact with me. She was a hot mess, in a messy top bun, her typically frown-y scowl, pretty frumpy attire. After leaving the lunch spot, we glanced in at Chop Stop (from which she had not yet emerged). Again, I am looking through the glass at the door, and she is 20 feet away, all the way across the restaurant, but dead eye contact staring at me. Kendra came out of the Chop Stop a few minutes later and got in the passenger side of a car. Of course Kendra from Girls Next Door and Kendra on Top has a chauffeur. Mental note: need chauffeur.
Imagine this dead eye contact being made at you from 50 feet
