famous faces

well it's that time of year again.
No, not wasp season.
I'm talking about the Toronto International Film fest.
Always a fun time of year, when the city is buzzing with lots of energy.
Parties, great films & celebrity sightings.
Every year Uncle p.diddy comes to T.O. from L.A. for the festival, so it's even more fun.
(especially since he's in the Biz, and gets us into all the coolest parties and restaurants)
well at least that's what we did pre-Lulu.
last year she was only a few months old, so we essentially just hung out in his hotel suite and in yorkville.
I honestly can not for the life of me figure out why people line up outside of the Four Seasons trying to get autographs.
I find that so weird.
I mean, who cares if you get someone famous to sign a piece of paper?
very strange.
But whatever floats your boat I guess.
So anyhow, the year before I was preggers and VERY nauseous, so there was NO partying for me.
It was all about staying vertical on my sofa and sipping ginger tea and munching on spelt ginger cookies, slices of apples, watermelon, cucumbers and frozen Mac & cheese.
Yup, that's about all I could stomach for about 14 weeks.
ah, good times.
the year before that,
we were knee deep in plaster & Benjamin moore paint cans, as we were renovating our new (old) house,
plus work wise we were both really swamped.
so that means that it's been 4 years since we really got a chance to "Giv'er" at the festival.
Not sure what this year has in store, I'm sure Big daddy will be whooping it up with his brother,
which is fine by me, as long as I at least get to see one film or two.
But I was reading a post by Metro Dad this morning and it got me thinking about celebrity sightings and encounters.
I've had a few myself,
though no where near as cool as being able to say that I smoked a spliff with Sting, getting drunk with Leonardo Di Caprio or playing poker with Carson Daly.
But I have had a few run-ins I thought I'd share with you.

1. Alec Baldwin.
Speaking of the Three Seasons here in t.o.
(as people like to refer to our lame-ass major hotel in desperate need of a face lift)
years ago, while out on the town and after several cocktails, big Daddy, myself and another party (big wig Sony exec.)
ended up at the 4-seasons bar and I guess I kind of made a bit of a dramatic entrance.
Let's just say I sat in one of the rolling bucket chairs and the hostess wheeled me to a table as I pointed my toes in the air.
we had a few more bevies (like we needed them) and people started glancing over at us.
the waitress was giving us over the top service, but we didn't think much of it.
Then Alec Baldwin walks up to our table and stops and smiles and sais "Hey, good to see you again" looking directly at me.
I was like..."umm, yeah, you too.." wink wink.
I'm no super model and I don't look like anyone famous at least not that I can think of.
Sure it was years ago and I was pretty sassy (if I do say so myself) but definitely not what I would consider famous looking.
But as luck should have it, our waitress says "she loooved me in my last film"
umm....gee thanks...
and your bill has been comp'ed.
umm okay.
thanks.
when we left everyone was totally staring.
I was floored.
Maybe it was the big sunglasses, and big animal print scarf in my hair?
maybe I should go to Susur wearing that same get up.
maybe my meal will be comp'ed?...
hell it's worth a try.

2. Clive Owen and I locked eyes at Whole Foods..
Well that's how I like to imagine it.
it was more like me staring and trying to figure out how I knew this handsome devil in his big puffy North Face Parka.
Oh right..
the light went on and by the time I figured it out, he was gone.
we were like two ships passing in the produce department...
ahh. sigh...

3. Madonna.
while waiting for our table at a restaurant in NewYork (can't remember the name of the place)
but it happened to be next door to the Kabbalah centre.
A bunch of paparazzi started showing up, a van pulled up and within minutes Madge walked out.
she wanted to have a prayer session before her concert I guess?
(as she was performing that night)
I was only a few feet away from her and I was really surprised by how tiny she is.
I mean, realllly tiny.
who knew?

4. Martin Short.
Years ago I was at a wedding where he was the M.C.
Eugine Levy, Andrea Martin and John Candy were also there.
Marty got pretty "tipsy" and started calling random bingo numbers into the microphone.
Needless to say, he was pretty hilarious.
Someone also made up a bunch of Ed Grimley masks on popsicle sticks with eye cut outs and was handing them around.
Let's just say I ended up on the dance floor dancing around like a moron with Marty yelling " I must say..."
(you have to be a SCTV fan to get that last line)

5. Wayne and Janet Gretzky.
One of the only times in my life (I swear) I was at McDonalds.
I was in line waiting to order a milkshake (honestly that's all I ordered)
when someone bumped into me.
I was about to shoot them a dirty look, when I realized who it was.
The Great One!
There they were ordering up two Mc Meals on trays then sat down and ate them.
I was pretty stunned, who knew that athletes actually ate that crap?
and in public!
The horror.

6. Brad Pitt.
Damn I wish I could say that I met him and had beer with him.
but I would be lying.
But big daddy has, and since we actually exchange bodily fluids, it's kind of like I actually met him.
Plus I have asked him a million and one times to repeat the story.
"Pleeeese one more time and don't leave anything out..."
he was in a bar with his brother p.diddy who happened to know some of the other actors sitting with Brad and brad asked them to join them.
they really hit it off.
In big daddy's words "I don't know...um he's just a really nice guy who's really into outdoor sports and stuff"
"like exactly what kind of stuff?"
"I don't know...just stuff"
"well can you at least remember what he smelled like?"
"yeah...musky sweat with a hint of spiciness..."
"right...thanks babe"

7. Orlando Bloom
speaking of dreamy guys...
again, sadly it wasn't me, but I think it's a funny story.
uncle P.Diddy was on the same elevator with him.
The doors opened and a bunch of girls started screaming.
orlando's assistant (agent?? whatever) quickly closed the doors.
Uncle P. diddy calmly looks at them and sais.." yeah, I get that all the time.."

8. Harvey Keitel.
Like I mentioned, last year we just hung out at the hotel and enjoyed the roof top pool.
Lulu loved playing with her cousins and I loved eating mini sorbet ice-cream cones and sipping delicious complimentary herbal ice-tea by the pool side.
The girls ended up playing with Harvey's daughter all afternoon, she was really sweet.
But I hope she never has to watch her daddy in the "Bad Lieutenant" not a very good daddy movie to watch.

9. Naomi watts and Benicio del Toro at the premier for 21 Grams (sean penn was a no show)
Not that big of a deal, everyone who goes to a premier runs the risk of sitting next to the staring actor.
But it was strange sitting a few seats away from her as the opening scene was a close up shot of her nipple.
That was just plain uncomfortable.
oh and so was peeing in the stall next to Kate Beckinsale.
But it was very nice to sit near Scott Speedman even though I ended up leaving halfway through the movie Underworld.

10. Gale Harold
Last but not least. Now most people probably don't know who he is.
But If you watched Queer As Folk on HBO he played Brian Kinny.
The Bad Boy..
He's now staring in a new series called Vanished.
anywhoo. I'm a fan.
and for whatever reason he tends to make certain appearances in my dreams.
lets just leave it at that.
But I used to see him at the gym I worked out at.
Sometimes in the middle of the afternoon when it was practically empty he would be there, working out.
sweating.
gulp.
I would try my best not to get busted casually brushing up against (or sniffing) the machine he had just finished using.
kidding.
I would however, try not to stare.
Big daddy actually got to see him naked in the change room!
Mind you, I've seen him naked (in almost ever other episode of Queer as folk)
I would see him all over the city, sometimes riding his old brown beater bike, walking in the park near our place,
even at Mailboxes Etc. (looking rather scrumptious in a houndstooth wool messenger boy cap and oversized wool scarf.....)
Sadly, I think he has returned to the states to shoot his new show.
I doubt we'll be relocating to Atlanta anytime soon.
oh well. It was fun while it lasted Gale...

and that's it for now.
My celebrity sightings. My brushes with fame. My close encounters with the mighty fine.
but when it really comes down to it, who gives a rats ass about famous people?
Well obviously and sadly, the majority of us.
I just wish instead of Paris's latest run in with the law more news worthy subjects would grab people's attention.
But that's just not how things are.
And truth be told, I can't resist flipping through the latest issue of People while waiting in line at the grocery store.
pathetic, but it's like a guilty pleasure that's hard to give up.
I mean how else are you supposed to find out Lance's sexual preference (go Riechen go)
or who Jessica and nick are seeing now?
Or who is sporting the latest and seemingly "fashionable" baby bump?
These are reallly important subjects people....!
wink wink ;) ;)