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December 25, 2006
Starstruck!
We used to live in Los Angeles. Anyone who lives there for a certain period of time experiences the phenomenon where they'll look up and see someone they recognize, only to subsequently realize it's not someone they know personally, but some celebrity that they know from television, movies, newspapers or tabloids. It's a strange phenomenon, but after a while you get used to it.
Then you move away and it just doesn't happen in other places. You get used to being in Zanesville, Ohio and not running into Kelsey Grammer with your shopping cart as you round an aisle in the grocery store. Life goes back to normal and famous people stay where they belong, on those screens and pages.
Shawn and I were out having dinner in Condesa and I wanted to go by Cinnabar, a hotspot in Condesa that is reported to have good cocktails. We're walking down Nuevo León toward the bar and chatting about our impressions of the neighborhood when no one other than Uriel del Toro walks by us in the other direction. URIEL DEL FREAKING TORO. The drop-dead, gorgeous, absolutely perfect Mexican fashion model that also has a show on Telehit, the Mexican music channel.
If you know me, you probably know what a thing I have for this guy. And unless you're a lesbian, straight man or dead, who wouldn't?
Uriel del Toro, on Telehit
After he walked by, I was utterly speechless. Hell, I was utterly breathless. Shawn turned to me and started to mention how that guy was really hot. Finally, I was able to mouth "DO YOU KNOW WHO THAT WAS?!" and Shawn wasn't sure. I had to try about three sentences, but at last I was able to get his name out, and Shawn didn't recognize that, so I had to tell him it was the guy I'm crazy about on that video show. Then he recognized who it was.
That will probably be the incident I remember most about this trip: seeing my favorite Mexican sex symbol in the flesh, not more than two feet from me.
You can say all you want about the evils of big city living, and I've been grouching about Mexico City the whole time we've been here. Yet there is a certain magic to moments like those, that only happen in big, glamorous, sexy cities like this one.
¡Viva México!
Posted by crispy at December 25, 2006 12:34 PM
Comments
You don't have to live in Los Angeles or Sexico Mitty to see celebs. At an iHop in Clayton, just west of StL proper, I looked up and saw Rick Ankiel, former Cards phenom pitcher who flamed out of the playoffs by throwing like eight wild pitches, setting all sorts of records.
I actually didn't see him at first because I was sizing up his scraggly, pathetically skinny woman.
Yeah, that was a city as well, but Jose Oquendo comes to Olney periodically to hunt and visit people.
Posted by: Mark Allen at December 25, 2006 09:06 PM
I also brushed against the hem of the garment of former St. Louis Ram D'marco Farr on the concourse of Kiel Center at a Blues game.
Posted by: Mark Allen at December 26, 2006 07:54 PM
Speaking of brushes with greatness, I also attended two Cardinals games at Coors Field with the renowned Chris "Corn" "Coan" Coen.
Posted by: Mark Allen at December 26, 2006 08:01 PM
Some celebrity is allowed to hunt people in Olney, but they'll fine you if you accidentally run over a white squirrel?
BAH HA HA HAAAAA! Just kidding. I know what you mean. However, I stand corrected. It isn't so much the size of the city that makes the difference. The mere fact that Olney has white squirrels and a tasty Mexican restaurant makes it a draw for celebrities.
Posted by: Chris Coen at December 26, 2006 08:38 PM
i 'ate your little squirrel!!
Groundskeeper Willie: Aye, I had your white squirrel, and I 'ate him.
Bart: What???
Groundkeeper Willie: I said I 'ate. I 'ate his face, I 'ate his eyes, and I 'ate him always barking and whining so I give him away.
Bart: Ohh, you HATE him so you gave him away?
Groundkeeper Willie: Aye, I also 'ate the mess he left on the rug.
[Bart stops and looks disgusted]
Groundskeeper Willie: You heard me!
Posted by: brett at December 26, 2006 11:13 PM
WAY COOLER than my celebrity sighting, I saw Ted "Mattress Ranch" Sadler at the airport, he was en route to Hawaii.
http://www.mattressranch.com/
Posted by: Jon at December 27, 2006 12:03 AM
Enough with the squirrels already, what is about you Midwesterners and your albino wildlife? Next thing you know you will be comparing scars....
[crispy says: BAH HA HA HAAAAAAAA!]
Posted by: Gim at December 30, 2006 05:40 PM
Heh - as good an experience as running into Nelson Piquet on the elevator, or literally running into Paul Newman, John Stamos, and the countless others I have blundered into.
Posted by: Carol at January 2, 2007 12:47 PM