Living the dream on Golden Globes weekend

I know the Golden Globes are in the distant past but this story felt right, a nice reminisce about why it’s so cool to be living in LA hot on the heels of the Oscars (I’m still a little hungover but I have to say I was more hungover after the Golden Globes!).

So, on Golden Globes weekend an old friend from school stopped by LA.  It was a real blast from the past as we hadn’t seen each other in more years than we both care to remember.  Thanks to Facebook though we weren’t total strangers.

She was up for a weekend of celeb-spotting and all things LA.  Because I was going to the Warner Bros/InStyle after party at the Golden Globes Sunday afternoon was dedicated to my hair & make-up.

Friday night dinner would be my favourite celeb-spotting restaurant in West Hollywood.  It’s hard enough to get a booking there so some things have to be my little secret–unless you come to visit then I’ll happily take you there.

Dinner didn’t disappoint.  Neither did the celeb spotting!  We hadn’t got out of the car and there were some tourists taking a photo with a celeb couple.  Jackpot!  Then on the way in we heard a guy on the phone.  Our ears twigged when we heard, “paparazzi”.  Double jackpot!  In nearly five months in LA (at that time) I hadn’t really seen any paps and I thought I’d see them everywhere I went.  Disappointed much!

We walked in trying to spot said celeb couple.  The guy was hot.  It was none of than Joshua Jackson (Pacey from Dawson’s Creek) who’s grown into quite the stunner of a man!  We had no clue who his girlfriend was–nothing a quick Google couldn’t fix. (Diane Kruger if you’re as useless as me on celeb trivia).

We got to the bar and I laughed–it’s Paul Hogan, no bloody way!  Well it wasn’t him but some rocker dude who looked the spitting image of him.  He was at a table with nobody we could recognise except that they were aging rockers plus one familiar-looking actor donning a baseball cap.  (We never did find out who any of them were).

The atmosphere was fab, we had a great night and a great meal.  Then all of a sudden flashes went off like Marilyn Monroe had just walked in but we couldn’t work out who they were for.

As distracting as they were my girlfriend turned around and announced as calmly as possible, “OMG it’s Bette Midler.”  Sure enough in the corner booth is The Divine Miss M herself.  Score.

More flashes.  We didn’t know where to look, who to look at, let alone carry on a conversation.  Then there was birthday cake delivered to the table next to us so we joined in the happy birthday wishes and before that was over we caught the eye of the gorgeous Joshua Jackson once again.  Was he leaving?  Was he going back to the bar after dinner?  No, the valet had come inside to get his keys and bring his car to a secret exit.  Gold.  It doesn’t get much better than this.

More flashes.  Who are they trying to pap?  Then the birthday table leaves and it’s some guys from the Big Bang Theory–sitting next to us the whole time!

It was the most overwhelming night of people watching, living the moment, taking in the ambiance and trying to carry on conversations with the people at our table.  Because we haven’t seen each other for years and then we’re thrust in this situation where it’s difficult to engage in normal conversation.  Thank god everyone at the table (bar Mr H) was into it otherwise it could have been a very awkward way to start the weekend.

The whole weekend was more of the same.  It just goes to prove if you’re out and about at the right spots and you’re lucky enough the paparazzi really is everywhere and celebs are just trying to go about their own business being normal people.

I heart LA.

xx It Started In LA xx

PS:  It is my “thing” not to take pics of the celebs I see out & about, especially if it’s in an intimate restaurant.  I think it’s only fair to maintain their privacy.  Nor do I generally ask them to take a pic with me either.  Do I regret it?  Hell yeah–a lot but that’s just the way it’s going to have to be.  Until I’m famous myself and then it’s all bets are off!