I’m turning into some kind of a paparazzi (paparazzo? pepperoni?). First, last week I ran into Picasso on the subway, and then today I saw Jenna Bush at Starbucks. The way things are going, I’ll be coming to fisticuffs with Sean Penn by the weekend.
But back to today.
So, I’m at Starbucks at Rockefeller Center, waiting for my beverage of champions and then I notice that Jenna Bush is standing next to me, waiting too.
The way this Starbucks works is that when you get into the line to pay, the Starbucks assistant takes your order and your name, and when you get to the front of the line, you pay and then you wait in the reception-like area for your name to be announced. So there is a lot of waiting and also a lot of opportunity for deception. Like, you could ask the Starbucks assistant that you want a triple Venti no foam latte with 24-k gold shavings and then when you go to pay, say “oh, just a tall decaf” and get away with murder, but I’m too scrupulous to risk it. Also, I just this minute thought of it, so who knows what tomorrow will bring.
So both Jenna and I were standing there, waiting for our drinks and I kept thinking “I know it’s her, she works for NBC now” and then trying to figure out if I could casually snap her picture with my BlackBerry. But unlike with Picasso, I couldn’t pull it off. Because she was standing right in front of me.
Then her drink came first and they announced “Jenna!” I was surprised that she didn’t use a pseudonym. Like Barbara. Then they announced my drink “Marinka!” and I took it as a sign that I should approach her and ask her if I could take a picture.
So I did.
Because I’m always thinking of how to make the people who read my blog happy.
And she said “sure, would you like to get into the picture with me?” Which is totally one of those gotcha! questions that Sister Sarah Palin is warning us about. And I said “oh, no!” and then I tried to find the camera feature on my BlackBerry.
And then I got really worried that she’d think that I didn’t want to be photographed with her because I think that her father should be indicted for Crimes Against Intelligence, so I decided to add, “I’m just not photogenic” and then I got nervous that she’d think that I was the type of person who walks up to the famous and fishes for compliments, so I added “I’m not photogenic compared to you! You are really photogenic.”
Finally a miracle happened and I was able to locate the camera feature on my phone, she smiled and I snapped. I mean the I snapped the picture, not that I snapped. Although it’s early in the day, so stay tuned for further updates on that.
I thanked her and she was very gracious and said that it was nice to meet me. I wanted to explain that that wasn’t the real me, that I am much more gracious and charming and, oh, maybe I’ll just write her a letter instead. I have the newspaper and scissors right here.
I’ll just have to get some glue.
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{ 39 comments… read them below or add one }
Twitter: vboykis
June 29, 2011 at 9:48 am
Wait, is she the married one or the other one? It’s important.
She’s the married one. Can’t you see how happy she looks?
Twitter: mommythisnthat
June 29, 2011 at 9:49 am
She looks so pretty and way thinner than on TV. I guess TV really does ad 10 pounds!
Twitter: marta28
June 29, 2011 at 10:05 am
LOVE the crimes against intelligence comment. You should have made it (after you took her photo) just to see her reaction.
Twitter: MamaWantsThis
June 29, 2011 at 10:07 am
I confess, I Googled her, as I had no idea who she was *ahem*
Wish I lived in NYC!
Twitter: Glamamom
June 29, 2011 at 10:18 am
Pretty nice that she was gracious and let you snap a photo. I try and avoid pepperoni first thing in the morning. And props to you for having the nerve to ask her. Now you have that perfect photo to hang over the fireplace.
What Marta said. 🙂
you see all the famous people! i’m STILL trying to figure out who the guy was i saw in a bar in march. I should have taken a picture and sent it to you to ask! My guess is i’ll finally find out when i watch the local cable access channel where all the losers hang out.
I saw your tweet and smiled.
She looks gorgeous in that picture.
That was very nice of her and I disagree..just look at every detail showing in your profile picture. Radiates beauty!!!
Love that you asked; I wouldn’t have had the guts.
COOL! Did you ask her where her dress was from, who her hair stylist is, and what she ordered to drink? YOU SHOULD HAVE!
That is a genetic trait, I recognized my mother’s patients, who I saw as a child in the 1950’s, in NYC in late 1980’s and early 1990’s.
To Bush haters, you did not know how good it was.
Twitter: amommyinthecity
June 29, 2011 at 12:46 pm
Good for your for being so brave to ask for a pic. I feel like whenever I see celebrities I just stare at them in a corner. Maybe you need to teach me a few things.
Oh, Marinka, I think you’ve had enough glue. Scissors, please? Thank you.
Twitter: NorthWestMommy
June 29, 2011 at 1:37 pm
Very cool. And you are gracious, you never mentioned which drink she was having.
what’s wrong with your starbucks?!!? there are only 3 people in that photo. my starbucks is like disneyland…filled with people in my personal space, but pissed off because they haven’t had their caffine fix yet…and none of them are photogenic!
Oh my god, that’s a huge starbucks!
Freaking hilarious, Marinka!
She’s pretty. And probably smart. But not as pretty and probably smart as a certain Russian immigrant blogger we all know.
Oh, I wouldn’t have had the guts. I’d have stood there radiating tension while trying to be normal. Also, I’d be thinking of all the awful ways I could get into the news by terrible accident. “What if my nerves make my legs go all squishy? Then I’d trip! OMG – I would trip on her! Our drinks would dump on her! She could get burned! OMG – I’d be in the news. I’d overdo it swearing it was an accident and then no one would believe me. I’d have to explain myself on The View!” I’d be a sweating wreck by the end of the whole ordeal, which in reality would have been just a 90 second wait in line next to a stranger. I should never leave the house, really.
Twitter: annsrants
June 29, 2011 at 5:59 pm
Whenever I hear Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi I will think of you. Or that child who sang it at BlogHer10.
Also perhaps BlogHer would pay you to photograph the conference, because the universe wants you at BlogHer.
Twitter: PhoenixRising73
June 29, 2011 at 6:02 pm
Huh. I use fake names all the time because I figured that’s what all the famous people did and when they call up MY coffee order and say, “Marinka!” I pop up and they would think, “hey, she doesn’t LOOK like a Marinka…. I bet she’s someone famous….” and then they’d talk amongst themselves and be all “that’s that Motherhood in NYC blogger I was telling you about – I LOVE HER!” and then I’d probably get free coffee… but now that I know famous people just use their real name I’m completely lost.
Twitter: allfookeduptoo
June 29, 2011 at 6:35 pm
I love your awkward moments! I thought your husband saw Picasso, not you. Hmmmm
I don’t want to alarm you, but dailymail has totally copied your methods of sneaking in celeb pictures:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2009178/Rachel-McAdams-Michael-Sheen-ride-subway.html?ITO=1490
Wow, she’s gorgeous! What a hilarious post. I would have never gotten up the nerve to ask, so I am doubly impressed w/ you Marinka.
I wouldn’t of had the guts. I’d start stuttering and end up just unintentionally spitting on anyone famous.
Twitter: sellabitmum
June 29, 2011 at 8:46 pm
You did tell her to say hey to W, yes? She is cute. But not as cute as you.
Twitter: Peajaye
June 29, 2011 at 9:15 pm
Some years ago a friend worked at a ranch in Montana where they sometimes hosted a program for underprivileged kids in the summer. JB was there with the kids, and my friend said she was super-nice and surprisingly smart.
Twitter: gdrpempress
June 29, 2011 at 10:27 pm
She looks so skinny which means that it’s true!
The camera does make you look fatter, therefore, I no longer need to fear a career in front of a camera.
Thank you, Marinka…
I was in your fair city this week and saw Buzz Aldrin at the Transformers promo in Times Square. Not as pretty as Jenna Bush, but a cool sighting nonetheless.
Twitter: asideofrice
June 30, 2011 at 7:44 am
Thank goodness the sins of the (stupid) father don’t appear to carry over to the very nice daughter. I’m so jealous — I get no brushes with celebrity. Maybe I need to drink more Starbucks.
Twitter: Dimsumdebutante
June 30, 2011 at 8:12 am
If you do run into Sean Penn, please call me! I wouldn’t have the nerve to speak to him, but I would happily lurk behind him while you take his photos.
Why didn’t you pose next to her? But good work on figuring out the photo thing, and h0w to post it. Nice
Twitter: TheSuniverse
June 30, 2011 at 2:04 pm
You should definitely invest in a tripod or something for your blackberry camera. I think it would help. Or you could use it during your altercation with Sean Penn.
I would not for a million years have recognized her. But then I spent eight years with my head hung in shame in the international community so I only noticed the sidewalk.
Twitter: peaceloveguac
June 30, 2011 at 5:03 pm
She looks great and not at all “WTF?! You freaky caffeinated bitch!” as I always expect celebs to be when approached by cameras.
Twitter: Mamabirddiaries
June 30, 2011 at 11:41 pm
I wish I could look that good on a Blackberry camera.
Love it! I am in NYC all the time and never run into people, though I have in other random cities? Jenna is definitely photogenic…great pic!