Gawker Stalker: Puff Daddy Delivers the Fatal Blow to La Esquina
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In this edition of Gawker Stalker: Puff Daddy eating underground Mexican, David Byrne, George Clooney, Sofia Coppola, and Todd Solondz at the New York Film Festival, Jay-Z and Beyonce, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sheryl Crow, Cuba Gooding Jr, Felicity, Molly Shannon and Heather Graham, Mike Meyers, Julian Casablancas, Rob Corddry, Rachel Weisz, Elijah Wood, Howard Stern, Alan Cumming, Gabriel Byrne, Joan Allen, Geoffrey Rush, Arnold Vosloo, Kelly Ripa, Angie Everheart and Kevin Connelly, Vanessa Carleton, Joe Pantoliano, Brad Garrett, David Schwimmer, Andrew McCarthy, Rosie O Donnell, Jesse Palmer, Karen Elson, Fabian Basabe, and, due to reader request, Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams and their baby shower entourage bring up the rear.
Saw Puff Daddy with a skinny Asian woman last night at "La Esquina" restaurant at Kenmare and Lafayette. He rolled up in the escalade and it was awesome. His bodyguard looks just like suge knight but smaller. Puffy looks just like he does in pictures. And at the New York film festival premiere I sat right behind the amazing David Byrne for the amazing "good night, and good luck" premiere. Later that night I saw George Clooney, teeny Sofia Coppola, and Todd Solondz.
Sat...9/24, 4pm 5th Ave. and 59th Street. Jay-Z and Beyonce in the back of a chauffeured Bentley stuck in the 5th Ave. traffic. I was walking on the sidewalk with a friend when we noticed this bluish Bentley with curtains down the back seat windows and it looked like it had bullet proof glass. The quick glance we got when it turned right in front of us it looked like Jay-Z and Beyonce so we crossed in front of it and looked straight in and saw them. Others started noticing too and began waving. Beyonce waved back a few times.
Walking down Bleecker on Saturday and from across the street a woman sitting outside of Polka Dot cake shop looking a lot like Sarah Jessica Parker. Decided to do a fly by to confirm and the mole on her chin was all we needed. She was wearing big sunglasses and possibly pretending to talk on her phone with blackberry in hand to deflect attention. It looked like there was a shoot going on in the cake shop, somebody has to bring home the bacon what has Matthew done lately?
I saw Sheryl Crow with a female friend at Noho Star on Sunday. They were sitting outside having brunch.
Friday night some friends and I were having overpriced drinks on the roof of the Gansevoort when we overheard someone behind us against the railing shouting into his cell phone. We distinctly heard, "I want to write AND produce it!" He turned his head, to reveal he was none other than Cuba Gooding Jr. I couldn't decide if it would be funnier to call him Hooty, or ask him if somebody wasn't showing him the money, but stopped myself just in time to remember both of those references are ten years old. But after "Snow Dogs" and the Beyonce movie, maybe he should leave the decisions to somebody
else.
Saw Keri Russell ("Felicity" always and forever) at American Apparel on Broadway appropriately enough, right by NYU. Tiny and gorgeous despite an unfortunate denim-on-denim shirt/jeans combo. Was with cute indie-looking guy; later spotted them again at Bloomie's in SoHo.
Molly Shannon and Heather Graham were at the Union Square Farmer's Market rehearsing something this morning. Heather Graham had so much makeup on and was so tall I thought it was a drag queen. No really.
Saw Mike Myers while walking down the West Side Highway on Saturday. He was sitting on a set of steps alone, wearing sunglasses and talking on his cell phone (or at least pretending to talk on his cell phone). He seemed to be trying to be incognito, but that's pretty freaking impossible when all of New York amasses on the West Side Highway on sunny weekends. Would have been more exciting if he was talking in a Shrek voice though.
Also, Julian Casablancas and ladyfriend (?) going to see the same movie, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, he had horrible skin but I was still excited to see a Stroke, live in person. She looked like a more strung out version of himself.
For what it's worth, I saw Rob Corddry of The Daily Show at Atlantic Antic yesterday, walking around in a worn-out old light blue t-shirt with a slightly younger-looking woman. He looked like any other five-o-clock-shadowed Brooklyn guy.
Saw Rachel Weisz on f train to Brooklyn on Sunday night. I think she was with the Pi guy. She is very gorgeous and better looking in person. Was wearing white tank, jeans and dorky white running sneakers. Getting schooled on Brooklyn life by some dude who loves his Brooklyn backyard.
Oh my god, talk about being an Oompa Loompa, just saw Elijah Wood crossing Prince St (Soho) and hobbiting into Dean & Deluca with a female friend. The guy s a midget
Howard Stern, walking south on Columbus Ave. near Lincoln Center late Saturday afternoon, with his arm around an extraordinarily tall, attractive blonde woman. Looking younger than his years, obviously keeps his beautician in business with regular facials.
On Saturday night 9-24, I saw Alan Cumming at Ace Bar around 1am or so. He was with a bunch of other people hanging out in the front of the bar for like half an hour, then made his way toward the back to play one of the new skee ball machines that seemed to have magically appeared over the weekend. His hair is crazy spiky.
Sunday 9/25 at about noon inside the Connecticut Muffin on Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights, Gabriel Byrne and his brogue were speaking furtively into a cell phone. He had silvery hair and looked distinguished. Monday 9/26 at 9:30 A.M., Paul Giamatti of "Sideways" fame was standing with a thick, lumberjack-style beard (and a lumberjack-style shirt) outside the very same Connecticut Muffin talking to some admirers. Who can resist the call of Connecticut Muffin??
Saw Joan Allen Friday at the Annie Proulx/Richard Ford New Yorker reading. She was much taller than I expected. Very pretty with perfectly highlighted hair. A mini entourage surrounded her.
9/26 I saw Geoffrey Rush standing under an awning at 57th and 5th trying to stay out of the rain. He was talking on his cell phone and he looked really normal. I don't think anyone else noticed him. I loved him in Mystery Men.
(9/26) Spotted "24" baddie Arnold Vosloo strolling in the West Village this morning, accompanied by two pretty young mom types. I wanted to yell "Hey Habib! Dammit!" out of the cab window but thought better of it. His profile looks like a statue of a Roman God. He's tall too. Re: the (Ed: Uh?) in last Gawker Stalker with David Suzuki. He's kind of like the Canadian Carl Sagan, without the arrogance, resentful ex-wives, and well...he's not dead. Imagine if Santa Claus was a Japanese-Canadian hippie, and the coolest Science Teacher in the history of the world with a weekly television show that's been on your entire life. A God amongst men.
On Broadway (at 67th) at around 7pm 9/26, I saw Kelly Ripa walking down the sidewalk. She was itsy bitsy teeny tiny, wearing a tight HOT PINK satin dress and had tons of make-up on. She must have been shooting something with Regis, cause he was tagging along not far behind and there were trailers lining the block. Even though she smiled sweetly as she signed autographs for the hoards of people gathering around her, I thought she looked a little bugged out by all of them.
Last week went to few spots. My girl and I went to Home and saw Angie Everheart and Kevin Connelly. Didn t realize how short he was. Went to Double Sevens and waited for my girlfriend to come out of the bathroom and Mandy Moore comes out and says to a friend "I shouldn't have done that shot. I'm so drunk". She looks even hotter with her blonde hair.
Spotted a very boheme clad Vanessa Carlton in a purple dress and flip flops, walking her mutt (a mini daschund?) around Prince and Crosby just now. She looks just like on tv, but a lot shorter? No one else seemed to even notice... Maybe next time she should try walking her dog down the street on a moving piano, crooning her latest billboard hit. I'm sure that'll turn heads.
Saw Joey "Pants" Pantoliano on 48th and 9th on Tuesday afternoon (9.27). He was with a group of agitated women his age, and seemed be finishing up a business meeting. He had on the requisite Kangol hat and tinted glasses. He's a nice guy, I met him once. Maybe he should consider a new look though, I spotted him from a block away, and I can't see so well.
It was must-see TV night at Il Mulino on Saturday 9/24! I could almost touch elbows with Brad Garrett, fresh off his Emmy win for Everybody Loves Raymond. He's ridiculously tall, but surprisingly lean in person. Brad was enjoying his pasta dish with two industry looking types (perhaps discussing his new spin-off????). And then as soon as Brad left, in rolls Ross!! David Schwimmer was with some 'friends' (sadly, Rachel was nowhere in sight), and he promptly ordered a martini. He's still as awkwardly cute as ever, I couldn't have asked for a more delicious dessert!
I was out gallivanting yesterday 9/26 and I turned to my left and saw Andrew McCarthy on 12th and University! He actually looked good (young) in the face. His clothes were a different story. He was wearing a light-weight flannel with bleach stains on it. Corduroy's that were too high and slightly tapered and those Nike running/hiking shoes - gross! Seeing him made me want to watch Mannequin.
No, it's not a love fest. But I did see Rosie on Sunday in Shubert Alley, being just one of the folks milling around the tables of theater-related merchandise for sale (benefit of some sort). She was holding the hand of a ten or eleven-year old (does she have a kid?) and talking to some hunky men. I looked at her and she looked back and smiled without any of the "I'm a star and don't make eye-contact" attitude one so often sees.
On Friday 9/23 was celebrating a friends birthday at Level V , we got there around 11:30 and there was Jesse Palmer standing all by himself drinking an Amstel Light and attempting to flirt with the bartenders. He was pretty cute, not as tall or broad as he looks on TV but definitely nice to look at.
I saw Karen Elson backstage at the White Stripes concert in Coney Island, she was having an argument with someone on her cellphone. She was a pale emaciated hunchbacked giantess in a FLORAL Laura Ashley dress. I don't get it, is ugly the new beautiful?
Racing up Park Avenue on a glorious Saturday (9/24) afternoon, passed 550 Park Avenue, and who should get out of the limo in front? Fabian Basabe and an extremely beautiful young woman about his height. He took her hand as they glided into the lobby, but I must say, he seemed exceedingly pleased with himself, swanning out of the limo. I thought about saying something to the effect that no gentleman would treat the cowboys on the Rich Kids Reality Trail Ride Show he stars in so shabbily — and where he is about as useless as that Gastineau girl — but was already half a block away. Thank god he's not an American. Does anyone know what sort of diplomatic immunity he could possibly have? Has he been to college?
Was having brunch at Frankie's 457 Spuntino in Carroll Gardens this Sunday (9/25). As my friends and I are entering, we pause to let a couple go in first - she pregnant, he hipster. After a moment's pause, I realized we'd held the door open for Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger! She was beautiful and glowing in a green floral patterned dress, her hair in Heidi'ish braids. He wore ratty jeans, dress shirt untucked, celebrity sunglasses that never came off. They'd reserved a private seating area outside and as people continued to flow in with presents, I realized it was their baby shower! Busy Philipps (Audrey, from Dawson's Creek) was also there - looking glam, but extremely made up for a Sunday morning. Kept hoping "TomKat" or Jake Gyllenhaal would make an appearance, but no such luck. Everyone seemed to be having a lovely time...