Celebrity

Everyone who has one loves to tell their celebrity story. For a while mine was seeing Emma Watson while she toured the ADC theatre at Cambridge University, and nearly offered her tea. She looked a lot like another friend of mine from the back... But I have a new story now.

I've been looking for a new pair of boots for a little while. I need new Kitchen boots too, but that's more a matter of spending the money and taking the 5 minutes to order them online. I've worn the same ones since 2003, basically. I just replace them when they get too beat up. Shoes and boots for out of the kitchen, well, that's another matter. I'm fussy about everything, footwear especially. I've abused the heck out of my feet in my time. It's not about the fashion, it's form and function. They have to look exactly right and fit exactly right. The should be build to last. After that, I'm flexible. Exactly right isn't limited to one look, but I have to like it. So I'm looking at people's boots more than I normally would.

A week ago, Jennifer Aniston came in for dinner. It wasn't the first time and it won't be the last, I imagine. She's a friend of the owner. I snuck upstairs to use the bathroom and take a peek, so I have a good story to tell my folks. They like hearing stories about that sort of thing, makes then more comfortable with my living in New York City. There she was, sitting at a table near the back. Mission accomplished.

Someone came into the bathroom behind me, and so I kept my eyes down as I was washing my hands. Unusually, the other occupant bade me good evening when she exited the stall, and I immediately noticed her boots. They were a dark leather, mid calf, with dark skinny jeans tucked into them, a little bit of heel but tolerably low. I proceeded to compliment her on them, asking where she had gotten them,and as words began to tumble out I looked up into her face and realised I was speaking to Jennifer Aniston. About boots and the importance of comfortable footwear. And how we're both fussy but in different ways.

People always imagine what they would do if they ever met a celebrity. Well, I know I have. Clearly, I just see another person in a bathroom, and treat them as such.

I wonder about celebrity a bit. My current Chef is a popular blogger, with followers in multiple countries. A former chef of mine is one of twelve 2 Michelin starred chefs in the UK. And I was offered a job with Tom Aiken who may not be well known on US shores, but certainly is in the UK. Brushes with fame, always on the fringes. I rather like it there. I rather think that the celebrities are occasionally jealous of me in the same way that I'm Jealous of them, for the opposite reasons. I think so often how I'd love the fame and attention, not to mention the money. I like to imagine celebrities are jealous of me. I can fade into the crowd, be anonymous. I have to work to stand out. They have to work to hide. Frankly I think I have it easier.