Gawker Stalker: Madison Square Garden is the New Bungalow
Sightings are sent in by our Stella McCartney for H&M-clad readers; send yours to tips@gawker.com.
In this walk the walk, stalk the stalk edition: La Lohan, La Oprah, La Diddy, Steve Martin, Claire Danes, Kate Winslet, Chloe Sevigny, Marcia Gay Harden, Al Franken, Sean Lennon, Tate Donovan, Matthew Broderick, Usher, Gavin Rossdale, Tim Robbins, Gemma Ward, Juliana Margulies, an Unidentified Olsen Twin, Usher, Russell Simmons, Jason Lee, Donald Trump, Carson Kressley, Fabian Basabe, Jason Lewis, Bill Hemmer, Tim Curry, David Allan Grier, Tony Bennett, Dave Grohl and Jon Farb, Dusty Hill, and...Matthew Lesko.
I finally had my first Lindsay Lohan sighting. This past Tuesday my friend and I were backstage after the Gwen Stefani concert at Madison Square Garden. We were hanging around when suddenly we saw Lindsay and two friends walking towards the exit elevator. We obviously ran as fast as we could to jump in the elevator with her. It was quite crowded and I was pushed right up against Lindsay and she says "God, it feels like Bungalow in here." She looked amazing with her brunette hair. She then was whisked off of the elevator and into an Escalade most likely en route to Bungalow.
I don't know if anyone's sent this one in yet, but I saw Oprah the other day...actually I didn't see her. I was in the balcony at The Color Purple when suddenly everyone in the theater started screaming. Once I realized there wasn't a fire in the theater and we weren't all about to go down in a blaze of glory, I realized every woman in the orchestra section was screaming Oprah's name. It's a miracle the front of the balcony didn't fall off, because everyone upstairs rushed to the edge to try and catch a glimpse. I heard Gayle was there too.
Was at my gym (New York Sports Club on 10th and 7th) Thursday night and noticed an intense dance aerobics class going on in the studio behind the treadmills. I didn't think much of it until a camera crew showed up, followed about 15 minutes later by P. Diddy and the whole "Making the Band" entourage. Diddy was rocking a light gray suit with a black tie and pocket square, and seemed bored/judgmental/possibly asleep behind his sunglasses. The whole thing was kind of a meta mind-fuck, as I had been watching the show on my treadmill's TV when Diddy arrived.
Yesterday at Trattoria della' Arte, I saw Steve Martin actually having lunch with Shopgirl, or at least she was a very young stylish woman. I was surprised to find him pretty fit and attractive (maybe I can be his Shopgirl?!). Sitting next to us with two women not of glove counter age was Charles Osgood from CBS Sunday Morning. We weren't sure if it was him until he ordered, his voice is much more remarkable than the rest of him. Strangely, he was wearing one of those Jostens class rings with a big red stone. Matched the big bottle of red wine they were drinking.
I went to a sushi place called Shimizu last night in Midtown, and Claire Danes was dining there with a couple of guy friends. She looked great and nobody else seemed to realize it was her.
Today, around 1PM, Kate Winslet came into Meat Packing eatery The Diner and ate a Cobb Salad, solo. I saw Chloe Sevigny on Madison Ave and 60th street at around 6pm last night (11-09-05). She looked really good and was dressed really nice. She was with the lamest looking dude I have ever seen. He had gross long hair and was wearing a small windbreaker he looked like a 70's style Dogtown/z-boy. They kept stopping while walking to make out. Maybe she was shopping for her birthday.
Saw Marcia Gay Harden last night at the High 5 Tickets to the Arts benefit at the Millennium Broadway Hotel. She looked perfectly coiffed and gave a fantastic speech!
I saw Al Franken on W 12th street this morning (Thurs, 11/10). A fire drill had pushed all of the students of the New School out onto the street near 6th Avenue. Air America was apparently broadcasting from New School's Tischman Auditorium today, which is in the same building as my class was. Al was dressed for radio, with a blue button up shirt tucked into his blue jeans and his standard blocky black glasses. He pushed through the crowd of students that seemed pleased with the interruption of class and was last seen storming off towards 5th avenue. Was his show interrupted by the fire drill? I don't know, but he didn't seem very happy.
Sitting at the bar of French Roast on 6th Ave, I saw a disheveled Sean Lennon dining with his back to the window...he looks strikingly like his father. Then, after I d decided I wouldn't gawker stalker/starfuck that sighting, I bumped into a cab-hailing Al Franken on the corner, with an overfilled backpack that was in stark contrast to his general pompous and arrogant disposition.
On Saturday saw Tate Donovan at the retail market on Arthur Avenue (the real little-Italy) in the Bronx. He was signing autographs and taking pictures with little old Italian ladies who were shopping for their escarole. What the hell was he doing way up there?
I saw Matthew Broderick on 57th between 5th and 6th Monday night at around 6:15, he looked incredibly disheveled, with his eyes darting all over the place. I first noticed him because he looked so intense and nervous and I only realized I was staring at Ferris Bueller when I saw the heads of three women flip backward as they passed by him.
Last night, a friend and I were standing outside 119, the bar at 15th and Irving. There was a man with a video camera and a woman with a still camera hanging out, too, but I didn't give them much thought until the woman turned to us and said, "Do you girls like Gavin Rossdale?" "When I was 15," I answered. "Can you pretend you're 15?" she asked. And then he rounded the corner and walked past us, into the back door of Irving plaza. he was wearing a brown ribbed zip-up sweater that was hanging open and jeans, or maybe corduroys — it happened too fast for me to take it in, and if the photog hadn't announced his arrival I m sure I would totally have missed it. The woman called after him, asking him to turn around for a photo and he was more than willing to comply, preening and posing for a number of shots before disappearing into Irving plaza. Another girl hanging out there had no idea who he was because apparently she spent most of the 90s touring with the Dead, but she was not impressed. "He's not even as cute as Hanson," she decided, which I thought was a little unfair. He may be looking kind of used, but he's still the man who gave the world Glycerine.
Saw Tim Robbins rollerblading down Bleeker on Sunday. He is BIG! Looks to be close to 6'3" and 220 lbs. He was holding a hockey stick and one other unidentifiable object. 10 minutes later walked by Gemma Ward and her model-like girlfriends, think they may have gone into the Marc Jacobs store. My friend didn't know who was she was and thought she looked like E.T. I thought she looked pretty but VERY young.
I saw Juliana Margulies eating at Jerry's on Prince Street. Man is she lame. She left ER to do what exactly?
With the full knowledge that another Olsen twins sighting in this segmented series might send any sensible person over the edge, I shall accept the consequences by submitting the following: one of the Olsen twins (alas, I'm not sure which one) emerged from a black GMC SUV on Mercer Street, in front of the Mercer Hotel, around 12:30pm today (11/08). The vehicle had a California license plate and the driver was apparently also Ms. Olsen's bodyguard, sort of a cross between Mario Batali and the pro wrestler who goes by the name Vader. Ms. Olsen was wearing a taupe-colored sweater coat and black sunglasses that were about as big as the doors on the SUV.
Usher looking at an apartment at 429 Greenwich Street (the swanky Deitz Lantern building in Tribeca) on Tuesday evening. He was nice enough to say hello to the kids whose nannies brought them outside to meet him...
Who'd have thought moguls would eat in this neighborhood? Walking home on 8th Ave last night I caught a glimpse of a man exiting a fried chicken place below Penn Station and thought, 'That looks like a young Russell Simmons,' only to see him followed by a driver/bodyguard and both jumping into a black SUV parked in front. Then it was, 'That IS Russell Simmons.' I wouldn't touch a fast food restaurant in this area, but maybe he knows something we don't? Certainly seemed youthful...
I saw Inspektor Pilot's dad Jason Lee in the lobby of Rockefeller Center last night (11/08). He was walking with a few other people (don't think it was an "entourage", they all seemed too normal and boring to be his friends). They exited the building toward the rink. He managed to look disheveled in a gray striped suit and blue tie, but probably due to the unfortunate "My Name Is Earl" facial hair he was sporting. Taller than I expected, but definitely not cuter (the facial hair is even more redneck in person).
So I m standing in line Nov 10th for the Stella McCartney H&M collection on 5th Avenue and who walks by in what seemed like slow motion? The man who owns half of Manhattan, Donald Trump. He had a bodyguard with him and was walking freely without people bothering him. He was very statuesque and looks better in real life.
Went to a DKNY/UNICEF party on Tuesday (11/8) at the DKNY store on Madison, only b/c my ex boyfriend works for the company that organized the party. First celebrity spotted was Carson Kressley, of course. My friend asked him if I needed a makeover and he said he liked my hair but that I should lose my undershirt. Then he went back to his little group of friends. Then saw Mandy Moore, who is taller than I expected. Also saw the ubiquitous Fabian Basabe, with his handsome and so-gay male "friend." They seemed to keep to themselves. Maybe I was the only loser to recognize him! But the best part of the night was not only meeting but also hanging out with and having friendly fun chats with Jason Lewis, aka Samantha's HOT bf from Sex and the City and currently Rosario Dawson's better half. He was so damn cool and nice, I couldn't believe it. He is very striking in person, but his hair was shorter and sort of slicked back. About my height—5'11. And so normal and sweet and funny. Okay, we were all smitten with him. And, on his way out after being cornered by DK herself, he still made time to say good-bye to all of us and he even remembered my name.
Saw Bill Hemmer at MOMA on Friday evening. He was accompanied by a pretty Angie Harmon type. Surprisingly, he was dressed like a suburban straight guy. Unfortunately, even a suburban straight guy would get a better fitting wig that Mr. Hemmer wears. His hair is definitely fake.
Just saw Tim Curry waddling down 42nd across from Bryant Park. He was short (shocker!) with a well-groomed beard, and wearing an oversized, red, garment-dyed Aeropostale hoodie that must have come from the sale rack at Macy's. Damn, "Clue" was such a great movie.
On Sunday 11/6, around 2:30pm, I saw David Allan Grier of In Living Color fame ambling down 3rd Avenue around 18th street. He was wearing a soldier-type cap, which was very square with a short brim. He is going gray, and although he was holding hands with a woman, I overheard part of their conversation and he sounds very effeminate when he talks.
Just saw Tony Bennett while walking down 58th street last night. He was standing outside the back door of Trump Park Avenue talking to someone. I didn t recognize him at first without his trademark tie and suit. He was wearing a puffy black jacket that went down to his knees, and was a lot shorter than I expected, but he was really looking good for his age.
On Wednesday Night (11/9), I saw Dave Grohl, D-list Specialist Jon Farb, some random girl, and some tattooed guy that I think was also important all chowing down at Lucky Strike.
Last night at Irving Plaza (11/9), for the very excellent Black Keys, was in the VIP section (I'm more of a NIPIL BOL—Not Important In the Least, But Occasionally Lucky—than a VIP) and looked up to my left to see Dusty Hill of ZZ Top! All I could think was, Holy Shit, his beard is fucking REAL. Not that I ever doubted it. I'll feel stupid if it was actually Billy Gibbons, but how the hell can you tell with all that hair? And it was dark. Anyway, he was with a woman who looked more apr s-ski-Aspen-bitch than lady-on-the-arm-of-rock-star, and another kind of business-y looking dude. Dusty/Billy/prettysureitwasDusty was much shorter than I expected.
I saw Matthew Lesko (the question mark guy recently interviewed by a writer from Black Table) at Mama Mexico's on 49th & Second. He was with a few good lookin' younger girls and a guy, wearing a bright, red corduroy question mark suit, which I overheard him saying he had originally bought with plans to keep untainted (no question marks). He was reserving it for an event such as a funeral (reminder: it was bright red), but then he couldn't help himself so he tarnished it with yellow question marks. Good times.