The Ultimate Celebrity Sighting

It's a beautiful mild evening in the Big Apple tonight. I joined a friend for dinner after work at the The Half King (co-owed by Sebastian Junger, author of The Perfect Storm) for their Monday night book reading series.

After dinner, we headed east on 23rd Street. As we walked past the restaurant Bette, two doormen asked me to step back. I thought it odd since I had just about passed the doorway.

Then I noticed the standard celebrity vehicle, a black SUV, parked in front of the restaurant entry. I looked at the doormen and as I moved back from them, I rolled my eyes. They told me it would just be a few minutes. I told my work colleague Philippe that this had never happened before - I was sure it was going to be someone like Lindsay Lohan.

But instead, who steps out but Bill Clinton! His hair is full and very white but he looked older because he was so gaunt. I know everyone always looks smaller in person but he's very thin!

I looked at the doormen and they smiled. I said, "Okay this one is definitely worth it. I don't have a problem stepping back for Bill." As he walked by me, I said, "We love you, Bill." He stopped, took off his glasses, turned toward us, and raised his hand and said, "Thank you, thank you very much."

Bill, he's just so Elvis!

And no, there wasn't time for me to mention that I had missed the family portrait in 1996 because I bartendeding at a youth hostel in Tel Aviv. But I knew if I had asked to shake his hand, he would've stepped over. (But no Nancy, I didn't ask.)

Then we kept walking down 23rd street - Philippe was thankful it wasn't Obama -he's afraid I would have caused a scene but he said, "just like a New Yorker - tell a former President, 'we love you' then just keep walking to your subway."

Sometimes, I forgot that New York is pretty cool.

(Happy Birthday Micaela!)