My First Red Carpet

I didn't have a chance to watch the Academy Awards on Sunday night.  We were busy celebrating my sister-in-law's birthday and chatting-it-up with family.  But, I did record the event to keep me company during long stretches of busywork this week.  Anyway, while watching a bit of the show last night, I was reminded about my own Red Carpet experience - one of the many odd, suppressed Hollywood memories I alluded to in my About Page, but have never launched into here.

It was a dark and stormy night...  It was a long and taxing day...

...at the downtown Los Angeles library.  I had spent hours researching patents for my hair accessory business (another story).  I was tired and hungry, but comfortably- dressed in some random assemblage of unremarkable lounge clothing. Strapped with a messenger bag full of photocopies and notes, I exited the library carrying a 12"-tall stack of hefty books.  When I called my husband to report that the day's work had been accomplished and I was heading home, he replied, "Hey, you're right next to the Oscars, you should go have a look!"

Heather:  "How close is "right next to?"

Isaac:  "Oh, a couple of blocks."

Heather: "Uh...ok. Sure."

Isaac:  "Stay on the phone and I'll tell you how to get there."

So, I headed to the right, tall stack of books in arms, instead of to the left, where the car was parked a few blocks away. 

-- And let me just say here that everything looks smaller in a Thomas Guide -- add to that a couple of wrong turns and we're talking achey, shakey arms, with a couple of blistered heels on the way --  By the time I made my way to the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion, past the protester-packed corners and the swarm of limousines stacked end-to-end along the road, I was determined to see this tiresome adventure to some worthy end. Why turn around now, right?

So, I headed cautiously toward the back of the bleachers and the flurry of activity that surrounded them.  I was certain that I'd be stopped and questioned by the police at the street barracade or the security guards peppered throughout the crowds, but I wasn't going to turn back until I was told, "Miss, this section is for VIPs," or "Tickets, please," or the like.  No one stopped me.  No one was concerned.  Somehow, little innocent me, with my conspicuous and dorky stack of patent books made it all the way to the security station -- you know, one of those metal-detector thingies you have to walk through.  There I was at the end of the road.   

But, there was no one there.  No one to ask, "How can I get into the bleachers?" or "When does this thing end?" or "Where am I allowed to stand?"  So, I peeked my head through the gateway to search for its manager.  No luck.  (But, no alarm sounded either.)  So, what did this bedraggled young-lady-in need-of-adventure do?  I walked on through, around a corner... and oops, right onto The Red Carpet.  No, not the front-and-center part of The Red Carpet, but The Red Carpet no less.  I stood there for a bit, awaiting my security guard and getting the lay of the land, somewhat in shock at where I found myself and even more surprised by my brassy behavior.  I just stood there, bent over with books, between the reporters and the tent full of dining tables.  No one ever questioned me.  Nobody minded.

After a few minutes, I found my way up into the bleachers, stood in shock a while longer, assessed my own mounting exhaustion, then promptly headed out.  I was at the Oscars for all of ten minutes.  Sometimes I wonder... should I have just kept walking, could I have made it into the front row, would I have been awarded a gold statue of my own?

-- Ok, that last line's not true, but it makes the story sound more metaphorical, doesn't it? --

The truth is, I had no desire to make a name for myself as "The Library Girl" on international news, nor interrupt the fashionable proceedings with my tennis shoes and jeans.  By that point, I just wanted to put my books down and get my hands on a tall glass of water. 

∆   ∆   ∆ 

One Hollywood story down, how many more to go?  What did I call them in my little bio, "somewhat meaningless celebrity encounters?"

Let's see, there's the time Cameron Diaz grabbed my arm, and the night Claire Danes stepped on my foot, oh and the bomb-scare at the grocery store with Christina Ricci (strange day, not scary). And several more -- all meaningless, I assure you.  But, as a collection, they're almost interesting.

(Footnote:  The photos are a re-enacted and the shoes are BC brand.)

Comments

[MMDesigns]

Wow! The real, actual, living (?), Red Carpet? That's pretty cool. Maybe it was the big stack of books that made you look nice and non-threatening (LOL). Great story, Heather.

My only brush with fame was making an evening bag for an attendee of the 2006 Primetime Emmy's. She went with the Grey's Anatomy cast. It was really thrilling!!!

Sarah
Marvellous Mouse Designs

[zoe gehr]

Miss Heather,

I've never had a brush with fame - of course living in Kansas could have a lot to do with that - coupled with the fact that I'm totally oblivious to the goings on around me.

Just stumbled across your blog - and I must say that you are so cool.

ps - loving your red carpet shoes - what are they?

And I think your fabric line is beautiful - ever think of creating a line of scrapbook / craft papers?

~zoey in kansas

[Heather Bailey]

Aren't those shoes great? They're "BC." My husband bought them for me on a business trip - I still can't get over that. Now I have expectations ; )

As for a line of craft/scrapbook paper, I'd love to. But, because I don't scrapbook per se, I just don't know which companies are the at the top of their game -- don't know who to approach. Any suggestions?

[Tessa]

Wow the red carpet with a stack of books :o)
What cute shoes!

[Amy]

Holy cow, what a rockin' story.

And I LOVE that you have illustrated it with these adorable pictures.

And I totally covet your shoes.

[Lia]

What a wonderfully crazy and adventurous story!

[Aimee]

Awesome story. I once was in the produce aisle of Balducci's at the same time as Jennifer Aniston. It's been a long time since I've had one but living in NYC I really did see someone every day. Have fun navigating the world of patents!

[J]

That is a fabulous story!

[gyl]

THOSE SHOES STOLE THE SHOW!!
What did you just say?! LOL!

~gyl

[Shaylind]

You really need to share more stories.

[emilyruth]

love that story...is that picture really from that day?...please say yes. please say that in addition to balancing the tower of books you also pulled out a camera & snapped away. please....my best brush was meeting james taylor (in eugene, oregon of all places) & him giving me 6 VIP tickets to his concert...yes. that was a good day.
:)

[emilyruth]

ps scrapbook companies at the top of their game: my mind's eye, KI Memories, basic grey, american craft...there are so many companies & i'm sure they would die to have you design for them...but there's a few just to get you started:)

[Jen Holyoak]

Heather, I have become obsessed with your blog! Not scary obsessed but I'm definately spending to much time on the computer reading about your life! LOL! I love your stories and I love love love your fabric line and I have a whole lot of questions for you about that! I will email you on that issue! Oh and your shoes are definately muy magnificent! Have I scared you! LOL!
Smiles, JEN

[Renee]

Heather, i have been away and am just catching up on your posts. I have never seen a studio quite as nice as yours - oh my gosh i cant get over it. Its simply stunning, i had to write a little about it in my blog. You have such a lovely style, and i'm so glad you have shared it with us. Truly inspirational and breathtaking. Renee x

[jenny]

what a hilarious story! :) celebrity encounters are odd indeed. i spend a coach plane ride sitting next to wierd al when i was a teenager flying home from visiting my grandmother. that too, was hilarious!

[Amy]

Heather...............what a great story! Even better are the fabulous photos to accompany your words and the shoes are quite adorable. I 'found' your blog a month ago after oogling over your fabric line. Thank you for sharing all of your experiences along the way. You are an inspiration to me and even caused my to enter blogland!!!
Peace, amy in iowa

[mj]

Such a great story! Half of a story is always in its telling, anyway.

[Lauren]

Just found your blog yesterday. Love the story and love the shoes!

I recently met Tom Wopat, yes, that's Luke Duke to you Dukes of Hazard fans, when I went to see Chicago. He was in the show as Billy Flynn.

[Lauren]

Just found your blog yesterday. Love the story and love the shoes!

I recently met Tom Wopat, yes, that's Luke Duke to you Dukes of Hazard fans, when I went to see Chicago. He was in the show as Billy Flynn.

[Heather Bailey]

Ope, the photos were a quick re-enactment to help you feel the moment. This was a few years back and I'm sure the shoes I was wearing weren't nearly as fun.

[Megan]

what a fun story! Amazing! I can't believe you were able to just walk right up there!

[Di]

So Heather...in your 10 minutes at the Oscars....who did you see???

[Melissa!]

Funny! I would have been handcuffed and taken away for questioning, my shoes would've been scuffed in the shuffle, my car ticketed & towed and the books never returned to the library! You?...not you!

I watched Andy Roddick change his shirt 2 rows in front of me. I was going to take a picture and send it to my gal-friends, but hubby was sitting next to me! ;)

[jona]

Well any celebrities reading this ;) are going to be feeling a lot less secure on that carpet after today! What fun!

[Robyn]

I love stories like these. My only brushes with fame are the time I went on a movie set my uncle was working on and got to pick out a shirt from Cindy Williams's(Laverne and Shirley) wardrobe. Oh, and I went to school with and was friends with someone currently in the NBA. Nothing stellar.
But, you know, what I really want to know is the name of those shoes because those are some serious kicks.

[Lisa Oceandreamer]

I read your story and thought it was quite amazing you got as far as you did....but I have to say I kept getting distracted by your shoes in that photo. WHO makes those? They are fabulous. I wonder if you wouldn't mind posting it or emailing or leaving a comment on my blog? Thanks.

[Sarah Jane]

Great story!! & Great shoes!! I would not of made it so far, I get way too starstruck.

[Heather Bailey]

Ok guys, I added a footnote up there with the shoe brand.

[Shabbyjuls]

I am from LA..have a few of those stories. I use to loove to go to Gladstones in Malibu and always saw celebrities and love going to Barneys in Beverly Hills saw a few shopping. Driving through Bel Air dreaming when I was a little girl. It's fun though:)

[Sarah]

I can't decide what I like more, the shoes or the photography! I want a camera like yours.

[KellyS]

Great shoes...I love the BC brand! I remember fondly going down to the Dorothy Chandler a couple of years in a row, sitting in the bleachers and even winding up with some fairly close shots. My favorite is the top (missing the bottom) of Richard Dreyfus' head. But now in this post 9/11 world, security is much tighter and they only let people into the bleachers via a lottery weeks before. What fun is that?

[Blair]

what a great story heather (and great shoes). I am reminded of the time that my husband was on a business trip in Las Vegas and called me on his cell phone and whispered "You're not going to believe this, but Lenny Kravitz is sitting at the next table over!" All I kept thinking was "why couldn't it be me???"

xo