I spent my spring break in Miami, Florida. While I was definitely looking forward to the hot weather, sandy beach, and consequential relaxation, my anticipation skyrocketed due to the possibility of spotting celebrities. As one might infer from my weekly articles, I am infatuated by all things famous.
I knew that once I stepped into the lobby of the Fountainbleau, there was a large chance that I would run into a famous person. So, I dressed accordingly. My friends made fun of me for traveling in style, as they donned the usual sweatshirt and sweatpants garb, comfortable for flying. My suitemate Alix wore her Beats by Dr. Dre headphones, sort of looking like a celebrity herself. Haley, my other suitemate, insisted on bringing her unicorn Pillow Pet on the trip—making me wonder if we should have dropped her off at Walt Disney World on the way.
I am glad I took the time to apply make up for the plane, as we saw our first celebrity within an hour of landing in Miami. It was my friend Sophie who spotted the reality star Jonathan Cheban in the lobby. Most well known for his appearances on “Kourtney and Kim Take New York,” Cheban is hardly famous. In fact, I didn’t recognize him—a fact that some might find shocking. We saw him a second time later that night, waiting for his car outside the hotel. After contemplating approaching him, we deciding against it. I know Sophie regrets that decision.
Later in the week we went out to dinner at a well-known steakhouse called Prime 112. Our friend Dara, who grew up in Miami, joined us for dinner. She informed us, to my delight, that celebrities usually frequent the restaurant. Across the street from Prime 112 is another restaurant by the same owner, called Prime Italian. Coincidentally, Camille and Lauren, two of our other friends visiting Miami, were eating there. A text message from Camille stated that Paula Abdul was dining next to them. That was all I needed to abruptly get up from the table and head over. As I spoke to Camille, I got glimpses of Abdul as she sat at the head of the table. She was wearing a red leather jacket, looking as tiny as ever. Nearby, her bodyguard casually leaned against the wall, surveying the area.
On my last day in Miami, Sophie and I were deep in conversation, glancing down at our cell phones, as we made our way to the lobby. The hallway was narrow, which we realized after we practically bumped into two men. As we looked up, they appeared amused by our utter iPhone consumption. It took me a second to realize I was staring at a familiar face—a handsome man with light blue eyes, wearing a hat. In front of him was a much larger man who I assumed to be his bodyguard. A little Internet browsing informed me that it was Terrance Howard whose path we had obstructed.
My three run-ins with celebrities were shocking. Yet, it was not their presence that surprised me, it was my reactions. Not once was I star stuck. I had seen these famous figures in their less glamorous states: waiting for a car, eating dinner, and walking to a hotel room. None of it was fabulous—pretty boring, in fact. Now I finally believe the “U.S. Weekly” column: celebrities, they truly are “Just Like Us.”