my NYC movie premier adventure

First off - everyone is asking how Mark got these tickets and I'll tell you!
He travels for work alot and likes the Sheraton. They have a "Moments" program that has movie premiers, concerts, events - and you bid on the event. There were 3 winners of this auction, which was 6 tickets to the movie Ink Heart premier and then 6 tickets to the after party. We sat next to the other two winners, actually right between them. One was a husband and wife (Steve & Mimi) who live in Boston and the other was Jeff & Tom (who were not a couple).

Ok back up -

Wednesday night after work, I was packed and ready to go. Mark came to the house and got me - and off we went. We drove to NYC and got there around 11 pm. Got checked in, and off to the Pig 'N' Whistle we went for one drink. Which turned into like 7. It's freezing outside. There is a weird guy at the bar to my left who kept trying to make eye contact with everyone. Creepy. A couple at the end of the bar who kissed - and I mean made out like no one else was there - for 2 hours. I went to the restroom and some guy grabs my wrist on my way by - and he's talking in a foreign language to me. His friend says 'he wants you to kiss him' and I'm like 'what??' and he says it again. I'm like 'my boyfriend is at the bar' and the guy drops my wrist like a hot potato and says ok. LOL (what!?) We got back to the room around 4:30 am and after we ate some pizza, we finally slept. Did I mention I had like 7 beers?

Got up around 10 and got motivated to go. We went to the Stage Deli to have lunch - which was a BLT (split one) and delicious fattening potato soup.

We went back to the room, I got a shower and off we went to 5th Avenue to the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salon. I met Jasmine who asked what type of event I was going to and what I was thinking about doing with my hair. We decided some loose romantic curls would be beautiful and off I went to get my hair washed. I was then taken back to Jasmine who did my hair amazing and then Monique who did my face. The best part was when my hair was being finished - Mark looked over and the look on his face just said it all.

We had a sandwich and got ready to go.

We took a cab to the theatre and I swore if we lived that I was never taking another NYC cab. I plan on holding that promise. The guy was crazy and I instantly had a headache and I think Mark has permanant dig marks in his thigh.

We get to the movie theatre, and get our tickets. We are herded upstairs by a ton of security people every 10 feet. They did not want you standing around waiting for the 'man' to come (Brendan).

The movie theatre is packed and alot of people had jeans/fleeces on and I'm wondering why I had my hair/face done and was wearing a dress and heels. The couple next to us and start talking to us and we hit it off. We realize that we got our tickets the same way and he had actually gotten them for his wife for Christmas too.

The movie is about to start and we see Brendan walk in and he's in the isle. We thought someone would talk - maybe introduce the stars of the film that were there - but none of that happened. The movie starts and it's good. I enjoyed it but think my 8 year old would think some of it was kinda scary.

After the movie is over Mimi (my new friend) and I go to the ladies' room. We are standing in line with Jennifer Connelly standing right behind us. We said hello and that was it. She's very nice and way too skinny. :P

We are told how to get to the party bus. We go quickly as its freezing. The bus takes us to the Harvard Club. The place is beautiful. A very romantic kind of place -dark enough but light enough. Open bars, tons of delicious foods and a dessert/fruit bar. Don't even talk about the waiters walking around with bite sized desserts and chicken tenders and duck legs that you eat on a napkin. I need to get out more.

We start walking around and see some of the stars. Everyone was very nice and very accomodating. However,Helen Mirren was not there, and Mark really wanted to meet her.

Andy Serkis plays the bad guy Capricorn - and he was the nicest man. I sat down and had a conversation with him about the movie, his kids, my kids - just was nice and seemed happy to be there.

Eliza Bennett played the lead role with Brendan - and she was also very nice. This movie was filmed a couple years ago and you can definately tell - she's grown up now.

Paul Bettany was a big part of the movie too - and I didn't realize that he was in the Di Vinci Code until Mark pointed it out. He is also married to Jennifer Connelly which I didn't know. He was very nice and happy to take pics with us.

Then the 'man' gets there. Brendan is in the front room of the party. Surrounded by people. He is very tall, very personable and very much like he seems in his movies - like a regular guy. One of this 'people' says 'no pictures with adults'. I'm thinking 'grrrr' but whatever. There were a bunch of kids - and he was really great with them.

The couple that we had met was kinda aggressive. She had met Brendan on a flight once and was sure he'd remember her. She talked to him and he signed our tickets for us. He wasn't doing pics with adults - still and we just kinda were watching to catch him. He was standing in a circle of a bunch of kids and Eliza (his co star) - Mimi kinda squeezed into the circle for a picture which didn't seem to make Mr. Brendan too happy. He was getting ready to leave and Mark said that I should go ask him for a picture if I wanted one - so Mimi and I walk up to him and she says 'hey can we get a picture?' and he looked very annoyed and said to her 'we already did that' and walked away and out the door. Buh bye Brendan.

I was like 'what! how rude is that!' but later Mark and I were talking about how she kept showing up everywhere he went and that he probably felt like he'd seen her face enough. LOL So I have no pics with Brendan ... but he did look up and smile for Mark who was taking a candid shot of him signing autographs for some kids. Nice.

I met a girl named Hildegard who worked with the author of the book Ink Heart. She was very nice and being that it was like -14 in the city, I promised I'd come visit LA. :)

We left the Harvard Club and went back to the Sheraton in a Lincoln Town car with the other couple. Mark wanted to go out and I wanted to go upstairs first. We get up there and all of a sudden I realize that I'm trashed. I was totally in the moment, had an AWESOME time and just was going with it ... I didn't realize how many rum & cokes I'd had and then ... bam! I of course didn't act trashed, I saved that silliness for Mr. Mark. :)

The adventure that I had been preparing for a month for - was over. What a great time. The whole thing. The trip with Mark, having a make over in a beautiful salon, getting all dressed up to go out with my Prince - having dinner in the same room with some people who are kinda famous - what an experience.

What did I learn?

1. Getting your hair and face done in an upscale salon is someting every girl should do, if even once.

2. Walking down the street with your someone, knowing that he thinks you are gorgeous and proud that you are with him - is the most amazing feeling.

3. The stars of that movie were just normal people. Wives, kids, etc. They just can't go out and get crazy drunk and act silly without someone seeing.

4. Those body sucker inner getups that you wear under your dress to make you less lumpy - are really not something you wanna wear for like 5 hours if you can help it. Especially if you can't unsnap the crotch to pee because you got gel nails on for a movie premier...and you have to take the entire dress off to pull down the body suit...then pull it back up and get your dress on again. sheesh!

5. The cab drivers in NYC are insane. They all have their little ear thingy on and they are talking in another language that sounds alot like that guy who wanted to blow up our country - and I think they want to kill us all in their taxi's. They don't use turn signals, they never put their hand up and say 'I'm sorry I cut you off!' and they act like they don't see that bus that is THIS close to my door on their taxi. I'd rather walk and not have an instant headache. argh!

6. I like my little life outside of NYC - where two sandwiches/ 2 sodas and some cheesecake won't cost you $50.

7. I learned to put my mascara on first, and then liquid eyeliner. Monique at the salon said so.

8. It's nice to have someone who loves you to take care of you after you had like 10 rum & cokes and it doesn't hit you until you get back to the hotel room. "How did I get my dress off?" :P