Friday, March 28, 2008

BACK IN LA LA LAND!!!

A couple days ago, I flew back here to LA to take care of some business - ie. register my car that I bought last month and pay some bills, but mainly to have a follow-up meeting concerning the huge interior design project that my company Urban Safari Design has upcoming in Malibu, CA. Things are still moving forward in that regard, and so my business partner and I are feeling very blessed and excited and that meeting is to follow later today! So wish us luck. Hopefully we'll still sound like we have some sense:) and it'll confirm for them that we were and are the right choice!!

I know that I am back in LA because only here can you go for your first day of track practice and who might you run into at the track doing stadiums and getting their workout of sorts in too but Kanye West and Common. Yeah, only in LA!!! At the UCLA track, I have seen so many celebrities but I don't usually bother them because I know if I were them, I wouldn't want to be bothered either.

I've seen everyone from Mary J. Blige, to Alicia Keys, to Venus and Serena Williams (and I find it imperative to mention just how distracting Serena's physique is!!! Even as a female, I just had to stop and take a look to try to take it all in.....it is something to behold, let me tell you:) Let's see...I've seen Ryan Phillipe out there, Boris Kodjoe, that girl who wrote Diary of a Video Vixen (Super___), you fill in the blank; Barry Bonds, Ryan Gosling was in the weightroom (he was in that movie The Notebook)and Denzel has been in there too...anyway, you get the picture, because the list goes on and on!

Suffice to say of all the people I've seen out there, the most memorable one for me is Mr. Sidney Poitier. He's been out there a few times and I have to admit that I did approach him to introduce myself and just simply to shake his hand. He is also from The Bahamas and so I used that as my "in", but I felt so honored to make his acquaintance. He was so warm and genuine and what made the encounter all the more meaningful was that I had just finished reading his book, Measure of a Man, which if you haven't read it already, is a MUST read. He gave me a hug and asked about my family, etc and I was truly humbled.

So, that's it for now. I'm here for another couple days and then I head back to Orlando on Sunday night in order to be back in time for practice on Monday afternoon. The outdoor track season is about to get underway and I am feeling ready. In fact, I can't wait and I haven't been able to say that in some time. Enjoy your weekends, wherever you are and try to stay out of trouble!!
PS. Since I wrote this blog this morning, I went to UCLA to practice today and who should I see...yet another celebrity...Mr. Jack Black!! He was out there filming some stuff for the upcoming Kid's Choice Awards that he is hosting this weekend and it's being held at Pauley Pavilion on the UCLA campus!! He sure is funny!

PPS. Here's a picture from the other night when Joice, David and myself went to dinner in Orlando with some kids from Nova Scotia, Canada who have been down there training for a few weeks. We had been helping out with coaching and mentoring and their coaches treated us to a dinner before they headed back to Canada. We had a great time with them and Dave provided all the entertainment:) It was truly our pleasure to help them work towards and hopefully realise their dreams both on and off the track!

5 comments:

dejanae said...

good luck

dont know if i coulda stopped myself from jumpin on Common

lol@ the Serena comment

Anonymous said...

Best wishes on your meeting. I know great things are in store for Urban Safari!

Wow @ seeing all of those celebs at the track. The day you say you saw Lamman Rucker out there, I will be on the first flight out...lol. I'd probably stare at Serena in awe as well. Maybe I'll take up tennis in my next life.

Brianna said...

serena williams = OH.MY.GOD.

Bodies By Joice said...

Check you out star gazing. lol
Good luck with the meeting.



I miss you come back soon.

Mizrepresent said...

Best of luck to you while you on your business ventures. I would have felt the same way meeing Sidney Poiter...OMG, such a gentleman, even onscreen...someone to look up to, for always. I have loved all his films, his grace, his dignity...what a great man. Take care Jackie, get back safe! And Good luck!