The Amalfi Coast is no average vacation destination. If you’ve been, you’ve seen the super-yachts, my mom likes to “track them”, and the bottles of Cristal next to dinner tables. If you haven’t been, you may have heard it called a playground for the rich and famous on that “lifestyle” show of the same name. Over the years I’ve been going to Positano I’ve known of a few visiting celebs like, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, the Shaq, Tom & Giselle, Jay-Z & Beyoncé, Bradley & Irina, Nick Cage, Gwyneth Paltrow, Christy Brinkley and Denzel Washington…Just to name a few. Now, I didn’t personally see these gorgeous people, but one hears about it from the locals. Who drove who, where they ate, were they nice people…basically the same details you’d hear if any one of these people visited your neighborhood.
One of my favorite places for dinner in Positano is a place called Chez Black. Chez Black has been hosting celebrities since 1949. In fact, the walls are covered with pictures of its famous guests with members of the Russo family who own the restaurant. Side note, this same family owns the spots I highlighted in my previous post, The Fly Lounge and Music on the Rocks. They are clearly masters of the understated elegance. In any event, it’s here in Chez Black that I have the most humiliating celebrity encounter of my life.
As I’m typing this I’m shaking my head and smiling, because I can’t think about this story and still not give myself the “face-palm”. It was my very first trip to Positano and my mom was with me. She and I had gone for a late dinner. Reasons for which our dinner was late shall remain undisclosed, but suffice it to say, my mom loves her olives. In any event, we arrive relatively late to Chez Black and are seated near the rear of the restaurant. We order a drink, start looking at the menu and I notice a table of men sitting towards the front of the restaurant. Now, this is an unusual sight in Positano. Common in Las Vegas, unusual here. This is a sexy spot…hence, couples. Typically, couples. So, me being a single gal n all, a table full of men, in this amazing spot, gets my attention. One in particular. I thought to myself, “looks American, and not traveling with a woman”. I proceed to do the thing we girls do from across the room…the coy look over, look away, look over, look away. You know how we do that right?! Flirt from a distance. Mind you folks, I’m not playing this game alone. At least I think I’m not, and I’m distracted from my mom so she asks “who are you looking at?” My reply, “just come cute guy at that table”. And that’s all I said, but inside I thought, “I’m going to do my very best to be at the door when he leaves so I can bring my A-game. I hope my mom unknowingly cooperates with my plan.”
And she does, we saunter up to the door while this guy is saying his goodbyes and we make eye contact as we are walk towards him. “Bring the A-game Kimberly”, I think to myself. Side bar: This is the moment the character in the movie turns and looks directly into the camera, you know, like Ferris Buller, and says something like, “Life is full of defining moments, don’t waste them, grab them with both hands!” And that was my attitude…until I get closer and was able to hear his accent…and his face came into focus.
Forget Ferris Buller, this now becomes more of a Sandra Bullock moment in Ms Congeniality when I metaphorically fall flat on my face! In my head I’m thinking, “OMG…I’ve been inadvertently flirting with one of my favorite celebrities and I didn’t even know it!!” At that point as he’s looking at me. It’s a look that’s saying something like, “are you going to say something, ask me to take a picture, what?” Nothing, I got nothing, that A-game thing went right out the window and an edited version of what I was thinking comes flying out of my mouth. Better I would have fallen like Sandra, at least that might have jarred me from my pre-teen-girl-hearts-boy-band response of, “you’re one of my favorite celebrities” followed by…. nothing! He smiles and laughs, waves off a golf cart, and makes his way down the promenade. After a few steps, he laughingly yells over his shoulder “At least we know you have good taste in celebrities!”
You must understand, I’m not one to get rattled. I’m the one who always has the quick witty response and my mom knows this. “What just happened, who was that?” my mom asks. “You don’t know?” “No, but he seemed interested”. I then make a movie reference, to which, my mom proceeds to inform me that I will be disowned if I don’t head back down the promenade. I think she may have even threw in “a bit o color” for affect, if you know what I mean? And I loved her for it!
Of course I didn’t follow her colorful orders because I was entirely to embarrassed. But walking up the 400+ steps back to our apartment a smile broke through my humiliation and I thought, “what a story”. Only in Positano!!. To this day, I think my mom still look around Chez Black hoping lightening will strike twice. It certainly could in magical Positano!
Any guesses on who the gracious celeb might be? He’s never played Superman, but he’s clearly my verbal kryptonite. A few obvious clues in the movie listing below…
Next up: Kimberly’s Amalfi Coast Top 10
I know, but I won’t reveal. I remember you telling me the story. Classic!! Wish I had been there with you
LOL…it’s a bit of a give-away in the movie listing below the post, but I appreciate you holding on it for others! :). Maybe this year you’ll come see for yourself??