totally cool mom

I've been known to get starstruck a time or two. I remember waving furiously to Bart Conner in the Apple Blossom Festival parade after he won gold in the 1984 summer olympics. Prior to that, however, I remember going to a Lee Greenwood--the "I'm Proud to be an American" guy--concert with my dad. We rushed the stage after the concert and my dad hoisted me on his shoulders so I could shake Mr. Greenwood's hand. He patted my head and said "Hi sweetie." True story. Mark Wahlberg, who will always be Marky Mark to me, was my first real celebrity sighting (and therefore most exciting and memorable) when I moved to New York in 1999. Today I was starstruck once again when I met Cortney Novogratz, the coolest mom ever. I've been a fan since her show 9 By Design on BRAVO, and when I heard that she would be in Austin at a book signing event, I had to be there.

She's just as cool and personable in real life as you would expect her to be. And it turns out that we have a small world connection. She and her husband live in New York City (with their seven children!), which is where Alex and I met. After Alex and I got married in New York, we moved to Charlotte, NC, which is where Cortney and her husband met. Pretty cool, right? I thought so...

Tonight I will be geeking out reading my new book Home by Novogratz, which Cortney signed for the family today. When we get back from Wisconsin at the end of next month I'll be totally inspired and ready to start some new projects!