Stardar NYC: Bradley Cooper and Other NYC Cool Cats

Tuesday, 27 November 2012 11:25 | Written by Byron

Juan, Peter, Tristan, Chad and Jason at Ace Hotel, Bradley Cooper and Willie Geist at Today Show, Todd Eldridge, David Bragdon, Storm Large, Sundance Skippy, our friends at Jon Dory Oyster Bar, Macy Window Dresser, a guy on the street reading Peter Carlin's Bruce Springsteen book, Chrysler Building and Juan on West 48th

CELEB-U-WATCH: It was another early morning and late night in New York City. Friday morn wasn't quite as early as Thursday, but we still got up in time to check one more thing off of our bucket list: to be in the audience (aka outside in the freezing cold air) at The Today Show. It was a very special morning. Not only were several people becoming new citizens of the United States (they were sworn in by Homeland Security Director Janet Napolitano) but this was also the morning that Bradley Cooper was on the show. We got up close and personal with Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, Natalie Morales and Willie Geist, who had the honor of interviewing Bradley. We followed that celeb sighting up with another one downstairs, where Olympic ice skater Todd Eldridge was performing a bit with his family (including his new baby). Next it was off to The NBC Experience Store to buy souvenirs. That's where we ran into a much more intense celeb stalk...er...watcher, Sundance Skippy, who, the previous night witnessed the NYC premiere of a documentary about how he has made it his mission to search out famous people each year at the Sundance Film Festival.

On our way back to the West Side we spent an entire New York City block, in between Central Park West and Columbus, walking with Peter Strauss (of "Rich Man, Poor Man" fame). We also ran into a guy walking and deeply absorbed in former Oregonian television critic Peter Carlin's new book about Bruce Springsteen. After grabbing a quick slice at Ray's Pizza we ventured down near the Empire State Building. I met with my friends Kim Hastreiter, David Hershkovits and Mickey Boardman at Paper Magazine (my favorite magazine in the world) while Juan and Dre shopped at Herald Square. We did a bit more sight seeing (Grand Central Terminal, Chrysler Building, more Times Square) before we headed to the Ace Hotel. I invited a bunch of friends to join me for happy hour at a table at the super cool John Dory Oyster Bar. That's where we had a chance to visit with the likes of David Bragdon, Andrea Vannelli, Chad Freilino, Tristan McAllister, Jason Thome, Peter Keller, Storm Large and James Beaton. Juan and I ended our night at Citrus with a slice of chocolate Volcano cake.