The Night I Met One of My Idols --- Woody Allen

A few weeks ago, I was meeting my parents for dinner. When we are in the city, we usually eat Japanese. We have a selection of usual Japanese restaurants, but I wanted to try something different; I wanted to take my parents somewhere different. I decided on Ootoya, a nice restaurant around the corner from my apartment. The one problem: they don't take reservations.

I never understand restaurants in Manhattan that doesn't take reservations. I mean, this city has HOW MANY PEOPLE and you want us to wait HOW LONG? Sometimes it's ridiculous. Not liking this whole "no reservations" policy, my parents and I opted for a reasonably early dinner --- 6 pm on a Saturday night.  It seems that we weren't alone in our thinking. We got there at 6 pm, only to learn that there was a two hour wait!!! What the what?! So, we needed a new plan.

The iPhones came out, we started searching on yelp, and pooled our own intell. We still wanted to eat Japanese, but the problem was: where can we get tasty Japanese food on a Saturday night with no reservation? After much searching and several phone calls, we were able to score a table at Hatsuhana, on the east side.

So, we hopped into a cab and made our way uptown.
17 E 48th St (between 5th & Madison)
We arrived at the restaurant early and were forced to sit and wait for a table. Sure, we were starving, but at least they had a table waiting for us. As we waited, my mother read, whilst my father and I played on our iPhones. At the moment, the most amazing thing happened...

A group of six individuals walked into the restaurant. The first person, an Asian woman, looked so familiar to me. I couldn't place her at first. Initially, I thought that I had met her at one of my mother's Japanese functions of sorts, but then it hit me....it was Soon-Yi Previn...Woody Allen's wife. As soon as I made the connection...the man himself, the legendary Woody Allen walked into the restaurant!  Oh my god!!!!!!!!

I have seen dozens of celebrities in the city: Joshua Jackson, Janeane Garofalo, Kevin Bacon, Jim Gaffigan, John Mayer, Bruce Willis, Bryan Singer, Brooke Shields,  Jeff Goldblum, Anderson Cooper, Conan O'Brien....you get the picture. All this just by walking around. Obviously, I am no stranger to celebrity sight seeing and to be honest, I rarely get starstruck...until this night...the night I met Woody Allen. When I think about this moment, I still can't believe it happened!

After waiting quite a while, my parents and I were finally seated at the sushi bar. My god, Hatsuhana is beautiful and the food is delicious! We decided to order our sushi "omakase." The sushi was incredible. They also have this really delicious mystery garlicky sauce that I am obsessed with!!!
grilled eggplant with miso

Ok, so I broke the New Yorker code and shamelessly gawked at Woody Allen. I mean, the man is a legend and one of my all time favorite directors/writers/actors! I love all of his films. Sleeper, Annie Hall, Casino Royale (1967), A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy, Love and Death, Manhattan, Scoop, Vicky Cristina Barcelona...just to name a few. My all time favorite Woody Allen film is definitely Midnight in Paris. I have seen it over a dozen times and I still love it!  
When no one was looking, I managed to snag a picture of Woody Allen. It's not a great picture  a) because it was a bit dark, b) I had to use my iPhone, and c) I had to zoom,,,but nonetheless, it is a picture of Mr. Allen himself! Huzzah! 
As we finished our meal and made our way to coat check, so did Woody Allen and his diner guests. I ended up walking behind him, which was surreal. I wanted to hug him right then and there, but I knew that I would be crossing a major boundary. 

As we waited for our coats, my family stood there with Woody Allen. I don't know how I did it, but I mustered up the courage to talk to him. How un-New Yorker of me! I apologized for intruding upon his evening, but then quickly gushed how much I love him and his worker. I made sure to also mention that Midnight in Paris is my all time favorite movie of all time. He was very polite and thanked me. It wasn't a long conversation, but it was a highlight moment of my life. 

Not only did I see my idol, but I was also fortunate enough to chat with him. Amazing!!!!! Best night ever!!! I still can't believe it happened. Wow. 

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