The Day I Met Elton

What a coincidence!!

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I'm walking to work this morning, I hear some music, walk over, and it's Elton Freakin John playing free outside!! Your Song. Then two from Lestat, then I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues. In the middle of the Today Show plaza, not the end like most concerts, it felt like an intimate, in-the-round performance. Plus there were about 100 people. A TINY crowd for these things.

I walked right up to the stage. If there's anyone in the world I'd love to see do their thing close up it's Sir Elton. I've been a HUGE fan from as far back as I can remember. And he's one rock star I've ALWAYS wanted to meet and never have.

I spent the show standing next to Bernie Taupin. When Elton gets off he comes into the building and signs a few autographs. I get him to autograph a card, and got to tell him that I was wearing one of his shirts from the Closet sale last week. He's a kinda staunch, British guy, who doesn't seem to smile too much, but when he heard this he gave me a big, child-like grin and said 'Thank you. God Bless You' which I regretfully didn't catch on camera cause I was pulling my coat open. Oh well.

Major rock star hangs are pretty common in NYC, but this one was REALLY cool.

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Inside Elton's closet

Every once in a while Elton John auctions off some of his unbelievable collection of clothes for his AIDS Foundation. This time it happened right here at Rockefeller Center and it did not disappoint. It was like a huge Elton Museum -- better than the Hard Rock cause you could try the damn stuff on!

Items included a black Versace suit with Elton's song titles - including "Tiny Dancer" and "Rocket Man" - woven into the fabric, and the polka-dot Richard James suit John wore when he performed with Eminem at the 2001 Grammy Awards.

"There probably isn't a more famous wardrobe in our lifetime, and having a fluorescent jacket that used to be owned by Elton John makes a great story," said Michael Macko, Saks' men's fashion director.

"Elton also knows how to pick out important and special pieces. He knows his designers and you can see he has selected the most important pieces from the collections. And he's from the `give-it-to-me-in-every-color' ilk."

These pictures don't really do this justice, and I didn't take any, but I certainly bought some swag. A full length, Giani Versace black leather jacket, a white sport coat with lizard trim, and about 10 dress shirts. The next time you see me coming you'll notice some new threads.

Slip to Tijuana

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Took off for a few days to the Left Coast. Had some stuff to take care of, but freed up enough time to spend a day driving down the coast, and chill in Tijuana. It's like it's a whole other country down there!!

The coastline is beautiful, as expected, and the city is welcoming enough, but the cast of characters is the real story.

First went thru a few cemeteries, cause they take their dead seriously down there. The shear number of Jesus figures was staggering, both in the cemeteries and around the city. Bart Simpson crucified, every size and shape and bloodiness of figurines. Jesus Is Just Alright With Me.

Hit the Hard Rock (The Border of Rock and/or Roll) and the one other guy in there had the best story of the whole trip.



I asked him if I took a picture of the bar and he's in it would that be ok. I rarely ask before taking pix of anyone or anything, but somehow it seemed necessary. He said OK and even invited me to join him and eat some of his appetizer platter. He then told me how he had just ESCAPED FROM PRISON in Guadalajara. He got busted for weed and was in for 6 months where he was beaten and fed crap. That's why he had ordered so much food.

The friendly prison doctor helped him escape. He even had a love letter from her. Lord only knows what went on there. He was laying low and waiting for his bro to come from Sacramento to sneak him across the border.

A band was setting up on the stage this whole time, playing to the KISS videos playing around the room -- a little too well. Turns out they were a KISS tribute band called Gods Of Thunder.



I asked their friends where were they putting on their makeup and wound up in their hotel room watching the magic unfold. Not quite KISS, but...

View all the pix from this unforgettable trip: turlo.com/SDTJ06

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