Remember when I told you I’ve been jet-setting for the last 6 weeks, much to the chagrin of my body? Well, I’ve been jet-setting alright, and now I’m flat in bed.
Booyah baby, that’s how it’s done.
Anyhow, sometime in January I flew to L.A. for a brief 24 hour stint at the W hotel in Hollywood, Precocious by my side. We went to L.A. to attend a Frigidaire event hosted by Jennifer Garner. When I got the initial invitation, I was stoked but exhausted, and considered saying no. The event was literally smack dab in the middle of a family wedding and a blogging conference where I was speaking {Alt Summit}, and I’d been on the run since December’s skiing accident and the Park City photo shoot.
I composed an email that said, “thanks, but I’m just too busy”, until Viktor took me firmly by the shoulders and said
“Ali, take one for the team. Please, do it for me.”
He’s had a thing for her since we discovered Alias.
So we were bussed in to Smashbox Studios in Hollywood where a lot of Hollywood type stuff takes place. Access Hollywood, E!, and the like. All I could think was, man look at those gorgeous fresh flowers, and oh there’s the grip room? Make-Up & Wardrobe can’t be far off!
It wasn’t, but the second I started wandering from the lobby, doors started slamming in my face.
Boo. I just wanted a peek.
We got in place, all lined up at cooking stations around the room, and in walks Jennifer Garner. And all I can think is “Dude, no wonder she gets paid the big bucks. Girlfriend is GORGEOUS.”
For the record: she’s prettier, nicer, sweeter, better with children, and more above average in every way than the rest of us. I expected to be disappointed, jaded as I am. Jennifer Garner is, in Precocious’ own words,
“Exactly what a Hollywood actress should be.“
And then, naturally being who I am, I gravitated towards her shoes.
Holy of holiness.
It did make me feel better to have Jennifer tell me she doesn’t wear these at home. I mean, I like a good shoe but I can’t wear gorgeous heels much longer than a 3 hour block of church. Turns out Jennifer feels the same. She wears gorgeous shoes for the photo shoots and spends her downtime in ballet flats. Like me!
I just knew we’d be besties in the end.
Jennifer is the spokesperson for Frigidaire, and having been one of the bloggers who received all my sweet Frigidaire appliances last year, I was asked to come participate in their event in raising awareness of healthy cooking for kids. It’s officially called the Frigidaire Kids’ Cooking Academy and the buzz is all about cooking with your kids.
We do this a lot at our house. Or to be more accurate, Precocious does most of the cooking at our house.
Serious, she does.
She felt a little patronized to have someone teach her how to cook, even by a famous chef {Mary Sue Milliken}.
So when Jennifer did the rounds, talking to each kid as she moved around the room, Precocious did her part in being sassy.
She maybe even showed off a little.
But I’ll tell you what, Jennifer Garner was not born yesterday, and if you think she took Precocious’ sass lying down, you were born yesterday.
This is the face Jennifer Garner makes while holding her own in the face of 11-year-old know-it-all-ness.
And furthermore, being sassy right back atcha gave Precocious more respect for anything Jennifer has done, is doing, or ever will do in her professional life. In fact, Precocious walked away feeling like Jennifer was a bit of a role model, knew what she was talking about in the kitchen, and was a good mom to boot.
So Garner, well played you.
Allison
Hello there! I'm Allison Czarnecki, founder + editor of Petit Elefant, a blog all about style on a budget for every part of your life: style / home / travel / family. I do a lot of how-to beauty + style tutorials, travel posts, easy recipes, home remodel projects, and cool DIY crafts you totally want to try. I'm super happily married (to a hot Polish immigrant) and am the mother of two kids, a daughter and son, all of whom are featured here on the regular. We live in the country but we're a little bit rock + roll. Welcome!
SO much jealousy! I am a huge Jennifer Garner fan. (and somewhat of an Alias worshipper) I would have acted like an idiot in her presence, I am quite sure.
Melanie, you wouldn’t have though! She’s so normal you would have just thought you were hanging with a girlfriend.
Haa awesome. your writing is very entertaining, as always
Happy to keep you entertained Liz.
Um, the shoes. I’m sorry but that is all I can think about now.
Right? Emily, you would have died. They were insanely gorgeous.
Very cool. Love your recount.
The shoes scare me.
They were SO pretty Marisa. Gorgeous.
Jennifer Garner is a dream, isn’t she. Did you hear her say on David Letterman a few weeks ago that she was accidentally drunk when she filmed the Martha holiday special last Christmas. I so want to go back and watch that again now. Too funny. Great story, thanks for sharing!
That’s hysterical! I’ll have to look it up. I adore her even more now than I thought I could.
Ok, I never comment anywhere, but I totally have a girl crush on Jennifer Garner – ever since Alias! I’m so totally envious – I don’t know if I’ll ever dare talk to you again, you’re so out of my league now! (well, in more ways than one, but this one, oh this one…)
Vernalie, you’re killing me! Who doesn’t have a girl crush on Jennifer, seriously? I don’t know.
I LOVE JG. Super jealous of this trip. I wish I could have fit in your suitcase!
And P is darling! Love her too!
JGar would have loved you too. Total girlfriend material.
Oh, I love her!
I watched Alias from the very first episode (on TV!) through the very last episode back when it was on. It was my favorite.
They came out with this book about the TV show (maybe during the second season or something?) and they had an event in LA where you could meet the people from the show and have them autograph your book. Of course I went. They passed out red wigs to all of the people who got wristbands, so my mom and I have these silly pictures of us wearing our red wigs. When I finally met her, I thought Jennifer was so classy and down-to-earth, and just wonderful, and gorgeous, and so friendly.
Jeff and I basically never watch movies, but I still Google JG sometimes to see what movies she’s been in, and to see pictures of Violet, who is absolutely the most beautiful little girl I’ve ever seen.
Anyway! Thanks for this post; it was super fun to read.
Oh she’s gorgeous, as are her two wee little ones. Even better? She’s a marvelous person.
I’m so glad you mentioned the shoes because that was all I could look at in the first picture and I wanted MORE. She is seriously beautiful and I am totally jealous that you got to do this! How awesome for you and your daughter.
Those shoes could stop a million hearts. I want me some.
Who doesn’t have a thing for Jennifer Garner? I sure do. She’s not just awesome she can kick ass. And I’m glad to know she’s even awesomer in real life!
I think we all do, secretly. And now, even more so.
Youre hilarious! What a fun trip to have taken. I’m kind of jealous! Ok her heels are so fab! Not sure I could walk more than two feet but none the less fabulous!
Right? Not so much for the walking as the looking. Even J-Gar had a hard time walking in them. Which was encouraging to me.
Yay Sidney Bristow! I love JG, luh-uve her. When she was pregnant with her first she was filming a movie in downtown Boulder and since I used to work in downtown Boulder, my co-worker and I took our “lunch break” (the whole day really) to stalk her on Pearl Street and watch her film all her scenes. She was visibly pregnant but they kept hiding it with messenger bags and the like while filming. She’s so lovely.
Oh yay for Sidney indeed. She’s such a fox, and turns out she’s normal! Much love all the way around for Jennifer, seriously.
awww… you raised a good kid there! What a cutie to say those nice things :)
When she wants to start her own little blog, sign me up :)
Um…I kinda like her lots. I’m glad she didn’t turn out to be awful. :)
What a neat trip!
I kind of do too. Girl crush, kind of.