Sighted: Ciarán Hinds
Sunday, June 15, 2008 at 8:30PM 
Kat says: "Take the Picture!"I had a great day today with an old friend - and those are the best kind of Sundays. Walks, talks, coffees, shopping, goofing, snacks... After attempting the Dale Chihuly exhibition at the de Young only to find it sold out, we made our way over to Polk Street to walk around and window shop. Finally, we stopped at the corner hot-spot Le Petit Robert for a late-afternoon snack/early dinner and some tasty vino.
There we were, sitting just inside the window - absorbing the sunshine without the chilling wind. We ordered olives, charcuterie, beet salad, a side of fries...and some Côtes du Rhone. You know, your typical Sunday with a good girlfriend. I told Kat about Oprah's latest obsession: The Secret. "So what's the secret?" she asked. "The power of attraction. You visualize something, focus in on it, and then it manifests because your energy is pulling it into your life. At least that's the idea." I gave her the examples cited on Oprah...
We went on to chat about the usual other topics: friends, men, bill-paying, places to get good pho. We even discussed living in cities versus the suburbs and while Kat likes New York, I told her about my love for L.A.. "It's so vibrant and creative, the light's different, you see famous people - it feels like there's something always happening..."
We sipped our wine and chewed on some fries. The service was a little lax, and as we looked over to the bar to try and flag our server, we noticed a rather-familiar gentleman standing there counting out the cash to pay his check. There was something about him...the expressive brows, the height, the attractive portliness, the jowels (the kind particular to members of the Royal Shakespeare Company,) breaking into a quick but asymmetrical smile.
I love a man in a toga.Kat and I looked at each other and started to wisper. "Is that...wait. Is it?" I turned to her and covered my mouth: "It's Ciarán Hinds..." my heart was suddenly beating much faster. Mr. Hinds split the bill with his friend and handed the cheque to the server before going back outside to his sidewalk table.
He sat down right behind us, er, through the window, but right behind us. I was still wondering if it was really him - you know how celebrities always look a little different when seen in person? It was then that I saw the quizzical Julius Caesar face in all its complexity...
"Oh my God, that's TOTALLY him!"
It is rare that I will discuss celebrities, but this is isn't just a celeb, but an Actor. One of my favorite actors! Ciarán Hinds...you know - Irish guy, mid-fifties, blue eyes, devastatingly handsome? Every time I watch Rome I say to myself, "damn, that is one fine-looking Gaius Julius Caesar..." And then he pops up in all kinds of other things too, like Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, There Will Be Blood, Munich, and on and on...quite the resume that Mr. Hinds!
I LOVE Ciarán Hinds. I love that he plays his roles quietly but is always such a presence. I love the way he looks - that he's so handsome without being pretty. I love that he's distinguished and powerful. Every time I see him in a film I always know I'm in for a treat, even when he plays a minor character. He is truly one of my favorites...
Julius Caesar, I presume?And now he was popping up five feet away at a sidewalk table at Le Petit Robert, snacking on mussels with some buddies. Before I knew what was happening Kat had handed me her Blackberry saying "take the picture, take the picture!!!"
Not only is he right over Kat's shoulder in the above, but he's looking right at us... It was all I could do NOT to go out to his table and say: "Um, excuse me, aren't you Caesar of the Julii?" I'm glad I didn't though. Despite the obvious bemusement Mr. Hinds is showing at seeing some random chippy snapping his pic on a camera phone, his bio on IMDB clearly states that he "likes to keep his private life private." My favorite kind of celebrity.
Walking and laughing our way back home, Kat said: "I think that Secret thing really works - you mentioned seeing celebrities and then there was one right there...he manifested!"
Continuing to manifest, I just saw a clip of Mr. Hinds on The Tony Awards in Conor McPherson's The Seafarer. Kismet? Coincidence? The Secret? I wonder if Oprah would be impressed.
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Thank you again for letting us share your excitement with Ciarán Hinds fans on the yahoo board.