Meeting Matisyahu

This scene from the movie Notting Hill with Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts has always been one of my favorites. In a million years, I never thought that such an embarrassing moment could happen to me. I was wrong!

Thought you might get a kick out of my story:

My family spent this past weekend with my older son at his university for “Parents’ Weekend.” Most families left the campus in the early afternoon on Sunday to get home at a reasonable time, but we decided to stay a few hours longer to watch the Giants’ game together. We ordered food and watched the game at the “Club Lounge” on the hotel floor where we stayed for the weekend.

Towards the beginning of the Giants’ game, a lovely man (clean shaven!) came into the lounge with his adorable young child followed by his parents, wife and two other children. We immediately began talking to him and his wonderful family. He actually grew up in a city close to where I grew up and we talked about the ice skating rink where he played hockey in high school and which I frequented every Friday night as a teenager. When we saw him eating some type of veggie stir fry, my husband brought up the subject of our vegan diets. The nice guy enthusiastically responded that he was following a primarily vegan diet too. In fact, he was traveling with a vegan chef and his children were chowing down on vegan mac ‘n cheese. I recommended that he try the delicious vegan cafe about one mile away from the campus which serves amazing fun vegan foods such as vegan “milkshakes” and tempeh reubens. He responded that he loves tempeh reubens!

We continued to “hang” in the Club Lounge with this friendly family during the duration of the football game. Knowing that there was a “huge” concert scheduled at the university for Tuesday evening hosted by the Dalai Lama with an all-star lineup (including Dave Matthews and Counting Crows), I asked the “lovely guy” if he was in town for the concert. He replied “yes, I’m one of the singers.” I asked him his name and he said “Matisyahu.” My husband actually asked him to spell it! LOL!!!! Then my husband said he thinks he “may have” heard of him and actually owns one of his CDs. Matisyahu (who was probably laughing inside) replied that we may have seen him on the David Letterman show or the Tonight Show. Matisyahu’s name did not register with my kids either. I guess they really don’t know everything!

When we got home Sunday night, we googled “Matisyahu” cringing with embarrassment when we realized what a huge star he is. Oopsies!  My son said he actually loves the song “One Day” and played the video for me on You Tube. I actually love that song too, but we didn’t put two and two together in the “Club Lounge.” My sons’ friends, after they were told about our encounter, couldn’t believe that my sons didn’t recognize his name. When I told my brother what happened, he asked me “if I live under a rock!”

Anyway, that’s my embarrassing story. The significant part of the story for me is that Matisyahu is pursuing a vegan diet. Enjoy this wonderful video…