STEVE KROFT

Hotel Casa del Mar

Santa Monica, CA January 26, 2001

Photo credit: Steve Kroft

I was standing at a posh hotel bar waiting for a drink. To pass the time, I scanned the crowd. An older gentleman across the room caught my eye. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite remember where I…

...oh yeah, 60 Minutes! It was that distinguished news correspondent, Steve Kroft. 

Moments later, with moxie and a refined pitch, I walked over and touched his arm—which was covered by a luxuriously soft cashmere sport coat. “Hello,” I said. (Remember me from across the bar?) “This is kinda weird, but I have this celebrity photo album. It’s just a bunch of pictures of me taken by celebrities. Will you take my picture?” 

His eyes sparkled at the unusual idea, and he asked who else had taken my picture. I ran down a few names, and he nodded in approval of his company. He asked what I wanted in the photo. “Well, this is your entry,” I said. “I just have to be in it somehow.” He gave it some thought, snapped a couple of pictures of the two of us together, then we started chatting. “Where are you from and what do you do for a living?” he asked.

And just like that, I was being interviewed by one of the world's finest journalists. Smooth move, Cashmere.

He joined me as I headed back to my friends, and he sat with us for quite some time. This Hotel Casa del Mar has quite a nice-sized bar to explore, and before he decided to take a walk around, he offered to buy me another drink. My champagne flute was still half full, so I declined, but said I’d "find him when I was running low." He smiled and said ok. 

Over the course of the night, he came in and out of my group at random, and as we were leaving, I saw him again out on the street. He asked me to send him copies of the photos we took, and gave me his e-mail address.

He was friendly and said, "Hey, let me know when your book comes out so I," an 11-time Emmy Award-winning reporter, "can cover a story about it." Fantastic! It was a Hollywood, finger-gun kind of moment, but I will be sure to keep him posted.

Thanks so much for the photos, Steve. I had fun hanging out with you, and next time we run into each other, I’m going to cash in on that drink. 

Photo credit: Steve Kroft

Photos we took: