Hello Colbie Caillat!

You never know who is going to drop by at Aquabus. On the last day of my job as a Youth Worker, (before the summer vacation) Jody summoned me to AQHQ. 'We've got a female singing star coming down, get your togs on and do your celebrity stalking bit' Well, not exactly.....I hadn't heard of her, so I hit YouTube and was suitably impressed. She's been on Letterman a number of times, and her performance on Jimmy Kimmel with her latest single 'I Never Told You' in April, was stunning both for her beautiful vocal style and, for the little black number she wore making her look just gorgeous. Her latest album 'Breakthrough', follows 'Coco', both consistently strong efforts. I loved the the piano version of 'Magic' and the acoustic version of her last hit single 'Bubbly' on 'Coco'. Her music is Adult Contemporary, in the vein of Micheal Buble. The perfect road trip music on a sunny day to California, where she comes from in Malibu.

My dear friend Kat Thorsen, who is an Art Therapist at an alternative school in the lower mainland, is part of 'Operation Sock Monkey'. As a way to divert at risk kids from the issues they face, she encourages them to make stuffed monkeys based on ordinary socks. She has also connected with the international group 'Clowns Without Borders' in Kwazulu - Natal, South Africa. Kat takes the sock monkeys made by her students and dispatches them to similar at risk children half way around the world. As a way to show Geoff and Margo these stuffed wonders, Kat made an 'Aquabus' rainbow coloured version. They loved it! (We hope to be able to sell them at the Aquabus docks, with proceeds going to fund further shipments of student made simians to Africa in the future!).

So, with my Olympic 'Goodwill Ambassador' outfit on, we waited while her entourage arrived at the Arts Club dock. I had a little bag, with an Aquabus goodie bag, Sock Monkey, adoption monkey card and my promo postcard of this site in hand. (How could she not be impressed!). Finally, she arrived, her 'US Wekkly' group incorporating video crew, multiple photographers, director and other unknowns. She is as gorgeous in person, as the photos suggest. Congo Bob was on site to direct the boat as needed. But, they decided to stay dock side, and shot Colbie, who is surprisingly tall, with her girlfriend sitting in the boat, pointing at the creepy guy all in red and white. One women, who passed as a local asked if I wore this all the time....'Yes, its for tomorrow. Don't worry I'm not a celebrity stalker...' The grizzled hairstylist looked on with a frown or three.


On Jody's orders '...to make it quick' I approached Ms. Caillat and welcomed her to Aquabus. I offered her the goodie bag and presented the said Sock Monkey, which she 'ooooo' over. I tried to get her to engage in a little chat mentioning she's been busy with 'Letterman', and that she performed before President Bush in Washington DC. 'Yup, Yup'.....I faltered when I thought she had just got back from the UK to promo her album (that's what it said on her Facebook page) but she told me that was a year ago. 'You're Australian aren't you?' Maybe her dad, Ken Caillat, isn't English after all, even though he co-produced Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours' and 'Tusk' albums. Her CD's signed, a few mandatory shots taken with our very own celebrity on the island and she walked away. 'You forgot your bag!' which I passed on and we hope didn't get lost by her numerous assistants, and assistants assistants and grizzled hair stylist.....


Next up, our favourite day of the year!

To see the first dispatch of 40 lucky monkeys heading to South Africa, see my Flickr page at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thelimey2010/sets/72157624372843704/

Kat Thorsen's Operation Sock Monkey homepage is at:

http://klasssockmonkey.wordpress.com/

peeeeaaaaaccceeeeeeee out sisters!