--GRETCHEN (WEBMASTER)'S ENCOUNTER #2--
Perry Ellis/Details/NBC Fashion 101 with Will Estes in Denver, CO - 10.23.04
http://community.webshots.com/album/205475253xGviSi
My friend and I left Friday morning (22nd) from Kansas City and drove for 7 hours. We stayed in Goodland, KS with her aunt and uncle, both that nite and Saturday night. Anyway, we left early on Saturday to drive 3 more hours to Denver. We got there around 10 and found my other friend. We got lost in Foley's lol Couldn't find the right department! We found it by another entrance. There was a couch, ottoman and a chair. A poster promoting the event, which has Will on it. We stood around and watched everyone got ready. A radio station was setting up a table and catering was setting up. More people started to show up. Then we were told to stay by the rope. We were first lol So about 15 minutes till 11am, I happen to look outside and saw a black car. Not long after, there was Will gathering his bags out from the trunk! YAY! He has finally arrived!! He stayed outside talking to the people who are running the event. Then he came in, saw us standing there but was busy meeting and talking. He then was escorted to the fitting room. While we were waiting, I signed up to win a trip to the NBC set of a show. The caterers then told us about the fruit and juice/water. I went to get an OJ. Yum! After I was finished, I went to look for the trash can, I had to ask where it was. They offered to throw it away for me! We were definitely being treated as celebrities! lol
More people showed up and finally, the radio station announced about the event and welcomed Will!! He came out, dressing differently than before (He came in just wearing jeans, shirt and a jacket). He came out wearing a nice blue sky dress shirt, and gray pants. I remembered a few weeks ago, he was growing his hair out and had some chin hair. Well this time, he kinda shaved off that chin hair and saved some of his hair! :( lol He waved at everyone and the ladies were telling him what they were going to do. Before Will came out, we were getting a smaller version of the poster, but as a postcard. Cute! It is my fave Details photoshoot of him! whoo-hoo! A sample of the Perry Ellis' Women cologne. Anyway, Jen and I were first in line and we wanted to go together so we can give him the birthday fanbook together. Well the lady wouldn't let us so I was the first up. I was pretty nervous! lol But that went away quickly. So I went up to Will, he stuck out his hand to introduce himself, I did the same. Then I asked if he remembered me. He was trying to remember so I said that I met you in KC at the screening in Jan. That rang the bell - yay!! lol He was like 'oh yea! I have family in Kansas City. Do you remember I have family there?' I said 'yea I do'. I asked where cause I couldn't remember. He told me they moved from another town to a new one. He didn't know for sure but he mentioned a county. I mentioned that my friend and I decided to drive out here to see you again. I had a hard time remember how this conversation went but I know we talked about us coming here. Anyway, we moved to where we were supposed to get our picuture taken. He asked if I would like an autograph. I said sure, why not. He sat down and I felt kinda weird standing, so I sat down as well lol He asked how to spell my name again. Then after that it was too quiet so I asked how he was. He's doing pretty good and he turned to look at me and asked how I was doing. Then he asked 'Do you think 3rd season is doing good?' I said yep it was and that he was scaring me! lol I'm not sure what he said after that but he was still writing away lol then we sat and waited for the polaroid to finish showing up or something. he said thanks for coming and i said you're welcome. he leaned in to give me a hug...awwww...it happened so fast but he leaned in to give me a cheek to cheek hug, at first I thought he was going to give me a kiss on the cheek so i gave him one. i was blushing so bad then lol then we continued the hug (i think) but then i said thanks! i was so not excepting that hug at all. that surprised me lol I got my polaroid. then a lady handed me a perry ellis gift bag. that was a surprise!
I moved out of the way and watched Jen meet will. I took pictures and of course, the pics of will with the fanbook! it was really cool to watch for his reaction. it was soo cute!! he was pretty flattered, smiling and putting his hand on his heart. (like when i told him my site name back in jan). i got a pic of it but it was soo sweet!! he was really happy about it!! after that, I was the 1st to get a pic of them two. then they got the polaroid version. shay was up next and i was taking pics of them. we met two other people and we started standing together and watching will meet other people. we just talked and ate. it was fun lol
Will was being funny at times. shay wanted him to do the peace sign for her picture. he said he couldn't because he's in the marines corps and they do the victory sign. lol he didn't do it but it was cute! lol sometimes he would look over at us and say some joke. shay was taking another pic of him and i'm watching you! lol i cant' remember about what he said but it was about us standing around lol i'll get back to that. i didn't want to be nosy but i can read lips and at times i would hear will talking about the show so i listened here and there lol there were people walking by and looking at will. some didn't know who the heck he was, which was sad but some asked. crazy!! lol more ppl starting coming. there were about 30-50 people. not too bad at all. i got some more pictures of will in between meeting fans. I didnt' want to bother too much w/ the camera this time. he was pretty shy but he started to get used to the atmosphere.
it was about an hour before the event was going to be over so he asked where the bathroom was so he was escorted to that and he came back. but went to the fitting room for awhile. he was gone for a good 10 min. he needs a break anyway. we found out that he had to get something to eat. while he was in the fitting room, i was tired of standing so i went over to sit on the couch for a few minutes till he came back. shay sat on the ottoman. no one told us to get off till he came back. yay!! so i noticed they were coming back so i pretended not to know so we just sat there. the lady was in front of will this time, grr. told us to get off. not sure if she was being rude but will just spiced up the mood. he just said 'go ahead! just relax and make yourself at home'! lol! it was so cute lol i was just laughing back. that was pretty funny. he met more fans. some crazy ones and all. he had this fan that wanted him to pick her up for the pic! lol that was really weird. the radio station was doing a will trivia game and you win prizes. so i finally caught on and decided to play. it was pretty easy so i waited for the next question. they asked what will's hometown is. of course i knew the answer to that so i ran up to the table and said it. i won!! lol i got a $150 Foley's giftcard! whoo-hoo!!
then this lady was asking us if we were waiting for the nbc contest and we said no. we just asked if we could get another pic w/ will, especially getting one w/ the fanbook. she said she'll talk to someone about that and came back to us. we were all good to go! so we just waited patiently for everyone to get an autograph. most of everyone left. so it was mostly us and the people who were in the event. when the group was going to get a pic w/ will, he jokingly said 'let's make a pyramid!' then i just laughed and i was the only one that heard him so i just said that will probably be hard to do lol then we got a group pic. jen and i got a pic w/ will and the fanbook. he looked at both of us to say thanks for the fanbook and he said he hasnt' gotten one of these before!! awww!! so cute!! we were glad. then i asked him if he's going to be in any movies. all of the fans want to know too. he said dreams for right now and that he would do more movies but not now. then i talked to him about the official website. he hasn't contacted his webmaster lately cuz he's been so busy. but after jen and i told him about the way the event was being planned and we were wanting to make sure he was really coming out there because we were coming so far. he understood about it all. its all good tho lol then we had to back away cuz some more ppl wanted pics. he was being funny with them lol so we waited some more and hurried. i asked will if he goes to any fansites. he said he hasnt been going on the internet lately but he has been to some. so i asked if he has been to mine and said he hasn't. i asked if he wanted the address and he said sure! i then looked for a pen so i picked up the sharpie that was on the ottoman and he found some paper in the fanbook. on an envelope. i quickly wrote down the address. trying to make it readable lol he was holding the fanbook so i can use it as a writing platform. aww. but as i was writing it, he was joking, 'its not very long is it?' he said that when i was halfway thru! lol geeez i was like ha ha. then as i was giving him the pen and envelope back i just said you cut your hair! (i saw pics from an event a couple weeks ago - he was growing facial hair and his hair was kinda long). he mentioned about a spoiler so i'm not going to say it! sorry! lol and i told him, no more spoilers! that made him laugh lol bad will. that spoiler will never go away now lol so then my friend shay wanted him to sign an autograph for her friend, who couldnt' come. will said that you are such great friends. so i went and got two things signed for the girls who couldn't go to the LA event. jen asked will if he's been going to KC lately. he hasn't but he said he's going to try and come back. then i said sorry and said that these girls wanted these signs since you couldn't come to the LA event. thank god they had post it notes with their names on it. he had to make sure he was reading the names right and to spell it right. as he was signing the people picture of him with his dog, i asked how he was. he's doing good and i asked how old he is. he said 4, then he said 3 1/2, thinks that's what the vet said because he was rescue. then that was the end. i took a quick pic and its a cute one!! then he had to go and catch his flight. we told everyone thanks!! we were already out of the way, will started to leave, w/ the book in his hand, told us thanks for coming and said goodbye. :(
we needed to eat lunch so we said bye to two of the girls and us 3 went on our way to jen's fave restuarant! we hung around in the city for a while cuz we didnt' really want to sit in the car for a long time again lol we walked around the mall,etc. we were pretty worn out and i was kinda out of it. after we ate, i was just out of energy!! oh yea, what we got in the giftbag was a perry ellis bath towel and the latest issue of details!! we got to experience what its like to be treated as a celebrity!! it was so cool!! this was definitely a blast, how it turned out. got to see will again and again, he's soo down to earth, polite, funny, sweet, he has no ego!!! he's just an amazing person! this was definitely worth the 10 hour drive, giving him the book and seeing how happy he was. i will never forget about this day! i hope everyone will be able to get a chance to meet him because they wont be disappointed at all!
