Keeping Up With Kobe

Google Earth View of Newport Coast, home to star athletes.


They won! I hate to brag, but the L.A. Lakers are NBA Champions. This, of course, also means that fans have that empty feeling of not knowing what to do and Kobe Bryant has time off.
He is back home, right around the corner from me. I personally have never seen him but my husband spotted Kobe jogging at an amazing speed along Coast Highway. I have seen the Mrs. running her errands. After all, even sports stars have a life and need to get out of their gated communities once in a while. So if you are a sports fan and you would rather have a chance to spot Kobe than Leonardo DiCaprio, come to Newport Beach. Lots of top athletes live in this area.
Besides Kobe, there is his former colleague Karl Malone, and ex-basketball star Dennis Rodman, figure skaters Sasha Cohen, Ekaterina Gordeeva and Ilia Kulik, ball players Kevin Kouzmanoff and Mark McGwire, several ice hockey stars, German soccer star Juergen Klinsmann, tennis player Lindsay Davenport and the list goes on! Tiger Woods is a frequent visitor since his mom lives here.

I snooped around and asked family, friends, neighbors and acquaintances where you can run into the sports stars. Here is my Hot List:

Athletes have to work out, many of them do so at the top sports club in the area, the Sport Club/LA Orange County. 1980 Main Street (Just off MacArthur) in Irvine. That's where Kobe keeps fit and works out his muscle pains with the help of a private trainer.

Crystal Cove State Park is another favorite location for great long beach runs, miles of trails and hilly workouts, swimming, diving, some surfing - all in beautiful natural surroundings.
It's right down the house from Kobe and Vanessa, the closest beach to the Bryant home, and the location of their beach bluff vow renewal after the unfortunate Colorado episode.
For refreshments and meals there is the Shake Shack on Coast Highway, or the Beachcomber Cafe right on the sand.

Just on the other side of Coast Highway at Crystal Cove is the shopping center featuring celeb hot spot restaurant Javier's Cantina, California's favorite grocery store Trader Joe - where I ran into Sasha Cohen - and breakfast spot Pacific Whey Cafe. Those fresh-baked cinnamon cookies must be irresistible to the Bryant babies Natalia and Gianna while mom Vanessa can enjoy healthy organic soups, salads and sandwiches.

I have spotted Mrs. Bryant shopping at the Pavilions Market at the Newport Coast Shopping Center, by far the closest market to her house. The center also features the canine boutique Dogma and the best toy store, Toy Boat, so Vanessa can get a lot done in one stop.
However, there is no drug store so that explains why I spotted her at the RiteAid in the Gelson Market Center on the corner of San Miguel Road and San Joaquin Road. Interestingly enough she drove two different European make luxury cars both times.
Gelson's also features a more upscale produce department and an enormous choice in organic meats so she probably picks things up there, too.

It's been confirmed that Kobe and Vanessa both love the Mediterranean food at Caffe Panini on Coast Highway corner of MacArthur Blvd where they have been sighted frequently. 2333 E Pacific Coast Hwy in Corona Del Mar. Don't bother keeping your eyes out for them at the sushi bars. No one has ever seen them there.



Vanessa's taste for fashion is well known and she is lucky to live close to one of the most upscale shopping malls in the nation: South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa, right off the 405 freeway. Inside the mall: Saks 5th Ave, Bloomingdale, Armani, Versace, Chanel, Vuitton, Dior, Jimmy Choo, Roberto Cavalli, Tiffany's, Chopard, Sephora .... it's nearly 300 stores and four top of the line department stores plus Sears for tools and appliances. SCP welcomes 24 million visitors yearly so it may be hard to spot Vanessa in the crowd but Kobe is pretty tall so that helps. Kobe and family have been seen regularly at steakhouse Charlie Palmer inside Bloomingdale. I would suspect that he also cannot resist the fairly new Pizzera Ortica at 650 Anton Blvd, Costa Mesa, just a block from SCP. Pizzeria Ortica opened last January and they make authentic homemade Neapolitan pizzas and pastas, just the way Kobe ate them during his childhood in Italy. Chef David Myers imported an ancient pizza oven straight from Italy to ensure the authentic flavor.

Now, as far as Tiger is concerned, my friend Dave could barely believe his eyes one lucky night at Landmark Steakhouse at 3520 East Coast Highway in Corona del Mar. There was Tiger, plus A-Rod and Derek Jeter, all hanging out! A-Rod and Jeter were in town for an Angels game, Tiger must have been visiting his mom. Landmark has great food, live music and a busy bar so there is always action.

And if you travel down just 6 miles to Laguna Beach, you have good chances of bumping into athletes and stars at Hush Restaurant, 858 S. Coast Highway or Sushi Bar/Club Mosun where LeAnn Rimes was just busted with the equally otherwise married Eddie Ciberian.

Have fun on your star spotting hunt!