GABRIELLE REECE

Costco Wholesale

Marina del Rey, CA

May 23, 2001

Photo credit: Gabrielle Reece

I knew it was only a matter of time before I saw a professional athlete at Costco. They eat in bulk. 

It was a foggy Wednesday afternoon in Marina del Rey and I was in line at Costco. I glanced over at the line next to me and saw a familiar face chatting with the cashier. Professional beach volleyball legend and model Gabriele Reece was checking out. Besides being a statuesque beauty, it didn't seem as though anyone else noticed her.

She’s very famous in some circles, but not so famous that she can't go out without being hounded. She’s in the Goldilocks zone of fame. It’s just right. 

Or maybe people were intimidated. A couple of years earlier Gabby was named one of Elle magazine's 'Five Most Beautiful Women in the World.' Either way, I abandoned my grocery cart and walked over to say hello. I stood next to her for a moment and when she looked over, I asked, “Can you do me a favor?” She saw my camera and frankly said, “When we get outside, okay?” No matter the words, her delivery made the message sound more like a direction as if she was saying, Be cool. I’ve made it this far without being recognized. Don’t blow my cover. She calmly repeated, “When we’re done, we’ll go outside.” It reminded me of how my mom used to talk to me when I was about four, standing in a store and starting to get fussy. I said, “Okay.” 

Knowing I had a pile of groceries waiting for me in the other lane I didn't want to go too far, so I continued, “I really just want you to take a picture of me though.” She immediately relaxed. “Oh, okay! That’s funny,” she said as she swiped her credit card. “Is this a running joke or something?” Now we were chatting. I said, “Yeah, well, I have this celebrity photo album—it’s just a bunch of pictures of me, taken by celebrities.” She considered the idea and reached for my camera. As she pulled my camera to her face, she asked, “How are you going to know I took it?” “Well, that's up to you,” I said. She moved the camera back down and listened.

“This is your entry. You can do whatever you want, I just have to be in it.” Then she had a genius idea. She held her receipt in the foreground, with me in the background, then she snapped the picture.

But because it didn’t flash she wasn’t sure the camera took the photo. She returned it to me so I could investigate while she signed the receipt for the checker. We tried again but this time the receipt she held up was complete with her signature. (God works in mysterious ways.)

She was very nice, very tall (six foot, three inches), and had beautiful teeth. It's possible they were especially noticeable because they were at my eye level. She was modestly dressed in her black, low-waisted running pants, white tank top, and the traditional swimmer shoes. (You know, those black plastic slip-ons with the black and white strap across the foot.) 

I thanked her for the shot and walked back to my line. While waiting my turn all over again, I noticed how well-developed her triceps were. It’s not a surprise. Women's Sports & Fitness named her one of the ’20 Most Influential Women in Sports’, and I’ve heard she works out at Gold's Gym in Venice (the Mecca of Bodybuilding). Oh, and four months earlier she was on the cover of Playboy so, yeah. She looked good.

Organic blueberries or grass-fed beef? Whatever she was buying at Costco, it was working for her. She adjusted the massive pile of goodies in her basket, turned around to say goodbye to me, and pushed her loot toward the door.  

These regular entries are definitely the most fun. Enormous celebrities, in ordinary places, performing routine life chores—like stocking up on massive amounts of toilet paper. What’s not to like? (See T.P. in the lower left corner.)

Thanks so much for this photo, Ms. Reece. Though my camera didn’t get a clear shot of your signature, I think your idea was fantastic. And so are your triceps.