Lea Michele called me Ricotta

Last night a friend invited me to a fancy dinner at KATSUYA.  Katsuya is apparently a clusterfuck of Hollywood's finest to get some paparazzi shots in.  My friend works for one of Hollywood's A-List so we were able to get a table a right away.  I took a look around - pretty standard restaurant.  Dim lighting, packed, house music playing in the background.  We ordered some food (it's a sushi restaurant) and a few drinks.  I didn't really understand what the hype was about until...it happened.

Sidenote...my friend knows some interesting people in Hollywood.  She grew up around here and works for the industry so it was no surprise people were coming up and saying hello.  I don't know who exactly I met, but I'm pretty sure they were fancy people, and I'm also pretty sure I came in wearing a beanie and an oversized t-shirt.  NOICE.  So anyway, one of these people that came up to our table just happened to be none other than LEA MICHELE.  LEA FUCKING MICHELE!  LEA MICHELE!!!  I mean, if you read this blog/know me in real life, I make Glee references every fucking day of my life.  On the weekends I like to play out Glee episodes in front of my friends when they're hungover - just yesterday, Corey made THIS post because I was super bummed and a week ago, I had THIS quote.  So to downplay it a little - I was peeing in my pants of excitement!

Here's how it all went down:
Mehri and I were enjoying our sushi and all of a sudden I look up and I see the lovely Lea Michele.  She gives Mehri a hug and a kiss looks at me and introduces herself:

Lea:  Hi, I'm Lea.  Nice to meet you.
Me:  Oh.  Umm...hi?  I'm...Mercado...Umm Nicole, Umm Nicole Mercado
Lea:  Are you having a good night?
Me:  Umm...hahaha.
Mehri (interrupts):  This is my friend Mercado (it's her last name).  She just moved here from Seattle. 
Lea:  Oh my god, I love Seattle.  How do you like LA?
Me:  Yeah, I like it a lot [this was done in the Jim Carey voice in Dumb and Dumber]
Lea:  ...Well I just wanted to say hi.  Dianna [as in Dianna Agron...Quinn from Glee!!!] is waiting.  Let's catch up soon.  It was nice meeting you Ricotta [yes, like the cheese].  Have a good dinner!

I looked at Mehri and was just stunned, excited, nervous, happy, goosebumps, wait - did she just call me a cheese?  Oh well.  I DON'T EVEN CARE!  LEA MICHELE SHOOK MY HAND AND NOW SHE IS GOING TO SAY SHE RAN INTO MEHRI AND A GIRL NAMED RICOTTA TO DIANNA AGRON WHO IS IN THE SAME VICINITY AS ME.  This is big.  This is major.  This is my favorite LA story thus far.

It turns out Mehri is going to some Studio party next week with some of the kids from Glee and it also turns out I'm free next Thursday (hint hint).  But yes, Katsuya is delicious.  Lea Michele looked amazing (she is as tall as Snooki, I kid you not) and she was really really sweet.  Everyone famous is a lot shorter and skinnier than you think.  We also saw Nicky Hilton (no Paris) and Eva Longhoria (no ex-husband or bff Mario Lopez).  Not too shabby for a Wednesday night!

UPDATE:  Mehri just invited me to that party.  She has one request though - that I don't be creepy and awkward.  My reply:  We'll see!