Barefoot Contessa & Book Signings

Ina Garten had a book signing at the Barnes & Noble bookstore two doors from Mrs. A's Cupcakes&Cookies. I have always admired her and have watched many segments of her TV show on FoodNetwork. Very gracious and always cheerful, her new kitchen/entertainment barn is drool-worthy. I got to the bookstore early but couldn't make up my mind whether to do this or not. Buy a book, get a number and then wait. So I went back to the bakery but Kylie said, GO MOM!!! So I went and OMG, lines all over the place, my number was 321! I calculated that would mean 50 numbers etc, roughly around 1:30. I took a peek and there she was signing. So I went back to work and then at 12:30ish, I told Kylie I was going to check, and voila, they let me through to almost near the stairs, It went so fast and I realized I wouldn't have any photos so I tapped the shoulders of the two guys ahead of me and bribed them with a cupcake or cookie if they would take my picture and email it to me. Thanks Eric Jahn, (he did come across and after meeting),after greeting and getting the book signed(while wearing my icing stained apron), he and his friend got their cookies.
I remember Nancy Silverton of La Brea being a bit snooty and impatient. I remember Debbi Fields in her 4 inch heels, left handed that she is, standing for 4 hours straight without let up, signing her cook books at the downtown Mrs. Field's stores with lines waiting, but each book signed with a name, a little note and the flourish of Debbi with hearts. The book store signing of Ina Garten was strictly just her name, no personalizing and if it wasn't the current book, a book plate was given in lieu of the autograph. I wonder now, if I had only known then, I could've met JK Rowling at the Bookstall in Winnetka during her book signing stint when she was just getting known. (I still kick myself when I remembered seeing the news vans and wondering who she was!!!aurghhhh) For sure I passed up Rick Tramonto signing his Osteria book because I have actually met him at Panera in Deerfield where I had a stint as assistant manager and found him buying his sandwich for lunch and seeing him there with his kid on week-ends. So much for having foie gras daily, sometimes you need to eat tuyo (ok, I mean regular people food). I remember getting Martin Yan's autograph during a book signing at Cook's Catalog's warehouse sale where I bought my first mixer years and years ago. I am waiting for Anthony Bourdain and line up once more for that quick signature amidst a sea of faces and be proud of the squiggle that makes the book more important to me. ha!