Exciting Days areound here are Coming!

I am on the Williams-Sonoma email list. Usually that means I get weekly sales ads for overpriced cookware and kitchen accoutrements, but last week, a very interesting one hit my Inbox. It was announcing Rachael Ray, the cook from Food Network (and her own TV talk show, and a magazine, and a line of cookware) was coming to the Williams-Sonoma near me for a cookbook signing event on Dec. 8! The store is free-standing, sort of, in a "shopping village" rather than a mall. The shopping village has city hall in it for the town, as well as great shopping, coffee shops, and restaurants that you can walk to and even park in front of, if you are lucky!

Well, I couldn't let that go unnoticed. So I went yesterday and stood in line to get 2 of the 375 tickets they were giving away to meet her and get her to sign her newest cookbook, Just In Time. I also bought a couple of her cookbooks which they were selling that day. I will have to bring them back on Dec. 8 for Rachael's signature. I got there at 8:30 AM, and I was about 18th in line. By the time the doors opened at 10:00, the line stretched back an the equivalent of a city block! There was even a guy from the newspaper taking photos. It was a bit nippy and breezy, so it was a beautiful day to stand around for an hour and a half.

It didn't take long for me to discover the lady directly behind me in line was a huge Ina Garten fan, same as I was. We compared notes on her recipes that we like (I'll have to post some soon), and she casually mentioned she had tickets to Ina's book signing up here Nov. 30. Wait a minute. Back the truck up. Ina Garten, the gal I've had a girl-crush on for years due to her scratch cooking prowess is coming HERE?! This month?! After my heart recovered, I got the details. I went online, and sure enough, she's going to be signing her latest cookbook Barefoot Contessa at Home, on Nov. 30 at a gourmet grocery store up here! So I'm going tomorrow to get a ticket. Contrary to how Rachael Ray's works, they only give 1 ticket per person, and you have to buy Ina's cookbook (already have it) the day of the book signing!

I heard today that Nigella Lawson was going to be in the area signing her new cookbook! I've only watched her a couple of times, but many online friends on food boards rave about her recipes. If this keeps up, I will meet all of Food Network's stars within 2 months!

Anyway, I'm going to both of these book signings and cannot wait! If I get invited to Ina's East Hampton home for the weekend, or Rachael's cabin in the Adirondacks, I'll be sure to let y'all know.... :-D