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Monday, April 19, 2010

Meeting Ree


I had the rare opportunity to meet Ree tonight. She was in Portland for her spring book tour.

Poor "Julie" in the movie Julie and Julia never got the opportunity to meet her cooking idol...so I feel kind of vindicated.

What a fun night! I got to Powell's bookstore at 3pm...which was actually in Beaverton, a town over from Portland...for some reason if you get anywhere near Portland...you get to advertise you are in Portland...I had never been to this one. I've been to Beaverton quite a few times but I usually go to Powell's Bookstore downtown Portland. This was much, much, much better parking wise. I went in and the people at the counter told me there were already people waiting in a line. So I decided NOT to go looking through the mall where Powell's is located and went straight to jail...I mean the line where I met some lovely people and we became fast friends.

One nice lady who was a waiter...a waitee...a lady in waiting? She was really just in line, waiting... got us some chairs... so I didn't have to stand on my poor aching feet (my RA makes my feet scream at me) so she was a blessing to me. I was number 25 in line which was great since they eventually handed out 300 tickets to get books signed or meet Ree.

After we waited there for a while we were taken to the seating area and I got a seat in the second row aisle seat :) and I had a close, clear view of where Ree would be speaking.

We had about an hour and a half wait at that point so a couple of us went to get frozen yogurt while others guarded our seats...and visa versa.

There was a young man named Miles who was organizing the ranks of mostly women folk and he really didn't "get" our obsession with this Pioneer Woman...but he was funny and sweet and kept things running smoothly. He came out a bit after 6pm, which was when Ree was supposed to be there and told us she was running late due to traffic. It wasn't long after that she came walking in through the crowd and up to the podium.

Someone estimated there were 500- 600 people by the time Ree walked in, the bulk of which were standing around the seating area and out the door in the mall area.


What a sight! To see someone I feel I know personally and know so much about for the first time was very surreal to me. I felt as though I should run up and give her a big hug and ask her over for dessert and catch up with our lives. How many women has she made feel this way? She is truly warm and genuine and funny as heck. Her oldest daughter and mother-in-law were there too and they are as darling looking as she makes them seem in pictures and her writings.

She let us ask questions and I got to go first believe it or not and I knew what I wanted her to do for me...SING! Ethel Merman!!!...she does a great impression and it was awesome. She loves show tunes...and Broadway!

After the Q&A session I was 25th in line to get my book signed...I brought her a little gift...a cheese grater from IKEA... I love mine and I hope she can use it and love it. I also brought the PW Cookbook book I won in a little contest from a friend of Rees... Julie from Another Chance Ranch..I love Julie's blog too!!! ...so I got it signed, handed Ree my little gift...took some pictures and went on my merry way. Sorry to Ree and all of you who didn't get there three hours early and had to stay so late.

Thank you Ree for giving all us silly women a glimpse into your life...making us smile and laugh and feed our Ree addictions. And especially for all the wonderful recipes you grace us with and this wonderful little cookbook for which I am grateful to cook my way through. You are truly a friend to us all :)

Now I am ready to keep blogging about my experience with this cookbook and hope that you enjoy it as much as I do.

3 comments:

  1. How fun Lindy! I would love to meet Ree. She is my favorite "celebrity"!

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  2. I'm so jealous! I wish I could go to one of her book signings.

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  3. Marci...I should have emailed you and we could have met there!

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