The News & TeleGraff

I got to "meet" one of my favorite TV personalities today, Rachael Ray of 30 Minute Meals fame.

I've been a fan for several years, and now that I'm cooking regularly have become a big devote of the food (eating it, not just watching it), so it was pretty exciting that she was coming to town. I've had today’s signing on my calendar for several weeks, as the Barnes & Noble around the corner from my (now former) office has been advertising it heavily. I arrived about 30 minutes early, and found the line already wrapped from the cookbooks all the way through the aisles filled with Biography, U.S. History, World History, Christianity/Religion/Judaica, Sociology, and New Age, and back past Writing, Television, Jazz, Music, Dance, and College. By the time the appointed hour had arrived, the line filled most of the second floor of the store.

The store had 275 slots, but Rachael was supposed to leave after 90 minutes and it soon became evident one or the other would have to give. So being the generous and all around delightful person she is, she stayed, and after two hours of waiting in a slowly advancing line, the magical moment for me arrived:

I will state for the record here that I believe that Rachael Ray is the hottest woman on television right now. Definitely she is on the show, and even more so in person. With her accent, she’s irresistible. I was devastated tonight to hear she might be married, but I have no verification, so I'm ever hopeful.

She signed my cookbook: "To Garrett - Yum :-) Rachael." Then she looked at me, smiled, and said, "Thanks for waiting." I just about melted. The question for me is: Does her cookbook go back on my cookbook shelf, or does it get moved onto my bookcase shelf reserved for my most treasured tomes?

Now, my dear friend Andrew is passing back through town this week as part of his Civil War battlefield tour (we started together in Antietam in October), so he humored me by meeting me at the book signing (the photo is courtesy of him). We then tried to go to the National Symphony Orchestra, but they had no more of the cheapest tickets (and D.C. doesn't do rush tickets), so we ended up wandering around the downtown, and stumbling upon the lighting of the National Christmas Tree.

We couldn't get anywhere close to the Ellipse because of security regarding President Bush's attention. We watched instead from 17th Street as Bush gave his remarks (something about "peace"), and then he gave the countdown: "5....4....3....2," and then promptly on "2" they lit the tree. I guess this administration's strategy of pre-emption extends even to holiday festivities.