After much anticipation and one false start I finally got to see my fave food writer last night! He was awesome - super funny and honest and down to earth. He didn't read from the book since he figured we would all do it on our own since we were there buying the book and having it signed which, now that I think about it, is pretty smart. Instead, he just chatted and answered some questions and drank a beer. It was more a conversation with the audience than a hoity toity book event. So what did I learn from my pal Tony?
1. Bacon is a gateway food. Vegans are crazy and should be cured of their lack of meatiness by starting off with bacon and then eating all the animals in sight.
2. When eating a whole roast pig, the soundtrack is Skynyrd.
3. The downward drunk spiral always begins with tequila. Tequila will always be the death of you. (Although I pretty much new this already. Tequila is evil.)
4. Kung Po chicken cures hangovers. (I always thought it was a turkey sandwich and a rootbeer float like my mama told me.)
5. Make sure your children don't date chefs. They're bad news and they always come home drunk and stinky. (Fortunately or unfortunately, I kind of already knew this one too.)
I laughed out loud a lot and was super glad to have had a chance to see this guy. Plus I dragged my entire family with me so it was nice to get to share my interest in food and travel and books and Bourdain with them all. The best part was when I got to wait an hour to have him sign my book. I waited and waited and then my row got called up and I was almost there, running my choicest questions through my head in prep of the big moment. I was also giving my dad a quick tutorial on the digital camera so he could snap a shot of me and my sure-to-be bff! Two people away and the B&N employee who was ushering guests along decided to start chattin' me up about my dress... and heaven knows I can't resist a good conversation about a dress, especially one of my own. So while we were discussing duds, the two gals in front of my (who cut in line btw) were chatting up my man so much that by the time I got to him, he had already signed my books and moved on to the next person in line! Uber bummer much?! And I had finally come up with the perfect question! Seriously, judge for yourself -
Can we hang out and eat hot dogs and drink beers together?
And after that I planned on letting him know that I am available for personal librarian/archivist positions in case he ever needed some help organizing his life. But no! I didn't get my chance and we're not best friends yet.
The picture didn't even come out awesome - (even though my dad did make a very valiant effort with the camera!)
I was going for something a little more like this -
Even though my grand plan of befriending Anthony Bourdain didn't work out exactly the way I thought and I am not currently boozing it up with him in some exotic locale, it was a pretty awesome evening. I got to hang out with my favorite people and laugh a little and get my books signed by someone who I think is super awesome. And since the folks were in town, I got a free meal out of it! All in all, a pretty sweet experience. But Tony, we will be best friends... you just wait!
Bacon is yucky
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