The Day I Touched Anthony Bourdain

I will be the first to admit that I get a little star-struck around famous people. Whether it be honest-to-goodness celebs or the local weather guy (Paul Douglas totally had come to my register when I worked at Barnes & Noble), or even a DJ on local radio asking to find Sun Tzu's The Art of War for his son (I'm 99% sure it was Dave Ryan in the Morning!). 


A few years ago, I think back in 2007, Anthony Bourdain come to the Twin Cities for a stop on his book tour, and he had a huge signing at the Mall of America (MOA). My friend--and former coworker at Barnes & Noble--Erin, decided that we should go and get our copies of his books signed. We made our way down to the MOA to the Rotunda by the MOA Barnes & Noble; however, we got there later than we thought and Bourdain's people were beginning to wrap up who could be admitted to the line. Thankfully, we had some extra power behind the lines: our store's Community Relations Manager was helping the MOA store with the event, and she was able to get us squeaked in to the end of the line.

The book I planned on getting signed

Then my star-struckedness hit me hard. The line was organized in the typical go to the right for about 50 feet, then turn and go left for about 50 feet, then repeat a few times before you get to the front of the line; like you were getting on a roller coaster or waiting to get into Disney World. Every time we turned to the left, we'd get a better view of Anthony on the dais... and I'd get just stupid giddy. 


The guy who I had watched on the TV on his show, No Reservations, I had read his book Kitchen Confidential. He was on numerous coworkers' "Lists"; a list of 5 people that they could get with and it wouldn't be a marriage/relationship breaker. A world famous chef, author and TV host. He was right there. He was less than 100 ft away from me. Erin and I would be talking in the line, catching up about stuff that had happened to us since she left Barnes & Noble, and once we'd turn the corner to see Bourdain again I'd just get this stupid grin on my face and giggle like a fiend. Erin laughed at me and couldn't believe I was getting this worked up about it. 


Finally, it was our time to get on stage and have him sign our books and get a picture with him! I had my copy of Kitchen Confidential ready for him to sign and my camera ready for one of his handlers to take and snap our picture once we were done with the signing. Erin went before me, and of course, she was so calm and cool about it. She walked off the stage and I was ushered forward. I gave Anthony my book and he asked what name he should make it out to; I said "Amy" (since that's my name), and he signed it, and I was quickly ushered away. I look up at the handler chick and meekly asked: "I thought I could get a picture...? But... okay..." I guess they were a little hurried. The handlers looked at each other like... "Oh shit... um..." 


Anthony apparently heard this and said, "No, we can get her a picture. Yeah, let's do this."  The handlers move me back to the front of the table he was seated at, but he motioned me back behind the table. "No, let's do this right." Mr. Bourdain says. 


What?


He motions me to stand behind the table to stand by him. 

Yeah. I'm 6 inches away from Anthony Bourdain! He touched my arm to guide me behind the table. And that grin on my face? It was a perma-grin and didn't fade until I think the next day. The proof is in the scribbled signature!

So yeah. I'm a bit of a star-struck'd nerd. You think I get excited when I get books in the mail signed by authors? You can't even imagine how giddy I was when meeting Mr. Bourdain.