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My name is Mike Hillwig and I live in Salem, MA with my pug, Reggie. I'm a DBA (database administrator) with a high tech company. Originally from the Pittsburgh area, I moved to Providence in December 2004 and then to Boston in November 2005. March of 2008 brought me to Salem on the Massachusetts north shore.

What else do you want to know? I'm an aviation geek, a foodie, have some tattoos and live with Multiple Sclerosis. This year, I'm in my first season singing Baritone with the Boston Gay Men's Chorus. If there is anything else you'd like to know, just ask. I'm hardly shy.

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Meeting Ina Garten

I spent over two hours in line to get my copies of Ina Garten‘s Barefoot Contessa at Home Cookbook signed. The line snaked the whole way through a very large Crate and Barrel store.  Wanna know something? It was worth every single minute. While she was signing my two copies, I got to speak briefly with Ina. She is as warm and friendly as you see on her TV show.  She was just so nice.  And she’s much thinner than she looks on TV. 

I’ve been watching her on TV for three years now, and it’s because of her that I’m not afraid to roast a chicken. And I told her that. She said ‘Isn’t it easy? People think it’s so daunting when it’s really wonderful.” That’s what you see on TV and that’s what you get in person. She is one of those celebrities that met my expectations, which were quite high.

image

Pardon the crappy camera phone picture.

After leaving Crate and Barrel, I walked past the Best Cellars where Josh Wesson was doing a wine tasting. You may not know who he is, but I sure do. I frequently mention my love of Lynne Rosetto-Kasper, the host of NPR’s The Splendid Table. He does a regular segment on her show about wines. He was very nice and quite knowlegable of the wines we were tasting. I ended up spending $15 on a nice white burgundy. He explained the origins of it and that was really cool.

I asked Josh about Lynne and he says that she’s exactly what you hear on the radio, warm and friendly toward people and passionate about food.

Two celebrities, one day. Not bad for a days work.

Oh, google Ina Garten Boston and see what comes up first. I love that.

Posted by Mike on 12/06 at 07:28 PM
  1. I too was at Crate and Barrel standing in line to have Ina sign my book.  I agree, she is very nice and friendly.  I thought she looked much prettier and younger in person.  I asked about Jeffery and when she answered me, her eyes were just sparkling.  It is nice to meet a celeb that is so down to earth.  It was well worth the 2 hr. wait.  I sure appreciated the bottled water and samples of Ina’s shortbread, brownies and cupcakes.  Way to go Ina.

    Posted by  on  12/08  at  05:29 PM
  2. HI Ina my name is Ali well January 11th 2008 is my mothers birthday shes turning 38 and she adores you my mom tells me you live in the east Hampton well i live in long island N.Y Southold.  well i wanted to give her the best present that she has ever gotten like probaly a whole collection of your books[ my mom has almost all your books that she checked out from the library] and if you do get this message do you think you can sign the books to Shannon Rene’ thank you.

    Posted by  on  01/05  at  10:19 PM
  3. This is just gossip, but I know a couple who knew her when she still owned the store, and they have almost nothing but bad things to say about how she interacts with people, especially those who work for her and her husband. It sounds like meeting her would perhaps tarnish one’s perception of her, if one holds her in high esteem.

    Posted by software development  on  05/27  at  11:32 AM
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