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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2006 > October > 28
Saturday, October 28, 2006
With Paula Deen, ritzy lunch is a riot
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There’s a distinct advantage to lunching with a genuine Food Network celebrity at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead Dining Room. On Friday, Paula Deen’s presence at our table was likely the only reason we weren’t tossed out of the tony eatery.
The Savannah-based host of “Paula’s Home Cooking” and “Paula’s Party,” along with her hilarious husband, Michael Groover, eagerly enabled us to laugh to the point of tears and to trade tastes off each other’s plates.
Deen is in town this weekend to promote her fifth book, “Paula Deen Celebrates!” (Simon & Schuster, $26). The cookbook will debut on The New York Times Bestseller List at No. 4 this week.
“Can you believe that?” she whispered.
The Borders store across the street could.
The site of her Friday night signing had 1,300 copies of “Celebrates!” stacked and ready to go.
Groover told us that last week Deen’s book signing in a South Carolina Wal-Mart resulted in police cars being dispatched.
“Everybody was paying attention to Paula, and shoplifters were stealing things!” Groover said as he and Deen cackled. “Thank goodness the security folks were looking at their cameras.”
Simply because it was there on the menu, we had to order the $14.50 hot dog, dressed with fried tobacco onions, smoked chipotle sour cream and apple coleslaw. As we traded bites (Deen ordered the Asian-themed buffet), the TV cook dug into the dog and immediately scrunched up her nose. She put her mouth up to our ear and said, “That slaw needs more mayo. It’s a little dry. The hot dog tastes deeliiiicious, but it’s a little different.” She paused a moment and added: “I don’t think there’s any snouts or toenails in it. They probably used too much meat. It’s a little high-falutin’. “
Deen says her racy new Food Network show, “Paula’s Party,” has just been renewed for a second season. And there’s a reason the show airs at 10 p.m. Fridays. So far, she’s made an engaged couple in her studio audience breakfast in bed — and then climbed in with them. She’s also stuck her tongue into a running chocolate fountain.
“I’m a little bawdy,” she allowed. “I guess I’m just my father’s daughter. But it’s all done with a pure heart. Until my dying day, I’ll believe that God has a sense of humor and enjoys hearing us all laugh.”
The posh Ritz patrons dining around us, however, had other thoughts on the matter. Finally, she dabbed at her tear-filled blue eyes with her napkin, and playfully scolded: “Y’all, we’d better quit it or they’re gonna throw us out of here!”
Deen will sign books at 1 p.m. today at the Wal-Mart in Loganville and at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Costco in Buford.
An edible evening
Deen would have been right at home at the annual Dining by Design dinner Thursday night at Mason Murer Fine Art gallery in Midtown. The table sponsored by the Atlanta catering, event planning and design firm A Legendary Event was good enough to lick. Designer Steve Walsh had fashioned the entire conference tabletop, place mats and the swinging 1960s-inspired decor all out of chocolate. More than 300 pounds of the stuff was fashionably swirled into the table (in order to prevent a Friday morning backup at the city’s dry cleaners, jackets were gingerly removed) while 140 pounds of M&Ms adorned the table’s centerpiece.
“There was actually a lot of experimentation,” Walsh told us. “We had to get the consistency just right and create a formula that wouldn’t run or melt all over everyone.”
When we popped over to table helmed by Liz Lapidus, meanwhile, we half-expected to see the Atlanta publicist clock someone with a can of cleanser. After all, the table designed by Retro Modern’s Scott Reilly contained roses and wire hangers as the camp classic Joan Crawford bio pic “Mommie Dearest” played on the wall beside diners. When Faye Dunaway screeched on screen, “Christina, bring me the ax!” just before she hacked down her rose garden, Lapidus and company celebrated by placing roses in their teeth.
New Year’s Eve date
Dunwoody High School grad Ryan Seacrest will once again partner with his idol, Dick Clark, this New Year’s Eve. As they did last year, Seacrest and Clark will co-host the annual “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.”
The former “American Bandstand” host, 76, will join the “American Idol” host and musical guest Christina Aguilera to ring in 2007 before a national TV audience of millions. Clark missed the show two years ago when he suffered a stroke but returned to the holiday staple last New Year’s Eve.
Seacrest, the 31-year-old host of “American Idol,” handled co-hosting duties last year and is expected to eventually succeed Clark as the show’s host.
Clark originated the New Year’s Eve program back in 1972.
Celebrity birthdays
Today: Actress Joan Plowright is 77. Country musician Charlie Daniels is 70. Actress Jami Gertz is 41. Actor-comedian Andy Richter is 40. Actress Julia Roberts is 39. Country singer Brad Paisley is 34. Actor Joaquin Phoenix is 32. Singer Justin Guarini (“American Idol”) is 28.
Sunday: Actor Richard Dreyfuss is 59. Actress Kate Jackson is 58. Actress Winona Ryder is 35. Actress Gabrielle Union is 33.
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