Alton Brown at Brookline Booksmith & Coolidge Corner Theatre, Brookline, Mass.

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009.

I took a comp day from work (on what ended up being an extremely busy day) in order to make the trek & made a day of it. He left right around 11am, me chauffering my parents from northwestern Massachusetts to Brookline, a Boston suburb. Though we went just a touch farther to Dorchester & stopped at the Olive Garden there for lunch. Mom & I got the Mezzaluna plate with chicken & dad got the Pork Milanese. All of which was excellent. Back in the car for more driving around Boston, which wasn't bad, but I'm glad I don't have to do very often. We got back into Brookline just slightly after 4pm & found the parking lot. There, we played musical parking spots as the first one had a meter that ate my quarter, the second meter, though not expired gave no time readout, but third time was a charm & fed that meter to just under 2 hours.

We found the theater first right away. There was already a short stand-by line formed at the door. So, with time to kill, we headed over to the book store & wandered around there. Since I already had AB's book (& all his others) I bought a mathematics book just for kicks. What can I say? I'm a nerd. ;) Right inside the door, they had a huge (cardboard) stand-up of the book cover. I'd wanted to get a picture, but only had my cell phone at the time & people kept stopping at it & blocking it, so I gave up.

Having been told seating would begin at about 5:30pm, we left the book store at 5:15 & headed back to the theatre where, after going ALL the way around the block, realized that the ticket holders line was ALSO reaching into our parking lot. *face palm* The standby line was just as long. We weren't in line 5 minutes before we had atleast another 20 or so people behind us. It was amazing watching the people gather, especially in the standby line!

It was slightly after 5:30 & were still outside when we heard people cheer... AB had obviously arrived. I'd heard that Alton had jumped up onto the short wall outside the entrance & gave a short bow. AB don't need no stinkin' back door entrance. ;)

Moments later, the line moved & we got inside.

Despite being half way back in what was essentially a General Admission line, we had FANTASTIC seats on the left hand side, outside (near an Exit--more on that later), second row (or third if you count the extra 2 seats protruding into the round of the stage). Nothing was said of the use of cameras, so I had mine out & primed for filming.

Just barely after 6pm, Alton came down the aisle on our side, coffee in hand & sat on the stage to climb up. No steps necessary. I began filming just before he climbed on stage.

From here, I'm going to let my videos take over:

Part One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew9lehdrZCw


Part Two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b1oEG0AXg4


Part Three: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVl2YGF70U4


Part Four: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dlEG0JSAvE

I'm hoping to come back with another post of notes on the videos, once I get the chance to rewatch & note-take. ;)

Immediately after I stopped recording, the masses were set free. We'd turned to head up the aisle--futile. Dad ended up pointing out someone slipping out the aforementioned Exit, so we followed them & got to the book store quickly! However, I assume that those who didn't make it inside the theater from the standby line went into the book store & formed the signing line. The signing line was a bit of a mishmash. We really weren't too sure at first if we were in the right place. However, where we were in line, we were less than 10 feet behind where Alton was signing. With nothing else to do & while close enough, I took a few pictures of AB signing. He'd turned around at one point & said loudly to only put names on the sticky notes & to leave the smart comments to him. ;)

The line began to move fairly quickly & we only had to wait just under an hour to get to the front of the line. I'd gone prepared: I was wearing my blue pineapple shirt (yes, the same style & almost same color as AB's from numerous episodes), had my FOA shirt underneath, & had a little baggie of gifts: three pins (Winnie The Pooh, Tigger, & a Honey Bee) & a motorcycle keychain with a timepiece. I'd had the thought while in line to through in my email address & name so he'd atleast have some type of ID of who gave the gift. I'm not expecting a response.

So, it was my turn & stepped up to the podium. AB greeted with "Hi, I'm Alton" & the assistant handed over this for AB to sign:

AB paused, looking at it, then asked me where I got it. I told him Cafe Press, to which he further asked if more were available as he turned it over to look at the back. I said yes, it was still available. Back to the front, he said "Look, I have a halo!" Then said paused again & added, "I look constipated."

And proceeded to sign it to me with "Cook Smart." I'd been hoping for the caricature, but seeing as this was an image of him, I wasn't let down by not getting it. I then proceeded to gift him the baggie of gifts. Alton was checking it out as I rattled off, briefly, what was it there (the pins were semi-bubble wrapped).

He turned & said loudly to the masses that everyone should bring gifts! ;) He said thank-you... then proceeded to say "You stole my shirt!" I responded, "Yes, I did." ;) I started laughing here. I'd already hard a large, stupid grin on my face & the "stole my shirt" line did me in.

I was still chuckling as dad came up with my book next & had it signed to me. Dad conversed briefly about how he had a 32-inch waist at 47 (since AB had mentioned he now has a 30-inch waist at 47). Anyway, there will be an update on waist size in 10 years. ;)

Mom came up last with the poster/book cover & had AB sign it with our last name. She made a comment along the lines of that they watch the show whenever I do. I quickly chimed in with "I force them to." AB grinned. We thanked him & headed along.

Sadly, I didn't get a pick of mom with AB as she had both cameras. *face palm* I apologized in the parking lot, but mom didn't mind. (I did because that would've been that many more pics of AB I could've had!)

We left Brookline shortly after 8pm. Not bad time.

Oh & the bookstore was giving out the Good Eats 10th Anniversary ball caps to the first 100 people in the signing line. Sadly, we weren't in the first 100 apparently as they were all out.