Me and Jacques (sort of)

The IACP conference is here in Seattle this week. Wish I'd known about it sooner. Guess I'd better join, even though I'm not really a "professional" (yet). But, I got to volunteer at the "birthday party" for Jacques Pepin last night. In case you're wondering, he's 70. But he looks about 55! And that's my point -- I got to talk to him briefly last evening, and took his picture. Actually I talked to him twice, but once was to yell across a corridor to him that he should not go up the escalator, because he was going to the wrong place (in my role of crowd herder). But a little later I was working at the registration table and it turns out his coat was on the chair beside me. He walked up to get something out of it and I told him hello, it was nice to see him here and he said hello, how are you in that adorable French accent of his...yeah I know, it's not much but it was something, and I was thrilled. He stopped in front of me and I whipped out my little digital camera (in my pocket for just such an event) and I got a quick snapshot. Rick Bayless was there too, but I didn't talk to him. He looks really great since he's lost all that weight, I guess he is now into yoga. Anyway, the IACP people ought to be thrilled because the weather in Seattle this week has been glorious.