OHprah

"The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams."
Oprah Winfrey

The day is coming to an end. My belly is full. The bed is comfy and I've crossed another key item off my bucket list. Today I saw Oprah. The day started early. Around six thirty I slipped down to the hotel lobby to pick up coffee for Ger and I. After stopping on another floor to drop off coffee to Cath and Nan, Ger and I got ready. We met Cath and Nan in the hotel restaurant for breakfast then grabbed our coats and headed to Harpo Studios. We lined up inside a narrow unheated tent. After about an hour and a half we were allowed in. We showed our I.D., checked our coats, submitted ourselves to bag inspection and walked through the metal detectors. Then we were sent upstairs to wait for admission to the studio. The room was buzzing. Everyone was speculating about the topic of the show. Was there a famous celebrity coming? Were we in for something special, maybe Oprah's birthday party or a politician to speak on a hot topic? We got into the studio around twelve-fifteen, were directed to our seats and then warmed-up by an Oprah staffer. The topic of the show was Oprah's Vegan Challenge. Okay, it wasn't a birthday party but maybe some celebrity chef would share excellent vegan recipes - not. Instead it was a show about meat production in the United States. I had never heard of the guests. We were shown a video of a slaughter house. It was graphic and difficult to watch. Ger and Nan didn't. Cath and I did though I must admit that at a couple of intervals, I looked away. The topic was interesting. Shot in real time, it was over in an hour. Oprah and her guests stayed to talk to us for about fifteen minutes more. After she left we were allowed out of the studio, handed our swag bag (in this case a copy of the book written by one of the vegan guests and a few boxes of Kashi cereal) and moved out.

So no celebrities, no big gifts, no hype. Also, no disappointment. Oprah was as gracious as could be. She is lovely and warm. She made us feel like her friends and peers - like we dropped by her place for coffee. She is a substantial woman but not as heavy or big as she looks on T.V. It was a wonderful experience - all that I hoped for. After we left the studio we crossed the street to the Oprah store. We each bought a keepsake, took a few pictures and stopped for a bite of lunch. Then back to the hotel for a glass of wine and a little relaxation before our dinner reservation. We went to Table 52, the restaurant owned by Art Smith, formerly Oprah's personal chef. Deviled eggs, goat's cheese buttermilk biscuit, fried green tomatoes, cornbread with bacon and brown sugar syrup, pistachio encrusted chicken and banana-pinaeapple cake with cream cheese icing, made for an incredibly delicious and filling meal.

Now I'm safely tucked into my bed. Tired. Stuffed. Satisfied. Happy. Going home tomorrow. It's all good.