Evening with Paula

Personally Paula with Paula Deen and family Tunica, MS

One of my dreams came true, a notch off the bucket list!  I finally met my cooking idol!
Sat. June 11th Tunica, MS!  My friend Stephanie and I made our way down to Tunica.  We had no idea where our seats would be since we were picking the tickets up from my Mother-in-law. (Thanks Mother-in-law) We pick up the tickets get a little beverage and head in!  The guy takes our tickets and says "you are in A, follow me"... we follow, we follow... he takes us to the front row!  We were right there!  I started shaking a little bit and realized I needed to go tinkle!  The guy beside me was so sweet, he said "Girl, you better go now.. You know if you leave when she comes out, she will call you out!"  I ran to the bathroom and back.. Perfect timing.... I noticed some people coming in and sat down beside us right before the show started but didn't know who they were... That is until Paula introduced them!  Her niece, sister-in-love, her brother Bubba, publicist Mr .Barry Weiner (giggle), her hairstylist Jaime Cribbs, and her makeup artist Courtney Fix DeCrenza! And of course her bodyguard Hollis was right there watching her every move! And of course her sweet husband Michael Groover came out with her!  He was sitting right in front of us on the stage!
I have never been so happy & so quiet in all my life!  I wanted to just reach out and touch her.. but I didn't! LOL  She talked and talked.. and I was hanging on every word!  She would interact with the audience.  She told us several stories about her family, publicist & her life.....  She was so warm, it felt like we had known each other for years..  She started telling how she met Liza Minnelli.. Liza taught Paula how to take a great picture... so Paula was telling us all about it... Liza told her to always have the camera above you.. I was shaking my head and agreeing.. I always do that! It really helps us girls that have the double chin.. So Paula looked at me and said "you do that too?" and I told her all about it! She talked to me!! yeah!  It was awesome!! I was incredibly excited and very starstruck.. kinda like a deer in the headlights!

This is when she hugged a guy and her hair clip came out... She put it on this bald guys head... Hilarious!

Paula was amazing.. She is so down to earth and a true southern belle!  I was in heaven just sitting there listening to her!

Someone screamed out Paula is a MILF... So she brings this guy on stage to explain to her what a MILF is... LOL She had no idea! 

She had no idea!!!

She told us she has started a clothing line that will be in stores soon... Like wal-mart & Target... and she made a point to say it wouldn't be clothing for size 4 skinny mini's!!

Paula and her family were precious!  I felt like we were in her living room hanging out! She made us feel at home!  I love that about her!  She was so sweet!  After the show was over everyone rushed up to the front of the stage, and he body guard said "no pictures with paula and no autographs"  ... earlier someone asked her to sign a cookbook and she told us she wouldn't be able to sign anything tonight because if she signed one she would have to sign them all... So her bodyguard was right there beside her... Michael was standing right in front of me, I asked him if I could get a picture with him and he said "Sure"!  What a nice man!! 

He just wrapped his hand around my neck and just squeezed me! He smells really good too! It was awesome!

Afterwards Steph and I decide to play the slots a little bit.... We ran into one of her friends that told us Paula was in the high rollers slots.. So we casually go over there.. I told Steph, lets just sit down and play.... Of course we see her in the middle with Hollis and another bodyguard.. She had several! Steph and I are just having fun... We are playing on a $5 machine and ordered drinks.. Stephanie wanted to take a picture of me so she took the picture and right then Hollis popped up beside me and said "Please don't take any pictures of her".... Stephanie says "Of Candy??" Hollis says "No, please don't take any pictures of Paula gambling".... Stephanie shows him the picture and he was really nice ...

We all started talking and then another one of her bodyguards said I needed to cash out of the machine and go to this other machine and play 9 & 1... I would win more... Got up went over there and I won like $100!!  He was right!!  We talked to him for a while then Paula said lets go and they had to leave!

It was so much fun!!!