sip. savor. style. : My Day with Andrew

Sorry people.

Wine Wednesday is being moved to Thursday once again because I have to tell you about my day with Andrew Shue!!

Andrew talks jeans with the owner of Amore and Fede Edina, Kim Parmater

As you all know, Andrew (yeah, we're on a first name basis, but I'm not sure he knows my first name) came to town for the Twin Cities launch of Mom.com and it's not everyday you get to take him shopping for jeans (for his wife) at Amore and Fede in Edina, have lunch at Barrio, dash downtown to the KSTP studios for a spot on Twin Cities Live, head upstairs to the Lori and Julia radio show then back to his hotel in Edina (he didn't invite me in) and off to Pinstripes for the launch party. Whew, exhausting! Not really...

"Do you think these will fit my wife?"

It was fun. Super fun and I figured it's also not everyday I get to have Andrew Shue in my front seat so I say to the guy, "Andrew, since I've got you in my front seat, how's Elisabeth doing?" I had to ask, all my guy friends wanted to know so here's the scoop fellas- she's married with two kids living in L.A., still doing the acting thing and she's actually on the set of a movie right now, in New Orleans, I think. Their families are all going on vacation together in the Caribbean the first week of December and I didn't ask where, even though I wanted to. Didn't want to pry.

A few of the ladies from Mom.com Minneapolis

But enough about Elisabeth, let's talk about Andrew. He is is a pretty normal guy, extremely bright, a total businessman, a natty dresser and he is passionate about Mom.com. He said the idea was actually hatched while talking with Meredith Viera about the power of soccer moms. Brilliant, I say! Brilliant! As it exists now, there are only daily deals, but just wait people, there is more. SO much more! Andrew describes the site as "conversation, content, and commerce". It's going to be fabulous and I'm terribly excited about it all and can't wait to share, but I digress.

Now you all know me, I typically don't hold back and I hope I don't get canned for this, but I found it a touch odd that he was a super soft talker. Even though he is extremely well spoken, he is a very soft talker. It's not a bad thing, but one on one, he's a soft talker. Publicly, not so much, but even when he was sitting right next to me in the car it was hard to hear him. In fact, he is such a soft talker that I could barely make out what he was saying on the phone to his wife Amy Robach about a clogged toilet and how she had to put water in the tank and not the bowl. I tell you people, so stinkin' normal! I thought I was the only one with a clogged toilet.

Not being a soft talker with Lori and Julia at 107.1 FM

In addition to being a soft talker (which by the way is not a bad thing) he's also super serious, but the brainy ones usually are. You can't go to Dartmouth and be some kind of dummy, yet the seriousness kinda threw me which is why I think I busted out the Elisabeth question. I mean, the dude has traveled the world, done the Hollywood thing, been to dinner at the White House and is madly in love with a Today Show anchor, and here he is in Minnesota (in my front seat!) and I'm asking him about his sister. I'm 100% positive he thought I was from Mars, but whatever. He just rolled with it- no attitude, no fuss, he signed autographs outside of KSTP for a few strange men that were lurking about, and didn't even want a dab of powder on his nose for a television interview. He simply wanted to deliver his message about Mom.com and get on with his business. He totally gets that he has to do the dog and pony show and was so gracious to every single person that wanted a photo with him. All in the name of Mom.com.

He took the time away from his extremely busy life, his lovely wife, kids he obviously adores and is very involved with (just a note-he rewards good grades with family dinners at Olive Garden), to promote something he is passionate about and we all appreciated it.