Guy Fieri. Who? Well, if you watch the Food Network, you'll know he's the guy that hosts Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. He has two other shows on the Network, Guy's Big Bite and Guy Off the Hook.

I know, I know. I'm usually writing about the Pocatello local live music scene. But hey, this is my blog, and I get to write whatever I want. Right?

Fieri hit the big-time cooking scene when he won The Next Food Network Star reality show in 2006. His charm and big TV personality won him the contest, and his career has taken off.

So how and why am *I* going to meet him? Well, that's a kinda cool story.

My 11 year old daughter is interested in learning how to cook. In support of that, she and I started to watch some of the Food Network TV shows. We both enjoyed Guy's shows (and a few others, especially Good Eats, with Alton Brown.) So we got online and found Guy's shows' websites. There was a link to bid on "an intimate dinner for four with Guy Fieri in New York City in October." The package also included tickets to several events at the inaugural New York City Wine and Food Festival. So, I bid on it.

And won.

The money I paid goes to a really great cause, Share Our Strength, a national  organization that feeds hungry kids. Visit http://www.strength.org.

Fieri and the Food Network donated their time, talents and tickets. Fieri is also the spokesman for one of Share Our Strength's fund-raising events, The Great American Dine-Out. Participating restaurants donate proceeds from their diner's meals to Share Our Strength.

Good cause, good fun. I called a couple of my girlfriends, and we're goin' to New York City! We have dinner with Guy on Wednesday the 8th at the Food Network kitchens. I don't know yet if he's cooking, or if his staff is cooking, or what. But he'll sit down and eat with us.

There's a VIP by-invite-only party on Thursday at the network studios, and we have tickets to various food, dessert and wine tasting events each night on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and one on Sunday afternoon with Bobby Flay, Duff Goldman of Ace of Cakes, stuff like that. Total cost, about $1200 each.

Oh, it'll be soooo worth the memories!