Do you want to go on a lunchtime adventure?

I asked my co-worker Kathy yesterday.

“What’s up?” she responded.

On my commute in I had read that Derrek Lee of the Cubs (Yeah!) and Mark Buehrle of the White Sox (Boo!) were going to be at Fleming’s Steak House on Ohio at Noon to introduce their “named” charity wines to the media.

Yesterday was a perfect day to launch them because it was the first day of Chicago’s long standing Crosstown Classic rivalry, a series where the North Siders play the South Siders.

Now what I had read didn’t say that it was only for the media...so I figured, what the heck...it was worth walking over, possibly buying a bottle or two of wine and having them autographed with my black Sharpie that I have carried with me since hanging out with Ernie Banks and Dutchie Caray, my new bff's.

“Let’s leave at 11:45.” I told Kath.

We really didn’t know what to expect. Fleming's was normally not open for lunch and, quite frankly, it looked like too fancy-schmancy of a place for me to dine, so I have never contemplated going there.

As we walked in we were directed upstairs to a large private room where appetizers and huge red wine glasses filled with either Buehrlot or Caberlee were being served.


The media had their cameras and mics all set up and outside of them, there were just a handful of people, mostly guys in suits or business attire, then Kath and me.


Upon hearing that Derrek and Mark were in the adjacent bar area, the room got very quiet. Which led me to make the comment “This isn’t a surprise party is it?”

For the next 15 minutes the media asked questions about each player’s charity which will be receiving a percentage of the proceeds from every bottle sold. The players talked about their charities and shared with us why they were chosen.

Then there was a lull in the questioning.

And here is when Susan Snippets saw her chance to find out what everyone in the room really wanted to know...

“Who do you think is going to win today’s game?” I asked.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...the whole charity thing is nice and all...but true Chicago baseball fans want to talk about the Crosstown Rivalry.

Mark said that he wasn’t going to be playing; and Derrek responded “Do we have a game today?”


At the end of it all I walked out with two empty bottles (they were not able to sell unopened bottles, so I asked the wait staff for two empties) of Caberlee (Go, Cubs, Go!) signed by #25 himself...


along with pictures of both players (I admit Mark Buehrle's eyes are quite dreamy!); the “real” photographer, Michelle’s card (to get some of her pictures); the distributor Chuck's card to send him some of the shots that I took; and then...

Kath and I were handed gift cards from Fleming's as we walked out.

$25 gift cards.

Each.

Not too bad of a lunchtime adventure if I would say so myself.

and Kath, she would most definitely agree.

derrek lee is tall, handsome and so in love with me

okay maybe he is not in love with me...but a gal can dream can’t she