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Paula Deen tickets for 2 lucky winners!

It took me several e-mails, a proposal and few phone calls over the past few weeks, but I finally have wonderful news for Paula Deen fans: I’ve got tickets to give away here on the Fridge Magnet blog!

Paula Deen the Butter Queen is coming to the Salem Civic Center on Saturday, October 2 to share Southern recipes and stories with her adoring fans. The show, sponsored by Grand Home Furnishings, is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are normally about 60 bucks, including taxes and fees, but I’ve got two pairs of tickets for two lucky winners.

In order to enter, please follow these directions closely:

1. Leave a comment on THIS BLOG ENTRY. Comments on other blog entries will not be considered.

2. Your comment must address the following question: What makes you the biggest Paula Deen fan in Southwest Virginia?

3. Leave your comment by 5 P.M. on FRIDAY, SEPT. 24. The winners will be selected by my editor and me and will be announced on Monday, Sept. 27. Tickets will be left for the winners at the “will call” booth at the Salem Civic Center.

That’s all, folks! Convince me that you would be the most deserving person of these tickets! Good luck to everybody.

Join the conversation [ADD A COMMENT]

53 COMMENTS

  1. Liz | September 21, 2010 at 10:46 am

    I’m the biggest Paula Deen fan because my husband is Southern and I’m Northern and her food makes it easier to meet in the middle.

  2. Justafan | September 21, 2010 at 10:51 am

    What makes me the biggest Paula Deen fan in SW Va.?

    Bring out the scales, I’ll go pound for pound with anyone. I’m also a big fan of butter and southern cooking. Paula is the hottest white haired lady since Emmy Lou Harris. She’s got a great personality and loves what she is doing. Who wouldn’t be a BIG fan of that?

  3. charlie | September 21, 2010 at 10:56 am

    What amazes me about this lady, Paula Deen, is how she took a personal moment in her life – realization that she was a single mother with 2 young sons and had no way to provide for them in any real tangible way that society “allowed”. No degree, nothing.

    Well, nothing but All American Grit that Southern Women are known for! She did what she knew to do, taking care of people’s daily need – eating delicious, wholesome and uniquely packaged food that they could buy.
    This blossomed into her business, little by little, every step an obstacle, every step nay sayers against her. I love her grit, her style her unapologetic way of cooking comfort foods that “foodies” cringe over.
    The lady has class and it shows!

  4. Karen Wu | September 21, 2010 at 11:02 am

    Well, this isn’t for me but for my dear friend who LOVES Paula Deen but can’t afford the tickets. On her behalf, I’ll tell you Nancy just loves her personality, her adorable smile and that very well known down to earth spirit. In addition of course, are her fabulous recipes and my friend LOVES to cook and is a Paula Deen wanna be to the nth degree! She has the cookbooks, gets the magazine from time to time and of course watches her on TV. How could Nancy NOT be the biggest fan in SW VA???? Her birthday is around the corner and if I could do this for her, I’d be thrilled.

  5. Pamela Price | September 21, 2010 at 11:23 am

    A typical fan would watch her shows and have her cookbooks. A true fan would not only delight in the stories behind the recipes but read the ingrediants like the greatest stories ever told. In the fun of it all is cooking or baking Paula’s treats to the delight of friends and family members who sample with excitement and know for a shadow of a doubt ‘Is this another Paula Deen recipe?’ We are in the midst of moving and I have even gazed upon her namesake furniture. I too aspire to have that square low country kitchen table as my own to serve many a heart warming meal. That kitchen will be the heart of the house and that classy lady is the heart of true Southern cooking!

  6. Paige Conner | September 21, 2010 at 11:45 am

    My husband and I do not have grandparents, or for that matter parents anymore, and he loves Paula Dean so much that he refers to her as his “grandma” LOL! When we make her recipes, he always says it’s one of “grannies” recipes! Paula makes you feel special even though you know she is being broadcast into many other homes, it just feels like yours is the only one! We love her tenacity, sense of humor, and her sweet spirit!

  7. Leisa | September 21, 2010 at 12:03 pm

    This is for my mother, who undoubtedly is the BIGGEST Paula Deen fan I’ve ever known! She has everyone of her cookbooks, the Deen Boys cookbooks and Uncle Bubba’s (Paula’s brother) cookbooks, which she reads and pores over like other people would a regular book. She also subscribes to her magazines, AND we took vacation 2 yrs. ago to Savannah GA for the specific purpose of eating at Paula’s restaurant. My mother is a fantastic southern cook just like Paula, and can recreate her recipes perfectly. As a matter of fact, we’re having Paula’s fried chicken for dinner tonite! My mom has had 2 ankle surgeries since December, and I would absolutely love to be able for her to see Paula live.

  8. Renee Ratcliffe | September 21, 2010 at 12:16 pm

    I would love to get these for my mother-in-law & sister-in-law for an early Christmas present. As with everybody else, times are extremely tight at my house right now. My husband had a kidney-pancreas transplant in February with alot of complications afterward. He has spent over 6 months either in the hospital or laid up at home not being able to earn any type of income except his monthly disability which barely helps to cover our bills combined with my salary. My in-laws are HUGE Paula Deen fans but also can’t afford the tickets. They don’t have cable so don’t even know about her coming to the area. I saw it on WDBJ7 & checked on the ticket prices but there is no way we can do this for them. My mother-in-law put her life on hold to stay at our house with our dogs while we were at UVA for 3 solid weeks after surgery. All we hear about from her is Paula Deen this, Paula Deen that. We had to buy a couple pieces of her cookware last year for Christmas & she’s all the time asking for her cookbooks & books. As far as being the biggest fan, I don’t know if she is or not but I would greatly appreciate being considered for these tickets as a way to pay them back for all their help this year.

  9. Josh | September 21, 2010 at 12:26 pm

    I LOVE Paula Deen’s cooking! Southern charm and such old school taste wrapped into one! :D

  10. bailey | September 21, 2010 at 12:29 pm

    my favorite Paula quote when asked about her recipes and the butter factor-”I am not your Doctor, I am your cook”. Well I think that says it all!!!

  11. Celia | September 21, 2010 at 1:22 pm

    Paula is my absolute favorite! I love her unapologetic style of cooking and making what makes her and her family happy. She’s funny, talented, and determined. What I love most about Paula is how she has brought me closer to my son. He is my youngest at 8 years old. His older brother has always had a hobby or a sport that he enjoys. My youngest, however, never seemed to find his fit…until he started cooking. He and I cook Paula’s desserts and meals and he has something that he is good at and that he enjoys. I just hope he sticks with it. I would love to be able to take him to something like that. Sporting events are a dime a dozen, but its not everyday that Paula Deen comes to our area.

  12. Debbie Poff | September 21, 2010 at 1:32 pm

    Paula is one of my favorite people to watch! She is so much fun and makes every recipe exciting and fun to try. I enjoy watching her sons and husband cook with her and I have a collection of her cooking magazines, Cooking with Paula, which always has wonderful stories and recipes. I’ve been to the Lady and Sons restaurant in Savannah, wow, what a spread of homemade food and desserts. It was wonderful even though I didn’t get to see Paula there, so would love to see her here in VA!

  13. Brandi | September 21, 2010 at 1:53 pm

    Ya’ll

    I love Paula because

    1. My Tivo is full of only Paula Deen Shows

    2. Currently my refridgerator is only holding butter.

  14. tami harmon | September 21, 2010 at 2:16 pm

    I certainly can’t compete with some of the reasons above, but I do love her cooking as I am a real seafood lover and a true GRITS girl. I live alone and can’t afford the tickets, but I would love to see the show!!! Especially if she brings those good-looking boys!!!

  15. Lisa | September 21, 2010 at 2:21 pm

    Well, to answer your question, my 4 year old daughter is the biggest Paula Deen fan in SW VA. Since she was 2 years old and saw Paula on tv, she has loved her! When she is helping me cook, she pretends to be Paula Deen! We love Paula and her awesome personality…you can’t help but smile when you listen to her. My daughter and I would LOVE to see her while she is in the area.

  16. Angela | September 21, 2010 at 3:09 pm

    I love Paula Deen because she reminds me of my Grandma. Calories and fat content? What’s that? All that mattered was that the food was out of this world delicious. And their sense of humor can’t be beat. When my family was scrambling to have first dibs of my Grandma’s worldly goods. I asked for the things no one seemed interested in: her pots and pans. They were the real treasures because that is where her heart was. There was so much love in those pots. And Paula Deen pours her heart and soul into everything she cooks. You can feel the love.
    Even if I’m not chosen, I would like to see Renee Ratcliffe win these tickets because it sounds like her family could really use a big Paula Deen hug. Good luck to all of you #1 Paula fans.

  17. Sharon Thompson | September 21, 2010 at 3:12 pm

    Y’all listen up and I’ll tell you why I’m Paula Deen’s biggest fan. First of all, I love me some Deen Cuisine! Paula is the only person I watch on the cooking shows. She is not only the best cook on TV, she is the most entertaining. I love the stories she tells while she’s cooking, and the way she involves her family on her shows. If I got to see Paula in person, it would be a night I would never forget.

  18. the other Rebecca | September 21, 2010 at 4:09 pm

    Thanks to Julia, I understand butter. Thanks to my husband moving us to the South, I appreciate Southern culinary traditions and enjoy adding the classics to my repertoire. But I don’t have and haven’t had cable TV for many, many years, and while I’ve heard of Paula Deen and her promotion of wonderful Southern food from extremely loyal fans, I’ve never had the chance to see her in action. Help educate this Yankee transplant with tickets to see the woman who’s become the Icon of Southern Cooking!

  19. Jason P. | September 21, 2010 at 4:36 pm

    Alrighty, it’s my time to chime in. I can easily say I’m one of Paula Deen’s biggest fans because she’s so much like my mother. We know we all joke about Paula’s liberal use of butter in every recipe, but I swear there’s an alarm in my mom’s fridge that goes off when the butter levels drop below two pounds at any time. I’ve never seen anything less than four pounds there myself. What a treat it would be to take my mom, who I love and admire, to see the TV version of herself, another woman that I love and admire!

  20. Andrea L | September 21, 2010 at 5:20 pm

    Simple…..my 9 year old daughter loves her and we get to spend quality time together watching every show! She has an apron, chef hat and Paula’s children’s cookbook that we have used many times. She has looked through it since before she could read. We have made great memories in the kitchen using Paula’s recipes.

  21. Lindsey Nair | September 21, 2010 at 5:47 pm

    Keep ‘em coming, folks. If you do not see your comment appear immediately, do not fret. I will be approving them first thing in the morning.

  22. paul | September 21, 2010 at 6:01 pm

    hows this for a chance at the tickets…after over 15 years i met up with my ex-wife on facebook.we talked for hours over the weekend and now she is coming up from north carolina for a visit on the 1st of oct…since we both love to cook and eat “comfort food”and who else is the “queen” of that type of food than paula dean,well,we both said we watched her and her sons shows when our conversation turned to cooking.tina,my ex, said she was appering near her and i said she was coming here too.we both wished we could go but neither of us could afford to….if i could surprize her with tickets.. well..it would be a “comfortable” and maybe a new begining for us.thanks.

  23. Connie Thompson | September 22, 2010 at 6:53 am

    Paula Deen is my HERO!!!!
    I love everything about her, the cooking, the southern talk, down home friendly personality and that big ole smile of hers. I have all of her cookbooks and have tried almost all of them. The banana pudding and gooey butter cake are some of our favorites. Her recipes are always easy to prepare and very tasty.
    I would truly love to see her in person. She is a special lady with a lot of love, life and recipes to share.

  24. catherine bond | September 22, 2010 at 7:07 am

    i am a hug paula deen fan! never miss a show if i can help it and because of her, i can proudly keep real butter and sour cream in my frig all the time. i can honestly say, “alittle” butter does make it taste better. it certainly makes my dishes, my best wishes.
    cat;)

  25. Cyndi Hodges | September 22, 2010 at 7:38 am

    I love Paula and her boys. She is an inspiration to all being able to get in front of such a large audience and delight people the way she does, when she herself experiences axiety in such a debilatating way and has overcome it so graaciously. She is awesome and has overcome so much she is such an amazing cook, mother and woman. I would love to take my mom to this. I love to cook and of course with butter! It would be awesome to win and see Paula live!!!

  26. charlie | September 22, 2010 at 8:55 am

    Good one Brandi!!

  27. Sandy | September 22, 2010 at 9:55 am

    In February 2010 my sister fell during an ice storm and broke her ankle on both sides. The pins are still holding her ankle together and for 7 long months she has been longing to go or do something before Winter sets in. When I saw the ticket giveaway I have to try to win and surprise her because ” Paula Deen” is her Hero. I know she would love to go and possibly meet Paula a dream come true…. She is a single parent and deserves a night out with Paula…

  28. Nikki G | September 22, 2010 at 10:04 am

    I would love to win these tickets for my in-laws! My mother-in-law cooks for us every Sunday, and she also heads up the weekly fellowship meals at our church. 75% of what she cooks comes from a Paula Deen cookbook. She is a fantastic cook, and a wonderful mother-in-law. I can’t think of a bigger PD fan in all of SW Virginia! Just like Paula she is a true southern lady, and I would love to win these tickets for her!

  29. Todd R. | September 22, 2010 at 1:01 pm

    When I saw Paula take her mac & cheese, wrap it in bacon, dip in in batter and drop it in the fryer I felt as if I had seen the true face of God.

  30. Judy Barger | September 22, 2010 at 1:08 pm

    Paula reminds me of my mother. Mom always started every dish with a stick butter and a cup of sugar. I miss my mother and when I watch Paula I feel like mom is there watching too! If I won the tickets I would take a friend whose missing her mom too!

  31. Lori | September 22, 2010 at 1:21 pm

    I would love to take my mom to meet her best friend, Paula Deen! Mom fell in love with Paula on Food Network and watches her religiously. I’ve lost count of how many of Paula’s cookbooks she has now. I have teased her that her devotion borders on crazy! A few years ago, my mom, dad and grandmother took a trip to Savannah after Christmas to go to the Lady & Sons. They met Jamie Deen, but not Paula.
    When I think about it, my mom reminds me of Paula. She is as down to earth as they come, she’s a great Mom, a proud Grandmother to my son, she loves her family more than anything, and has this strength about her that I greatly admire. Oh, and she’s a great cook!

  32. Tessa | September 22, 2010 at 3:00 pm

    I love Paula Deen, she is the best. I love her shows and her cooking. My grandma would love to see her. she is also a big fan. but doesnt have internet access.

  33. Mary Ann Williams | September 22, 2010 at 3:03 pm

    went to Savannah and ate, her food is down to earth. I would love to see her, watch her show all the time

  34. Carolyn Nelson | September 22, 2010 at 3:10 pm

    Whenever thinking of Paula Deen, you have to know that she’s the queen. Whenever I whip up Southern cuisine, one recipe I use is her Fancy Green Beans.
    Paula is an inspiration, for cooks of every generation, she’s the sweetest in the Southern nation.
    I would love to see her show, I’d call my friend and we would go. Paula would make sure we were in the know, about how to make her cakes of hoe.

  35. Lori | September 22, 2010 at 3:12 pm

    Todd, the only thing that would have made that complete is if the fried mac n’cheese bacon combo had emerged from the oil with the Virgin Mary’s face burned in the crust.

  36. Debbie | September 22, 2010 at 6:31 pm

    I have so much admiration for her. Her life has not always been easy, but she has persevered and worked hard for all that she now has. She just seems so down to earth, like she’s the same person off screen as she is on. She can always make you laugh.

    I’d love to win the tickets so I can take my mom to see her. She’s a big fan too, and would be so thrilled.

  37. [Tee] Teresa King | September 23, 2010 at 10:38 am

    While most toddlers were watching cartoons, my daughter Carrigan was glued to The Food Network at age 2 watching Paula Dean and begging to watch any show she might appear on. She has to be the biggest Paula Dean fan I know. She has begged for tickets since she heard that Paula would be in the area. My daughter is now 10 years old and has most of Paula’s cookbooks and loves to go online retrieving new recipes that she doesn’t have. Some of the fondest memories we have together involve making Paula Dean recipes together over the years!

  38. Claudia Goodwin | September 23, 2010 at 10:40 am

    On the Friday I read Kohl’s was coming to town I later heard so was Paula Dean. I shouted out at work that this was one of the best days of my life. I love to watch Paula, her wit and laughter are so contagious. She could take the moodiest person out of a bad mood. I have read her book and everything else I can find on her. I have been to “Lady and Sons” to eat. I met her sons Bobby and Jamie in the gift shop. I love the Ole Gal, we are the same age.

  39. Regina Shrewsbury | September 23, 2010 at 5:45 pm

    I have watched Paula since she began on Food Network. I subscribe to her magazine. She is an inspiration to us ladies, southern or not that you can have a career doing what you love. Every time I see Paula in her kitchen it reminds me of being with my grandmother in her kitchen. My childhood firend of over 50 years lives in Vegas and she is a big Paula fan too, so she has given us one more thing in common. I have always liked to bake and cook, but sometimes you get can get in that zone of getting in a rut, she has put new joy into my interest of trying new things and going back to those southern traditions I grew up with. My cookbook collection has grown in the last few years and thanks to Paula she also reinforces that the joy cooking is also the joy of sharing it with family and friends. GINA

  40. Stacey | September 23, 2010 at 7:11 pm

    Gotta love a woman who has to be taught how to take “princess bites”!

  41. Heather Sexton | September 23, 2010 at 7:14 pm

    I love Paula Dean because she isn’t health crazy like most cooking shows. I personally cannot cook at all, not even a little. So, anything she could teach me that’s really good and easy would be great to see live. I don’t get the Food Network to watch her anymore because I can’t afford good cable anymore. I had to downsize to the package with like 12 channels. So, I really miss watching her. I was born a Southerner and always will be one. Even when I have lived up north (like Michigan), you can’t take the Southern girl out of me. I love my fried chicken and sweet tea! And it’s food like this that Paula Dean is known for! She is entertaining and very knowledgeable in her cooking. I want to win tickets so I can learn something and see a show like I’ve never seen before. Plus, my friends and family would love for me to learn some cooking techniques as well since nothing I make is edible. So, I need to go see Paula for the welfare of all my friends and family. It could save a life in the future since my cooking could one day kill someone! LOL

  42. Julie Gibson | September 23, 2010 at 9:34 pm

    Pick ME!!!

  43. Pam | September 23, 2010 at 10:41 pm

    As a mother of 5 our bonding moments are food and experiences cooking. While cooking we talk and discuss life. We love sharing Paula’s recipes and cooking as a family. I can relate to the family cohesiveness that can be created with cooking together.

  44. Nancy Fralin | September 23, 2010 at 10:44 pm

    I’m such a Paula Dean fan I drove to Savannah to have dinner in her restaurant the day after Christmas two years ago and they were closed! :(
    Oh well, 2nd best was Bubba’s!

  45. Alice Roberts | September 24, 2010 at 8:37 am

    I am a huge fan of Paula’s if I am home and she is on I am watching. She is a beautiful and gracious southern lady. I have been to Uncle Bubba’s but never to The Lady and Sons. Paula brings back memories of my sister in law that passed away a few years ago. They were from the same place in time and loved to cook and put a smile on peoples faces. I would love to bring my niece who is working very hard to improve her life and the life of her family by juggling home, children and now back to school full time. So she has no money for things like this and is a fantastic cook on a very tight very budget.

  46. Audra Chambers | September 24, 2010 at 9:16 am

    I am trying to win these tickets for my Mom. She LOVES Paula Deen and so do I. What makes my Mom the biggest Paula Deen fan is that she was a struggling single parent just like Paula that raised two kids successfully. She would take the simplest thing (aka the cheapest :) )and make it into a great meal for us. My Mom is also the best cook I know. She can throw a meal together from nothing – AND she loves her butter!!!!!! My Mom has always put others first and doesn’t have a lot of extra money. This would be a terrific surprise. Plus, Paula makes her laugh which makes me happy. Thank you for your consideration!

  47. Amanda Morris | September 24, 2010 at 9:52 am

    My son is Paula Deen’s biggest fan! He started watching her show when he was 4 years old, he will soon be 8. He firmly believes sugar, butter, and chocolate are the best ingredients and there is not such thing as too much! He loves to help me cook (and eat) using Paula’s recipes. He would love to see her in person.

  48. Cheryl Jones | September 24, 2010 at 9:54 am

    All I can say is that she makes me happy. How many people/things on TV can do that these days? We were at the airport in Lynchburg almost this time last year. My son was leaving for deployment in Iraq. I was a wreck emotionally and as we waited for his plane, Paula was on the TV cooking one of her famous “butter” recipes. She took my sadness away and made that goodbye with my son bearable. I’ve always wanted to thank her for that!! Love you, Paula!!

  49. Michelle W. | September 24, 2010 at 10:00 am

    I like Paula Deen because her show is so positive! There are so many shows that leave you more stressed out after you watch them, but every time I see Paula Deen I want to smile! And her recipes are always delicious, no worries there!

  50. Carolyn M. Witcher | September 24, 2010 at 10:02 am

    Paula is a very real, down to earth person. She is so much fun and I always feel like I have had a meal with a dear friend after watching her show. I love cooking and she makes baking and food preparation seem so darn sophisticated. I love the way she “oil”. If I didn’t already enjoy cooking, she would definitely inspire me. I have two things I would like to present to her that I have never seen on the show; these items I use regularly and I just want to share them with Paula. I would very much like to meet Paula Deen as she continues to inspire me a be one of the most enjoyable parts of my day. Thank you,
    Carolyn

  51. Stephanie | September 24, 2010 at 2:52 pm

    I feel like the biggest Paula Deen fan because there is no one on this earth that makes you feel like you are her best friend. When you follow her ups and downs in life, you want to sit down with her everyday and laugh and cry>. That makes everything she does turn to gold!! I wouldn’t miss a minute of it!!!

  52. Jeff G. | September 26, 2010 at 7:58 am

    I really liked the “early” Paula Dean shows, but now she seems (to me anyway) as they would say, “a little above her raising”. More of a comedian. TRYING to be southern, as opposed to just being herself.

    Her son’s even seem that way now also.

    Anyway, I have enjoyed several of her dishes.

    She is a good southern cook..

  53. Lee | September 27, 2010 at 11:39 am

    Have to agree with Jeff G. But nothing lasts forever. Nice run, though, Paula. Most food and travel shows on TV have deservedly short lives and Paula’s obviously made too much money and started to take herself seriously. Too bad. But there’s always more where she came from, unfortunately.

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About this blog

On the Fridge Magnet blog, food writer Lindsey Nair writes about home cooking, local restaurants, entertaining and more. Here, you will also find links to restaurant reviews and our weekly food column, Front Burner. Please also check out our database of Southwest Virginia restaurants resturant user reviews and our recipe database.

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