The Domestic Goddess herself, Nigella Lawson graced our fair, sunny shores today to sign the books of the Sydney contingent of her Antipodean fans. I for one, managed to sleep well despite the occasion although there was just a little hint of trepidation along with excitement. What if she wasn’t as lovely as she is on television? Would I have to rename my blog to “I don’t want to be Nigella”? That’s the risk of meeting your “idols” I suppose.
I managed to convince my lovely husband to take a few hours off work and come with me to photograph her book signing and we lined up at about 11.45am for the 12:30pm start. There were already about 200 people lined up, some since at least 9am. The crowd is made up of 2/3 women and 1/3 men and the line snakes around the shops on the first floor. There were at least 5 security personnel as well as ABC staff on hand to see that everything ran smoothly. The security guards are apologetic about the long queue and the ABC staff apologetic as Nigella will only be signing her name due to the number of people and only 1 item per customer. Damn, there goes my little intro about my website when I ask her to sign to “Not Quite Nigella” 
Once 12:30pm hit, the line moved smoothly. It was only another 10 minutes until we reached the front and we ushered to the corner of the store where the Domestic Goddess herself sat. In a candy pink cardigan and black dress (exactly like the one she wears on the Nigella Feasts DVD cover) she is as stunning as she is on television. Her skin is luminous and she has a broad sweet smile. I have three books but the ABC staff help open them up to the signing page so that she’ll sign them all.
Yes the above photo and three below photos were our little exchange! My arm on the left 
I even get a bit of a conversation with her when she comments “Wow, you have so many things marked for cooking” about the earmarks on all of my books. While in the queue, I was a little embarrassed at my well worn, well marked books compared to everyone else’s pristine copies but she doesn’t seem to mind. I said to her that I had already made at least 1/4 of Express, hence the dodgy cover but Domestic Goddess was my favourite as I love baking and I would have brought all 6 but I didn’t think that it was practical. She smiles that fabulous and genuine smile again and says that is wonderful and that bringing all 6 would be rather too heavy indeed. She signs unhurriedly and cocks her head while doing so which is much like the way she is on television.
After a few more photos and a thankyou and goodbye, we’re ushered along to make room for more people getting their books signed. She has a lovely smile for everyone and looks at everyone in the eye which is exactly what everyone had hoped for. I think the title of just “Goddess” would be rather fitting.
ABC Shop
Level 1, Queen Victoria Building
455 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Listen to a podcast of Richard Fidler’s interview with Nigella here (click on headphones icon)
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31 Comments | Add your own
YAY!!!! very jealous!!
Lorraine,
I’m star struck and I just shared this with my 12yr old daughter too! I think Nigella would have loved your books being ‘used’ and with the earmarking.. It shows you actually use your books!
How blessed to have had this opportunity.. and I’m thrilled that I “know” someone that was at the signing!
Thank you!!!
((hug))…
p.s. mega-mega-bugger that you couldn’t share about your website..and get her to sign them “To Not Quite Nigella”…
On the positive side.. Wooo-hooo!
Isn’t Nigella lovely? I went for a stickybeak and she looks exactly like on TV. So smiley and such a beautiful complexion! You must be even more inspired with your cooking and blogging now.
wow, what great photos! and how good is it to have all 3 books signed.. wow
i dont know i would have felt embarrassed if the books were so perfect looking! (at least she’d know it wasn’t going straight on ebay afterwards!!!!)
I found out about this on the Vogue forum last nite at the internet cafe as I waited for my flight to Melbourne at Sydney Airport!! I was absolutely kicking myself that I was leaving Syd the day before Nigella comes to town!!! You got some awesome photos of her too! I caught her on the kerri-anne show this morning and she was so so lovely and charming and very open.
i had to send my cousin to help me take pics (i havent seen them yet but she’s saying yours are way better)!
couldn’t leave the office :-/
I’m so pleased that she seemed to be as lovely as she appears on TV. And, as a newcomer to your blog, can I just say … it’s fantastic!!
Oh, she looks just as beautiful as she does on TV. Look at that smile!
I’m glad she was so genuine. It means my dream of having her in the kitchen cooking comfortably together like two old friends isn’t impossible after all, just very improbable. At least her books are written as if she is in the kitchen with you.
Kudos to your husband for such great pictures. I agree with the other comments, it’s still a little disappointed you couldn’t share your wonderful blog, but if she ever googles “nigella” your blog is in the top two pages!
Hi Shellie-Sad that she wasn’t able to go elsewhere!
Hi Maria-Ooh so your 12 year old is a Nigella fan too? I think you’re right, it sure looked like I used her cookbooks!
Thanks and ((hug)) 
I know, I sooo wish I had given her a recipe where I could have written down the website address. Ah well
Hi belle-Doesn’t she just? It was so comforting to know that she is how she is on tv in every way. And I am so relieved, imagine if she wasn’t as nice. I’d almost have to change the name then…
Hi tiffany-Thanks! I am pleased I got 3 signed-am glad that I didn’t bring all 6
That’s so true about it going on ebay if it’s in pristine condition.
Hi Maria-Oh no, what rotten timing
Thankyou-I missed Kerri Anne, hopefully it will be online somewhere! How long was the interview?
Hi Tian-I think it needs to eb a 2 person job. I’m so glad I asked/begged my husband to come along. It was so fast I wouldn’t have been able to get a thing myself (especially as I am short and couldn’t see over the displays)
Hi Sarah-That was a huge relief to me, i was scared that my image of her would be different to the reality. Thankyou so much for your lovely comment too!
Hi Adrasteia -She has an amazing smile-you really feel rather special when she sets it upon you as it’s just so broad! Hehe you summed it all up, she would be a great kitchen cooking buddy, not that it’s likely but that’s more to circumstance than her personality. Thanks so much, that’s so nice of you to say. I am crossing my fingers that she does google herself…hopefully…someone…one day!
It was a pretty long interview, over two segments, was so surprised to see that she stayed on after the commercial break. Spoke about her husband who had throat and mouth cancer, and how she had to work from home filming the show to keep the family finances going while he was upstairs sick and unable to eat. She spoke about the guilt she felt cooking lots of beautiful food while he was upstairs smelling it all and not being able to eat. A very open and candid interview.
Glad I was able to make it!
My goodness, she’s stunning isn’t she! She looks like such a warm and genuine person.
I can’t believe there’s so much about her weight going on in the media right now – she looks great!!
I’m so incredibly jealous you got to meet The Goddess, Lorraine!
Thanks for that terrific post and the pics, and thanks to your darling husband who was so obliging to be the photographer! I only found out she was in sydney today when I read SMH.
oh lucky lucky you! how wonderful to meet her! i shall have to wait and hope she drops in to dublin and until then be thankful that i am blessed with the good fortune of sharing the same surname as her!!!! hopefully some of her amazing talent might be connected through the name!!!
Great pictures!! I was 8th from the front, queued since 10:30am, and it was well worth it!!! She signed my express, feasts, and dvd, and she was lovely and looked amazing!! im so excited!
Hi Maria-I had a look on the Kerri Anne site but it doesn’t look like there are a lot of videos on it
Hopefully someone will put it up on youtube!
Hi Andrew-it was definitely worth the wait and effort!
Hi Kel-she is truly a goddess but seems like a down to earth and lovely one.
I know, it’s so dreary when they focus on her weight. It must be awful having it scrutinized
Hi Lori-Thanks so much!
I only heard about it on Vogue, other than that I would’ve been so upset to have missed her!
Hi airy fairy-Yes you’re much closer than we are. As it was she only did the one city here. You’ve got a much better chance of her coming there! Haha you should definitely share that with her
Hi Lloyd-Thankyou!
Oooh you would have been in the very front queue, lucky you!
hi, me again! i thought the last pic looked like my cousin, but she denied it and lo and behold, after work, i was surprised with an autographed “Nigella Express” book! she requested nigella to write my name down but she said she is under strict instructions not to personalise .. bummer <;
my cuz took around 43 good shots (she was too modest). after all, how can you take a pic of nigella and not think it’s beautiful?! haha.
Hi Tian-Lucky you and what a lovely cousin you have! Nigella is so photogenic it’s incredible.
Oh what a pity you didn’t get to tell her about your blog!
Hi Y-I knooooow
I wish I had had a chance but I didn’t want to blurt it out inappropriately 
I wish I had brought her some cupcakes or given her a recipe and I could’ve popped in a note with my website address.
How lucky and inspired you must have felt in the shining presence of your Goddess. The photos were great and showed the lovely way she looked at you and smiled
Hi Tuuliki-I was very lucky indeed. Nothing was going to stop me (including work meetings!). Thankyou, the photos are my husband’s doing. I think she made everyone feel very special and lucky to have met her that day
I saw the Herald article about her visit, and thought of your blog. Glad to see you met the great Nigella!
Hi Brittany-My brief 2 minute encounter was one of the highlights of the year thus far. I don’t know if that is a sign of a desperate Nigella mad fan or what!?
I was there too! It was great wasn’t it?It is so lovely that you have a running commentary with photos to remember the day. My friend took some photos in the shop after we had our books signed, but i think your little journey to see her is really special. I bought her a box of gorgeous hand selected godiva truffles from the cho store on the ground floor. She seemed pleased, perhaps you saw the box on the table. Anyway, i like to think that she had them as her midnight snack, you know, snuck to the fridge to have one. I hope so.
Hi Jessica-It was so exciting! A real highlight to actually meet her. Thankyou
I did see the chocolates, how lovely of you to give them to her! I confess when I saw them I wish I had done something similar. This was my first signing so I was somewhat of a newbie to it all
Haha yes they’re the kind of thing you want to have late at night. Mmmm truffles….
Nigella Lawson is an inspiration to all woman, she is a wounderful chef, with a beautiful personality an it is so nice to see a true woman
an i mean this in the most complimentary way, a full figured woman that looks absolutely beautiful an sexy
rosie
Sooo jealous
I love Nigella! She seems so down to earth, unlike other TV chefs. Love watching her cook and eat!
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