Dr. Starr enjoys our local pancake house

[Marguerite53]

Hello all.

Well, I was too shy to go up and pester him about anything, or even to say hello -- he was looking very relaxed and enjoying his privacy!

My husband and I had dropped a car off to get snow tires put on and decided to swing by our wonderful Original Pancake House here in Portland. It is honestly the original one -- now found in many states.... http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/ Normally you have to wait a really long time for a seat as it is such a popular place. There's a large waiting area with wooden benches; kind of a sun porch. If you're lucky (we were today) your timing is good and they seat you right away. There is a community table which we are happy to partake of, but the only 2 seats open were in the middle and kind of squishy so we opted for our own table. Three minutes after we were seated, who should walk in and take those seats but Dr. Starr and another gentleman!! Oh my, I was looking right at him! He came in wearing a comfy bicycle type jacket (red) and just looked all casual and Friday-like. There was no way I was going to go up and bother him. But it was fun to recognize him. Many years ago (25+) and just after I had learned of my BAV, my husband pointed Dr. Starr out to me at our Portland Civic Auditorium during an intermission at a symphony concert. He is a small man, with dark and intelligently piercing eyes; easy to spot and pretty famous in these parts!

After I assured my husband that I wasn't going to be a Dr. Starr groupie, I noticed that he had a better view of the good doctor's table setting and said... "hey.... this is a pancake house! What is here that is healthy to eat? What would a renowned cardio-thoracic surgeon order for breakfast?" My husband's response.... "fruit". Well sure enough, Dr. Starr had ordered a waffle with a huge heaping of fresh strawberries (in some syrup, folks!!) with a lovely side bowl of whipping cream (yes, it's the real stuff in this place) for dipping.

So there you have it. It's okay to have a waffle piled high with strawberries and whip cream for breakfast! Find your local pancake house and go enjoy!! :biggrin2:

Marguerite

 

[Duffey]

Congratulations, Marguerite!:smile2:
I think this is our first confirmed famous-cardiothoracic-surgeon-sighting-outside-a-hospital- setting! :tongue2: (Can you tell that I am a birder with a life list?) I wonder if original waffle houses are favored habitat of other famous CT surgeons?:wink2:

 

[Shari Thomas]

I love Dr. Starr. Have known about him for many, many years, although I've never been one of his patients. I have had the pleasure of meeting him at a number of social/philanthropic events over the years.

 

[Greg a]

Maybe the virtual meals we have in "chat " are not so bad after all

 

[Lily]

Just fun, Marguerite

 

[Marguerite53]

Yes, it was fun. My husband has corrected me, it was a bright red Ferrari jacket, not a bicycle jacket! However, there were no Ferrari's in the parking lot. As we drove out we did try to imagine which car was his! A gorgeous Beamer, 2 Range Rovers, a stellar Audi -- quite an assortment to choose from that morning! No Vanity license plates (we should have a game, here, to guess what he might put on a license plate. He's all business and doesn't strike me as someone who would, though). Of course, he might not have been driving.

Shari, my middle name is Beryl (my aunt is Beryl Marguerite)!! I have always wondered what Beryl, Utah was like. Please share -- either by PM or here. :smile2:

I think if we had all been sitting in the waiting area together I would have approached him. Mostly just to say thanks. But once you cross that line of actual privacy into a dining area, I just wasn't comfortable. Now if it had been George Clooney......... :tongue2:

:wink2: Marguerite

 

[Bina]

maybe Dr. Starr would have been flattered if you secretly paid his meal.

 

[Jkm7]

maybe Dr. Starr would have been flattered if you secretly paid his meal.

That is what my DH would have done. He would have told his server to just say a 'grateful patient' recognized him, did not want to disturb his privacy but wished to say a small thank you. (And he would Definitely have sworn the server to secrecy as to who.)

 

[nngbwh]

cool... should of got his autograph.

 

[Shari Thomas]

Hi Marguerite,

I maintain (more or less) a couple of blogs about life here on the desert, in Beryl.

You'll find the story of how we four women came to settle on the desert in SW Utah at FourCountryGals.com.

I also tell the tales of our daily life here on our small farm with our "Noah's Ark" of animals at Shari's Gone Country!

Updating has been spotty since the onset of my heart problems, but am finally feeling chipper enough (mentally) to resume my writing and photography.

If you'd like some "souvenir sand" let me know and I'll send you a small package... we've got plenty.

 

[Marguerite53]

Thanks, Shari -- and I do think you need to update your blog! ;o) Looks nice and sunny there! Glad you are happy. Don't you miss all the fir trees in Forest Grove? Sweet little town, that one; some antiquing and such.

Okay, okay you guys! I should've bought his breakfast. I think we were so star-struck that we didn't think of it! I was musing about the courage to go over and speak to him (in whispers as he was about 5 feet from me) for most of my breakfast, too. I know he caught me looking at him several times.

Next time!!!

Marguerite

 

[normofthenorth]

I rode an elevator today with the illustrious Dr. Tirone David (my surgeon's boss and colleague) at Toronto Gen'l Hospital. I'd finished my pre-admission except for the mandatory chest X-ray (why?!?), which is on the main floor. It took me a floor or two to figure out who the distinguished-looking guy in the white scrubs was, then I finally recognized him, from a video I'd just watched, from last week's heart-surgery conference! Then it was time for me to get off on the main floor, which I did.

I'm guessing that I could have told him I enjoyed his talk, without stammering. . . But no.