12-30-09 Dinner in the Bar at Michel's: Clint Eastwood and Reese Witherspoon in the house

Wondie wants to take me to a place in Ketchum/Sun Valley that he remembers from first coming here while in college. We arrive from Boise and stop in at Michel's to make a reservation for that evening. We encounter the bartender outside grabbing wood for the fireplace, Wondie goes in and comes out saying, "They are booked, but he says if we come early and sit at the bar we can get a spot." We go to Sun Valley Wine Shop and have a glass of bubbles. At 5:40pm, we return and sit at the worn, low ceilinged bar, a couple of parties are already sitting at tables: we sit at the corner of the bar that has 9 seats. We get a menu and a wine list, the bartender is still setting up, tells us they start serving food at 6PM. All of the sudden the place fills up, by 6:15pm the place is jumping. By, 6:45pm everyone is in the weeds. We finally get an order in, it takes forever to order and to get any food. But, who cares the people watching is primo? I come up from the downstairs ladies room and come face to face with Clint Eastwood, sitting at a table with 2 other guys I couldn't place. Clint is cool, sitting in a forest green parka and grey felt hat: the place was very warm given the crowd and the roaring fire. He never took the hat or coat off. Returning to my seat, Scott says, "Reese Witherspoon just walked in". The guy next to me finally gets his steak long after his wife's crab cakes were delivered and consumed. We share snails, a salad, morel pasta and a burger (over done & I don't know what I was thinking ordering a burger in a French joynt). Wondie orders dessert before I can stop him. We don't really care, we are caught up in the wave of people and "auctioning off" seats at the bar, as they become available. Lots of really old men, with really young women coupled and general pandemonium. There are those in "clintwear" and those in lace evening gowns. Great fun, I would go again. Might be wise to get there even earlier.