A couple of hours of strolling the streets of Rhinebeck Saturday afternoon, just before the big wedding a mile or so down the road, led me to several observations (not necessarily in order of importance):

*People were polite, respectful, excited and not at all put out by all the attention and some inconvenience that landed on their doorstep.

*As often occurs when there's precious little hard news to report, the media does a lot of talking to each other. (I must admit, I've seen quite enough of the weekly newspaper editor who popped up on many of the networks and in lots of out-to-town publications, particularly since it doesn't appear that the major "scoop" that drew their attention to him in the first place (Oprah, Ted Turner, Barbra Streisand, John Major and Steven Spielberg on the guest list) was accurate.

*You know the old line about a big event putting a locale "on the map"? Well, I won't use that one here (although I just did), but it sure does seem true that the rave reviews received by Rhinebeck, in general, and its restaurants and shops, in particular, will pay dividends well into the future as people from around the world discover the village for themselves. I mean, who'll not want a table at Gigi's?

*All those TV trucks were parked in the lot behind Foster's Coach House Tavern in Rhinebeck. Good deal for someone, no?

*One TV network didn't position itself along media row on Market Street across from Beekman Arms. There, all by its lonesome, down the block and across Route 9 from the Beek, was the Fox News Channel. I'm just saying.

*The final irony about the hunt for celebrities over the weekend: Celebrities are more or less a common sight in Rhinebeck. On any other Saturday afternoon, seeing a Ted Danson and a Mary Steenburgen walking through the village would result in little more than a nod in their direction.