Last week I got together for lunch with an old pal, former AMC star Jeff Branson (ex-Jonathan), who, as I'm sure you're aware, recently joined the GL ranks as Shayne, debuting December 1.

I recently got to sit down with Vincent Irizarry (David) to discuss his return to AMC over lunch at a Mexican restaurant near the studio with which I have extremely fond associations — I did one of my all-time favorite interviews there with Justin Bruening (ex-Jamie), who happened to come up as we chatted because Alexa Havins (ex-Babe), Bruening's wife and Irizarry's former on-screen daughter, had just stopped by her old AMC stomping grounds to catch up with her Pine Valley pals.

In this office, we do our best to put to good use the various sundry things that get sent to us as part of fan campaigns. For example, I proudly use my "Thorsten Kaye, Our TV Boyfriend" pens all day long.

Next Tuesday is Election Day — perhaps you've heard? I heard a great story the other day from Eden Riegel (Bianca). "Julie [Carruthers, executive producer] told met that Mario Van Peebles [ex-Sam] called her the other day," she shared.

Last week I made a bittersweet trip to the AMC studio for the taping of the show's 10,000th episode. That milestone was, of course, cause for celebration — and pretty much the entire cast and crew (and the show's creator, Agnes Nixon, who'll cameo in the ep when it airs) was on hand to toast the special occasion (albeit with cake, not champagne).

I should have known something was up when Digest Editor Stephanie Sloane spotted Tamara Braun (ex-Carly, GH; ex-Ava, DAYS) in an intense catch-up session with new AMC chief scribe Charles Pratt, Jr. (who wrote for her when she was on GH) at the Daytime Emmys.

Okay, I'm sold. I don't know how the rest of you are feeling about the Amanda/Jake/Taylor triangle that's brewing in Pine Valley, but I think it's utterly charming,

Members of the soap media are always lucky to get special access to the actors at AMC's annual fan club luncheon; this year's was no exception.

I am giddy over the just-breaking news of Vincent Irizarry's return to AMC as David. Irizarry was a huge (and very popular) asset to the show during his multiyear tenure and I felt that his sudden 2006 exit, a cost-cutting measure, left a serious gap.

Greetings, readers! Last week, I had a blast visiting the set on a day that several cast newbies were slated to have their ABC portraits taken. Alicia Minshew (Kendall) was there, beaming with happiness while sharing details of her upcoming wedding, greatly refreshed from a quick vacation to New Hampshire.