What better way to spend a few summer lunch hours than offering advice -- or an ear to listen -- to some personalities we are all familiar with for one reason or another.

Four times a year we "go to lunch" in this space, once each in the spring, summer, fall and winter. Since this is our summer lunch bunch, we'll be stopping for all sorts of hot weather-related treats and delicacies.

º Mayor John Spring: I'll try to find out from John if he is running again in 2013, which could help make up my mind whether or not to throw my hat in the ring. I do have experience, remember, after two unsuccessful bids for the presidency. Lunch at: One (the restaurant, not the number), because it's near City Hall and cheesecake is on the menu for dessert.

º Katie Holmes: I'll gladly buy lunch for the actress, simply to help her celebrate getting away from Capt. Crazy (Tom Cruise). Welcome back to planet sanity, Katie. Lunch at: Talayna's, where we can partake in that awesome pizza-oriented buffet.

º Bud Martin: I would be interested to see how the interim superintendent of the Quincy School District is doing these days. Bud may have the most trying job in all of Quincy, even if it is just temporary. Lunch at: Casey's General Store just down the street from Quincy High School. The pizza is great there. So are the doughnuts.

º Nicki Minaj: Nicki is arguably the hottest ticket among the current crop of female rap-rockers. This would probably be a quick lunch, because the woman simply talks way too fast for me to even begin to understand. Lunch at: Hardee's at 12th and Jefferson. Where else but a fast-food restaurant for a fast-talker? I'll suggest the chicken tenders there. They are tremendous.

º Jennifer Wiemelt: I will wish my best to the operator of Sprout's, the famous Quincy eatery that recently burned down. Jennifer has vowed to rebuild, and I vow to be her first customer at the grand re-opening. I can't wait for my next piece of Sprout's coconut cream pie. Lunch at: Maid Rite. It would be like tradition meeting tradition, and they have great pie at Maid Rite, too.

º Jeremy Farlow: A steak dinner for the local realtor who helped Baby Ella's parents get relocated. It wasn't an easy process, but he stuck with them. Lunch at: The Golden Corral in Hannibal, Mo. (Hey, we'll also need some buffet items, plus that chocolate fountain, to accent the steak.)

º Adele: I need to know how the singer, who has sold about 50 gazillion albums in the past year, kept her pregnancy a secret. She revealed a few days ago she is seven months along. Lunch at: The Pier, where Adele, a non-meat eater, can order the Vegetarian Grill Fire, which is grilled portabella mushroom, sweet red pepper, zucchini, eggplant, asparagus, mozzarella and tomato on French bread. I'll probably have a burger.

º Beth and Rich Deters: I need to convince the owners of Deters Frozen Custard to introduce a new flavor -- "Steve." It would have mocha and coconut, a sort of coca-mocha concept. Lunch at: Deters. (Where else? Plus, we could have a chili dog to open the conversation.)

º Megan Ervin: Since Megan, the new Miss Illinois, is a personal trainer, we can discuss the day I tried Pilates. Lunch at: Krazy Cakes, where we can have a sandwich and then dive into all of those pastries. Since Megan is a personal trainer, I'll probably have to eat her maple-frosted cinnamon roll (with almonds) for her.

I think I gained five pounds just writing this column.

-- seighinger@whig.com/221-3377