Aaron Johnson is a soft speaker, so much so that you usually have to lean in close to hear every word he's saying. He's prone to bowing his head when he talks, peering up at you over the top of his dark-rimmed designer glasses. Before you know it, you're completely engaged. When not creating signature cocktails behind the bar at Town Talk Diner, the year-old restaurant that's become known for its inimitably friendly and relaxed atmosphere (not to mention its gourmet comfort food and drinks), Johnson is on the other side of the bar, bestowing hugs and cheek-kisses on all the pretty girls who fill its red vinyl seats. So who could resist the opportunity to spend an entire day with Aaron Johnson? Not me. Notebook, pencil and tube of lip gloss in hand, I was ready to find out what the biggest sweetheart in the Twin Cities restaurant scene does when he's not busy mixing drinks or flirting with the ladies.

11 a.m. - Aaron's house, south Minneapolis

Aaron shoves his intricate filing system, consisting of a stack of paper scraps, into his pocket, along with a wad of $5 bills. Once he locates his Treo, we're out the door to grab some coffee.

11:15 a.m. - Spyhouse Espresso Bar, Mpls.

As we go over today's schedule, Aaron takes a call from friend and business partner Tim Niver. They chat about this afternoon's meeting regarding their new restaurant concept on E. Lake Street, which opens in about three months. I ask if it'll have the same feel as Town Talk Diner. Aaron says Town Talk is a "personality-driven restaurant," and its atmosphere isn't likely to be duplicated. The new concept is a little faster, a little less expensive and, without revealing too much, he says it's just what Minneapolis needs.

12:30 p.m. - Aaron's 1977 Ford LTD

He drives a giant seafoam-green car named Beverly, and it's still in great condition. The only drawback here is the bench seat. At 5 feet 10, I'm 3 inches taller than Aaron, which feels like a lot more when you're dealing with legroom.

12:45 p.m. - Seward Co-op Grocery, Mpls.

Aaron tells me to pick out a few things from the produce department so he can turn them into a special cocktail for me. We leave with some mandarin oranges, a handful of thyme and a bag of kumquats.

1:05 P.M. - Town Talk Diner

Aaron starts on my cocktail. He muddles some of the kumquats and thyme sprigs, to which he adds juice from the oranges and a little orange zest. In a surprise move, he pulls a packet of Throat Coat herbal tea from his jeans pocket. After steeping the tea, he combines it with the muddled mixture, shaking that with ice and a healthy pour of Grey Goose L'Orange vodka. He transfers it to a cocktail glass and tops it off with Bell's Winter White Ale. The result is fantastic. Sweet, citrusy and a little spicy, it's reminiscent of a shandy, a German summertime drink made with lager beer, lemonade and ginger ale. I suggest that Aaron add it to the bar menu and name it "The Alexis."

2 p.m. - Undisclosed E. Lake Street location

We slide very comfortably into Beverly and head over to the new spot to drop off a check that will buy out the current tenant's lease. He's excited to point out that the space needs only some cosmetic changes and it'll be good to go. I'm excited about the huge parking lot.

3 p.m. - Town Talk Diner

Aaron and I run across the street to Town Talk's storage space and grab some bottles of wine. Aaron, Niver and Town Talk mixology apprentice Nick Kosevich taste each one -- swirling, sniffing, examining the color against the bar's white veneer -- and choose a Hungarian pinot noir as the new by-the-bottle selection for Town Talk's menu. They're so repulsed by one rosé that Aaron dumps the whole thing down the drain, but the others go into the cooler to be used for "wine shots" tonight.

4:45 p.m. - Hooters, Burnsville

After stopping at Best Buy to pick up Aaron's new laptop, we notice a Hooters and decide to pop in for a beer. Our server, a beaming blonde with stripy highlights and ample bosom (duh), takes an immediate shine to Aaron. Within two minutes, his charm not only reveals that she's a high school senior, but that she's going to a local college after graduation and plans to be a successful aesthetician. We clink bottles of Grain Belt and watch NASCAR to blend in.

7:15 p.m. - Aaron's house

Time to part. Aaron has dinner plans tonight with a lucky lady, who is no doubt helpless against his knack for lavishing attention. I tell him I already plan to come see him at Town Talk tomorrow, so he should make sure to save some of that charm for me. "Anything for you, beautiful," he says, and kisses me on the cheek.