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JEROME, AZ — We caught our first glimpse today of Sen. McCain and his weekend guests, as the presumptive GOP nominee and about two dozen friends and colleagues went out to lunch nearby his vacation home.

With a number of potential VP choices gathered at his home for the weekend, including LA Gov. Bobby Jindal, FL Gov. Charlie Crist and former MA Gov. Mitt Romney, national and local media interest has been extremely high with more than a dozen cameramen and producers staked out on the road outside his Page Springs, AZ ranch.

For his part, McCain has said the weekend will not include any running mate vetting and is strictly social.

At about noon Saturday, a three van, two suburban motorcade left his property and made the 30-minute drive to nearby Jerome for a meal at the Asylum, a restaurant located at about 5,000–with a phenomenal view of the red rocks of Arizona’s Verde Valley and nearby Sedona.

In video above, Jindal, Romney can be seen walking into the restaurant with their spouses before McCain’s arrival. Former EBAY CEO Meg Whitman, Sen. Lindsey Graham and campaign Senior Adviser Charlie Black are also seen entering with the group. Sen. Sam Brownback as well as FL Gov. Charlie Crist were also reportedly in attendance.

McCain then rolled up and exited his vehicle wearing an Arizona Diamondbacks cap and a green sweatshirt.

There was no comment from any members of group upon entry or exit, but a restaurant representative said the group dined at four tables on calamari, burgers and steak sandwiches as well as drank iced tea and water.

McCain and company are also set to go hiking and fish during the holiday weekend, though the weather has not been accommodating as a consistent rain has fallen for most of the weekend.

(Above: Cameraman await developments outside McCain home. Left: A view of the famous Sedona, AZ red rocks.)

Page Springs, AZ — Clasping medal tongs, Sen. John McCain made a policy statement of a different sort Sunday, as he held court in front of his two gas grills.

“The best baby back ribs in America can be found at Costco,” he told a group of greasy fingered journalists that had gathered around him.

A barbeque for his traveling press corps at the Arizona Senator’s vacation home outside Sedona Sunday afternoon capped off a weekend of socializing for McCain. He hosted a group of about a dozen senators and governors (see names at end)–who had served as close allies throughout the primary–at cabins on his property Friday and Saturday. Aides noted that no formal business was on the agenda for the group of elected officials, though one McCain aide lamented that they “kept talking politics.”

The media affair was sold as an on-the-record but social gathering –no cameras or tape recorders allowed– and the group of about 30 journalists on hand mostly kept to the rules, talking to the presumptive GOP nominee about lighter topics including gardening, cooking and his recommended vacation spots (Costa Rica is very high up on his list). Though at one point, McCain had to remind one journalist who pulled out a tape recorder that he didn’t plan to talk business today.

Less politics, more food was the message and like any good host, McCain ensured that any empty hands around him were quickly filled with a rib fresh off the grill.

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