Saturday, April 17, 2010

Hollywood in The Vines. The Sonoma International Film Festival Part Deux!


 There were more films, more feasting and all around gustatory bad behavior on my part at this years' Sonoma International Film Festival. I am trying, trying I tell you, to not put anything that is not on film into my mouth as I rove the Backlot Big White Tent between shows. It is also not helping that Ben and Jerrys' is giving out free ice cream cones to all Festival participants. These people are trying to kill me!

   The afternoon found us buzzing like large locusts around the food tent and the table of our new best friend Harvey of Harveys' Gourmet Donuts. Here is Alan trying to extract the last of the donuts from his paper cone of insane goodness.

I am now a member of Harveys' Facebook Fanpage. Shout outs to Harvey and check him out!
 Of course before we could enjoy our donuts we had to eat lunch. Wild Thyme was one of the booths we hit, for their baby back ribs.
  In the afternoon we reported to the Barrel Room of the Sebastiani Winery and a reception for the Filmmakers and Festival Staff.
  The Barrel Room was dim and the pictures were the best we could get considering we were surrounded by towering gigantic vats of aging wine and thick stone walls.
 Some of the party moved out into the winery gardens where the light was a whole lot better.

Here I go scurrying along the cloister in my shawl looking for sunshine. It was chilly in the Barrel Room.
It was great talking to the Filmmakers whos' work we'd seen, and of course as Jurors we kept our counsel. Wine and snacks were served but I was still recovering from lunch and Harvey.
  I feel that I need to add here that I am someone who eats my main meal in the middle of the day every day, European style. I do not eat dinner unless we are having guests and rarely eat after 6 in the evening. One meal fills me up, so all this feasting is hard hard work. Feel sorry for me now? Sure you do. Not.
The evenings' Main Event was an extraordinary documentary film The Singularity is Near made by futurist Ray Kurzweil one of the pioneers in the field of AI . The film described how we are rapidly approaching the moment of singularity where we will still be human but post biological. Meanwhile the still biological parts were wondering what food was next and where we would find it.
 It was at a  party for Dr. Kurzweil in the private dining room of The El Dorado Kitchen in the El Dorado Hotel, known around town as  the EDK and one of our favorite Sonoma restaurants.
Beautiful little finger foods were passed around and I really really really wanted to get a picture of the English pea mascarpone mousse on crostini, but Alan was not fast enough. He did manage to snag a picture of some of the desserts. Thin little ginger bread crackers dabbed with a taste of dark chocolate mousse and starred with a bit of soft meringue.
It was dim and the supper was by candle light so this was the best we could do. Of course it wouldn't have been a party without  several types of delightful macarons.
 We got to bed around 1 a.m and were up early this morning for more food and films. Tonight is the big Dress Up Gala Dinner with Lauren Hutton and Robin Williams. More to come....

5 comments :

  1. Wow this looks like an over the top blast! Wish I could once in my lifetime experience a film festival, no where even close here, universal has some sneak preview days, but this looks like a chance in a lifetime..wonderful experience, oh by the way, tell Alan no fair indulging in front of us with those gourmet donuts I am so jealous! yum!!!! get the darn recipe lol

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  2. this looks like so much fun! i think my favorite part might be the barrel room. i also eat a huge lunch and try to snack at night, even though i will eat a larger meal when we go out with a group for a get together.

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  3. Looks terrificly fun! Can I just say, those macarons look gorgeous and I am officially jealous- actually I think I just did! JEALOUS!!

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