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| Sandra Bullock pretty as a picture |
I live in Palm Springs
and like most people I harbor the belief that my hometown is one of the best
places in the world. One of the reasons for my love of Palm
Springs is because once a year I take a week off work
to attend the Palm Springs International Film Festival and view my little city
through the eyes of the world. The first thing you notice about Palm
Springs is that the sun always shines and by the early
afternoon the town almost glows. Palm Springs
is filled with mid-century architecture, characterized by walls of glass and
outdoor patios surrounding the swimming pools so ubiquitous in Southern
California. Although we live in the desert the gardens are filled
with colorful blooms watered by an ancient underground aquifer. And if that
weren’t enough the entire city is encircled by mountains that look as if they
were made from pieces of chocolate bark that have been pressed against the sky.
For me the week begins with the Gala held at the Convention
Center. Now I could do the adult thing and go to the actual Gala dinner and
listen to all the speeches, but for the last few years my husband, cousin Bob and I
have joined the crowd that waits to greet the stars before they enter the Gala.
It is a regular red carpet affair and before you say it, I know it is cheesy
and touristy but is also a whole lot of fun. Now to see the stars you have to
have a strategy, this year I took my chair down there around noon, brought my book and settled in. But I
wasn’t the first, not even close. There were people who had arrived the night
before, I call those the pros, their hobby is autographs and they come prepared
with pictures and paraphernalia for the stars to sign.
The crowd was in a party mood and everyone chit chatted and
introduced themselves. Later my husband and cousin arrived, egg rolls in hand to
distribute to those around us because by this time we were famished. My cousin
is a great photographer and every year he manages to get better and better
shots of the stars. Everyone was fed and content by five thirty when the first star arrives, it was Lupita
Nyong’o from Twelve Years a Slave and she is gorgeous.
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| Lupita Nyong’o a flawless beauty |
In fact all the stars
look even better in person. Matthew McConaughey superthin from his role in The
Dallas Buyers Club, dressed in a shiny suit oozed star quality.
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| Mathew McConaughey shines! |
Meryl Streep
looked like a perfectly natural woman, with the emphasis on no plastic surgery.
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| Meryl Streep acts naturally. |
But my favorite is Sandra Bullock she has always epitomized beauty and class
and besides she attended East Carolina as I did, and you
always have to root for the home team! By this time the exuberant crowd chanted,
“Sandy we love you,” while she signed autographs.
But the highlight of the
night was when Bono kissed the hand of the woman standing beside me. This U2
fan was so excited she kept repeating long after he was gone, “He kissed my
hand.”
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| Bono pre-kiss |
The best thing about the festival is that it is low key and
personal. The next day we had brunch at a gorgeous terrace restaurant. Melissa
McCarthy from Mike and Molly sat to the north of us and Jonah Hill was to the
east and Marisa Tomei was tucked away in the corner.
Later that evening we went to the world premiere of
Everything We Loved from New Zealand
an intense film about love and loss. After the movie was over the director and
writer Max Currie and producer Tom Hern invited the audience to Melvyn’s (a desert haunt with a star
studded pedigree) to discuss the movie. I don’t know about you but no director
has ever wanted to know my opinion of their movie. We couldn’t resist the
invitation and we had a blast.
Since this is an international film festival featuring more
than 200 films from 70 countries, the directors jump at the chance to come to Palm
Springs. This year the directors showed up for every
screening we attended and they all stayed for questions and answers with the
audience. One particularly interesting talk was from Sebastian Lelio the
director of Gloria. He told the story of how a young man came to make a movie
about a 58 year old divorce. He said that back in Chile
his mother had gone to a dance club for ‘silver hairs’ and how that had sparked
his interest. I found the movie to be an honest look into middle age; it was
such a departure from Hollywood
that it actually showed the middle aged body in all its glory. And that is why
I am always seeking new movies, no formulas, and a trip to foreign lands. I am
happy to say that my home town delivers it all so I will be back in 2015, maybe
I’ll see you there.
About the author:
Cara Bertoia is the author of Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships. Her novel is really a travelogue, a narrative, a romance, a self-help manual for gambling and cruising, and a real-life story all rolled into one funny, obsessive, and entertaining story of two people whose separate life journeys meet at a crossroads. Kindle Fire Dept. says, "This novel is a gem that is nothing short of a vacation in a book!"She would be happy to Skype with any book club reading Cruise Quarters. Contact her at ray92262@yahoo.com.or read more blog posts at carabertoia.blogspot.com
Below is the links to Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships
Click the link to find at
Amazon.com
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Click the link to find at Amazon BrazilClick the link to find at Amazon Australia
Click here to find at Amazon Canada
Click the link to find at Amazon United Kingdom
Click the link to find at Amazon Germany
Click to find at Barnes and Noble
Ray and Cara have also produced the number one guide on walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
The Desert Woman calls it inspiring.
Click the link to find the DVD Camino de Santiago a Walkers Guide at Amazon
