Recent parties

Well, sorry to have not checked in, I’ve been keeping up with paying work, and can only use my hands/arms so much.

First up, party and swag news. On June 10, I went to the gala for Perhaps Love. It was at the Daughters of the American Revolution building across the street from the Harvard Exit. Not as swanky on the inside as it looks from the outside, but still a nice place. I like it because it has different rooms, which helps break up things.

When I entered the main hallway, there was a woman server standing with a tray of champagne. I took one, and remarked it was a service I’d quite like to have in my own home. On the right was the room with food. It was from some Asian place. As I’d missed the food last time, I’d eaten a meal this evening, so wasn’t very hungry. Had a few chocolates and something with sausage in them.

On the left was a room with the drinks, tables, and a string quartet, playing pleasant melodies. There were a number of passholders I knew sitting at a table, so I joined them. I had just seen The Power of Nightmares the night before, so couldn’t stop talking about that. I heard the Secret Fest was going well, people liked the first two films a lot (I’ve since heard the third got the thumbs up as well). Beowulf & Grendel didn’t get a thumbs up; I read Vikings would be on hand for the film’s opening in Seattle though (I think this weekend).

There was a sound of drums, which I ignored at first, then looked in the hall to see what was going on. It was a Chinese dance troupe, who were parading around with a large Chinese lion. They danced upstairs where there was a large ballroom. Then after some preparation and an introduction of the dignitaries in the audience, there was another dance, which was great fun.

Ran into Terry Morgan, who I’ve known for years as a promoter/booker. It turns out he’d booked the string quartet. And he was off to open for the Beach Boys the next night! Busy man. I continued steadily imbibing champagne, then hung out outside, in front, as the weather was pleasant. Saw Keith Fulton, he co-directed Brothers of the Head, I’d interviewed him earlier that day. He’d been out late with some SIFFers the night before, so he was taking it easy. Also saw Linas Phillips, director of the doc Walking to Werner. I’d spoken with him briefly after the film press screened. He was looking forward to the SIFF screening, which is tonight (6/15). I recommend seeing it, and I’m sure Linas will have interesting things to say afterwards. Some passholders I thought had left turned up again; they’d been to see a movie then came back! One of them handed me a Bombay Sapphire pillow, as there were a few on various chairs outside.

Then it seemed like most people had gone. Not like some parties in previous years, where the venue staff had to shove us all out the door, or cut off drinks. The champagne was gone, but there was still some beer, which I unwisely had one of. And another drink when I got home. Sure way to guarantee a headache the next day.

My next party was again at the same venue, the DAR hall, on June 12, in honor of the screening of Hello Dolly!. It was part of the “Talking Pictures” series and had been chosen by Tom Douglas, who’s a chef about town. Don’t know what restaurants though. He hosted a pre-screening party, with champagne (of course) and various hors d’oeuvres. There were crackers with salmon, little beet turnovers, something with beef and little bits of cheesecake. Cookies were packaged in little bags by the door, unfortunately the one I picked up was peanut butter, so I gave it to my companion, Tom, who hadn’t had enough to eat. A local theater group is putting on Dolly, so some of the cast came by to perform some songs. I also dressed for the occasion, I thought it’d be fun. As I don’t have a long dress with many petticoats, I opted for the striped shirt and vest combo. I was interviewed by Nancy Guppy (host of the Talking Pictures) and filmed, but I don’t know what for.

After the singing we went across the street to see the film. Passholder Poppe jokingly said she was “banned” from the screening as she would sing too loud! But she stayed for some of it anyway, apparently. I hadn’t seen it on the big screen before, and it was definitely worth it. Some of those dance sequences (especially the one in the restaurant) were crazy! It still isn’t in my Top 10 of musicals though; I kept thinking how The Music Man was much sharper; Dolly is more your standard musical with an inconsequential storyline.

So now we finally get to last night’s party, June 14, which was held for the Fly Filmmakers. It was at the Broadway Grill. I again ate beforehand, so didn’t partake too much of the food, which was pretty good; plates of fruit and veg, Caesar salad, pastas in very rich sauce. This time I stuck to beer as my beverage. Not many people wearing their passes; a shame, as it helps to know who’s there, and you can more easily strike up a conversation with them. I did meet a man who also shops at Darbury Stenderu’s, he told me the shop is closing and she’s only going to do trunk shows from now on. I said everybody should have one Darbury Stenderu. The only other people I talked to were SIFFers. Then I called it a night and got to see my favorite cat, Norton, outside his building. And I watched that anorexic, Ann Coulter, on The Tonight Show.