Sundance Questions
 Hello Jill, I'm Chris- Later this week, I'm going to be paying my first visit to Park City, luckily and coincidentally it's during the final weekend of Sundance. I was browsing around finding out more about the activities and film festival so I could take advantage and experience it. I stumbled upon a blog site where a posting had been submitted by you. I found it interesting and informative, but at the same time a little disheartening. It seems to me that an everyday average guy…me being from St. Louis, and a divorced 30something, that there's not a whole lot of involvement for people like me. Since I won’t be walking around with VIP stamped on my hand, or have a tie-in to the movie industry, is it more going to be me getting shunned out of restaurants and away from anything fun? I know that sounds kind of negative, but from what I've read, that seems to be the case in a lot of ways. So, I turn to you for some advice…how can a couple of average Joe's from St. Louis go out and have a grand time in Park City, and take in the whole experience of Sundance. Oh, for the record, while I think it'd be cool to run into a celeb walking past me on the streets, chasing the stars around is not my idea of fun..haha. THANKS! (I did enjoy your blog post by the way) Chris St. Louis, MO Hi Chris- I wish I had better news for you but unless you are a ragingly hot chick, your chances for the hookup are quite slim. The women at the Fest are primarily interested in celebs and filmmakers- those who can open doors to the private parties and beyond. That said, there are a few places where Sundance meets Park City- For dining: Prime Steakhouse (tell Brian Morgan, Jill Adler sent you), Blind Dog (you might have to bride the concierge), Wahso, and Shabu. For people watching, these Sundance venues allow the general public "space permitting": The Leaf Lounge (winetasting and schmoozing), 751 Main Street, 3-9 pm.; Entertainment Weekly Café, VWHQ, HP Snapshot Chalet, Stella Artois Patio, Aquafina Alive all at the Kimball Art Center; AOL Cyber Lodge, 614 Main St., Delta Sky Lodge, 449 Main, KRUPS at the Rabbit Hole, 333 Main St.. The hot thing this weekend is to score a ticket/invite/name on the list to the Zone Bar - a four-night acoustic showcase hosted by multi-Grammy Award winner Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds. Joss Stone, Bird York and legendary guitarist Stanley Jordan, Joan Osborne, Jonny Lang, Keb Mo', Sean Lennon, Lindsey Buckingham, Shelby Lynne, Shawn Colvin, Daniel Powter and Marc Broussard, and surprise performances from special guests are part of the evenings from Thursday to Sunday, 6-9 pm. If you do miss it, the concerts will air in high-definition as a one-hour primetime special on the WE cable network later this spring. Ride the buses!!! For one thing, it's free and saves stress from the parking nightmare that has become Park City. For another, you can eavesdrop and find out about what's going on around town. You never know. Someone might just invite you guys to join them.
Sundance Day Two; Swagdance
It's insane in Park City this weekend. Spend anytime near the Town Lift (aka Village at the Lift) and you feel like you're smack in the middle of Times Square. I can't walk Main Street without pressing my nose to someone's black coat back. The T-Mobile Café spills over with puffy jackets, dark glass and beanies. Hugs and double-cheeked kissing are as common as ordering a latte here. There's no room for the bags we're all sporting. Shopping bags spilling with boutiquey items gifted at the various lounges and houses that make Sundance, Swagdance. It began with the Premiere Lounge's Backstage Creations Celebrity Retreat. I hiked the stairs of the Riverhorse to find it much more cramped as a gifting suite than a restaurant. Intermix is here. The luxury boutique in NY, L.A. Boston, The Hamptons, etc. had their table in the back of the room with a rack featuring couture lines Aulo trouser jeans and Chan Luu sweaters. They handed me their "Black Book" - a travel guide for fun, hip spots in the cities where they have stores. I was quick to swoop down on the BaByliss Pro travel blowdryer by Conair. I'm sure this little “baby” has come in handy for many a VIP at Sundance. In the main room there were new and improved Rembrandt Whitening strips - all that coffee-drinking this week takes it toll, Bean Pod soy candles, Livs crochet boots (!), Sweet Leaf sweetener, and a Utah company called Tahitian Noni that makes a line of natural skincare products and now natural teas. No celebs walked in while I was there but it was early. Soon I would be proceeded by Teri Hatcher..AT EVERY SITE. That's one over-exposed lady. I was excited to learn that she's human. She gets regular Restylane injections. The line-filler company had a table at The Marquee to educate us on injectables to keep us more youthful. Though Hatcher pretended to shun the company, an inside source told me she's one of their favorite customers. It takes more than good genes to look younger than your years! What I don't get is why she wouldn't want to admit she's not perfect? It would be stellar promotion for the company, and the rest of the world wouldn't feel inadequate at 45. The Marquee, a slick take on the Marquee Club in New York, hosted AG Jeans (cords are still in style), La Coste's new women's line of sexy polos and henleys, Polaroid (gifting their little i630, 6mp digi in the hopes that celebs will bust them out throughout Sundance) , and Lia Sophia jewelry. The line is sold similar to Mary Kay and doing quite well; probably because the bold designs are so original. The best part of that lounge (besides getting a gift certificate for a free Restylane treatment!) was getting a skin consulation from Dermalogica (and products). Who knew there was a difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin?? Apparently, if your skin has fine lines and the texture of tissue paper, you're dehydrated. Fred Segal Salon at VAL was my next stop. The place has the ambiance of a fine boutique rather than a trade show. I picked up silky panties from Le Mystere, black Habitual jeans, Alora fragrance diffusers, more skincare from DermaNew (a personal microdermabrasion kit) and haircare products from Kerastase and L'Oreal (they have a new lightweight professional hairspray called Infinium). Teri Hatcher whizzed in and grabbed a boxful of T-shirts from Little Miss. The line of super cute cartoon smiley faces are about to take off. Teri and Tara Reid liked the Little Miss Naughty, Chatterbox and Shy. Making their Sundance debut, boots from Earth Shoe (the company with the negative heel technology. The heel's lower than the rest of the sole.). I especially like the ankle-height, winter Igloo boots with suede and faux fur even though the stars were grabbing the knee-high boots. As I bounced from the various houses a trend was emerging. Instead of the "big players" plastering their logos and brand all over Sundance, the event has become a place for small upscale companies to target a particular clientele - one with bucks, power, and taste. Each had a smattering of companies trying to get their names known- kind of like the actors, writers and directors attending Sundance. We'll visit more hotspots when I return.
Sundance Day- The Groundlings
Sundance is off and running. The streets of Park City, Utah, are a nightmare to navigate, parking non-existent, theater lines inconvenient, and ticket prices ridiculous (if not sold-out). This is a festival by and for independent filmmakers – actors, writers, directors, all hoping to land a big project based on what they show of themselves at this event. The only place for Park City locals is on the sidewalk. Film distributors and producers, agents and CEOs, spend night and day through Jan. 28 hunting for their next hit. Paparazzi and tabloids comb Main Street and gifting lounges hoping for a glimpse at Justin sans Cameron or Tara Reid’s cleavage. My guess is that this is probably the biggest collection of Hollywood stars outside of the Oscars or Cannes. Just hang out around the Village at the Lift (lower Main Street) for 15 minutes and I guarantee you’ll see an entourage of bodyguards and publicists surrounding a diminutive “name” in over-sized sunglasses walking out of Fred Segal with arms full of shopping bags. Just look for the frenzy of flashing bulbs. The celebs are here promoting their films – Teri Hatcher, Kate Bekinsdale, Sienna Miller, Steve Buscemi, Heather Graham, Chris Klein, Molly Shannon, Anthony Hopkins, Christian Slater, and on and on. They’re not skiing- between interviews, screenings and swag collecting, who’s got the time? And you must look closely as they're often hard to spot. The PR assistants look more like starlets than the actual starlets. I spotted John Hensley at the DC Mountain Lab ( Matt on Nip/Tuck) and thought he looked familiar. I could have sworn he was that Taco Bell manager who hit on me at Cisero’s five years ago. In the days leading up to this annual event, my excitement and anticipation grows. I grew up in Los Angeles, went to school at UCLA, grad school at USC, worked in the film industry (acting as well as an agent’s assistant at ICM Talent Management) and have several friends in “the business” that I invariably bump into at some point during the 10-day event. I think it will be like homecoming. But then on opening day, I get a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I see these strangers in black, with finely made-up skin, tailored jeans and expensive, flowing scarves (Utahns don’t wear scarves), talking into their Bluetoothes and I catch myself actually feeling embarrassed to say I’m from Utah. Get the irony? I live in a place that others spend thousands of dollars to visit and I’m feeling self-conscious! I want to slap myself and yet I can’t stop. It’s the vibe. You can’t help feeling like an outsider at Sundance. Everyone, and I mean everyone, looks at you wondering why you are here and who you are. Unless you have an industry pass or are related to someone in the film biz, the average Joe gets snubbed. Locals often use the word “tolerate” in the same sentence with the Sundance Film Festival. This year, despite the supposed influx of 60+ million dollars to the State, they say they can’t stand these last two weeks of January. There is no free parking anymore. Some greedy city official made the free lots near the high school $10. And the parking lots behind Main Street are charging $30! The buses are free but they move slower than the Tortoise. Hitchhiking is the only way to travel now. Or try to catch a ride in one of the several VW escorts cruising around town (act like you’re with a film in the Fest). If you’re here just to watch films, you should have bought a festival pass long ago. Only the serious film buff will find it worth the money. Many of the flicks at Sundance are hit and miss so why spend $15 (it was $10 last year) to see a bad movie? The good ones will arrive at theaters, rental stores and TV stations soon enough. Instead, take time to walk up and down Main Street, check out the shops, have coffee and eavesdrop on strangers’ conversations. Sundance is more about ‘the scene’ than participating. There are three things I love about Sundance and none of them are related to the Festival organization itself- The Village at the Lift, Chefdance, and the gifting suites. VAL turns the Town Lift into a minihub for the movie and TV industry. Every storefront morphs into a space sponsored by big corporations like T-Mobile, Fred Segal, Philips Lighting, and Heineken; where ‘VIPs’ and media network. I’m visiting tomorrow so check back. Chefdance is run by Utah local Kenny Griswold, who owns the Harry O’s building on Main Street. He hosts the food and wine event in a space downstairs that will soon be a year-round Mediterranean restaurant called Onassis. In the meantime, guest chefs from Boston, Florida, New York, California and Utah premiere a menu of their choice to a select list of invitees. The place is packed, wall-to-wall, with boisterous personalities from everywhere- including Utah. This is one event that oozes warmth and vibrance. We’re here because someone invited us and here’s to a damn fine evening! At my table sat the owner of WireImage, two girls from Us Weekly and an editor for Star Magazine. One table over was a group from Salt Lake City that sells wholesale foods to a major restaurant food distributor. Another table of Indianans clinked glasses of House Wine (that’s the name of the wine) and laughed about college days. The food was better than any movie screening last night- the chefs from Social Hollywood and Social Miami served up lobster risotto, braised short rib, seared Kobe beef, whipped potatoes and a decadent Mexican hot chocolate with churros for dipping that was like a spicy, melted pudding. My evening didn’t end until 11 p.m. Now, that’s the right way to start Sundance. Tomorrow, the gifting begins. To say Utah lacks fashion sense is like saying 0 degrees is cold. Sundance brings culture and couture. It establishes trends (remember the pink Motorola Razor phone?) and displays before-unheard-of companies. They do it by way of The Premiere Lounge, The Marquee, The Ultimate Green Room, The Style Lounge, The Global Green House, The Delta Sky Lounge, The Fred Segal Salon, The Warm Winter Retreat; places that during the rest of the year are Park City’s fine restaurants, art galleries, second homes and real estate offices. This week, they house boutique brands and name-brands- and even charities. Tommy Hilfiger, Kiehls, MAC Cosmetics “gift” VIPs in the hopes that a photo might be taken of Antonio Banderas wearing a pair of Timberland Boots or Sharon Stone in a 2 Be Free sweatshirt; or mention made in a national magazine or newspaper. What I like is that unless I was down in front for the display, I’d still be wearing Gap jeans and Express sweaters. I never knew James Jeans could fit and look better on me or Le Mystere bras and panties kicked butt over Victoria Secret. My belts were Gap too …until I found Linea Pelle. I can’t wait to see what’s hip and cool in 2007. And for that Utahns have Sundance to thank. Jill Adler has lived in Park City for 16 years, teaching skiing, writing and chasing style. www.jilladler.com
Nearly Five Months Old!
 Sage has been a blast and a very happy, easy baby. She'll be five months old next week and a chubby 14 pounds. Considering her birthweight was 6 pounds, that's some healthy eating. At her four-month checkup, her pediatrician gave me props for producing such a "well-nourished" child. Everything is healthy and oncourse--with the exception of her not rolling over. Sage hates 'tummy time' so we've let it slide but now she gets it twice a day whether she's into it. I think it's close. I can't wait for her to actually do something so I can start rolling tape on her. She's close to sitting on her own once propped up and has great head control. Her squeals and gigantic smiles are heartwarming. I can't figure out who smiles first. She lights up when either Ryan or I walk in the room. Ryan said last night that he was going to miss this stage. Personally, I am really looking forward to the day she can hug me back. I love her so much. I see her face in my head everywhere I go. I miss her when she's not around. Even her cries melt me. Who would have thought? Certainly not me. Tenaya takes it all in stride. She guards Sage and frequently licks her. I'm usually tripping over her to get to the baby. Taking after her mom, she does tend to watch a little too much TV but I get a kick out of watching her stare at Big Bird. To be honest, she likes music videos a lot more. She sleeps through the night - her night. Because I don't usually go to bed before 1 a.m. I'm not getting much sleep when she wakes at 5. But she's so cute I can't be upset. She's still nursing but I have begun to supplement with formula simply because I can't keep up with the demand. I've been skiing every day since Dec. 18 and there's no way to pump enough. Speaking of skiing. It hasn't been all that. Global warming? Whatever is it, it's making for a mediocre start to the season. A storm is supposedly on the way but there's only 2-4 inches forecast. Life as I have known it has not completely disintegrated. I still ski, talk on the phone, go to movies, go to dinner, surf the web. I was able to find a girl that wanted to trade a place to live this winter for babysitting. I also found a very sweet woman that runs a daycare out of her home for $5/hr. Everything just fell into place. In four short months we've been to Yosemite, San Diego and Boston. The Mass. trip was for Thanksgiving with Ryan's family. The size of a small town, his circle couldn't get enough of her. I love that she is so loved but for me it was four days in family hell. It was non-stop 'visiting'. As nice as everyone was, it was just too much for me. My family fits in one room on one day. That's what I'm comfortable with. We drove the baby around to FIVE houses on Thanksgiving Day in pouring rain. Friday, I insisted on alone time by going to breakfast with Ryan only to come back to his house to find six people in his living room passing the baby around like a show and tell object. The only time I held my own daughter was when I fed her or before we passed out at night. To some, I'm sure this is endearing. But as I've said before, I come from a more stoic family. They like watching me with Sage and don't have as much interest in holding her 24/7. I was screaming inside but Ryan wouldn’t hear it. He's so used to that scene that he looks forward to it. Ugh. He thought I was being a wuss because I couldn't handle it for "just five days". He doesn't get that even two days without 'space" is too much for someone who gets space every day for hours at a time. And sleeping doesn't equal space. And before we left for Mass., Ryan made me promise that I wouldn't duck out no matter how claustrophobic or stressed I felt because he said it would be rude! There was no escape. I want Sage to know her family on both sides but there has to be a better option than what I experienced last month. Ryan's mom, stepdad and brother will be here next month. I'm sure we'll figure something out and it won't be anything like Thanksgiving. For one thing, they're staying at his apartment in SLC and Sage and I will be in Park City at my house (Ryan and I stayed in his mom's basement over Thanksgiving). His mom is supposed to come up here to visit while the boys ski. Sage will love spending time with her and vice versa but then I get time alone too. Best of both worlds! Her are some pics of the guest of honor : http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=pcskigal&aid=576460762382401414&pid=&wtok=G7_7N6E0nuM10W8YM3XZjA--&ts=1167889241&.src=ph**Thanks to Babystyle.com for the killer green sweatsuit and snowflake hat in the photo above. Their stuff is soooo cute!
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