The SB Post

SBIFF DAY 3: Saturday, January 28th

SCREENED: Saturday found me taking in some of the best of this year's independent film. There were some hits and some misses, but overall, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival did not disappoint. A few highlights:

• Starbuck: This dramedy was a fast Festival favorite. Following the life of David Wozniak, "a trainwreck of a middle-aged man," who continually loses at life-disappointing family, flaking out on his girlfriend, always in debt to thugs-learns he has fathered no fewer than 533 children via his one and only talent: donating sperm. The treasured tale that follows as David begins to interact with his extremely diverse children offers movie goers a rich and unique appeal. I laughed. I cried. It was truly a joyous movie experience.

• Also on tap was Vinyl. Think Spinal Tap meets School of Rock. Based on true events, Sara Sugarman's VINYL tells the remarkable story of an '80s punk band teetering on the edge of obscurity when it reunites to write a hit song and make an unforgettable comeback. Once the song receives immediate air time, aging UK rocker Johnny Jones enlists a rowdy bunch of teenagers to pretend to be the face of the song, securing its top spot on the record charts. The result is a heartwarming rock mockumentary.

• Not a film per say, but still a coveted Santa Barbara sight of visual art, is the Lobero Theatre Courtyard, where you'll find the Filmmaker Lounge in the Rosebud Lounge. The lounge club vibe, swanky interior and aerial dancers at the Lobero Theatre take the visual experience 3D-on't want to miss it.

SAVORED: With a back-to-back lineup, I didn't have time to dine out, so instead, I complemented my Film Fest experience with a classic snack: freshly popped, salted, buttered popcorn.

SPOTTED: This year's Modern Master Award honored Christopher Plummer. The acclaimed thespian's unwavering charm as he accepted the award and answered interview questions for attendees put him at the top of my Celeb Spotting list. Truly charming. Samuel L. Jackson, who was in town to walk the red carpet for the world premiere of The Samaritan, was hard to see through the sea of flashing bulbs and pleading paparazzi, but the booming voice was impossible to miss.

SBIFF DAY 2: Friday, January 27th

SCREENED: Friday night marked one of the most anticipated of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival: the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award. This year, the esteemed honor went to The Help's Viola Davis just days after her Oscar nomination was announced. The event took place at the Arlington Theatre on State Street in downtown Santa Barbara. Also in attendance was Davis' costar, the fiery Octavia Spencer. Much like their on-screen dynamic, Davis was quiet, reserved and humbled in accepting her award, while Spencer complemented with a much louder personality.

SAVORED: I couldn't resist the famed, authentic Italian flavors at Ca'Dario, especially with its special Film Feast offer. To wit, the Santa Barbara staple eatery won the Santa Barbara Independent's Best of Readers' Poll seven years in a row so taking advantage of the restaurant's Film Feast menu deal was a no brainer. Featuring both a lunch ($25/person) and dinner ($35/person) special, which includes a choice of one salad, one pasta, one glass of wine or coffee with biscotti, I opted for the Ravioli al Burro e Salvia-"pasta pillows" filled with spinach and ricotta, brown butter and sage sauce. ‘Nuff said.

SPOTTED: As if catching a glimpse of the elegant Viola wasn't enough, another Hollywood heavyweight was out and about in Santa Barbara on Friday night. An outsider no more, Parks and Rec front-man and Santa Barbara spokesman, Rob Lowe, dazzled at the Filmmaker Happy Hour. More to come as the Festival continues!

Film Fest: Day 1

Welcome to this year's Santa Barbara International Film Festival special blog series. For the next 11 days and nights, we'll be taking you behind the scenes, providing the scoop on the best of the Fest, including movie screenings and reviews, delicious dishes as 30+ restaurants participate in Film Feast with special prix fixe menus and cocktails, and celebrity sightings.

Make sure to stay tuned for updates on what not to miss!

DAY 1: Opening Night, Thursday, January 26th

SCREENED: The Festival opened with Darling Companion. Directed by Lawrence Kasdan (Body Heat, The Big Chill, Wyatt Earp), and co-written with his wife, Meg Kasdan, the film is a story of a woman who bonds with a stray dog, loving the dog more than her husband, until the husband loses the dog. The movie packs some serious star power with Diane Keaton, Kevin Kline, Dianne Wiest, Richard Jenkins and Sam Shepard starring.

Overall, our filmgoers enjoyed the movie. Darling Companion is a genuine, light-hearted look at love and the evolution of family relationships and the ensemble cast helms the movie with sincerity and vigor, making for a very watchable story. Based in Colorado, but filmed in the mountains of Utah, the backdrops are beautiful. If you're looking for a fun film by one of Hollywood's great writer/directors, add Darling Companion to the watch list.

SAVORED: Opal hits a home run again! Their Like Water for Chocolate Film Feast menu was "amazing" and the signature drinks "to die for." The special prix fixe menu in three takes:
Take One: Shredded phyllo wrapped tiger shrimp with an Asian napa cabbage salad and a sweet coconut curry dipping sauce.
Take Two: Grilled Kurobuta pork loin on an asparagus truffle beurre blanc with gratin yukon gold potatoes and a warm artichoke mushroom relish OR grilled fresh salmon filet on a homemade crispy potato crepe with a wild mushroom madeira cream sauce and a roasted corn-wild mushroom salsa.
Take Three: "Like Water for Chocolate" Surprise.

Priced at $35.95/person, this menu is nothing short of mouth-watering. On a budget? The helpings are hearty and could be split between two people if you're looking to stretch your Film Feast dollar.

SPOTTED: The red carpet was flush with Hollywood heroes, including Diane Keaton, Kevin Klein, Dianne Wiest, Richard Jenkins and one of my all-time favorite actors, Sam Shepard, many of whom attended the Opening Night Gala at the Paseo Nuevo Shopping Center in downtown Santa Barbara after the show.

And those are just a handful of the celebs one is sure to see at this year's event. According to event sponsor, The Hollywood Reporter, "Because SBIFF is held each year right around the time that Academy members receive their final ballots, and because more than 100 Academy members are believed to live in and around Santa Barbara, many Oscar nominees make the short coastal drive up from Los Angeles to participate in the festival, either as an tribute recipient, presenter, or panelist.

Indeed, over the course of the next 11 days, the festival will host no fewer than 21 of this year's Oscar class, including: best actress nominee Viola Davis (The Help) on Friday night; best original screenplay nominee J.C. Chandor (Margin Call) on Saturday afternoon; best supporting actor nominee Christopher Plummer (Beginners) on Saturday night; best director nominee Martin Scorsese (Hugo) on Monday night; best animated feature nominee Gore Verbinski (Rango) next Friday afternoon; best actor nominee Demian Bichir (A Better Life), best actress nominee Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), and best supporting actress nominee Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) next Friday night; and best supporting actress nominee Berenice Bejo and best actor nominee Jean Dujardin (The Artist) next Saturday night."

With a lineup like that, it's safe to say that this year's Santa Barbara International Film Festival is not to be missed.

Film Feast Officially Begins: Don’t Miss the Hottest Ticket in Town!

Today marks the highly anticipated kick off of the 27th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. From January 26th through February 5th, film fanatics join this year's hottest stars in Santa Barbara to screen some of the best in box office and independent film but the action doesn't stop there.
Santa Barbara has once again rolled out the red carpet for another edition of Film Feast, a special tasting-menu program coinciding with the Festival and California Restaurant Month. Film Feast offers festival goers a special preview of the best of Santa Barbara's renowned culinary culture. A stellar cast of restaurants, bars and tasting rooms serve up three-course tasting menus-many of which are movie-themed-spotlighting local cuisine, inventive cocktails and Central Coast wines and beers.
In addition, Santa Barbara's best resorts, hotels, inns and bed-and-breakfasts are offering cinema-centric lodging specials as part of Film Sleeps. Enjoy star treatment with discounted rates, special amenities, upgrades and more. View a complete list of participating Film Feast and Film Sleeps participants.
Follow us on Facebook, join the conversation on Twitter (#FilmFeast) or check-in on Foursquare for the latest in Film Feast fun, including tips, lists, posts and Tweets on where to find Film Feast dining deals and Film Sleeps special offers!

Oscar Nominees Set to Hit the Red Carpet in Santa Barbara Starting Thursday

With the 2012 Oscar nominees announced today, Hollywood is atwitter with box office buzz. Awards Season is upon us and if you're looking to get in on the action, consider the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, January 26 - February 5 in Santa Barbara, California. Now in its 27th year, the Festival has long been known for its knack for predicting Academy Award® winners. This year is no different, with more than 23 Oscar contenders slated to attend a variety of film screenings and festival events. Notable names and award recipients include:

• Viola Davis (joined that night by Best Supporting Actress nom, Octavia Spencer and writer/director Tate Taylor): Outstanding Performer of the Year
• Christopher Plummer: Modern Master Award
• Martin Scorsese: American Riviera Award
• Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo: Cinema Vanguard Awards
• Viruosos Award Nominees: Rooney Mara (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo), Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) and Demian Bichir (A Better Life) as well as director Gore Verbinski (Rango)

Stay tuned in the coming days for Festival news, events and big announcements, including the official kick-off of this year's Film Feast!

Meet Michael: The Newest (and Tallest) Addition to the Santa Barbara Zoo

Today's welcoming party at the Santa Barbara Zoo featured a wildly special guest. Michael, a 16-foot tall Masia giraffe, joins one-year old Daniel, Audrey, Sulima and Betty Lou in his new ocean-view home at the Santa Barbara Zoo. At only five-years old, Michael is already quite the globe trotter. He was born at the Toronto Zoo and was later moved to Parc Safari in Quebec before relocating to Santa Barbara as part of a cooperative program of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

In addition to his four fellow long-necks, Michael is now friend to a variety of other zoo animals at what is known as one of the world's most beautiful zoos. The Santa Barbara Zoo is located on 30 acres of lush botanic gardens overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Andree Clark Bird Refuge and Santa Ynez Mountains.

Did you know?

• The Santa Barbara Zoo is home to 160 species of mammals, reptiles, birds and insects. More than 500 animals are exhibited in open, naturalistic habitats.

• Thirty acres of lush botanic gardens feature formal gardens and lawns, native plants and trees, cacti and succulents, ornamentals, exotic species and less formal plantings arranged throughout the park to recreate natural habitats.

• The Zoo is available for rental for events such as weddings, corporate events, birthday parties, and picnics.

From Michael to monkeys, snow leopards to sea otters and cats to cranes, the Santa Barbara Zoo is a certain hit for all ages. If you're looking for fun things to do in Santa Barbara, it's a must on your bucket list.

Hours of operation: Open daily, 10:00am - 5:00pm. Special holiday hours: 10:00am - 3:00pm on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas.

Ticket Prices: Adults 13 - 64, $14; Children 2 - 12 and Seniors 65+, $10; Children under 2 are Free. Parking is an additional $6.