It's opening night of Santa Barbara Film Festival 2014 at the Arlington theatre. Lights, red carpets, paparazzi, lines and I am so excited and I have no idea what I am walking into. I am doing my very best movie star impression: high, long ponytail, sexy black one piece jumpsuit, heels (wedges), big, beautiful earrings and I am rocking it.
Sophia and I saunter into the theatre fashionably late. No lines, no nothing and the best part, we totally have seats waiting for us, compliments of John.
The amazing Arlington theatre is more than packed, apparently there were celebrities attending the event, but I didn't notice. The energy of it all is just so invigorating, I am taking it all in, I hadn't been exposed to this side of Santa Barbara before.
As I am looking around, taking swigs of high end vodka from a water bottle, it dawns on me that everyone is packed into this theatre to watch the opening night movie...and I have no idea what movie we are walking in to, and how on earth are we suppose to sit still through people speaking, a movie to be watched and then go to an after party?
Right on cue, we are asked to quiet down and the speakers begin (I still don't know what movie we are going to watch). I quickly learn that we are about to encounter a documentary...about the ocean, mostly following the amazing woman Sylvia Earle, who we had the honor of seeing live, she was so cute up on the stage. I had never heard of her before and now that I know about her I am fascinated and want to be friends with her, I would suggest looking her up if you haven't heard of her. Oh and the movie is dedicated to a man who always wanted to make this film but is now dead. Is this foreshadowing of what's ahead? I think so.
The movie/documentary, let's call it movie-mentary for fun, begins and all of a sudden, I know it is not going to end well, heaviness is in the air.The story continues and it becomes clear that there is no way Sylvia can be a person, she is beyond special and she is really a fish or a mermaid and I mean this in the nicest of ways.
Anyway, there is a part in the movie-mentary that stands out to me when Sylvia says she stopped eating fish. I think to myself, nothing is safe to eat anymore, what are we doing to this world?! We are killing too many fish, we are killing too many baby fish, blue fin tuna could easily become extinct. Sharks are being killed just for the fins. I really cannot understand why delicious jerky wouldn't be made out of the rest of their flesh, but whatever. And then I zone out and the movies is over.
The heaviness is still in the air and lights go on. I try to talk and I soon discover that my voice is completely gone. It is now like11 pm on Thursday eve, I have no voice, the movie was good and kinda sad and now time to party, who is up for a party?
Sophia and I contemplate going for sushi (yeah, I said that) and then going home, but instead we rally and head down to the party. It is cold, it is really cold for SB, it is like a freezing 37 degrees. I have blistered feet, I wore wedges so this wouldn't happen, but it did. We are VIP, but they won't let us in through the back. We finally find our entrance and walk in and much to our happy surprise there is much free food and drink.
As soon as I realize there is going to be food, I wonder if any of the restaurant both thingys will be serving fish. The first table, Arlington Tavern, is quite good and the people are so friendly, no fish being served there and I think, good job guys.
The heaviness is still in the air and lights go on. I try to talk and I soon discover that my voice is completely gone. It is now like11 pm on Thursday eve, I have no voice, the movie was good and kinda sad and now time to party, who is up for a party?
Sophia and I contemplate going for sushi (yeah, I said that) and then going home, but instead we rally and head down to the party. It is cold, it is really cold for SB, it is like a freezing 37 degrees. I have blistered feet, I wore wedges so this wouldn't happen, but it did. We are VIP, but they won't let us in through the back. We finally find our entrance and walk in and much to our happy surprise there is much free food and drink.
As soon as I realize there is going to be food, I wonder if any of the restaurant both thingys will be serving fish. The first table, Arlington Tavern, is quite good and the people are so friendly, no fish being served there and I think, good job guys.
We leave the VIP tent and the next stand, we start to approach the stand and I think that I get a glimpse of fish...I think to myself, no way, they didn't?! We get closer and guess what, shrimp. I stop and undoubtedly have a puzzled look on my face and think, am I really seeing this. Then I ask Sophia, is that really shrimp? Are they really serving shrimp? I look and think to myself, are you fucking kidding me? So, maybe they didn't not see the movie, but did not they know the topic of the movie? Poor form guys, poor form. 
We move through the crowed, I am guiding us from food stand to food stand, most are food on the no fish front, we are in the clear. We approach the outdoor dance floor and the food stand is serving, freaking ahi tuna tartare. Ok, I am not the one boycotting fish, just yet, so I march right up and grab me a piece, just before I do that, I say aloud, is this for real? I mean, this is the best dish this particular restaurant has to offer, but did these people have no idea what the opening movie was about? And raw tuna out for hours?
No matter about the fish or the sad movie, we still ended up dancing the night away and I had blisters. If losing your voice, blisters and feeling retarded isn't t he sign of a good night, I don't know what is.
No matter about the fish or the sad movie, we still ended up dancing the night away and I had blisters. If losing your voice, blisters and feeling retarded isn't t he sign of a good night, I don't know what is.
*Poor Baby Blue Fin Tuna, I kinda want you in my belly.
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| MMM Blue Fin Toro - yes please! |
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