Socal Mom by Donna Schwartz Mills

Final Words About OSCAR: Bleacher Bums

A week before the OSCARS each year, the city blocks off all the streets leading to the Kodak Theatre so the Academy can set up for the show. So we knew we'd have to be dropped off a few blocks away from Hollywood and Highland on Sunday morning.

It was weird. Hollywood Boulevard was deserted, aside from a few folks who had come early to check out the scene. By the time the limos started arriving, there was a crowd gathered on the street east of Highland.

We were a half hour early for our 10:30 call and wondered if we needed to look for an open coffee shop to kill some time, but the Cheeky Lotus texted Sweatpants Mom to let her know that she and Sugar Jones were already in.

We had printouts in hand of the numerous emailed instructions we'd received from the Academy, so we knew that security would be tight. But we didn't know what else to expect: like the fact that the OSCAR people (who were responsible for the seating arrangements) would separate us by a pretty large distance. In fact, we bloggers were kind of all over the place, with a few in choice seats near the red carpet entrance.

We had a pretty good section, too - but the seats assigned to Lotus, Sugar and me were in the corner of the very top row... making it difficult to get a good angle to snap a photo. And I'd thought part of the fun of the day was to come away with bragging rights to some amazing celebrity photos.

But hey - we were there... and it didn't take me long to realize that there was an advantage to being up at the top: The clear plastic rain cover over the red carpet area magnified the sun's rays to such an extent that it was swelteringly hot out. But in our spot, if we stood up, we could catch a breeze.

Still, it didn't take me long to realize that I didn't need the heavy coat I'd brought. Or the light jacket I was wearing over the black racerback tee with sparklies I'd selected (with the evening in mind). I was grateful for the souvenir t-shirt the Academy handed out as part of our bleacher fan goodie package. And the baseball cap. And the sunscreen and lip balm. So I went from glam to fan...

But it WAS a long day. The "light breakfast" the Academy promised us turned out to be a two-pack of Krispy Kreme doughnuts, and as tempting as they were, I passed on those. So I was famished by the time they started handing out box lunches. I devoured my turkey sandwich and apple and was still hungry, so I tore into the potato chips. So much for the low carb diet.

But I did manage to drink about a gallon of water, and was sweating so much, I only needed to hit the porta potty once. (I know you really needed to hear that. But this was a point of pride, as the line to use them was long and the security people kept reminding us that they wanted us to STAY IN OUR SEATS once the red carpet arrivals began.)

About the time we finished our lunches, lovely Jenny from Kodak managed to make some room in the section where Sweatpants Mom was sitting with other Kodak staffers. Lotus and Sugar moved down there, but I didn't want to give up my breeze at the top, so I stayed. I think Jenny felt bad that I was up there all alone, because an hour later, she told me she'd arranged to move me to the first section, where the rest of the eleven Kodak bloggers were seated.

She was as surprised as we were that we hadn't been assigned spots together, but the Academy explained that only the guests that had been cleared to bring their computers had been identified as "bloggers" and so they had the prime spots in the first row in the first section. Jenny begged the  Academy rep to make room for just one more.

It was obvious she didn't want to do this. It was also obvious that there was room on the seating chart. Once again, I was assigned the top row, but there weren't as many rows in this section, so it was closer. And I was on the aisle, so I had a better angle.

And now, I was finally able to greet the other bloggers: Katja Presnal, Rock and Roll Mama, Miss Lori, Wayne Sutton and the Consumer Queen. (I never did meet Steve Garfield and Zadi Diaz- but hopefully, our paths will cross again.)

Countdown to the OSCARS(R): A Long Day Ahead

Poor Miss Lori. She got in late last night from Chicago and has an inexplicable 7:45 AM call time this morning.

Most of the rest of us don't have to get there until 10:30. For a parade of celebrities and lesser-known movie folks who don't start showing up until around 3:00.

But I'm up early, anyway. That's because Sweatpants Mom (who is my carpool buddy) has arranged for a makeup artist for the two of us. The makeup artist took one look at our photos and decided she needed several hours to make us Red Carpet ready. So at 6:00 AM, I'm sitting here in my new sparkly top and going through email for one last time before I leave for her house.

I want to remind you all that we are making this big fuss for a day when we are sitting out on the BLEACHERS. Here's how our seating looked last night, from Kodak's own Flickr Photostream:

Megan and I had a girls' day yesterday -- she needs things for her Washington trip later this month, and I needed a new tote bag I could use today to hold all my stuff (all of my other ones are emblazoned with corporate logos.

Once we check in to the bleacher area, we may not leave until the show begins at 5:00 -- or we will lose our seats. They are providing us with breakfast, lunch & beverages and we're told there will be rest room facilities (i.e., porta-potties). They suggested we bring snacks in the one bag we are allowed to have.

As it is, my new Target tote is filled to the brim with: 

• File of communications from Kodak & the Academy so they'll let me in
• My cellphone (so I can tweet)
• Two still cameras and a pocket camcorder
• Extra batteries
• A battery operated recharger for electronics listed above
• Wallet & keys
• Sundry items (hand lotion, Advil, lipstick, mirror, etc)

It's heavy - but that's OK. Carrying it is the only exercise I'll have today.

Follow my tweets and those of the other Kodak Red Carpet "Bleacher Bums" here.

Countdown to the OSCARS(R): Idol Encounters

When I got the invitation to spend OSCAR® Day at the red carpet, my husband and daughter immediately asked if they could come, too. Unfortunately, Kodak did not have enough tickets to hand out to guests of invited bloggers. They did, however, allow us to submit a guest to meet us at the  after Academy Award viewing party that will commence immediately after the red carpet arrivals. So my husband will be joining me.

The only hitch was that I needed to drive down to Academy headquarters TODAY to pick up a wristband that will allow him to get past the checkpoint on Hollywood Boulevard Sunday.

As you can imagine, security is tight. I could not even park in the Academy's garage without showing them ID. I'd brought my camera with me in the hope that I could get a good picture, but the guards made it clear I needed to get in and get OUT as quickly as possible. But I did manage to use my phone to take a furtive little shot of this icon in the 5th floor reception area:

The nameplate on the award reads Billy Wilder. Unfortunately, I could not make out the actual category or picture - but it could be for any of these:

The Apartment (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writer, Story & Screenplay)

Sunset Blvd (Best Writing, Story & Screenplay - but also nominated for Best Director)

The Lost Weekend (Best Director, Best Writing, Story & Screenplay)

That's quite a number of Oscars for one man to win, especially since he functioned as both director and writer. But look at the films where he was merely honored to be nominated:

• The Fortune Cookie
• Some Like It Hot
  
• Witness for the Prosecution
• Sabrina
  
• Stalag 17
• Ace in the Hole
• A Foreign Affair
• Double Indemnity
• Ball of Fire
• Hold Back the Dawn
• Ninotchka

I'm surprised that I've seen so many of these titles (nine) but more surprised that I've never seen the rest. I will have to get those on my Netflix queue.

You see, Billy Wilder is one of my screenwriting idols. I love his wicked sense of humor, which is apparent in even dark movies like Double Indemnity and Sunset Blvd (still the best movie ever made about Hollywood)... and downright subversive in fluffy romantic comedies like Sabrina and Ninotchka. And I can't get over the fact that English was his second language. (Yes, he worked with talented collaborators like Charles Brackett and I.A.L. Diamond - but the Wilder POV can be seen in all of his films).

Anyway... I was kind of thrilled to see Billy Wilder's Oscar®.

I suppose it's ironic that I can wax rhapsodic about movies that were made before I was born... but have only seen ONE of the films nominated for Best Picture this year. The truth is - I love cinema enough to have majored in Radio-TV-Film at CSUN decades ago, and as a WGA member, used to go to the movies a couple of times a week.

Then I married someone who loves film a lot less than I do.

And then I had a kid.

When Megan was little, I dragged her to every kids' movie on the day of its release, and then wrote self-syndicated reviews for the family content site I was operating at the time. Those reviews are still out there (I get Google Alerts on them all the time) - but even that movie habit ended when she became so involved in competitive gymnastics. Our movie-viewing migrated to whatever was on television, and I may have subjected Megan to a DIY course in movie history...

Last year, she had a teacher who liked to talk about old movies, and he would ask the class if they had seen "Gone With the Wind"... or "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"... or

Megan was the only person in the class who had seen every film he mentioned.

But I may have done something right: a few weeks, ago, my daughter and her cousin started their own blog... and they're reviewing movies.

I'm so proud.

Countdown to the OSCARS(R): Attire for the Red Carpet... Bleachers

This week's posts will most likely all be about the Academy Awards®, which is almost like a holiday here in SoCal. My interest is higher than usual this year, thanks to an invitation from Kodak to watch the red carpet arrivals from the bleachers.

I was so excited at passing the Motion Picture Academy's background check (who knew? All these years, I thought getting bleacher seats was like seeing the Tournament of Roses parade, where the seating goes to the folks willing to camp out on the street...)

...that I hadn't given any thought at all to the REALLY important part of going to the OSCARS®: What to wear.

Of course, Sweatpants Mom has already gone there. She says that most years, she settles in to watch the awards in a bathrobe, and hints that she may just wear one on the bleachers. Somehow, I doubt that we'll see her in chenille and fuzzy slippers. But you have to admit, it would be funny.

As I was told to report to the bleacher area at 10:30 AM (no earlier and no later!), I'm planning for a looooooong day... and in this El Nino year, there's a good chance that it will rain. (Not to worry, say the Academy's organizers... neither rain nor snow nor gusty Santa Ana will stop this show - the red carpet and bleacher area would be covered.)

But since it's SoCal, it's just as likely that we'll need sunscreen.

The organizers suggest wearing comfortable, layered clothes, which makes sense.

Miss Lori plans on bringing some FANTASTIC shoes, which I would totally do if 20 years of running around in 4" heels hadn't done a permanent number on my feet. Between the corns and the callouses, I can't handle wearing beautiful shoes for more than five minutes. I can't even balance on heels any longer. Maybe ballet flats? Or maybe I just wear pants that go well with UGGs.

But after the stars have entered the theater, we bleacher people are all invited to a viewing party at the El Capitan (across the street from the Kodak theater). This is probably why fabulous Katja Presnal is planning on wearing Max Azria and Coach platform shoes.

And Sugar Jones found a fabulous discounted outfit at fabulous Nordstrom Rack. And it matches her blog!

I don't think I want to get that glammed up (besides - at my age, it isn't worth the effort). However, Jenny from Kodak suggest that we could bring a change of clothes for the party. But it would have to fit in a backpack, because we'll be herded straight from the metal bleachers over to the El Capitan across the street. (And may I add that it would have to be wrinkle resistant?)

I do think the occasion calls for something a little nicer than my usual jeans, t-shirt and sneakers. A shopping trip may be in order.

Mom's Movie Club: Julie & Julia

Last night, as we were catching up on Quentin Tarantino's DVR'd Letterman appearance, my husband announced that he wanted to see "Inglorious Basterds," and I got really annoyed. It's not that I don't think it's going to be a good movie -- I do. But before he and I met, I went to the movies on a weekly basis and now... not so much. Some of that is the inevitable result of marriage and motherhood -- but I would go more often if it was something HE wanted to do, and he never wants to see anything unless it's got "Bourne," "X-Men" or "Star Trek" in the title.

I manage to get out to matinees as often as I can, with other moms while the kids are in school... or with my daughter (who is old enough now for PG-13, thank goodness). So it's not like I'm not catching the romantic comedies I prefer. But it would be really nice to see something *I* wanted to see with my partner -- something that didn't promise to be a bloody (albeit entertaining) romp.

That said: the kid and I saw Julie & Julia yesterday, and we both liked it a lot. Unlike a lot of the critics, I enjoyed Amy Adams' story arc as much as Meryl's -- perhaps because as a self-absorbed, narcissistic blogger in my own right, I could identify with Julie's issues (including the thought that you aren't a real writer until someone publishes you) and the fights she had with her husband because of her devotion to her blog and her unseen readers. I'm thinking maybe the newspaper movie critics don't care for bloggers all that much and that may have colored their opinion of the character.

I had been warned that this was a tough movie to see on a diet, and that's true: The food all looks beautiful (even the dishes that don't come out quite right) and there's much dialogue extolling the joys of butter. So I suppose it's a good thing it will be another couple of months before our kitchen is once again fully functional.

By that time, the weather should be cooled off a lot... and like Julie, I may be tempted to try boning a duck - or at least tackle Julia Child's boeuf bourguignon.