I stayed away from Park City today. Most the staff was finalizing for opening night and tomorrow’s slate of opening receptions, and nobody arrives until evening anyway, so I ran errands and caught up on all the things I’d been neglecting for weeks.

Oh, and I spent $200 on clothes during 4 hours of shopping. Woohoo for paychecks!

Tomorrow morning I’m planning to carpool to PC with some Festival staff friends for the gauntlet of opening receptions. The four major official venues (Sundance House, Headquarters, Filmmakers Lodge, and Music Cafe) have receptions staggered throughout the day from 11:00am to 6:00pm, and I expect them to all offer free wine and/or beer. This is the primary reason we are going. Well, at least the primary reason I am going. The others may have more respectable motives. But I doubt it. That’s why I like ‘em.

During the Music Cafe opening, Imogen Heap (of Frou Frou) and Rufus Wainwright are both scheduled to perform. Can’t wait for that!

Then, I expect we’ll head over to Queer Lounge to see what its opening night party is like. I’ve been less-than-impressed with QL in the past, and what I saw last week while they were setting up didn’t bolster my confidence any. But I hear it’s the hot place to be tomorrow night and that they’ve got “amazing” things planned. I’m hopeful, but I’m not holding my breath. We’ll see.

“But what about movies?” you say. “Isn’t that what this is all really about?”
No. Not anymore. It’s about parties and schwag and seeing and being seen. At least for the Hollywood types who never fail to annoy me (see last year, a link that, incidentally, also includes the tale of my fabulous time at the Scissor Sisters concert and MEETING DUNCAN SHEIK! *swoon*).

Honestly, there ARE a few films I’d like to see at the festival. Maybe I’ll catch one tomorrow night. I’ve been fortunate enough to see a few already (okay, okay… about 25), so there aren’t too many more I’m just dying to see. I went to several of the press screenings last week, and Sundance has some sneak peeks around town on occassion, too.

From here on out, I should really try to see films at the Salt Lake theatres so I don’t have to drive up and down Parley’s Canyon. Plus, there’s usually more staff seating available in SLC. But the Park City Sundance atmosphere (read: people watching) is a lot more fun. It’d be perfect if I just had a place to stay in PC. Most staff received festival lodging, but since my job (festival publications) is one of the few that’s finished before the fest begins, there was no reason for it and I’m outta luck.

Guess I’ll just have to find a cute Hollywood gay boy who’s willing to share his room…

Just kidding. He’d have to have room for Patrick, too, of course.

Hmm… really, it’s not a bad idea. Maybe Patrick and I could find a Park City bed room to share. You know I’m not above pimping out my boyfriend for some swank festival lodging!

Seriously though, I’ve heard from several people that the festival is a real slutfest, at least for staff and volunteers. I keep hearing, “What happens at festival, stays at festival!” I obviously have no plans to participate, but I am hoping to at least catch some eye candy. Gotta love those snowy hot tub parties!

There’s more than one Sundance staffer I’d like to catch in a hot tub. And out of the 1,255 volunteers, I’m sure there are several boys I’d feel just as strongly about.

Mmmm… hot snowboarder boys… yum.

Too bad they’ll be covered from head to toe in thermal because it’s so fucking cold. Why can’t Sundance be in July? It’d be so much better to have Main Street full of shirtless boys instead of cold, grumpy people in snow suits. What was Bob thinking when he picked January? Who the hell cares about skiing when you could move things six months and get near naked boys out of it?

Geez… some people’s priorities!