Rain in Santa Barbara as Mirren rules the roost

The rain in Spain is mostly on the plain, but here in California it seems to be mostly in Santa Barbara, throwing a bit of a chilling damper on the opening festivities of the 22nd Santa Barbara International Film Festival --
SBIFF.

Dame Helen Mirren, the regal 61 year old actress of "The Queen", wowed a sea of admirers and undoubtedly won many new ones (Yours Truly among them), on Friday night at the palatial Admiral Theater on upper State Street, and throngs of Will Smith fans braved the gusty rain swept red carpet area of the theater on Saturday night to catch a glimpse -- however wet and cold -- of Hollywood's latest Black Idol and Best Actor Oscar contender. The prognostication is more rain and nasty weather until mid-week, unusual for this normally balmy high-class resort city but the rich schedule of events and premieres is making it look like a mini-Cannes on the California coast.
by Alex Deleon, Sunday January 27, 2007