The three baskets we donated to the Independent Film Makers Lounge for 2011 Sundance
I’ve herd about the Sundance Film Festival for years and even though I have lived in Utah for over ten years I had never attended. Well this year our gang had a great time attending the lounge we were invited to by Natalie from Red Door Staging.
The Utah Gift Basket.com donated three gift baskets to show case some of the great products that can be found right here in Utah. The gift baskets contained graphics taken by local photographer Susanna Ballif, Apple Beer, Mount Olympus water, Taffy Town taffy, Hall’s Confections. Maxfiled’s reception stix, Lehi Roller Mill pancake mix, Pioneer Valley syrup and Kathy Kaye’s Carmel Cob popcorn.
Our lounge host was Danny T , complete with our own red carpet, 
). I am told photos to follow in a week or so and I will be sure to share them.
Park City is georgous, however I never realized it was so hilly. If you are planning to attend the 2012 Sundance Film Festival here are a few pointers:
Dress warm and dress comfortable: The weather cooperated so there was no snow to slush through on the the sidewalks, however you never know with Utah weather so I would wear shoes that work in and out of the snow. Gloves are a must!, I was the only one in my group who brought gloves and it made a world of difference on feeling the cold. A beannie or swanky ear muffs would be great as well. You never realize how much having such a little party of your body cold and make or break your day.
When to arrive? Well we arrived just before 11 am and a lot of the parking areas were already filling up (parking was $25.00). Most of the crowds seemed to arrive after us and had to drive up and down looking for a place to park. This is also when it became harder to find a lunch location, so I suggest arriving around 10 or 10:30 am and enjoy the sites before you hit all the great lounges being held all day and night, who knows you may spot a few stars, we did, ).
A lounge invite? You’d be surprised at who you might know who has an invite. Having more than one lounge invite is a must to enjoy the best parts of the film festival. Most lounges allow sponsors who donate prizes or cash to have a certain amount of extra passes. My invite from Red Door Staging included ten passes which allowed me and my guest to attend the functions presented by The Independent Film Makers Lounge. If you haven’t been invited check with your colleagues right around November/December to see if they know of anyone who has extra passes they are not using.
The ambiance? The lounges are definitely a see and be seen atmosphere and the lounges are set up like cocktail parties. I enjoyed the sights, the swag and the visit but I don’t think I could indulge in those types of gatherings on a regular basis.
A day trip or stay overnight? If you can afford to stay for just one night I would recommend it. Susana and I left a little after 3:30 pm to avoid the exodus traffic, however my son and his friends stayed later and had a great time with some of the later events. Next year I am planning to look into a condo that sleeps 10 or 12 and go up with a bunch of friends to enjoy all Park City has to offer. I am told if you plan to go this route you will want to book your condo around June for January.
Looking forward to Sundance 2012
Tina D.
Tweet me @ tdgiftsol or womanownedbiz
Growing up in the 70′s and 80′s Easter in our household was church or mass on Easter Sunday, a Easter dinner with the family, being an usher in church and being in the choir. We did some Easter egg hunting however it was done a more a fun event rather than celebrating the Easter Bunny.
