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frosted tree at
the Beartooth Theater Pub

A good film, like a good trail, makes me want more. Maybe not more of the movie, but to take off where the film left off. One we saw at the fest was called "Carrot Cake Conversations." Filmed in Singapore, it follows the characters through one night and early morning as their paths intersect and carrot cake is consumed. It wasn't a spectacular film, but it held my interest. One question raised: are there carrots in carrot cake? A little search revealed that the answer is "no." Daikon radish? Yes. One site explained that the Chinese characters for carrot and radish are very similar. I don't know anything about that, so will take them on their word.

I found recipes and a little history of the food and wondered if I could possibly make this popular dish. Let's add that to the to-do list, the non-cooking girl told herself. Then on Saturday as I talked with some friends they mentioned the food malls in Singapore. "Did you have any carrot cake?" I asked, wishful. They had, and now I'm dreaming of a new city to put on my list of places to go.

That's just one of the beauties of film. It can take us to a different place, time, or culture. It can inspire our senses, remind us of times past. It can make us wonder. It can also answer questions we didn't know we had.

Like a movie we saw on Friday which reminded most of the audience of a time they remembered as it recounted the story behind many of the hit records from the 60s. The Wrecking Crew is about the studio musicians behind hundreds of albums produced in LA during that time, including what we've heard called the "wall of sound." As a Generation X girl, I've grown up hearing this music because that's what was on the radio or the stereo. They were the songs of the Boomers and they permeated our lives for a long time. Still do. Like many people, I didn't realize how many groups did not perform their own music.

After watching the film, the song resonating in my head is Glen Campbell's Wichita Lineman. Wow, what a tune! I have a version performed by Michelle Shocked with Freddy Fender & the Texas Tornadoes that's pretty great but c'mon. Is there a voice like Glen Campbell's out there? And now that I know the story of the bass player, Carol Kaye, who came up with the opening riff on that tune, it adds another dimension to the song.

Now that the film festival has come to a close, I can get back to the holiday-time chores, look forward to the new year and see if any airfares inspire me to book a trip someplace warm. Maybe I'll even get those Christmas cards addressed.