Hospitality
Star of the Santa Barbara Film Festival
Charms the Award Recipients
Beyond
the prying eyes of fans and the public there is a magical venue
created each year in the Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara
by Julia Fitzroy, Regional PR Marketing Director for Moet Hennessy
USA, Dom Perignon, who is 'hostess with the mostess' in the
Dom Perignon Lounge.
I
had the pleasure to meet this dynamic marketing woman several
years ago and experience for myself the fantastic and artistic
design this lounge takes on during the Santa Barbara International
Film Festival. Moet was the focus then, and the beautiful fabrics,
stylized couches and cases containing bottles of bubbly covering
the walls turns a drab backstage area into a glimmering celebrity
venue.
During
the festival engraved bottles of Dom Perignon are presented
to the celebrities being honored, and this lounge provides a
lush respite prior to going on stage, as well as private place
to celebrate following their interviews and award presentations;
a glitzy room where sips, congratulations and photo ops happen.
Fitzroy told me when I spoke with her in 2015 that Moet is the
champagne of success and glamor," and we all know what
Dom Perignon means to champagne afficionados!
SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling & Julia Fitzroy,
PR Marketing Moet Hennessy USA 2016
Julia
is one of most charming young women I have ever met, and it's
no small wonder she has been the number #1 girl with Moet Hennessy
USA and Dom Perignon. Her grace under fire is so admirable,
and every person I've met who spent time with her in the lounge
was also disarmed by her understated elegance, and warm sense
of hospitality. Miss Fitzroy has been an award winning horse
woman for many years, and has a treasure trove of winning ribbons
of her own.
Each
evening of the SBIFF festival, inside the exclusive backstage
Dom Pérignon Lounge, the honorees are presented with
a personalized magnum of Dom Pérignon to toast their
outstanding performances and respective tribute awards. Past
honorees going home with their own magnum have included Johnny
Depp, Michael Keaton, Sylvester Stallone, Rachel McAdams, Brie
Larsonand Elizabeth Banks.
Johnny Depp, Modern Master Award Recipient 2016
in the Dom Perignon Lounge
That
being said, while you are settled in your seat in the Arlington
waiting for a tribute to begin just know that the celebrities
who are being introduced by Executive Director Roger Durling
are also being pampered by Julia Fitzroy in the 'Dom Perignon
Lounge' as only a focused professional marketing star like Julia
Fitzroy can do so well. Two additional vital compenents to the
success of this lounge for many years are Richard Yates and
Tina Takaya, co-owners of Opal Restaurant and Lounge, who provide
scrumptious appetizers to the visiting celebs and guests waiting
for their cue to go on stage.
Dom Perignon Marketing Star Julia Fitzroy with
F&B Journalist Bonnie Carroll 2015
Santa
Barbara International Film Festival
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF)
is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and educational organization
dedicated to discovering and showcasing the best in independent
and international cinema. SBIFF offers 11 days of 200+ films,
tributes and symposiums that transforms beautiful downtown Santa
Barbara, CA into a rich destination for film lovers which attracts
more than 90,000 attendees. SBIFF continues its commitment to
education and the community through free programs like its 10-10-10
Student Filmmaking and Screenwriting Competitions, Mike's Field
Trip to the Movies, National Film Studies Program, AppleBox
Family Films, 3rd Weekend and educational seminars. In recent
years SBIFF has expanded its year round presence with regular
screenings and Q&As with programs like Cinema Society, The
Showcase and its Wave Film Festivals. The dates for the 32nd
Santa Barbara International Film Festival are Feb 1-11. For
tributes and all additional event information visit www.sbiff.org.
By Bonnie Carroll
About Bonnie Carroll
Bonnie Carroll has been a food/travel/lifestyle writer since
1983. She is the founder & publisher of Bonnie Carroll's
Life Bites News - www.lifebitesnews.com,
does travel and food reporting on KZSB1290 radio, and contributes
to a variety of national and international travel/lifestyle
publications. Her first children's book C.C. Charles was published
in 2002 and she is currently working on a second book. Contact
her at Contact her at writebc@aol.com.