New York, January 9, 2007 – We were slightly disoriented at this year's National Board of Review awards gala, because it relocated to Cipriani’s 42nd Street from its longtime home at Tavern on the Green. But the crowd was just as glittering as usual, and after a few of the establishment’s famous Bellinis we felt quite relaxed.

Penelope Cruz was even more relaxed; she’d just returned from vacation the day before, and her black lacy Oscar de la Renta cocktail dress was the first – and only – one she looked at for the evening. Cruz is happy about the buzz surrounding Volver, and not only because it’s her first big award (Golden Globe) nomination. “I’m very excited because I love this movie so much, and my relationship with Pedro [director Pedro Almodovar] is very special. So I love that all of this is happening with this movie”, she told us. Despite the success of this European effort, the actress said that she intends to keep working in Hollywood, too.

She and Almodovar spent quite a while chatting with Helen Mirren. Career achievement honoree Eli Wallach worked the room, but, at 91, is still smitten with his wife, Anne Jackson. He planted a big kiss on her, and she teased, “Oooh, I’ve been kissed by a movie star!”

Clint Eastwood, whose Letters From Iwo Jima was NBR’s best 2006 film, talked about the vagaries involved in winning an Oscar: “It’s all about timing, and the right film at the right time. Basically, it’s just a crapshoot.”

Sarah Jessica Parker chatted happily and looked terrific in a bright red Giambattista Valli dress. Ryan Gosling again schlepped his sister along as his date. Jennifer Hudson, in black Prada, drifted through the evening as if on a cloud. Babel star Rinko Kikuchi's black strappy shoes had some kind of white ankle collars, and we kept thinking she'd dropped her drawers.

Tipper Gore made an appearance, as did Terrence Howard, Bette Midler, Parker Posey, James Cromwell, Djimon Hounsou and Catherine O’Hara.