My trip to London (Bond-related)

jscarlettjscarlett Posts: 51MI6 Agent
I've been away from the forum tending to the real world, but I thought this might make up for it....

Dateline, Reading, England -- Spent the weekend in London on a layover for meetings in Reading. Geeked out something fierce. On Saturday, I went to Planet Hollywood. On Sunday, I went to a cookout at the home of Kevin the proprietor of 007-Q Branch.com. Kevin is a great guy with a lovely family, and I appreciated his hospitality. Accompanying me was my friend Chris who worked as a senior model maker on the set of Casino Royale. On Monday, Chris took me to visit Shepperton and Pinewood Studios to tour the lot and to meet some of his friends, with whom we had lunch, drinks and dinner. Among them were Bill Pearson, another well known model maker on CR, and Steve Begg, who was the visual effects supervisor on the film. They were a lovely bunch, and if you didn't look them up on IMDb you might not know they all had such stellar industry credentials, because they were all so low key and gracious, and indulgent as I struggled to feign nonchalance in their presence.

It was quite a pilgrimage for this Bond fan, and I invite you to see my photos of the trip here.

Sorry to engage in such shameless namedropping, but I'm still starry-eyed....

John

Comments

  • PendragonPendragon ColoradoPosts: 2,640MI6 Agent
    wow. you're very lucky to know somebody in the biz. The pix made me reeeeeally want to go to London and take studio tours. {[]

    ~Pen -{
    Hey! Observer! You trying to get yourself Killed?

    mountainburdphotography.wordpress.com
  • ke02ewwke02eww USPosts: 2,063MI6 Agent
    very cool John...such a shame i didn't make the bbq at Kev's, but I was at the Normandy D-Day parade at Whitehall all day.

    Next time you're over let's meet up.

    Paul
  • 72897289 Beau DesertPosts: 1,691MI6 Agent
    Isn't the DaVinci Code bridge at Pinewood the very same bridge featured in the PTS of "From Russia With Love"?

    Congratulations on such a wonderful trip!!!!
  • jscarlettjscarlett Posts: 51MI6 Agent
    ke02eww wrote:
    very cool John...such a shame i didn't make the bbq at Kev's, but I was at the Normandy D-Day parade at Whitehall all day.

    Next time you're over let's meet up.

    Paul

    Paul,

    Sorry we didn't make the connection. I do hope to get together next time, which I hope is before the summer. Kevin speaks very highly of you, and I know that you are an enthusiastic and serious collector. If your business or leisure travel ever takes you to the Washington, D.C. area, please call on me.

    John
  • jscarlettjscarlett Posts: 51MI6 Agent
    I believe you're right about the bridge.
  • sruzgarsruzgar Welcome to ScotlandPosts: 1,468MI6 Agent
    Looks like a fantasic trip, glad you had a great time!
  • jscarlettjscarlett Posts: 51MI6 Agent
    sruzgar wrote:
    Looks like a fantasic trip, glad you had a great time!

    Many thanks! It was a trip to remember.
  • sruzgarsruzgar Welcome to ScotlandPosts: 1,468MI6 Agent
    I dont supose your friends know anyone in the costume department ??
  • jscarlettjscarlett Posts: 51MI6 Agent
    sruzgar wrote:
    I dont supose your friends know anyone in the costume department ??

    I don't know. Are you trying to pin down a specific item? We could always ask....
  • LoeffelholzLoeffelholz The United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
    Very, very cool! Thanks for sharing those photos {[]
    Check out my Amazon author page! Mark Loeffelholz
    "I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
    "Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
  • jscarlettjscarlett Posts: 51MI6 Agent
    Very, very cool! Thanks for sharing those photos {[]

    Glad you liked 'em. Can't wait for Bond 22 and hoping my friends get the job next time, too....

    If they do, they promised that I could spend a day on the set helping them do "gofer" work and odd jobs. Color me there!
  • PredatorPredator Posts: 790Chief of Staff
    Great shots. Thanks for sharing.

    Just to correct you on one aspect though: the "verdant area" is actually Green Park, Hyde Park would have been to your right. The second photo gives you a lovely view into Buckingham Palace's "back yard"!

    ;)
  • jscarlettjscarlett Posts: 51MI6 Agent
    Predator wrote:
    Great shots. Thanks for sharing.

    Just to correct you on one aspect though: the "verdant area" is actually Green Park, Hyde Park would have been to your right. The second photo gives you a lovely view into Buckingham Palace's "back yard"!

    ;)

    Thank you, mate. Obviously, I'm a rank tourist. And I need to learn more about your lovely country.

    Cheers,

    John
  • EagleEagle UKPosts: 261MI6 Agent
    Sounds like you had a great time. Chris Trice is one very knowledegable guy whom I have the honour of knowing personally too. :)
Sign In or Register to comment.