"Where in North America?" -- Section II

[Foy]

Cal,
Your "stealth" shot is at the Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan.

Notaclue what movie was shot there, though I faintly recall reading about it during, before, or after I spent back-to-back summers a couple hundred miles west, out the UP, in Crystal Falls, MI, those summers being in 1981 and 1982. The Mackinac Straits bridge was in the middle of a two-day trip up or back from Virginia, and being loaded with belongings/towing, etc, we never stopped for the Mackinac Island tour, and we could of course not take our trucks over there!

Foy

[CalOldBlue]

Movie is "Somewhere In Time", starring the late Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour.

Hotel is indeed the Grand Hotel, dating from the 1880s. http://www.grandhotel.com/

Mackinac Island outlawed private autos some time ago; aside from fire and service vehicles it's either shank's mare or real mare (lots of horse-drawn taxis).

Hotel was chosen for the film, a period piece/love affair (the single Academy nomination was for costume) as a fallback from the Del Coronado in San Diego. Seems the Del had a few too many modern upgrades (aluminum window frames?) whilst the Grand was still pretty much a turn-of-the-century relic. Movie released in 1980, shot in late '70s. I love this bit of trivia from IMDB: "While Christopher Reeve was filming this movie, the local theater decided to show his latest hit Superman (1978). Many of the "Somewhere" cast joined the locals for the event. Early into the screening, the sound went out. Reeve, who was seated next to Jane Seymour, stood up in the audience and delivered all the lines."

The real clue here is the size of the porch. That porch is billed as the world's longest... and it is a big'un. If you look carefully, both of the photos only show about HALF the porch. Great place for an after-dinner drink/smoke.

[Foy]

Hotel is indeed the Grand Hotel, dating from the 1880s. http://www.grandhotel.com/


The real clue here is the size of the porch. That porch is billed as the world's longest... and it is a big'un. If you look carefully, both of the photos only show about HALF the porch. Great place for an after-dinner drink/smoke.

Yep, the only structure which came to mind given the size and the formal attire was the Grand. I didn't "cheat" and look it up first, but now that I gander at their website, it's said to be 660' in length.

I didn't see anything during a brief glance at their website citing a prohibition to private photography. What's the story there, Cal?

Foy

[Mark Sedenquist]

Weirdly, I thought I was seeing a part of the "Del" at the Del Coronado in San Diego, but the flora was all wrong. That's a good one!

Mark

[CalOldBlue]

Sorry, didn't mean to throw people off with the "stealth" mention. I don't like shoving lenses in people's faces without asking, so for this shot (with a guy sitting a few yards away) I took some shots using my pocket camera in my lap, without really aiming. As far as I know you can shoot away to your heart's content at the hotel.

For those who haven't connected the dots yet, the Bronner's/Frankenmuth photos posted here earlier were part of the same trip; occasioned by a friend's wedding on Mackinac island.

Did you say 1970 Glenmorangie? Yikes! I bet that goes down smooth!!

[Mark Sedenquist]

Did you say 1970 Glenmorangie? Yikes! I bet that goes down smooth!!

Yeah, it's pretty close to heaven. Care to guess what such a shot costs in a bar? Suffice it to say, that when Megan discovered what I was drinking one night at our local hideaway, she was not overly amused. Actually, I haven't felt that flush in a couple of years -- But it is one such benchmarks for relative prosperity.

[CalOldBlue]

... old enough to have grandchildren.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Where is this? And what are they doing in there?

(Photo by Mark Sedenquist)

[PNW Judy]

But where? Heck, I haven't a clue. :(

[Mark Sedenquist]

That waterfall is also hot!

And it's not in the USA, but it is in North America.

Mark