I had a 9 am meeting in Providence Tuesday. Drove into the city and parked across the street from the Capitol. It was a perfect May morning. Nary a cloud. Calm. I walked down the hill into what's called DownCity. Strode past Providence Place, the mall that sits like a beached Queen Mary on the banks of the river that runs through the city. My meeting was in an old building on Westminster Street, which is in the heart of the Arts District. Across the street from the building is the Symposium Bookstore. In front of the store, they were making a movie. Cameras, cables snaking through the streets. Actresses standing on the sidewalk reading scripts, practicing their lines. I asked someone what it was they were making.
" 27 Dresses, " a guy said. I asked a few more questions of a few more people standing around. But didn't learn more than the title.
I went to my meeting. Walked back to the car and drove home. Googled " 27 Dresses. " It's going to be a major motion picture, starring Edward Burns and Grey's Anatomy star Katherine Heigl. There was a photo of Katherine Heigl on the preproduction website. She was the actress I walked past on my way back to my car. She was the drop dead gorgeous blonde I saw reading the script.
All in all it was a pretty nice morning in Providence. I don't get into the city all that much. I don't get into cities all that much. Too much manic energy for my tastes these days. But my morning in Providence reminded me of London. I was stationed in England back in the 70s. The RAF base was located about an hour's train ride from London. I went down there a lot. Got to know the city like the back of my hand. I recall May mornings in London. Walking through the streets of Soho. Up Greek Street, down Frith. Out onto Charring Cross Road. Past the theaters in the West End.
The Arts District in Providence reminds me of that. Maybe I'll go back...
To Providence real soon.
2 comments:
Terry, Here's one for you. Do you remember the German beer cellar near the Bayswater tube station? I remember going there because it was the only place with American tasting beer. I also remember going to a pub in Soho just to get Watney's Red Barrel. I wouldn't want to your readers to think that's all we did but, how about the big pub just outside Picadilly Circus. It was a two story pub if I remember correctly. On the serious side. To stand next to Nelson's column looking up realizing that the sky was once filled with Ju-88's and Heinkel bombers was awsome. Then to go to the palace where all the kings and queens once ruled. It made one realize just how young The United States really is. One day I'd like to go back just to see the old familiar streets once again. I was watching A Hard Day's Night yesterday and the one thing that popped out was the scene in the train station. One of the character's was trying to open one of those Triangular milk cartons out of the machine. It was always nice to get home to Bedford after London because as you have realized. Big Cities Suck. Oh by the way. Wasn't there a pub right next to the bus stop. I think it was the Saracins (forgot how to spell it) Head. We were really a couple of lucky warriors. No war and all the history were could see. You should tell your readers about Rosseta and go to the
Chicksands web site to the Priory. Pretty scary in the fog. Did they ever find the head of the monk who got her pregnant? I think it's still floating around somewhere. Thanks for the memories and thanks for your web site. You use words as I do music. It's great. Fred
Memories of London. Those were the days, and you're right. We were fortunate warriors. Our PTSD were those hangovers from drinking gallons of beer in places like that German beer keller. Bayswater? I recall that it was off Trafalger Square. That big pub in Picadilly was The Cockney Pride. The pub in Bedford was The Kings Arms. I too was in awe of the history of that city we got to know so well. One evening, as I was walking down Oxford Street I think it was. Maybe Regent Street. All the lights in the west end went out. All those big neon signs in Picadilly Circus. I thought: This must be how it was during the Blitz. What it was was a strike by electrical workers I think. Thanks for the feedback re the words I use, Fred. Coming from you, that's huge.
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