Ken Smith/Turnagain Times
The last couple of weeks was a busy time for filming TV and movies along Turnagain Arm. A film crew from Anchorage based Evergreen Films was at McHugh Creek along with Nana Development Corporation filming a dinsosaur movie. A blue cardboard dinosaur, which will be replaced later with CGI animation, sits on a sandbar in the creek.
Ken Smith/Turnagain Times
A TV crew at a pull-out in Bird films a promo for the Alaska Troopers reality TV show to air on the National Geographic channel beginning this month. Girdwood Troopers will be part of the show now in its third season.
Ken Smith/Turnagain Times
Colin Guinn of SkyCam, Inc. operates a remote controlled turbine powered helicopter to film an Alaska Railroad train at the bike path in Bird for the movie “The Frozen Ground” starring Nicholas Cage and John Cusack. The movie, profiling Alaska serial killer Robert Hansen, is being filmed this month in and around Anchorage. The helicopter costs $100,000, said Guinn. A $60,000 camera is positioned on the front of the copter, which can fly over 55 miles under remote control.
By Paddy Notar
Turnagain Times Correspondent
According to Simon and Schuster, what five things are the most stolen from drug stores? Answer to follow.
Halloween came and went. There were a lot of events including the P.T.A. event at the Daylodge on Friday, Oct. 28. I couldn’t make it because, my team, the Cardinals were playing game seven of the World Series. They won, and it may arguably be the greatest comeback in baseball history.
Speaking of sports, West High School is having their ski swap on Nov 5 and6 from 9 a.m. till noon. Come by and get advice on equipment and sign up for winter sports programs. Experts from UAA will be there to answer your questions as well.
Answer to trivia: Batteries, cosmetics, film, sunglasses, and Preparation H are the five most stolen items from drug stores. Apparently, some people are just too ashamed to bring certain items to the counter.
Check out Alyeska on Wednesday, Nov. 16 for the Snow Film Series: Breaking Trail and After Dark. It goes from 7-9 p.m. at the Sitzmark. Admission is $5 and all ages are welcome.
If you’re looking for really good Girdwood music then check out the Silvertip Grill on Friday, Nov. 4. Julia Dykstra will be playing from 8-11 p.m. There’s no cover and she has a great voice. On Saturday, her husband Jon plays at the Silvertip from 8-11 p.m. Once again, no cover and just great music. Do not forget to order a couple of sliders. I don’t care what they are they are well worth the price and are always delicious. Of course, Sunday is open mic night at the Silvertip with Trent. That goes without saying and it’s a nice encore to Sunday football.
Here’s another trivia for you. The number 57 on “Heinz 57” represents what?
Gas prices continue to climb but Essential One in Bird seems to be the cheapest, and they continue to have the cleanest bathrooms. I’ve never seen better gas station lavatories. It’s kind of weird but they’re nicer than most people’s home bathrooms. It’s worth going there just for the coffee and the local gossip. Some of the stories make “The Enquirer” seem like a boring library book. Do try the beef jerky. They have some of the best around, and the customer service is second to none. Tell Toddo Paddy says “hello” and he’ll give you free advice.
Answer to second trivia: the number 57 in “Heinz 57” represents the variety of pickles the company once had. How do you pickle something 57 different ways? Then again, we’ve all probably been pickled 57 different ways. We just don’t remember.
If you’re in town keep an eye out for John Cusack and Nicholas Cage as they film the movie “The Frozen Ground.” Nicholas Cage has been spotted at several Asian restaurants with his wife. They’ll be filming all over Anchorage for the next several weeks and some of your friends will probably be extras. I’m not one of those people that get star-struck unless I’m looking in the mirror.
If you’re in the mood for a drive south, check out the Upper Kenai River Inn. It’s located at mile 48.6 of the Sterling Highway, and it’s a great bed and breakfast. You get your own personal deck overlooking the river, and you can’t find a better place to go hiking or take photographs. They serve a buffet breakfast with varying items such as smoked salmon quiche, Alaskan blueberry French toast, thick cut, smoked bacon, and cranberry bread just to name a few. Once in a while you have to get out of the neighborhood and check out something else. The drive is beautiful as well as the views. It’s also a good time of year to go as winter rates have kicked in.
Don’t forget that daylight savings time starts on Sunday, Nov. 6. So be sure to set your clocks back an hour. You gain an hour of sleep and an extra hour of work and darkness. Then again, it all evens out in the end. I just wish they’d be done with the back and forth every fall and spring. Did you know that it was instituted during World War I as a means to conserve fuel that was necessary for powering electricity.
Well, that’s it. The roads are a little slippery and don’t think for a minute that just because you have studs on your tires or a big truck that you can’t slide into a ditch or wreck somebody else’s good day. Be careful and give yourself extra time to get to your destination. Welcome to the dark months and take your Vitamin D.
Email me at: paddytimes@gmail.com
