winter lodge

No steps, but close.

Last year, after posting all those shots of snow, I was itching for a winter experience of my own.
I managed a short visit to Yosemite just after a snow fall. Trudging through the snow was magical, but something else made a play for my heart. The Ahwahnee Hotel was my winter lodge fantasy come true.

Once I'd booked my trip, I started searching for films that featured location shooting at the hotel. Few showed the interior of the building, although the fabricated sets for The Shining came the closest. My Favorite Wife was supposed to have been shot at the hotel, but once I walked around the place I could tell it was only inspired set design.

These do give you the idea:


Huge fireplaces;


Funky elevator, though the stairs gave a better view of the architecture;


Large, open lobby - front desk just to the left there;


Oh yes, this looks just like the bar. For hot chocolate, of course.

My Favorite Wife (1940)
directed by Garson Kanin
art direction by Van Nest Polglase
associate art direction by Mark-Lee Kirk

Is time really passing that quickly?

Yes, apparently January is already half over. I should keep a better watch on all those clocks I've been collecting.

I wanted to extend a great big thank you to all my visitors throughout the years. I deeply appreciate your comments (and gifts of films!) and words of recognition. I truly do even if it takes me a while to respond.

I'm sure it's blog-world-wide, but I've been having a persistent case of spam that I'm having trouble eradicating. I have finally caved and enacted the wiggly-word gate for comments from now on. I harrumph and snort when I see those floating letters once I type my comment elsewhere but I need to do something. I'm starting to lose legitimate comments in amongst the spam notices. I want to keep comments open to hear from as many people as possible, so let's give this a try.