Chris Allen's Blog - Posts Tagged "robert-de-niro"
LONDON & LOS ANGELES MINI-SERIES
1. AUSTRALIA HOUSE AND BOB THE BUILDER IN LONDON
LONDON, DAY ONE.
It's 2am and I can't sleep - must be 11am in Sydney. I had a full and busy first day sightseeing in London, even after the cancelled flights which delayed my arrival, and not being able to catch up with some former comrades-in-arms from the British Parachute Regiment as a result.
Here's a few snaps from the first day...
(You can view the pictures at http://buff.ly/1bfdMSi - captions are below)
Outside Australia House, otherwise known as the Australian High Commission. This place became well known to me when I was first sent to London on attachment to the British Army!
At Baker St Station, where there is a very cool homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic characters on the wall.
I'm not one for stage musicals, but my Sar has always enjoyed them them, and if you combine that with her two other loves, Roald Dahl and chocolate - well, you can't get much better than that!
I was lucky to meet up with Neil Morrissey, the voice of Bob the Builder, one of the characters my three year old son adores.
Here I am with one of my best mates Dick, at the Salisbury where I was with our families back in 2009 for a drink - down to the exact same seat!
Big day of meetings over the coming days, so best get some shut eye - will check in soonest.
***
2. FLEMING'S HOME AND RONNIE SCOTT'S IN LONDON
DAYS TWO AND THREE.
Once again, it's 3am and the jet lag in London-town continues to be a killer. But at least it's a chance to reflect what has been and prepare for that which is ahead!
I love London, the history of the place, the sense of occasion, even the fact that the cabbies call you 'Guv'. So I've been walking as much as I can between meetings, and seeing some of my favourite spots on the fly.
Here's a few of them:
(View the pictures at http://buff.ly/12R0ZlB - captions are below)
Not just any house, this was Ian Fleming's home located on Ebury St in London.
I took the chance to pay my respects on what would have been Fleming's birthday - 28 May.
Happy Birthday, Mr Fleming.
The only right way to celebrate the life of my literary hero is by having his favourite meal, scrambled eggs for breakfast, at the Nightingale Cafe.
I chanced upon The Ritz which appears in the final chapter of Hunter: Intrepid 2.
Really enjoyed capturing this view of MI6 from Vauxhall Bridge - exactly where it was shot from in the latest Bond movie Skyfall!
Ronnie Scott's is a jazz club in Soho - an institution. We were last there in 2009 for a memorable night where the Ronnie Scott's orchestra played the Miles Davis Kind of Blue album.
A few of the upcoming gigs at Ronnie Scott's, and it's no surprise to see Madeleine Peyroux is sold out!
Got a bit more time to enjoy in this great old town before flying out to the bright lights of Hollywood on Saturday. It's a whirlwind trip, but I'm loving every minute.
Time for a cup of tea to start the day, I think!
***
3. LORD NELSON & THE RED LION IN LONDON
DAYS FOUR AND FIVE
This has been a whirlwind first week, and still another to go in LA, with some book-related meetings that have blown my mind, and an opportunity to walk the streets of London in between. One of my favourite pubs is in Westminster, called The Red Lion, and when I dropped in there this week, I had a great chat with the staff who were thrilled to hear that their cosy venue is featured in Defender and Hunter!
I hope you enjoy the latest installment...
(View the pictures at http://buff.ly/12VDF6q - the captions are below)
My favourite landmark in London: Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square.
Enjoying being in Conan Doyle territory.
At the Sherlock Holmes museum. Unfortunately there was a line of 250 people down the street waiting to get in, so I saw it from the outside only.
A bobby outside the Sherlock museum. Gotta keep watch!
With Cathy (left) and Desiree (right) and Alex Morgan (centre) at my favourite pub in London, The Red Lion Westminster. It was great to take Morgan & Hunter for a photo opportunity as the venue appears in both books!
Can never go past a plate of bangers & mash at The Red Lion, and a pint of Guiness too!
Quintessential London, walking towards Piccadilly from Oxford Circus.
I was thrilled to be able to catch up for a 3Para reunion lunch with my great mate Bill. Just like old times!
Without any further ado, off to the City of Angels I fly!
***
4. ROBERT DE NIRO & MAD MEN IN HOLLYWOOD
WEEK TWO.
Los Angeles sure does have a different feel to the streets of London. There's little walking to meetings, for one, so I'm seeing the town from moving vehicle than by foot. Everything is big and brash, bright and brassy. There's no shortage of luxury cars at the hotels, either!
It's been an extremely productive week, so before I finish up and fly back Down Under, here's some snaps from about town.
(View the pictures at http://buff.ly/14ithZ2 - the captions are below)
I've waited a long time to see this sign!
The Chinese Theatre which is famous in Hollywood, and you may have seen it in an action scene from Iron Man 3 as well!
I was lucky to be able to spend a couple of days with my good mate Dudge, who has been a staunch supporter of my stories from the very beginning.
We went to the fantastic restaurant AGO which is owned by Robert de Niro - the service was unlike anything I've experienced before!
I had the Osso Bucco. Well, you wouldn't order chicken at a restaurant owned by De Niro, would you?
It's not real, but it's good fun to hold one of these, all the same.
This is a very typical street in Beverly Hills - we see them on the TV shows all the time!
Looking down to Santa Monica Boulevard to Beverly Hills - Century City is in the background and that is where Cleopatra was filmed!
Don is looking across Sunset Boulevard to my hotel so at least I can't get lost!
Even the Beverly Hills Neighbourhood Watch program looks like something from a movie...
Here's the Dolby Theatre, formerly known as the Kodak Theatre, which hosted the Academy Awards this February.
Fajitas and Margaritas with my brother-in-arms from Paratrooping days and hugely successful fellow creative capitalist, Bradley Trevor Greive. If you haven't checked out his work yet, do so here.
I feel incredibly lucky to be able to have seen these sights between my meetings about town, and I reckon LA will be appearing in a future Intrepid story!
I hope you've enjoyed this mini-series of blogs on my recent travels as much as I have.
***
If you're in Sydney, see you at the Willoughby Hotel next Thursday 13 June for a Malfajiri Sunset and a few more yarns? More details here: http://buff.ly/15UM1O8
***
Join up to Intrepid and receive future blog updates by email here: http://intrepidallen.com/contact
LONDON, DAY ONE.
It's 2am and I can't sleep - must be 11am in Sydney. I had a full and busy first day sightseeing in London, even after the cancelled flights which delayed my arrival, and not being able to catch up with some former comrades-in-arms from the British Parachute Regiment as a result.
Here's a few snaps from the first day...
(You can view the pictures at http://buff.ly/1bfdMSi - captions are below)
Outside Australia House, otherwise known as the Australian High Commission. This place became well known to me when I was first sent to London on attachment to the British Army!
At Baker St Station, where there is a very cool homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic characters on the wall.
I'm not one for stage musicals, but my Sar has always enjoyed them them, and if you combine that with her two other loves, Roald Dahl and chocolate - well, you can't get much better than that!
I was lucky to meet up with Neil Morrissey, the voice of Bob the Builder, one of the characters my three year old son adores.
Here I am with one of my best mates Dick, at the Salisbury where I was with our families back in 2009 for a drink - down to the exact same seat!
Big day of meetings over the coming days, so best get some shut eye - will check in soonest.
***
2. FLEMING'S HOME AND RONNIE SCOTT'S IN LONDON
DAYS TWO AND THREE.
Once again, it's 3am and the jet lag in London-town continues to be a killer. But at least it's a chance to reflect what has been and prepare for that which is ahead!
I love London, the history of the place, the sense of occasion, even the fact that the cabbies call you 'Guv'. So I've been walking as much as I can between meetings, and seeing some of my favourite spots on the fly.
Here's a few of them:
(View the pictures at http://buff.ly/12R0ZlB - captions are below)
Not just any house, this was Ian Fleming's home located on Ebury St in London.
I took the chance to pay my respects on what would have been Fleming's birthday - 28 May.
Happy Birthday, Mr Fleming.
The only right way to celebrate the life of my literary hero is by having his favourite meal, scrambled eggs for breakfast, at the Nightingale Cafe.
I chanced upon The Ritz which appears in the final chapter of Hunter: Intrepid 2.
Really enjoyed capturing this view of MI6 from Vauxhall Bridge - exactly where it was shot from in the latest Bond movie Skyfall!
Ronnie Scott's is a jazz club in Soho - an institution. We were last there in 2009 for a memorable night where the Ronnie Scott's orchestra played the Miles Davis Kind of Blue album.
A few of the upcoming gigs at Ronnie Scott's, and it's no surprise to see Madeleine Peyroux is sold out!
Got a bit more time to enjoy in this great old town before flying out to the bright lights of Hollywood on Saturday. It's a whirlwind trip, but I'm loving every minute.
Time for a cup of tea to start the day, I think!
***
3. LORD NELSON & THE RED LION IN LONDON
DAYS FOUR AND FIVE
This has been a whirlwind first week, and still another to go in LA, with some book-related meetings that have blown my mind, and an opportunity to walk the streets of London in between. One of my favourite pubs is in Westminster, called The Red Lion, and when I dropped in there this week, I had a great chat with the staff who were thrilled to hear that their cosy venue is featured in Defender and Hunter!
I hope you enjoy the latest installment...
(View the pictures at http://buff.ly/12VDF6q - the captions are below)
My favourite landmark in London: Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square.
Enjoying being in Conan Doyle territory.
At the Sherlock Holmes museum. Unfortunately there was a line of 250 people down the street waiting to get in, so I saw it from the outside only.
A bobby outside the Sherlock museum. Gotta keep watch!
With Cathy (left) and Desiree (right) and Alex Morgan (centre) at my favourite pub in London, The Red Lion Westminster. It was great to take Morgan & Hunter for a photo opportunity as the venue appears in both books!
Can never go past a plate of bangers & mash at The Red Lion, and a pint of Guiness too!
Quintessential London, walking towards Piccadilly from Oxford Circus.
I was thrilled to be able to catch up for a 3Para reunion lunch with my great mate Bill. Just like old times!
Without any further ado, off to the City of Angels I fly!
***
4. ROBERT DE NIRO & MAD MEN IN HOLLYWOOD
WEEK TWO.
Los Angeles sure does have a different feel to the streets of London. There's little walking to meetings, for one, so I'm seeing the town from moving vehicle than by foot. Everything is big and brash, bright and brassy. There's no shortage of luxury cars at the hotels, either!
It's been an extremely productive week, so before I finish up and fly back Down Under, here's some snaps from about town.
(View the pictures at http://buff.ly/14ithZ2 - the captions are below)
I've waited a long time to see this sign!
The Chinese Theatre which is famous in Hollywood, and you may have seen it in an action scene from Iron Man 3 as well!
I was lucky to be able to spend a couple of days with my good mate Dudge, who has been a staunch supporter of my stories from the very beginning.
We went to the fantastic restaurant AGO which is owned by Robert de Niro - the service was unlike anything I've experienced before!
I had the Osso Bucco. Well, you wouldn't order chicken at a restaurant owned by De Niro, would you?
It's not real, but it's good fun to hold one of these, all the same.
This is a very typical street in Beverly Hills - we see them on the TV shows all the time!
Looking down to Santa Monica Boulevard to Beverly Hills - Century City is in the background and that is where Cleopatra was filmed!
Don is looking across Sunset Boulevard to my hotel so at least I can't get lost!
Even the Beverly Hills Neighbourhood Watch program looks like something from a movie...
Here's the Dolby Theatre, formerly known as the Kodak Theatre, which hosted the Academy Awards this February.
Fajitas and Margaritas with my brother-in-arms from Paratrooping days and hugely successful fellow creative capitalist, Bradley Trevor Greive. If you haven't checked out his work yet, do so here.
I feel incredibly lucky to be able to have seen these sights between my meetings about town, and I reckon LA will be appearing in a future Intrepid story!
I hope you've enjoyed this mini-series of blogs on my recent travels as much as I have.
***
If you're in Sydney, see you at the Willoughby Hotel next Thursday 13 June for a Malfajiri Sunset and a few more yarns? More details here: http://buff.ly/15UM1O8
***
Join up to Intrepid and receive future blog updates by email here: http://intrepidallen.com/contact
