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A
film
by Alexander Payne
Filmed on location in California's
beautiful
Santa Ynez Valley, Alexander
Payne's "Sideways" tells the story of two friends,
Miles and Jack (Paul
Giamatti and
Thomas Haden Church) who
set out to spend a weekend together before Jack's wedding. Along the
way Maya (Virginia Madsen) and Stephanie (Sandra Oh) come into their
lives. Virginia plays a waitress here
at the Hitching Post.
Frank Ostini, owner and Executive
Chef of the
HItching Post II Restaurant and
co-owner of Hartley Ostini Hitching
Post Winery reminisces about the screenplay and the experience:
"Sideways started more than 5 years ago as Rex Pickett (writer of the recently published novel, Sideways) would often hang out at our bar on his visits here from Southern California. He said he was writing a book about our region, its wines, wineries, restaurants and people. He said the bartender and a waitress were in it. I, being somewhat of a skeptic, didn't beleive it would ever be published. Boy, was I wrong!
Only
in June of 2003 did we realize that Sideways would
be a movie
as location scouts began to comb the Santa Ynez Valley. Rex really had
writen a novel, and that manuscript had been picked up by directer
Alexander Payne. His people were setting up filming in many of the
places
Paul Giamatti, Alexander Payne, Thomas Haden Church
that Rex had visited and writen into his soon-to-be book. The
Hitching Post was one of those places. I, still being the skeptic,
wasn't sure I wanted the HP to be part of this. Would they treat
the
Hitching Post, the HP and all my friend's wines, and our region with
honor and respect?
I met the with the producer
Michael London and
many of his staff. I asked a million questions. After reading
the
script, I had issues with some of the content. I met with Alexander
Payne to discuss these issues. He took note of what I had to say,
although I knew he wasn't going to
Virginia Madsen and Frank Ostini
change
his movie on my
account. But I was convinced he was a sensitive, creative and
very talented director. I knew we should be involved as much as we
could.
Before filming
started actress Virginia Madsen, who
plays a waitress in the HP, came and spent time in our kitchen
and bar
to get a feeling of what that job is
like and who we are. We also
Frank Ostini, Thomas Haden Church, Paul Giamatti
Alexander Payne, Gray Hartley, Michael Londontook
her and co-star Sandra Oh to
our winery to show them how we make wine.
We also took them to Au Bon Climat winery where they enjoyed a famous
Jim Clendenen lunch.
Sideways
was
filmed in our region over ten weeks in October/November 2003.
They used the Hitching Post for
three days.
We were braced for an unconfortable experience, having heard that Hollywood filmakers would trample our location, and all of us in their way. Instead, everyone on the Sideways team was considerate and a pleasure to work with and to be with. They were all so happy and glad to be working on this quality film with such a wonderful director in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley. We were and are so happy to have been a part of Sideways!"
Hitching Post Hosts Faux
Festivities/Benefit to Celebrate ``Sideways'. To read the Press Release click here.
Be sure to stop in and sample the Hitching Post hospitality and
try our Hartley Ostini Hitching
Post wines. We
are open for dinner daily
except major holidays. Wines are also available from retailers and our
website.
Sideways photos and
logo © 2004
Photographer Merle Wallace
Fox
Searchlight
Pictures. Used with permission.