I posted this a while back, but thought I'd run it again in case some of you New Yorkers missed it.

Geoff, SC (and friend) and I will be attending the Sopranos tour Sept. 17 (Wednesday). Anyone who wants to join us is welcome. Here is the link where you can get info and purchase your tickets on line. From what I can tell, that date is still open, but don't know how long before it sells out.
It would be great to have more BB members join us.


http://www.sceneontv.com/tour.php/sopranos/


TIS

TIS -

Remember to pack your confirmation notice. That'll act as your ticket, and you'll need it.

Hey, remember to pack your cameras, we'll want to see tour too.

Turi,

For a price! Let's see, what's the going rate per picture SC? $5 labor and $5 for the viewing?? . Man, I've been here too long!!

I will pack the confirmation. Thanks for the reminder.

TIS

That sounds so fun! I wish I could go! Fill us all in when you get home!

oooooooooohhhh..i want to gooo...hmm..this sounds really fun, AND it's on the weekend so I don't have to sacrifice work!m I'm gonna check this tour out.

Wish the tour was THIS week......the weather here is absolutely awesome!!

I'm gonna undercut TIS' prices and charge only $4.00 for a picture.

It's a Wednesday

PP,

You mean you are actually considering going? Aren't you in Canada?? Come on, you can play hookey for a day!


TIS

ME??? from CANADA??lol..no no miss TIS, I'm from the DC metropolitan area myself. I'm actually wanting to go sometime this year -yeah, I read the tour dates , they run till almost next year if I'm correct. How fun would THAT be? to see them up close..well maybe not THAT close, but still. When are you bums goin?lol

My Dear PP... please see the first post in this thread And yeah, TIS, you Left Coast people don't know where Alexandria, VA is?

ooooopsie..sorry my lovely Don Geoff. I pologize for my dumbness. Ha..left coast peeps...HEyyyy...Geoff, you know where Alexandria, VA is??oooohh..creeepy.

See why I need specific directions while in NY?? God knows where I'll end up!

Actually, I was thinking of Alberta. I do know of Alexandria, VA, but that's about it. Don't know anything specific about it. However if our little PP lives there, it must be a pretty neat city!

TIS

OK.....what are the odds that Hurricane Isabel will hit NYC on Wednesday?

Its waaaaaay too early to even predict where the storm will strike, but since I have plans to go on this tour I'm betting NYC will be hit on Wednesday.

Alexandria, VA is the city where Remember the Titans took place, right?

Hurricane??? Man! Just what we need! Give me a good ol earthquake any day!! At least they are over within seconds.


TIS

What hurricane?

You ARE joking right? Hardyharhar?

NY wouldn't have the nerve to have a hurricane while we're there. We'll counteract it. We'll just bring that great California weather to NY!!


TIS

Nice of you to be so optimistic, SC! Giving TIS and SB the shivers!

Mick

PS> TIS, all you need to to do is kick it's Sicilian ass out onto the street (what you do best)!

RIGHT. You are a geeeenius. (I went to TC Williams , the same school..yay!!)

The tour has been taken. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you go with some friends you'll enjoy a few hours of relaxation and fun.

The four of us (TIS, Geoff, myself and my friend, Lori) boarded the bus only to hear the tour guide say he understood some "Gangster site board members are riding with us". Oddly enough, as we discussed later, none of us told the guide who we were (so we're thinking that one of you guys tipped him off). The bus pulled out into traffic and we were soon listening to some music from "The Godfather". The guide thought he'd stump us tour-takers (there was a total of 13) with questions about the music, but Geoff answered all the questions, shutting up the guide.

We proceeded into the Lincoln Tunnel (towards Jersey and the site of many of the show's filming locations) and the show's theme song played (way cool).

We then stopped off in Secaucus to pick up the bus' "navigator" only to find out he was a Frank Pentangeli lookalike.

We passed many of the show's more familiar sites, (especially from the opening part of the show), and got to get off the bus and walk around a few of them. The tour treated us to a cannoli from a local bakery (but the guide screwed up Clemenza's quote about "Leave the gun, take the cannoli").

In between stretches where there was nothing "famous" to see the guide asked trivia questions about the show and the four of us cleaned up with some prizes (ranging from a bag of ziti to pens from the "Bada-Bing").

The "highlight" was going into the strip club in which the "Bada-Bing's" scenes are filmed. Even though the show lets us see topless dancers I found out that Jersey doesn't allow an establishment which serves liquor to feature topless gals (the dancers wore TINY little tops). Even still, TIS and Lori were the only ladies sitting at the bar, commenting on how filthy the ladies room was.

Our general consensus was there were too many "minor" sites that were featured on the trip, but the tour itself was professionally done, and generally fun.

Here are two pics you guys might enjoy.

Geoff, wearing his "Satriale's Pork" shirt, in front of the store with the same name (featured at the beginning of each show).



Our very own TIS, in front a fire house that was instrumental in a minor scene.

Great synopsis SC. When you were at Satriale's did you see the chopping block where Johnny Boy used the meat cleaver? Glad to see TIS picked up an "I Love NY" shirt while she was in town. I'm expecting a day-by-day review of her NY experience.

hahaha, that was pretty funny, SC!

i am playing my Godfather Trilogy 30th Anniversary CD right now. how appropriate!

So that's where Satriale's Pork Store comes from??? Nice reference there, Pork!

Welcome back Don Papa! I was wondering where you were. DC's Pinoy Mafia was missing one of its important members!

SC is correct. Many of the sites were minor scenes which I barely remembered or didn't remember at all. However, it still was enjoyable, as I got to see New Jersey and get a feel for the area, and being with SC, Geoff & Lori made it a lot of fun.

The definite highlight was Bada Bing's, which looked exactly as you see it on tv. Oh, then the strippers....we'll Lori and I had to practically drag Geoff and SC to sit front and center, but they reluctantly agreed ...!!! ha ha We were only allowed about15 minutes inside so drinks had to be guzzled down quickly. No problem for Geoff and SC. As soon as the "ladies" started dancing, there was no problem drinking quickly.

I sincerely want to thank Geoff, SC & Lori who really went out of there way traveling to NYC,not to mention the expense to join me. I feel I have made some pretty wonderful new friends. Thanks guys!!

TIS

The tour was fun -- mostly because of the wonderful company, and the sense of humor of the tour guide. The tour lasted 4.5 hours (traffic), and the "meat" of it was 2 hours, which I caught all on video.

Some of the locations we visited/drove past:

Barone Sanitation
Lincoln Park Driving Range/Batting Cages
New Skyway Diner
NJ Power Plant
AJ's High School
La Pizza
Columbus Statue
Cleveland Auto Body
Satriale's
Father Phil's Church
La Cibelle's Restaruant (New Vesuvio)
Delta Gas Station
Party World
Bada Bing (Satin Dolls)

Also sites from the opening credits: Lincoln Tunnel, St Peter's Cemetery, Muffler Man, Pulaski Skyway, Residences Tony passes, Pizza Land, and others.

Even some sites that have been used for the upcoming Season 5.

Unfortunately, some of the more major locations are located too far in North Jersey to have visited (I had seen a few of them with a friend of mine).

One of these days I'll go through that 2 hours of footage and post some pics. Quite an undertaking, so don't expect it too soon

All in all, a great day - beautiful weather - and wonderful company!

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SPOILERS?

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Not technically spoilers, but the guide -- who claims to be a regular stand-in and extra for the series -- noted some actors we can expect in the Fifth Season: Namely, Steve Buscemi, and Plawrence's buddy Frank Vincent!

I am so glad you guys had each other, because frankly I think it sounds like the tour was kind of thin. I guess you get what they have to show as it is not Universal Studios. Only 13 people including you four. I guess things are slow in the tour business also.

TIS, you had the cream of the group with you. I guess no one can ask for anything more then that.

A couple of the Soprano scenes were shot up in Rockland County, NY. Albertus Magnus (Catholic) High School was used once. There was a lot flak about that from the Catholic community - a Catholic school being used for a show of that nature.

The other one was the famous Pine Barrens episode. It was shot in Harriman Park on the borders of Rockland and Orange County. When it was aired I said to myself, that can't be the Pine Barrens, look at the mountains and the trees. It looked to me like Harriman Park. Then at the end, when Tony drives away with Paulie and Chris, he is driving on Seven Lakes Pkwy with Lake Tiorati on the left. I've been on that very road 100+ times. This winter I will take a picture of it for comparison sake. Can't wait for season FIVE.

Yup, you're right, the guide confirmed that. That area looks nothing like the real pine barrens (I've been to both)

I'm innocent.

Methinks we have a mole on the board...