Safe Haven Movie {Part 1}
I am a southern girl which means we look forward to the next Nicholas Sparks book! I’ve never stood in line for a book signing until Safe Haven came out in October of 2010. Nicholas Sparks always does a book signing in Greenville, SC. I decided to go since this book was so special. It takes place in Southport, NC and the surrounding beaches. We have a beach house on Caswell Beach that we own with family. A friend of mine and my daughter Ashlyn were eager to go! We waited in line for a while, but it was so worth it! Nicholas was such a sweetie. He had to have been tired, but he greeted and visited with each fan.
Don’t ask me why I thought it was ok to not fix my hair or try to look cute!!!!! My friend and I got quite the laugh out of that! It was one of those days that I let the time get away from me and before I knew it….it was time to leave!!!!!! At least Ashlyn looked cute.
October 2010
Needless to say, I devoured the book. It was an easy, quick read. It was a page turner….probably my favorite book of his to date!
Fast forward to the summer of 2012! Yep…..it was being made into a movie where we spend our summers. It was quite exciting. Everyone was on the look out for Josh Duhamel and Fergie! Maybe a sighting of Julianne Hough and Ryan Seacrest!!! Southport, NC is a very lovely historic port town. It is small and quaint with mom and pop restaurants, antique shops, clothing boutiques and a wealth of awesome thrift and consignment stores. The movie opens nation-wide this Thursday which is Valentine’s Day. I am quite excited! I thought I’d share with you some a lot of the photos that I took last summer. I am going to divide it into 2 posts. This one will be a close up of the beautiful set while the finishing touches are made prior to the start of filming. The 2nd post will be photos during our sneaking around to get shots of the cast Josh Duhamel.
Our neighbors own a beautiful boat. We occasionally go out with them on it for the day. We usually cruise the Intercostal Waterway and lunch at Bald Head Island. We were out on the boat and I got some great shots from the water view. The Old American Fish Co. is actually just an open air bar. A lot of times we will go there while we wait on a table at one of the surrounding restaurants. So quaint that they will call your cell when your table is ready. This location actually closed for a couple of weeks during filming. It was transformed into a restaurant and renamed. It became the location of where Julianne Hough’s character worked.
Our absolute favorite restaurant…..The Provision Company. It has been voted one of Coastal Living magazines seafood dives! The Special…..crab cake, steamed shrimp with slaw and corn on the cob is yummy!
Fishy Fish Café is another favorite with outdoor dining and live music. It is actually where we hung out for hours watching production. It was just me and Ashlyn. We had the house to ourselves. We actually met a lovely mother and daughter who were on a road trip together from Mississippi. We watched together. They are so sweet. We have actually maintained a friendship through Facebook.
Behind the row of restaurants lies rows of beautiful historic homes. It is a lovely evening stroll….bring your bug spray though! Many TV shows and movies have been filmed in Southport. Southport is a short 40 minute drive to Wilmington, NC…. a major part of the Hollywood film industry. At the same time Iron Man was being filmed there.
Here is the set of the general store that Josh Duhamel’s character owns. It is brand new construction built to fit in with atmosphere of Southport. It is quite lovely!
They are busy working to stock shelves in the store and decorate the upstairs living space.
Looks like it has always been here!
Here are some shots from the road. This street was not closed until filming actually started. The did keep the set roped off and had security around the clock in the evenings.
I just love the feel of this set! It is a shame that as a part of the movie….it was sadly burned to the ground. Notice the detail!
It is just so stinking cute!
Cool old truck on set-
Upstairs peek at the living quarters
Ashlyn in front of one of the historic houses-
Oak Island Lighthouse on Caswell Beach
Woods and Ashlyn on Caswell Beach………Heaven on Earth!
Max and I waiting on our table at The Provision Company!
Up next………filming pictures!!!!!
Here is the link for Part 2: The Filming
I also have posts on the historical homes of Southport. You can find those here>
Historical Homes of Southport-Part 1
Historical Homes of Southport-Part 2
Historical Homes of Southport-Part 3
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I just love seeing these pics. We are relocating to NC this summer and I am aching to arrive! Thank you for sharing these. Recently read the book and watched the movie with my husband. Nicholas Sparks is a tremendous inspiration to me. Loving your blog and FB page!
Thank you so much!!!! My husband has been coming here since a kid. I’ve been coming since 89. Not sure where you are relocating to, but if you can ever visit Southport….you will love its historic small town charm!!! Thanks for visiting! Happy 4th and best wishes with the move! ~Christy
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I love his movies always being set in this area. I like to watch them just for the coastal feel not to mention the romance. Thank you for joining Home Sweet Home!
Sherry
Thanks so much Sherry! The area of Southport is just magical!
I find this funny that I came by this post…I was just talking to my daughter about this movie…she saw it last night and loved it.
Blessings,
Linda
Thanks so much Linda! The movie did a great job of filming the area. I thought it was so neat that names of businesses and streets were not renamed! I loved the movie, but the book is so worth the read!
Thanks for sharing, I saw the movie parts of it while at the movies and it looks so good! I read the book too and love all his books. The pictures you took are wonderful!
Thanks so much! The book was probably my favorite by Nicholas Sparks!
What a magical place….everything is sooooo beautiful!!
Thanks for sharing!
~Des
Thanks so much!!!!!
I loved looking at these photos! What a beautiful and charming seaside town!! It looks like a place I would love to go. We visited Tybee Island in 2010, and felt connected to The Last Song, because the island is so beautiful and quaint! I hope to see this new movie of his. I’m sure it will be fantastic and sad, haha! Thanks for sharing this.
Blessings,
Leslie
Thanks so much, Leslie!!! I have never been to Tybee, but I’ve heard that it is fabulous!!! Thanks for visiting. I just visited you, and I’m your newest follower!
Neato!!!! My husband bought this book for me at our daughter’s book fair in December. I spilled an entire glass of water on it and the pages are all rippled. Ericka, our daughter, said the other day to me, “Mom, are you ever going to read that book?” lol
Needless to say, I am going to read it now…thanks to your review!!!! Thanks for all the pics!
Donna, how funny!!! Read the book…you’ll love it! Thanks so much!
Such a great post. Beautiful family and your children are precious!!!
Blessings,
Cindy
Thanks bunches, Cindy!
Oh I so enjoyed reading that! So cool! And what a lovely location. 🙂 I would say they did a fantastic job of making that look like it had always been there! (a little different than my mind imagined it..but better!lol ) Can’t wait to see your next post..and the movie!
nancy
Thanks, Nancy! Warning the next post will be very Josh Duhamel heavy! LOL!!!
I LOVE this post! My inlaws have a house in a golf community a few miles from Southport and we go there every year! I just adore that cute little town! We always eat at the Provision too! I love how casual it is – there is always a wait to get in! If you get a chance, stop over and read my posts about Southport. Just scroll down to the label section at the bottom of my blog and click on the North Carolina posts. I have a bunch of pictures of Southport. I can’t wait to see your filming pictures – and I love Nicholas Sparks too! I knew it was him in the picture the second I clicked on your blog!
-Shelley
Shelley, how awesome that you vacation there! I will look at your photos. You’ll have to message me the next time you are there……we could have a blogger luncheon!!! I am there off and on all summer~
Christy I LOVE THIS!!! These pictures are fantastic! I felt like I was back in South Port! I am going to follow this page and will recommend it as well! What a blessing to meet you and your lovely daughter! Thanks for posting on my wall!
Thanks so much Lori! You and your daughter are just lovely! I only wish we lived closer…we’d have fun together! Thanks so much for sharing. It is hard growing a blog!