Back in February of this year, the network gave us an all new SSD movie, Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Road Less Traveled.  And for the purpose of this story, I recently sat down for a re-watch and what can I say.  It was just as emotional as it was the first time I saw it.   Wow…. where to begin.  This is SSD # 10 and by far, my favorite of them all, which is saying something since I have thoroughly loved every. single. one.  I had chills several times before the first commercial even aired and the emotion this story released was deep and powerful, more so, I feel, than any other SSD movie we’ve scene. (and that says a lot) I believe, at least for me, that this is due to the fact that I’ve watched since the very first episode aired, when this was a weekly series.  I feel such a genuine connection to these characters, and I have gotten to know each of them so profoundly, as I’m sure so many of you have too.

SSD: The Road Less Traveled found our beloved Postable’s back together again, solving one of the most complex mysteries I can ever remember.  I felt so many emotions during the movie; love, fear, relief, and joy, just to name a few.  This story was so fresh and so different, I could not help but be lured in right from the start.   From Hallmark:

“The Postables take a road trip in an old Winnebago in order to track down a small boy who they fear may have been kidnapped. The discovery of a 1980’s era instant camera and the unusual photographs it contains, send our team on a wild ride across Colorado using the pictures as a guide”. 

As I was watching this movie, I was immediately drawn to the gorgeous scenery we saw on screen.  This was, after all, a road trip and production took full advantage of the beauty of British Columbia.  And unlike any other SSD movie, I was able to locate a few of the film locations before the ending credits rolled, which impressed and excited me equally.  Today, I am sharing with you the location that played Minnie’s Café, the roadside diner known for it’s apple pie.

In real life, Minnie’s Café is called Hottie’s Emporio Italian Eatery, and is known for serving up authentic Italian fare.  And it really is nestled along a timbered highway, somewhat distanced from any town.  During the drive, I was on my own road-trip for places unknown, as this area was all new to me, even the roadway I drove was unfamiliar.  It was very exciting, and I wished more than anything my hubs was with me.  As I’ve mentioned before, he is indifferent about film locations (and is a long-time supporter of my obsession) but he has always loved taking long, scenic drives, and discovering new areas.  This was right up his alley, film location or not.

Hotties is a family owned business, started by the brother-sister team of Alessandro and Chiara Gladden.  It all began in 2012, when the duo opened a food truck, selling their Italian creations to hungry patrons in Mission, B.C.  After finding early success, they began fielding many requests for catering, so the siblings began looking for a commercial kitchen space to rent.  Chiara told me they got lucky when chancing upon their current location. It was everything they were looking for…and more…so they quickly signed a lease, just two years after starting their food truck!

Alessandro is the chef while Chiara handles the front of house.  She shared with me that they come from a large Italian family.  While growing up, their mom was a great cook and food was always a big deal, so it wasn’t a stretch that the sibs would end up in the restaurant biz.  The menu offers the perfect blend of pasta, sandwiches, salads and sides.  Classic pasta dishes such as Bolognese, Pomodoro, and Creamy Pesto are served over Spaghetti, Penne, and Gnocchi.  They offer grilled paninis, several fresh Italian salads, sweets, and sides.  One dish that caught my attention is Spuntini, an Italian take on Pountine.  But their most popular item is called Panzerotti, which is a hand-held pocket of fresh, homemade pizza dough stuffed with ham, ricotta, mozzarella, onions, and peppers then deep fried.  (holy smokes, batman!)

Now that I’ve made myself hungry, let’s talk filming!  The building is no stranger to the screen.  Long before Hotties took residence, it was used in the Robert De Niro film We’re No Angels, (way) back in 1989, where it played a store.  It has also appeared in the long running series, Supernatural.  Chiara tells me that since they have moved in, it has been used twice for filming.  The first time was in last years Lifetime movie, The Lost Wife of Robert Durst (which I would still love to see), followed by the SSD shoot.  Both times, a location scout walked into the restaurant and Chiara says they are still scouted regularly.  Her boyfriend, Luke, acted as liaison for both film shoots and he shared with me they were both great experiences.  Chiara says there was a real sense of pride when she saw Hotties on the screen and she would absolutely allow filming again.

Here are some SSD on-set photos that Luke took:

Earlier this year, they shut the restaurant down and spent five months remodeling the buildings interior.  So, while it may not look exactly as we saw it in SSD, it really is the same place and looks fantastic!!!  Production didn’t make many changes for filming and used a lot of the existing décor for filming. Post remodel, there are several features that make it recognizable and my fave is the exposed brick wall with the large clock.  It was this wall that caught my attention while watching the movie when it premiered.

Another location we saw in SSD: The Road Less Traveled was the service station the team pulled into where the girls got out to pick up sandwiches.  Chiara tipped me off to this location during our interview and I was excited to go check it out.  She says it has been used in many productions over the years and it is just a five minute drive up the road.  I did not go inside as I’m told interiors are not used for any filming.  The service station is located at 28568 Dewdney Trunk Road.

Hotties is open for lunch and dinner six days a week; they are closed Mondays.  They have live music nights on Thursday.  Hotties is located at 31170 Dewdney Trunk Road in Mission, B.C.  www.hottiesfoods.com  Be sure and tell them you’ve scene it on Hallmark!

Many thanks to Chiara and Luke for your time and allowing me to share your story.  I hope to see you soon for lunch!

Wanna buy the movies?  Please consider purchasing through the links below.  I earn a few cents commission, which helps to offset the cost of this website.  Thank you!

 

 

Don’t Miss: The All New Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To The Alter

Fans of the SSD franchise will not want to miss the latest installment of this beloved movie series.  SSD: To The Altar will premiere on Sunday, July 15, 2018.  Check your local listings for time.  At this point, the network has not ordered any new SSD movies.  Let Hallmark know you want to see more of these movies!!!   Plan to watch SSD: To The Altar, tweet live during the movie, and post a comment on Hallmark’s Facebook page.   Let your voice be heard.

For More SSD Related Content:

For more SSD related content, be sure to check out:

This interview with (Shane) Kristin Booth, by my friend Net at It’s A Wonderful Movie.

Have a to listen to this podcast featuring (Shane & Rita) Kristin Booth and Crystal Lowe, with Jacks & Shawl at The Bubbly Sesh.

Read Kurt’s latest 10-questions interview with (Shane) Kristin Booth.

For the most complete and up-to-date info on all things SSD, head over to the Alameda & Downing website.

Thank you!

Thank you for your continued support of this website.  I will be back next week with an all new holiday themed Hallmark location.

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