The Cyclone, parachute Jumps, Wonder Wheel, Luna Park, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Cotton Candy, Steeplechase, The Boardwalk, The Beach, The Atlantic Ocean, The joys of chilhood and youth.
The annual Mermaid Parade took place today in Coney Island, celebrating the opening of the summer season at the beach. Coney Island has become run down and a bit rough around the edges. Arts groups have formed to work with its old time carnival side show atmosphere and to preserve what is left of its very old style burlesque and freak show aesthetic. The day was a little rainy, but that didn't stop them from parading. These three were in the competition for mermaid of the year, and are giving it their all. The costumes were beautiful and/or imaginative - we found the event (a first for both of us) to be extremely enjoyable. We will be posting again on this parade...From Brian Dube's blog "New York Daily Photo."
What are some of your Coney Island Dreams?
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ReplyDeleteMy dream was to dig a foxhole on the beach and wait there wait until every one left so I could listen to the roar of the ocean and the crashing of the waves and fall gently asleep.
ReplyDeleteE-mail to my good friend who tells me she enjoys my blogs:
ReplyDeleteHi,
Thanks for the compliment.
As I child growing up in Coney Island I met and knew several people who were excellent violinists. There weren't that many, but the few I met inspired me and then as the bio indicates I had the good fortune to sign up with the Roosa School of Music which I described in the bio..
I went once a week except for the summers because they had a summer camp and I had a substitute teacher for the summers. I journeyed by subway for my lessons from Coney Island to Boro Hall, then I took a local to one of the streets in Brooklyn Heights to a beautiful old Brownstone where the school was located.
Then I would go on Friday nights to quartet playing where I played a viola they loaned me. There was also at times orchestra practice for the recitals they gave all around town, many in churches.
I did that until I was 19. from 13 to 19. It was the heart of the cold war and I failed the exemption test. Actually, I got a 68 on the exemption test, which is a passing grade, but they made it tough by upping the pass grade for the exemption to 78.
But all that is another story.
My teacher was 75 when I first started taking lesson and 81 when I stopped.
After I left for New Mexico and Colorado I returned to New York where I met Vita.
I stopped off at the Music repair shop which had referred me to Roosa and I asked about him, thinking he probably had passed away.
The violin repairman said, "No, he was very much alive and still playing the violin. I should go up to see him, He lives in Queens."
Coney island dreams were all about becoming if not a great violinist at least an accomplished one.
I think I got to about half way to that goal. Whatever time I have left goes into figuring why I could not make it all the way.
Maybe you can help me with that and other questions like what is going to happen with that oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico?
Regards to Harvey and I hope we can get together again soon.
Jordan
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Just click on the Amazon link on top of the page.