Photo Album | Amusing the Zillion

Archive for the ‘Photo Album’ Category

Photo Album: Coney Island Boardwalk Businesses Open for 2010

Posted in Photo Album, tagged Boardwalk, Coney Island 2010, Lola Star, Ruby's Bar, small business, Souvenir Shop on April 23, 2010| 4 Comments »

ATZ is happy to see Coney Island’s small businesses alive and kicking in the first year of Coney Island’s predicted rebirth. The good news is that all of the familiar mom-and-pop shops, bars and eateries on Coney Island’s Boardwalk are back in business for the 2010 season. The big difference is real estate speculator Joe Sitt is no longer their landlord and unlike previous years, they didn’t suffer a rent hike.

Coney Island Souvenir Shop on the Boardwalk. Photo © Tricia Vita//me-myself-i via flickr

Rolling Sign: Souvenir Shop on the Boardwalk in Coney Island. Photo © Tricia Vita//me-myself-i via flickr

When the City of New York bought 6.9 acres of Coney Island property from Thor Equities in November, existing tenants on the Boardwalk were offered a one-year lease at last year’s rate, including one tenant who’d famously gotten the boot from Thor: The Lola Star Boutique. We’re thrilled that Lola aka entrepreneur Dianna Carlin is back in her original location next to Ruby’s after a one-year absence. Carlin, the founder of Save Coney Island, had not been offered a lease in 2009 by Thor because of her outspokenness on Coney Island development issues.

Lola Star Boutique Returns! Photo © Tricia Vita//me-myself-i via flickr

Lola Star’s Dreamland Roller Rink, located in the Childs Building on the Boardwalk and leased from Taconic Investment Partners, will reopen next month. (Update 5/16: The roller rink will NOT return to Coney!) Other returning Boardwalk businesses scheduled to open in the coming weeks: Pio Pio Rico–“The House of the Best Peruvian Rotisserie Chicken”— located in the former Astroland arcade, Beer Island, and Nathan’s Famous Boardwalk location.

The Best French Fries Sold Here! Paul's Daughter on Coney Island Boardwalk. Photo © Tricia Vita//me-myself-i via flickr

Paul’s Daughter, Gyro Corner, Ruby’s Bar & Grill, Cha Cha’s, Steve’s Grill House, Rosa’s Tacos & Juice Bar and the Coney Island Souvenir Shop next to Ruby’s are already open daily. Weather permitting, of course. The Lola Star Boutique and Shoot the Freak are currently open weekends. Also open daily in Coney Island: Nathan’s Famous original location at Surf and Stillwell, Williams Candy, Coney Island Beach Shop and the WCS New York Aquarium.

JT & Cha Cha Welcome You to Coney Island 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita//me-myself-i via flickr

On Wednesday, a painter was touching up the sign at Steve’s Grill House. ATZ observed many people out and about on the Boardwalk. We chatted with several British tourists who’d been stranded in New York by the volcanic ash cloud. It was a sunny, breezy afternoon until rain sent everyone scurrying for cover and the Coney Island Souvenir Shop wheeled in their sign.

Touching Up the Sign at Steve's Grill House on the Boardwalk. Photo © Tricia Vita//me-myself-i via flickr

Coney Island Souvenir Shop owner Tom Suh died in a car accident in March and is much missed by his Coney Island friends and family. On Easter Sunday, we offered our condolences to Mrs. Suh, who is recovering from the accident, and son Rob, who is carrying on the family business.

Mrs. Suh in her family's souvenir shop on the Boardwalk. Photo © Tricia Vita//me-myself-i via flickr

Last Friday, it was decidedly chilly in Coney Island, yet a photo shoot with a bikini-clad model was in progress on the Beach. We ducked into Ruby’s Bar and Grill, where it’s cozy and Beato was manning the grill. Did you know that Coney Island Boardwalk’s oldest bar and grill is among the Travel Channel’s “Top 21 sexiest beach bars”? Ruby’s has a brand-new website at www.rubysconeyisland.com or follow their Facebook fan page for news of upcoming events.

At Ruby's on Friday Afternoon: Beato Minds the Store. Photo © Tricia Vita//me-myself-i via flickr

Ruby’s namesake–Ruby Jacobs–bought the bar in 1975. That’s his portrait with the Parachute Jump amid the vintage photos on the oft-photographed wall. After Ruby’s death in 2000, West 12th Street was named Ruby Jacobs Way in his honor. His daughters and son-in-law continue to run the family-owned business. Cheers to Coney Island’s 2010 season!

Wall of Photos at Ruby's Bar in Coney Island. Photo © Tricia Vita//me-myself-i via flickr

Photo Album: Yes, We’re Open! Easter Sunday in Coney Island

Posted in Photo Album, tagged Coney Island, Coney Island 2010, Coney Island is open, Easter on April 6, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Easter Brunch at Paul's Daughter on the Boardwalk. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

On Sunday, Coney Island enjoyed the busiest Easter in memory! Thanks to the perfect weather– sunny and in the 70s– the New York tradition of the masses coming out to Coney to celebrate springtime is alive and well in 2010. Tweeps were saying “its poppin out here. Just like old times.” We kept an eye out for “Easter fresh” outfits.

Easter Sunday Best on the Boardwalk. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Bunny headgear won bonus points. The kids walked away with the prizes. More pix in our flickr set Easter in Coney Island 2010.

Bunny Baby in Coney Island. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Astroland closed in 2008, but your kid can still ride the USS Astroland on the kiddie boat ride in Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park. Coney Island currently has 40 rides including the Cyclone roller coaster, Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park (22 rides), McCullough’s Kiddie Park (a dozen rides), the Polar Express and 12th Street Amusements (5 rides) and the Eldorado Bumper Cars.

People's Parade: On the Boardwalk in front of Deno's Wonder Wheel Park on Easter Sunday 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

The Boardwalk was a People’s Parade on Easter Sunday. Lines were long at ticket booths and rides were jam packed from noon till nearly midnight!

Jam Packed: Deno's Wonder Wheel Park on Easter Sunday. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Coney Island USA staged their first freak show of the season and Lola Star reopened her boutique on the Boardwalk. “Yes, We’re Open!” a defiant sign planted on Jones Walk proclaimed. Never mind that several stands on the Walk including Thor Equities’ property on the west side remain shuttered. Joe Sitt, the Grinch who stole Coney Island with the Christmas Eve Lockout of 2008, did not steal Easter 2010.

Jones Walk: Yes, We're Open. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Rest assured Good ol’ Coney Island is on the verge of an historic rebirth. On May 29th, Central Amusement International’s Luna Park is scheduled to open on the former Astroland site with 19 exciting rides including the Air Race and a Wild Mouse roller coaster from Zamperla. A banner on the Boardwalk gate of the new park exclaims “Thrill is nothing without speed!”

Children gather in front of banner for the new Luna Park. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Teens and children gather in front of banner depicting rides slated for the new Luna Park. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

The Beach officially “opens” for swimming on Memorial Day Weekend, though of course it’s open year round…

Coney Island Beach on Easter Sunday. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Bruce Handy’s Photo Album: Doomed Dreamland Artist Club Mural

Posted in art, Photo Album, tagged Bruce Handy, Coney Island, demolition alert, Dreamland Artist Club, Jones Walk, mural, Rita Ackermann on January 25, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Over the weekend ATZ contributing photographer and Coney Island resident Bruce Handy/”Pablo 57″ took some lyrical photos of the Rita Ackermann mural. The artwork is on the west wall of the soon-to-be demolished Feltman’s Building. You can view the complete flickr set as a slideshow here.

Freaky Sideshow Girls: Detail of Dreamland Artist Club Mural by Rita Ackermann on the soon-to-be Demolished Feltman’s Kitchen (Home of the Hot Dog), Coney Island. Photo © Bruce Handy/Pablo 57 via flickr

As ATZ reported last week in “Nathan Slept Here! Coney Island’s Feltman’s Kitchen Set for Demolition” (January 19, 2010), the last remnant of the hot dog inventor’s empire is set to be demolished to make way for new amusements on the City-owned “Parcel A”—the former Astroland site. The Ackermann mural, which was valued at $250K by Dreamland Artist Club founder Steve Powers, is likely to be demolished along with the building. (“Demolition Alert: Dreamland Artist Club Mural on Feltman’s Bldg“)

Photographing the mural wasn’t an easy job, but somebody had to do it. ATZ found very few pix of this mural on the web. We’re grateful that Bruce Handy documented details of the Jones Walk artwork before it is gone forever. Bruce used a tripod and held the camera up in the air to take a photo of the complete mural.

“The problem is the mural is in a bad spot for a good photo,” says the photographer. “It’s too high and the angle is bad. To get a good photo you need a zoom lens standing on W 12th, but you also need a straight line of sight. You need to be perpendicular to the wall that’s why you need to be so far away. The ideal photo would be if someone drove a car up there and stood on the roof. That’s how Ansel Adams got all his great photos.”

Dreamland Artist Club Mural by Rita Ackermann on the soon-to-be demolished Feltman’s Kitchen (Home of the Hot Dog), Coney Island. Photo © Bruce Handy/Pablo 57 via flickr