WISH YOU WERE HERE

As I tossed the last few things in to my suitcase last night, one of my friends called to say Bon Voyage and requested that I send her a postcard. While I rarely send postcards when I travel, I do buy them. Some I give to friends and family when I return home, others I save for myself.

I love postcards, especially vintage ones of places that I have visited or for which I have special feelings.

The photo postcard (above) of Thompson’s Scenic Railway in Coney Island was taken pre 1911 (when it burned to the ground).

My father grew up only a few blocks away from the beach. One of his summer jobs as a teenager was guessing people weights on the boardwalk!

My parents met in Coney Island. During WWII, my mother worked at the ration board and my father had a shop. My father came in several times a day to check if there had been a change in the official prices he could charge. My mother was impressed that he came in so often. Other merchants only stopped in once a week.

It took my mother a while to figure out that he was really stopping by to chat with her! But, once she realized it, they started to date, he took her to Coney Islands’ biggest attractions --Steeplechase and Luna Park.

Although I grew up about seven miles from the beach in Flatbush, I spent many summer days hanging out with my friends who worked at seasonal snack shops or at the umbrella and chair rental concessions in Brighton Beach. The chairs were at least 50 years old. They were wood and had canvas sling seats and canopies!

While I’m away, please put on an Edith Piaf cd or plug in your i-Pod and download some from e-music. Then, check out my friend Kevin’s web site Forgotten New York- www.forgotten-ny.com. It’s a treasure trove of obscure and fascinating information on my native city.

For more about Coney Island go to “neighborhoods” and click on one of the entries for Coney Island.

Don’t miss the feature on Victorian subway tiles, either - www.forgotten-ny.com/SUBWAYS/subwaystyle/subwaystyle.html


Au revoir for now mes amis….
Babette