Duned to Eternity

In memory of the Seaside Heights amusements on the New Jersey shore, here's a postcard of the "Flying Cages," one of the most popular, but relatively short-lived rides through the 70's.  They were operated by the riders' own momentum and physical exertion, rocking the cars until they swung over the top.  See a demonstration video on YouTube.

Also known as "The Swingin’ Gym," these contraptions were lots of fun but injured many riders.  Due to their uninsurability, they largely disappeared within a few years of their operation. 

The one in the card above was, according to the back, "Just one of dozens of thrilling rides on the fabulous Casino Pier," which was at Seaside Heights.  I'm pretty sure it had been replaced by other rides and was not there last Monday when Hurricane Sandy hit, but here's what the pier looks like now...

 

My sympathy to those who lost loved ones or property in the storm, but to those as well who cherish childhood memories of amusement parks like this one and can now never go back.

Chicago Theater

 

The Chicago Theater, in Chicago, Il, has had a rich history since it opened in 1921.  The Chicago Theatre was the first large, lavish movie palace in America and was the prototype for all others. This beautiful movie palace was constructed for $4 million by theatre owners Barney and Abe Balaban and Sam and Morris Katz and designed by Cornelius and George Rapp. It was the flagship of the Balaban and Katz theatre chain.

 

The theater is still around today and is well-preserved.  See a full history here.

Harps on the Beach

Interlochen Arts Camp (formerly the National Music Camp) is an annual summer camp for approximately 2,500 students ages 8 to 18. It was founded in 1928 by the late Dr. Joseph E. Maddy as the National High School Orchestra Camp. Today, students participate in music, theatre, dance, visual arts, creative writing, or motion picture arts. Camp admission is competitive, and auditions are required in most cases.

Alumni include Josh Groban, Ed Helms, Norah Jones and Peter Yarrow.  Alumni also include the 5 young ladies above, attending "Beach Harp" class (or is that B-Sharp class?)

Are You Sure?

And on the Back: 

To you our valued customer, this is our way of celebrating our Anniversary with you.  Absolutely Free, nothing to buy.  No strings Attached.  This beautiful and expensive gift is yours, with No Purchase Required.  You must bring this card to the store personally yourself within 5 days, and pick up your valuable gift.  You do not have to buy anything.  ABSOLUTELY FREE.  Giant Furniture Warehouse.  463 W. Town St. Columbus, OH

There are 11 times on this card that it makes the point that the umbrella is free!  I guess they wanted to be sure you knew that!

Eat at Tommy's

Time to eat out!  Let's stop at Tommy's in Beaufort, South Carolina this time.  Zagat's says the vibe is "pink cinderblock," but the "KC Steaks" are "good food," and the "regular meals" are only surpassed by the "spaghetti - chop suey combo."

Happy New Year!

 

Happy New Year!  The Jewish Holiday of Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on Sunday night.  These postcards are New Years' greeting cards from the early 1900's, published by the Williamsburg publishing company.  Each year I post a few of them from my collection of over 100.  Take a look at the others that I've posted earlier, as they are interesting artifacts of years past, no matter what religion you affiliate yourself with.

 

Wagner's Ring Cycle

Next week, on many PBS stations, the Great Performances series will be showing the new Metropolitan Opera production of Wagner's Ring Cycle.  It begins on Monday night with a documentary about the new production, including the set, which is a 45-ton machine consisting of 24 planks that seesaw back and forth and act as screens for projections which evoke the settings in the operas.  Some loved it; some hated it.  We saw the first three operas in the movie theater during the live HD broadcasts, and then saw the last, Gotterdammurung, at the Met Opera house in person.  The entire thing is an amazing musical work, of epic proportions.  We were glad to have seen it, but it is difficult to get your arms completely around.

If you're not busy for about 15 hours (for the operas, not including the documentary), check it out!  In the meantime, this week's post is a nice illustration of the final scene of the whole shebang, where Brunhilde (of "the opera's not over until the fat lady sings" fame) sets fire to the pyre which she will then ride into on horseback, killing herself after singing a 20-minute aria.  Enjoy!