Times Square at night (and Coney Island)

[davesgcr]

Great shot - of Barry - ! Remember it well like that.Maybe we could twin Coney and Barry?

 

[lang rabbie]

Here's another pic of the demolished ride:

"Sadly torn down on November 17, 2000, the 1926 Thunderbolt ride featured in the Woody Allen film 'Annie Hall' and was a wooden-tracked coaster with a steel structure.

The ride closed in 1983 and is seen here shortly before its demise."

Blimet, reading that I've only just realised it must have been summer 2000 that I last visited Coney Island to stroll down the boardwalk.

I'd gone there expecting to be dazzled by a never ending glint of flick knives and to walk into a Lou Reed/Mink DeVille landscape of white fur coat-clad pimps, husslers, prostitutes, cruising limos, spiv moustaches and shifty dealers and I got, err, Barry Island!

Back then, if you wanted atmospheric lowlife, then nearby "Little Odessa" was the place - Brighton Beach's Russian emigre communities had some truly odd "restaurants". Mant of them were definitely cover for less legitimate transactions, with middle aged guys sitting around all day apparently doing nothing but have conversations. But they served damn good food if you knew what were you were asking for.

Unfortunately, a lot of the area was in the process of being rebuilt as bland condos with "ocean views" when I was there, so I doubt if there is as much left of that character.