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Astroland's Last Day
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Carol Gardens
01/31/09

In reply to The Last Shot
I usually try to be more articulate but...Fucking Thor Equities! I hate hate hate them.
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GuyBitchy
01/31/09

In reply to The Last Shot
Oh, yeah... because right now exactly--and I mean precisely--what we all need is more pricey condos and less beloved, landmark, inexpensive, harmless stress-relief fun and amusement for regular-folk families.

Perfect timing, scum!
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BxgrlJeri
01/31/09

In reply to The Last Shot
I have so many fond memories of Coney Island and Astroland. For me they are linked forever. We always went at night and it was a bit of trek from the Bronx but it was magical. We did the "amusement park" circuit, Rye Beach, Rockaway, Coney Island and I always loved Coney Island the best. Sniff.
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lobstr
01/31/09

In reply to The Last Shot
lil' bit o Astroland..

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lobstr
01/31/09

In reply to The Last Shot

What about this ol' crazy thing? Does that go away too? (Note the famous inventer Garrett A. Morgan affixed in the window)
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lobstr
01/31/09

In reply to The Last Shot

the sight of that lever and the old man that has to put all his body weight on it to release the cars was .. stirring. :p the shit's old!
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lobstr
01/31/09

In reply to The Last Shot

Cyclone.. Scariest rollercoaster ever, purely due to the rickety track and age of the beast.

Please check your BEEPERS and WALKMANS as well as your RADIOS and TELEPHONES.
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Steve Holt's Mother Part Deux
01/30/09

In reply to The Last Shot
This is off-topic, but one of my favorite pieces of trivia.

Old Orchard Beach, Maine had such a large and flat piece of beach, (and was like Coney Island before a fire burned up the entire wooden amusement park) that it was utilized as a landing strip when airplanes started to become a viable means of transportation.

A beach was a landing strip. How cool is that?
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Steve Holt's Mother Part Deux
01/30/09

@Steve Holt's Mother Part Deux: Actually, I should clarify. A beach where I was busted by the police with a beer in a beer cozy that read, "This Is Not A Beer," was a historical place. Wow, did I ruin a little bit of Americana.
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Carol Gardens
01/31/09

@Steve Holt's Mother Part Deux: And they have French Canadians scarfing down giant fried dough patties!
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Master Billy
01/30/09

In reply to The Last Shot
I used to run with a gang from down around Coney Island. We were the best. Not even the Turnbull AC's could step to us.
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lobstr
01/31/09

@Master Billy: did you boppers make it back to Coney from the big gang summit while Lynne Thigpen mocked you on her radio show?
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Master Billy
01/31/09

@lobstr: As I said, we were the best. Also, in all fairness to her, she was working on a bad tip.
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lobstr
01/31/09

@Master Billy: yeah, she really should stop listening to Rockapella*

*combining obscure pop culture items from both the 70s and 90s is both an art form and shameful.
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If_I_Had_a_Poodle
01/30/09

In reply to The Last Shot
i grew up not far from there: class trips to the aquarium and etc

astroland is part of coney island

was

sadness
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SidAndFinancy
01/30/09

In reply to The Last Shot
Aren't the roller coaster and ferris wheel protected as historic places?

I love Coney Island. Why do they only run express trains there during the week? Aren't there plenty of us Manhattanites going to the amusement park on the weekends? Sadly, perhaps no longer.
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Fishnets and Cigarettes
01/30/09

@SidAndFinancy: The Cyclone is designated as a New York City landmark and is listed on the national Registry of Historic Places.

The Wonder Wheel (which, in my mind, is 100x scarier; I hate ferris wheels) has also been designated a New York City landmark.

To the best of my knowledge, the family that owns it still owns their small patch of park.
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MincnglyWhrdL'mer
01/30/09

@Fishnets and Cigarettes★: damnit, I'm going back next time I'm there in summer.

also, what is it with other people going from 'snarky' to 'asshole' on this service? did I miss the memo or something?
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ian spiegelman
01/30/09

In reply to The Last Shot
Ummm, not even one link to one of Sheil's stories after she spent so much time covering this? Just a photo and a weak-ass caption? No admission that a former writer had spent a lot of time and effort on this story before you sort of buried it in nothingness? Even though Coney Island is a huge part of New York's vast and amazing history?

Classy. Really classy. No one would ever suspect that a Brit owns this site. Nice job, guy.
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badasscat
01/30/09

@ian spiegelman: Coney Island is part of New York's history. Astroland, not so much. They are not the same thing.

Coney Island's not going anywhere.

Honestly, I don't know many people who are going to miss Astroland. It would be almost impossible for whatever replaces it to be worse.
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Heneage
01/30/09

@ian spiegelman: You going to be around for BSG? Thoughts on last week's reveal of the final Cylon?
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ian spiegelman
01/30/09

@badasscat: Astroland has been part of Coney Island for all of my life that I can remember. It's always been there for me. It was the only amusement park that was there at all in the last forty years.
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ian spiegelman
01/30/09

@Heneage: No. I'm bailing on BSG for a while. It's just on too late and it's not *going* anywhere. It's kind of boring now that it's anchored on Earth 2. And I kind of feel like the whole idea of Cylons is sort of meaningless now.
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MincnglyWhrdL'mer
01/30/09

@badasscat: williamsburgh style condos? that would be better?
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Fishnets and Cigarettes
01/30/09

In reply to The Last Shot
Break my heart, why don't you.
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MincnglyWhrdL'mer
01/30/09

In reply to The Last Shot
damnit, I celebrated my 24th there, and then in a bar on the boardwalk named 'BAR' which served anything you could want, fried. WTF?
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LilyBartleby
01/30/09

@Monsigor Xtravagante D'ouchestache:

Grow up.

Move on.

Craigie Street Bistro?
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MincnglyWhrdL'mer
01/30/09

@LilyBartleby: do they have ANYTHING I ever wanted, fried? I think not
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ian spiegelman
01/30/09

In reply to The Last Shot
Another great Sheila story, covered lazily. Great.
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Weegee's bored
01/30/09

@ian spiegelman: Go to your FB inbox.
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ian spiegelman
01/30/09

@Weegee's bored: OK
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