Charity’s idea of a perfect beach day: overcast with a bare hint of rain in the air. The crowds are manageable, the sand is cool to the feet, the ocean easy on the eyes, the overbrightness neutralized.
At Coney Island, the crowds are manageable but there’s still a pretty long wait at Nathan’s Famous.
Charity weighs her options. Nathan’s Famous is famous, but she kind of wants to try Feltman’s. According to hot dog lore, it was Charles Feltman who invented the hot dog as we know it right here on the Coney Island boardwalk in 1867. Nathan Handwerker started out working for Feltman, but opened his rival stand in 1916, charging 5 cents per hot dog to Feltman’s 10.
The rivalry continued until Feltman’s closed in 1954. Recently, Feltman’s has been resurrected on the Boardwalk, and you can now purchase what’s being touted as the original Feltman’s hot dog.
Charity is torn. She disapproves of predatory pricing. But the new Feltman’s doesn’t seem very authentic, and authenticity is very important to Charity. Anyway, Nathan’s is a lot easier to find.
After her sauerkraut-heavy lunch she has to say the Cyclone does not appeal. She doesn’t meet the height requirement anyway, so she opts for one of the gentler rides. The Wonder Wheel, which has been operating continually since 1920 with a perfect safety record, seems about her speed.
From 150 feet up, she can see all the way to Manhattan.
Charity decides, while she’s here, to visit the Aquarium. The New York Aquarium is the oldest continually operating aquarium in the US, and has been located here on Coney Island since 1957. The Aquarium was badly damaged during Hurricane Sandy, but most of the animals were saved. Charity wants to be supportive, and although she generally doesn’t like to see wild animals in captivity, she does like to watch the sea otters, who seem to enjoy watching her back.
On the spur of the moment she decides to get a temporary tattoo. Oh come on, people, it washes off.
But the main attraction here for Charity, of course: the beach. Coney Island feels very mid-last-century to Charity, grayish, faded, a little gritty, in decay, or is it just the weather? But not the beach. To Charity, the beach stands the test of time. There is sand, there is sea, there are gulls, ground-up shell bits, salted breeze. Charity knows Coney Island has seen upheaval, both elemental and human-made, but she imagines the beach has always pretty much been thus, and hopes it always will be.
Charity is made from an upholstery sample from Anne. Her dress is from an outgrown dress from Jennie’s daughter, and her sandals are ribbon and cork. Her beach tote is from a pair of boxer shorts, and her beach blanket is cut from a former shower curtain.
Hop skip and jump
Keep warm my hand
Boat on the water
Train on the land
Go Coney Island
Roll on the sand
—from “Go Coney Island Roll on the Sand,” lyrics by Woody Guthrie
I’m not against a permanent tattoo, as long as it’s a mermaid and you get it on Coney Island.
they did have mermaid options, but they were too large for Charity’s arm
I’d like to know more about the Feltman Frank,
of course you would! I only know what I read on line. Taste tests have been done.
Charity’s skin is a bit creepy but I like her blue-melts-into-purple dress, and her penguin beach tote is adorable as are her black-and-white striped sandals.. I used to hear a lot about Coney Island many years ago, and am glad to know it’s still a going concern, despite its current somewhat gritty status. Hope people nowadays enjoy it as much as it was formerly fabled to be.
Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves!