It was a perfect day to hit the shore. Coney Island was bustling.
Ruby's Bar, which we had visited late last summer, was still open and
doing business, although a large banner outfront indicated stores for
rent, contact Thor Equities if you please. That was true of loads of
real estate on the beach, either closed or temporarily opened pending
the Thor Equities flip. Sure enough, Astroland was gone, but the
Wonderwheel was twirling in the warm spring breeze and the screaming of
the rollercoaster riders could be heard for miles. Sections of the
boardwalk here and there are gated pending much needed repairs. We
strolled all the way down to Brighton. Tatiana and Cafe Volna were
doing very good business on the day before the Russian/Eastern Orthodox
Easter Sunday tomorrow. Lots of happy strollers, tourists and hipsters
under a gorgeous sunny blue sky, folks out on the beach already,
anticipating the season of mellowing out. A bunch of guys with a
variety of instruments, set up on W. 17th street, for some free-form
Saturday afternoon jamming. We were there a little early, so the
hypno-techno- dance scene a few blocks down, was not yet in action.
And, oh yeah, the public restrooms were open and in pretty clean shape
so far. The Coney Island Museum had a nice crowd hanging outside, but
we didn't stop into see the sights, at least this time.