Photo of the day: BEACH SEASON IS OFFICIALLY OPEN! – Coney Island, your life is “guarded.” 
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May 27, 2014 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: beach season opens, Brooklyn, Coney Island beach, Hans Von Rittern, hunky lifeguard, lifeguard watching beach, Lifeguards on duty, Manhattan, Memorial Day, muscular lifeguard, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, photography | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: ALL CONEY ISLANDERS HAVE SAND IN THEIR SHOES – Yesterday was my last 5 hour German tour of Brooklyn for the season. From the Fulton Ferry Landing at the Brooklyn Bridge, to bagels in Park Slope to Nathan’s hot dogs on the Coney Island boardwalk. The amusement rides had been shut down and it was now a quieter tranquil place where the sound of the wind took over rather then the music blaring from the boardwalk concession stands. Nathan’s of course was still open and drawing a crowd – they always do.
The beach in the summer is joy, the smell of sun tan lotion, the sounds of little kids laughing, teens splashing in the water and girls who just want to tan. But, in the winter months the beaches of New York offer another treasure = contemplative tranquility as the sound of the wind whisks about the thoughts in your head. On Sundays you may contemplate in church, I prefer to contemplate in one of god’s most wonderful churches – the beach.
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November 3, 2013 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: All, All Coney Islanders have sand in their shoes, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Bridge, Coney Island amusement park, Coney Island beach, Coney Island boardwalk, Coney Island mural, desserted Coney Island, Fulton Ferry Landing, Hans Von Rittern, Nathan's hot dog stand, Nathan's hot dogs, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, sunbathers at Coney, traquil beach at Coney Island, winter at Coney Island | 2 Comments
Photo of the day: THE CALM AFTER THE STORM – One year later after hurricane Sandy, the scene yesterday on Coney Island Beach was so serene, one would never know there had been chaos and destruction all along our coastline just a year before. Just a few strollers shell hunting on the windy beach. Most of the strollers were enjoying the sun on the boardwalk, sunning themselves while enjoying a Nathan’s hot dog. In November the rides will shut down awaiting the children’s laughter again in the spring of 2014. Hopefully time will heal the wounds of the heart and finances so that Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, as well as Ellis Island will be able to return to their former glory.
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October 30, 2013 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: 1 year later after Sandy, beach after the storm, beach erosion, Brooklyn, CALM AFTER THE STORM, Coney Island beach, Coney Island boardwalk, Hans Von Rittern, Hurricane Sandy, Manhattan, Nathan's hot dogs, New York City, New York photo, Palm tree fountain on beach, Photo of the day, photography, Queens | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: WONDER WHEEL GOT TO GO ‘ROUND ~
What goes up must come down
Wonder wheel got to go ’round
Talkin’ ’bout your troubles it’s a cryin’ sin
Ride a painted pony let the Wonder wheel spin
You got no money and you got no home
Wonder wheel all alone
Talkin’ ’bout your troubles and you never learn
Ride a painted pony let the Wonder wheel turn
Did you find the directing sign on the
Straight and narrow highway
Would you mind a reflecting sign
Just let it shine within your mind
And show you the colors that are real
Someone is waiting just for you
Wonder wheel, spinnin’ true
lyrics by Blood, Sweat and Tears 1968
* * * * * * * * * * *
The Coney Island Wonder Wheel is a 45.7-metre (150 ft) tall eccentric Ferris wheel located at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City, US.
Eccentric wheels differ from conventional Ferris wheels in that some of the passenger cars are not fixed directly to the rim of the wheel, but instead slide on rails between the hub and the rim as the wheel rotates.
Built in 1918 and opened in 1920 by the Eccentric Ferris Wheel Company, Wonder Wheel has 24 fully enclosed passenger cars, each able to carry 6 people, giving a total capacity of 144 passengers. 16 of the cars slide inward and outward as the wheel rotates, the remainder are fixed to the rim. The whole wheel weighs 200 tons.
The only time the wheel stopped while not under the control of the operator was during the New York City blackout of 1977 on July 13, 1977. Wonder Wheel operates on electricity, however, the passengers were not stuck on the wheel, as the owners cranked the wheel around to get them off.
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August 18, 2013 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: 1968, blood sweat and tears, Blood Sweat Tears Spinnin' Wheel, Brooklyn, Coney Island, Coney Island amusement park, Coney Island beach, Coney Island boardwalk, Coney Island rides, Coney Island Wonder Ferris Wheel, Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, eccentric Ferris wheel, eccentric wheels, girl sunbather in bikini, Hans Von Rittern, New York beaches, New York City, New York City blackout of 1977, New York photo, Photo of the day, Spinning Wheel lyrics | 2 Comments
Coney Island, summer 2013
Photo of the day: DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY! – the lifeguard is on duty, HAPPY WEEKEND EVERYBODY !
(Did you ever stop to think: A lifeguard’s vocation is his vacation.)
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August 10, 2013 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: beach umbrella, Brooklyn, Brooklyn waterfront, Coney Island, Coney Island beach, Hans Von Rittern, happy weekend, hunky lifeguard, lifeguard watching beach, Lifeguards on duty, muscular lifeguard, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day | Leave a comment
Photo of the day: AN UNEXPECTED DAY AT THE BEACH FOR CHARLIE – Weather forecasters predicted rainy downpours for Tuesday, hardly a day to go to the beach. But Charlie insisted mom take him anyway since by 11am it still had not rained the and sun was peering through the clouds. “Can we just go on the boardwalk, they’ll be no wet sand there?!” Mom gave in and they headed off to the Coney Island. By the time they got there by noon the sun was high in the sky with no sign of rain and the warm sand was beckoning Charlie – ‘come play with me…’
Coney Island boardwalk
There is a magic to going to Coney on a day when everyone else didn’t think it was the day to go – you have it alllllll to yourself. You can see waaay down the boardwalk with no crowds to obstruct your view of the end.
Nathans
Hans Von Rittern (me) taking a bite out of Coney !
No long impatient waiting on line for mom to buy you that hot dog and soft fries at Nathans – just walk right up and smell that griddle! The amusement park is open just for you alone. All the rides are calling ‘ride me first!’ The thrill of running around the rides trying to decide ‘which one first?’ Then hoping on and having the flying elephants and rockets all to yourself to command. Yippee !
Coney Island flying elephants
Coney Island rockets
But the sand, that wonderful stretch of sand, beckoned Charlie, “please can I play in the sand?!” Reluctant to sit in the hot sand because of Charlie’s fair skin, mom remembered she had brought her blue rain umbrella ‘just in case.’ Mom smiled approvingly. Charlie pulled his mom to that special spot he had picked out. It was just them and no one else! There was that special feeling the beach was his and no one else’s. Charlie had brought his favorite dump truck to play with and settled in. Mom opened the ‘just in case rain umbrella’ and let Charlie conquer the beach.
Alone with dad at Coney Island’s Wonder Wheel
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July 24, 2013 | Categories: DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY | Tags: Brooklyn, Coney carousel, Coney flying elephants, Coney Island, Coney Island amusement park, Coney Island beach, Coney Island boardwalk, Coney Island rides, Coney Island Wonder Ferris Wheel, Coney rockets, desserted Coney Island, Hans Von Rittern, New York City, New York photo, Photo of the day, rain umbrella, Tom's Coney Island | 2 Comments
NEW YORK CITY - IN THE WIT OF AN EYE 