Coney Island and Shake Shack, New York, August 11th 2014

Coney Island and Shake Shack, New York, August 11th 2014

I read up about Coney Island and found this website to be so helpful and loved their suggested itineraries to cater for for either food, history or nightlife enthusiasts.  A great planning tool.

We went to Coney Island on the Q train from Times Square.  It is an easy train trip and took us about 50 minutes.  We were told by the ever helpful Anthony from our Hotel Beacon that we could take the D, F, N or  Q train.  Anthony suggested that the N would be the quickest.

At Times Square we took the Q train as it was the first to arrive.  We would take the N train on the return journey in order to see different areas.

It was a great trip as I was looking forward to meeting up with a gorgeous actress friend from Melbourne, Australia.    I had acted together with Christina Walls in the play "Disjointed Story" by Sean Hanson in 2008 and it had a large ensemble of actors.  In fact it was my favourite ensemble experience in 48 years of acting. It was great to share the day with her boyfriend Patrick McLachlan.

It was so good to see my friend after about four years of missing each other by a few days in either Melbourne of New York City.

We had a ball at Coney Island and wandered around and enjoyed the weather, the scenery, the action, the rides and the history of the area.

There is a special connection to Melbourne as we have Luna Park in the seaside suburb, St Kilda.  Luna Park  had its centenary in 2012.  Melbourne's Luna Park has the oldest, working wooden roller coaster in the world called "The Scenic Railway".  This is quite a gentle and mild ride for modern roller coaster enthusiasts and we wanted to ride Coney Island's "Cyclone" to share the connection.

Nathans:

We then went off and had lunch at "Nathans" where we had hot dogs, cheese fries and the huge lemonades.  Fun food and once a year type food for us thankfully.  Reasonably priced for a day out.

Thunderbolt:

Will we become Thunderbolters?

We first went on "Thunderbolt" and we were both like screaming teenagers building up the anticipation and the courage to ride it. We had discussed that building up to going on a ride is part of the bravery-award journey.

After watching the "Thunderbolt" for at least ten times we finally made the decision to ride it as we thought the worst part of the ride appeared to be the initial flat-lay-on-your-back journey up a wall to be flipped over and drop 180 degrees down the other side.

I was counting the clicks each time I watched others ride this "Thunderbolt."  Was it ten, twelve of fourteen clicks?  I don't remember now or then.  As I forgot as soon as we were flipped back in our seats and looking to the heavens.  Count?   Not counting for us!  Just breathing and allowing the blood flow to keep us alive!

The adrenalin is building and the wait for the flip over is to come...."when?...Oh!...Just get it over with......I am going to die.... I am am going to die...  l love you P.J. ....oh shit....when?...Yet another click...not another click?  More adrenalin rushing,....oh shit here we go........." 

Scream to release adrenalin!  My blood is rushing through my body as I type this and recall that moment.  We both screamed and loved it.  Vowel sounds rich and harmonic!  Actors training allows one to release the breath and project animalistic vowels of ferocious quality.

"A flash!  Was that a flash?"

Twists, turns, tumbles, speed, churning stomach, G-Forces, corset-tightening-fashion feelings and  sensations of near death.

More adrenalin gut wrenching vowels and the occasional Tourette-Syndrome repetition of "shit, shit, shit!"

Survival.  The final roll towards the end.  The look to each other that we did it.  We were brave, courageous and fools!

When then had the awkward escape from this corset like carriage.  Then attempting to exit the "Thunderbolt" with some dignity.

The celebratory hug together. We are Thunderbolters!

The walk away with the shaking of the entire body like a tantric orgasm gone wrong as it continues for at least ten minutes. 

The obligatory photo to be purchased to share, honour and record our survival experience.  

This photographic record from that earlier "Flash" is now immortalised for our memory.  If you do not buy the photo then it is just a memory.  Here is a record of achievement.

Now I know what Alain de Botton means about "Still Life" paintings to record the mortality of death.  Riding roller coasters is the physical experiential sensation of the before, during and after imagining what near death is like.

We then went for a walk and had two beers each at another restaurant.  It was great to just sit, chat and catch up on each other's lives.  We had an absolute ball for about two hours just kicking back.

Cyclone

At this time Christina's partner, Patrick was a bit disappointed he did not go onto "Thunderbolt" and now was brave and three of were to go onto "Cyclone" and share the Melbourne historical connection to Melbourne's Luna Park and "The Scenic Railway."

We all thought this was going to be an easy ride and we were in for a shock.

It was faster than the "Thunderbolt"!  It was no mild ride.  A similar trip to the Melbourne Luna Park's "Scenic Railway" but much faster and with corset hugging security devices.

We all felt like we were going to smash our heads on the over head wooden beams.  None of us did.  We survived this too!

This time three of us survived and did the obligatory victory hug.   I had to buy the official photograph as a permanent memento of our time together.  It was good value for such a prized memory.

Journey back:

We caught the N train back and shared the experience of four people having had a wonderful experience together at Coney Island.  Three Australians and one New Zealander having fun as we know how to.

We rested in our comfortable apartment at  Hotel Beacon and then headed out for a late dinner.

We went to the "Shake Shack" as New Yorkers said we had to compare it to other burgers like "IN/Out Burgers"  We would compare it to Bill's hamburgers at North Road Ormond as they are the freshest and tastiest we have had.

The burgers were flavoursome and sadly I added tomato sauce (Ketchup) and this spoiled the flavour.  I loved the crispy bacon.  The fries I thought were too fatty compared to other chips.

The lemonade tasted like one of those packet mixes with water added.  The apple juice drink was very ordinary.

If New Yorkers are queueing for this experience then they should get on the plane and go to Bills Fish and Chips in Ormond.  His burgers are about three times the size and are a very traditional old fashioned burger. Bill's hamburgers are $8.00 and are meal by themselves.

I am glad I tried the Shake Shack and want to try another of their burgers or something else on the menu.