For lo these many years of going to the Mermaid Parade, at Coney Island, with my beloved and friends, there has been structure, past the Parachute Jump, that has fascinated me. It is this imposing structure, with a nautical theme, going back to the Golden Age of Coney. I had always thought it was a bath house, but those old enough to know have told me it used to be a huge restaurant, called Child's.
Back around April, this structure had been renovated and refurbished; its lush outdoor exterior restored. It still, for me, conjures up thoughts of the Sondheim musical, "Follies," or Herk Harvey's 1962 film, "Carnival Of Souls. I had always wanted to see it from the inside, even in its squalor.
Well, like the song says, "baby, look at you now." The atmosphere, apart from this picture, is so dark and cavernous, it feels like one is inside the pavilion of the Carnival Of Souls. I was waiting for the streamers to come poring down from the ceiling, and the souls of the dead to begin their maniacal dance.
Which actually would have livened things up, darlings. Because, outside of atmosphere, there is really no other reason to visit this place.
The food is pedestrian and over priced. The staff is overwhelmed, because the place is so cavernous, with so many nooks and crannies to serve in, they need more staff. On a lovely day, the rooftop bar is lovely, overlooking the ocean and boardwalk, but why should the customers ask for what they want; what ever happened to customer service?
Go once, darlings, because who knows how long it will last? It is not bad, it just does not live up to what it could be.
And how many people will trek out to Coney in the dead of our New York Winters???????????????????
See and dine there, while you can!
The drinks are fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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