How many restaurant magicians are there?

[Guest]

That's what a restaurant patron asked me today, and I?m interested in what the answer might be in various cities around the country.

Here's my count for Los Angeles:

1. Johnny Ace Palmer: Sunday evenings at Earth Wind & Flour in Santa Monica
2. Lou Serrano: a couple restaurants in the Valley
3. David Minkin: a restaurant in the Valley
4. Wayne Kawamoto: Thursday evenings at The Vineyard in San Dimas/La Verne
5. Chuck Griffith: Tuesdays at a rib place in Burbank/Glendale
6. Glenn Aga: Newport Ribs in Aliso Viejo
7. Ed Fultz: Tuesdays at Ruby's Diner in Rancho Palos Verdes, Wednesdays at Ruby's Diner in Whittier
8. Jim Hynd: several nights a week at various Marie Callendars around town
9. Aaron Fisher: He does a Hooters somewhere in the Valley
10. Me: Fridays at Stick 'n' Stein in El Segundo, Saturdays at Lula Cocina Mexicana in Santa Monica

I'm sure someone can add to the Los Angeles list. And others can fill us in on other cities.

[Guest]

Originally posted by David Groves:
Aaron Fisher: He does a Hooters somewhere in the Valley

Tough gig, but lots of natural misdirection.


Here's an Indy area list - not complete, but ok.

1. Caleb Wiles - Colorado Steakhouse - Friday nights?
2. Marcus Lehman - several nights/restaurants, but primarily Pizza Hut on NW side of town
3. Travis Easterling - Max and Erma's - Thursdays
4. Trinity - where the heck is he now?
5. Douglas Jave - Max and Erma's northside

I do an Applebee's on Thursdays when I'm in town.

I'm sure there are a few more out there.

[Dave Shepherd]

Not sure how it is overall, but there were more DC-area restaurant workers last year than there are now.

I was at Mama's Italian Restaurant for 5+ years until June 2005, when economic considerations caused the gig to fizzle.

The Magic of New Orleans, in Aspen Hill, MD, was a regular gig for Alain Nu, then Brian Curry (and several of us on the "team" who filled in when Alain and Brian had "real work"), but the restaurant recently closed.

Clyde's in Mark Center, Alexandria, VA, was also a long-term Alain Nu venue. The gig was taken over by Frank Paparozzi a couple years ago, but I think Frank moved out of the area, and I believe it has fizzled.

At present I'm aware of Brian Curry's Sunday brunch gig at Clyde's in Tyson's Corner. Otherwise I don't know of any regular restaurant gigs around DC. :(

(I hope somebody comes on here and corrects me about this...)

[Amos McCormick]

Dave, it sounds like magicians are bad for business in your area...

:rolleyes:

Amos McCormick

[Guest]

Add to the Indiana list me, Applebee's on Tuesday nights in Bloomington IN. Also about to pick up another night or two at other restaurants in a few weeks.

John R

[Dave Shepherd]

Originally posted by Amos McCormick:
Dave, it sounds like magicians are bad for business in your area...

:rolleyes:

Amos McCormick

Well, we were really good for business for about 10 years, I think.

My own restaurant, however, never really recovered from the serious financial hit it took after 9/11 and then one year later during the DC-area sniper incident. These things happened at just the time they had undergone a major, expensive renovation.

The management spent three years behind the financial 8-ball, and they kept me on much longer than they did other entertainment. But finally they just gave up.

I would not want to be in the restaurant business, in general. I do miss the restaurant magic business, but running a restaurant is not something I think a sane person ought to undertake!
;)

[Guest]

Brian Curry is now working Saturday nights at Finemondo in Washington DC. Sheets and I cover for him. We got a nice write up in the Post a couple of months ago that plugged the restaurant gig.

http://www.jacobgrier.com/blog/archives/569.html

Mark

[Guest]

Doh!

That was a post regarding Barry's I was forwarding. Oops. Here's the Post article.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 01676.html

Mark

[Dave Shepherd]

Originally posted by Mark Phillips:
Brian Curry is now working Saturday nights at Finemondo in Washington DC. Sheets and I cover for him. We got a nice write up in the Post a couple of months ago that plugged the restaurant gig.

http://www.jacobgrier.com/blog/archives/569.html

Mark

Thanks, Mark. I was trying to remember the name of that new place.

That was a great write-up you guys got in the Post a few weeks ago.

Good for Finemondo. Sad for Magic of New Orleans, Mama's, Clyde's Mark Center. :(

[Guest]

Joe Skilton has been working in the greater Los Angeles area at the Warehouse Restaurant in Marina del Rey for over a year now.

[Guest]

Wayne Kawamoto is now appearing in the greater Los Angeles area at the Mt. Baldy Inn in downtown Upland.

[Guest]

In Atlanta, Bill Clary had been at Rays on the River for ten years or more, but I understand he has recently been let go or replaced -- which, if true, is a crying shame.

Terry "Magic Charley" Wenham has performed at Max & Erma's in Duluth and in Dunwoody for years; I'm not sure of his current situation. I know several other magicians in town have had long-running restaurant gigs that have ended in the last year or so. For example, several local magicians worked regularly at Cafe Tu Tu Tango until it closed last year.

I have been performing at Norcross Station Cafe for about six years. I just moved to the other side of Atlanta this summer, but the restaurant owner and I negotiated a new rate, so it's still worth the drive to go perform there!

JMT

[Guest]

One more for the D.C. area. There is a performer roughly every other Friday night at Illusions Thai restaurant in the Mark Center in Alexandria.

[NCMarsh]

In the Sarasota Area:

• Vince Carmen's magic dinner theatre is at the Cay Club, running most nights in-season
• Stevie Dee performs at Chick-fil-a, Roadhouse Grill, Acapulco, Cheeburger Cheeburger, and Acapulco. His schedule is at www.steviedee.info
• I have heard that Dan Tong may still be appearing publicly, but I do not know the details
• I am at The Melting Pot downtown (1949 Ringling Blvd), the second Tuesday and the third Thursday of every month. Reservations required: (941) 365-2628.