When A Magic Sport Is Born

Courtesy of BU Today

Is there possibly anything more magical in the minds of my generation than Harry Potter? Chock-full of witches, wizards, sorting hats, spells, wands, and the most magical sport ever penned: Quidditch.

In Harry Potter, Quidditch is like a flying dodgeball/soccer played played on magic brooms, of course. There are technical rules and it’s a game that the hero, Harry Potter, is naturally good at. He is supposed to catch the golden snitch. A little gold ball with wings that flies around on its own, and if caught, determines who wins the game.

It didn’t take long before us muggles (non-wizards) tried to turn this magic game into a reality. Now, the sport has grown so large that there is even a World Cup for college teams.

This year, the world cup was held in Kissimee, Florida from April 13-14. They even have two divisions and the teams are fiercely competitive. This is the 6th year for the World Cup and Texas at Austin took home the prize.

Way to go guys.

 

Chris Anthony: The Magic Touch

 

“It happened Nancy… it happened,” cackled an elderly woman with deep fuchsia hair and curled, glittery nails to the stranger seated at across tables Sunday afternoon. “What” happened was a deck of cards disappearing right from Nancy’s clasped tight hands—without her even noticing.

Amid the cheers and “what-the…” looks from both tables, another stranger to Nancy leans over and says, “This is like, the 100^th time we’ve watched him. And it’s still amazing.”

“Him” is Chris Anthony, the Sunday magician at Tosca’s restaurant in the quiet, residential neighborhood of Throgs Neck, Bronx. During the $26.95 weekend brunch buffet, Anthony walks alongside the mimosas and bacon from table to table enlarging pennies by tapping them to a magnifying glass, cutting ribbons through solid brass rings, and transferring red spongy balls through fist pumps

Waitresses dressed in tight black dresses silently dodge in and out, providing background service as Anthony makes dazzled diners temporarily forget about the half-eaten cannoli on their plate.

But the magic is just half the act.

“I’m not gunna mess with you, you’ve got a brass knuckles phone case!” jokes Anthony in his thick Bronx accent, to a giddy young boy with stars buzzed into the side of his faux hawk. With an irresistibly open demeanor, his performance always ends with a booming round of applause, and a simultaneous gathering of dollar bills.

“Do you have a card?” he’s asked over and over again.

“Yeah, I got 52!”

After running 20 minutes past his scheduled end time (due to a last minute request for a 20-person birthday table), he dashes out to the car  this mid-March morning where his wife is waiting to let her know he’s running a bit behind schedule.

“Busy day today! Sometimes I even have a performance after this. Then I just want to go home and collapse. I’m done.”

Anthony is one of 96 magicians listed within a 50-mile radius of NYC on Gig Salad, an entertainment search engine. He cab claim both  the most reviews (32) and the highest ratings  (4.9/5).

No wonder he’s busy.

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Movie Magic

In honor of the 38% (hey, that’s probably better than anyone thought) rated fresh The Incredible Burt Wonderstone starring Steve Carrell, Steve Buscemi, and Jim Carrey, and the upcoming Now You See Me starring Mark Ruffalo and Morgan Freeman, I’ve decided to compile a list of other famous movies that are about magic or magicians:

The Illusionist (2006)
The Wizard of Gore (1970)
The Prestige (2006)
Houdini (1953)
Magicians (2007)
Magic (1978)

And the most magical of all: Harry Potter (2001-2011)

A Wiccan Interview

Witchvox, the Facebook site for witches, lists more than 20 separate Pagan and Wiccan societies in New York City. However, getting one to talk to me for my blog, TheMagicWord, was a trying task. Frustrated by cricket-y response from the organizations I was at a loss of what to do.

That is until I invited friend to an indulgent pity party, where after five minutes of lamenting about my progress, it suddenly dawned on me to search “Wiccans in NYC” in Google maps and found one result—a self-described, “Witchcraft/goddess supply store,”  a whole nine blocks from my apartment.

Enchantments Inc. is a quasi-subterranean enclave tucked in a trendy East Village street. And while their graffiti-style name on their awning may be a bit confusing, any puzzlement is immediately dispelled (pun intended) as you open the door and plunge into a pool of heavy scents that smell…flowery. And potent. Make your way past bookshelves lined with Wiccan and Pagan literature (and sidestep a few cats), and find a scene that looks like it could be out of the TV show “Breaking Bad.” 

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Interview with a Psychic

Stacey Wolf, NYC-based psychic, is here to answer any questions you may have about visiting her, or any psychic, in the near future:

What should someone expect when going to a psychic?  From a professional psychic, one who runs their business based on respect, referrals, repeat clients, and positive business practices:  Clarity, compassion, non-judgment.  You may also get some fun, inspiring, healing interactions, or someone who is particularly engaging and enjoyable to talk to!

Is there a certain way a client should act during a reading?  Yes, the best sessions are based on mutual respect and kindness.  I love my clients yet occasionally I do get one who treats me sort of like a I’m a computer program, and then there’s a demanding energy behind their questions or a sense of blame when they don’t like the answer—basically not a nice person.  Those sessions are rare and I don’t usually like to take them on again, because I love my work and I love to love my work!!

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NYC-Based Tricks

Do you believe in magic? Or at least, do you believe in suspending your disbelief for an hour or two? Right here in New York City  there are plenty of magicians who are willing to make you do just that. Here’s a sneak peak of three of the best magic shows in the city:

Steve Cohen’s Chamber of Magic:

The millionaire’s magician. He performs shows at the Waldorf Astoria on the weekends. My relatives who have seen his shows and have not been able to stop talking about them.

Home

Monday Night Magic:

This off-broadway show opens (you guessed it) every Monday night featuring three different magicians with different tricks up their sleeves.

http://www.mondaynightmagic.com/MainMenu.html

The Quantum Eye:

Mix a little mentalism with your magic and you get Sam Eaton’s off-broadway Quantan Eye.

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Clairvoyant City Psychics

So you want to see a psychic because you’re not sure where your love life is going, your company is making massive cuts, or you’re just really curious. However, you don’t want to pay $500 to be told that you’re still in mourning for your sweet Goldendoodle when you’ve only owned cats?

Believe it or not, New York City is chock-full of psychics with remarkably reliable reputations. From the celebrity seers, to the ones with favorable Yelp reviews, here’s a list of the top eight psychics that could potentially connect you to your beloved Felix:

Frank Andrews

Frank seems to be the go-to psychic. He’s mentioned in New York magazine, Refinery29, and The New York Post as one of the most clairvoyant in Manhattan. He supposedly even predicted John Lennon’s death to Yoko Ono.

261 Mulberry Street 212-226-2194

$175 for one hour

Stacey Wolf

Not only is Stacey mentioned in Refinery29’s best psychics in the city, she has  online support to back it up. On Yelp, her average rating is 4.5/5 stars with one users writing they’ve happily been repeat clients (even up to 9 years!).

http://www.staceywolf.com/

212-330-8189

$375 for one hour

History

For my first post, I decided to research famous magical and mystical events in New York from the turn of the 20th century until today. I’ve complied a list of what I’ve deemed some significant/memorable magical and mystical events that have occurred right here in Manhattan to try to forge some sort of link through background information:

1902: Society of American Magicians, the oldest magic society in the world, is founded in Martinka’s magic shop

1918: Harry Houdini vanishes an elephant at the Hippodrome Theater

Harry Houdini

1970s: Magic Towne House was created by Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brooks– hosting shows and tricks for magic lovers

1983: David Copperfield makes the Statue of Liberty vanish on live television

2000: David Blaine stays in an enclosed case of ice for almost 64 hours in Times Square in a stunt called “Frozen in Time”

Frozen In Time

2000: Steve Cohen starts “Chamber Magic” in the Waldorf Astoria, entertaining an intimate audience in a suite five days a week

Chamber of Magic