8-8-08

8-8-08. It must be our lucky day; it was only a week ago today that I was in Anaheim, California at Disneyland for the first time in 12 years! Betty, Max, Cole, and I were in awe of all the changes that have occurred since our last visit. We arrived about 1:00 PM and took the Monorail from our hotel into the park. The weather was great and much cooler than here in Fresno, and the first ride we went on was Star Tours, one of my personal favorites. After that, Space Mountain, then the Jungle Cruise, and Pirates of the Caribbean and the best part: we waited no longer than 20 minutes in any line. Off to dinner and back to the park until almost midnight.

Saturday, we took in the new California Adventure part, where I found my new favorite ride, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror! Cole and I were the only ones to brave this one; Betty and Max sat out. As soon as the ride was over, Cole and I looked at each other and said, "We're doing this again." We got back in line and convinced Max to join us this time. As soon as it was over, we all three did it again. After several hours at California Adventures, we went back into Disneyland, where we all enjoyed a nice dinner at the Blue Bayou Restaurant inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.













After dinner, it was time to save our place for the Fantasmic Show. Although I have seen this show several times, and you have to save your seat at least 3 hours in advance on hard concrete, it's definitely worth the wait. Following Fantasmic, we watched the now-famous nightly Disneyland evening fireworks show. A few more rides, and a couple of shops later, it was almost midnight and time to go back to our hotel room.

Saturday morning, the boys went over to the parks while Betty and I drove to Alhambra, California, about 30 minutes away, to attend the wedding of Robert and Yumi Baxt. When we arrived at the home of their friends where the wedding was held, the first thing we saw was one of those carnival-style photo booths as we came up the walkway. Every guest sat in the booth and took a series of pictures which were saved and put into a photo album/memory book. A clever idea and definitely a Robert Baxt touch. Going into the large back yard, everything was beautifully decorated and the wedding area was completely covered with at tent. There were 140 guests in attendance, many of them well-known magicians like Carl Ballantine, Franz Harary, Johnny Ace Palmer, Dale Salwak, ventriloquist Mark Merchant, Bruce Gold, Goldfinger and Dove, Amos Levkovitch, Todd Brown, and Steve Valenti.

At 2:30, Robert made a small speech and the wedding ceremony began. Yumi was absolutely beautiful and Robert very dapper in his tuxedo. The ceremony was presided over by a rabbi, who was as much a stand-up comedian as he was a rabbi. Immediately following the ceremony, Robert and Yumi greeted all the guests. There was dancing, great food, and fellowship. Robert and Yumi did a fantastic job, and it could not have been topped!

















All in all, we had a great weekend, and Betty and I wish Robert and Yumi all the happiness in the world. Congratulations, Robert and Yumi.

GECKO CONTEST:

Thanks to all who participated and congratulations to the following winners:

3rd Place Winner: Arturo Zelaya, winner of Trans-Locations by David Regal
2nd Place Winner: Sean Cinco, winner of Buccaneer Booty by Larry Becker
1st Place Winner: Patrick Gregoire, winner of Cody Fisher's Bet Your Bucks

Congratulations to the winners! They all had some incredible routines and ideas for use with the Gecko, which will soon be released on the upcoming Gecko DVD. The Gecko remains one of our biggest-selling effects to date. If you have not yet purchased the Gecko, we urge you to check it out HERE!

MAGIC HISTORY

I spoke to Mark Wilson several times this week about a very interesting set of books he just uncovered in his warehouse. Below, I'd like to share the letter and information about this incredible set of books:



Last week I discovered in a box of books in my warehouse a 4-volume set of "Recreations in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy". I had received them as a gift during my unexpected 50th birthday party, with which Nani totally surprised me. It was quite an affair. There were some 200 guests, including many of our magical friends such as Dai Vernon, John Booth, Kuda Bux, Billy McComb, Marvin Roy and Carol, Harry Blackstone Jr. and Gay, Johnny Thompson and Pam, Shimada and Diana, Bill and Irene Larsen, Milt Larsen, Walter “Zaney” Blaney, Bruce Cervon, and many others, better than any magic convention I can recall.

The books were a gift from my business manager, whose showbiz oriented management firm represented many talented people in Hollywood, such as Marlon Brando and Judy Garland. When I opened the gift, with the excitement and pandemonium of the party, I had thanked him, but never really looked inside those books until last week. Thumbing through the books, on the title page, I saw they were a first edition set, published in 1803 in London. A few days later I looked again and saw that the previous owner had written his name several times inside the volumes. It was Harry Houdini! I also saw that one of his signatures was “Harry Handcuff Houdini,” which I had not seen before, but I understand is even more valuable to Houdini collectors. Each volume has over 450 pages. In addition, the title page in each book states, "there are 100 quatro plates." These are fold-out pages with line drawings illustrating the various sections. As I looked I realized, over the intervening 200 years, many of those drawings and many items described in the volumes, have developed into our present-day magic effects and illusions. Although I am certainly not a rare book expert, it seems to me the pages are of excellent quality, just a little tan at the edges from two centuries of aging. The covers are also excellent, but perhaps not the originals. Frankly, I don't know enough about books printed in 1803 to tell the difference.

The bindings are totally intact, every page is completely readable with no folds, and their are almost no spots on any of the pages. You will see several pages in the attached photographs. The photographs are as follows:



1. Title page, volume one, where I first saw "published in London in 1803."



2. Title page, volume two, Harry Houdini signature.



3. Title page, volume three, Harry Houdini signature.



4. Title page, volume four, Harry Handcuff Houdini signature,



5. Back page, volume four, "Harry Houdini bought these 4 volumes in Birmingham, England.”
These and other notes are in the same handwriting as the Houdini autographs.



6. Photograph 6 has notes written on the edge of a page in volume four, in the "automaton" section that refer to a sentence concerning the most important automata of the day. It reads; "We have also of late been amused with these surprising performances of the chess players, the small but sweet singing bird, the writing figure, the musical lady, the conjurer, etc. etc". Houdini marked this sentence on the side for quick reference and there are two notes, each of a different size, which I feel sure were written at different times. The first line is a question and the second is the answer he wrote to himself... The first, "What did Houdin invent?" The second, "Houdin bought the figures'" These notes about Houdin could be one of the discoveries, which influenced Harry’s book, "The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin."



Photo #7 is a quarto drawing, which is not magical, but I find particularly fascinating, from the " pyrotechnics " section, is an almost exact outline of one of our latest fighter jet airplanes. Wow! You will see it` in the upper right hand corner of photograph #7. Every time I pick up one of the books, I am amazed at what I find related to magic. There are sections devoted to automata, magic squares, optics, quick mathematical calculations, pyrotechnics, puzzles, riddles, betchas and even card tricks. Many of these are predecessors of the magic we do today. As an example, in volume 4, I found "Magic Oracle," a magic trick written in the now classic style of "effect" and "secret.", The effect is how to make written answers to questions magically appear on blank pieces of paper when they are placed into a special gimmicked box. The method is completely explained, including how to build the special box and how to gimmick the papers. It even recommends you make some papers in multiples, so that you can secretly select, the best answer to the question. There are even clever names for the props and suggested patter! In the “mirror” section under Opticals in volume 2, one heading reads: “Of some tricks or kinds of illusion, which may be performed by means of plane mirrors". And sure enough, the next pages give explanations of illusions that can be done with mirrors. Yes, they were certainly right about that, weren't they? And don't forget those card tricks.

Although I have only read a few, I happened upon one that has developed into what we now call "Card Counting," the mathematical Blackjack gambling cheat system now banned from casinos in Las Vegas. Also on a blank page adjacent to the page on which Houdini states he purchased the four volumes in Birmingham, England. In conclusion, the good news is, I received these rather incredible books as a gift on my 50th birthday. The bad news is, that was 29 years ago. To end on a happy note, being here to read them now is far better than any other option I can think of.

Happy Magic!

Mark

The reason for this post is that Mark is currently considering selling these rare books. The interesting part is that the value is two-fold: The set of books themselves is not only an incredible source of magical knowledge, but due to the rarity of their nature, they are highly sought-after and collectible as well. Secondly, the fact that these books were owned by Harry Houdini himself with authenticated signatures and personal notations within the book's pages add to its value and desirability. If you are interested in obtaining these books, please feel free to contact me personally her at Hocus Pocus for more information.

WE'RE ALMOST THERE

I know this is a long blog; there's been so much to cover and talk about, so before I sign off, I want to let everyone know that the long-awaited and highly-anticipated Extractor has finally arrived and is in-stock at Hocus Pocus. This is one of the most talked-about effects this year and was a huge hit at the recent IBM/SAM convention in Kentucky. For more information and details about this amazing effect, click HERE!

That wraps it up for now.

Until next time,

Paul

The Blog Doth Returneth

Paul is off this week to attend Robert and Yumi Baxt's wedding. We'll return to our regularly scheduled programming next week.

Friday Already?

How can it be Friday already? This week has gone by with lightening speed. If you've been keeping tabs on our web site, I'm sure you've noticed all the new and exciting things happening. The first is the latest offering from Peter Loughran and Sean Bogunia entitled "WitchBoard."



You'll definitely want to read up about it HERE if you are a mentalist or bizarrist; it will change your show forever!


Joe Givan's Improved Ring in Gumball Machine

Another exciting item is Joe Givan's Original Ring in Gumball Machine, which he has graciously given us the exclusive on. These are flying off the shelves with such speed, I cannot believe it. Check it out HERE.



Also check out the brand new items from Theory11. We are excited to be one of the official dealers to offer you such fantastic projects. Not only are they all online, but they are IN-STOCK for immediate delivery. Just check out the special category "Theory11" for all the items we have so far.

These are just a few of the things that have hit our site this week alone. Do yourself a favor and check out the record amount of new items arriving daily.

On the homefront, the temperatures here earlier this week was like being on the coast. In the morning, we were leaving the doors to the offices and warehouse open until we had to turn the air conditioning on later in the day. It was so nice, but it wasn't to last. Yesterday, it spiked to 104 degrees, today will be 105 and Sunday will climb to 106. As I type this, I realize that we are only 90 days away from Fall, and I cannot wait.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?


Well, not yet but Mike's band, "Smoke Break" is climbing in popularity all over Central California. Selling out in the local bars and pubs, every owner has had glowing reviews on the band's choice of music and the caliber of showmanship. Tonight, Smoke Break plays at Kimmee's in Clovis, CA. from 9 PM - 1 AM (good luck, Mike) and it is guaranteed to be filled to capacity. They will also be playing again on Sunday evening from 7-11 PM, so if you are in the area, show up early to avoid cover charges and lines. In fact, Mike told me that during intermissions, the band would go outside for a break and the lines outside were something out of Studio 54 days. Eerie. Word gets around, and I wouldn't be surprised if Mike has to put his close-up gigs on hold for the music business.

Next week, the wedding bells toll for Yumi and Robert Baxt. They tie the knot a week from Saturday in an intimate gathering of close family and friends. Betty and I will be making the trip to Southern California to attend and hey, who knows: maybe we'll go to Disneyland!

Cars, Cars, and More Cars!


Max's new project. Hopefully, it will look like this.

As I've written before, my son, Max is completely car crazy. He has now added to his collection of vehicles an early model 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am. You remember: just like the one Burt Reynolds drove in Smokey and the Bandit. To say that it is a fixer-upper is an understatement, but you'd think he was driving a Rolls Royce when you see him in this thing. Grinning from ear to ear, he believes he has a real treasure. Who knows: it just may be that diamond in the rough. At 16 years of age, he already owns 2 vehicles and I cringe to think of what he may have at 18. I hope our house doesn't turn into a car lot!



Betty and I took in the Dark Knight last weekend. We both enjoyed it thoroughly, and as many have said, the late Heath Ledger's performance was stellar and captivating. At 2 hours and 40 minutes, it's a long one, but there's enough action to keep you on the edge of your seats. If you haven't seen it yet, it's worth your time and effort.

So that's about it for me. There will be no blog next week as I'll be in Southern California attending Yumi's and Robert's wedding. I'll definitely report back when I return. On a personal note, I just want to say thanks for taking time to read this blog and visit our site.

Until next time,

Paul

Friends

My friend, Craig Harlan

Friends. We all have them. Some closer than others, but still friends, nonetheless. Good friends, TRUE friends are hard to come by. They are the ones that you can call on at any time, day or night, and they'll give you the shirt off their back if you ask them. Always there to listen to your stories and to support you in good times and in bad throughout your life. So let me tell you about my TRUE friend, Craig Harlan.

Craig and I became friends about 9 years ago when he wandered into the magic shop. A child psychologist by profession who always had an interest in magic, Craig thought it would be a great icebreaker working with his young patients. He became a quick study and devoted student to the art of magic. Almost every afternoon, as his schedule allowed, he'd stop by the shop to check out the latest trick, book, or video/DVD. He loved to read anything he got his hands on, and so the books were always the preferred choice. He was a voracious reader and a real sponge. You could always count on Craig to sit in the front row for all lectures and magical events held at Hocus Pocus. Come to think of it, I cannot recall one that he missed... It's funny how his life and mine paralleled; much of the same incidents happening to the both of us.

Several years ago, when it was paramount that I lose my weight, Craig was instrumental in helping me do so. Constantly calling and checking in with me, Craig always monitored my health and took an active interest in my well-being. One of the favorite things he's like to do was go to the Magic Castle, and last October, when he and Deborah went with Betty and me, we all had a great time.


Betty and I with Deborah and Craig along with Chuck Kirchner at the Castle last year

You may remember that in June of last year, Craig was battling cancer. At the time, Craig's prognosis looked good. In fact, after chemotherapy, Craig came into the shop frequently and chatted magic with me almost once per week. He even took a trip to Europe with his girlfriend, Deborah, and everything was looking up.

Unfortunately, it wasn't to be; the cancer returned. A long, hard fight Craig had, and the last few weeks, he was in tremendous pain and had to be hospitalized. When Betty and I visited him, as heavily drugged as he was, he still hadn't lost his sense of humor or positive outlook.

Last Thursday, Craig's battle with cancer ended and I lost a good friend to this horrible disease. It's still hard for me to believe. He was only 2 years older than me - 54 years-old and still had so much he wanted to do. It's times like this that really put our lives into perspective. I have promised myself to do all the things I still want to do, including spending more time with those close to me: family and friends. Especially, I am also trying not to take things for granted in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Even though our friendship was short, I learned a lot from Craig and still continue to do so. In fact, he has given me an incredible gift, and I plan on using and sharing that gift as much as possible. I'll miss his surprise visits to the shop and his head popping into my office door with his list of products and books he would ask me about. The funny stories we shared (especially about our kids) I'll always remember and cherish.

So don't sweat the small stuff. Get on the phone to your friend and say hi. Share those stories and moments and store them in your memory banks. My friend may be gone, but he'll never be forgotten.

So long, old friend.

Until next week,

Paul

Cool Customers

Saying "thank you" just doesn't seem like enough. As many of you know, just two weeks ago we put out a call for help for the Losander family, and help you did! Donations have poured in from all corners of the globe, and we are overwhelmed and humbled by your graciousness and thoughtfulness in the Losanders' time of need. Betty spoke to Losander just the other day, and the baby is doing well. Each day, she gets stronger and stronger.

The Losander auction items have gotten quite a bit of action as well. We are very excited to add a special memorabilia package donated graciously by Mark and Nani Wilson. Please take a few moment to visit the auction page HERE before the close of Monday, July 14th. Special thanks to all the donors and contributors of the auction are in order, and remember, all proceeds will go straight to the Losander family to help pay for the hospital bills.

Again, we cannot thank you enough for your generosity and giving in this special time of need.



On the home front, our good friend and magician extraordinaire Cody Fisher and Hocus Pocus have once again teamed up to bring you two brand new and exciting audience-tested routines! First is Razor Shots, a razor blade eating effects that is unlike any other on the market! Extremely practical and logical, your audience (including magicians) will NEVER see this coming! All the special components for this effect have been ordered, and Razor Shots should be available for delivery by the end of this month! We have a special pre-order price and free shipping deal for all you early birds, so act now before this deal disappears! You can check out Razor Shots HERE!



The second item is Cody's $200 Dollar Card Trick. I've been pleading with Cody to release this for years, and Cody finally buckled under the "pressure." I made him an offer he couldn't refuse. This is, without a doubt, one of the greatest routines and presentations that is perfect for parlor or stage workers who wish to invite their entire audience in to their show. You'll receive everything you need to perform this hilarious routine, including full performance rights. This, like Razor Shots, will be ready for delivery in late July. Remember, both of these items are audience-tried-and-tested with all the nuances and patter included in each effect's instructional manuscripts. Check it out HERE!


GECKO CHALLENGE

It's no secret that one of the biggest-selling effects is Jim Rosenbaum's The Gecko! Jim and I have been discussing and developing a contest that we'll be unveiling next week on the front page of our web site. All I can tell you is that there will be some great prizes, and if you're one of the first 25 participants, you will be instant winners of special prizes selected and extra-special prizes for the top-10 winners! So all you Gecko owners, get your thinking caps ready, because we want to see your best Gecko routines. We are looking for Gecko content including some of the following (but not limited to):

*Gecko routines (vanishes, transpositions, etc.)
*Gecko hook-ups (typical and alternatives)
*Gecko handling (smooth vanishes, gimmick clippings, etc.)
*Plus, other suggestions or creative solutions

So get your creative juices flowing and check the front page of our web site this coming Tuesday for all the details!

Yesterday, it was a whopping 112 degrees here in Fresno, California! Today, the weatherman tells us that it's going to cool down to a brisk 110 degrees. Oh boy! So with that in mind, Betty, Max, Cole and I will be taking off tomorrow to Monterey, CA. to enjoy the cooler weather (70 degrees tops, according to weather.com) and maybe even check out the PCAM Convention going on.

So stay cool and we'll see you here next week.

Until next time,

Paul

Real Magic

Ione Losander




Luna and Ione after surgery

As many of you already know, this week brought news of a brand new baby girl into the world. Dirk and Luna Losander welcomed Baby Ione less than a week ago. Imagine their shock when they were informed that Ione needed to have immediate heart surgery. Imagine their greater shock when they learned that their health insurance provider would not cover this life-saving emergency procedure!! When I spoke to Losander this week after hearing the news, my stomach was in knots. Being a father of four myself, I could not possibly imagine what Dirk and Luna were going through. But I knew that the magic community had to do something. And do something, we did!!!

Many friends of the Losanders, including the cast of the World's Greatest Magic Show in Las Vegas began sending out emails in calls for help. We immediately sent out a letter of our own on Monday asking for donations to help the Losanders in their dire time of need. I cannot express my shock and grattitude for the immediate generosity shown by many of you. Within minutes of sending out the letter, donations began to pour in from all over the world!!! I'm excited to say that within a span of 48 hours, you have helped to raise over $5100.00 in donations, all of which go directly to the Losander family!

To donate, simply go to the special Help Ione Losander category, located HERE.

We've also put up a special auction page devoted to help cover the cost of Ione's surgery. Many of our personal friends, friends like Paul Romhany, Gerald Kirchner, Sean and Rebecca Bogunia, Jim Rosenbaum and Jeff Ezell have all dug down deep and generously donated the items for the auction. Again, 100% of the proceeds received from this auction will go directly to the Losander family, and we thank you for all your support. You can see the auction page HERE.

What a great brotherhood we have to see how you all have rallied to help is truly humbling, and I am extremely proud to be a part of this fraternity of magicians. This is what it's all about, and you all have gone above and beyond. The baby has now gone home today with Mom and Dad, and below is a letter from Losander and Luna:

Dear Friends,

Once again we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your prayers and good wishes and generous contributions to our baby girl Ione. Thanks to all of you and the entire magic community as a whole, we were able to expediently get her surgery on Monday. She came through it great and the procedure was, as far as they can see, a success! We have her home today and she is doing very well.

We had an excellent surgical team and the Doctor was first rate and everyone was so kind and helpful. It was an amazingly positive experience. I think all our energies combined may have had something to do with that! Now what's next is a series of follow ups and constant monitoring to ensure that the heart continues to function correctly and nothing else develops as she grows. It was great that we were able to do this as quickly as we did as there was a tremendous amount of pressure on her heart and it could of given out without notice, at least now she is not at risk of sudden death.

The costs are considerable and with no hope of getting her coverage now or in the future due to a pre-existing condition, the medical expenses will continue for a while but we are optimistic and with friends like you, I know we will be OK. You can go to the website www.helpione.com for updates and new photos whenever you like.

We love you all!

In gratitude,

LUNA & DIRK LOSANDER

So what began as a possible heart-wrenching story has turned into a success! Again, many thanks to all of you for your donations, support, prayers, and beautiful words. From my family to yours, I wish you a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend.

Until next time,

Paul

Let The Sideshow Begin!

It's no big secret around here that I am a huge fan of the Sideshow. Ever since I was a kid, I remember the Sideshow that arrived every year with the big Fresno Fair. Those HUGE banners that showcased two-headed cows, sword swallowers, fire-eaters, bearded ladies, you get the idea... Now, after all these years, I am an avid collector of Sideshow memorabilia. If you've ever visited our warehouse/offices, you've no doubt seen the walls lined with these authentic and reproduced Sideshow banners. My office is filled with shrunken heads (not real ones, of course), Fiji Mermaids, a real Frog Band, Flea Circuses, Pickled Punks, and even a two-headed chicken. Add to the mix that famous Sideshow impresario Bobby Reynolds recently moved to Fresno and visits quite often, I am in Sideshow heaven.

It was with great honor that we were graced with a visit from Sideshow performer and magician, George the Giant! George The Giant is not a larger than life performer because of his size, though he stands an impressive seven foot three inches in height. It might be because it has been mentioned; George is one of the most complete sideshow performers today, by performers and audiences alike.

George has appeared as Colossus in Tim Burtons movie "Big Fish", "Tough Luck", "Firecracker", and "Relative Strangers", as well as his many television appearances like "The Tonight Show," "Touched By An Angel", "The Guardian", "The Strip", and "According To Jim". Currently, he appears on the network TV hit "America's Got Talent," and you can catch his appearance next week performing a stunt with lots of firecrackers, and that's all we'll say...

While George was here, he shared stories of the Sideshow and had a ball looking at all the memorabilia and banners displayed throughout the shop. Billed as "The World's Tallest Sword Swallower," George offered us a real honest-to-goodness Sword Swallowing demonstration.


George the Giant


Swallowing swords for fun and profit?


Ooooh, boy!


I must be crazy doing this!

George has been performing Sword Swallowing, Fire Eating, the Bed of Nails, and other Sideshow feats since the early 1990s, and he even brought along with him his Chupacabra Sideshow display, which you can see below:


Chupracabra. Real or?

After all this fun, I had to go back to work and George had to hit the road to go to his next venue, but he didn't leave us empty-handed; he left us with George the Giant T-Shirts, Coloring and Activity Books, and a George the Giant Sword Swallowing giveaway card with a plastic sword in George's mouth, all of which will be proudly displayed in my office for everyone to see.

I'll be taking off tomorrow for an extended weekend. Hope you all have a fantastic, fun-filled and safe one as well.

Until next time,

Paul

103 Degrees?

I have to laugh when I look at my calendar as it says tomorrow is the official first day of Summer. I've got news: it's been Summer here for the last 2 weeks! The temperatures here have climbed to a scorching 103 by mid-afternoon. It's supposed to be 105 today, 105 tomorrow, and back down to the mid-nineties next week. Ooh, a cool-down. We're doing everything we can to stay as cool as possible, but it has been a tad difficult. I think my swimming pool and air conditioner will get a good workout this weekend; we're going to do everything to keep from melting.

On the home front, my son Max is excited to get his very first job! He'll be working as an intern for an auto enhancement company. As I've said before, Max is car crazy, and he'll be working with a company that does custom tires, rims and other hi-tech car customization. Betty and I are proud of him for going out and vigorously pursuing Summer employment. Today's his first day on the job and to say he's excited is an understatement. This would be his equivalent to my working at a magic store when I was his age.


Nani Wilson, me, and Mark Wilson

Exciting news from the Magic Land of Allakazam: Mark and Nani Wilson have been sending me glowing reviews of their son Mike's Show "Cirque Shanghai" Chinese Acrobat Troupe. I know how proud Mark and Nani are of Mike's success. Of course, he had great teachers. Other Allakazam news: I'm very excited about the new project that Hocus Pocus and Mark and Nani Wilson are working on. The final prototypes arrived just the other day, and Mark has given the thumbs up, so we're moving full-force. That's all I can tell you about this for right now, but keep your eyes glued to the web site for this new release. I will tell you that it is a classic of magic with Mark's perfected handling that will suit anyone's act.


Allakazam Hat is rapidly disappearing

Speaking of Allakazam projects, there are only 3 Allakazam Hats left. A limited run of only 50, these went super fast, and if you were one of the few who have not yet grabbed one for yourself, this could be your last chance.


Gambling Instinct


Phork

Around the shop, we're still staying extremely busy, which we appreciate. There are several brand new item that are worthy of your attention, including Phork, the new self-bending fork effect! There's a brand new demo video that Mike has put up of the Phork in action. Also, Gambling Instinct from our friends at the Magic Wagon is worthy of your consideration. The folks at Magic Wagon continue to amaze me with their incredible quality workmanship and creativity. These are just a couple of things that I think are particularly interesting, but don't stop there; check out the Hot/New section of the web site to see all of the newest items hitting our shelves.



Mike has now seen the Incredible Hulk more times in the last week than I can count (this is not exaggeration, it is fact). His enthusiasm was so infectious that even my son, Cole went to see the movie, and now they're on my case to see the film. Mike has even offered a money-back guarantee if Betty and I don't like the film. Interesting, considering that he has no financial interest in the film at all. Every day, instead of our usual good-morning greeting, Mike's first words are, "Have you seen The Incredible Hulk yet?" So this weekend, I guess I'll take the plunge even though I'm more of a Batman fan. I'll try to think green.

So that about wraps it up. Think cool, think green, and have a good weekend.

Until next time,

Paul

Happy Father's Day

As I write this today and look at the calendar, I can't believe that half the year has already gone by! Normally, I talk about things going on here at the shop and all the future irons I have in the fires, but I wanted to forgo that today.

Can you hear his words of wisdom? I'm talking about your dad, of course. How many times have you gone to your dad for help, advice, or just to talk? Where would we be without our dads? I noticed that it's time to recognize all the dads around the world because, as you are probably already aware, this Sunday is Father's Day! Let me tell you a little bit about my dad:


Marvin Gross, my dad.

My dad was instrumental in the creation of this business, believe it or not! When I was a mere 18 years old and decided I wanted to be in the magic business, my father was right there supporting me all the way. He taught me to work hard and do what it takes to be successful and not be afraid to go the extra mile. Although he may have had his doubts about my success in the business at first, he never once voiced them. Not once! Instead, he supported me, helped me get a bank loan, and he even came and helped me paint the walls and hang shelving at my first store! I learned from my dad how to be a good businessman, but more importantly, how to take care of my children and how to be a good husband. He was always the best audience whenever I got the newest magic tricks and wanted to perform them. If I could fool him, I knew it was perfect. If not, back to the drawing board.

My dad had a great sense of humor and was always the center of attention at any party or get-together he attended. He attracted people like a magnet. He stood a full 6' 6" tall, a bit intimidating when you first saw and met him, had a boisterous voice, however, he had a heart of gold. He would give you the shirt off his back and the last dollar in his pocket without hesitation if you needed it. He was honest, hard-working, and never selfish. He had literally hundreds of friends who I didn't even know, and he was never a stranger anywhere he went. He was always there for my sister and me no matter what we were going through! Always supportive and overly patient, a trait of his I wish I had inherited, he was a great provider, and we always had everything we needed and then some.

He worked long hours, sometimes up to 14 hours per day, sometimes weeks on end without any days off to make sure his family were well taken care of, and he never complained. No matter how busy he was, he always had time for his family.

When we were kids, our Father's Day tradition was to let Dad sleep in on Sunday morning followed by the breakfast of his choice! Then we would go visit my grandparents, and the highlight was going to Foster's to get a Root Beer Freeze! Sounds simple but it was a great time for us all!

It has been 18 years since my dad passed away, and I still think about him every day. Referring to his words of wisdom whenever it comes to making a life or business decision, I always find myself reflecting and repeating the words of advice and love he always gave me.

So, tomorrow, I'm going to do something that my dad always did for us: I'm going to take a day off and spend it with the family. Saturday, we're having a family barbecue with all my family, aunts, uncles, siblings, children, etc. to celebrate an early Father's Day and my daughter Renee's engagement. The pool will no doubt be full of kids and the back yard will be at capacity. I can't think of a better way to spend my Father's Day weekend.

So, if you're a dad, happy Father's Day, and if you can, wish your dad the same.

Until next time,

Paul

Getting While the Gecko's Good

The phone rings. It's an order for the Gecko. The email alert goes off. It's another order for the Gecko. The fax machine receives a fax. It's yet another order for the Gecko. Gecko, Gecko, Gecko, that's the buzz word at Hocus Pocus these last few days. In case you are living in a cave, Gecko by Jim Rosenbaum, is the hottest ticket in magic-dom at the moment. Nothing else this year has even come close. This is an exciting project that Jim let us in on about a year ago in its early stages of development, even sharing early prototypes with us. He has had major input from major players in magic to help bring his vision to completion.

I truly believe in this product and think that if you're looking for a utility device that has multi-functionality and doesn't cost an arm and a leg, the Gecko is for you. Please check out the online video demo on the web site to see all the possibilities the Gecko has to offer and get your Gecko on today.


Cole: a chip off the ol' block.

Many of you have noticed a new voice on the phone here at Hocus Pocus, and I'm proud to say that my oldest son, Cole, is filling in during his Summer break from college. He'll be answering the phones, taking orders, and even helping out in the shipping department from time to time along with assisting Ken in customer service. Who knows; maybe he'll be sitting in the captain's seat before too long... Make sure you introduce yourself the next time you call.



Paul Romhany's latest effect, Lemon Tree, just arrived and all pre-orders are shipping today. We still have a limited supply left if you are interested in something completely different for your shows. I begged Paul for over a year to release this routine, which he finally agreed to, but only in a limited amount.


Robert and Yumi

Congratulations to Yumi Homma and Robert Baxt on their wedding announcement, which was just received in today's mail. August 2nd is the big day, and they'll be enjoying an afternoon wedding at a private residence. Betty and I are very happy for Robert, and we think the world of Yumi. We look forward to spending their special day with them.

Going to take this Friday off for a little rest and relaxation after a very busy week. Make sure you tune in to VH1 tonight for the finale of Celebracadabra. Check your local listings for times. I'll definitely be checking it out.

So remember, the secret word is: Gecko. Gecko, Gecko, Gecko.

Until next time,

Paul