Twice in One Week

We posted earlier on Monday, and now one final post to end the week. And what a week it's been! It seems like this week has gone by so quickly with all the new things happening and all the irons in the fire. In fact, we had to rearrange and expand the warehouse area yet again to make for more product space. Yesterday, we put up more shelving units to prepare for what will surely be one of the busiest holiday seasons to date! In fact, it's already started. We've gotten dozens of orders for Christmas and Halloween effects. The smallest investment in a few of these holiday effects guarantees more income for a performer and puts him ahead of his competition.

On the homefront, we are currently working to get Cole into the beautiful Saint Mary's College in Northern California. It is a rarity of a school and looked highly upon from all over the state of California. Max is still car crazy and comes up with about half a dozen different cars he wants to buy. Everytime I walk by his room, I hear, "Dad, come look at this car!" Thanks to the power of the Internet, my son has probably already started his own car dealership and I know nothing about it!

No rest for the weary as far as Mike and Tony are concerned; they are both booked solid for the weekend with private engagements and restaurants for Mike and birthday parties for Tony. Tony really has settled well here in Fresno, and as he is an attraction from Las Vegas, everyone here is dying to have him at their event.


Jeff Hobson

Special thanks to our friend, Jeff Hobson, who made our day yesterday by sending us some magic and autographed photos. Although the comments are a bit racy to post here, we're still laughing! Thanks, Jeff!

In other news, Criss Angel will be filming his Halloween special beginning Monday at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, California. Criss phoned me to invite Betty and myself for the taping, so we'll probably take a couple of days to go down, if time allows, and watch the special. Thank you, Criss.

Thanks to all of you who sent email greetings wishing Carl Ballantine a Happy Birthday! He appreciated all your kind words and wanted me to be sure I thanked you here on the blog.

Now that Fall is officially here, I'll be pulling in the patio furniture and weatherproofing my yard this weekend. I'm looking for volunteers. Anyone want to help? Anyone?

Until next time,

Paul

A Weekend of Magic!

Remember when you were a kid and you saw your first magic trick? You remember that feeling? That encompasses this entire weekend Betty, Mike and I had! We started out early Friday morning, filled ourselves with coffee and headed south! We arrived in Hollywood at around 11:45 AM where we met the entire gang at Musso & Frank's on Hollywood boulevard. Our good friends Gerald and Chuck Kirchner from Magic City, Lou Hirshorn from the Walt Disney Studios, Joe Porper, Pete Biro, Doug Malloy of Malloy Modern Magic, illusionist Richard Burr, Geno Munari of Houdini Magic Shops of Vegas, and Robert Baxt with special guest of honor, Carl Ballantine! The lunch began with us presenting gift for Carl's birthday, which he greatly enjoyed and in return, kept us in stitches the rest of the afternoon.


The 2 hunks of rope go into the basket.


Pete Biro shares the next magic product to come!


The entire gang discusses the latest & greatest in magic!


Richard Burr says hello amongst the riff raff.


Robert Baxt plays with his food.

After our lunch, we went to our hotel and checked in. Then, we all met at the pool on the fifth floor which boasted a marvelous view of Hollywood. Geno Munari and Gerald Kirchner had a card trick playoff to see who could outdo the other. Then it was time to get cleaned up and head to the Magic Castle for an evening of great food and entertainment. I must say, this was one of the best meals we have ever had at the Castle. Our waitress was exceptional with a great personality, which made the dining experience more pleasurable than it was. She even joined in and sang with Geno during the evening.

After dinner, we immediately went to the Parlor of Prestidigitation, where we were entertained by the inimitable Billy McComb! Billy's still going strong and is as funny as ever. After the Parlor show, we went to the Palace of Mystery where John Carney and Tina Lennert put on one of the best shows I've seen in quite a while! John's tribute to Faucett Ross was excellent as was his Mister Mysto, which had us rolling in the aisles! Tina Lennert performed her now classic Cleaning Woman act, which I could watch over and over and never get tired of seeing.

After the shows, we hung out for a while, talked with friends, and headed back to the hotel for a good night's rest. Or so we thought. Around 4:00 AM, the fire alarm in our room began blaring. Calling down to the front desk, we were told not to worry; it was a false alarm and sorry for the interruption. Unfortunately, for the next 2 1/2 hours, every 20 minutes or so, it continued to go off. Needless to say, I was bright-tailed and bushy-eyed when it came time to go to the Swap Meet.

Business was brisk and deals were aplenty that Saturday morning. I enjoyed meeting Jamie Schoolcraft and I'm very happy to announce that we'll be carrying his line of exceptional coin work very soon! I picked up a few things myself, including a vintage set of Harry Stanley Multiplying Cigarette Lighters, which are rarely seen these days! Mike got a smokin' deal on a Kikuchi Fire Purse, which he can't seem to put down! It's a good thing my fire insurance is paid up. I enjoyed meeting some of our customers who came up to talk with me during the Swap Meet. If you've never been, you should really try to go at some point; it's a once-in-a-lifetime event for some people. The next one is in April of next year, and I hope to see you there! In the meantime, check out the photos below to get a feeling of that magical time.


The crowd goes in for the kill at the Magic Castle Swap Meet!


The Palace of Mystery was a buzz!


The creative Dean Dill selling his wares.


Joe Porper demonstrates his line of magic!


Downstairs was just as busy as upstairs!

After a great morning of wheeling and dealing, it was time to go home and be with the family. We arrived back in Fresno at around 3:00 PM, just enough time to take a short nap before going out for my mother's birthday. I can't wait for next year!

Until next time,

Paul

The Excitement Never Ends!

The title says it all! The response to the first and second Estate lists has been overwhelming, and we can't thank you enough! The shipping department hit an all-time record by shipping just over 700 packages alone in just 5 days! The other exciting thing is all the new and hot items hitting the storefront as we gear ourselves up for the holidays. Be sure you continually monitor the web site as Mike updates as fast as his fingers will allow!

Next week brings two exciting ventures: first, the beginning of Fall, which we all welcome here! Ah, the smell of the Autumn leaves, the crisp air, the holiday, the cool weather; it truly is my favorite time of year. The second is the semi-annual Magic Castle Swap Meet trip. Mike & I will be gearing up early Friday morning and driving to Southern California, where we'll take in the day and spend the evening at the Magic Castle. Since we won't be in town, the Friday blog will be moved to Monday where we'll share the experience and photos with you. We'll be having our usual Friday lunch with the entire gang at Musso & Frank's, and we'll be sure to be first in line for the Swap Meet. If you're also planning on attending, make sure you stop us and say hello! Mike will be snapping photos of the trip and making his usual scene. We'll also be celebrating Carl Ballantine's birthday. Carl still actively performs and acts in movies. In fact, recently, he was in a Vaudeville Revival Review with Robert Baxt:


Robert Baxt with Carl Ballantine before the show


The sign says it all!

Of course, Carl will be the guest of honor, as he usually is for our luncheon. However, this time, we'll be surprising him with a few gifts. I'm sure he'll keep us all entertained and in stitches like he always does... If you'd like to send Carl birthday wishes, you can do so by emailing them to me here at sales@hocus-pocus.com, and I'll print them out and give them to Carl for you personally.

On the home front, my son Max has now taken a huge interest in cars. Even though he's only 13 years-old, he's already gone online and shown me several different vehicles he wishes to purchase... Of course, each one is a gas-guzzling, insurance person's nightmare! I just nod my head and repeat my stock line, "Sure, Max. No problem."

As for me, I received a clean bill of health from my doctor -- NO KIDNEY STONES! HOORAY! Thanks again to all of you who sent remedies, text, books, etc. who suffer from the same condition. It's much appreciated. The only problem is no more soda for me! For those of you who know me, I eat, sleep, and breathe Diet Pepsi. Well, no more... In the long run, the trade-off is good. I wonder if this is what it's like to quit smoking as my hands and fingers are constantly working and moving and my employees seem to think I'm a little edgy.

Our own Mike Giusti performed at the Atlantis Hotel & Casino last week and received many standing ovations. He has no idea what he's doing differently in his show to garner them, but he's not questioning it! After his last show, he invited the audience to his suite for a farewell after-show party. The party lasted until 6:00 AM, and Mike looked like he'd participated in a triathlon the following Monday. Mike's a very talented performer, and we're very lucky to have him as our web master in the midst of his many other projects!


Mike's show at the Atlantis Hotel & Casino in Reno, NV.


A view from the stage pre-show


The after show party in Mike's suite!

As I sit here and write the blog today, I'm watching the doorway to my office be completely blocked by stacks of packages ready to be received by UPS! I really am lucky to have such a loyal group of Hocus Pocus customers like yourselves that enable me to do what I love best. So, I thank you all so much and will keep you updated as the days go by.

Now, I've got to go find a gift for Carl.

Until next time,

Paul

Magic As Far As the Eye Can See!

I'm coming to you a day early this week because tonight I'll be releasing the first private estate list of items for sale. Mike and I have been squirreled away in my office for the last 2 weeks creating this list, and I'll be willing to bet that we're only one quarter finished! For me, it's been like a trip back in time! Everything is here from standard items to rare collectibles. Things I used to see advertised in catalogues as a kid are now within my grasp! As you can tell, I'm very excited to able to offer these items for sale as I'm sure many of you will be able to find things that you've been looking for. For a sneak peek before anyone else gets the official email, click below:

http://www.hocus-pocus.com/static/estate2.html

As we approach another anniversary of the September 11th tragedy, our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of the South dealing with the ramifications of Hurricane Katrina. Sometimes, we take for granted what we have, so imagine how horrible it must be for these people to have to rebuild their entire lives all over again... If there can be any good from this, it is the positive efforts of people coming together during such a tragedy. Hours after Katrina hit, local radio and television stations rallied all over the United States to support the victims by raising money, donating blood, and sending supplies. Everyone makes a difference in a crisis situation like Katrina. As performers and entertainers, we can use our talents to perform fundraising shows and benefits for the victims, or even put a smile on someone's face. So tonight when you go home, give your significant other, your children, your pets a big kiss and remember what you have.

Before I go, I want to say thank you to everyone who sent me cards, emails, and even some pretty funny gifts from my birthday (I'm still trying to comb out the silly string from the grim reaper's visit). One of my highlights was a package I received from Carl Ballantine of a special autographed photo and an antique magic prop of his. I guess turning 50 wasn't as bad as I originally thought...

Until next time,

Paul

The Big Five-O!

First off, I want to apologize for not being around the last few weeks. It's not that I didn't want to be here, I just haven't been up to my game insofar as health is concerned... Last week, I came down with the flu and wasn't able to return to work until the beginning of this week. I'm feeling much better now, and knock on wood, say the secret word, I've filled my sick quota for the year. Thanks to Mike for doing a fine job taking over the blog for me.

So much has been happening here at Hocus Pocus, even in my absence. I don't even know where to begin. Let's begin with the huge estate collection that came in just a few days ago. Tony, Mike, and I have been pouring through and salivating over the incredible amount and variety in this collection. There are close to 2000 items, all in mint condition. Some have never even been opened and are still in their original packaging! Mike and I will be compiling a list at the beginning of next week and before long, there will be a special page on the web site with pictures devoted to this estate sale. If you are a Hocus Pocus Online Member, fear not; you'll receive the email when all is up and running. If you're not a member, take this opportunity to join now! Remember, it's a free service, your information is kept strictly confidential, and you can opt out at any time.

Also, we here at the Hocus Pocus family welcome our newest customer service rep, Ken Walker, who is replacing Nancy Wisseman, now preparing for new motherhood. If Ken answers the phone when you call Hocus Pocus, make sure you say hello and introduce yourself to him.

It's been extremely hectic here, which is not the norm for the Summer. Generally, it begins to slow down from the middle to the end of Summer with all the back-to-schools, vacations, etc. Not this year! It's been about 3 times busier than in years past! I'm not complaining; we love it when it's busy! And with Summer now coming to an end, it's time to start thinking about the busiest time of year: the holidays. How can it possibly be? It seems like just yesterday that it was January! Well, it's that time again, and before you know it, temperatures will begin to drop and holiday decorations and music will infiltrate our everyday lives.

Tomorrow, September 1st, I will turn 50 years old! I was talking with Mike, telling him that it doesn't seem that it could possibly be. I remember looking at 50 year-old people when I was younger thinking that they looked, well, old. Now I'm 50, and I now have a different take on that opinion! Tomorrow night, my family will get together and have a great dinner and my favorite German Chocolate Birthday cake. I can't wait! So, if you're celebrating a birthday tomorrow or in the month of September, Happy Birthday to you as well! As for me, the first 50 were pretty good, I can't wait to start working on the next 50.

UPDATE:

Mike here. I caught some candid shots of Paul receiving an over-the-hill singing telegram and thought you'd all enjoy seeing Paul covered in Silly String receiving old people diapers.





You gotta love it!

Until next time,

Paul

Friends

Maybe the name of this blog should be changed to "From the Desk of Mike Giusti," as I've been taking it over for the past couple of weeks; Paul has called in sick today as he has a bit of a fever, but that won't stop us from keeping you abreast of what's going on here at Hocus Pocus.

In other news, right this very second, we are being inundated with calls and questions regarding our Mega Estate & Collectibles Event going on at:

www.hocus-pocus.com/static/estate.html

This has got to be the biggest estate and collectible sale we've ever had. There are literally hundreds and hundreds of products that are appearing and will be appearing within the next week on the above page. I plan to update the page daily (not only taking care of things that have sold but adding new items) at around 3:00 PM PST, so do yourself a favor and check it regularly. As the page states, there's literally something for everyone on this list, whether you perform close-up magic, children's magic, or stand-up magic!

Personally, I am not yet settled in my new place, but I AM moved in, and as for my sold house: "This house is clean." I personally need to thank Tony for being a true friend (I told you last week that a sign of a real friend is one who helps you move), and Tony went way beyond the call of duty, helping me for a total of two full days instead of one.

In the middle of the first day of moving, Tony and I decided to see a live concert of three of the most influential jazz virtuosos today: Stanley Clarke, Jean Luc Ponty, and Bela Fleck. Called "Trio," if you are a jazz fanatic and these three are coming to your town, do not pass go or collect $200.00. GO SEE THEM! It was a night of incredible music, phenomenal improvisation, and lots of humor.




Bela Fleck, Stanley Clarke, and Jean Luc Ponty

With that, as Paul would say, "Until next time,"

Mike

College Bound!

Hey, kids! Mike Giusti here. How's it going? That's fascinating...

I'm officially hijacking Paul's blog again as he is currently college hunting with his wife, Betty, and their son, Cole in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area. As of this moment, they are in a meeting with one of the college counselors discussing Cole's future at that particular college. Next, they'll be going to another college for more of the same and hopefully, a little r&r thereafter... Cole is looking to get his degree in business, and I think that's a brilliant decision; this kid's as sharp as a tack, and I remember him when he was just a little kid! It's amazing how much faster time flies the older you get! I can't believe it has been over 13 years since I graduated from college.

As an aside, I know for a fact that Paul has been personally touched by all the emails, letters, and cards he has received from all of you wishing him well. He is almost 100% again, and I know that all your thoughts and well-wishes meant the world to him. And I expect twice as many when I have my next kidney stone!!!

I personally want to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Bill Abbott for appearing as my special guest on the Magic Broadcast's Mike on the Mic show. If you missed last Tuesday night's show, it was informative, entertaining, whimsical, and funny as heck. Bill talked about all the ins and outs of his best-selling products, "The Thing" and "Chico, the Mindreading Chimp," available here exclusively at Hocus Pocus! Look for the show when the Magic Broadcast rebroadcasts it in the future. Although I won't be returning to the Broadcast to go live for a couple of weeks, I can guarantee an entertaining and triumphant return when I finish with my move. For those of you who don't know, I sold my house in less than 24 hours (the housing market here is unbelievable) and am moving to the other side of town in order to start another new chapter in my life -- the life of a bachelor! I am actually very excited about it and have a feeling I am going to love my independence.

Tony is actually helping me move this weekend (bless his heart -- a sign of a true friend is helping one move). Speaking of Tony, he is settling in quite nicely here in Fresno, as I promised he would. He has already gotten a weekly gig at a local casino, and the pay truly merits everything that Tony is and has created for himself over the past 20 plus years! Congratulations, Tony!!! Knock 'em dead!



In other news, if you are a performer and like a little mentalism, audience interaction, and perceived improvisation in your shows, I strongly recommend you take a look at the newest Hocus Pocus/Pro Magic Exclusive, "Time Control." This thing is terrific! The effect is that you begin by displaying a prediction hanging on a stand in full view! Explain that you will now ask a volunteer to stand up whenever he wishes during your show. Anytime! He can even stand in the middle of your performance; whenever he feels the urge. Your show begins, and sSometime in the middle of the show the volunteer decides to stand up. You smile because this is the time you wanted him to stand! You then prove it by handing him the prediction envelope that was hanging in full view throughout the entire show and ask him to take out its contents. Inside, the volunteer finds a large, non-working analog kitchen clock with NO batteries! You ask him to compare the time he decided to stand to the time on the large clock. It is the exact same time! Nice!



Also, for you close-up guys, I just received a sample of a new David Forrest effect entitled, "Encased," a Signed Card in Card Case. Since making it visible on the web site, we've already taken dozens of phone calls and email inquiries about this item. Although it is scheduled to ship next week, I would strongly recommend you take look at it if you are a close-up or walkaround worker. I have taken a look through it and can't wait to sit down and play around with the possibility of adding it to my repertoire (as it takes up virtually no room and doesn't interfere with my existing routines).

Well, that about covers it from this corner of the desk. Thank you for checking in from time to time, and we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming next week.

Mike

The Two Most Dreaded Words

Kidney stones. Two words you never want to hear. You might remember two weeks ago, we took a little break as Mike was going on vacation. No sooner did Mike hit the road when I began to feel a tremendous amount of pain in my back. By Monday evening, my wife, Betty, drove me to the emergency room where I was diagnosed with having kidney stones. I've had these before, and for those of you who have never had them, it's the closest thing for a man to feel giving birth. That's what a female doctor once told Mike (he's had them, too).

A week ago today I had a procedure done, which I will not go into detail about, to blast apart a 7 mm stone with a laser. Most of the stone has "passed," but until all of it disappears, I am forced to drink the most putrid-tasting liquid 3 times a day! In four weeks, I go for another x-ray and, with fingers crossed, if everything's clear, I can stop drinking this stuff. In fact, Mike has been nice enough to type this over the phone while I rest up from home. I would personally like to thank all of you who have called, emailed, and sent letters and get-well cards. I was very touched by all your thoughts and concerns. I will be back Monday with a vengeance, so not to worry.

Other happenings while I was away, it was extremely busy at Hocus Pocus, and I have to say I was (and still am) extremely impressed with how well the entire team handled the workload while I was away. So many new products have hit our doors recently! One of the things I thought was extremely cool was the Houdini action figure. Check it out below:



If you're a Houdini buff or your kids like magic, this is a really cool item to have, either in a collection, or for the kids to play with.

Another thing you should really take a look at is the beautiful Alan Wakeling Automaton on our web site. This automaton was hand-made by the late Alan Wakeling, and when you see it operate, you would swear it's really alive. It's truly a thing of beauty!



You may have noticed on the front page of our web site that our own Tony Blanco has started a blog of his own, entitled "Tony's Picks & Tips." There's a ton of valuable information Tony will be tipping, including honest product reviews and solid performance tips and advice, etc. Well worth checking out!

Last Sunday, Max went off to his second week at YMCA Summer Camp. My oldest son, Cole, drove both he and his best friend, Joe, to the facility in the beautiful mountains near Kings Canyon National Park. Max took along with him two sacks filled with novelties. As soon as he arrived, all the camp councelors greeted him and remembered him as the life of the party last year. What they didn't know was that one of those bags of novelties was filled with 100 stink bombs! Oh, I'm sure they'll remember him next year as well...

I'm looking forward to going back to work Monday after two weeks off. This was not my idea of a vacation. I just have to remember that "slow and steady wins the race."

Finally, Mike will leave you with a snapshot memory from his vacation.



Until next time,

Paul

Back in Two Weeks

It's time for Mike to take a little vacation. So, while he is gone, we're all going to be pulling double-duty in his absence. Thanks for tuning into this page from time to time. I promise I'll be back in two weeks with more Hocus Pocus happenings. In the meantime, don't forget to check out the web site for incredible new products and explosive deals!

Until next time,

Paul

Breaking All Records!

Well, July has come and is almost gone, and we've broken all sales records in our 30-year history in the magic business here at Hocus Pocus! We cannot thank you enough for your continued and growing support for we realize that none of this would have been possible without you.

In other record-breaking news, the heat has not let up. We are in the 13th day of average 107 degree heat with no end in sight! The last time it was this hot in Fresno for this long was in the mid-eighties. Last weekend when I helped my daughter Aimee move into her new apartment, the temperature on Sunday reached a whopping 113 degrees as promised by the good ol' weatherman! When we were done moving, we all decided to take a swim in our pool, and when I dove in, it was like diving into my bathtub as the temperature was 85 degrees! No relief there...

Fish by mail! My son Max has discovered that you can buy tropical fish ONLINE! Who would have guessed it? He currently putting together an order, and it will be very interesting to see just how these fish are delivered. How things have changed since I used to raise tropical fish! It's still a terrific hobby and very relaxing watching, along with my son, the fish swim around.

Hope many of you had a chance to catch the first Criss Angel Mindfreak special on A&E last Wednesday. We enjoyed watching it and are looking forward to the upcoming episodes. Let me know your comments and thoughts here on the blog if you get a moment.

Had a surprise guest this week at the shop. Mark Murphy, owner of Murphy's Magic Supplies, stopped in to visit, take a look at the shop, and talk. While he was here, he and his wife decided to take a trip to beautiful Yosemite Valley, located only 2 hours away! They had never been there before, and I'm sure their camera will be loaded with photos!


Mike's soon-to-be old house in 30 days!

The real estate market is booming here in Fresno despite contrary reports. To give you an example, our own Mike Giusti put his 3 bedroom, 2 bath house on the market Tuesday and it was sold within 24 hours! He got a total of 4 bids and was able to pick and choose which one he liked the best. Congratulations, Mike! Just don't ask me to help you move. Ha!

Once again, thank you for making July an unforgettable month here at Hocus Pocus, and I hope wherever you are is a lot cooler than it is here! Tonight Max and I will put in the online tropical fish order. I'll report back next week.

Until next time,

Paul