Ah, Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs. There is nothing more American, nothing more New York, nothing more Brooklyn than the original, Coney Island Nathan’s. When it opened in 1916, one of those delicious and crisp hot dogs cost only five cents. As of today, those franks will run you a lot of beans: $3.15. Yes, you read that right. Three-friggin-sixteen.
Earlier this summer they were $2.95. Sure, it’s only 20 cents, but at more then $3 for a single hot dog it’s getting to the point where one has to ask if its really worth it for that nostalgic crunch? How long before Nathan’s starts to charge $5 a weiner, like some other Brooklyn institution? What do you think? Will you pay?
As our nation remembers our history, we remember our discarded history books.
These books were seen ruined in the wet June weather this past month on East 18 Street, near the Super Stop and Shop store between Avenue Y and Avenue Z.
The volume with the dust jacket still intact was entitled, Mirror of the Past, a History of Secret Diplomacy, and was written by K. Zilliacus, M.P. Little is known about the book and its author from our initial research, but it seemed interesting that the book was also listed with the alternate title of The Mirror of The Past, Lest It Reflect The Future.
The other book will remain even more mysterious, due to the surgical glove that hindered it from further investigation.
May this 4th of July, be your time of patriotic reflection of the past 233 years of U.S. history, not a discarded relic of the modern day, commemorated not only by hot-dog eating contests — unless, of course, they’re Nathan’s Famous shoved down your throat Southern Brooklyn-style at Coney Island.
Have a fun, but important Independence Day!
