474: House of Cards

The House of Cards in Nashville, Tennessee is one of the newest magic-themed restaurants/nightclubs in the U.S. This week we take a trip to the House of Cards and talk with Joey Martinez, Director of Operations for the club. Joey was formerly the Floor Manager at Hollywood’s Magic Castle and many of you recognize him as the friendly face who would always greet you at the front door. He now does that from his new location in Tennessee.

This club offers fine dining and excellent magic in an underground, well-appointed club that reminds you of what a “Speak Easy” must have been like in the Prohibition Days. Although they are still going through a few “growing pains” as they decide how best to feature the close-up magic without impeding either the wait staff or the guests, the food is outstanding and the quality of the acts is equally wonderful. They seem to have found a good balance between the food and the magic so both complement each other.

Music City is now home to a magic dining experience you have to see to believe: hidden beneath Broadway, down a winding staircase, sits House of Cards.

Time stamps for this episode:

00:06:00 - we talk with Jill, our server, who gives an overview of what to expect after our dinner, what we should see and what we should do.

00:16:41 - Joey Martinez talks about his transition from the Magic Castle to the House of Cards and some of the ideas he brought along and has been instituting here in Nashville.

00:42:36 - “Maxell’s Signature Opener” by the Other Brothers. A golf pencil transposition to a Sharpie. This is a quickie and a goodie. Easy to do and extremely visual. Great for walk around and restaurant magicians. Highly recommended.

00:45:50 - “Monte Test” by Anthony Stan. A “modern twist” on an old classic, the three card monte. You start our dirty but end up clean (always the way to go). It is a little “fiddly” and requires some practice. I think the original three card monte and some of its variations are better. Recommended with reservations.

00:50:37 - “Buyer’s Remorse” by George Iglesias and Twister Magic. A receipt turns into cash in the blink of an eye. Also described on the online instructional video is a clever way of tipping your server. Not just a variation of Pat Page’s “Flash Cash”, this is a fun gimmick that you can (and should) carry with you for an instant trick. The patter makes complete sense, too. Highly recommended.

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038: Winter Carnival 2011 - Another "Nearly Lost Episode" in Pigeon Forge, TN

This hour and a half podcast covers all three days of the convention including chats with Tom Ladshaw, Steve Beam, Mike Stratman, Duane Laflin, Doc Eason, Bob Little, Kozmo, Tom Vorjahan, Steve Gronowski, JC Doty, Dan Harlan, Daniel Herron, John Hopper, Steven Bargatze and of course, Banachek. There is a lot of interesting material in here and some rather revealing and candid conversations that go well beyond the convention.

But whether or not you attended the Winter Carnival and want to relive some of the moments or to hear some of the sounds you may have missed, then please listen to this podcast. I think you'll enjoy it and might even learn a little something along the way.

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2011 Winter Carnival of Magic in Pigeon Forge, TN

During late winter of 2011 (March 3-5) in the vacation resort community of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, organizers presented the 37th annual edition of The Winter Carnival of Magic to a burgeoning group of nearly 250 magicians. This is not your typical convention. WCM schedules many different programs, shows, parties, and well...just about everything including a final night pizza party. For one thing, this is held in the Country Tonight theatre complete with a full stage and professional sound and light with people who know how to use them. The dealers set up in the lobby so everything is pretty much self-contained. The hosting hotel is just a 100 yard walk down the hill from the theatre. It is kind of like Brigadoon that appears overnight but in a twinkle of the eye, is gone and remains as just a fond memory.

This year seemed to be the Year of the Lectures that included Troy Hooser, Carroll Baker, Aldo & Rachel Colombini, Ricky Boone, TJ Shimeld, Tom Craven, Banachek, Scott Wells, David Acer and Sandy Marshall plus close-up performances by Carroll Baker, David Acer, Rick Merrill and Doc Eason plus a workshop by Kozmo.

Elsewhere here on The Magic Word I posted the last of the "Lost Episodes" that I recorded for (but never aired on) another podcast. Since it is winter, now would be the perfect time to get a nice cup of hot cocoa and listen to the sounds of the Winter Carnival of Magic. I hope it will get you excited about registering for next year's event so you don't miss the fun.

For more information and pictures from the convention plus registration for the 2012 convention, please visit: http://wintercarnivalofmagic.com/