Hi guys,
I was wondering if you guys could help me make a decision. I am currently performing close-up shows for family, school, friends and parties. I plan to get a job at a restaurant this coming summer....for a little bit of strolling magic. In other words I am looking to purchase a trick that is $400 or less (that is my budget). This trick should appeal to the strolling and/or close-up magician.

Some ideas
-DVD's...you can never have enough
-Forbes Portfolio...Card to enveloppe..Already have three others collecting the dust
-Scott Alexander, Final Answer...I have been looking for an adaptable bill in lemon.

Anyways lots of ideas would be highly appreciated.

Thank so much!

Spend your money on the Magic Menu by Jim Sisti and Harry Lorrayne's Apocalypse.

These will give you enough material to last you a lifetime!
That being said, a good bill in lemon is fantastic (and I close with it) but is sometimes very difficult in a walkaround setting...

Install a topit in your jacket, this will prove very versatile.

Buy Doc Eason's 3 DvDs on Bar Magic - you'll learn the best bill in lemon ever and it costs $3 plus a lemon and you'll learn TONS of great stuff. With that budget, I wouldn't blow it all on just one effect when there are TONS of great things out there that are affordable. Mike Closes' Worker's DvDs are invaluable to the working pro. Other commercially available effects that I highly recommend for restaurant workers that I use in my restaurant are:

Kennedy Box
Ninja Rings
KB Hip Card to Wallet
Sponge bunnies (buy a few sets)
Ring Flight
Nun/None
Invisible Deck
Cardtoon
Wonder Pet
Chop Cup or a good Two Cup Routine
Now Look Here
SideSwiped
Kolossal Killer
Hundy 500

The new Quit Smoking routine that just came out looks great as well but I can't really say. Like I said, I know you were looking for the next great expensive trick but the classics are classics - chop cup, invisible deck, bunnies, ring flight. You should be handy with a normal deck of cards and coins as well. Above all make people laugh. Happy Hunting!
Bryan

With all due respect, I don't see how anyone can give you very useful information without knowing anything about you, what you already perform, the types of effects that interest you, your performing persona, etc.

Also, why are you looking for one effect for $400 vs. spending the money on multiple effects? Do you believe that the cost of an effect is directly proportional to the stength of that effect?

Why are the three card to wallet effects that you own collecting dust, and why do you believe that the Forbes Portfolio wouldn't meet that same fate?

What do you mean by an "adaptable" bill in lemon? Adaptable to what?

My guess is that you're not going to be satisfied with your $400 purchase(s) if you follow advice given in a vacuum. Of course you could just read any of the "What's the best?" threads on the Café and end up at the same place.

Is this a test? Will there be a quiz at the end? What if I can only come up with two $200 trick? Your question leaves me with many unanswered questions of my own. I think this is a job for Pete Biro, who invents top of the line magic tricks.
happy shoping
Al

If you are planning on doing restaurant magic, you won't need a bill in lemon trick. It's too messy and you need a new lemon each time.

Instead, you should be looking for effects that don't require a reset. To be honest, a deck of cards, and sponge balls or bunnies should be all you need to get going.

The Magic Menu books and Kirk Charles' Restaurant book will help you out.

Best,
James

Well, I have no idea about your skill level, the effects you perform, etc.

But out of the blue I would highly recommend Michael Close´ Workers Series.

Magixx

Get yourself a set of Ninja Rings and shoots dvd, or if you don't mind carrying a nice box around get yourself a Dean's Box!!!

Why not, nix buying the trix and instead vanish four $100 bills, one by one (using your favorite method(s), then proceed to produce these vanished bills, as one unit (meaning, all rolled into one)from the largest dinner roll that "sits" in their table's basket.

For the finale, as you separate each of the bills from the other, simply hand each of these bills out as "souvenirs", to a very amazed (and appreciative) audience.

They will "never" forget you!

PS: for added marketing value, you should consider rubber stamping your name and phone number on each of the bills.

Then, the joke will be on them, since writing or printing on bills makes them illegal tender and they (your audience) won't be able to spend them!

Some food for thought.

If you don't want to make this a one time effect, simply explain that you need to perform the same trick over at the next table. Chances are good (if your rapport and trust has been carefully built) that they will understand and hand the bills back to you, though somewhat be-grudgingly, still shaking their heads in disbelief at the feat of magic that you created, along with the "guts" that you had to actually use "real" $100 bills.

All the best!

Jonathan

Why don't you take the money and get a lesson with a top name pro in the field of hospitality magic? Tricks are easy to come buy. Experience is where the gold lies. Pay someone with experience to share some of their lessons and decrease your personal learning curve. Doing tricks is the easy part of hospitality magic.

Brad

Brad wrote..."tricks are easy to come buy" ...an excellent pun!

That's what the magic shops want you to believe.

A few choice books and $200 in your savings account might suit you well for the time being.

Good luck.


Jonathan

Why not buy a $30 egg bag and all the material you can find on the subject.
much less than $400 and very entertaining, if you've done your research.

miser's dream?

Slydini silks?


$400. wow. good luck.

Hi threeofclubs,
If you are doing strolling magic you need to have effects that can fit in your pockets, reset fast, you can do in your sleep, and most important of all- be very entertaining. All you need is a deck of cards, some sponge balls, a rope and ring, and some coins and maybe a TT. Then take the remaining $390.00 and save it for when you know from expereince what additional effects should be added.
Larry

Maybe, if you have a number of card wallets collecting dust, you just need a better way to get feedback, so you can gain confidence. Sounds like a camcorder might be a good purchase.

If you already have a number of books, that give you a good foundation in close-up, why just throw money at the problem? Buying more props won't solve it. Kirk Charles has an excellent book on restaurant and strolling magic - an excellent buy. Restaurant magic is a pressure cooker, if you're not prepared for all aspects of it.

Magic Menu, both volumes....
Excellent material and advice.

Buy the Zig Zag Lady on e-bay. You wouldnt need any table space and you could ue the waitress for that section. But then that has been exposed so you could go with Hundy 500 and it wouild fit in your pocket then again you need 205.00 more bucks to perform it.But then you still have all your money if you need to spend it.
Loved that trick. DAng Mortgage
Shawn D

Send me the $400 and I'll send you everything you need.

The Mike Close Workers books and Sisti's Magic Menu. Then buy the BEST SUIT you can afford... you want to be the best dressed person where you are working.

Threeofclubs;There is a lot of good and not so good advice presented here(IMHO).Look,Magic Success never relates to a dollar amount.It is more a matter of good choices,and not getting bogged down in the 'this next new effect is going to propel me into performance respectability'.
If you have 10 effects that you can perform well,work on these to make them special.Three sets of three plus one strong encore effect.Then you can gradually add and substitute new effects.However,if you are going to expend any funds,you would do well to consider BOOKS,and videos on presentation theory.Working on your 'All Important Character and Presentation skill's is paramount to any effect you may purchase. All the best. Rich