The Cafe Edison, the Times Square coffee shop that has been the site of lunchtime gatherings of magicians since 1985 is set to close at its location in the Edison Hotel, according to an article in The New York Times. "The Magic Table" as it is known now meets each Friday at the restaurant, which also is a popular lunch spot for a wide range of theatre district regulars. According to Tom Klem, who currently spearheads the gatherings, the group will relocate and is currently considering other locations, although Klem also said "I am sad that this treasure of New York history will be closing and old friends will be losing their jobs." According to the Times article the owners of the Edison Hotel, in which Cafe Edison is located, are replacing it with a more upscale restaurant.

Recently The Magic Table was the subject of an article in The Wall Street Journal. The gathering began in 1942 at the Hotel Dixie, also located in the Times Square area. In the 1940s 42nd Street was home to Tannen's, Robson's and Holden's magic shops as well as the editorial offices of The Sphinx, a leading magic magazine. 

A note from your Editor: Folks, I will be giving a short lecture on Saturday, November 8 at 1:00 p.m. at the Queens Museum, as part of The Magic of World's Fair Collecting, an afternoon event presented in conjunction with the museum's current exhibition, Behind the Curtain: Collecting the New York Fairs. My talk will have to do with materials relating to magic and the world's fairs. One of the topics I will discuss is the General Cigar Pavilion's Hall of Magic, a feature of the 1964 Fair. The attraction was developed in collaboration with magician Mark Wilson who helped create what amounted to nearly an automated magic show. Although it featured a live magician, the show was performed to Wilson's pre-recorded narration and was structured so that it would fit into a precisely timed format. Numerous conjurors and actors appeared as the magician in the piece, including James Randi and Coe Norton. Since many of the items on display relate to the Society of American Magicians, I will touch on information relating to one of the founders of the organization, Dr. Saram Ellison, who was himself an avid collector of magic-related materials. The lecture is included in the regular museum admission. Although an $8 fee is suggested, visitors may pay what they wish. For more information click here. 

Two upcoming New York City magic shows will bring international perspectives to the local conjuring scene. Canada's Chris Mayhew will perform the New York debut of his show Mayhew's Mayhem, on November 7 and 8, and Jordi Magomero a native of Barcelona, will perform Dreams about Magic, also receiving its New York debut, on November 13. 

Mayhew is known for creating highly original, deeply deceptive card routines that have become popular in the magic marketplace. His performances are laced with offbeat humor and are often outlandishly funny. Mayhew will perform two shows on the evenings of both Friday, November 7 and Saturday, November 8, at the Producer's Club, on West 44th Street, with a lecture for magicians on Saturday afternoon. The performances and lecture are presented in New York by The Daily Deception. Click here for more information.

Jordi Magomero has developed a unique style that combines both Spanish and American schools of magic. He specializes in close-up magic and is has a strong, clean style with cards and coins. His show will be presented at the PIT Theatre on East 24th Street by A Taste of Magic. Click here for more information or to buy tickets. 

The Conjuring Arts Research Library and its Executive Director, Bill Kalush, are featured in a segment produced for Public Radio International's "The World." Click below to hear the piece.