Take a second to post your favorite impromptu effect that utilizes common props found on restaurant tables, or in a restaurant that are readily available to be used for a magical demonstration.

My favorite effect is the torn and restored napkin and signed coin to sugar packet.

Thank ¥ou.

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How about a nice sponge ball effect using crumpled up napkins as a substitute?

Excellent Idea dchung, one question though. When you crumple a napkin into a ball, does it still retain its sponginess? What I mean is, wouldn't a smashed napkin perform more like a billiard ball than its sponge counterpart? I'll have to try it. Great idea!

Thank you,
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My favorite when not prepared is the ashes through hand trick. It can be shown having a bunch of people around and it's soooo easy to do. It's old and it might be silly, but try to show it and you will see it's working! People never find out, but only show it once.

Kraminator,
If you like the ashes through hand trick, you should definitely try performing it with lipstick. I think it's Gregory Wilson that has a handling for it, if it really matters. Thanks for the response,
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Decoy,

I'm not saying you should crumple it up tightly. In fact, you shouldn't. That way you still get the compressibility that you get with sponge balls.

Cheers,
dchung

dchung,
Thank you for clarifying.
Magically,
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This may sound like a silly question, but here it goes...what exactly happens in the ashes through hand effect? I'm unfamiliar with this one.

You can always do melted, you only need a shoe lace and a ring— how difficult are they to find?

How about "floating dinner roll" (fork is the Zombie gimmick, and cover is a napkin), or signed, torn and restored sweetener packet (using TT)?

Actually napkins are not bad, but those at restaurants are a little hard don't ya think? Try using tissue paper, much easier. =) I've put two balls as one in a spectator's hand before, and they felt it, which spoils it. But yeah, from there you could turn it into a joke if you're going more for the entertainment. It's really up to you.

Liquid B,

What happens is ashes are placed on the top of a closed fist and blown away. Then they appear inside the fist.

I still like the old classic, vanishing salt shaker under the premise of vanishing a coin under the salt shaker. It still blows them away.

Also, it's easy to do a paddle routine with a butter knife (you would need a marker to make it).

Paper napkins don't work very well for a sponge ball routine. I have tried it.
However, they work quite nice for a makeshift cups and ball routine using coffee cups and the balled up napkins.

I usually have a TT on me. A torn and restored sugar or Sweet 'N Low gets a great response as does vanishing a lit cigarette in your bare hand using the same device.

I adore the swallowing of the spoon/knife gag. I recently saw a child that I hadn't seen for 3 years, and he still wanted me to swallow another spoon. I find that a floating spoon using the fork as a Zombie is much more effective (heavy floating 'n stuff). But you have to watch talking when the fork comes off.

I like T&R napkin, but I do a version where you "teach" them the trick, then restore the duplicate. For those that can't figure it out, it's on page 453 of Mark Wilson's encyclopedia of magic.
-toodles!

Thanks dchung.

Liquid B

Jay Sankey does a cool version of Chop Cup on his vid "Short and Sweet" using full/empty creamers as cups and balled up creamer lids as balls. Pretty good effect.

I suggest swizzle sticks as paddles. I use two or three and that determines how I frame up the routine. I took quite a number of black color swizzle sticks (Johny Walker Black Label), scraped off the picture and stuck plastic flies on them. Voila! I have my fly circus. Added with the sound effects, the spectators really go nuts!

I pull a knife out of a dinner roll after asking the waiter/waitress for some extra silverware. I usually get extra food.

I like the penetration of the Salt Shaker through the table in an attempt to vanish the coin as referred to in an earlier message. I don't think that most are aware of how far you can press this technique.

For example, I once was asked to do something in a nice Italian eatery. We had wine glasses and nice cloth napkins. I was able to vanish the wine glass using the heavy napkin. Although this was NOT easy it shows that you can use things that you wouldn't at first allow. The response was dynamic and I followed up by eating my knife.

Note also I have made TTs using paper napkins and water. Mold them around your t**** like paper maché. Let dry for about 30 minutes. Great for vanishing salt, etc.

Best,
Brad Burt