Christmas-time sparks old memories of my family's annual holiday trip to New York city. My sister, myself and our the cousins anticipated the spectacular visit to Radio City Music Hall to enjoy a full length movie - (I remember McHales' Navy and the pink submarine) followed by a live musical Broadway stage show of assorted Santa characters, a Twelve Days of Christmas sing-along, a living nativity and captivating dance routines by the high-stepping Rockettes. The long-legged dancers wore beautiful costumes, tap danced in patterned routines across the stage then lined up for the famous canon shot that collapsed their long line of wooden soldiers in slow-motion.

After a full morning of Radio City Music Hall shows, we kids burst outside to see the gigantic Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center and hang over the edge of the ice skating rink to applaud the skaters. The brisk chill and whirling winds refreshed us and stimulated our appetites. Oh boy! We all knew the next stop: Horn and Hardart's.

We'd line up at the entry with our parents and eagerly watch as they handed the cashiers a few dollars. Suddenly, the magical "nickel throwers," (the cashiers) threw nickels across the marble slab without hesitation. Bamb! Always the correct amount. (Five at a time) The nickels were given to the kids. Like connoisseur/financiers, each headed for the wall lined with vertical rows of little glass compartments to select and pay for his own meal.

Rows of inviting food waited behind glass doors that opened when nickels were inserted: slices of cake, sandwiches, puddings. When we removed our selection, the shelf revolved and the empty compartment filled with another serving of the same food item. We just accepted the magical automation never realizing that workers in the kitchen located behind the wall restocked the shelves. The semi-automated process was unique and "ultra-modern."

While the kids created their meals, our parents headed for the steam table for stews, macaroni and cheese, deviled crabs, ham or fish croquettes.

For a few dollars our family ate well, as did others from the 1920's through the 1950's, both in New York City and Philadelphia where Frank Hardart and Joe Horn established the first of 84 food emporiums. Geared to feed the masses during the struggling times of the depression, the Automat always served tasty comfort foods inexpensively. Those down on their luck stopped in and made a cup of tomato soup at their table by mixing hot water with catsup. Others purchased a lunch for under 25 cents, a full meal for under 50 cents.

Coffee remained a nickel a cup for 38 years and the fully automated coffee urns provided great entertainment for the regulars, who knew the secret of the dolphin-headed spouts.

As a child raised in Manhattan, Kathy Devlin and her family dined-out at the Automat. She looked forward to watching the nickel throwers, selecting her meal and choosing a seat that allowed her to watch the new-be coffee urn customers who didn't understand the routine. They'd insert their nickel and the measured amount of coffee spewed out of the dolphin spout - but the cups were over to the side. The customer suddenly realized he should have had cup in hand before inserting his nickel. A wild scramble to find a cup ensued.

What magical places: Radio City Music Hall and the Automat! Slices of history tucked away in many memories.