Empire of Dreams Trivia

The band in Paddy's Tavern is based on the band, Gaelic Storm, which was the band that played at the steerage party in "Titanic".

Much of my research for Coney Island came from .

The Coney Island rides mentioned in the story were actual rides in real- life.

Originally, there was not going to be a sequel to "Satin and Steel".

The "cotton candy" scene between Jack and Apollonia at Coney Island was inspired from the "Hershey bar" scenes in "Empire of the Sun".

"I wasn't kissing her. I was whispering in her mouth." is a quote from actor/comedian Groucho Marx.

The character of Short Stop is named after a character in "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom."

The Manhattan Steel Mill, Fenway Warehouse, House of Pierre, Paddy's Tavern, Brady's Bar, El Coyote, and the Ponderosa cantina are fictional.

Information on some of the stores mentioned in this story came from the Newsies website:

The Floradora Girls were an actual sextet of women who sang and performed onstage in the early 1900s.

La Fonda Hotel is an actual place.

New Mexico is referred as New Mexico Territory because it did not become a state until 1912.

The "Five Points" article that David was writing about was inspired from the movie, "Gangs of New York."

The Spot look-a-like that Apollonia sees is based on the appearance of Natty Gann from Disney's "The Journey of Natty Gann." Actress Meredith Salenger bares, more or less, a striking resemblance to Spot Conlon in the movie.

The scene where Jack tells the prostitute not to kiss him on the mouth was inspired from the movie "Pretty Woman."