“Burritos brought to life!” (Blockheads)
The Blockheads chain has six Manhattan restaurants. It's famous for its inexpensive Mexican food and its $3 frozen Margaritas. "Burritos brought to life!" is its not-too-popular…
“The Oldest Apothecary in America” (C. O. Bigelow)
Clarence Otis Bigelow took over a pharmacy that had started in 1838, and he operated it for 57 years until his death in 1937. The pharmacy still exists at Sixth Avenue in the West Village, and…
Fletcher Henderson popularization of “the Big Apple” in the 1930s
In 1990, Harlem Assemblywoman Geraldine Daniels published a letter in the New York Times that stated that musician Fletcher Henderson (1879-1952) popularized "the Big Apple" in the 1930s.…
Salugi (or Saloogie)
"Salugi" (or "saluggi" or "saloogie") was a New York children's game of "keep away" that was popular in the 1950s. The origin of the name is unknown.…
Carpet Gun
The "carpet gun" was a homemade toy gun, popular with children in East New York (Brooklyn) in the 1940s and 1950s. tp://www.lampos.com/brooklyn.htmCarpet Gun: A homemade toy gun. Again,…
Baseball cards (Queens)=Tickets (Brooklyn)
Baseball cards are popular all over the country. But why is (or was) the game called "tickets" in Brooklyn? The following citation is the only one I have on this. 8 July 1977, New York…
“If steak were a religion, this would be its cathedral” (Smith & Wollensky)
The Smith & Wollensky steakhouse at Third Avenue and 49th Street began in 1977. There are now other restaurants in Boston, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami Beach,…
“How sweet it is!” & Brooklyn street signs
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz began adding "Brooklynisms" to some street signs in his borough in 2002. The most famous is probably: "Leaving Brooklyn?…
“A Way of Life” & “Think Less, Feel Better” (New York Health & Racquet Club)
The New York Health & Racquet Club is over thirty years old and has several city locations. "A Way of Life" is a slogan since 1988, and "Think Less, Feel Better" is a slogan…
“The only pizza worth eating” (Abitino’s)
Abitino's New York Style Pizza has locations such as Eighth Avenue and 42nd Street and Bleecker Street. It calls itself "The only pizza worth eating," but that can be strongly…
Planet Hollywood
This "planet" started in New York City, on West 57th Street. On October 22, 1991 the first Planet Hollywood opened on 57th Street, near Carnegie Hall and the Hard Rock Cafe. Planet…
Valley of Ashes (now Flushing Meadows Corona Park)
F. Scott's Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby (1922) described the "Valley of Ashes." This was the Corona Dump in Queens. In 1936, the Corona Dump was cleared to prepare for…
Finger Building
The "Finger Building" is the large condo building at North 7th Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Why "Finger Building"? Because the building looks like a finger? Because the…
Windy Apple (summary)
The popular animated television show The Simpsons coined the nickname "Windy Apple" for the fictional Capital City. "Windy Apple" is, of course, a blend of "the Big…
Witness (2006): Joe Zito
In 2006, the Society for New York City History (SNYCH) changed its website. No longer did it declare that "the Big Apple" came from a 19th century French whore. The horseracing theory was…
Welfare Queen
A "welfare queen" is a woman who is on public assistance, often fraudulently. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani cut the welfare rolls in the 1990s, dramatically decreasing the "welfare…
Widget (New York World Journal Tribune)
The "Widget" was the short-lived New York World Journal Tribune. It marked the sad end of many once-proud New York City newspapers.…
Red Square (and the Lenin statue)
A red brick apartment building put up in 1989 at East Houston Street and Avenue A was named "Red Square." In 1994, a statue of Lenin was added to the top of the building. A conversation…
Slime Warner (Time Warner nickname)
For those who don't like their Time Warner cable/internet service, "Slime Warner" has been used as a company nickname.…
New York Daily Snooze (New York Daily News nickname)
New York Daily Snooze is an unflattering nickname of the New York (NY) Daily News newspaper. The nickname Daily Snooze has been cited in print since 1938, but has become popular since about 1995 --…