Cape May (Summary & Preface & Acknowledgments)
"Anything Can Happen in Cape May"--tourist slogan When I bought my apartment in New York City (in 1988) and moved from Spring Valley (Rockland County, NY), the first thing that I wrote…
“You’re gonna get spoiled” (Beefsteak Charlie’s)
"You're gonna get spoiled" and "I'll feed you like there's no tomorrow" were the slogans of Beefsteak Charlie's restaurant in the 1960s and 1970s. There…
“Where Sport Lives” (Champs Sports)
Champs Sports and Foot Locker are both owned by what used to be Woolworth. When Woolworth ended its operations, Champs Sports and Foot Locker came into many of the old Woolworth stores in the early…
“More Money For Your Money” (Emigrant Savings Bank)
Emigrant Savings Bank started in 1850 and is New York's oldest savings bank. "More Money For Your Money" is its not-too-well-advertised slogan.…
“America’s Labor Bank” (Amalgamated Bank)
The Amalgamated Bank started in New York City in 1923 and is a true labor bank. It was started by Sidney Hillman of the Amalagamated Clothing Workers of America.…
“Minutes From Bloomingdale’s” (Roosevelt Island, Astoria, Long Island City)
Roosevelt Island, Astoria (Queens) and Long Island City (Queens) have all stated that they are "minutes from Bloomingdale's" store at Lexington Avenue and East 59th Street. In 1906,…
“If this nameplate isn’t on the back of your car, you probably paid too much” (Potamkin car dealers)
Victor H. Potamkin established sucessful auto dealerships in New York City, Florida, and elsewhere. He advertised heavily on television, and his car dealership's slogan was: "If this…
Mafia Cop
New York City detectives Stephen Caracappa and Louis Eppolito were accused in 2005 of also working for the Luchese crime family. They were quickly dubbed "Mafia cops" and were convicted…
Marketplace for the World (Javits Convention Center)
The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center is on the west side of Manhattan, on Eleventh Avenue between 34th and 39th Streets. "Marketplace for the World" is its new, not-very-popular slogan.…
Noo Yawk; New Yawk; Noo York
"New York" has been given the folksy spelling "Noo Yawk" or "New Yawk" or "Noo York." (New York Public Library "catnyp" record)Call # Pub. Cat.…
NY1 (“just one guy”)
NY1 is New York City's all news network. The news network is known for low-cost production (although not lacking in youthful enthusiasm). Its one-man reporter/camera man on-the-scene reporting…
Almighty Dollar
Washington Irving (1783-1859) was America's first great writer, and he authored the great American expression "the almighty dollar." (Oxford English Dictionary)almighty, a.…
Push-in robbery
The "push-in" robbery commonly occurs when someone waits for an elderly person to open the apartment door, and then pushes that person in the apartment and robs it. The term…
Big Peach
"The Big Peach" became somewhat popular as an Atlanta nickname after "the Big Apple" became popular in the 1970s. 2 August 1979, New York Times, pg. B16:WALL STREET LEAVE THE…
Big Raisin (summary)
"Big Raisin" was somewhat popular in 1977 (during the 1970s "Big Apple" revival) as a nickname for Fresno, California. Fresno grows a lot of raisins.…
Gang Buster or Gangbuster
Before New York City had "ghost busters" it had "gang busters" or "gangbusters." The term probably originated in the 1920s with Captain Cornelius W. Willemse, who…
Human High Tide
"Human high tide" is another term for "rush hour." The difference is that the former term ("human high tide") concerns people and the latter term ("rush…
Knickerbotchers (Knickerbockers or Knicks nickname)
"Knicker-botchers" appeared in 2006 for the same bad New York Knick basketball team that was also called "Team Turmoil" and "Team Titanic." The nickname…
Studio Apartment
The "studio" (or "studio apartment") is all in one room. It's usually the name for the smallest living space you can buy -- even smaller than a one-bedroom apartment. The…
“Getting there is half the fun” (Cunard)
The Cunard Line stopped in New York City. The Cunard Building, at 25 Broadway, is worth a visit. Cunard's famous slogan was "Getting There Is Half the Fun." Wikipedia: Cunard LineThe…