Beducator (bed + educator)
Beducator = Bed + Educator. This word comes from the New York (NY) Post -- a newspaper that often runs sensational stories. 14 April 2005, New York (NY) Post, pp. 1-2:Second HS beducator exposedIt…
Papaya & Hot Dogs (“Tastier Than Filet Mignon”)
Papaya King started the Manhattan trend of hot dogs and papaya juice back in the 1930s. There have been many imitators. Gray's Papaya is very good, and a Papaya Dog recently opened on Sixth…
Creepers & Infiltrators (urban explorers)
"Creepers" or "infiltrators" are the names for people who like to go into abandoned buildings and subway tunnels and the like, without official authorization. It is not known…
Little Belgium
"Little Belgium" has grown up around 14th Street and Ninth Avenue in Manhattan. The term was popularized by a New York Times article as recently as 1999.…
Wicked Hot Chocolate & Wicked Fun Bonbons
Jacques Torres was the pastry chef at Le Cirque. In December 2000, he opened a chocolate factory in Brooklyn, and in the fall of 2004 he opened another one at King Street and Hudson Street in…
Take-Out (not Take-Away)
Many countries has "take-away" shops, but New York City has "take-out." Who can forget those little boxes of "take-out" Chinese? It is either "take-out" or…
“OK” Sign (Ballantine Beer & Pizza Box Chef use)
The "OK" sign has a long use in food. Newark, New Jersey's Ballantine Beer symbol had three inter-connecting rings (purity, body, flavor). In October 1938, the "OK" sign…
“You’ve Tried the Rest, Now Try the Best”
"You've Tried the Rest, Now Try the Best" has been on pizza boxes for about forty or fifty years. The saying is over 100 years old. I found it first used by a New York City…
“Cheesecake” and “Beefcake” (photography)
"Cheesecake" photos are legs shots of pretty women. The term dates from the early 1930s. "Beefcake" photos are shots of handsome men. The term dates from 1949 and was applied to…
Guardian Angels
Curtis Sliwa, a night manager at a McDonald's restaurant in the Bronx, founded the Guardian Angels in 1979. Some say that he did it to help make New York City safer, and others say he did it…
Big M (summary)
The Meadowlands Race Track in East Rutherford, New Jersey opened in 1976. Aqueduct had long been known as "the Big A." "The Big A" had been coined in the 1950s in reflection of…
Greek “Anthora” Coffee Cup
New York City used to have many Greek diners. In the early 1960s, the famous Greek "Anthora" coffee cup was designed. It's a misspelling of "amphora." Since the 1990s, many…
“Los Mets”
The 2005 Mets fielded a team with many new Latin players. New York magazine called the team "Los Mets," but that isn't the first use of this term. It's also a label that has…
Manhattan Drop (wrestling)
"Manhattan Drop" is a recent professional wrestling term. It is used on a groggy but still-standing opponent by putting a head under an opponent's shoulder, lifting him up and then…
“New York” and “Manhattan” and “Brooklyn” scatalogical terms
The following are some scatalogical ("dirty") terms that use "New York" and "Manhattan" and "Brooklyn." None of them is especially popular as far as I know.…
Big Pineapple (Australian icon)
Australia has "the Big Pineapple." It also has a "Big Banana" and a "Big Prawn" and a "Big Merino." It's a big country. "The Big Pineapple" is…
Big Pineapple (San José, Costa Rica nickname)
San José, Costa Rica is sometimes called "the Big Pineapple." I was there and never heard this, but it's in some tourist literature so it's gotta be true. Wikipedia: San José,…
New York Whitehall (boating)
The "New York Whitehall" rowboat was named after New York City's Whitehall Street. The boat dates back to about the 1820s, but is rarely made anymore.…
“New York’s Best Kept Secret” (Century 21)
The Century 21 store (across from what used to be the World Trade Center) wasn't "New York's Best Kept Secret." Everyone knew to go there! Century 21 is over 40 years old. The…
Goodfellas & Wise Guys
Goodfellas was a popular 1990 movie, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, and Paul Sorvino. The screenplay was by Nicholas Pileggi, based…