Mr. Big
"Mr. Big" is any important person. The nickname was popularized by the HBO show Sex and the City, but "Mr. Big" was used much earlier than that. (Oxford English Dictionary)Mr…
“Pop. 208 Elev. 100 ft.” (Burritoville)
Burritoville is a Mexican food chain that began in 1992 on 78th Street and First Avenue. There is no town of Burritoville, but each Burritoville restuarant declares a population of 208 and an…
Yippie
A "yippie" is a member of the Youth International Party. The name was a take-off on "hippie" and was applied to New York figures such as Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin.…
“We’re the King of Beef” (Old Homestead)
The Old Homestead steakhouse is in the heart of the meatpacking district, at 56 Ninth Avenue. It claims to be New York's oldest steakhouse (since 1868). A steer over the entrance proclaims:…
“I’m not only the Hair Club president, I’m also a client” (Hair Club for Men)
Who can forget Sy Sperling's tv commercials confessing: "I'm not only the Hair Club president, I'm also a client!" http://www.hairclub.com/companyinfomens.htmBeforeFor much…
“First to Conquer Living Space” (Castro Convertibles)
Castro Convertibles is a New York City company that began on West 21st Street. It advertised heavily in a new medium called television, and it sold a product perfect for New York -- the…
Spritzer
"Spritzer" is a "splash," from the German word. It is usually a mixture of wine and soda water, but the word can be used for other drink combinations. It was popular among the…
Drugstore Cowboy
A "drugstore cowboy" was someone who hung around the drugstores, then popular with the soda fountain crowd. The term had long thought to have been coined by New York cartoonist Thomas A.…
“Janssen wants to see you!” (Janssen’s Hofbrau Haus)
"Janssen wants to see you!" was the famous slogan of August Janssen's Hofbrau Haus. It had once been of New York's most famous German establishments -- in a city that once had a…
New York’s Brightest (teachers)
New York has the Finest (police), Bravest (fire), Strongest (sanitation), and Boldest (corrections). Other, similar nicknames are less established. "Join New York's Brightest -- Teach…
Broadway soda
The "Broadway soda" is a combination of coffee an chocolate. It isn't served anymore, but it probably should be! http://www.brooklyn.net/my_bklyn/my_bklyn_334.htmlAnd I remember…
Cliff Dweller
A "cliff dweller" is a term (popular in the 1890s) for a resident of an apartment building. The term appeared in simultaneous 1893 publications describing "cliff dwellers" of…
“Good Ale, Raw Onions and No Ladies” (McSorley’s Ale House)
"Good Ale, Raw Onions and No Ladies" used to be the slogan of McSorley's Ale House, at 15 East 7th Street. McSorley's has been around since 1854; the Bridge Cafe is older, but…
Zoo York
"Zoo York" is less a nickname for New York City than it is the name of a New York City-based company that makes products popular with skateboarders and graf(fiti) artists. "Zoo…
World Trade Center Cough
The World Trade Center came down by a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. Several firefighters developed a cough, unlike the coughs they had fighting fires. Dr. David Prezant, chief pulmonary…
Team Titanic (2005-06 New York Knicks)
The ship Titanic hit an iceberg and sunk on its maiden voyage to New York in 1912. There was a popular 1997 movie titled Titanic. Since that movie, a high-priced team that fails has been nicknamed…
“Adventures in Heroism” (Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum)
The Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum features the Intrepid, a World War II aircraft carrier. The museum on the west side of Manhattan has so much more, so a recent slogan has been added:…
Take A Walk, New York! (TAWNY)
Want to walk New York? Why not go with Take A Walk, New York (TAWNY)? There are several walks each month, and it's free! http://www.walkny.org/Step1.htmlTake A Walk, New York! Do you love New…
Purity or Virtue (1909)
The huge statue of a snow-white woman, "Purity" or "Virtue," stood briefly in Times Square in 1909. Pictures of the statue appear frequently in books about Times Square, but the…
Counterfeit Alley (Canal Street & Midtown Manhattan)
"Counterfeit Alley" is the name of any place that sells counterfeit (fake) goods. Yes, that $5 "Gucci" bag or $5 "Rolex" watch can probably be found there. Some of the…