Asylum Street (Guadalupe Street nickname in Austin)
Guadalupe Street in Austin used to be nicknamed "Asylum Street" because just down the block from the University of Texas was the State Lunatic Asylum (at 4110 Guadalupe, now called the…
Jalapeno Bottle Caps (Jalapeno Bottlecaps)
"Jalapeno Bottle Caps" (sometimes spelled "Jalapeno Bottlecaps") is a registered trademark (from June 6, 2005) of McCain Foods USA. The jalapeño is a state pepper of Texas.…
“The national arms are covered with glory” (Ignacio Zaragoza, after the battle of Cinco de Mayo)
Ignacio Zaragoza was born in what is now Goliad, Texas. On May 5, 1962 ("Cinco de Mayo"), he led the Mexican Army sucessfully against the French forces at the Battle of Puebla. General…
Birthplace of Texas Ranching (Goliad slogan)
Goliad has called itself the "Birthplace of Texas Ranching" since at least 1999, the date of the 250th anniversary of a Spanish mission in that city. The Mission Espiritu Santo -- now…
Gateway to Success (Corinth slogan)
"Gateway to Success" has been the trademarked slogan of the city of Corinth since 2002. Corinth is located on the I-35E corridor between Denton and Dallas. Corinth's slogan reflects…
Mexican Po’boy Sandwich or Mexican Poor Boy Sandwich (Torta)
A "torta" is a Mexican sandwich, noted for its crusty white sandwich roll and overstuffed ingredients. New Orleans calls its version of a stuffed sandwich a "po'boy…
Texas Rock Rose (Pavonia lasiopetala)
Texas Rock Rose (Patonia lasiopetala) is a native Texas plant that stands up to the fierce Texas heat. It has a long bloom period and gives a rose-pink flower. The name "Rock Rose" dates…
Algonquin Cocktail
The Algonquin Hotel, at 59 West 44th Street in Manhattan, opened in 1902 and has a storied history, although the hotel is not particularly known for its food and drink. The Algonquin cocktail…
“New York’s legislature is the most dysfunctional in the nation” (Brennan Center)
New York University's Brennan Center for Justice issued a 2004 report, The New York State Legislative Process: An Evaluation and Blueprint for Reform, by Jeremy M. Creelan and Laura M.…
The Planet (Brooklyn)
The borough of Brooklyn has been called "The Planet" in hip-hop slang since the 1990s. It's sometimes said that Brooklyn is the most diverse borough, although Queens could also be…
“Three men in a room”
"Three men in a room" in Albany politics refers to the Governor, the Senate Majority Leader and the Assembly Speaker. No one else in New York state government matters except these three…
“Laws, like sausages, cease to inspire respect in proportion as we know how they are made”
"Laws, like sausages, cease to inspire respect in proportion as we know how they are made." This quotation had long been thought to have been from German ruler Otto Von Bismarck…
Coco Bread
Coco bread is a Jamaican dish that has been popular in New York City restaurants since the 1970s. The Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery (founded in the Bronx in 1989, franchised since 1996) serves a…
Subway Warts
What are subway warts? A 2004 blog post named the large bumps on the yellow strips in the subway (that warn people not to come too close to the edge of the platform) as "subway warts." In…
City of Hate (Dallas nickname)
Dallas was called a "City of Hate" immediately following the November 22, 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Some people reportedly cheered the assassination. The term…
Morir Soñando (“To die dreaming” Dominican drink)
Morir Soñando is Spanish for "to die dreaming," a Creamsicle-like drink popular at Dominican restaurants in New York City (such as the Caridad restaurants in Washington Heights). The…
“Your grasshoppers (kangaroos) are bigger than ours” (Texas-Australia size joke)
Texas and Australia both boast about their large size, so it's no surprise that a Texas/Australia size joke appeared in the 1950s and is still told today. A Texan was visiting Australia.…
“As goes South Texas, so goes the U.S. crop”
South Texas contains some large agricultural areas. "As goes South Texas, so goes the U.S. crop" is said to be an old saying, indicating that South Texas is the bellwether for American…
“You can get any politician to vote for anything if you buy him a big enough steak”
"You can get any legislator to vote for anything if you buy him a big enough steak" is said to be an old saying in Louisiana. However, the bribe of a "big enough steak" seems to…
“If you cut Alaska in half, Texas is the third largest state”
Alaska became the 49th state in the United States on January 3, 1959. Alaska's great size meant that Texas was no longer the largest state in the United States -- as Texans have long liked to…