Block Party
The Oxford English Dictionary added "block party" in 1997, and OED's earliest citation is 1919. I've found "block party" from 1907. Unfortunately, the first New York…
Archive for 08/2004
Loisaida
"Loisaida" is Spanish for "Lower East Side." Some claim that "Lower East Side" is below Houston Street, and "Loisaida" is above Houston Street. Puerto Rican…
“We can kick your city’s ass”
"We can kick your city's ass!" was coined by a writer on David Letterman's The Late Show and spoken by Mayor Rudy Giuliani in April 1995. The slogan has been printed on several…
Melting Pot; Mixing Bowl; Mosaic
"Melting Pot" and "Mixing Bowl" and "Mosaic" have all been used to describe New York City or America. "Melting Pot" conveys the image of many many different…
Potatoes O’Brien
Who is O'Brien? Is this a New York City dish? Wikipedia: Potatoes O'BrienPotatoes O'Brien is a dish of pan-fried potatoes along with green and red bell peppers. The potatoes and the…
Nolita (North of Little Italy)
Nolita (NOrth of LIttle ITAly) was coined in the New York (NY) Times on May 5, 1996. The name sounds similar to Vladimir Nabokov's 1950s novel, Lolita. Wikipedia: NolitaNolita, sometimes…
TriBeCa (Triangle Below Canal Street)
"Tribeca" means TRIangle BElow CAnal Street. After the 1960s success of "SoHo," many other neighborhood nicknames were suggested. 'Tribeca" has been cited in print…
The Four Hundred
According to Ward McAllister (1827-1895), in all of New York City, there are only 400 people who really matter. It was later claimed that this "400" was the number of people that Mrs.…
Father Knickerbocker
Father Knickerbocker used to represent New York City in cartoons, much the way Uncle Sam is used for the United States. When did it all start? It all popularly began with this book by Washington…
“Big Apple” in the 1930s (Two clubs, plus song and dance)
The activities of the mid-late 1930s did not coin "the Big Apple" as New York's nickname, but they helped to popularize the term "Big Apple." In 1934, the Big Apple night…
“Big Apple” in the 1940s-1950s
After the 1937 "Big Apple" dance crazed died, World War II came along in the 1940s. There's not much linguistic activity for "the Big Apple" during this period, but here…
Trylon and Perisphere (1939); Unisphere (1964)
The Trylon and Perisphere were built for the 1939-40 World's Fair. The Unisphere (still standing in Queens) was built for the 1964-65 World's Fair. It's not enough for New York City…
Unique New York (tongue twister)
This was on the internet group rec.humor, "Tongue Twisters Wanted," on May 2, 1991: Unique New York.Unique New York.I love to live inUnique New York. There are 581 Google hits for…