Cake Day (New Year’s Day, from Scotland)
It's been declared that New Year's Day in New York was once called "Cake Day." I went through several databases of New York material without finding s single citation for…
Archive for 12/2004
“Dixie” or “Dixie’s Land” (1859)
The song "Dixie Land" was written by Daniel Decatur Emmett and performed at Bryant's Minstrels at 472 Broadway, New York City, on April 4, 1859. Emmett had included the name…
Soda (for “pop”)
"Soda." Only "soda." Not "pop." Not "soda pop." Not "soft drink." Not "cola," although people will understand that. Not "coke,"…
Sprinkles (Jimmies)
New York is a "sprinkle" town. If you call them "jimmies," you're probably the type of person who roots for the Boston Red Sox. I found the earliest citation for…
Chinese Apple (for “pomegranate”)
Do New Yorkers call it a "Chinese apple" while everyone else calls it a "pomegranate"? (Dictionary of American Regional English)Chinese apple n A pomegranate (Punica…
Bridal Row; Wedding Row
A Lower East Side Street (I forget which) was said to have so many wedding shops that it was called "Bridal Row." That name doesn't seem to come up in the digitized New York Times…
Solita (South of Little Italy)
"Solita" (or "SoLita") means "South of Little Italy." It's a spinoff from NoLita (North of little Italy). The name started with the "SoLita Building" at…
“Keep Your Eye Upon the Donut” (Optimist’s Creed)
The Mayflower coffee and donut shops (1930s-1970s) used this "Optimist's Creed" as its motto. The poem pre-dates the Mayflower. 15 April 1904, New York (NY) Sun, pg. 6, col. 5:Their…
Hoping your news is good news
ABC-TV's "Eyewitness News" had its glory years in the 1970s, with Roger Grimsby as the anchor. Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update" often parodied "Eyewitness…
“Movin’ On Up” (Theme to “The Jeffersons”) (1975)
The Jeffersons was a stituation comedy spinoff of All in the Family that ran on CBS television from January 18, 1975 to July 23, 1985. George Jefferson ran a successful dry cleaning business,…
Hollywood East (Astoria; Long Island City)
The Silvercup Studios (in Long Island City) and the Kaufman Astoria Studios have had some dub that Queens area "Hollywood East."…
“Welcome Back” (Theme to “Welcome Back, Kotter”) (1975)
"Welcome Back, Kotter" was an ABC sitcom that ran from September 9, 1975 - August 10, 1979. It featured comedian Gabriel Kaplan as Gabe Kotter and, oh yes, some actor named John Travolta…
“Remember the Neediest” (New York Times Christmas Appeal)
"The 100 Neediest," or "REMEMBER THE NEEDIEST," is the annual Christmas appeal by the New York Times that started in 1912. The Christmas appeal has extended to other media in…
Fresh Air Fund
Did the Fresh Air Fund start in 1877, as its history says? Or did it start in 1869? I found that it began under William A. Muhlenberg in 1869. Dr. Muhlenberg (see the 1898 article below, a review…
Manhattan Transfer
The "Manhattan Transfer" was the New Jersey stop where one had to change trains to continue on to Penn Station in New York City. The change is no longer required and the term is…
“You Gotta Have Park” (Central Park Conservancy)
"You Gotta Have Park" is the long-running pledge theme of the Central Park Conservancy, an organization that seeks to maintain Central Park. Actually, the song was "You Gotta Have…
“We Are New York” (Douglas Elliman Realty)
Several businesses have proclaimed "We Are New York," but Douglas Elliman Realty was the first to trademark it. My apartment building used to have Douglas Elliman managing it, but the…
Croton cocktail, highball (Croton Aqueduct water)
"Croton cocktail" is a term for "water" that allegedly dates back to October 1842 and the opening of the Croton reservoir. Lemon was reportedly added to the water for the…
“Gotta go to Mo’s!” (Modell’s Sporting Goods)
Modell's Sporting Goods has many stores throughout New York City. In 1994, it came up with it's catchy jingle, "Gotta Go To Mo's!" When you gotta go, you gotta go.…
Carvel (Flying Saucer, Wednesday is Sundae, et al.)
Carvel has been celebrating its 70th anniversary (from 1934). Carvel was a much bigger presence (almost without competition) thirty and forty years ago than it is today. "Flying Saucers,"…