Steak Row (East 45th Street)
"Steak Row" used to be East 45th Street, from Lexington to First Avenue. The defunct Pen and Pencil Restaurant helped to give it that name. However, it is not correct to say that…
Archive for 02/2005
Carry/hold a torch for someone
Does "carry/hold a torch for someone" come from the Statue of Liberty? All we know for certain is the the phrase was used in Vanity Fair (NY) in 1927. Singers of smoldering music were…
“Nina” in Al Hirschfeld’s caricatures (New York Times)
Al Hirschfeld (1903-2003), the Broadway caricaturist, was probably Broadway's longest-running success story. His first theater doodle was in 1926 for the New York Herald Tribune. He soon…
“Longest Running Show on Broadway” (Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade)
Macy's ("The World's Largest Store," at Herald Square) has held a Thanksgiving Day Parade since 1924, with a suspension during the war years of 1942-1944. In 1986, Macy's…
“Copacabana (At the Copa)” (1978)
"Her name was Lola. She was a showgirl." So begins Barry Manilow's 1978 Grammy-winning song, "Copacabana (At the Copa)." The lyrics are by Bruce Sussman and Jack Feldman.…
America’s Cup (Damon Runyon’s “watching grass grow”)
The America's Cup yacht race used to be located in New York City. In 1851, British yachtsmen challenged the New York Yacht Club to a race. It was won by a New York yacht called…
Ladies’ Day
"Ladies' Day" was the day after New Year's (January 2nd). It was somewhat popular in the 19th century. It appear to have been the only day when women were invited to men's…
Coliseum Books (not near the departed Coliseum)
The New York Coliseum opened in 1956. It almost immediately became a "white elephant" and was torn down in the 1990s. The Time Warner Center has occupied the Columbus Circle site since…