New York Guitar Festival
The New York Guitar Festival was started in 1999. It features lots of guitar music, of course. http://www.newyorkguitarfestival.org/January 14 - February 8, 2006Three weeks of spectacular guitar…
Archive for 01/2006
Goon
The "goon" started in New England college slang, but it quickly spread to New York City by 1911. (Oxford English Dictionary)goon[Perhaps a shortened form of dial. gooney (GONY 1) 'a…
Idiotarod (with shopping carts!)
The "Iditarod" is the famous dog sled race in Alaska. The "Idiotarod" is a shopping cart race that's been held in New York since 2004.…
Barnes Dance
Henry Barnes was the city's traffic commissioner in the 1960s. He was known for the traffic scramble called the "Barnes Dance" to help pedestrians cross the streets safely. His…
Moses’ Law: Don’t eat in park concessions!
John Hess developed "Moses' Law" (after Robert Moses, the Parks Commissioner) in his New York Times column in August 1973. Actually, the food at some places (such as the Tennis…
“Always Open” (nyc.gov)
New York City's government website (nyc.gov) has had the slogan "Always Open" since the late 1990s. http://www.americancityandcounty.com/mag/government_cutting_cords/Always open New…
“Where are the customers’ yachts?”
"Where are the customers' yachts?" is a question asked by someone who saw only brokers' yachts at a yacht club. It's an old Wall Street remark. 29 October 1885, Forest and…
Hanging for murder is played out in New York
"Hanging for murder is played out in New York" is a phrase associated with the Tombs prison in early 1870. 2 April 1970, Punchinello, pp. 3-4:PUNCHINELLO will only add that he would at…
Drummer
In the early 1800s, New York City was called the "Commercial Emporium." A "drummer" is a salesman. The term was popular in the 19th century, but is no longer used. A…
Paint the Town (NYC & Company)
NYC & Company (the city's tourism bureau) annually sponsors winter tourism discounts under the program title "Paint the Town." It appears that "paint the town"…
Ghoul Pool (Obituaries)
The "Ghoul Pool" was a practice of newspaper obituary writers to guess which citizen of the pre-written obits would go first. The "Ghoul Pool" is no longer conducted (one would…
“Life Is Uncertain—Eat Dessert First!” (Buttercup Bake Shop)
"Life is short/uncertain -- eat dessert first!" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. "Arthur Murray says he always eats dessert first, 'because life is so…
Upper Ten (Thousand)
The "Upper Ten Thousand" were the elite of New York City society in the 1840s. The term is no longer used. (Oxford English Dictionary)a. upper ten, the upper classes; the aristocracy.…
In New York they ask, how much is he worth?
"In Boston they ask, how much does he know? In New York, how much is he worth? In Philadelphia, who were his parents?" This line has been credited to Mark Twain. January 1895, North…
An ocean on one side and New Jersey on the other.
New York City, according to the famous writer O. Henry, has "an ocean on one side and New Jersey on the other." August 1904, McClure's Magazine, "A Tempered Wind" by O.…