Texas Toast
The exact origins of "Texas toast" are still unknown. The toast possibly originated with the popular Rainbo bread. See also New York Brand Texas Toast. The Pig Stand "drive in"…
Archive for 07/2006
Conehead (SNL sketch and movie; Mets/Yankees pitcher David Cone; Con Ed workers)
The "coneheads" began as a silly comedy sketch on the television show Saturday Night Live in the 1970s. Mets and Yankees pitcher David Cone had a following of "coneheads." Con…
Spankees or Wankees (NY Yankees derogatory nicknames)
Non-fans of the New York Yankees baseball team have sometimes called them the "Spankees" (a team that's "spanked") or "Wankees" (from "wanker"). Google…
Titans (professional lacrosse team nickname)
A New York City professional lacrosse team was announced in 2006. A team nickname contest was held, and "Titans" was declared the winner. "Titans" was the early name of what…
Big Persimmon (summary)
Tokyo is very seldom called "the Big Persimmon," but some have used the term. There is a blog called "The Big Persimmon" (http://little-wings.com/wordpress/).…
Screwdriver (vodka + orange juice cocktail)
The "screwdriver" cocktail (vodka + orange juice) seems a natural for Florida. Early citations show that the screwdriver was popular in 1950s California, but probably originated in the…
“The Banking Alternative for the 21st Century” (NYC Check Express)
NYC Check Express began in 1971, but its slogan is "The Banking Alternative for the 21st Century." A similar-sounding slogan has been trademarked by another company. NYC Check Express…
Robins (Brooklyn baseball team)
The baseball team that would be known as the Brooklyn Dodgers (now the Los Angeles Dodgers) was called the Brooklyn Robins from 1914 to 1931, in honor of its manager, Wilbert Robinson. Wikipedia:…
Bridegrooms (Brooklyn baseball team)
"Bridegrooms" was a 19th-century nickname of the Brooklyn club that later became the Brooklyn Dodgers, now the Los Angeles Dodgers. Several of the team's players were recently…
Superbas (Brooklyn baseball team)
"Superbas" was the nickname of the baseball team that would later be called the Brooklyn Dodgers (now the Los Angeles Dodgers). "Superba" was the title of an 1890s entertainment…
Texas Pecan Pie
Pecan pie has been a Texas regional specialty for over 100 years. The following citations help explain its origin. (Oxford English Dictionary)pecan, n.1901 T. P. MARSHALL Lone Star Cook Bk. 49…
Food Hole (Whole Foods nickname)
Whole Foods started its first store in Austin, Texas, in 1980. The food retailer is known for its organic foods -- and high prices. The nickname "Food Hole" was applied by at least 1995.…
Center of the Earth (Center of the World)
Boston was called the "hub of the solar system" by Oliver Wendell Holmes in the 1850s. New York was called the "capital of the world" after the United Nations was located in the…
Tuttorosso Pasta Eating Competition
The annual Little Italy Tuttorosso Pasta Eating Competition began in 2003. It isn't as popular (yet) as Nathan's hot dog eating competition a few days later in July, but pasta is probably…
Grosstedes (Gristedes nickname)
The Gristedes supermarket (www.gristedes.com) is sometimes called Gross-tedes, not for flattering reasons. http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=56597&st=30QUOTE(Dani Mc @ Dec 1 2004,…
“Makin’ Whoopee” (1928)
"Makin' Whoopee" (1928) was a popular song by Gus Kahn. However, it's believed that "making whoopee" (or, in other words, "to make love") comes from New York…
Bridge (card game)
The card game of "bridge" or "bridge whist" was popularized by the whist players of New York City as early as 1893. The game's origins remain a mystery. (Oxford English…
Hell’s Half Acre (Sands Street; Chatham Square)
Brooklyn's Sands Street was called "Hell's Half Acre" because of its red-light district reputation in the 19th century. I can't find historical citations for this in the…
Dine and Dash
"Dine and dash" is what occurs when someone eats at a restaurant and then leaves without paying. It's not known of the term comes from New York City, but it's cited from the…
“The World’s Greatest Newspaper” (SCREW)
The Chicago Tribune has been calling itself "The World's Greatest Newspaper" since Chicago first had a world's fair (1893). It would own a newspaper and a television station…