“HI, HOW ARE YOU” (Daniel Johnston artwork)
"HI, HOW ARE YOU" was a music cassette released by Austin-based artist Daniel Johnston in 1983. In 1994, Johnston painted a space frog-like design (the animal has been called…
Archive for 09/2007
Texification/Texify (Texafication/Texafy)
"Texification" is the Texas answer, perhaps, to the the word "Californication." When George W. Bush became president, several people commented that the United States was…
Houston Roll (sushi)
Various Japanese restaurants in Houston and throughout the country have offered sushi called a "Houston Roll." The ingredients are not standard, but it most popularly includes tuna, cream…
“Change planes in Dallas” (where a Texan going to heaven or hell goes first)
The Dallas-Fort Worth airport is a Texas hub. It's been said that if you're going to heaven or going to hell, you'll still have to change planes in Dallas. The joke has been current…
Batini (official Austin cocktail)
The "Batini" (a blend of "bat" + "martini," although the drink contains no bats or gin or vermouth) is the official drink of Austin, Texas. In 2004, the Austin…
Cosmic Cowboy (cocktail and song)
"Cosmic Cowboy" is the name of a song by then Austin-based musician Michael (Martin) Murphey in 1973; the song was recorded in 1974 by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. In 2007, the…
Jezebel Sauce
Jezebel sauce is a spicy sauce (like Jezebel herself) that contains pineapple preserves, apple jelly, horseradish, and mustard. The Jezebel sauce (or glaze) is often served over ham. A Southern…
Hick Hop
"Hick hop" is a combination of country music and hip-hop. It also goes by the names for country-hip hop, country-rap, hill hop, and hip hopry. Cowboy Troy (of Victoria and Dallas, Texas)…
Peace Pentagon (339 Lafayette Street)
The "Peace Pentagon" at 339 Lafayette Street (Manhattan) is owned by the AJ Muste Memorial Institute. Many peace activist groups have had offices in the building. AJ Muste Memorial…
“Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” (“Save a Horse, Mount a Cowboy”)
"Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" was a 2004 country music hit for Big & Rich, who also made a popular music video of the song. The phrase "Save a horse (ride a cowboy)" and…
“We don’t dial 911”
"We don't dial 911," accompanied by the representation of a gun, is sometimes seen among Texas gift items. Sometimes the full phrase is given as: "We don't dial 911, we…
NoMaS (North of Madison Square Park)
"NoMaS" appeared in 2006 to describe the area north of Madison Square Park in Manhattan. In Spanish, "no mas" means "no more." People want to live in a place of…
Hell Square
Hell Square is not to be confused with the long-established nickname Hell's Kitchen. The 2006-coined "Hell Square" is in the Lower East Side, from Houston Street on the north to…
Jack Heights (Jackson Heights)
"Jack Heights" (meaning "Jackson Heights," in Queens) appeared on a billboard ad in 2007. The billboard mentioned that the area is much cheaper than "Billy Burg"…
SoLa (South Lamar Boulevard, Austin)
"SoLa" is a name for South Lamar Boulevard in Austin. Austin's neighborhood name game began with SoCo for South Congress Avenue. To see where all this may lead, see the New York City…
“The only river wet on one side and dry on the other” (Rio Grande during Prohibition)
During the Prohibition era (1920-1933), the Rio Grande was said to be the only river in the world that's "wet" on one side and "dry" on the other. A pointed 1921 newspaper…
“Too thin to plow, too thick to drink” (Rio Grande)
"Too thin to plow, too thick to drink" has been said of many rivers, such as the Missouri River, the Colorado River (before it was dammed), the Platte River, the Powder River, as well as…
“The town which can’t support one lawyer can always support two lawyers” (LBJ)
"The town which can't support one lawyer can always support two lawyers" was said by President Lyndon B. Johnson at the swearing in of his attorney general and deputy attorney…
Texas Three-Kick Rule (lawyer joke)
Texas does not have a "three-kick rule." The internet-popular joke has it that some big-city California (or New York City) lawyer is duck hunting in East Texas, and...well, see below for…
Mexican Banana Split
A "Mexican banana split" is a traditional banana split with Mexican elements added, such as Kahlua sauce and cajeta. "Mexican Banana Split" is on the menu of the Adobo Grill…