Taco Breath (Burrito Breath; Enchilada Breath; Jalapeño Breath)
"Taco breath" (less frequently given as "burrito breath" or "enchilada breath" or "jalapeño breath") is what happens when one eats tacos (or burritos or…
Archive for 03/2008
Mexican Eggs Benedict
"Mexican Eggs Benedict" is a popular dish at Trudy's (Austin, TX) and Dos Caminos (New York, NY). "Eggs Benedict" is a classic dish of poached eggs placed on a slice of ham…
“I Dance Country at the Broken Spoke, Austin, Texas”
"I Dance Country at the Broken Spoke, Austin, Texas" is a popular slogan of The Broken Spoke, billed as "the best honky-tonk in Texas" and "Texas' most definitive…
“When you’re here, you’re halfway there” (MidPoint Cafe, Mile 1139 on Route 66)
"When you're here, you're halfway there" is the motto of the MidPoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas, located on Route 66, 1139 miles from Los Angeles and 1139 miles from Chicago. The…
“Just a two-step back in time” (Coupland Inn and Dancehall)
"Just a two-step back in time" is the slogan of the Coupland Inn & Dancehall in Coupland (near Austin and Round Rock). The dance hall was built in 1910; a bar inside the dance hall…
Telecom Corridor (Richardson nickname)
The "Telecom Corridor" is a registered trademark (since 1988) of the Richardson Chamber of Commerce. The city of Richardson (near Dallas) is home to many technology companies, including…
Whiskey Ding
A "whiskey ding" is a scratch on an automobile; the driver (who had been drinking whiskey) cannot recall the dents. The origin of the term "whiskey ding" is unknown. The term is…
Bubbaland or Bubba-land or Bubbaville or Deep Bubba (South Austin)
"Bubba" is a form of the word "brother." While there are "Bubbas" throughout the South (some have called Arkansas's Bill Clinton "Bubba"), the term…
Seafood Platter
Entry in progress. Penniless lexicographer taking a break. -- B.P. Christie's Seafood & Steaks (Houston, TX)Mr. Theodore Christie was born in Istanbul, Turkey in 1885. He arrived to this…
Shore Dinner
Entry in progress. Penniless lexicographer taking a break -- B.P. Wise GeekWhat is a Shore Dinner?A shore dinner is a meal of mixed seafood or freshwater fish, depending on the region. The name is…
Riviera on the Range (Austin nickname)
Michael Corcoran of the Austin (TX) American-Statesman has called the city of Austin "Riviera on the Range" since 1998. Corcoran covers the film industry in Austin and he was comparing…
Hippie Roll or Hippy Roll (Eppie Roll or Eppy Roll)
The origin or the "hippie roll" (or "hippy roll") in uncertain, but it was served in some Italian restaurants in New York City in the 1960s-1970s. The term "hippie" is…
God’s Row (White Plains Road, Wakefield)
"God's Row" was the title of a March 2, 2008 New York Times story about the many churches in the Wakefield section of the Bronx. On White Plains Road, between 240th Street and East…
The Drag on Guadalupe Street, Austin (Drag Worm; Drag Rat)
"The Drag" (short for "the main drag") is the portion of Guadalupe Street (locally pronounced "Gwad-a-loop") in Austin that has the University of Texas on the east…
“78704—More than just a ZIP code” (“78704—Actually, it’s just a ZIP code”)
The Bouldin Creek area of Austin (ZIP code 78704) advertises that it's the extra funky part of Austin. "78704 -- More than just a ZIP code" and "78704 -- It's not just a…
“Make Austin Normal”
"Make Austin Normal" was promoted by Andrew Allemann in 2004 to counter Austin's popular slogan of "Keep Austin Weird." The "Make Austin Normal" phrase was…
“Keep Wimberley Weirder”
"Keep Wimberley Weirder" is a gentle borrowing (trademarked in 2005) from the popular slogan "Keep Austin Weird." Wimberley is located near Austin and this "weirder"…
Moscow on the Colorado (Austin nickname)
The city of Austin is located on the Colorado River and is home to the University of Texas. The city (and university) has been attributed to have such liberal and anti-American leanings that some…
Texas Gulag (Gulag State of Texas)
"Gulag" was the name for the penal labor camps that existed in the Soviet Union; the term was popularized by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's 1973 book, The Gulag Archipelago. Some political…