“New York is way better than Old York”
New York (city and state) is often compared to the city of York in North Yorkshire, England -- sometimes jocularly called "Old York." A design with New York State and the words "Way…
Pocket City, Stoplight City (Evansville, Indiana nicknames)
“New York is Zabar’s, Zabar’s is New York” (Zabar’s)
Zabar's is the food emporium fixture at 2245 Broadway, at 80th Street. Whole Foods and Fairway and other competitors have lessened the Zabar's market in New York, but "New York is…
“New York Knicks or nowhere”
Quincy Moore founded the lifestyle brand Knowlita in 2015, and Knowlita sold "New York or Nowhere" shirts. In 2020, Moore formed a company with Liz Eswein called New York or Nowhere…
“New York leads all cities in the number of people around whom you shouldn’t make a sudden move”
Television talk show host and comedian David Letterman said on Late Night with David Letterman in September 1986: "New York now leads the world's great cities in the number of people…
“New York or nowhere”
Quincy Moore founded the lifestyle brand Knowlita in 2015, and Knowlita sold "New York or Nowhere" shirts. In 2020, Moore formed a company with Liz Eswein called New York or Nowhere…
“New York point guards will give up their grandmother before their dribble” (basketball adage)
New York City point guards having a reputation for being excellent dribblers in street basketball games, but some observers complain that the point guards seemingly don't know how to pass the…
“New York stabs you in the heart; Los Angeles stabs you in the back”
Actors and musicians have a saying about the difference between New York City (Broadway) and Los Angeles (Hollywood): "In New York, they tell you that you suck and they stab you in the heart.…
“New York State of Mind” (1975)
"New York State of Mind" (1975) was written and performed by Billy Joel. It appears on his album Turnstiles. Hillary Clinton used this song during her 2000 New York Senate run. Arguably,…
“New York strip—how does a steak get a dance name?”
A "New York strip steak" has nothing to do with a New York strip club (although some clubs serve the steak), but there are jokes. "When I'm in a steak house I order the NY…
“New York weather just be throwing out temperatures like it’s picking Powerball numbers”
"Mother Nature (Florida/ New York/ Texas) just be throwing out temperatures like Powerball numbers" -- that is, randomly, with cold temperatures one day and hot the next -- is a saying…
“New York, New York—so nice, they named it twice”
"So nice, they named it twice" is what some people say about New York, New York. The saying has been used by other cities as well, such as Walla Walla, Washington. ""New York,…
“New York, New York (It’s a Helluva Town)” (1945)
"New York, New York (It's a Helluva Town)" (1945) (or "It's a Wonderful Town," for those who prefer these lyrics) was written by Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, and…
“New York, New York, the Big Apple” (The Last Poets, 1969-1970)
The Original Last Poets (later called The Last Poets) formed on May 19, 1968 (Malcolm X's birthday), at Mount Morris Park (now known as Marcus Garvey Park) in East Harlem. The Last Poets…
“New York, New York, the Big Apple” (The Last Poets, 1969-1970)
The Original Last Poets (later called The Last Poets) formed on May 19, 1968 (Malcolm X's birthday), at Mount Morris Park (now known as Marcus Garvey Park) in East Harlem. The Last Poets…
“New York, New York” (1977)
"New York, New York" (1977) by composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb was written for the 1977 Martin Scosese film, New York. The film starred Robert De Niro and Liza Minnelli (who…
“New York, the ‘Big Apple,’ the jazz mecca” (Hart’s Guide to New York City, 1964)
"New York, the 'Big Apple,' the jazz mecca" was printed in a New York City guide book. This was printed in Hart's Guide to New York City (1964) by Harold H. Hart:…
“New York, the ‘Big Apple,’ the jazz mecca” (Hart’s Guide to New York City, 1964)
"New York, the 'Big Apple,' the jazz mecca" was printed in a New York City guide book. This was printed in Hart's Guide to New York City (1964) by Harold H. Hart:…
“New York, the nation’s thyroid gland”
American journalist and novelist Christopher Morley (1890-1957) notably called New York City "the nation's thyroid gland." The thyroid affects human growth; New York's…
“New York, thy name’s Delirium” (“Owed to New York” poem)
Byron Rufus Newton (1861-1938) wrote "New York, thy name's Delirium" as the last line of his poem,"Owed to New York." He wrote the satirical poem as a reporter of the New…
“New York: For the Time of Your Life” (2005)
NYC & Co. (the city's tourist bureau) commissioned Frank Wildhorn (of several low-grade Broadway musicals, such as Jekyll and Hyde and Dracula: The Musical) to write a song to promote…