Spur Capital of Texas (Gatesville nickname)
Gatesville in central Texas was named the "Spur Capital of Texas" by the Texas Legislature in 2001. The largest spur collection in the world is found in Gatesville's Coryell Museum…
Time/Weather
Sputniks (Metropolitan Opera House chandeliers)
The Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center has "starburst" chandeliers than many have called "Sputniks," after the Russian satellite. The chandeliers were a gift from the…
Square Dance Capital of the World (McAllen nickname)
McAllen in south Texas has hosted the Texas Square Dance Jamboree since 1987, and McAllen promotes itself as the "Square Dance Capital of the World." The Texas Legislature hasn't…
Square Meal
"Square meal" is a term that appears to have originated in California by 1856. It is sometimes claimed that "square meal" comes from England's Royal Navy (where meals were…
Srirachapocalypse (Sriracha sauce + apocalypse)
Sriracha is a hot sauce named after a city in Thailand and composed of chili peppers, distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. Huy Fong Foods (the company that manufactures Sriracha) opened a…
SRO (Single Room Occupancy)
"SRO" first meant "standing room only," in the 1890s. Later, in the 1930s and 1940s, "SRO" was used to mean "single room occupancy." Both meanings of…
SRO (Standing Room Only)
"SRO" first meant "standing room only," in the 1890s. Later, in the 1930s and 1940s, "SRO" was used to mean "single room occupancy." Both meanings of…
St. John the Unfinished (St. John the Divine)
The Cathedral church of St. John the Divine on Morningside Heights (110th Street and Amsterdam Avenue) was started in the 1890s and is still not finished. It's been called St. John('s)…
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
The New York Gazette will eventually be digitized. Until them, we don't know much about St. Patrick's Day in New York in the 1700s. The St. Patrick's Day Parade is one of New…
St. Paul Sandwich
The St. Paul sandwich is a sandwich that contains egg. The original "St. Paul" sandwich dates to the 1890s, and a "St. Paul" sandwich (or "egg foo young" sandwich) has…
St. Wapniacl (Cabinet mnemonic)
"St. Wapniacl" was the old mnemonic to remember the offices of the President of the United States' Cabinet. It was arranged in order of creation and importance: State, Treasury, War,…
Stable Row
New York has (or had) more than one "stable row." The "stable row" near the famous Dakota building, on Amsterdam Avenue from 75th to 77th Streets, failed to be landmarked in…
Stacked Enchiladas (Enchiladas Chatas) or Mounted Enchiladas (Enchiladas Montadas)
Most enchiladas in Texas are rolled, but New Mexico is famous for its stacked enchiladas, resembling stacked pancakes. Stacked enchiladas (enchiladas chatas) are also a specialty of Sonora, Mexico.…
Stage Mother
A "stage mother" is the mother of a stage performer -- usually a daughter. The stereotypical stage mother does everything to make her child a star. A classic description is of the mothers…
Stage-door Johnny
Following the "dude" craze in New York City of 1883 came the "stage-door Johnny." This character waited at the stage door for his gal to come out after the show.…
Stairway to Heaven
A "stairway to heaven" is a stairway outside of a residential building, usually leading to the second flour. The stairway provides a place to sit, but many consider the architecture to be…
Stairway to Nowhere (nickname of Vessel at Hudson Yards)
"Vessel" is the name of the Thomas Heatherwick-designed structure at the Hudson Yards on the West Side of Manhattan, opened on March 15, 2019. The honeycomb-like structure has 154 flights…
Stalingrad & Poorski (Standard & Poor’s nickname)
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) is one of the “big three” credit-rating agencies, along with Moody’s and Fitch. The financial blog Zero Hedge gave the company a Soviet-style nickname in a…
Stand and Deliver (singing with limited theatrical movement)
"Park and bark" refers to when a singer -- especially in an opera -- parks in a certain place and barks out the music. Modern performances try to eliminate "park-and-bark" by…
Standard American Diet (SAD)
Food authors have discussed the term "standard American diet" in print since at least the 1930s. The name "Standard American Diet" and its acronym "S.A.D." have been…