Heartbreak Hotel (Ramada Plaza JFK Hotel)
The Ramada Plaza JFK Hotel (at JFK Airport) was called "Heartbreak Hotel" (also the title of a 1956 Elvis Presley song) in July 1996, when it housed grieving family members of those who…
Buildings/Housing/Parks
Heartbreak Hotel (Ramada Plaza JFK Hotel)
The Ramada Plaza JFK Hotel (at JFK Airport) was called "Heartbreak Hotel" (also the title of a 1956 Elvis Presley song) in July 1996, when it housed grieving family members of those who…
Heated Canine (jocular term for “hot dog”)
Entry in progress -- BP TwitterBlake@Setting_TheBar@bethanieO_o which gas stations heated canines do you prefer?3:43 PM · Apr 17, 2013·Twitter for iPhone Twittercerys 🥦@phansnugglehot dogs or…
Heaven and Hell Cake (angel food and devil’s food)
"Heaven and Hell Cake" was created by Stephan Pyles at the Star Canyon restaurant in Dallas, in 1994. It's now served at at his own Stephan Pyles restaurant in Dallas, and the…
Heavenly Coffee (Not Chock Full O’ Nuts?)
Chock Full O' Nuts is the heavenly coffee? Who decided on that? I don't want to disturb the heavens - good heavens, no - but the Chock Full O' Nuts "Heavenly Coffee"…
Heavenly Hash
Entry in progress -- B.P. 17 February 1882, Wheeling (WV)
Heavenly Houston (Houston nickname)
"Heavenly Houston" is a nickname for the city of Houston that was popular in the early 1900s, but that is not used today. The nickname was coined by Houston (TX) Post writer George M.…
Hebrew Brainwashing Organization (HBO nickname)
HBO (Home Box Office) is is an American premium cable and satellite television network. Some critics believe that the content contains programming or "brainwashing." "Hebrew…
Hebrew Enemies (pork chops)
Jewish law does not permit eating pork. This fact found its way into restaurant slang, where "Hebrew enemies" became the slang for an order of pork chops. "Couple of Hebrew enemies…
Hechsher
A "hechsher" (also sometimes spelled "hechscher," but seldom "hecksher") is a certification marking on products (usually foods, but also kitchen cleansers, soaps and…
Hedgie
A "hedgie" is a hedge fund or someone who works for a hedge fund. The term "hedgie" has been cited in print since at least 1986-87. The Free DictionaryHedgieSlang for a hedge…
Hedgie Hive (15 Central Park West)
Fifteen Central Park West is a condominium building at West 61st Street and Central Park West that was designed by Robert A. M. Stern and completed in 2008. It was the subject of a book, House of…
Heeler (Tammany Hall politics)
The ward "heeler" was a feature of corrupt Tammany Hall politics in New York City in the 19th century. The political boss had you under his heel. This is not to be confused with a…
Heisman Trophy
The Downtown Athletic Club (18 West Street) is probably best known for awarding the Heisman Trophy to the nation's best college football player. In 2001, however, the financially strapped DAC…
Helicopter Drop or Helicopter Printing Press (“Helicopter Ben” Bernanke)
The economist Milton Friedman (1912-2006) wrote, in 1969, about dropping money from a helicopter to stimulate the economy. In November 2002, Ben Bernanke (then a member of the Board of Governors of…
Helium City or Helium Capital of the World (Amarillo nickname)
A helium-extraction plant became operational near Amarillo in April 1929; by August 1929, Amarillo was being referred to in print as "the Helium City." Amarillo was called the…
Hell Mary (hell + Hail Mary pass; 2023 NY Jets football play)
A "Hail Mary" pass in football is a "prayer" of a long pass that is thrown, usually on a team's last down and in the final seconds of a period. The defense is expecting…
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…
Hell’s Bedroom
"Hell's Bedroom" is a 1970s variant of Hell's Kitchen. In the 1970s, Eighth Avenue in Manhattan was filled with prostitutes and called the Minnesota Strip. Gail Sheehy wrote two…
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…