Iron Triangle
A political "iron triangle" is when a special-interest lobby, the Congressional committee that the lobby appears before, and the bureaucracy that the committee reports to all affect each…
Holidays/Events/Parades
Iron Triangle (Willets Point)
The "Iron Triangle" in Queens is the area near Shea Stadium and the Flushing River that is filled with ugly car repair shops. There have been many plans made for this area, including its…
IRSS (IRS + SS)
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) collects revenue for the United States government. In May 2013, an IRS scandal indicated that the agency (under a Democratic president) might have been used to…
Irvingite (inhabitant of Irving)
"Irvingite” is the name of an inhabitant of Irving, Texas. The name “Irvingite” has been cited in print since at least 1919. Wikipedia: Irving, TexasIrving (pronounced…
Island of Misfit Toys (Harry Chapin Playground, Brooklyn Heights)
Brooklyn's Harry Chapin Playground was a place where used toys could be dropped off so that other children could play with them. The playground was nicknamed "The Island of Misfit…
Isle of Tears or Island of Hope (Ellis Island Immigration Station)
The Ellis Island Immigration Station (1892-1954) is now a widely visited tourist destination. To those who were rejected at Ellis Island and were sent home, it was an "Isle of Tears" (or…
Islosers (Islanders + losers)
The New York Islanders hockey team is sometimes called the "Islosers" (Islanders + losers) by Islanders haters, such as fans of the rival New York Rangers. "Islosers" has been…
Iso Omena (Finland’s “Big Apple” shopping center, 2001-present)
Iso Omena (Finnish for "Big Apple") is a shopping center in Matinkylä, Espoo, Finland, that opened on September 24, 2001. There are 200 businesses in an area of about 1,179,000 square…
Isobeard (isolation + beard)
The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic caused many people to live in isolation. Many men grew beards, sometimes given the portmanteau word "isobeard" (isolation + beard).…
Isolationship (isolated + relationship)
An "isolationship" (isolated + relationship) usually means someone or something isolated, so that no relationships are possible. The term "isolationship" had been infrequently…
Israeli Double Standard Time
"Israeli Double Standard Time" (or "Israel Double Standard Time") means a time for "double standards" on Israel. Blogger Meryl Yourish (originally from New Jersey, now…
Israeli Film Festival
The Israel Film Festival bills itself as the largest showcase of Israeli films in the United States. The films are showcased in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York, and the film festival began in…
It’s A Nice Place to Visit, But I Wouldn’t Want to Live There
Actually, people DO want to live here. Have you seen New York real estate prices lately?I've done the only work on this phrase, most often applied to New York City but sometimes to other…
It’s Mostly Fiscal or It’s Mainly Fiscal (International Monetary Fund or IMF nickname)
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was founded in 1944-1945 and seeks to foster international development and sound monetary currencies. Some critics of the IMF claim that the it focuses too…
It’s Probably Overpriced (Initial Public Offering or IPO nickname)
An initial public offering (IPO) is when a company's stock becomes available for sale to the public. Many technology stocks have had much-anticipated IPOs, but that hasn't always…
Italian Hot Dog
The "Italian hot dog" was invented at Jimmy Buff's restaurant at 14th Avenue and 9th Street, Newark, New Jersey, that was opened in 1932 by James "Buff" Racioppi. The dish…
Italian Hurricane (spaghetti with garlic sauce)
"Italian hurricane" is lunch room slang for spaghetti with garlic sauce. "Spaghetti and garlic: One Italian hurricane" was printed in the Middletown (NY) Times Herald on January…
Italian Ice
Italian ice (also known as "water ice") is similar to a snow cone or a piragua (Puerto Rico). Each summer, many street vendors and Italian restaurants offer the flavored ice treat.…
Italian Sandwich
Entry in progress -- B.P. The long list of the names of sandwiches served on long rolls includes blimpie, bomber, Cuban (medianoche), Dagwood, garibaldi, gondola, grinder, hero, hoagie, jawbreaker,…
Italian Sandwich (“big sandwich” from Angelo Basso)
Angelo Basso of Genoa came to New York City about 1868 and is credited for popularizing the Italian sandwich, which he sold for a nickel. This would later be called the "hero" sandwich,…