https://barrypopik.com/ An etymological dictionary of American words, names, quotations and phrases, including regional dictionaries of New York City, Florida, Oregon and Texas. en bapopik@aol.com Copyright 2026 2026-05-17T20:09:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/summary_why_is_new_york_called_the_big_apple https://barrypopik.com/blog/summary_why_is_new_york_called_the_big_apple Above, the header from the February 18, 1924 New York (NY) Morning Telegraph newspaper column of John J. Fitz Gerald. Click to see a portion of the column which includes his use of “Big Apple.” Part of a December 1, 1926 column is also available.          Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan, where New York Morning Telegraph track writer John J. Fitz Gerald last lived. Google Maps. Dedicated, 1997. Stolen and missing, 2021-2024.  Replaced with a green sign, July 2024.   Above, John J. Fitz Gerald (1892-1963), from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY)  Press, pg. 14.  Also see a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.   Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple restaurant/nightclub at West 135th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard (Seventh Avenue) in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.   Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce “The Big Apple,” a hit song from 1937 for the “Big Apple” dance craze. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey’s Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich. Also listen to another 1937 “The Big Apple” song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra.     “WHY IS NEW YORK CITY CALLED THE BIG APPLE?”—SHORT SUMMARY:   “The Big Apple” (now the popular nickname of New York City) was the catchphrase of New York Morning Telegraph track writer John J. Fitz Gerald (1892-1963) in the 1920s. He explained “Big Apple” twice and it was the name of three of his columns. He picked up the term from African-American (“dusky,” he called them) stable hands at the Fair Grounds racetrack in New Orleans, probably on January 14, 1920.    John J. Fitz Gerald possibly first used “big apple” in print in the New York Morning Telegraph of May 3, 1921, when he wrote, “J. P. Smith, with Tippity Witchet and others of the L. T. Bauer string, is scheduled to start for ‘the big apple’ to-morrow.” Fitz Gerald’s first New York Morning Telegraph “Around the Big Apple” column, on February 18, 1924, proudly declared:  “The Big Apple. The dream of every lad that ever threw a leg over a thoroughbred and the goal of all horsemen. There’s only one Big Apple. That’s New York.”  The “Big Apple” racing circuit had meant “the big time,” the place where the big money was to be won. Horses love apples, and apples were widely regarded as the mythical king of fruit. In contrast, the smaller, poorer tracks were called the “leaky roof circuit” or “bull ring” tracks. The five original New York tracks of the “Big Apple circuit” were Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park, Empire City Race Track (now Yonkers Raceway), Jamaica Race Course (closed in 1959) and Saratoga Race Course.  “The Big Apple” became the name of a restaurant/nightclub in Harlem in 1934, and Harlem itself was referred to as “the Apple” at this time. A night club in Columbia, South Carolina also took the “Big Apple” name, and it was here that 1937’s short-lived national “Big Apple” dance craze began.   “The Big Apple” was revived in the 1970s by Charles Gillett (1915-1995), president of the New York Convention and Visitors Bureau (later called NYC & Company and now New York City Tourism + Conventions). A 1976 ”“I’m crazy about the Big Apple” ad campaign by William E. (“Bill”) Phillips (1930-2018), of the advertising firm Oglivy & Mather, further popularized the nickname.  The origins of “the Big Apple” were solved in the 1990s by Gerald Cohen and Barry Popik.  A “Big Apple Corner” street sign was dedicated in 1997 at West 54th Street and Broadway, where Fitz Gerald last lived. The honorary street sign has been frequently stolen.        “THE BIG APPLE” WEBSITE INTRODUCTION (July 2004):  The African-American stablehand who first called New York City “the Big Apple” at the Fair Grounds Race Track in New Orleans has never been honored. Not by New York City. Not by New Orleans. This information is not even on the Fair Grounds web site. The stablehand doesn’t even have a name, mostly because almost no one has helped look for him.  The New York track writer who popularized “the Big Apple” in the 1920s is buried in an unmarked grave in Menands, New York. The “Big Apple” plaque that I put on the building at Broadway and West 54th Street in 1996 was quickly removed during renovations and has never been replaced. The historic “Big Apple” columns are nowhere on the web.  If you search the web looking for an answer about New York City’s nickname, you’ll probably be told that “the Big Apple” comes from whores (a hoax).  It is now the summer of 2004. “Big Apple” sculptures are about to be placed in front of NYC buildings. The Republicans will soon have their convention here. Thanks for reading this. If you want the stablehands honored at last, please write to the mayor. I doubt that he has any knowledge of the information on this site.    “BIG APPLE” ARTICLES:  PRE-1920sApples and HorsesBet a Big AppleBig Apples Are Top of the BarrelBig Time and Big TownLands of the Big Red ApplesBig Apple Township, Oregon County, Missouri (1895)Big Red Apple City, Wenatchee, Washington (1908)  1920s: JOHN J. FITZ GERALD AND THE NEW YORK MORNING TELEGRAPH1920s Vaudeville/Ragtime “Big Apple” Citations1920s Non-Horseracing “Big Apple” CitationsNumerous 1920s ‘Big Apple” Citations in the New York Morning Telegraph“Big Apple” date?: January 15, 1920First “Big Apple” citation: May 3, 1921First “Big Apple” citation in New Orleans: July 17, 1921First “Big Apple” citation in Saratoga: March 10, 1922First “Big Apple” explanation: February 18, 1924Big Red Apple (sculpture in Cornelia, Georgia, 1926-present)Second “Big Apple” explanation: December 1, 1926Big Apple Circuit (five New York race tracks)1925-1929: “Big Apple” in The Inter-State TattlerBig Apple (Broadway, in columns by Walter Winchell and O. O. McIntyre, 1927-1928)1928: “On the Big Apple” column1931: “Around the Big Apple” column1963: John J. Fitz Gerald obituariesWitness (1998): Washington Post writer Shirley PovichWitness (2006): Joe Zito  1930s: JAZZING THE BIG APPLE“Big Apple” in the 1930s (Two clubs, plus song and dance)“Big Apple—the major tracks of the country” (1933)Big Apple (Harlem bar/restaurant, 1934)Big Apple kiosk (Mumbles, Swansea Bay, Wales, 1930s-present)Big Apple dance craze (1937)Big Apple cap or Big Apple hat (named after the dance, 1937-present)“Big Apple” (song by Bob Emmerich and Buddy Bernier, 1937)La Grosse Pomme (Paris nightclub, 1937-1938)Canned Apple (Big Apple dance + Can-Can dance, 1937)“I feel like doin’ a Big Apple” (Mae West on a 1937 radio show)Big Apple (football play at Davidson College, 1937)Big Apple Inn (Somerdale, NJ, 1937-1999)The Big Apple (Arcadia, MI restaurant, 1937-2020)Big Apple (drinks using applejack, 1938)“Apple” defined in Cab Calloway’s “Hepster’s Dictionary” (1938, 1944)Big Apple Restaurant (Covington, KY, 1938)Big Apple Cafe (Cincinnati, OH, 1938-1963)Big Apple Cafe (Shamokin, PA, 1938-1947)Big Apple Cafe (Calgary, Alberta, 1938-1940)Big Apple Supermarket (Georgia supermarket chain, 1939-1980)Big Apple Inn (Jackson, MS restaurant, 1939-present)1940s-1950s: ASSORTED BIG APPLE CITATIONS“Big Apple” in the 1940s-1950sBig Apple Cafe (Neosho, MO, 1940-1942)Big Apple (Fort Worth, TX barbecue restaurant, 1941-1968)Big Apple Shine Parlor (Harlem, 1942)“Big Apple” (Dan Burley’s Original Handbook of Harlem Jive, 1944)Big Apple Grocery Store (Harlem, 1945-1949)Big Apple (Yeaju-Dake Escarpment, Battle of Okinawa, 1945)Big Apple (supper club near Buffalo, NY, 1945-1976)Big Apple (USS Appalachian, 1946)Big Apple Concession (City Park in New Orleans, 1947-1949)“The Boys on the Big Apple” (Harper’s Bazaar article, May 1947)“Big Apple” (spoken by Frank Sinatra, 1950)The Big Apple (farm in Wrentham, Massachusetts, 1950-present)“Big Apple as mecca“ (Jet magazine, 1952)Big Apple Bar & Restaurant (New Orleans, 1952-1970s?)“New York is the Big Apple” (Stephen Longstreet’s The Real Jazz: Old and New, 1956)Bill Johnson’s Big Apple (Arizona restaurants, 1956-2015)Big Apple Cafe (Puryear, TN and Murray, KY, 1950s-present)“Big Apple” nightclub (The Three Faces of Eve film, 1957)Big Apple Restaurant (Asheville, NC, 1957-1991)“Big Apple” (Perry Mason, “The Case of the Jilted Jockey” episode, 1958)Big A (Aqueduct Racetrack nickname, 1959)“To the musicians playing it, New York is ‘The Big Apple‘” (New York Is book, 1959)      1960s: FUN CITYBig Apple (disco in Berlin, Germany. 1962-1979)Big Apple (club in Munich, Germany, 1963-1975)“Big Apple” (Robert S. Gold’s A Jazz Lexicon, 1964)“New York, the ‘Big Apple,’ the jazz mecca” (Hart’s Guide to New York City, 1964)“I had heard so much raving about ‘The Big Apple,’ as it was called” (Malcolm X, 1964)“Fun City” nickname (1966)“The Big Apple: Destination New York” (NBC-TV documentary, 1966)Appletown Sporting Goods (store in Harlem, 1966-2015)“New York has been the Big Apple for several decades (in jazz)” (New York Times, 1967)“Get back to the big apple” (Ebony magazine, 1968)“Big Apple” in East Village Other (1968-1971)“Big Apple” in Kurt Vonnegut Jr.‘s novel Slaughterhouse-Five (1969)“New York’s the Big Apple, bub, the heaviest scene in the world” (Rolling Stone magazine, 1969)“Rapping about how the Big Apple is outta sight” (The Last Poets, 1969-1970)“New York, New York, the Big Apple” (The Last Poets, 1969-1970)        1970s: BIG APPLE REVIVALBig Apple 1970s Revival: Charlie Gillett and Lew RudinBig Apple (music venue in Brighton, UK, 1970-1971)Gwen Barrett and 1970s “Big Apple” campaign (1971)“Back in the Big Apple” (Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone? play, 1971)Red Apple Supermarket (supermarket chain, 1971-present)“Some Great Sounds in the Big Apple” (Newport Jazz Festival, 1972)“Penguin at the Big Apple” (instrumental song by The Trammps, 1972)“The Big Apple” (instrumental song by Hugh Masekela, 1972)The Big Apple Band (1972-1977); Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band (1976)“Big Apple Dreamin‘“ (song by Alice Cooper, 1973)Big Apple Ball (charity ball, May 1973)Big Apple (Robinette’s Apple Haus, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1973-present)Big Apple Mini Storage (1974-present)Big Apple (convenience stores in Maine and New Hampshire, 1974-present)Big Apple (tourist information booth, Meaford, Ontario, Canada, 1974-present)“Big Apple” T-shirts from the Daily News (1975)Big Apple Comix (1975)“Save Grand Central. No more bites out of the Big Apple!” (1975)“Big Apple” lyric in the Lynyrd Skynyrd song “I’m a Country Boy” (1975)The Year the Big Apple Went Bust (book by Fred Ferretti, 1976)“Talking Big Apple ‘75” (song by Loudon Wainwright III, 1976)“I’m crazy about the Big Apple” (1976 ad campaign)Big Apple (official drink of the Belmont Stakes, 1976)Big Appling (to visit New York City, 1976)“Big Apple” lyric in the Joni Mitchell song “Song for Sharon” (1976)Apple Polisher & Polish the Apple (I Love a Clean New York campaign, 1976-1980)“From the Big Orange to the Big Apple” (Saturday Night Live film short, 1977)Big Apple Circus (1977-present)Big Apple (roller coaster at Astroland, Brooklyn, 1977-2008)Big Apple Cafe (Rochester, NY, 1977-2005)“Big Apple Blues” (song by Slade, 1977)“The Minnesota Night Hawks. I’m coaching. The Big Apple!” (Slap Shot film, 1977)“Big Apple” float (NY Daily News in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, 1977-2017)“B.A., Buenos Aires, Big Apple” (Evita musical, 1978)“Big Apple” lyric in The Rolling Stones song “Shattered” (1978)“Everybody bites on the Big Apple” lyric in the Cat Stevens song “New York Times” (1978)“Big Apple” (song by Molly Hatchet, 1978)Big Apple (roadside attraction in Thulimbah, Queensland, Australia, 1978-present)Big Apple Turnover (Ray Williams nickname on New York Knicks, 1979)The Big Apple Bash (Jay McShann album, 1979)“Big Apple Waltz” (song by Sweet, 1979)“Big Apple Rock” (disco song by Black Ivory, 1979)Dracula Bites the Big Apple (short film, 1979)Big Apple Copy Center (1979-present)Big Apple Moving & Storage (1979-present)Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps (marching band, 1979-present)Big Apple College Fair (1979-present)2005: Statement from a co-worker of Charles GillettOff Topic: Charles Gillett on Conventions    1970s-PRESENT: FALSE ETYMOLOGIESGovernor Stuyvesant’s Tree (pear, not apple)New Orange (not Big Orange; 1673-1674)Big Apple Whore Hoax (1800s; proposed 1995-2006)Chelsea Apple Orchard (1820s)Slave Codes (1850s)“New York is a sucked orange” (not Big Apple; Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1860)Edward Martin metaphor (1909)Damon Runyon (who never used “Big Apple,” 1920s-1930s)Alain Locke and Harlem Renaissance as the “Big Apple” (1920s; suggested in 1988)Big Apple of Wathena, Kansas (1928-1940)Depression Apple Sellers (1930s)Harlem’s Jazz Musicians (1930s)Fletcher Henderson popularization of “the Big Apple” in the 1930sBig Apple dance craze (1937)La Grosse Pomme (Paris nightclub, 1937-1938)Cab Calloway’s “Hepster’s Dictionary” (1938, 1944)Big A (Aqueduct Racetrack nickname, 1959)Manzana Principal (suggested in 1966)New York City is shaped like an apple (1970s)There are many apples on the tree, but when you pick NYC, you pick the Big Apple (1975)Tightening of Adam’s Apple (suggested in 1978)Big Apple on New Year’s Eve Ball at One Times Square (1981-1988)New York State grows many apples (suggested in 1988)Five Apple Seeds, Five Boroughs (1990s?)Apple Store (2000s)An apple tree on every street (2013 movie explanation)“Big Apple” and the Dutch phrase, “to buy for an apple and an egg” (2020)“Why is New York City called ‘The Big Apple?’ Wrong answers only” (2021)Apple at the foot of the Statue of Liberty (2024) 1980s-PRESENT: BIG APPLE WORK BY GERALD COHEN, BARRY POPIK“Big Apple Rappin’” (rap by Spyder-D, 1980)Home Run Apple (Shea Stadium & Citi Field, 1980-present)Big Apple Pancake House (Chicago Heights and Joliet, IL, 1980-present)Big Apple Airline (New York Air nickname, 1980-1987)Big Apple Minute (WNEW-TV Channel 5, 1980-1987)Big Apple Movie (WNEW-TV Channel 5, 1981-1986)Big Apple logo for New York Urban League (1981-present)Big Apple City (Strawberry Shortcake animation, 1981)Big Apple on New Year’s Eve Ball at One Times Square (1981-1988)Big Apple Dyke News (1981-1988)La Gran Manzana (merengue band, 1982)“Apple” lyric in the Michael Jackson song “Human Nature” (1982)Apple Bank (renamed from Harlem Savings Bank, 1983-present)“Big Apple” (song by Kajagoogoo, 1983)Big Apple Flag (North American Vexillological Association, 1983)Big Apple Car, Inc. (1983-present)Big Apple Chorus (1983-present)The Big Apple (nightclub in El Paso, Texas, 1984-1986)N.Y.C. The Big Apple (Atari video game, 1984)The Big Apple (novel by Pat Booth, 1984)“The Big Apple” (Gimme a Break! episode, 1984)“Nueva York! New York City! The big apple!” (Against All Odds film, 1984)Big Apple logo for Javits Center (1985-present)Big Apple Bagels (Illinois bagel chain, 1985-present)Big Apple Pizza (Israeli pizza chain, 1986-present)“50K don’t get you to first base in the Big Apple” (Wall Street film, 1987)Big Apple logo for New York Cares (1987-present)Big Apple (roadside attraction in Colborne, Ontario, Canada, 1987-present)Big Apple Diner (Whitehall, NY, 1987-present)Big Apple bet (1988, 2003) between mayors of New York City and Columbia, South Carolina“Big Apple Blues” (The Facts of Life episode, 1988)Big Apple Awards (Public Relations Society of America-NY Chapter, 1988-present)“Big Apple” and Donald Trump (Fortune magazine photo, 1989)Big Apple book by Gerald Cohen, Barry Popik (1991. 2011)“Bite the Big Apple” (Murder, She Wrote episode, 1991)Big Apple Florist (1991-present)“Big Apple, 3 AM” (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time video game, 1992)Big Apple Greeter (1992-present)Big Apple Meat Market (1992-present)Big Apple Corner (1992-1997)Big Apple on a hockey jersey (New York Rangers practice jersey, 1994)Big Apple Hostel (1994-2014)Big Apple Cafe & Big Apple Tourist Orchard (Bacchus Marsh, Australia, 1994-present)Big Apple Cafe & Event Centre (Waitomo, New Zealand, 1995-present)“God Bless New York City, My Big Apple Pie” (song by Y’all, 1995)“Big Bugs in the Big Apple” (James and the Giant Peach film, 1996)“The Big Apple Can Bite Me” (Cybill episode, 1996)Big Apple plaque (1996)Big Apple Comic Con (1996-present)Big Apple Corner (1997 Law & Today)Big Apple Corner (New York Morning Telegraph site)Big Apple Jazz Tours (1997-present)Big Apple Coaster (New York-New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, 1997-present)Big Apple Pizza & Pasta (Florida pizza chain, 1997-present)Big Apple Stars Awards Program (Hotel Association of New York City, 1997-present)Big Apple Ranch (country-western dance lesson and party, 1997-present)“Bite the Big Apple” (The Devil’s Advocate film, 1997)“It’s the dream, the Big Apple” (Howard Stern’s Private Parts film, 1997)Big Apple (roller coaster at Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach, Norfolk, UK, 1998-present)Big Apple Bank (Futurama episode, 1999)“Big Apple” query and Ask Jeeves search engine (1999)Big Apple (sculpture in Medina, New York, 2000-present)Big Apple Martini or Big Apple-tini (cocktail, 2000)“When you got to the Big Apple, they treated you like a worm” (Me, Myself & Irene film, 2000)Big Apple (pachinko parlors in Japan, 2000?-present)Big Apple (crime drama television series, 2001)Big Apple Anime Fest (2001-2003)Iso Omena (Finland’s “Big Apple” shopping center, 2001-present)“Bad Seed in the Big Apple” (Beyblade episode, 2003)Big Apple logo for Made in NYC (2003-present)Big Apple (brand of Schwalbe bicycle tires, 2003-present)Big Apple Innovation Awards (LISC NY, 2003-present)The Big Apple (bar in Ballyforan, Ireland, 2003?-present)The Apple (sculpture in Hudson River Park, 2004)Big Apple Film Festival (2004-present)Big Apple Fest (2004)Betsy Gotbaum and the fictional “Big Apple whores” (2004)Big Apple Fest (2005)Big Apple Shake (Johnny Rockets, 2005)Bacardi Big Apple (apple-flavored rum, 2005)Big Apple Mojito (cocktail, 2005)“It’s another fabulous morning in the Big Apple!” (Madagascar film, 2005)Harlem Big Apple Club plaque removed (2006)Big Apple (sculpture by Romero Britto, LaGuardia Airport, 2006-present)Big Apple Elevator Service and Consulting (2006-present)Big Apple Donuts & Coffee (Malaysia chain, 2007-present)Big Apple Music Awards (2007-2022)Infinity Apple (GreeNYC symbol, 2007)Apple—New York State Symbol (2007)Mr. Met And His Journey Through The Big Apple (children’s book by Aimee Aryal, 2008)Oxford English Dictionary “Big Apple” definition (2008)“New York. The Big Apple” (The Hurt Locker film, 2008)Big Apple (sculpture at Yamanashi Prefectural Museum, Japan, 2008-present)New York Nike LeBron 6 “Big Apple” sneaker (2008)“Big Apple” answer on “Final Jeopardy!” (2009)New York City’s Official Apple Proposal—Newtown Pippin (2009)“Pomme de New York” (Big Apple sculpture by Les Lalanne on Park Avenue and 52nd Street, 2009)“Big Apple” explained in a movie (Barney’s Version film, 2010)“The Big Apple” (Kate Plus 8 episode, 2010)Big Apple Hot Dogs (UK hot dogs, 2010-present)“Our trip to the Big Apple” (The Fairly Oddparents episode, 2011)Rising Apple (New York Mets blog, 2011-present)Big Apple (sculpture by Romero Britto, JFK Airport, 2011-present)Stephan Weiss Apple Awards (2011-2018)The Other Big Apple (Meaford, Ontario nickname, 2011-2014)“Big Apple is fantastic, but cuts you down to size” lyric in Nickelback’s “Kiss It Goodbye” (2011)Big Apple Fashioned (cocktail, 2012)Big Apple Church (Manhattan branch of New York City Church of Christ, 2012-present)Big Apple (cocktail with sake, 2013)Big Apple Showcase Day (race for New York-breds, 2013-present)Big Apple Awards (New York City public school teachers, 2013-present)The Big Apple Shopping Bazaar (Delray Beach, FL, 2013-present)Big Apple Blizzard (Dairy Queen dessert, 2014)Big Apple Hard Cider (2014-present)La Mela Reintegrata or The Apple Made Whole Again (Central Station, Milan, Italy, 2015-present)Apple Awards (Guides Association of New York City, 2015-present)“The Kid from the Big Apple” (two films, 2015 and 2017)“Big Apple or Die Tryin‘“ (Pee-wee’s Big Holiday film, 2016)“The Girl Who Went To The Big Apple” (Asia’s Next Top Model episode, 2016)“Wow! BoJack and Todd in the Big Apple!” (BoJack Horseman episode, 2016)“The Big Apple” (Strut episode, 2016)Big Apple Shoot Out (horse show event, 2016-present)The Big Apple (restaurant in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2016-present)Big Apple Ball (Donald Trump Presidential Inauguration, 2017)Big Apple Mall (Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines, 2018-present)“The Big Apple Bites” (The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills episode, 2018)Big Apple of New England (Johnny Appleseed Visitors Center, Lancaster, MA, 2019-present)Big Apple Turnover (Daniel Jones nickname on New York Giants, 2019)Big Apple Turnover (Julius Randle nickname on New York Knicks, 2019)“Are there doctors in New York since it’s called the Big Apple?” (2019)“Big Apple” basketball logo (Big Apple Athletics, 2019; Aimé Leon Dore, 2020)Bigger Apple (Manhattan Institute newsletter, 2020-present)Big Apple Sauce (The Sauce episode in New York City, 2020)“Big Apple” on NPR’s “Ask Me Another” (2020)Big Apple cannabis (2020)Big Apple Doughnut (Krispy Kreme donut, 2020)Big Apple Compost (2020-present)“Back in the Big Apple” (The Real Housewives of New York City episode, 2021)“Big Apple” (Tom and Jerry in New York animated episode, 2021)“What’s a Met Gala?”/“A type of apple found in New York. Also why it’s called the Big Apple” (2021)Big Apple (city ornament of Columbia, SC, 2021)Big Apple sculpture (Bella Abzug Park and Dante Park, 2021-2022)Big Apple Corner (sign stolen, 2021-2024)The Big Apple (ice cream shake at Forty Deuce in Columbus, OH, 2022)“Big Apple” answer in Jeopardy! game show (2022)Big Apple (act on America’s Got Talent, 2022)Big Apple Sauce (Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner nickname on New York Jets, 2022)“Big Apple, 3 PM” (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge video game, 2022)Big Apple Connect (free high-speed internet and basic cable TV, 2022)The Queer Big Apple Corps (marching band, 2022-present)“We’re taking a bite out of the Big Apple tonight” (Blue’s Big City Adventure film, 2022)La Gran Manzana (sculpture opposite Radio City Music Hall, 2022)Gala “Big Apple” mascot (Metro Ink, 2023)Big Apple Pierogi (Veselka Restaurant pierogi, 2023)Big Apple Ballers Stadium (Spider-Man 2 video game, 2023)Meet at the Apple (New York Mets podcast, 2024-)“Big Apple” (painting by Vladimir Kush, 2024)“NY is no longer called the Big Apple. It is now called the Rotten Apple!” (artwork, 2024)“Big Flavor in The Big Apple” (New York Apple Association ad campaign, 2024)Big Apple Village (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto #1 comic miniseries, 2024)“The Big Apple” (Korean comics or manhwa, 2024)Big Apples (Hudson Valley Renegades baseball team logo, 2024)“Is New York called the Big Apple because everyone living there is fruity?” (2024)“Big Apple” explained (“Countdown” UK game show, 2025)Big Apple (Hozea Massiah, Toronto hip-hop figure, 1971-2025)“The Dead Apple” (hip-hop track by Reason, 2025)Big Apples Fest (fall festival sponsored by Hudson Valley Renegades baseball team, 2025-present)Big Red Apple (red/communist + Big Apple, 2025)Red Apple (red/communist + Big Apple, 2025)Apple Stand (“Big Apple” art exhibit, 2025)Big Apple Triathlon (2026-present)“Big Apple” rap on Sesame Street (2026)LEGO’S New York City—The Big Apple (2026)Google censorship of BarryPopik.com, “The Big Apple”“Big Apple” Cohen-Popik Work on Television (?)“Big Apple” Fame and Fortune (?)  “LITTLE APPLE” AND OTHER NICKNAMESIndianappleis & “Move over New York. Apple is our middle name” (Indianapolis, Indiana)Little Apple (Ithaca, New York)Little Apple (Manhattan, Kansas)Little Apple (Roosevelt Island, New York City)Little Apple (Toronto, Canada)Little Apple (Yonkers, New York)Mini-Apple or Minneapple (Minneapolis, Minnesota) “BIG APPLE” IN THE MEDIAThe Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY), August 13, 1972Daily News (New York, NY), June 20, 1973Daily News (New York, NY), September 11, 1973Honolulu Star-Bulletin (Honolulu, HI), May 11, 1975Miami Herald (Miami, FL), May 22, 1975Boston Globe (Boston, MA), December 7, 1975The Times-Tribune (Scranton, PA), April 30, 1978The New York Times (New York, NY), July 5, 1978The New York Times (New York, NY), July 12, 1978The New York Times (New York, NY), July 19, 1978Staten Island Advance (Staten Island, NY), November 12, 1978“Dear Abby” by Abigail Van Buren, September 3, 1982New York Post (New York, NY), May 22, 1986 (GenealogyBank.com)New York Post (New York, NY), May 30, 1986 (GenealogyBank.com)“Dear Abby” by Abigail Van Buren, May 12, 1988“Dear Abby” by Abigail Van Buren, August 2, 1988The New York Times (New York, NY), August 22, 1988The New York Times (New York, NY), February 1, 1989Newsday (New York, NY), April 2, 1992The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY), October 22, 1992 (GenealogyBank.com)Irish America, January/February 1994 (not online)New York Post (New York, NY), October 18, 1995 (GenealogyBank.com)The New York Times (New York, NY), December 6, 1995Newsday (Hempstead, NY), December 7, 1995“Dear Abby” by Abigail Van Buren, January 10, 1997 (with answers from 1988)New York Post (New York, NY), January 30, 1997 (GenealogyBank.com)“Dear Abby” by Abigail Van Buren, February 19, 1997The Word Detective, October 17, 1997New York Amsterdam News (New York, NY), July 30, 1998 (ProQuest)The Straight Dope, September 17, 1999Voice of America, March 24, 2002Gothamist, July 22, 2004The Globe and Mail (Toronto, Ontario), August 14, 2004The New York Times (New York, NY), August 29, 2004The Globe and Mail (Toronto, Ontario), September 4, 2004The New York Times (New York, NY), July 8, 2009Parade, October 2, 2013amNY (New York, NY), April 11, 2014Slate (Lexicon Valley), September 8, 20156sqft (New York, NY), April 13, 2017Untapped Cities (New York City), July 5, 2017AFRO (Baltimore, MD), February 16, 2018The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA), September 23, 2018The Wall Street Journal, January 2, 2020Gothamist (New York, NY), January 21, 2020WNYC (New York, NY), January 21, 2020Daily Mail (London, UK), January 22, 2020The Christian Science Monitor, March 12, 2020Harlem Bespoke, November 23, 2020Daily News (New York, NY), May 3, 2021 (Tweeted by NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio,)CBS Mornings, May 8, 2021La Voce di New York, September 10, 2022Fox 5 (New York, NY), January 31, 2024Untapped Cities (New York City), February 16, 2024@100YearsAgoNews, February 18, 2024Diario AS, March 21, 2024WRRV (Hudson Valley, NY), August 14, 2024Apples & People, August 16, 2024PIX11 (New York, NY), September 12, 2024Houston Style Magazine (Houston, TX), May 13, 2025Houston Style Magazine (Houston, TX), May 29, 2025 “BIG APPLE” ON WEBSITESWikipedia—“Big Apple”Wikipedia—“54th Street (Manhattan)”Wiktionary—“Big Apple”New York Public LibraryWorld Wide WordsWord OriginsMental FlossThoughtCo.WorldAtlasSecret NYCGotta Love New YorkMinted NYCClassic New York HistoryNew York City AdvisorNew-York ForeverNYBRISKBig Apple SecretsSparkly Maid NYCRent Own Sell—New YorkEpicenter NYCMuseum of the City of New York (from 1998)NY.com (from 1999)StreetEasyAmerica ExplainedThe MarginalianToday I Found OutToday I Found Out (video)HowStuffWorksHotBotFlavor365SlaylebrityHistory ChannelBritannicaDictionary.comUrban Dictionary“BIG APPLE” ON FOREIGN LANGUAGE WIKIPEDIAWikipedia (Armenian)Wikipedia (Bangla/Bengali)Wikipedia (Basque)Wikipedia (Chinese—Traditional)Wikipedia (Croatian)Wikipedia (Dutch)Wikipedia (Estonian)Wikipedia (French)Wikipedia (Georgian)Wikipedia (German)Wikipedia (Indonesian)Wikipedia (Italian)Wikipedia (Japanese)Wikipedia (Korean)Wikipedia (Latvian)Wikipedia (Malayalam)Wikipedia (Norwegian)Wikipedia (Persian)Wikipedia (Portuguese)Wikipedia (Russian)Wikipedia (Spanish)Wikipedia (Turkish)Wikipedia (Ukrainian) New York City, The Big Apple, 2004-07-05T15:43:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/hot-corn-street-cry https://barrypopik.com/blog/hot-corn-street-cry     Grokipedia Hot Corn Hot corn was a staple street food in mid-19th-century New York City, consisting of roasted ears of sweet corn sold hot by itinerant vendors, frequently impoverished children supporting their families amid urban squalor. These “hot corn girls” and boys traversed bustling thoroughfares, their distinctive cries of “Hot corn! Come buy my hot corn!” echoing through the city’s soundscape and symbolizing the era’s socioeconomic hardships.   The phenomenon surged in cultural prominence following the 1853 serialization in the New York Tribune of “Hot Corn,” a temperance-infused tale centered on Little Katy, a child vendor victimized by parental alcoholism and poverty, which resonated amid contemporaneous reform movements like abolitionism and women’s rights. This narrative, expanded by author Solon Robinson into the 1853 book Hot Corn: Life Scenes in New York Illustrated, featured vignettes of street life, including stories of rag-pickers and destitute youth, blending sentimentality with moral exhortations against vice. The craze briefly captivated public imagination, spawning minstrel songs such as “Katy’s Cry: Come and Buy my Hot Corn” by I. B. Woodbury and theatrical melodramas that dramatized vendor hardships, though it waned within about 18 months as novelty faded.   Museum of the City of New York The Hot Corn Seller Creator Nicolino Calyo (1799-1884) Accession number 55.6.2  Unique identifier MNY8270  Description This character is one from a series by Nicolino Calyo entitled “Street Cries of New York” of watercolor paintings depicting street vendors of New York.  Dated 1840-1844  Object Type watercolor (painting)     Facebook Sarah Lohman October 5, 2020 The Hot Corn Girls were 19th century street vendors in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and other cities. They sold cooked sweet corn in season (August and September). They were often free black women and were particularly known for their evocative calls. Diarist George Templeton Strong, writing in NYC in 1850, said that he “heard the cry rising at every corner” and was “lulled to sleep by its mournful cadence in the distance.” Their call were so famous, they were captured in music. Here’s Come Buy Hot Corn, from a play from the 1850s, based on a popular collection of short stories by the same name. Performed by Emily of MaestroTales hotcorn #fivepoints #streetfood #foodhistory New York City, Food/Drink, 2026-05-17T20:09:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/legos-new-york-city-the-big-apple-2026 https://barrypopik.com/blog/legos-new-york-city-the-big-apple-2026 LEGO announced the product “New York City—The Big Apple” in 2026. New York City’s iconic skyline is shown, silhouetted against a dark sky in the shape of an apple. The set was priced at $139.99.       Wikipedia: Lego Lego (/ˈlɛɡoʊ/ , LEG-oh; Danish: [ˈle̝ːko]; stylised as LEGO) is a brand of plastic construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. Lego consists of variously coloured interlocking plastic bricks made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) that accompany an array of gears, figurines called minifigures, and various other parts. Its pieces can be assembled and connected in many ways to construct objects, including vehicles, buildings, and working robots. Assembled Lego models can be taken apart, and their pieces can be reused to create new constructions.        LEGO  Architecture #21066 New York City – The Big Apple $139.99 Celebrate your love for New York City and iconic landmarks with this collectible LEGO® Architecture New York City – The Big Apple (21066) living room home decor set. Designed for adults ages 18 and up, the building set makes a stunning NYC or architectural gift idea for yourself or any travel lover. Start with the backdrop, then build and add the LEGO Empire State Building, One World Trade Center and the Brooklyn Bridge. Create the city skyline and the Statue of Liberty, the Guggenheim and Metropolitan museums. Finish the set with Central Park, yellow taxi cabs, an Easter egg and the printed ’New York, New York’ tile, then show it off in your home or office. As you create the minimalist shelf decor, enjoy enhanced building with the LEGO Builder app, zooming and rotating with 3D instructions while saving and tracking progress. This premium set (and more, sold separately) will appeal to anyone who loves travel, New York City or LEGO Architecture sets for adults. Set contains 1,465 pieces.       X/Twitter The Brick News | LEGO News @the_brick_news New LEGO Architecture New York City The Big Apple Set Coming In June! 7:09 AM · Apr 30, 2026     Jay’s Brick Blog LEGO 21066 New York City – The Big Apple introduces a creative spin to LEGO Architecture May 5, 2026 LEGO have officially unveiled 21066 New York City – The Big Apple, introducing a fresh new concept to LEGO’s Architecture theme.   This 1,456-piece model lets you build a very abstract model of New York’s iconic skyline, silhouetted against a dark skylit sky in the shape of an apple, a really interesting way to bring New York’s Big Apple moniker to life in LEGO form.     The Brick Fan LEGO Architecture New York City – The Big Apple (21066) Officially Announced May 5, 2026 / Allen “Tormentalous” Tran A new LEGO Architecture set has been revealed for a June 1 release with New York City – The Big Apple (21066). The set has 1,465 pieces and will retail for $139.99 (pre-order today). The set has your usual Architecture style buildings and landmarks like the Empire State Building, One World Trade Center, Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, the Guggenheim and Metropolitan museums, as well as Central Park. There’s also a backdrop of an apple illuminating the skyline. ·  Brick Fanatics LEGO New York City – Big Apple’s designer went for a ‘sophisticated feel’ 05/05/2026 Matt Yeo The designer of 21066 New York City – The Big Apple has revealed what her creative approach was when it came to the upcoming LEGO Architecture set. (...) “This model is a fresh expression,” elaborated Senior Model Designer Mary Wilson, “and we’ve really embraced the well-known nickname by creating this abstracted composition placed against a big apple containing the night sky.   X/Twitter Brick Fanatics @BrickFanatics LEGO Architecture has just taken a bold new step with 21066 New York City – The Big Apple, and it could reshape how skyline sets are designed going forward. https://brickfanatics.com/four-cities-lego-revisit-in-big-apple-style/ #LEGO #LEGONews 10:58 AM · May 6, 2026 New York City, The Big Apple, 1980s-present: Big Apple work by Gerald Cohen, Barry Popik, 2026-05-12T13:36:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/not-all-relationships-will-lead-to-marriage-some-will-help-you-discover https://barrypopik.com/blog/not-all-relationships-will-lead-to-marriage-some-will-help-you-discover “Not all relationships will lead to marriage. Some will help you discover new restaurants” (or “Most relationships won’t lead to marriage, but at least they help you find new restaurants”) is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. The dating at least gets one to try new restaurants.   “Not all relationships will lead you to marriage, some will teach you patience and stress management, others will help you discover new restaurants 😆😆😆” was posted on X/Twitter by Our Rise is Limitless on February 18, 2020. “Not all Relationships will lead to marriage…Some will help you discover new Restaurants” was posted on X/Twitter by brezzido 💕 on February 22, 2020.    “Most relationships might not lead to marriage but at least they help you find new restaurants lol” was posted on X/Twitter by Kwaku Yeboah 🥀🕊 on July 29, 2020. “Most relationships won’t lead to marriage but at least they help you find new restaurants! 😂” was posted on X/Twitter by Bernardo🇲🇽⚽️ on July 29, 2020.       X/Twitter Our Rise is Limitless @Mesure_gush Not all relationships will lead you to marriage, some will teach you patience and stress management, others will help you discover new restaurants 😆😆😆 12:10 PM · Feb 18, 2020     X/Twitter Dumpedguy @Dumpedguay Not all relationships will lead to marriage. Some will teach you patience & stress management. Some will help you discover new restaurants and new hotel rooms. 7:08 AM · Feb 20, 2020   X/Twitter brezzido 💕 @dejibillz Not all Relationships will lead to marriage…Some will help you discover new Restaurants 8:54 AM · Feb 22, 2020   X/Twitter    Annie 💖✨ @anniethelibra Not all relationships will lead to marriage. Some will just help you find new restaurants 😂😂 11:19 AM · Feb 25, 2020   Reddit—AskReddit [deleted]—February 25, 2020 Not all relationships will lead to marriage, some will help you discover new restaurants. What other side benefit did you figure from one such relationship?   X/Twitter Drip Lord Jahova @hundoes1 “Not all relationships end in marriage , some help you find new restaurants” 😭 8:56 AM · Feb 27, 2020   Facebook Joe Global Starnes March 3, 2020 at 2:44 PM · Not all relationships will lead to marriage, some will just help you discover new restaurants. 🤷🏾‍♂️😊   X/Twitter Dona Juanita @MafiosoRo Not all relationships lead to marriage, some help you discover new restaurants 💕 9:18 AM · May 7, 2020   X/Twitter Happiest Quotes @QuotesHappiest Not all relationships will lead to marriage, some will help you discover new restaurants. Happiest Quotes - https://happiestquotes.com/2020/05/30/not-all-relationships-will-lead-to-marriage-some-will-help-you-discover-new-restaurants/ 6:16 AM · May 30, 2020   Facebook Michael Samba June 17, 2020 at 11:26 AM · Not all relationships will lead you to marriage, some will help you discover new restaurants.. #ALLFACTS   Facebook An Bùi June 19, 2020 at 12:16 AM · -Relationships: Not all of them will lead to marriage, some will help you discover new restaurants     X/Twitter God’s Favorite @TheAblebaee Not all Relationships most lead to marriage, Some will help you discover new restaurants 😂😩 4:19 AM · Jun 27, 2020   X/Twitter Kwaku Yeboah 🥀🕊 @bdubmaylay Most relationships might not lead to marriage but at least they help you find new restaurants lol 3:05 PM · Jul 29, 2020   X/Twitter Bernardo🇲🇽⚽️ @iBenSalty Most relationships won’t lead to marriage but at least they help you find new restaurants! 😂 10:20 PM · Jul 29, 2020   Reddit—Selfie [deleted]—December 17, 2020 Most relationships won’t lead to marriage but at least they help you find new restaurants 🤓   Facebook All You Can Eat May 8, 2026 at 6:31 PM · Most relationships won’t lead to marriage but at least they help you find new restaurants. New York City, Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores, 2026-05-10T09:17:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/most-relationships-wont-lead-to-marriage-but-at-least https://barrypopik.com/blog/most-relationships-wont-lead-to-marriage-but-at-least “Not all relationships will lead to marriage. Some will help you discover new restaurants” (or “Most relationships won’t lead to marriage, but at least they help you find new restaurants”) is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. The dating at least gets one to try new restaurants.   “Not all relationships will lead you to marriage, some will teach you patience and stress management, others will help you discover new restaurants 😆😆😆” was posted on X/Twitter by Our Rise is Limitless on February 18, 2020. “Not all Relationships will lead to marriage…Some will help you discover new Restaurants” was posted on X/Twitter by brezzido 💕 on February 22, 2020.    “Most relationships might not lead to marriage but at least they help you find new restaurants lol” was posted on X/Twitter by Kwaku Yeboah 🥀🕊 on July 29, 2020. “Most relationships won’t lead to marriage but at least they help you find new restaurants! 😂” was posted on X/Twitter by Bernardo🇲🇽⚽️ on July 29, 2020.       X/Twitter Our Rise is Limitless @Mesure_gush Not all relationships will lead you to marriage, some will teach you patience and stress management, others will help you discover new restaurants 😆😆😆 12:10 PM · Feb 18, 2020     X/Twitter Dumpedguy @Dumpedguay Not all relationships will lead to marriage. Some will teach you patience & stress management. Some will help you discover new restaurants and new hotel rooms. 7:08 AM · Feb 20, 2020   X/Twitter brezzido 💕 @dejibillz Not all Relationships will lead to marriage…Some will help you discover new Restaurants 8:54 AM · Feb 22, 2020   X/Twitter    Annie 💖✨ @anniethelibra Not all relationships will lead to marriage. Some will just help you find new restaurants 😂😂 11:19 AM · Feb 25, 2020   Reddit—AskReddit [deleted]—February 25, 2020 Not all relationships will lead to marriage, some will help you discover new restaurants. What other side benefit did you figure from one such relationship?   X/Twitter Drip Lord Jahova @hundoes1 “Not all relationships end in marriage , some help you find new restaurants” 😭 8:56 AM · Feb 27, 2020   Facebook Joe Global Starnes March 3, 2020 at 2:44 PM · Not all relationships will lead to marriage, some will just help you discover new restaurants. 🤷🏾‍♂️😊   X/Twitter Dona Juanita @MafiosoRo Not all relationships lead to marriage, some help you discover new restaurants 💕 9:18 AM · May 7, 2020   X/Twitter Happiest Quotes @QuotesHappiest Not all relationships will lead to marriage, some will help you discover new restaurants. Happiest Quotes - https://happiestquotes.com/2020/05/30/not-all-relationships-will-lead-to-marriage-some-will-help-you-discover-new-restaurants/ 6:16 AM · May 30, 2020   Facebook Michael Samba June 17, 2020 at 11:26 AM · Not all relationships will lead you to marriage, some will help you discover new restaurants.. #ALLFACTS   Facebook An Bùi June 19, 2020 at 12:16 AM · -Relationships: Not all of them will lead to marriage, some will help you discover new restaurants     X/Twitter God’s Favorite @TheAblebaee Not all Relationships most lead to marriage, Some will help you discover new restaurants 😂😩 4:19 AM · Jun 27, 2020   X/Twitter Kwaku Yeboah 🥀🕊 @bdubmaylay Most relationships might not lead to marriage but at least they help you find new restaurants lol 3:05 PM · Jul 29, 2020   X/Twitter Bernardo🇲🇽⚽️ @iBenSalty Most relationships won’t lead to marriage but at least they help you find new restaurants! 😂 10:20 PM · Jul 29, 2020   Reddit—Selfie [deleted]—December 17, 2020 Most relationships won’t lead to marriage but at least they help you find new restaurants 🤓   Facebook All You Can Eat May 8, 2026 at 6:31 PM · Most relationships won’t lead to marriage but at least they help you find new restaurants. New York City, Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores, 2026-05-10T08:25:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/gibson-cocktail https://barrypopik.com/blog/gibson-cocktail William Curtis Gibson (1857-1921), a New York editor of Puck magaine and later of Cosmopolitan magazine, invented the “Gibson” cocktail.  Edward W. Townsend (1855-1942) wrote in The Examiner (San Francisco, CA) on January 26, 1896:   ”...hence I drink and talk about the Gibson cocktail. It is the invention of my friend, Mr. William Curtis Gibson, the managing editor of ‘Puck.’ As we observe to be the case in all epoch-making inventions, its greatness lies in its simplicity. It is composed solely of one part gin and one part vermouth.”   it had been thought that the Gibson cocktail was named after American illustrator Charles Dana Gibson (1867-1944) or San Francisco businessman Walter D. K. Gibson, but these origination theories are not correct. The Gibson cocktail was popularized at San Francisco’s Bohemian Club.     Wikipedia: Gibson (cocktail) The Gibson is a mixed drink made with gin and dry vermouth, and often garnished with a pickled onion. In its modern incarnation, it is considered a cousin of the ubiquitous martini, distinguished mostly by garnishing with an onion instead of an olive. (...) The exact origin of the Gibson is unclear, with numerous popular tales and theories about its genesis. According to one theory, it was invented in the early 20th century by Charles Dana Gibson, who created the popular Gibson Girl illustrations. Supposedly, he challenged Charley Connolly, the bartender of the Players Club in New York City, to improve upon a martini. As the story goes, Connolly simply substituted an onion for the olive and named the drink after the patron.   Another version now considered more probable recounts a 1968 interview with a relative of a prominent San Francisco businessman named Walter D. K. Gibson, who claimed to have created the drink at the Bohemian Club in the 1890s. Charles Clegg, when asked about it by Herb Caen, also said it was from San Francisco, not New York. Other reporting supports this theory; Edward Townsend, former vice president of the Bohemian Club, is credited with the first mention of the Gibson in print, in a humorous essay he wrote for the New York World published in 1898.   Newspapers.com 26 January 1896, The Examiner (San Francisco, CA), pg. 6, col. 4: GIBSON COCKTAIL. By the author of “Chimmie Fadden.” Just at the minute that an “Examiner” reporter asked me to-day for a column to be printed on this page I couldn’t consider anything else than the matter I was discussing then.  This matter was contained in a cocktail glass, and as my judgment is set with adamantine inflexibility against cocktails as they are generally known, I should be doing violence to my own feelings as well as to the feelings of your polite readers to mention the subject were it not that this cocktail is not really a cocktail at all. Do I seem to be speaking paradoxically? Then let me explain to you: He happened to find me drinking a sample concoction which, on the little island of Manhattan, is known as the Gibson cocktail. Relinquishing my desire to speak only to your politetest readers, I will, if you permit me, discourse for a moment for the benefit and physical and mental and moral good of your less-polite readers who are addicted in any degree to the cocktail habit. To drink any cocktail is a sin which I have often taken opportunity to condemn; yet being a reasonable man and realizing the inevitableness of sin in some degree, I feel that he does wisely who minimizes any sin, hence I drink and talk about the Gibson cocktail. It is the invention of my friend, Mr. William Curtis Gibson, the managing editor of “Puck.” As we observe to be the case in all epoch-making inventions, its greatness lies in its simplicity. It is composed solely of one part gin and one part vermouth. Now that you have had it explained does it not seem that it should have been discovered long ago? yet it remained for my friend GIbson, after many painstaking years of investigation, to dsicover that these ingredients compose the perfect cocktail. Will you try one? Is it not convincing? (...) EDWARD W. TOWNSEND.   Newspapers.com 9 February 1942, San Francisco (CA) Chronicle, “It’s News to Me” by Herb Caen, pg. 9, col. 1: The famous Gibson cocktail (gin, vermouth and an onion instead of a Martini olive)  was invented in S. F. by one Dr. Gibson—at the Bohemian Club bar.   Newspapers.com 16 November 1952, San Francisco (CA) Examiner, “Susan Smith Says: Favorite Dishes Honor S.F. Notables,” Smart Set Section, pg. 2, col. 2: Gibson Cocktails originated in San Francisco. On a visit to our city, Charles Dana Gibson was guest at the Bohemian Club.   Newspapers.com 15 August 1969, Fresno (CA) Bee, “Words, WIt, and Wisdom” by William and Mary Morris, pg. 4-B, col. 6: DEAR MORRISES: In a recent column you credited to origin of the Gibson cocktail to the well-known artist Charles Dana Gibson. The Reader’s Digest for March 1965 says that Hugh Gibson, a former U.S. ambassador, was the first to suggest putting a small onion into a martini instead of the usual olive.—Paul Schack, Literary Research, Glen Rock, N.J.   A—Yes, we have heard that theory, too. Indeed we have debated it, with some genteel heat, with William Nichols, former publisher of This Week and a friend of Ambassador Gibson. However, we stand by our guns because we know the man who made the first Gibson, Charles Connolley, longtime head bartender at New York’s celebrated theatrical club, The Players. Charlie retired a couple of years ago but, on several occasions, he assured us that it was the creator of the Gibson Girl who also created the Gibson cocktail.   Spirits and Cocktail Community Gibson Cocktail post by martin on Dec 18, 2023 Before it disappears into the bowels of the Interwebs, yesterday Barry Popik on Twitter shared an interesting column from the January 26, 1896 edition of the San Francisco Examiner. (...) Splificator Dec 2023 This is a great find, for several reasons. First off, priority. Before this, the earliest reference I know to the Gibson is from the New York World, February 13, 1898: [image] Interestingly, this is from a humor article by Edward W. Townsend–the same person who wrote the 1896 article. Taken together, the two articles suggest the Gibson came from New York, not San Fransisco as was believed in the early 1900s; that it was originally made with genever, not British gin, and that it was named after a Gibson completely unknown to drinklore (there, we candidates we find are Charles Dana Gibson, the artist, and Walter D. K. Gibson of San Francisco, both members of the Bohemian Grove club).   One place where drinklore appears to have got it right is in its suggestion that the drink came out of the Bohemian Grove, a vector for transmission identified by Cocktail Bill Boothby as early as 1908. If it didn’t originate there, the connection between William Curtis Gibson and his set and the Bohemian Grove set gives us pathway for the New York drink to become a San Francisco one, although with English gin instead of the Dutch stuff.       Punch Wait, Does Anyone Know What a Gibson Is Anymore? October 21, 2024 Story: Amanda Arnold (...) To be fair, the Gibson’s template hasn’t remained fixed since its creation. Born sometime in the late 1890s, it once was closer in spirit to a 50/50 Martini, featuring a 1:1 ratio of gin (or genever) to dry vermouth. Its defining characteristic was its lack of orange bitters, which were then a typical component of the classic Martini. Its early days have been traced to San Francisco’s Bohemian Club in 1898, where stories held that it was named after either a businessman or an artist (Walter D.K. Gibson or Charles Dana Gibson, respectively). Based on a column published in the San Francisco Examiner two years prior, though, it’s possible that the drink came out of New York City, where it was created by the managing editor of humor magazine Puck, another Gibson (William Curtis).   In any case, it wasn’t until sometime in the early 1900s that bartenders began serving the drink with a single pickled pearl onion—and to this day, the garnish is the drink’s most distinguishing feature. But much like the dirty Martini, which has gotten even dirtier in recent years, the Gibson has recently entered stranger, more savory territory. New York City, Food/Drink, 2026-05-10T02:25:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/400-or-four-hundred-chocolate-milk https://barrypopik.com/blog/400-or-four-hundred-chocolate-milk   Soda fountain slang (also called “diner slang” or “restuarant slang” or “hash house Greek”) is mostly of historical interest today. A numerical list:   5 (five)—large glass of milk 10 (ten)—root beer 13 (thirteen)—the boss is around—watch out 14 (fourteen)—special order 19 (nineteen)—banana split 21 (twenty-one)—limeade 21 (twenty-one)—a customer who doesn’t tip 21 (twenty-one)—two of an item for the same person or table 31 (thirty-one)—lemonade 41 (forty-one)—orangeade 44 (forty-four)—coffee 51 (fifty-one)—hot chocolate 55 (fifty-five)—root beer 71 (seventy-one)—a cup of coffee 72 (seventy-two)—two cups of coffee 81 (eighty-one)—a glass of water 86 (eighty-six)—all out of an item) 87 1/2 (eighty-seven-and-a-half—a good looking customer 88 (eighty-eight)—customer is waiting for the check 89 (eighty-nine)—a movie star is in the store 90 (ninety)—a pretty girl has arrived 91 (ninety-one)—English muffin 91 (ninety-one)—seltzer 95 (ninety-five)—a customer who walks out without paying 97 (ninety-seen)—vegetable soup 98 (ninety-eight)—assistant manager 99 (ninety-nine)—manager 99 (ninety-nine)—an exceptionally pretty girl has arrived 400 (four hundred)—chocolate milk     Newspapers.com 26 October 1937, Stuart (FL) Daily News, “Ye Editor’s Easy Chair,” pg. 2, col. 1: “Four hundred.” (Chocolate milk). New York City, Food/Drink, Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores, 2026-05-09T22:58:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/72-or-seventy-two-two-cups-of-coffee https://barrypopik.com/blog/72-or-seventy-two-two-cups-of-coffee       Newspapers.com 26 October 1937, Stuart (FL) Daily News, “Ye Editor’s Easy Chair,” pg. 2, col. 1: “Seventy-two.” (Two cups of coffee.) New York City, Food/Drink, Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores, 2026-05-09T22:56:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/71-or-seventy-one-a-cup-of-coffee https://barrypopik.com/blog/71-or-seventy-one-a-cup-of-coffee   Newspapers.com 26 October 1937, Stuart (FL) Daily News, “Ye Editor’s Easy Chair,” pg. 2, col. 1: “Seventy-one.” (One cup coffee.) New York City, Food/Drink, Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores, 2026-05-09T22:54:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/civic-fame-statue-topping-the-manhattan-municipal-building https://barrypopik.com/blog/civic-fame-statue-topping-the-manhattan-municipal-building “Civic Fame” is the 1913 statue by sculptor Adolph Alexander Weinman (1870-1952) that tops New York City’s David N. Dinkins Municipal Building. New York’s famed civic models Audrey Munson (1891-1996) and Hettie Anderson (1873-1938) both have competing claims for posing for the sculpture, although it has usually been credited to Munson.   “The model from which it was made is a New York girl” was printed in the Pittsburg (PA) Press on March 9, 1913. Audrey Munson was born in Rochester, New York, but had lived and worked in New York City for almost five years. “She has been selected by such men as Adolph Weinman, who modeled the figure placed on the new Municipal building from her; also by Herbert Adams, Isidore Konti and Robert I. Aitken. This young woman is Miss Audrey Marie Munson” was printed in the New York (NY) Press on April 27, 1913. “ALL NEW YORK BOWS TO THE REAL MISS MANHATTAN. Audrey Munson, Who Tops the Municipal Building as Civic Pride and Decorates Other Parts of the City in Various Guises to Typify New York Feminity on the Manhattan Bridge” was printed in the New York (NY) Sun, on June 8, 1913. “‘Civic Fame,’ by Adolph A. Weinman, which is cast in copper twenty feet tall and stands on top of the great Municiapl Building in New York. Miss Munson was the model for this statue, which won the prize among many competitors” was printed in Munson’s syndicated “Queen of the Artists’ Studios” series in the Pittsburgh (PA) Sunday Press (and other newspapers) on January 9, 1921. Munson has also been credited in many other places.   Hettie Anderson’s claim to “Civic Fame” comes from a single source, The Architectural Record of June 1913, which does not mention her by name:   “The veil of secrecy envelopes the model of the statue for Civic Fame, and (Pg. 523—ed.) there has been considerable speculation as to her identity. It might be interesting to note, howeber, that she is a New York girl, and posed for the figure of Victory in “Sherman’s March to the Sea,” by Augustus Saint Gaudens, which stands at the Plaza entrance to Central Park in Fifth avenue.”   Anderson was not a “New York girl”—she was born in Columbia, South Carolina—but she did pose for “Victory” for the St.-Gaudens “Sherman Monument.”   It’s entirely possible that sculptor Adolph Weinman had both women pose for “Civic Fame.” Many sculptors use special models for the head, or a hand or a foot. Weinman died in 1952, and he surely saw the many articles crediting Audrey Munson for “Civic Fame” (especially the “Queen of the Artists’ Studios” series in 1921), and he never wrote in to any newspaper to deny this.   Adolph Weinman would use both models after “Civic Fame” (1913). Audrey Munson posed for his “Descending Night,” a famous sculpture at San Francisco’s Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915, that was shown on the cover of Sunset magazine in October 1915. Hettie Anderson was the model for Weinman’s Walking Liberty half dollar, issued from 1916 to 1947. In an article in the Brooklyn (NY) Daily Eagle on May 2, 1924, Weinman told of the model of this coin, describing Hettie Anderson in all but her name. The “Walking Liberty” model wasn’t described as a “New York girl,” but as an “anonymous Southern beauty.”     Wikipedia: Manhattan Municipal Building The David N. Dinkins Municipal Building (originally the Municipal Building and later known as the Manhattan Municipal Building) is a 40-story, 580-foot (180 m) building at 1 Centre Street, east of Chambers Street, in the Civic Center neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. The structure was built to accommodate increased governmental space demands after the 1898 consolidation of the city’s five boroughs. Construction began in 1909 and continued through 1914 at a total cost of $12 million (equivalent to $276,794,000 in 2024). (...) Civic Fame On the Municipal Building’s roof is Civic Fame, a 25-foot-tall (7.6 m) statue installed in March 1913. The statue is a gilded copper figure, made from about 500 pieces of hammered copper executed by the Manhattan firm of Broschart & Braun. The statue is variously reported to be supported on an iron skeleton[36] and made over a steel frame. Civic Fame has been variously described as the largest or second-largest statue in Manhattan, depending on whether the larger Statue of Liberty is considered as being in Manhattan. It is similar in style to the Statue of Liberty. The statue was designed by Adolph Alexander Weinman (1870–1952). It was commissioned by the New York City government at a cost of $9,000 (equivalent to $293,000 in 2025) to celebrate the consolidation of the five boroughs into the City of New York.The figure is barefoot and balances upon a globe. She carries various symbolic items: a shield bearing the New York City coat of arms, a branch of leaves, and a mural crown, which she holds aloft. The mural crown has five crenellations or turrets, which evoke city walls and represent the five boroughs. The crown also includes dolphins as a symbol of “New York’s maritime setting”. Audrey Munson posed for the figure; she had also posed for a very large number of other important allegorical Beaux-Arts sculptures in New York, including those at the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, New York Public Library Main Branch, Manhattan Bridge Colonnade, and USS Maine National Monument at Columbus Circle.   NYC.gov The David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building 1 Centre Street New York, NY 10007 Date Built: 1909-1914 Architect: William M. Kendall / McKim Mead & White (...) Surmounting the central tower is a 20-foot tall gilded statue,“Civic Fame,” fashioned by sculptor Adolph Weinman. Constructed of sheets of copper with a hollow core, this female figure stands barefoot on a sphere and wears a flowing dress and a crown of laurels to signify glory. In her left hand she holds out a five-pointed crown representing the five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island).   Newspapers.com 9 March 1913, Pittsburg (PA) Press, “The Girl Highers Up,” Illustrated Magazine Section, pg. 1, col. 1 photo caption: Civc Fame is the title of the heroicc gilded statue which will surmount the pinacle of the marvelous new Municipal Building of New York City, 582 feet above the street. The figure is 20 feet high and was cast in five sections, 500 pieces of hammered copper being used on its construction. The model from which it was made is a New York girl. The sculptor is Adolph A. Weinman.   Old Fulton New York Post Cards 27 April 1913, New York (NY) Press, part VI, pg. 1: If the Venus de Milo Came to New York She’d Be Rejected as a Model (...) Miss Audrey Munson, the sculptor’s perfect type. (...) (Col. 5.—ed.) Lithe and Graceful Girl. “She has been selected by such men as Adolph Weinman, who modeled the figure placed on the new Municipal building from her; also by Herbert Adams, Isidore Konti and Robert I. Aitken. This young woman is Miss Audrey Marie Munson.”   Google Books June 1913, The Architectural Record, “A Sculptor of Monumental Architecture: Notes on the Work of Adolph Alexander Weinman” by Charles Dorr, pp. 522-523: The veil of secrecy envelopes the model of th statue for Civic Fame, and (Pg. 523—ed.) there has been considerable speculation as to her identity. It might be interesting to note, howeber, that she is a New York girl, and posed for the figure of Victory in “Sherman’s March to the Sea,” by AUgustus Saint Gaudens, which stands at the Plaza entrance to Central Park in Fifth avenue.   Newspapers.com 8 June 1913, The Sun (New York, NY), fourth setion, pg. 9, col. 1: ALL NEW YORK BOWS TO THE REAL MISS MANHATTAN Audrey Munson, Who Tops the Municipal Build- ing as Civic Pride and Decorates Other Parts of the City in Various Guises to Typify New York Feminity on the Manhattan Bridge MISS MANHATTAN is here, and here to stay—the real Miss Manhattan at last. She will have her place on the bridge after what she is called. (...) (Col. 2—ed.) Up on top of the Municipal Building stands the figure of “Civic Pride,” made by Adolph Weinmann. There Miss Munson is again, while down on the Custom House she is to be found in several of the pieces of work.   Newspapers.com 6 January 1915, The Times (Shreveport, LA), “Talk with Nearly All Statuary in Panama-Pacific Exposition” by Norman Rose, pg. 7, col. 2: In this city (New York—ed.) she (Audrey Munson—ed.) is immortalized in the huge gilded figure of “Civic Pride,” which surmounts the new municipal building.   Newspapers.com 28 November 1920, Buffalo (NY) Sunday Courier, “Sad Plight of Beautiful Audrey Munson,” pg. 33 photo caption: The statue of “Civic Pride,” which adorns the Municipal Building in New York, perpetuates the classic lines of Miss Munson’s figure.   Newspapers.com 9 January 1921, Pittsburgh (PA) Sunday Press, “Queen of the Artists’ Studios,” The American Weekly, pg. 11 photo caption: “Civic Fame,” by Adolph A. Weinman, which is cast in copper twenty feet tall and stands on top of the great Municiapl Building in New York. Miss Munson was the model for this statue, which won the prize among many competitors. New York City, Art/Sculpture, 2026-05-09T16:39:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/parlor-city-green-cove-springs-florida-nickname https://barrypopik.com/blog/parlor-city-green-cove-springs-florida-nickname Binghamton, New York, has been called the “Parlor City (of the Southern Tier)” since 1873. “Parlor City” means a city that is refined, with beautiful homes, gardens and cultural amenities.   Green Cove Springs has also called itself a “Parlor City.” “GREEN COVE SPRINGS is the parlor city” was printed in The Florida TImes-Union (Jacksonville, FL) on January 25, 1890. “The ‘Parlor CIty’ of Florida” was cited in the Boston (MA) Evening Transcript on January 17, 1893. ““The Parlor City of the South” was cited in the The Evening Metropolis (Jacksonville, FL) on October 22, 1912.   Monroe, Louisiana, was called the “Parlor City (of Louisiana)” in 1890. Cedar Rapids, Iowa, began to be called the “Parlor City (of Iowa)” in 1890 and 1891. Bluffton, Indiana, has been called the “Parlor City” since at least 1900.       Wikipedia: Green Cove Springs, Florida Green Cove Springs is a city in and the county seat of Clay County, Florida, United States. Green Cove Springs is a part of the Jacksonville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 9,786 at the 2020 census, up from 6,908 at the 2010 census.   Newspapers.com 25 January 1890, The Florida TImes-Union (Jacksonville, FL), “Current Comment,” pg. 4, col. 3: GREEN COVE SPRINGS is the parlor city; ...   Newspapers.com 3 July 1890, Fort Myers (FL) Press, pg. 5, col. 4: If by any chance, accident, or otherwise, the legislature should fail to locate the capital at the Parlor City (Green Cove Springs—ed.) then we shall use our influence for Gainesville as the next best place.   Newspapers.com 17 January 1893, Boston (MA) Evening Transcript, pg. 6, col. 6: Hotel St. Elmo is beautifully situated on the west bank of the clebrated St. Johns River, at Green Cove Springs, Florida, better known as the “Parlor City” of Florida, on account of its cleanliness and beauty.   Newspapers.com 10 October 1895, Chicago (IL) Tribune, “Winter Resorts,” pg. 11, col. 6 ad: The Parlor City OF FLORIDA. Green Cove Springs   Newspapers.com 22 October 1912, The Evening Metropolis (Jacksonville, FL), pg. 16, col. 6: GREEN COVE SPRINGS, ACTIVE, HEALTHY AND ATTRACTIVE, PARLOR CITY OF THE SOUTH The Metropolis Bureau, Green Cove Springs, Oct. 22.—“Everybody is doing it” at Green Cove Springs. They began Monday under the auspices of the Village Improvement Association, and the most though cleaning up about town is now taking place, and soon the former name, “The Parlor City of the South,” will be hearlded throughout the land.   Newspapers.com 10 June 1982, Kansas City (MO) Star, “Springs brought life to Dixie sap” by the Associated Press, pg. 4A, col. 1: Regular steamboast service from Jacksonville brough elite 19th century visitors on the 25-mile trip down the St. Johns River in Green Cove, which boasted a half dozen or more major hotels, and was known as “The Parlor City of the South.”   Newspapers.com 10 March 1993, The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, FL), “Green Cove Springs” Historic preservation on track” by Marjorie Moss, Clay County Community News, pg. 3, col. 1: The 1870s saw the city develop a major steamboat port on the St. Johns River encouraging tourists to flock to the “Parlor City of the South” with its 12 hotels and fancy orchestras.   Newspapers.com 4 December 2004, The Times-Union (Jacksonville, FL), “Green Cove at a glance,” The Clay County Line sec., pg. 11, col. 2: Nicknames: Parlor City, Saratoga of the South, Little Detroit Florida (Sunshine State Dictionary), 2026-05-09T16:26:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/wedge-sandwich https://barrypopik.com/blog/wedge-sandwich A regional sandwich name in Westchester (Yonkers) for the hero/sub/hoagie is “wedge.” “According to some people, a wedge sandwich is a loaf of bread, sliced in two and filled with meats, cheese and hot peppers” was printed in The Standard-Star (New Rochelle, NY) on August 29, 1932. It’s not known what establishment first served the “wedge.” “Frank Imondo, former owner of Varvaro’s in White Plains, said the name may have originated with the name of the large bread roll that bakers have called a wedge. ‘It’s in the form of a wedge to hold the amount of meat, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers and everything else that goes into the sandwich,’ he said” was printed in The Journal-News (White Plains, NY) on March 7, 1987.  The long list of the names of sandwiches served on long rolls includes blimpie, bomber, Cuban (medianoche), Dagwood, garibaldi, gondola, grinder, hero, hoagie, Italian,  jawbreaker, muffuletta, peacemaker (La Mediatrice), pilgrim, pistolette, po’ boy (poor boy), rocket, skyscraper, spiedie, spucky (spuckie, spukie), submarine (sub), torpedo, torta (Mexican po’ boy) and zeppelin (zep).    Newspapers.com29 August 1932, The Standard-Star (New Rochelle, NY), “As We Stroll Around” by The Stroller, pg. 3, col. 2:According to some people, a wedge sandwich is a loaf of bread, sliced in two and filled with meats, cheese and hot peppers…According to Clem Bartnett, chief lifeguard at Hudson Park, however, a wedge sandwich is an ipediment in one’s speech. Yesterday, Clem was eating a wedge sandwich in the U. S. Volunteer Life Saving Corp station during his lunch hour…In walked a foreign-speaking laborer, asking for the chief life guard…Evidently he couldn’t read Clem’s rank, which was written on his jersey…Before Clem could get that part of the wedge sandwich which was in his mouth clear of his vocal cords, the laborer was on his way, grumbling about his inability to find the chief.Newspapers.com31 August 1932, The Standard-Star (New Rochelle, NY), “As We Stroll Around” by The Stroller, pg. 9, col. 1:Rose, FLossie and Daisy promised to give Ollie Gilligan an Italian wedge sandwich at the completion of his next long-distance swim. New York City, Food/Drink, 2026-05-09T16:24:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/i-should-worry-i-should-care-i-should-marry-a-millionaire https://barrypopik.com/blog/i-should-worry-i-should-care-i-should-marry-a-millionaire “I should worry” became a famous slang phrase in the United States in 1912 and 1913. “I should worry. I should fret. I should marry a suffragette…” and “I should worry, I should care, I should marry a millionaire…” are rhymes from 1913 that later began jump rope chants in the mid-twentieth century.   “I should worry, I should care, I should marry a millionaire…” was cited in the Kansas City (MO) Star on May 7, 1913, and was credited to the New York (NY) Post:   “I should worry, I should care, I should marry a millionaire. If he should die, I should cry; I should marry another guy.”   “I should worry. I should fret. I should marry a suffragette…” was printed in the Evening Dispatch (Birmingham, UK) on May 14, 1913, and this version in the The Times (Bellevue, Alberta) on June 6, 1913:   “I should worry, I should fret, I should marry a suffragette. She should wail, Go to jail, I should worry about her bail.”     The Mudcat Cafe JUMP ROPE CHANTS (and other chants to accompany other kid’s activities)   I should worry, I should care I should marry a millionaire. He should die. I should cry I should marry another guy. I should worry, I should fret I should marry a suffragette.   Newspapers.com 7 May 1913, Kansas City (MO) Star, pg. 6B, col. 4: Another Saga. From the New York Post:. As for folk songs, the following was brought home from school by the 8-year-old daughter of a suburbanite:   I should worry, I should care, I should marry a millionaire. If he should die, I should cry; I should marry another guy.   Newspapers.com 14 May 1913, Evening Dispatch (Birmingham, UK), pg. 4, col. 6: ON THE ANXIOUS SEAT. I should worry, I should fret, I should marry a suffragette. She should rail, Go to gaol, And I should worry about her bail.   Newspapers.com 15 May 1913, St. Louis (MO) Star, pg. 8, col. 2: Another Saga. As for folk songs, the following was brought home from school by the 8-year-old daughter of a suburbanite:   I should worry, I should care, I should marry a millionaire. If he should die, I should cry; I should marry another guy. —New York Post.   Newspapers.com 15 May 1913, Milwaukee (WI) Journal, pg. 13, col. 3: MODERN FOLK SONG. I should worry, I should care, I should marry a millionaire. If he should die, I should cry; I should marry another guy.   Newspapers.com 6 June 1913, The Times (Bellevue, Alberta), pg. 6, col. 3: On the Anxious Seat I should worry, I should fret, I should marry a suffragette. She should wail, Go to jail, I should worry about her bail.   X/Twitter Amaris Faith @Amaris_Faith I ran across this when I was in college. Once in awhile it’s triggered to rise to the surface. 😂 I should worry I should care, I should marry a millionaire. He should worry, he should die, I should marry a regular guy. 1:09 AM · Aug 8, 2025 New York City, Banking/Finance/Insurance, 2026-05-08T21:19:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/i-should-worry-i-should-fret-i-should-marry-a-suffragette https://barrypopik.com/blog/i-should-worry-i-should-fret-i-should-marry-a-suffragette “I should worry” became a famous slang phrase in the United States in 1912 and 1913. “I should worry. I should fret. I should marry a suffragette…” and “I should worry, I should care, I should marry a millionaire…” are rhymes from 1913 that later began jump rope chants in the mid-twentieth century.   “I should worry, I should care, I should marry a millionaire…” was cited in the Kansas City (MO) Star on May 7, 1913, and was credited to the New York (NY) Post:   “I should worry, I should care, I should marry a millionaire. If he should die, I should cry; I should marry another guy.”   “I should worry. I should fret. I should marry a suffragette…” was printed in the Evening Dispatch (Birmingham, UK) on May 14, 1913, and this version in the The Times (Bellevue, Alberta) on June 6, 1913:   “I should worry, I should fret, I should marry a suffragette. She should wail, Go to jail, I should worry about her bail.”     The Mudcat Cafe JUMP ROPE CHANTS (and other chants to accompany other kid’s activities)   I should worry, I should care I should marry a millionaire. He should die. I should cry I should marry another guy. I should worry, I should fret I should marry a suffragette.   Newspapers.com 7 May 1913, Kansas City (MO) Star, pg. 6B, col. 4: Another Saga. From the New York Post:. As for folk songs, the following was brought home from school by the 8-year-old daughter of a suburbanite:   I should worry, I should care, I should marry a millionaire. If he should die, I should cry; I should marry another guy.   Newspapers.com 14 May 1913, Evening Dispatch (Birmingham, UK), pg. 4, col. 6: ON THE ANXIOUS SEAT. I should worry, I should fret, I should marry a suffragette. She should rail, Go to gaol, And I should worry about her bail.   Newspapers.com 15 May 1913, St. Louis (MO) Star, pg. 8, col. 2: Another Saga. As for folk songs, the following was brought home from school by the 8-year-old daughter of a suburbanite:   I should worry, I should care, I should marry a millionaire. If he should die, I should cry; I should marry another guy. —New York Post.   Newspapers.com 15 May 1913, Milwaukee (WI) Journal, pg. 13, col. 3: MODERN FOLK SONG. I should worry, I should care, I should marry a millionaire. If he should die, I should cry; I should marry another guy.   Newspapers.com 6 June 1913, The Times (Bellevue, Alberta), pg. 6, col. 3: On the Anxious Seat I should worry, I should fret, I should marry a suffragette. She should wail, Go to jail, I should worry about her bail.   X/Twitter Amaris Faith @Amaris_Faith I ran across this when I was in college. Once in awhile it’s triggered to rise to the surface. 😂 I should worry I should care, I should marry a millionaire. He should worry, he should die, I should marry a regular guy. 1:09 AM · Aug 8, 2025 New York City, Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health, 2026-05-07T15:05:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/take-a-local-take-an-express-dont-get-off-til-you-reach-success https://barrypopik.com/blog/take-a-local-take-an-express-dont-get-off-til-you-reach-success “Take a local, take an express, don’t get off ‘til you reach success” is a motivational rhyme that was printed in The Echo (New Lebanon, NY) on March 6, 1951. It refers to local and express trains—probably in New York City—and this is used as a metaphor for career success. The lines were often printed in autograph albums of the 1950s.     Old Fulton New York Post Cards 6 March 1951, The Echo (New Lebanon, NY), pg. 1, left masthead: Take a local, take an express, don’t get off ‘til you reach success.   New York State Historic Newspapers 9 March 1951, The News-Herald (Ravena, NY), pg. 1, left masthead: Take a local, take an express, don’t get off ‘til you reach success.   Old Fulton New York Post Cards 13 March 1951, The Echo (New Lebanon, NY), pg. 1, left masthead: Take a local, take an express, don’t get off ‘til you reach success.   Google Books The Slide Area: Scenes of Hollywood Life By Gavin Lambert New York, NY: Viking Press 1959 Pg. 43: Take a local, Take an express. Don’t get off Till you reach success.   Google Books America’s Folklorist: A. A. Bodkin and American Culture Edited by Lawrence Rodgers and Jerrold Hirsch Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press 2010 Pg. 206: At school they wrote in each other’s autograph albums:   Take a local, Take an express. Don’t get off Till you reach success. New York City, Transportation, Work/Businesses, 2026-05-07T13:52:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/55-or-fifty-five-root-beer https://barrypopik.com/blog/55-or-fifty-five-root-beer     Newspapers.com 10 July 1985, The Times-Mail (Bedford, IN), “Soda jerk unique on American scene” by Ink Mendelsohn, pg. 5, col. 4: FIFTY-FIVE—root beer Newspapers.com 29 November 1997, Pueblo (CO) Chieftain, “Word Mysteries” by Chris Woodka, pg. 5A, col. 4: 55—Root beer. New York City, Food/Drink, Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores, 2026-05-06T15:28:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/5-or-five-a-large-glass-fof-milk https://barrypopik.com/blog/5-or-five-a-large-glass-fof-milk     Newspapers.com 29 November 1997, Pueblo (CO) Chieftain, “Word Mysteries” by Chris Woodka, pg. 5A, col. 4: 5—Large glass of milk (2 1/2 was a small glass). 2026-05-06T15:26:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/21-or-twenty-one-a-customer-who-doesnt-tip https://barrypopik.com/blog/21-or-twenty-one-a-customer-who-doesnt-tip   Newspapers.com 8 April 1939, Sheboygan (WI) Press, “What Is Your Number?,” pg. 14, col. 2: 21—The customer who doesn’t tip. New York City, Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores, 2026-05-06T15:15:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/99-or-ninety-nine-an-exceptionally-pretty-girl-has-arrived https://barrypopik.com/blog/99-or-ninety-nine-an-exceptionally-pretty-girl-has-arrived     Newspapers.com 8 April 1939, Sheboygan (WI) Press, “What Is Your Number?,” pg. 14, col. 2: 99—An exceptionally pretty girl has arrived. New York City, Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores, 2026-05-06T15:13:00+00:00 https://barrypopik.com/blog/90-or-ninety-a-pretty-girl-has-arrived https://barrypopik.com/blog/90-or-ninety-a-pretty-girl-has-arrived   Newspapers.com 8 April 1939, Sheboygan (WI) Press, “What Is Your Number?,” pg. 14, col. 2: 90—A pretty girl has arrived. New York City, Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores, 2026-05-06T15:08:00+00:00