Welcome to New York & New York Hello
"Welcome to New York" (or "New York Hello") can be a sincere greeting or a warning of the horrors to come.
The sarcastic version probably comes from the army or the National Football League. "Welcome to the army!" or "Welcome to the NFL!" was usually the rude introduction given to a rookie.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=New+York+Hello
New York Hello
A New York Hello is when you get introduced to the city in an unfortunate way, or just when something untoward happens in general. Instead of saying "Well that's a fine how do you do" (Laurel and Hardy style) you would say, "Well that's a fine New York Hello".
Having a plant from a fire escape fall and bop you on the head,
or by having a taxi drive by and splash water all over you,
or by having someone spit on you.
That's a fine New York Hello.
by iconomy USA Jan 12, 2006
http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/30721
What is a New York Hello
January 12, 2006 7:33 PM
A New York Hello is when you get introduced to the city in an unfortunate way, or just when something untoward happens in general, like by having a plant from a fire escape fall and bop you on the head, or by having a taxi drive by and splash water all over you, or by having someone spit on you. Instead of saying "Well that's a fine how do you do" (Laurel and Hardy style) you would say, "Well that's a fine New York hello". I never heard the phrase New York hello when I actually lived there, but I've heard it a handful of times since moving away.
posted by iconomy at 7:53 PM PST on January 12
(...)
Miko: Naw. It's an old old phrase, along the lines iconomy put down. A "welcome to New York City" kind of thing, like "welcome to the NFL" or so on.
posted by zerolives at 8:21 PM PST on January 12
23 September 1968, New York Times, pg. 24:
Bobby Lake, a Short Line Tours guide who said that "my usual circuit is the Empire State Building, St. Patrick's and St. Johns," opened his spiel yesterday by calling: "Welcome to New York City, the Empire City, the greatest city in the world."
28 December 1979, New York Times, pg. C28:
A photograph of 42d Street at Sixth Avenue, showing the old New York Times building and the Sixth Avenue El, available at Welcome to New York City, the nostalgia shop on Carmine Street in Greenwich Village.
30 December 1980, New York Times, pg. C6:
Welcome to New York City is not only a slogan, it's a small shop at 26 Carmine Street, near Bleecker and Avenue of the Americas (242-6714), that specializes in New Yorkiana.
3 March 1981, New York Times, pg. A18:
Let's get some well-designed "Welcome to New York City -- The Big Apple" signs put up.
17 February 1984, Washington Post, pg. D7:
"We walked out of the airport at 5 a.m.," Moon said, "and these two cabbies are fighting while one cab is rolling away. (Agent) Leigh Steinberg told me, 'Welcome to New York City.'"
24 January 1999, New York Times, pg. TR31:
"Do not trust anyone," the airport shuttle driver announced back then as he stopped in front of my hotel. "And welcome to New York City."
5 August 2000, New York Times, "Where Finding Space Is Just a Start" by Sherri Day, pg. B1:
Their fantasy apartment had no telephone jack. Water dripped from the ceiling when it rained. And their fan, once perched on the windowsill, nearly plunged to its death because there were no window screens.
Welcome to New York City.
The sarcastic version probably comes from the army or the National Football League. "Welcome to the army!" or "Welcome to the NFL!" was usually the rude introduction given to a rookie.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=New+York+Hello
New York Hello
A New York Hello is when you get introduced to the city in an unfortunate way, or just when something untoward happens in general. Instead of saying "Well that's a fine how do you do" (Laurel and Hardy style) you would say, "Well that's a fine New York Hello".
Having a plant from a fire escape fall and bop you on the head,
or by having a taxi drive by and splash water all over you,
or by having someone spit on you.
That's a fine New York Hello.
by iconomy USA Jan 12, 2006
http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/30721
What is a New York Hello
January 12, 2006 7:33 PM
A New York Hello is when you get introduced to the city in an unfortunate way, or just when something untoward happens in general, like by having a plant from a fire escape fall and bop you on the head, or by having a taxi drive by and splash water all over you, or by having someone spit on you. Instead of saying "Well that's a fine how do you do" (Laurel and Hardy style) you would say, "Well that's a fine New York hello". I never heard the phrase New York hello when I actually lived there, but I've heard it a handful of times since moving away.
posted by iconomy at 7:53 PM PST on January 12
(...)
Miko: Naw. It's an old old phrase, along the lines iconomy put down. A "welcome to New York City" kind of thing, like "welcome to the NFL" or so on.
posted by zerolives at 8:21 PM PST on January 12
23 September 1968, New York Times, pg. 24:
Bobby Lake, a Short Line Tours guide who said that "my usual circuit is the Empire State Building, St. Patrick's and St. Johns," opened his spiel yesterday by calling: "Welcome to New York City, the Empire City, the greatest city in the world."
28 December 1979, New York Times, pg. C28:
A photograph of 42d Street at Sixth Avenue, showing the old New York Times building and the Sixth Avenue El, available at Welcome to New York City, the nostalgia shop on Carmine Street in Greenwich Village.
30 December 1980, New York Times, pg. C6:
Welcome to New York City is not only a slogan, it's a small shop at 26 Carmine Street, near Bleecker and Avenue of the Americas (242-6714), that specializes in New Yorkiana.
3 March 1981, New York Times, pg. A18:
Let's get some well-designed "Welcome to New York City -- The Big Apple" signs put up.
17 February 1984, Washington Post, pg. D7:
"We walked out of the airport at 5 a.m.," Moon said, "and these two cabbies are fighting while one cab is rolling away. (Agent) Leigh Steinberg told me, 'Welcome to New York City.'"
24 January 1999, New York Times, pg. TR31:
"Do not trust anyone," the airport shuttle driver announced back then as he stopped in front of my hotel. "And welcome to New York City."
5 August 2000, New York Times, "Where Finding Space Is Just a Start" by Sherri Day, pg. B1:
Their fantasy apartment had no telephone jack. Water dripped from the ceiling when it rained. And their fan, once perched on the windowsill, nearly plunged to its death because there were no window screens.
Welcome to New York City.