Cliff Dweller
A "cliff dweller" is a term (popular in the 1890s) for a resident of an apartment building. The term appeared in simultaneous 1893 publications describing "cliff dwellers" of…
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“Good Ale, Raw Onions and No Ladies” (McSorley’s Ale House)
"Good Ale, Raw Onions and No Ladies" used to be the slogan of McSorley's Ale House, at 15 East 7th Street. McSorley's has been around since 1854; the Bridge Cafe is older, but…
Zoo York
"Zoo York" is less a nickname for New York City than it is the name of a New York City-based company that makes products popular with skateboarders and graf(fiti) artists. "Zoo…
World Trade Center Cough
The World Trade Center came down by a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. Several firefighters developed a cough, unlike the coughs they had fighting fires. Dr. David Prezant, chief pulmonary…
Team Titanic (2005-06 New York Knicks)
The ship Titanic hit an iceberg and sunk on its maiden voyage to New York in 1912. There was a popular 1997 movie titled Titanic. Since that movie, a high-priced team that fails has been nicknamed…
“Adventures in Heroism” (Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum)
The Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum features the Intrepid, a World War II aircraft carrier. The museum on the west side of Manhattan has so much more, so a recent slogan has been added:…
Take A Walk, New York! (TAWNY)
Want to walk New York? Why not go with Take A Walk, New York (TAWNY)? There are several walks each month, and it's free! http://www.walkny.org/Step1.htmlTake A Walk, New York! Do you love New…
Purity or Virtue (1909)
The huge statue of a snow-white woman, "Purity" or "Virtue," stood briefly in Times Square in 1909. Pictures of the statue appear frequently in books about Times Square, but the…
Counterfeit Alley (Canal Street & Midtown Manhattan)
"Counterfeit Alley" is the name of any place that sells counterfeit (fake) goods. Yes, that $5 "Gucci" bag or $5 "Rolex" watch can probably be found there. Some of the…
World’s Fair (1853, 1939-40, 1964-65)
The first "World's Fair" was London's Crystal Palace exhibtion of 1851. New York City followed quickly with a Crystal Palace "World's Fair" of its very own, in…
Brownstone Front Cake
"Brownstone front cake" is a very rich chocolate cake. It's said to resemble the "brownstone front" houses. The cake was popular in the late 19th century and probably began…
“The Signature of American Style” (Lord & Taylor)
Lord & Taylor, on Fifth Avenue, is one of New York's most famous stores. Its Christmas window displays are a must-see. "The Signature of American Style" is a slogan from 1990…
Brooklyn’s Restaurant Row (Smith Street)
"Manhattan's Restaurant Row" is on West 46th Street and "Harlem's Restaurant Row" is on Frederick Douglass Boulevard. Brooklyn has a "Restaurant Row" on…
Brooklyn’s Jewel or Brooklyn’s Backyard (Prospect Park)
Brooklyn's Prospect Park opened in 1868, finished by the same team of Olmsted and Vaux that made New York's Central Park. Parks Commissioner Robert Moses called Prospect Park "the…
Brooklyn’s Eiffel Tower (Coney Island Parachute Jump)
The Coney Island Parachute Jump has been called "Brooklyn's Eiffel Tower." It was moved to Steeplechase Park in 1941, after the 1939-1940 New York World's Fair. The Parachute…
“New York’s Small-Town Paper” (New York Observer)
The New York Observer (a weekly newspaper) began in 1987. It's pink (like London's Financial Times) and it serves New York's "elite" -- mostly the upper east side or the…
New York Apples (tennis team)
New York's entry in World Team Tennis was originally called the New York "Sets," after the "Mets" and "Jets" and "Nets." The team moved from Long…
City for Sale
"City for Sale" refers to the purchase by Peter Minuit of Manhattan for an estimated $24 in 1626. In 1988, the Municipal Arts Society had an exhibit called "City for Sale." The…
“Truckin’” or “Truck on Down” (1935)
The dance "Truckin" or "Truck on Down" was popularized in Harlem in 1935. Various Harlem spots and entertainers took credit for popularizing it. (Oxford English…
Crumb-bum
A "crumb bun" is something you eat. A "crumb-bum" is a worthless fellow. Like the word "bum" itself (see the Brooklyn Dodgers' "bums"),…