Each Thursday, Metroblogs NYC posts an interesting, little-known trivia tidbit that will help you get to know this city we call home and will also shock and amaze others at parties or around the coffee machine at work. If you have a suggestion for a good trivia subject, LET US KNOW. You can read past trivia entries here.

BOW… BAH DAH DAH DAH, BOW WOW BOW. CHICKA!!!! (That is my attempt at transcribing the bumper music from Seinfeld).

If shown a picture of Tom’s Restaurant, most will recognize its exterior as that of Monk’s, the coffee shop where the four neurotic characters from the hit 90’s show spent a good chunk of their time. But, did you know that the Morningside Heights eatery was the inspiration for two other popular works besides Seinfeld?

In 1981, singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega sat at Tom’s and tried to imagine what it would be like to describe life in a fly-on-the-wall perspective. As she continued to write, her creativity led her to pen the famous song “Tom’s Diner.” While the song’s diner was undoubtedly meant to symbolize an unnamed restaurant, not necessarily in Manhattan, Vega is clear that this particular greasy spoon diner was her inspiration.

In 1997, author Meredith Sue Willis released the novel Trespassers. Set in 1968, the story has a short descriptive paragraph where it talks about how Tom’s is a microcosm of New York:

“He knew a restaurant called Tom’s, which he said had nothing really bad, and the hand-cut steak fries were top quality. It was a diner with big stainless-steel coffee pots and red vinyl booths. I think I had hoped for something darker and more atmospheric, but after I’d looked around at the coat racks, desserts under glass, the steam in the air, I thought, But this is the real New York, this is what is.” (p.60)

A lot has happened at this small, family-owned shop located on Broadway and 112th Street (Hopstop, Google Maps). Only in New York could an ordinary place like this become such a haven of creativity for locals.

Each Thursday, Metroblogs NYC posts an interesting, little-known trivia tidbit that will help you get to know this city we call home and will also shock and amaze others at parties or around the coffee machine at work. If you have a suggestion for a good trivia subject, LET US KNOW. You can read past trivia entries here.

New York is a vast and large city, with each borough acting semi-autonomously. This phenomenon is present because at one time, the five boroughs were in fact separate cities. At one time, Manhattan and Brooklyn were the urban havens, while Staten Island, the Bronx, and much of Queens were “farm country.” But, once they finally did unite as one in 1898, each individual borough kept its cultural ties, historic individuality, and name. Did you ever wonder where their monikers came from? Well, here is your guide.
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Each Thursday, Metroblogs NYC will be posting an interesting, little-known trivia tidbit that will help you get to know this city we call home and will also shock and amaze others at parties or around the coffee machine at work. If you have a suggestion for a good trivia subject, LET US KNOW. You can read past trivia entries here.

When you think of Abercrombie & Fitch, the image of a dimly lit mall store with blasted music and lots and lots of plaid comes to mind, filled to the brim with hormonal teenagers trying to fit in. But, did you know that A&F started on South Street as a lower Manhattan outdoor sporting store? The brand began with David Abercrombie’s vision of becoming the premier hunting and fishing store in Manhattan. Some of his prominent clients were Teddy Roosevelt, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Greta Garbo, Katharine Hepburn, Clark Gable, and John Steinbeck. Ernest Hemmingway also shopped there, and it is rumored that he purchased a gun at A&F that he would eventually use to commit suicide.

A client named Ezra Fitch eventually bought in, and the partnership did not go well, mainly because Abercrombie wanted to stick with the outdoor goods that made them popular and Fitch wanted to diversify and grow. So Fitch ultimately purchased Abercrombie’s shares and became the sole owner. While the brand continued to grow and gain prominence for a while, it fell into disrepair and would all but disappear by the 1970s. It was purchased in 1988 by Limited Brands and converted to a trendy clothier, and has been a retailing powerhouse ever since.

More Reading:
– About Lower Manhattan
– Wikipedia

Each Thursday, Metroblogs NYC will be posting an interesting, little-known trivia tidbit that will help you get to know this city we call home and will also shock and amaze others at parties or around the coffee machine at work. If you have a suggestion for a good trivia subject, LET US KNOW. You can read past trivia entries here.

A 1994 REM song brought the phrase “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?” to the mainstream. But, did you know that the hook and title of that song were actually inspired by a bizarre Manhattan street crime involving a celebrity?

In the Fall of 1986, Dan Rather was strolling along Park Avenue on his way to his apartment when he was hit from behind and knocked down. While down, the attacker continued to beat Rather and repeat the question “Kenneth, what is the frequency?” Rather escaped without major injury, and just passes off the incident as a normal street mugging, which was not at all rare at the time:

Michael Stipe, however, was much more inspired by the incident and penned the popular song in 1994. A few years later, there was a break in the case when a psychiatrist claimed his client William Tager had confessed to the crimes, mistaking Rather for a CBS executive. But many remain skeptical.

More Reading: Ask Yahoo!

Each Thursday, Metroblogs NYC will be posting an interesting, little-known trivia tidbit that will help you get to know this city we call home and will also shock and amaze others at parties or around the coffee machine at work. If you have a suggestion for a good trivia subject, LET US KNOW. You can read past trivia entries here.

We all know the famous song “Mony Mony” by Tommy James and the Shondells. But, did you know that it was actually inspired by a New York billboard?

In 1968, Tommy James was living at West 52nd and Eighth Avenue, on the 18th floor of a highrise. On one winter night, he and his writing partner were struggling to come up with lyrics to a brand new song, where they were specifically looking for a girls name that was previously unheard of. Tired and full of frustration, James stepped out onto his terrace and observed the Mutual of New York sign, which just read “MONY” with a dollar sign in the center of the O. He immediately knew he had the name he was looking for.

“Mony Mony” peaked at #3 on the pop charts that June.

Each Thursday, Metroblogs NYC will be posting an interesting, little-known trivia tidbit that will help you get to know this city we call home and will also shock and amaze others at parties or around the coffee machine at work. If you have a suggestion for a good trivia subject, LET US KNOW. You can read past trivia entries here. By the way, thanks to my pal Shannon B. for the snazzy new logo!

While Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Golden, Colorado are generally regarded as the center of the American brewing industry, it is a little known fact that New York was the home of the first public brewery in the country. Founded by Colonial Governor Peter Minuit, it was established in what is now the Financial District only 7 years after Manhattan was purchased from the Lenni-Lenape tribe. This small production center enabled the early settlers to produce large quantities of ale made from top-fermented malt and hops — the alcoholic beverage of choice at the time.

While most of the beer production moved South, West, and even North of New York (where production resources are more plentiful and there is lower production overhead), it is comforting to know that the legacy of Peter Minuit and his friends lives on within city limits. Brooklyn is home to a few smaller brands and microbrews, most notably Brooklyn Brewery. So next time you are enjoying one of Brooklyn’s own or any other domestic beer at your local watering hole, keep in mind that it was New York that introduced wide-scale brewing to the colony, so raise a glass in honor of the Dutch settlers.

Each Thursday, Metroblogs NYC will be posting an interesting, little-known trivia tidbit that will help you get to know this city we call home and will also shock and amaze others at parties or around the coffee machine at work. If you have a suggestion for a good trivia subject, LET US KNOW. You can read other trivia entries here.

During the rolling blackouts that swept across the northeast in 2003, NYers were reminded of what a huge boon organized power is to our way of life. But, did you know that the nation’s first power plant was operated right here in Manhattan? The brainchild of Thomas Edison and his Edison Electric Illuminating Company, Pearl Street Station began operation in 1882 and served over 500 customers at its peak. The direct current plant was situated near the East River on the very lower East side. It burned down in 1890, was rebuilt and continued operation until 1895, when it was deemed obsolete due to size, output, and inferior technology (AC was taking over as the accepted standard). A plaque marking the spot where the historic building stood is still present.
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