Shark Bites versus...New York City Bites?!

There are few things we love more than absurd and unusual prices of trivia about New York City. We've seen some astounding facts…but this is one for the books:

In any given year, New Yorkers bite TEN times more people than sharks do worldwide.

Fascinating, right? And we're not just pulling this number out of our keister. We've come with the data and facts! The Big Adventure is nothing if not thorough.

A very precise report listed 140 instances of Shark attacks on humans in 2019 according to the University of Florida's delightful sounding International Shark Attack File.

Not a tiny number, but statistics provided by the New York City Health Department annual report showed a WHOPPING 1,587 "Human to Human" bites reported in The Big Apple! Also, If you're keeping track of such things, the same report indicated three "skunk to human" bites in the same year.

Its hard to say how we feel about all this…but we guess it's good news for Sharks and Shark related PR but bad news for New Yorkers. 

And really bad news for those who go to beaches that are IN New York City and also have sharks in the surrounding water.

The NYC "Great White Fleet" Subway Cars!

Spooky ghost train or massive, rolling blank canvas just waiting to be tagged?

There was a brief period in the early 1980's where NYC made the perplexing decision to paint more than 7,000 subway cars all WHITE.

Why? The infamous paint job was conceived as an ill-fated effort to combat the graffiti which had run amok at the time. Particularly on the 7-Line cars as they rolled through Queens.

The MTA broke out this infamous plan based on the idea of negative reinforcement - all cars would be painted bright white with hope that graffitists would be hesitant to deface such pristine beauty. The repainted cars were launched with much grandeur and known as “The Great WhiteFleet".

You might be shocked to hear this next part: The plan failed miserably and the cars’ original colors were restored quickly.

Check out the fascinating article from the always fantastic Forgotten NY site: 

NYC's Best Black And White Cookie

When it comes to New York City treats, there are few things that are arguably more New York-ey than the infamous Black and White Cookie.

We've never been a giant fan of the beloved bi-colored treat, but we also can't resist a good list. Such as one entitled "Who Has The Best Black and White Cookie." So....who tops the list? (For what it's worth, Zabar's is #1 in our book)

4. LESKE'S BAKERY -7612 5th Avenue (btwn 76th & 77th Streets), Bay Ridge, Brooklyn - "These are delicate things, and you will have to carefully lug the boxes to your destination without ruining them,"

3. ZABAR'S - 2245 Broadway (btwn West End & Broadway), Upper West Side - Of course, Zabar's. This is one of their trifecta staple goods along with bagels and pickled herring.

2. WILLIAM GREENBERG -1100 Madison Ave (btwn 82nd St & 83rd St), Upper East Side - Notice a trend? Almost all of these are on the Upper West or Upper East Side...

1. RUSS & DAUGHTERS -179 E Houston St (btwn Orchard & Allen), Lower East Side

Check out the full article here from Gothamist

And, if you need a second even hotter take on top New York Black and White Cookies Ranked, check out a second countdown list here from TopDust.

 

New York's Most Famous Big Cats

Anyone familiar with New York knows EXACTLY where you can find this pair of ever vigilant stone lions.

And anyone who knows their New York trivia knows their names...

Patience and Fortitude! And their story is kinda awesome...

The famous duo has been in place since the New York Public Library building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street in Manhattan first opened on May 23, 1911.

Once labeled as “New York’s most lovable public sculpture” by architecture critic Paul Goldberger, the Lions have been bedecked in top hats, graduation caps, Mets and Yankee caps, and more.The Lions were modeled and sculpted for a cost of $13,000 using pink Tennessee marble. And, if they've looked a little more dashing lately, it's because the lions were professionally cleaned and restored in 2019.

Our MOST fun fact is that their name have actually changed over the decades. First they were called Leo Astor and Leo Lenox, after The New York Public Library founders John Jacob Astor and James Lenox! Later, they were known as Lady Astor and Lord Lenox which are simply amazing names.

However, it was during the 1930s, Mayor LaGuardia named them Patience and Fortitude, for the qualities he felt New Yorkers would need to survive the economic depression. 90 years later, "Patience" still guards the south side of the Library's steps and "Fortitude" sits unwavering to the north!

An Elephant on the Loose in Coney Island

This kinda sounds like the plot to a poorly scripted animated kids movie… but it really did happen!

116 years ago a massive elephant escaped from a showcase at Coney Island's Luna Park and swam all the way to Staten Island. This is an amazing read from our friends at the phenomenal site Untapped NY about a crazy day almost lost to history!

Talk about a New York City Big Adventure...

https://untappedcities.com/2020/05/22/the-brave-escape-of-alice-the-elephant-who-swam-from-coney-island-to-staten-island/

Coney Island's Luna Park as it appeared around 1904

Topsy the Elephant about to meet a lousy fate

Not your average scenic NYC Photo!

Okay, show hands: How many people have dreamed of sneaking to the top of the beautiful Chrysler Building just so you can snap an amazing photo like this one!?

 
The stunning photo was taken by self-proclaimed daredevil photographer Lucinda Grange who has taken "equally amazing photos all over the world, none of them very legal."
While we're here two fun facts about the famous ole Chrysler Building:

- Built 90 years ago, it remains the tallest brick building in the world with a steel framework,

- For a short time it was the tallest skyscraper in the city, but today, the 1,046 height is good for making it the 11th-tallest building in the city.

You can see more of Lucida Grange's photos from around the world here

In the meantime, we'll leave you with THIS view:

Another unique and quirky NYC landmark...

 One of New York's most unique and quirky landmarks - Do you know about the tiny "Spite Triangle" at 7th Avenue and 17th Street? It's a fun, long-standing middle finger to the city's effort to tear down buildings for expansion of roads. Great read!

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-tiny-spite-triangle-that-marks-a-century-old-grudge-against-new-york-city

Best Dim Sum in NYC?!

We recently got an email from a fan planning an upcoming trip to New York City with one simple question: What is the BEST Dim Sum in The Big Apple?!

That's an easy one. Our absoloute favorite place to enjoy authentic Dim Sum dining is in the heart of Chinatown: Nom Wah Tea Parlor.

Nom Wah first opened their doors in 1920 and now holds the honor of being the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Chinatown Stepping inside always feel like a bit of a time warp and the food options are always flavorful and amazing. In our opinion, there is no better place to spend a Saturday morning with some friends, some tea and some dim sum for all to share.

But arrive early! Lines tend to form before the restaurant opens at 10:30 AM.

13 Doyers Street, Chinatown
https://nomwah.com/chinatown/