Over lunch today–which was, ironically enough, a Chicago-style hot dog at Bark Hot Dogs on Bergen Street–we got the following email from our copyeditor, Doug Adrianson, who was also eating lunch far, far away in California. “Coast to Coast,” was the subject line, and here were its contents:
“So I’m sitting at the bar of Spencer Makenzie’s, my favorite fish taco joint on Ventura Beach, and I notice the chalkboard.
“What’s with the ‘Brooklyn Style?’ asks I.
“‘Oh, says the waitron, the owners named the place after their first two kids, Spencer and Mackenzie. Then they had a third kid, and named her Brooklyn.
“Of course.”
Then my editor, Gabrielle Langholtz, chimes in with her always impressive recall of New York City trivia, supported with some savvy Googling: “According to multiple sites including www.ssa.gov, ‘Brooklyn’ is now the 34th most popular baby girl name in America. (That’s really popular!) A decade ago,” it was like the 350th most popular name.”
Even more meta (meaning for my own lunch, at least) Gabrielle also tells me: “it’s also a popular dog’s name, but that’s another story!” Yet another story is about Spencer Mackenzie’s wethinks, seeing as the place, which started out as a festival concession stand, which is always a good sign, is the home of the half-pound “giant” fish taco. Hey Doug, we’ll trade you a Brooklyn-Chicago dog for a Cali-Brooklyn taco!
