A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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“I read old books because I would rather learn from those who built civilization than those who tore it down” (4/18)
“I study old buildings because I would rather learn from those who built civilization than those who tore it down” (4/18)
“Due to personal reasons, I’m still going to be fluffy this summer” (4/18)
“Do not honk at me. My life is worthless. I will kill us both” (bumper sticker) (4/18)
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Entry from August 16, 2009
“Did you hear about the new restaurant on the moon? Great food but no atmosphere!”

“Did you hear about the new restaurant on the moon? Great food but no atmosphere!”
 
The “restaurant on the moon” joke appears to date from the early 1970s, just after NASA’s Apollo program successfully landed a man on the moon. The food is always good in all the jokes, but the restaurant has “no atmosphere” (or “little atmosphere” or “lacks atmosphere”). The joke appears in many joke collections.
     
     
Google Books
The Catering Industry Employee:
Official journal of the Hotel & Restaurant Employees and Bartenders International Union

v. 82-83 - 1973
Pg. 18:
Waiter: How do you like this restaurant, the first on the moon?
Customer: It’s great but it lacks atmosphere.
 
Google News Archive
31 March 1985, Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA), pg. J2, cols. 2-3:
“Did you know (Coeur d’Alene tycoon) Duane Hagadone just built a restaurant on the moon? Yeah, it has good food and good prices, but little atmosphere. Har-har-har-ha-ha-ho-ho-ho…”
 
27 August 1985, Toronto Star, pg. A2:
“Hear about that great new restaurant on the moon?”
“Terrific food but no atmosphere.”
   
Google Books
The World’s Best Professional Jokes
By Clifford Sawhney
Pustak Mahal
2004
Pg. 180:
Did you hear about the new restaurant on the moon? Great food but no atmosphere!
   
Google Books
A Prairie Home Companion Pretty Good Joke Book
4th edition
Minneapolis, MN: HighBridge Co.
2005
Pg. 65:
Did you hear about the restaurant on the moon? The food is terrific, but there’s no atmosphere.

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New York CityRestaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores • Sunday, August 16, 2009 • Permalink


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