A Guide to Erie, PA Lingo

Erie, Pennsylvania is tucked up in the Northwest corner of PA. Even though Erie is just a few hours from Cleveland, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and a short boat ride to Canada, the city has still managed to develop its own language.

• Pepperoni Balls: Utter heaven, a pepperoni ball is a ball of fried or baked pizza dough stuffed with pepperoni. These can be found at any privately-owned pizza joint or at any grocery store in the bakery section.
  
• Ox Roast: Thinly sliced beef round roast, marinated in beef broth. Served on a toasted bun with horseradish sauce.
• Greek Burger: Ground beef, not formed in a patty, with "greek" chili sauce. Coney Island and New York Lunch serve them best. Open late to accommodate drunk college students and GE workers. Has nothing to do with Mediterranean food.
• Chicken Salad: If you order a salad with grilled chicken, expect to have french fries piled on top of it.
  
• Pop: A carbonated beverage. (See: Pop vs. Soda)
• Stag and Drag: A party for an engaged couple to raise wedding funds. Anyone can come. These are usually held a fire hall or in a backyard. Stag and Drags usually cost $10 admission, and include all-you-can-drink beer from a keg. Bottles of liquor are auctioned off and raffle tickets are sold. Proper etiquette indicates that raffle winnings are given back to the couple.
  
• The Dock: Dobbins Landing. Sits at the foot of State Street in downtown Erie. In 1996, the Bicentennial Tower was built. The dock now also houses the Sheraton and the Convention Center, which were built after the Waterfront Restaurant was razed.
  
• The Peninsula: Presque Isle State Park. A man-made peninsula surrounded by Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay. Beaches surround the peninsula and are a destination for tourists and locals. Presque Isle sees more than 4 million visitors a year -- more than Yellowstone.
• Civic Center: Where the Erie Otters play. Also home to many concerts and graduations. Badly in need of updating.
• The Otters: Erie's OHL hockey team. The Otters have produced many NHL players.
• The Seawolves: The minor league baseball team in Erie.
• Dollar Night: Monday night Seawolves home games are host to Dollar Night, which includes dollar tickets, dollar hot dogs, and dollar beers. It's pretty much a 4,000 person bar.
• The Plymouth: The greatest bar in the world. Where everyone goes after aforementioned Dollar Night for quarter drafts.
  
• The Mall: The Millcreek Mall, found off of Peach St or I-79. Only one level (except for the department stores), it has grown to include a food court in recent years. From an aerial view, the mall is shaped like a gun, pointed towards downtown. Urban legend claims that the mafia designed it this way.
  
• Peach Street: The major road in Erie that runs from downtown up past I-90. Upper Peach houses the Mall and other major retailers. Driving on Peach during the holidays is pure hell.
  
• West Side: Anything west of State Street. Includes Millcreek.
• East Side: Anything east of State Street. Includes Harborcreek.
• Crick: A creek.
  
• Beer Distributor: Beer cannot be purchased in stores in Pennsylvania. In Erie, a beer distributor is essentially a beer shop. One can buy cases of beer or kegs. Most of these shops have drive-thrus.
• A Horse a Piece: This means "it's all the same either way." No one actually knows what the origin is. (If you do, please leave it in the comments)