maura:

The Wall Street Journal, August 18, 2010:

Ashley Granata, 29, the chief marketing officer at start-up Fashism, a fashion advice site, puts it succinctly: “212 numbers are the new rent-controlled apartments.”

Wikipedia summary of Seinfeld ep. 175, “The Maid”; original air date April 30, 1998: 

The episode also featured the New York area code 646. When the 212 area code ran out of numbers, 646 was created. Elaine repeatedly gets a piercing high beep in her phone after Kramer signs up to receive restaurant menus by fax with a service called “Now We’re Cookin’”. Elaine then gets a new number with the 646 area code. She is not happy with the new number because she believes the area code makes it too long to dial. She is proved correct when attempting to give her number to a man in the park. Initially eager, he reads the number, asks if it is in New Jersey. Her response is, “No, it’s just like 212 except they multiplied every number by 3… and added 1 to the middle number.” He makes an excuse and walks off. When an old woman named Mrs. Krantz dies, Elaine manages to get her old 212 number.

I wonder how Ms. Granata feels about denim vests.