You've found your place! I completely understand. As a non-drinker until my late 40s, I felt the same way about bars and how people behave in them. It bothered me a lot. Now 70, I'm happy sitting at a restaurant bar eating dinner and drinking 1-2 glasses of wine--we've met some interesting people that way including friendships which have lasted to this day. If only you had a coffeeshop like this in the US! Since pot is legal, I don't see why there aren't any? Walk down any NYC street at lunchtime, one gets a contact high -- so why not? Great piece and I hope Mark bought you that wonderful pillow for your next birthday.
The non-alcohol bars in NYC have gotten good press and a following. There’s one down the block from where I live, which I’ve been to a few times, and had a lovely time. It is possible to meet folks in a bar without the booze and enjoy oneself.
Unclear what you mean by generic name. Anyway, the one down the block from me is named Hekate Cafe & Elixir Lounge. There are other places: a quick Google on sober bars in NYC will bring up names. https://www.hekatenyc.com/
l can only drink a shot of whiskey and enjoy that buzz or a mojito in the summer maybe. But you didn’t mention if you actually socialized with your “peeps”. Did you? Did you observe that other people were mingling?
True, there wasn't much mingling, but I think that was because everyone was in a couple, including the woman in the wheelchair, who had her caregiver with her. When you travel alone, there's much more interaction with others.
That was fun, Cathy...I agree that hard liquor tends to ignite the taste buds, and many people like that, but wine...There is no Bacus of beer, whisky, or even water because wine is not a typical spirit. A well balanced wine, even perfectly balanced, does for the palate, even the soul, what a well balanced meal, film, or song does for one's sense of well being. Unfortunately, for those of us who love wine, the general price for a bottle of quality wine is not an indulgence one can often afford.
Also, if I may, my favorite beverage is pure ice cold water spurting from the cliffs of Star Lake near Tahoe, then an ice cold beer on a hot day rates equally with a glass of one of my favorite wines after a long day.
The Dutch clearly conduct
a cool and advanced civilization.
🤓😎🤩
Seeing the elderly woman being wheeled into a cannabis bar was a stark reminder of how much times have changed, in this case for the better.
When I went to Amsterdam, my sense was that the coffee shops were more for tourists than for the locals. Was that your impression too?
No, not here. Most of the customers seemed Dutch.
You've found your place! I completely understand. As a non-drinker until my late 40s, I felt the same way about bars and how people behave in them. It bothered me a lot. Now 70, I'm happy sitting at a restaurant bar eating dinner and drinking 1-2 glasses of wine--we've met some interesting people that way including friendships which have lasted to this day. If only you had a coffeeshop like this in the US! Since pot is legal, I don't see why there aren't any? Walk down any NYC street at lunchtime, one gets a contact high -- so why not? Great piece and I hope Mark bought you that wonderful pillow for your next birthday.
No, it was not for sale! Maybe I'll commission a seamstress to make me a smaller one!
The non-alcohol bars in NYC have gotten good press and a following. There’s one down the block from where I live, which I’ve been to a few times, and had a lovely time. It is possible to meet folks in a bar without the booze and enjoy oneself.
Sounds like a good idea. What's the name of your favorite such "bar"--and they must have a generic name?
Unclear what you mean by generic name. Anyway, the one down the block from me is named Hekate Cafe & Elixir Lounge. There are other places: a quick Google on sober bars in NYC will bring up names. https://www.hekatenyc.com/
Thanks. "Sober bar" is the generic name . I've never heard of that before.
One more link from Gothamist: https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/nycs-nightlife-is-evolving-beyond-alcohol-we-checked-out-the-scene
"Photograph of author with giant joint pillow" kind of says it all!
Fab piece!
Love menus in Amsterdam that describe the cannabis with lovely names like psycho killer.
l can only drink a shot of whiskey and enjoy that buzz or a mojito in the summer maybe. But you didn’t mention if you actually socialized with your “peeps”. Did you? Did you observe that other people were mingling?
True, there wasn't much mingling, but I think that was because everyone was in a couple, including the woman in the wheelchair, who had her caregiver with her. When you travel alone, there's much more interaction with others.
That was fun, Cathy...I agree that hard liquor tends to ignite the taste buds, and many people like that, but wine...There is no Bacus of beer, whisky, or even water because wine is not a typical spirit. A well balanced wine, even perfectly balanced, does for the palate, even the soul, what a well balanced meal, film, or song does for one's sense of well being. Unfortunately, for those of us who love wine, the general price for a bottle of quality wine is not an indulgence one can often afford.
Also, if I may, my favorite beverage is pure ice cold water spurting from the cliffs of Star Lake near Tahoe, then an ice cold beer on a hot day rates equally with a glass of one of my favorite wines after a long day.
Love and hugs from we all,
t and gang