Comments for Christmas in Detroit

Christmas in Detroit

2008-12-26T17:27:11Z

You'd think that, in the midst of a self-generated 2-year economic depression, Michiganders would at least do something to keep their spirits up...

Detroit Airport Marriott, 1835L, Ha' Penny Lounge, Christmas night (the dining room is closed for Christmas):

*Before either of us can utter a word*...

Waitress: "You guys don't want any beer do you?"

Captain: "Uuuuuh, yeah, why?"

Waitress: "In Michigan we don't sell any alcohol until 7:00 AM on Friday."

Captain and First Officer: *sigh*

C: "Water"

F/O: "Diet Pepsi"

Together, quietly, "Woo hoo!"

Comment from SangerM on 2008-12-28

2008-12-29T01:59:19Z

BilT: The Texas Forest Service? Somebody actually *watches* those five trees along the Brazos?

That's REALLY funny, considering I spent the day driving from San Antonio to Abilene and EVERYTHING is brown and stunted between there and here!!! The only thing even remotely resembling a tree was the evergreens on the south side of town, everything else is just scrub oaks and mesquite which are just ugly big bushes.

As for alcohol, in Killeen Tx in the early 70s, you could buy a pitcher of beer at a pizza hut if you paid $1 to become a private club member for a year. Of course, $1 was a lot of money then, since a pitcher was just under that, and fun could be had on Avenue D for around $20.00.

Ahh, the memories of old folks (like you all).... :-)

Comment from Aw1 Tim on 2008-12-27

2008-12-27T17:28:26Z

24 hour abstention? No way.... Really?

When I was flying (back in the dark ages) it was 12 hours from bottle to throttle.

respects,

Comment from Rod Thorsen on 2008-12-27

2008-12-27T08:58:47Z

Can't let 'em burn, endangered, and all that.

It was also the first time I'd had to work using topos with 2 ft contour intervals!! Although we did at least have *usable* maps.

Comment from BillT on 2008-12-27

2008-12-27T07:37:18Z

The Texas Forest Service? Somebody actually *watches* those five trees along the Brazos?

Comment from Rod Thorsen on 2008-12-26

2008-12-27T05:49:02Z

About Texas clubs. At least one hotel in Stephens, perhaps the only one actually, provided complimentary memberships with each room. Nice service. Didn't help when the Texas Forest Service very clearly announced that all detailers would abstain for the duration. Half full bottle of O'duals next to a glass of Miller's fixed that well enough.

Comment from Fishmugger on 2008-12-26

2008-12-27T01:42:14Z

Mr. Atilla...I knew that about First Officers...I just forgot. Must be because I hung around with so many of them. Way too many. That's how I fell in love with Coors. They would bring back cases from the west side of the Mississippi.

Comment from Attila of Argghhh! on 2008-12-26

2008-12-27T00:17:44Z

Fishmugger...a First Officer IS a pilot.

Harrrumph...;)

...and it's not 24 hours; it's 8. No smoking 8 hours before piloting an aircraft and no drinking within 50 feet of an aircraft. Oh, wait...

But thanks for sticking up for me.

Comment from Josh on 2008-12-26

2008-12-26T23:49:32Z

Best bar I've ever been to wasn't really a bar, it was a pub...the Six Bells (or was it seven? gahhh!) in Cambridge, UK. They're not so much into anything that isn't served a pint at a time, but the beer is good, the food is good (assuming you like English food), and everybody present seems to be expected to join in on whatever crossword puzzle or chess game is being played. Really very friendly place, I actually met a socialist and made friends with him instead of insisting that he was a minion of satan.

Bars around here kinda suck.

Fishmugger...what do those really cool bars in Mississippi have against midgets?

Comment from jo on 2008-12-26

2008-12-26T22:58:29Z

Yep...no alcohol in Michigan until Friday. However, muggings, home invasions, murders, and all other crimes are still allowed !

Comment from AFSister on 2008-12-26

2008-12-26T22:31:53Z

Ahhh... Drinking clubs!
I joined one in Texas once. I was there for a two week Red Cross assignment, and there were only three places to eat in town- deep fried fish place, deep fried chicken place, and the drinking club. It was $5 well spent! Country line dancing, beer, and good food. When I got back to Ohio, no one would believe me when I told them I had to join a drinking club in order to get a beer anywhere in Texas. But it's the truth!

Comment from BillT on 2008-12-26

2008-12-26T22:10:35Z

Was it the double-wide with the jukebox stuck playing "Riders on the Storm"?

Comment from John of Argghhhh! on 2008-12-26

2008-12-26T21:48:37Z

I was bemused by bottle clubs in Lawton, Oklahoma, as a young LT. I "joined" the club, went to the bar, asked for a drink, and was asked by the bartender, "Are you Mr. Smith or Mr. Jones?"

I went, "Huh?"

He pointed to all the bottles with names and I suddenly understood.

"I'm Mr. Jones."

"Here you go, Mr. Jones."

Comment from Fishmugger on 2008-12-26

2008-12-26T21:35:41Z

SSG Jeff...pilots and first officers aren't supposed to be seen in public, in uniform drinking anyway. And then there's the 24 hour rule.

And about drinking on the road...the times I spent zooming around dry counties in Texas where you couldn't buy a mixed drink, but could watch totally topless dancers was very confusing. The customers always liked my expense account. They wouldn't be there themselves, but the degenerate Yankee made them go.

The others were the dry bars in the Carolinas where you had to buy a bottle at an ABC store and bring it into the bar with you. And...you had to buy a $5.00 membership to be there. Some of them took your bottle behind the bar after you signed it; others were where you kept it at your table and bought a glass of ice or mixer.

Then there were the really cool bars in Mississippi, where if you were tall enough to put your money on the bar you got served. You had to be a member, be vouched for by a local, and never complain about the pour.

And Yes, I spent a few very long days and longer nights in Salt Lake.

Comment from SSG Jeff (USAR) on 2008-12-26

2008-12-26T21:13:54Z

If it was 1835, why does a law limiting sales prior to 7AM matter?

Comment from AFSister on 2008-12-26

2008-12-26T20:49:56Z

For once I know EXACTLY where you were, Dusty!!!
I was in that exact same lounge a couple of weeks ago, and had dinner in the then-open restaurant. Great food (the largest single serving of shepherd's pie I've ever had), great wine, snow galore (the reason for my delays both coming and going home the next day).... no company though.
I was really hoping that you'd get home for Christmas.

Comment from AW1 Tim on 2008-12-26

2008-12-26T20:01:11Z

   Hell, that ain't nothing. Try growing up in northern Utah. Back then, last call was 12:30 am and NO beer was sold until after 1PM. No beer at all was sold on sunday, in bars or in stores. In fact, ALL alcohol sales were restricted to state-run liquor stores, who kept very odd hours to discourage selling anything to anyone. Bars were only allowed to sell 3.2 beer, and no hard liquor. If you wanted whiskey, you had to buy your own bottle, bring it to the bar, and pay the barkeep a dollar a shot/drink for the privilege of drinking it there. You could only get a pitcher of beer if there were 3 or more people at the booth with you.

The laws only changed in '76 when the Olympic committee informed the state that no olympic games would rtake place there if folks couldn't buy a drink at the local bar. The state relented and allowed "liquor by the drink" but only through the use of "mini bottles" to assure "accurate measures" and NO DOUBLES. One drink per person per serving. Lots of craptacular laws like that.

   Nowadays, most towns still prohbit the sale of beer on sunday, and my old hometown went through a very rancorous time when they relented to allow the quick-mart to sell beer on sudays. The town council was nearly sacked by the voters for that, and many of them were harassed day and night by the local Mormons driving by their homes 7 businesses and honking their horns and hollering "GET OUT!" Lovely bunch of folks there.

   Anyone else wonder why I moved away and never went back?

   respects,

Comment from 11B40 on 2008-12-26

2008-12-26T18:29:59Z

Greetings:

When I was growing up in New York City, there were "blue" laws in effect that governed the sale of alcoholic beverages. Bars couldn't sell alcohol after 4am in the morning and had to be closed for at least 2 hours (until 6am). If you were a regular, sometimes the barkeep would let you curl up and sleep over in a booth.

On Sundays, the bars couldn't start selling again until 1pm (in the afternoon). In my heavily Catholic neighborhood, that was know as the 1 o'clock Mass.

Merry Christmas to all