This is the last entry in the bar series. That observation about men frequently enjoying a couple of beers alone in public while seeing women do the same with wine (or any beverage) far less often intrigues me. It’s a seemingly minor detail of everyday life. Yet, it speaks volumes about ingrained social scripts, perceptionsContinue reading “The Solo Pint And Unpacking the Gendered Landscape of Public Relaxation”
Tag Archives: bar
Why the Bar Regulars Get Away With Almost Everything (and Shouldn’t Always)
If you’ve spent any time at a local bar or restaurant, you’ve probably noticed something curious: there’s a small group of customers who seem to play by a different set of rules. They order off-menu, say things that would get anyone else kicked out, and somehow still get a warm hello, their drink poured beforeContinue reading “Why the Bar Regulars Get Away With Almost Everything (and Shouldn’t Always) “
Bar Stool Confessions and Why People Tell Their Life Story to the Bartender
It’s been said that you tell your bartender or taxi driver more of your life than you do to your shrink. After all, for the most part, they are a captive audience. And in the case of the bartender, it all starts with the first drink. During my busy travel days of yesteryear, when IContinue reading “Bar Stool Confessions and Why People Tell Their Life Story to the Bartender”
The Bartender’s Sixth Sense of Reading the Room Without Saying a Word
There’s something uncanny and intriguing about a seasoned bartender. They’re not just slinging drinks and wiping down counters like in a film noir. They’re watching, listening, and reading the room without ever letting on. To the untrained eye, they’re just moving fast and pouring accurately. But to anyone who’s worked in the business or satContinue reading “The Bartender’s Sixth Sense of Reading the Room Without Saying a Word”
The First-Timer versus The Regular and Learning the Unspoken Rules
Every bar or restaurant has its rhythm, cast of characters, and unwritten rules. You won’t find the rules posted on the wall or printed on the menu, but break one, and you’ll feel it in the sudden silence or the cold glance from a regular who is perched at their sacred spot. Walk into aContinue reading “The First-Timer versus The Regular and Learning the Unspoken Rules”
The Loudmouth at the Bar
For fun, a change of pace, and other reasons known only to me, I am writing a series of blog entries about life at the local watering hole. It could be yours or my watering hole because they share many of the same traits no matter where they are or the theme of the place.Continue reading “The Loudmouth at the Bar”
The Unwritten Rule of the Barstool and Why We All Sit in the Same Spots
Walk into any bar with a U-shaped counter—like the one I often sit at while working—and you’ll likely notice something strange: Most of the barstools are empty. But at one end, a tight pack of regulars is gathered like old friends around a campfire. They greet each other by name, laugh at inside jokes, andContinue reading “The Unwritten Rule of the Barstool and Why We All Sit in the Same Spots”
John Berkovich Talks 