Considering Denver: Liquor Laws?? (Evans: how much, house, restaurants)

[ryanek9freak]

Originally Posted by Awesomo.2000

It really is kind of the same thing in Co though. You can buy beer in the grocery store but it was 3%. So nobody ever bought it. You would have to go to the beer stores to buy them. The difference is, in CO the beer and liquor is sold in the same store. In PA beer is sold buy private owners, and liqour is sold by State stores.

Yeah but at least in Colorado, there's literally a liquor store on ever corner. There are seriously 3 within walking distance of my house.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by nele

When I moved to Denver from DC, I was dismayed that I had to go to a special store to buy wine, and couldn't buy it on Sundays! I can't tell you how many times I've forgotten to buy wine on Saturday, then on Sunday (when I often had time to cook a special meal) couldn't get it. Pointless! I think it is a reflection of morally judgemental values that are widespread in this state. (I've also gotten reactions ranging from sneering to repugnance when mentioning that I don't eat meat...but that's another topic.)

As a number of us have said, the law just changed regarding Sunday sales, so your rant about Sunday sales is irrelevant. As far as the meat issue, I don't know who you hang out with. I know lots of vegetarians here, and no one makes fun of them, or thinks much about it at all. I don't know what you mean about "morally judgemental values that are widespread in this state". Care to elablorate?

[nele]

Yes, the law is changing but it WAS the law. It sounds like you don't agree that blue laws are a reflection of a community's moral code, and that they are essentially a tsk-tsking about consuming alcohol. That doesn't mean every individual in the community, and obviously it can change over time - thus the new law. But in my (admittedly brief) experience, Colorado is more conservative, morally and politically, than other places I've lived.

The negative reactions I've gotten when people have found out I don't eat meat have been startling. When we first got here, we went to a dinner party with a bunch of academics in honor of my partner's joining the group. The entree was a big platter of steaks, with only a few things on the side. Well, of course we politely consumed the side dishes and passed on the steak. Got a very frosty reaction from the hostess. Another time, at a neighborhood party, an older lady very proudly produced a brisket which got a lot of oohs and aahs. This woman engaged me directly when she saw I wasn't eating the brisket, laughing loudly and rudely, asking me how I was brought up, etc.

Maybe after I've been in Colorado longer and found like-minded people to hang out with, I will feel differently. YMMV.

[Katarina Witt]

No, I don't think blue laws necessarily reflect a community's "moral code". This Sunday sales issue was fought by some of the "mom and pop" liquor stores, who obviously have an interest in selling liquor. But they liked the enforced day off, with no competition from the other liquor stores. Life is not so black and white.

[ryanek9freak]

Maybe you should politley explain that you're a vegetarian BEFORE the food is cooked?

I'm not being unsympathetic, I dated a vegetarian for about 2 years. People used to make fun of her all the time too.

For her though, she did it because she was afraid of getting fat, not because she was against killing animals or anything.

She finally gave up, and eats meat now.

[nele]

No, you can't send ahead your meal orders before the dinner party :-). I've never had any problem at all eating at any gathering. It's the people who rudely comment on it, that are the problem.

That's sad that your friend "gave up".

By the way, it doesn't matter WHY she did it. I never talk about why I don't eat meat unless someone asks, and then I minimize it unless someone seems genuinely interested in why, rather than just rude.

[nele]

Originally Posted by Katiana

No, I don't think blue laws necessarily reflect a community's "moral code". This Sunday sales issue was fought by some of the "mom and pop" liquor stores, who obviously have an interest in selling liquor. But they liked the enforced day off, with no competition from the other liquor stores. Life is not so black and white.

Hmm. Even if some people like blue laws for reasons other than "keeping the Sabbath holy" or whatever, that doesn't speak to how those laws originally came about. The real question is, why do these laws persist for so long? Couldn't it be because the community as a whole tacitly approves of the idea that alcohol consumption should be repressed on the Lord's day?

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by nele

Hmm. Even if some people like blue laws for reasons other than "keeping the Sabbath holy" or whatever, that doesn't speak to how those laws originally came about. The real question is, why do these laws persist for so long? Couldn't it be because the community as a whole tacitly approves of the idea that alcohol consumption should be repressed on the Lord's day?

Obviously not, from the likes of this thread. This is not the first time this issue has come up here on the Denver/Colorado forums, either.

[BlueWillowPlate]

A lot of liquor store owners liked it just fine that they did not have to be open on Sunday. Ditto the auto dealers.
Nele, I tend to think you've got a ways to go until you have a true grip on the Colorado mindset.Hang in there. Most folks are not too worried about drinking alcohol on Sunday, let alone who does or does not live a vegetarian lifestyle.
I am sorry that people seem rude to you, but please don't give up.
My Denver circle of friends was/is very sympathetic to vegetarians.
However, I hope you understand the old rule about catching more flies with honey than vinegar. The folks who walked around with a sanctimonious chip on their shoulder had a tougher time than the ones who were diplomatically proactive.

[Sockeye]

I hunt for meat, not antlers, and don't put down vegans. Have several vegans in my family, but they take some 'vites for what they don't get naturally. I believe that homo sapiens are mean to be omnivores.
As for booze, and probably car sales too soon, its that 24/7 mentality our culture has gotten itself into. CONVENIENCE.