#drive the small business owner and the restaurant patron into HELL

[girlwyrm]

im bleeding, im sweating, im crying! and it all goes into FUCKING HAMBURGERS via capitalist magic!

[vannahfanfics]

Now and Forever

Category: Romantic Fluff

Fandom: Fairy Tail

Characters: Erza Scarlet, Jellal Fernandes

Requested By: Anonymous User

“Is everyone in position?”

Erza raised a hand to the small, barely detectable communication device hooked into her ear as Gray’s voice buzzed in. There came a chorus of affirmative quips from Lucy, Natsu, and Wendy followed by Happy’s characteristic, optimistic “Aye!” before Erza pressed the button on her own earpiece to validate her own position. The team’s latest assignment involved staking out a very popular pub where a certain dark wizard was known to frequent. They had been told that he would likely appear tonight to deal in the smuggling of illegal magical artifacts, and so they had assembled to stop the operation short. Her guild members were stationed in various locations throughout the small building, covering all entrances and exits, but Erza’s location was the most important... on stage, right in the center of the bar, posing as a singer.

Currently she was eclipsed by the stage curtains, but it was only a minute or so before they would be drawn up and she would be revealed to the small crowd. Erza had managed to get over her stage fright after years of forcing her way into jobs such as this, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t still unnerving for her to perform in front of a crowd. She inhaled, then exhaled deeply. All you have to do is sing and look out for the man in the wanted ad. Eyes closed as she steeled herself, she did not notice that she had been approached until they coughed politely.

“Yes?” she responded automatically as her eyes opened to settle on an intimidated-looking stage hand.

“We’re about to go live, Miss Scarlet, and the um, owner was wondering if you intend to, ah, perform like that?” he stammered quietly. Erza’s eyebrows shot up as she realized she was still dressed in her usual armor.

“No. Of course not.” Ribbons of light flashed around her before enveloping her form, hugging her tightly as her armor phased out of existence. The shimmering light protected her modesty as she pulled her new garments from her magical storage universe. By the time that the shocked stage hand lowered his hand at the dimming of the light, Erza’s voluptuous body was now clothed in a skin-tight leotard, mesh stockings and black stilettos, and a pair of bunny ears sticking out of her scarlet hair. A blush painted his cheeks and he murmured his approval before he scampered out, likely to nurse his bleeding nose. Erza chuckled and walked over to the piano, hips swaying with each step, to take her place by the gawking pianist. She leaned over the large instrument and flashed him a wink, making him shut his mouth and find new interest in his music sheets. Suddenly, she heard the whooshing of the red curtains being pulled away from the stage, and she tossed a glance over her shoulder.

The bar was dim, only lit by a ring of circular white lights lining the rim of Erza’s performance area. Her trained eyes spotted her cohorts instantly, mingled among the crowd and constantly shifting their gazes to watch the patrons. There was no sign of their target yet, at least not that Erza could see. The chatter faded as soon as the gorgeous wizard appeared, the bar falling into silence as it awaited her singing voice. The quiet was soon replaced by the heavy, dramatic tune spilling from the piano man’s expert fingers. Erza inhaled deeply, closed her eyes, and then began to sing.

At one point in her life, her voice would shake and hitch, and she would’ve been chased of stage in a matter of seconds. However, after careful practice (and a fair bit of encouragement from the ever-supportive Lucy), Erza had conquered her fears and come into her own, performance-wise. Her voice flowed like honey, dripping with emotion as she sang in time with the piano notes of longing and lost love. The bar owner had told her that her intense, dominating looks and personality was perfect for such a performance. After the first verse, Erza opened her eyes and began strutting across the edge of the stage, pausing to lean over in such a way to accentuate her pleasing features and stroke the face of the man nearest the stage. He swooned and nearly passed out into his friends. Erza gave the rest of the crowd a cocky smirk before standing back up and finishing her circuit of the stage, hips swaying and voice thundering in passion.

She came back to the piano and laid herself across the back of it, kicking up her legs with her scarlet hair spilling over her back. In that moment, the lyrics abruptly made her think of Jellal. It took all she could to focus on the task at hand and not lose herself in the thoughts of him. Why did I think of him singing some stupid love song? She knew why. She had loved him a long time, but had never worked up the courage to tell him. Erza had a lot of courage for battle and protecting her friends, but it always failed when it came to being honest with him. Her voice took on a more somber tone as her subconscious delved further into the depressing thoughts. As her eyes flickered up to meet the crowd, she could almost see him standing there, watching her with a knowing smile ghosting his lips.

Wait a minute.

She blinked, and the phantasm did not vanish. She managed to keep herself singing, but only just barely, while she frantically looked around the rest of the bar. Sure enough, the other members of Crime Sorcieré were strategically positioned throughout the establishment. No way! Is Jellal here to catch the smuggler as well? She thought as her heart nearly jumped into her throat and choked out her melodious tune. Trying not to panic and act natural lest she scare off their target, Erza pushed herself upward on the piano, but her arms were shaking slightly. She could feel the nervousness bubbling up inside her; something about Jellal watching her perform was lapsing her back into her stage-fright. Thankfully, the song abruptly ended and the curtain drew shut with Erza’s echoing voice singing the last word. As soon as it shut completely, she ceased and collapsed back onto the piano, wheezing and holding her chest in an attempt to still her pounding heart. She could still feel Jellal’s dark eyes on her, watching with rapture.

What the hell is going on here?!

~~~~~~~~~~

“Dammit!” There was a thunderous crash as Natsu took out his anger on a nearby trash bin, kicking over the metal container to spill its contents out into the street. He then squatted down while muttering under his breath to retrieve the trash because Lucy scolded him something fierce. He had a right to be annoyed; apparently the culprit had caught wind that his operation had been compromised, and had been a no-show. Erza, now in her trusty armor, crossed her arms as she sighed deeply.

“This is rather unfortunate. Now we are back to square one in hunting him down,” she tutted with a click of her tongue. Jellal laughed lightly and rubbed the back of his neck with an apologetic look.

“I’m sorry, Erza. I hope our appearance here didn’t ruin your mission.” Gray and Natsu both slung their heads around at identical moments, mouths open to likely blame it all on Jellal, but a sharp glare from the red-haired warrior immediately made them swallow whatever ill remarks they were about to spew from him. Erza returned to Jellal with a soft smile.

“No, there’s no way to tell how he learned this bar was being watched, and by whom. We will just have to gather information on his next movements.” Jellal frowned and rubbed his chin, tilting his head to the side and looking up through the corners of his eyes as he pondered something. He then smirked and looked back at Erza.

“We’re also interested in bringing this guy down, so why don’t we team up?”

~~~~~~~~~~

When Erza had accepted Jellal’s proposal to form a joint effort to take down the smuggler, she had never imagined that things would end up the way they were. She was in the fanciest restaurant in the entire city, dressed in an elegant black dress with her scarlet hair fashioned in an elaborate up-do, sitting across from Jellal who was wearing just a simple tuxedo and that coy, smug smirk of his. By their joint information-gathering, they had learned that the smuggler would be conducting his failed business venture in a more lucrative environment; to avoid the same unfortunate outcome as last time, they had decided that only the two of them should be on scene with the others waiting outside for back-up.

But still… To pose as a couple on a date? Surely this is too much! Erza thought wildly. She felt like the room was spinning, and she had the sudden extreme urge to vomit. Her fingers dug into the silky fabric of her dress as she concentrated her gaze on her lap. She was utterly unable to look at him. It was just Jellal, but it was Jellal, and under this premise with all the implications… it was liable to drive her insane!

“Erza.” His voice somehow sounded like the touch of the smooth silk caressing her nervous fingers. As if called, she glanced up, and was immediately met with his smoldering gaze. “Relax. It’s just me, you know.” A haze of pink dusted her cheeks. He saw right through me… “Your performance was lovely, by the way. Because we were so busy gathering intel, I was never able to tell you.” The blush on her cheeks heightened to a shade of carnation. She nervously fidgeted in the chair, unsure how to handle the praise, and dropped her gaze, unable to handle the way he was looking at her... Like a precious object who had captured his attention.

“Y-yes, I’ve… Been practicing…” She mumbled. She was beginning to grow frustrated with herself. How could she be so confident on the battlefield of war, but such a stumbling fool on in the warzone of love? Though his unyielding stare unnerved her, she could not but help wish to be locked in it, and so her eyes slowly circled back to meet his. His expression had not changed despite Erza’s worming about; he just continued to sit there, chin resting on his interlocked hands, those dark eyes absorbing everything about her.

“I would love it if you would sing for me sometime… A private performance, if you will.” Erza choked on air at his very blatant and insinuating remark. Her cheeks were surely the shade of her hair now. Her mouth opened and closed, attempting to form words but dismally failing, only managed to produce sputtering gasps. Jellal’s smirk widened, and then he began to laugh heartily. “Relax, Erza, I’m only playing the part of the flirtatious date. There’s no need to take everything so seriously! I’m only teasing,” he grinned widely. Erza’s shoulders hunched up as she glowered at him.

“That teasing was in very bad taste!” she scolded him. Jellal continued to laugh. By the time he had finished, Erza was steaming enough to fry an egg on her head. “I hope you’re happy.”

“I am, because you feel more at ease, don’t you?” Erza’s mouth fell open. What a devious ploy! It had sure worked, too; Erza had more or less forgotten about their environment and operation, and was more relaxed, because now it just felt like she was just spending time with Jellal. That in itself was nerve-wracking in its own right, but she had managed to recover some sense of the defensive decorum that she maintained with him during their normal interactions. As he flashed her a devilish wink, she shook her head and decided to swallow her amusement and embarrassment with wine.

“As cunning as ever.”

“I always aim to please,” he smirked before glancing off to the side to scan the room. Erza did not need to do so herself; the way his jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed told her well enough that he had locked onto their target. “He’s sitting four tables away, to your ten o’clock.” Casually sipping at the bitter wine in the crystal glass, Erza languidly turned in her chair as if she were relaxing herself, but cast a sordid gaze in the indicated direction. Sure enough, he was sitting across the room with a handful of well-to-do-looking gentlemen, the picture of decorum and propriety despite the fact that they were illegally dealing forbidden magical artifacts. “I recognize a few of them. Those are some of the most prolific magical artifact dealers in all of Fiore.”

“He must have something quite special in stock.”

“Let’s get a closer look.” Without waiting for her agreement, Jellal stood and ironed out the creases of his suit before holding out a hand for her. Erza knew it was important but was a little put-off, and the first thing that came to mind was that they hadn’t even eaten anything yet besides some small appetizer salads. You’re not here for the food, Erza; you’re here to catch a criminal! She scolded herself. It really wasn’t about the food so much as frantically trying to think up an excuse not to do what Jellal was asking because she was so unsure of what little scheme he was hatching in that handsome head of his. Still, she had to do it. She breathed in deeply before rising from the chair, the picture of beauty with her upturned chin and pin-straight back. Her hand slid smoothly into Jellal’s; a jolt of electricity rocketed up her arm as his fingers gently enclosed around it. As if that wasn’t enough, he flashed her that irritatingly sexy smirk and brought her hand to his mouth to press his lips against the top of her hand. It took all her willpower not to yank her arm away and maybe whack him upside the head for good measure.

“What are you doing?” she hissed under her breath at him.

“Playing the part. You attract far too much attention, Erza…” With a frantic glance around the room, Erza could easily find that he was right. Her regal, sensual aura had lassoed the attention of the room with frightening ease; men and women alike were looking at her with palpable jealousy, though for far different reasons. While the women in the restaurant were lamenting the fact that they couldn’t be her, their male partners were wistfully wishing they could bed her. Such a lecherous thought brought a blush to her cheeks, and, unable to take the implicative stares, she focused her attention on Jellal. Likely sensing her newfound unease, he tugged on her arm to pull her body flush to his, that unrelenting cocky smile painting her face with further hues of red. “Far too much attention. I’m going to have to show this room that you’re mine tonight.”

As if it were effortless, Jellal had pulled the infallible Erza into a whirlwind from which she could not escape.

Before she knew it, he had swept her to the dance floor, which was conveniently located right next to their target’s table. Not that Erza really noticed that; her mind had descended into a fog, with Jellal the only lighthouse that illuminated her misty reality. All she could do was stare like a helpless, trapped rabbit in the grasp of a cunning fox. Erza was painfully aware of his hand running down the bare skin of her arms, leaving goosebumps trailing from his touch, before it jumped to settle firmly on her hip. His other hand still held hers captive, holding it aloft. Her body automatically settled her other on his shoulder, more because she subconsciously knew it was the proper form for a dance than of her own volition. Jellal’s eyes glittered like a galaxy, and Erza was lost in their cosmos, an unwitting astronaut plunging into their depths. The string quartet set to their instruments, and with the serene shimmer of a love song, they began to dance.

Erza had never really danced before, but somehow, she did not completely manage to bungle things as Jellal guided her about the dance floor. Her body was pretty much on autopilot, moving at his command like a marionette by its masterful puppeteer. A few other couples danced around them, but Erza was hardly aware of them; her attention was completely captivated by the stunning man before her. The way he fixated on her with that roguishly inviting smile, piloting her body as if he knew it intimately, staring through her into the very depths of her quivering soul, Erza almost thought that he could love her.

“Erza, it would be helpful if you could assist in me keeping an eye on that fellow over there.” Her body stiffened as she realized she had been caught red-handed. Her hands weren’t the only things red, either; she knew her face was afire as she discreetly peered over Jellal’s shoulder to watch the men and try to catch snippets of their conversation. The businessmen looked quite heated now, as if they were not pleased with what they had been offered.

“… Now, gentlemen, there is no need to get so heated. Ten million is quite a gracious place to start the bidding on my part. After all, it’s not every day that you’re offered a relic of the dark wizard Zeref, is it?” At the mention of their former adversary’s name, Erza drew in a sharp breath. Jellal continued to sweep her around the dance floor but took care to keep her well within earshot of the table. “The Magus Staff is an extraordinary magical artifact.” A ripple of unease circled through the potential buyers.

“The Magus Staff is also forbidden!”

“What’s the Magus Staff?” Erza whispered to Jellal. She had never heard tale of such an artifact. Jellal frowned deeply, staring off at a point beyond her shoulder.

“It’s one of the many dark magic artifacts that Zeref created. Apparently the thing channels ‘Erasure’ magic. Anything the user wants to erase just vanishes without a trace… people, objects, entire armies. Its potential is limitless. That’s why it’s so dangerous and classified as forbidden,” he explained grimly. In the background, the music was reaching a crescendo, the various stringed instruments screaming in melodic cacophony. Erza was about to tune back into the conversation, but Jellal suddenly swept her away from the table in a few whirling spins, leaving her impossible dizzy.

“Jellal, what-“

“He’s watching.” Erza had to swallow the urge to glance back at the table, knowing that doing so would just confirm the buyer’s suspicions. She could feel his prickling gaze searching her back, and was suddenly uncomfortable that her dress plunged in the back and her shoulder blades were on full display. “Erza, you’re not very good at espionage, are you?” Jellal grinned, and he stole a loud gasp from her throat as he suddenly hiked her leg up around his waist, pulling her across the dance floor with her heel scratching against the tile. The song had finished and the band had begun playing a simmering, intense beat, a tango; the rest of the patrons had abandoned the effort, leaving the two of them alone- plenty of room for Jellal to do as he wished with her.

“I’m beginning to think that you’re enjoying this too much,” she pouted up at him as he dropped her leg only to pull her body against his such that there was not a millimeter of space between the fabric of their clothes. Her chest was pressed up against his and her back arched, forcing her to look directly up at him, at that smirk that starting a fire in her belly and those eyes that threatened to strip her armor away and bear her tremoring heart to him. It was hammering against her rib cage, driven crazy by the sheer amount they were touching and the overwhelmingly lusty atmosphere. Jellal’s hand was pressed against her lower back, guiding her around the dance floor in a sordid display that commanded the attention of everyone around them.

“Oh, I’m definitely enjoying it.” His husky whisper sent a shiver traveling up Erza’s spine. Did his face have to be that close? As the music hitched, so did Jellal’s moves, and once again Erza was flung about in a complicated turn. Except the music didn’t descend back into the intense calm, but exploded into the storm, trapping Erza in its maelstrom and stealing her breath away. Erza didn’t even have time to think about where Jellal had learned to dance so expertly as she was whisked around the dance floor; she was a sword in Jellal’s hand, brandished around and shining with the light and ringing with the sound of singing steel. Her heels clattered across the dance floor like popping firecrackers, barely striking the shiny tile before they were gone again. As the music crescendoed in a tumultuous symphony, Jellal grabbed Erza and plunged her into a deep bend backwards, holding up one of her legs while the other kept her suspended so far down that a few loose strands of her crimson hair touched the floor. There was a moment of deep silence before the room exploded in impressed claps. Erza’s chest was heaving with exertion and her skin was tingling with electricity from the exceptionally… erotic experience. She watched with wide eyes as a bead of sweat rolled down Jellal’s face. That smirk was intoxicating now; just looking at it was making her drunk. He eyed her triumphantly before his gaze flickered upwards.

“They’re leaving.” Erza tipped her head backwards. Though the image was upside-down, she could see the dealer and the businessmen rising from the table to exit down a nearby hallway. She gasped as Jellal suddenly jerked her up and spun her around to stand at his side. He looped her arms in his as he guided her off the dance floor, walking smoothly as if nothing had just happened, but Erza’s legs were trembling so much that she could barely walk in her heels. She leaned slightly against his body, and that smirk of his widened. What is he doing to me? she thought wildly.

There had always been something explicitly unspoken between Erza and Jellal, but that was all it had ever been; a whisper, a sigh, a wistful fantasy of what may be. This, however… This was not unlike the tango they had just danced to, a rising storm threatening to thunder upon the coast, exploding into a destructive force that would change everything. Erza was but a small vessel caught in the thrashing waves, being borne to whatever island that the hurricane Jellal was leading her towards. Erza had never really expected anything to ever come of the unspoken thing between them, but it was rapidly becoming apparent that she had been very wrong. It both scared and excited her.

But was now really the time?

They tailed the party of criminals outside the restaurant and to the side alley. Their target meandered down to the end, and Erza watched in mild horror as he picked up something long and thin wrapped in cloth from behind a dumpster. He yanked off the cloth to reveal a crooked black staff.

“Jellal, we have to- Oh!” Her words were cut off as he suddenly shoved her against the brick wall of the restaurant, hands on either side of her waist as he pinned her there. His face was so close that she could feel his hot breaths on her lips. He was staring out of the corners of his eyes, and she followed suit to see the party of criminals staring at them suspiciously.

“Erza, just follow my lead- and please don’t hit me,” he mused, and no sooner than he had turned her gaze back to him did he tilt up her face and press his mouth against hers.

Her mind didn’t need the Erasure magic to go blank.

Catching the criminals flew to the far reaches of her mind as Jellal’s mouth moved rhythmically against hers. If the night had been like a red-hot tango, then their lips were dancing in a smooth, melodious waltz, pure as moonlight and soft as silk. Erza abandoned herself to the calmness of the sea, allowing the breeze of Jellal to drift her further into bliss. She had never realized how much she wanted it until now- to be kissed by him, held by him, loved by him.

Too bad it was all an act.

As he relinquished her mouth to pepper kisses over her jawline, down her neck, and across her shoulders, his hands tracing intricate patterns on her sides, Erza felt her eyes flood with water. She could not choke down the small sob that escaped her lungs; it was just so painful, so unfair, that things had turned out this way. Jellal suddenly stopped kissing her too look up at her quizzically. “Erza…?” Her face was contorted in agony as she tried to tell him what was wrong, but she couldn’t force the words out of her throat. He watched her, confused and worried, and just so happened to glance out of the corners of his eyes.

It was a good thing he did, or it would’ve been the end for both of them.

“Look out!” he cried and wrapped her in a tight embrace before flinging himself to the side. They crashed to the ground together, and Erza looked up in time to see a blob of dark energy crash into the place on the wall she had just been. The brick seemed to melt into nothingness, vanishing without a trace to leave a large hole in the structure. The music from the dance floor and the din of conversation drifted out into the alley. Erza tossed a glance over her shoulder to see the dealer brandishing the Magus Staff with a dark sneer.

“Well, that wasn’t the demonstration I had in mind, but it’ll do, I suppose,” he snickered. Erza pushed herself up with a huff, and ribbons of light enveloped her figure as she changed into a more suitable outfit for fighting. Jellal blushed darkly, because his face was extremely close to her chest as she was pretty much bare save for a few ribbons of light in very strategic places, but Erza had finally managed to dispel the fog from her mind now that she was in her element. Speed was obviously going to be her ally so she selected her Flight armor from her vast inventory, cladding herself in the cheetah-patterned, ruffle-adorned armor. She stood up just as her two swords materialized into reality, and spun on her heel to kick off in a savage sprint down the alleyway. A vortex formed in her wake, buffeting the shocked Jellal and inadvertently sending him blasting out into the street.

“She’s a Fairy Tail wizard!” the businessmen panicked and attempted to scale the wall behind them, while the startled magical artifact dealer sent another blast of the dark magic careening toward her. Erza ducked to avoid the projectile and it claimed the dumpster instead, melting a hole in it and sending trash spilling out into the alley way.

“Take this!” Erza howled and brought up her swords, then delivered savage blows with the blunt sides to his abdomen. He went down pathetically easily, dropping the staff and flying backwards. He and his compatriots crashed through the brick and mortar to sail several yards down the adjoining alleyway, landing right at a very disappointed Natsu’s feet.

“Aw, man… You couldn’t save any of the fun for us, Erza?”

~~~~~~~~~~

With the criminals arrested and the Magus Staff in safe hands, Erza changed back into her dress and walked back into the street where Jellal was still sitting there pouting.

“I think you did that on purpose,” he sighed up at her. Erza smiled kneeled down in front of him, offering a hand. He smiled wryly and took it, allowing her to pull him to his feet.

“Consider it payback for all the teasing you’ve done to me tonight.” Now that they were alone again, Erza could feel his lips ghosting across the skin of her neck; she raised a hand to cover it, to chase away the phantasms of his lips that would haunt her for the remainder of the night. As her expression took on an obviously depressed edge, Jellal smiled and took her hand again, kissing the top of it like he had done previously that evening.

“Erza, you really are dense,” he mused quietly. Before she could inquire what he meant, he grabbed her by her upper arm and yanked her forward, catching his an intensely passionate kiss. His lips crashed against hers like the waves finally carrying Erza home after what felt like years at sea... home, into Jellal’s waiting arms. She melted against him, desperately trying to match the fervent rhythm he was playing against her mouth. His hands snuck into her scarlet hair to pull it loose from its up-do, and he buried them into the wavy, crimped strands as he aggressively but not painfully tousled it loose, the countless bobby pins that his eager fingers plucked free clattering down to the street like rain. Erza’s hands ran down his chest, feeling his abdominals even through the thick fabric of his suit flexing powerfully as he leaned further into the kiss. He teased her mouth open to envelop his tongue in her own, twisting and writhing with it in a zealous desire that left her knees weak. As she collapsed against him, held up only by the firm arm around her waist, she felt that fog drifting over her mind again; it was all right, though, because Erza was now safe upon the shores of ardent love, grounded in the man that she had desired for so, so, so long.

She had begun to cry again. Jellal pulled away from her, though her aching lips desired him still; her face followed after his, desperately chasing that feeling, until his hand caught her face and held her still. His thumb swept across her cheek to catch the tears falling like stars to earth.

“I love you,” she gasped, desperate, needing him to hear her before the words failed her again. “I love you, Jellal, I want you now and forever, I-“

“It’s okay,” he crooned softly, killing her babble with the softest of breaths. “You have me, Erza. Now and forever.” She felt her throat tighten as the intense emotion that she was feeling choked her, and all she could do was nod. He continued to gently stroke her face even long after her tears had dried. He didn’t kiss her anymore, only gazed at her with those eyes like galaxies, the cosmos that Erza wanted to find the farthest reaches of and belong to. Now and forever.

Enjoy this oneshot? Feel free to peruse my Table of Contents!

[easyfoodnetwork]

It’s Maybe Time to Make To-Go Cocktails Legal

Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

To help struggling restaurants, states across the country have loosened up laws around to-go and delivery drinks — and it’s hard to imagine going back

By 3 p.m. on Saturday, when Dutch Kills’s cocktail window opened for business, there were already a half-dozen people lined up outside. The famous Queens “speakeasy” has given up the last pretense of being secret, with a bartender in a mask taking orders — martinis, Manhattans, mai tais — next to a sandwich board that asks patrons to “keep it safe and keep it moving!” There were snacks for sale, too. And for an extra $2, I could get a float of 12-year rum on my pina colada. I spent the $2, and set off on the half-hour walk home, my only concern being how to thread the straw underneath my face mask.

Two months ago, openly walking down the street with a cocktail would have been impossible, and drinking outside would have required the minor conspiracy of pouring wine into an opaque water bottle before going to the park, or brown-bagging it on the subway.

Across the country, it is largely illegal to consume alcohol in public spaces, to take a drink to-go from a restaurant or bar, or to purchase a bottle of liquor from anywhere but a liquor or grocery store. It’s a confusing system — as long as the drinking age is 21, most liquor laws are left to states and local municipalities — and mostly it boils down to having to consume alcohol in your home or on the premises of a restaurant, bar, or arena, and that walking around on the street with a beer is a big taboo.

But in order to provide restaurants and bars with a boost during the COVID-19 pandemic, many states have loosened liquor laws, allowing patrons to get cocktails or wine to-go from delivery windows, or have them delivered with their food. It seems to be working quite well, both for businesses and customers; businesses get to offload more product at a time when every penny counts, and customers get to enjoy mixologist-quality cocktails at home. And it raises the question of why the hell it hasn’t been like this the whole time.

The new, temporary liquor regulations have their own quirks and inconsistencies, but most states have made it easier to obtain alcohol: In New York and California, alcohol can be delivered or taken to-go, as long as it’s accompanied by food, and restaurants can sell whole bottles of wine and spirits. In Chicago, restaurants and bars can sell “sealed packaged goods in their original container,” like bottles of wine or cans of beer, but not pre-mixed cocktails. The same goes for Washington and Texas, though restaurants are selling “cocktail kits” so you can make your own at home. Public intoxication and public drinking laws remain, but anecdotally, there seems to be mixed enforcement. Fewer people are in public. And everyone has bigger fish to fry.

Richard Boccato, founder of Dutch Kills, was initially skeptical of booze delivery. “The takeout window came first, because the window was there, and we didn’t know what else to do,” he says. “But I wasn’t initially excited about [delivery] because of health concerns, not wanting to put myself and my staff at risk.” He also knew Dutch Kills mostly attracted locals — ”people don’t usually make the trip from fancier zip codes out to Long Island City.” However, with a bar full of cases of spirits, and the infrastructure to deliver through their ice company, he was willing to try.

Restaurants typically make about 30 percent of revenue from alcohol sales, and for bars, it’s obviously much higher. So being able to move alcohol means an extra shot (sorry) at survival. Boccato says that their cocktail packages, which include the bar’s signature ice blocks and a QR code for a Spotify playlist of their jukebox’s most popular selections, have been a hit. And on top of their take-out window and their cocktail delivery service, they also have whole bottles of specialty spirits for sale. “As far as what percentage of our regular business that has earned us, it’s an infinitesimal fraction, but considering what’s happening we can’t complain too much,” he says.

Other restaurants consider the loosened laws an incredible lifeline. “I personally love this license. I wish we could keep this license forever,” says Gina Chersevani, owner of Buffalo & Bergen in Washington, D.C., which is providing bagels and sandwiches as well as cocktails to-go. “The coolest thing in the world is to be able to pick up breakfast and bring home a Bloody Mary.” Chersevani says that alcohol sales currently account for about 20 percent of business on a busy day like Saturday, far lower than the 50/50 food to alcohol sales they were doing before the pandemic. But it helps to both keep money coming in, and to remind customers of everything they have to offer, even if they don’t feel immediately safe going out once things reopen. “Drinking in a bar is great but it’s a different option... we can provide for both of those worlds.”

Chersevani said it took a few days to figure out how to prepare cocktails both safely and in accordance with the new laws, which require alcohol orders to be sealed, and that they include at least one food item: “It’s extra steps.” She says it’s led some bars to break the rules, which she worries could ruin the opportunity to extend this license for everyone else. But she looks to life in New Orleans as a model, where open container laws allow for people to walk around with to-go cocktails, and says there’s no reason that shouldn’t work in a small, walkable city like D.C. “I don’t know if everyone is going to want to keep [these laws], but for my fast-casual business this could work really well for me in the future.”

Anyone who has ever visited the handful of towns and entertainment districts in the U.S. that allow for public consumption of alcohol (or like, Europe) has probably come back with a story of a good time. For those who consume alcohol, the freedom of being able to walk up to a kitchen window, get a sandwich and an alcoholic slushie to go, either taking it home or having a picnic with no one being the wiser is just fun. It almost seems redundant to explain — if you could walk along the river front and watch the sunset while sipping on a frosé, wouldn’t you? And if you can now, how on earth is the government going to take that back?

Chersevani’s point about small, walkable cities highlights one of the big problems: America doesn’t have many of those. What we have instead is large, drivable cities, suburban sprawl, and rural expanses over which public transportation is inaccessible, which means most people face the question of drinking or driving. Allowing cocktails and wine to-go likely ups the chances someone will enjoy their martini from their car’s cupholder, and any laws enacted would have to include provisions about curbing drunk driving.

Even New York’s Boccato does have some trepidation about a permanent switch to cocktails to-go, though. Current laws already make bartenders liable for over-serving, and it would make it harder for a bartender to track intoxication if you can get a bottle of Negronis to-go. However, he notes that the paradise described above already existed. “I grew up in New York City, drinking 40s on the subway and on the stoops and in the parks,” he says. Open container laws have never stopped people from drinking in public.

Instead, it’s always been an issue of who gets away with it. Racism and classism heavily influence who police target for public consumption — someone drinking a glass of wine on the stoop of their million-dollar Brooklyn brownstone is less likely to be called out than the people with the cooler of beers on the public beach. “It’s another racist law used almost universally against the poor, it’s usually an excuse for police to stop and investigate,” says Niki Ganong, author of The Field Guide To Drinking In America, pointing to statistics showing that, in one month in Brooklyn, 85 percent of those issued summonses for drinking in public were Latino, while just 4 percent were white. Permanently loosening open container and alcohol to-go regulations could mean equal enjoyment, and no more excuse for police harassment.

But even if open container laws remain enforced, it’s easy to see how alcohol and cocktail delivery and takeout could become a part of a new dining reality. “The cat’s out of the bag, especially in regards to delivery,” says Ganong. “The whole reason laws were loosened in the first place was to allow struggling businesses to earn some money any way they could. That’s not going to change for a long time, even after things reopen.” Restaurants are going to need all the revenue they can get, and being able to offer a cocktail in the dining room or with a take-out meal just means more options to make money. Plus, customers are used to it now. “They say that habits are formed after a month!” says Ganong.

As more states contemplate the reopening of business, expanded liquor laws would continue to provide an extra revenue option for restaurants — in Texas, where restaurants are reopening, the TABC has also ruled they can still offer booze to-go — and allow customers to continue enjoying drinks at home if they don’t feel comfortable being in crowds.

Walking home with my pina colada, getting slowly tipsy in the sun, hurt no one. I was excited that I could enjoy a drink crafted with far more care than I was capable of, especially considering I don’t own a blender. I was happy to be enjoying a sunny day outside, and to maybe pretend I was in New Orleans. But I was in Queens, and maybe soon enough it’ll stop feeling like I’m getting away with something. Maybe it’ll just feel like normal.

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2ylCpFp https://ift.tt/3fwYS30

Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

To help struggling restaurants, states across the country have loosened up laws around to-go and delivery drinks — and it’s hard to imagine going back

By 3 p.m. on Saturday, when Dutch Kills’s cocktail window opened for business, there were already a half-dozen people lined up outside. The famous Queens “speakeasy” has given up the last pretense of being secret, with a bartender in a mask taking orders — martinis, Manhattans, mai tais — next to a sandwich board that asks patrons to “keep it safe and keep it moving!” There were snacks for sale, too. And for an extra $2, I could get a float of 12-year rum on my pina colada. I spent the $2, and set off on the half-hour walk home, my only concern being how to thread the straw underneath my face mask.

Two months ago, openly walking down the street with a cocktail would have been impossible, and drinking outside would have required the minor conspiracy of pouring wine into an opaque water bottle before going to the park, or brown-bagging it on the subway.

Across the country, it is largely illegal to consume alcohol in public spaces, to take a drink to-go from a restaurant or bar, or to purchase a bottle of liquor from anywhere but a liquor or grocery store. It’s a confusing system — as long as the drinking age is 21, most liquor laws are left to states and local municipalities — and mostly it boils down to having to consume alcohol in your home or on the premises of a restaurant, bar, or arena, and that walking around on the street with a beer is a big taboo.

But in order to provide restaurants and bars with a boost during the COVID-19 pandemic, many states have loosened liquor laws, allowing patrons to get cocktails or wine to-go from delivery windows, or have them delivered with their food. It seems to be working quite well, both for businesses and customers; businesses get to offload more product at a time when every penny counts, and customers get to enjoy mixologist-quality cocktails at home. And it raises the question of why the hell it hasn’t been like this the whole time.

The new, temporary liquor regulations have their own quirks and inconsistencies, but most states have made it easier to obtain alcohol: In New York and California, alcohol can be delivered or taken to-go, as long as it’s accompanied by food, and restaurants can sell whole bottles of wine and spirits. In Chicago, restaurants and bars can sell “sealed packaged goods in their original container,” like bottles of wine or cans of beer, but not pre-mixed cocktails. The same goes for Washington and Texas, though restaurants are selling “cocktail kits” so you can make your own at home. Public intoxication and public drinking laws remain, but anecdotally, there seems to be mixed enforcement. Fewer people are in public. And everyone has bigger fish to fry.

Richard Boccato, founder of Dutch Kills, was initially skeptical of booze delivery. “The takeout window came first, because the window was there, and we didn’t know what else to do,” he says. “But I wasn’t initially excited about [delivery] because of health concerns, not wanting to put myself and my staff at risk.” He also knew Dutch Kills mostly attracted locals — ”people don’t usually make the trip from fancier zip codes out to Long Island City.” However, with a bar full of cases of spirits, and the infrastructure to deliver through their ice company, he was willing to try.

Restaurants typically make about 30 percent of revenue from alcohol sales, and for bars, it’s obviously much higher. So being able to move alcohol means an extra shot (sorry) at survival. Boccato says that their cocktail packages, which include the bar’s signature ice blocks and a QR code for a Spotify playlist of their jukebox’s most popular selections, have been a hit. And on top of their take-out window and their cocktail delivery service, they also have whole bottles of specialty spirits for sale. “As far as what percentage of our regular business that has earned us, it’s an infinitesimal fraction, but considering what’s happening we can’t complain too much,” he says.

Other restaurants consider the loosened laws an incredible lifeline. “I personally love this license. I wish we could keep this license forever,” says Gina Chersevani, owner of Buffalo & Bergen in Washington, D.C., which is providing bagels and sandwiches as well as cocktails to-go. “The coolest thing in the world is to be able to pick up breakfast and bring home a Bloody Mary.” Chersevani says that alcohol sales currently account for about 20 percent of business on a busy day like Saturday, far lower than the 50/50 food to alcohol sales they were doing before the pandemic. But it helps to both keep money coming in, and to remind customers of everything they have to offer, even if they don’t feel immediately safe going out once things reopen. “Drinking in a bar is great but it’s a different option... we can provide for both of those worlds.”

Chersevani said it took a few days to figure out how to prepare cocktails both safely and in accordance with the new laws, which require alcohol orders to be sealed, and that they include at least one food item: “It’s extra steps.” She says it’s led some bars to break the rules, which she worries could ruin the opportunity to extend this license for everyone else. But she looks to life in New Orleans as a model, where open container laws allow for people to walk around with to-go cocktails, and says there’s no reason that shouldn’t work in a small, walkable city like D.C. “I don’t know if everyone is going to want to keep [these laws], but for my fast-casual business this could work really well for me in the future.”

Anyone who has ever visited the handful of towns and entertainment districts in the U.S. that allow for public consumption of alcohol (or like, Europe) has probably come back with a story of a good time. For those who consume alcohol, the freedom of being able to walk up to a kitchen window, get a sandwich and an alcoholic slushie to go, either taking it home or having a picnic with no one being the wiser is just fun. It almost seems redundant to explain — if you could walk along the river front and watch the sunset while sipping on a frosé, wouldn’t you? And if you can now, how on earth is the government going to take that back?

Chersevani’s point about small, walkable cities highlights one of the big problems: America doesn’t have many of those. What we have instead is large, drivable cities, suburban sprawl, and rural expanses over which public transportation is inaccessible, which means most people face the question of drinking or driving. Allowing cocktails and wine to-go likely ups the chances someone will enjoy their martini from their car’s cupholder, and any laws enacted would have to include provisions about curbing drunk driving.

Even New York’s Boccato does have some trepidation about a permanent switch to cocktails to-go, though. Current laws already make bartenders liable for over-serving, and it would make it harder for a bartender to track intoxication if you can get a bottle of Negronis to-go. However, he notes that the paradise described above already existed. “I grew up in New York City, drinking 40s on the subway and on the stoops and in the parks,” he says. Open container laws have never stopped people from drinking in public.

Instead, it’s always been an issue of who gets away with it. Racism and classism heavily influence who police target for public consumption — someone drinking a glass of wine on the stoop of their million-dollar Brooklyn brownstone is less likely to be called out than the people with the cooler of beers on the public beach. “It’s another racist law used almost universally against the poor, it’s usually an excuse for police to stop and investigate,” says Niki Ganong, author of The Field Guide To Drinking In America, pointing to statistics showing that, in one month in Brooklyn, 85 percent of those issued summonses for drinking in public were Latino, while just 4 percent were white. Permanently loosening open container and alcohol to-go regulations could mean equal enjoyment, and no more excuse for police harassment.

But even if open container laws remain enforced, it’s easy to see how alcohol and cocktail delivery and takeout could become a part of a new dining reality. “The cat’s out of the bag, especially in regards to delivery,” says Ganong. “The whole reason laws were loosened in the first place was to allow struggling businesses to earn some money any way they could. That’s not going to change for a long time, even after things reopen.” Restaurants are going to need all the revenue they can get, and being able to offer a cocktail in the dining room or with a take-out meal just means more options to make money. Plus, customers are used to it now. “They say that habits are formed after a month!” says Ganong.

As more states contemplate the reopening of business, expanded liquor laws would continue to provide an extra revenue option for restaurants — in Texas, where restaurants are reopening, the TABC has also ruled they can still offer booze to-go — and allow customers to continue enjoying drinks at home if they don’t feel comfortable being in crowds.

Walking home with my pina colada, getting slowly tipsy in the sun, hurt no one. I was excited that I could enjoy a drink crafted with far more care than I was capable of, especially considering I don’t own a blender. I was happy to be enjoying a sunny day outside, and to maybe pretend I was in New Orleans. But I was in Queens, and maybe soon enough it’ll stop feeling like I’m getting away with something. Maybe it’ll just feel like normal.

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2ylCpFp via Blogger https://ift.tt/2zgLxLe

[goingknowherewastaken]

Among The Trees, The Fallen Rise Again || Part Two

Title: Among The Trees, The Fallen Rise Again 

Fandom: Star Trek with a small dash of Pete’s Dragon

Relationship: McKirk || Jim x Bones

Warnings: n/a

A/N: Here’s Part Two! And we are finally introducing Jim! This and the next few parts will focus on Jim. I debated on combining them all together, but it would have gotten a little to long for posting on here :p

This is apart of a series! You can read the previous parts here: Part One |

Among The Trees, The Fallen Rise Again || Part Two

WELCOME TO MILLHAVEN POPULATION 770

“770 people,” the weary blond read as he rolled into the tiny forest town.

Good enough.

He stopped at the first, and seemingly only, stoplight in the town and squinted down the street. He could see the signs for several small businesses on the main drag, but the one with the most appeal was the one declaring 'Millhaven Motel'.

He slowly drove further along and pulled into the small parking lot, joining the five other vehicles already there. The Millhaven Motel fit the motel stereotype to a 'T'. It was a small, low, 'U' shaped building encompassing it's parking lot. On it's exterior, ten numbered doors were inset equally around the walls while an eleventh one – placed at the very end on his left – was marked with the sign 'Reception Office'.

The tan building was no Ritz or Hyatt, but it would work.

Grabbing his overstuffed, leather duffel bag and – thankfully – dead phone from where he threw it into the back seat, he shuffled down to the Reception Office. The chiller evening air bit through his white t-shirt and jeans and he made a mental note to purchase a jacket while he was here. A strand of bells jingled as he swung the door opened and entered the cramped room. A handful of chairs were lined against the wall to his left and a long desk sat in front of the wall on his left. Another door opposite the entryway displayed an 'Employee's Only' sign.

All-in-all, the whole place could be described as '50 Shades of Beige'.

He reached out and tapped the silver bell sitting on the desk and dropped his bag on the ground. He didn't have to wait long for the back door to open and reveal a short, blonde woman -

- platinum blonde hair, as soft as silk between his fingers -

He blinked and took in a short breath at the intruding memory, before rubbing at his eyes and pushing the thoughts away.

She gave him a soft smile as she went around the desk, unaware of his inner turmoil.

“Evening!” she greeted. “I'm Janice, I help run the motel.” She took a seat and pulled over a guest book. “I'm guessing you're interested in a room?”

“Uh, yes ma'am. Just for a few days.”

She raised an elegant eyebrow at him. “Alright, we have six vacancies at the moment. Each room comes with a queen sized bed, a kitchenette, small bathroom, and Wi-Fi. Although, our location may cause your Internet access to be slow. We charge $100 a night.”

“Okay, sounds good.” She could have said the room was $5,000 a night and he still would have accepted it. Anything to sleep and get a rest from the hell his mind was keeping at bay.

Janice passed over a clipboard and pen. “Excellent! You have a few papers to sign, Mr...,” she trailed off waiting for him to introduce himself.

He scratched at his short beard. Maybe he should grow it out more? “Oh, ah, James K-- Tiberius. James Tiberius.” She didn't seem to have noticed his near slip-up as she copied down his name and for that he was grateful.

The next few minutes passed quickly as Jim signed the forms and handed over three hundreds. He accepted the key and bid her 'good-night' before heading down to Room 5.

The room certainly looked clean, but, at the moment, Jim didn't care. Once he locked the door behind him and tossed his bag on the floor, he walked over and collapsed onto the bed – forgoing the decision to change.

After driving for nearly 24 hours, taking back road after back road with only a handful of pit stops, all he wanted to do was sleep.

He could worry about everything else in the morning.

☼

Morning came all too soon for the exhausted blond and Jim squinted angrily at the overly bright sunlight streaming in though the open blinds and curtains.

He sort of regretted not closing those before falling asleep.

The clock on the nightstand read 8:20 A.M. as he drug himself off the bed and stumbled to the bathroom, his ten minute shower doing wonders for his alertness. After drying off and dressing in a green, cashmere sweater and dark-wash jeans, he looked over his current accommodations.

The room was small – the bed taking up most of the space – and the attached bathroom wasn't any better. He had two nightstands and lamps, a low dresser with a decent sized TV sat opposite the bed, and a table and two chairs sat in front of the wide window. None of which seemed to be bolted down so Jim considered that a plus; not that he planned on stealing anything.

He missed their home – HIS home he thought bitterly. One he couldn't go back to. A wave of anger surged through him and it took several deep breaths to shove it back down.

He focused instead on checking the floor under the bed and a looking under the mattress, after which he had to admit that Nyota would have approved.

Shit! Nyota.

Jim groaned and rummaged through his bag for his charger. He plugged in his phone and set it back down on the nightstand. He didn't really want to talk to anyone right now, but after several days of silence on his end – his stomach soured again at the memories – he supposed he should call her at some point today. Not right now, though.

Now he needed to get food and figure out what the hell he was doing.

There were several business cards and takeout menus for local Millhaven restaurants and his decision was made pretty fast seeing as only one of them was open this early.

☼

Located in a brick building just down from the motel, Yorktown was probably the most modern business in town. On the interior, at least. The quaint restaurant reminded Jim of the ones he ate at in the big cities; with shiny black tables and matching chairs, black and white photos of NYC architecture, and dozens of plants growing everywhere.

Hipsters would kill to eat at a place like this.

Pulling off his sunglasses, Jim heeded the 'Seat Yourself' sign and picked out a table towards the back of the dinning space. Not that it mattered, the only other diners were three elderly couples who appeared to be having their regular Tuesday breakfast meet-up. Quickly spotting the most private – and most open – seats in a restaurant had become second nature to him over the years.

Jim ran a hand over his jaw, still unnerved at the feeling of rough hair there. He couldn't recall a time where his jaw was covered in anything more than a five o'clock. Leaving it grow would definitely benefit him now, but – even if he had been clean shaven – he highly doubted these people would have recognized him. On the other hand, there was no telling if they had been keeping an eye on the media lately.

“Good morning! Welcome to Yorktown!”

Jim's attention snapped back into focus as a young kid laid down a plastic menu in front of him and pulled out a notepad. With a kind face and curly blond hair, Jim guessed he was in his twenties, if not a little younger.  “Can I get you anything to drink while you look over the menu?” His words revealed a Russian accent.

“Uh, coffee, please. Black. Regular.”

The guy nodded left to grab a pot of coffee and a cup. Once it was poured, the guy stepped back and gave Jim an assessing once-over. “You're new to this area.”

“Yeah, I just got in last night.” Dread started to pool in his stomach. Not now.

“Sorry, it's just that, I know we haven't met before, but you look really familiar?” His head tilted in thought, a few curls shifting over his eyes.

Shit.

Jim shrugged and tried to play it off. “Eh, it's not the first time someone's told me that. Seems I have one of those faces, ya know?” He ended with small laugh. “But, you're right. I'm not from around here. I live in the city and I needed to get away. Thinking about trying the small town life. James Tiberius, but most people call me Jim.” At the realization of what he said, Jim blinked.

He planned on getting away from L.A.; since when was he considering not going back?

The kid laughed, cutting through his revelation, and the knot that was forming inside of him started to dissipate. “Yeah, that happens. Oh, I'm Pavel Chekov, by the way. Wish I lived in the city. Don't get me wrong, it's nice here, but it gets boring. Hopefully I won't be here too much longer.”

“Oh?”

He gave an enthusiastic nod, his curls bouncing with the movement. It seems that Jim found a good topic. “Da! I hope to be an actor someday; theater, big screen, I don't care. I'm trying to save up enough money to move down to L.A.”

Christ Almighty! If he got through this...

He picked up his coffee and took a sip before saying, “Acting? Wow! That's a tough business to break out in.”

Pavel shrugged, sloshing the coffee around in the pot, but Jim felt that nothing could dull this kid's cheery disposition. “True, but I think it will be worth it in the end. Well, Jim, I'll give you a few moments to figure out what you want,” he said with another smile before heading over to check on the other patrons.”

The hour that Jim spent at Yorktown turned out to be time well spent in the end. He got the best breakfast platter of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and toast, and Pavel told him all about the area.

From the time of it's founding to the modern day, Millhaven was a logging town. So much so that every resident has either worked for Enterprise – the local logging and milling company – or has a family member who has. They used to go all over, felling trees and causing a stir in the local wildlife conservation community. That all changed five years ago when the old owners got ousted – due to skimming money and dumping waste – and gained new owners who wished to be more eco friendly. These days they worked in tandem with the DNR and local park services.

“My family moved here from Russia when I was a baby. They wanted a new start and felt the small town was the perfect place for it,” Pavel admitted as Jim worked his way through the stack of syrup soaked pancakes. “When I got older, I joined my Papa at the mill, but it just wasn't for me.”

Instead he had gotten a job here, at a newly opened Yorktown. The owner, a Miriam Paris, was a local who had moved to New York when she got married, but returned after the death of her husband. The restaurant was started in his memory, a dream of theirs that always got shoved to the side.

“Her husband would be pleased,” was Jim's response.

It was proof, all proof, that the small town was thriving. The logging, the restaurant, the new greenhouse, and all the people gravitating to the town was proof that there was something here to be found. In L.A., there was something as well, but it was all a jumbled mess. It was smothering; everything and everyone piled on top of each other in the heavy city air and harsh memories.

Here, Jim felt like he was breathing for the first time. Originally, he had planned to just stay a few days; plot out his next move and become a modern day nomad for a while. The more Pavel talked about Millhaven, the more Jim's intrigue grew. Maybe his subconscious was onto something.

“There's new apartment buildings?” Jim pushed his plate to the side and leaned forward onto the table.

“Da,” Pavel chirped. “Just west of here on the edge of town. They aren't big buildings; they only house four apartments each, but there are two buildings done and third is nearing completion. Of course there's also two old brick buildings in town that have been converted into apartment buildings. I believe there are still a few openings.”

An idea began to form in his head. “I think I might look into those. Do you know who I should contact?”

“Da!” He dashed over to the counter and scribbled something down on a piece of paper before darting back and handing over the page. “Here! He does the real estate for the county, but his office is just around the corner. The apartments in town belong to the building owners.” He pointed to the names.

He read over the numbers and slipped it in his pocket. “I'll definitely look into those. Thanks,” he said with an easy smile.

The kid glanced down and shrugged. “Don't mention it. You need the help and I was happy to give it.”

Jim asked about a few other places in town before handing over cash to pay for his meal. When Pavel went to attend to some new customers, Jim left a ten on the table for him before waving good-bye to the kid.

☼

The only thought running through his mind was 'nap', but Jim's day was far from done as he wrestled his bags of goodies through his room door. He decided to forgo seeing the realtor today – although he did call and make an appointment for tomorrow, but snack and warm clothes shopping was a necessity.

As was finally calling Nyota.

He dumped the bags on the floor and unplugged his phone. Flopping down on the bed, he ignored the 30 missed messages and tapped on his agent's name.

She answered on the first ring.

“JAMES TIBERIUS KIRK WHAT THE HELL!!!!”

Wincing, he ripped the phone away from his ear.

“First of all: ow! You don't have to yell!”

“I don't have to yell??? I DON'T HAVE TO YELL???? JIM, NO ONE'S HEARD FROM YOU IN DAYS!! PEOPLE ARE THINKING YOU'RE DEAD!! I HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO YELL RIGHT NOW!”

“Well, you're talking to me now so can we cut the yelling??”

“...Will you promise to not go radio silent on us again,” she snipped.

Jim sighed. “Yeah. Yeah, I promise.”

“Good. I'm holding you to that. Now, what the hell, Jim?”

He threw an arm over his eyes and squeezed them shut as tight as he could, the dance of colors a good block from memories. “You saw the news, the photos. You know what happened.” He paused for a few moments, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Do they really think I died?”

Her sigh sounded through the phone. “I did. And that's the media, Jim. You know how they are.”

“Yeah.” He knew better than most.

“Which is why I want to hear your story.”

And this was what he was trying to avoid.

“I know...”

“...And??”

“I've – uh – been trying not to think about it.”

“...Do Spock and I need to come over and help you process it?”

He squirmed on the bed.

“Umm, about that...”

“Jim...” Her voice took on a dangerous edge. “What did you do?”

“I'm...ya know...sort of...not in L.A.”

“Where 'not in L.A.' are you?”

“If I tell you are you going to track me down and drag me back to that shitty city with it's shitty people?”

“Jim...”

“Then, no, I'm not going to tell you.”

“Jiiim!”

“Nyyyy!”

“Jim, be serious.”

“I am serious, Ny!” He pinched the bridge of his nose again. “I...I need some time and I can't get that there.” The 'where they are' was left out, but they both new it was implied.

“So you just ran?”

He sat up on the bed. Is she serious right now? “No! I didn't just run! I spent FOUR DAYS in hell after I had that SHIT dumped on me! Four days, Nyota! And do you know the real kicker?”

Oh, the flood gates had opened.

And there was no dam for the tidal wave.

“I found out from a fucking pap who cornered me outside a Trader Joes!”

She gasped. “No!”

“Oooooh, yes!” He clenched his fist to stop the shaking. The photos re-burning themselves into his eyelids. “And then it was everywhere no matter where the fuck I was.”

“Shit, Jim. I'm sorry.”

He flopped back and pressed his fist into his forehead, squeezing his eyes shut. “Yeah. So, I left. I packed a bag, rented a car, and drove until I got to this tiny-ass town in the middle of nowhere.”

“Has it helped?”

“I don't know; I haven't given myself a chance to really think about it.” At least, not willingly.

Nyota was silent for a moment. “Do you think it will help?”

He let his arm drop back to the bed and stared up at the white ceiling. “I don't know.”

She gave another sigh. “Do you promise not to let this drag on?”

“I won't let that happen.” Maybe. Delaying it sounds very nice.

“Good. Then just keep us updated.”

In that case..

“...Then I guess I should tell you that I'm gonna get a place here.”

“JIM!”

...to be continued

Part Three

Let me know if you wish to be added to either my permanent taglist or just be tagged in this :)

Permanent Tags: @wonders-of-the-enterprise @feelmyroarrrr @igiveupicantthinkofausername @trustno1inapt221b

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[deniscollins]

Coronavirus Costs to Business and Workers: It Has Gone to Hell

What would you do if you were the owner and marketing director for the Pavilion Grille in Boca Raton, Florida and in rapid succession a Thursday night dinner for 47 people was cancelled, then an Ultimate Chefs’ dinner for 120 scheduled for March 22 was postponed, and a bar mitzvah for 150 on May 30 canceled, at least $10,000 in lost revenue, you normally employ 20 people at an event to serve food and bus tables, and since they are hourly workers, if there is no event, there is no pay: (1) not pay the, or (2) find some way to pay them (and if so, how?) given things will be getting worse before getting better?

A week ago, Mark Canlis’s restaurant in Seattle was offering a $135 tasting menu to a bustling dining room every night. Eileen Hornor’s inn on the Maine coast was booking rooms for the busy spring graduation season. And Kalena Masching, a real estate agent in California, was fielding multiple offers on a $1.2 million home.

Then the coronavirus outbreak changed everything.

Today, Mr. Canlis’s restaurant is preparing to become a drive-through operation serving burgers. Ms. Hornor is bleeding cash as she refunds deposits for scores of canceled reservations. And Ms. Masching is scrambling to save her sale after one offer after another fell through.

“Last week, I would have told you nothing had changed,” she said. “This week, it has all gone to hell.”

For weeks, forecasters have warned of the coronavirus’s potential to disrupt the American economy. But there was little hard evidence beyond delayed shipments of goods from China and stomach-churning volatility in financial markets.

Now the effects are showing up in downtown nightspots and suburban shopping centers from coast to coast.

Not since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has a crisis enveloped so much of the economy so quickly. Broadway is dark. The college basketball tournaments are canceled and professional sports are on indefinite hold. Conferences, concerts and St. Patrick’s Day parades have been called off or postponed. Even Disneyland — which stayed open through a recession a decade ago that wiped out millions of American jobs and trillions of dollars in wealth — is shuttered.

“This hits the heart of the economy, and it hits the economy on all sides,” said Diane Swonk, chief economist at Grant Thornton. “It’s not just that we’re slowing down things. We’re actually hitting the pause button, and there is no precedent, there is no mold for that.”

The effects are being felt even in places that the outbreak itself has not yet reached. Maine had not had a single diagnosed case of the virus when Ms. Hornor learned Wednesday that Bowdoin College, which accounts for 80 percent of her business, was calling off in-person classes and sending students home. Yet by midday the next day, she had lost 84 bookings, with more cancellations all but certain. At a somber staff meeting on Thursday, she told her 10 employees that she would try to avoid layoffs but that cuts in hours were inevitable.

“I have people who rely on me to be able to pay their rent,” she said. “Not only do I have no money coming in, I’m kind of hemorrhaging cash in terms of refunds for everyone.”

Now that the outbreak is hitting the consumers, the damage is all but certain to spread. JPMorgan Chase said Thursday that it expected the U.S. economy to contract in the first two quarters of the year, which would meet a common definition of a recession. A survey of prominent academic economists, also released Thursday, found that a majority thought the outbreak was likely to cause a “major recession.”

For caterers, function halls and others whose business depends on large groups of people gathering together, business dried up nearly overnight.

“It started Tuesday,” said Elizabeth Perez, the co-owner and marketing director for the Pavilion Grille in Boca Raton, Fla. “They were canceling Thursday night with a dinner for 47 people, and that was the first one.” Then an Ultimate Chefs’ dinner for 120 scheduled for March 22 was postponed. A bar mitzvah for 150 on May 30 canceled. “That’s at least $10,000,” Ms. Perez said. She normally employs 20 people at an event to serve food and bus tables. Since they are hourly workers, if there is no event, there is no pay.

It isn’t just the outbreak itself that is causing damage. The turmoil it has caused in the financial markets is also starting to spill over into the real economy.

Last weekend, Ms. Masching, a broker with Redfin in Silicon Valley, got three offers on a $1.2 million home she had listed in Mountain View. But by Monday, two people had rescinded their offers and the third tried to back out, citing stock market losses, after her client had accepted. At the same time, she said, prospective buyers are deciding to hold back offers on the belief that the carnage could eventually lead to lower home prices.

“Most of our clients are using stock for their down payment, and they don’t have the purchasing power they did even two weeks ago,” she said.

In much of the country, offices remain open, restaurants remain full and day-to-day life remains relatively normal, albeit with fewer handshakes and more hand washing. But in places where the virus is already widespread, the downturn is well underway.

In Seattle, the place hit hardest so far by the outbreak in the United States, the normally bustling South Lake Union neighborhood has been eerily quiet since Amazon and other tech companies with headquarters in the area told their employees to work from home. That has been a disaster for Tom Douglas, a local chef with a dozen restaurants. Business is down 90 percent from usual.

On Wednesday, Mr. Douglas told his staff that dinner service on Sunday would be the last for two or three months. He was shuttering his restaurants and laying off almost all of the roughly 800 employees. He planned to apply for unemployment himself and research federal disaster or small business loans.

“This is a serious natural disaster — I don’t think a lot of people are thinking about it that way just because there’s no winds and there’s no floods,” he said. “But this is a real natural disaster that’s affecting people at the most basic level.”

The pullback from public life is sending shock waves beyond the hospitality industry. When restaurants close their doors, they no longer need tablecloths delivered by linen services or beer from local brewers. When people stop flying, they no longer need taxis to the airport or $5 bottles of water from the airport newsstand.

Baden Sports, a sporting-goods manufacturer in the Seattle suburb of Renton, provides basketballs and baseballs for youth leagues and college tournaments, many of which are now being canceled. Jake Licht, who runs the company, has imposed a hiring freeze and is drawing up a budget in preparation for a recession.

“This is moving so fast,” Mr. Licht said. “We had meetings and planning sessions three days ago that have already been invalidated. This is an hour-by-hour management challenge.”

The speed of the crisis has outpaced economists’ ability to track it. As the stock market gyrated in recent days, economic data — most of it from February, before the outbreak was widespread in the United States — continued to look rosy. Even indicators that usually serve as early-warning systems have yet to catch up: New claims for unemployment insurance actually fell last week and remain near a multidecade low.

Still, there are early signs of a crisis that is still gaining steam. Measures of consumer sentiment fell sharply in early March, and indexes of business conditions have cratered. Airlines, ports, hotels and other directly affected industries have already announced layoffs or employee furloughs. Postings for restaurant jobs were down 26 percent last week compared with the same week a year ago, according to data from the job marketplace ZipRecruiter. Job listings in catering were down 39 percent and those in aviation down 44 percent.

“The behavior changes that could set off an economic cascade that will eventually be seen in the labor market are really being put into motion now,” said Julia Pollak, a labor economist at ZipRecruiter.

The workers who are feeling the effects of the pullback first are the ones least able to afford it: low-wage, hourly employees, many of whom aren’t paid if they miss work. Only one-third of leisure and hospitality workers have access to any paid time off, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Wallace McLeod has worked at TapWerks Ale House in Oklahoma City’s Bricktown district for five years, but he had never seen business as slow at the bar as it was on Thursday night. With 212 taps split between two stories, the pub would have been rocking with patrons heading to the Cher concert at the Chesapeake Energy Arena a few blocks away. “I wouldn’t be able to talk to you right now if the concert were going on,” he said in an interview.

Instead, Cher’s event was postponed, the bar was largely empty and a night that should have brought in as much as $13,000 in sales would be lucky to reach $4,000 if the regulars toughed it out. Bartenders expecting to make over $200 for the night would be lucky to bring home $80, Mr. McLeod said — which meant they, too, would rein in their spending.

“You have less money,” Mr. McLeod said, noting he would have to put off a birthday party for his daughter. “You can’t do as many things as you’re used to doing.”

The strength of the economy before the coronavirus hit may provide some protection. Companies that have spent recent years struggling to attract and retain workers may be reluctant to lay them off, especially if they expect a relatively rapid rebound.

Many businesses are doing whatever they can to hold on until then.

Canlis is one of Seattle’s highest-end restaurants, with a piano player who entertains customers at the bar and a four-course tasting menu that runs $135 a person. But when the outbreak began to spread in Seattle, business started to dry up. Mr. Canlis, one of the owners, realized that his business was “one headline away” from putting 100-plus employees out of a job.

So over a three-hour meeting in an apartment overlooking the city, the managers worked out a new plan. This week, the restaurant will start selling bagel sandwiches in the morning, running a drive-through serving burgers and veggie melts for lunch and delivering dinner to the doorsteps of Seattle residents.

“Fine dining is not what Seattle needs right now,” the restaurant said in an Instagram post announcing the change.

[wanderonwardsvanessa]

I was once told that Tulum is the ‘Bali’ of Central America and I was not let down. I was SO EXCITED to put together this Tulum Guide because there is just so much to see. The beaches are crystal clear, the drinks are ice cold, and the Instagram game is on FIRE. Not only is it aesthetically pretty cool, but there’s also an amazing cultural and historical side to the Yucatan Peninsula that you can easily participate in inbetween mojitos 😉I’ve included all of this and MORE in my Tulum guide below.

In my Tulum guide, you’re going to read about:

Instagrammable Places

Reasonable Accommodation

Food Culture & Food Tours

Budgeting

Free Google Maps Guide

Quick Call-out! The beauty of travel is that you get to support local economies with your business and as travel is Tulum’s main industry, you are an important part of this ecosystem! Congratulations! You matter immensely! Please be generous with your tipping and please do remember to take care of this ecosystem, as it’s still so well preserved. Also, if you’re planning to go to Mexico City as well, check out my Mexico City Guide.

Tulum Guide to Instagrammable Places

Tulum is an Instagrammer’s DREAM, but try not to get lost in the hype. As an AVID Instagrammer myself, even I got a bit drained from the hype, the lines for photos, and the general focus on ascetics over experience. Tulum is truly an incredible place filled with natural cenotes (freshwater lakes in caves), pastel restaurants, and most importantly, photogenic food 🤣 – you’ll leave with an incredible feed and a fresh tan for sure. My Tulum guide will give you a little bit of everything 🙂

Top 4 Instagrammable places:

Casa Malca

As the former residence of Narco boss – Pablo Escobar, today Casa Malca is an insanely beautiful boutique hotel for the world’s wealthy. They have an iconic swing with a cascading waterfall of wedding dresses along the sides that there will often be a line for. So get there early. Rooms start at 400£ per night, so it’s much easier to purchase a day pass to the facilities for £40 pp, which you can spend on drinks and lunch.

Nomade

Starting at a whopping £1000 per night, Nomade is the second home to New York’s wealthiest and for good reason. Their picturesque beaches, linen details, and dream-catcher themed decorations make it an Instagram HEAVEN. Be warned, there are lines for the best photo ops AND there are no DSLRs or mirrorless cameras allowed and smoothies will put you out 8£.

Tulum Guide Hack: When you arrive at the entrance, just ask to ‘have lunch’ at Nomade’s restaurant. This way, you’ll get in without an issue and you can scope out where you want to stay on the beach!

Matcha Mama

Everything on the menu is Instagram GOLD. With their pastel wall paintings and delicious, ice-cold treats this is the perfect place to chill and beat the 31 C degree heat. I would 100% recommend their acas bowl to share and do be sure to nibble on their CBD treats! I have loads more recommendations for food further down my Tulum guide, but this was the most classically ‘Instagrammable’ by far.

Grand Cenote

Get there at opening or don’t come at all if I’m being honest. We arrived 10 minutes before open time and there were already a few mini-buses of tourists waiting to get in. However, it is truly STUNNING and if you have an underwater camera, NOW is the time to break it out. You’ll need to shower before they let you into the Cenote for the safety of the wildlife and to preserve the water quality so don’t go with a full face of make-up. You will look beat to hell lol.

Accommodation

Zendero Hotel – City Center

With some of these mega resorts pricing in at £1000 per night, it’s easy to lose control of your finances. Normal people want to travel too so I’ve tried to give reasonable recommendations in my Tulum Guide. We were staying in Tulum city center at Zendero Hotel and we had a FABULOUS time. It was perfectly located on the corner of where both lifelines meet – Highway 15 & Highway 307 – so it was the perfect launching point for when we wanted to do any activities. We were a mere 5 minute walking distance from any major restaurant in Tulum city and then an easy drive from up and down the major highways to any major beach resort or cenote.

Details:

$130 – $150 per night

Prime location, rooftop pool, new facilities

Good for couples, solo travelers and small groups

What was particularly wonderful about Zendero Hotel was how normal the patrons and the staff were. Perhaps my biggest criticism of Tulum was the fact that many people were there to be seen instead of to experience all of the wonderful things that Mexico had to offer.  If you’re never going to leave the resort, you’re not really experiencing a country!

Food Culture

In Tulum, you can find incredible local places that have reasonable prices… or you can swing to the other end of the spectrum and go all out. I’ve dropped LOADS of pins on my Free Google Map that can be dowloaded below.

If you have a specialist diet (i.e. gluten-free, vegan, etc) then you’ve come to the right place!! There are so many specialty restaurants and substitutions are easy to do. As someone who is lactose intolerant AND gluten intolerant, I was in absolute HEAVEN in Tulum because there were so many options.

Viajes Con Ciencia – Food Tours

Whilst in Tulum, you absolutely need to get involved with the local Mayan culture that is unique to the Yucatan Peninsula. I can only recommend Viajes Con Ciencia after being taken around by the owner and Mayan expert, Adrian. With tours available in French, Spanish and English, Viajes Con Ciencia (or ‘Travel with Science’) provides incredible insight into the Yucatan Peninsula’s native history with a visit to Chichén Itzá and a traditional Mayan dinner in a local village. Just before dinner, you’re also going to experience a ‘secret cenote’ that is nearly private for you and your group.

After visiting Tenochtitlan in Mexico City, I wanted to compare what I learned there with the Mayan architecture and history so I chose to experience the Chichen Itza History & Food Tour with Viajes Con Ciencia.

The agenda included:

Early AM pick-up at our hotel via a private minibus

Coffee & breakfast break

Minibus drive through Yucatan + history insights

Entrance fees + guided tour of Chichen Itza (Mayan Ruins)

Secret Cenote experience

Mayan food experience at local homestay

Charming village visit at sunset

Adrian, the owner and our guide for the day, is so knowledgeable and amazing! He spent many, many years living amongst the Mayan people to learn their history, culture, and language in a more authentic way. Adrian would flick between 3 different languages like NOTHING and can understand the ancient Mayan language decently; if you want a truly authentic Mayan experience, this the tour for you.

Budgeting

Tulum is NOT cheap if you decide to stay at one of the huge resorts along the beach.  Where you are staying will often dictate the length of your budget due to food, drinks, and other luxuries; however, here are my top tips for budgeting whilst you’re in Tulum.

Rent a car! This is the most cost effective way to get around Tulum (other than with a bike) as transfers to and from the airport will often cost you MORE than just renting a car for the whole week. For 6 days, we spent about $200 for our mid-size sedan with National Car Rental. This was WITH all of the super fancy and expensive insurances. From what we heard, people were paying up to up to $100 for a taxi to Tulum and then a second $100 to get back to the airport.

Eat in the city center! Staying at your resort is comfortable, but all the best local and affordable food is found in the city center. I’ve dropped LOADS of pins in my Google Maps map down below.

Go resort hopping!… instead of staying at the super expensive resorts. This is what we did with Nomade and Casa Malca (described above) as a SINGLE night at either was between £400 – £1000. At Casa Malca, there was a £40 cover charge per person that we were allowed to spend on food and there was no charge to beach crash at Nomade. The trick is to say you want to ‘eat at the restaurant’ and then you buy a drink and go kick it at the beach with your own snacks. #NailedIt

Thanks for Reading my Tulum Guide!

In summary, Tulum is a magical place where you can relax and recharge at your own pace. However, like all major resort hubs, if you want to experience the REAL Mexico, you’ll need to make a conscious effort to explore outside of your resort and I promise you won’t be disappointed! I hope you’ve enjoyed my Tulum guide and all of the various options I’ve provided. I want normal people to have an incredible experience, no matter what your budget is!

Free Downloadable Google Map!

Use my downloadable Google Layer for your Google Maps app. I’ve put LOADS of food recommendations and I’ve organized them by deliciousness lol. Just click the ‘[ ]’ to open it on your Google Maps app.

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Tulum, Mexico: Guide to Instagrammable Places, Incredible Food Culture & More! I was once told that Tulum is the ‘Bali’ of Central America and I was not let down.

[easyfoodnetwork]

Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images To help struggling restaurants, states across the country have loosened up laws around to-go and delivery drinks — and it’s hard to imagine going back By 3 p.m. on Saturday, when Dutch Kills’s cocktail window opened for business, there were already a half-dozen people lined up outside. The famous Queens “speakeasy” has given up the last pretense of being secret, with a bartender in a mask taking orders — martinis, Manhattans, mai tais — next to a sandwich board that asks patrons to “keep it safe and keep it moving!” There were snacks for sale, too. And for an extra $2, I could get a float of 12-year rum on my pina colada. I spent the $2, and set off on the half-hour walk home, my only concern being how to thread the straw underneath my face mask. Two months ago, openly walking down the street with a cocktail would have been impossible, and drinking outside would have required the minor conspiracy of pouring wine into an opaque water bottle before going to the park, or brown-bagging it on the subway. Across the country, it is largely illegal to consume alcohol in public spaces, to take a drink to-go from a restaurant or bar, or to purchase a bottle of liquor from anywhere but a liquor or grocery store. It’s a confusing system — as long as the drinking age is 21, most liquor laws are left to states and local municipalities — and mostly it boils down to having to consume alcohol in your home or on the premises of a restaurant, bar, or arena, and that walking around on the street with a beer is a big taboo. But in order to provide restaurants and bars with a boost during the COVID-19 pandemic, many states have loosened liquor laws, allowing patrons to get cocktails or wine to-go from delivery windows, or have them delivered with their food. It seems to be working quite well, both for businesses and customers; businesses get to offload more product at a time when every penny counts, and customers get to enjoy mixologist-quality cocktails at home. And it raises the question of why the hell it hasn’t been like this the whole time. The new, temporary liquor regulations have their own quirks and inconsistencies, but most states have made it easier to obtain alcohol: In New York and California, alcohol can be delivered or taken to-go, as long as it’s accompanied by food, and restaurants can sell whole bottles of wine and spirits. In Chicago, restaurants and bars can sell “sealed packaged goods in their original container,” like bottles of wine or cans of beer, but not pre-mixed cocktails. The same goes for Washington and Texas, though restaurants are selling “cocktail kits” so you can make your own at home. Public intoxication and public drinking laws remain, but anecdotally, there seems to be mixed enforcement. Fewer people are in public. And everyone has bigger fish to fry. Richard Boccato, founder of Dutch Kills, was initially skeptical of booze delivery. “The takeout window came first, because the window was there, and we didn’t know what else to do,” he says. “But I wasn’t initially excited about [delivery] because of health concerns, not wanting to put myself and my staff at risk.” He also knew Dutch Kills mostly attracted locals — ”people don’t usually make the trip from fancier zip codes out to Long Island City.” However, with a bar full of cases of spirits, and the infrastructure to deliver through their ice company, he was willing to try. Restaurants typically make about 30 percent of revenue from alcohol sales, and for bars, it’s obviously much higher. So being able to move alcohol means an extra shot (sorry) at survival. Boccato says that their cocktail packages, which include the bar’s signature ice blocks and a QR code for a Spotify playlist of their jukebox’s most popular selections, have been a hit. And on top of their take-out window and their cocktail delivery service, they also have whole bottles of specialty spirits for sale. “As far as what percentage of our regular business that has earned us, it’s an infinitesimal fraction, but considering what’s happening we can’t complain too much,” he says. Other restaurants consider the loosened laws an incredible lifeline. “I personally love this license. I wish we could keep this license forever,” says Gina Chersevani, owner of Buffalo & Bergen in Washington, D.C., which is providing bagels and sandwiches as well as cocktails to-go. “The coolest thing in the world is to be able to pick up breakfast and bring home a Bloody Mary.” Chersevani says that alcohol sales currently account for about 20 percent of business on a busy day like Saturday, far lower than the 50/50 food to alcohol sales they were doing before the pandemic. But it helps to both keep money coming in, and to remind customers of everything they have to offer, even if they don’t feel immediately safe going out once things reopen. “Drinking in a bar is great but it’s a different option... we can provide for both of those worlds.” Chersevani said it took a few days to figure out how to prepare cocktails both safely and in accordance with the new laws, which require alcohol orders to be sealed, and that they include at least one food item: “It’s extra steps.” She says it’s led some bars to break the rules, which she worries could ruin the opportunity to extend this license for everyone else. But she looks to life in New Orleans as a model, where open container laws allow for people to walk around with to-go cocktails, and says there’s no reason that shouldn’t work in a small, walkable city like D.C. “I don’t know if everyone is going to want to keep [these laws], but for my fast-casual business this could work really well for me in the future.” Anyone who has ever visited the handful of towns and entertainment districts in the U.S. that allow for public consumption of alcohol (or like, Europe) has probably come back with a story of a good time. For those who consume alcohol, the freedom of being able to walk up to a kitchen window, get a sandwich and an alcoholic slushie to go, either taking it home or having a picnic with no one being the wiser is just fun. It almost seems redundant to explain — if you could walk along the river front and watch the sunset while sipping on a frosé, wouldn’t you? And if you can now, how on earth is the government going to take that back? Chersevani’s point about small, walkable cities highlights one of the big problems: America doesn’t have many of those. What we have instead is large, drivable cities, suburban sprawl, and rural expanses over which public transportation is inaccessible, which means most people face the question of drinking or driving. Allowing cocktails and wine to-go likely ups the chances someone will enjoy their martini from their car’s cupholder, and any laws enacted would have to include provisions about curbing drunk driving. Even New York’s Boccato does have some trepidation about a permanent switch to cocktails to-go, though. Current laws already make bartenders liable for over-serving, and it would make it harder for a bartender to track intoxication if you can get a bottle of Negronis to-go. However, he notes that the paradise described above already existed. “I grew up in New York City, drinking 40s on the subway and on the stoops and in the parks,” he says. Open container laws have never stopped people from drinking in public. Instead, it’s always been an issue of who gets away with it. Racism and classism heavily influence who police target for public consumption — someone drinking a glass of wine on the stoop of their million-dollar Brooklyn brownstone is less likely to be called out than the people with the cooler of beers on the public beach. “It’s another racist law used almost universally against the poor, it’s usually an excuse for police to stop and investigate,” says Niki Ganong, author of The Field Guide To Drinking In America, pointing to statistics showing that, in one month in Brooklyn, 85 percent of those issued summonses for drinking in public were Latino, while just 4 percent were white. Permanently loosening open container and alcohol to-go regulations could mean equal enjoyment, and no more excuse for police harassment. But even if open container laws remain enforced, it’s easy to see how alcohol and cocktail delivery and takeout could become a part of a new dining reality. “The cat’s out of the bag, especially in regards to delivery,” says Ganong. “The whole reason laws were loosened in the first place was to allow struggling businesses to earn some money any way they could. That’s not going to change for a long time, even after things reopen.” Restaurants are going to need all the revenue they can get, and being able to offer a cocktail in the dining room or with a take-out meal just means more options to make money. Plus, customers are used to it now. “They say that habits are formed after a month!” says Ganong. As more states contemplate the reopening of business, expanded liquor laws would continue to provide an extra revenue option for restaurants — in Texas, where restaurants are reopening, the TABC has also ruled they can still offer booze to-go — and allow customers to continue enjoying drinks at home if they don’t feel comfortable being in crowds. Walking home with my pina colada, getting slowly tipsy in the sun, hurt no one. I was excited that I could enjoy a drink crafted with far more care than I was capable of, especially considering I don’t own a blender. I was happy to be enjoying a sunny day outside, and to maybe pretend I was in New Orleans. But I was in Queens, and maybe soon enough it’ll stop feeling like I’m getting away with something. Maybe it’ll just feel like normal. from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2ylCpFp

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