# Drinking While Shopping



## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

I just read that you can buy beer or wine at certain Whole Foods markets in Texas and drink while shopping. What do you think of this concept?

Shel


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

You'll probably spend more.

At some point they'll get sued because of an accident and then things will revert to normal.

Phil


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## nowiamone (Jan 23, 2005)

Is this truth or dare, or just a time for true confessions??? I will admit to loving it!!! 
About two days before Christmas, when I am absolutely hassled and holiday stressed, I go to do the shopping for my family meals. My children, in their 30's come home from afar, but still expect the holiday spectacular their mother provides. I walk in to the store, order a tall latte, and discreetly add a small bottle Crown, Bailey's, anything, and proceed with my shopping. About aisle 2 I really start to enjoy it. I visit with folks that I very seldom see that are shopping; aisle 4 I'm humming Christmas carols and my meal planning is getting more expansive and my cart is getting fuller. Of course when I walk out into the blowing snow and start loading the groceries in the truck at 20 below, it's a sobering moment. 
All and all it's not a bad concept, but I have be come a woman of small, simple pleasures.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Being from the Lone Star State. It's a great way to shop!!! Also a great way to pair certain foods to wines or beer.
Hey! Hey!, use my eco friendly designer bag there sonny!:beer:
Where the devil did I park??:crazy: 
Oh look, there is hay bails around the melon display, think I'll take a short nap
II'mm sorry, what were we talkin about?


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## chef ladybug (Aug 14, 2007)

Seeing as I am 21... I don't need to tell you all that the concept thrills me. But I also wonder if people will start interpreting this as if it's OK to drink and drive. Most people I know don't walk to the store; they drive. They'll have to wait for the alcohol's effect to wear off before they can get behind the wheel. The only way that I can see this happening is if the aforementioned store does not have a parking lot. But, since I don't drive much and am almost always the passenger, I can love (and encourage) the idea all I want.

Drink up! :beer:

Short-sightedly,
Chef Ladybug.


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## free rider (May 23, 2006)

Our Whole Foods has beer and wine tastings. It's not walking around drinking a whole beer or a whole glass of wine. Just tastings of what may be on special that week or whatever the manager has decided. Of course, this is Arizona, not Texas.


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## deltadoc (Aug 15, 2004)

It's my understanding that you can drink beer in Texas while driving. Shopping carts seem even less dangerous! And they got rubber bumpers on them too, don't they?

Just watch out for the grocery police! 

doc


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

We just opened a Fresh Market last week. A friend is one of the wine distributors who supplies about 40% of their stock in that particular store. I got a rather liberal pouring and was floating serenely out to the parking lot. (I'm not much of a drinker!). I turned on the air conditiong to high, blasted myself with cool air, and drove exactly at the speed limit all the way home.


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## free rider (May 23, 2006)

Now the question is... did you stay on the road?


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## botanique (Mar 23, 2005)

I'll have to try the coffee trick, but unfortunately crown royal makes me ill -- perhaps I'll just pour champaign into a coffee cup and pretend away.... Oh wait, I just did that at my man's cousin's wedding in LA this weekend! :blush: Oh, did I just say that out loud??? The reception was held at the church so only punch was available (and not the spiked kind) and I was meeting the entire family for the first time. Now that's another story in itself :crazy: I survived -- of course not everyone fell in love with me, but ah well, what can you do....

Getting back to the topic at hand -- but straying somewhat (who me?) -- in Germany you can go to the mall or some stores, order a glass of wine or a beer and enjoy while shopping. I happen to think it makes it a much more relaxing experience -- especially when power shopping. And in reference to drinking and driving, you don't have to have a whole bottle or keg, just a glass or two for a relaxing flush of the cheeks and off you go!


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## free rider (May 23, 2006)

And in Germany, there's efficient public transportation. Perhaps US drinking rules are strict because we're pretty much forced into driving everywhere.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

you go to bars have a drink or two and drive.....you go to a restuarant drink and drive.....

In Louisiana, New Orleans specifically at Schwegman's it's called "makin' groceries".....I just about dropped my teeth the first time I saw this older woman pull a six pack out of the refer and pop one open....it's truly a way of life. 

I just don't drink enough to remember to add Khalua to coffee.....gotta pull that bottle down and put it on the counter.

The second farmer's market I opened was on Wed. afternoon's 4-7pm in a Brewery parking lot! Happy Hour at it's best.


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

Yeah! Fortunately it wasn't a very busy time of day. :crazy:


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## scarecrobot (Jun 15, 2007)

It's not where you drink it's how you drink. If you find that you can't go to the grocery store because you might get messed up for the drive home you have a problem all your own. 
Shroomgirl - Schwegmann's WOW. you must be old school girl. That family chain closed down about 10 years ago just to update, much to the heartache of the city. It's been said that NO is one of the few places that could get all emotional over a grocery store.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

doc,
Are you trying to give us a bad name here? 
Most know that the only way to drink beer while driving in Tx. is to pass the beer-can test. It's a matter of calculating the air pressure and drift-curl as you pitch that bugger out the window and have it land in the forward 1/3 section of the truck bed at 75 mph.


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## deltadoc (Aug 15, 2004)

Well, I thought that in Texas, like for instance a couple of guys that I know, were driving along drinking beer when the driver saw up ahead a traffic inspection point. As I heard it, he quickly told his passenger to tear off the labels from the two open cans of beer. Much to the surprise of the passenger, the driver slapped one of the labels on the passenger's forehead, and the other on his own forehead.

When they got to the traffic inspection point, the cop asked "You guys been drinking?".

The driver's immediate response was, "No sir! We's on the patch!".

doc


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

:lol::beer: very nice


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

rotfl......you guys....I've been away from the south for way way to long....

old school....yep, I went to St. Mary's Dominican on Broadway/St. Charles 1976 for a year, then moved to Memphis on to DeRidder for 3 years and 12 years in Baton Rouge 1995ish....moved to St. Louis.

new orleans has a huge part of my heart and I've not been back since Katrina....just afraid it would break in two.....the running line in NO is that when you're eating your talking about your next meal, there is just an accepted attitude that food/company are what make life worth living. bon temp roule, mon cher.


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