Thursday, March 12, 2009


ONE LOCAL PUB + YOU
- ANY FRIENDS

= POTENTIALLY AWKWARD






pic from here


The other day I attempted something I have never done before. I went to my local and had a beer all by myself. i was walking past the pub and I thought "I really feel like a drink". It didn't look busy so I went in.

I am not sure what possessed me. Drinking alone is not the kind of behaviour I usually engage in. I know that on TV women drink in bars alone all the time but I had it in my head that in reality the only women doing it where alcoholics and prostitutes.

I thought I'd feel uncomfortable perched at the end of the bar with nobody to talk to but it turns out I wasn't alone for very long. The bar staff kept me company, we had a great chat about the merits of living in an atrium and the best 3 fruits to have with you when stranded on an island. I also met a few of the regulars and scored myself a few free pots.

What was supposed to be one quick drink turned into drinks after closing with the staff. I ended up having a surprisingly entertaining night but it very easily could have gone the other way. Below are some tips for drinking alone (some of which I am struggling with):

1. If you are a novice to drinking alone try going to your local on a quiet night and sit at the bar. A good bar tender will take pity on you and engage you in polite conversation. If you go on a busy night they won't have time and you will end up feeling in the way.

2. Don't get hammered. No one wants to be the drunk girl being shoved into a taxi by a group of people they don't know.

3. Don't go alone every time or to often. This is the tip I am having the most trouble with. Now whenever I get bored I want to go for a beer (if you saw the staff at my local you would understand why).

4. Girls dress casual. Casual = approachable. You don't want to waste your good outfits on a half empty bar.

5. Keep in mind the staff are paid to be friendly.

10 comments:

  1. Another tip is to take something to do. Read a book, write in a journal, do some knitting. People will have an "in" for conversation and you'll also feel like you're there for a purpose other than drinking on your own.

    Good on you for alone drinking! You should do it more.

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  2. Birdie you are so right. I can't believe I forgot that one.

    Besides, I went out again last night and I broke tip number 2 and 5. So forget everything I said. I don't know anything.

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  3. haha love it. I've been too scared to go down to my new local on my own, but it doesn't sound that bad after all. Thanks for the tips!

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  4. Yes! This is exactly what a local is for! But sometimes the nearest local isn't the best local for this putpose :(

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  5. Oops. I meant purpose. God knows what a putpose is...

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  6. I'm a bartender, I love it when people come in alone and want to have a chat. It isn't taking pity, it's what I and a lot of bartenders like doing.

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  7. Amanda,

    Thanks for leaving me a sweet comment. I was laughing reading your other blog and even found one of my neckcoolers/dress featured there too! Yey! you made my day :)
    Jenya

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  8. or if you can draw take a sketchbook

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  9. I was going to suggest taking a book, but see I've been beaten to it.

    I love going to the cinema by myself which some consider sad, but I love it. I can cry and I don't have to share my bag of lollies.

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  10. yeah i love movies on my own too! you can see whatEVER you want...

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