The
Post sent a 20-year-old intern into various bars and bodegas, mostly in the East Village and Lower East Side, and discovered that --
OMG! -- many places served him a drink... even though his New Jersey license showed that he is underage.
Per the story:
He got served at an astonishing 17 of 30 establishments -- 57 percent -- despite the stores and gin joints facing fines up to $10,000 and the loss of their state liquor licenses.
Many of the spots, selected randomly from among 132 places with underage State Liquor Authority violations from May 1, 2009 to May 1, 2010, never bothered to ask the college sophomore for his ID -- a valid New Jersey driver's license showing his birthday, Aug. 29, 1989.
And! At Kate's Joint, at 58 Ave. B, a female bartender asked for his ID, looked at the license briefly and poured the intern a Blue Moon draft, waving at the owner herself, Kate, as she sat at the bar, which had two signs cautioning that drinking was not legal for those under 21.
Her only question: "Would you like some orange wedges with that?"
A male bartender at Cosmic Cantina, at 99 Third Avenue, looked over the license before selling the intern a bottle of Dos Equis for $5. He then said, "This is for you," and poured a free shot of tequila. When the intern walked out, the bartender encouraged him to take the open but untouched beer with him.
A few things about this story:
--Why would anyone order Blue Moon? It tastes like moldy water.
--Did he accept the orange slices?
--I like the bar at Kate's.
--
Cosmic Cantina's last day is today... they didn't renew their lease.
--Did he drink any of the beers? What a waste of a lot of drinks!
--This sounds like any other weekend around here.
--Been more interesting to do this story while NYU is in session...when bartenders are
seemingly more vigilant about the kids looking for some drinks...
[Photo by Angel Chevrestt for the Post]
