Pubs vs Bars

Having lived most of my life within the state of Indiana where children cannot enter a drinking establishment or even pass through a bar, I did not ever cultivate or understand the habit of stopping at a neighborhood beer joint. I was already married and a mother by the time I turned twenty-one so when I could legally enter a bar within the state of Indiana I had neither the inclination nor the money to do so. In addition, I really do not like the taste of beer.

When we moved to Chicago, where neighborhood bars are often the best dinning spot as well as local watering hole, I saw a little clearer the appeal of the neighborhood tap. However, as drinking and smoking often go hand in hand and I cannot tolerate being in a smoky environment (and Chicago had not yet banned smoking in public places) I still did not frequent bars very often.

I often read about people gathering at their local “pub” and of course watched the television show Cheers, but I still could not grasp the appeal of why anyone would want to spend more money for a glass of wine and/or watch a baseball game with a bunch of other people when doing these two things at home in my jammies would be much more comfortable and cheaper. I never really got the difference between a bar and a pub – they seemed the same to me…but I could not have been more mistaken.



Two of my knitting heroes, Lucy Neatby and Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, who both happen to be Canadians, often mention “going to the local pub for a pint” from time to time and I still not did not get it…THEN, while we were in Kingston, Ontario, I finally got it. We were having lunch at the Kingston Brewing Company and I looked around the Pub and I fell in love with the atmosphere, camaraderie (even though I did not know anyone present other than Captain Mark) and the wide selection of ale products. People were watching the sporting events on the TV while laughing and chatting as they ate lunch. As I looked around, I could understand how easy it would be for me, like Lucy and Stephanie, to bring my knitting with me as I joined my buds and had a pint every once in a while.