Whatever possessed me to go the wine and spirit store at 4 PM on New Year’s Eve is beyond me. I should have gone the day before, but nooooooo, I went when every other person in this city decided to go.

Allow me to interject here that Pennsylvania is a strictly regulated state when it comes to alcohol and can only be purchased in a liquor store. Whereas in Florida (where I lived for 20 years), you can purchase wine and beer in grocery stores, convenient stores and most drug stores (like CVS and Walgreen’s). When I went back to Florida last year to visit my family, I had forgotten how awesomely convenient that was.

Anyway, as I walked up to the store (which by the way is a brand new store) I could tell, just from looking through the widows that it was PACKED with customers. I stood outside and pondered, “Do I really want to do this?” But then I thought, “Why not…no matter what store I go to, it’s going to be crowded.” So, I went inside and decided to make it an adventure. Besides, I had my camera with me so I knew I could take pictures and write a blog post about it.

Isn’t it hilarious how we bloggers are always thinking blog post?

First of all, it was so crowded that I couldn’t even get to the Cabernet Sauvignon section of wines because the line of people waiting to get to the cash register, wrapped around the entire store; blocking the shelves. And the customers were so paranoid that someone else was going to cut in line, that there were no spaces between them to even see what was on the shelves.

Finally, I found the wine section I was looking for and had to say, “Excuse me, but I need to get in between you so that I can quickly grab a bottle off that shelf.” A woman so kindly said, “Sure, go right ahead.”

After I got my wine, I then had to figure out where the check out line started. And low and behold, it started waaaaaaay on the other side of the store by the front entrance. And you will be able to tell from the next series of photographs, how big this liquor store is. It looks like a MEGA wine and spirit store.

So I took my bottle of wine and marched myself to the end of the line.

Then very nonchalantly, I pulled out my camera and started snapping photos so that I could show you how LONG the line was.

I did eventually make it to the other side of the line, but even still…

I have to say that the cashier who rang me up was a delight – very friendly, upbeat and quick. And I told her so; thanked her, and then wished her a Happy New Year.

All in all I probably only had to wait in line maybe 15-20 minutes, so I didn’t think it was that bad.

But as I walk out the door though, I turned around and noticed that there was now a line just to get INTO the store. In fact, the store manager had to stand outside and monitor how many people could enter by how many people exited.

OY VEY! 

And as I walked away, I took one last look through the windows and thought, “Shit, I’m glad I went at 4 PM instead of 5 PM.

Oh and by the way, this is the bottle of wine I purchased from Rex-Goliath. It’s a fabulous Cabernet, but I have also tried their Pinot Noir and Shiraz, which are equally as fabulous. 

Happy Monday y’all!