UbuRoivas has cable!

March 22, 2007 6:15 PM

UbuRoivas has cable! (USB, that is). This allows me to post the remainder of the pics from the recent Sydney meetup, featuring our own celebrity librarian.
posted by UbuRoivas to MetaFilter Gatherings at 6:15 PM (31 comments total)

Jessamyn departs for the Ladies' Parlor (sic). Australian pub culture traditionally required women to drink in a separate parlour, where they may only be served shandies (beer mixed with lemonade) in small glasses. In recent years, this rule had been relaxing somewhat, but a wave of refugees from Afghanistan, Iran & Iraq has caused a sudden revival of this segregation, so as not to offend the sensibilities of any Mohammedan patrons.

Prior to banishment by pub staff, Web Goddess appears unimpressed with her shandy.

With the women out of the way, Dhruva & Zamboni contemplate the meaning of life, with Peacay looking on, and Quip does his best Dr Evil impression.

(Apologies to anybody missed...I wasn't feeling particularly snappy)
posted by UbuRoivas at 6:15 PM on March 22, 2007

Me? A shandy? NEVER! More like I was unimpressed at paying $8 for a beer.

I did drink a "Snakebite" in London once. Now that's awful.
posted by web-goddess at 9:31 PM on March 22, 2007

What's the explanation down under for calling a drinking establishment a hotel?
posted by brujita at 9:38 PM on March 22, 2007

Going from the lighting it seems that you were all getting lubed up at around 9AM.
posted by Burhanistan at 10:05 PM on March 22, 2007

brujita, I was curious about Muslims frequenting pubs in the first place, but I think the wiki article on Aussie pubs answers both our questions:

Accommodation was another vital facet of Australian pub operation, and indeed it is the origin of the pub's "proper" business title — Australian pubs are usually registered for business under the formal name "hotel", and the more upmarket pubs often reversed this, placing the word "Hotel" before the name (e.g. the Hotel Australia). Many city, suburban and country pubs offered reasonably-priced accommodation, as well as dining facilities for visitors and business people, and this tradition continues, with pubs joining together in an accommodation cooperative that operates under the name "PubStay".

So perhaps even more than its British namesake, the Australian pub functions as a center for social interaction in towns large and small, and is clearly not just a place to imbibe.

Another article, a 2003 review of a study called Beyond the Ladies Lounge, elaborates on the role of women in the pub culture Down Under.

Cool stuff; this should really go to the blue!
posted by rob511 at 10:07 PM on March 22, 2007

Snakebites: I thought only goths drank those (cider & blackcurrant, yeh?)

Hotels: I think the old liquor licensing laws required that a pub had to offer accommodation, or rather, that you could only sell grog if you were a hotel, quite literally. All the old-style pubs have rooms upstairs, that are often rented out as backpacker accommodation, or else they have longish-term residents, a tiny bit like low-budget serviced apartments. If you google the venue - The Australian Hotel, in The Rocks (suburb) - you will find that its upstairs rooms are now a "boutique hotel".
posted by UbuRoivas at 10:12 PM on March 22, 2007

burhanistan: it was a typically bright & sunny Sydney day, early afternoon. This made the inside of the hotel considerably darker than the glarey reflected light beaming in through the windows. I hate using flash with a passion, and compensated the exposure as much as my camera would let me - the resultant light in the snaps is, well, what resulted.
posted by UbuRoivas at 11:02 PM on March 22, 2007

$8 for a beer?

/horrified
posted by Wolof at 11:02 PM on March 22, 2007

You should be horrified. I nearly choked when they told me. This is what comes of having meet-ups in tourist pubs to show off for the visitors.

I vote next meetup in an RSL. I need some $3 beers to balance it out.
posted by web-goddess at 11:25 PM on March 22, 2007

...and Quip does his best Dr Evil impression.

Hey, just 'cause a guy has a big nose and no hair doesn't mean he's an evil genius.


or does it...
posted by qwip at 4:13 AM on March 23, 2007

Snakebites: I thought only goths drank those (cider & blackcurrant, yeh?)

IIRC, 'snakebite' is 50/50 beer and cider. 'Snakebite & black' is the same but with added blackcurrant cordial.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:31 AM on March 23, 2007

(snakebite: a mixture of lager and cider. Adding blackcurrant is a popular means of making it at all palatable)
posted by thoughtless at 5:33 AM on March 23, 2007

More like I was unimpressed at paying $8 for a beer.

8 bucks for an australian beer? ... for that kind of money, one should get a picture of the horse, too
posted by pyramid termite at 5:56 AM on March 23, 2007 [2 favorites]

Jessamyn departs for the Ladies' Parlor

Waitwaitwait... Are you trying to tell me women can't drink with men in Australian pubs? And they can't get anything but shandy? In the 21st century?

WHAT
THE'
FUCK
AUSTRALIA?
posted by languagehat at 6:30 AM on March 23, 2007

looks like it was (kinda) fun, except for the drinks.

(in Cologne a lot of people drink kolsch--the local beer--with coke--feh)
posted by amberglow at 6:49 AM on March 23, 2007

isn't 8 australian only 4 american? that's not a lot.
posted by amberglow at 6:51 AM on March 23, 2007

amberglow, in NYC a lot of people drink beer with coke, too.
posted by mds35 at 7:09 AM on March 23, 2007

Oh, you meant...









Oh.
posted by mds35 at 7:10 AM on March 23, 2007

: >
posted by amberglow at 7:28 AM on March 23, 2007

Waitwaitwait... Are you trying to tell me women can't drink with men in Australian pubs? And they can't get anything but shandy? In the 21st century?

I assumed some sort of Aussie humor was taking place that was over my head. But since the indomitable hat is registering incredulity, I too will inquire as to what the fuck is going on.
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 8:15 AM on March 23, 2007

8 Australian dollars = 6.4216 U.S. dollars.
posted by Partial Law at 9:24 AM on March 23, 2007

ahhh (our dollar is pathetically weak)
posted by amberglow at 9:43 AM on March 23, 2007

I assumed some sort of Aussie humor was taking place that was over my head

Yeah, on reflection I guess it must be Aussie humor—they couldn't possibly segregate men and women. Had me going, though. Damn, I thought Aussie humor was rough and in-your-face, not something you'd have to squint to make out.
posted by languagehat at 10:48 AM on March 23, 2007

damn, wish i coulda gone but i think Uburovias would object. but perhaps AG and Languagehat would watch my back.
;#)
((my poirot mustache smile))
posted by clavdivs at 1:38 PM on March 23, 2007

no way, clavdivs, me & me mates are just dying to meet you. we'll wear togas & all!

AUD$8 a beer...well, these were touristic pints, not the schooners that you normally buy in aussie pubs (a schooner is approx 375ml. A pint is some sort of metric measure, I think...1/16th of a liquid gallon or something). They were also boutique beers, not the generic slops that sadly pass for mass-market 'beer' in oz.

languagehat: humour, if you will.
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:52 PM on March 23, 2007

languagehat: Australian humour has a long and proud tradition of misrepresentation and exaggeration - it's cheerily referred to as "taking the piss".

Regarding the Ladies' Lounge, it's a historical relic. See also rob511's link above.

UbuRoivas: A pint's 568ml (20 fl oz). If we're being technical, a schooey's also an imperial measure - 15 fl. oz.

pyramid termite: Oh, you must mean this one.
posted by zamboni at 3:14 AM on March 24, 2007

And of course, once you go to Victoria they have a whole 'nother nomenclature that really messes you up. Pots? I kept expecting the beer to come in little ceramic mugs.
posted by web-goddess at 5:51 AM on March 24, 2007

I should also note that, no thanks to you lot, I did manage to finish my knitting for the Easter Show and turn it in today. Just in case you were wondering.
posted by web-goddess at 5:56 AM on March 24, 2007

zamboni: or this one
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:40 PM on March 24, 2007

web-goddess: the Royal Easter Show?
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:42 PM on March 24, 2007

Yup. I'm competin' against all the old ladies. Too bad I'll actually be out of the country during the Show! But if any of you go, and you happen to swing by the Arts section, have a look at the Knitting and see if I win. Trust me, you'll be able to spot my entries. :)
posted by web-goddess at 6:31 PM on March 24, 2007