"You have a baby! In a bar!"

In Las. Vegas, kids are not allowed in bars. A few years ago, when it was decided that bars that sold food had to be non-smoking (oh, how I loved that!) a few bars added dining areas where kids could go and eat. We liked to go to one neighborhood bar, The Outside Inn, for fish (they served walleye!) and chips and the boys would come along and get chicken fingers or burgers. We all enjoyed it. But then the bars allowed smoking again, the dining areas went away, kids weren't allowed anymore, and because I'm so sensitive to cigarette smoke, I didn't go anymore, either.

Our first weekend here in Bemidji, Craig and I went to Bemidji Brewery. We walked in, and at the front table, there was a family. The parents were having a beer, the kids had root beers, and they were all playing Uno. The Brewery is a bar, plain and simple. They serve beer they brew and root beer and cream soda they brew. That's it. And there were kids, in the bar.

I thought it was cool.

We left there and went to Brigid's Pub, and there were kids on the patio, eating with their parents there. We interrupted one of the parties and asked about it, and they said kids under 18 were allowed until 11 with their parents. We went in and there was a really fun cover band playing, and there was a mom dancing with her teen daughter. They were laughing and dancing and having a great time, and dad was there, smiling at his girls, and snapping a few pictures. It was fun.

I think America's puritanical views and treatment of alcohol contributes to kids binge drinking in college, and over all irresponsible behavior when it comes to alcohol.

Now, if it were a nightclub, with drunken, nearly naked women and pulsating music and random hookups on a crowded dance floor, I would not think that was appropriate for kids. But a brewery? People having a few beers, chatting with friends, playing a card, dice or board game? Nothing wrong with that. A live band? Dancing with mom, hanging out with parents, catching some live music? Nothing wrong with that.

So, last Saturday night, Craig and I took Alex and went to the Bemidji Brewery. Craig had a pint of their Saisson, and Alex and I had root beers. We played Uno together, listened to the music, watched the people go by, and had a really nice time. The Brewery has last call at 9:50 (other bars have last call later, I don't know when. Craig and I really went out one night, and by 12:30, we were both tired and ready to go home. We were so proud of ourselves for staying out until 12:30! Who hoo! Party animals!) and we ordered our last round. At 10:15, we left and went home. It was fun.

Alex loved it. He loved it so much that last night, when talking about the weekend, he asked if we could go to the Bemidji Brewery again. Craig and I smiled at one another and said sure.