The Tent Dinner Party

 

This is another photo that I picked up from an eBay seller in Japan, but no, it's not part of the Random Japanese Snapshot Collection.  Anyway, I'm thinking that this photo is from post-war Japan.  It looks like there are a handful of non-Asian faces in the crowd, not to mention the Rainer Beer bottles on the tables.  There's a book out there called Embracing Defeat which is about how Japan and the Japanese accepted that they had lost the war, rejected militarism, and got on with their lives as best they could, which was the foundation of the post-war Japanese economic miracle.  When I saw this photo, I suspected that it's an illustration of that concept. 

That's A Lot of Booze

  

I don't know why these people are in a party mood, but whatever the reason, it clearly involves lots of alcohol.  There are bottles everywhere.  There's' a processor's stamp on the back, "PIXIE SNAP JUNE 1952" 

Music To My Ears 8

 

This is the only photograph I have of Mary Reagan, or Ann Parker or whatever stage name she was using, while actually performing.  The guys at the bar are drinking beers rather than cocktails.  A low rent dive or do the drinkers just prefer beer? 

As usual, click on Music To My Ears to see more. 

She Loves Her Beer

I was born in 1955 and even back then people went to the army surplus store, bought a really big cabin tent, and headed off for a two week vacation in a state or national park.  My father traveled for work and when he got time off, he would not go back on the road.  Very disappointing.  I think that's a Miller label.

Have a Rheingold

There's nothing written on this print, but the bar sells Rheingold Beer, and Rheingold was brewed in New York state.  From 1950 to 1960 Rheingold sold 35% of the beer purchased in New York.  Amazing the things you can learn on line. 

Growler

The older I get the more I find myself explaining things to young people.  Most of them know what a land line is, even if they haven't seen one, but the idea of a rotary phone or a party line seems beyond them.  Yes, TV was once in black & white.  Carbon paper seems to be a head stumper, and so is the practice of sending picture postcards through the mail. 

So what is the lady on the right holding?  Is it a canning jar?  There was once a time when it was common for people, even people in cities, to have a backyard garden.  They'd grow a few vegetables and, in the fall, they would do some canning.  I can still remember the horrors of green beans, all pale and soft.   I was born in the mid 1950s, and when I was growing up fresh fruits and vegetables were still considered seasonal.  Chilean strawberries didn't show up in December. Frozen foods had become common, but if your family needed to save a few bucks, what could be found on the cellar shelf was cheaper.  Blow off the dust, unscrew the zinc lined lid, and flavorless green mush was dinner. 

Yes, it could be a canning jar, but I think it's far more likely a growler.  In our age of mass market and craft beers, it's hard to imagine that there was a time when people brought large metal bottles to the local beer garden and got a fill up of whatever was on tap.  If the local bartender knew your parents, he'd do a top off for the youngest child in the family.  Chores were expected, and what could be more important than fetching dad's evening libation.  But what really sold me on the growler interpretation was the goofy look on the two women's faces.  Who gets that happy over green beans?

Oh, and before I forget, they were called growlers because of the sound they made when they were first opened. 

Getting Drunk in the Woods

Most forest fires are started by people.  Discarded cigarettes are a common cause of those fires.  Drinking leads to poor decision making.  So, guys getting drunk, in the woods, while at least one of them is smoking.  What could go wrong? 

Gyys Drinking

Yes, gyys.  Written on the back, "Gyys off the ship watching the game and drinking beer."  There's even a date stamp, "2.10.71."  So, navy or merchant marine?  What grooming standards did the navy set for it's sailors?  Did they allow beards?  If they didn't we'd know these guys are civilian sailors.

Getting Drunk As a Group Activity

They look too old to be frat boys, so maybe the company softball team.  I noticed that some of these guys brought some really big containers.  Kind of makes the red solo cup look inadequate.  Take a look at the third photo and see that there is a Kodak Box Brownie camera in front of the keg.  There is also one guy with a Dr. Pepper tee shirt.  Fun story.  I was born in southwestern Pennsylvania in 1955.  It was hard to find Dr Pepper where I grew up.  It was considered a southern hillbilly drink.  If you drove forty miles south and crossed into West Virginia it was everywhere. 

At the Mexican Joint

Written on the back, "Feb 1, 58 Coffee & Beer break Mexican joint in desert."

Well, I bought this picture in California, so I'm guessing the Palm Springs area or along Route 66.  Of course it could be a lot of other places, but that's my guess.

Beer

Are they sharing that beer?  I hope so.  If not, she has a hell of a capacity for alcohol.  These are real photo postcards, and I'm guessing they're from Germany.  

Eating Outside

Pretty soon, we'll be eating outside.  Written on the back, "In Rancho Bar-B-Q."

Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest has begun.  Yes, I know, it's September, but remember, Oktoberfest is a 16 day festival dedicated to drinking beer, and that explains a lot.  Anyway, this photo is not from Oktoberfest, but it's Germans drinking beer, so it's the best I can do.

Stamped on the back, "PHOTO-DARTSCH, Berlin SW 29, Kattbusser Damm 13"  It's dated 1939, the first year of the war.

Fast Times

What a pair.  The old guy, so proud of his beer, and dark beer at that.  And the little girl, no doubt a grand daughter, poised to pedal away once the proud parent, and somewhat embarrassed child, can work that damn camera.  Please don't let our precious little girl grow up to be a drunkard like dear old dad.

Written on the back, "At Dax Garage."

Drunk Girls

When someone poses with a beer bottle, you can bet they're on the way to drunkenness.  They might not get there, but they're on the way.