Following rules-the new cool.

Connoisseurship and pretension, a marriage seemingly inseparable. The mere idea of being a connoisseur creates a hierarchy, a separation of the good and the not so good.

Can one enjoy top of the line goods without becoming a shmuck? Some are of the ilk that creating rules of etiquette will help people behave in a more civilized way and eliminate hierarchy. The LA Times did a piece on the rise of the speakeasy cocktail parlor, a place immersed in rules for its patron to follow, all to bring the focus away from shmuckiness and shifting it toward appreciating the drink.

I hate following rules or being told what to do, but I kind of like this concept. Take away all the usual night life games, meat markets, overcrowding, cellphones, loud music, drunkenness, namedropping, etc., and replace this with an environment focusing on the art of the drink.

I'm sure some of these places are high concept and only interested in creating an elite sort of joint with high-end cocktails and membership fees, but at the root, this is a great idea. What it does is put everyone who enters on the same level, vents the pressure of a scene, and lowers the overall volume, so everyone can enjoy their company and the drinks they have in front of them. Perfect. I'll take that any day.

[Reading back over this, I realize this may just be an issue in bigger cities such as LA or NY. It may be out of context in other places.]