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Sunday, February 28, 2010

Watch Out for the Dachshound....

... he cheats!!!

Jackson and Shelby have been looking for a "Cat Friendly Pool Table" ever since they saw this!!

FYI... I think Ice Houses are a uniquely Texas thing! An Ice House is like an open, outdoor bar. The structures are typically garage-like in nature, with large doors that open to the outdoors when the establishment is open. Traditionally, Ice Houses would have had a horse trough full of ice and beer, but modern Ice Houses now usually have the familiar top-load bar refrigerators we all know and love. Most of the seating is outdoors at picnic tables and benches, and it's not uncommon for Ice Houses to have horseshoe pits or other outdoor games. Indoors, there's usually only room for the bar, a pool table or 2, and a jukebox.
Ice Houses are popular in Miss Ginger's historic neighborhood for a couple of reasons. First: her neighborhood is deemed "dry" by an ancient and outdated city charter from the time before the "Houston Heights" was annexed by the "City of Houston". So, Ice Houses have existed for years in the formerly rural areas at the edge of her neighborhood. Secondly, Ice Houses are cheap to run. They usually only serve beer, making permitting inexpensive, and requiring little investment in stock. Originally established as the place a working man would grab a drink on his way home from a hard day, the "decor" typically is sparse and rustic. Finally, believe it or not, in Miss Ginger's newly gentrified neighborhood, Ice Houses are actually sort of "kid friendly". It's not uncommon at all to see young families stop by an Ice House while they are out on a bike ride or family walk, as the kids can play outside, and dad can slip in and grab a cold one for he and mom without giving a thought to who has to drive home!

Are there Ice Houses any where else in the country? And do the dogs play by the rules there?

4 comments:

David Dust said...

Great title!!

In the town I grew up in, the "Ice House" was/is the place you went to buy ice to keep stuff cool.

My grandfather always referred to the refrigerator as the "Ice Box" (even after they got an electric fridge. They got the ice for the Ice Box from the "Ice House". The Ice House is actually still there - and still selling ice for parties and to businesses.

I am SURE my parents dragged me into a Texas Ice House during one of our many trips to San Angelo - I'll have to ask Mama Bunny...

XOXOXOXOXO

Kailyn said...

I am still stuck on the word "dry." We do not have this concept in California. The closest we get to it is when we say, "I hear that Jack Daniels is in a dry county. Have you ever heard of anything as crazy?"

mrs.missalaineus said...

where i grew up you had to cross state lines to buy beer/ liquor on a sunday.

this is such a cool idea- like partying in a garage/ manpit without having to have the party at YOUR OWN house!


xxalainaxx

Beth said...

I've never heard of this, but it sounds awesome!

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