Many years ago, I lived in a semi-dry state (Virginia) and visited lots of restaurants that would sell "setups" at prices quite close to the price of real drinks. Some places allowed one to join a "club" which meant that one's alcohol could be stored on the premises and poured by the staff.

While we were moving to Virginia, we happened to be in South Carolina on New Years Eve. At lunch that day, we asked the waitress about dry vs wet towns, and made our decision about where to spend the night based on her information. She was wrong. So, on New Years Eve, 1966, we attended a party in a back room at a Howard Johnson's. Others had alcohol. We had none. We inquired of others. We hired a cab driver to drive to a wet place and bring us back a bottle of [whatever-brand-it-was] whisky. All of this was totally illegal and somewhat expensive.

Here in Washington State, when I reached drinking age, it was against the law for women to sit up to a bar. Not too long after I married, we were living in California and a neighbor woman and I went to a local bar while our husbands were on night duty. I headed for a booth. She headed for the bar. I said, "We can't sit at the bar." She said, "If we sit in a booth, men will think that we are available." I followed her lead, and we were not bothered.

Washington later changed the law so that men and women could be equally harassed whether at a bar or a booth.

In Norway, I found it difficult to buy a bottle of wine other than in a restaurant. One had to find a "vinmonopolet," which is a state store that sells wine and other alcohol over 4.7% content. I think Bergen had a total of two of them, not easily found. Low alcohol beer was available in the supermarkets, and we bought some. Alcohol is so expensive in Norway, that I found myself not drinking as much there as at home. That's probably their intent.