One of the most popular bars at my old Alma Mater (Penn State) was/is The All-American Rathskeller - better known as The Skeller. The Skeller is a classic dive bar - although from the looks of their website it seems that they at least clean it now (which they did NOT do when I was at school). It was one of those places where my straight college buddies and I could roll into, get wasted and out of control, and stumble out the door at 2:00 AM.
I haven't been back to the Skellar in 15 years - but the thing to do at the Skeller back in my day was called a "Case Study". You and your friends would walk in, buy a CASE of Rolling Rock Ponies (7 oz. bottles - below), place the case on your table (or on the floor), and proceed to drink. I must say, I participated in more than my share of Case Studies, however I tended to order mixed drinks instead of drinking beer. God, even when I was in the closet and drinking with my straight buddies, I was ordering cocktails like a BIG FANCY QUEEN!!!
Every spring the Skeller would try to break their Guinness Book of World Records record for the most cases of beer consumed in one day. This was called THE Case Study (as opposed to A Case Study). Bitches would start lining up early in the morning so they could get into the bar and drink all day. The proceeds went to charity and it was always a good time.
Well bitches, I just found an article written in the Daily Collegian (the student newspaper) back in 1989 about The Case Study. It was written by SOME FANCY QUEEN, and chills ran down my spine when I read the bad prose and clumsy quotes. Oh the horror! I CERTAINLY hope that Fancy Queen's writing has improved since then!!!
Read the ancient story HERE and try not to laugh too hard.
FYI: while doing research for this post, I found out the Skeller no longer sells Rolling Rock by the case. This is probably why I couldn't find any pics of Skellar bar patrons actually drinking Rolling Rock. For God's sake, those people in the last picture have friggin' FOOD on their table. What in the fancy queen HELL is that all about?...
I haven't been back to the Skellar in 15 years - but the thing to do at the Skeller back in my day was called a "Case Study". You and your friends would walk in, buy a CASE of Rolling Rock Ponies (7 oz. bottles - below), place the case on your table (or on the floor), and proceed to drink. I must say, I participated in more than my share of Case Studies, however I tended to order mixed drinks instead of drinking beer. God, even when I was in the closet and drinking with my straight buddies, I was ordering cocktails like a BIG FANCY QUEEN!!!
Every spring the Skeller would try to break their Guinness Book of World Records record for the most cases of beer consumed in one day. This was called THE Case Study (as opposed to A Case Study). Bitches would start lining up early in the morning so they could get into the bar and drink all day. The proceeds went to charity and it was always a good time.
Well bitches, I just found an article written in the Daily Collegian (the student newspaper) back in 1989 about The Case Study. It was written by SOME FANCY QUEEN, and chills ran down my spine when I read the bad prose and clumsy quotes. Oh the horror! I CERTAINLY hope that Fancy Queen's writing has improved since then!!!
Read the ancient story HERE and try not to laugh too hard.
FYI: while doing research for this post, I found out the Skeller no longer sells Rolling Rock by the case. This is probably why I couldn't find any pics of Skellar bar patrons actually drinking Rolling Rock. For God's sake, those people in the last picture have friggin' FOOD on their table. What in the fancy queen HELL is that all about?...
Rolling Rock is my favorite beer. The reason I love Rolling Rock is because a friend of mine us to say it was the "Piss from Pennsylvania" and it's easy to find your beer when you're playing pool.
ReplyDeleteHow funny- drinking for charity- It's kinda what Miss G's life is all about!
ReplyDeleteEldest was horrified to find out that his mother drank tomato juice and beer at our college's 'Rats'.
ReplyDeleteSo were you sloppy or messy when you drank heavily?, or both
ReplyDeleteYou were a good writer, even back then. I felt like was there, though back then, I was an innocent little junior (in high school!)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever had a Rolling Rock. My first beer was a Coors Light and it was NASTY! I'm more of a dark beer sort of girl I guess.
I too love Rolling Rock. You can have your Harp and Guinness.
ReplyDeleteAWESOME post and article, you big fancy queen!
xoxo
You were a good writer then, too! There used to be a Rathskeller in Nashville, too. I wonder when it went away.
ReplyDeleteOh my ever loving god - what the hell have they done to our Skeller??? The pictures on that website are NOT of the bar we frequented back in the day. There are no bottle caps, cigarettes, peanut shells, beer labels, etc. or debris of any kind on the floor - and the floor doesn't at all look like your feet would become cemented to it the minute you stepped inside! Plus, those booths look clean and grafitti-free (probably an illusion)! And a LUNCH menu but no Rolling Rock cases now - are you f-ing kidding me? Boy, I hate when things change. At least the bathrooms are the same (which is pretty sad - and gross), right down to still having that disgusting trough in the men's room!
ReplyDeleteAhhh, remember how many times we saw Queen Bee in that (usually fire code-breaking crowded and smoky) back room? I don't think I would've recognized that room without a couple hundred people smashed together inside (or while sober). Good times!
BTW, I do remember that case study article in the Collegian and it is first rate work. I can't believe the Times or the Post didn't call you after reading that. A clean writing style, fascinating insight, quotes that really support the storyline - I totally felt like I was THERE. Or maybe that's because I probably was there... ;)
Just checking in with you - keep up the good work. :)
GL
P.S. I also have to mention that I have really enjoyed your Top Chef recaps. (Cheryl has, too.) Kinda sad that it's over now. :(
Dearest GL -
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how absolutely tickled I am that you check in (and actually enjoy) my blog. I meant to send you an email when I did my Skeller post - but I am old and senile and forgot. I'm so happy you found it on your own.
I was going to go into the whole "Bar Tour" phenomenon on this post, but that is a story for another day. Wasn't it YOU that had a picture of the bathroom bar tour grafitti that I wrote on the Gaf's bathroom wall?!? I think it was for Julie G's birthday and it mentioned "Chinese Ladies". If so, email it to me again. If not, that's just my senility kicking in again.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO