That is right. Ordering a mimosa or any other alcoholic beverage at a New York City restaurant at 11:30am on a Sunday is illegal. I found out first hand over the weekend, much to my disappointment. All of those boozy brunch places we are known for? Legally they are not allowed to serve alcohol until noon on Sunday.
If you are from the city you mostly likely heard about the uproar in the end of February that tried to stop the end of boozy brunch but in case you are not, apparently restaurants are prohibited from “selling, serving, delivering or offering to patrons an unlimited number of drinks during any set period of time for a fixed price.” Luckily, we found a loop hole and everything went back to normal. But a New York State law still exists which does not allow alcohol sales before noon on Sunday, no matter when food is available. No wonder there are so many 10 a.m. brunch reservations available.
This law does not make a ton of sense to me and when my eggs arrived on Sunday morning at 11:40 I really wanted to enjoy a mimosa with them (especially as it was free), but no, the server could not bring it until noon #fail. This got me thinking, there must be other strange laws – only a few clicks on Google brought me to pages and pages of lists and after sixty seconds of reading I decided they would make for a good post. These are some of the crazy and outdated state laws I have found on the Internet: (sources a b c)
- Alabama: It is illegal to wear a fake moustache that causes laughter in church.
- Alaska: Kangaroos are not allowed in barber shops at any time.
- California: It is illegal to eat an orange in your bath tub.
- Connecticut: You are not allowed to walk across a street on your hands.
- Florida: Men may not be seen publicly in any kind of strapless gown.
- Florida: If an elephant is left tied to a parking meter, the parking fee has to be paid just as it would for a vehicle.
- Georgia: It is illegal to tie a giraffe to a lamp post.
- Hawaii: In Hawaii you will be fined if you do not own a boat.
- Idaho : It is illegal for a man to give his sweetheart a box of candy weighing more than 50 lbs.
- Illinois: It is illegal to eat in a restaurant if it is on fire.
- Indiana: Bathing is prohibited during the winter.
- Iowa: Kisses may last for as much as, but no more than, five minutes.
- Kansas: It is illegal to put ice cream on cherry pie.
- Kentucky: By law, anyone who has been drinking is “sober” until he or she “cannot hold onto the ground”.
- Louisiana: It is illegal to rob a bank and then shoot at the bank teller with a water pistol.
- Maine: After January 14th you will be charged a fine for having your Christmas decorations still up.
- Massachusetts: Snoring is prohibited unless all bedroom windows are closed and securely locked.
- Michigan: A woman isn’t allowed to cut her own hair without her husband’s permission.
- Minnesota: It is illegal to drive a red car down main street on Sundays.
- Montana: It is a law that “When you get out of prison you are granted a horse and $100 or a bus ticket to anywhere.” Whatever you may choose.
- Nevada: It is illegal for a man to buy drinks for more than three people at a time
- New Jersey: It is illegal to wear a bulletproof vest while committing a murder
- New York: It is illegal to shoot a rabbit from a moving trolley.
- North Carolina: Elephants may not be used to plough cotton fields.
- North Dakota: Beer and pretzels can’t be served at the same time in any bar or restaurant.
- Ohio: No one may be arrested on Sunday or on the Fourth of July.
- Oklahoma: It is illegal to take a bite out of someone else’s hamburger.
- Oregon: You must let your dishes drip dry.
- Pennsylvania: It is illegal to sleep on top of a refrigerator outdoors.
- South Dakota: It is illegal to lie down and fall asleep in a cheese factory.
- Tennessee: It’s illegal for frogs to croak after 11 p.m.
- Texas: It is illegal to take more than three sips of beer at a time while standing.
- Vermont: It is illegal to whistle underwater.
- Washington: All lollipops are banned.
- West Virginia: No children may attend school with their breath smelling of “wild onions”.
- Wisconsin: Butter substitutes are not allowed to be served in state prisons.
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Dara says
I love these. I am totally going to put ice cream on cherry pie just to break the law here in kansas!
Miss Pippi says
Hilarious!
http://misspippisstyle.blogspot.hu/
jointhegossip says
1. What?! What do NYers do on Sundays when watching football at a bar? Bottomless mimosas are the only way to go! …but actually now that I think about it, I think games start later on the East Coast duh lol!
2. Those laws are hilarious!
Caitlin says
Haha, wow. I was also the ‘victim’ of the no alcohol before noon on Sundays in NYC the other weekend. We (including friends who live in Manhattan) had no idea! And, I totally wish I would have known about the Ohio law that no one can be arrested on the 4th of July! I would have been much more rowdy growing up!
Michael says
Blue Laws are my absolute favorite! The thing is, in order to be a law, these were obviously concerns or problems these states were having, which makes it even more funny. Another one for Alaska, it’s illegal to push a live moose out of an airplane? Oh, was that an epidemic Alaska??? haha
Sheila says
That’s hilarious!!! What?? Lollipops are banned in Washington?? Interesting! I always see them in stores still. hahaha.. too funny. 🙂
xo – Sheila
http://www.sheislovelyblog.com
BKCsquared says
These are hilarious!! Imagine if these were taken seriously…I mean, maybe some are! I wanted to come up with a list of my favorites to share with you, but there are just too many. Great list! & I feel for you about the noon mimosa on Sundays – that’s insane!! I wonder if that’s what the law is in California too?
xo, B
http://www.BKCsquared.com
Nicole @ Treasure Tromp says
ha! these are all great. I’ve broken several of these …
Pamela Baker says
Hilarious!!
Steph Gregerson says
The noon thing on Sundays KILLS me. I’m an early morning person so I’m always up and out well before noon. I have learned through that arriving at brunch places at 11:30 and getting a cup of coffee and then ordering at noon keeps me from having to wait 🙂 Favorite brunch place is Cafe Ronda… which I’m now craving.
Niki Caron says
Are there even kangaroos in Alaska?! And they get their hair (fur?) cut??? Hahaha
Sharon says
So crazy about the new law about no alcohol before noon! At one of the boardwalks here, they wanted to enact a law that you had to wear clothes, not just a bathing suit. So silly considering the beach is like a foot away. Thankfully it didn’t pass!
-Sharon
The Tiny Heart
Maggie says
hahaha I enjoyed reading these laws! and no mimosas before noon?! Now that should be illegal!
Maggie
http://www.PolishedClosets.com
Kate @ Green Fashionista says
There sure are a lot of laws about elephants 😛
And no mimosas before noon?! Come on NYC get it together, brunch is made for mimosas!
Angela Rose Tinted Lenses says
Haha that’s so funny we were discussing strange laws in the office yesterday after we found out that in in Scotland it is illegal to be drunk and in possession of a cow.
I think my boyfriend and brother-in-law broke the Nevada one when we were in Vegas last summer….oops haha x
Aeroplane and Apparel says
Easy reading. Good post.
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Setarra says
Ugh, that totally sucks that they don’t serve alcohol before noon! But I have to say, it’s better that they serve it at noon than not at all for brunch. These state laws are ridunkulous lol!
HarryACorona says
The laws mentioned above are some of my favorites, I know not every state was represented but I only chose ones I thought were amusing. The sources I consulted, very reputable I am sure, had at least a few from every state but I picked and chose the ones I thought were the most random and out of date. http://qr.net/uWGC