Monday, September 15, 2008
One for the Tigers: A party on Prospect Avenue
I rode my bike around town yesterday, and stumbled across a big party on Prospect Avenue. Back in the day these were substantially unregulated affairs, but now the cops are everywhere, presumably because there is nothing worse than Princeton freshman, sophomores, and juniors having a beer or three on Sunday afternoon. There are guys in black t-shirts that say "Prospect Avenue security," I suppose hired by the clubs to keep out the young 'uns. Then there are University cops, the guys we used to call "proctors," who look just like the real thing. And then there is the real thing, the constabulary of Princeton Borough. Anyway, on to the pictures...
The Glorious Tiger Inn!
A friendly campus cop on his tricycle (the Prospect Avenue "security" dudes are on the right):
The Cheese, which did not seem like the place to be...
And Ivy, which -- and this is totally out of character -- rated its own Princeton Borough cop car!
Frankly, none of the parties looked very good. With most of the campus underage and the police out enforcing the law at battalion strength, that should surprise exactly nobody. I obviously believe that the drinking age should go down at least to 19, but at a minimum I do not see the reason for such strict enforcement.
11 Comments:
By 
Charlottesvillain, at
Mon Sep 15, 12:48:00 PM:
I'm just glad the police presence wasn't there back in '82-'83 when I was at Lawrenceville. That would have been a bummer.
By GreenmanTim, at
Mon Sep 15, 01:41:00 PM:
Look at the layer of plastic cups in the first shot. Gives the lie to the liberal leftie green ethic, at least where beer is involved.
Now back in my day, my dipsomaniac Uncles and I used to go sailing in the Gulf of Maine, and the rubber dinghy that was towed astern was for empties. We were environmentally conscious back then, considering it our sworn duty to reduce bottles to beachglass when tossed too wide. That is what the 22 was for. You would thing these Tigers would have figured out some similar strategy for their jetsom.
By Georg Felis, at
Mon Sep 15, 02:27:00 PM:
Two minor quibbles: A single police car or trike (which is very cool, where do they get those?) in the general vicinity of a party is scarcely "battalion strength", and people drinking under the legislated age are breaking the law, hence the presence of Law Enforcement.
And really. These kids are going to be running companies (and some of them real divisions/battalions/squads/platoons) in the near future. Don't they have the common sense to bring out a trash can?
By 
, at
Mon Sep 15, 02:40:00 PM:
Silly man:
The Cheese holds its lawn parties out back, where it has a beautiful patio, replete with fountain, and a great back yard. You Tiger Inn types wouldn't know that, though, would you? You were too busy getting hammered on your front lawn!
Flatulent Old Grad
By Georg Felis, at
Mon Sep 15, 02:45:00 PM:
FYI: Found a link to a story about the police trikes Nifty little green bikes, but not quite what I expect Andy Griffith to be driving.
By , at
Mon Sep 15, 03:15:00 PM:
Recently Blues Traveler played Reunions. Front man and Princeton townie, John Popper led off the set with, "Gee, it's great to be back at Reunions....legally."
It was a town sport to sneak into reunions and club parties. In fact, I encountered one of my boy scouts slithering in through a basement window in the men's john as I was recycling some beer. I'm sure my own two sons now 33 and 30 respectively did it.
JLW III '67
By , at
Mon Sep 15, 03:29:00 PM:
For a somewhat different look at people from Princeton, see the latest Coen Brothers' movie, Burn After Reading.
By TigerHawk, at
Mon Sep 15, 03:36:00 PM:
GreenmanTim -- I am sure they will clean those cups up, probably with a rake.
Georgfelis - "battalion strength." There were three other Princeton Borough squad cars on Prospect Avenue, not pictured. It made me wonder what actual crimes were being committed around town while the cops were distracted by the undergrads.
By Escort81, at
Mon Sep 15, 04:45:00 PM:
I second what Flatulent Old Grad says. The Cheese is always the place to be.
GT - why would you ever want to aim a .22 anywhere near your inflatable dinghy (especially if your aim was, er, compromised)? Those things can deflate fairly quickly if punctured. Or did you have the kevlar RIBS the Naby Seals use?
By GreenmanTim, at
Mon Sep 15, 06:43:00 PM:
Escort81, the logic of the .22 and the rubber dinghy was all my Uncles. By the time someone noticed a misthrow, the bottle was well astern.
The dinghy, afgter a 4 day cruise, was usually so full of empties that it could not be used for any other function. Like getting ashore. I was once given a plastic bag with a wad of money and told to swim to shore to buy some aged steaks of a side of beef at the Monhegan store and some lobsters. After a bracing )and sobering) swim in 60 degree water, I accomplished my mission and managed to find alternate transportation back to the sloop.
Really appalling behavior, I know. But memorable.
By Escort81, at
Tue Sep 16, 12:41:00 AM:
GT - I know the (old) store you are talking about on Monhegan. I first visited that island as a teenager in 1974, and have sailed there many times since then (though I have never taken the ferry).
That swim from your anchorage between Manana and Monhegan could not have been much fun -- major shrinkage. Sixty degrees would be a warm day!
You've inspired me to give that a try with my nephew. Unfortunatlely, I think he might drown.
