Wine With Food? Not in New York

I moved to Northern Virginia a few years ago, and I still haven't decided whether the alcoholic beverage laws are more or less annoying here than in New York, where I used to live. On the one hand, all liquor has to be purchased through state-owned stores that are closed on Sunday, charge relatively high prices, and offer minimal selection. On the other hand, you can buy wine as well as beer in grocery stores. In New York, by contrast, wine is available only in specially licensed (though privately owned) liquor stores. Whole Foods, which recently opened a store on Columbus Circle in Manhattan, tried to remedy that problem with a wine store attached to its supermarket. Although "The Wine Store at Whole Foods" is separated from the food area by glass doors, is open different hours, and has a separate checkout, the state Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control says it's all a ruse to get around New York's idiotic rules. I recall a similar arrangement at the Stew Leonard's in Weschester County, but the wine store there had a separate outdoor entrance, and I guess that makes all the difference.