A Valentine's Day License

[Ann Okerson <aokerson@pantheon.yale.edu>]

The Liblicense crew wishes you a happy, treatful Valentine's Day.  For the
edification of our readers, we observe that shortly every human
transaction will require a license (as you know, many already do).  So,
here are extracts from an amusing piece in TIME OUT NEW YORK (February
4-11, 1999: 40).  Beware of where you take your Valentine for dinner!


PRE-VICTUAL AGREEMENT

February 14th is one of the biggest eating-out nights of the year, and
some restauranteurs aren't taking any chances with losing valuable
prix-fixe business to no-shows.  So before pledging your love at the
perfect spot, be prepared to pledge fealty to your reservation first -- by
paying in adance, singing a contract, or both.

More than ten years ago, Gotham Bar and Grill began to require signed
confirmations for big nights like New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day,
Christmas Eve and Thanksgiving.  The reservation doesn't become official
until the customer has returned Gotham's agreement, which gently explains
that those who don't cancel at least two days in advance of the big night
will be charged $100 per person..

But one restuarant, Casa La Femme, a clubby Middle Eastern spot in Soho,
has upped the ante.  To secure a spot at its prix-fixe, you need to pay in
advance ($250.00 for two people) AND sign a contract that makes a mortgage
document sound like a love sonnet.  "This is to confirm the agreeement
between Soho Oasis Inc. DBA Casa La Femme and [the customer]," the
contract begins, declaring the restaurant's intention to provide two
guests with the attached prix-fixe menu.  "In exchange for the above
services, the customer agrees to pay $100 per person, not incuding tax and
gratuity.  [The customer] agrees to guarantee a minimum of two
guests....[The customer] acknowledges that there is a subsequent seating
at 10:30 P.M. and agrees to acate the table by 10:15 P.M.  In the event
that the table is not vacated [the customer] agrees to pay $250.00 for the
next seating."  And so on.

[SNIP] Ibrahim [the co-owner] says, "I just think it's best on an evening
like this for everyone to be clear as to how the evening wil proceed."


----Sounds just like an electronic journal to us!--------