After initially rejecting a petition to allow alcohol service on Seattle's new waterfront Ferris Wheel, yesterday the Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) reversed its decision and approved alcohol service in the enclosed six-person gondolas for riders 21 and over.

"The gondolas are equipped with tables that come in and out," explained wheel-owner Kyle Griffith in a conversation last week. "The idea is that people can go in and have dinner ordered from Fisherman's Seafood Restaurant, and also have wine or a drink."

"It's not ever going to operate where you can just go in there and have drinks," he added.

The board's timing couldn't be better: the 175-foot-tall wheel probably celebrated its grand opening today on Pier 57. (Although intrepid girl reporter Bethany Jean Clement says that as of two hours ago, the wheel looked far from open-ready and at least one construction worker was eating a sandwich.)

While the new policy certainly brings exciting new meaning to the term bar fly*, it's heartening proof that the notoriously conservative liquor control board is both willing and capable of revising its stupider policy decisions.

*FYI, it took four staffers seven minutes to come up with that one weak pun.