Blefuscu -
I believe that alcoholism is a disease of my mind. I was also given the same advice (e.g. to stay away from places where alcohol is served), but I found this was impossible given my work.
What I learned from many wise people on SR is that we often drink in our minds long before we take a physical drink. So, for me, I have worked hard on the 12-steps and have created the right mental state to not have the desire to drink. I actually prefer not to drink - even when everyone is drinking around me.
Now, I agree that if people are pushing drinks on you, you need to stop this. And, it never hurts to get some significant sobriety under your belt before putting yourself in these situations ... but for me, it is a mental game.
I am happy to not drink and so people drinking around me doesn't seem to create a problem.
For me, it is the little voices inside my head telling me that "you're not really an alcoholic" that I have to watch out for. By the time I started drinking at a bar, I had already made the mental decision to do so.
I still have a box in my garage of the hard alcohol that I packed up on the first day of my sobriety. I bring it out when we have guests who want to have a drink. It doesn't call to me or tempt me. It is the thoughts that cause me trouble.
You know yourself best and can make the right decisions. Congrats on your 3 months.