Unfortunately, it's the people running the Boise joint who are the problem. They are apparently curmudgeonly and not welcoming to new players. But if I did play there, yes, the Thursday beginner's game is the one I would go to.
I played in a party game the other day where the lady running the game announced that partnerships getting set would be required to pay 10 cents per trick (20 cents if vulnerable or doubled, 40 cents if vulnerable and doubled) into a kitty that went to the overall winner. My Dad (life master) and I didn't like this because it skewed the bidding. Still felt that way after my Dad turned out to be the overall winner. $6 for first plus $10.60 in dimes. My Dad and I are good enough that over time we probably make back our entry fees plus a little, but I consider it to be cheap entertainment. Entry is usually $1/person and we play for 2-3 hours.
I've only been playing a year, but I play pretty much Audrey Grant / SAYC. The only modification I personally have made is that I will open 1NT with 2 doubletons. My Dad and I also have a partnership agreement that a 2NT response means support for opener's suit plus slam interest. One of my teachers says that it is much better to play the basic stuff consistently well rather than the complicated stuff poorly, so that's what I'm focusing on now. Oh, and trying to get better at counting suits. I can usually count four suits through 7 or 8 tricks, but when people start sluffing it gets tricky. It's also turning out not to be as valuable to me as I thought, since it takes away focus from other things and on defense at least there are not that many times where you have a choice that ends up making a difference.