A rainy Saturday.

(Bank Street Brewhouse is open on Sunday, and the NCAA games will be showing)

After a lengthy hiatus, I returned to the front porch yesterday afternoon and enjoyed a fine cigar (from Kaiser’s Tobacco in downtown New Albany) accompanied by a cup of steaming black tea and the most recent issue of “The Economist.” It was a pleasant break from the previous weeks of stress and strain at work, and the cigar tasted even better for it having been more than a month since the one before it.

Before that, my pal Jerry and I enjoyed one of our periodic forays to Ear-X in Louisville, had a bite to eat, and then stopped at Rocky’s Sub Pub in Jeffersonville to examine the new 30+ draft system. The selection is good, and I’ll be writing about it for my column in this Wednesday’s LEO. We ended up and Bank Street Brewhouse, where several friends were ensconced, including three regional wine merchants who drink beer in their spare time. We all talked shop, and it was invigorating.

Jared had uncovered a four-month old firkin of Beak’s Best that had been dry-hopped with Amarillo hops, and it was pouring from the hand pull. Good stuff indeed, even if the temperature wasn’t right for lifting the garage doors. I felt a bit sad for the group coming in for pizza, but accidents are unavoidable. The point is for Connor’s Place and/or the River City Winery to make pizza. We’ll happily direct people in those directions. Then, no one leaves downtown without satisfaction.

Speaking of which … excuse me for dipping into the mailbag.

To Edna: Sorry, but the food is priced and sized in portion wit the ingredients and preparation. There will be no burgers or pizza. The burgers at Studio’s are pretty good, though.

To K: We had the sound turned off on purpose. We think that being able to see the game is enough, and that the announcers typically are superfluous.

To the unknown homebrewer: We’ve never done chicken wings at the original location, and they weren’t contemplated at the new one. I understand that Connor’s Place will be offering them soon, if not already.

To N, T, J, L and a couple dozen others: Thanks for the patronage, and moreover, for understanding what we’re trying to achieve. It will continue to evolve. Please share your feelings with the like-minded. Revitalization can’t occur without standing a few paradigms on their heads.

That’s why we’re here. It’s what we do.