Sara Havens in LEO: "A salute to NABC."

All this week there'll be reminders of our anniversary posted here, leading up to the 25 Years of Beer and Loathing bash on the riverfront next Sunday. First up is my old pal Sara "Bar Belle" Havens of the Louisville Eccentric Observer, who interviewed me last week.

Bar Belle: A salute to NABC, by Sara Havens (LEO)

When I was 25, I drank like shit — cheap, American swill chased by shots of Jager or Rumple Minze. Unfortunately, some things haven’t changed. But throughout my years of socializing after dark, I’ve learned to appreciate good bourbon and craft beer.

Rich O’s/Sportstime Pizza/New Albanian Brewing Company in New Albany is celebrating its 25th birthday this month, and you better believe there won’t be a Miller Lite or shot of Jager anywhere near the place. In fact, co-owner Roger A. Baylor is renting out New Albany’s Riverfront Amphitheater to throw a big party. Mark your calendars for July 22. It’s free, starts at 10 a.m., and features live music, NABC beer, wine and a bloody mary bar (link here). I caught up with Baylor to reminisce about the last 25 years.

Bar Belle: "Liquor here, liquor there, liquor in New Albany."

LEO's Sara "Bar Belle" Havens caught the News and Tribune's August 31 news story about expanding New Albany's downtown riverfront development area to make possible more special three-way alcohol permits. She also took the opportunity to praise the local scene.

Liquor here, liquor there, liquor in New Albany

The New Albany mayor may help speed up the process of attaining liquor licenses for new businesses planned for the riverfront.

More bars/restaurants = good

Faster new bars/restaurants = awesome

If you haven’t been over to New Albany in a while, there are some great things happening. I went to River City Winery a few weeks ago, and it was great. The wine was decent and the food was yummy (brick oven-style pizzas). Also on my Favs of New Albany list are NA Exchange, Rich O’s, Pizza King, Tucker’s and La Rosita (which just opened a second location in Louisville at Floyd and Market).

Habana Blues recently joined La Rosita in migrating second locations southward, and taken in concert with NABC's bomber bottle distribution in Jefferson County, this represents an unprecedented New Albanian cultural invasion across the Mason-Dixon line. The fact that we're accompanied by recruits from Mexico and Cuba gives the enterprise a pleasingly multi-national feel.

I'll know more about the status of the three-way debate on Thursday night, when the amendment is discussed at the Marx Brothers comedy revival otherwise known as our twice-monthly city council meeting. I'm for it, although the timing has me a bit confused, and as usual, the topic has revealed New Albany's dysfunctional socio-political fault lines. I've written more at NA Confidential:

Riverfront three-ways: Alcoholic beverages vs. square meals?

CeeSaw whiffs on a fat pitch as council considers expanding the booze zone.

NA Exchange in LEO.

LEO's Sara Havens has some nice things to say about our new neighbor down the street from the Pizzeria & Public House: NA Exchange.

Bar Belle: Nothing’s right, I’m torn, by Sara Havens (LEO)

I’m all out of faith, this is how I feel. I’m cold and I am shamed, lying naked on the floor. OK, just kidding. I am pretty cold, but I’ve never been ashamed of lying naked on a floor — if it’s carpet, it was a good night; if it’s linoleum, um, it was probably a good night.

Er, wait just minute, it's a bit further down the page ...

New Albany secrets: I’ve heard the whispers wafting across the Ohio … of a swanky new joint a few doors down from Rich O’s where the food is fine and the drinks rival that of Proof and Social.