“I think I’ll get a drink,” I said.
“What?”
“I said I think I’ll get a drink.”
It was hard to talk, there were so many people. Three hundred and fifty, at last count. A cheerful din filled 8UP Elevated Drinkery and Kitchen. Waiters with hors d'oeuvres slipped through the crowd like fish. I never got that drink; a moat of people four or more deep surrounded the bar, some of them clutching one of the 50 Woodford Reserve copper mint julep cups we’d given away, a few paging through our new Derby issue or scavenging through the snazzy swag bag sponsored by Total Wine. Co-hosted by the Bourbon Women (cheers, ladies!) and presented by Woodford Reserve, our Derby issue launch party reminded me a lot of Derby itself. A sharp-dressed crowd, a ritzy place, enough bourbon to cheer up a few thoroughbreds. As for who won: I’m a little biased, but I think the roses should go to us. We throw one hell of a party.
Thanks to everyone who turned out.
—Dylon Jones, Web Editor
All photos by John Sommers
