Papa John's Pizza

I often forget that Papa John's Pizza is a Kentucky based company.  I will find myself craving their bread sticks and dipping sauce just about every week.  In my opinion, their bread sticks are the best out there!

Papa John's Pizza was actually started in Jeffersonville, Indiana (right across the river from Louisville) by John Schnatter.  

I have a friend who worked at the Papa John's Corporate office in Louisville, KY.  I went to visit her one day and she treated me to lunch at the PJ corporate headquarters.  They have free pizza and bread sticks for all of the employees.  It's actually pretty cool if you think about it, and could probably be dangerous working there. 

Papa John's also funded the Papa John's Cardinals Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky.  I have been to many games there where I would scarf down some breadsticks (are you seeing a theme yet).

Okay, gotta go order some bread sticks now! Until next time ...

Emmie's 20 Things

Several weeks ago, the HerKentucky contributors each listed their favorite things about Kentucky. I am the turtle in the group, but figure this post is better late than never! There are so many things I love.

Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Awesome people
2. Lexington Athletic Club
3. The pedestrian-friendly Bardstown Road in Louisville
4. Missy's pies: Served at Lexington-based Ramsey's (not the Louisville Ramsi's) and also available out of their small Ashland Ave. store, these pies are amazing and there are dozens of flavors
5. Columbia Steakhouse Nighthawk: if you like steak, you must try this
6. Keeneland: Spring meet is during my birthday and fall meet is during my favorite time of the year
7. Woodland Art Fair in Lexington
8. Southern Lights at the Kentucky Horse Park
9. Graeters ice cream: yes, they're Cincinnati based, but they're coming back to Lexington soon. Raspberry Chocolate Chip is ridiculous
10. Bluegrass Tavern: nothing fancy about this bar, but it's near Cheapside and I've had great memories there
11. US60: The drive from Versailles Road to I-64. Gorgeous horse farms lining the drive.
12. Coffee Times: Lexington coffee house I've gone to for over 12 years
13. Bourbon
14. Kentucky basketball
15. Brunch at Winchell's
16. The Legacy Trail
17. Lexington Farmers Market on Saturdays when it's outside
18. Chrisman Mill Winery - where I got married
19. Lexington Corn Maze at Kelley Farms
20. (and 21.) Ramsey's (Lexington) and Ramsi's (Louisville). 

Le Relais: a Delicious Flight to a More Romantic Time.

Image via KAHS/ Bowman Field

Louisville's Taylorsville Road is hardly a romantic stretch.  I've always thought of it as a bridge between the Highlands and the East End, with few remarkable sights of its own.  There are a lot of ranch-style houses.

But, just past a strip of Taylorsville Road gas stations and liquor stores, lies Bowman Field, Kentucky's first commercial airport which dates back to 1922.  Charles Lindbergh once flew the Spirit of St Louis there.  Scenes from Goldfinger were filmed there.  It's a charming testament to the glamor and romance of the early days of flight.  

Image via Le Relais.

Nestled inside the Art Deco terminal building is Le Relais, a charming French bistro with a decidedly nostalgic feel.  Sometimes, on just the right day, you feel like you've stepped into a scene from Casablanca.  It's almost impossible to believe that you're still a stone's throw away from everyday Louisville as you order fromage, escargots, and tarte aux pommes. Rather, you feel that you're in a magical way station, fueling up on delicious French food as you prepare to board a plane for a more romantic time.

Image via Le Relais

Le Relais is my favorite Valentine's Day dinner destination.  The beautiful location, extensive wine list, and delicious French fare provide a truly romantic backdrop without the overwrought gimmicks that so often arise with the February holiday.  Instead, Le Relais can provide you with a fantastic crème brûlée and the off-chance of seeing Lindbergh's ghost.   That's a pretty special Valentine's Day in my book.

Megan's 20 Things

20 Random Things I love about Kentucky:

1.  William T Young Library- spent many days and nights in this beautiful library. 

2.  Chevy Chase Starbucks- I absolutely love this area and spent a lot of time at this establishment.

3.  Woodland Arts Festival- lovely little festival

4.  Arboretum Walking Trail- so many mornings and evenings spent strolling this walking trail.

5.  Freeman Lake- one neat thing about Elizabethtown

6.  Bellini's- love their food

7.  AJ's Casuals- super cute clothes

8.  Elizabethtown Swim and Fitness Center- many memories here

9.  Cheapside Bar and Grill- no explanation needed!

10.  Harvey's- their jukebox is dangerous.

11.  McCarthy's Irish Pub- does the guy with the Russian hat still work the door?

12.  White Hall Classroom Building- University of Kentucky

13. Keeneland- no explanation needed.

14.  Charlie Brown's- love their cheese poppers

15.  Churchill Downs- a Kentucky staple

16.  SDF- always excited to go on trips.

17. Elizabethtown Baptist Church- reppin' my hometown!

18.  Common Grounds Coffee House- lovely little nook to study or hang out

19.  Rosebud- so many memories here

 20.  Austin City Saloon- one word: karaoke ... maybe another word: popcorn

Heather's 20 Things

1. Kentucky basketball. Not just the storied Wildcat program-- the sheer love for the game that transcends race, gender, geography, and socioeconomic lines across every little corner of the Commonwealth. From the way everyone congregates at the Hyatt before UK games to the way every high school ball game is a sellout.

2. Maker's Mark.

3. Dwight Yoakam. He's from Floyd County, and so am I. Even if you don't enjoy his glam-country rockabilly sound (a position I can't personally imagine, but whatevs), you have to love his brilliant acting turns as the husband attending divorce mediation in Wedding Crashers or the abusive drunk in Slingblade.

4. These two houses in Gratz Park. My favorite houses anywhere in the world.

5.  The Highlands.

6. The recently departed Gatewood Galbraith -- a true gentleman whose unique voice will be sorely missed in the state political arena.

7. The Oaks. 

8. George Clooney. He's a beautiful man.

9. Jenny Wiley Theatre. (We're not going to discuss the whole "moving to Pikeville" thing. I can't talk rationally about it.)

10. Louisville Stoneware.

11. The Lexington Junior League Horse Show .

12. The New Year's Day Pajama Party at Lynn's Paradise Cafe.

13. The Seelbach.

14. Discovering Kentucky with my dogs. From Cherokee Park to Ashland's Central Park. From snowy days in the Eastern Kentucky mountains to sunny Saturdays on Molly Malone's patio.

Baby Max in Cherokee Park, 2007.

15. The Old Courthouse.

16. The Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program. Where I met my future husband, though it would take me more than a decade to figure it out.  Where so many friendships, partnerships, and relationships were sealed.  Where at least one friend's husband learned to crochet.

17.  The University of Kentucky's campus.

18. Kentucky politics. Hilarious. Fascinating. Infuriating.

19. Cheapside.

20. Derby Glasses.

Jerry's

via Facebook.

The big news in my hometown this week is that Jerry's is closing.

I know what you're thinking.  Jerry's? Isn't that like a Frisch's or a Denny's? It's a diner.  That isn't ironic. Why is that worth mentioning?

Well, you're right.  Jerry's is was a Kentucky-based chain of diners that offered up an old-fashioned family-style eating experience.  The menu offered the usual diner fare- country fried steaks, hot fudge cake, and steak fries.  In our small town, however, Jerry's was so much more than a diner.  It was a meeting place for over four decades.  The old drive-in booths were apparently all the rage when my parents were in high school.  When I was a kid, the Prestonsburg Jerry's was the See-and-be-Seen place.  If you ate there on a Friday night, or on the night of a big high school basketball game, you always had to build at least 20-30 minutes of  chatting into your dining schedule.  It really was the town social center.  My granny and her friends used to take in their weekly Weight Watchers meetings at the church next door, then head over for dinner at Jerry's.  Perhaps their tradition was a little counterproductive, but it was just what you do.

via Floyd County Times

Jerry's was just one of those traditions.  Like many traditions, though, its time has passed.  Our little town now offers more exotic (and, arguably, better) fare -- barbecue, Mexican food, high-end sandwiches.  The last time I ate at Jerry's, I found that my tastes really no longer ran toward the fried fish dinner that I adored when I was a kid.  Still, it's sad to know that my hometown's landmark gathering place is facing its final days.  All small towns evolve, but it doesn't always feel like they get better.

In the two weeks before Jerry's closes, I hope to make a visit for one last piece of hot fudge cake and a huge side of nostalgia.  Y'all are invited to tag along, if you have an hour or so to socialize.

Kentucky Places: The Louisville List

Downtown Louisville as seen from Indiana

This weekend, a Nashville-based friend Facebooked me for recommendations for a summer trip to Louisville.  I guess it's where I've lived in (and loved) three amazing Southern cities, but I get  variants of that email all the time.  "Where should I stay in Louisville?"  "Where are the best places to shop in Nashville?"  "Where should I eat after a day at Keeneland?" -- I actually keep my responses on file in my email account and then re-work the answers to compliment individual friends' personalities, tastes, traveling preferences and companions.

Now, my friend is planning for an early June trip to a concert at the Yum! Center and a few days' stay in downtown Louisville.   She's never been to Louisville before, and wants to get a sense of the city.   There are so many attractions within walking/easy driving distance that this trip virtually plans itself.  Even though it's the middle of winter, talk of a Downtown Louisville summer puts me in the mood for Proof's gelato, a ride on the Belle, and a seat on Molly Malone's patio. -- HCW

The Yum Center and Downtown Museums

The Ali Center

I've never really been to the Yum! Center, but it's supposed to be an incredible venue.  It's right in the middle of Downtown Louisville, and you could have a fantastic trip without ever leaving the Downtown area.

The guys on the trip will probably want to see the Louisville Slugger Museum. If baseball's your thing, the RiverBats - the Minor League team - play downtown. The Frazier Museum has a lot of historical war/arms stuff. The Muhammad Ali Center is also quite neat -- it's kind of a walking tour of The Champ's life, as well as a cultural center that supports a lot of education and charity events.  There are also some very cute galleries/museums up and down Main Street, near Slugger, Frazier and the Ali.

Hotels

The Seelbach lobby

As for hotels, I would strongly suggest either 21C or the Seelbach. 21C is a very hip and boutique-y museum hotel. The restaurant inside -- Proof on Main -- is extremely cool. Excellent locally sourced food, insanely good cocktails, and a very artsy decor -- all without being too pretentious. Proof also has a fantastic gelato cart on the street during the summer -- I can't recommend it highly enough.
The Seelbach is way more traditional with four-poster cherry beds, marble lobbies, etc. I feel like a princess every time I stay there.  It has some really cool little bars, the best Starbucks in town, and an amazing day spa.  It also boasts the only five-diamond restaurant in the state.  They're even dog-friendly, and treated Max like a visiting dignitary.  Fitzgerald actually got thrown out of the Seelbach for public drunkenness and then set Daisy's wedding there when he wrote The Great Gatsby.

Outside Jeff Ruby's

The Galt House is kind of a non-descript conventioners' hotel, but it does have an amazing view of the river. There is also a really good high-end steakhouse, Jeff Ruby's, at the Galt House that's like a regional Ruth's Chris. Good, big steaks and a fantastic wine list.

Food/ Entertainment



Max  visits Fourth Street Live.

My very favorite breakfast in the world is at Toast on Market. The Blueberry-Lemon Pancakes are insane, as are the pancakes that are dressed out like a pot roast sandwich. Their hash brown casserole is incredible as well. Also on Market is Garage Bar, which is a high-end wood-fired pizza place that also includes a great oyster bar.

The Belle of Louisville

Downtown, just by the Seelbach, is a kind of touristy entertainment district called Fourth Street Live. There's a Hard Rock, a MakersMark-themed restaurant/bar, and a lot of little restaurants and bars. It's a fun place to people-watch and go out for drinks. I think they even have Yum! Center adjacent parking, and there is often live music and other event-y kind of stuff going on.

Oh, and if the weather permits, you can go out on a steamboat. The Belle of Louisville and the Spirit of Jefferson do lunch and dinner cruises and little sightseeing excursions. It's a very neat way to see downtown from the river.

The Highlands

Molly Malone's

If you want to venture just out of Downtown, the Highlands is a fun, eclectic neighborhood just minutes away. Very cute and cool (we lived there for years) shops and some of the best food anywhere. Lynn's Paradise Cafe is a cute, funky diner with fantastic food. Lunch and dinner are really good, and the breakfast/brunch is legendary. Wick's Pizza is kind of a neighborhood favorite -- huge pizzas with tons of quality toppings. There are some really great nicer restaurants up and down Bardstown Road (the main street going through the neighborhood); if you're up for Latin Fusion, Seviche is our favorite restaurant anywhere -- fantastic seafood and mojitos, and my beau loves their skirt steak, too.

I absolutely love the Louisville Stoneware factory--they do tours, paint-your-own, etc., and their big summer sale should be going on. There are also several really cute Irish Pub kind of places in the Highlands -- Molly Malones and O'Shea's are the kind of places where everyone from college kids to Congressmen go -- very laid-back and fun.

Churchill Downs

The one thing that would be worth driving out of downtown would be Churchill Downs. The summer meet will be in full-force by early June. For just a regular weekend race, you should be able to get tix -- you'd be fine to just dress like you would for an afternoon wedding or a "coat and tie rather than suit" church.  If you're in town on the right weekend, I'd hit up Downs After Dark, which is a fun night-racing event.

Louisville in general

Louisville is a really fun city. It can be a little more Midwestern than the rest of Kentucky -- people talk and walk a little faster and sure do drink in public more than they do anywhere else in the state. I think y'all will really like it, though. It's beautiful in the spring and summer! Also, it has really easy roads to navigate for a city its size; you really can get from one part of town to another pretty rapidly.

The biggest drawback to Louisville in the late spring/early summer is the weather. It's located right along the Ohio river and gets a lot of the river basin storms/tornado watches.

What about y'all, dear readers?  What's on your "Must-See Louisville" list??

(All photos are my own.)