Maker's Mark and Keeneland

Maker's Mark and Keeneland are two of Kentucky's most iconic traditions. I bet you've noticed that there's always plenty of Maker's Mark at the track, but did you know that these two brands have been paired up since the very beginning? In fact, the very first barrel of Maker's Mark was purchased by Keeneland in the mid-1950s. When Maker's launched their Private Select Barrel Program a few years ago, Keeneland was, once again, their first customer!

Of course, there are always plenty of opportunities to celebrate Maker's Mark at the track. The 2015 Breeders' Cup at Keeneland featured everything from signature Maker's Mark lounge areas to Maker's branded cocktails.

Bob makes his Breeders' Cup picks at Keeneland, Maker's Mark in hand.

And, then there are the bottles. Since 1997, Maker's Mark has collaborated with Keeneland to produce special collectors' bottles which benefit local charities. These are accompanied by signings at Keeneland, which are quite an event for bourbon lovers. This year's signing will be next Friday, April 13th, to coincide with the Maker's 46 Mile, a popular (G1) horse race. Perhaps the most iconic bottle in the collection is the Empty Bottle, the 2000 edition which was not filled because whisky supply was low at Maker's distillery due to a fire. Even with no bourbon inside, the bottle raised over $200,000 for the Tubby Smith Foundation!

There's even a signature Maker's Mark cocktail at Keeneland, The Keeneland Breeze. It's so citrusy and refreshing: it's 1.5 parts Maker's Mark to 1/2 part Triple Sec, topped with a splash of ginger ale and an orange round garnish.

I ran across these Keeneland Breeze kitchen items at The Keeneland Shop recently. What a fun way to celebrate the racetrack and its signature spirit!

Cheers and happy racing, y'all! 

Keeneland Fun with Scout and Molly's and CRU

French Connection wrap dress c/o Scout & Molly's. Photos by Sarah Caton of Space, Place & Southern Grace.

{This post is sponsored by The Summit at Fritz Farm. All opinions are my own. As always, thanks to The Summit at Fritz Farm and all the sponsors who keep HerKentucky running. This post may also contain affiliate links; HerKentucky may receive a small per-click commission on product links, at no cost to the reader.}

I try to spend as much of April in Lexington as possible. Lexington is absolutely beautiful in the spring, and Keeneland's Spring Meet is my absolute favorite event of the year! I also find myself finding any excuse I can think of to visit The Summit at Fritz Farm.  It just provides such a wonderful shopping experience. The vibe is so much more fun than most shopping centers! A visit to the Summit just always feels so relaxed and friendly! 

I recently visited Scout & Molly's at the Summit to pick out a dress for the upcoming Keeneland Spring Meet. The owner, Terri, helped me find this gorgeous French Connection wrap dress. It was just the right combination of comfort and sophistication for a day at the track. I love the little peach druzy necklace and ivory faux-leather earrings (both available at Scout & Molly's) that we chose to complete the look. I seldom opt for statement jewelry, so I felt extra-fancy and dressed-up with these pieces! This would be such a fun look for the Keeneland Clubhouse or one of the dining rooms! 

Once I'd picked out my dress, I stopped by CRU Food & Wine Bar for some small plates and a glass of wine. Y'all, this place was so lovely! It would be such a fun spot for dinner and drinks after the races! The vibe was casual chic, the wine selection was great, and the food was perfect for sharing!

I especially loved this leather envelope clutch by local designer Raya Stern of Grey Designs, also available at Scout & Molly's!

These lobster and shrimp pot stickers were so zesty and delicious! 

And you know what they say: you had me at Bordeaux. (Well, at least I say that...)

Thanks so much to the Summit, Scout & Molly's, and CRU for inviting me out to get race day-ready, and thanks to Sarah Caton for the amazing photos!! I hope to see y'all at The Summit at Fritz Farm -- and at Keeneland -- soon!

A Taste of the Races at Keeneland

Keeneland Spring Race Meet 2018 print

{Some links in this post are affiliate links; HerKentucky LLC may receive a small profit when you click product links, at no cost to the reader.) 

Keeneland's Spring Meet is only a few days away, y'all! There's something so special about Keeneland -- the beautiful track, the opportunity to run into so many friends, and the excitement of the races! Absolutely nothing compares to a spring day at Keeneland! 

To get you ready for the race season, the Keeneland Shop has an amazing shopping event coming up this week! This Wednesday and Thursday, you'll get 20% off your on-site purchase at the Keeneland Shop. They have so much good stuff, y'all -- favorites like Barbour and Draper James, as well as Keeneland-branded originals. m. The premiere evening, Wednesday April 4, offers hors d'oeuvres prepared by Keeneland Executive Chef Marc Therrien, as well as Maker's Mark and Gents Original Ginger Ale craft cocktails.

I was so excited that Keeneland Shop sent me this stunning platter and plates set by Dishique along with an invitation to the event! What a perfect way to serve up spring appetizers for race season!

As for shopping, I have my eye on some CatStudio Keeneland merchandise. I seriously LOVE this pillow!

There's even a little CatStudio gift for attendees of Wednesday's event. The first 250 attendees will receive their complimentary cocktail in a Keeneland catstudio glass! How cute is this?

Louisville Stoneware mugs are my all-time favorites! This Keeneland logo design is amazing.

Shop the Draper James Keeneland Capsule Collection!

If I haven't already sold you on this event, there's also a Draper James Capsule Collection of Limited Edition Keeneland merchandise! That Key Fob is a must-have!!

Trinket Tray

Key Fob

Clutch

I hope to see y'all at the Keeneland Shop's Taste of the Races. Happy Racing Season, y'all!!

Shop Draper James Lexington for Easter Dresses!

Draper James has the absolute spring dress collection, y'all. I'm in love with all the navy and fun floral patterns, and have found so many cute pieces for date nights and spring horse races and the holidays! 

Speaking of holidays, if you haven't been able to find the Draper James dress you want online, or if you're still looking for an Easter dress for this weekend, you should stop by the Draper James store in Lexington at The Summit at Fritz Farm. They always have a great variety of dresses, and the sales staff is so wonderful and hospitable and sweet! A trip to the Lexington Draper James store is always so much more than just a shopping trip!

Here are some of my favorite spring dresses from Draper James! The Love Circle Dress is an adorable fit and flare dress that is so adorable for any of your spring events. I especially love the Seersucker! These will be so perfect for every spring event, from Easter services to races at Keeneland or Churchill Downs to date nights! (Fun Fact: The Love Circle Dress is named for the road that runs around Love Park near Vanderbilt's campus, near Draper James Founder Reese Witherspoon's hometown, Nashville!)

Click to shop Draper James Love Circle Dresses: 1. Seersucker | 2. Hyacinth Floral | 3. Magnolia 4. Solid Navy 5. Elliston Floral 6. Dot

I love that this year's Draper James spring line includes some inclusive sizing -- running from XS to XXL to flatter as many ladies as possible. I also love that the price point has been lowered to make the dresses more accessible to more women. All of the dresses in the picture below are under $150, and a few are under $90!

Shop my favorite Draper James Spring Dresses: 1. Magnolia Persley Pointe Dress | 2. Hyacinth Floral Ruffle Sleeve Knit Dress | 3. Belted Daisy Vine Shirtdress | 4. Daisy Vine Roslyn Dress | 5. Belted Magnolia Shirtdress | 6. Ottoman Stripe Knit Dress

If you're still looking for that perfect spring dress, stop by Draper James in Lexington, enjoy a sweet tea, and try on one of these gorgeous pieces. I bet you'll find something you love!

Happy Birthday, Miss Dolly!

(This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive a small per-click commission on some product links at no additional cost to you! Thank you for supporting HerKentucky.com!)

Dolly Rebecca Parton was born January 19, 1946 in Sevier County, Tennessee, the fourth of twelve children born to a subsistence farm family.  Dolly's family may have been poor, but she had dreams of doing something great. "I went to bed hungry many nights as a child," she's said. "It was a Dream that dressed me up when I was ragged, and it was a Dream that filled me up when I was hungry. Now it's my Dream to see that no child in this world ever goes hungry." When Dolly began making money as a singer and songwriter, she and her husband Carl Dean provided for her younger siblings. As much as her prolific songwriting career -- she just was awarded two Guinness World Records for her long-lived success -- Dolly is known for her amazing sense of humor, over-the-top style, and her kindness. 

Now, y'all know that I'm basically obsessed with Dolly not only because of her amazing songs (Jolene is my favorite!) and her amazing films (9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias both had a huge impact on my early life!) but also because of her graciousness and kindness. I love that she's embraced all her fans and made Dollywood an inclusive, LGBT-friendly workplace. I love that she's providing preschool children around the world with books through the Imagination Library. And I love that she never forgets where she came from. Robert Harling, who wrote Steel Magnolias, recently recalled Dolly's amazing attitude on the film's set in a Garden and Gun article. While the film's other ladies were complaining about wearing heavy Christmas sweaters in the Louisiana heat, Dolly kept her cool, both proverbially and literally:" The women were dressed for Christmas, and Dolly was sitting on the swing. She had on that white cashmere sweater with the marabou around the neck, and she was just swinging, cool as a cucumber. Julia said, 'Dolly, we’re dying and you never say a word. Why don’t you let loose?' Dolly very serenely smiled and said, 'When I was young and had nothing, I wanted to be rich and famous, and now I am. So I’m not going to complain about anything.'" I mean, that's a lesson we could all take to heart: remembering the blessings we actually have.

Draper James Dolly Tee

To celebrate Dolly's birthday, our friends at Draper James are donating all of their online and in-store proceeds for the day to Dolly's Imagination Library. Y'all, this is seriously one of the coolest initiatives ever. Miss Dolly founded the Imagination Library in 1995 to provide books to the children of her hometown Sevierville, Tennessee. Dolly's mission to ensure that children had access to high-quality, age-appropriate books, regardless of household income, was designed to honor her own father, whose circumstances in the Appalachian hills of Tennessee led to his never learning to read or write. Over the past 22 years, the Imagination Library has mailed more than 100 million books to children in Australia, Belize, Canada, United Kingdom and the United States. This service is completely free to the recipients, y'all! Over 1600 communities are served, and over 1.1 million children have registered! Here in Kentucky, there are over fifty Imagination Library affiliate programs. You can register your child aged 2-5, regardless of household income, if you live in an area supported by the Imagination Library. 

I LOVE my What Would Dolly Do tee from Draper James, and I want the tote bag so badly. Celebrating Dolly's birthday AND helping kids have access to books sounds like a win-win reason to order it, doesn't it?

Do y'all love Dolly as much as I do? Tell me your favorite Dolly song or role in the comments below! 

#herkentuckycares

Social media is an odd phenomenon, y'all. Sometimes it makes us smile and sometimes it makes us roll our eyes. And, sometimes, it can be used to effectuate change.

In the nearly six and a half years I've been writing HerKentucky.com, I've been amazed by how truly lovely HerKentucky readers and social media fans are! So, I've teamed with a group of Kentucky-based businesspeople to say thanks to some of y'all when you're "caught in the act" of doing a good deed. We call it #herkentuckycares!

Here's what #herkentuckycares is all about:

• While, most of the time, many of us try to be humble with our good works, this January, I'm asking you all to broadcast them to your social media! 
• Starting today, Monday, January 8th, think of some of the ways you'd like to help your community. Your local homeless shelter could use coats, scarves, and new, unopened packages of underwear and socks. Your hometown animal shelter could use food, toys, towels, bedding, and bleach. Your local food bank could use healthy food. And a charity of your choice can always use a financial donation.
• Please take a photo of your good deed -- or of a friend or family member caught in the act of doing good -- and upload it to Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #herkentuckycares.
• By submitting the #herkentuckycares hashtag, you're eligible for random drawings for gift cards to Target, Starbucks, Heine Brothers, and Salsaritas provided by Kentucky-based businesses who want to help pay it forward!
• The contest begins today, January 8th, and will last through Friday, February 2nd! 

Please share the word with your friends, and  let's start a good deed social media revolution in Kentucky this winter!

Thanks so much to Louisville Salsarita's, Jennifer Stetzler Interiors, Yoga Instructor Ryan Bratcher, Realtor Kacy Noltemeyer, Liz Toombs of Polka Dots and Rosebuds Interiors, Jennifer Stetzler Interiors, and Realtor Russell Smith for their generous contributions!!

Pomegranate, Inc Warehouse Sale

Tuesday, I had the opportunity to take a sneak peek at the Pomegranate, Inc. Warehouse Sale. Y'all, it was absolutely amazing.  If you aren't familiar with the brand, Pomegranate is a line of bags, table linens, and clothing based in Lexington. Their designs are so fresh and fun and timeless!

I ran across these Kentucky Wildcats cloth napkins; I *may* have had to buy the apron as well!

This cashmere/ wool blend poncho is so classic; I know I'll wear it time and again!

These potholders in the Round the Christmas Tree print have me pretty pumped for holiday baking!

Oh my goodness; I was so excited about this embroidered pillow! It has a sale price of $45!

And this pineapple print apron is the most perfect hostess gift I've ever seen!

 

Visit the Pomegranate Warehouse Sale today through Saturday at 527 Lagonda Ave in Lexington. If you stop by today or tomorrow, mention HerKentucky for an additional 10% off your purchase! 

Thanks so much to Pomegranate for partnering on this event! I hope you love their textiles as much as I do!