Kentucky Places: Lexington Cemetery

Seeing as spring has sprung early (seriously - we had about 2.2 days of winter this year), flowers and trees are all blooming. One of the most beautiful places to watch this transformation is at the Lexington Cemetery.


Founded in 1849, the Lexington Cemetery skirts downtown with over 170 acres of land, and has has over 200 species of trees including dogwoods, color crab apples, ornamental magnolias and pink weeping cherries. Throughout the season, cemetery visitors can find beautiful gardens of annuals and perennials.

First 5 photos courtesy of Dee Fife. Last photo courtesy of the Lexington Cemetery. 

To learn more about the horticulture, or even the notable people buried on the grounds (including my mom - she is notable to me :), visit http://lexcem.org.

On Kentucky Girls and Basketball

State College Gymnasium

When I was freshly out of graduate school, I found myself working in a small office.  My co-workers were a couple of women transplanted from far-away places like Grosse Pointe and Long Island.  When March rolled around, my office had the oddest custom: they did nothing. Nothing out of the ordinary. No brackets. No surreptitious use of the office television. No bending of the dress code to accommodate school colors. No smack talk. It was like spending the spring in an odd alternate universe that had somehow planted itself in Lexington's South Side.  It sure wasn't how we do it in Kentucky.  Even when it's just us girls.

We take basketball quite seriously in the Commonwealth.  It's a perfectly justifiable position, because our teams are really, really good at the game. Tonight, as the Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament kicked off, four Kentucky schools were among the competitors. Two of those schools will also send teams to the Women's Tournament.  For most Kentuckians, that translates to a very personal stake.  Everybody knows at least one person who went to UK, Western, Louisville, or Murray State.  A lot of us went to at least one of those schools ourselves.     We  raise our kids to be fans of our alma maters and the closest regional university.  We teach them to take sides in the huge in-state rivalry. When we hear of enterprising Nebraska fifth-grader Max Kohll, who made national headlines for being sent to the principal's office after starting a $5 bracket pool among his classmates, we don't know what all the fuss is about.  Even the most conservative church-goers among us think "there's nothing wrong with filling out a bracket; little Max is just learning his math and earning some spending money."

They say that, in some parts of the country, women don't follow basketball all that closely.  Apparently, sports are often construed as a "guy thing."   In Kentucky, being a basketball fan knows no gender line.  You'll never hear any "guys watch sports while the girls go shopping" nonsense around here.  You can walk into any gym in the Commonwealth-- from grade school to D-I --and  find little old grandmothers decked out head-to-toe in team colors, actively following the game and uttering the only curse words they ever allow themselves in reaction to bad officiating.   All across Kentucky this weekend, wives and girlfriends will be planning elaborate game day spreads. As we prepare our hot wing dips and cheese balls, we make sure that we won't get stuck in the kitchen at game time.  Our love of basketball is as much our birthright as wearing elaborate hats to the Derby or inheriting our grandmothers' perfectly seasoned cast iron skillets.

Every March, the nation is treated to stories of fandom and sports mania.  Some are heart-warming, some are ridiculous, and some are just insane  There are the Cinderella stories that are so beloved by the national media.  There are the guys who travel thousands of miles, never miss a game, and saddle their kids with ridiculous names.  Here in Kentucky, one of the great storylines of our obsessive love of basketball is our female fans.  There's the elderly lady whom I recently saw in my hometown Wal-Mart -- her long grey ponytail and ankle-length skirt identified her as a member of a particularly conservative Baptist sect, while her "Legacy of Kentucky Basketball" t-shirt identified her as a member of the Big Blue Nation.  There's my sorority sister Alexia, who's teaching her Baltimore-raised children about Murray State basketball through the power of cable TV and internet feeds.  There's my dear friend Jenksie, sister to a  Mr. Basketball and Wildcat alumnus, who has forgotten more inside scoop than Pat Forde ever uncovered.   There's my Mama Cindy -- mother to two of my dearest friends -- who dreamily recalls that Pat Riley was her first Wildcat crush.  There are innumerable stories of other Kentucky women who can break down a defense better than any TruTV analyst I've seen this week.  Unlike the most famous UK alumna/basketball fan, most of us even remember to put on pants with our jerseys.

Kentucky Connections

Last week, I was trying to book a flight to Chicago from work. For a while, I contemplated driving as Chicago is only 6 hours from Lexington. Did you know that 2/3 of the US population can be reached within one days driving from Lexington?

If you prefer to travel by air, there are also many direct flight options from both Lexington (LEX) and Louisville (SDF) airports, as well as from the Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati Airport (CVG) which is technically a Kentucky airport as well. I'm a little less familiar with CVG's direct flights as they lost about half of their flights when Delta stopped operating there as a hub. Major sad face.

Direct flights from Lexington (LEX), although I think Las Vegas is about to go away.

Direct flights from Louisville (SDF) - newest addition is SDF to Grand Bahama Island

In the end, I chose to get a fare for less than $200 direct from SDF to O'Hare (ORD). It only takes about 75 minutes to get to SDF from LEX, and was 1/4 of the cost of the LEX direct flights. I also booked a direct flight from LEX to New York (LaGuardia - LGA) for less than $300.

So while I love the Bluegrass, it's nice to be able to conveniently escape to so many nearby places! 

What would be your favorite direct destination?

My Kentucky–Downtown Frankfort

I live in our Commonwealth’s capital city, only about four blocks from the Capitol. (That’s the first lesson you learn in my town – the difference between “capital” and “capitol.”)

Y’all. My town is beautiful. Your capital city is beautiful! I love it more than any place in the world. I hope you like it, too. Here are some of my favorite places in the old parts of town – South Frankfort and Downtown Frankfort.

I sat on the wall along the South Frankfort Presbyterian Church’s and ate lunch nearly everyday when I was a Freshman in high school. My alma mater didn’t have a cafeteria back then.

This building housed the first YMCA in town. It’s been vacant for as long as I can remember. I’ve never thought it was a very beautiful building, but a group of preservationists are working to turn it into our town’s first boutique hotel. It sits right on the Kentucky river next to what we affectionately name The Singing Bridge. This bridge, now the site of an open-grate roadbed steel bridge originally had an old-fashioned covered bridge to serve folks coming from Louisville to the Old Capitol Building.

This building was originally a post office. I know it best as the library. It’s currently owned by Kentucky State University and is being remodeled. I’d love to go up into that turret.

There is always a renovation or restoration project in progress in our downtown. I’d not noticed that this one was in the midst of one until I shot this photo and realized that the column is only partially painted. I’m not sure if this is an active renovation or if it got stalled along the way and the plans have been abandoned for exterior work. The building houses businesses and apartments.

This portion of St. Clair street used to be a pedestrian-only mall paved with bricks and lined with trees. About 10 years ago, the city revamped the mall to allow for mixed traffic use. I was devastated at the thought of it, but I have to admit that they did it well. The bars and restaurants have ample room for outdoor seating. Pedestrians have room to walk. People have room to gather and traffic flows in a single-lane, one-way pattern. The jeweler’s clock has been standing sentry over this part of town for many years (the jeweler’s been in business since 1872).

This little guy was tied to a lamp post outside the coffee shop while his owners ordered their coffee. That’s one of the great things about my town – no one will bother this dog unless it’s with scratches behind the ear. If it were a hot day, the shop owner would offer up a bowl of water for him. People care around here.

I love the paint scheme on these buildings on Broadway – the only street in town divided by railroad tracks. If I had a wide-angle lens you’d see that the buildings continue on to the left of this picture. The entire city block is filled with locally-owned businesses including a specialty wine and liquor shop, an antique store, a book store owned by a former Kentucky Poet Laureate, a café, a Kentucky artisan shop and an upscale dining spot.

Directly across from those shops stands the Old State Capitol building. It’s surrounded by a walled park featuring brick-laid walkways and a fountain and is a beautiful spot. While it was once the site of political machinations and even a gubernatorial assassination in 1900, today, the building serves as part of the state’s Historical Society and the grounds are the site of summer concerts and many picnics and playdates.

Our town, like any small town you’ll find in the South is home to a great number of churches. The ones downtown are the oldest and, to me, most beautiful. These two, in particular, remind me of England and cottage gardens (not that I’ve ever been there!). Fittingly, one of them is the Anglican church!

As a town first settled in the 1780s, Frankfort has its fair share of historic homes. These are two of my favorites.

I found this front gate decoration in front of the historic Liberty Hall. Legend has it that the house is haunted and that you can sometimes see The Gray Lady at one of the upstairs windows.

The grounds of the historic homes are open to the public. In elementary school, we would often walk to them in the spring time and spend an afternoon reading or exploring. Can’t you just imagine a garden party in this spot?

Finally, crossing back over to my side of the river, you can see where the painter Paul Sawyier was so inspired by the area.

It won’t be long until the Capitol grounds crew has these guys out and ready for photographing, again. The tulips in bloom signal spring’s arrival and prompt lots of family photo opportunities.

Just a few short weeks after the tulips, it’s Derby time!

Giovanni's Pizza

Anybody who has spent any time in Eastern Kentucky has eaten plenty of Giovanni's pizza.  It just seems like there's always been a Giovanni's location in every town along U.S. Route 23.

Giovanni's is known for big ol' pizzas that feed a crowd, making them a favorite for birthday parties and sporting events.  Their pizza buffet is a lunchtime staple in most everybody's hometown, offering all-you-can-eat breadsticks, pizza and pasta.  

Giovanni's sandwiches are a perennial favorite as well.  The stromboli sandwich (a steak hoagie with pizza sauce and cheese) and the Big Red (steak hoagie with cheese and red French dressing) are classic menu items.

My hometown Giovanni's location, in the little town of Martin, holds monthly fundraisers for the Jordan Light Foundation, a local charity (its offices are quite literally next door to the Giovanni's) that provides financial and spiritual support for families facing a medical crisis. It's always a good excuse to indulge!

Have y'all tried Giovanni's Pizza?

Pizza in Paducah

I love pizza. If given the choice, I would eat it for lunch and dinner everyday. I love it that much. I developed and nurtured my love of pizza growing up in Paducah. My parents and I would order pizza every Sunday night before we sat down for the latest episode of Lois and Clark. (Don't judge me!) My best friend and I would save and scrounge for the $7 it took to order a medium cheese pizza on weekends.

Due to my long and dedicated history of pizza consumption, I count myself as a Paducah pizza expert and here are my top picks if you're looking for a delicious slice while in River City.

1. Pizza by the Pound They don't deliver and they don't have to. It's that good. Pizza by the Pound, a local institution since 1964, is home of the eight pound pizza. If you can eat it in one hour and in one setting, they'll give you $100. I just prefer a few slices of pepperoni that will only make you feel like you've gained eight pounds. 
2. Pizza Inn Recently crowned the #1 Readers' Choice in the Paducah Sun, Pizza Inn is the best pizza buffet I've ever had. It was also our choice on Sunday nights growing up. They have the best thin crust pizza and the most amazing chocolate chip dessert pizza you've ever tasted. 
3. Michael's New York Style Pizza The runner-up for Readers Choice, Michael's is great for big, saucy slices just like they sell in the Big Apple. I love the spiciness of their sauce and their crust is delicious. 
4. Italian Village Pizza You can get a large pizza for $7. Enough said. (I have NOTHING to say about the music on their website.)
5. Max's Brick Oven This is what I call fancy pizza. There is a time and place for fancy, brick oven pizza and when that time comes, you want to be at Max's. 

What's your favorite pizza in Paducah?

HerKentucky Business: Authentically Social

The HerKentucky team is thrilled to present HerKentucky Business, a monthly spotlight on female entrepreneurs in the Bluegrass State. In this edition, I answer questions about the business I recently launched, Authentically Social. 

My "official" third person bio: Emily is a marketer with over eight years of corporate marketing, brand management, communications, and social media experience. Whether through traditional marketing, social media management, email marketing, or writing, her passion is connecting great brands with fans. Emily lives in Lexington, KY and holds a MBA in Marketing and BA in Advertising from the University of Kentucky.

1. Are you a native Kentuckian? Why have a Kentucky business?

I am not a native Kentuckian, but moved here when I was thirteen. It took about twenty years of being here to stop being so stubborn about how awesome this state is. The quality of life is great, people are friendly, and the cost of living is low. Having a Kentucky business means my costs to operate aren't exorbitant and I can provide great value to companies particularly from out-of-state who might not be able to explore social media marketing with agencies in their particular markets.

2. Many younger people say they can't find many corporate-type jobs in Kentucky, so they leave the state. What was your experience?

I will admit that I was one of those people who said that as soon as college was done, I'd go to a larger city like Chicago or New York City so I could find work with some awesome company and become a big-shot city girl. No idea where those idealistic visions came from, but I'm glad that I met a Kentucky boy who didn't want to give up his roots here. I've worked for several Kentucky companies doing brand marketing and working on projects that I didn't realize existed here until I looked. There are amazing companies doing amazing things all across the state. The companies have contributed to my ability to be able to start a business, and thrive here in the Commonwealth.

3. What was the hardest part of starting a new business?  What do you wish someone had told you before you started Authentically Social?

Honestly, the hardest part was telling myself I could do it. There wasn't anything overly logistical that held me up, it was all self-doubt. Could I find clients? Would people help me spread the word? Would I fail miserably and have to crawl back to a corporate desk job? I never though I'd leave the comfort of the corporate office, and then it became all consuming. I built my business up on nights and weekends. While that was what I needed to do to get some courage up, I would suggest that others not wait so long (and not tire yourself out)! Be confident in your abilities, and take the leap.

4. What is the most rewarding part of entrepreneurship/small business ownership?

I'm still pretty new at it, but what has been most exciting so far is the response that others in the community have given me, and the enthusiastic reception I've gotten from prospects (now clients). To know you built something based on your hard work is incredibly rewarding --  of course monetarily, but more so emotionally.

5. What suggestions do you have for women who want to start their own business?

Meet with other women business owners: take them out for coffee or lunch and ask them about their experiences. I did this with someone I didn't know from Junior League and it was so refreshing to be able to hear about her experience. It then made me more confident to approach others and ask about their experiences, and now I have a little network of women supporters that I can turn to when needed.

Also, if you are unsure about a functional area of your business (for me it was legal contracts and accounting), call in professionals. You don't have to know how to do everything, so focus on what you are good at, and have others help you with the rest.

Logistically, the Kentucky Secretary of State office has lots of resources on how to search for a company name and file your business structure.