The Five Best Girls' Nights Out in Louisville
There's nothing better than a night out with your girlfriends to recharge your batteries. Sometimes, though, the same old pitcher of margaritas or the same old "can't miss TV show" starts to feel like a chore. Suddenly, relaxing with your bestie seems like another thing to check off the to-do list.
Over on HerLouisville today, I have some suggestions to help you break the cycle of boring Girls' Nights Out. Check it out and let me know how you plan "me time" with your girlfriends.
Louisville's Can't Miss Charity Fashion Shows
Fashion Shows.
The very phrase conjures up images of far-away Fashion Weeks filled with angry, hungry-looking models in fantastical creations that are neither affordable nor practical for most of us.
An Alexander McQueen design at Paris Fashion Week, via New York Times.
Here in Louisville, we have a couple of Fashion Shows coming up in the next few days that feature far more realistic fashions to benefit some very worthy causes!
This weekend -- October 11th and 12th -- don't miss the Junior League's American Girl Fashion Show at Churchill Downs' Millionaire's Row.
This is a great chance to help introduce the girls in your life to charity while having fun. I've never met a girl who didn't love the American Girl collection, and I am such a strong believer in the Junior League's mission -- promoting voluntarism and improving life for women and children!
If you follow HerKentucky on Instagram or Facebook, I'm sure you've seen promos for the Younger Woman's Club's Fall into Fabulous Fashion Show. I sit on the YWC Board and I could not be more excited about this event! Real Louisville women -- our YWC members -- modeling fashions from Louisville's top boutiques. The event is next Wednesday, October 15th, at 7 pm at The Pointe Butchertown. Tickets are available here. I hope to see y'all there!
The HerKentucky Guide to Simple Keeneland Wagers
It's HERE!
Keeneland's Fall Meet has ARRIVED!
You're going, right? Of course you're going. We only get to do this in April and October. Get up, get dressed, and go take part in one of the best parts of living around here. (Yes, I'm basically a walking, talking Keeneland commercial whenever meets are in session. I love it that much.)
When I talk to someone who's visited Lexington and not been to Keeneland, I'm sad. When I talk to someone who lives near Lexington and hasn't been? Words cannot describe my devastation. I recently met a girl who told me she's lived in Lexington for eight years and never been to Keeneland. Not once!
Even if you don't care a bit about horse racing, go for the sheer excitement of it. See the horses. Enjoy the atmosphere. Most of all, experience the glory that is Keeneland, one of the most beautiful racetracks in the country.
My friend told me she's never been to Keeneland because she doesn't know how to bet on the races. This, my friends, is no excuse. First, any one of the tellers at the betting stations will happily help you through your bet (trust me, they've helped me with several); and secondly, I'm about to give you a quick crash course in how to bet like you know what you're talking about.
Disclaimer: I don't do complicated bets. All these examples will be using a standard $2 minimum bet, although I believe Keeneland lowered the minimum wager to $1. Go big or go home, I say. TWO DOLLARS.
Regardless of what you're betting, when you place your bet, you say...
- The name of the track
- The race number
- The amount of the bet
- The type of bet
- The number of the horse
One horse, one bet
The easiest bet is just to pick one horse to win, and it's a super straight and simple bet.
Example: "Keeneland, race one. $2 to win on 4."
Across the Board
Have a horse you love but you're not entirely sure it's a winner? Bet it "across the board," or to win, place, or show. That bet will cost you $6 since you're basically placing three bets ($2 to win, to place, and to show). As long as your horse comes one of the top three spots, you're a winner.
Example: "Keeneland, race one. $2 across the board on 4."
Exacta/Exacta Box
And now let's talk about my favorite bet ever. I use this one to make myself sound like I totally know about horse racing. (Note: I do not know anything about horse racing. My betting system is based purely on whether the horse name means something to me and who the jockey is. If Redhead McSparkles is ridden by a jockey named Jesus, I'm betting on it.)
The exacta bet involves picking the horses that will win and place (or come in first and second). Your best shot is to pick the favorites for this one. Whichever horse you say first is the one you expect to win, and the second is who you think will place. This bet will cost you $4 since you're actually placing two bets, $2 on the winning horse and $2 on the placing horse.
Example: Keeneland, race one. $2 exacta on 4 and 6.
Now- here's my bet- the exacta box. Something about saying "exacta" and "box" makes me feel like a total pro. The box means you have the horses you think will come in first and second, but you're not sure what order they will be in. You can box as many horses as you want. (I usually choose three horses in the hopes that two of them will win and place.)
Example: Keeneland, race one. $2 exacta box on 4, 6, and 9. (This is one where you probably want to go with a $1 bet, because these get expensive really quickly as you add more and more horses.)
Trifecta/Trifecta box
These are the exact same as the exacta and exacta box, except you're dealing with the first three slots instead of the first two. You're choosing the horses that will win, place, and show.
It is extremely hard to pick the exacta and/or the trifecta. What are the odds that you'll even get one horse right, let alone two or three? But these bets, without boxing them, are cheaper, and they typically pay out well if you win. The boxes are easier to win, but cost a lot more.
(If you bet and win a trifecta, you basically have bragging rights for life. If you see me there, I'll buy you a drink.)
Other bets
Daily Double: You choose the winner in two consecutive races. (My mom did this once when I was a kid. She still talks about it.)
Pick Three: You choose the winner in three consecutive races.
Pick Four: You choose the winner in four consecutive races.
More complicated
Remember how I said I don't do complicated bets? There are things involving "Part-wheels" which, I think, is basically boxing a bet but on a much larger scale. And you "key" horses in those if you know which horse you think will win but you're not sure about the order of any of the others.
That is literally all I know about these bets. You're welcome.
There you go! You officially have no excuse to skip Keeneland this year.
When you're there, look for me. I'll be the one with the bourbon and coke betting on every single horse with "Red" in its name.
The HerKentucky Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day Giveaway!
Did you ever have a really, really bad day?
Well, of course, everyone has. Today, I was particularly fed up with the way my day was going. My parking lot view at 7:30 this morning looked like this.
When you bill it as an Open MRI, that doesn't mean "Make it Visible from the Parking Lot."
Then, after hours doing no-fun-at-all doctor's office stuff, I got home and found that my wireless router was down. My brilliant pop culture think piece on Jennifer Lawrence was just going to have to wait. If I kept the door to my back porch open, I could just barely pick up a little wifi from the law firm down the street. (I love y'all who keep unsecured wifi, btw!) Those aren't exactly optimal conditions for someone who works in online channels, to say the least.
I was having, as the old kids' book said, a horrible, no-good, very bad day. There was even a severe thunderstorm warning, complete with a hail advisory.
Then, I sat down to fill orders for HerKentucky T-shirts and I realized that this site and y'all -- our readers and writers -- are the cure for a bad day. I also noticed that I'd never heard back from the winners of our September drawings for Shop Local Kentucky Swag.
So, let's have a little giveaway to make the day better. My internet is back up, the storm advisory has expired, and we all love Kentucky. Besides, nothing makes a day better than giving a present to somebody you like. Enter below to win a Shop Local Kentucky T-shirt or Reclaimed Bourbon Barrel Kentucky Necklace. You have until Saturday at midnight EDT to win. Good luck, and I hope you're having a better day than I am!
Kentucky Proud Fried Apples
It's apple season! Head to the farmer's market, grab some apples, and get to making this delicious and easy fried apple recipe!
Apple season is in full swing here in the Bluegrass! Orchards like Reed Valley and Evan's have stands at the local farmer's market where you can try different types of apples and buy them for ridiculously low prices!
Take advantage by making this quick and easy recipe for one of my favorite apple dishes--fried apples!
Fried apples with Bourbon & Honey Ice Cream from Crank and Boom
Gala and Pixie Crisp apples from Reed Valley Orchard
Finished fried apples just waiting for some ice cream!
Kentucky Proud Fried Apples
(Use apples that you would eat plain; I personally don't like Granny Smith apples, so I used one of my favorites, Gala, along with a new favorite, Pixie Crisp.)
Kentucky Proud Fried Apples
Makes 8 servings
- 8 apples (local), cored and sliced into 1/2 inch wedges
- 3 plus 1/2 cups cider (local)
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- Place apples and 3 cups cider in a large pan on medium heat.
- Cook apples until fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix remaining 1/2 cup cider, cornstarch, and spices together.
- Once apples are done, remove them with a slotted spoon and turn the pan up to medium-high.
- Add spice cider mixture and heat until thickened.
- Add cooked apples back to spiced sauce and stir to coat the apples.
- Serve either alone or with some ice cream.
Jennifer is the chef behind the website, a girl eats world. Head over for more Kentucky Proud recipes!
The HerKentucky Guide to Keeneland's Dress Code
A guide to the Keeneland Race Course Dress Code.
The number one question that HerKentucky readers have for us is "What should I wear to Keeneland?" Here in Kentucky, a trip to Lexington's storied Keeneland Race Course isn't just a trip to bet on the ponies. It's a full-scale experience of racing, food, fun, and, of course, fashion. Trust me when I say that, 70% of all the people you've ever met in your life will be at the track any day you go.
Well, that may be a slight exaggeration, but with weekend crowds reaching over 25,000 people, you sure will see a lot of Kentuckians at Keeneland. To help you look your best, we've put together a few dress code tips that will help you look great at the track!
If you're going to stay near the Paddock --General Admission, Grandstand, or Equestrian Room-- there's no need to dress up very much. Guys often opt for khakis and polo shirts, and women can wear slacks. You're actually dressing for a horse race in these sections. These are the areas nearest the track itself, and people are truly there to watch (and bet on) the horses. With that said, don't be surprised to see a lot of dresses and sport coats in the lower-levels. In recent years, a culture of dressy tailgating (think Steeplechase) has popped up among college students and twenty-somethings, and the second floor (General Admission) Sports Bar often resembles a campus bar or fraternity semi-formal. While the dress code says "casual", there's plenty of Vineyard Vines ties and Lilly Pulitzer to be seen.
If you'll be dining in the upper-level, enclosed dining rooms-- The Lexington, Kentucky, or Phoenix Rooms-- then expect to dress for a business event. The Lexington and Kentucky rooms -- dining rooms often reserved for business and social gatherings-- have a "business formal" dress code; these areas require men to don a coat and tie, and skirts/dresses/dressy slacks for ladies. The Phoenix Room-- another reserved dining room-- is "business casual", requiring collared shirts and slacks for men and dresses/pantsuits for ladies.
Most of all, dress nice, look good, and have a great day at the races!
The HerLouisville Guide to Looking Great and Enjoying Autumn!
Tips for looking great while enjoying a busy autumn.
Autumn in the Bluegrass is amazing. It's a gorgeous season and there are just so many things to do. Keeneland's Fall Meet is just around the corner, there are fall festivals and corn mazes and orchards and football games and...
And sometimes you just need a little time to take care of yourself. Over at HerLouisville today, I'm sharing some tips for looking great while you enjoy the season.
For the next few weeks, HerKentucky will focus on ways to relax and take a little better care of yourself while enjoying all the fun that autumn (and the closer-than-you-think holiday season!) has to offer. We'd love to hear how y'all keep yourselves looking and feeling great!