Lilly Pulitzer Patchwork Quilt
An extraordinary quilt made from Lilly Pulitzer fabric.
I think I was thirty years old before I realized that everybody didn't have a huge stack of quilts that their grandmother made for them. I knew that my granny made the prettiest ones, obviously, but I thought everybody else's granny at least tried.
Quilting is an art with deep roots in Kentucky. It's an integral part of my Appalachian childhood, and I want to share the gorgeous quilts my grandmother and great-grandmothers have made for me. So, we're starting a new series here on HerKentucky. Every Thursday, I'll share photos of the gorgeous quilts that my grandmother has made for me and my family. I'm working to live up to her artistry, but I'm not quite there yet!
This one combines my love of preppy, vibrant Lilly Pulitzer fabrics with a simple patchwork quilt pattern. We found some lots of fabric on eBay; my granny said the quilt itself was actually quite easy to make.
National Dog Day Treats for Kentucky Pooches!
Some great deals for National Dog Day!
Today is National Dog Day. I don't know about y'all, but I'd be absolutely lost without my dogs. Their hilarious dispositions, their antics, and their unconditional love are pretty much the best thing ever.
Here's a roundup of some of the deals going on at local pet bakeries, in case you want to take your best friend out for a treat today.
- 10% off any in-stock treats at Bluegrass Barkery, Lexington.
- With any $25 purchase, get a free small container of treats from the Bone Bar at Barkstown Road, Louisville.
- Buy three bakery case treats, get the fourth free at Three Dog Bakery, Louisville.
Of course, don't forget that the dogs at your local shelter or humane society would love a treat or a new home. Please consider taking in a dog if you possibly can, or making a donation if you aren't able to adopt!
Maker's Mark Whiskey Sour
Celebrate with an old-school bourbon cocktail!
Today is National Whiskey Sour Day. There's just something so sophisticated and refreshing about a well-made, old school cocktail like a sour.
I made a batch last night, and they were so delicious.
I started with some turbinado sugar, water, and lemons.
I added a cup of turbinado sugar to a cup of boiling water, then added the juice of three lemons. I put the lemon simple syrup in the refrigerator to chill for a couple of hours.
When cocktail hour arrived, I filled lowball glasses with crushed ice and one part of the lemon simple syrup to two parts. Maker's Mark, then garnished with an orange slice and maraschino cherries.
Five Kentucky Day Trips Worth Taking
If you think about it, there are really only two more free Saturdays between now and May 14th.
How did I arrive at that date? Simple. College football starts on Labor Day weekend, which is two weeks from tomorrow. Football and fall horse racing overlap into college basketball, then there's Keeneland's April meet, and then there's Derby. Add in holidays, and basically, you (or someone in your household) will be at sporting events, family obligations, or sitting on the couch watching sports every weekend until May.
It's a very real conundrum for Kentuckians. It also means that you've got these last two weekends to carefully plan something fun. A lot of times, work and social schedules don't allow much more than a fun few hours in another town. Last weekend, my beau and I spent a few hours following the GPS to the Maker's Mark Distillery. We were only gone for about 4 hours, but a little out-of-town jaunt left us feeling refreshed and recharged! Here are 5 Kentucky Day Trips to consider while you still have free Saturdays!
- Sweet and Sour Mash in Frankfort and Lawrenceburg . The Commonwealth's capital city has a lot of history to offer, but that's not exactly on the agenda for this trip. Instead, catch breakfast or lunch (open 8-3 Saturday; closed Sunday) at Rick's White Light Diner. Their crawfish pie is on my foodie MUST-TRY list. While you're there, check out the complimentary tours at Buffalo Trace. Then, head over to Lawrenceburg's Four Roses Distillery, which is unique among the members of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail for its distinctive Spanish-style architecture. Tour the distillery and pick up a bottle or two of their excellent small-batch bourbon. Finish up your trip at Sweet Mash Southern Goods, a charming, brand-new boutique that features amazing local and Kentucky-themed products.
- Provisions + Perusing in Lexington National Provisions is my new favorite restaurant in Lexington. I look for any chance to stop by there for a delicious meal from their bistro and a to-go box of macarons from their pâtisserie. (The New York Times has pretty nice things to say about them, too!) Stop in at nearby House by JSD for unique home furnishings, and Morton James and omar + elsie for luxurious fashions.
- Shop Local in Southeast KY Manchester's brand-new shop The Makery features handmade items, craft supplies, and one-of-a-kind products; head over to nearby London for lunch at local hotspot The Abbey.
- Get Artsy in Downtown Louisville One of my very favorite things about Downtown Louisville is that art is everywhere, not just in galleries. Don't miss Craft(s) in South Fourth, which explores the edgier side of Kentucky's traditional arts and crafts, wander through Revelry in NuLu and wind up in 21C Museum Hotel. Ready for lunch after all that? Go ahead and get the best hamburger in town at 21C's Proof on Main while you're there.
- Enjoy Paducah's hip new spin on its past.Quilts at Paducah's National Quilt Museum bear little resemblance to the ones your grandma made you; instead, they're vibrant works of art. Head over to The Coke Plant which, true to its name, once housed a soda bottling facility, but now showcases local artisans. I have it on good authority that coffee or tea from Piper's in the Coke Plant building is a must-try!
Soooo... What are y'all doing with your two remaining Saturdays?
The Real Colonel Sanders
Over on HerKentucky's Facebook page today, we've been talking about Colonel Sanders.
I feel really strongly about this. Colonel Sanders was an actual person. From recent history. Every revamp just comes...
Posted by HerKentucky on Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Well, we've been talking about KFC's latest incarnations of Colonel Sanders.
You've probably seen those KFC ads with Darrell Hammond. They were pretty awful. And, now, he's been replaced by Norm MacDonald.
Howdy, folks. It’s me, the REAL Colonel Sanders, back again, but for real this time. pic.twitter.com/Zj30LPXmXB
— KFC (@kfc) August 17, 2015I'm not going to lie, I find the whole thing VERY creepy. Harland Sanders was a real, live person. He was born in Clark County Indiana in 1890. He lied about his age to join the U.S. Army. He worked on railroads and ferry boats and even practiced law for a while, until he got into a courtroom brawl with a client. Eventually, he settled in Corbin, KY, where he ran a Shell Gas Station and perfected his fried chicken recipe.
Of course, there are a whole lot of people in Southeastern Kentucky who make really good fried chicken. The reason that Colonel Sanders' image has graced a million paper chicken buckets instead of any of our Appalachian grandmothers is that he was a master of marketing. He embraced the iconic image of a Southern gentleman --- a Kentucky Colonel -- in a white suit and a string tie. He insisted on being called Colonel. And the image remained with KFC long after Sanders sold his operations, and even after he passed.
Somehow, the stylized cartoon we've all seen a million times on KFC's logo seems okay. These salt and pepper shakers from Louisville Stoneware seem kind of adorable.
But hiring two guys -- irreverent comedians and non-Southerners at that -- to play someone who was alive during many Kentuckians' lifetime just seems disrespectful and in poor, poor taste. Colonel Sanders was a shrewd businessman, a first-class marketer, possibly a terrible lawyer, and a fine cook. But he was also an actual living person whose legacy deserves a little more than KFC is providing him.
Maker's Mark Distillery Tour
A road trip to one of Kentucky bourbon's most iconic distilleries.
Saturday, my beau and took a trip to Loretto to the Maker's Mark Distillery. It was a gorgeous day to open the sunroof and let the GPS do the thinking for us.
I'm a longtime Maker's fan, but I'd somehow never made the trip to Loretto. Every detail of the distillery tour was delightful, from the tollgate
to the journals detailing names that the Samuels family considered for their product
to quirky flower arrangements in Maker's bottles.
We actually arrived during the brief window when it's too hot to distill new product and equipment is being checked for repairs. How gorgeous is this brewing vat?
The bottling process was going strong, This conveyer belt full of freshly dipped bottles included a photo paying tribute to Margie Samuels, founder Bill Samuels' wife, who famously helped create the brand.
We then moved on to the tasting, where four samples of Maker's awaited us. The white, an un-aged whisky, which tasted very similar to weak moonshine, original Maker's Mark, Maker's 46, and the Cask Strength, which has a very up-front alcohol punch. Very few things can top original Maker's Mark in my book, although the 46 is pretty delicious, with notes of creme brûlée.
After we tasted the spirits, there were some bourbon balls to try as well. I've never turned down a bourbon ball, and these were pretty fantastic.
Finally, we took a look at the amazing blown-glass ceiling installation that commemorated the label's 60th birthday. It was so amazingly beautiful!
After a trip through the gift shop, we walked around the grounds for a bit, then headed to the Toll House Cafe for a delicious barbecue sandwich.
I can't recommend the Maker's Mark tour highly enough! The grounds are stunning and the bourbon is delicious!
Henrietta's Louisville
Inspired by Emily Bingham's biography Irrepressible: The Jazz Age Life of Henrietta Bingham, HerKentucky editor Heather C. Watson takes readers on a photographic tour of Henrietta's Louisville.
It's been a long time since a book captured my imagination the way Emily Bingham's Irrepressible: The Jazz Age Life of Henrietta Bingham did.
There's something about a really well-crafted biography. Of course, the subject led an extraordinary life, or she wouldn't be considered for biographical treatment. But, some biographies -- and some subjects -- really inspire a reader. They carry you back to a different era, they introduce you to new ideas, they sometimes shock you, and they make you feel like you really know them. Personally, I can never get enough of stories about Kentucky's infamous madam Belle Brezing, Jazz Age darling Zelda Fitzgerald, and now Zelda's contemporary (and fellow Southern judge's daughter) Henrietta Bingham. I just couldn't resist going on a little tour of the places Henrietta knew right here in Louisville.
I wanted to start my tour where the Binghams' story began, at Henrietta's grandparents' home, the Samuel and Henrietta Long Miller House at 1236 South Fourth Street. The Miller Mansion is long gone; in its stead is The Puritan Apartments, a senior-living apartment complex.
Only a few blocks away is the original home of Louisville Collegiate School, where Henrietta matriculated and played basketball.
I then took a drive out to Peewee Valley to visit Henrietta's grandparents' summer home, where her parents lived for a while, and which has undergone significant upgrades and remodeling since Mrs. Miller sold the property in 1915.
Of course, no tour of Henrietta's Louisville is complete without a trip to the famous Pendennis Club, where she scandalized Louisville society by kissing a girl. (The same thing also happened at the Louisville Country Club, but I didn't want to sneak onto private club property to snap photos. For the same reason, I didn't head out to Harmony Landing Country Club, the site of Henrietta's former horse farm.)
Then, I traveled out Louisville's picturesque River Road to visit the homes of Henrietta's father, Judge Robert Worth Bingham. River Road is such an enchanting area; downtown Louisville seems so far away, and yet clearly visible. Indiana's shores are just across the Ohio. It's peaceful and lovely; no wonder it became a fashionable address for estates like the Binghams'.
Of course, Judge Bingham didn't live just anywhere. The private drives and secluded settings of Melcombe Bingham and Lincliff, served as a great reminder of how very sheltered and privileged Henrietta's Louisville life was. (Lincliff, where Judge Bingham made his home with second wife Mary Lily Flagler, is currently home to novelist Sue Grafton.)
Finally, I paid a visit to Cave Hill Cemetery to visit the Bingham family plots. After spending a couple of weeks under Henrietta's spell, I wanted to pay my respects. She truly led a fascinating life, and it only seemed right to take a moment to reflect on the ways in which she captured my imagination.