5 Words You're Saying Wrong if You Aren't A Native Louisvillian
Louisville has its own language more than any other Kentucky city. Here's a few words that only natives know how to say propertly.
Seelbach: Pronounced in Louisville as Seel-bæk to rhyme with the synonym for spine; pronounced by everyone else as Seel-bahk to rhyme with family of German composers. The storied downtown hotel where Fitzgerald's Daisy married Tom Buchanan. Now a Hilton property, but nobody mentions that part either.
Valhalla: Pronounced in Louisville as Vaal-haal-a, with the first two syllables rhyming in their very long a's; pronounced elsewhere as Vaal-ha-la, with the middle syllable sounding like an exclamation for a mildly funny joke. It's the real deal PGA golf course; it may also have something to do with Greek mythology.
School: The pronunciation is pretty standard -- skōōl -- but somehow native Lousivillians intone the word to indicate that they're precisely referring to high school. Where did you go to school? usually leads to a discussion of private vs. public schools.
Benedictine: Another word with a standard pronunciation, but with vastly different meanings. To the rest of the world, it's an order of Catholic monks, or the herbaceous liqueur originally produced by those monks. Here in Louisville, it's a green sandwich spread.
Louisville: Perhaps the most disputed word of all. Kentuckians know it's Lew-a-vill. We've heard "Leweee-ville", "Lou-vill", and all sorts of foolishness.
Did we leave any out?
Royal's Hot Chicken
Nashville Hot Chicken done right in the Derby City!
My beau and I LOVE Nashville-style hot chicken. We make as many trips to the Music City as possible to feed our addiction. We've waited in line at the Hot Chicken Festival. And we've waited in line at Hattie B's more times than we can count. We take our chicken seriously.
So, we've been a little skeptical as hot chicken has made its way up I-65. Rumors that KFC and O'Charley's are test-marketing mass-produced versions of our beloved crispy, cayenne pepper-coated delicacy left us with more than a little trepidation. You can't get GREAT, authentic hot chicken outside of Nashville, can you?
Well, it turns out you can.
Royal's Hot Chicken hosted their soft opening over the weekend, so we took the opportunity to test their spin on Hot Chicken. (For those who've never tried hot chicken before, the legend goes back to Thornton Prince, whose ladyfriend wasn't happy with his "extracurricular" affairs. After a particularly late night, Thornton asked his girlfriend to fry him some chicken. Going for revenge, the girlfriend coated the fried chicken in cayenne pepper. Prince loved it, and 90 years later, his family-run hot chicken restaurant is a must-visit Nashville attraction.)
We had high expectations of Royal's, because of the care and expertise that owner Ryan Rogers puts into every item on his Feast BBQ concept. We went to Royal's expecting "very good"; we had no idea we'd be in for "great."
First, let me get it out of the way. The chicken is done right. Not "right for Kentucky." Not "right for someplace outside Davidson County, TN." It's just right. The meat is juicy. The breading is light and crispy. And the seasoning... Well, the seasoning reminded me of Prince's. That's a big compliment. It wasn't a sauce; it was a heavy coating of chili powders and pan drippings. It was deliciously spicy without any acidic aftertaste. When accompanied by a zingy house ranch dressing, it was just about perfect!
The sides were pretty amazing, too. Bob went with delicious cold sides -- the cole slaw and cucumber salad; these provided a great palate cleanser with his X-hot level tenders. I couldn't pass up the hot potato wedges or the pimento cheese grits. Both were amazing! The grits were so creamy, and the wedges were perfectly crisp with a fluffy center.
Next time, we plan to make room for soft serve ice cream or milkshakes. The cold desserts looked and sounded great, but we were stuffed after such a delicious meal!
Thanks to Royal's Hot Chicken for bringing real Nashville hot chicken to Louisville! We can't wait to visit again soon!
Royals Hot Chicken is located at 736 E. Market St., Louisville, KY 40202.
(502)919-7068
Open TUESDAY-THURSDAY 11:30AM-2:30PM, 5:00PM-9:00PM
Open FRIDAY 11:30AM-2:30PM, 5:00PM-10:00PM
Open SATURDAY, 11:30AM-10:00PM
CLOSED SUNDAY & MONDAY
Happy New Year from HerKentucky!
Wishing our friends, families, and readers an amazing 2016!
2015 in Photos
Remembering 2015 with the best of HerKentucky's photos and experiences.
Saint Matthews in the snow
A Maker's Mark latte
Actors Theatre of Louisville LobsterFeast
UK vs. Cincinnati at the Yum! Center
Mint Julep fixin's.
Garden & Gun + Original Makers Club Derby Brunch
Jim Beam American Stillhouse
Mural, Downtown Louisville
Billboard, Downtown Louisville
Original Makers Club Summer Supper + Shoot
Original Makers Club Summer Supper + Shoot
Tomatoes and basil from my St Matthews backyard.
Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris and Master Taster Elizabeth O'Neill toast a whiskey barrel.
Downtown Louisville from River Road
Maker's Mark Distillery.
Statue of Alice Geddes Lloyd, Alice Lloyd College.
Tobacco barn, Magoffin County KY.
Jennifer Lawrence Hometown Hero Banner, Downtown Louisville.
Louisville Public Art Installation.
Make-a-Wish day at Keeneland.
Breeders Cup 2015 program.
Churchill Downs from Millionaires Row.
King Louis XVI, Downtown Louisville.
My Kentucky-themed Christmas tree.
HerKentucky's Top 10 Posts of 2015
HerKentucky's 10 most popular posts of 2015
What a year 2015 has been for Kentucky! The Wildcats just barely missed the mark on a perfect season, Jennifer Lawrence continued her reign as the Queen of the Box Office, George Clooney got married, and Kentucky politics ruled national headlines for something other than the long reign of our Senior Senator. As we look back at 2015, I thought it would be fun to revisit the most popular posts here on HerKentucky.com.
1. I Am Not Kim Davis. Oh boy. This one was a doozy. People read it. A lot of people hated it; a lot loved it. I never expected it to go around Facebook as much as it did. I guess it's fitting that, since The Rowan County Clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples was the Commonwealth's top news story, an opinion piece about Mrs. Davis was HerKentucky's most-read post of the year.
2. The Five Best Doughnuts in Kentucky. Kentucky has a Doughnut Trail. There were popular "Donutucky" tee shirts this summer. And y'all had strong opinions about the best doughnuts in the Bluegrass State. I stand by my opinion that the girls from Hi-Five make the very best doughnut in Kentucky, but am happy to do some more taste-testing at Nord's and Spalding's to confirm...
3. The Five Best Hamburgers in Kentucky. It seems there's two camps in this world: gourmet burger enthusiasts and diner burger purists. You can't please 'em all.
4. Maker's Mark Bourbon Balls. My great-aunt's recipe has been in my family for as long as I can remember. They're fabulous every year.
5. The Five Best BBQ Joints in Kentucky. I'm happy to log as many research hours to this project as are needed. I don't know that there is such a thing as an exhaustive effort.
6. Miss America Heather French. In this post from HerKentucky's early days, Bluegrass Redhead Sarah Stewart Holland recalls her proudest moment as a Kentuckian, bonding with her new college friends and cheering on Miss Kentucky in the Miss America pageant. This lovely piece is always popular around pageant time!
7. Mary Breckinridge and Lilly Pulitzer. Who knew that there was a direct link between preppy fashion guru Lilly Pulitzer and Southeastern Kentucky? I loved finding out that young socialite Lillian McKim served the Frontier Nursing Service as a horseback messenger in the 1940s.
Mary Breckinridge's Nurses on Horseback
8. Lilly For Target. The sale that broke the preppy internet, and swept through every Target store in the country in less than an hour. The servers were wonky, and the quality varied, but there were a few really cute pieces in the Lilly Pulitzer x Target capsule collection. HerKentucky was on the scene with favorites from the Lilly lookbook and a guide to every Target in or adjacent to the Bluegrass State. A friend of mine actually heard some sorority girls talking about this post at a Southern Indiana Target as they shopped the insanity.
Before she made dresses, socialite Lilly Pulitzer volunteered in Southeastern KY.
9. How Barre Class Changed My Life. A year ago, I had two herniated discs, couldn't feel the fingers in my left hand, and was terrified that I'd never walk properly again. Barre classes at B.You changed my life in more ways than I could imagine. I've made dear friends, taken charge of my health, and have logged more workouts than in the previous decade.
10 College Basketball is Broken. I love college basketball more than just about anything else. I truly hate that it's become more a game of cover-ups, skirted regulations, agents, and shoe contracts than one of Xs and Os. I kind of went off about that one day.
HerKentucky's top posts of 2015 were as unique and diverse as the Kentuckians we write for and about. As always, thanks to all y'all for reading, and I can't wait to see what 2016 brings for Kentucky!
Corner Restaurant & Bar
Louisville's newest hotel bar offers unique flavors and amazing craft cocktails!
One of the questions I'm asked most frequently is "Where is a really great hotel in Louisville? I'd like to stay in a nice hotel with good food and a good bar."
Of course, my answer is that the perfect Louisville hotel varies wildly upon your destination, purpose for traveling, and budget. My new favorite to add to the list is the brand-new Downtown Louisville Aloft, especially Corner Bar & Restaurant, across from Whiskey Row.
My beau and I visited Corner on a recent Saturday afternoon. The lively crowd were clearly still celebrating a U of L win from earlier that day -- your Cards ticket stub serves as a ticket for one free drink at Corner! -- and the mood was festive and fun. We may have even seen a local Congressman in the crowd...
The coasters at Corner feature my favorite local mural!
We sat down for a drink and some appetizers, and were impressed by the attention to detail. The whiskey menu was broken down by distillery. We ordered a pair of Old-Fashioneds. Mine, with Maker's Mark, featured delightful details like house-made maraschino cherries. Bob's, with Woodford Reserve, paired the whiskey's high vanilla note with the orange peel garnish for a deliciously smooth finish.
We ordered a pair of appetizers from the Game Day Menu. The beer cheese fondue from the three dips and chips trio was outstanding, but the real star was the brussels sprouts with candied jalapeno and apple vinaigrette.
We then moved up to the bar for a cocktail lesson from Ashley, Corner's resident mixologist. Let me tell you, this lady knows what she's doing.
Ashley worked with her patrons' flavor profiles to create drinks she thought they'd enjoy. She put so much care into every detail of the drinks, from basics like bloody marys or pina coladas on up to more complex libations.
The presentation was stunning, and the cocktails were amazing.
Thanks so much to Corner for the opportunity to come visit! We'll definitely be back soon!
Maker's Mark Give Cozy, #GetCozy Holiday Tour
Help others stay warm with Maker's Mark's #GetCozy Holiday Tour.
I hope y'all are having a great holiday season!
The truth is, by this point, most of us have had a little too much to eat, and have received more presents than we possibly can use. And, we're all probably looking for a little more closet space to hang that new coat or jacket that we just love.
The fabulous folks at Maker's Mark can help y'all out! Throughout December, a Maker's Mark truck has traveled across the country on the “Give Cozy, #GetCozy” mobile coat drive. The Maker’s Mark Give Cozy, #GetCozy truck is a donation site for lightly used or spare jackets and coats, all of which will go toOne Warm Coat, a non-profit organization which provides those in need with a warm coat free of charge. The Give Cozy, #GetCozy truck will have some treats for you, including hot chocolate and Maker’s Mark inspired gingerbread cookies. I hear there might even be some Maker's swag on board as well!
Louisville is the final stop in the Give Cozy, #GetCozy Holiday Tour. You can find the Maker's Mark truck at restaurants, bars, and Liquor Barn locations all this week.
Check out the Maker's Mark Give Cozy, #GetCozy Tour at these stops here in Louisville this week:
• 28-Dec 2:00pm – 7:00pm Liquor Barn Springhurst, 4301 Towne Center Dr.
• 28-Dec 8:00pm – 9:30pm Hilltop Tavern, 1800 Frankfort Ave.
• 29-Dec 12:00pm – 5:00pm Liquor Barn Hurstbourne, 1850 S Hurstbourne Pkwy.
• 29-Dec 6:00pm – 8:00pm Garage Bar, 700 E Market St.
• 30-Dec 12:00pm – 2:00pm Liquor Barn Hurstbourne, 1850 S Hurstbourne Pkwy.
• 30-Dec 6:00pm – 7:30pm Drake's, 3921 Summit Plaza Dr.
• 30-Dec 7:30pm – 9:00pm Martini’s Italian Bistro, 4021 Summit Plaza Dr.
For folks who do not have a coat on-hand, but would like to Give Cozy to #GetCozy, One Warm Coat® will offer a text-to-donate option in which every dollar raised translates into two warm coats for those in need. To make a donation, text "COAT" to 80100 to donate $5 to One Warm Coat. (Standard data and messaging rates may apply. For additional information please visit mobilegiving.org or onewarmcoat.org/privacy.)*
Maker’s Mark will also be working with select retail liquor stores to place coat donation bins on-site for those looking to drop off a coat.
Follow Maker’s Mark on Twitter @MakersMark or MakersMark.com/Holiday-Truck-Tour page to stay up to date on the Give Cozy, #GetCozy truck stops and please make sure to visit OneWarmCoat.org to learn more on how to #warmamillion people with new and gently worn coats.