Heather C. Watson 11/25/16 Heather C. Watson 11/25/16

The HerKentucky Guide to Black Friday in Kentucky!

Y'all have probably gotten 10 million emails today with sales and specials, but here is a rundown of the best local sales and bargains over the holiday weekend!

Bourbon

Maker's Mark -- free wax-dipped rocks glass set with $50 online purchase. Coupon code RED16
Lucky's Market Louisville -- 20% off all bourbon in-store!

Derby & Horse Racing

Kentucky Derby Store -- 15% off orders over $30 with code DERBY15
Kentucky Derby Book -- 20% off your book purchase with code THANKS20

Events

Taste of 502 -- $20 off tickets, this weekend only!

Exercise & Fitness

JCC Louisville --New members get a month free if they join today; current members can bring a friend to join today and both will get a free month!
Barre3 -- 20% off 5 Class packages
B.You Fitness -- All TEEKI leggings $50; 10 class package for $100; 5 class package for $50; 1 month unlimited for $99;

Food

Ghyslain Chocolatier -- complementary 4 piece box of chocolate with purchase of holiday box, code hol16gift.
Wick's Pizza -- free $5 gift card with every $25 in gift card purchases.

Local Boutiques & Specialty Stores

Louisville Stoneware -- 10% entire online purchase with code BF2016 (through midnight Nov 28)
Quest Outdoors -- 20% off purchase plus in-store promotions today.
Hadley Pottery -- Use Coupon Code BF1575 to save 15% on a $75 online order, Use Coupon Code BF25175 to save 25% on a $175 online order.
Beaufort Bonnet Company -- 30% off site wide with code PINKFRIDAY16
Rodes for Him & for Her -- Tax free weekend + Free Shipping!

Kentucky Tees & Swag

Southern Brewed Tees -- all shirts $10!
Shop Local Kentucky -- 25% off tees; 20% off sweatshirts
State Traditions -- 35% off sitewide with code BLACKFRIDAY35
Kentucky for Kentucky -- buy three pairs of Southern Socks, get the fourth free with code BLACKFRIDAY. (Bob swears these are the most comfortable socks ever!)
Kentucky Branded -- Buy one get one 50% online only; no code needed.

Shop locally

Heather C. Watson 11/9/16 Heather C. Watson 11/9/16

Red Gold Tomato Risotto

Thanks to Red Gold Tomatoes for partnering with HerKentucky on this post! Check out my segment on WHAS-11 for a how-to!

Many people think risotto is hard to make, when in reality it takes only about 30-40 minutes to make, start to finish. Chicken stock, tomatoes, basil, garlic and shredded Parmesan help make this risotto recipe both simple and super fresh!

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Red Gold® Diced Tomatoes Basil, Garlic & Oregano, or 1 (28 ounce) can Red Gold® Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic & Oregano, drained
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions
• Place a 4-quart saucepan on medium heat. Add the oil and when hot add the onion and garlic. Simmer slowly until the onions are clear. Add the Arborio rice and cook in oil for 1 minute. Add half of the tomatoes and 1/4 cup chicken stock; cook gently.
• Simmer adding 1/4 cup additions of stock as the rice absorbs each addition. Repeat adding stock until rice is tender. Stir in Parmesan cheese, basil and remaining tomatoes. Season with salt and black pepper.

Heather C. Watson 11/8/16 Heather C. Watson 11/8/16

Election Day Info!

This election cycle feels like it has run on forever. Whether you love one candidate or hate them both, please stop and think about how special the right to vote truly is. American women have had the right to vote for 96 years. This is only the 25th Presidential election in which women are eligible to vote. Exercising your right to effectuate change and make your voice heard is far more important than which candidate you like.

Schoolhouse Rock: Sufferin' 'til Suffrage from BExceptional on Vimeo.

So, whether your polling place anthem is Sufferin' 'til Suffrage or Suffragette City, remember that American women have both the obligation and the right to vote!

In case you still need more incentive to vote, here's a list of several local businesses that are offering special perks with your I Voted sticker or your polling place selfie. (You CAN pull a Timberlake in Kentucky; there are no laws prohibiting selfies at Kentucky polls!)

Do you need a little art therapy for stress release while you wait for the Election results? Paducah's MAKE studio has free coloring sheets and supplies all day!

If you need a little zen in your life after your trip to the polls, 502 Power Yoga in Louisville is offering a free practice with your sticker or polling place selfie. Visit them at 2210 Dundee Rd #203 in the Highlands.

Of course, good hair is a universal right. Here in Louisville, Primp Style Lounge is offering $25 blowouts for anyone wearing their sticker. Visit them at 3917 Chenoweth Square or 13301 Shelbyville Road #102.

If you're in Lexington today, Kentucky for Kentucky is offering 25% off all in-store purchases with your "I Voted" Sticker. Visit their Fun Mall at 720 Bryan Ave!

Krispy Kreme is offering a free donut for anyone wearing their "I Voted" Sticker. Visit locations in Lexington and Louisville!

In case you need more Election Day incentives, here's 20% off Bob Evans after 2 P.M. and a free Uber ride to your polling place!

Get out and vote, y'all!!

Heather C. Watson 10/26/16 Heather C. Watson 10/26/16

Orange + Green Halloween Quilt

Every Thursday, I show y'all one of the gorgeous quilts that my grandmother has made for me over the years. Today, it seemed seasonally appropriate to show you this Jack O'Lantern themed quilt she made me a couple of years ago. How fun are the sad and surprised pumpkins?

Check out more Quilt of the Week posts here:

Heather C. Watson 10/20/16 Heather C. Watson 10/20/16

Join the Fight Against Breast Cancer with Dean's DairyPure Milk!

This post was sponsored by Dean's Dairy. As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks to all the sponsors who make HerKentucky a reality!

Two causes that resonate with me are breast health and proper nutrition. My own mother is at very high risk for breast cancer, as she was diagnosed with fibrocystic breast disease in the early 1980s and has spend most of her adult life enduring high risk mammograms, lumpectomies, and biopsies. Like most women my age, I have watched several friends fight breast cancer. We need to work toward raising funds for the nonprofits that work toward research and patient advocacy, like the American Cancer Society.

Here in Louisville, Dean's Dairy products have been providing gallons of nutrition to our families for over 75 years! Now, Dean’s Dairy is also providing gallons of hope in the fight against breast cancer. This October, as part of the American Cancer Society’s 19th annual “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer,” Dean’s Dairy will kick-off an initiative to build awareness and generate resources for the fight against breast cancer in Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

Throughout the month of October, Dean’s Dairy invites us all to make a difference! For each sale of specially-marked gallons of Dean’s DairyPure white milk sold in the Louisville area, Dean’s Dairy will donate five cents to the American Cancer Society!

“Breast cancer ranks second as a cause of cancer death in Kentucky women,” says Kendall Anderson, senior director of corporate relations at the American Cancer Society (and my friend and sorority sister!) “The support of partners like Dean’s Dairy is instrumental in winning our fight.”

Products eligible for the five cent donation will feature the pink ribbon and the American Cancer Society logo. Consumers can find the specially-marked bottles of Dean’s DairyPure white milk at most major retail outlets, including Dollar General and Meijer.

For more information about Dean’s Dairy, visit DeanDairy.com and find Dean’s Dairy on Facebook. To learn more about the American Cancer Society and the upcoming “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” events in Kentucky, please visit MakingStridesWalk.org.

Heather C. Watson 10/7/16 Heather C. Watson 10/7/16

What to Wear to Keeneland's October Meet

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 dresses to be seen.

**Lexington and Kentucky Dining Rooms Dress Code, via Keeneland.**

**Phoenix Dining Room Dress Code, image via Keeneland**

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 nicely, look good, and have a great day at the races!

Shop the Look: October Opening Day

Heather C. Watson 10/4/16 Heather C. Watson 10/4/16

Luke's Diner Pop-Up Shops!

Gilmore Girls was one of my all-time favorite shows. And, as I'm sure you know by now, the folks from Stars Hollow are returning to Netflix next month!

To celebrate, Netflix is opening 250 Pop-Up "Luke's Diner" Coffee Shops at 7:00 am local time in coffee shops across the country. There will be free Luke's Coffee and prizes! There are four Luke's locations here in Kentucky, and a few more in very close driving distance of the Bluegrass State! The entire list is below!