Heather C. Watson Heather C. Watson

The HerKentucky Black Friday 2021 Sale Roundup

The best holiday sales around the Commonwealth!

 
 

Happy Black Friday, y’all! I know everyone’s inbox is crammed with sale emails right now. I wanted to make it a little easier to shop the sales from local businesses and the brands HerKentucky readers love by rounding up the best sales across the Commonwealth. Please not that I may receive very nominal affiliate income from clickthrough purchases for some brands, and that I have existing ambassador relationships with many of the brands listed.

Clothing and Accessories:

 
 

Home:

  • Stoneware & Co: 15% off online (ends Sunday)

  • Kayla Weber Art: 20% off prints, tea towels, and notecards with code HOLLYJOLLY; 25% off all online courses with code MERRYANDBRIGHT

Restaurants:

  • BHG (Malone’s/ Harry’s/ Drake’s): Buy a $100 gift card, receive a complimentary $20 gift card

  • Volare: Buy a $100 gift card, receive a complimentary $20 gift card

  • Steak & Bourbon: 20% off gift cards

 
 

Needlepoint Shops:

  • Stitch - a Needlepoint Shop: 20% off online purchases of in stock canvases with code THX20 (ends today); BOGO (buy one get one 50% off) in-store purchases of in-stock canvases (today and tomorrow)

  • Needlepoint by Laura: 25% off online shop using code BLACKFRIDAY

 

Photo by Sarah Walters/ Space Place & Southern Grace.

 

Kentucky & Bourbon Lifestyle:

Spas/ Bath & Body:

Gyms & Workout Studios:

Happy shopping, y’all! Let me know if there are any local sales I’ve missed!

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Heather C. Watson Heather C. Watson

Garden & Gun Club at Stitzel-Weller Distillery

A charming new cocktail bar at storied Stizel-Weller Distillery

 

Blade & Bow Old-Fashioned

 

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Garden & Gun Club at Stitzel-Weller Distillery to sample a few Blade & Bow bourbon cocktails. The Garden & Gun Club is such a fun addition to the beautiful and historic Stitzel-Weller Distillery. It’s a cocktail bar with delicious snacks — the pimiento cheese is outstanding! — at Stitzel-Weller, featuring Blade & Bow cocktails. The G&G Club is, of course, a co-branding concept between Diageo’s Blade & Bow Whiskey and Charleston-based Garden & Gun Magazine. The club’s muted green walls, mounted deer heads, and antique furniture set the mood for a lovely getaway.

 
Garden and Gun Club at Stitzel-Weller
 
 
Garden and Gun Club at Stitzel-Weller

A Blade & Bow mint julep

 

I tried a Blade & Bow Paper Plane, which was outstanding! It called for equal parts bourbon, Italian bitter apertivo (such as Aperol), Italian Amaro, and lemon juice. It was a lovely and refreshing; it tasted like a blood orange Italian soda with a serious kick!

 
 
 

Blade & Bow Paper Plane

 
 
 

Stitzel-Weller Distillery is such a special place to visit. Currently the home of Blade & Bow whiskey, the storied campus dates back to 1935, and is a can’t miss stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail!

 
 
 
 
 

Thanks so much to the Garden & Gun Club for inviting me out to visit! I’ll definitely be back soon!

The Garden & Gun Club at Stitzel-Weller Distillery is located at 3860 Fitzgerald Road, Louisville, KY 40216 and is open Thursday-Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. and Sundays 1-5 p.m. Reservations are not required.

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Heather C. Watson Heather C. Watson

Just a Few Miles South by Ouita Michel

 
 

Chef Ouita Michel is one of my absolute favorite Kentuckians. She's an amazing chef, with six James Beard Award nominations to prove it. She’s one of the kindest, loveliest people I have ever had the pleasure to know. And, she uses her status as one of Kentucky’s most influential chefs to bring so much good to our Commonwealth. She helped bring Bravo’s Top Chef to Kentucky, and, in a cause close to my heart, she sits on the board of the Hindman Settlement School. She even cooked authentic chicken and dumplings at the James Beard House! As far as I’m concerned, Ouita is the Queen of Kentucky cuisine. She might even be the Queen of Kentucky.

I was so excited when Ouita’s team reached out to me to let me know that she’s launching a new lifestyle brand, aptly named Holly Hill & Co. To celebrate, one HerKentucky reader has a chance to win a copy of Ouita’s cookbook, Just a Few Miles South. I absolutely love this cookbook, y’all. I think every Kentuckian who loves to cook should own a copy. The recipes are authentically Southern — the actual soup beans and cheesy grits that we all grew up eating. It’s a beautiful celebration of Kentucky! Just head over to HerKentucky’s instagram to enter to win.

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HerKentucky Shops Heather C. Watson HerKentucky Shops Heather C. Watson

Bourbon T-Shirt Quilt by Campus Quilt

 
Bourbon t-shirt quilt Campus Quilt Co
 

Y’all know I absolutely love t-shirt quilts from Campus Quilt, and I’m so excited to pair with them to display the bourbon t-shirts I’ve collected over years of visiting distilleries. This one is so special to me; it tells the story of so many bourbon brands I love! I also love that Campus Quilt is a woman-owned business right here in Louisville!

 
 

I chose a 16-Square Stadium Quilt with sashing and flannel backing. I love the extra depth that sashing adds, and the flannel backing is so warm and cozy. A Campus Quilt would be such a special and personal holiday present for anyone on your shopping list!

 
 
 
 

The Campus Quilt ordering process is so easy. You choose the quilt size and colors, ship in your shirts, and let the Campus Quilt team do the rest! If you’re ordering a holiday present, be sure to place your order by November 15th, ensure that the shirts are delivered to Campus Quilt by November 24th, and that you request Christmas delivery on your order form. For more details, check out the terms and conditions. Another great gift idea is a gift card so you can work with the recipient to plan the exact quilt they want!

 
 

Thanks so much to Campus Quilt for helping me choose the perfect way to display my favorite bourbon shirts! I hope y’all will consider giving a Campus Quilt this holiday season!

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Heather C. Watson Heather C. Watson

National Ice Cream Month Trivia

 
 

Hey y’all!

I’ll be on WAVE-3 News today during the 2 pm hour to talk about National Ice Cream Day! I’ll be sharing my favorite summer ice cream flavors from Graeter’s — peach, black raspberry chocolatechip, and strawberry sorbet.

Here are a few fun facts I’ll drop during the segment:

  • National Ice Cream Month is celebrated every July, and National Ice Cream Day is celebrated every year on the third Sunday of July. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated this delicious holiday. This year, National Ice Cream Day falls on July 18th.

  • On average, the U.S consumes 5.5 gallons of ice cream per person, per year. That’s about 44 pints.

  • Vanilla is the most popular ice cream flavor among Americans. In fact, the first written ice cream recipe that we know of in America was for vanilla — and it was written by Thomas Jefferson!

  • 87 percent of American homes typically have a pint of ice cream in their freezer.

  • Ice cream cones were invented at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, MO, by concession vendors as a way for people to eat ice cream easily while enjoying the fair.

  • The world record for the largest ice cream cone ever made was achieved in 2015 in Norway. The cone was over 10 feet tall!

  • The top five ice cream-consuming countries in the world (per capita, gallons per year) are New Zealand, United States, Australia, Finland and Sweden.

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Bourbon, Entertaining Heather C. Watson Bourbon, Entertaining Heather C. Watson

Easy Fourth of July Entertaining Ideas

Easy entertaining tips for the holiday weekend!

 
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I was on WAVE-3 today, talking about few refreshing ideas for the holiday weekend! I shared some fun, simple cocktails and mocktails and a simple watermelon salsa recipe! Thanks to 5WPR and The Pioneer Woman Cookware for gifting me the serveware and spice blends used in these recipes!

The Pioneer Woman’s Watermelon Salsa

This recipe is so easy! Y’all know I’m all about keeping the hostess out of the kitchen so she can enjoy her guests. This recipe can be put together quickly and prepped ahead of time. You’ll need cubed watermelon, diced red onion, diced bell peppers, jalapeños, cilantro and fresh limes. Then you’ll throw all the fresh ingredients into a large bowl and toss it together and add lime juice to top. You can also add The Pioneer Woman’s “Anything Goes Everyday Seasoning” which will just add a nice boost of flavor. This spice has a blend of sea salt, celery, pepper, onion, garlic and a touch of lemon zest which will really just spruce this up even more. You can serve with tortilla chips or as a side dish with grilled chicken.

  • 1/2 whole small seedless watermelon, diced

  • 1/2 whole red onion, diced

  • 1 whole red bell pepper, seeded and diced

  • 1 whole green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

  • 1 whole yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

  • 2 whole jalapeños, seeded and finely diced

  • 1 whole bunch cilantro, chopped

  • Juice Of 1 To 2 limes

  • 1/2 tsp. The Pioneer Woman Anything Goes Everyday Seasoning Blend

Directions:

Serve with chips, on top of grilled chicken or fish, or as a side salad!

 
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Kentucky Mule

I like to use Maker’s Mark in a mule; I find that the sweetness of a high-wheat bourbon like Maker’s works well with the spiciness of a Ginger Beer. I also used Reed’s Ginger Beer. This brand creates all-natural REAL ginger ales and ginger beers and they now have several zero sugar options so you don’t have to sacrifice great taste with heathier alternatives. Reed’s Ginger Beer is crafted with REAL fresh ginger root, natural fruit juices, honey and spices for the perfect kick which is great on its own and mixed into cocktails.

  • 2 oz Maker’s Mark

  • 6 oz Reed's Zero Sugar Ginger Beer or Reed’s Ginger Beer

  • Lime wedge

Fill your desired glass with ice. Squeeze the lime wedge over the ice and drop into the glass. Pour in bourbon and add the Reed’s Ginger Beer. Stir lightly and garnish with another lime wedge, if desired.

Mocktails

Another great summer beverage option is Virgil’s Zero Sugar Sodas. Virgil’s has unlocked the secret to great taste with zero sugar using a proprietary blend of sweeteners. They have a variety of bold, complex flavors including their newest flavor, Grapefruit, which is crisp and tangy! I like to play with the texture flavored sodas as sushies or over crushed Ice to create fun drinks at summer get-togethers. Don’t forget garnishes like mint and lime to add extra zing to the drink!

Cheers, y’all!

 
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Charity and Community, HerKentucky Shops, HerLexington, Style Heather C. Watson Charity and Community, HerKentucky Shops, HerLexington, Style Heather C. Watson

Draper James Shopping Event Benefiting The Well Lexington

Shopping event with Draper James benefits victims of sex trafficking in Lexington KY.

 
 

Hey y’all! I’d love to see you tomorrow night, Thursday May 13th, from 5-7 p.m. at the Draper James Lexington store for a shopping event benefiting The Well of Lexington, which provides a holistic program of safe housing for women as well as recovery support, education and healing for women and families exploited by sex trafficking in order to empower them to reach economic independence and live productive lives. The Well does amazing work, and, as always, I am so grateful to Draper James for partnering with community agencies like The Well.

I’m also so excited to shop with y’all tomorrow — the new Draper James x Lands’ End swim pieces are absolutely amazing! I wore DJ x Lands’ End swimsuits all last summer and loved them! They’re so flattering and hold up wonderfully!

The gingham tote bag is a favorite, and I love it in raspberry as well!

 
 

I also love the Ditsy Floral print; this dress has been a spring favorite and I’m glad to see the swim collection in the same print!

 
 

The Lexington Draper James store is taking every precaution to ensure that the event will be safe. The distanced, masked shopping event will include one hour (6-7 p.m.) after the close of store hours so that shoppers can feel safer! If you’d prefer to order via phone and have your purchased shipped for free, call the Lexington store at 859-618-6785 during the event hours and a percentage of your purchase will be donated to The Well. I hope to see y’all there!

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