Kentucky Weekend
We went to Oaks at Churchill Downs http://www.churchilldowns.com/ Friday. This is the local Louisville party, the day before to the Kentucky Derby hoopla. Babes in the woods, we were. Parking was the immediate problem, after the hat, the getting of which was THE hardest thing I've had to navigate since arriving in Louisville. Thank the stars for creative, kind, gay men, one of whom made me a hat.
We entered the backside of Churchill Downs where they confiscated my favorite umbrella (later retrieved) and actually frisked us! After passing through the tunnel we entered the nether world of the infield which Willie quipped was like Woodstock without the bands. Mud, crazy outfits, too much booze and drugs, and too many people hoping to get lucky.
The club house was hats and spats and sear sucker and (oddly, I thought) too many exposed, saggy boobs and cigars and mint juleps (which we don't drink), people posing achingly to have a little too much fun. We met a dear friend in the paddock area, gave him our wrist bands and went out for a lovely dinner at Mayan Café www.themayancafe.com where we sat by the window and watch it pour down rain. I am glad I went as to know this Louisvillian custom and to be assured of never having to go again.
Saturday, we went to the Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill http://www.shakervillageky.org/ -- glowering clouds and sheets of rain, but my first real visit to the blue grass. The Shaker Village is, in addition to its mission to preserve the Shaker heritage and surrounding countryside, has also developed an ambitious business model. It’s the largest B&B in the state, accommodating 81 visitors on any given night. You can explore the countryside by boat or foot and they have a passable restaurant. Opening July 2003
We closed the circle with a drive to Berea, Kentucky’s. The new center for arts and crafts http://www.lenovo.com/planetwide/select/selector.html is huge! And beautiful! And beautifully situated! Right off Interstate 75 at Exit 77. Why can't there be franchises like this over the state, or the country for that matter? Instead of ghastly Big Boys and Golden Arches with bad design, why can't we have open spaces, clean bathrooms away from everything else with real flowers, authentic material from real human beings? I can only thank Victoria Faoro and her staff for all the effort they put into keeping the place up to standards so we feel welcome, comforted, even joyful. So we don't want to get right back on the road but we want to linger, learn about the artists, understand the state, what they trying to accomplish in Berea. I can't wait to get back there to see more.
Sunday, finally, Sun. We hiked the Falls of the Ohio http://www.fallsoftheohio.org/ in Clarksville, after discovering an old fashioned bakery – Jeff’s in Jeffersonville, real donuts.
We entered the backside of Churchill Downs where they confiscated my favorite umbrella (later retrieved) and actually frisked us! After passing through the tunnel we entered the nether world of the infield which Willie quipped was like Woodstock without the bands. Mud, crazy outfits, too much booze and drugs, and too many people hoping to get lucky.
The club house was hats and spats and sear sucker and (oddly, I thought) too many exposed, saggy boobs and cigars and mint juleps (which we don't drink), people posing achingly to have a little too much fun. We met a dear friend in the paddock area, gave him our wrist bands and went out for a lovely dinner at Mayan Café www.themayancafe.com where we sat by the window and watch it pour down rain. I am glad I went as to know this Louisvillian custom and to be assured of never having to go again.
Saturday, we went to the Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill http://www.shakervillageky.org/ -- glowering clouds and sheets of rain, but my first real visit to the blue grass. The Shaker Village is, in addition to its mission to preserve the Shaker heritage and surrounding countryside, has also developed an ambitious business model. It’s the largest B&B in the state, accommodating 81 visitors on any given night. You can explore the countryside by boat or foot and they have a passable restaurant. Opening July 2003
We closed the circle with a drive to Berea, Kentucky’s. The new center for arts and crafts http://www.lenovo.com/planetwide/select/selector.html is huge! And beautiful! And beautifully situated! Right off Interstate 75 at Exit 77. Why can't there be franchises like this over the state, or the country for that matter? Instead of ghastly Big Boys and Golden Arches with bad design, why can't we have open spaces, clean bathrooms away from everything else with real flowers, authentic material from real human beings? I can only thank Victoria Faoro and her staff for all the effort they put into keeping the place up to standards so we feel welcome, comforted, even joyful. So we don't want to get right back on the road but we want to linger, learn about the artists, understand the state, what they trying to accomplish in Berea. I can't wait to get back there to see more.
Sunday, finally, Sun. We hiked the Falls of the Ohio http://www.fallsoftheohio.org/ in Clarksville, after discovering an old fashioned bakery – Jeff’s in Jeffersonville, real donuts.
posted by Mary Case at 4:48 AM
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