Loo-UH-vul

Louisville, Kentucky.

What a lovely weekend.  I drove 6 hours North to visit my friend Laura.  If you recall I visited her back in February in California. Well, a certain turn of events landed her in Louisville, of all places, and I thought we could break in her new city together.

It's the last weekend in April and therefore the weekend before Derby.  The night I got in we got all dolled up and went to Opening Night for the Derby.  I had bought us big "Derby hats" just in case we needed them.  Turns out Opening Night is more of a "clubbing outfit" kind of affair... not exactly the Sunday's best that I had packed, but I'd rather look too modest then too hoochy.  I didn't seem to care too much about my dress after my first Mint Julep though - those things are potent (and delicious)!  And I had two. :)

One of Laura's friends, Kate, actually works at Churchill Downs and was very informative about the race and the horses and how things are done.  It was really great to have her around.  She coached me through placing my first bet.  The normal starting bet is $2.  So I put $2 on the horse with the coolest socks to place.  And my horse won - paid out $3.20.

We watched another race or two, I purchased my second mint julep and my confidence was high and my wallet loose so I bet again.  This time $2 on the horse wearing my favorite color to win.  And due to my excessive cheering, I'm sure, won!  This time my $2 turned into $12!  Strategy is no match for beginners luck!

Don't worry, I quit while I was ahead.

The next morning we took a lovely walk around Cherokee Park and had great conversation.  Laura is great to talk to.  She always asks thought provoking questions and encourages me to express my thought process.  It was very therapeutic since I am moving in a month.  I told her that I'm torn between wanting to settle down somewhere and continuing this grand adventure that I'm having.  She asked me why I felt that it needed to be one or the other.  She asked me to define what it meant to me to "grow up" and "settle down", which really are great questions.  How can I be striving for something - or decide if I want to strive for something - when I don't even have a clear picture of what I'm striving for.  It is definitely something that I'm still mulling over.

We continued our lovely conversation over some delicious local beer at Cumberland Brews and walked the shops of The Highlands - the hipster neighborhood.  We ate vegan pizza with some of her friends (which is not awesome, by the way, wouldn't recommend it) and watched a movie after making Hot Toddies because I didn't feel well (and bourbon cures everything, right?).

Monday we took a short road trip over to the Abbey of Gethsemani and hung with the monks for a bit. Well, maybe not actually 'hanging out' in the literal sense, but I could tell our spirits were jiving over some ethereal tea somewhere.  Lovely place though, good energy.

To put the cosmic scales back in balance we drove another 20 min and arrived at the Makers Mark Distillery for a free tour/tasting. Very informative, very delicious.  Laura, of course, got hit on by a very cute guy who was actually a contestant on The Voice (some American Idol knock off) a while back.  Never a dull moment when she's around... you never know who you're going to meet!

After all the bourbon knowledge we acquired we thought we should do something bourbon related tonight.  Originally we thought a very savvy bourbon tasting downtown, but I have a cold and she is very tired so we opt to make Bourbon Balls!!  We wind up having to go to her friend Wil's house to use his food processor and have a great time - what fun people!

Tuesday is the day I must head home - but not without one last outing!  Back to Churchill Downs for "Dawn at the Downs" to shmooze with the rich people up on Millionaires Row over breakfast.  We accidentally snuck in.  We intended to pay, but everyone we encountered just kept greeting us and showing us the way.  No one ever asked for tickets or money.  We didn't push out luck by trying to snag breakfast, but the view from up there was pretty good.  I can't imagine how cool is must be at the actual Derby!  Wil from last night just happened to be doing some shmoozing for work that day so he would pop out every once in a while to say hi.  Dawn at the Downs is not nearly as cool as opening night - no racing and no mint juleps.

The trip home was a lovely journey.  I was tired of driving on the interstate - just wasn't feeling it, so when I saw a sign for the Cumberland Gap National Park (not to mention KFC's birthplace) I embraced the opportunity.  The National Park was very pretty.  I went on their "Fitness Walk", which is a 2 mile loop through the woods and back to the parking lot, and it was a much needed meeting with the trees.  Made sitting in the car for another 2 hours seem possible.  The rest of the drive was stunning.  Weaved though the quaint towns of East Tennessee and West NC on little 2-4 lane roads.  I rolled my windows down when I was the only one on the road and it smelled like a perfect Southern Summer.  Honeysuckle and humidity, freshly cut grass and a faint manure scent (I can't help nostalgia's triggers).  It was perfect.

My 6 hour drive took me 9 hours to complete, but I felt such an overwhelming sense of love and appreciation for my life.  At one point I was seriously considering staying another night somewhere - I had all my stuff with me, why not?  But the closer I got to Asheville the realization that it was now May and I was moving this month grew increasingly more apparent and I decided to head on home.  I was exhausted anyway and ready for my own bed.

Well, there you have it.  A little Kentucky adventure for you.  Great place, Louisville.  I would love to visit again sometime.