Category Archives: Kentucky Fried Bucket List

The beginning of October brings even more artsy stuff to Louisville with the St. James Court Art Show. And what a beautiful day in October it was. Everything about the atmosphere felt right for the art show.

Located right in the heart of Old Louisville, surrounded by Victorian mansions I can only hope to one day afford, the Art Show manages to close roads and takes up several blocks.

As you make your way through the maze of tents you start to question whether or not you will actually get to see all of the exhibits. (I’m actually not quite sure if I did manage to see it all.)

It’s evident that the art show really brings the community together as exhibits varied from high school tents, local artists and hobbyist, to even young children playing fine instruments.

It was probably for the best that I forgot to stop at the ATM before I ventured though the show because I would have spent a fortune. I saw little knickknacks here and there, arts and crafts and even that certain piece to fill an empty corner in a room that just really brings a place together. I also caught myself browsing through an abundance of Louisville oriented prints as well as other Kentucky prints that really reminded me of home.

But what kind of gathering of people would it be if you didn’t have a chow wagon? Exactly!

Finally, I found my self in the center of St. James Court when I found the beautiful water fountain and flame lit street lights powered by a gas line and thought to myself, “Why have I never explored Old Louisville on a Sunny Day before?”

Friday Night Lights

Fall is always sure to bring us one thing, the Friday Night Lights of high school football. I, like most socially accepted human beings in America, haven’t been to a high school football game since I graduated. Strangely, the city of Louisville does not follow this social norm and on that last Friday of September the highly coveted St. X vs. Trinity football game is held.

This isn’t just some high school football game were talking about here. This is a clash of the titans. The two powerhouses of the state of Kentucky duke it out with their fists of fury in Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium for 4 quarters.

For those who don’t know, St. X and Trinity are the two main private, all male, Catholic schools in the city. The teams are always ranked very high for the state and often times very high in the national rankings. It just so happened, that for tonight’s game, I would be so fortunate to watch the number 1 nationally ranked high school football team play ball.

So we parked in the packed parking lot of Papa John’s Cardinal stadium only to find out that we were late. Late for the tailgating. I kid you not. People actually tailgate for a high school football game. And they do it big too. Rows and rows of grills, corn-hole and beer.

I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea that two high school teams could fill a college football stadium, but they did. And they did it with style. In fact, I think there might have been more in attendance then some UofL football games that I’ve attended in my day.

Once we were in the stadium, the harsh reality finally sank in… I went to public school. Compared to all the sweater vests and button downs around me, I looked like the number 1 draft pick for the newest member of The Clash.

But this was it. This is what the indigenous people of Louisville live for. This rivalry is bigger then us. The atmosphere can not be described with simple words. This game must be what football in Texas is like.

During the game, the people around me told tales of games going back at least 20 some years.This was a big deal to them.  I guess you and I are not the social norm when it comes to high school football in Louisville. Maybe its because I didn’t grow up in Louisville. Maybe its because I didn’t go to either school. Maybe its because I played soccer. Who knows? What I do know is that my futile attempt of assimilating to the atmosphere with a green and yellow jacket made me cringe the entire time. (Please blame my roommate who is a St. X alumni). So please wake me from this high school dream that I left 5 years ago because September has ended.

I know, I know. Not another Louisville entry. Sorry followers, but it’s been a rough month for escaping the city with school starting back up and working 9 to 5 for the man.

For dinner tonight, my roommate and I felt a bit adventurous so we decided to try this pizzeria we’ve been hearing so much about. I know that I’ve mentioned coming here before but after fully trying the dining experience I knew this was an entry I had to write.

The Garage Bar is a former auto service garage located right in the heart of downtown Louisville on Market Street. Its actually across the street from Joe Ley Antiques so you probably wont miss it.

The bar has some of the finest options in draft and bottled beers but the real deal here is the specialty pizzas which are baked in a wood-fired brick oven visible to all. I’ve never had a country ham pizza before tonight but I know now that it wont be my last.

Its hard to forget that your eating dinner in an auto service garage with all the reminders that surround you. One one side of you is the original garage doors that cars would pull through while the other wall has a rack full of tires hanging above a dinner table.

SLOW INEVITABLE DEATH OF AMERICAN MUSCLE

Let us not forget we are still in the weird and artsy metropolis known as Louisville. Outside of the Garage Bar is a piece of art you wont soon forget. Slow Inevitable Death of American Muscle is a ‘sculpture’ of two American Muscle cars slowly being drawn towards each other using machinery to simulate an automobile accident in slow motion.

How have I driven past this place everyday and not thought twice about stopping and figuring out exactly what it is? From the outside you might think its just an old abandoned factory that some hoarder owns and has acquired too many statues to look aesthetically pleasing in the front yard. But it is sooooo much more.

Joe Ley’s is probably one of the most amazing antique stores you will ever step foot inside. When you walk past the statues in the front door you’re immediately greeted and given a piece of paper for deciphering codes.

Deciphering codes?!? That’s right. You’re in for an adventure with this one. Every item for sale in this store is encoded with this key and it is up to you to decipher it if you really want to buy something. I don’t know why they do this. I presume its because your brain would probably be overwhelmed with if you had to look at the price tags of some of the more valuable things in this one.

You can literally find anything you want in here. Whether it be missing doorknobs from that 1930’s door in your house, that missing derby glass from your collection, or even a coffin.

Stuff is practically anywhere and everywhere. You can’t go in here expecting to randomly find something. Be advised, you should know what you are looking for BEFORE you enter. Otherwise, you might leave a few thousand dollars lighter..

Another local Louisville favorite. Lynn’s is a quirky little establishment that can never be forgotten. Even though it is located inconveniently in the center of Louisville, its fame has not gone unrecognized. The Food Channel, Southern Living Magazine, The New York Times even Oprah have raved on and on about this place, and so should you.

The screenshot above shows you what to expect, trees coming up right through the tables, decor everywhere, and that same weird Louisville artsy feel that we’ve come to love so much.

The art is everywhere but don’t let it take away from the dishes. The food is fantastic! Not only that, but the cooking time is unbelievable. We probably had the food on our table less then 5 minutes after ordering. The server’s hospitality reminded us that we were definitely in the South. Overall, it was a great experience!

Ahh. The newly famous 21C that I’ve heard so much about. What was supposed to start out as an event night utilizing the First Friday Trolley Hop in the Louisville Downtown Management District turned into a couple of beers at the Garage Bar on Market Street and then a short, yet under .08, drive to one of the finest gems in downtown Louisville.

This place has it all. Its a museum, bar, restaurant and a hotel. Better yet, you can carry your drinks through the museum. What is unique about this hotel is that the rooms are located within the exhibits of the museum.

At first, this may just seem like an original exhibit, but when you look more closely, you’ll notice a door to a hotel room is located right dab in the middle.

After roaming the stomping grounds for a while with a few drinks you may think to yourself, man this is a good time to go to the bathroom. And the adventure only gets better.

I’ll spare my readers some of the more hilarious photos that I captured but will inform you that the picture above is actually a functional part of the men’s lavatory.

Finally, I’ll recommend that you visit the attached Proof restaurant. I didn’t place an order for dinner on this particular night but I can only assume that it is of the highest quality of fine dining. That is if you enjoy art exhibits surrounding you while you eat. The exhibit of the month happened to be a cryptotaxidermy exhibit. If you don’t know, look it up.

You got me. I’m a sucker for music venues. Headliners Music Hall off of Lexington Road is another fantastic joint that makes me nostalgic for adolescent days like a bad episode of The O.C.

Cougar Express

The place can probably only fit 500 people max but somehow still manages to pull some great bands. On this night in particular, I was lucky enough to catch another performance by my new found favorite local band Cougar Express. I’m telling you guys, this band is gonna make it big some day. I think they also kind of remind me a little bit of the band Stillwater from Almost Famous for you movie buffs out there.

The Donkeys

The second band we got to see were The Donkeys. I can only describe them in two words, electronic folk. Pretty much captivates the Kentucky spirit in today’s modern era of music. Unfortunately they’re from Cali.

Craig Finn of The Hold Steady

Finally we got to see what we came for, The Hold Steady. This band has so much energy even a non-smoker will need a cig after the show. The lead vocalist Craig Finn gives it his all for the entire performance. If you’re into indie music you must check these guys out.

Me and some of the bros having a good time on the smoker's patio. Don't worry, I'm not into cancer sticks!

There’s even a little patio outside for the people who need some death sticks every couple of hours. Its a good spot to hang out with some of the band members if you time it right.

Louisville. Probably recognized for three things, The Kentucky Derby, Muhammad Ali, and baseball bats. So when I obtained some tickets to the Louisville Slugger Field from work I wasn’t going to miss out on a chance for a wonderful opportunity.

Now the baseball field is the home of triple A minor league baseball team the Louisville Bats. If your a native you might also remember the team as the RiverBats or the Redbirds. Regardless, this is minor league baseball at its finest. Now I’m not a baseball fan and I don’t quite understand how people can follow minor league baseball with all of the trades and bagillions of games, but that didn’t stop me from having a good time.

The field is right on the Ohio River with magnificent views and some pretty nice bars. And if you get there early enough on particular nights, you might even catch some dollar beers.

The stadium also got me excited to revisit the Louisville Slugger Museum which is only a few blocks away!

Oh the state fair. Only my best time of the year. Its the only time of the year that brings out my favorite type of people. I’m of course talking about the Kentucky girls in boots, daisy dukes, and ripped flannels. You’re never too far away from men wearing Winston Cup tshirts either. Its also the only time you can successfully clog an artery or two, plan in advance for your own triple bypass surgery and get a fried oreo for 5 bucks.

The Kentucky Fairgrounds are so massive I spent 30 minutes just looking for the carnies. The rides were much more expensive then I remembered as a kid so I didn’t indulge too much. But we did literally spend an hour just walking from one side to another. There is so much stuff to do I honestly don’t think you can take it all in in one day.

We eventually found the freak show tent, which will leave me nightmares for months to come but it was also a well spent 2 dollars.

After stumbling around we did find the Ear-X-Tacy tent where this local band, Cougar Express, was kicking ass and taking names. I will save my Ear-X-Tacy article for a later day for those of you Kentuckians who aren’t also Louis~Villians.

I must say though, this band reminded me of a mix between the Black Crowes and the Black Keys, but this isn’t a music review so I’ll spare you the details.

After roaming around for a few hours it was finally time for the main reason we came, the free concerts. And on this particular night we were so fortunate enough to have our presence graced by the one and only Nuge. His show rocked. And rolled. He’s in his 60’s but Stranglehold never sounded so beautiful. There’s not a bad seat in the retired Cardinal Stadium and everyone there is ready to have a rockin time.

On Saturday I was heading to Nashville to see a Tennessee Titans game (unfortunately Kentucky doesn’t have a pro-anything team, hopefully one day we will see the return of the Kentucky Colonels) via the back roads when my buddy suggested we stop and see the Jefferson Davis Monument.

I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. I didn’t know that such a thing existed but I was immediately interested.

As we approached the site, we could see the obelisk from miles away. Apparently it is the tallest unreinforced concrete structure in the world and my is it a sight to see. There is no way a structure like this would exist outside of the South though.

The whole site is very CSA oriented and rightfully so for the birthplace of the only president of the Confederate States of America. The museum is full of CSA paraphernalia as well as person items of Jefferson Davis.

You can even go to the top of the structure, something I missed out on at the Washington Monument when I was in Washington D.C. but I can say the views from this monument are probably 100x better. That’s because they’re views of the great Commonwealth of Kentucky of course.

Even after returning home, everyone I’ve talked to hasn’t heard of this site. I don’t know how Kentucky has such a great hidden gem but it is definitely a must see.