Louisville, so far

We got in town Sunday. Here's what's happened so far.

Road construction. Lots of it. The bridge between Kentucky & Indiana has a lot of construction going on. Orange barrels are in full bloom. So the GPS lady and the current situation are out of whack. We were searching for Exit 0 but it was overcome by events. We just looped around and voila we were where we needed to be. Traffic isn't too bad, even in the city during rush hour. Like most areas there are a few drivers that need to have their licenses yanked.

They have an area called Old Louisville. There you can find the largest collection of Victorian homes. These homes are amazingly close together. Many just have a driveway separating them. You would think with a big house like that a large lot would be more appropriate. Many have been converted to commercial use or turned into apartment buildings.

Some info on the area:

Since it was declared a historic preservation district in the 1970s, many have considered Old Louisville one of the most architecturally exuberant neighborhoods in the country. With more than a thousand old homes, it’s one of the largest as well. Constructed primarily between 1880 and 1905, the residences in Old Louisville showcase a wide variety of building styles, including Châteauesque, Richardsonian-Romanesque, Italianate, Victorian Gothic, and Queen Anne

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We did a windshield tour of Churchill downs, University of Louisville & Cardinal Stadium. We stopped at an area called 4th Street Live. It's a pedestrian only area with lots of bars & restaurants. I'm a big fan of the walking streets. We went into Bourbon Raw and had a bourbon flight to taste. I'm not a big hard liquor drinker. I thought I would like bourbon better if I was exposed to by a knowledgeable bar person. I don't think that's going to happen. Along with the bourbon we split a Kentucky Cuban sandwich. Think of a Cuban sandwich with the addition of pulled pork.

Any time you want to find out where to go, head to the visitor center. The people working there were very informative. We got some good info on where to go, what to do and other local events.

The better part of an afternoon was spent at the Brown Hotel. The hotel opened in 1923. It is quite elegant. It retains it's charm from the previous century. All the furnishings are stunning. The ceiling is hand painted. The lobby bartender was full of hotel trivia. We had a mint julep & old fashion, both bourbon drinks. We also had the hotel's signature dish, The Hot Brown. Turkey, tomato & bacon topped with a cheesy mornay sauce served over toast points. The dish is probably a person's daily caloric requirement.

The Falls of Ohio State Park was a destination to view the city from across the river. There is a canal system there from the days when river boats plied the river. Prior to the dam the boats had to be unloaded because of the falls. The dam & locks enabled the boats to continue with minimal stopping.

Along the river is the Kingfisher Restaurant. The reviews for this place weren't the best but it didn't disappoint. The spot is ideal to view the city skyline. The place is clean and the service is decent. We ate with locals and they were able to point out what we were looking at and gave us some historical tidbits of the area.

I'll recap the rest of today and any other side trips later.

Today was awesome. Great weather, low 70s. Got a chance to leave the jacket behind.

First stop was the Muhammad Ali Center. Took the tour. It's 5 floors of Clay's life. They have exhibits that touch on various points in his life, not just boxing. He refused to be drafted, so there is an extensive exhibit of the US involvement in Vietnam and also about the protests going on at that time.

There are displays about his Nation of Islam days and his other endeavors like carrying the Olympic torch and world wide humanitarian things. There a lot of video displays going on. There's a replica ring and various training devices.

If you enjoy 1960s US history, then you'd like this place. It's not just for boxing fans. We spent quite a few hours strolling in there. Next we strolled along the Main St. area. They have put a lot of different art along the street. There is a 60 foot statue of Michelangelo's David. There are several smaller statues. There is a bronze, full-sized statue of past city mayor Charles Farnsley. I have never heard of him. Evidently he rates a statue in this town. There are many baseball bats & home plate statues that commemorate baseball greats. Cal Ripken & Yogi Berra rate displays along Louisville's main drag.

Lunch was a toss up between a pizzeria & and brew house. It was late afternoon & I was hungry so I wanted more than just our usual snack plate. The brewhouse won out and it was a great decision. They server a roasted vegetable platter appetizer with cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, potatoes along with pickled red onions. It comes with 2 dipping sauces. The broccoli & cauliflower had an addictive crispiness to them. Our wait person told us that they plunge the roasted veggies in the fryer for a few seconds to crisp up the outsides. The person that came up with that is a genius. That 1 small step really made a difference.

We split a pot roast sandwich & an Inferno Burger. The burger was dressed with fried jalapenos, pepper jack cheese, bacon & inferno sauce. The heat blended well with the burger. The pot roast sandwich was served on a dutch crunch roll that was very similar to a ciabatta roll. The side of fries was finished with a garlicy condiment that we couldn't tell actually what it was. Tasting them you could tell it was garlic but it wasn't chopped garlic or garlic pieces. The waitress told us it's garlic mixed with Parmesan cheese. I think some chopped parsley was also mixed in. The topping took something plan and jacked it up a few notches.

We chatted up with the wait staff to get an idea of other things to do in the area and to get an idea of what it's like to live in that area. She suggested a few places to us and we ran right over to see them. First stop was the Troll Pub Under the Bridge. The pub is located in an area close to the river called Whiskey Row. Like a lot of Louisville, this place if full of character. The pub is down stairs and the walls are exposed red brick. It has a very inviting feel in there. They have a bunch of drafts to go along with regular bar offerings. Again the bartender gave us insight into what it's like to live & work in that area.

Our next stop was to the Sidebar. They were having a private event in the bar and it wouldn't open back up until 8pm for the general public. So back we went.

Overall a great day in an exciting city.

More nice adventures!



That statue of David is just like the one my parents bought over in Napoli. I gave him away about 4 years ago when I went through my mom's stuff. (It wasn't marble, more like a resin type material!)

Love the pictures and stories from the road!!! Keep them coming!