Bacon Ball 2013

I'm not a bacon freak. A year ago, as a pesco-vegetarian (bad vegetarian) I wasn't even eating bacon. So I wasn't going to attend the Louisville Visual Art Association's third annual Bacon Ball, but my husband wanted to go, and I love food and bourbon. This event promised both, on a farm. To Bacon Ball we went (I typed "Bourbon Ball." Wishful thinking).

Here's Oxmoor Farm. I was really looking forward to seeing the actual farm part, but we only got to see the side of the house (very nice) and some old stables.

It's always handy to have a drink while waiting in line

NABC chefs preparing their Bacon Ball offering

There was a lot of standing in line at this event, but once we got drinks, that became bearable. We left full of pizza, pork, and pig prizes Gabe acquired from the silent auction: a cookbook, a gift certificate to a butcher, and two noise-making toy pigs (one is a keychain flashlight that oinks). And just in case you might forget about where all that meat was coming from, this guy was around to remind you: 

#FriFotos - Steps

In January, I got to photograph the UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships. It was my first cyclo-cross event, and the first time I got to shoot something like this. I spent the day running around the course at Eva Bandman Park, trying to find the designated photographers' areas. I figured out early on how to get to the various areas around these steps. 

I was so impressed by these athletes. I can walk up stairs. And I can bike. And I can carry my bike up and down the eight steps from our basement -- but to ride miles on an insane course in snow, sand, mud, then run your bike up and down steps requires a special kind of madness. 

The Other Side of Spicy

"…hot chicken is a unique brand of fried chicken that's highly seasoned, some would say to incendiary proportions."

I was intrigued by the special "Hot Chicken" section in our Nashville guide book. When our friend saw it and also expressed interest, we had our dinner plans. 

The guide book recommended a hot chicken place near us, Bolton's (the only spot that also does hot fish, according to the fifth edition of Insiders' Guide Nashville). We ordered through the window -- medium spicy wings to share, and various levels of spice from medium to "as hot as you can make it" on our individual orders of quarters and legs. The guy in line behind us overheard our friend order his chicken "hot" and said, "Oh… you don't want hot." 

Now. I love spicy food. I grew up in Texas, and Picante commercials taught me that my home state knew salsa (and to me, salsa means heat, or don't bother). My dad ate Tabasco on everything, and my mom made him (and later me) homegrown Scotch Bonnet-Habañero relish. I like it hot and am stupid about it. So yes, I do want it hot. 

I volunteered my Texan origins to this wise gentleman, which convinced him that I'd be "good." I'm glad others will so easily join in my delusion. 

Bolton's waiting-and-dining area has four tables and hardly enough room for the crowd that gathered, so everyone overheard our order. They were eager to witness our first hot chicken experience (I think they just wanted to see if we'd cry), but we got our chicken to go. On the patio of our weekend home, we spread out our boxes, napkins and beers. The chicken comes with slices of white bread and two sides. These, I suppose, are to ease the burn. 

I started with the medium-hot wings and knew I was in trouble, Texas roots and all. Next to me, our friend drank his beer and announced he was burning. I was officially concerned about my hot chicken leg and knew I would not try my husband's "hot as you can make it" chicken. We soldiered on, tongues and stomachs burning, gulping beer and sides -- mac and cheese, greens, baked beans, slaw -- fists clenched, "experiencing THINGS."

And then it happened. My husband knows this feeling, and though I believed him, I had a hard time imagining it. But it happened. We passed to the other side of spicy. I could still feel the heat in my stomach, but slowly, the pain was gone. And I felt… good? I really did experience things and was able to eat the rest of my meal without feeling like a cartoon of a guy eating a hot pepper. 

If you're headed to Nashville and want to experience your own spicy feelings, in addition to Bolton's, 400 Degrees, Prince's (here's a great video about them), and Hattie B's were recommended to us. There's also a Hot Chicken Festival in July. I will be looking for something comparable in Louisville, and I welcome tips -- not just for chicken, but any really spicy food. Have you ever traveled to the other side of hot? 

Islands of Spring

We're still stuck in winter here, but the last three Saturdays have been islands of spring. This last Saturday marked the return of the Douglass Loop farmers market, one I've never visited. I did a quick tour -- just long enough to hear this band play the Magnetic Fields' "The Book of Love," wave at my food truck friends, and buy some cheese. 

I'm looking forward to farmers markets with more than meat, eggs, and cheese.

Is Spring Here?

It's coming. It's March, and it may still be 32 degrees out, but I can see tiny red leaf-buds on a tree through my living room window. So you know this blog is about to turn into a bunch of this:  

I can't wait.

Come to Louisville (a letter to a friend)

Hi friend,

Lonely Planet says Louisville is the top U.S. destination in 2013. I wish you'd visit, so I'm writing to let you know why it's always a good time to come to Louisville. I know I already did this on the podcast, but in case you missed it, there is exciting stuff going on every month. 

OK, so January and February are tough and almost over. We did have the UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships in January, and it was the first time they took place in the United States. I'm sorry you missed it. Regardless of when you come, though, I can always offer:

-A food extravaganza - Gabe and I both cook, but we probably won't while you're here. We want to take you to all our favorite places. You want to eat that crazy Louisville sandwich, the Hot Brown? We'll do it. Do you prefer vegetarian? Hillbilly Tea, Dakshin, Vietnam Kitchen, or Queen of Sheba have some good veggie and vegan options. We'll go to Hammerheads and over-order appetizers, Mayan Cafe and snack on salbutes and the best lima beans you've ever had. There will be at least one brunch. 

-A drink extravaganza - We may not cook for you, but we will make you some drinks. If you're up for it, we'll take you to the many fine establishments serving signature cocktails and craft beers around town. We'll while away an afternoon with beer at Holy Grale, a former chapel. We can spend the whole day at Garage Bar, playing ping-pong while going broke on Basil Gimlets, pickled vegetables, and turkey wings. We can tackle part of the Urban Bourbon Trail. Last call is at 4 a.m., so there's plenty of time to visit a few places, endurance allowing. I'll be done by 2, but we have an extra key. 

-The Bourbon Trail - This is less Louisville and more Kentucky, but we can always visit any distillery you like. Most are within an hour's drive. Learning about bourbon never gets old. Neither do samples. 

-The Colonel's Grave - Oh, you're going to come to Kentucky and not pay homage to the man behind the state's most famous export? We live about five minutes from the cemetery where Colonel Sanders is buried, and we can stop by on the way to brunch. The cemetery, Cave Hill, is also an arboretum, so we could also walk around longer. 

Depending on your interests, we can also hit up the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, the Kentucky Derby Museum, the Muhammad Ali Center, the Thomas Edison House (see, we have non-sports-related museums!), the Frazier History Museum, Waterfront Park, or my new favorite, the Big Four Bridge. Maybe when you visit, the Indiana approach will be finished. Then we can walk across the Ohio River and actually descend into Indiana, where new adventures await. 

Now a few events you might want to plan your trip around:

Humana Festival of New American Plays (Feb. 27 - April 7) - If you love theater, you should visit during this month-long festival. Then I will finally partake of this event in my own town. 

Kentucky Derby Festival - The number of events for this festival increases every year. Here are my favorites:

Thunder Over Louisville (April 20) - This gigantic fireworks show launches Derby Festival (there are Derby Festival events before this, but really. This is not Mardi Gras. I cannot celebrate a horse race for a full month). We can join the masses on the banks of the Ohio River, or watch it on TV at a bar, where it is guaranteed to be dry and warm. 

The Great Balloon Glow (April 26) - This is now part of the Great Balloon Festival, making it a festival within a festival. There are also two hot air balloon races, but I love seeing them all gathered and fired up at night on Bowman Field (an airport). 

The Great Steamboat Race (May 1) - Another event I have never been to, but it's still a favorite, because it is a race between two steamboats. The winner is actually determined by points earned from challenges that include a calliope contest. 

Cherokee Triangle Art Fair (April 27-28) - This is not actually part of Derby Festival, but it  happens the weekend before Derby, right outside my apartment. It's smaller and less insane than St. James in October. 

Derby (May 4) - I have not been to the Derby yet. We can go together! Just know we'll have to mill around by the paddock or in the infield. I have no connection for fancy seats. We could also go to Oaks, the fillies' race on Friday. This may be less crowded, but not less expensive. In any case, we'll find a good party to attend. The bars stay open all night Friday. 

Forecastle Festival (July 12-14) - The line-up has yet to be announced for this three-day music festival on the river. Wilco and My Morning Jacket headlined last year. Let's see who they have coming first. 

Lebowski Fest / Pee Wee Over Louisville (July 20-21/Sept. 7)- Again. I've never been to Lebowski Fest, but if you come for it, you bet I'll go. More interesting to me is the first Pee Wee Over Louisville, organized by the founder of Lebowski Fest, Will Russell. Imagine -- if Pee Wee Over Louisville goes the way of Lebowski Fest, you'll be able to brag that you were at the first one. 

Kentucky State Fair (Aug 15-25) - If you've never been to a state fair, you should go to your home state's. Or come here in August while ours is on. Oversized produce. Quilts. Antique Bibles. A duckling slide. Freddy Farm Bureau. Deep-fried Girl Scout cookies. Trust me. You'll love it. 

So… when are you visiting? 

Happy birthday

Happy birthday to my mom, who made me look at a lot of flowers and plants as I grew up, until I eventually learned to appreciate their beauty. Thank you. 

Just Exploring Cahokia Mounds

I lived within 30 minutes of an UNESCO World Heritage site for about four years and never visited it.

Cahokia Mounds was the largest pre-historic community north of central Mexico.
From 900 to 1200 A.D., it was the center of Mississippian Indian culture. Twenty thousand people lived within roughly six square miles, in which they built about 120 mounds. Today, the site is half that size and is dominated by Monks Mound, the largest man-made earthen structure in North America. Man-made as in people carried ten stories worth of dirt in woven baskets to build it. 

Monks Mound in the distance

We finally visited over the holidays (my in-laws live in Southern Illinois). When we pulled into the parking lot, the first mounds I saw resembled golf course hills. But Monks Mound loomed above the parking lot, and getting up the stairs winded me.

Looking down the staircase up Monks Mound.

Despite the interpretive center's recreations of Native American life at Cahokia Mounds, I had difficulty envisioning it. Perhaps it was the main road running through the middle of the site, separating the museum from the largest mound. Maybe it was seeing the highway, a landfill, and St. Louis from the top of Monks Mound. The exhibits at the museum are text-heavy, and the main thing I remember from all that reading is the inhabitants of Cahokia played a game called chunkey. This involved rolling a disc and throwing spears where they thought the disc would stop. 

I'm glad we finally visited -- this is why I now keep a list of places to visit near my own home. I live near another UNESCO site now, Mammoth Cave, and I have yet to see it. But it's on the list.