Louisville: Bourbon, BBQ, Bats, Beef Tongue, Boxing & Beards

Painted Lady

Louisville is home to The Bats, The Derby and The Muhammad Ali Center. It is also home to lots of guys with beards. I am not positive, but I think you have to have a big burly beard to work in any of the hip spots along Louisville’s Main Street. And that is ok with me, as long as they keep giving me good food in great spaces.

We were in town last weekend for the Anthony Bourdain/Eric Ripert traveling show “Good vs. Evil.” It was pretty good. I liked the format, but have heard most of what Bourdain had to say & Ripert didn’t talk nearly as much as I would have liked. I still laughed and nodded my head in agreement a lot.

This was my Valentine’s Day gift to Todd, and to return the foodie favor he took me to 610 Magnolia before the show. Now that was something! If you don’t know, 610 Magnolia is a contemporary Southern restaurant run by Chef Edward Lee, who was recently ousted from Top Chef (unfairly if you ask me & the folks in Louisville). It's in a beautiful carriage house located in Old Louisville at… 610 Magnolia.  When we arrived, it seemed like they were still getting ready for dinner, which was not surprising since we showed up 15 minutes early for a 5:30 reservation. We ate early so we could get to the show on time, which almost didn’t happen. 

We were the only two in the place for a while, but one other couple did show up eventually. It was fun having the whole place practically to ourselves. The staff was very attentive and friendly and the food was just incredible. I had two things I had never had before, squab and beef tongue. As it turns out, I am not a huge fan of squab, but the beef tongue, with an amazing mustard ice cream (!), was the best thing I have eaten… maybe ever.  Ok, it probably wasn’t as good as the truffle gnocchi in Florence. But it was absolutely the best meal I have had in recent memory. I even invented my own tasty treat by combining the cheddar from my cheese plate with the bourbon jelly from Todd's chocolate cake. I hope the Chef approves.

We finished in plenty of time to get to the show, you would think, even though the dinner felt very leisurely. Unfortunately, we weren’t the only one’s trying to get a cab downtown, what with Mardis Gras, Good vs. Evil and Van Halen all conspiring against us. We were not going to make it. The staff even tried to make room for us. All of the running around earlier was prep for the VIP dinner after the show. They didn't have any room. Luckily, our dining room companions were also heading that way & (only in the South) offered us a ride!

So, we made it. We watched the show, met up with some friends and people watched after the Van Halen concert let out.

Bourbon board at Doc Crowe's

Backtracking a bit... we did a lot in our 24 hours in Louisville before the show! Friday night we ate oysters and BBQ at Doc Crowe’s. Remember those beards I mentioned. They have a bunch. They also have a great selection of beer and bourbon if you are so inclined. We had beer and saved the bourbon for our nightcap at the Old Seelbach Bar. We always stay at the Seelbach, for lots of reasons: it’s really nice, it has a turn of the century bar named one of the 50 best bars in London's ''The Independent'', it has a cool Rathskeller and the first time we tried to stay they were sold out... so they set us up at The Brown and gave us a free night’s stay that we used soon after.

Van Halen Tour bus

Hillbilly Tea

Saturday morning we spotted the Van Halen Tour Bus on the walk over to Hillbilly Tea, where we had a superb breakfast (scotch egg with greens & mushroom gravy!) and “remedy” tea, since I was nursing a cold. It was really good and reminded me of what I used to call “potions” when I was a kid: herbal tea with honey & a kick of cayenne. I had the Black Crowes stuck in my head for the remainder of the day. The staff was super friendly and at least two servers wore the requisite beards. The ladies behind us were very curious about the Louisville beard scene and even had their pictures taken with the bearded fellows. Apparently this happens a lot!

Feeling a little better, we headed over to The Muhammad Ali Center. I was especially excited, because I started taking boxing classes a few weeks ago.  How could we not go & see The Greatest of All Time? The first thing you do at the Center is watch an orientation movie. We almost skipped it, but I am really glad we didn’t. It was a good movie and set the tone for what was to come. The Center is about much more than boxing. It’s about Cassius Clay, the boy who became a boxer, and Muhammad Ali, the man who became Champion of the World and spokesperson for many people and movements.

Muhammad Ali Center

I have two favorite parts of the Center. The first is the way they put everything in the context of what was going on politically and culturally at any given time. Presenting Ali in this way shows what kind of man he was, warts and all, how he grew and why he was a hero to so many. My other favorite part is the hands-on room where you can shadow box, hold the heavy bag and get a quick lesson in the ring from Laila Ali (via video).

Before we headed home on Sunday, we had planned on having breakfast (because they don't have brunch) at Proof on Main. Unfortunately, our colds caught up with us so we ate muffins in our room and watched "Ali Rap" on ESPN. Then we drove home and started planning our next adventure: The Blue Ridge Parkway and Washington D.C.

Other things we like to do in Louisville:

Giant Louisville Slugger

Louisville Slugger Museum

 
Louisville Bats Game: The Bats are the farm team for the Cincinnati Reds and Slugger Field has been listed among the top 10 places in America to watch minor-league baseball.

J. Graham's at The Brown Hotel: Home of the Hot Brown

The Brown Hotel: If you don't stay, at least stop by J. Graham's for an original "Hot Brown."

Lynn’s Paradise Cafe: A great breakfast place. It's a little out of the way if you are staying downtown, but it's worth the drive

Waterfront Park: A great urban park with history, events and places to relax and play.

Kentucky Derby: If you can make it in May, go to the Derby at least once.

Falls of the Ohio State Park: We stumbled upon this park last year and really enjoyed it. You can see one of the largest fossil beds in the world, dating back 390-million-years. There is also a series of rapids on the Ohio River that kayakers were playing in the day we were there.

Mike Linnig's Fish House: They have been serving seafood here since 1925. I recommend visiting in the summer, because they have a huge outdoor seating area along the river (the river isn't visible, but it's there & you can walk down to it.).

21C Hotel

21C Museum Hotel: If you aren't the Grand Old Hotel type, skip the Seelbach & Brown and stay here. It's a boutique hotel with a contemporary art museum in the lobby. If you don't stay here, stop by and check out the exhibits, restaurant (Proof on Main) and bathrooms!


Proof on Main: Located in the 21C, it was named one of  Esquire magazine's "Best New Restaurants." If you don't eat here, at least have a drink at the bar and have a look around the hotel lobby/museum.






Walk around and look at public art, architecture and signs. Downtown Louisville has a lot of cool buildings and signs. Main Street is home to the "second largest concentration of cast iron buildings in the nation." I suggest just walking around and looking up.

Todd & Art

Cool old sign: This is what I call a one stop shop!

 

Wayfinder's Guide to Cincinnati: Part 1

We're number 3! Not usually reason for celebrating, but when Cincinnati ranks just after The Virgin Islands and Hudson River Valley, and before the Four Corners and Puerto Rico, in Lonely Planet's Top 10 US travel destinations for 2012 it's pretty exciting.

Since I am sure you will all be visiting the Queen City soon, or at least becoming a hometown tourist, I am posting some of my own favorite spots. This is Part One:

Architecture, Museums & History

Architecture
Union Terminal (Cincinnati Museum Center): The Union Terminal is one of my favorite buildings in Cincinnati. It was originally built as a train station in 1933 and is an Art Deco masterpiece.  You can read more about the history and architecture here. The building has gone through many incarnations and is now the Cincinnati Museum Center, home to The Cincinnati History Museum, The Museum of Natural History and Science, The Cincinnati History Library and Archives, The Children's Museum, The Omnimax Theater, The Edge of Appalachia Preserve and The Geier Collections and Research Center.  And, you can still catch a train at the Amtrak station!!

Union Terminal : Museum Center

Bridges: There are 9 bridges that cross the Ohio at Cincinnati. My two favorites are the Roebling Suspension Bridge and the Purple People Bridge. The Roebling Suspension Bridge was the model for Brooklyn Bridge (also designed by John Roebling). Completed in 1866, it was the longest suspension bridge at the time, until the Brooklyn Bridge surpassed it in 1883. The Purple People Bridge is a pedestrian only bridge connecting Cincinnati to Newport, making it easy to visit both riverfronts without getting in your car.


The Carew Tower: The Carew Tower is another Cincinnati Art Deco gem. It is one of the finest examples of French Art Deco in the world. Until recently it was the tallest building in the city. It's still the coolest. Built in 1930, it stands 49 stories tall. It is home to offices, retail and the Netherland Hotel, a beautiful place to stay, eat or have a cocktail. Be sure to take a trip to the 49th floor observation deck for great views of the city. You can even climb it in February! We did last year in The Fight For Air Climb.

CAC                         

Contemporary Arts Center: Architect Zaha Hadid won the competition for the new CAC in 1998, becoming the first woman to design a major museum in the United States. The lobby is described as "The urban carpet", serving as a kind of public square. The outside is brought in, by pulling the sidewalk into the building to become the back wall. The galleries are like a "jigsaw" floating over the lobby space, different sizes and shapes work to accommodate the range of exhibits inherent in contemporary art.

Music Hall: Built in 1878 Music Hall ranks acoustically as one of the finest performance venues in the world. I've seen everything from The Nutcracker (which is a big deal in Cincy) to Peter, Paul & Mary to Sam Kinison here. Sam's screams sounded amazing!

St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption : A beautiful example of Gothic Architecture, the minor basilica in Covington, KY was built between 1894 and 1915. The exterior is inspired by the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and the interior was modeled after St. Denis in France. The north transept window is said to be the world's largest church stained glass windows, measuring 67 ft (20 m) high by 24 ft (7.3 m) wide. Self-guided tour brochures are free and available in English, Spanish, French, German, Russian, and Japanese.

Architreks: Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Preservation Association's Guided Walking Tours. They are usually available May - October and include Mt. Adams, Northside, OTR, Walnut Hills, Clifton and Findlay Market.

History
Fountain Square: Founded in 1871 and renovated in 1971 and 2005, Fountain Square is the heart of Cincinnati. The Genius of Water (better known as the Tyler Davidson Fountain) symbolizes the uses of water, both natural and man-made. Today, the square hosts over 200 events including ice skating in the winter and live music in the summer.

OTR : In the mid-1800s the area to the north of the Miami & Erie Canal was primarily populated with German-Americans. Crossing the canal became referred to as "going over the Rhine," a tongue-in-cheek reference to Germany's Rhine River. The OTR neighborhood was full of saloons, beer gardens, restaurants, and theatres at a time when Cincinnati was known for it's pork, beer and "hard-drinking citizenry." Today "Over-the-Rhine is one of the largest, most intact urban historic districts in the United States." The architecture includes Art Deco, Greek Revival, Italianate and Queen Anne. And though a lot of it is in disrepair, a lot is being saved.    

Findlay Market: Opened in 1855, Findlay Market is Ohio's oldest surviving municipal market. And we love it. I remember getting a huge pickle to eat (my sister liked cookies better) while I followed my mom through the market as a kid. I was only tall enough to look in the cases. Now Todd & I make regular trips to pick up pork products at Kroeger & Sons Meats, cheese at Krause's, spices from the Colonel De Gourmet, a bottle of wine, tea, Christmas tree, pastries, pho, gelato... the list goes on and is being added to.

Findlay Market

Reds : Founded in 1866,  Cincinnati Reds (at the time The Red Stockings) became the oldest professional baseball team in 1869. And if you were alive in the 1970s you probably remember Sparky Anderson and The Big Red Machine (Bench, Rose, Morgan, Pérez, Concepción, Foster, Griffey, and Gerónimo). If you can, come for Opening Day. Historically, The Reds always hosted the first Opening Day game and Cincinnati just named Opening Day an official holiday, which is good because most of the city takes the day off anyway. If you can't make Opening Day, at least try to catch a game and visit the Hall of Fame & Museum. See more on the Museum below.


Tours
Brewery Tours: Otherwise known as "Prohibition Resistance Tour" "Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood is home to one of the largest collections of pre-Prohibition brewery architecture, in the middle of one of the largest historic districts in the country."

Heritage Tours: including the Union Terminal, Inclines & Overlooks and Hauntings of Greater Cincinnati.

American Legacy Tours include Haunted Tours, Civil War Cincinnati, Queen City Underground and Newport Gangster Tour.

Architreks: Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Preservation Association's Guided Walking Tours. They are usually available May - October and include Mt. Adams, Northside, OTR, Walnut Hills, Clifton and Findlay Market.

Museums
Cincinnati Museum Center: including The Cincinnati History Museum, The Museum of Natural History and Science, The Cincinnati History Library and Archives, The Children's Museum, The Omnimax Theater, The Edge of Appalachia Preserve and The Geier Collections and Research Center. It is housed in the Union Terminal. See Union Terminal description above, in "Architecture."

Art Museum: The Cincinnati Art Museum is open Tuesday-Sunday and is always free! It is located in one of the many city parks, Eden Park (read more on Eden Park in Part 3). It houses over 60,000 works spanning 6,000 years, in addition to many traveling exhibits each year.

Reflections in CAC Lobby
Mural by Shepard Fairey

Contemporary Arts Center : The CAC was one of the first U.S. museums to dedicate itself to Contemporary Art. It was founded in 1939 as the Modern Art Society and the first exhibit was in the basement of the Cincinnati Art Museum. The CAC is a non-collecting museum, helping it live up to the goal of only displaying "the art of the last five minutes." The museum moved downtown in 1964, eventually occupying 10,000 square feet in Mercantile Center, one of the largest spaces dedicated to Contemporary Art at the time. This is location is where the exhibition Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Moment was displayed, after much highly publicized debate. In 2003, the CAC moved to its first free-standing home.  See more abt the new bldg above under "Architecture." The Museum is free on Mondays.

American Sign Museum : I ♡ Signs. That's what my button says from the America Sign Museum. And it is true. Especially old neon signs. And they have them here! Unfortunately it's closed, but only until Spring of 2012, because it is moving across town. I can't wait to see the new digs!

Reds Hall of Fame and Museum: Experience the history of the Reds....and they have bobbleheads! Big Red Machine Bobblehead Series is coming in 2012. You get a free one when you visit on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Yay! See more on the Reds above in "History."

Big Red Machine