Gearing Up for Derby!

Tomorrow is the biggest holiday of the year in Kentucky. At least, when the Cats aren’t playing in a national championship game. It’s Derby time!

The success of our plans hinges on the weather, which is NEVER a good thing. Forecasts are calling for an 80% chance of showers, which totally blows. We will endeavor to persevere, though. Tonight, I’m preparing fruit kebabs and drinkies for tomorrow’s festivities. It’s probably a crime, or something, but none of those drinkies involve bourbon. There are no mint juleps in my future. I find the concoctions to be vile, but that might by my great dislike of bourbon clouding my judgment. No, for me? It’ll be Bloody Marys and Mimosas. I’ll alternate those starting around 7am. I know. That’s probably too early to be considered prudent, but it’s one day a year.

We’re heading to the Governor’s Derby Breakfast. Free meal! Cliched Southern Belles walking around the grounds! Politicians glad-handing like mad! What’s not to love? The plan is to take the Monster Dog. He’ll be a hit if he stays off my toes. After breakfast, we’ll ride up to the beautimous Keeneland race course for some simulcast action. Next year, I think I want to have a Derby party. The logistics of leaving home early, finding and holding a spot, betting on races, etc. are just way too crazy. This year, they required a pre-Derby dinner to talk plans. We’re sort of ridiculous.

Oh, my other plan? To win some money on Z Fortune and Colonel John. I just chose those. I haven’t looked at a racing form, yet, so that might change, but I’ll probably do an exacta box with those two. I’m big on first instincts. Z Fortune is in a great post position and also has one of my favorite jockeys, Robby Albarado. Colonel John’s got some nice looking odds at 4-1 and also is from my very most favorite ever horse farm, WinStar Farms. I love their silk because it involves a star and the color green, but I mostly love it because it’s on my favorite backroad in the whole world and has beautiful barns and scenery. Obviously, as any true Kentucky girl will do, I’ll place that bet based on what tugs at the heart strings, but I’ll place a more realistic bet once I analyze and study that form!

I will say that people betting on Big Brown are crazy. The 20th position? No way.

Also, no big hat for me. I look stupid in hats.

Two of My Favorite Things To Hate

…all in one post from my favorite sports blog: the Duke University Men’s Basketball team and sports broadcasters/commentators.

I continually yell at the television because of idiotic things commentators say. Jason used to give me a look of horror, surely thinking, “Why am I dating this girl who becomes Satan’s spawn while watching sports.” Then, he started listening. Now, he tries to beat me to the yelling.

Coincidentally, we caught a few minutes of this Duke/FSU game, last night. We not only yelled at the stupid commentators, I also exhibited my Duke hatred for the first time in this relationship. He said something that most people would find innocuous, like, “Here, let’s watch this. I know how much you love Duke.”

Stop.

Dead stop.

Head swivel.

Evil eye.

“WHAT did you just say to me?” found its way through my gritted teeth, eyes narrowing further.

He slowly turned his head and laughed in my face.

“I’m just joking, you geek!” he continued to laugh.

Continued evil eye. Seething sort of breathing starting to happen.

“I’m in love with Louisville, compared to how much I hate Duke.” I hissed.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Wow. I didn’t know it was like that.”

“Yeah?”, I thought. “Now you know.”

Sing out, ring out!

Jason and I got invited to a holiday concert that’s happening, this weekend. At first, I thought, “Eh, another holiday concert. Big deal.” Then, I checked out the Voices of Kentuckiana webpage and got really excited. Voices “is a voluntary, not-for-profit community chorus. VOICES is Kentuckiana’s fully inclusive, self-affirming chorus. Our membership is inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and heterosexual friends. VOICES is organized to provide the opportunity for gay, lesbian and supportive others to sing together.” How awesome does that sound?

I’m also intrigued by the fact that this isn’t billed as a traditional holiday show. There is an international twist to it, which should be fun. I love Christmas songs and look forward to hearing songs from other traditions.

Can I also say that it rocks that the Kentucky Arts Council supports this group? Finally, something I can appreciate that my tax dollars support. Yay!

Hopefully, as part of the deal, Jason and I will get to have a nice dinner in a fun part of the city, too. It’s too bad that my friend Nick, who says I never come to visit her, can’t be bothered to stay in town for our visit!

Beer Review: Bluegrass Brewing Company American Pale Ale

I’ve always been reluctant to try BBC beers, for some reason. I think it stems from the fact that someone once shoved a bottle of BBC Nut Brown Ale in my grill and forced me to drink it. Nut Brown Ale is not to my liking. Also, BBC is headquartered in Louisville and I just have a rough time with that city. I’m trying to let go of the dislike, I promise.

On to the review. Saturday night, some friends and I dined at Ramsi’s Cafe on the World, an excellent restaurant that prides itself on “offering unique and healthy cuisine at an affordable price.” They do a great job of that, housed in a mishmash of rooms on Bardstown Road decorated in such a way that is as eclectic as the people dining and working there. It was a great time with plenty of great food. Check out the menu if you’d like something to drool over. The Caramel Apple Cheesecake was very nearly orgasmic.

While dining there, many of us tried out some new beers. I ordered the BBC American Pale Ale. I like IPAs, so I figured APAs couldn’t be much different. To my uncultured palate, it really wasn’t a ton different from an IPA, just brewed in America. BBC’s APA is a full-bodied, hoppy beer, so hoppy that many of my dinner mates didn’t enjoy their sample of it. It won the 1998 Real Ale Fest, Best of Fest Award. It was a great accompaniment to my Fattoush salad and will definitely be added to my beer repertoire, as it is easily purchasable at my local grocery and liquor stores.

The BBC APA was the only beer I drank, that night. I sampled Jason’s Kasteel Brown and it was okay, but too sweet for my liking. The flavor was good, but I’m not sure that I could ever drink more than a few sips and it would be hard to find a food that complements it well. Nickie’s Jacob had a few of the other BBC offerings, but were of the stout variety.

If I had a Mixed Drink Review feature, I’d rate the Outlook Inn’s (on the corner of Christie and Bardstown) Bloody Mary as right up there with the best I’ve had. They add a pepperoncini to the drink for a different twist. It was verrrry good.

 

I Just Can’t Get Enough of This

Here are some great highlights from the Kentucky – Louisville football game: