Lots of Love in Louisville

Hello my lovely friends and followers! Last time we spoke, I was visiting my dear friend Logan in Boulder, Colorado. I had such an amazing trip, and it felt great to set aside some time to prioritize the friendships that matter to me.

Keeping to that theme, in this post, we’ll dive into my ~recent~ trip to visit Teresa in Louisville, Kentucky. You might remember her shining face from my posts about Emerald Isle or Pittsburgh.

As I was visiting Teresa over New Year’s, that would mean, yes, this blog post is just about two months overdue. It WOULD have gotten up sooner had 1) WordPress not deleted my first draft and 2) I used writing as my procrastination tool of choice. Alas.

Because time is of the essence, and I can truly wait no longer, let’s dive right into a perhaps-less-long-winded recap than what is my traditional style. (Editor’s note: It’s still long-winded)

If you know me, you would know that a tell-tale sign of my love for someone is whether or not I would drive great distances to see them. Let’s face it. I can’t really see in the dark and my lack of depth perception doesn’t exactly make driving the friendliest experience. Add those factors in with a surplus of windy roads, a lack of street lights and a 7+ hour drive time and MAN, whoever I’m seeing better be worth it. (Spoiler alert: She is)

I drove from Atlanta, Georgia to Louisville, Kentucky on Dec. 29 and stayed through Jan. 1. And while I only spent two full days in the city, they were so incredibly action-packed that I felt like I really got a good lay of the land.

Rather than giving you an instant play-by-play, let’s just share some of the highlights.

Big Four Pedestrian Bridge

Here’s an apt description courtesy of Google: A bicycle and pedestrian bridge, spans the Ohio River and connects Louisville to Jeffersonville, Indiana. The two-mile rounds trip journey offers breathtaking views of the river, city and Waterfront Park.

If you’re visiting Louisville, you should definitely take a walk across this landmark! It’s good exercise, the views are indeed breathtaking and, if you’re like me, you will get to cross “be in two places at once” off your bucket list.

Below you can see me awkwardly straddling the state line right where the bridge leads into Indiana.

Now this was my first time in both Kentucky AND Indiana. And while I can speak for neither state as a whole, what I did see of both, and the people I spoke to in both, left a pretty good impression.

Jefferson itself had an array of food, thrift and metaphysical shops alike, so I was easily pleased. The standout for me was “Bad Cat” which sold an array of stones and jewelry and offered dollar mimosas while you shopped. Do you even have to ask? Yes, we partook.

(Pro Tip: On your way to see the bridge, please do stop at Pregame Coffee for some kind of beverage, alcoholic or otherwise! The owner, Rob, was lovely and made a mean latte.)

The Highlands

If you’re looking for the artsy, liberal nook in Louisville, you’ll find that here. I personally thought some of the establishments were a little too snobby, but perhaps the gloomy weather and post-Christmas cheer just leeched some of the joy from select workers.

Still, there was plenty to drink, thrift and look at as we wandered in and out of the line of shops. By far the standout of the line-up was “Fat Rabbit” – which quite literally sold everything my little heart desired: secondhand books, vintage finds and records. I left with a pretty copy of Jane Austin’s Persuasion (I’m trying to make my way through more classic reads).

Hell or Highwater

This was hands-down one of the best speakeasies/cocktail bars I have ever been to.

After a long day of walking, Teresa and I spent our evening dining in and watching movies, feeling just a little too cozy ahead of our 10:45 p.m. reservation. That’s right. 10:45 PM. AT NIGHT. At the ripe age of 27, we distinguished ladies do not start our nights at such a time. Alas, I’m so glad we did.

You 100% need to make a reservation for this place as, though it was late in the night, the place was still pretty busy when we arrived. I recommend looking at pictures on Google to try to ascertain where the entrance is ahead of time as there is no marked sign/door.

The interior was… decadent. Red velvet booths, dim, seductive lighting, a cozy atmosphere – perfect for a date night (and I just so happened to have the hottest)! The drink menu is split in half, with “Hell” featuring more liquor-forward cocktails and “Highwater” serving up sweeter and softer flavors.

We were told, however, that it was the same amount of alcohol no matter which side you ordered from (in case you were wondering). I also was particularly enthused by this fancy button that each booth had to call over your server.

I chose Hell and went with the “Gold Fashioned” – their delicious take on an old fashioned and Teresa, my sweet angel, got the “Elegant Extra” off the Heaven side – an elegant drink with champagne, tequila and blackberry & basil syrup. Price-wise, you get what you pay for, with the average specialty cocktail costing about $15.

There is also a second main room in this is establishment (separate from the booths in which we were seated) which gave me sprawling-library-meets-moody-study. I would love to go again just to be seated there.

Bulleit Whiskey Tour

Now, I’ll admit that before my arrival to Kentucky, home of the bourbon-based Mint Julep, I knew very little about bourbon. After paying $22 to attend an hour-long tour and tasting, I reckon I know just a little bit more.

Truly, this was a great experience to see how everything was made (and getting to try it after)! Being the journalist that I am, I took some notes.

A few interesting facts:

• The Bulleit distillery sits on 350 acres of land, formerly a tobacco farm
• The current Bulleit bourbon whiskey mash bill contains 68% corn, all of which is sourced within a 30-mile radius
• The distillery includes 12 20,000-gallon fermentation tanks
• 100% of the bourbon color comes from the charred barrel it is aged in (which also gives it 80% of its flavor profile!)

Pretty cool, right? At the tasting we got to try four different kinds of Bulleit bourbon, first by itself, and then a second time after smelling these “scent orbs.” The bourbon did taste different with certain scents fresh on the nose.

The distillery also has a neat gift shop. I picked up some bourbon (big surprise) and some Mint Julep mix. Teresa and I were also bought a bourbon hot chocolate by one very generous (an very inebriated) gentleman, which we proceeded to enjoy in the front room.

There, we cozied up on the couch and signed our names on one of the many barrels lining the walls. Of course, there are many different bourbon tours you can go on, but I would definitely recommend this one!

Play

On New Year’s Eve, Teresa and I and a couple of her friends from PA school ventured out to “Play” for a night of drag and dancing. After fees, tickets for the club were $27 a pop, quite the steal, in my opinion, for a NYE event.

The girls and the gays were out in full force. Everyone was dressed up. The dance floor was packed. Then DJ was pumping out throwback after throwback tracks. The Queens were slaying. And the line to get a drink was chaos.

Safe to say, it was a lot of fun. Tickets were supposed to include a champagne toast (which we never saw), but, overall, I’m really glad we ventured out. Thanks to the pandemic, it had been a long time since I went out for New Year’s Eve. After the all the trials and tribulations of 2022, it was much needed.

Scooter’s Coffee

It seems a little funny to include this in my list of highlights, but here we are. After a fun night out, it was time to bid Teresa adieu. We learned from our mistakes last NYE’s and fit in everything we wanted to BEFORE the first of January, when everything was inevitably closed.

So, it was time to pack up all my exploded belongings, say goodbye to Teresa’s kitty Chunky Butt (featured below) and hit the road.

But first, coffee.

Now, the Scooters chain is almost entirely located in Nebraska… except for a random location or two in Kentucky. And while it truly is, at the end of the day, just another chain to get your caffeine fix, I was pleasantly surprised.

As I try not to give any more of my money to the Starbucks Siren, I went through the little drive through and tried their signature “carmelicious” drink (which was indeed delicious) and their everything bagel sandwich (which was the best I’ve ever had at any restaurant). If you see a Scooter’s, it’s worth the stop.

Thank You…

To Teresa for being my willing tour guide and for generally just being her usual, bubbly self. While short (with a very long drive), the trip was much needed. As always, after exploring a new place, my heart is full.

Coming up next… COSTA RICA. I leave March. 4. See you then!