Happy Trails…….or discovering Mountain biking in southeast Wisconsin

November 4, 2010

What a glorious fall this has been! One sunny day after the other, cool mornings in the 40’s followed by nice afternoons in the 60s. 

Boo……..Halloween fun

November 1, 2010

I’ve started to make a bit of a tradition out of Halloween pumpkin carving w/ kiddo. A review of last year’s Halloween post showed we had more pumpkins, and I took a more of a leading role in the carving. This year, kiddo did them all….I just cleaned out the insides and roasted the seeds.

We only had three carved ones this year. Kiddo did one “freestyle”, the others following a pattern. Must say he’s getting the hang of things.  Only one type of pumpkins seeds this year – the more savory with a touch of garlic olive oil, garlic salt, hint of pepper. These came out quite well.  My kitchen tho, did not fare as well. Apparently, I attacked the scraping out the insides with a fury. Bits of pumpkin flew everywhere. Must have needed to work out some aggression or something…dunno.

Admit to in addition to slacking a bit on the pumpkin carving, didn’t really go all out on the outdoor decor. Used all the fun motion sensitive stuff, the scary music, fog machine,  new talking face in the tree, but no spider webs, not a bunch of lights. Few pieces out in the garden, under the watchful eye of Kutya the wonder dog. (which reminds me, I never put his costume on either…what was I thinking???)

This year we did stop by a party for a bit. Kiddo even got second in the costume contest for his “when the Brewers slaughter the Cardinals” costume. Found the food names a great touch – shredded rat sandwiches (pork), moldy fruit pizza, maggots (a great coconut and banana rice pudding), vampire bat wings (homemade tortillas shaped like pumpkins and bats. WOW), blood soaked deviled eggs, bat guano, mummy wraps, witches fingers. 
Looking back at last year’s post, made me realize another Halloween weekend tradition….tackling the leaves. The job was somewhat helped by last week’s wind storm, moving a good part of the masses of leaves covering our lawn into the woods. The rest were piled around the driveway farm pots, my potting shed. Hubby and son pile the leaves onto a tarp, and drag them to our woods. Kutya supervises all outdoor activity. In the woods, Mt. Leaverest is about 4 feet high by 12 feet in diameter, and growing. Should have a good bit of leaf mold for the garden in a year or so.
While checking out the pile had a thought….maybe we could make a little bit of singletrack through the woods. Kiddo and I had been practicing riding over rocks and logs last week in the yard…. may have to add this to our yard skills area 😉

I like shiny, pretty things….or Chihuly at the Fredrick Meijer Gardens

October 29, 2010


I regularly travel to Grand Rapids, MI on business. Of the cities in my usual travel rotation, it is one of my favorites. Pedestrian friendly downtown, good restaurants, nice hotel….not to mention productive business meetings (which after all are kinda the point of my being there). My first few trips I explored the downtown area in the evening, even doing this little photo essay. On a cab ride from the airport, I’d noticed a billboard for the Fredrick Meijer Sculpture Gardens. Hmmm, told myself that some trip I’ll need to work in a visit. What finally spurred me to action was  this post from Garden Faerie about a Chihuly exhibit at the Meijer Garden.

Sold.

I have been a fan of Chihuly for years. Made it to several exhibits – from indoors at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum to outdoors at the Chicago Botanic Garden, and several visits to the installation at the Missouri Botanic Garden. The “someday I need to try and work in a visit”, turned to “I *must* work in a visit”. Was glad to discover they were open late on Tuesday evenings, and could take advantage of the long sunlight hours in June for my first visit.  Took hundreds of pictures, added that trip to my mental list of future blog topics…but never quite got around to putting up a post.

Another post by Monica, the Garden Faerie, mentioned the exhibit being extended through the end of October, which got me thinking about a second visit. Finding an opportunity to see the sculptures and the gardens in another season. Fate would have it on a recent trip I’d have a few late afternoon hours, between meetings and plane flight home for another quick visit. 2 hours and 300 pictures later, so glad I’ve discovered the Meijer Sculpture Gardens, and made a return trip.

Perfectly planned for strolling, on my first trip my pedometer showed I’d walked over 5 miles and over 3 on the second. Don’t worry there are also trams available to tour you around; I’d done some large loops more than once to get in some fitness mileage. The gardens include an exceptional children’s garden (love the Great Lakes shaped interactive water feature!!!), an outdoor amphitheatre, natural and man-made water features, shade/woodland garden area, glass houses/conservatories, a Michigan farm area. Nicely maintained plants – primarily woodies – both deciduous and evergreen. Not what I would call a “botanic garden”, but that’s not what they are going for. This garden is designed as a showcase for the art, a goal I would say it has met or exceeded!

The Meijer Garden is designed around the sculpture.  A few pieces stood out, really spoke to me. Some due to their interesting concept, others because I was familiar with the artists’ other work (Rodin, Calder), and a couple for sheer whimsy.

But it was the Chihuly sculptures I had come to see. His traditional glass, the neon he’s been doing the last few years, and the newer polyvitro forms:

Seeing not only the Chihuly but the entire gardens in two seasons was a treat. Often an entirely different look to the art because of the surrounding, the change in light. And in nearly every case, found the fall colors, fall foliage enhanced the art.

Two seasons of Chihuly:
Two seasons of other sculpture:

Visiting a botanic garden across the seasons is a lesson I learned while living in St. Louis. A very wise horticulturist suggested visiting Mobot (Missouri Botanic Garden….or as I wrote it up “The Garden”) monthly to help the home garden develop a full season, year round landscape. I made a point of doing this then. And suggest if you live near a public garden to do the same….break out of the habit of only visiting in the mid-summer flower power glory. See what you can see in the other seasons. It may surprise you!



Louisville, however you say it, the "S" is silent

October 20, 2010

I cringe when I hear folks say Lewisville when referring to Kentucky’s largest city. Admittedly, not as bad as when they say Ell-ah-noise for the state of my birth. That “S” is also quite silent. As a child we made regular visits to Louisville, because my grandparents had retired to Corydon, IN a small town not far away. Growing up we called it Louie-ville. In college at UK, I learned to pronounce it as the natives do, Looavull.

I only lived in Louisville for a couple of years. However, it is a city of significant events in my life. Met my husband there (while we were living 4 hours apart on opposite sides of the commonwealth), got married there, and our kiddo was born in Louisville. All of which make it a city near and dear to my heart. So when I discovered we’d be going on a trip to Lexington (click here to read that one), I suggested we add a night here.

Spent most of our time wandering around downtown. Last I saw this city was in 2001 as I followed the moving van out of town. Hubby has been back on a couple of business trips, and was dying to show me the new (well, new to me) entertainment district on 4th Street. This downtown area runs roughly from the Convention Center south to the Seelbach Hotel (with the final block closed to traffic and under an open ended roof). Shops, restaurants, bars, lots and lots of bars and nightclubs, this is the hub of the city nightlife. As we walked through, crews were setting up a stage – no doubt for a band after that evening’s UofL vs. UC football game.

From the Fourth Street Live district we headed north towards the river. Passing the Humana Building. If you’ve ever wondered what Michael Graves designed before going to work for Target, this would be one example.
I’d forgotten how wide the Ohio River is at this point. Remarked that it is a wider river at Louisville than the Mississippi is at St Louis. Then remembered that is is the Ohio River that makes the Mighty Mississippi so mighty – when the two rivers join south of St. Louis, the Ohio is the larger of the two. Glad to see the Belle docked in her usual berth, looking as fine as always.

Got a kick out of these signs along the river edge.

Other notable sights, the new KFC Yum Center (where on December 31st the Cats will kick some Cardinal ass), Riverfront Park, Louisville Slugger Field ……….

……………and a bit of urban art – a chicken sculpture grouping that I couldn’t quite wrap my head around.

The piece, or rather pieces, of urban art I was thrilled to discover was the bike racks. When I noticed the first one, I thought “how interesting, someone is using that art to lock their bike”….then I started noticing more bikes locked up to other pieces of sculpture. Finally noticed the plaque on the ground next to each.

This put me on a quest to find as may as possible. I’m sure I just scratched the surface, but here’s a few.

Ended our trip with a great anniversary dinner at Ruth’s Chris. This Ruth’s Chris has been the site of other celebrations….how perfect that this trip would take us back the weekend of our anniversary. The restaurant is on the top floor of Kaden Tower, and just happens to overlook Suburban Hospital, where kiddo was born. And gave a nice view of the skyline at sunset.
Driven to and from the restaurant by “Rasta Cab”, a charming taxi driver, who answers his phone with that name. Saved his number for a future trip. Which as with Lexington, need to make a point of not letting so much time pass between visits.

Back in the Bluegrass, or My Old Kentucky Home…..

October 19, 2010

While I now live 60 miles or so from where I grew up in  Illinois, I spent a significant portion of my life living in Kentucky. As I often told folks, I went to college at UK, and forgot to leave. After college I began my professional life in Lexington, a promotion sent me to Western Kentucky where I stayed for nearly a decade, then another promotion brought me to Louisville. Finally, it was a work related move that took us away from the Commonwealth in 2001. As fond as my memories are of the time in Kentucky, as much as I miss Derby festival and Keeneland, I haven’t been back since we moved. Until this past weekend…..


And what a weekend it was. Absolutely perfect time for a visit. Keeneland was in session. Kentucky was enjoying the Indian Summer we’ve had in Wisconsin. Weather really could not have been better. Cool mornings, sunny afternoons in the 70’s, evenings perfect for strolling outside. 

Lexington had just hosted the World Equestrian Games, and was looking her very best. Lots of revitalization of downtown. An installation of horse statues all around the city. 
A couple of my favorites were the Keeneland one outside the 5/3 Bank building (cleverly painted with images of the spring meet on one side and the fall meet on the other) and the Kentucky Theater one located by the new courthouses. That one really brought back memories of many a Friday night at midnight singing along to “Dammit Janet”, throwing toilet paper and toast dressed as Magenta.

In addition to horses, the Bluegrass State is known for Bourbon. All the major bourbon distilleries are located in central Kentucky – the area from Lexington to Louisville – now known as the Kentucky Bourbon trail. One of the oldest distilleries, which also happens to make my favorite bourbon, Woodford Reserve, is the Labrot and Graham distillery. I love the drive to visit Woodford Reserve  – first passing famous sights like Calumet Farm and Keeneland, then traveling down a typical bluegrass horse farm lane to this picturesque distillery. On site you’ll find  the visitor’s center containing exhibits on bourbon, a small deli and a nice gift shop. Woodford also has a meeting/catering center, and hosts special brunches on Saturdays during Keeneland

The informative tours feature charming, southern accented guides, and a sample of this excellent bourbon at the end. If planning a trip to Woodford and Keeneland in the same day (which we did), the 10am tour is perfect; allowing ample time to make it to the track before the 1st race. 

Keeneland is a horse racing track like no other. Located on Hwy 60 just west of Lexington, it is only open for races in April and October. It just drips with southern charm and Lexington’s strong thoroughbred tradition (speaking of which, not sure I like the announcer calling races, preferred the silence of the past). We were fortunate to be seated in the Keeneland box just behind the winners circle. Delighted to discover that, yes, the Blue Moon Barbecue on the 3rd floor terrace serves my beloved Blue Moon beer. Enjoyed trying to teach the couple of guys in our group who’d never been to the track how to read the form, place bets. Reminded once again that a horse race handicapper I am not. Cashed tickets in the majority of races, but didn’t even break even. Smiled when handed a white parasol by the box attendant to block the sun.

Many of the sights in downtown Lexington are as I remember: Rupp Arena, Triangle Park’s fountains, Victorian Square, Cheapside Bar.  Others are not. Dudley’s Restaurant, a former employer and the place that set me on my current career path, has moved from South Hill to Short Street. Owner, Debbie Long did an incredible job of renovating the space. One of the biggest highlights of the trip was dinner at Dudley’s – providing an opportunity to catch up with both Debbie, and dear friend Ann who I met long ago while working at Dudley’s. Alfalfa, the campus staple for brunch, has moved to Main Street. There’s a new courthouse area, and many, many new bars and restaurants. Hope to get back there soon and explore some more.
The visit to Lexington was too short. Really wished we’d stayed for the football game. Seeing UK finally beat South Carolina in person would have been sweet. But we planned an evening in Louisville also……which will be another post.