Rosie's Diner, Rockford Michigan

I know, Michigan does not even touch Kentucky. We visited Jenn's family in the Grand Rapids area recently, and they told us about this. I am talking about THE Rosie's Diner.

When Jenn's uncle mentioned going to Rosie's Diner, a little memory from my past triggered something. At first, I thought the Bounty/Rosie's Diner commercials were made in the 70's. I just checked Wikipedia though and it looks like they ran from 1976-1990. Anyway, this is the same diner where those commercials were filmed. It was moved from New Jersey after those commercials to this location.

That's reason enough to make sure you hit this location on a trip through Michigan. That has to be one of the most well known commercials ever. When I heard that the actual diner where those commercials were filmed was near by, I had to see it.

Not only can you go and look at the diner, you can stop by for a meal! I had a turkey Reuben and Jenn and I shared a mild shake. Portions were generous and delicious. I swear, this may have been one of my best meals ever. I have had some good Reubens. In fact, I can't think of a time I have had a bad one. This was one of the best ever. The milk shake was the best ever. I'm not kidding. I challenge you to go to Rosie's Diner, get a milk shake, and tell me its not the best. Do it! NOW! You can't get something like this at a fast food place.

Rosie's is, like any diner, boxy. It is tight, and I did feel like I was going to slide off of my bench. That's my only criticism of the place. I would hate for them to fix that problem though, because then it would be a modern restaurant, and not a diner.

I didn't see anyone talking on a cell phone. Yep, if you tried to forget about modern conveniences you could fool yourself in to believing you were at Rosie's Diner 20 or 30 years ago. I love places like this. I tip my ball cap to the owners and management of Rosie's Diner for their sense of preservation... and good food.

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis

It has been a little while since posting, but I was away for a little over a week! We recently went on a road trip circling through Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio.

Our first stop was in a city that is probably my new #1 favorite stop outside of Kentucky- Indianapolis! I love this town. It has always had a nice, cozy feel to it.

On our recent trip, we stayed downtown. I love the fact that you can walk from your hotel room to the central mall area without going outside. I love being outside, but the whole being inside thing is really nice if there is bad weather or if it is cold. I would compare downtown Indy to Lexington in the way that many hotels, malls and shops are connected. Indianapolis has a better system though. The walkways are clean, have good lighting, and they are easy to navigate.

We did have to drive out of the downtown to get to the Children's Museum. It was easy to find using basic directions given by hotel staff. There are signs too.

They are doing some construction at the museum, and this does interfere with parking, and going from the parking lot to the museum. Parking is free and easy in the next door garage, and staff were there directing traffic and pedestrians. Even with the construction parking and walking across the street to the actual museum are effortless tasks.

The museum was crowded and a ticket line was forming but several ticket windows were open and moving. Even with a crowd, it only took a couple of minutes to get tickets. The museum does have a planetarium show and a theater. Showings are free, but you do have to get the free tickets at another counter in the level under the main entrance area.

Counting the lower level, there are 5 stories here. You can take the elevator, or use the squared spiraling stairs. The stairs have a glass sculpture going from the main floor to the top level. On the lower level, there is a glass exhibit and you can look up at the bottom of the giant art piece. A round, rotating reclining bench allows you to look up at the bottom of the sculpture and take it all in. It is truly amazing, and writing about it cannot do justice to it.

The outside of the museum has a very nice, detailed set of dinosaur statues that appear to be busting out of the museum. The statues look very lively and realistic.

The museum's main floor has the ticket area, a huge gift shop and a cafeteria. The gift shop is huge and well stocked with items relating to the museum, and general museum gifts. As they currently have a Star Wars and a Lego exhibit, they had plenty of related toys and gifts. I bought my usual postcards and a patch.

We did have lunch in their cafeteria. We opted for the quick, easy and tasty burger baskets. For a museum lunch site, it was very affordable and the food was good. I would not go out of my way to eat here, but I would look forward to a lunch here on another visit for sure!

There is a really cool water clock designed by Bernard Gitton. You have to look at it for some time to figure it out. Like the glass sculpture, pictures don't show you how amazing it is. I am glad I picked up a postcard showing it, but standing next to it and looking up at it really gives you an appreciation for merging science and art.

The lower level (actually, any level here) would top many museums I have seen on its own. Their Dinosaur display area was worth the price of admission alone. At the main entrance to their "Dinosphere" is a reproduction of "Super Croc." There are several other cool dino skeletons and displays. There is a great balcony window a couple of floors up for photo opportunities of the area too. There is a mastodon skeleton, originally found in Indiana, there too.

Continuing on the lower level floor, there is a train that you can walk through, and some fun train lay outs.

At the moment, there is a cool Star Wars exhibit there. Loads of concept art, some costumes, and Jango Fett's helmet! Predictably (and unfortunately) an actual NASA space suit worn by Indianapolis' own David Wolf was mostly ignored by visitors.

We did attend a planetarium show about planets from the Star Wars films, and how similar planets may actually exist somewhere. This was fun, but I will probably try to catch a more traditional show next time.

I won't go floor by floor on the upper 3 levels, but an entire book could be written about this museum. Current temporary exhibits including a comic book/super hero display, with every super hero toy that I can remember on display. There was a nice lay out here too. Like everything in this museum, the flow of this display was very well done. One of the Bat-Man movie used cars was on display here too.

They had a great Lego Castle room. Legos are pure joy. Small Lego castles and a life size dragon and suit of armor were here, among many other Lego creations.

Other cool areas included a doll house display, a carousel, and a fun house area. There is a dinosaur art area.

The Power of Children area was well done too. There is an entire section about Anne Frank which is always touching. There was a section on Ryan White too, along with Rudy Bridges. This was the only area of the museum that did not go along with the generally fun theme. Using this area for such a display is bold, and the Children's Museum deserves a lot of credit for including these displays.

We spent several hours at the museum, and we were exhausted! I am really looking forward to getting back there soon.

Memphis, TN

We recently drove down to Memphis for the weekend. This was our second trip to the are in the last year.

Memphis is a very active town. It has a lot of attitude too. There is a ton of history in the area.

We went down mostly to see the Memphis Redbirds AAA baseball team (I wrote about that on my baseball blog). We ended up doing a lot more.

After work on Thursday, we made the drive down towards Nashville. Bad weather reports should have discouraged our making this trip, but we really wanted to get going. The weather reports were accurate though, and we had rain and rough winds to deal with the entire trip down.

We did make a stop at Loretta Lynn's Kitchen and gift shop. That was cool, they had your usual postcard and t-shirt type things. The place reminded me of a truck stop/gift shop. It was novel.

Downtown Memphis is a fun area. We have enjoyed walking around the ball park and the Peabody Hotel over our last 2 visits. We went there again this time.

A lot was going on in the area on this date. Pro baseball and basketball players were both at the hotel. Several St. Louis Cardinals players were there for the game, and so were the NBA Mavericks. The hotel was hoppin'. It was very busy and active.

I can't say enough about the Peabody Ducks. Kids and adults both will appreciate them. Every morning at 9am, they ride the elevator down from their rooftop house, then they walk a red carpet to the fountain. At 5, the process goes in reverse. It is something to see, and the ducks are very sweet. The roof to the Peabody is opened up and it is a great place for skyline photo ops.

Peabody Place is a great place to set and relax in downtown Memphis. The place is a "Dead Mall" though. I love places like this, but I feel sad that they are not more active. Peabody Place is a very nice layered mall. There is a ton of opportunity here for a business. It seems that most major businesses have moved out, and now there are just a few kiosks. This is a beautiful mall with rocking chairs around a fountain. We enjoyed a cup of Starbucks while sitting in rocking chairs listening to the fountain. If this mall was in my hometown, I would be there every day!

The Memphis Redbirds play at one of the most aesthetically perfect parks around. The giant baseball slugger over their front entrance is one of the coolest monuments in all of baseball. The park is simply perfect. It isn't that old, but it does have an old, traditional feel to it.

I was very sad to learn that Friday Night Fights was going on at the same time our ball game was happening right down the street! The good city of Memphis had it in an open out door venue. No ticket needed! Luckily, I always DVR this show.

Our next day in Memphis was spent mostly at the Memphis Zoo. Like most big zoos, this one was exhausting. You name it, they had it. Panda's seemed to be the big attraction.

In our recent travels, especially in the state right under Kentucky, I have developed a real appreciation for the Hyatt Place chain. These guys have perfected the hotel. They are always clean, nice and cozy. I love the big screen TVs that can tilt and be seen just about anywhere in your room. I just realized they have an IPod docking station too! We love the one in Memphis, which feels really homey to us. They have a very comfortable eating/front desk area. Leslie at the front desk remembered us from our last visit and added to the familiar feel here.






On the way back north, we stopped in Nashville. Everyone from Nashville likes to make a point in telling me that there is more to the town than Opry Mills mall. I know, but man is this a cool mall! Its just fun making a lap around it though. The kiosks are getting a bit out of control, but otherwise this place is perfect. I do need to get to Nashville to do some more local stuff.

Henry Clay Philatelic Society Stamp Show Lexington

This past weekend, the Henry Clay Philatelic Society hosted a stamp show at the Thoroughbred Center in Lexington.

I had a great time at this event. I was on a bit of a time limit, and only had a couple of hours, but it was time well spent.

Stamp collecting is a very welcoming hobby, and it is one that can be done very economically. The Henry Clay group had an info/welcome table set up at the front. Their were many brochures on the hobby, club business cards etc available. Several club members took time to ask if I was having a good time, and they asked my opinion about the show on my way out. There was no admission fee.

Cachet maker/show cancel designer John Cropper was busy at the desk preparing the shows exclusive cancel and covers. John designed this years special show cancel, featuring a picture of Abe Lincoln. A specially decorated envelope was also available. They were selling the stamped, cancelled envelopes for $3 a pop, or a complete set (4, each with one of the different Lincoln Stamps recently issued) for $10.
I personally love this sort of thing. I think a lot of people think of stamp collecting as a dull hobby. You just go out and find old stamps. The hobby gets more complicated (and interesting!) when you get in to collecting special cancels.

Many areas have special pictorial cancels (cancels with the general info, place and date, along with a related design) for certain events. Some of these cancels coincide with recently released stamps. Many areas had special cancels when the new Lincoln stamps came out. The Henry Clay Philatelic Society chose a great subject for their show this year with their cancel, cover, location, and the popular new stamp set all relating.

Many dealers at this show were selling nicely designed cancelled covers. Very interesting ones for the general collector (me!) could be found for 50 cents to a dollar. Pricier ones were available, but for someone dabbling in the hobby, and more concerned with finding an attractive item than a pricey rarity (me again!) this event was perfect. I could have spent many more hours looking through boxes of covers at this event. I plan on doing just that at their next show!

Obviously a lot more went on at this show than I have mentioned. There was an area where framed displays were being shown. Oh, and there were lots of stamps being sold. The US Postal Service had a table set up too, which was pretty cool.

There was a good crowd at the show. The vibe was very casual and relaxed. No squabbling collectors fighting over rare items here. Friendly conversations with with other collectors seemed common. Several dealers and show staff were chatty about their hobby, and some gave me some great advise and suggestions relating to my collecting niche.

Lexington Stamp Show

Just thought I would throw up a note that this weekend (March 28th & 29th) there is a stamp show in Lexington. I have started to collect First Day Covers myself, and I will probably try to attend this one Saturday or Sunday.
http://www.henryclayphilatelic.org/
Check it out!

Montgomery Inn, OH

I am pretty much on the edge of my seat waiting for baseball season to start up. I am getting out, but not as much as I would like. I have been trying to get out towards Western Kentucky for several weekends now, but things keep coming up.
I did make another trip to Cincinnati, a pretty regular trip for me these days.
My friends Nate and Holly took us to the original Montgomery Inn.
I am sure anyone from the area knows all about their ribs. It was a bit funny though. I didn't know what to expect. Our friends thought we really needed to go here. I walked in, and just figured it was a nice, classy restaurant. OK, a classy restaurant that serves ribs. Our very professional waiter asked if we would need bibs. I thought this was a bit strange.
Anyway, everything was good. People in southern Ohio know their ribs and everything else is good. I was a bit hypnotised with all of the sports stuff. I love looking at signed jerseys, baseballs, and bronze statues. There was just no way to take it all in. The Montgomery Inn made me think of a less chaotic version of a Hard Rock Cafe, but for the sports lover instead of rock lover.
It also looks like everyone has been here. Presidents, ball players, rock stars, etc.
After our wives dragged Nate and I out with our heads still twisting around for one last peak, we walked around this neighborhood. Nate and Holly are very familiar with the area.
There is an exclusive baseball museum/social club next door. the place looks great, but it is very private.
This is a cool little area though. I am excited about getting back here for more Ribs and baseball relic looking.

Baseball

Not a lot going on at the moment. I am edgy at the moment waiting for baseball season to start. I have my other blog about baseball in and around Kentucky, but I am so anxious! In fact, I am planning some small road trips through Kentucky and THREE neighboring states (possibly 4) within the next couple of months.
I think it is so exciting that so many smaller cities have brought independent pro teams in. Kentucky has 2 pro basketball teams at the moment and 4 pro baseball teams. When I was a kid in Owensboro, I was pretty excited about getting to see pro-wrestling at the Sports Center! I am a bit embarrassed about that now.
3 of the 4 pro baseball teams are within about a 1 hour drive of my area. The Legends are very close.
Going to a Legends game has almost a party atmosphere at times. You can get a lawn ticket for $4! Thats pretty much free. They do charge for parking, but there is usually street parking available close enough.
A Louisville Bats game is similar to seeing a game in the majors. At the AAA level many of the guys you see playing have some Major League experience anyway.
The Florence Freedom, near Cincinnati, are a great, economical alternative to seeing the pricier Reds up the road. I love the Reds, but the Freedom is my team. Tickets are $6-$10, and there is not a bad seat around. Florence is a fun area to hang out in too. I love this area, and I love this non-affiliated team. Their web site is super cool too.
The Bowling Green Hot Rods start play this season. I really wish this team went with the Cave Shrimp theme (they are an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays- Cave Shrimp would have been appropriate for the franchise, and for the area). I am excited about this team too.

Creepy Ohio Books

I often like to visit places that have a history, or that may be a little Creepy. There are a lot of good general books on strangeness in Ohio.
Chris Woodyard's extensive Haunted Ohio series covers the better known locations, and the other ones too. I think it is up to 6 volumes. It is ALL here. If you plan on spending a lot of time in the state, and you like ghosts, go ahead and pop for all of them.
John Kachuba has a really interesting book out called Ghosthunting Ohio. This is a great book too. John seems to be around the Cincinnati area a lot so its not hard to track him down to discuss his book or things ghostly. I read this book not long ago, and I might try to put a review up.
I have bumped in to 2 of the authors of the cool "Weird Ohio" book. This book has lots of info, and lots of pictures. I like this series. I met one author James Willis at an under promoted book signing in Indianapolis. He is another fun guy that knows his stuff. He could talk weirdness all day long. Willis is always out ghost hunting, or looking for the unusual. I met his co-author, the legendary Loren Coleman (cryptomundo.com) here in Kentucky last year. he might be about the last serious person still looking for Bigfoot. He is keeping it scientific though, and in many cases he is very sceptical. If either of these guys contributes to a book, its worth a look through. Weird Ohio comes score points for having both of them credited.
Craig Cartography's Hidden Ohio map is painfully informative! As far as volume goes, the map might be as informative as Woodyard's series. I hope this MAP gets re released in some type of book form. Because it is a HUGE map, it is difficult to use. It's worth its price though because of the volume and accuracy of the information. Most Half Price Book Stores in Ohio seem to be well stocked with this map. Pick one up before other people start to realize how great this resource is for the traveler who appreciates hidden attractions.
Southwest Ohio is Haunted is another fun read written by the guys who do the Miamitown ghost walk. Sadly, on their web site, it says that this book is no longer available. Fortunately, the last time I talked to them they talked about a new version coming out. Miamitown Ghosttours do their research. The book talks about local legends, and they research the legends. The book was put out independently, and it does have some editing flaws, but their writing style alone is worth the price. The stories are more specific than most. They give locations, details about the legends in the area, and when possible, they try to figure out from where the legends originated.

Ohio: The Whole State

I have spent a lot of time in Ohio. Its the only other state I have actually lived in. I am, in general, pretty fond of the state, especially to the south. It is without a doubt worth a visit. Since I haven't put anything up in the last few days, I thought I would take a moment to mention some of my favorite things in the state, by location. I've talked about much of it before, but there is still a lot more to cover.

Cincinnati
I have really become a fan of the city. LaRosa's Pizza alone is worth the drive north. There are plenty of malls and shopping areas, and I have already covered Jungle Jim's and the Golden Lamb.

This is the starting point of Ohio and you know it as soon as you go over the bridge. Several Kentucky towns benefit from their nearness. I love Florence. I go up for ballgames all the time, and the mall there is a great place to kill some time. There is a Starbucks there that feels more like a small local place than a chain store. Yes, we've all seen the "Florence Ya'll" water tower a thousand times, but I still get a kick out of it.

How about Newport? The place is very happening. It always seems like a party atmosphere when I walk around down there. The aquarium can compete with any other around. Going to Newport would be a nice day trip for most in central or northern Kentucky.

For those into the weird, Bobby Mackey's is in Wilder Kentucky, it's still pretty much Cincinnati. I did drive by it once, when it was closed, and I got the creeps from the outside! Believe the hype on this one. The guys who run the Miamitown ghost tour have really established something too. I took their tour last Halloween and had trouble sleeping that night. It is the only ghost tour I have been on where I think I saw something. I turned to tell my friend Fako about what I thought I had witnessed, and she had seen the same shadow pass the same window! The guys that run this tour are a bit Lurch-like too. They have done their homework! I hope they continue doing their ghost walk.

Cincy would be a GREAT economical get-away for the family over a 3 or 4 day weekend. You can kill several hours in Jungle Jim's easily, be entertained, and not spend a dime. You could buy all sorts of unusual ethnic foods to try for $20 or so and make an affordable and unique light lunch out of it for the family.

Seeing the Reds or Bangles may be a little out of the budget for some large family's but seeing the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum next door could be just as satisfying. Adult tickets are around $10, and they have had free admission and specials at times in the past. For the sports fan on a tight budget, go see the Florence Freedom. You can get a good ticket for 5-10 bucks a person, you are MUCH closer to the action, and you will have a great time.

Last Halloween, we did a "spooky weekend" trip to the area. We stayed at the Golden Lamb, did the Miamitown Ghost Tour, and visited several locations in the spooky Ohio books. Cincinnati is a great place for those that enjoy getting spooked.

Akron
I worked in Akron for a little over a year. Go see an Aeros game. If you are there for awhile, drive over to Kent and check out the cool college vibe going on, or walk their downtown area. If you are in Akron longer than a few days leave.

Columbus
Columbus is a cool town, and I think, in some ways, many people outside of the area are not aware of how cool it is. There are really energetic music venues all around town. I saw my favorite band Equation more than once at the classy Thirsty Ear Tavern. This is a great venue that has pulled in some great acts (it was also the site of a brief onstage break up of Fairport Convention). I saw one of the best shows ever at Ludlow's: 10,000 Maniacs with Todd Snider opening.

Something really cool in Columbus is Easton. Easton is a massive in-door out-door type mall. I have seen other centers similar to it, but not nearly as nice. It is surrounded by other shopping areas and hotels. We have gotten a room at a near by hotel and hung out at Easton all weekend. Most hotels are about a 1-2 minute walk from the mall. It is big and well maintained. There is something for absolutely everyone here.

Oh, and Columbus has that fun German area! They have one super cool book store that seems to go on and on down there!

Cleveland
I must admit I have a love hate relationship with Cleveland. Check out the NASA visitor Center. It is small though. You have to be a science/space fan to really appreciate it.

Tower City Downtown is amazing. It is 3 stories of mall, under a couple buildings. Some of this area was used in the movie "Christmas Story" too. The house from the movie is near by too, for fans of the flick. Some of downtown Cleveland substituted for downtown New York in the 3rd Spider-Man movie. Fat Fish Blue is a fun Cajun lunch place/evening concert venue that I love right next to Tower City.

The Rock Hall is overrated.

Get away from downtown though, there are some cool areas on the east and west sides of Cleveland.

On the west side is probably the coolest coffee shop ever. Seriously. One thing I can say about Cleveland is there are MANY nice indy coffee shops. I can think of 3 or 4 that I really miss. The coolest one ever is Savor the Moment. It is cozy and family run. They have very nice lunches too. This is the kind of coffee shop you wish someone would open in your area. The people living near Rocky River drive are lucky, because someone did open it. The family that runs it is just a nice, sweet bunch. I'm not kidding, if you find yourself in Cleveland, go here. It is worth a little drive out of your way. Friendly places like this used to exist in the 50s, but even then they weren't this nice. Mostly only locals know about this place, which is sad. I wish it were franchised, but you can't franchise what they have going on here. Even if you order a large, caffeinated beverage here, and add a lot of sugar, you blood pressure will still go down it is so relaxing!
http://www.savor-the-moment.com/

On the corner of Lee and Van Aken is Kokopelli coffee. It's kind of between Shaker Heights and Beachwood (I think it's technically in Shaker Heights). Great coffee, GREAT veggie chili. Easily the best coffee place on the east side. This is another friendly indy place. There is a lot of foot traffic, and it might get crowded here, which is good, they deserve the business.

Visit Amish country. About half an our east of Cleveland (you can take Mayfield Rd all the way there) is Mesopotamia. The End of the Commons general store and other attractions are worth it. http://www.endofthecommons.com/

Squires Castle in the Mayfield Heights Metroparks area is a cool place. It's an abandoned stone building that was going to be the ground's keepers house to a castle that was never built. It is cool, and it is near a cool hiking area.

Visit the Coventry area if you find yourself in Cleveland. There are some cook book shops, restaurants, and one of the coolest novelty shops ever, Big Fun.

Mentor, outside of Cleveland has a fun mall, and the Lake County Captains baseball team is close (I have been to MANY Captains games, I love this team). For those who are interested in the creepy, this area is a goldmine. Go hunting for the Melon Heads. Read up on some of the religious history of the area. Visit Rider's Inn (It's a B & B) in this area too. It is spooky. Have a nice dinner or stay for the night. There is often live music and the owner is a bit of a local legend. She is always happy to set at your table and tell you some ghost stories about the place.

The rest of the state
There is still a lot more. Toledo has the Mud Hens, some other indy pro sports teams on the way, and a great art museum. They have a nice downtown area that can get hoppin'.
Dayton has the Dragons and the Air Force Museum. I will have to talk about the Air Force Museum more later, because I love it. Between Cincy and Dayton is the Touchdown Jesus statue. You will know it when you see it. If you have driven between those 2 cities you then have seen it.

Bardstown Rd. Louisville

My friend Heather showed me around Bardstown Rd. this weekend. I have been in the area a few times since coming back to Kentucky, but I haven't had the time to really explore it.

I spent a little bit of time there with my cousin a long time ago. In fact, it was the last time the Grateful Dead were in town. I know we had a lot of fun driving up and down the road then. It seemed just as exciting this weekend as it did back in 92 or 93, or whenever that was.

Our 1st stop was Heine Bros Coffee, which is quickly becoming a place in Louisville that I must hit when I am in town. We stopped at the Heine Bros. connected to Carmichael's book store. What a cool location, and for such a small 2 business set up, this place really packs a punch. For such a small book store, they get a lot in. They had a great magazine section, an above average local interest section, and a bunch of postcards I haven't seen anywhere before. What a cool place to spend a morning!

We stopped by Ear X-Tacy which was a lot of fun. This is the record store that most other record stores wish they could be. Lots of records, books, novelties, etc. They have bands playing there all the time too. This has to be a great hang out for locals. It looks like they are pulling in very interesting national and local acts pretty weekly. I hope the music lovers in the area realize how great a resource this place is for Louisville.
We had lunch at Ramsi's Cafe on the World. A buddy in the building where I work suggested this place. When I mentioned it to Heather, she said that was a favorite of hers. We had their Chipotle Con Queso for an appetizer. This was a melted cheese dip with spinach and peppers, with tortilla chips. I love this sort of thing. Ramsi's may have perfected it.
I had their Cubean Burrito. This burrito was good, and big. It was good for lunch. It was also good when I warmed up the half I didn't eat at Ramsi's later that night, and finished it at home. I can't wait to get to Ramsi's again. They had all sorts of other ethnic type entrees. I think just about anyone would love this place.
There's a lot going on on Bardstown Road. There are several Heine Bros coffees. There is still a lot more going on that I need to check out. With the few hours I was able to spend there the other day, I know that its a great area for live music, finding obscure CDs and novelties, book, and for eating some great unique food.

Cats beat Tennessee at Rupp

I was at Rupp for the game against Tennessee this Saturday. What a fun game! It was great seeing the Cats play that way. They were moving the ball, scoring points, and playing some defense!
I felt bad for the other teams coach though. I don't even know of a store that would sell an orange jacket like that. Maybe there is a special clown store where you can buy one, I don't know. I would hope that even if a store stocked a jacket like that, they would try to talk the potential buyer out of getting it. I would hope that salesperson at the clown shop would say, "come on Bruce, all of the other coaches will make fun of you if you wear that jacket."
It was pretty cool of the guy to take responsibility after the game. He bashed his team and himself for the loss.
That team looked tough. Watching them warm up before the game, I felt a little scared. Luckily, UK has found its rhythm here at the end of the season.
I headed downtown early for this game. I had some reading to catch up on, and I thought I could hang out in the mall before the game and read. I did get several hours of reading in. The mall, and the entire area around Rupp really starts hopping a few hours before the games. There are people wearing blue everywhere.
I can't say enough about the Rupp security, and the traffic cops around the arena. 24,000 people in a downtown stadium, and things move pretty smoothly. If you have been to similar events in other major cities, and event like this can be total chaos.


With the walk ways going from Rupp, the connecting hotels, and the Victorian Square area, you can really access a lot downtown without having to deal with some of the bitter cold weather.

pro sports teams in Kentucky

Several years ago, my friend Nate from Cincy insisted that we get together and go to a Columbus Clippers game. After going to some major sporting events in the Cleveland area, I was a little hesitant. I reluctantly went after much persistence.
It was a great experience. We quickly realized that this was different from attending a major sporting event. The crowd was smaller, and it was a lot easier to get close to the action.
I love going to sporting events in this area. I especially love minor league and independent sports. There is something really fun about Minor League baseball and seeing guys that might make it to the highest level possible.
I also love the independent leagues. Most of the guys playing were let go by affiliated teams, or they weren't drafted. This is their last shot at making it. These guys aren't making much money either. Some stay with host families, and they very probably have off season jobs. Some of these players have been associated, in some way, with more significant teams, but that link is no more.
Outside of my favorite sport, baseball, I really enjoyed going to see the Kentucky Horsemen last year. I attended over half of their home games. This is a great dollar value in Lexington, and its just a lot of fun. Its another one of those things, however, where I ask myself why aren't there more people at the games. Its a lot of fun. NFL alum Craig Yeast was with the team last year. This year, they Jared Lorenzen! The guy owns a Super Bowl ring!
Louisville had an Arena 2 team last year too, and they were very successful, but it seems that team has folded, which is really sad. They were drawing good crowds, and had a good record.
I am glad the Lexington team is still around.
I have not been able to get down to Owensboro to see the Kentucky Bison yet. I know the season is almost over, but I am still hoping to catch a game. They have a former Globetrotter as their manager, and a former UK player! At the moment, they are dominating! I really hope Owensboro realizes how cool it is to have this team.
Evansville Indiana has had the Frontier League baseball team the Otters for a long time now. They have recently become the home of a pro hockey team. I am not a hockey fan, but I am hoping this team makes it too. I was reading that they made pro hockey history lately when their goalie, Kira Hurley, became the 1st female pro hockey player to score a point. How cool is that?
Anyway, this area is bursting with some great sports teams. Take the family, you can afford it. I am sure the team owners and players will appreciate the support.

Book: Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins by Robert K. Murray & Roger W. Brucker

Wow! I have lucked in to reading some good books lately! This book was a very satisfying read.

I love Wikipedia. It is probably the site I visit most these days. They do a fine yet too brief job covering Floyd Collins and his being stuck in Sand Cave. This book is a thorough, easy read about the Floyd Collins situation. The story easily needs 300 pages.

Floyd Collins liked to explore caves in the Mammoth Cave area. It could be very profitable for someone to have a cave on their land at that time. Several land owners competed for tourist dollars trying to sell tourists on their cave being the most spectacular in the region.
Floyd was trying to find a new cave entrance. While doing this, in a very narrow cave area, he knocked over his lantern and his leg became wedged in a way that he could not get it out.
His friends and family found him the next day. Over the next several days friends, family, and many others came to the Sand Cave area to help. Actually, many just came and hung out. A carnival like atmosphere rose up near the cave over the next couple of weeks. Vendors and entertainers were on the scene, with Floyd, underground, the main unseen attraction.
Some people went in and tried to help Floyd by feeding him, trying to dig him out, etc. Many people started to go in to get to Floyd, but changed their minds, as Floyd was in a deep, narrow secluded area. Some feared they might also end up trapped.
Some people thought of ways to try to get Floyd out. Others argued against those ideas. One group of monument carvers arrived at Sand Cave to offer their assistance, and they were turned away.
For the first several days that Floyd was trapped, various groups of people offered suggestions and theories on ways to get Floyd out, but other groups would argue about why that plan would not work.
In a few sentences, Floyd gets stuck in a very narrow, scary cave. Some people show up to help. Many people show up to see what happens, and to drink and have fun. The people that try to help get protective about their rescue plans, and try to prevent other would be rescuers from putting their plans into motion. Eventually, Floyd dies as no one has been able to get him out.
One group does dig a hole 60 feet deep and they do get to Floyd that way (the passage Floyd used collapsed in 2 places) but it was too late. Floyd was dead.

The story is far from over though. Floyd's body is moved several times after this (it still takes his family and friends some time to recover his body). His body is stolen at one time, and there is even a legal battle about who owns his body. The authors do a great job of tracking the characters in the story (including another historically important figure, Charles Lindbergh, who played a part in the media coverage of the event). The authors track down other players, including one who suggests that Floyd was actually murdered, but refuses to elaborate.

Murray and Brucker also cover a lot of inaccuracies in the reporting of the event at the time. Many news outlets were eager to one up each other. In their efforts, false reports were made about Floyd and his situation. Many fake Floyd's surfaced. Rumors about Floyd being freed and faking his situation were printed.

The authors even get special permission to visit Sand Cave (it has been sealed off for some time). They make some very exciting discoveries, including a discovery that pretty much proves that rescuers could have continued getting to Floyd despite the collapses.

In my updated edition of the book, it is noted that several people linked to the incident (mostly decedents of the people originally involved) have contacted the author about their perceptions of people mentioned in the book, facts that they know about them, etc.

There are many reasons to check out this book. It is exciting. We know how the story of Floyd Collins ends, but there is so much more to the legacy and the details. Brucker and Murray cover it all thoroughly in exciting detail.

If you are interested in caving, Mammoth Cave, or strange stories, this is it. Its a good read and it keeps you attention. It was so well written that I wish the book was about 200 pages longer.

The story of Floyd Collins is just as interesting as many others that get more attention. The story is under appreciated. A musical has been produced, obviously some books, but I would love to see this story exploited more. Floyd deserves at least a comic book graphic novel, and a modern movie.

It is very hard to visualize Floyd's predicament. The authors do give a detailed description of their climb down. It almost seems that Floyd it trapped more in a very deep hole than in a cave. Also, the rock that wedges his foot is only 26 pounds.

Lynn's Paradise Cafe, Louisville

I recently had a chance to visit Lynn's Paradise Cafe for the first time. I read about it in my "Weird Kentucky" book, and a co-worker friend in the Louisville area told me this place was a must see.
My wife and I pulled in to the parking lot around 8:30 on a Saturday. It was hard to find a parking space already! Getting a table was easy though. I wouldn't say the place was crowded yet, but there were people there for sure!
My first impression as we pulled in was that this place ripped off the set of the old Saturday morning kids TV show, "Pee Wee's Playhouse." The place was very colorful and lively. There were some funky animal and coffee related statues out front, along with a cool flower arrangement.
You walk in through their gift shop. I was eager to check out all of the stuff for sale, but my wife made me go straight to the dining area. She promised that we could look later, and, if I was good, she would maybe even let me buy a souvenir.
My friend Ann said that we should only go to Lynn's hungry. They were generous with their tasty items. This was an understatement! We had coffee and we ordered the 2 pancake breakfast. We are not really breakfast people, and we never eat large breakfasts. Their two pancake meal was more thanenough for the 2 of us to share. In fact, a third person could have joined us in our meal!
I read that Lynn grew up in the Louisville area, moved to San Francisco, then came back to Kentucky to open her cafe. People in Louisville should be grateful that Lynn decided to come home to open this place. The decor and vibe does have a very San Francisco feel to it. We were sort of reminded of our trip a couple years ago to San Francisco, except we weren't worried about someone trying to hustle us for spare change on the way out.
Inside Lynn's is a bit overwhelming. I noticed a tree, a huge world map on the wall near the restrooms, and toys and tacky lamps on every table. I am sure that the next time I am there, I will notice something different.
On our table there was a large clear tube filled with beads and other trinkets. The "other trinkets" were listed on the top of the tube. You had to shake the tube and flip it around to try to find all of the listed trinkets. This entertained for some time. In fact, I didn't want to stop playing with it, but my wife said I had to when our pancakes arrived.
Each individual table had its own character too. One table had a clear glass top, and a cool mini railroad display built into it.
Goofy lamps are everywhere. We had a really neat cherub lamp on our table. It was a little chipped, but nicely detailed. Like many of the other items displayed at Lynn's, this lamp looked like it may have come from a garage sale. A really cool garage sale. In fact, if I had been at the garage sale where Lynn bought this lamp, I would have offered the garage saler $5 more than whatever Lynn gave them for the lamp. I wanted to take that lamp home and paint it! I would have painted some little rosy cheeks on those cherubs!
On the way out we ran through the gift shop. They had the standard novelty shop items (sea monkeys, plastic dinosaurs, Sigmund Frued action figures) and a cool selection of "Lynn's Paradise Cafe" items, mostly shirts, and postcards.


I really like Lynn's Paradise Cafe. It is a very nice comfortable place. Its right off of Bardstown Road too, which makes it convenient. Anyone within a 2 hour drive of Louisville could make a nice little day trip to the Bardstown Rd. area, have breakfast or lunch at Lynn's and not have a boring moment in their day.

Louisville KY.

I am really glad to be back in Kentucky after being away for a long time. It is really nice going back to places I kind of remember from before, but that I haven't been to in some time.
My wife and I recently went back to the Old Spaghetti Factory in Louisville. We were in the area, and walked in.
As we set down, we realized we had not been to that specific spaghetti place in a very long time. Then we remembered, it was right before our first real date (away from campus, without a group of friends). We drove to Louisville one night for a Natalie Merchant concert, and this was where we went before the show.
Louisville previously seemed big and intimidating to me. It was a REALLY big city that you only went to when you had to, or whenever a good concert was in town.
I had to fly out of Louisville a couple of times in college. I remember the 1st time. My mom and aunt drove me up from Owensboro. Many pictures were taken at the airport, it was part of the adventure.
Louisville seemed to me to be too big for Kentucky. Back then I thought that, maybe Kentucky could trade Louisville to another state. You know, like they do in pro-sports. Maybe we could trade Louisville to Indiana for Evansville and a couple other towns? Tennessee might entertain a swap for Gatlinburg. Of course, Kentucky would have to keep the Derby.
Of course now I wouldn't think of trading Louisville away. I love Louisville, its a great place. And, after spending a lot of time in a town like Cleveland, Louisville doesn't seem big and overwhelming at all now. It's still a nice friendly town, its just bigger than all of the others in the state.
I have been back recently, really for the 1st few times since leaving some time ago.
Back in the early 90s, I do remember hanging out on Bardstown Rd. some with my cousin. The place seemed to go on forever. It seemed there were many neat little novelty stores. Bardstown Rd. was the area to go.
I went to Lynn's Paradise Cafe right off of Bardstown Rd. recently. AND, of course, I went up and down Bardtown Rd. some too. I am going to have to spend some more time there again.
I remember the Shelbyville Rd. area being cool 10 years ago, and it seems even more cool now. For mall lovers, you have St. Matthews and Oxmoore right next to each other! They are both pleasant, active malls. St. Matthews has that cool "A Taste of Kentucky" store. I love these type of shops.
There is a lot going on right around the mall too. My favorite book chain, "Half Price Books" has a shop close to the mall too. I can browse there for hours. I think Lexington and Louisville are the only Kentucky towns that have stores from this chain around.
A couple miles behind the St. Matthews mall is a really cool, almost hidden stamp shop. Not a rubber stamp shop for scrap book people, but an actual, well stocked shop that sells collectible postage stamps! The hobby seems to be dying, and there are fewer placers to find cool old stamps, but this is a great place for a collector to visit! The guys running the place know their stuff and are fun to talk to. Its a small shop in an old apartment type building. Its not for the claustrophobic. 4012 Dupont Circle #313.
Another great Louisville only chain that I just found out about is Heine Brothers Coffee. Holy Carp this is some good coffee! And they have cool locations. One off of Bardstown, connected to a cool local bookstore (this one has been crowded every time I have been in the area though). I just realized there is one on Shelbyville Rd.
I had some time to kill, and went in to this one to relax. It worked.
The weather has been a bit nicer in Kentucky the last few days. This isn't a big coffee shop, but they have a sliding door patio type area near the front door. It was open, and created the perfect atmosphere. The place was just nice. I stuck around and read a lot longer than I originally planned to.
I am really looking forward to my next trip to Heine Brothers. My only problem with this chain is that they haven't branched out more.
I do hope locals start showing their appreciation for places like this too. I passed a crowded chain coffee shop to get to this Heine Brothers. I see this in a lot of towns too. There are a lot of cool, cozy, quit independent coffee shops right down the road from the bigger chain guys.

Book: Owensboro, KY. (Postcard History Series)

Owensboro, KY. (Postcard History Series) by Terry Blake And David Edds Jr.

I recently flipped through the book, "Owensboro" from the Picture Postcard series of books.
There really isn't a lot to talk about with this book, it is mostly a lot of reprinted postcards from Owensboro. I personally love postcards. I wish more of them were available, especially relating to areas like Owensboro.
This book is just a great one to have around if you are familiar with the area. Authors Terry Blake and David Edds Jr. have put together a must have for anyone interested in the history of Owensboro. There are a lot of pictures I look at and think that I am familiar with that area. Many you will recognize, but the landscape is a bit different now.
Pictures of the radio stations, Good Shepherd Church, St. Joseph and Gabe's are easily recognizable. My favorite might be the Utica bank. I know that area well. It's great just looking at the old postcard picture of it.
My cousins picked this book up for me for Christmas. It's one that I would have bought for myself. I would love to read a volume two of this book, if there have been enough postcards made to support it.

Graceland Memphis, TN.

My wife and I drove to Memphis last year to visit the shrine known as Graceland. There are many reasons to visit Graceland. Elvis hung out here, lived here, died here, and is buried here. The biggest musician ever lived here, and it is still pretty much the same place it was then. It looks like it looked back then. You can walk through his house, and see his stuff.
Everyone knows who Elvis was, and this is where he lived.

The house
We paid I think $8 to park. At first, not having been there before, we weren't really sure what was what. Where was the house, the planes, etc. You actually go into a tourist center and buy your ticket. They then load you into a bus and drive you across the street to Elvis' actual house. If you walked, you would walk about 3 minutes from the center to his house. They give you an audio device and headphones at the bus. The audio device guides you and tells you about what you are seeing in the house.
There are ropes in the house. You can't go set on Elvis' couch or anything, but there is plenty of access. They are pretty laid back about the whole thing really. You can take pictures but you can't use a flash. I was a little surprised really by how much access they gave you.
The house is very 70's. It's a bit over the top. Also, it's a lot smaller than I expected. It's big, but I figured a music legend would have a REALLY big pad.
There are several side buildings too. They have put up many of the King's awards in his racquetball court.
After Elvis left the army, he held a press conference in one building. There is a video loop in that building of the conference. You can look around and see that the room is still pretty much unchanged.
Everyone knows that Elvis and his family are buried on the site too, not far from the front door of the house. It is pretty emotional seeing that. Flowers and fan art arrive and are displayed pretty constantly.
The area
Back across the street, near the main visitor center, are the other Elvis related museums. You can by a ticket to see all of the museums, or just one, or just a ticket to see the house. There is a museum of Elvis' cars, costumes, military stuff, and his planes (including the Lisa Marie). All are cool. The military one was crowded but had a lot of neat stuff relating to his service. Each of the museums has a connecting gift shop. The gift shops in this area go on forever. At least every other business is a gift shop.

Why go
Graceland is cool. Elvis is such an icon that, even if you aren't real familiar with him or his work, it is amazing that this area has become a religious landmark. You should go see it too because it is so well preserved. Also, Elvis is cool by every definition. He influenced everything. I think he was a good southern kid who cared about people, he had good manors, and he loved his mom. Even though he was bigger than life, he still helped people out, gave cars away, and was a generally nice guy. He didn't attempt to duck out of his military service the way other celbs tried to (I'm talking to you James Dean!). Even though he was huge, he was still Elvis from the block.

Why not go



It is really hard for me to think of a reason not to go to Graceland. I guess, if you have kids, they may not appreciate it. Screw that though, take them and make them appreciate it. If they can't appreciate Elvis, there is something wrong with them. Memphis is cool without Graceland too though. There are a zillion things to do there. Of all the things to do in town, this should be your first stop. THEN you can go see the ducks, the pyramid, some baseball, or the Civil Rights Museum.

66-57 Mississippi State beats Cats

I was at the game last night, thanks to my boss who has season tickets. It was a last minute thing though, she has a lot of work to do, and gave me her tickets the morning of the game.
I would suggest going to Kentucky.com for good game coverage, scores, etc. I thought I might cover some non-paper and technical stuff.
If the Cats win or if they don't, there is always such a great atmosphere in downtown Lexington before a game. That feel is here really before any event, but especially a basketball game.
It was a cold night, and a lot of snow (by Lexington standards) had covered the road hours before the game.
My buddy Rick and I got to the Rupp parking area a little after 5.
It was VERY cold. I don't think I have felt that kind of a chill in the air here ever.
We walked into Rupp, and took the walkway over to Quizno's. We wanted something quick, and we wanted to eat somewhere that would not be crowded. Quizno's did get crowded right after we got our subs. Some of the more unique restaurants downtown are packed before games, and its almost impossible to squeeze in.
We walked over to the mall area, walked around some, and then headed to the game.
I love the pyro show before the game when they announce the players! This is a lot of fun. They never show that on TV.
Another thing that seems to occur at about every game these days is the "boogie cam." I know they have this at a lot of sporting events everywhere. At Rupp, there is the boogie cam guy. I don't know if he has been given an official name or not, but man is he funny. He's just a lanky rubbery guy who always gets up and dances in the isle during the "boogie cam". He dances like absolutely no one is watching. The last few games I have been to, he is the star of the break. The cameras do get other people, but he is at least every other shot. He gets a lot of applause when he is done too. Pyro, three point shots, and the "Boogie Cam Guy" are expected high points at Cats games right now.
They have been bringing out UK sports alumni a lot too. Last night, 08 World Series Champ Joe Blanton was there. Getting my tickets on short notice meant I did not have my camera with me. I tried to get a pic with my cell phone.
Tim Couch was there a couple weeks ago. Oh, he follows me everywhere by the way! He was UKs QK when I was in the area, then he was working with the Browns after I move to Cleveland. Now we are both back in the area. Say what you will about him and his time with the Browns, but he is one of my favorite players. I can relate to him. I left the great state of Kentucky for Cleveland too. Looks like we both used good judgement at the end of the day.
Back to the game. The Cats looked bad. They looked scared. Seriously, there were a few passes where a player got hit by the ball. They seemed unaware that the ball might get thrown to them. They have seemed nervous about taking shots, really not just lately but all season. I hate to admit it and to agree with critics, but they simply look scared.
I don't know if the TV feed showed it, but the Herald Leader mentioned this morning that they were booed at the half. This was totally true. They were playing bad, and they were hearing it form the fans.
I hate seeing the good guys lose 3 in a row. This is a better team than that.
I still had fun last night, and it is a treat seeing a game at Rupp any time. I just wish I had my camera.

Snow and Ice in Kentucky!

I hope any reader (my mom) is doing OK right now. Looks like we might get a little more snow tonight. The state has been nailed by bad weather.
We were hit, but we did OK. One thing I can say about the northern states is they are prepared for bad weather and bad road conditions. If it snowed several inches in northern Ohio, as long as the snowing was pretty much over by 2 am or so, the roads would be fine in the morning. They would have them in shape in no time!
They kinda cleaned up the main roads here. They were usable, as long as you were careful. It took me a long, careful ride to get a couple miles out of my area though.
I didn't miss any work myself, but many did. There is an icy tree, scratching my office window. Taunting me.
My parents were secluded in the rural neck of the woods last week. No one heard from them for a couple of days. They have no land line and their cell phones went straight to voice mail. My cousin went out to check on them, but there are only really a couple of roads that lead to their area, and both were not accessible. No one had contact with them for a couple of days.
They finally did make it to my uncle's house (he's about half a mile down the road). They called everyone to let people know they were OK.
I didn't worry though, my dad hunts, farms, and does all of the out doorsy, wilderness stuff. I had no doubt they were doing fine. If they needed food he would go out and hunt a critter. If they needed heat, he would go out and hunt a fire.

Book: Manhunt: The Twelve Day Chase For Lincoln's Killer, By James L. Swanson

OK, this book is about the hunt for the killer of a Kentuckian. It might be a stretch discussing this here, but the link is there. Oh, and I did get the book at the Frankfort book fest, and Mr. Swanson signed my copy for me!

What's the book about
The book is about John Wilkes Booth killing Lincoln, and the following 12 day chase for him. It covers pretty much everything.
We have a good idea of where he went, where he was hiding, etc. Swanson writes a historical novel that reads like fun fiction. He clarifies that whenever a quote is used, it comes from a source. He takes all of the known facts about the hunt for Booth, and makes them a fun read in novel form. I was reading a critical review of this book that argues the author takes too much artistic license. I think he might take some, but it doesn't change the story (or history). I think Swanson may assume some given facts at times at most. This is an exciting read that, written by someone else would have turned out boring.
The book has a nice flow to it. You know it is happening in 1865, but Swanson does let you know about the information sources. He does discuss the whereabouts of the relics he mentions, like the flags hanging near where Lincoln set at Ford's Theatre.
There are several days of the 12 days that historians could not account for for many years. Swanson gives a great account of how the person who helped Booth at that time (and who would not discuss it until right before his death) finally opened up 30 years later.
Swanson covers Booth's co-conspirators, family, and and friends affected by the events. He covers all of the characters in this historical event, what happened to them, and even how some descendants have dealt with their place in history. He covers how Boston Corbett finally shot Booth (I hope I didn't ruin the ending for anyone). Swanson points out that the gun that shot Booth is currently unaccounted for. He also notes Corbett's questionable exit from the pages of history.

Why read it
This is a fun book. It reads well, and keeps your attention. All ends are connected too. Swanson covers everything. I have read some books that simply aren't put together well. You wonder about this character, or that event, or what happened later. Swanson won't do that to you. If a piece of the puzzle is missing from this story it is history's fault. Swanson will point that out to you too, and if he knows, he will let you know what little is known about the piece.

Why not read it
This is a BIG book. In fact, I bought it because it looked like a lot of book for the money, and I was right. If a nearly 500 page book scares you, you might want to stay away. But, there is a similar book that Swanson has put out for younger kids telling the the story. Don't be a wuss though, read this version. My friend Ann read the book and said she enjoyed it so much she did not want it to end. It is that good of a read!

Jungle Jim's Cincy, OH.

One of my favorite stops in the Cincinnati area is Jungle Jim's. If you are not familiar with Jungle Jim's you probably don't know anyone who lives within 2 hours of it, and you have never watched the travel channel.
Jungle Jim's, if you don't know, is a huge grocery store that's over the top. Each section is decorated with a theme. There is a huge soup can character in a swing over the soup isle. Boats and divers over the seafood area. There is an a cereal band over the cereal isle with the Trix Rabbit, the Lucky Charms leprechaun, and the Cheerios Bee. I think it is a converted Showbiz or Chucky Cheese band.
There are sample stations everywhere, and I always get suckered in to buying some cheese or cider there after a sample. Jungle Jim's seems to support the local guy too. Many of the sample people mention being from around the area, and making their product locally.

I can't imagine being a kid and going through their candy isle. Their candy section would compete with any novelty candy shop I have ever seen.
I am not a drinker, but their wine area would also best most wine shops I would imagine. You have to walk past it to get to their bathrooms (also featured on several shows.... there is a video loop playing above the bathrooms showing clips from their various TV appearances). Not to give the joke away, but the bathroom entrance looks like you are about to walk into a small porta potty. The inside is..... well, not a porta potty.
I could go on about each section in Jungle Jim's. Each one is festively decorated and well stocked.
Jungle Jim's also now has a post office and a Starbucks. There is a small movie theater in the store too which shows a video about how Jungle Jim's got started. Take a moment to watch this. Jungle Jim literally set up in vacant lots selling fruit in the early 70's. His is a great "work hard in America to succeed" story.
For souvenir people like myself, Jungle Jim's will give you a store map when you walk in. They have postcards, and my favorite, an elongated penny machine.


You could go in to Jungle Jim's and have a fun time without spending money. Don't do that though. Drop a few bucks on some things you will never find at your local grocery. Pick up something novel for a friend (I have picked up gator jerky for my dad here).

Pittsburgh, PA

I must admit that the first time I went to Pittsburgh, well over 10 years ago, I didn't think much of it. I thought it was OK, but it seemed big and chaotic. I may have lumped it in to the same category I would lump any other big city.

It seemed rough. Driving there was hard. Streets seemed to split, going in two different directions, with no signs telling you which way you should go.
In defense of anyone who does not like Pittsburgh, the roads are still chaotic, but the city has grown on me.
I don't think it is my attitude about Pittsburgh that has changed. I think the city has changed. I think those that live there are taking more pride in their city. I think the image of the city has improved nationally too.
I won't mention how the team can be proud of their football team (who one ANOTHER Super Bowl last night). I know we were in the area when they won Super Bowl XL, and this town seemed proud of itself. Not smug, but the place had a happy, "we know we are a nice town" feel to it.
The place has a lot going for it. The football and baseball stadiums are right next door. They share parking areas. I know getting downtown and parking for a baseball game is relatively simple. The streets and businesses are festive.
PNC Park, where the Pirates play, has the most gorgeous skyline view of any city, anywhere. Its a friendly, relaxing park. The seats are spread out and comfortable.
There are many bars and concert venues here too.
The South Side is a real happenin' area. Every town has an area like the South Side. I think mostly locals know about it. It is the cool area with music shops, novelty type stores, unique restaurants, etc. A GREAT music venue down here is Club Cafe. I once saw my favorite folk duo John & Mary play with several local acts, including another great local (by way of Ireland) Mark Dignam. Pretty much 4 hours of non-stop music, my wife and I had desert and coffee, I bought 2 CDs from the performers, and we experienced a great night of music! Here is the really cool part, we spent less than $50 that night! You can't buy 1 rafter ticket to see the big name stadium act coming through town for that. PLUS, we were able to chat with the acts, and it was all in a small (maybe 1-200 person capacity) club.
For any fan of horror flicks, Pittsburgh is a bit of a pilgrimage. The original "Dawn of the Dead" was filmed at the Monroeville Mall here in town (there is a comic book convention hosted right next door about every year). "Day of the Dead", "Silence of the Lambs", and "Night of the Living Dead" all have connections to Pittsburgh.
It's been a while since I went to the Murray area, but they do have "Jerry's Records". In the past, I have found all sorts of cool old vinyl here. I think Jerry's might be the only place left anywhere where you can scavenge through old records. Jerry's has survived CDs and other new forms of media, and it is just fun browsing here.
I could go on and on about Pittsburgh. This is a fun, happening town with many fun areas to visit.
Its not even in a state that boarders Kentucky, but, it could be done as a 3-4 day weekend trip pretty easily for anyone in the northern Kentucky area.