toomanybooks

NB: Quick post to get this up so people can reserve flights/hotels. Likely to edit some later. The Chicago Seminars are the following weekend.

Dates are set, October 14-16, 2022, for our 20th gathering, to visit Keeneland, horse farms, and bourbon distilleries and enjoy some southern food and hospitality. We also visit brewpubs and have the best ice cream in KY (bourbon honey is my favorite). Sometimes there are even MS opportunities at a convenient Officemax and/or good fuel reward opportunities at Kroger.

The schedule given below is likely to be altered as time goes on. Different people want different things, or have already been on specific tours, so we do not run around as a group the whole weekend.

EVOLVING TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Nothing is mandatory during the whole weekend of course. Do what you like. I would appreciate a general heads-up on things you are doing in case reservations or food procurement is involved. Restaurants get testy if there are no-shows on Keeneland weekends.

https://www.keeneland.com

Keeneland is a gorgeous racetrack, one of the best in the world. Owned by a charitable foundation, it is maintained beautifully. You can get very close to the horses, attend morning workouts with breakfast available, and see KY derby contenders. There is a track kitchen with classic southern breakfast available to the public. You may even meet a famous jockey or trainer.

Admission for the races is $5 normally, though COVID has changed things. Hoping things will be 100% back to normal. Someone may organize a group purchase if desired. Tailgating in the free parking lot before entering the grounds is a classic event.

https://www.keeneland.com/


Bourbon is a US-only product, and about 95% is made in KY, mostly because the limestone-filtered water is perfect for it and the variable seasons/barometric pressure cause the aging product to expand into and be forced back out of the wood, where most of the flavor originates.

"Smithsonian" magazine has listed the KY Bourbon trail as a Top Ten tourist activity in the US.


.

THURSDAY

1. Some folks arrive, including me.
2. Probably beers back at the hotel or maybe Beer Trappe or Country Boy or Ethereal (see below).

FRIDAY

1. Most people arrive.
2. Keeneland at 1 pm?
3. Bourbon tours (see above, or on your own)
4. Lunch undefined
5. Stop at West Sixth Brewing? They have picnic-style tables and there is a seafood takeout counter next door. A new little distillery next door has tours.
6. Drinks/pub? The Chevy Chase Inn, the oldest bar in LEX, is co-owned by a friend and for Happy Hour W/F/Sun at 5:30, you get a free one of whatever you have ordered. Except for super-top-level bourbon, which is 50% off for a second shot.
7. Afterparty at some hotel, maybe the Hyatt Regency downtown? I have Globalist, so maybe that will get us something.

SATURDAY

1. POSSIBLE:

1. Morning visit to an Icelandic horse farm, run by a high school friend of mine and her daughter. Between LEX and Louisville. See training, babies, etc. Lettleiki Icelandics ? Icelandic Horses, Boarding, Shows and More It is about 25 miles past Four Roses, so the trip could be combined somehow.
2. Keeneland. 1:05 pm. Many people go for 2-3 hours, but there are about 9 races, 30 minutes apart.
3. Perhaps a potluck/party at home of my brother/SIL on a lake, as in DOs past. I will bring something like BBQ and request you bring beer, bottle of wine, dessert, chips/dip,...
4. May then go out to dinner/dessert place. Various possibilities.
5. Drinks?
6. Afterparty at some hotel?

SUNDAY

1. Brunch at Stella's (see below). ~9:00 am.
2. Usually go to Barrel House Distilling at 11 am (5 minutes from Stella's). Pizza, ice cream (http://www.crankandboom.com), brewpub, cidery in the same complex.
3. Keeneland 1 pm?. LEX is across the street. Depart directly.
4. And/or another bourbon tour?

MONDAY

Usually people depart Sunday, but some stay longer. Activities to be determined on the fly.

TUESDAY

Likely my departure day.

OVERVIEW

For those not familiar, what we have done in the past is:

1. Go to Keeneland (one of the most beautiful racetracks in the world) (Home Keeneland) including breakfast on the backstretch
2. Hit a couple nice restaurants during the weekend
3. Consume some adult beverages, perhaps at Country Boy (Country Boy Brewing) or the Beer Trappe, a Top 100 US beer bar (The Beer Trappe ? LEXINGTON?S FIRST CRAFT BEER STORE!) or Ethereal Brewing (Ethereal Brewing Co. Craft Brewing out of Lexington, KY).
4. Visit a horse farm or two
5. Tour one or more bourbon distilleries on the KY Bourbon Trail (http://kybourbontrail.com), including the newer Craft Bourbon Trail.
6. Dinner somewhere like City Barbecue (http://www.citybbq.com), Columbia's Steakhouse, Village Idiot, or other fine establishment.

Or maybe somewhere else for a KY specialty like a Hot Brown. Top 10 Hot Brown competition 2016:

http://www.10best.com/awards/travel/...n-in-kentucky/

A plate with toast, sliced turkey, sometimes sliced country ham, Mornay sauce, sometimes cheddar cheese sauce, a couple strips of bacon, some sliced tomato, a bit of Parmesan/Romano cheese, baked in the oven. A "heart-attack-on-a-plate." Fantastic, one of the world's best comfort foods.

https://www.brownhotel.com/dining/hot-brown

(There is not as much cheese on there as it appears!)

8. Try other KY specialties, such as beer cheese (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer_cheese_(spread). Others are discussed here: (Cuisine of Kentucky - Wikipedia)
9. We always have Sunday brunch at Stella's (www.stellaskentuckydeli.com), for real southern fare including Bourbon Ball Coffee, genuine southern biscuits and gravy, locally fresh-ground grits with cheese, unparalleled tomato bisque, etc. They made the "Top 10 KY Hot Brown" list linked above.
This will be reserved for 8:45-9:00 am.


10. Some folks go to Keeneland again, with LEX conveniently across the street for a last-second departure.

Other things to visit in the area:

1. Shakertown, the restored Shaker community outside LEX: http://shakervillageky.org/
2. Mary Todd Lincoln's girlhood home. Future president courted her there: http://www.mtlhouse.org/
3. Ashland, grand home of Henry Clay, the "Great Compromiser": Henry Clay - Henry Clay
4. Hiking, perhaps at Red River Gorge: Red River Gorge Online
5. KY has one of the best state parks systems in the country: Best Kentucky State Parks - State Parks - KY State Parks
6. Berea College, where there is no tuition and the students work for their education; great restaurant: https://www.berea.edu/
7. Kentucky Donut Trail: This website is currently unavailable.
8. See "Cocaine Bear" (https://kyforky.com/blogs/journal/cocaine-bear)

AIRLINES SERVING LEX: http://www.bluegrassairport.com/airlines.html

WN NOW FLIES TO CVG, which as result has gone from one of the most expensive in the US to well down the list.

There is an airline club at LEX, with access for the following:

AA Admirals Club
DL Sky Club
UA Red Carpet Club
"Day Passes," presumably Priority Pass (?) and maybe for anyone. Perhaps also free for military.

If you are flying in, check LEX, SDF, and CVG particularly, the latter two since you very well may want to rent a car anyway. Interstate all the way from those airports. Avios can work very well from PHL, ORD, CLT, and DFW to LEX. AA often offers reduced AAwards to/from LEX.

Other airports to consider (all easy access via interstate, ~3 hours max): CMH, DAY, CRW, IND.

Lexington is very easy to get around, but you'll need to have a car or share with someone. Public transportation is hopeless. Please post if you are driving in and can bring someone, or if you are looking for a ride.

Taxis are available, but expensive and time-consuming to wait for. They have Uber in LEX. Recent quote per driver for normal charges: approx 80 cents a mile plus 16 cents a minute. The airport tends to be a bit expensive to fly into/out of.

bk3day scored a nice UA bump out of LEX a few years ago, as did iris30 on AA. Those planes can get quite crowded during Keeneland.

On the northeast part of town there is a Costco with a ton of bourbon at good prices. You never know what they will have.

The Liquor Barn chain is good and gives military discounts.

Many of us have stayed at the Hyatt Regency downtown, a cat 2 property. As I said above, I am Globalist as is at least ne other attendee I know. If I reserve for you with points, you inherit my status. Best to set that up as far in advance as possible. So that's free buffet breakfast, late checkout, etc. Free parking for all Hyatt guests (and likely anybody if there are no events at the Convention Center), as they use the giant lot across the street.

https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/ke...exington/lexrl

HYATT REGENCY LEXINGTON
401 West High Street
Lexington, Kentucky, USA, 40507
Tel: +1 859 253 1234

Very nice buffet in non-COVID times, including custom egg station and best gravy to pour over biscuits I ever had at a standard hotel. Full-service Hilton is across the street. New Marriott and Residence Inn likewise a few blocks east. Walking distance to plenty of restaurants/bars.

Any spot in LEX to any other is only about 20-25 minutes driving max, so where you stay is not 100% important.

Youtube channel for Lexington, with some nice material:

Bourbon news from the Lexington "Herald-Leader": Search Lexington Herald Leader

Please post if you are definite, maybe, or can't but want to consider another time.

ATTENDING/LIKELY


MAYBE/INTERESTED


CANNOT MAKE IT/UNLIKELY

HPN-HRL

I will be there, as part of a long road trip. Suite booked at the Hyatt.

MSPeconomist

Tomorrow, June 14th, is National Bourbon Day. It's exactly four months before the start of the next Horse and Bourbon DO.

DELee

Gonna start drinking now!

David

FriendlySkies

I’m interested; haven’t attended before, though certainly wanted to.

Zorak

I thought I was going to have a conflict with the October dates, but in looking at my calendar again I am returning with mom to BWI on the evening of the 14th, so could hop a quick flight Saturday morning. Hmm...

cocobird

Have booked my flights and the Hyatt. See ya'll.

GW McLintock

I am interested, but I usually have something here at home that weekend of October Going to try to see what the plans are for this year (if any).

-J.

GUWonder

Sounds like horse kebab is not on the menu. Bourbon-sautéed horse meat perhaps? Now, that I would have to see.

Miesque

My trip to the Keeneland Fall Meet starts at the end of the meet (my annual 9-10 day Breeders’ Cup trip) so I will unfortunately miss this (it really sounds like such a blast). Curious if any FT horseplayers/racing enthusiasts are going to be around that week.

Herb687

Possibly. I've thought of a couple corporate connections I might be able to leverage to get Breeders Cup tickets. I keep checking and everything is sold out other than general admission and party chalets. If I can snag real seats without paying scalper prices, I would definitely go back to LEX for Breeders Cup. And if I can't, I will certainly be betting the races from somewhere!

I talked about a September 2 LOU DO (Happy birthday, George Garvin Brown) but it looks like this year Old Forester will not be distributing OFBB at its visitors center in downtown LOU. So there goes my idea of a Sep 2 LOU DO combined with Kentucky Downs.

Miesque

I love Keeneland but IMO its too small to host a Breeders Cup. There just isn’t enough regular seating capacity - I ended up settling on the Saddling Paddock Chalet which was definitely not my optimal choice but I ended up with it because it was the nicest experience of the remaining and will at least have an excellent view of the horses in the paddock and have the ability to move around versus other area with restricted access

cocobird

Don't know if we are still continuing with tradition of eating dinner at Merrick Inn on Friday night. If so, there are tables for eight on outside patio (covered) still available for most of the evening. No inside tables for a large group. Any thoughts? Have not made reservations. Willing to do so if people are interested.

HPN-HRL

I am definitely interested!

Santander

Count me in, too!