Curling Class at Louisville Curling Club
Bob and I always enjoy watching curling on TV. We’re glued to every Winter Olympics, and seek out any other televised curling matches we can find. So, last winter, when we saw that Derby Curling Club was offering Learn to Curl Classes, we had to give it a try! I just saw that a class is going to be held on Saturday, February 10, so I wanted to share all the details with y’all!
Y’all, curling is hard. Like, really hard. And it was so much fun.
It turns out that curling takes a lot of flexibility, a lot of strategy and some fast footwork on the ice. It’s also pretty cold! The class is broken down into teams of four. The first hour is focused on fundamentals. You learn how to throw the stone and how to sweep. The second hour is reserved for matches between the teams.
I loved sweeping — it was so fascinating and fun to see how applying friction to the ice can alter the stone’s trajectory.Bob has watched the sport closely and understands the game’s strategy, so he was a great skip. It was such an entertaining (and humbling!) experience. You basically have to go from a deep runner’s lunge to a standing position. On ice. While throwing the stone. I may have fallen on the ice a time or two. I also would LOVE to try it again!
Derby City Curling Club classes are held at Alpine Ice Arena, 1825 Gardiner Ln. in Louisville. You can sign up for the next class on the Derby City Curling Club website! If you go, dress in warm layers, wear tennis shoes, and stay hydrated!
Richard Sullivan Art Exhibit at Stoneware & Co
Join Stoneware & Co for pre-Derby art and fun!
I hope y’all can join me tomorrow night at Stoneware & Co. for the Opening Reception for their latest art exhibit, Breaking Through: The latest works of Richard Sullivan. Mr. Sullivan, a Louisville native, holds a degree from the Savannah College of Art and Design and played six seasons of professional baseball with the Atlanta Braves. Mr. Sullivan created the art for the 2020 and 2021 Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby bottle!
The Sullivan exhibit is part of Spring Into Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, an outdoor, socially-distance, weekend-long event that will include a pop-up art fair, music, food and cocktails. You can learn more about the Spring Into Derby event here.
If you’re anything like me, you can’t go to Stoneware this time of year without picking up a few Derby-themed pieces for spring entertaining. I love my Embossed Running Horse barware so much!
Cheers to pre-Derby fun, y’all! I hope to see you in Paristown tomorrow!
If You Go:
Opening Reception - Breaking Through: The Latest Works of Richard Sullivan
Friday, April 23 from 5:00 — 7:30 pm
Stoneware & Co, 731 Brent Street, Louisville
Admission is free
Draper James 25% Off Sale
Don’t miss these great prices on spring staples!
Hey y’all. Draper James is having a fantastic sale through midnight Monday, 3/22. Everything online and in-store is 25% off. This is a great time to stock up on spring favorites. I absolutely love this dress and its long-sleeved counterpart. I also love this navy t-shirt dress; so versatile for spring!!
I love how, during the past year, Draper James has made the transition to stocking more of what I like to think of as “fancy sweats.” You know exactly what I mean — those clothes that are comfortably cut, made from a French Terry fabric, and plenty pulled together enough for a Zoom call. I especially love the Natalie sweatshirt dress — I have it in the magnolia print and the raspberry gingham, and am seriously considering the navy gingham as well. It’s cute and comfortable and versatile!
I’m also a huge fan of the sweatshirts. I wore the Natalie in navy gingham and raspberry gingham and pink magnolia all winter, and am absolutely in love with the Kelsea stripes for spring!
The 11 Non-Grocery Items I Never Pass Up at Trader Joe's
Great finds from everyone’s favorite grocery store.
Everybody knows that Trader Joe’s is the absolute BEST grocery store. If there’s a TJ’s in your town, then you find about a million reasons to go there. Their prices are insanely low. Their cheeses and seasonings and salad dressings are the best you’ll find anywhere. And the little coffee samples are just enough to keep you going as you shop. Today, I’m rounding up the top eleven non-grocery items I always buy at Trader Joe’s. These are some of my favorite deals on absolutely great items!
Fiddle Leaf Figs and Mini-Succulents
I LOVE those Instagram accounts by self-proclaimed plant ladies. My friends Anne and Mindy immediately spring to mind; they have gorgeous plants that always seem well-maintained. I don’t quite trust my own plant lady skills, so I tend to stick to inexpensive plants. The $1.99 mini-succulents at Trader Joe’s are, I’ve decided, my gateway to plant lady status. I’ve started picking up these tiny planters (like the teensy one in the above photo), repotting them, and basically leaving them alone in a sunny spot. I couldn’t resist picking up a couple of the Fiddle Leaf Fig plants at TJ’s as well; they require a little more work but are so gorgeous!
Kitchen Towels
These cotton kitchen towels legitimately might be my favorite Trader Joe’s find of all time. I have them in every color and use them for everything. They wash up so well and are so soft and handy. They don’t attract lint, so they’re fantastic for any household need.
Skin Care Products
Y’all. These are a game-changer. The antioxident serum provides my nightly retinol, the moisture boost serum plumps and brightens my skin in the morning, the eye cream moisturizes and decreases puffiness and the microdermabrasion scrub is fantastic for light exfoliation. But, the absolute star of the TJ’s skincare line is the gel moisturizer. My oily, sensitive skin is prone to breakouts and clogged pores. I’ve struggled to find a moisturizer that doesn’t cause as much damage as good. This product has transformed my skin. Oh, and each of these skincare products is priced under $10.
Ginger Grapefruit Sugar Scrub and Lavender Salt Scrub
These smell fantastic and leave your skin smooth and moisturized.
Peanut Butter Dog Treats and Chicken Jerky Sticks for Dogs
Harry and Sophie love these. We use the cookie-style peanut butter treats as a special reward for very good behavior, as they are pretty big. Sophie is one of those dogs who doesn’t hesitate to reject a dog treat that doesn’t meet her exacting standards, and she loves both of these!
Are y’all TJ’s fans? What do you never pass up?
Ensley's Make-a-Wish Story
Ensley Ogden on her Make-a-Wish trip to Hawaii
Today’s post is so very special to me. I want to introduce y’all to my friend Ensley Ogden.
Ensley is a very special young lady. She’s a hard-working, smart, and compassionate high school student here in Louisville, and she was diagnosed at age 13 with Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH), a rare type of cancer, in her brain. I’ve had the good fortune to know Ensley’s family for years and actually was sitting on a charity board with her mother, Lauren, when this diagnosis occurred. I watched the Ogdens fight this terrible diagnosis with a remarkable degree of grace. Ensley was awarded the Dick Vitale Award for Hope from the V Foundation, which carried a special message from Dickie V that even Cats fans (like me) and Cards fans (like Ensley and her parents) can agree upon: Miss Ensley is one tough lady!
I’ll be sharing updates from the Make-a-Wish Foundation gala tonight over on Instagram, and I wanted to share Ensley’s story of all the ways that Make-a-Wish can help an ailing family heal!
Ensley Ogden on her Make-a-Wish trip to Hawaii
Ensley, do you mind telling me a little about your illness and your diagnosis? I know it had to be so scary.
I was diagnosed with LCH when I was 13 years old after having symptoms for about a year, such as uncontrollable thirst, loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea, low-grade fevers, headaches, delayed growth, and low thyroid. I had my craniotomy on March 3rd, 2016 and was diagnosed around that time. Luckily, I was able to keep hold of hope (for the most part) because of the overwhelming support I had from my family, friends, school, nurses, doctors, and even people that I had never met! I could not have done this alone.
Ensley Ogden and her family on their Make-a-Wish trip to Hawaii
Your treatment took close to two years, if I remember correctly, and y’all were traveling a lot. I’m sure that made life so different. Can you tell me a little bit about how traveling for treatment affected school and life for you?
When I was first getting my surgery and being diagnosed, I was in Houston, Texas for a long time. It was really hard not being able to see my friends and family back home and not being able to participate in school. But, even though I didn't have everyone supporting me in person, I received so many messages, letters, and packages from friends back home and even teachers at my school! Each and every one that I received really brightened some of the hardest days. After I was diagnosed, I was able to do treatment in Louisville, which was so amazing because I had my support system right there with me along the way. Even though I had to go to Houston regularly, it was comforting to be able to treat at home.
Ensley Ogden on her Make-a-Wish trip to Hawaii with her mother and aunt.
You are so blessed to have such an amazing support system. I remember talking to your mom several times during your illness and she always stressed the value of keeping your life (and hers) as normal and positive as possible. I know that having this kind of support had to make a scary situation a little better, right?
Yes! As I said previously, I couldn't have done it without my support system. Everyone from my friends and family to my school to my nurses and doctors to complete strangers served this role. I would always make sure to have plenty of visitors while I stayed in the hospital. It made me feel like everything was normal when I was around people.
Ensley Ogden and her parents on their Make-a-Wish trip to Hawaii
Can you tell me about your experiences with Make-a-Wish and your Wish Trip? It had to be such a great way to change your outlook and celebrate your prognosis!
My experience with Make-A-Wish was absolutely incredible! My Wish Trip was a cruise throughout the Hawaiian Islands. I got to bring my mom and dad and because I don't have a sibling, I got to bring another person. I chose my Aunt Mary. I had the best trip I could have ever imagined. Since I had to wait until I was finished with treatment because I couldn't be that far away from a hospital and I couldn't swim in the ocean with my port, I had something to always look forward to. My mom even bought be a book about Hawaii to look through during my hospital stays. It felt like such a huge accomplishment when I finished treatment and this trip was my reward. Also, it was the first time I got to swim in the ocean since I received my port two years beforehand! I will always remember this trip and all that Make-A-Wish has done for me and my family.
Ensley Ogden on her Make-a-Wish trip to Hawaii
Is there anything you’d want a kid facing a diagnosis like yours to know?
Just to stay strong and keep people around you. You are stronger than you know. (Click to tweet these remarkable words of wisdom!)
Ensley Ogden on her Make-a-Wish trip to Hawaii
Thanks so much to Ensley for sharing her story! Follow me on Instagram for more from tonight’s gala, and feel free to touch base with me if you’d like to learn more about how to get involved with Make-a-Wish in your area!!
HerKentucky x Louisville Stoneware Shop & Sip!
Shop with HerKentucky and Louisville Stoneware to benefit The Center for Women & Families!
So, my birthday is this Friday. Every year, I ask the same favor of my social media friends. If you were planning to text, Facebook, call, or send a card, please take that time instead to clean out a closet and donate a gently used coat to a shelter of your choice. It’s always a cold, cold week, and I just love the idea that my friends and I are spreading some warmth to those who need it.
This year, my friends at Stoneware & Co. (formerly Louisville Stoneware) are helping me celebrate my birthday with a fun shopping event that benefits some of Louisville’s most vulnerable women and children. This Wednesday, January 16th, from 5-7pm, I’m hosting a Shop & Sip at Stoneware to benefit The Center for Women and Families. 15% of the night’s proceeds will benefit The Center for Women and Families which provides advocacy and support for individuals and families affected by intimate partner violence and sexual assault. We’ll offer a raffle and light refreshments, and will be collecting new and lightly used coats at the door.
I’m so excited about our raffle prize — it’s a wine cooler in Stoneware’s elegant Embossed Running Horse pattern! This gorgeous piece is a $75 value and also makes a very elegant vase for showstopping centerpieces. I love how it was styled at a recent charity event I attended!
Visit the event’s Facebook invitation for more information. If you can’t attend in person, Stoneware has graciously extended the opportunity for y’all to make phone orders during the event hours. Call the Stoneware showroom at 502-582-1900 Wednesday from 5-7 to place a local pickup or shipped order, and your purchase will benefit The Center for Women & Families!
I hope to see y’all there!
My Favorite Cashmere Sweater
My luxury wardrobe staple is surprisingly affordable!
Photo © Space, Place & Southern Grace.
Sweater: Charter Club by Macy’s; Scarf: Barbour (old; similar here); Bracelet: Kendra Scott
My very favorite sweaters are on serious sale at Macy’s right now, and I just wanted to share the secret with y’all! I love these solid, crewneck sweaters for pairing with everything from jeans to dressy skirts. I try to pick up a couple every year; with proper care, they make a comfortable and luxe wardrobe item at a very reasonable price! The red will be the perfect touch for upcoming holiday events!
I wore this blush pink sweater and matching wrap to Churchill Downs last month. I swear, people kept touching my arm because the cashmere was so soft!
