Sean Kenney's Nature Connects® LEGO Exhibition at Louisville Zoo

My eight year-old niece is obsessed with LEGOs, so when she came to visit us, I knew she’d love the Sean Kenney's Nature Connects® exhibition at the Louisville Zoo. Mr. Kenney is a renowned artist who creates amazingly detailed sculptures and portraits using LEGO bricks — something that I didn’t even know was possible until I saw his work!

The Nature Connects® exhibition features 16 sculptures made from more than 500,000 LEGO bricks. It was truly fascinating to keep an eye out for each sculpture and to see how well the exhibition was implemented as part of the Zoo. I didn't realize that the Victoria Water Platters were a LEGO exhibit until my niece pointed this one out to me!

The Fox, Rabbit & Baby Rabbit was my very favorite! It was such a realistic take on the wildlife I see here in Louisville when I’m walking my dogs in the morning. Can’t you just see the predatory stance on the fox? The detail is absolutely amazing!

My niece loved the signs beside each installation that gave a backstory into the ecological significance of the subjects, as well as the time and number of bricks it took to complete each piece. It was a great experience for a LEGO enthusiast who also happens to love animals!

Nature Connects® at the Louisville Zoo is free with Zoo admission. The Exhibition lasts through September 17th.

Bid Day, RushTok, and Why I Volunteer With My Sorority

It feels like sorority recruitment has been everywhere I look lately.

Part of that is because I’m at a “particular” point in life where a lot of my friends are now sending their daughters to college, and rush is frequently a component of the conversation. Part of it is because I’ve recently gotten involved with volunteering with my own collegiate sorority chapter. And, of course, part of it is because of the ubiquitous phenomenon of RushTok.

This time of year, those TikTok videos of recruitment chants and potential new member outfits of the day are as fascinating to Southern women as SEC football podcasts are to our male counterparts. It’s part nostalgia for our own collegiate days, part instruction manual for our own daughters who may soon be participating and part an outshoot of our national obsession with reality TV. It’s no wonder that many friends have asked me recently “are you watching RushTok this year?”

Balloon installation at Phi Mu National Convention, 2022

Now, if you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know that I had a really great sorority experience and that I am a huge proponent of sororities and women’s clubs. I absolutely loved recruitment and I was frequently put in the role of “floater,” which meant that I talked to a lot of potential new members and often was requested to “save” failing conversations. I was given this role for the same reason that I’ve been entrusted with the guest book at a lot of weddings — apparently, I’ve been told, I can make conversation with anyone. “Watson can strike up a conversation with a telephone pole” was the analogy I often heard during my own sorority days. This is, I hear, a compliment.  Because I loved recruitment during my own college years and because I’ve volunteered as an alumna to assist during collegiate rush, of course I’m interested in seeing how it’s being portrayed on social media. While the back flips, dance moves, glitzy outfits, drama and general mania of RushTok makes for insanely entertaining scrolling, it’s pretty far from both my experience as a sorority woman at a tiny liberal arts college in the 1990s and from what I see in the daily reality of twenty-first century sorority life.

My own bid day, nearly 30 years ago. Decidedly NOT TikTok material.

Over the years, I’ve volunteered with my sorority’s collegiate chapters as frequently as my personal and professional life would allow. I love the experience of helping college-age women develop their leadership skills and better understand intra-organizational communication and group membership. On the rare occasion when I am asked “why are you still messing with sorority stuff in your forties?” I point to the ways that, through the shared values of a sorority bond, I have watched collegiate women develop their voices as leaders and soon-to-be professionals.

Phi Mu Convention, 2022

Earlier this summer, I attended Phi Mu National Convention in the role of alumna advisor to my collegiate chapter. We attended leadership trainings, listened to keynote speakers and learned from one another. It was a fascinating glimpse at how college women across the country view their leadership roles. It was also a wonderful lesson in the way that so many collegiate sorority members are standing up for a more equitable recruitment and more diverse chapters. They are taking an active role in shaping an organization that fits the needs of modern college-aged women. I was absolutely awestruck by the level of poise and professionalism with which so many of these women articulated their vision for the immediate future of the organization — it was a far cry from the vision of sorority life that has been propagated ad nauseum by a certain segment of the media in response to RushTok. I also had the opportunity to see several women whom I’d advised over the years and who’ve now gone on to volunteer as well. It was a fantastic moment — I guess it’s what they call “coming full-circle” — that made me feel that the mentorship and advice I’d provided to collegiate members over the years had been important and useful. I also talked to women who’d been members of our sisterhood for over 50 years and still serve as active volunteers. It was a powerful reminder of the lasting impact of shared philanthropic, social, and moral goals.

With my friend and sorority sister, Heather, at National Convention.

Today, twenty-nine years after my own Bid Day, I’ve gotten the news that my college roommate’s daughter pledged our sorority earlier this week and that another sorority sister’s daughter pledged our chapter this morning. It was a lovely feeling to know that these young women are embracing the same values and purpose that we did during our college careers. It’s not the stuff of juicy RushTok documentaries, but it’s a really special feeling.

Kendra Scott and ARH Foundation Give Back to Eastern Kentucky

Hey y’all.

As I’m sure you all know, my hometown and many of the nearby towns and hollers were impacted by severe flooding earlier this month. I legitimately don’t know how to describe the feeling of seeing my hometown — the place where my family and friends live and work and go to church, where my grandfather taught school, and where my parents met — on The Weather Channel as being only a few miles from the epicenter of flooding activity. I’m so thankful that my family is safe and sound, but a lot of our friends back home were impacted pretty extensively. Homes and lives were lost, schools were destroyed, and people have been trapped in remote areas when their roads quite simply washed away.

It’s been devastating to see such extensive loss, but it’s also been amazing to see how communities have come together. In my home county, volunteers are providing meals and necessities to those who are in need. I’ve heard so many amazing stories of how friends and neighbors are helping one another recover and thrive. It’s going to take time, hard work, and a lot of assistance to get our tiny Appalachian towns back up and running.

My friends at Kendra Scott recently reached out to me about a very easy way to help benefit Appalachian communities, including my own home county. Through Saturday, August 27th, you can shop Kendra Scott jewelry online or in the Lexington or Louisville Kendra Scott stores and 20% of your purchase price will be donated to the ARH Foundation fund, which benefits Appalachian flood relief. Just mention ARH at checkout if you’re in one of the Kentucky stores, or use code GIVEBACK-CKNGN in the coupon box if you’re shopping online.

Any Kendra Scott purchase can count toward this fundraiser, but I particularly adore the Official ARH Collection, which is comprised of three beautiful pieces of Platinum Drusy set in silver tone. This stone is believed to be associated with peace, tranquillity, patience, intuition, and unconditional love. I’m wearing the necklace and earrings from this collection in the photos accompanying this blog post; the collection includes a bracelet as well. These pieces can be worn with nearly everything in my closet, and I love feeling a little closer to my community when I wear it!

Thanks so much to my friends at Kendra Scott for this wonderful opportunity to help Appalachian communities in need!

Celebrate National Ice Cream Month with Graeter's!

Hey y’all! Look for me today on WAVE3, where I’ll be sharing the latest seasonal flavors from Graeter’s Ice Cream, as well as some fun facts about National Ice Cream Month!

Did you know?

Graeter’s has been using quality ingredients to produce authentic, hand-crafted French Pot ice cream for 152 years, making it the perfectly decadent sweet treat for summer. Graeter’s is the only ice cream company to use 2 ½ - gallon French Pots, a small batch, true craft, artisanal method of production dating back over a century. This is the same process Louis Graeter used when he first started selling ice cream in the streets of Cincinnati. By adhering to the French Pot Process, Graeter’s continues to have the smallest batch size in the industry. In fact, Graeter’s Ice Cream is too thick to pump into pint containers like most ice cream makers, so they hand pack it the old-fashioned way! On a typical day, Graeter’s packs nearly 20,000 pints!

National Ice Cream Day and Month Trivia

• National Ice Cream Month is celebrated every July, and National Ice Cream Day is celebrated every year on the third Sunday of July. This year, it’s July 17th.

• In America, vanilla is ranked the most popular flavor. Graeter’s most popular flavor is Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip, closely followed by Madagascar Vanilla Bean.

• Thomas Jefferson is credited as the first American to write down an ice cream recipe.. It was vanilla!

• In American homes, 90 percent of freezers will typically have ice cream.

• The largest scoop of ice cream weighed more than 3,000 lbs, and measured 5’ 6”, in Cedarburg, Wisconsin!

Celebrate National Ice Cream Month with Graeter’s!

This month, Graeter’s Rewards Members can enjoy a $1.52 cone to celebrate Graeter’s 152nd Birthday! Download the Graeter’s Rewards Loyalty app for sweet treats all month long!

Each summer, every three weeks, Graeter’s releases a new Bonus Flavor in scoop shops and online.: The flavor is considered a “Limited Time Only” flavor, and once the flavor is gone from scoop shops and online, the flavor is retired for the year. The third Bonus Flavor, which launched June 27th is Churro, a delectable combination of cinnamon ice cream with crunchy churro pieces.  

Happy Ice Cream Month, y’all!

Heaven Hill Springs Distillery Groundbreaking

Earlier today, Heaven Hill Distillery President Max Shapira led a groundbreaking ceremony to commemorate the start of construction on the new Heaven Hill Springs Distillery in Bardstown. The event, which included remarks by Kentucky governor Andy Beshear and Heaven Hill Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll, paid tribute to Heaven Hill’s rich history while looking toward an innovative and ecologically-sound future. The new distillery is slated to open in 2024.

Governor Beshear jokingly said of the $135 million facility, “I’m pretty certain it is the Hogwarts of Bourbon.” Heaven Hill Springs Distillery has been engineered to minimize water use to below industry benchmarks and reuse certain water streams. The site will use native plants and natural systems to manage stormwater runoff and improve habitat on the property. The distillery will include a wastewater pretreatment system to ensure discharged water exceeds environmental standards and greatly reduces the load on the city’s treatment plant. Heaven Hill also will plan to utilize energy creation and recovery, lessening the distillery’s demand on the city’s electrical grid.

The distillery’s name is a nod to the Shapira family-owned company’s original facility, Old Heaven Hill Springs Distillery. This facility was founded in Bardstown by the five Shapira brothers (one of whom, Ed, was the father of Max Shapira) in 1935; the first barrel was filled on Friday, December 13th of that year.

Modern bourbon lovers will, of course, recall that Old Heaven Hill Springs distillery was destroyed by fire in 1996. After the fire, Heaven Hill moved distilling to the historic Bernheim Distillery in Louisville, while retaining bottling and aging processes in Bardstown. The new distillery will add at minimum 38 jobs to the 381 people already working in Heaven Hill’s bottling, aging and tourism roles in Bardstown alone. Max Shapira noted that the addition of a second Heaven Hill distillery indicates a belief in the long-term economic growth potential for bourbon. “I don’t have to state it, but we are bullish on bourbon,” Shapira proclaimed to a crowd that included state and local politicians, tourism industry workers and media. “Not just in the short- or medium- term, but we are bullish for the long-term market.” Shapira went on to recognize event attendees who were Heaven Hill employees at the time of the 1996 fire.

Cheers to Heaven Hill for recognizing their rich history while planning for a dynamic future!

Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta and Almond Butter Devils on Horseback

I’ve teamed up with Barney Butter almond butter and Julian’s Recipe baguettes to celebrate National Brunch Month. Did you know that, although the concept of brunch was popularized in 1980s restaurants, the term “brunch” is believed to have been coined in 1895? I was on WKYT’s Everyday Kentucky this morning to talk about brunch and share a couple of great recipes! You can watch my interview here.

Here are a couple of great recipes for your next brunch. Strawberry goat cheese bruschetta on Julian’s Recipe Truffle Butter Baguette is so easy and adds such a fantastic mix of flavors! Barney’s Butter Almond Butter Devils on Horseback are a quick, tasty, and addictive addition to any brunch.

Julian’s Recipe Strawberry Bruschetta:

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon minced thyme 

• 1 teaspoon minced rosemary

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon pepper

• ½ pound goat cheese

• 2 cups chopped strawberries

• 2 cups of arugula or spinach

• 1 Julian’s recipe Truffle Butter Baguette

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Place bread on ungreased baking sheets; brush with oil mixture.

Broil 3-4 in. from the heat until lightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Spread with goat cheese. Broil until the cheese begins to melt, 2-3 minutes longer.

In a small bowl, combine strawberries and arugula. Layer over cheese. Enjoy!

Barney Butter’s Almond Butter Devils on Horseback

Ingredients:

• 12 Medjool dates (pits removed)

• 1/4-1/2 cup Barney Butter crunchy almond butter

• 4 oz thinly sliced prosciutto

• 1 tbsp balsamic reduction

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Make a single cut lengthwise down each of the dates, taking care to only cut through one layer, not all the way through.

Squeeze the date from the ends to open it up and, using a teaspoon, fill it with almond butter. Repeat with the rest of the dates.

Wrap the filled dates in half a piece of prosciutto and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the prosciutto is crispy. Place on a serving tray and drizzle with balsamic reduction. Serve warm and enjoy!

Whiskey Wednesday: Old Wm. Tarr Manchester Reserve Whiskey

There’s nothing I love more than a deep dive into Kentucky — and whiskey — history, and RD1 Spirits Old Wm. Tarr Manchester Reserve whiskey provides just that.

The original William Tarr was a Kentuckian and entrepreneur who was born in 1824 in Paris, Kentucky. He is said to have begun selling watermelons from his family’s farm while still in high school. After a few business endeavors — including stints in land speculation and at another whiskey venture, Tarr was at one point described as “one of the money kings of the Blue Grass.” He purchased the Ashland Distillery, which had the distinction of receiving the first federal distilling license, RD1, on Manchester Street in Lexington in the 1870s.

I love how the RD1 Spirits company pays homage to an early distiller through this product’s branding. I also love the fact that UK Football Coach Mark Stoops is a minority investor. If you love Lexington history, there are so many “Easter eggs” in the Old Wm. Tarr branding!

Old Wm. Tarr Manchester Reserve is a blended whiskey — 8-year rye and 7-year bourbon — that pays tribute to Tart’s legacy. A 114 proof juice, it provides the spice of a rye and the caramel notes of a bourbon.

RD1 graciously sent me a review bottle of Old Wm. Tarr, along with a stunning Lexington Silver barrel beaker. This cup pays homage to Asa Blanchard, an 18th century Lexington silversmith often called the “Paul Revere of the South.” Blanchard’s original design mimics the lines of a whiskey barrel. It’s a perfect pairing for anyone who loves good whiskey and Kentucky history!

Cheers, y’all!