‘Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii!’ (KFC's Christmas in Japan!)
‘Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii!’: Japan's tradition of KFC for Christmas Dinner.
I love Christmas. A lot.
Basically, from the moment the Thanksgiving turkey is divided up into meat for hot browns and bones for stock, I'm all about twinkly lights and cheering on Dreamy Prime Minster Hugh Grant as he tells off the creepiest of American Presidents, Billy Bob Thornton. The entire month of December, I'm high on bourbon balls and tinsel. Today, I learned a factoid that takes my Christmas obsession to the next level.
Did y'all know that EATING KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN IS A CHRISTMAS TRADITION IN JAPAN?
Let's say that again: EATING KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN IS A CHRISTMAS TRADITION IN JAPAN. Sorry to shout, but this makes me unbelievably happy.
It seems that, in 1974, Kentucky Fried Chicken's Japanese Operations (the chain is known simply as "Kentucky" in Japan) was struggling, one million yen in debt, when they unveiled a simple advertising strategy: ‘Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii!’ ("Kentucky for Christmas!"). Now, forty years later, many Japanese people pre-order a catered KFC meal to celebrate the holiday.
In a country where less that 1% of the population is Christian, and poultry dishes aren't all that common, Kentucky Fried Chicken has established a kitschy American Christmas tradition. I love the Kentucky connection to the Japanese holiday. I mean, my granny always made fried chicken for Christmas Eve; why not celebrate with the Colonel's famous version of the same dish?
Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii, y'all!
Finding the Right Thanksgiving Outfit
Finding the right Thanksgiving outfit is always tricky.
Thanksgiving and I have a bit of a history.
I love the idea of a holiday centered around giving thanks and feasting with loved ones. But, I always feel that Thanksgiving suffers from a bit of an identity crisis. Is it a fancy day of feasting or a casual day of food and football? Do you pull out a nice outfit for the family photos or, like Joey Tribbiani, do you look for stretchy pants to accommodate the day's indulgences? Do you make a quick trip to visit family for a day or two or do you celebrate with friends in your chosen town? Seriously, pull yourself together and figure out what you stand for, Thanksgiving.
Of course, I'm joking. Thanksgiving is about celebrating all the ways in which we've been blessed; we give thanks for the bounty with which we've been blessed. We visit with our loved ones and we reflect on the year.
"The Pilgrims' Progress", Life Magazine's Thanksgiving cover 1914.
But that still doesn't mean I know what to wear. In fact, I never feel like I'm going to get it right.
I always feel like I should wear a basic sweater dress and tall boots. A classic, elegant autumn outfit, right?
If I dress up that much, though, I find myself among folks who are wearing yoga gear and sneakers. It's comfortable, for sure, but it never feels right for a holiday to me.
I always decide on an outfit that's pulled-together, but casual. Jeans, a scarf, a nice sweater, and boots. Something that says "I'm here for a holiday, but I can still walk the dogs or help with the dishes."
Besides, isn't it more important to focus on the feast and fellowship than the ensemble?
Our Friend Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence is the Kentucky girl's dream BFF. As fans, do we owe her a measure of privacy?
Here in Louisville, we all feel like we know Jennifer Lawrence.
Sure, she’s a Hollywood It Girl and an Oscar-winning actress who moved to New York to pursue her craft when she was just 14. But we all know she’s still just a Louisville girl. Her parents and her brothers still live here. Now and again, you hear people work in references to where her various family members work, or who we might all have in common. It's all in good fun; we all know that she hasn't forgotten The 'Ville, which is evident in the way she visits Kosair Children's Hospital when she's in town and in the way she never fails to rep the Cards.
Besides, Louisville is, at heart, a small town of 750,000 or so people. We talk about Jennifer Lawrence like we know her because, here in Louisville, we talk about everybody that way. There's the "everybody in St. Matthews knows each other" game. There's the "where did you go to high school?" game. There's the "folks who are always at charity events/ new restaurants/ sporting events" game. It's a logical extension that if you went to Kammerer Middle School or Camp Hi Ho then you're practically best friends with Jennifer Lawrence.
Enid Alvarez / Via nydailynews.com
Seventeen Magazine
A lot of Americans feel like they know Jennifer Lawrence, too. Part of her superstar charm is her ability to be disarmingly candid and down-to-earth in interviews. Her TV talk show antics like asking David Letterman for a blanket or joking with Seth Meyers about her childhood Harry Potter obsession present her as goofy, endearing, and relatable. She is, as professor and pop culture expert (Why didn't anybody tell me that was an option when it was time to apply to grad school?) Anne Helen Peterson posited in a brilliant essay earlier this year, the latest heiress to the Cool Girl Throne. She could be your best friend, your kid sister, your niece, or, quite literally, the girl next door.
November 2014 Vanity Fair Magazine
I've thought a lot about Jennifer Lawrence and the nature of fame and fandom in the past few weeks. Earlier this year, some nude photos of Ms. Lawrence emerged on the internet, the result of a hacker accessing her private cell phone photos. In an insightful Vanity Fair Article, she stated that, although a public apology was the first line of PR/ damage control self-defense for the incident, "every single thing that I tried to write made me cry or get angry. I started to write an apology, but I don't have anything to say I'm sorry for." It was exactly the way we'd all hope to react to such a crushingly invasive act.
If Jennifer Lawrence is, in our collective minds, our best friend, or our kid sister, then it naturally follows that we shouldn't seek out those leaked naked photos. Would we do that with a real-life friend? I mean, we've all gone down the rabbit hole of googling old classmates or boyfriends. But, you know, there's a huge difference between publicly posted Instagram or Facebook photos and photos hacked from someone's cell phone. The former are posted online with the subject's knowledge that they could be viewed by anyone; the latter are stolen property. Ms. Lawrence wasn't trying to "Break the Internet", Kim Kardashian-style, with risqué publicity photos. Rather, she had snapped intimate photos for her then-partner, which were then stolen and publicly displayed. It was, as Ms. Lawrence characterized the situation, a sex crime.
Last weekend, Ms. Lawrence conducted an AP interview in conjunction with the release of the latest film in the Hunger Games franchise. When the conversation turned to paparazzi intrusions, she gave a vivid personal account of the stress and anxiety that stems from a constant stream of unwanted photographers documenting her private life. As she proclaimed that she hopes to work toward legislation that stops paparazzi --"And my belief, and it's something I am going to work very hard on changing and I hope it changes before I die, is to make it illegal to buy, post or shop a photo that's been obtained illegally." -- she sounded like that recent law school grad we all know, the one who's on fire for justice and reform. Her tone was hopeful, indignant, and all of the other attributes you'd expect from a bright and articulate 24 year-old.
Even if we take the construct of "friendship" away from being a Jennifer Lawrence fan, do we owe her a certain degree of respect? In saying, "I think that Jennifer Lawrence is a gorgeous actress whose talent was undeniable when she redeemed trite films like Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle", are we required to then say "I refuse to read articles that post candid paparazzi photos of this actress I admire?" If we, as pop culture junkies, loved the way Ms. Lawrence turned a skeevy Jack Nicholson Oscars moment into a charming old-school Hollywood flirtation, are we supposed to boycott TMZ or Perez Hilton (among the most notorious purveyors of paparazzi photos) in lieu of authorized interview outlets, even if it means that we can no longer fully and properly Keep Up with the Kardashians?
The truth is, if TMZ and Perez Hilton went out of business tomorrow, ten more aggressive gossip sites would pop up to replace them by the end of the week. Ms Lawrence's skill-set lies not only in her tremendous acting talent, but also in her beauty and public persona. The Safe Harbor clause of the DMCA exists for a very important reason, and the balance between free speech and public figures' right to privacy has been precarious for decades. The celebrity information industry is, indeed, out of control and there aren't any easy answers to how it can be reigned in. When Ms. Lawrence notes that she's simply trying to live her life free of the insane intrusions that her fame creates, she creates a starting point for an interesting and much-needed conversation. And isn't that one of your best friend's duties?
The HerLouisville Guide to Fast and Fun Holiday Shopping
I have decided that this is the year that my holidays will be stress-free. This morning, I awoke to over two inches of snow on my deck and decided that, if it's going to look like this, I'm going to decorate for Christmas a little at a time. On my schedule and at my leisure. Yes, it's the first time I've ever broken the "Wait Until After Thanksgiving" Christmas decor, rule, but I want to enjoy the season.
My yard on November 17th!
I also want to enjoy the season by making my holiday shopping a fun event rather than a stressful chore. Over on HerLouisville today, I'm sharing my plan for fast and fun shopping.
What is your plan for tackling the holiday season this year?
The HerKentucky Guide to Speakeasy Louisville: St. Charles Exchange
Welcome to the final installment of the HerKentucky Guide to Speakeasy Louisville! On Thursdays throughout the fall, we've traveled back to the Jazz Age in the Derby City, when the nation's Prohibition laws didn't quench the collective thirst for Kentucky Bourbon. We've channeled our inner Daisy Buchanans and dance the Charleston at Louisville's finest establishments. And, of course, we've taken a sip or two of the native drink that kept the city's spirits high. Since we began our tour with a Speakeasy, it only seems logical to end at one as well!
St. Charles Exchange is located in one of Downtown Louisville's oldest buildings, on the site of a former bourbon distillery. Named in homage to the historical St. Charles Hotel, the focal point of this posh restaurant is an elaborate bar built to resemble an early 20th century hotel lobby bar. The results are pretty spectacular.
And, oh my goodness, the hand-crafted cocktails. The old-fashioned, made with Old Forester and lemon and orange oils, is so delicate and balanced. It would be worth breaking Prohibition laws to order one, that's for sure!
I hope you've enjoyed our journey through 1920s Louisville! Coming soon -- a trip to the Guilded Age!
The HerKentucky Guide to Speakeasy Louisville: The Seelbach
Louisville's Seelbach Hotel was a famous gathering place for mobsters and flappers alike.
Welcome to the latest installment of the HerKentucky Guide to Speakeasy Louisville! On Thursdays throughout the fall, we'll travel back to the Jazz Age in the Derby City, when the nation's Prohibition laws didn't quench the collective thirst for Kentucky Bourbon. We'll channel our inner Daisy Buchanans and dance the Charleston at Louisville's finest establishments. And, of course, we'll take a sip or two of the native drink that kept the city's spirits high. Today, we'll visit the famous hotel that served as a playground for some of the nation's most notorious mobsters and inspired one of the seminal novels of the generation.
Seelbach Hotel, circa 1910, Library of Congress holdings of the Detroit Publishing Company Photo Collection.
The Seelbach Hotel -- "the only fireproof hotel in the city" -- was built by Bavarian brothers Otto and Louis Seelbach in 1905 at the corner of Fourth and Walnut Streets in Downtown Louisville. The hotel design was of the Beaux Arts Baroque style and reflected turn-of-the-century opulence, but the Seelbach's lasting legacy would be its ties to the Jazz Age.
Postcard view of the Seelbach's Rathskeller, the basement level restaurant and bar.
Underworld figures like Lucky Luciano and Al Capone frequented the hotel in the 1910s and '20s, drawn by clandestine high-stakes poker games and Kentucky bourbon whiskey. Cincinnati mobster George Remus found that there was a lucrative business in bootlegging the city's native spirit. The hotel's secret passageways famously helped these guests elude police and move liquor. Remus's exploits stood out to a young serviceman named Scott Fitzgerald who'd recently dropped out of Princeton, enlisted, and been stationed at nearby Camp Taylor.
F. Scott Fitzgerald's Battalion, from the May 30, 1917 issue of the Daily Princetonian. Uniforms were custom-made for the soldiers by Brooks Brothers.
Second Lt. Fitzgerald had his share of fun at the Seelbach -- he was even thrown out of the hotel after a night of merrymaking -- and drew upon his experiences in the late 1910s when writing The Great Gatsby. The title character's shadowy past is based at least in part on George Remus's bootlegging exploits, and his paramour, Daisy Buchanan, was a Louisville debutante. Of Daisy, Fitzgerald wrote:
“She had a debut after the Armistice, and in February she was presumably engaged to a man from New Orleans. In June she married Tom Buchanan of Chicago, with more pomp and circumstance than Louisville ever knew before. He came down with a hundred people in four private cars, and hired a whole floor of the Seelbach Hotel, and the day before the wedding he gave her a string of pearls valued at three hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”
Over the years, the Seelbach has changed hands and even briefly closed before it was restored to its original opulence. The hotel manages to retain the elegance of bygone days while providing modern amenities. And, as you walk the halls of the grand old hotel, it's easy to imagine that, just for a moment, you caught a glimpse of days gone by -- perhaps a Big City mobster, a flapper debutante, or a young soldier with a story to tell...
Happy Birthday, Muhammad Ali!
Happy birthday to The Greatest, Louisville native boxer Muhammad Ali!
Tomorrow marks the 72nd birthday of one of the most fascinating, charismatic, inspiring, and beloved figures in modern sports. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. in Louisville on January 17, 1942.
As a boxer, Ali connected with legions of fans due not only to his amazing feats in the ring (he remains the only three-time lineal World Heavyweight Champion) but also his famous brand of self-promotion. He became known as The Louisville Lip due to enduring statements like "I am the Greatest" and "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." Of course, his talent in the ring backed up his statements. Ali later said, "At home, I am a nice guy, but I don’t want the world to know. Humble people, I’ve found, don’t get very far.”
Nobody ever mistook Ali for being humble. Throughout the Sixties and Seventies, he was known not only for his boxing successes and outlandish statements, but also for his political and cultural stances. His religious and social objections to the Vietnam War as well as his candor regarding race and political issues made him a counterculture icon. Ali wasn't just a boxer, he was the first true "Sports Personality", establishing the groundwork for modern sports culture. As the writer Joyce Carol Oates said in her work "On Boxing", Ali was one of the few athletes in any sport to "define the terms of his public reputation." Ali's reputation extended far beyond the realm of sports; he is a seminal figure in modern African-American culture, with popularity that has racial lines for decades.
Upon his retirement from boxing, Ali has devoted his time and resources to humanitarian causes and Parkinson's Disease research. He is the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Honor, Amnesty International's Lifetime Achievement Award, and the National Constitution Center Liberty Medal.
Louisville's Muhammad Ali Center, established by The Champ and his wife Lonnie, is an education center and museum devoted to the six principles established by Ali:
- Confidence: Belief in oneself, one's abilities, and one's future.
- Conviction: A firm belief that gives one the courage to stand behind that belief, despite pressure to do otherwise.
- Dedication: The act of devoting all of one's energy, effort, and abilities to a certain task.
- Giving: To present voluntarily without expecting something in return.
- Respect: Esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of, oneself and others.
- Spirituality: A sense of awe, reverence, and inner peace inspired by a connection to all of creation and/or that which is greater than oneself.
The Ali Center is celebrating Muhammad Ali's 72nd birthday on Friday with a special free screening of the film "The Trials of Muhammad Ali" at 6 p.m. All day at the Center. Visitors can create birthday cards for The Champ that day, and those who can't attend the festivities are asked to use the Twitter hashtag #HBDMuhammadAli.
From all of us at HerKentucky, Happy Birthday, Muhammad! You'll always be The Greatest to us!