Royal's Hot Chicken
Nashville Hot Chicken done right in the Derby City!
My beau and I LOVE Nashville-style hot chicken. We make as many trips to the Music City as possible to feed our addiction. We've waited in line at the Hot Chicken Festival. And we've waited in line at Hattie B's more times than we can count. We take our chicken seriously.
So, we've been a little skeptical as hot chicken has made its way up I-65. Rumors that KFC and O'Charley's are test-marketing mass-produced versions of our beloved crispy, cayenne pepper-coated delicacy left us with more than a little trepidation. You can't get GREAT, authentic hot chicken outside of Nashville, can you?
Well, it turns out you can.
Royal's Hot Chicken hosted their soft opening over the weekend, so we took the opportunity to test their spin on Hot Chicken. (For those who've never tried hot chicken before, the legend goes back to Thornton Prince, whose ladyfriend wasn't happy with his "extracurricular" affairs. After a particularly late night, Thornton asked his girlfriend to fry him some chicken. Going for revenge, the girlfriend coated the fried chicken in cayenne pepper. Prince loved it, and 90 years later, his family-run hot chicken restaurant is a must-visit Nashville attraction.)
We had high expectations of Royal's, because of the care and expertise that owner Ryan Rogers puts into every item on his Feast BBQ concept. We went to Royal's expecting "very good"; we had no idea we'd be in for "great."
First, let me get it out of the way. The chicken is done right. Not "right for Kentucky." Not "right for someplace outside Davidson County, TN." It's just right. The meat is juicy. The breading is light and crispy. And the seasoning... Well, the seasoning reminded me of Prince's. That's a big compliment. It wasn't a sauce; it was a heavy coating of chili powders and pan drippings. It was deliciously spicy without any acidic aftertaste. When accompanied by a zingy house ranch dressing, it was just about perfect!
The sides were pretty amazing, too. Bob went with delicious cold sides -- the cole slaw and cucumber salad; these provided a great palate cleanser with his X-hot level tenders. I couldn't pass up the hot potato wedges or the pimento cheese grits. Both were amazing! The grits were so creamy, and the wedges were perfectly crisp with a fluffy center.
Next time, we plan to make room for soft serve ice cream or milkshakes. The cold desserts looked and sounded great, but we were stuffed after such a delicious meal!
Thanks to Royal's Hot Chicken for bringing real Nashville hot chicken to Louisville! We can't wait to visit again soon!
Royals Hot Chicken is located at 736 E. Market St., Louisville, KY 40202.
(502)919-7068
Open TUESDAY-THURSDAY 11:30AM-2:30PM, 5:00PM-9:00PM
Open FRIDAY 11:30AM-2:30PM, 5:00PM-10:00PM
Open SATURDAY, 11:30AM-10:00PM
CLOSED SUNDAY & MONDAY
Louisville's French Connection
A look at some of the symbols and stories of French influence in Louisville, KY.
Over the past few days, we've all been thinking of France. The recent tragedies in Paris have been in our hearts and on our minds. Here in Louisville, our city reflects French heritage in so many aspects of our everyday lives. Fleurs de lis adorn everything, we sip whiskey that carries the name of a French ruling house, and our city itself bears the name of a French monarch. In fact, our city was French well before it was a city or even part of Kentucky: the Falls of the Ohio were once home to an outpost of La Belle, France.
Among the earliest settlers of the areas now known as Louisville, KY and New Albany, IN were second-and third-generation American-born French, the descendants of Hugenots who had fled France in the late 17th century to avoid religious persecution. These adventurers followed René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle's expedition into the area. The next wave of French settlers included by the French military forces who'd allied themselves with American troops during the Revolutionary War. A third group of French settlers were members of the clergy and nobility who fled the French Revolution at the end of the 18th century, settling in the commercial areas known as Shippingport and Portland. The strong ties between early Americans and the French are still reflected in the heritage and branding of modern Louisville.
Fleur de Lis
When the city of Louisville was founded by George Rogers Clark in 1778, legend tells us, he carried a French naval flag bearing three fleurs de lis; until the consolidation of the Louisville metro area, our city's flag included three fleurs de lis as well. The fleur de lis icon -- the stylized lily that represents nobility in French heraldry -- is visible all over Louisville as a symbol of our city.
Fleur de lis pottery at Louisville Stoneware. Stoneware is located in the historically French Paristown Pointe district.
King Louis XVI
The area now known as Kentucky was still part of Virginia in 1780, the year in which Louisville's town charter was approved. The Virginia General Assembly named the town in honor of King Louis XVI, whose soldiers were allied with American troops in the Revolutionary War. Although the French king soon fell out of favor with his own subjects, who overthrew the monarchy in 1791, the Derby City continues to honor a leader who assisted the United States' fight for independence. In 1967, Louisville's French sister city, Montpellier, presented the city with a statue of Louis XVI.
Bourbon
Louisville isn't the only Kentucky place whose name reflects the French monarchy. Bourbon County was first established as part of Virginia in 1785 in honor of Louis XVI, a member of the royal House of Bourbon. The present-day Central Kentucky Bourbon County reflects the historical county from which it was carved. Of course, Kentucky's bourbon county is recognized as the home of bourbon whiskey, that special concoction of corn, wheat, and limestone water for which Kentucky is famous.
Here's to the French settlers who made Louisville a distinctive and charming city. Salut, y'all!
HerLouisville: Sophisticated Fall Comfort Food at the Irish Rover
With autumn's cooler temperatures setting in, I find myself craving heartier comfort food. This weekend, my beau and I found some new dishes at The Irish Rover that fit the bill. We've always headed up Bardstown Road to the Clifton-area pub for pints, Bushmills, and fish and chips, but we both found ourselves intrigued by variants of traditional shepherds pie.
Bob order the Cottage Pie, a fabulous beef stew in a bread bowl with mashed potatoes.
And I had the Fisherman's Stew, one of the most unique and delicious dishes I've had in ages. Salmon and whitefish mixed in a béchamel sauce, with a mashed potato crust and parmesan cheese. So delicate and delicious!
If you haven't been to the Irish Rover for a while, check out their hearty, sophisticated Fall menu!
Henrietta's Louisville
Inspired by Emily Bingham's biography Irrepressible: The Jazz Age Life of Henrietta Bingham, HerKentucky editor Heather C. Watson takes readers on a photographic tour of Henrietta's Louisville.
It's been a long time since a book captured my imagination the way Emily Bingham's Irrepressible: The Jazz Age Life of Henrietta Bingham did.
There's something about a really well-crafted biography. Of course, the subject led an extraordinary life, or she wouldn't be considered for biographical treatment. But, some biographies -- and some subjects -- really inspire a reader. They carry you back to a different era, they introduce you to new ideas, they sometimes shock you, and they make you feel like you really know them. Personally, I can never get enough of stories about Kentucky's infamous madam Belle Brezing, Jazz Age darling Zelda Fitzgerald, and now Zelda's contemporary (and fellow Southern judge's daughter) Henrietta Bingham. I just couldn't resist going on a little tour of the places Henrietta knew right here in Louisville.
I wanted to start my tour where the Binghams' story began, at Henrietta's grandparents' home, the Samuel and Henrietta Long Miller House at 1236 South Fourth Street. The Miller Mansion is long gone; in its stead is The Puritan Apartments, a senior-living apartment complex.
Only a few blocks away is the original home of Louisville Collegiate School, where Henrietta matriculated and played basketball.
I then took a drive out to Peewee Valley to visit Henrietta's grandparents' summer home, where her parents lived for a while, and which has undergone significant upgrades and remodeling since Mrs. Miller sold the property in 1915.
Of course, no tour of Henrietta's Louisville is complete without a trip to the famous Pendennis Club, where she scandalized Louisville society by kissing a girl. (The same thing also happened at the Louisville Country Club, but I didn't want to sneak onto private club property to snap photos. For the same reason, I didn't head out to Harmony Landing Country Club, the site of Henrietta's former horse farm.)
Then, I traveled out Louisville's picturesque River Road to visit the homes of Henrietta's father, Judge Robert Worth Bingham. River Road is such an enchanting area; downtown Louisville seems so far away, and yet clearly visible. Indiana's shores are just across the Ohio. It's peaceful and lovely; no wonder it became a fashionable address for estates like the Binghams'.
Of course, Judge Bingham didn't live just anywhere. The private drives and secluded settings of Melcombe Bingham and Lincliff, served as a great reminder of how very sheltered and privileged Henrietta's Louisville life was. (Lincliff, where Judge Bingham made his home with second wife Mary Lily Flagler, is currently home to novelist Sue Grafton.)
Finally, I paid a visit to Cave Hill Cemetery to visit the Bingham family plots. After spending a couple of weeks under Henrietta's spell, I wanted to pay my respects. She truly led a fascinating life, and it only seemed right to take a moment to reflect on the ways in which she captured my imagination.
A Conversation with Irrepressible Author Emily Bingham
HerKentucky editor Heather C. Watson interviews Louisville native author and historian Emily Bingham.
was at the top of HerKentucky's list of the summer's must-read books. The story of a charismatic Jazz Age debutante who scandalized Louisville society by kissing girls at the city's most exclusive clubs while charming London's elite Bloomsbury intellectual set , Irrepressible reads like a tightly constructed novel, deftly weaving through continents and eras to tell a lovely and ultimately tragic story.The second child and only daughter of Louisville politician, judge, and publishing magnate Robert Worth Bingham, Henrietta was born in 1901 into a Kentucky of thoroughbreds, cotillions, and country clubs. Her Louisville was a world most of us have only experienced in myth -- her grandmother Henrietta Long Miller owned an imposing mansion in Old Louisville and an equally impressive summer home in Peewee Valley -- but which was often too rigid for her tastes. Upon graduation from Louisville Collegiate School, Henrietta sought refuge first at Smith College (where she began an affair with magnetic young composition professor and heiress Mina Kirstein, whose family co-founded Filene's Department Stores), then abroad, where her gracious disposition and violet eyes captivated the free-spirited intellectuals of the Bloomsbury group. Among her confidantes and lovers were Wimbledon champion Helen Hull Jacobs and actor John Houseman; her complex and co-dependent relationship with her larger-than-life father cast a decidedly Southern Gothic shadow over her life of privilege.
Henrietta Bingham (image via The Daily Beast)
Ultimately, the societal norms of Henrietta's era -- it's heartbreaking to remember that, less than a century ago, gay Americans were forced into the closet by the imminent threat of criminal charges and physical violence -- along with a lifelong history of mental health and substance abuse issues ultimately dulled Henrietta's flame. The outré flapper and muse became known as a sad and embarrassing branch of the Bingham family tree. When Henrietta's great-niece, the writer and historian Emily Bingham, announced her plans to name her daughter for this relative whom she'd never known, the story goes, her family blanched. Henrietta's name was considered an unwelcome burden to saddle upon a new generation of Binghams, so Emily started reconstructing her great-aunt's story. In a twist so fortuitous that it seems torn from the pages of a Hollywood script, Emily Bingham found two perfectly preserved trunks in the attic of her family's estate. Henrietta's story unfolded through the trunks' contents -- a glamorous story of love, heartbreak, and adventure. Emily graciously answered some questions about Irrepressible for HerKentucky readers.
Henrietta's partner, Helen Hull Jacobs
HK: What was going through your mind when you discovered Henrietta’s trunk of memories?
EB: That day in 2009 was probably one of the greatest experiences I'll ever have as a historian. I went to that attic in my childhood home very reluctantly. I had peeked into the trunk some time before and seen a lot of very old shoes, hats, that sort of thing, and it was pure duty to spend hours on a frigid January day in the uninsulated space full of soot and lit by a single dangling bulb. The house itself was empty and did not contain my happiest childhood memories (though I did love exploring the vast attic where servants had once lived and where my father and his siblings had a lot of toys and books and old saddles stored).
The first amazing find was a massive silver flask with Henrietta's initials. It holds about two fifths of bourbon. Nothing like the discreet flapper flasks you might imagine.
Then I came across the tennis outfit that turned out to have belonged to Helen Hull Jacobs, the 1930s lesbian tennis champion. Her monogrammed shirt suggested a more intimate relationship than I knew had existed between her and my great aunt, and the clothes, which I sent to the Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI led me to her diaries and scrapbooks and the "joyous and satisfying life" she shared with Henrietta in the 30s and 40s.
There were some little tiny folded papers containing white powder. I thought I'd come across some illicit drug but on closer inspection they proved to be "dog powders" for Henrietta's beloved border terriers and Pekingese!
And then, as I was about to leave for the day to relieve my babysitter, I saw that another trunk was hidden in the shadows in a corner of the garret room. At the very bottom is where I found the carefully tied up and almost perfectly-preserved collection of love letters from the sculptor Stephen Tomlin and the actor/producer John Houseman. Seeing Henrietta through their besotted eyes was one of the utter thrills of my experience with this book.
Young Henrietta. Image via The Daily Beast.
HK: Was there ever a time when you thought of turning back and keeping Henrietta’s story in the past?
EB: Absolutely. My editor didn't think the book was even possible given that I had no diaries and almost no letters from Henrietta herself. So it was almost DOA. But I pushed past that with some of the discoveries in the attic and elsewhere. There was a point when her depression and addiction melded with a sad and confusing time in my life and I wondered if the project might not make me ill.
Henrietta Bingham (image via Courier-Journal)
HK: I’m a Jazz Age buff, and a Kentucky native, so as I read, I was thinking both of the timeline of some of my favorite authors and historical figures (thinking, e.g., “OK, Scott and Zelda would have been here, or Gerald and Sara Murphy would have been here”) and of a very local timeline (saying things like “the Miller house was a block down from the Woman’s Club” or “of course they all thought Henrietta was a gracious hostess; she was a Louisville girl!”) It almost felt like Henrietta lived two completely separate lives –freedom in London and duty in Louisville. When you were working on the book, how did you feel that place played into Henrietta’s story?
EB: Henrietta felt very connected to her Kentucky and southern roots. There is a remarkable passage in the pages John Houseman cut from his memoir: see page 180-181. He was drawn in by the romance of Kentucky but later he came to see things in a more nuanced way. Here's a bit more of it: "I discovered that Louisville was, in reality, a typical middle-Western American city, indistinguishable from Indianapolis or Cincinnati, and that its main claim to national fame -- Churchill Downs, scene of the Kentucky Derby -- was ringed with factories and power plants that made it, without question, one of the most squalid hippodromes in the United States. Yet, for close to a century, from Foster to Fitzgerald, the legend of Louisville's romantic fascination had persisted--and not without reason. For in its own mysterious way the spell worked -- not only on public occasions such as the long Derby weekend, when the entire population, swollen by streams of visitors, lived in a state of collective alcoholic hallucination, but also, in a more intimate way, each time the natives came together and succeeded, through sheer emotional energy, in generating and sustaining an atmosphere of glamour and gaity that was no less magical for being achieved almost entirely with Bourbon and mirrors."
Henrietta loved her Miller grandmother. She also loved having a mansion to throw parties in. She dared to make passes at girls at the Louisville Country Club and kiss her lover in the elevator at the Pendennis. She went sledding in Cherokee Park and was pushed in a stroller in Central Park in Old Louisville. I was stunned when I figured out that for at least a year she and her father and elder brother occupied an apartment 5 doors away from me on Cherokee Road! London and Manhattan were much freer places for her, for sure, but I think she always wanted to come back and her thoroughbred breeding farm at Harmony Landing was the way she hoped to find her way in -- brave as a woman, a lesbian, and someone without direct experience in bloodstock (though her great uncle Dennis Long had two Derby winners in her childhood and that may have set her ambitions early).
Emily Bingham. Image via author's website.
HK: You do an amazing job of, as you say in the preface, not presuming to speak for Henrietta. Yet, you’re very fair with your assessments of her mental health and her likely dyslexia. Was this a hard line to walk?
It's always hard to walk the line between empathizing with your subject and wanting to protect them and being frank about their weaknesses and shortcomings. I believe that readers don't just want "models" and can appreciate lives that are as complicated and imperfect as their own.
HK: If you had the chance to talk to Henrietta, what would you say to her?
EB: Sing for me. Play the sax. Tell me the stories of the musicians you loved and who, doubtless, found you pretty interesting, too. What was your favorite bar, show, concert, player? Where did you feel most free? Who did you really love? Finally, "You are in the world again and people still find you lovable and irresistible and are so glad not to have lost you altogether."
Thanks so much to Emily for the amazing interview, and for writing the summer's best book. Check back later this week as HerKentucky takes you on a photo tour of Henrietta's Louisville.
Girls' Night Out with Karaoke Machine at Mercury Ballroom
Enter to win a girls night out with Karaoke Machine!
Have you ever dreamed of getting on stage with the band to sing your favorite song? Want to have your closest friends there to document it for their entire social media feeds to see?
Then you need to be at Louisville's Mercury Ballroom Saturday night, August 15, where Karaoke Machine is performing. You can go on stage and be the lead singer for the band; it's just like karaoke, only with live music!
We've partnered with Mercury Ballroom to provide a Girls' Night Out package for one lucky group of HerKentucky readers! Enter below to win a table of six for the Karaoke Machine show!
Check out the list of songs you can sing with the band here! (I've got to say, I'd be rocking Lita Ford and Prince, if I were up there!) Click here to buy tickets to the show.
B.Fit with HerKentucky + B.You!
HerKentucky Writer Heather C. Watson gets fit with Louisville fitness studio b.you!
So, last year, I had some back trouble.
Two discs, conveniently located at either end of my spine, were wreaking major havoc with nerve endings. It wasn't very fun, and it was even less fun to treat. After extensive physical therapy, steroid treatment, and a surgery, the proverbial ball is in my court. I've been treated, I've experienced a lot of relief, and now it's time to work on strengthening my spine. It's going to take a lot of hard work, but that's a small price to pay to reduce the risk of further disc degeneration.
As I was searching for a fitness facility to help me on this journey, I kept hearing great things about b.you Fitness. I reached out to b.you's co-founders, Stephanie Bristow and Rashna Carmicle, to see if their fitness program would be a good fit as I worked to alleviate some of the residual pain from my injuries and sought to prevent further degeneration. I am so, so glad I contacted them, y'all!
Image courtesy b.you.
B.you is unlike any other gym or fitness studio I've ever attended. The classes are a mix of barre, Pilates, yoga, dance, and orthopedic stretching. The more advanced classes even include aerial fitness: you're actually suspended from an aerial silk hammock for the duration of the class!
Image courtesy b.you.
What I was most excited about, though, was the personal attention I received in my consultation with Rashna and Stephanie. I met with their staff Physical Therapist to discuss how my fitness regimen should be modified to accommodate my injuries. Unlike a lot of gyms, where the mentality tends to revolve around "How much can I deadlift?" or "How far can I run?", the emphasis at b.you is on maintaining correct form and ensuring the correct movement.
Please join me this month as I embark on a journey of fitness at b.you. I'll be posting every Monday to let you know how the classes are going, and you can keep up along the way on HerKentucky's Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Follow b.you on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well!
I hope to see y'all at b.you soon! They have two convenient locations here in Louisville: one in St. Matthews and one in Springhurst!
{This post is brought to you by b.you Fitness!}