Tootsie Yr2: Lexington, KY
As planned on Thursday, I did my meal prep with the Itaki in the morning, cooking barley, snap peas, and two chicken breasts.
Then I took the rental car to Walmart. Whole Paycheck has a lot of things but they don't have earplugs or Clorox wipes.
From there I tried to find the parking lot we're supposed to use this week.
While I didn't find it, I got to the general vicinity and should be able to pin it down with help from my passengers.
(The truth is, I wish they'd just give us a pin drop when there's no location address)
At that point Bill (trumpet) wanted the car, so I hurried to pick up lunch at DV8 Kitchen.
It's a cute little cafe with two locations downtown.
They were selling lots of merch: coffee cups, shirts, hats, stickers, and even a published book!
DV8 Kitchen is a second-chance employer, meaning they specifically hire people who are recovering from addiction.
Such folks often have trouble finding work, and DV8 aims to give people opportunity and leverage to "DV8" from their past lives.
Their book, DV8 From Denial, is a collection of inspirational stories to help encourage others and "erase the stigma of addiction and recovery".
It was lunchtime and the place was very busy (good!).
I ordered a pimento chicken sandwich to go and brought it back to the hotel room.
Crispy chicken breast tenders, tangy warm creamy pimento, sweet rich blackstrap molasses, and the spicy peppers.
Yes, it was just as good as it looks :)
So, great food AND a great cause. DV8 Kitchen, if you're ever in Lexington!
The rest of my afternoon was pretty chill. There isn't much around us and not even really anywhere to go for a walk, but I didn't mind resting up after the FOUR flights and FOUR bus rides that we had this week. Walked to a nearby gas station for a drink, poked around in the Cracker Barrel gift shop but didn't get anything. Did some data entry, watched some anime. For dinner, barley and chicken and peas. It was nice.
-------------------------------------------------------
Friday I had a generic hotel morning, and had wanted to do some data entry but the internet here keeps going out so I didn't get much done.
In the early afternoon I took the car to my second Lexington foodie activity, which was Minton's.
(stock image, to show how small this place is)
Minton's is a suuuuuper tiny brunch restaurant, literally run by one or two guys.
There were perhaps four tables and some picnic benches outside, that was it.
Despite the tiny size of the place, the menu is pretty extensive, featuring breakfast items and also lunch sandwiches, soups, and an array of baked goods on display in the pastry cabinet.
Everything is made to order by the ONE dude in the back, so I knew it would be at least a 20-minute wait, probably more.
I settled in and ordered the savory French toast.
About 20 minutes later:
I was SHOCKED by the huge serving size! In this economy!
Three huge slabs of sourdough bread, each one dipped in parmesan herb batter and pan fried.
Then they topped it with sweet and tangy tomato jam, two strips of thick bacon, a soft-fried egg, more parm, and some pesto.
Good lord it was good. I'm gonna have to try this at home.
It goes without saying that I had leftovers. I ate 1.5 slices of the toast and one egg and one bacon slice, and the rest went into a doggie bag. I'll bet it'll still be good for breakfast on Monday before the flight to Providence. What a cool local food experience!
I had planned to walk to a Goodwill a mile down the road after this, but was crunched a bit for time, so instead of actually going in and browsing I just walked there and back. Two miles to make up for the French toast, plus whatever walking I'll do in and around the theater tonight. Some activity is better than none.
We're playing the Lexington Opera House this week.
Built in 1886 with a restoration in the 1970s (which you can tell by the style I think), it's also a very small theater.
From the pit, it feels like the balcony is almost on top of us.
(photo courtesy Molly, Stage Manager)
That said, acoustics are great. I enjoyed being able to listen and tune more in the house than using my in-ears.
The audience was excellent too, laughing almost the entire time and even applauding partway through some numbers!
-----------------------------------------------------
Saturday morning I got up early to fill out my Florida ballot, which my dear Jameson kindly overnighted to me.
This one was important because we're voting for the Governor, the House of Reps, the Attorney General, and misc Judges.
I got everything filled and signed and mailed right away.
Then a little data entry, followed by packing for work and heading to the theater.
Whitney, who is our Head of Props, drove all the way out to a Buc-ee's in Virginia and brought back an inflatable beaver. Lol!
Certainly brought some fun backstage!
She also got me a McBoo trick-or-treating bucket! How awesome of her!!
We were talking about these just a few days ago.
They're big nostalgia for 80s kids, and McDonald's, wanting to profit off that, brought them back a few days ago.
I'm still waiting to see if this one will glow in the dark (it hasn't been dark enough in this theater to find out yet).
The show went well, one audience member in particular sounded like they were having a GREAT time, lol.
During the break I walked to Target, mostly just to be outside on a lovely mid-70s day.
There was a Halloween parade going on downtown, and though it hadn't started while I was walking around it was nice to see people dressed up and smiling and enjoying themselves. The Target was in sort of a neighborhood area, and it was nice and quiet there. I loved the leaves rustling down the street, how they smelled, and how the breeze felt. It was a much-needed walk.
Then I spent an hour doing data entry at the theater (brought my computer) and eating dinner.
The later show was also fine. A bat was spotted backstage, but it stayed in the rafters.
---------------------------------------------
Sunday I woke up early for no reason.
Breakfast and starting to pack, the usual stuff.
At the theater our matinee went well, and between shows we were treated to an "usher meal" made by Lexington Opera House volunteers. They were so sweet and enthusiastic, and the food was great! We enjoyed pork tenderloin; spinach feta cranberry salad with sweet potato chunks and pumpkin seeds; green beans with onions and bacon; roasted herbed potatoes; dinner rolls; and lentil soup.
For dessert there was a selection of cookies, pudding, fruit, and a lovely pumpkin/carrot cake.
And also this custom Tootsie cake featuring Dorothy!
It was delicious and very nice. Nothing like a heartfelt home-cooked meal while traveling :)
After eating I didn't want to get drowsy, so went for a walk.
I let my heart guide me to the RJ Corman train yard, where the circus train would park while we played the Rupp Arena all those many years ago.
It felt odd, standing at the train yard entrance in concert black with a Tootsie tag around my neck instead of a circus ID badge.
I felt a little like a ghost from a different time.
Speaking of ghosts, the Lexington Cemetery is right across the street from this yard.
It was closed, but I was charmed by this lovely golden ginkgo that stood guarding the gates.
I also noticed HUGE acorns everywhere!
I took two back to the theater with me to show everyone, because I've never seen acorns like this before.
Turns out they are from burr oak trees, which have the largest acorns of any North American oak.
Burr oak trees also grow the farthest north of any American oak tree. Interesting!
(Cthulhu acorn, if you ask me)
The last show seemed to go quickly. Before I knew it we were packed up and walking away.
Our whole stay has been really short, but very enjoyable.
Bye Lexington! It's been fun!
---------------------------------------------------------
Next up is Providence, and we are there for a whole six days, and I've been very much looking forward to this city!
Mostly because it's an incredible hub for some of the best restaurants in the US.
Also, I hope to try African food for the first time while here!
I am happy to say that my little foodie group has been starting to pick up.
It's up to 27 members, and people are using it to share recommendations, pictures, and information.
With hundreds of James Beard nominated chefs in this city, I feel like my tiny recommendation list is insufficient.
But if I were to list every great restaurant in Providence, it'd be a novella.
Tomorrow we travel, and then I'm hoping for a nice stay and some fun shows in Rhode Island!
Then I took the rental car to Walmart. Whole Paycheck has a lot of things but they don't have earplugs or Clorox wipes.
From there I tried to find the parking lot we're supposed to use this week.
While I didn't find it, I got to the general vicinity and should be able to pin it down with help from my passengers.
(The truth is, I wish they'd just give us a pin drop when there's no location address)
At that point Bill (trumpet) wanted the car, so I hurried to pick up lunch at DV8 Kitchen.
It's a cute little cafe with two locations downtown.
They were selling lots of merch: coffee cups, shirts, hats, stickers, and even a published book!
DV8 Kitchen is a second-chance employer, meaning they specifically hire people who are recovering from addiction.
Such folks often have trouble finding work, and DV8 aims to give people opportunity and leverage to "DV8" from their past lives.
Their book, DV8 From Denial, is a collection of inspirational stories to help encourage others and "erase the stigma of addiction and recovery".
It was lunchtime and the place was very busy (good!).
I ordered a pimento chicken sandwich to go and brought it back to the hotel room.
Crispy chicken breast tenders, tangy warm creamy pimento, sweet rich blackstrap molasses, and the spicy peppers.
Yes, it was just as good as it looks :)
So, great food AND a great cause. DV8 Kitchen, if you're ever in Lexington!
The rest of my afternoon was pretty chill. There isn't much around us and not even really anywhere to go for a walk, but I didn't mind resting up after the FOUR flights and FOUR bus rides that we had this week. Walked to a nearby gas station for a drink, poked around in the Cracker Barrel gift shop but didn't get anything. Did some data entry, watched some anime. For dinner, barley and chicken and peas. It was nice.
-------------------------------------------------------
Friday I had a generic hotel morning, and had wanted to do some data entry but the internet here keeps going out so I didn't get much done.
In the early afternoon I took the car to my second Lexington foodie activity, which was Minton's.
(stock image, to show how small this place is)
Minton's is a suuuuuper tiny brunch restaurant, literally run by one or two guys.
There were perhaps four tables and some picnic benches outside, that was it.
Despite the tiny size of the place, the menu is pretty extensive, featuring breakfast items and also lunch sandwiches, soups, and an array of baked goods on display in the pastry cabinet.
Everything is made to order by the ONE dude in the back, so I knew it would be at least a 20-minute wait, probably more.
I settled in and ordered the savory French toast.
About 20 minutes later:
I was SHOCKED by the huge serving size! In this economy!
Three huge slabs of sourdough bread, each one dipped in parmesan herb batter and pan fried.
Then they topped it with sweet and tangy tomato jam, two strips of thick bacon, a soft-fried egg, more parm, and some pesto.
Good lord it was good. I'm gonna have to try this at home.
It goes without saying that I had leftovers. I ate 1.5 slices of the toast and one egg and one bacon slice, and the rest went into a doggie bag. I'll bet it'll still be good for breakfast on Monday before the flight to Providence. What a cool local food experience!
I had planned to walk to a Goodwill a mile down the road after this, but was crunched a bit for time, so instead of actually going in and browsing I just walked there and back. Two miles to make up for the French toast, plus whatever walking I'll do in and around the theater tonight. Some activity is better than none.
We're playing the Lexington Opera House this week.
Built in 1886 with a restoration in the 1970s (which you can tell by the style I think), it's also a very small theater.
From the pit, it feels like the balcony is almost on top of us.
(photo courtesy Molly, Stage Manager)
That said, acoustics are great. I enjoyed being able to listen and tune more in the house than using my in-ears.
The audience was excellent too, laughing almost the entire time and even applauding partway through some numbers!
-----------------------------------------------------
Saturday morning I got up early to fill out my Florida ballot, which my dear Jameson kindly overnighted to me.
This one was important because we're voting for the Governor, the House of Reps, the Attorney General, and misc Judges.
I got everything filled and signed and mailed right away.
Then a little data entry, followed by packing for work and heading to the theater.
Whitney, who is our Head of Props, drove all the way out to a Buc-ee's in Virginia and brought back an inflatable beaver. Lol!
Certainly brought some fun backstage!
She also got me a McBoo trick-or-treating bucket! How awesome of her!!
We were talking about these just a few days ago.
They're big nostalgia for 80s kids, and McDonald's, wanting to profit off that, brought them back a few days ago.
I'm still waiting to see if this one will glow in the dark (it hasn't been dark enough in this theater to find out yet).
The show went well, one audience member in particular sounded like they were having a GREAT time, lol.
During the break I walked to Target, mostly just to be outside on a lovely mid-70s day.
There was a Halloween parade going on downtown, and though it hadn't started while I was walking around it was nice to see people dressed up and smiling and enjoying themselves. The Target was in sort of a neighborhood area, and it was nice and quiet there. I loved the leaves rustling down the street, how they smelled, and how the breeze felt. It was a much-needed walk.
Then I spent an hour doing data entry at the theater (brought my computer) and eating dinner.
The later show was also fine. A bat was spotted backstage, but it stayed in the rafters.
---------------------------------------------
Sunday I woke up early for no reason.
Breakfast and starting to pack, the usual stuff.
At the theater our matinee went well, and between shows we were treated to an "usher meal" made by Lexington Opera House volunteers. They were so sweet and enthusiastic, and the food was great! We enjoyed pork tenderloin; spinach feta cranberry salad with sweet potato chunks and pumpkin seeds; green beans with onions and bacon; roasted herbed potatoes; dinner rolls; and lentil soup.
For dessert there was a selection of cookies, pudding, fruit, and a lovely pumpkin/carrot cake.
And also this custom Tootsie cake featuring Dorothy!
It was delicious and very nice. Nothing like a heartfelt home-cooked meal while traveling :)
After eating I didn't want to get drowsy, so went for a walk.
I let my heart guide me to the RJ Corman train yard, where the circus train would park while we played the Rupp Arena all those many years ago.
It felt odd, standing at the train yard entrance in concert black with a Tootsie tag around my neck instead of a circus ID badge.
I felt a little like a ghost from a different time.
Speaking of ghosts, the Lexington Cemetery is right across the street from this yard.
It was closed, but I was charmed by this lovely golden ginkgo that stood guarding the gates.
I also noticed HUGE acorns everywhere!
I took two back to the theater with me to show everyone, because I've never seen acorns like this before.
Turns out they are from burr oak trees, which have the largest acorns of any North American oak.
Burr oak trees also grow the farthest north of any American oak tree. Interesting!
(Cthulhu acorn, if you ask me)
The last show seemed to go quickly. Before I knew it we were packed up and walking away.
Our whole stay has been really short, but very enjoyable.
Bye Lexington! It's been fun!
---------------------------------------------------------
Next up is Providence, and we are there for a whole six days, and I've been very much looking forward to this city!
Mostly because it's an incredible hub for some of the best restaurants in the US.
Also, I hope to try African food for the first time while here!
I am happy to say that my little foodie group has been starting to pick up.
It's up to 27 members, and people are using it to share recommendations, pictures, and information.
With hundreds of James Beard nominated chefs in this city, I feel like my tiny recommendation list is insufficient.
But if I were to list every great restaurant in Providence, it'd be a novella.
Tomorrow we travel, and then I'm hoping for a nice stay and some fun shows in Rhode Island!