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09/06/05 - 09/07/05 - Lexington, KY (Photos - All KY, TN, & AR photos) Touring the horse capitol of America |
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Just an hour or so over the Ohio border, Lexington and the horse culture it embraces provides a healthy dose of southern gentility and charm that's hard to resist. This is horse country and, while not necessarily a fan of horses close up (due to a biting incident as a child), Caroline loves the romance of the endless green pastures dotted by these majestic animals and surrounded by miles of the quaint white fences so characteristic of this region. So naturally our first stop was the Kentucky Horse Park, a massive facility open to the public, where shows and races are held and where our engaging guide, Denny Chapman, took us through the world of horses, touring the park facilities, seeing the champions of yesteryear up-close, as well as a sampling of breeds, who strutted their stuff in the ring with costumed riders aboard. We even saw one of the horses who played Seabiscuit in the movie, in full costume. Sadly, the whole experience was actually a bit underwhelming, with Denny Chapman's theatrical, super-enthusiastic patter being the highlight of the park.
From the horse park, we headed downtown for lunch at the friendly, old fashioned Courtyard Deli (full of men - southern lawyers? - in suspenders and bowties and one kid in a Kalamazoo College tee shirt!) and a brief walk around. Downtown Lexington has a pleasant, mildly southern feel, with an interesting mix of old and newer architecture, and we were struck by how many large, beautiful, modern-style fountains there are around town in the various parks and courtyards, the fountains in the courthouse courtyard area being some of the most notable. At this point, it was getting late and we were hot and tired (we wanted to run through the fountains!), so after our short stroll we continued our tour in the car, driving by the lovely, green campus of the University of Kentucky and through the historic section of town full of beautiful and stately old homes. Lexington has the feel of a very livable city, very pleasant indeed. (more...)
Our last stop of the day was at the historic and famous Keeneland Racetrack. Unfortunately, they only have live thoroughbred racing in April and October, so we didn't get to see any of the action, but we did stop in for a look around. It's a huge complex and the off-track area when you walk in is definitely reminiscent of the elegance and glamour of a day at the races in days gone by. Beyond the track and off-track outdoor lounge/entertainment area, the stabling area goes on and on seemingly endlessly. We could hear the whinnies of distant horses and saw trainers out with their charges. The authenticity of seeing people simply going about their business (but with horses!) made it perhaps the most interesting thing we saw all day.
During our tour around downtown, we noticed that Lexington seems to have no shortage of sophisticated, but pleasant sidewalk and patio eating and drinking spots. It was a beautiful, balmy evening, perfect for some alfresco dining, so after a bit of relaxing at our not-so-genteel-and-sophisticated room at the aging Comfort Suites, we headed back out for a drink and a bite to eat. Our first stop was the shi-shi Anna Belle's, where we sat at a sidewalk table overlooking the courthouse fountains, eavesdropping on the local, young office workers at the next table over, while Caroline enjoyed a delicious, San Francisco-priced martini. After that, we moved on to the more casual Cheapside's for some pleasant patio dining before going back to the hotel and hitting the sheets after a long, but rewarding day. |
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