This city is buzzing with activity, all leading up to the big Derby on Saturday, and I am LOVING it!!! Remember field day in elementary school with all the fun and games? Well, that's what it's like in Louisville this week .... but on steroids. Lots of steroids. Like more than Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds have taken times a hundred. Less I digress .....
Despite having slept a total of about 8 hours in the last 2 weeks, I am soaking it all in and having a blast. Here's what's been shakin' over the last few days since I got back from Talladega:
- Wednesday morning I went to "Dawn at the Downs." A gal I work with here is a horse owner and got a bunch of us into the breakfast they serve "on the backside" at the track from 6-10am. No, they don't fry up eggs on somebody's ass ..... it's the opposite side of the track from the famous twin spires. This is where all of the barns are, jockey quarters, trainers, owners, etc. It is absolutely cool cool cool. We watched a few Derby and Oaks horses work out. I met somebody who is apparently the most recognizable face in Kentucky, but had no clue who he was.
- Then, I worked for about 5 minutes and someone gave me tickets to go on one of the boats in the Steamboat Race. I had no idea what this was all about, but thought "Boats are cool. Okay I'll go." Problem was, I had to give out the other ticket and find someone else to go with me at the last minute. Luckily, someone accepted the invite and off we went to ride The Belle of Louisville. I had NO idea what a spectacular offer this really was. 3 hours cruising the river with dinner, open bar, a band, and a dance floor. I chatted with some very nice man about the dirt spots on his shirt, only to find out after the fact that he is the Mayor of Louisville. bahahaaa! Oh, and a celeb was onboard -- Larry Birkhead (you know, Anna Nicole's babydaddy) and Dannielynn. I got great pics of them because they were sitting right behind us .... here I come Star and InTouch, get out the checkbook!!! I also met and danced with somebody who is a famous poet and sculptor from Louisville, and he just won their local Dancing With the Stars contest (Ed Hamilton? I'd never heard of him, but he was very very nice) . It was a wayyyyyy fun boat ride!!
- Later that night, Schue arrived. We had a few cocktails, then off to bed. Wait, I forgot to mention we laid in bed eating triscuits with spray cheese and some pizza she found in her backpack. There's a long history of Schue and I being in a bed with food in it, but I won't steal her thunder ... I think she's going to blog about it soon.
Anyway .....
- While I had to work today, Schue hung out at "Fourth Street Live" (a local area of restaurants, bars, shops, etc) with the cast of The Real World France and some guy from The Challenge (I have no idea what that show is). I think she thought one of them was Mario Batali at first, but then caught onto who they really were. They even invited "the poor pretty girl sitting by herself" to join them at their table!!! Lucky duck!
- We checked into a different hotel because the one where I normally stay charges $4,000 a night during Derby, and my company will no-way no-how pay that kinda money. (And neither will I!) So we checked into our new hotel which looks like a motel at the Jersey Shore ... a far cry from the celeb-studded luxury we just left .... only to open the door to the room and find half the furniture sitting in the middle of the bed! Um, not a good sign. As it turned out, they'd just finished cleaning the carpets and the place really isn't all that bad. Those dumb asses paying 4K a night don't even have a coffee pot in their room .... but we do!! So there!
In a few minutes, we're headed out to watch some of the Pegasus parade, then to the Chow Wagon. Silly me thought we were actually getting on a wagon (because I've apparently fallen off of mine!), but there's no wagon involved. It's supposedly like a big food and beer fair with music. Yipee! These ARE a few of my favorite things!!
Alrighty, time to go. I've got a parade to watch ... a non-wagon chow wagon to check out ... and elbows to rub.
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4 comments:
My goodness!
Post some pix when you can.
Tell Sue to stop hanging out in bars by herself.
If you see any of the Rolling Stones or Ric Flair, please make sure you get a picture for me!
"Breakfast on the backside" - now this is my kind of place!
Thank you for taking us along with you on your Derby adventure - it's like we're right there! Will you still talk to the little people when you get back, after rubbing shoulders with so many celebs?
I am insanely jealous of this trip. How come you get to be there?!! WRH wants Derby!
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