I ate my way through Louisville and lived to tell the tale

Louisville (Looavul? Looeevile?) wasn’t a new destination for me, I’ve been a few times before, but on this trip I made a concerted effort to try new places and things I hadn’t before. It was a work trip so I still had to be at a desk for 8 hours a day but I definitely used my free time to explore all I could and man, what a super cool city! I’ve got a new crush and his name is Luhvul, Luahvool, Lurv… something like that. I flew in on Sunday morning so I had most of the day free to wander. First stop was of course lunch because I was hungry after waking up too early on a Sunday for my flight. I tried out a hot new joint called Biscuit Belly and the brunch crowd was poppin’.

It had the cayootest decor inside, the colors were bright and fun with a casual vibe. You are asked to look at a menu while you wait in line then order when you get to the register and take a seat wherever to wait for your food to be brought out. The menu is overwhelming and I wanted to try so much more. It’s a great place to go with a larger group so you can order a ton of stuff and share, pancake corndogs anyone?? I got the Edgy Veggie and had them add bacon because I DO WHAT I WANT! It was divine, rich AF, and I couldn’t finish it all no matter how hard I tried. Again I’ll stress, go with a group and order everythiiinnngggg.

They also have their own Belly Blend by Heine Bros coffee which cleared up any hesitation I had about eating here because Heine Bros is the beessssttt

After lunch I was almost uncomfortably full so decided to walk back towards my hotel to move my body a bit and see if there was anything cool along the way. I passed the Angel’s Envy distillery and popped in to see if they had a tour. I will never say no to a distillery tour, I find the process fascinating, the smell intoxicating, and especially in bourbon central, each distillery has it’s own unique take you can learn about. Angel’s Envy didn’t have any tours but did offer a tasting for $10 and how can you pass that up? They finish their bourbon in port barrels which gives it a really distinct flavor I found delicious.

We got three pours and a piece of locally made chocolate to pair with it. my goodness it was tasty.

The tasting was fun, informative and really personable. We all sat around a big wooden table and got to chat as a group. Our guide walked us through how to get your palate ready for the liquor by taking a sip and swishing it around to get the burn going so the second sip was smoother and by the time you get to the third you’re able to really pick up on lots of flavor notes in the bourbon. After extensive research I can say my preferred way to take it is with a splash of water or a single ice cube. After we got our buzz on we were allowed to walk around the distillery room where again, it smells amazing, and the big copper pots are so pretty. Do they make candles that smell like mash? I could get into that.

The rest of the week were full days of work with a few free hours a day to explore the culinary scene of Lurrgghhveerrrhh. And it was glorious. SO. MUCH. GOOD. FOOD. For a quick meal on the cheaper side, Taco Luchador was the shit and I could stuff my face for twelve bucks. The fish taco, mole chicken taco and elote were all killer, don’t pass on the elote. Mussel and Burger Bar was another affordable lunch option, the BBQ burger was everything you want in a burger. Didn’t get to try them, but the mussels have a great reputation. Proof on Main is super funky, great for a fancy cocktail. It’s connected to 21 c Museum where you’re allowed to bring your drink along while you stroll. Very cool spot. Doc Crow’s is great if you want some smoked meat baby, or a nice cocktail. If you’re looking for some lighter fare after eating rich for days, this is not the place. Good. But heavy. Looking to treat yo self to a fancy dinner? The Fat Lamb was perfect for that. The staff were insanely nice, the food was incredible (huge portions), and the scene was modern and chic. I got the scallops and polenta (GAAHHH) and splurged on the cannoli dessert. I felt like a GD queen. Scroll through the carousel below to marvel at all the things I ate in a week’s time. I know, impressive right??

A new addition to the city, at least since I was there a handful of years ago, are the scooters. Locals seem to find them a nuisance because people act a fool while riding through the streets, but as a visitor with no wheels I LOVED them. I signed up for Lime they also have Birds which are essentially the same thing. They are motorized scooters that run on electricity and they are everywhere in downtown Louisville. You pull up the app, locate a nearby scooter, reserve it and scan the QR code to unlock it. I rode them to work a lot of mornings, cruised to go have lunch and even to the CVS to pick up some essentials. They are a green affordable option, every ride I took was less than $3. I’m a New Yorker and don’t mind a walk but the humidity was ungodly while I was there and if I can avoid sweat beating down my full face beat, I will. I’m in a larger body, not super agile, and my fitness level is pretty low right now. I’m working on building it up! But currently I greatly appreciated this easy option of stepping on and hitting the gas rather than say a bicycle ride that would end me.

To be fair, the people of instagram who warned me not to know I’m a clumsy ass and this could have been disastrous. Thank goodness these things were easy to operate and I didn’t crash into anything.

The one downside to this trip was Trump made an appearance at The Galt House to speak to a group of veterans, the same hotel I was staying at which made for some awkward elevator rides. Louisville is a progressive city surrounded by a sea of red and they were not happy he was visiting. One of my Uber drivers told me he was taking off the night before to drive to Cincinnati because he didn’t want to be anywhere near that orange ass. The city was a ghost town the day Trump arrived; most people stayed home to avoid the street closures and congestion, except for the few nut jobs who rolled in trying to sell their MAGA hats and blue lives matter pins. Maybe it was the collective disgust for Trump’s visit or I’m just more comfortable traveling solo these days but I had some incredible conversations with the people of Louisville. We talked about art, politics, gentrification, education, the environment, anything and everything. It is a vibrant city full of culture, great food, fabulous drinks and wonderful people. I had such a fantastic time and hope I get a chance to visit again soon.

Love you Loooeeeeviiiilllllleeee MUAH!

We went to a geothermal spa; it was both terrifying and liberating

Iceland is one of the most geologically active places in the world and that activity has shaped Icelandic culture. Its harnessed by power plants to heat homes and used to warm greenhouses to grow food. It's also the heart and soul of social life. The English converse in pubs, the French murmur in cafes, Italians get loud in piazzas, and Icelanders bare all in their geothermally heated pools. They are everywhere, pretty much every village has a swim spot.Checkout HotPot Iceland to see a comprehensive map of pools and hot pots all over the island.

Krýsuvík geothermal area. These are not waters you want to swim in, way too hot, but worth checking out for sure.

Swim etiquette says you must shower, completely naked, before going in. Pools have little to no chlorine, so it's imperative to be clean when using them. There are signs posted in the changing rooms explicitly saying, wash your funky bits with diagrams highlighting areas to focus on in the shower: armpits, head, hands, feet, crotch, and butt. And you're supposed to get alllll up in there so that you're not bringing any stank in the water. It's not worth it to try to break the 'wash your junk' rule either. First, it's disrespectful. And second, there might be a shower warden that will call you out. They don't mess around.

I knew the naked bit going in; I do my research okay. But it didn't change the fact I had a damn near full on panic attack when the time came to do the deed. So there I was, with my best girlfriend, we were having the best vacation, in the best country, and we were gonna have THE BEST spa day. After a long day driving the Golden Circle, we finished it off with a visit to Laugarvatn Fontana geothermal spa. It was unbelievable. They have multiple natural pools at varying temperatures and sizes. A hot tub and a sauna. Three steam baths at different temperatures (fueled by steam coming through the floor from the hot springs directly below). Everything sits on the edge of lake Laugarvatn where you can sit on the deck, admiring the view and take a cold dip if you're brave enough. All of this for roughly thirty-five bucks. UnREAL.

I didn't take my phone with me to the spa but here is a cute pic of me at Krýsuvík.

But before I could enjoy all this fantastic spa had to offer, I needed to grapple with a few things. As we undressed at the lockers, I couldn't strip down all the way. With my underwear still on, a towel wrapped around as much of my body as I could manage, I held back tears and ran to the bathroom. I was freaking out. I had never been completely naked in front of another person. It's not like I've never been vulnerable in front of others. I have a sex life, and I even did a play in college where I had to strip down to my skivvies. But those brightly colored bra and panties were still a piece of armour, something to hide behind. It's embarrassing to admit, but even when I'm getting busy, I still have some article of clothing on. I still have something to hide behind. So this was uncharted territory. I was so close to giving up and going to the cafe to eat some rúgbrauð bread (it's a rye bread, baked by burying it underground near a hot spring). But I'm trying this whole, love and accept myself, fat and all thing, so I DIDN'T. Instead, I took off my underwear, dropped the towel and stared at my fat naked body in the mirror. And I cried. It was such a profound release. Before I could be naked in front of others, I had to be naked with just me.

Like I said, didn't have my phone on me but here is a kick ass pic I took from the plane.

I have my share of body image issues, like every woman, thank you unrealistic beauty standards. My body size is constantly weighing on my mind, worried if I draw too much attention I'll get the look. That look of disgust that says, 'you don't deserve to take up that space because you're not a human, you're a monster.' I know not everyone thinks that and some might just have a resting bitch face. But that mentality is out there. I've seen it countless times, and our media and entertainment reinforce it. Fat is bad. Fat is ugly. Fat isn't worthy of love or even basic human respect. And fuck off right now if your response is, 'fat is unhealthy, and we shouldn't enable being unhealthy.' Promoting respect and self-worth of all bodies is not enabling being unhealthy. You can't judge a person's health by their appearance alone. And if we genuinely want people to be their healthiest selves, encouraging self-love and acceptance of their basic human existence is the way to a healthy mind and body. No wonder I've always lost the battle of the bulge and end up just being self-destructive. Self-hatred fuels that destructive behavior. I wonder what would happen if rather than assuming my body is wrong and aiming for a physical result, I conditioned myself to believe it's right and love me as I am. Not love what I could or should be but love myself with all my imperfections and fatness right now. And set positively framed goals focused on a healthy mind and body. Skinny might not be where I end up, but that's not important. What matters is being vibrant and alive and continually trying to grow and be a little better each day.

After hyping myself up, I walked out of the bathroom and showered. OK so I did see a curtain at one end when I finally made it to the showers, and I went for it. I'm still giving myself credit because progress is progress and I could have closed the curtain all the way, but I chose to leave it partially open because I'm trying. All I can do is try and be kind to myself. I might still have a long way to go, but I took a few steps forward, and I'm proud of me. And I did end up having THE BEST spa day. It was magical. After the showers, walking around in a bathing suit was a piece of cake. I have never felt so confident in a bathing suit. I still want that rúgbrauð bread though.