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!

Florence, I Love You

Firenze! Two days was not enough. I fell in love immediately. I’m sorry Iceland, don’t be jelly, you’re still my #1 <3 But we agreed to see other people and wow, I can’t wait to go back and soak up more of this gorgeous city.

View from Ponte Vecchio and I mean just look how gorgeous. i meant the view but also those sunglasses are killer right?

We took a train from Termini Station where we had just spent the last three nights in Rome. I’m glad I went, it was iconic. We saw the ancient ruins, the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and all that good stuff. Got my fill and I’m not trying to go back anytime soon. It was so touristy, which is fine, just not my favorite vibe on a trip and I can only handle so much of it before I want to scream. I’ve worked in Times Square for about nine years and it’s a literal nightmare. No shade to Rome. It’s just not the energy my stressed out anxious little heart craves when I’m escaping my world to visit another.

Look at these smiling faces Even after the gory history lesson of the colosseum. my expression is saying, ‘I’m super disturbed right now but still want a cute pic’

Maybe a part of me knew deep down that Rome wouldn’t quite hit the spot and whispered “if you visit elsewhere, you will love it more” like I was Kevin Costner building a baseball field or something. Since Florence was only a 90-minute train ride away we figured why not see both?! Round trip tickets with ItaliaRail were about $100 each and it was a really comfortable. No regrets packing two beloved Italian cities into one whirlwind of a trip, but would do some stuff differently if I had a redo. I’d tack on one of the train rides straight after or just before a flight to cut our travel days down from four to three. We spent three nights in Rome, trained to Florence for 2 nights, then back to Rome for 1 more night before flying home the next morning. I was SPENT by the time we got back to Rome for our final night. I don’t know how my travel buddy did it, she went to Vatican City on that last day. I was donezo by the time we got to our Airbnb and spent the afternoon with my feet up watching bizarre Italian T.V. So my take on a twofer: it can and should be done but be strategic about your travel days.

This was the last of several flights of stairs to our apartment in Florence ‘The Tower’

This was our key to ‘the tower’ which i found incredibly amusing. I don’t think I’d stay somewhere with such a hike again but this place was super charming with all it’s old quirks.

Florence is completely walkable which was lovely. We went everywhere by foot including from and to the train station. It was rough dragging our suitcases but it was only for 15-20 minutes tops so we managed. We stayed in a character of an Airbnb, it was called the tower and had 75 stairs leading up to it, but was located right off an adorable square with lots of restaurants, shops and gelaterias nearby. It was heaven to stroll out the front door and be eating my way through a cup of gelato within a few minutes. The city streets were so peaceful without cars zooming all around. Even though it was bustling I didn’t have the same level of anxiety I am prone to get in crowds (see above bitch fest about Times Square).

This is my fave pic of Florence. The historic duomo peeking through this little street with people all around and not a car in sight.

We visited the Galleria dell'Accademia and saw the famous statue of David which of course was impressive. We booked our tickets ahead of time which saved us from a much longer line to enter. My favorite part of the Museum though was the music section. They had all these old instruments, Stradivarius strings and some odd ones I’d never seen before. The audio guide would play clips of what the displayed pieces sounded like which I really enjoyed. My favorite was the pair of hurdy-gurdies because come on, hurdy-gurdies, it’s just so silly. I think an hour or two is enough time to explore this smaller space. We didn’t have enough time to see the Uffizi Gallery but next time I will make sure of it.

Strolling through the city after the Galleria dell'Accademia with no itinerary, gelato in hand (because of course, you have to stop and try every place that looks good), was the perfect way to spend our first evening. I Fratellini was this awesome sandwich place a short walk from Piazza del Duomo and is a must. Super simple ingredients but good quality and such a bargain if you’re on a budget. For only a few euros you get a solid meal and for a couple more you can add a glass of wine. Sip on your glass stall side where adorable wooden shelves hang just for the purpose of resting a wine glass. Or take it to go and work on that vino while you continue your evening stroll.

Day two we went to Mercato Centrale which was amazing. To get to this indoor food market you have to walk through the San Lorenzo Market which is packed with vendors selling leather goods where I bought a beautiful leather bag. It was stunning so I haggled with the guy for a good price and voila, new overnight bag. At Mercato Centrale, the downstairs level is full of stands where you can buy goods like pasta, cheese, bread, meats, and any food thing you can imagine. Then upstairs is where you get your grub on. You grab your food, find an open seat where servers walk around taking drink orders. If you’re going to ask me if I want a cocktail while I’m on vacation in Italy, I’m going to say yes please one Aperol Spritz. Downstairs was where I got most of my takeaway gifts and goodies. The aged balsamic vinegars and pistachio cream I got were to die for.

After we had our fill of the market or more like we couldn’t fit any more food in our stomachs or purchases in our bags, we went back to our apartment to drop off our haul and freshen up for drinks at Ponte Vecchio. We had a little time to kill before we had to meet up with friends who were also visiting so we went to this adorable little vintage boutique, Lady Jane B. It was the sweetest place. The owner was so kind and generally cared about the merchandise she sold and her customers. We bought some sunglasses and she was so sweet to let us each pick a pair of earrings out as a gift. It is a tiny little place but chock-full of quality vintage goods. These little unique Florence keepsakes were wonderful reminders of our time there.

After riverside drinks at sunset (yes ugh, it was a dream) we walked across the bridge and had dinner on the other side of the Arno river or, Oltrarno which literally means the other side of the Arno. We shared a Steak Florentine at The Antico Ristoro di Cambi. I don't normally eat a lot of red meat but I am always game to try local foods when visiting a new place. Years ago I was vegan very briefly, then vegetarian for a while, then slowly kept introducing more classes of meats back into my diet. One of the big reasons was because I was traveling more and didn't want to miss out on getting the full experience of new places by having a limited diet. So bring on the big ol' steak. It was done right, was good quality and I dug it.

The next day we only had the morning free before we had to catch our train back to Rome. We ended up going once again to the other side of the Arno to walk the Boboli Gardens. It was beautiful with some really pretty views of Florence. It was a pretty intense hike for me. I hadn't been in the best shape of my life and it was the end of our already exhausting trip so I found it to be a bit tough. But I made it! If you visit just know it's going to take some extra energy to hike these grounds so make sure you're ready and be kind to yourself. If you need to rest at almost every bench stop like I had to, no shame, whatever gets us to the top!

Before I wrap this up, two things need mentioning. The first is this cannoli needs a shout out as it was the most amazing thing I’ve ever eaten in my life. When you visit Ponte Vecchio, stop at Ginos Bakery. It will be on your left shortly after you cross the bridge. On our walk to Boboli Gardens this coffee cannoli called my name and I am glad it did because we are living happily ever after. The wedding will be next fall.

It was the best cannoli I’ve ever had and no cannoli has ever come close. Add the chocolate covered espresso beans and it’s everything you could ever want.

The second thing worth mentioning is beware if you fly with Air Italy. Their armrests do not go all the way up which I found very frustrating. Both I and the friend I traveled with are bigger than the average bear and it was really uncomfortable not being able to lift the armrest all the way up on a 7+ hour flight. But the biggest takeaway...you should visit Florence and have a wonderfully magical time and maybe let me know when you're heading there because I am dying to go back again. Ciao!