BBQ, Big Brown and Burgoo

When you have a family you love who lives a long distance away, you will go to any length to see them.
You will travel through congested airports.
You will drive hundreds of miles on lonely highways.
You’ll brave rain, snow, sleet, and truck stop restrooms just to feel their hug or hear their voice.
This has been our life for the past eight years, since my parents were transferred, first to Peoria, Illinois (3 hours away), and then to Chattanooga, Tennessee (11 hours away).

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We’ve all done everything we can to make sure we get time together because we’re desperate to see each other. It wasn’t until this year that it became more convenient to meet Mamie and Papa in a city halfway between our respective towns.
For both of us, the halfway point is Louisville, Kentucky, a city we had never visited before.
I’d driven through it before, but we’d never stayed or explored the area.
That was a huge mistake, to say the least.
Louisville is absolutely beautiful; the people are incredibly friendly, and the weather was perfect the entire weekend we were there.

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So here is the thing, I forgot to take pictures of the most important thing, besides fellowship with family: the food.

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source

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My mom did some research on places to see, visit, do, and eat before she left home.
This you need to know about my mom, she is the travel/attraction/restaurant pundit of the family.
When you are going out to eat, ignore Zagat, and email my mom.
I am not even kidding.
Seriously, I will give you her email address.
She basically planned every single family trip for us growing up, all by herself.
No AAA, no travel agent, and this was back in the day of …..gasp….no Internet.

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So when she emailed us a list of places to must see a few days before, we were not disappointed.
One word: Burgoo.

It’s this amazing stew with what I think was BBQ shredded meat. I am not making it sound appetizing at all, but it was fantastic.
We got a small bowl and shared it around the table.
Next time, I think we will each get our own.

I want to mention this. The manager of the restaurant came up to our table and asked how our meal was, which isn’t at all unusual. But he told us that the server told him this was our first visit and he started telling us all about his restaurant, of which he was so proud, which was really nice. Steven Spielberg and Lady Gaga had eaten there, among other celebrities. But then he tells us we all get a free dessert! AND a bottle of BBQ sauce to take home! I LOVE LOUISVILLE.

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Downtown Louisville is full of history and has a really cool vibe.
This building was being held up by these metal bars.
I swear this was the only building like this in Louisville.
The entire town is not falling down.

On our way to the Louisville Slugger Museum!

I wanted to buy a horse after being here.

I wanted to be wealthy after being here.

Okay, so time to fill you in on a little inside bathroom humor joke.

So a few years ago we were at my parent’s house and my dad had gone to the bathroom and had been in there for a while.

Don’t act all innocent, everybody poops. 

When he came out of the bathroom (with the sports section AND the results of the Kentucky Derby under his arm) he announced this, “BIG BROWN WON THE DERBY!!!”

Now, we knew what he meant LITERALLY (Big Brown was an actual horse who did indeed win the Derby that day) but when someone comes out of a bathroom and says, “BIG BROWN WON THE DERBY”…… well that is just pretty damn funny.

I might have laughed so hard I snorted.
And tinkled a little.
Snorted AND tinkled a little.

Sninkled. 

Standing in the winner’s circle, because I am a winner too.

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So we are going back for sure.
Next time we are heading to Lexington, Kentucky as well because of the Kentucky Horse Park.
Oh, and two things I wanted to experience in Louisville that we didn’t have time to were a Kentucky Hot Brown and bourbon.

Kentucky Hot Brown is nothing like Big Brown, ahem.

Sninkle.

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Bourbon is a Kentucky staple, so I was also kind of sad we didn’t get to experience a mint julep.

Getting away for a weekend felt like a world away, literally.

I am so glad we got to see Mamie and Papa and the girls are too.

I only wish it didn’t go so fast.

Until next time…