WEG update (or Fun fun fun...and horses!)

Endurance Rider!

Ummm..WEG...that's World Equestrian Games, Mere (hee hee..just kidding). 

Soooo much fun out at the Horse Park yesterday for the first real day of the World Equestrian Games.  We totally lucked out with tickets for the final set of the Team Reining World Championships with awesome seats (well..they're all awesome really) and were there to see Shawn Flarida (USA) compete with the best ride of the whole event!  And, we got to see the medal ceremony for the event which the US Team won by a pretty wide margin.  It was just like the Olympics, except for the part where the riders rode out on their horses to mount the medal stand.  Horses did not get on the stand though!  The lovely Princess Haya of Dubai awarded the medals to the winners, the flags of the winning teams rose up as the Star Spangled Banner played.  Very moving!  I waved my American Flag the whole time and tried to get the people around me to shout USA like we were at the World Cup but I couldn't get anybody else to play along (as a tip, that's a great way to embarrass your teen-ager).

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Shawn Flarida and horse doing the slide.  He had the highest score of the day!

That's Princess Haya. In the front...looking like a princess.

The Medal Presentation.  Horse to the left not so keen on the noise.

The flags rising at the Reining Team Medal Presentation

).  Also, we saw several of the Endurance riders crossing Iron Works Road and Paris Pike and had to stop for them.  Isabug (in from NY for the weekend) and I got out of the car and ran along the side of the road to get better pictures.  It reminded me a bit of trying to take pictures of wildlfe in Yellowstone.  Sheik Mohommed came in 2nd and the United Arab Emirates took the Team Gold.  The first-place finisher was a woman from Spain who had given birth 7 weeks ago.  Unbelievable!  I think she might be my new hero.

Honestly, this couldn't be more exciting!  We really do have the world here in Lexington! 

Buzzard Bait

Will thinks that Cleo might be too fat for a buzzrd to carry off.

The weather here has been so dry that one of my neighbors stopped me in the driveway to report that there was a huge gang of turkey vultures working the 'hood.  With our drought, the water in the lake must be attracting buzzards.  She wanted to be sure that Cleo and Howie aren't left unattended out in the backyard where they might become buzzard bait.

This makes me think several things:
1.  I have really nice neighbors,
2.  Are roaming gangs of buzzards terrorizing your neighborhood bad for your property values?
3.  Would, in fact, a Jack Russell Terrier be a tasty treat?

Weird.

P.S.. I saw a few of them circling overhead while I was running this morning.  Do you think that's a commentary on how I look when I run?

Spotlight Lexington Festival Rundown

A night on the town with some favorite ballet girls!!

Lookie what I have...I'm sure you can find this somewhere else but I thought I'd post it here for those considering what they can do in Lexington over the course of the next two weeks besides looking at horses!!
Oh...and Monday, I'm thinking that we might need to bike HorseMania (and stop for lots of food and coffee along the way.  Six Friends Cafe, anyone?

At Courthouse Plaza


Friday, September 24

Opening Night Celebration, presented by Applebee’s
6 pm Scott Said and the Backroads Band
7 pm Danny Gokey
8 pm Blake Shelton

Saturday, September 25

1:30 pm UK Jazz Ensemble
3 pm Bluegrass Area Jazz Ensemble
5 pm DiMartino Osland Jazz Orchestra
9 pm Here Come the Mummies (Funk)

Sunday, September 26

2:30 pm A Capella
6 pm “Celebrating the Equine Spirit” Parade
7:30 pm Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue (Jazz)

Monday, September 27

12 – 1:30 pm LIVE GAMES TELECAST

(Centrepointe Block)

6 pm The City (Rhythm & Blues)

Tuesday, September 28

7 pm The Juggernaut Jug Band

Wednesday, September 29 – TBA

Thursday, September 30

4 pm Song of the Bluegrass (Choral)

5:30 pm The Kentuckian Chorus (Choral)

8 pm Lexington Singers (Choral)

Friday, October 1

7 pm Opening Entertainment

8 pm Laura Bell Bundy (Country)

Saturday, October 2

5 pm Swinging On Main

8 pm Swing Street (Variety Dance Band)

Sunday, October 3

1 – 4 pm LIVE GAMES TELECAST

(Centrepointe Block)

5 pm Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra

7 pm Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra

Monday, October 4

10 am - 12:30 pm LIVE GAMES TELECAST

(Centrepointe Block)

2:30 – 5 pm LIVE GAMES TELECAST

(Centrepointe Block)

5:30 pm Broadway Showcase with Broadway Bound,

ACE, Summerfest, Laura Bell Bundy, Lyndy

Franklin, JC Montgomery, and Jason Heymann

Tuesday, October 5

10 am – 12:30 pm LIVE GAMES TELECAST

(Centrepointe Block)

2:30 – 5 pm LIVE GAMES TELECAST

(Centrepointe Block)

6 pm The Jimmy Church Band (Motown, R&B)
LOVE THE JIMMY CHURCH BAND!!


Wednesday, October 6

6 pm Grand Night for Singing (Opera)

Thursday, October 7

6 pm The Spazmatics (80’s Review band)

Friday, October 8

5 pm JD Crowe and the New South (Bluegrass)

8 pm Sam Bush (Bluegrass)

Saturday, October 9

3 pm Kentucky Ballet Theatre

5 pm Lexington Ballet Company  (Not Mary Rollins though...as we thought we'd be out of town)

7 pm Lula Washington Dance Theatre and

the River City Drum Corp

Spotlight Lexington volunteers filled the Council Chambers recently during training. (Photo by Malcolm Stallons)

Sunday, October 10

2 pm SECOND SUNDAY

4 – 6 pm LIVE GAMES TELECAST

(Centrepointe Block)

6:30 pm Closing Celebration

Rob Base & Don Jacobs

Grand Prize Give-Away

8 pm Fireworks

AT CHEAPSIDE PARK

Saturday, September 25

1 pm Logan Leet (Singer/Songwriter)

3 pm Kati Penn and Newtown (Bluegrass)

5:30 pm No Tools Loaned (Country/Bluegrass)

8:30 pm Mother Jane (Folk)

Sunday, September 26

2 pm Reel World String Band (Americana/Folk)  they should be great!

4:30 pm Carla Van Hoose (Americana/Folk)

7 pm Blind Corn Liquor Pickers

(Americana/Bluegrass)

Monday, September 27

5:30 pm Robbie Bartlett (Classic R&B/Jazz)

Tuesday, September 28

5:30 pm The Stella Vees (Swing/Blues)

8 pm The G. Busy Blues Revue (Blues)

Wednesday, September 29 – TBA

Thursday, September 30

5:30 pm Zydeco Bon (Blues/Cajun)

8 pm DJ Rice and the Payin’ Dues Blues Band

(Blues/Jazz)

Friday, October 1

6 pm “Lexington En Vogue 2010” Fashion Show

8 pm Track 3 (Classic Rock)

Saturday, October 2

5 pm Swinging On Main

Sunday, October 3

3 pm The Jason Scott Band (Country)

5:30 pm TBA

8 pm Stir Fry (World/Jazz)

Monday, October 4

5:30 pm The Swells (Jazz/Blues)

Tuesday, October 5 – TBA

Wednesday, October 6

5:30 pm The Big Maracas (Latin)

Thursday, October 7

5:30 pm The Swells Brass Band

8 pm O-Zone (Blues/Jazz)

Friday, October 8

5:30 pm Velveeta Jones (Blues/Jazz)

8 pm Gravy (Rock/Jazz)

Saturday, October 9 - TBA

Sunday, October 10

2 pm Superfecta (Jazz/Rock)

6 pm Tee Dee Young (Jazz/Blues/Funk)

AT TRIANGLE PARK

Saturday, September 25

10 am – 6 pm Kentucky Market

10 am – 2 pm Hemp Rope Accessories

2 pm – 6 pm Kentucky Treasure Box

Sunday, September 26

10 am – 6 pm Kentucky Market

10 am – 2 pm Horse Sculptures

10 am – 2 pm Large-Scale Weaving (Stage)

2 pm Energizers (Dance Group – Stage)

2 pm – 6 pm Mini Journals**

Thursday, September 30 & Friday, October 1

10 am – 6 pm Kentucky Market

Saturday, October 2

10 am – 6 pm Kentucky Market

10 am – 2 pm “Guys and Gals”

11 am Mecca (Dance Group – Stage)

12 pm – 2 pm Banners **

2 pm McTeggart Irish Dancers

2 pm – 6 pm Recycled Jewelry

4 & 5:30 pm Lexington Philharmonic Kinder Konzert (Stage)

Sunday, October 3

10 am – 6 pm Kentucky Market

10 am – 2 pm Jockey Silks: Design Your Own!

11 am David Garrard’s Magic Show

1:30 pm Alebrijes (Ballet on Stage)

2 – 6 pm Postcards from Kentucky

2:30 pm David Garrard’s Magic Show

3:30 pm Alebrijes (Ballet on Stage)

5 pm David Garrard’s Magic Show

Thursday, October 7 & Friday, October 8

10 am – 6 pm Kentucky Market

October 9

10 am – 6 pm Kentucky Market

10 am – 2 pm Native Americans in Kentucky Woven

Bookmarks

2 pm – 6 pm Painted Horseshoes

3 pm Lula Washington

3:30 pm River City Drum Corp

October 10

10 am – 6 pm Kentucky Market

10 am – 2 pm Stepping Stones Music Making

12 pm – 2 pm Lexington Children’s Theater (Stage)

2 pm – 6 pm Folk arts of India

**Denotes Community Projects

a little post about WEG -- the Endurance Race

This morning's newspaper had a nice article about the 100 mile endurance race.  Apparently, only about 40% of the participants have finished the race in previous World Championships.  They are hoping that 50% finish it this year.  And, I also heard that the Sheik (i.e. King) of Dubai is on his country's team.  You can't really watch any of the event though because the route goes through people's farms,

Endurance sounds so cool to me.  I'm thinking like the movie Hidalgo cool except without the horses dying.  When I was a kid, riding horses out on Delong Road, I used to like to pretend that I was endurance rider...or a pony express rider.  Sometimes, I'd ride my horse down to the mailbox and pick up the mail for my mom.

Oh...and this is apparently true, a man called the Altech WEG people to ask how he could enter his horse for the Endurance Race.  Too funny.

Glee!

There's only about a hundred things I wanted to post about this morning, what with the World Equestrian games opening FRIDAY and my intention was to have a horse theme all week!!! But for today's excitement, could anything top Glee?!?  Seriously, we've been addicted from the start.  Never missed an episode.  We are, in fact, "Gleeks".  My very favorite part of Glee doesn't have anything to do with the show though.  My favorite part is that our whole darn family, even the Will-meister, joins in on the fun.  He'd prefer less singing in contrast to Marc who wants more singing.  Mary Rollins and I want more Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel (and perhaps a time machine so we could go back to see the original Wicked on Broadway with them in it).   Hooray, I can hardly wait until 8 p.m.

And tune back in tomorrow for what today's post was really going to be about...how I met Tim Gunn yesterday.  Okay, really Isabug met Tim Gunn but she nicely photoshopped my head onto her body :-)

circa 1968...

Not that horse isn't always the theme in Lexington -- self-proclaimed "Horse Capital of the World"--but in honor of the World Equestrian Games, I thought I'd post a picture of my own early days on horseback.

That's Miss Iowa Stonewall (aka  Nicky), my oldest sister Cindy's horse whom my other sister Lynda will tell you was the better horse (Cindy always got the best stuff  per Lynda-- but I believe in trade Lynda had TWO horses.)  I ended up with all THREE horses plus Vega, a Shetland pony with a really bad temper and a lazy streak, at the tender age of 8 when my sisters got married and my older brothers decided horses were too much work.

Nicky really was the better horse. She was the kind of horse that when you fell off she'd come back over to nudge you with her nose to make sure you hadn't died.  Cheyne (her daughter) was the kind of horse that threw you off because she thought it would be fun to kill you.  Playboy (her son) was the kind of horse that thought he was a dog.

And Vega...I wonder if anybody bothered to take a picture of her.  As I mentioned, she was a Shetland Pony.  If you've ever had a Shetland Pony, it probably speaks for itself.  If you haven't had a Shetland Pony, you're lucky.    

Almost as much fun as being a mom...

Is being the Auntie G.  I hereby publicly declare that I have the bestest nieces in the world. 

As example, I give you the marvelous Isabelle (a.k.a. Isabug) who is best known on the internet for her fabulous blog Isabelle+David -- the story of a lovely South Carolina Island girl who is navigating life in the publishing world of New York whilst living in her miniscule Brooklyn apartment with her soon-to-be-famous musician husband David Linaburg and their talkative cat Charlie (why is that cat named after her grandfather, uncle and cousin, btw?).  

P.S. sending books is a great way to achieve favored niece/cousin status!  We can't wait to see you next weekend xoxoxo

The horses are coming!

Crazy Quilt

And some of them are already here!  It's only 9!!! days until the world descends upon Lexington.  Well, the horse world anyway but a whole bunch of pretty horses are already standing around town.

Horse Mania 2010, or Horse Mania the sequel is pretty darn cool.  We've been taking lots of pictures of some of our favs and planning a tour around town for all of our visitors.  I'm thinking we should bike to them since I don't have a horse anymore...then we don't have to worry about parking!

So many of the horses you'll really want to get up next to in order to fully appreciate their craftsmanship.  Horse to the left "In the Sky with Diamonds" was created by my friend Janice V's sister.  It's made using a technique she calls crash glass and is absolutely stunning -- the photo doesn't begin to do it justice.

A bit of a change up...

You might have noticed that I changed up the blog a little bit. Okay, maybe you haven't noticed because you're here for the first time but I've decided to fully embrace the fact that blogging/writing about real estate is boring. It bores me and clearly from comments (and lack of comments) I received from other people that reading about real estate bored them too. After all, if you REALLY want to read about real estate you can just pick up the newspaper (and get depressed), turn on the news (and get even more depressed) or watch HGTV (I'm going to save my comments and thoughts about HGTV for another post).


Don't think that means I'm not interested in real estate. I am. I still want to sell your house and I still want to help you buy a new one. I pay attention to market trends, I like talking about how best to stage a house, Ilove my clients and closings are really cool (Marc says they're the best part and I do like the shoes, clothes, ballet lessons, lacrosse sticks and food provided from the income) but I'm pretty sure that there are better sources for information about current market trends and how to stage your house. In fact, that would be my other website (Or, be a friend of Bluegrass Sotheby's International Realty on Facebook -- Kelley and Riley in our office post all that great stuff up there all the time.)

So, unless it's really pertinent real estate info that you won't find anywhere else or a really funny real estate story like the time I showed the house that had the Tyrannosaurus Rex mounted head, you won't find it here. From here on out, At Home in the Bluegrass is really about being at home in the Bluegrass (or about being at home in my minivan).

The weird dream I had last night...

So, last night I had this crazy dream that did NOT include bicycles.  In my dream, I was 44 years old (hmmm...seemed pretty realistic) but was living in an attic apartment in New York.  My apartment was quite small and, in fact, it was so small that I couldn't stand full upright in it.  I had to hunch over because the roof came in at an angle and even at the highest peak I couldn't quite hold myself up straight.  Suddenly, in my dream I realized that I was living in New York, I was single with no children, had a really lame job that contributed nothing to the betterment of the world and I hadn't been to any cool parties with even a B-list celebrity.  

About that time the crickets in my iPhone started chirping that it was time to get up and start the day and I awoke with the realization that as un-cool as it is to live in your home town, go to the same church you've been at your whole life (thanks for pointing that out, Elizabeth C.), my life is really fun, rewarding and full of great adventures and very special people.  I'm certain I would have cried if you'd told me 20 years ago, I'd grow up to be a Realtor living in Lexington but I can honestly say it's all pretty darn good.

Uh-oh...more later...have to go drive a girl to ballet and pick a boy up from golf. 

6 Friends Cafe

I just had the best lunch.  It was so good that I can't wait to tell you about.  I can't wait to go to lunch with you there again. 

A couple of weeks ago I was taking a little drive down Woodland Avenue next to Woodland Park (the one with the pirate ship pool and the skate park, you non-Lexingtonians) AND voila! there's a new little cafe opened up in one of the old Victorian homes along that stretch.  It's so cute with tables on the covered front porch and on the patio in front.  Word on the street is that it was opened by two friends (but they have some other friends, hence the six in the name) and they are serving up the nicest little crepes and paninis.  And, what I mean when I say "nice" is delicious combinations of meat and cheeses and spreads and stuffs like kalmata olives, pine nuts, pesto, gouda cheese, bacon, pear, apple.  Ooo la la and the sweet crepes?!?  Chocolate, coconut, hazel nut, more fruits, yummy yummy.  I barely looked at that side of the menu though as I was too entranced by the savory flavors.  But wait, there's more!! if you clean your plate they have a whole case of gelato.  Vibrantly colored purple and pink and chocolaty gelatos.  Oh my, I'm going back (on my bicycle next time) for gelato!!  What a little jewel of a spot.  All of the crepes and sandwiches are named for friends, par example, I had the Alexis crepes (grilled chicken, feta, kalmata olives) but was very tempted by the Lilly Panini but don't ask me what was on that.  All the meals come with those yummy Mrs. Vickers chips in great flavors like sea salt and vinegar -- now those are chips that are with the calories. 

Okay, who wants to go to lunch with me tomorrow???