Lexington Farmer's Market

Saturday morning took me on my first trip to the Lexington Farmer's Market. Located in the Cheapside Pavilion and on the grounds of the old courthouse; it's become a Lexington tradition and a place to see and be seen. I got the chance to make my first trip with my brother, Parker. Parking was easy 'cause it's a Saturday morning and the downtown parking rules are pretty lax. The place was teeming with energy...lots of people, vibrant colors everywhere, fresh food, art, live music...simply great. I was a little overwhelmed at first. We started wading through the crowds and found ourselves surrounded by the freshest vegetables, fruits and flowers Kentucky has to offer. I bought the best cantaloupe (from Casey County) that I've had all summer and some super fun purple bell peppers (from Jessamine County). On top of that there's artisan Kentucky cheeses, wine, fresh beef, honey, baked goods and an entire section devoted to local artists. Make sure you come hungry to try all the samples and some unique food vendors including a mobile pizza oven and crepes which I got to enjoy stuffed with cheese, spinach and country ham.

Go early 'cause we got there around 10:30 and a lot of vendors were already sold out their ripest produce.

There are markets hosted throughout the week, but your big one is Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Cheapside Bar and Grill

After our trip to Lexington History Museum, we decided to have lunch close by at Cheapside. Known for its fabulous patio and rockin' nightlife, I made the mistake of making my first trip there during the day for lunch. The food was kinda 'blah' and the service a little scattered. I'll have to make a return visit and see it in full swing to get real Cheapside experience. Not a great lunch stop.

Lexington History Museum

Thursday I took a trek with my brother, Parker, and sister, Meredith to the Lexington History Museum located in the historic old Lexington Courthouse. It was a welcome indoor activity after outdoor plans were thwarted by the heat or so we thought until we found out the museum was only half air conditioned. For some reason the first floor exhibits were closed that day but the floors two and three held enough to keep us entertained for a few hours. One of the biggest parts of the museum is mostly architectural bits salvaged from renovations all over the city. One of the biggest things I took away from the museum was how bad the 60s and 70's were for buildings downtown; going through massive urban renewal definitely a very unique cityscape replacing it with parking lots and generic buildings. Other features were the World Equestrian Games art exhibit and a black and white photographic exhibit of African American life in the area. Less exciting things were the IBM typewriter journey through time We and a mediocre train display (which was sad sad 'cause I have a soft spot for trains). We did see a lot of neat things about the city but it might be more fun done in connection with the Lexington Farmer's Market on a Saturday that a trip unto it own. It may had been more fun with a guided tour with someone to really tell us what we were looking at.

Tours are self guided and free.

Thursday Night Live

I made my first trip Thursday Night Live. Set between the old courthouse and new Cheapside pavilion creating a really fun atmosphere...live music, lots of people, lots to drink (if you can), BBQ and kettle corn...this all adds up to a pretty good time. We got there kinda late after dinner so the crowd was starting to thin out. It's the first time I've been down to the new Cheapside Pavilion; a great addition to downtown. I love the new closed roads allowing for great gathering and entertainment spaces. Thursday Night Live is a great way to spend a summer night downtown. Family friendly, kids were dancin' away, people had their dogs...glad we went.

Thursday nights throughout the summer at Cheapside Park from 4:30-8:00
No admission, bring cash for food and drink vendors, bring a chair