Rickhouse at Bardstown Bourbon Company in Bardstown, Kentucky
I mentioned in an earlier post that Kathy & I had recently visited Bardstown, Kentucky. We met friends Jim & Lisa there, as it is roughly equidistant for them and for us. Kathy & I arrived a day early, visiting Bardstown Bourbon Company and Heaven Hill Distillery before meeting up with Jim & Lisa that afternoon.
Visitor Center at Bardstown Bourbon Company in Bardstown, KentuckyPatio at the Kitchen and Bar. Bardstown Bourbon Company in Bardstown, KentuckyPatio at the Kitchen and Bar. Bardstown Bourbon Company in Bardstown, KentuckyInside the rick house at Bardstown Bourbon Company in Bardstown, Kentucky. One of the loveliest smells in the world!Inside the rick house at Bardstown Bourbon Company in Bardstown, Kentucky. One of the loveliest smells in the world!
The following day, the four of us visited the Kentucky Cooperage (no photos permitted) to see how barrels are made (a fascinating process), then Limestone Branch Distillery and Maker’s Mark.
Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky
The following day we visited Kentucky horse park for a whole different set of smells. 😉 Photos from that day will come later.
Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, KentuckyThe Worlds Smallest Rickhouse. Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, Kentucky
For those who wish to see more, a gallery of photos from our trip are posted on my Adobe Portfolio website.
I just bought myself a new toy tool. It’s hard to believe it was over a year ago, but I had written in March 2022 about having rented the Peak Design Travel Tripod. I liked it a lot but couldn’t justify spending $600 (at the time – it’s now $650) on a part-time tripod. And I wasn’t sure it was good enough to be an only tripod, so I had lots of excuses to not buy one.
Relative size of tripods in their storage cases.
There aren’t too many cases where I really want a compact, highly portable tripod. I had a Gitzo, that while wasn’t designed for travel was sort of portable – it would fit in a large suitcase with the center column detached, but just barely. My only tripod lately has my big and beefy RRS TVC-33 with the matching BH-55 ballhead. An excellent and steady base, but really overkill for my relatively light Fuji equipment. While it is great for car travel, it’s just a little too tough to jam into a suitcase. It was just the thing when I was shooting with the big-a$$ Canon equipment. Of course a too-big tripod to a photographer is sort of like a too-big diamond to a lovely partner. No such thing, right? But I had been looking for a suitable travel candidate, albeit not too hard. I had done a little research and identified a few likely candidates, but the ones I thought would do the job were still a little pricey for comfort.
A couple of days ago I saw a post on a Fuji Rumors site that B&H was having a MEGA DEAL ZONE – 100s OF DEALS TOO GOOD TO LAST! sale. Included in the sale was a “Benro MeFoto GlobeTrotter Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod Kit” on sale for $175, marked down from $365. The ad indicated that it was $300 off, which is a bit overstated, but it is still half the regular price. It was one of the “finalists” that I had on my Wish List, the price was too good to pass up, so I pulled the trigger.
FedEx delivered the package on Thursday, and while I haven’t had a chance to use it extensively, my initial impression is that it is quite a worthy tripod. The build quality appears to be excellent, and I have to say that it appears quite sturdy. Compared to the RRS model I have to wonder why they are so expensive in comparison. The specs indicate that it is designed to hold 26 pounds. I don’t know about that, but even my heaviest lens won’t come close to testing it. I won’t know how good until I have a chance to use it IRL (‘In Real Life’ as the kids say) but I have an opportunity coming up that should let me put it through its paces.
Side by side comparison with MePhoto center column down.Side by side comparison with MePhoto center column extended.
Sign in the bottling room at Makers Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky
At a restaurant last week, I overheard a Loud Talker telling his tablemates about some conquest or other, and he used “like” repeatedly. How many “likes” does it take to make a sentence? Like, literally, dozens!
Literally is another overused word. Literally.
One of our neighbors was recently talking about her new Infusion stove. Ummm, Induction?
When our neighborhood has a function involving food, the signs and flyers sometimes say “BYOB Your Own Beverage.”
A woman I used to work with said she went to “Evolution Church.” I think she meant “Elevation Church” and I don’t think they discuss Evolution there.
I worked with a woman who did marketing for a bank, and she talked about their “Veritable Rate Loans.”
A boss of mine would email me to find out what I was working on, asking “What’s in your que?”
When we’re getting ready to go on a cruise, we check out various forums and message boards to get information about the ship, the cruise line or some of the policies. People often ask questions about the “Dinning Room.” They sometimes ask about “Making Whoppie” (but hopefully not in the dinning room) but I wouldn’t know about that. 😉
Artwork in the reception area of Makers Mark Distillery in Loretto, KentuckyArtwork in the reception area of Makers Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky
Inside the rick house at Bardstown Bourbon Company in Bardstown, Kentucky. One of the loveliest smells in the world! Processed using “Denoise” in Adobe Lightroom Classic.
As in Murphy’s Law….
Kathy & I returned Sunday from a few days in Bardstown, Kentucky. We met our friends Jim & Lisa there, and spent a few days exploring distilleries and horse country.
This morning we needed to go to the grocery store. As we are in the beginning stages of what looks to be a week long monsoon, we went prepared. Raincoats and umbrellas, leaving the sunglasses at home. As it turned out, no rain, and the sun was peeking through the clouds as we left the store. Perfect!
When we returned home I decided to leave the car in the driveway, hoping for a “free car wash” to dispel the layer of dust we had accumulated over the week. Several hours later, no rain. Finally we got a nice heavy shower, just enough to wash off the loose crud. Good for a few more days!
‘Italian Renaissance Alive’ exhibit at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina
I was going back through my photos from Biltmore on this rainy afternoon, and realized that I had not written about and shared photos of our visit to the Italian Renaissance Alive exhibit at Biltmore.
Several years ago, Biltmore contracted with a company called Grande Experiences for a series of “immersive, multi-sensory experiences” in one of Biltmore’s conference centers. The company has been doing these shows nationwide. Charlotte recently had a Van Gogh Alive exhibit, and Biltmore had previously hosted (if memory serves) Monet & Friends and Leonardo Da Vinci Collection – which we attended in October – and this one titled Italian Renaissance Alive.
‘Italian Renaissance Alive’ exhibit at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina‘Italian Renaissance Alive’ exhibit at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina
The exhibitions are nicely done, with an introductory series of rooms showing physical reproductions of many of the works featured in the show. The Da Vinci exhibit included scale models of several of Da Vinci’s inventions as well as prints of many of his famous works. This introduction leads the viewer to a large room, where there are lots of screens, playing a continuous loop of images, accompanied by appropriately dramatic music.
‘Italian Renaissance Alive’ exhibit at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina‘Italian Renaissance Alive’ exhibit at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina
My biggest issue with the show was that there was a lot of animation, from the relatively tame “Ken Burns Effect” of panning on a portion of an image, to actual animation of some of the artworks themselves. Imagine “The Creation of Adam” from the Sistine Chapel, with the figures of Adam and God floating toward each other in space, or moving limbs or the eyes of one or more of the subjects blinking. That was a bit unsettling, coupled with the fact that very few of the paintings were shown in their entirety, or if they were, for only a few seconds. For me that made it more about the entertainment factor than the art, but I guess that is today’s world.
‘Italian Renaissance Alive’ exhibit at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina‘Italian Renaissance Alive’ exhibit at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina‘Italian Renaissance Alive’ exhibit at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina
Both of the shows were interesting, and for many people probably the closest they will ever get to famous art so close to home. Not to boast, but for me it was a bit of a letdown compared to having seen many of the original works in person. Still, something interesting to do for a couple of hours!
Our grandson Edison visited recently, and one of the books he was reading described two characters on skateboards crashing into each other as a real “Kodak moment.” Edison looked up at Kathy and said “I don’t even know what that means!” Another idiom bites the dust!
“A Kodak moment is a moment in time that is so precious because of its sentimental value or its beauty, one wishes to preserve it on film. For instance, a baby’s first steps may be considered a Kodak moment.”
And further:
“The expression Kodak moment came from a popular advertising campaign for the American Kodak cameras in the latter half of the twentieth century, produced by Eastman Kodak. Kodak cameras such as the Brownie and Instamatic cameras were reasonably priced and easy to use, so even the most inexperienced or busy people could operate them.”
Dogwood in the gardens of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina
The Conservatory. In the gardens of the Biltmore Estate.
The Conservatory. In the gardens of the Biltmore Estate.
Flowers in the Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate
Flowers in the Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate
Flowers in the Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate
Flowers in the Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate
Flowers in the Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate
Flowers in the Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate
A gardeners work is never done. The Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate
Gardening tools. The Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate
View of the Biltmore House from a path in the gardens
Trellis along the South Terrace of the Biltmore House
The Italian Garden at the Biltmore Estate
The Italian Garden at the Biltmore Estate
The Italian Garden at the Biltmore Estate
The Italian Garden at the Biltmore Estate
The Italian Garden at the Biltmore Estate
The Conservatory. In the gardens of the Biltmore Estate.
Hammered Dulcimer player at the Conservatory in the gardens of the Biltmore Estate.
Hammered Dulcimer player at the Conservatory in the gardens of the Biltmore Estate.
The Conservatory. In the gardens of the Biltmore Estate.
The Conservatory. In the gardens of the Biltmore Estate.
Biltmore Village in Asheville, North Carolina
Last week, Kathy & I ventured to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville to take in the spring flowers in the gardens, check out the Renaissance Alive art presentation, and of course to eat and to buy wine. 😉
Biltmore is an easy 2 hour drive from Charlotte, suitable for a day trip but also a nice way for an easy overnight. We had reward points that allowed us to stay for free at a motel in nearby Biltmore Village, so we had the better part of two days. As Annual Passholders we didn’t have to pay extra for the visits, which can otherwise be a little pricey.
Even without visiting Biltmore House itself, the grounds and gardens are such a nice place to spend a day or part of the day. The gardens are extensive, and the Conservatory itself is larger than most homes. We concentrated mostly on the outside gardens, although as we were getting ready to leave, the sounds of a hammered dulcimer drew us inside for a listen.
Passenger waiting area. Melbourne Orlando International Airport, Melbourne, Florida
On our most recent trip to Florida, Kathy & I decided to fly, rather than make the 9-ish hour drive down unpredictable I-95. As a result, we had the very pleasant experience of using the Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB). What a nice airport and a refreshing change!
Passenger waiting area. Melbourne Orlando International Airport, Melbourne, FloridaPassenger terminal hallway. Melbourne Orlando International Airport, Melbourne, FloridaThink we can get on the Glasgow flight? Departure board. Melbourne Orlando International Airport, Melbourne, Florida
The Melbourne airport is modern and clean with everything you would expect in an airport – except crowds! With the exception of the occasional charter flight from the UK or elsewhere and a few non-daily flights, the airport appears to be largely a private and corporate plane base. There are a number of Northrup Grumman plants nearby as well as a number of space-related companies. Other than that, the commercial activity appears to be Delta flights to and from Atlanta, and American flights to and from Charlotte. It was quite a contrast to the madness of the Charlotte airport!
We arrived to a nearly empty terminal, found our checked bag in “Baggage Claim” (there is only one!) and found a pleasant covered spot to sit while we waited for the free airport shuttle to our hotel. On our return trip, the shuttle drivers at the hotel assured us that there was no need to arrive 2 hours ahead. Skeptical, I took him at his word, and sure enough when we arrived just over an hour before, we walked right up to a check-in counter, staffed by a real person, and turned in our bag. We then proceeded to the TSA checkpoint, where there were more TSA employees than passengers. We breezed through TSA Pre-check and waited in a mostly quiet waiting area. No clueless wandering passengers, no repeated announcements about maintaining possession of your carry-on, none of the drama of Charlotte. And no crush of impatient passengers trying to board. Nice!
Tarmac. Melbourne Orlando International Airport, Melbourne, FloridaView of Melbourne Orlando International Airport on our flight to Charlotte from Melbourne
Kathy & I decided that we could return to Melbourne any time. We found the hotel to be very nice, staffed with friendly people and in an excellent location on the beach. We’ll also take a look at other small airports we could fly to for a few days’ getaway!
Selfie (or Photo) spot. Melbourne Orlando International Airport, Melbourne, FloridaSelfie (or Photo) spot. Melbourne Orlando International Airport, Melbourne, Florida
We’re packing up and getting ready to head home, but it’s been a very nice visit to a new (for us) place. We spent time with friends, had some beach time, ate some good seafood and even got to see a rocket launch! I didn’t take any photos of the launch because it happened at 3 am and would have only showed an orange ball against a black background! But it was great to see, since it was the closest we’ve been to one (we’re about 30 miles from Kennedy Space Center).
I’ll have some more photos and stories once I get home and get the files into my computer. Processing photos on my tablet is a bit cumbersome. And takes away from my beach time! 😉
Causeway over the Indian River in Melbourne, Florida
We had dinner at a restaurant with perhaps one of the best restaurant names ever: Squid Lips! It overlooks the Indian River in Melbourne. I loved the way the late afternoon light hit the causeway, and interrupted cocktail time long enough to grab a few photos.
