Actors Names New Artistic Director

Associate Artistic Director of Berkeley Rep, Les Waters has been named the new Artistic Director at Actors Theatre. (Take that, California! You get Masterson, we get one of yours!)

Read the CJ article here. Of interesting note: Waters directed the debut of Sarah Ruhl's IN THE NEXT ROOM (or the vibrator play) before taking it to Broadway where it won an Obie and was nominated for three Tony's. Ruhl is a favorite of mine, and this play is scheduled to premiere at Actors in January.

Want to meet Waters and welcome him to our fair city? There's a reception at Actors tonight from 430p-630p.

I don't think I'll be able to make it, so I will extend my welcome now... Welcome to Louisville, Mr. Waters! If you need any advice or encouragement, drop me a note. I'll be happy to show you and your family around, give you advice, or share what I love about this city with you! We love our theater here in Louisville; do right by us, inspire us, and push us as your audience, and we'll love you to pieces!

Salon 2011 Gift Guide by Erin Keane

I don't know what I love about Salon's Holiday Gift Guide 2011 most.

Is it that the guide is based on "the year's most memorable fictional characters"?

Is it that one of those characters is the protagonist of Jeffrey Eugenides' The Marriage Plot, the book club book that I just finished slogging through?

Is it that the gifts are so compelling and well-sourced (seriously, I'll take anything on the Madeline Hanna page... especially this satchel. And yes, I'd like to think of myself as "The Ivy-League Graduate that Everybody Loves.")

Or is it that the Gift Guide was compiled by your favorite theater critic and mine, the fantastic Erin Keane?

This gift guide would have caught my eye regardless, but yes, I think that it was compiled by a favorite person is what I love best about this guide.

Catching Up With Some Awesome Louisvillagers

I don't mess around when I bring y'all Awesome Louisvillagers. The awesome thing about Awesome Louisvillagers is that they don't stop being awesome. Some of this is slightly old news, but there's enough old and new news to call for a little collective post.

Awesome Louisvillager and humble reporter Gabe Bullard is now the News Director at WFPL and is once again hosting the Moth Story Slam for November (Tuesday, November 29, 8pm at Headliners. $8. (more information here). Gabe did a bang-up job in October, and we're looking forward to witnessing his hosting chops again tomorrow. This week's theme is BUSTED. 

The lovely and talented singer-songwriter Awesome Louisvillager Brigid Kaelin is now living in Edinburgh, Scotland for the year and charming audiences overseas (and blogging about her adventures daily at Red Accordion Diaries). 

(By the way, it's that time a year again... go watch Brigid's "Dreidel's Day Out"-- even if it weren't holiday season, you should check it out to give a little jump start to your Ear X-tacy nostalgia).   

Local blogger and do-gooder extraordinaire, Awesome Louisvillager Michelle Jones is getting ready to roll out her annual "One Thing I Love About Louisville" series, which she features every January. If you're interested in participating by writing a guest post for her blog, drop her an email-- her contact information is featured prominently on her blog.  Hey Michelle, would it be too meta if my "One Thing I Love About Louisville" is your "One Thing I Love About Louisville" series? (I've already been featured, actually: here's mine.) 

Look forward to a couple more Awesome Louisvillagers before the year's end. You can read all the posts in the series here. Do you have suggestions? Are you awesome? :) Shoot me an email at lou [at] loueyville.com.

ReENTRY at Actors: More Must-See Theater

Shows like ReENTRY are exactly why I love Actors Theater so damned much. When the lights came up at the end of the show last Thursday night, the audience was quick to bolt to its feet. Not only was it good theater, acted and directed by true artists, it made the audience feel privileged to have been witness to the telling of these powerful stories.

ReENTRY is based on interviews conducted by co-authors KJ Sanchez and Emily Ackerman with more than 100 active duty and veteran Marines and their families, and every word of the script cites these interviews verbatim. The show investigates what it means to return from war, and the struggles and successes of both these returning soldiers and their families.

After the show, Sanchez and Ackerman conducted a moving and compelling Q&A. And when the actors came out to watch from an empty row of seats, my heart actually skipped a little to see them. It's so rare that such a short show (it's intermission-less) provokes such profound feelings of appreciation and investment in the performers.

The best job I've ever had in my life was teaching a writing class to veterans for the Veterans' Upward Bound program in New Orleans. I taught this class for almost three years, and this was mostly pre-9/11 (in fact, I had a class the night of 9/11... instead of canceling class, I found a television, rolled it into my classroom, put on the news, and wept and ranted with the three students who showed up for class). My vets were mostly of the Vietnam and Korean Wars, old enough to be my father or grandfather (it was almost all men, always), and every minute of the two hours I spent with them each week were the best minutes of my week. Despite the fact that both of my grandfathers and one of my grandmothers served in WWII, I learned everything I know (admittedly, still little) about what it meant to be a solider from those men. That job was such an honor and a blessing. Politics aside, spend some quality time with strangers who have given years of their lives serving this country, and you will come away transformed and inspired.

And so ReENTRY is a taste of that. Powerful (true) words and powerful performances. Definitely a don't-miss show at Actors. It runs through December 17; for more information click here.

Local love from Garden & Gun: Jason Cohen, Wood artisan

As you may know, my favorite magazine is Garden & Gun (even though I hate gardening and guns). If you haven't had a chance to pick up a copy yet, do not get turned off by the name. The writing is super, the photography is stunning, and the subject matter screams "Louisville." I can't find an official "mission statement" for the magazine on their website, but Garden & Gun basically features articles about Southern charm with a Northern attitude (um, Louisville, right?).

And Garden & Gun has a lot of love for Louisville. The next issue features one of our local artisans in it's "Made in the South 2011 Awards" article.  The problem is, the article doesn't contain contact info, and this person doesn't seem to have a web presence.  Here's the email version of the article about JC Wood Artisan, Winner: Home Category.

Everybody in Kentucky makes furniture out of bourbon barrels, but craftsman Jason Cohen makes art. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that his studio is just down the block from Bourbon Barrel Foods, where he sources his white oak barrels. Last June, Cohen made his first stool. “The tripod shape really balances you out, and you sit differently in it,” he says. Next, he tackled the pub table, using bourbon barrel staves for the legs. “Some people think the wood is going to break because of the angle,” Cohen says. “But the wood has been trained for years to that form, and it makes it strong. It’s green when they cut it, and then they pour liquor in it. It’s almost petrified.” Sturdy as white oak may be, Cohen takes care to apply an outdoor finish, making both the table and stools durable enough to use on a porch. “The set has an old-world look to it,” he says, “but it’s contemporary too.”
Click here to see a picture and read the article. 

So, Internet Brain, anyone know where we can see any of this lovely furniture crafted by Jason Cohen, Wood Artisan?? I only have an address on Story Ave, but it appears to be a workshop, not a showroom.  Please email me if you have any info about Jason Cohen (and congrats to him, by the way!), and I will share whatever I find out with the class.

Baby It's Cold Outside: Outdoor Skating in Jeffersonville

Yesterday evening, I was bummed to see that WFPL reported that the proposed Waterfront Park Ice Rink had been put off for another year. According to the article on the WFPL website, Waterfront Park Facilities director, Gary Pepper, said, "Everybody thinks it’s a great idea. We’ve got a killer location for it. But with the economy the way it is, we’re working on a tight margin, a tight budget right now. We just don’t have the money.”

But just as soon as I tweeted my displeasure, Shea Van Hoy, editor of the News and Tribune across the river, responded with this news article: "Temporary Ice Rink Planned for Downtown Jeffersonville."

The outdoor rink, rented from an outdoor rink rental company (who knew?), will be open from the day after Thanksgiving until January 1 at the corner of Spring and Market in downtown Jeffersonville. Admission is $8 or $6 if you come in groups of 10 or more. There's no reason to worry that warm weather (we can still dream) will cause the rink to turn to slush; it's only 3 inches deep, and the company installs the same sort of chillers on outdoor rinks in Vegas.

It's great to read that they're loving on the local downtown businesses. According to the article:

The city plans several promotions related to the rink. For instance, Tuesdays will be eat local night wherein those bringing a receipt from a local restaurant can get a discount. Thursday nights will be shop local night — same drill but with a local business receipt... On Friday nights, a DJ will be hired for teen nights. Sundays will be Skate with Santa Day.

Now that we have recreational outdoor ice-skating taken care of for the season, kids, can we please start talking about my idea for outdoor hockey at Slugger Field again? I'm thinking it's time to try this charge again!

Awesome Louisvillager: Stephanie White

It's been a long time since I last featured an Awesome Louisvillager on the blog. But lately it seems like the more challenging certain aspects of my life become, the more the people in my life seem to matter. So, what better way to celebrate the good people of Louisville than by resurrecting the Awesome Louisvillager feature?

Our first Awesome Louisvillager, though, is someone I've never met! Who runs a website that doesn't really even benefit me! But she's pretty awesome nonetheless. Stephanie White runs the Louisville Family Fun website, and if you're a Louisvillager and a parent or grandparent, you should know about this site. Louisville Family Fun features discounts, contests, events calendars, and coupons all aimed at folks with kiddos.  

Meet our seventh Awesome Louisvillager: Stephanie White!

1) How did the idea for Louisville Family Fun come about? Did you always see it as a business, or did you start hunting down deals for local families for fun? 

Louisville Family Fun was born a simple blog for detailing events thought up by myself and another mom at a play date, of course.  She mentioned sharing a google calendar online for all of the events in Louisville for families, and I was interested in the blog aspect.  It was born a blog, not a business.  After traffic started to explode on the website from word of mouth, social networking, google and such, I was approached by a business about advertising.  Then, I made the decision to let Louisville Family Fun morph into a business in order to fund the machine it had become.  There is such a demand for the information, looking at it as a business helped to organize it and support it financially.  However, I stay true to my mission of finding great events for families, deals for things they need or want and informing them about anything that I feel pertain to their family lives.  To me, it still remains a ton of fun and since I have a team of writers now and someone to handle the events calendar, it's even more exciting to have people involved in the mission.

2) Social media in Louisville is a pretty vibrant "scene." I recently gave a talk at the Louisville Public Library about how social media, specifically blogging and tweeting, literally changed my life. How do you use social media in your business? How do you use it personally?

Social media is my business!  The Louisville Family Fun site is closely incorporated with Facebook and Twitter and a little bit on YouTube.  I can't be everywhere, but I try!  Social media and networking is the new wave in gathering and sending information and for my readers and business clients, it's a must in blogging.  Usually, all advertisers get some extra plugs on social media sites and they love that.  Because of social media, we provide such a cost-effective way for businesses to advertise.   I also use these sites to reach out to potential clients.  On the flip side, readers get alerts to new posts, events, deals or photos/videos of what there is to do around town.  Personally, I use social media to connect with my family and friends since I do not live close to them.  I grew up in suburban New York City and I love that sites like Facebook have reconnected me with my cousins and old friends and I can see pictures of my family nearly daily.  We also video chat through Facebook, it's convenient.

3) Why is Louisville a great place to raise a family? What are some things that are unique to Louisville that make this city kid- and parent-friendly?

I am from NY. I grew up having New York City in my back pocket.  I met my husband in college and he grew up in Kentucky.  All throughout our relationship, I knew we would eventually live in what I affectionately call "The Home Land" for him.  I was nervous because I liked living in states that touch water.  No, not the Ohio River, oceans! I like oceans!  So, when he took a job here and we moved from NC, I was a little nervous but within a month, I was sold. 

Louisville is easy to navigate with kids.  Everything is accessible and cost friendly.  There are so many options for physical activities as well as educational ones and all at different price points, including a lot of free options.  I find that in Louisville, businesses, whether they cater directly to families or not, care about kids and that makes people want to go out to festivals, participate in events and support local businesses. I see a nice cycle going on in Louisville that I have not seen in other cities that I have lived in.

What makes Louisville unique are the libraries and the parks.  The Louisville Free Public Library branches have fantastic programming for every age.  When I moved here, I did a tour of library story times.  Literally, a family can attend a different one each day and never repeat location for weeks.  At each location, the experience will be wonderfully different and the people, warm and inviting.   Also, the libraries themselves are so nicely maintained and they host special events like festivals, wonderful summer reading programs and things like scavenger hunts. I could go on!  And, the parks.  This is another venture I have taken on. I want to visit all of the Louisville Metro parks to let families learn more about them and inspire them to hit a new park next time they want a day out; forget about indoor video games or a movie.  From the quaint parks like Tyler Park to the huge ones like Cherokee or Iroquois, Louisville is most impressive when it comes to the park system.

4) Between raising two pre-school-aged kids and running Louisville Family Fun, you probably spend more time than most people in the "parent zone." When you want to have a decidedly grown-up night or afternoon out, what are some of your favorite things to do in Louisville?

I have always been involved with kids. I am a geeky math teacher at heart and by trade, so the parenting and teaching through Louisville Family Fun come naturally.  But, I am human and from time to time, I need and deserve a break.  I actually just wrote a little article that was in Today's Family Magazine this past issue encouraging parents to stop making excuses and go out, yes, *gasp* without their kids!  With my friends, I really have fun at Sips n Strokes.  We go and let loose on the canvas, laugh a lot and enjoy some good food and beverages.  I also like checking out all of the local coffee shops and have come to like Vint a lot so we will go there, share some wine or coffee and great conversation.  With my husband, our best night out on the town was a ridiculously awesome meal at Jeff Ruby's.  That is by far the place for us; I just love the decor and the food was incredible.  But, for a more casual outing, we love sports and have taken in a Bats game, and the FAT Friday Hop is fun for a more budget friendly date night.  We did that and got a bite to eat, walked around Mellwood Arts, did some people watching and got dessert.  Simple, good fun!  Also, I am just waiting for the perfect act to be booked at the Louisville Palace so I can get tickets and take him. That venue is beautiful and I don't know who that perfect act is yet, but I am waiting. 

5) What's the future for Louisville Family Fun?

Louisville Family Fun will continue to write informative reviews for families and maintain the densely detailed calendar.  That's the main priority.  Hopefully, we will continue to grow and I can keep contracting writers in order to diversify the perspective.  We will also secure more awesome prizes because people just love a good competition and the opportunity to win something fantastic.  I would love to increase the charitable aspect of the business and explore more ways to give back to local groups in need.    I also want to take the Louisville Family Fun Pass and instead of having one to cover all of Louisville, split it to create a few area specific cards.  Finally, I hope to secure some really strong sponsors in order to fund all of these endeavors.  Wow, that makes me tired just thinking about it!

Thanks to Stephanie for answering my questions. Previous Awesome Louisvillagers have included: Gabe Bullard, Michelle Jones, Brigid Kaelin, and the Fairdale Bigfoot. Check out those and other Awesome Louisvillagers here. More to come!

Land of Tomorrow: Music & Art Intersect

Andrea Stanislov's Diamond Dog

The Land of Tomorrow (LOT) gallery in Louisville is a new-ish gallery space for experimental art. They have a sister facility in Lexington.  As Michelle said on Consuming Louisville, the first time I heard of this gallery was during Idea Festival.  I still haven't been, but I am really looking forward to seeing the Expanded Music Project, which opens on November 18th with a reception at 7pm. The Expanded Music Project will showcase work that illustrates the connection between art and music. From their press release: 

Included in this exhibition will be work by Heather Cantrell, Aurora Childs, Saiman Chow, Geneva Jacuzzi, Leslie Lyons, Andréa Stanislav, as well as Raurouw, Thieves Like Us, Peaking Lights with artist Letitia Quesenberry, musician EMA with artist Jacob Heustis, and Hirsuta design firm.  

The premise of this show is to highlight the fluidity between creative forms and artistic practices.  The influence of album art, video production, stage design, graffiti and the appropriation tactics of remixing have established an ongoing conversation between artists and musicians.  This dialogue between visual artist and musician continues to play a major role, and creative forces as diverse as Elvis, The Velvet Underground, Talking Heads, Pink Floyd, and Afrika Bambaataa have delved into the realms of the visual and the auditory to produce work that both fields accept and champion.

I'm perhaps most excited to see this installation, seeing that the disco ball and Louisville are so connected (I'm sure all of you fantastic Louisvillagers know that 90% of all disco balls are made right here-- right down the street from my house-- at Omega National Products). And, hello, Bee Gees reference? Swoon! 

The Hirsuta design firm will present a re-examination of the form and context of the Disco Ball in “Variations on the Disco Ball or, the Bee Gees Have Left the Building.”

Admission is free to the exhibit and to the reception.  

Holy Grale Goes All Bell's on November 15

I kind of love it when I look back on an old blog post, and it makes me laugh. That's a great way to start the day. I was looking to see if I'd ever done a really proper post on one of my favorite places-- The Holy Grale-- and it turns out I haven't. But I've mentioned it a few times, including in this post in which I rant about people on Twitter/Facebook complaining that they're "bored."

Anyway, I just love the Grale. It's one of those places that I always know will impress a friend or a date. It is literally the closest bar to Casa Lou. It's cozy and rarely too loud, even on weekends. There are very few things I like about winter (boots, my embroidered brown coat, boots, uh... yeah, that's the list), but one of those things is going to the Grale when it snows. There's something about the candlelight, the brick, the shape of the windows-- the Grale feels vaguely Leaky Cauldron when it's snowing outside.

But I digress. Again. (Maybe this is why I'm never bored: I have seven hundred thoughts in my head at any given moment. Or as Whitman says "I am large, I contain multitudes." I don't really think that I was what he had in mind....)

Back to the point... I'm also a big fan of every beer I've ever had from the Bell's brewery in Michigan. And for one day only, the Grale is going ALL Bells. Here's the information from their press release.

Bell’s Eccentric Cafe comes to Louisville
at Holy Grale (1034 Bardstown Road)

Tuesday, November 15th
starts at 4pm / Choir Loft opens at 6pm 
20+ Bell’s beers on tap!
Special guest from Bell’s Brewery, Veronica Sanders
 

About the event:
Turns out Holy Grale and Bell’s pub in Kalamazoo, Michigan (The EcCentRic CaFe) have something in common, 20 rotating taps! So, for one night and one night only Holy Grale will do its best to transform itself into the Eccentric Cafe by featuring twenty different delicious and exciting beers from Bell’s Brewery on tap and one from the firkin, pouring in signature Bell’s glassware, and hosting a very special guest from the brewery, Veronica Sanders. Join us for an evening of good beer and a celebration of all things eccentric.

Bell's Beers On Tap:

Bell’s Amber
Bell’s Pale
Bell’s Porter
Bell’s Lager of the Lakes
Bell’s Oarsman
Bell’s Best Brown
Bell’s Winter White
Bell’s Christmas
Bell’s Hell Hath No Fury
Bell’s Sparkling Ale
Bell’s Quinannan Falls Special Reserve Lager
Bell’s Hopsoulution
Bell’s Hopslam
Bell’s Third Coast Beer
Bell’s Java Stout
Bell’s Cherry Stout
Bell’s Expedition Stout
Bell’s Double Cream Stout
Bell’s Le Batteur
Bell’s Le Pianiste

* On Cask: Bell’s Two-Hearted

About Bell’s Brewery:
Bell’s Brewery, Inc. began in 1985 with a quest for better beer and a 15 gallon soup kettle. The dedication to brewing flavorful, unfiltered, quality craft beers that started in 1985 is still with them today. The brewery currently makes over 20 beers for distribution as well as many other small batch beers that are served at the Eccentric Cafe in Kalamazoo. Bell’s ongoing goal is to brew thoughtfully, creatively and artistically – striving to bring an authentic and pleasant experience to all through unique ales and beers. http://www.bellsbeer.com/

For more info please email us at: info@holygralelouisville.com

I'm NOT hoping for snow in November, but if Mother Nature has to do her snowy thing. I hope it's Tuesday!

An Embarrassment of Theater Riches: Le Petomane, Theater [502], Walden

I know I blog a lot about theater and have a lot of friends in local theater, but I'm still not necessarily wise to the ways of theater people. One question that's been at the forefront of my mind lately is: why does it always seem a "feast or famine" issue for local theater here in Louisville? Who decides what a "season" looks like, time-wise? Who makes these schedules? I know many of the local theater companies participate in group auditions; why is it that these same companies don't participate in a group scheduling workshop at the beginning of each year?

I voiced this concern yesterday to Roommate, and he said, "You should do it."

Turns out he misunderstood what I was saying. He thought that I was saying that someone be in charge of keeping a master schedule of what's going on when and where in theater in Louisville. Not necessarily a bad idea, but that wasn't the point that I was trying to make. I was saying that someone should be the gatekeeper of that schedule. When he said, "You should do it," my wheels started to turn, and I imagined myself in a dark leather wing chair behind a massive desk, perhaps stroking a white Persian cat, with the leaders of all the local theater groups assembled before me waiting patiently while I doled out Louisville theater calendar real estate.

So, Louisville Theater professionals, I'm just putting this out there. If you need a Godmother of Theater Calendar Dispersal, you just let me know, okay?

Because maybe if I was the Godmother of Theater, we wouldn't have the glut of absolutely fantastic theater offerings that awaits us in the coming weeks.  We could spread out our theater love a bit more. (And right before the holidays, too, when we're all paying a little more attention to our pocket books and our discretionary spending...)

The must-see theater over the next couple of weeks...

First up, we have Le Petomane's A VERY SPECIAL HOLIDAY SPECIAL (with new special short masked piece, EN ROUTE).  I am terribly late to the Le Petomane bandwagon, I'm afraid. After years of hearing nothing but good things about them from friends and from the LEO Best of's, I finally got to check out 5 THINGS, their most recent show, and write an article about them for The Paper. And now I'm a believer. I have to admit, I liked the three people from Le Petomane that I interviewed so much that I fretted about seeing the show. I wanted them to be as smart and fun and funny on stage as they were in person, and they were... in spades. From their press release:

A Very Special Holiday Special features all you would expect from a Le Petomane season-appropriate outing: snappy tunes; a giant atomic beast crushing cities; baffled scientists pointing skyward and shouting. And a message of love. It isn’t Plan 9 from the North Pole; it isn’t Rankin-Bass’s Godzilla; but it’s not far away.

A VERY SPECIAL HOLIDAY SPECIAL runs from November 9-20 (dark on the 15th) at the Bard's Town Theatre at 730p. Tickets are a sliding scale of $8-$20. For more information visit: www.lepetomane.org

My work with The Paper also led me to interview Mike Brooks, the director of the second of Theatre [502]'s shows, HUNTER GATHERERS. And I had a similar "I like you so much, please don't suck" feeling when finally seeing the show. Again, Mike is smart and thoughtful in person, and his directing absolutely did not disappoint.  Theatre [502]'s third show launches at the Parkside Studios inside of Iroquois Amphitheater November 11, 12, 14, 18, and 19 at 8pm. BROADSWORD, directed by Amy Attaway, is billed as a "Heavy Metal Play." From their press release:

Four former friends have gathered to mourn the puzzling disappearance of one of their own. What dark secrets of their heavy metal youth still scrape and bang in the basements of their lives? Their childhood dreams of rock and roll glory long fallen by the wayside, the former line-up of the shoulda-coulda-woulda band find themselves in an awkward, maybe even sinister reunion gig. Richie disappeared late one night leaving nothing but the smell of ozone - or was it sulfur? - and his partners in rock may hold the only key to his salvation. Now, pitted between two mysterious strangers, the guys must decide: do they have the strength to burn out, or will they just fade away?

I saw the joint Theatre [502]/Le Petomane staged reading of IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE at the Parkside Studios, and I'm so excited to see how they use the space (it's a climate-controlled space on the Amphitheater stage) for a full production. This is another don't-miss-it show. More info at www.theatre502.org

Is that not enough for you?  Wait! There's more!

From the Walden website:

Phantom Band is Walden Theatre’s latest Slant Culture Series play. A laboratory for new plays by rising playwrights that feature complex teen characters, the Slant Culture Series encourages young actors to seek inspiration from a fresh, inward angle. Previous selections include The Disappearance of Daniel Hand by Dan O’Brien, My So-Called So-Called Life by David Murray, and the powerful, tragic When In Disgrace (Haply I Think on Thee) by Damon Krometis.

I saw and loved SO-CALLED and WHEN IN DISGRACE, and I'm a huge, huge fan of the Slant Culture Series because of it. I always try to make it out to as many Walden plays as possible, but that this play is also directed by Alec Volz makes this a must-see for me. Performances are at Walden November 10, 11 at 8pm and Nov 12, 17, 18, 19 at 7:30p and 12 & 19 at 2pm. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students/seniors. More info: www.waldentheatre.org

Three can't-miss theater productions in two weeks. Louisville, you're an embarrassment of theater riches!

(I have to admit, though, that I'm a little ticked off... all shows close by the 20th, and Mama Lou is visiting from the Northern Hinterlands starting the 21st! Booo!)

Raise a Joyful Voice

I am unabashedly a summer person, but these perfect fall days are kind of messing with that.  My favorite temperature is 82 degrees, but there's part of me that thinks I could really be okay with the upper-60's if they were always accompanied by the staggering beauty of the changing leaves and the autumnal light.  It is just so damned pretty out there, isn't it?  And when it's this beautiful outside, I feel compelled to seek out things of beauty.

So, beautiful music in a beautiful space?  Yes, I would like some of that please...

The Choral Arts Society of Louisville's November concert is coming up this Sunday, November 6 at 5pm at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church (639 S. Shelby Street).

According to their website, the pieces that will be featured are:

- "Funeral Ode for Queen Mary" -- Purcell
- "Take Him, Earth, for Cherishing"
- "Magnificat" -- Bach

Tickets are $20, but there are discounts for seniors and students.

Callooh! Callay! Trader Joe's is Open!

Huzzah! The Louisville Trader Joe's is open!!

I'm not saying that I ever took a trip to Cincy just to go to Trader Joe's, but I never took a trip to Cincy without bringing my cooler.  I'm a big, huge, stinking fan of the place. If you're a single person, TJ's is a godsend.  Lots of ready-to-eat frozen stuff that is portioned for or can be easily portioned for one.  A couple of years ago, I introduced Mama Lou to the Trader Joe's in Warwick, RI-- she lives around 45 minutes away. And now she makes the drive whenever she can to stock up.

But I've managed to stay away. Nothing can turn me off of a place as fast as a nasty crowd. But my resolve is wearing thin, and I'm thinking I'll have to hit up TJ's within the next couple of days.  Here is what is always on my shopping list:

1. Two-buck Chuck in all of its permutations. I usually come home with at least six bottles.
2. Frozen pork potstickers. So quick and easy, and yummier than most of the local restaurants' potstickers.
3. Potsticker sauce
4. Lots and lots of cheese-- this is where I've noted the best price point for TJ's. Their cheese is often WAY cheaper than our local groceries. And I loves me some cheese.
5. Proscuitto. 
6. That lovely proscuitto and mozzarella cheese log thing... it's always at least $2 cheaper at TJ's than local groceries.
7. Asparagus risotto and mushroom risotto (frozen). It's supposed to be a side dish, but I usually make a meal of it.
8. TJ brand cheese crackers. Like Cheez-its, only better and healthier (or so I would like to think).
9. High cacao-content chocolate bars. You know I don't like sweets, but 60% or above cacao-content chocolate bars are great stomach settlers when you're feeling crummy.
10. TJ brand salad dressings... always interesting and cheaper than name-brand.

What else should I put on my shopping list, dear readers? Fresh flowers, for sure. I don't need veggies because I subscribe to Green B.E.A.N Kentucky. Leave me a comment below if you have a suggestion. Or tweet me at @loueyville.  Help me make a great shopping list for my inaugural trip to the new Louisville Trader Joe's!

PSA: Code Red

As someone who has lived through a number of major natural disasters and has always bemoaned how difficult it was to get information, I thought I would pass along this press release from the mayor's office in its entirety: 

Louisville has a new system — Code Red — to keep citizens updated during emergencies. The system uses a variety of methods — text alerts, emails and phone calls — to warn citizens about potentially life-threatening events, including severe weather. The new service is free – but you must sign up to receive the alerts.   To sign up for Code Red alerts, visit www.louisvilleky.gov and fill out the form. Citizens may choose which types of alerts and which delivery methods they wish to receive. Citizens who do not have access to computers or the Internet may visit public libraries to sign up for Code Red. Citizens who cannot visit the library can call MetroCall 311 and have a city employee enter their information into the system. MetroCall will be helping citizens sign up for Code Red every weekday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Do yourself a favor and sign up now-- before you wish you had. You can always unsubscribe if the city gets too pesky or nosy.  But the next time we have a hurricane or an ice storm or a wind storm or a flood, I'm betting you'll be glad you signed up. 

Mobile Journalism: November 14

As someone who has tried (and failed and resorted to just tweeting) to live blog from a number of events (Bonnaroo, Idea Festival, HullabaLOU), I was very interested when this press release popped up in my email box. The Louisville Pro Chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists will be hosting Chip Mahaney, Director of Digital Content for EM Scripps Company on November 14 at 7pm. Maheney will be speaking on "Mobile Journalism"-- reporting from the field with tools and technology designed for reporting and posting on the go--  at the Interactive Media Lab 124 N. First Street. The event is free and open to the public.

A snippet from Maheney's bio:


[Maheney] directs content initiatives for Scripps' 10 television stations. His mission is to grow the company's audience through better online journalism and social media. Chip is a former local TV news director and manager, working for companies such as FOX, Gannett and Raycom, in markets that include Dallas-Fort Worth, Richmond, Austin and Oklahoma City. He has 30 years' experience covering local news, sports and extreme weather, and leading newsroom changes through better technology and workflow.


For more information: http://www.spjlouisville.com/