Original Highlands Art & Music Festival, Sept 13

I keep waiting for the Original Highlands Art and Music Festival to expand to two days. Each year, they secure a line-up of music that could easily be a bit diluted and spread out-- this year includes Peter Searcy, Love Jones, Leigh Ann Yost, John Gage, Brigid Kaelin, and the Louisville School of Rock Band.

And, hands down, the OHNA always chooses one of the nicest weekends of the year.

This year's festival is part of the Ryder's Cup Festival and includes an even larger number of artists and previous vendors.

Pet Peeve: as an "art" festival, can't they come up with a poster that doesn't look like an ad for happy hour at Phoenix Hill? This summer, I visited my aunt on Martha's Vineyard and admired her more than 30 posters from as many years of the Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Fair, each one more charming than the next. I wouldn't spend $6 at Hobby Lobby for a cheapo frame for this poster.

Note too-- as I mentioned before (just weeks before I was diagnosed and suddenly became elligable for membership)-- some of the proceeds for the event will help support Gilda's Club.

Louisville Slugfest and summer preview

It's an utter travesty that I have lived in Louisville for almost two years and have never set foot in the Louisville Slugger Museum (unless you count the gift shop). Tonight I had a work related shin-fest at the Museum and enjoyed my tour immensely. In fact, it seemed like, in my tour group, I was the only person truly transfixed by every aspect of the factory.

Sure I've been to Fenway a few times, but where else can you plant a "good luck" smooch on Manny Ramirez's actual bat???? My heart was a-flutter, lemme tell you. I did get some strange looks when we exited the tour to a room featuring a HUGE portrait of David Ortiz and I said, "Big Papi! My boyfriend!!" Lou has no boyfriend, per se, but lots o' "boyfriends," including half the Boston Red Sox (special love to Lowell, Papi, Manny, and Lester), Bono (my original boyfriend), Glen "Big Baby" Davis of the Celtics, John Edwards, and countless others...

Last weekend, I went to a function downtown and left to go to my car and saw that the BIG Louisville Slugger Bat outside the museum was lit up in pink light to honor the MLB's pink bat, breast cancer fundraiser. I had to pause a moment because I was so choked up. But I did manage to get a picture of it.

Um, yeah, y'all don't need a map to point you into the direction that Mama Lou's health crisis has taken her.

That being said, contrary to most summers of her teaching career, Lou will be right here at home for the bulk of the summer. So while there may be some dead time, (ew, blech, bad, bad, bad slip o' the tongue) I should be able to report on all the summer goings-on.

Bonnaroo may be a no-go for me. But we still have the AAA All-Star Game and the Ryders Cup and For'castle Fest to look forward to... Stay tuned Louisvillagers. Lou will be just fine.

OHNA Art and Music Festival Teams with Ryder Cup

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I remember when I first moved here the Ryder Cup seemed so far away, and it seemed so damned silly to already have a countdown to the event hanging in the rafters of 4th Street Live. Then again, I'm not a big fan of the golf (although this year's Masters winner was kind of a cutie). How time flies...

Just got an email from the Original Highlands Neighborhood Association saying that this year our Original Highlands Art and Music Festival on September 12, 2008 will be part of the Ryder Cup Experience. Mark your calendars. A good time will be had by all and this year a part of the proceeds from the event will benefit the new Gilda's Club of Louisville on Baxter Ave.