lexington

Hello and happy Monday!

How was your weekend? Ours was busy with a capital B! We were in Louisville for our niece’s wedding. It was great to see family and celebrate the lovely couple, but we are worn out!

Ok, June…slow on down! It’s the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting the Share Our Lives link up with some of my favorite bloggers.

So far this year, we’ve discussed…

Saving time on chores in January
Tips for falling asleep in February
Day in the life, an average day in March
Creative outlets/free time in April
How do you spend your birthday in May

This month’s topic is unique things about where you live.

I really love where we live. I’ve shared before that growing up, I never thought I’d live anywhere besides KC, but now I’ve been in Lexington for over twenty years! That’s definitely hard to believe.

It’s been a few years, but I wrote this Lexington Top 5 post, and the reasons/unique things about where I live still hold true.

I’ll take the time to update some of the pics for each category, but that post shares lots of great reasons why I love where I live.

1. Keeneland/Oaks/Derby

The Keeneland meets are in April and October. Oaks and Derby are the first week of May in Louisville.

2. Restaurants

There are still so many restaurants that we love and go to often or even new ones that we’ve tried and now go to regularly. In the past couple of years we’ve broadened our horizons, eating at Jeff Ruby’s, Frank and Dino’s, Italx, and Lost Palm.

3. Sports

We still go to UK games — football, basketball, volleyball, and baseball. Especially now that my kids are older, they tend to go with friends or with their school teams. I think it’s so wonderful to have a college team to cheer for even if I still don’t “bleed blue.”

4. Parks

There are still many parks and outdoor activities that we like to visit throughout the year.

One I didn’t mention last time is that the Red River Gorge isn’t too far away and a good spot for hiking…

…followed by pizza a Miguel’s.

5. Activities

I don’t have many changes/updates for activities as I think I shared a pretty broad list last time. There’s so much to do in and around Lex from season to season.

One activity that wasn’t in that post that we’ve now done a couple of times is canoe Elkhorn Creek which is a fun activity that will also wear your kids out. haha!

This was a fun post to (re)visit and update. Oh how the kids have grown in the past few years! We love where we live.

What’s one of the most unique things about where you live?

Hey there! Happy Thursday. Today, I’m shining a spotlight on Lexington. I’ve lived here since 2004 when I moved here from Missouri after becoming engaged to Travis.

One of the immediate things I loved about Lexington is the small town feel but in a city. While I miss Missouri, I did feel “at home” when I moved here many years ago. I felt like I was able to navigate pretty easily on my own, I love all that Lexington has to offer, and the activities and restaurant options have only expanded through the years.

Here are the Top 5 things I love about Lex:

Keeneland

Hands down, my favorite activity is Keeneland. “Out-of-towners” always ask about Churchill Downs in Louisville, but I always suggest visiting in October and April when Keeneland has their fall and spring meets. The atmosphere at Keeneland can’t be beat!

I rarely bet…I just watch the horses run!

Restaurants

There are so many awesome restaurants in Lex. Here are some of my faves.

Merrick Inn:

Merrick Inn is a classic Lexington restaurant with a cozy indoor atmosphere and an awesome patio.

Carson’s Food and Drink:

Carson’s is a favorite as well. The inside is fun and has a rustic feel. It’s known for it’s cocktails and craft beers as well as it’s wonderful menu.

My birthday dinner this year at Carson’s

Native Cafe:

The Native Cafe is fairly new and located at Michler’s Greenhouse. The outside atmosphere is picturesque and quaint. Native Cafe is tucked in and quiet while in an urban setting.

Windy Corner and Wallace Station:

Windy Corner Market and Wallace Station Deli and Bakery are both located just outside of Lexington. They are great places to go to for outside sitting and great for families. Both have plenty of green space for kids to run around and picnic tables for diners to enjoy their meal.

The Stave:

The Stave is another restaurant just outside of Lexington with a wonderful outdoor space and great food.

Fun in the creek while we waited on our food.

Bella Cafe:

Bella Cafe is another new restaurant in town. It’s “everyday dining elevated.” I love their grilled salmon salad, and Hadley gives their lemon tart two thumbs up!

Others Faves:

We also love:

OBC Kitchen – bacon in a glass as an appetizer is a MUST!
Malones – great steaks…I love their oscar style twin filets!
Graze – lots of classic food options, hamburgers, and more!
Puccinis – Italian food, affordable, and family friendly!

This is the just tip of the iceberg for restaurant recommendations in and around Lexington.

Sports:

Y’all knows the the city of Lexington bleeds blue. While I’m not necessarily a “super fan,” I do love all of the sporting events and athletics that UK has to offer.

From football, to basketball, to volleyball, along with baseball and softball, there’s something going on every season of the year!

We usually go to one to two volleyball games a season. We often try to hit up the MIZZOU/UK match when it’s in Lex.

In the fall, you’ll find us at most home football games.

So many fun photos through the years.

The girls…

and their moms…haha

Parks:

There are so many great parks and hiking opportunities in and around Lexington.

UK Arboretum:

The Arboretum is always beautiful!

Shaker Village:

Shaker Village is outside of Lexington and is filled with history and has great hiking trails.

McConnell Springs:

I took the kids to McConnell Springs last year for the first time, and we had so much fun exploring.

Other Parks:

Other parks we enjoy include:

Jacobson
Masterson Station
Woodland Park
Raven Run Sanctuary

Activities:

There are so many fun activities throughout the year.

Winter:

The Hillenmeyer Christmas Shop Santa is the best in Lex!

Mustard Seed Hill was a fun place to visit. It’s located just outside of Lexington in Millersburg, KY. We went there for the first time this past December, and the lights were amazing!

The Horse Park’s Southern Lights are a fun family tradition for us.

Ice Skating at Triangle Park is also fun, but the rink is only open for a couple of months around the holidays.

Spring:

I already mentioned it, but Keeneland is lots of fun in April.

The Children’s Garden at the Arboretum offers activities and trails.

UK baseball and softball games are always fun to watch.

The blue and white football game is a fun way to get a glimpse of the football team for the upcoming season.

Summer:

We picked strawberries at Evans Orchard for the first time last summer, and we hope to make it a summer tradition.

Picnic with the Pops is a fun event that happens in August. There’s always a theme, and people decorate their tables, wine and dine, and listen to the classical music.

The Mid-Summer Nights run is neat activity. There’s a mile race as well as a 5k. There are also booths and snacks like popcorn. We always end up running into friends and others that we know.