Take the kids on trip down Sesame Street

Looking for something fun and educational to to do with the kiddies?  How about a taking the on a trip down Sesame Street at the Louisville Science Center (727 West Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202).  Ernie, Bert, Elmo, Big Bird and the rest of the crew will all be there to take part in the center’s new exhibit, “Sesame Street Presents: The Body.”  It just opened up on July 3 and runs through January.

The exhibit is part of the Sesame Street Workship initiative called Healthy Habits for Life.  It was a program created to help counter the United States’ growing childhood obesity crisis.  Through the workshop, young children aged 2-10 will learn healthy eating habits, as well as how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

For more information, or to purchase tickets go to Louisville Science Center’s website.

(Photo Credit: smithco)

The Louisville Blues-n-Barbecue Festival, July 9-10

 Hey Waterford Place, are you ready for some Louisville Blues-n-Barbecue?  Click the poster image to go to the event Facebook page.

This weekend: Louisville Brewfest and Independence Festival

Make sure you celebrate your freedom this weekend…your freedom from regular beer, that is.  The Louisville Brewfest kicks off on Friday, July 2, at 4:00 p.m. at the Mellwood Arts Center (1860 Mellwood Ave.).

The fest will feature local, independent brewers providing samples of their new, creative and unique brews.  Admission is free, however you must be 21 to participate.  Samples are doled out for tickets that cost $1 each.  One ticket will get a you brew sample, and if you like it, you can get a full glass for three tickets.  Oh yeah…and there will be food also available for tickets.  What’s better than sampling food and beer all afternoon?

Participating brewers include: BBC Tap Room, Bluegrass Brewing Company, Browning’s, Cumberland Brews, Falls City Brewing Co., Kentucky Ale, New Albanian and River Bend Winery.

For more info, check out the Louisville Brewfest website.  You can also RSVP for the event on Facebook.

Independence Festival on the Waterfront (July 3-4)

If you’re still looking to celebrate more on the 3rd and 4th, head over to the Waterfrong for the Independence Festival.  They have a wide variety of musical guests lined up for the free, two-day celebration, including: John Rich & Cowboy Troy, Tyler Dickerson, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Arrested Development and Bettye LaVette.  Fireworks will go off at 10:00 p.m. each night!

Watch the 2010 World Cup in Louisville

Unless you’ve just come from living in a cave, you’re probably well aware that the 2010 World Cup kicks off (literally) this weekend.  And while soccer is still a growing sport in the USA compared to the rest of the planet, it is a HUGE deal that the American team is playing in it.  Are you familiar with international soccer?  If not, I’ll give you a crash course on how the World Cup operates.

Every four years, 32 teams from across the globe compete for the title at venues within the host nation (South Africa this year) over a period of about a month.  This phase is called the World Cup Finals.  A qualification phase for the World Cup Finals takes place over the preceding three years.

In the finals there are two stages: first “the group stage” is played, followed by “the knockout stage.”  In the group stage, teams compete within eight groups of four teams in a round-robin tournament.  Every team plays three games in this stage.  The top two teams from each group move on to the knockout stage, a seeded, single-elimination tournament in which teams play each other in one-off matches, similar to the NCAA basketball tournament.  Got it?  Good!

Team USA’s first match is tomorrow against the favored Team England.  The two key players, I believe, to watch on Team USA are Landon Donovan and Jozy Altidore.  Both factor heavy into the team’s offense.  As for playing England, of course there is a nice little rivalry between the two countries that extends far beyond the soccer field (remember the little Revolutionary War thing a few years back?)  It’s the Old World vs the ambitious new kids and a Team USA victory will mark a huge step forward for USA Soccer.  The other teams in our group (“Group C” as it’s referred) are Algeria and Slovenia and we’re distinctly better than both of them.  I think we will have a good shot at advancing to the knockout stage.

If you can, watch the game live on ABC tomorrow (Saturday, June 12) at 2 pm and cheer them on.  Or if you’d really like to get into the World Cup spirit, check out Molly Malone’s Irish Pub (933 Baxter Ave.) to watch the game.  They will be doing it big for the World Cup all month long!  Or if you’re looking to watch with the family, head over to the  Mockingbird Valley Sports Arena (3000 Mellwood Ave., 40207)  at 1:30 pm and catch the game with Louisville’s own pro soccer team, the Louisville Lightning.  They will be hosting a family-friendly viewing party for $5 that is open to all soccer fans!  Burgers, hot dogs and soft drinks will be available.  Need directions from Waterford Place?  Here you go…

• Head southwest on Waterford Cir toward Tower Dr  (0.1 mi)
• Turn right at Browns Ln  (0.9 mi)
• Turn left at Shelbyville Rd  (0.5 mi)
• Continue onto Frankfort Ave  (1.5 mi)
• Turn right at Hillcrest Ave  (0.6 mi)
• Slight left at Zorn Ave  (0.9 mi)
• Turn right at Mellwood Ave and Mockingbird Valley Sports Arena will be on the right

Sushi & Pizza: The Best of Both Worlds

Hey Waterford Place!  Just heard about a new pizza called The Sashimi Pizza from Dragon King’s Daughter on Bardstown Road in an article on Louisville.com.  It sounds absolutely delicious so I had to share it with you guys.

The pizza comes on an oblong shaped crust which can be ordered in a half size ($10) or a full ($14). The crust is piled high with organic spring mix, avocado, and red onions. Then slices of raw salmon, white tuna, and red tuna are delicately laid on their bed of greens. Finally, a drizzle of tamari-mayo finishes it off. I also find that drizzling it with a bit of soy sauce really adds something. Start off with the Lemongrass Miso Soup and add a beer and you basically have the best meal ever.

The author of the original article is from Buffalo, NY - the city where I went to school and worked in for six years.  Trust me, folks.  They KNOW their pizza up there.  Pizza and wings are to Buffalo what bourbon and baseball bats are to Louisville.  And while this isn’t your traditional crust, sauce and cheese pizza, it certainly is something that I would enjoy…especially since I love sushi too!  If you try it out, let me know what you think of it!

Experience Asian culture this weekend

It seems as if the world is becoming smaller.  For that reason, I like to to lurn as much about different cultures as I can. Festivals like these are a great way to do that.

Video: Plenty of Plehn’s Pleasures Waterford Place

Can you say that 5X fast?

Ever wonder where Waterford Place gets its delicious baked goods from?  Well, my friend, wonder no more.  Plehn’s Bakery is the secret. They are the official bakery for Waterford Place and we love them!

On this day, Patrick and Missy stop by Plehn’s to pay a visit.  Check it out and meet the bakers who put together all of the delicious treats!  And if you want to check them out yourself, they’re located at 3940 Shelbyville Rd. (travel north on Breckinridge LN about 1.5 miles, make a right onto Shelbyville Rd and Plehn’s will be on your right)

The official drink of the Kentucky Derby

You haven’t had an official Derby weekend without taking in a mint julep or two.  Are you aware of the drinks history in relation to the Kentucky Derby?

The mint julep is well-known as the traditional beverage of the Kentucky Derby, a position it has held since 1938. Each year almost 120,000 juleps are served at Churchill Downs over the two day period of the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby.  For over 18 years, the Early Times Mint Julep Cocktail has been the designated “official mint julep of the Kentucky Derby”.

At the 2006 Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs served custom-made mint juleps at a cost of $1000 each. The mint juleps were served in gold-plated cups with silver straws, and were made from Woodford Reserve bourbon, mint imported from Ireland, ice from the Bavarian Alps, and sugar from Australia. The proceeds were used to support charitable causes dedicated to retired race horses.

Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Cake

Do we have any bakers (or wanna-be bakers) here in Waterford Place?  Try this recipe for Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Cake.  Let us know how it turns out (or better yet, drop off a couple slices at the office for Patrick and Missy).

James McMurtry concert this Wednesday on the Waterfront

So you couldn’t make it to Uncle Kracker but you’re still in the mood for a concert berfore the Derby this weekend.  Fear not!

Award-winning Texas singer-songwriter James McMurtry will headline a concert on Wednesday (April 28) on the Waterfront as part of the Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville.  He takes the stage at 8pm.  All you need to get in is a a 2010 Pegasus Pin!

Called the the “truest, fiercest songwriter of his generation” by Entertainment Weekly, McMurtry is also an accomplished rock guitar player.  His 2006 album, Childish Things, spent six weeks at no 1 on the Americana Music Radio Chart. McMurtry’s 2008 release, Just Us Kids, received more Americana Music Award nominations and marked his highest Billboard chart position in more than 19 years.

Derby Festival WineFest anyone?

Hey Waterford Place, anyone down for wine tasting next week?

The Derby Festival WineFest

Did you know that there are over 20 wineries located here in Kentucky and nearly 30 in Indiana?  The Derby Festival WineFest event is your chance to learn more about them, and sample some great wines at a comfortable venue.

The WineFest will be held Tuesday, April 27th, and Wednesday, April 28th, at the Overlook on the Waterfront, in Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville.  Tickets, which cost $35, include a complimentary wine glass, event pin and samplings of some of Kentucky’s finest beverages.

And if you’d learn a little more about wine before you head to the tasting, we’ve got you covered

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