First Time in Lexington, Kentucky

Hopping off the plane at the Bluegrass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky, was a pleasure.  I headed straight to the rental car booth to pick up my Mazda 3, an upgrade from the car I reserved.  Ironically, this car had Missouri license plates.  Driving a strange car in an unfamiliar location is always a little concerning, but also a bit of a thrill.

Outside the rental area were three equestrian statues, emphasizing one of the things for which this part of the country is famous.

This part of Kentucky is also famous for bourbon.  That was obvious when I made it to J. Render's restaurant. Still, I was only there for a late lunch.

I ordered brisket with sides of baked beans, Brussel's sprouts, and cornbread.  Being the only customer in the restaurant, I decided to eat my meal as if I was a food critic.  I tasted everything separately first, being sure to hold my fork upside down.

I sampled each of the four available sauces.  The Alabama White was far from my preference.  One sauce, labeled How Sweet It Is, was much better. Another, called Some Like It Hot, was also pretty decent but far from hot.  The last sauce was the Maker's Mark Bourbon:  admittedly, this one was correctly labeled.  I'm not a drinker of alcoholic beverages, but I can attest that this barbecue sauce tasted remarkably like bourbon smells.  I couldn't stomach any more than a drop.

Soon, I was off to the hotel for some relaxation.  The TV greeted me by name.

The hotel was only about a year old, and it showed with a lovely sitting area, a desk with a rolling section, a kitchenette, several cabinets, two queen-sized beds, and a large window.  Even from the fourth floor, the view didn't offer much to appreciate.  Still, the hotel was in a pretty affluent area, and I enjoyed the quiet of the evening.  It allowed me to peacefully look over the material I would use the next day when presenting professional development sessions as a contracted representative of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.