Louisville, KY

The restore 1-64 project has just been completed and this brings up the continuous issue of what Louisville should do about our highways and bridges. I personally drive from Louisville to Scottsburg, IN every weekday, but I was not really inconvenienced by the closing of I-64 this past month.

My route takes me from the Watterson Expressway to I-71, over the Kennedy Bridge and up I-65 north. The return trip home normally sees more traffic and most days I go back over the 2nd Street Bridge, curve around Witherspoon, and go back to my house by way of River Road. However with I-64 being closed I was able to hop back on I-64 at the 3rd Street ramp and get right onto I-71 north where there was a lot less traffic than normal. The only problem I had was where the police were directing traffic on River Road instead of letting the lights do their thing.

Before the I-64 closing I had not paid much attention to the “86-64” signs in people’s yards, but I am starting to wonder if this group may have a point. www.8664.org is the main website for the movement to get rid of I-64 around the downtown area and replace it with a more scenic parkway. This would be accomplished by building an East End bridge and moving I-64 so it crosses there and re-structuring Spaghetti Junction. The 8664 leadership claims that their project would reduce costs and time by half and be esthetically more appealing. You can even see the proposed images of Louisville’s waterfront on this site.

The Ohio River Bridges Project is the current plan that has been approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). It authorizes a new East End Bridge, a new bridge just east of the Kennedy Bridge, and a total restructuring of Spaghetti Junction to 23 lanes. Most government officials feel that this project is the only way to meet the current and future transportation needs of Louisville and Southern Indianan. This projected is estimated at $2.46 billion dollars and if started in 2008 it should be completed by 2020.

The 8664 project claims to want to continue the revitalization of downtown Louisville by improving traffic while removing unsightly and noisy expressway lane and ramps around the waterfront. The Ohio River Bridges Project mentions trying to minimize the impact of the construction around historic sites, but it does not seem to take into effect the concrete sprawl on other buildings, residences, and businesses. Under the current project a large section of the Waterfront Park and the Extreme Park would be under and right next to expressway structures.

If you live or work in Louisville or Southern Indiana, check out both projects websites and decide for yourself what would be best for transportation in the area. Then let your government officials know how you feel since it will be you driving on the streets and paying the bill. What are your opinions about 8664 and the Ohio River Bridges Project?

8664, 1-64 Restoration, The Ohio River Bridges Project, Louisville Transportation, Louisville Bridges, Waterfront Park, Extreme Park, Traffic, Downtown Louisville

I will have to admit as I have gotten older I have started to work more and exercise less. I am just not the type of person who likes to go to the gym and walk endless miles on a machine. However, I was recently invited to play on a sand volleyball league by some friends and the idea did appeal to me.

Many years ago I was a pretty good volleyball player but that was quite a number of injuries and pounds ago. My friends insisted that this was just for fun and exercise and that any level of playing ability was fine. This was a good thing considering my current skill level. I did attend a two hours practice a few days before the first game and managed to survive through the whole practice. The next day I paid a heavy price when every muscle in my body was very sore.

Finally Friday arrived and I met my new team down at R Place Pub on Whipps Mill Road. It was raining a bit, but we waited on the deck under some umbrellas and watched the two teams before our time slot play. Everyone looked like they were having a great time and I was getting pretty excited about playing.

We got ready to play and it did not take long to realize that the opposing team had played together a bit longer than our team had. It did not help that it started to downpour during our second game to the point that it was almost impossible to see the ball. However, once you resigned yourself to being soaking wet it was very entertaining.

We ended up losing all three games, but it was a great deal of fun and good exercise. Friday night’s are the six players “C” league and other nights have more advanced divisions with different size teams. You can call R Place Pub or check out their website for more details.

R Place Rub is a neighborhood bar that has good food and drinks with pool tables and a small stage for live acts. There is a nice outdoor deck and covered bar out back and a sand volleyball court.

There are plenty of amateur team sports in Louisville and it’s a great way to meet people and get a little exercise in too. Let me know what sports you play and where.

Volleyball, Sand Volleyball, Amateur Sports, R Place Pub

If you read yesterday’s blog you would have seen my review of the Jazz Factory and their dining options. Today’s blog will be my take on the four writers that performed during the Jazz and the Spoken Word event on Wednesday night.

The Jazz and the Spoken Word is a form of entertainment that I do not normally go to see, but I really enjoyed the experience. Bassist Brian Vinson and saxophonist Drew Miller improvised jazz music during the four performances.

The first performance was an ensemble dramatic reading of the 10-mintue play, Permit to Conceal, by Mitch D. Fields. Fields is a student of Spalding University’s Master in Fine Arts in Writing program, and this was the first public reading of his work.

The play was about an Appalachian family’s struggle with a big coal company who wants to destroy their family’s land. The coal company was working towards obtaining a permit to perform mountaintop removal, which destroys the land in order to extract the coal cheaply. Meanwhile the main character has gotten a handgun in order to protect his family from the oil company, but his two-year old son finds the gun and almost shoots himself. After this near tragedy we find out that the coal company has bought its way through the legal system and has been granted the right to go after the coal. As the bulldozers tear through the mountain a large boulder falls down into the family house, crushing the toddler to death. The play ends with the head of the coal company wanting to appeal the $35,000 fine it has been charged for killing a young boy and ruining a family.

Mitch Fields and Melissa Combs read the parts of the Appalachian father and mother and both gave very emotional performances. Cameron Lawrence narrated and read the stage directions to give the audience an idea of how the play would be acted out in a regular performance. Fred Bogert and John Huffman played the lawyer and head of the coal company and showed how their characters cared more for money than people. Brady Miller, Linda Miller, Betty Keeling, and Amanda Matthews Fields read as a chorus and played the parts of the land, coal, and limestone. Overall the performances were very strong and I was so caught up in the story that I did not even pay attention to the fact that they were just reading the play. The jazz accompanist did a good job of matching their music to the play, although the volume was a bit loud.

The second performance was by Jeff Fearnside who is a Dorothy Norton Clay Fellow at the Mary Anderson Center for the Arts and a visiting assistant professor in Fiction at Western Kentucky University. He read a short story called, Accomplice to Tradition, that was based off of true events that happen in Kazakhstan.

The main character’s car is commandeered by a police officer that has him pick up several more friends including a beautiful woman. After a while the main character and the woman realize that the police office is kidnapping the woman to force her to marry him. This is an old tradition that is technically illegal, but if the woman does not stay married even after being forced she bring shame to her family in this culture. The main character struggles with interfering, but realizes that he probably will not be able to help, and the police officer could cause him a great deal of trouble. The story was well written and read and really made me think about the differences in cultures and the way woman are treated throughout the world.

The third performance was by Margaret Stewart who is a teacher and poet from Louisville. This was the only performance that I really did not enjoy Wednesday night. The poem was called Overburden and was about the damage mountaintop removal does to the land, plants, animals, and birds of Appalachia. I honestly found the work to ramble and did not find the long listing to be an effective way to bring attention to the problem of mountaintop removal.

The last performance was by Erica Licourt and she was supposed to have read from her collection of essays about Easter Kentucky and the removal of their mountains. However she choose to read a more upbeat essay about her trip to Paris and falling in love. The reading boarded on being too cute but the author did pull off an entertaining performance. I would have liked to hear more about her experiences in Eastern Kentucky.

Overall I had a great time and was introduced to some interesting works by some local authors. The musicians did a great job enhancing the readings and dining experience made it a complete outing. Jazz and the Spoken word is a reoccurring event at the Jazz Factory and I would encourage anyone to spend a Wednesday night checking out new works and writers.

The Jazz Factory, Louisville Writers, Mitch Fields, Jeff Fernside, Margaret Stewart, Erica Licourt, Spalding University

In a recent blog I wrote about the Jazz and the Spoken Work event that was being held at the Jazz Factory last night. This was the first time that I had been to the Jazz Factory for this event and to eat. I ended up thoroughly enjoying the entertainment and dining experience.

The Jazz Factory is located on the bottom floor of 815 W. Market Street in downtown Louisville, which is the building in which Glassworks is located. There was a large, free parking lot right across from the main entrance, which was well lit and accessible. The Jazz Factory is open for dining and entertainment Tuesday through Saturday nights.

The ambiance of the Jazz Factory was sophisticated and intimate, and was what you would typically expect of a jazz club. The staff was very friendly and attentive, but unobtrusive during the performances. In the main area there are mainly small circular tables, a few booths, a bar, and a small stage.

Before the entertainment started, I ordered a soup and appetizer but I was lucky in that several other friends at the table ordered a variety of appetizers so I was able to sample additional dishes. The soup was a crab and shrimp bisque that was delicious. It had chunks of crab and small shrimp in a cream base that was delicately spiced. The appetizer I ordered was a large plated of crispy roasted potatoes with a creamy garlic sauce. The potatoes were cooked perfectly and this was a popular dish at our table. Some of the other appetizers included a plate of various breads with warm olive oil, a cheese and cracker plate that included fresh raspberries, candied walnuts, and honey, hummus and pita bread, and a gourmet olive plate. Everyone enjoyed these dishes as well as sharing a mixed garden salad with duck breast.

As the entertainment began I also ordered the chocolate cake and was delightfully surprised with the presentation and taste. This was a small, round, multi-layered dessert that had a moist layer of cake, topped with a mouse like filling, hazelnuts, and chocolate icing. It was delicious but rich and I happily shared it with a friend.

I was very happy with the dining experience I had at the Jazz Factory and will be giving my opinion on the entertainment last night on tomorrow’s blog. Let me know your experiences at the Jazz Factory.

Louisville Dining, The Jazz Factory, Dining Review

I have noticed that dining out is a big social pastime in Louisville. Most of my friends want to meet for coffee, dessert, breakfast, lunch, or dinner for almost any occasion. Luckily in this city there are plenty of restaurants from cheap national chains to expensive local gourmet restaurants.

One restaurant that my social circle has been visiting for years is Tumbleweed Southwest Grill. The first restaurant was opened in 1975 in New Albany, but the chain is now headquartered in Louisville. Since the 1970’s it has grown to more than sixty restaurant locations in eight states and eight international locations.

I have always liked the atmosphere of Tumbleweed’s and the new location on the Ohio River has a great view and a nice outside eating area. I still miss the location on Mellwood Ave, but the Springhurst restaurant is more convenient to where I live now. I have always received great service and never had to wait more than twenty minutes to get a table. The take-out and curbside services are also very quick and professional.

My favorite item on Tumbleweed’s menu is the Chile Con Queso with their tortilla chips. Other items that I would recommend would be the Buffalo Platter, Potato Skins, BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad, the Rib Eye Steak with the Bourbon Glaze, the Smoked Cheddar Bacon Burger, the Taco Dinner, Twice-Baked Potato, Texas Toothpicks, and their Cornbread. The restaurant has a Tex-Mex style to its food, but Tumbleweed offers enough items that most people would be able to find something satisfying to eat. They offer several options on their children’s menu.

Tumbleweed also has a full bar and they make a good Strawberry Daiquiri, which is my drink of choice. They also have some seasonal desserts, including a delicious Strawberry Stagecoach and Banana’s Fosters Pie. All of the regular desserts including the Cowboy Cheesecake, Double-Barrel Brownie, and Lava Cake are well worth saving some room for also.

Overall Tumbleweed is one of my favorite medium-range restaurants in Louisville because they provide very good food on a consistent basis, great service, and are reasonable in price.

Let me know what restaurants you would recommend in Louisville.

Dining Out, Restaurants, Tumbleweed Southwest Grill, Tex-Mex, Chile Con Queso, Steak, Burger, Taco, Desserts, Strawberry Daiquiri, Louisville Dining

Louisville, like most metropolitan cities, does have a recycling program in which various types of items can be picked up at the curb with your trash. However, if you live in an area without these services or in an apartment there are recycling drop off locations throughout Louisville.

I live in a little strip between St. Matthews and Lydon, so I have to contract out my trash and recycling services myself. My service is rather limited in what items they will take for recycling and they only pick up once every two weeks. I have been dutifully trying to reduce my waste and use more items that can be recycled or at least come in packaging that is recyclable.

That means one or two trips a month to the Hubbards Lane recycling center on a Saturday. This center is only open certain hours but there are people there to help unload your car and place your items into the appropriate containers. My one complaint is that they are often closed for holidays or other reasons that I cannot figure out, but when they are open I have found that the employees are always very friendly and helpful.

I can put the basics into my curb-side container; glass, newspapers, cans, and #1 and #2 plastic containers. Office paper, catalogs and magazines, cardboard, cereal and food boxes, other types of plastic containers, and batteries must be taken to a drop-off center.

I am trying to reduce my consumption and purchasing of items with unnecessary packaging, but I just don’t have time to make everything I use from scratch. I do try to buy consumables in the largest container so I can so I reduce packaging. Often larger bottles or jars are fairly substantial and can be washed out and reused for other purposes.

One option for larger items that you don’t use anymore is to join Freecycle Louisville. This is a website in which you can list items that you do not need anymore and hopefully someone in your area can use them. The catch is that you must list the items for free, but you can choose who gets to pick your stuff up out of the responses. You can also list items that you need. The whole purpose is to find a good home for items that you would otherwise throwaway or just let sit around your house or yard forever. All you have to do it go to the website and sign in using a yahoo account. I go through the messages every couple of days and I often realize that I have an item that I am not using that someone else needs. One or two emails later you have arranged for someone to come pick up your junk and it has now found a new home where it is wanted.

I also just ask friends and family member is they can use an item or piece of furniture I no longer want or need. Often someone you know can use what you don’t want or they have a relative or friend that is just starting out and can use some free items.

Let me know what you do to reduce your consumption and how you recycle.

Recycling, Reuse, Reducing Trash, Reducing Waste, Yahoo, FreeCycle

So are you one of those people who enjoy an occasionally coffee drink or do you have to have a cup or two of Joe everyday? Many people rely on coffee and its caffeine to get their day started. I like a cup of coffee in the mornings, but it is not something that I must have. I also like for my coffee to have plenty of cream and sugar in it, so by the time I am finished it is more like a dessert drink.

There are plenty of places in Louisville to find a cup of coffee at about any time of the day or night. I know some people that love the coffee at Thorntons or Krispy Kreme, and others swear by Starbuck’s. My personal coffee house favorite is Heine Brothers’ Coffee because it is local business and it has really good coffee.

Heine Brothers’ first store was opened in 1994 and they now have five locations throughout Louisville. The stores specialize in fair trade and organic coffees and teas. Most stores also have a small assortment of cold drinks, sandwiches, chips, and desserts. It is a great place to visit with a few friends and I have spent a good deal of time studying or working at one of their tables. Most stores have at least several electric outlets where you can plug in your laptop and they now have free wireless Internet connections available.

The store on Chenoweth Lane has a drive-thru, which I use quite often to grab a coffee and bagel in the morning. The Douglass Loop location has a fireplace, a couch, and a couple of comfy chairs, which make it a great place to socialize or read a good book. Most locations also have an outdoor area and the stores in the Highlands allow prime people watching venues.

Heine Brother’s does make a good hot chocolate, their regular coffee is great, but my favorite is the frozen cappuccino. It is has plenty of sugar and caffeine, so if you need to wake up or stay awake it is a great choice. Heine Brother’s is also one of the stores where you can buy Kizito cookies. Kizito cookies are made by the “cookie lady” who is often seen at local events selling her cookies out of a basket that she carries on her head. In my humble opinion she makes some of the best chocolate chip cookies that I have ever had.

So what is your drink of choice and where do you like to go to get it?

Coffee, Tea, Caffeine, Thortons, Krispy Kreme, Starbucks, Heine Brother’s Coffee, Kizito Cookies

The day is finally here for avid Harry Potter fans. The seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will be on sale at midnight at various local bookstores. According to a Courier-Journal online article, there were already fans lined up at Borders and Barnes and Noble bookstores when the businesses opened this morning. So are you enough of a fan to brave the long lines to get your copy at midnight?

I have to admit that I have made plans with friends to go stand in line at Barnes and Noble at 5pm to get a bracelet that they are giving out at 6pm to hold your place in line. Then we are planning to go see the fifth Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, for the second time. The last part of our Harry Potter agenda is to go back to Barnes and Noble around 11pm and wait for midnight so we can actually purchase the new book.

The funny thing is that I am currently re-reading the fifth book and plan to re-read the sixth book before delving into the last Harry Potter novel. So why go too all this trouble to buy a book at midnight that I probably won’t read for a week? Part of it is just a tradition with some friends and I just enjoy seeing so many people get worked up over a book. Reading is one of my favorite pastimes and I often worry that younger generations will miss out on the joy and education of reading with DVDs, TV, and video games becoming some popular. I feel that beyond writing a very good book series, JK Rowling should be commended for making reading interesting again.

Here is a list of some of the local pre-release parties going on for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ muggles. If you are a fan I hope you can make it to one of these events and have some fun. Just don’t tell me what happens in the book before I get to read it.

Barnes & Noble Booksellers- 8pm
Carmichael’s Bookstores- 10:30pm
Borders Books & Music- 9:30pm
Destinations Booksellers- 7pm
Waldenbooks- 9:30pm
Books-A-Million- 9pm
Frazier International History Museum- 7:30pm
Louisville Free Public Library Main branch -8:30pm

Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, JK Rowling, Harry Potter Pre-Release Party, Barnes & Noble, Carmichael’s Bookstores, Books-A-Million, Borders Books & Music, Destinations Booksellers, Walden Books, Frazier International History Museum, Louisville Free Public Library, Harry Potter fans, Muggles

One of the great things about Louisville is that you can easily find a different form of art, culture, or entertainment every day of the week. Next week think about checking out the Jazz Factory’s, Jazz and the Spoken Word on July 25. You can show up as early as 5pm for some delicious food and at 7:30pm, Permit to Conceal, Mitch D. Fields’ latest 10-minute play will be read by a collaboration of talented actors and musicians. After the play other local writers will read and perform their work. Brian Vinson and Jacob Duncan will provide the jazz accompaniment to the event.

Mitch Fields is a local writer and student at Spalding University and is part of the play/screen writing track of the Master of Fine Arts in Writing program. Mitch believes his writing is an outlet to garner awareness for critical social issues and to explore the emotional struggles of human beings trying to exist together. Permit to Conceal is based on real events and captures the drama between a mountain family and a large coal company that wants to destroy their land. Mitch has been active in trying to stop mountaintop removal in Kentucky and this play is a way to show the personal impact of environmental destruction on real people.

Next Wednesday’s dramatic reading will be performed by John Huffman, Melissa Combs, Cameron Lawrence, Fred Bogert, Brady Miller, Linda Miller, Betty Keeling, and Amanda Matthews Fields. John Huffman is an actor and screenwriter who has been seen in various TV shows and movies, including Designing Women, General Hospital, and Days of Our Lives. Melissa Combs is a local professional actress, and Cameron Lawrence is a freelancer writer and producer and was a radio host on NPR’s State of Affairs. Fred Bogert owns Briar Patch Studios and is a nationally known musician, vocalist, and producer of three Grammy-nominated CD’s. Brady Miller plays with the Jewish Community Center Orchestra, and Linda Miller and Betty Keeling are local musicians. Amanda Matthews Fields is not only Mitch’s wife, but also an award-winning artist who owns Wild Honeysuckle Art Studio and has a solo show opening in September at Spalding University.

Mitch expressed gratitude on how supportive the community as been of his work and the professionalism of the readers for this project. He is hoping to have this play and his other works produced or adapted, while he finishes his degree at Spalding. To find out more information about Mitch Fields check out www.dreamoffields.com, and to find out more about mountaintop removal go to www.ilovemountains.org.

The Jazz Factory, Mitch D. Fields, Spalding University, Mountaintop Removal, Amanda Matthews Fields, Plays

It is not unusual to hear radio and TV announcements telling Louisville residents that the blood supply is critically low and that the American Red Cross needs donors. This summer the supply has become lower than normal and for most blood types. The blood supply in the River Valley Region is less than 2 days and Type O has almost no reserves. I have given blood in the past, especially when reserves are very low, but I am not a regular donor. Let’s face it- giving blood is not exactly a fun experience. However, it is very important that more people start to give blood so that the supplies do not keep reaching critical levels.

People from Kentuckiana tend to be very generous, giving millions of dollars to various local, national, and international charities. However, in this region of the Red Cross only 4.5% of the population gives blood versus 5.5% of the national population. I believe part of the problem is that people do not know what to expect and are afraid of the procedure.
My biggest problem in donating regularly is just making the time.

You can call and make an appointment, go to one of the two donations centers during business hours, or find one of the numerous blood drives held by various organizations and businesses. When you first walk in to give blood you must sign in, prove your identity, and read some information about giving blood and what the Red Cross then does with that blood. You are then taken to a cubicle where a volunteer will ask various questions about your health and background. Your blood pressure, temperature, and blood will also be tested to make sure you are in good enough health to proceed.

After the initial interview is over you are taken to a comfortable lounge chair where you can pick which arm they will take blood out of. A technician preps your arm by cleaning it off and finding a vein. A needle is stuck in the vein on the inside of your elbow and you gently squeeze a ball that is in your hand to keep the blood flowing into the collection bag. I am not a big fan of needles, but this process in not very painful. In fact, it just feels like a small pinch and then there is very minor discomfort while you are giving blood.

My dad, whose has nice big veins, can give a pint of blood in about 5 minutes. I, on the other hand, have very small, deep veins and it takes about 20 minutes for me to fill up a bag. Overall it usually takes my dad 45-60 minutes to give blood and it takes me 60-75 minutes. It is best to stay for 5-10 minutes after giving blood and have a snack and some juice, since you have just lost a pint of fluids from your body.

I am not going to lie to you and say it’s the most enjoyable experience, but it is really not that big of a deal and you do feel good about potentially saving someone’s life with your donation. In fact the Red Cross states that one whole blood donation can save up to three lives.

There are currently thirty blood drives in the Louisville area listed at www.givebloodnow.org. Churchill Downs is hosting a special blood drive in which donors will receive coupons for a free pint of ice cream and a pass to Paramount’s Kings Island, as well as Stocker’s Broasted Chicken and Graeter’s ice cream. That blood drive is today and tomorrow from 11am to 6pm and on Friday by appointment.

So if you are 17 years old, over 110 lbs, and in good general health, think about going to one of the donation centers or blood drives this month. I am planning on going to the Hubbard’s Lane center tomorrow after work since they will be open until 7pm. Go to the American Red Cross website for even more information.

Tell me about any good or bad experiences you have had with giving blood or getting donated blood.

One of the most common topics of conversation these days is the price of gas. I drive from Louisville to Scottsburg, IN every weekday, so I pay attention to which stations have the best gas prices. Louisville actually tends to have lower prices than the average gas price reported on the national news, but that still does not make you feel much better when you are putting $50 worth of gas in your tank. I noticed today that some stations in Louisville were as high as $3.29 a gallon for regular gas, with the cheapest I have seen being $2.99 per gallon in Memphis, IN.

Needless to say I will be buying gas in Memphis on the way home from work tonight. However there are a number of things we can do as consumers to save on gas and to not just search for the cheapest price. Most people cannot just run out and buy a new hybrid car but have to minimize their gas usage and increase the miles per gallon that their current car uses.

Some of these suggestions come from my own experience, some from advice my grandfather gave me when I started to drive (and when gas was much cheaper), and some from the Department of Energy’s website.

1. Check the air pressure in your tires every month to two months depending on your mileage and fill your tires to the recommended pressure that is listed on the tires or in your driver’s manual. (Papa and DOE)
2. Keep your car’s oil changed and have other routine maintenance performed to ensure that your car’s engine is running as efficiently as possible.
3. Plan errands and driving trips to ensure that you drive the least amount of miles possible. Try to shop as close to home or work as you can.
4. Use your phone before you use your car. Call ahead to stores or appointments to make sure that the items you need or the people you want to see are available.
5. Try to avoid traffic and having your car idle. Leave earlier for work or school to avoid traffic jams, turn off your car if you will be stationary for a long period of time, and go inside of a restraint, bank, or pharmacy instead of waiting in long drive through lines. Don’t idle your car to warm it up.
6. Remove any luggage or bike racks from your car or truck that are not used on a regular basis.
7. Lose weight-Do not leave heavy items in your car or truck for extended periods of time.
8. Fuel up your car in the morning or evening to avoid gas evaporating while you pump it into your gas tank. (Papa)
9. Say no. Really evaluate all of the activities that your family members are involved in that requires driving to get to and from. Make sure the activities are important and are as close to home, work, or school as possible.
10. Carpool to work, school, or other activities whenever possible.
11. Drive under 60 miles per hour. According to fueleconomy.gov, you lose $.20 per galloon of gas for every 5 mph you drive over 60 mph.
12. Pay attention to how you drive. Do not slam the accelerator down when pulling out or taking off from a light or stop sign.
13. Check out various websites to see where the best gas prices in your neighbor are.
14. Buy an electric or hand-powered lawn mower or trimmer.

Let me know what your best tips for saving gas are.

The following picture is of a fuel tank cart the company I work for makes and the fuel tank that it is designed for. Just be glad that you don’t have to fill this tank up every week.

gas, gas mileage, driving tips, fuel economy, Department of Engery, gas stations

One of the things I loved when I visited Paris many years ago was the open air markets and variety of fresh fruits and vegetables available on a daily basis. Visiting a farmer’s market is one of the best ways to find the same experience in Louisville. On the KentuckyProud website there are twelve different farmer’s markets listed as being open in Louisville. This past Saturday I decided to stop by the one that was closest to where I live, near St. Matthews.

The St. Matthew’s farmer’s market is located at 4100 Shelbyville Road, across from the old Sears building (for those of you that have lived in Louisville for a while).It had about 30 tents with various local food and products available and is open from 8am to 12pm on Saturdays. There was live music and several tables and chairs so that you could enjoy a fresh omelet or some kettle corn. Plenty of parking is available in the lot behind the church, and the market was busy but not overcrowded. I did not have to wait more than a few minutes to be helped at any given tent.

There were the standard food offerings such as green beans, cantaloupes, tomatoes, corn, potatoes, peppers, garlic, beets, and cabbage. I bought two of my favorites, corn and tomatoes, and then tired a bunch of fresh celery. This celery was thinner and greener than the variety I normally buy at the grocery, but it had a richer flavor. The corn and tomatoes were delicious. I also went out on a limb and tried both purple cauliflower and purple peppers. The cauliflower’s taste was just slightly spicier than normal cauliflower and the purple pepper tasted similar to a green paper. However they both added a great visual effect to a salad I made on Sunday.

The farmer’s market also showcased several vendors that made their own jams, jellies, and salsa in a variety of flavors. I bought a large bottle of local raw clover honey and it is exquisite. I am planning on going back and stocking up since the recent disappearance of honeybees will most likely cause a severe shortage of local honey.

There were also vendors who had their own soaps and shampoos, and several who had gorgeous flower and plants for sale. One vendor had homemade cakes and breads for sale (with free samples) and another had various local wood products. Several vendors had various local meat products for sale, either frozen or by order. I saw quite a number of dogs with their owners, so pets (leashed of course) were obviously welcome.

Overall I thought this farmer’s market was well worth the trip and very enjoyable. It was large enough to have plenty of selection and the prices were very reasonable. I spent $10 of my large jar of honey and only $6 on my vegetables. My one complaint would be that most of the vendors were using plastic bags to put purchases in. I would suggest that you bring your own bags and eliminate that negative environmental impact.

I am going to try out some of the city’s other farmer’s markets over the next few weekends, so let me know which is your favorite and what product and products you would recommend.

Farmer’s Market, St.Matthews, honeybees, local produce