We’re pulling out all the stops in our house – the entire place is slowly becomming blue and white… like the good old days.

I’m loving the UK gift bags at Kentucky Collectibles.  Throw a red bow on them and you’re good to go with Christmas wrapping. My favorite bag may be the one above, but there are others. There are also countless other UK goodies, you’ll have to go to the site and check them all out.  They’ll blow you away.

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Wildcats Logo -Fathead Wall Decal

Buy at AllPosters.com

I’ll take one for the home office, one for the living room, one for the kitchen, one for each bathroom, one for the garage….

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Click HERE for an article I wrote on my Self Help Blog about this article and about the motivating approach being taken by Bowling Green, Kentucky’s mayor.

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Two of my daughters (the third one was in Florida basking in the sun) and one of their boyfriends (the other bf was in bed basking in sleep) and I ate at Bob Evans Restaurant in Owensboro, Kentucky last week.  My husband couldn’t join us because he was working (poor guy!).  My girls and I hadn’t eaten there since the first week they opened – and back then it was.. well… like I said, we hadn’t eaten since the first week they opened.

Boy were we in for a surprise!

First of all, it was just as beautiful as I remembered.  The inside of this restaurant just feels like home, right down to all of the beautiful details.

My oldest daughter (Emily) and I knew what we wanted right off the bat – Blueberry Crepes (two delicious and delicate crepes filled with a scrumptious vanilla cream cheese, then topped off with a wonderful blueberry topping).  We also ordered a side of bacon. The four people who sat around that table were each bacon connaisseurs with years of experience and enjoyment.  Simply put, we know our bacon.  We each agreed that this was the best bacon in town.  We’ve had bacon, literally, every single place bacon is served in Owensboro – and this is the best, period.  It’s thick, tasty, and cooked to perfection… not overly cooked and not under cooked either. Perfect.

My youngest daughter (Stephany) ordered the Farmer’s Choice Breakfast.   Her eggs and home fries were beautiful and, apparently, quite good, the biscuits were fluffy and delicious, the bacon has been categorized already (as in perfect), and the gravy reminded me of my dad’s sausage gravy.  So, so good.

Rusty (Steph’s boyfriend) got the Pot Roast Beef Stew Deep-Dish Dinner and it was a work of art.  He gave us each a bite of the pot roast and it was the most tender and delicious meat you can imagine.  Heavenly is a word that came to mind.

Heavenly is also a word I’d use to describe the amazing appetizer we got:   The Blue Ribbon Apple Pie Fries.  Oh.  My.  Gracious.  Goodness.  These have to be tried to be believed:  Lightly battered and fried miniature Apple Pie Fries are dusted with powdered sugar and served with an amazing caramel dipping sauce.

When a worker came by to ask how everything was (I believe I pulled myself away from my food long enough to catch that he was a food quality control expert) – we praised the Apple Pie Fries.  He laughed and said that they were why his top was beginning to get a little tight.  His friendliness just made the experience all the better.

Our server was also very much on the ball.  Her name tag said “Just Denise” and she was just fantastic.

If you haven’t been to Bob Evans Restaurant in Owensboro Kentucky lately – do yourself a favor and go soon.  Whether you love breakfast food (which is available all day) or lunch and dinner food, Bob Evans will have exactly what you’re looking for and they’ll cook it better than you could ever hope for.

Visit Bob Evans online Menu for a run down of their entire menu items.

One final thing:  When I got home that day, I went online and left positive feedback on their website.  This is something I always do when I have a great dining experience.  I want each worker associated with that experience to get credit.  Something unusual happened this time, however – I got a very sweet, personal reply!   If you complain on a website (something that I’ve only done once in my entire life – and I addressed it on this blog about a month or so ago), I guess you could expect to hear back (even though I didn’t) but when you leave positive feedback, you generally don’t hear from them.  I was pleasantly surprised that a Bob Evans worker replied, thanking me for my kind words.  It was a personal message, too, which made it even more cool.  A very smart organization surrounds themselves with people who will reflect positively on their brand, their logo, and their reputation.

Bob Evans Restaurant is all over that.  And, man, you have to try the bacon.

The Bob Evans Restaurant in Owensboro Kentucky is located at 3123 Kentucky Highway 54.  Visit Bob Evans.com for other Kentucky locations.

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At any rate, love the campaign or hate the campaign – few will ignore the campaign.

Pip Pullen, an accounts director for the Louisville-based marketing and advertising firm that worked on the campaign, said the ads have received “an incredibly positive response.”

“Except,” he said, “some members of the Metro Council took umbrage.” Well, that’s what council members do, they take umbrage. In fact, they’re considering changing the job description from Council Member to Umbrage Taker.

True story.

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Few things are as relaxing and enjoyable as sitting down with a cup of hot coffee and watching Kentucky Life on KET. Below are some of the upcoming programs. Since I currently live in Owensboro, Kentucky and once called Louisville, Kentucky home – the November 21/22 dates totally jumped off the page for me.

All of the programs sound like Must-See TV, though. Be sure you don’t miss a single one!

Oct. 17/18: The Evergreen Hills Maze in Flemingsburg, an “Our Town” visit to Adairville, and Cricket Press of Lexington. Also, “Dave Does It” features Dave working at Dahl & Groezinger Scrap Iron and Metal.

Oct. 24/25: Buffalo Soldiers camp, Magee’s Bakery in Maysville, an “Our Town” visit to Midway, and the Kentucky Book Fair in Frankfort.

Oct. 31/Nov. 1:  An alien abduction legend from Kelly, Ky., an “Our Town” visit to Hell for Certain, ghost hunter Patti Starr, and the reintroduction of the Bourbon Red Turkey, once America’s most popular turkey.

Nov. 14/Nov. 15: Dog Scout Troop 107, a tasty recipe using locally grown produce, and the Flaget High School Alumni Association.

Nov. 21/Nov. 22: An “Our Town” visit to Greenup, Diana Earle and the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, and Henrietta and Jeff Scott’s Highland Raku Studio.  Also, “Dave Does It” features Dave working at the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory.

A Few Did You Knows About Kentucky Life:

• Dave Shuffett is from Greensburg and graduated from Murray State University in 1982.
• The first five seasons of Kentucky Life were hosted by Byron Crawford.  Byron’s grew up in Lincoln County.
• Kentucky Life’s episodes are story driven and profile the lives of Kentuckians from each of our distinct regions.
• Kentucky Life debuted in 1995.  By 1996, it had become KET’s most watched local production.
• If you love animals like I do (okay, I admit it, I’m obsessed!), you’ll love Paw Pals – a photo album on KET’s website where you can enjoy the pictures of Kentucky pets and even upload your own.  Click HERE to see some of the most beautiful faces you’ll ever see.

Visit Kentucky Life for more information and perhaps to even challenge Dave Shuffett to do your job!

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The Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky

The original Waverly Hills Sanatorium was a two-story wooden structure which was opened in 1910.

The larger brick and concrete structure you see today was built in 1926.  The hospital has always been dedicated to the treatment of tuberculosis patients, a disease that was fairly common in the early 20th Century.

Reports estimate that as many as 63,000 people have died in this sanatorium. Furthermore, there have been many reports or patients being horribly mistreated.  Oh, it gets worse… there were (again reportedly) highly questionable experiments and procedures conducted.

If these occurences don’t set the stage for a haunted  location, nothing does!

Get this:  Ghost and paranormal experts and investigators who have ventured into Waverly have reported a host of strange paranormal phenomena, including voices of unknown origin, isolated cold spots and unexplained shadows. Screams have been heard echoing in its now abandoned hallways, and fleeting apparitions have been encountered.

Screams, isolated cold spots (indicating a paranormal being….oh, Lord, I’m sleeping with the lights on tonight…), voices of unknown origin, shadows!?!?  I could not be more creeped out right now.

Click HERE for more information… if you dare.

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The Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky

Kentuckians have so much fun with Halloween – no one seems to celebrate the fun of autumn quite like we do.

Below is a news release from Kentucky’s Department of Tourism all about a ghostly tour that’ll have you shaking in your sneakers.

Fall, the best time of year for stories of ghosts and other haunting, is upon us. From now through early November, take a trip to where your spine gets tingled by tales of paranormal activity throughout Kentucky.

A new ghostly tour gets underway this weekend in Newport, where accounts of the city’s racy and mobster past come together to raise your fright quotient. The new “Ghosts and Gangsters Tour,” developed by the group that started the Newport Gangster Tours last spring, is an hour-long exploration of haunted sites in downtown Newport. The tour, which costs $20 per person, starts and ends at The Syndicate night club, whose violent past as a casino and speakeasy during Prohibition has led to tales of haunting by the spirits of slain gangsters. For more information, visit www.newportishaunted.com.

Uncanny sights and sounds are the subject of a jaunt through the historic Old Louisville neighborhood, where several of the impressive Victorian mansions are said to be haunted. The 90-minute tours, based on author David Domine’s books on the neighborhood’s ghostly history, depart Fridays from the Old Louisville Visitors Center at 7:30 p.m. and cost $25 per person. For reservations, call 502-637-2922 or visit www.ghostsofoldlouisville.com.

The otherworldly residents of Bardstown are the subject of the Bardstown Ghost Trek Saturdays from 8-10 p.m. The $15 tours, led by paranormal expert Patti Starr, start outside the Old Stable Restaurant.  For more information, go to www.ghosthunter.com/ghosttrek2.htm. Starr is also organizing a Ghost Hunting Getaway Weekend Nov. 6-8, 2009. Call 859-576-5517 for info and reservations.

Experience the Haunted Frontier at Old Fort Harrod State Park, where you will be guided  through the graveyard, hear a ghost story and then navigate a large maze, where spirits of long-ago residents of the fort in Harrodsburg may still linger. The volunteer-led tour of the fort’s otherworldly side is $5 per person. For more information, call 859-734-3314 or visit the park’s web site at www.parks.ky.gov.

One of the reputedly most haunted sites in Kentucky is the Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville. Although the former tuberculosis hospital closed in 1980, the spirit world remains rampant. The Waverly Hills Historical Society hosts a haunted house every Friday and Saturday in October from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. To learn more, visit www.ghosteyes.com/waverly-hills-sanatorium.

Get in touch with the spirits at Camp Nelson, a Civil War training facility just south of Lexington, with the help of a mother-daughter ghost-hunting team from Nicholasville, Jessi and Starr Chaney. Friday and Saturday tours for $15 per person provide hands-on experience on how to use ghost-hunting equipment and communicate with spirits from the other side. For more info, go to www.ghosthunter.com.

Wide-ranging information about ghost tales and legends throughout Kentucky can be found at www.prairieghosts.com/hauntky.html.

For more information on the Kentucky Department of Travel, visit their Web site at www.kentuckytourism.com.

*** To Read more about The Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky, click the link.  I dare you.

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Great food and Bluegrass music? Come on, does it get any better?!

Kings Highway and Men of the Week will be performing in Owensboro on October 24th. Each of these bands is currently playing at the Jerusalem Bluegrass Celebration in Rosine.

Kings highway (pictured above) is a band from Henderson Ky, Men of the week (pictured below) hails from the home of the next World Series champions (from my lips to God’s ears, hopefully!) St. Louis Cardinals, St Louis Missouri. (www.myspace.com/menoftheweek)

Both bands are closely followed in the Kentuckiana area, playing festivals in Evansville, Henderson, Owensboro, Louisville as well as performances in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri , Ky, Georgia ,Florida and Tennessee. Men of the week are currently performing at IBMA music showcase in Nashville, Tennessee.

These bands will start performing at 5pm Saturday Oct 24th outdoors at Reds Fish House in Owensboro, Kentucky.

From an e-mail sent to me by Reds Fish House: This is the second performance Kings Highway has done at Reds Fish House, By request from all our friends that enjoyed the first performance Reds Fish House will have this as an annual event for the Owensboro community

Reds will be serving dinner, our own fried fish meals as well as a louisiann crawfish boil ,during the performances, making this a fun night of entertainment and dinner for the Owensboro community. Admittance for both shows and dinner will be $25.00

This event will be an outdoor event seating is not available so attendees will want to bring their lawn chairs. Space is limited reservations are highly suggested in advance, Reservations can be made thru our comment page on Reds fish house web page, www.redsfishhouse.com

Reds Fish House is located at 7056 Highway 56.  For directions, see the website.

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My husband and I have been making the rounds, visiting different Kentucky State Parks and their restaurants.  The ones we’ve been to have featured basically the same menu – but our experiences have been greatly varied.

Last night, we ate at the Aurora Landing Restaurant in Kenlake Lodge. It was our first time eating at Kenlake Lodge, but it certainly won’t be our last. Our excellent server (Renai) and extremely warm hostess (Kathy) were, by far, the friendliest we’ve encountered at any state park.  Ever.  Each lady seemed to genuinely love her job and the resort she worked for.  Furthermore, they treated us the way I would treat company that visited my home.   Renai (beautiful name, right?) never allowed our tea to anywhere near half empty and even offered to give us more ice.   This tea, by the way, was amongst the best I’ve ever gotten out.  When we left, she asked if we wanted some tea for the road, in a “to go” cup.  I’ve never experienced that  outside of an Applebee’s.  How’s that for service?!

My husband and I never tell a hostess, server, or any worker that we publish a website or that I write reviews.  I want to see how workers generally are – for better or worse…. when they don’t know anyone’s planning to write about them!  Like I said, for better or worse, you see how people generally are and you get an idea for the way a restaurant is managed.

Words just can’t express how amazing and friendly these ladies were.  I will say this, as a proud Kentuckian, I wish each of our state parks were filled with workers JUST like these two ladies.  Can you imagine the wonderful impression the rest of the world would get of Kentuckian hospitality and warmth?

Given the lovely dispositions of the workers, I was SO hoping that the food would measure up and be deserving of their presence.   In another first from any of the State Park restaurants we’ve visited, Renai brought delicious rolls and butter to our table to enjoy while we waited for our meals.  These rolls were beyond spectacular – they had a light sprinkling of herbs on top and, frankly, tasted unlike any bread I’ve ever had.   I could have eaten 100.

I ordered chicken breast with onions and mushrooms, a baked potato, and pinto beans.  I’d never tried the chicken before, because I’m such a catfish addict that I usually go that fishy route.  I certainly picked the right time to venture out!

The chicken, mushrooms, and onions were so amazing that my mouth is watering from the memories.  The chicken had a delicious grilled, mesquite flavor and was cooked perfectly.  It honestly couldn’t have been any better and the mushrooms and onions were just as perfect – not overdone, not underdone.  Perfectly perfect and delicious beyond belief.

For dessert, we got the Kenlake Brownie  with Ice Cream, cherries, and whipped topping. Oh, sweet goodness, it was amazing!  I’m a total chocohaulic, so I know my chocolate stuff – this dessert was spectacular.

We were delighted to discover that the people in the kitchen were as wonderfully skilled as those in the dining room.  The Kentucky State Park system can certainly be proud of beautiful Kenlake State Park and, even more so, of the workers in its restaurant.

The next time you visit Land Between the Lakes, I promise you that you won’t find a better place to eat than the lovely restaurant at Kenlake Lodge.  With the delicious food, friendly workers, and gorgeous view of the flower gardens and lake – you might not want to leave.

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