Welcome to the Bluegrass

Miles Traveled: 0
Miles Hiked: 4

With little more than two weeks before our move, we’ve decided to experience all we could of Lexington before we leave. Not only will this allow us to depart without any regrets of missed adventure, but our local excursions give us plenty of fodder for blogging practice before the real journey begins. After waking up early to enjoy the farmers market downtown, we cleaned out the car and drove south to Raven’s Run, a nature sanctuary dedicated to preserving the natural beauty of the Kentucky River Palisades with nearly 10 miles of hiking trails.

We selected the 4 mile Red Trail Loop which encircled the 734 acre preserve and provided access through meadows, woodland and palisade bluffs. Thankfully the cold-snap that blew through the region last week didn’t affect the bloom of wildflowers and our nostrils were filled with the pleasant scent of the native dwarf larkspur (Delphinium tricorne), blue phlox (Phlox divaricata) and blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia verna) which covered the hillsides. These species, commonly referred to as spring ephemerals, bloom only briefly between the last winter freeze and the budding of the forest canopy which later shades the forest floor. Two miles, the mixed hardwood forests of oak and hickory gave way to the limestone creek-bed which provided the perfect breaking spot. Though the parking lot was full when we arrived and when we left, the network of trails was more than adequate to provide privacy from the crowds and other than the occasional run-in with another group of day-trippers, the chipping of cardinals and rushing of the creek as it flowed into the Kentucky river were the only sounds to break the peaceful silence.

Staying true to the ‘authentic Bluegrass experience’, we made reservations at Dudley’s and joined Lexington’s elite (or at least those without a tight budget!) on the patio for dinner. Located just blocks away from our loft in the historic South Hill neighborhood, the restaurant in Dudley Square is the result of a numerous renovations of the original 1852 schoolhouse. Earlier today we were thinking about what we were going to miss most about this area, and the charm and historic nature of our neighborhood definitely ranked high on the list. The early 1800’s might be young by global standards, but compared to the relative newness of everything on the west coast, the Colonial era seems far removed from the technological urgency we find ourselves partaking in on a daily basis and it’s always been one of our favorite weekend activities to walk along the old streets on our way downtown and admire the achitecture while we wax nostalgic about how different life would have been back then.

The atmosphere was perfect for a warm spring evening, but the service left quite a bit to be desired (we never did get bread-plates for the bread and I had to ask for silverware after the soup and salad were brought out). When the food finally did arrive, however, it was excellent. Andras had the Vichyssoise and I had the salad with poppy-seed vinaigrette to start, and we both had the herb-crused rack of lamb for our entrée. It was cooked perfectly in a tomato-peppercorn demi-glace and well worth the wait. The white-wine sorbet was a refreshing finish to the heavier main-course and there was plenty to share but Andras perfered to finish his meal with a glass of Cosentino CVC Pinot Noir.

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