Every time I travel to a new place, no matter how exciting it may be, I'm always reminded of how much I love my hometown. With my recent trip to Atlanta (more like a month ago at this point, when did that happen?) I realized I may not be such a big city person after all. Now I'm sure somewhere like NYC or Chicago would be a little different because you literally can walk everywhere, but Atlanta is more of a sprawled out city. Dealing with the traffic and figuring out where the heck we were going was interesting to say the least, all the more reason why Louisville has my heart.
Before I jump into my list, let's address a very important topic - the proper way to say the darn name. For some reason (I can't imagine why) this is always an issue whenever I tell someone where I'm from. I'm typically asked to repeat myself several times, and then I just say it's where they have the Derby, and the light bulb moment happens. It's Luh-vuhl, spoken as one swift, fluid word. Say it with me now ... Luhhh-vuhlll. Don't dare say "Louis-ville" or "Lewis-ville" or you'll be marked as an outsider for life.
Now that we've covered that, let's get to it! Here are five reasons why I love my hometown.
1. It's the northern-most southern city, or southern-most northern city, depending on how you look at it. What does this really mean? Louisville is kind of in the midst of an identity crisis, but that's totally ok. It's got southern hospitality and charm, with the fast pace of the north. There's a small town feel, yet there's always something to do (that does not involve a Wal-Mart parking lot). You can also pretty much get anywhere in about 20 minutes or less. What I'm really trying to say is that here, you pretty much get the best of both worlds.
2. There's a plethora of local shops, restaurants, and businesses that Louisvillians love to support. Some of my favorite neighborhoods are the Highlands, Crescent Hill, and NuLu, so if you ever have a chance to visit, I highly recommend you check them out! You can easily walk the streets and discover something new with every visit. As much as I love the mall, I love shopping and eating local even more!
3. Two words - Kentucky Derby. What most people know as the most exciting two minutes in sports, Louisville knows as a three week festival. It kicks off with the biggest fireworks display in North America and ends with the big race, with endless activities to do in between. Basically, the whole city is in party mode for three weeks and it's kind of amazing. Next to Christmas, Derby is my favorite time of the year.
4. Two more words - Hot Brown. This is the most delicious thing you can ever eat. It's an open-faced sandwich smothered in cheesy goodness with turkey, bacon and tomato. Many restaurants around town offer up their version, but the original was created at the Brown Hotel downtown. This is a must-try if you're ever in the area. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
5. College sports are life. We have one of the greatest rivalries in the country, and pretty much from birth you either bleed red for the Cards or blue for those yucky Cats. When the two teams meet in football and basketball, the whole state shuts down to watch. It's quite the spectacle, but an amazing one at that. Some of the crazies can get out of control with personal blows, but most people understand that it's all in good fun. Just don't tell me you're one of those fans that will cheer for the other team if they're not playing each other. Sorry, it just doesn't work that way.
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What are some things you love about your hometown?
xoxo,
Amanda
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