Natural Bridge

School and life are crazy as usual, but I wanted to make another blog post because it's been a week or two since my last one!

So, about a month ago, I was sitting at home and decided it was about time for another adventure. I texted my friend Ashley and told her we needed to go exploring, asked if she would like to go to Natural Bridge in Slade, Kentucky, and told her to be ready by 10:00 am sharp the next day.

Luckily, the day we chose just happened to be one of those randomly gorgeous sunny and warm enough to wear a sweatshirt as long as you keep moving and don't sit for too long type of days...

And after what felt like weeks of the sun hiding behind clouds, this day felt like a little slice of spring in the middle of winter.

BUT! Anyway, Natural Bridge State Resort Park offers lots of different hiking trails ranging in length from a quarter of a mile to 7.5 miles, and in difficulty from easy to strenuous. According to their website, this state park contains at least 12 different hiking trails.

Because we wanted to get back before dark and Natural Bridge is about an hour east of Lexington (in Slade, KY), we chose to do The Original Trail (.75 miles) on the way up to the bridge, and The Balanced Rock Trail (.75 miles) on the way down. It probably took us about half an hour to climb up to the top, and another half an hour to get back to where we'd parked the car.

Depending on your level of experience/fitness these trails could take more or less time, just as a warning. However, I also have a knack for stopping every 20 feet to take a picture with my fancy camera when I hike, so that adds a bit of time as well...

Although sometimes you get some lovely pictures like this if you're lucky, so the extra time is totally worth it! (I was loving the light and my little camera remote on this trip!)



The top of the bridge offers one of the best views you can get while hiking in Kentucky... We went in the middle of winter, so obviously the trees were fairly bare, but the lookout was still very pretty!

One of these days I want to come back here again because I've heard of a place called the Froggy Bottom Diner that I'd like to try, so hopefully that'll happen soon! (And another blog post will ensue, of course.)


Also, Natural Bridge is surrounded by Red River Gorge, which I've also heard is great hiking and even rock climbing... Unfortunately I haven't managed to actually hike or climb in the gorge yet, but I hope to over the summer!

So, if you're looking for a great place to enjoy the outdoors in Kentucky, the city of Slade offers some great trails that lead to great views!

Thanks for reading! More to come soon...

North Lime Coffee and Donuts

I just now made a very sad discovery... Apparently although I love this local coffee shop and visited here at least 4 times over winter break, I never wrote a blog post about it, and that's just sad.

So! Here goes... North Lime Coffee and Donuts. Yum. In case you haven't noticed yet, I am very fond of coffee, and I love getting it from random local places especially. I also have the worst sweet tooth in the world, and donuts are one of my favorite breakfast foods.

Obviously, just from the name you can tell this is my kind of place.

Located near downtown in Lexington, KY,  North Lime Coffee and Donuts offers delicious, freshly roasted coffee from a local Lexington roaster (Nate's Coffee, to be exact!) as well as a variety of donuts made from scratch. They also offer free wifi, which is always a plus.

My favorite drink that I've tried so far was a "wet" cappuccino with a shot of caramel. When I'm in need of caffeine, I go for as much espresso as possible, and a wet cappuccino is very similar to a latte, just with a little extra espresso.

Anyway, in my humble opinion they also have the best plain glazed donuts around, and the fact that their donuts are square instead of round makes me happy... They also offer many other flavors daily: chocolate iced, cinnamon sugar, funnel cake, and cinnamonkeys, plus a monthly special that changes depending on when you stop by.

So far, I've never had anything from here that wasn't wonderfully sugar-coma inducing, and I highly recommend adding this to your list of places to grab coffee or breakfast in the morning because there's nothing better than caffeine and sugar from a local Kentucky coffee shop to make you feel alive!

If only I wasn't in Morehead right now, I'd probably be making this blog post from one of the tables at North Lime... Seriously stop by!

Also, they now have two locations: the original at 575 N Limestone St. and another at 3101 Clays Mill Rd. 

Hours and more available on their website: http://www.northlimelex.com/index.php

La Petite Crêperie

Well, it's been a little while since I've posted again, but I'm really excited about this post.

About a month ago, my mom and I woke up and wanted to go to breakfast at a local place in Lexington. So, I checked this list of places I'd come up with that I wanted to visit before the break, and one of those places was La Petite Crêperie, located on Kentucky Ave.

I actually just checked their website (http://petitecreperie.com), and apparently they're closed for the rest of the winter and will re-open when warmer weather returns.

Still, this restaurant deserves to be written about, and I'm just glad we managed to go before they took a break for the season.

La Petite Crêperie is a traditional french café serving only crepes and salads as far as food is concerned. They offer many different crepe options, including both sweet and savory versions of the thin pancake-like dish. The salad options also looked great, but since it was early in the morning, we were ready for some crepes and coffee to start the day off right.


Not knowing exactly what to expect when we got there, we were pleasantly surprised to find out that La Petite Crêperie is actually a very affordable place to eat.

First, their crepes were only around $5 or $6 to begin with, and extra fillings or toppings were only $0.50-$1.00 extra. Even their salads are all under $7.

Plus, at least when we went early in the morning, the woman working there told us the coffee was free. So, I got this bowl-worth of coffee for no extra cost.

Then, when my mom got her apple crepe, and I got my lemon one, we were both amazed by how tasty and filling they were for such a small cost.

Also, the story of how the two women who own La Petite Crêperie got their start is pretty cool. To summarize what I learned on their website, the restaurant is owned by two women.

One of these women was born in the US, but travelled and studied throughout France. While she was there, she fell in love with the crepe, and missed them when she returned.

The other was born and raised in France before eventually moving to the US, working in many French restaurants as she was growing up, and bringing a great knowledge of French recipes with her to the states.

Between the two, they decided it was time for a place like Lexington, KY to enjoy some truly French cuisine (without the high cost generally associated with French restaurants).

So, La Petite Crêperie became a great addition to the city I call my home, and I am very glad it did!

Read the full story by clicking here, and be sure to stop by once they re-open in the spring! I promise you won't be disappointed!

Address: 191 Kentucky Avenue, Lexington, KY

Meadowthorpe Café

{ Pepper Burger }

So! As I admitted in my last post, I'm currently playing a bit of catch up on here. This post is actually from earlier during the same day as the last one, and this burger from the Meadowthorpe Café was delicious. 

I'm not sure of exactly how long, but this restaurant has been around in Lexington for awhile now. When I mentioned to my parents where we were headed to lunch that day, they both mentioned that they'd been here before. 

Meadowthorpe Café is open for breakfast, brunch, and lunch from 8:00 am- 2:00 pm Monday-Saturday, and they open an hour later on Sunday. 

As you can see from this picture, it's got a bit of a diner/burger joint feel, which was appropriate for what Kam and I were looking for that day. 

Since going I've heard that they have a pretty kick-butt breakfast too though, and I'll have to go back and try it sometime. 

Anyway, by the time he and I got here, we were starving... Luckily, our food came out fairly quickly, and we weren't a bit disappointed by it either.

Here's one more wonderful burger picture before I finish up this post and call it a day... I can't remember what it was called, but Kameron's was barbecue-y and didn't sit on the plate for another second after I forced him to let me take this picture. 

For more information on this lovely local Kentucky restaurant, click on this link visit their facebook page. 

Hope you'll stop by and try it!

Triangle Park Ice Skating Rink

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!!

Okay, so I definitely thought I'd do a lot better at keeping up with this blog over break, but obviously that didn't happen. On the bright side, I did do lots of fun things, and all of them were in Kentucky, so I guess I'll just have to play catch up with some of the best places I've been since being home. 

Numero uno: Triangle Park Ice Skating Rink. 

The weekend after classes ended, Kameron came up to Lexington to stay for a few days. Friday, we went to Blue Door Smokehouse, a newer local barbecue joint that I MUST write about one of these days... unfortunately I was so distracted by my ribs that I didn't take any pictures to write a proper post, so that will come later after I revisit and eat my weight in pork. 

Anyway! I have decided that I have an extremely patient boyfriend because that Saturday, after taking Kam to a Hanukkah party with all my high school friends (we're Catholic by the way), I dragged him downtown and forced him to go ice skating with me. 

He'd never been, and he told me he hated me at least 20 or 30 times, but we still had a lot of fun! I love the fact that Lexington puts up an ice skating rink downtown in the winter now because it's very festive... and the Christmas music playing as we skated made me that much happier.

The rink will be up until January 11, so grab your favorite person/people and head down there while you still can! 

{more blog posts to come in the near future!}

All Seasons Café and Restaurant

Finals are finally over!! After one particularly rough final this Thursday, Kameron and I went out to eat lunch at the All Seasons, one of the local restaurants on Main Street in Morehead.

We'd been here one time before, but since I'm trying to get back into the swing of this whole blog thing, I decided to take some pictures and write about it this time!

So! I don't know how long it has been in Morehead, and I don't know anything about its story, but I do know that it's cute, local, delicious, and affordable!

Right now it's decorated for Christmas, but even when it's not the holiday season, the restaurant is always decked out and it makes me happy just to walk in.

It has a pretty relaxed atmosphere, and as you can see by the picture, all you have to do is walk in and pick a table.

The waiters are usually pretty quick, and after you order the food only takes a few minutes to come out.

Coca Cola is a big theme here by the way... I really wish I knew why and I wish I knew more about this business, but unfortunately I don't.

Maybe one of these days I'll get around to actually asking someone who works here to give me a little more information about it, but for now this is really all I've got so far!


So, let's move onto the food. This was my mine. It's a Chicken Cordon Blue with kettle chips, and it was really tasty and filling, and cheaper than I expected it to be.

Unfortunately I may have forgotten about my lactose intolerance for a moment again, and it does have a lot of cheese on it... just as a warning!

Also, the picture below is Kam's meal. He got a chicken salad wrap and the Loaded Potato Bacon Soup (that may or may not have been the exact name, but if you go it is one of the absolute best things on the menu and Kameron has gotten it both times he's been!).

Well, I wish I had more interesting facts to list off about the All Seasons, but I don't just yet.

I'll have to go back again and ask a few questions. Everyone on the staff there always seems really friendly though, so I'm sure they wouldn't mind.

Basically, this little local restaurant is really tasty and cheap. Kameron and I both ate for under $20... pretty sure it was under 20 anyway. He paid and I forgot to check the prices because I may have been a little upset over my final. Oops!

Anyway, anyone who goes to MSU or is in the area should really stop by for lunch because it really is good.

That's all for now! Check back over winter break for more fun entries that I really hope are a little better than this one! Enjoy!

25 Winter Date Ideas for Couples in Lexington, KY

The countdown to Christmas has begun and there's nothing I love more than the holidays. With just one week left in the semester, I'm ready to really get into the swing of things and have fun this winter break. This year I've been trying to plan out some fun things to do while I'm in town to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year... So, I came up with this list of 25 winter themed things to do in Lexington during the break. No boyfriend/girlfriend? No problem. Just grab your best friend and have some holiday fun. Enjoy!

1. Ice Skating in Triangle Park From early November until mid January, Triangle Park in downtown Lexington offers an outdoor ice skating rink perfect for a wintry date. Admission and skate rental costs only $10  per person for 90 minutes of gliding fun. Hours of operation listed here: http://www.lexingtoncenter.com/events/detail/unified-trust-company-ice-rink.

2. Southern Lights Listen to some holiday tunes while driving through over four miles of light displays at the Kentucky Horse Park. Cost is $15 per car Sun-Thurs and $20 per car Fri-Sat. More info here: http://khpfoundation.org/programs/featured-events/southern-lights-holiday-festival

3. Volunteer Together Each year, the Catholic Action Center/God’s Net hosts a Christmas Store where those who would not otherwise be able to purchase gifts for their children can come “shop” for free. Volunteers are always needed for this event and for the other services offered by this organization, so why not pay it forward together and tap into the true spirit of Christmas? CAC Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CAClexky or website: godsnet.info

4. Build a Snowman After a particularly good snow, create your own Frosty complete with a hat and a carrot nose. Totally free and very fun.

5. Go Skiing Technically, this one’s not in Lexington, but I decided to include it anyhow. If you’re up for the hour and a half drive, Perfect North Slopes in Lawrenceburg, IN is a great place for a fun winter date.  Plus, in January and February they offer College Nights, where skiing, tubing, and snowboarding is discounted with a student ID. More info here: http://perfectnorth.com/calendar.

6. Paint Mugs Visit The Mad Potter and design your own holiday-themed mugs together for future hot cocoa sipping. Website for more information: http://www.themadpotter.biz.

7. Make a Gingerbread House Grab a kit from just about any major grocery store and build a home together using nothing but sweets.

8. Run a 5k For an active couple, The Reindeer Ramble hosted by the YMCA of Lexington or one of two John’s Run/Walk Shop Holiday Fun Runs are perfect opportunities to run (or at least slowly jog) off a few of those holiday calories together.

9. Winter Hike at Raven Run Bundle up and take a snowy walk together through this nature sanctuary in the heart of Lexington.

10. Buy a Christmas Tree Or at least walk around one of the local Christmas tree farms to get into the holiday spirit. Support Lexington farmers by visiting Barker, Nieman, Christmas Memories, or other tree farms listed here: http://www.kychristmastreefarms.com

11. Decorate a Tree Whether it’s real or fake, big or small, decorate a tree together with lights, garland, and all of the usual holiday jazz.

12. Make Homemade Ornaments Even if you’re not the craftiest, something like these: http://www.katyelliott.com/blog/2011/12/cinnamon-applesauce-heart-ornaments.html simple ornaments are a fun way to spend time together while making gifts for others or for your very own tree.

13. See a movie at the Kentucky Theater With weather turning nasty and cold, winter is prime movie time. The historic Kentucky Theater is the perfect place to enjoy an evening and catch a movie. Plus, the theater’s within walking distance of many great downtown restaurants. Movie times available on their website: http://www.kentuckytheater.com/special-events/

14. Carriage Ride Although it’s a little pricey ($100 for 1 hr), I can’t imagine a more picturesque winter date idea than packing a thermos full of hot chocolate and riding around downtown in a horse drawn carriage. For information on carriage rides in Lexington visit http://www.lexingtonlivery.com.

 

15. See a Holiday Play Get a little dressed up and watch one of the many Christmas-themed plays and musicals that the Lexington Opera House offers each year. Full listing here: http://www.lexingtonoperahouse.com/events. Or, visit the theater at the UK Fine Arts Center for "The Smack-Off: A Christmas Reality Show," a funny holiday performance that's a sequel to the awesome "Smackdown for the Christmas Crown" that I saw a few years ago (which is where I took this lovely picture). Tickets available here: www.scfatickets.com.

16. Have a Snowball Fight I don’t just mean pack one little snowball and toss it at your significant other. I’m talking about a full out wintry war. Build snow forts and prep snowballs ahead of time, or surprise your significant other by pelting him/her unexpectedly.

17. Go Sledding Like many of the other date ideas, this one requires a good amount of snow. Still, getting all bundled up and going sledding together can be a lot of fun. There’s nothing wrong with embracing your inner child, especially not around the holidays.

18. Christmas Parade Every December, Lexington offers a Christmas Parade downtown on Main Street. Why not wear your favorite holiday sweater and join in the festivities by watching it with your favorite person?

19. Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Search Goodwill, rob your grandma’s closet, or create your own tacky Christmas sweaters, then get together with others to enjoy the ridiculousness.

20. Christmas Cookies Whether it’s grandma’s secret recipe or straight from a box, bake up some sugar cookies or gingerbread men and spend a little time decorating them to holiday perfection with red and green icing and sprinkles.

21. Christmas Shopping Love it or hate it, during the holidays at least one shopping trip is practically inescapable. So, rather than trudge through the mall alone, bring your significant other along and get more accomplished while hopefully having a little more fun with it!

22. Reindeer Games Also known as Game Night. Pull out the good ol’ board and card games and take part in some friendly competition. My personal favorites are Apples to Apples and UNO.

23. Attend a Hockey Game The UK hockey team has many games during the holiday season. Games start around midnight at the Lexington Ice Center, and I’ve heard they’re a blast.

24. Christmas Movie Marathon Elf, A Christmas Story, The Grinch, Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Holiday Inn, White Christmas (my personal favorite!) … the possibilities are endless. Just pop some popcorn, start a fire, and grab some fuzzy socks and you’re all set!

25. Christmas Dinner Depending on the nature of your relationship, you may or may not have an actual Christmas dinner with your significant other, but this idea is of the faux-Christmas dinner variety. If you happen to love cooking like I do, pull out all the stops and fix a delicious holiday meal regardless of the day. 

I hope you found this list helpful/interesting! If you like it please share it! (Buttons below)