LouisvilleKY’s The WEEK: A Blowout, Bourbon Days, and Bluegrass Lead Into Labor Day Weekend

Papa John's from the Flight Deck

After a 56-point first half at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, the biggest talking point for the football-crazed fans in the upper deck was whether the Cards could actually score 100 points. “Bobby, Don’t Let Up!” we yelled at Petrino.

Of course, no one expects any football team to score 4 TDs per quarter, but it sure was fun while it lasted.  Watching phenom QB Lamar Jackson carve up a Charlotte secondary that seemed to be leaving at least one Card received wide open on pass plays left us marveling at Jackson’s talents.

Petrino chose to, well, let up, at the start of the second half, sitting Jackson after a record-setting 8 first-half TDs, six through the air. So for the few paying attention, the Cardinal second and third-teamers played the 49ers to a draw, but still hitting the 70-point mark was big, the first time it’s happened since 2013.

No, it wasn’t a real test, and next Friday’s contest at Syracuse will be. And then, in 2 Saturday, Florida State will be here.

If you’re a local and even wonder what all the fuss is about Bourbon Tourism, you should spend a day touring distilleries, like I did last Saturday. It was a birthday present from Paula, and launched an eventful week. I also spent an afternoon having lunch with the great mandolin-playing, hourbon-and-iced-tea drinking, always joking Hickory Vaught at Captain’s Quarters.

And on Thursday, I got to see Oxmoor Farm, courtesy of Executive Director Carol Gunderson. It sits just behind Oxmoor Country Club, parallel to I-64 before the Hursbourne exit, and is a classic working farm, producing vegetable served at places like Harvest Restaurant and sold at the Bardstown Road Farmers Market. But the Food Literacy Project is also based there, and it’s likely your kids have visited on a field trip. Gunderson said it’s really cool to see the faces of inner-city kids, many of whom rarely see veggies outside the Kroger produce section, light up when they see and taste veggies in the field.

Their fund-raiser is Sept. 15, featuring a great meal at the Clifton Center prepared by an all-star lineup of 10 local chefs. Check it out at this web site.

A few podcasts came from all this activity, and I hope you’ll take a few minutes from your Labor Day weekend and listen in.

The Rusty Satellite Show with Hickory Vaught and Ian Derrer:

EatDrinkTalk podcast, hosted by Steve Coomes and I, featuring Carol Gunderson and Dawn Przystal:

Big Events for the Weekend:

Actors Theatre’s “The 39 Steps” opens tonight, and I’m excited about seeing first-time director Nathan Keepers’ (a recent Rusty guest) production of a Hitchcock comedy/thriller.

The Bluegrass and Bourbon experience at the Water Tower is the 3rd in the series of holiday weekend festivals prodded by Bisig Entertainment Group. Hickory Vaught plays Saturday at 5.

Monday’s Hike, Bike and Paddle event with Mayor Fisher starts at Waterfront Park. I’ll be there, but Jackie Green won’t. The bike shop owner and transportation activist doesn’t think the event should disrupt the TARC schedule, and should be routed along River Road instead of to Shawnee Park and back. That said, it’s a great way to see the progress in Portland, for those who don’t normally see that part of town.

Here are some pics from this week: