Tuesday, June 30, 2015
The first ever Lexington BURGER WEEK is July 6-12th! It doesn't get better than this! There are 20 restaurants participating from all over town and each one is creating a special $5 that isn't on their regular menu. The chefs are competing for the most unique burger in town. The hardest part of the whole week is going to be deciding which restaurant to visit first!
The Five Commandments of Burger Week
1. They will run out. The restaurants are going to be making A LOT of these burgers, so try to understand if they run out. There will be 19 other restaurants also serving burgers that are just as tasty that you should try next!
2. There will be waits. Be prepared to have to wait for a table. This event is going to be very popular, so try to go early or make sure to be patient with our restaurants.
3. Tips are appreciated. $5 brings out the cheap in all of us, but really, you're getting a $10-15 burger (many restaurants go way overboard with ingredients, trying to outdo each other), so please tip at least 20%. The people who are serving you are working harder during Burger Week than at any other point in the year. A kind word will also be welcome - these people are our friends and neighbors.
4. You really should buy a drink or other food. While extra purchases are not a requirement, I think it says something good about you if you show a little love to a restaurant going above and beyond to bring you an awesome burger. Pick up some fries and a pint of Kentucky Ale. You'll enjoy yourself more.
5. Check Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Restaurants are encouraged to post their waits and remaining burgers for the day. Go to lexingtonburgerweek.com and don't forget to tag your Instagram photos and tweets with
#lexburgerweek.
Now to the good stuff, the burgers!
1. The Pole Dancer from A La Lucie
Two Angus beef patties with a bourbon soaked Bellavitano and Swiss mac and cheese waffle in between, topped with applewood smoked bacon, onion ring, pickle, tomato, chopped lettuce and a Dijon mayonnaise “special sauce.” The Dancer will be served on a split-top potato bread bun and skewered. Best paired with: Kentucky Ale
2. Two Drunken Burgers from Enoteca
Two red wine-soaked burger sliders covered in melted drunken goat cheese from Spain, topped with house cured pork belly, green peppers cooked in Kentucky Ale, and baby greens served on brioche buns with house aioli on the side. Best paired with: Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale
3. Smokin' Beer Cheese Burger from JDI
An Angus patty topped with in-house smoked pulled pork, JDI beer cheese made with Kentucky Ale, fresh red onions; breaded and fried with lettuce, and tomato. Best paired with: Kentucky Ale
4. The Animal Club from Country Club
A Kentucky beef patty from Marksbury Farm Foods, seared with mustard bbq sauce, 2 slices American cheese, smoked onions, pickles, lettuce, Garey Farm heirloom tomato, BBQ 1000 Island, on a toasted Sunrise Bakery bun. Best paired with: Kentucky White Ale
A beef burger blended with Bourbon butter crimini mushrooms, topped with Kenny’s Swiss cheese, house-pickled Garey Farms kale kraut and our Russian dressing. We’ll also offer a lentil patty using the same treatment for vegetarians. Best paired with: Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout
6. Far East Bound & Down O'Round from Shamrock Bar and Grill
O’Round with a dollop of Sriracha, fire roasted green chiles, pepperjack cheese, finished with garden fresh leaf lettuce, diced red onion, and a hand breaded, Panko fried green tomato with a butter grilled bun lathered with Sriracha aioli. Best paired with: Kentucky Old Fashioned Barrel Ale
7. Best Friend Burger from Best Friend Bar
A beef patty topped with house made pimento cheese, fried green tomato, fried shallots, Sriracha mayo, tomato onion jam and fresh cilantro on a potato bun. Best paired with: Kentucky IPA
8. Five Buck Burger from Drake'sA ginormous 100% USDA beef patty with honey-jalapeno barbecue sauce, heaps of American cheese, and house fried onion straws. Best paired with: Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale
9. Beef WELL-ington Burger from Smithtown Seafood
Locally sourced beef burger with mushroom duxelles, coffee stout demi-glace, crumbled Kenny’s Barren County bleu cheese, crispy buttermilk onions, roast garlic aïoli, and FoodChain mustard microgreens on a croissant. Best with: Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout
10. Backyard Voodoo Burger from Lynagh's
A perfectly seasoned ground sirloin patty on a toasted brioche bun, topped with caramelized onions and drenched in a root beer and onion sauce so damn good it can only be called Voodoo. Best paired with: Kentucky Kolsch
11. Rising Sun Burger from Alfalfa Restaurant
A 1/4 lb Local Stone Cross Farms beef burger topped with tamari marinated grilled onions, tempura battered shiitake mushrooms, cucumber-ginger pickle and wasabi mayo on a housemade sesame bun using Weisenberger Mill flour. Best paired with: Kentucky Ale
12. Thai Me Down Burger from Lexington Diner
A 1/3 lb. local Cooper Brothers burger with Thai Peanut Sauce, mushrooms, caramelized onion, smoked gouda, and Asian vegetables with a sweet jalapeno chili sauce on a Sunrise Bakery brioche bun. Lexington Diner does not serve beer.
13. Lum's Olie Burger from The Ketch Seafood Restaurant
A 6 oz. Angus chuck patty seasoned with the original Lum’s Burger Spice Mix, cooked over white oak coals, topped with provolone, Romano & Parmesan cheese and served on our house baked, toasted bun with Original Lum’s Sauce. Try it with an order of spicy Lum’s Fries. Best paired with: Kentucky Ale
14. Hot Diggity Dog Beer Cheese Burger from Columbia Steakhouse
An 8 oz. burger with a chargrilled 100% beef hot dog, our artisan top-secret beer cheese and leafy green lettuce. Served on a butter-toasted sesame seed bun. Best paired with: Kentucky Ale
15. Western Burger from AP Suggins
An 8 oz. burger topped with a spicy Kansas City style BBQ sauce, hickory smoked bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, a beer battered onion ring, romaine lettuce and sliced tomato on a toasted bun. Best paired with: Kentucky Ale
16. Caballero Steak Burger from Coba Cocina
A steak burger with arugula, queso fresco and chimichurri. Best paired with: Kentucky Kolsch
17. West Kentucky Blue Jack Mutton Burger from Billy's BBQ
A fresh rosemary and garlic infused mutton burger with melted bleu cheese crumbles or pepperjack cheese topped with pickles, lettuce, onion and tomato on a sesame seed bun. Best paired with: Kentucky Ale
18. Beaumont Bomber Burger from BRU Burger
A tri-cut blend of sirloin, chuck, and brisket topped with chorizo, white cheddar, sauteed peppers, eggs, hashbrowns, and a star anise gravy, sitting on a brioche bun. Best paired with: Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout
19. Bite the Bulleit Burger from The Cellar
An 8 oz. burger smothered in a bourbon glaze, caramel onions, bacon and two slices of smoked gouda cheese topped with a toasted sesame seed bun. Best paired with: Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale
20. Drunken Cajun Butter from Bourbon & Toulouse/CCI
A 1/4 lb. beef patty mixed with bourbon smoked garlic salt, minced onion, sharp cheddar cheese, creole spiced bread butter, Cajun power hot sauce and Sadistic Mistress homemade ketchup. Best paired with: Kentucky Ale
Now comes the hard part...what's going to be your first stop!? Visit www.lexingtonburgerweek.com for more information!
Monday, March 30, 2015
If your home is your safehaven, then your Master bedroom is your command center. It's the place where you can recharge and refresh from the busy-ness of our everyday lives. It's essential to create an atmosphere for yourself that is warm and inviting and comforting. Here's some Master bedroom ideas to transform your bedroom into a serene oasis.
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Start your transformation with color. Whether you decide to paint your Master retreat, or incorporate new bedding, soothing colors like greens, soft creams, or purples create a feeling of rest and relaxation.
You spend a third of your life sleeping, so it’s important to choose a mattress, pillows and bedding that are the most comfortable for you. Bedding is also important. You have a variety of fabrics and finishes to choose from. Whatever you choose, make sure you feel most comfortable with it.
Maximize functionality by incorporating a space in your master bedroom for an elegant chaise lounge or a pair of overstuffed armchairs. Having any form of additional seating in your master creates a more dynamic sense of space where you can enjoy alone time away from the main social areas in your home and instantly creates a peaceful spot to unwind at the end of the day.
Lastly, incorporate personal touches, like family photos or keepsakes on nightstands or bookshelves. Try not to over-accessorize, but just include items that are important or sentimental to you. Banish electronics, like TVs, laptops, or cellphones to another room or hallway to keep your Master retreat a serene spot, without distractions.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
The entryway or foyer is your home's first impression on visitors. Make sure it's a good one. If you're looking for ways to add some life to your vestibule, here are a few suggestions to get you started.
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Floors
Your entryway floors take a beating from all the traffic and weather. Make sure your flooring can take the beating by choosing the correct flooring for your home. Consider adding an area rug or runner down to combat some of the foot traffic. Keep your rugs clear of the furniture so the space has a feeling of openness. And don’t let it extend the entire length of the hallway: You want to be sure that the front door can open freely.
Walls
The easiest way to liven up your foyer is to paint the walls. Choose a color that is in the same palette as the other rooms close to it for continuity. If painting isn't in the budget, pieces of art can work wonders. Hanging artwork, mirrors or other decorations engage your visitors eyes immediately and gives your foyer the lift it was missing. Art doesn't have to be expensive either. You can use swatches of wallpaper in clean frames to create an eclectic grouping, or try ornamental mirrors as well.
Furniture
Your entryway should not only be appealing to the eye, but it should also be functional. Consider adding a few pieces of furniture, like a small dresser and chair to give your foyer a cozy feeling. Put a basket or bowl there to be a catch-all for keys or mial, but make sure it doesn't become too cluttered. A drop-zone is another great piece to add to your entryway to corrall all of the coats and shoes.
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Tuesday, January 6, 2015
The Talbot plan was a recent winner in the Best New Home Design Category at the Lexington Home Builders Association's Salute to the Stars. A winner in the $226-$300K price category, the Talbot is a 2632sf traditionally styled two-story with four bedrooms.
This new plan offers the great square footage values and family-friendly layout of popular plans like the Cavanaugh II and Arlington II Expanded, plus features like a covered patio, loft option, drop zone option, and pocket office option that are in high demand with today's homebuyers. The kitchen includes a walk-in pantry, a barrel-style island, and plenty of cabinet space. The upstairs master suite with trey ceiling has multiple luxury bath layouts, including a walk-in shower, drying area, and open linen shelves. The wrap-around master closet has direct pass-through access to the spacious upstairs utility room.
View our photo gallery by clicking on Photo Gallery from the Talbot page toolbar, or see the Talbot model at The Village at Lanes Run Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 5pm, or any time by appointment.
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Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Efforts to preserve what one news writer dubbed "the most fought-over tree in Lexington" have earned Ball Homes the 2014 Environmental Commission Award, and tree preservationists hope it may serve as a model for future developments. The Lexington-Fayette Environmental Commission announced the award in November, citing planning and preservation efforts by Ball Homes during the development of a 25-acre tract of land off Harrodsburg Road near Military Pike that is home to the giant bur oak tree.
A long-term plan to protect and preserve the tree was developed by Ball Homes in conjunction with Ian Hoffman, President of Big Beaver Tree Service, and Tom Kimmerer of Venerable Trees, Inc. Before securing approval to develop the area, the company created a plan based around the tree's needs that would return the tree to healthy environmental conditions, protect it during development, and provide for its future care. As a protected part of the new residential community of single family homes and apartments, the massive oak will be the focal point and signature feature of the neighborhood.
The age of the tree has been estimated at 300 to 500 hundred years. It is a species that thrives in Central Kentucky conditions, but has become increasingly rare as it does not thrive in urban conditions, and younger trees are not growing up to replace the older ones. Described as "the oldest living things in Kentucky" by Herald-Leader columnist Tom Eblen, the trees often dominate the landscape because of their size, making them "icons of the Bluegrass landscape."
In part because of its highly visible location, the ancient bur oak tree on Old Schoolhouse Lane has been the subject of much public discussion, and an earlier proposal by another developer that placed the tree at risk for loss or damage was rejected by the city.
In fact, it was already threatened by soil compaction from an existing driveway that remained from a now-demolished residence built in the 1970's. First steps to protect the tree involved pruning, removing brush from around it, and removing the driveway. A temporary fence to keep construction at least 72 feet away from the tree was installed, and six inches of wood mulch placed. Going forward, approximately 3/4 of an acre has been dedicated to the tree's preservation, and Ball Homes plans to retain ownership of that portion of the property.
Tom Kimmerer of Venerable Trees suggests that the tree care plan developed for Ball Homes could become a model for preserving other ancient trees in the Bluegrass. Read more about the story of the Schoolhouse Oak's conservation in Tom Eblen's Lexington Herald-Leader feature.
Photo courtesy of the Lexington Herald-Leader