taba: October 2010

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Thurman Restaurant- Columbus, Ohio

Pics are very fuzzy, not used to my new i touch camera yet, but you get the picture!!!

Plus it was dark, funny lighting, the waitress had a wobbly hand - excuses excuses!!!

But we had a fabulous time and met some amazing people, shared tips on Bourbon (note to self must try Eagle Rare) shared our 1792 Bourbon with Andrew and John (the lawyer) was totally impressed with the car and our road trips!!

Had a good laugh with several people who like us were first timers to Thurmans and we named ourselves the 'Thurman Virgins'............

John also said he "was happy to lose his cherry to a burger that was that good" !!!!!!!!

You have heard the term 'been there done that got the teeshirt' well we got the teeshirt....

Best to watch the video to get the true picture of a Therminator Burger!!!

The Thurman Burger, Bill couldn't manage a Therminator!!

Managed a Guinness tho..

Of course I found a wine..... I only had the fish dinner aka FEESH and delicious CHIPS vinegar too!!!

link to -Thurmans

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFR5lntsbzc&feature=related

We left Lexington in Kentucky in short sleeves for Mr T, skirt and open toe shoes for me, sunshine blue skies and warmth.....

Arrived Columbus, Ohio and it was FREEZING - jeans, coats and heating on in car and room brrrrrrrrrr but the upside - I could wear my Ugg boots YAY they are sooooo cosy and warm:)

Off to Amish land tomorrow and Buffalo the day after aka Niagra....

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Pics from Bourbon Trail...

Humphrey Bogart advertises Four Roses

Yup Wild Turkey

Jim Beams Sampler - yes they are empty!!! They were good...

Woodford Reserve

Triple Distilling at Woodford

Wild Turkey - Kentucky Spirit - we have a signed bottle by the Master Distiller!!

Makers Mark barrels

Makers Mark still

Warehouse of barrels

Wild Turkey - Master Distiller Jimmy Russel

Signing our bottle

These are a few pics I have uploaded - they are not in the text from the below matching blog because it is HARD work blogging - time consuming and difficult to put pics and txt in together in the right order!!

Haze/Lon we applaud you!! Its great reading your blog and looking at pics, never realised how long it takes!!!! Just uploading a pic is soul destroying, how you manage on Africa time is amazing - I am just about to give up on uploading pics for this blog...... and we are in civilised USA!!!!!

Pictures are in no logical order - but they are pics!!

First attempt at uploading video - its how the full barrels of Woodford Reserve make the journey to the warehouse to mature for 6 - 8 years... very high tech, a man puts them on the barrel run and away they go.....

To think just these three barrels hold 1,569 gallons of Woodford

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAZE :)

Glad you had a good day xxx

Bourbon Trail Kentucky

Kentucky produces 95% of the worlds Bourbon, we have visited seven distilleries hic.... mmmm

Rather than bore you with our pics and too much chat chat I have included the distilleries we visited over 4/5 days - one day was a literal wash out, tornados, rain, trees down and more rain!

We shopped in the Mall on the rainy day and spent a considerable amount of time in the Mac shop :) happy day, and of course we are carrying a sensible amount of Bourbon!!

Saturday - First stop - www.jimbeam.com

an old favourite of Mr T's.....

Onto - www.bourbonheritagecenter.com

Heaven Hills - huge operation - they pay $3.000000 a DAY in taxes!!! (Yes three million!)

Sunday - Makers Mark

www.makersmark.com

Beautiful distillery, wooden floors, highly polished and shiny copper, no cobwebs and lovely grounds, great tour, they hand dip the wax seal that you see, shame we didn't like their bourbon!!

Monday - 1792 -www.bourbonstreetphotography.com

The best tour of all - but no tasting!!!

We had to reserve a tour, Mr T rang at 9am and they said tour started at 9.30!!! I was still in my jimjams, we hadn't had our second cuppa - so we had half an hour to get washed, dressed pack the car, book out of motel and get to distillery !!

We are dedicated to learning - so we made it by 9.35...... they waited for us - phew..... was worth it... we saw and experienced the whole process, from buying the grain to bottling and distribution - most memorable tour - so off to liquor store and bought a bottle of 1792 - delish!!!

Monday afternoon - Four Roses

www.fourroses.us/home

Disappointing bourbon....... but everyone to their own...

Tuesday - rain stopped play!! But was good shopping day... new ipod touch!!! it is wicked, played with it until midnight, updating 'stuff' and using facetime, oh my gawd its like Star Trek!! Talking on a personal device......

Wednesday - Wild Turkey distillery, had the pleasure of meeting the Master Distiller Jimmy Russell who signed the bottle of single barrel Kentucky Spirit - cant see it on website though....

www.wildturkeybourbon.com/

Wednesday afternoon - Woodford Reserve

Saved the best for last.... our favourite tipple... (but think 1792 a close contender, intend to do our own tasting to be sure!!)

www.woodfordreserve.com

They only produce 100 barrels a day... compared to Jim Beam 1,000 barrels a day!! Really concerned they may not have enough for us!!! As they ship world wide...

Lovely tour, made us realise why we actually like it - it is triple distilled - the only bourbon produced that is!! Amazing, we have learned so much about Bourbon, know we don't like 'top heavy' Rye Bourbon, which adds 'spice' aka heat!! Also don't like the really high proof Bourbons - they are too strong...90 proof is ok, 101 and up too strong.....

Still on our way to Niagra - stopping in Columbus Ohio tomorrow night......

Friday, October 22, 2010

Thurs 21.10.10

Carthage in Missouri to Eureka also in Missouri

300 miles

Went on the best of route scenic road, mmm wasn't very scenic!!! We stopped at a road side shop which sold plaster pigs and chickens - WHY?????

EUREKA mmm not very enlightening - but went for a BBQ at Phils place ok but not great .....

Friday - Eureka to Louisville in Kentucky - from Missouri, all the way across Illinois and Indiana ....

300 miles

Making sandwiches in Illinois...

Long day driving, but made it to Kentucky, and OMG had Kentucky Fried Chicken Buffet in KENTUCKY the home of Colonel Sanders it was DELISH... best we have had anywhere in the world.....

Getting closer to the Bourbon Trail - hopefully start tomorrow...

We have driven 1.300 miles so far, which means we have driven the equivalent of John O Groats to Lands end!!! !

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Abilene Texas

Arrived !!

Warm weather and even warmer welcome at Aunt Rite and Larry's, Richie Cozie and Maddie :)

You know the song "If I had known you were coming I'd have baked a cake... etc etc " Well - Aunt Rite baked a yummy chocolate cake for us and a delicious chilli, it was so nice we made her cook a batch of chilli to take with us on the road!!!

Hugs cuddles, chat chat chat, cups of tea and we jumped in the spa, ahhhhhh lovely after that long journey.

Had a fabulous visit, Larry BBQ'd, we had a lovely evening with Joyce and Richard, went for a delicious meal at The Beehive with lots of vino collapso and even more laughs.....

Last evening was curry night (I took my spices and cooked loads for Rite to freeze) and we played 'shoot the cans' with air rifle - Larry is going to take us to shooting range when we get back as we all enjoyed it so much :)

Bonnie was looking very sad when we arrived, hailstones had taken there toll on the windscreen which was cracked :( things were falling off, cruise control and air con didn't work, hood ornament gone, bits of grass and red dust in every available space... BUT new windshield (american name) Larry's magic touch and a couple of good 'shops' (garages) fixed her up - oh and of course Bills washing, polishing and lots of elbow grease - she almost looks like new!!!