California Girls on the Bourbon Trail

 

Alicia was the last of the crew to turn 50 and when we asked her what she wanted to do she said that she wanted to check the Bourbon Trail off her bucket list. Although not all of us are bourbon lovers we were happy to oblige. Sarah had an enjoyable time creating a schedule and coordinating some fun bourbon encounters for the five days they were in town. 

 

The trip started with a night in Louisville where we stayed at 21c, ironically the same place John took Sarah for her 40th birthday celebration. We had a nice dinner at a local steak house the night Alicia, Denise, and Lauren arrived after we all had our free bourbon cocktail at the hotel bar. The next morning we started with an Evan Williams tasting experience on Distillery Row in downtown Louisville.

 

But the main event of the day was the Bourbon Festival in Bardstown. Alicia had found about it online and immediately purchased passes for the group, so we were committed. We spent four hours sipping bourbon and collecting bourbon swag.

 

Alicia was in seventh heaven and many times throughout the afternoon had both hands full. Denise and Alicia tended to enjoy their bourbon neat while Sarah and Lauren tried to get as much mixer as possible in their tasters. The entire event was much more enjoyable than Sarah expected since she believes most bourbon equates to drinking fire.

 

The festival also had a variety of food options, which was certainly necessary to keep everyone on their feet over the course of the day. We may all be in our 50s now but we couldn't pass up BBQ and a photo op from Deez Butts. It was good food and allowed us to dive back into the tastings.

 

The bourbon industry has its fair share of unique names and stories. Our favorite of the day was Chicken Cock Whiskey, and their display was marketed well. Denise and Sarah had to get their pictures taken with the brand ambassador. 

 

After the night at 21c we took the party to an Airbnb in Lawrenceburg. It had a lot of room, a pool, pickleball courts, and a short drive to our other distillery destinations. It was also nicely located between Lexington and Louisville so John and the girls could pop in on their way back from some soccer games in Louisville. We had a short visit by their fire pit before heading out to our next destination.

 

One of the highlights of all the tours was the night tour at Maker's Mark, which included an exhibit of numerous Dale Chihuly glass blown sculptures. They were amazing and were set up both inside and outside the distillery. Seeing these with the sun setting and a bourbon cocktail in hand was an incredible experience.

 

Lauren and Alicia both took advantage of the opportunity to hand dip an individual bottle of Maker's Mark to get that signature red wax drip. They take their dipping seriously and had all the protective gear. Maker's Mark is not easy to get to but it is definitely worth the trip.

 

One of the last tours was at Castle and Key in Versailles. This was an old distillery that was renovated completely about ten years ago and the grounds are beautiful. We got to taste their gin and their bourbon and enjoyed them both. The setting of this distillery was so nice that we ended up taking a couple of cocktails down to seats set up by the creek. The great thing about bourbon distilleries in Kentucky is that most of them are in rural areas that showcase the state's natural beauty. We ended the day with a dinner at the Castle in Versailles, which stuck to the theme of the day and the trip - Alicia as our princess. Before we knew it Sarah was driving back to the airport to drop off the California aunties after another wonderful trip together.

Henry Clay soccer and fans

 It was only a few weeks after we got back from our soccer trip to California that the next phase of soccer started. High school soccer begins on July 15 and Reese had a few days of tryouts before Callie finally returned from GSP and entered the mix. Callie was excited to start her senior year and Reese was hoping to make a big impact as a freshman. When the dust settled Reese made JV and Callie was one of 11 seniors on varsity.

The season always starts off quickly with the Bluegrass State Games happening the first weekend after tryouts. This year was a little bit more involved in a good way because the Henry Clay boosters decided to have a tailgate at the fields. We had three teams playing over two days so it was great to have a central location for food, hydration, and socializing.

 

It's always an interesting weekend because the girls have had only a few practices and are still getting to know each other in some cases. That's true for the parents as well. Of course there are quite a few girls who know each other well and are just happy to know they will be spending a lot of time together over the next couple of months.

 

The next mile marker for the preseason are the East-West games hosted by Boyle County. Claire was only home for a week or two this summer but she made a point of driving down to Danville to watch both the girls play. As you can see they were more than delighted to have her there. They were also happy because by this time both girls had been named captain for their respective teams. It is based on player votes and coach confirmation, and for both girls it marked the second year in a row they had earned this leadership position for their respective teams.

 

Both Callie and Reese constantly end up playing friends of theirs during the high school season. In this instance Reese had matched up against her friend Ella and the Lexington Catholic Knights. Reese and Ella haven't played with or against each other for five years or so and it was great to see them together like this. Henry Clay won the game in case you are keeping score.

 

Among other things, senior year means a whole lot of pictures of this large group of senior girls. Callie not only has played with all of them over her high school career, but she has played with some of them since she was in fifth grade. And in the case of Janie Lakin, it goes back to when they were six years old on the Sting. In short, there's a whole of memories packed into this photo.

 

When Callie was a freshman we saw the senior girls early in the season wearing floaties and did not understand. Fast forward to Callie's senior year and we know that it is all part of a water gun senior assassin game that requires them to wear floaties or goggles to stay safe and in the game. This was not a short commitment since one of the winners, Janie Lakin, continued this well after the soccer season ended.

 

Another senior tradition results in a big picture hanging on the fence by the home soccer field. Fortunately one of Callie's friends got a picture of her by her poster as they were heading to a home football game. Note the floaties as Callie was still in the game at that point. Callie certainly enjoyed going to more home football games this year. But what was even better was that she and others went to more boys' soccer games and that resulted in bigger crowds of students attending the girls' soccer games. It was great to see all of the sports supporting each other.

 

This year added another twist to the soccer season because Ella Abraham had returned to Lexington as a first-year medical student at UK. Medical school is hard, but her Lafayette ties are strong and her former coaches convinced her to join their coaching staff. Her official title was Director of Operations but she was primary a JV coach. It was fun because we got some great insights into the Lafayette squad and she was on the sidelines to watch Reese and Callie play.

 

If nothing else, Callie and Reese know they are loved and supported by family and friends. Aunt Katie made a trip down to Lexington specifically to watch the girls play and to spend time with us. The girls love when she is in town and as this picture shows, Katie loves being with them. And she got to see some great games, which is always a plus. Katie is very fun to have in the stands as she is not afraid to be vocal and show her bias when her nieces are on the ball.

 

These three might be categorized as super fans. They came to almost every single home game and were loud and energetic in their support. Hope and Kylie didn't play soccer but loved watching Callie on the field. Frances played at Henry Clay for her first two years so knows the game and the players. It was sweet to see them seeking Callie out after every game to give hugs, high fives, and just some love.

 

And of course we can't forget the countless games these two have gone to long after their own daughters have left for college. The great thing about Kirk and Kelly is they are going to show their support but are also ready to break down the game and talk specifics about the good, the bad, and the ugly. 

 

Then there are the ultimate super fans. It is possible that these two have attended more soccer games in more extreme weather conditions than most. But seemingly nothing stops them from being on the sidelines to support their granddaughters. This fall they were in Lexington for the last games of the regular season. In the second of two game nights they saw Reese score a goal to seal a win against LCA. From Sport's reaction you might have thought Reese just won the World Cup.

And in the night cap of that LCA matchup they witnessed Callie scoring the winning goal as well. Sport was beyond excited for this one as well. There was no doubt among people in the stands who these two were related to based on their cheering. 

 

This picture with Callie puts a bookend on the five years they have traveled down to watch her play high school soccer. She has always been grateful for their support and they have always enjoyed watching her on the field. 

 

Callie has always loved high school soccer because it meant she was playing with girls across the years. When she was a freshman she looked up to the older girls and appreciate how they treated her and she has been paying it back ever since. Abby and Taylor are juniors who Callie has played with for three years and they have developed a great supportive friendship on and off the field. And for posterity's sake, this picture captures the infamous 6-7 trend of late 2025.

 

We'll talk more about the end of the season in another post, but this picture marks the last game Callie played on the Henry Clay soccer field. We managed to grab a picture after the team's win in the first round of the regional playoffs. We still have three more years to enjoy Reese on this pitch but we had to recognize the milestone of five years with Callie. Time flies.

Manhattan Beach and Soccer

 

While Callie was hanging out with all the Governor's Scholars in Morehead we found a way to pass the time by flying out to California. Reese had a soccer tournament and the location made it possible for us to stay with the Perrones in Manhattan Beach the entire time. Not only did this save on a hotel but it also allowed us to focus our time off the field on good friends and the beach. In fact after we landed we hit In-N-Out and the beach before we even saw Lauren and company.

 

Being in Manhattan Beach also provided the perfect opportunity to take Reese on a tour down memory lane. While Sarah and Lauren went for a long walk on the Strand, John took Reese to the best breakfast place in the South Bay, the Local Yolk. John lived just a couple of blocks away from this fine establishment for several years and the great news is that the omelets are still fantastic.

 

Staying with the Perrones meant we got insight into their daily routines, including the work schedules of Ashlyn and Kate. Ashlyn had been working at Paradise Bowls for a couple of months and boy are these the best acai bowls we've ever had. Ashlyn was very kind to humor us during our visit to her place of work.

 

We did actually make time for soccer during the trip and Lauren made the trip out to Norco for one of Reese's games. She knew exactly where to go since Ashlyn has played on these fields before. We lucked out with the weather and the timing of our games. This early game left us tons of time the rest of the day and it also wasn't very hot. Reese's team also won which always makes the day that much better.

 

After that first game we made sure to introduce some of Reese's teammates to the wondrous world of animal style double doubles and all that In-N-Out has to offer. We wanted to make sure they were properly fueled up before we took them back to the coast for an afternoon of fun in the sun.

 

We had lots of options of where to go but our inner compass led us back to Manhattan Beach. While the parents hung out and talked the three girls had the time of their lives in and out of the water. Reese, Mary, and Sophie clearly have a shared interest in handstands, goofing around, and just playing in general. Their inner child has no problem coming out.

 

Reese is a water bug and California's relatively cold water doesn't slow her down. She would have played in the waves all day if it was up to her and the other girls certainly appeared to share her attitude. It was a lot of fun watching them attempt to body surf and play in the waves.

 

At a certain point though we did have to pull them out of the ocean so that we could get a bite to eat. And while we were going to be staying in Manhattan Beach the other members of our crew were going to have to drive back inland to their hotel. It was one more reason we were happy with our choice and thankful for the hospitality of the Perrones.

 

To continue our trip down memory land we knew the perfect place for an early dinner and some adult beverages. That's right, Panchos, baby! We must admit that since the last time we visited the prices have risen at this Manhattan Beach institution. John's go to Burrito del Mar is now almost $30 which he certainly would not have been able to afford when he lived here as a grad student. But the food was still tasty and the margaritas hit the spot. 

 

Ashlyn and Reese not only have soccer in common. They also have a passion and patience for the world of nails. Reese was taken by some of Ashlyn's tools and Ashlyn was more than happy to provide all the insights she had learned. Together the spent a couple of hours together talking about nails and showing off their respective skills. It's exactly what Lauren and Sarah did when they were in college...not!

 

While the nail salon was in full gear the other folks indulged in Kate's particular passion...macha! We knew Kate had a great love for this and even had created with a friend an Instragram page called Gas or Grass on which they rate different macha drinks throughout the South Bay and beyond. Not only did we get a macha but then we even got our own brief appearance on the Gas or Grass page. We are still hoping it will go viral eventually and we can become influencers.

 

The next day was a day off from games and we invited Sophie and her Mom to meet us in Santa Monica for another southern California experience. We walked along the Santa Monica Pier and the promenade to heck out all the stores. We didn't see any street performers, but these tourist spots haven't changed much in the last two decades.

 

Pictures like this of Sophie and Reese swinging at the beach are always good reminders that it's a different world out on the California coast. Even though we tried not to take it for granted when we lived here these moments still make our hearts sing. We definitely miss being so close to the ocean.

 

Reese rode with Sophie and her mom from the beach to our suggested lunch spot in Westwood. This allowed us the time to visit some truly special places in our personal history. The building is now occupied by someone else, but this picture is outside what used to be the Kaplan Center where Sarah and John first met. In fact, at some point in the summer/fall of 2003 Sarah was standing right outside of these windows making faces at John while he was in front of a class teaching a GRE or GMAT course. Such good memories.

 

But the truly special memory of our visit to Westwood occurred after lunch when we stopped by the Brandy Melville store. We cannot come close to doing this story justice here, but will try and give the highlights of an epic encounter with this Westwood traffic cop. Sarah first got us involved in a conversation with her through an innocent comment related to a ticket the cop was giving to someone who had parked illegally in an alley. For the next 30 minutes we were part of a show that will never be duplicated. She provided life advice that ranged from the length of shorts, to romance, to making sure the girls knew that "honks are for hoes" (in other words, a boy coming to pick you up needs to come to the front door and not honk the horn in the driveway). This was one of the most entertaining conversations we have ever been a part of and as you can see, Reese and Sophie had no idea how to respond or react. Honestly, we didn't either. So we took a picture and did our best to remember every element of the encounter because no one would believe it if we told them.

 

Lauren was very sweet and hosted a dinner one night so that we could see Auntie Pi and Auntie D. Auntie D's niece and mom also joined the fun. This is a fun crew and the presence of the younger generation makes it that much better.

 

Yes, there was still soccer to be played. Overall the girls had a great trip, winning all three games. Reese played well and while we don't want to make a habit of traveling 2,000 miles for a soccer tournament it worked out perfectly when all was said and done. The weather was great, Reese got into the ocean every day of the trip, and we saw all sorts of folks.

 

We even got to spend some time with Auntie Gret. Earlier in the trip we had dinner with her and her son Josh, but she also made the time to grab an ice cream with us before we headed to LAX for our red-eye flight back to Kentucky. It's never enough time but we are grateful for all of the moments we got to share with great friends on this trip back to southern California. Hopefully we'll be back again soon.

Callie the Governor's Scholar

 

Over the course of her junior year Callie went through an application process for what is known as the Governor's Scholar Program, or GSP for short. This is a well known program for rising seniors in Kentucky where, if selected, you spend five weeks on a college campus with around 350 other rising seniors from all around the Commonwealth. You take classes in areas of specific interest, go on field trips, and spend time getting to know kids your age from all over. It is also free. We had heard nothing but great things about it and were so excited when Callie was accepted. Her initial excitement level was low because it meant five weeks away from friends in the summer and missing the first days of high school soccer. But she knew it was a great opportunity that she should take advantage of and leaned into it.

 

Everything about the process was good preparation for college both in terms of the application itself as well as outfitting a dorm room and spending weeks away from family. Callie was placed at Morehead State University, just a little more than an hour away from Lexington. The campus is in a pretty setting and we got a full move-in experience from the crowds of people, overloaded elevators, and nervous introductions to new roommates.

 

Callie shared a dorm room with three other girls and the first roommate she met is pictured here. Her name was Maybe and she was from Hopkinsville. The girls hit it off and we went to lunch with her family in the time we had before the official opening ceremony. This is the 42nd year of GSP and they have a very organized structure that is proven to work well for all involved. At the opening ceremony they lay out the rules pretty clearly for parents and scholars alike. One of the best rules is that the scholars can only use their cell phone when they are in their dorm room. Outside of the dorm room they should not have their phone on them. It is absolutely fantastic and it is a rule that anyone who goes through the program continues to support.

 

When the ceremony ends the parents leave and then line the walkway outside of the auditorium. The students then come out in groups according to their academic focus area. We managed to get a glimpse of Callie as she walked with her Engineering crew and were delighted to see that she was already chatting it up with one of her classmates. It was a sign that she was going to be okay and that's all we could ask for.

 

In the five weeks of the program there is one day designated for visitation. The second Saturday of the program we were able to pick Callie up at 8am and she didn't have to be back until 10pm. We decided to rent a pontoon boat so we could spend the day on a lake near Morehead. Everything about the plan was perfect until that Friday when Sarah tested positive for Covid. Not only did she feel bad but we knew it was not in Callie's best interest to expose her. That meant it was only John and Reese who made the trip and got to see Callie.

 

We weren't sure how Reese would respond to five weeks without her sister. The good/bad news is she seemed to be perfectly fine. That being said she was over the moon to spend the day with Callie and they had a fantastic time jumping off the boat, floating in the inner tubes, and just relaxing. Sarah made sure we had a full cooler of snacks and treats in order to maximize the time on Grayson Lake. And Grayson Lake turned out to be a great place to go.

 

In very small world twist of fate, John has an interesting connection to Morehead going back to his college days. Two of his college spring breaks were spent in Morehead with a group of Yale students working in partnership with a non-profit helping build houses in the region. And during that week John and his classmates slept in the basement of the Catholic church associated with the university. So John made the girls take a picture with him in front of the building he had once slept in over three decades ago. 

 

Callie and Reese communicated quite a bit during the five weeks, whether it was Face Time or texting. And Callie's program ended up providing a great opportunity for them to connect in person. Callie's Engineering class had field trips each week and she went to the Toyota Plant in Georgetown, the McAlpin Dam in Louisville, a water power plant somewhere, and the Engineering Department at the University of Kentucky. That UK field trip is what enabled this photo to happen as Reese conveniently ran into her sister at the Chipotle on campus. Reese had to work some logistical magic to make it happen, but she can do great things when she puts her mind to it.

 

It is amazing how quickly five weeks can fly by. Before we knew it the time had come to pick up Callie. Sarah and John actually drove up the night before to load up most of the gear from her dorm room to make the next day departure easier. We didn't get to see Callie during that process because they have a tradition for the last night that involves little sleep and no parents. The closing ceremony the next day was wonderful and it the final good-byes made it clear that Callie had not only had a great time but that she had made lots of good friends.

 

Due to unfortunate timing Sarah was not able to make it to that closing ceremony which meant that it wasn't until she got home from work that day that she finally got to see Callie in person after five whole weeks. Mother and daughter were finally reunited and it was great to have her home just in time to jump into her senior season of high school soccer.

 

Another group of people that really missed Callie were these three. They had taken the initiative to coordinate with Reese a surprise welcome home for Callie after her first day of soccer. We got them in the house and into Callie's room so that when Callie came home she was greeted with hugs, shouts, and signs. It was the perfect end to a great GSP experience.