Y HALO THAR, RIVER
Then I set out to find the Kentucky International Convention Center so I could register and get our free dinner, and ended up walking seven blocks down the wrong street. Luckily, it was also Museum Row or something, because I passed tons of galleries and public art before I had to turn back.
The Louisville Slugger Museum, featuring a giant baseball bat, natch.
Oh, just a faux-Michaelangelo's David, hangin' out.
The convention center was actually just two blocks down from the hotel--I had been there once before, for CCCC a few years ago. Four years ago? Maybe. I got my name badge, a backpack, and a water bottle, which is fancier swag than I expected. Then on to the free dinner, which is the set-up for all our free meals. Cavernous room, food catered with a gigantic group in mind, lots of tables and people sitting sort of awkwardly with strangers. All our free meals will be like this, which isn't so bad. There was prime rib to go along with our salad, corn, chicken casserole and rolls. (There was a separate buffet for vegetarians and vegans.) I ended up sitting at a table next to three people who knew each other, and had been doing this for a while. Word on the street is, Lang is moving to Kansas City next year. The Lit people at my table are hoping to get grouped with the French next year, 'cause it's fun to hear them talking in French.
This is the fun hierarchy of introductions at AP Scoring summer camp: Are you Lang or Lit? What test did you get? What question are you doing? What's your assigned table? (Rumor has it that Lang Operational Question #2 is rhetorical analysis. I'm Q1, though--some people look up their question beforehand, but I guess I'll get to be surprised.)
I finished dinner around 6, so I headed out and wandered down a couple of streets nearby, looking for interesting things. After stopping at one restaurant and not being addressed by anybody (it was super busy there), then two other places that were totally closed, I looked to the left and saw an office-type building and a sign for Milkwood, a restaurant downstairs. I walked in, and the two host ladies brightened at me. "I'm just wandering around looking for a place to drink," I told them, and they directed me right to the bar.
Allison, the bartender, talked to me about local brews and when I asked her about a particular dessert, she shook her head and told me the best one was the sorghum & grits ice cream. So I got that, and IT WAS AMAZING.
NOM NOM NOM
Housemade ice cream (sorghum flavor, I assume), scooped over coconut crumble, topped with coffee syrup, fresh berries, and charred croissant slices. It is, I swear to you, one of the best desserts I have ever had. Allison was also super friendly, talking with me and a couple of other folks at the bar about the kitchen and all. I ended up buying an autographed copy of Smoke and Pickles, which was authored by the founding chef, Edward Lee. But seriously, y'all. This little restaurant is amazing. I am going to go there again, maybe twice.
Anyway, after I was done with my ice cream, I headed back to the hotel. My roommate, a lovely older lady named Joan, arrived around 7:30 PM or so--she'd driven up from Atlanta with a couple of friends. We divvied up territory very congenially, and then did our unpacking. I read the preface to the cookbook (it's excellent writing), and Joan asked me if I wanted to go explore the hotel with her. Since I'd done a fair amount of walking already, I declined. Plus, blogging to do!
I discovered the room has free wireless--I thought I'd have to pay for it--so blogging was in order. I had been thinking I'd go find a place to sit and read a while, but it turns out I get HBO in this hotel room. I think I'll watch some of the terror before my roommate comes back from her exploration.
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