Bourbon and pie are quite a pair

Saturday was the 137th Kentucky Derby and the BIL was unable to get tickets (at face value) so we will go another year.  Instead some neighbors came over for a Derby party which turned into my fav kind of gathering ~  one spent on the porch.  The weather was lovely for porch sitting.   I previously decided that we had to have Derby inspired pie for dessert.   It was super easy to make and the hubs loved it, he normally does not like walnuts.  I have a feeling this will be made more than just the 1st Saturday in May.

flour and sugar in mixing bowl

adding the choc chips

used a store bought crust

The pie recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of bourbon.  I was not a huge fan of bourbon, it is a little strong for me, but it is perfect in the pie.   I also made Mint Juleps using a recipe from Southern Living.   I prefer American Honey over the Woodford Reserve Bourbon.  That may be too sweet for some, but it was just right for me.
 

Derby Choc. Pie and a Mint Julep

I was unable to buy silver julep cups for this year, I will have them for the future.    Maybe I can find them on sale now that the Derby is over.   Cheers to Animal Kingdom!

Derby kickoff festival

This past weekend the hubs and I went to Kentucky to visit his brothers family.  Saturday was one of the girls birthdays and she wanted  to celebrate by going to Thunder over Louisville.   It is the kickoff  to the Kentucky Derby and is North America's largest firework display.   I LOVE fireworks so this was a go for me,  it was just not a go with Mother Nature.  It was a chilly day (50's) and it rained on and off.  The airshow had to be modified due to the cloud coverage and rain.  We did manage to see and hear some very cool jets.  We were tempted to leave before the fireworks even started, but I am so glad we stayed.  The rain ended and the 28 minute show was amazing.

fireworks on both sides of the bridge

Thunder's signature one-mile "waterfall"

Sunday the weather was perfect to go to Mammoth Cave National Park, but we had somewhere I needed to see first.  My BIL told us that Zappos is located in Kentucky and they have an outlet store, that was all I needed to hear and we were there a few minutes after the doors opened and it was already packed.  Turns out they were having an additional sale on any shoe originally priced  $250 or higher.  I could have stayed for hours, but in the time I was allotted I scored the following shoes. 

Kylie

A pair of Kate Spade NY normally $298 for $50

Air Carma

A pair of Cole Haan normally $275 for $50 

Bailey

And some fun wedges normally $85 for $36

From there we hopped in the car  and it was off to see the caves.  The hubs and I also visited two Bourbon distilleries on the Bourbon Trail and plan on drinking Mint Juleps while we watch this years derby.   Maybe next year we will be in the stands instead of on our couch.

Photos courtesy of Thunder over Louisville and Zappos.