By all accounts, Abraham Lincoln visited
Kentucky four times, but most significantly,
it was in Kentucky that he experienced his
first vacation. In what we would now term a
guy's getaway he visited his best friend
Joshua Speed in 1841 and obtained his first
taste of a life of luxury. The components
that make up a successful deluxe getaway
have not changed much in the ensuing
175-years and Kentucky is still an ideal
location to spend some time with friends and
Lexington is just the right size and has
such a plethora of culinary, shopping, arts
and entertainment venues that everyone is
bound to be pleased.
http://Visitlex.com
Lexington has emerged as a significant arts
destination that showcases all genres of
art, architecture and public art. Brochures
are available that include walking tour
routes, maps and information. Also on offer
is a mobile app with an interactive map.
Visitors can participate in one of the free
LEXARTS Gallery Hops that feature more than
40 galleries and associated sites.
http://galleryhoplex.com
Located in the heart of the downtown area is
the 88-room, boutique, 21c Museum Hotel
situated in what was constructed in 1913 as
the First National Bank. The hotel's
7,999-sq. ft. of gallery space and private
areas are replete with contemporary art that
is both arresting and stimulates
conversation. The conversation usually
begins with guest's requests for one of the
hotel's iconic penguins for their room. Each
21c Hotel has a designated color for their
representative penguin. Lexington's color is
blue.
Two art installations not to be missed are
"Spectralline," a multi-toned glass
sculpture suspended from the foyer ceiling
and "Tomorrow's Weather." It is a
series of globes of varying sizes that are
located in the Lockbox Restaurant. The
colors change to reflect the next day's
weather as predicted by the National Weather
Service. Free forty-five minute tours are
scheduled throughout the week.
http://21cmuseumhotels.com/lexington
The Downtown Central Library Gallery
presents rotating art exhibits. The
stunning, 5-story, Foucault library clock is
best seen from the first floor rotunda. It
is accompanied by a frieze that relates the
history of horse in the area through the
breeds that have impacted that history. Also
depicted are eight Lexington Kentucky Derby
winning jockeys from 1875-1902. Oliver
Lewis, an Africa American, won the first
Kentucky Derby and Isaac Murphy, also
African American, won three Derby's and has
an unbroken 44% winning rate.
http://Lexpublib.org
The Headley-Whitney Museum of Art was
established in 1968 by George Headley,
renowned jewelry designer and artist and
designer of jewelry for movie stars during
the Golden Age of Hollywood. The 13-acre
farm dates from 1926 but additions were made
when Headley purchased it. Tours include his
1,500-volume library that includes designs
of his personal creations, the Jewel Room
and his shell collection. The Jewel Room
showcases his personal jewelry collection,
each piece a work of art encrusted with rare
and precious stones. He converted a 3-car
garage into a grotto setting for his
enormous shell collection. Shells are
incorporated into the designs in the
furnishings, floors and walls.
http://headley-whitney.org
L.V. Harkness is a natural stop after a tour
of the Headley-Whitney. An experience at
this incredible shop enhances your getaway.
Artful displays showcase unique items for
all ages from clothing and leather goods to
jewelry and dinnerware. Dinnerware patterns
include created for the White House and
special Kentucky Derby events.
http://lvharkness.com
Last year American Pharoah won the Triple
Crown becoming the first winner in 37-years.
Additionally he won the Breeder's Cup
Classic and became the first thoroughbred to
win the Grand Slam. He was retired in
November 2015 and moved to Ashford Stud Farm
where he earns a $200,000 stud fee. American
Pharoah accepts visitors at 3PM Monday to
Friday, unless otherwise occupied. Tour
tickets must be booked in advance and
availability notifications are sent via
email.
http://visithorsecountry.com/coolmore
Lincoln stated that Henry Clay was his "beau
ideal of a statesman" and scholars tell us
that he admired the man but there is no
definitive proof that he ever met him or
visited Ashland, his Lexington estate. Many
assume that he did because Mary Lincoln's
family, whose home was in the city, were
known to be his friends. Modern visitors
have an opportunity to take a 10-site tour
of the 18-room mansion and grounds and dine
in the Gingko Tree Cafe. Clay purchased
125-acres but the farm eventually grew to
600-acres. Clay lived there from the early
1800s to 1852. Many of the furnishings
belonged to Clay including his personal
effects and his bed.
He inherited one slave at the age of 4 and
eventually owned as many as 60 at one time.
A provision in his will granted gradual
emancipation but all of his slaves were
emancipated prior to that by the Civil War.
While serving in Washington and living at
the Decatur House, he was sued by one of his
slaves on the grounds that her mother was
free. She lost the case and was sent to New
Orleans. http://Henryclay.org
No getaway is complete without a relaxing
spa day and the fact that you are in
Lexington begs a treatment unique to the
place. The Marriott Griffin Gate Resort
& Spa has an extensive menu of spa
services from which to choose. Services
include a hot or cold facial massage. Two
signature services are the Nail Services and
the Bourbon Bubbler Pedicure that
incorporates a brown sugar scrub and
Kentucky Bourbon. Reservations are required.
Daniel Boone said, "Heaven must be a
Kentucky kind of place." Plan a getaway to
Lexington and you will see just how true it
is.
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