September 20, 2012
July 14, 2012
More Kentucky Attractions
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail
World-renowned bourbon.
Winding country roads.
Inviting historic towns.
Rolling green hills.
And Bluegrass hospitality at its best.
Kentucky Horse Park
Home to some 115 different horses, the Kentucky Horse Park is recognized around the world as the epicenter of equestrian life, sports, and business. The park covers 1,229 acres of Kentucky's famous Bluegrass and is located about an hour away from Maysville, in Lexington. If walking doesn't appeal to you, they also offer horse-drawn tours of the park and bus tours of the local horse farms. Click here to visit their website, which is well-organized and chock full of information.
I love that their website features an adoptable horse of the week! This week it's Montana, he "plays well with his pasture mates and is looking for a good home." Perhaps you'll return home from the wedding with a new pet.
Keeneland
Keeneland is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and sales complex in Lexington. Live horse racing only takes place there in April and October,
but they are open to visitors year-round. They offer self-guided walking
tours of the 147 acre facility, which is listed on the National Register of
Historic Places and has been designated a National Historic Landmark.
They also have have an extensive reference library.
Winding country roads.
Inviting historic towns.
Rolling green hills.
And Bluegrass hospitality at its best.
Explore the rich tradition and proud history of "America's Official Native Spirit" on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, featuring six signature distilleries.
Sadly, the distilleries are a bit of a drive from Maysville, but if you're interested in bourbon it's worth considering visiting one or two while you're in the state. The Woodford Reserve Distillery is the closest to Maysville, and I have included information about it below.
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail has a nice website, click here to go to it.
Woodford Reserve Distillery Tour
The Woodford Reserve Distillery is one of the six Bourbon Trail distilleries, located in Versailles, Kentucky. Versailles is an hour and 50 minutes hours away from Maysville, but it's only 45 minutes away from Lexington.
The distillery itself is the oldest and smallest working bourbon distillery and a National Historic Landmark. I have gone on this tour, and highly recommend it. The buildings and the setting are beautiful, the tour is interesting and informative, it goes without saying that the bourbon is good, and they have good food!
The guided tour explains the history of bourbon, what makes their bourbon unique, the bottling process, and more. The end of the tour concludes with a tasting of their award-winning bourbon.
Please note that they do not accept reservations and tour tickets are sold on a first come, first serve basis. The last tour of the day is at 3 p.m. and they frequently sell out as early at 2 p.m. They recommend that you arrive an hour before the time you would like to tour.
I love that their website features an adoptable horse of the week! This week it's Montana, he "plays well with his pasture mates and is looking for a good home." Perhaps you'll return home from the wedding with a new pet.
Keeneland
Keeneland is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and sales complex in Lexington. Live horse racing only takes place there in April and October,but they are open to visitors year-round. They offer self-guided walking
tours of the 147 acre facility, which is listed on the National Register of
Historic Places and has been designated a National Historic Landmark.
They also have have an extensive reference library.
July 9, 2012
Registry Information
Brian and I set up a registry to help anyone who is interested in getting us a gift. We used MyRegistry.com, which was super-convenient because it allowed us to include items from ANY online store. It was easy to set up the registry, and I hope it is convenient and easy to use from the purchaser side, too.
Simply click on the logo to visit our registry page.
Simply click on the logo to visit our registry page.
June 13, 2012
What's this about Oktoberfest in August?
I'm just as curious as you are to know why Maysville holds Oktoberfest in August, but let's just go with it. To your right is this year's poster for the two-day event. It looks like there will be festivities going on after our Friday evening gathering at the Kentucky Gateway Museum, as well as on Saturday afternoon.
Oktoberfest music and activities will be held in a variety of venues in downtown Maysville (it will be easy enough to find once you're there).
Friday, August 10 from 5 - 10 p.m.
Saturday, August 11 from 12 - 10 p.m.
For more information, visit www.maysvilleoktoberfest.org.
p.s. Don't forget your priorities:
#1 Megan + Brian's wedding
#2 Oktoberfest in August
June 10, 2012
Stay a Little While
Maybe you want to stay and do some touring while you're in Kentucky. While I don't have the expertise of a true Kentuckian, I do have a couple of ideas for you to consider.
Kentucky Quilt Trail - The Kentucky Quilt Trail is a celebration of the region's quilting heritage, as well as its historic barns and architecture. It's a growing art project that features colorful, painted quilt blocks on barns. The website has driving routes. To give you some sense of what that might look like, if you went from Maysville to Greenup to Morehead to Maysville that would be a 160-mile loop.
The Quilt Trail extends beyond the region listed on the website, quilt squares are throughout the entire state of Kentucky, and even in Ohio.
Covered Bridges - There are only 13 covered bridges remaining in the state. From Maysville, you can easily drive to four of them. Click on the link and scroll down to the "River Roads and Back Roads" section for trip details leaving from Maysville.
Although there's a Madison County in Kentucky, it should be noted that the book The Bridges of Madison County was set in Iowa.
Sunday, August 12
Sunday socials are no charge and they encourage you to bring a picnic and enjoy a beautiful afternoon n the Bluegrass overlooking the horse farms. Take a blanket, lawn chairs or even your fishing pole and enjoy a lazy afternoon of sipping and socializing. This winery is located in Midway, which is a little outside of Lexington and about an hour and a half from Maysville.
Woodsongs Old-Time Radio HourMonday, August 13Join Michael Johnathon and guests for a taping of Kentucky's only live syndicated radio show. Audience seating between 6:15 - 6:45 p.m., show runs from 7 - 8:15 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults. This is at the Kentucky Theater in Lexington, which is about an hour away from Maysville.
Restaurants and Watering Holes
I feel the need to start this section by admitting that I'm a bit of a food snob. In my judgy opinion, there really aren't a lot of good dining options in and around Maysville.
Here's what I recommend:
Chandler's on Main - The service will be slow, but the food is much better than most other places. It's located in downtown Maysville.
Last National Bank - This is a bar in downtown Maysville. I don't think they have a website, but they're located at 220 Market Street. If you want to drink something other than Miller or Bud, this is the only place to go.
My tier two recommendations for Maysville eateries include Mi Camino Real and Capronis.
If you want to go further afield, my favorite place to eat when I go to Kentucky is Murphin Ridge Inn. It's actually in Ohio and it's about an hour away, but their food is really good and it's in a beautiful location. Their restaurant is open to non-guests Tuesday through Saturday.
Visit Old Washington - Within Maysville's city limits is Old Washington, which was established in 1786 and was a popular outpost for pioneers traveling the Buffalo Trace. Old Washington is on the National Register of Historic Places and features the original 18th century log cabins, frame and brick buildings. Given its close proximity, I would definitely recommend going to see it, taking a stroll down the short main street, and spending some time looking around the antique stores.
Visit the website to learn more about the historic buildings in Old Washington and for information about tours that are available. The event information is clearly out of date.
Visit the website to learn more about the historic buildings in Old Washington and for information about tours that are available. The event information is clearly out of date.
The Rankin House - Learn about the local history with a trip to the Rankin House. The house is located just across the river in Ripley, Ohio and is well-known for being an significant station on the Underground Railroad. With its close proximity to the Ohio River, the Rankin family would put a candle in their window to indicate to fleeing slaves that the coast was clear and they cross the river and continue up to their house.
Herb Farm at Strodes Run - I haven't ever been there, but it looks like there's an organic herb farm in Maysville with a cafe and tours of the farm. On the tour, you will see and learn about: historic Lashbrook cemetery, ancient Indian trail to Blue Licks State Park, horses, mules, donkeys, goats, honey bees, dogs, cats and area wildlife. Sounds like fun to me! I would call or email in advance to make arrangements, as it doesn't seem like they update their website often.
One of my favorite things to do in Kentucky is to cruise the winding country roads and take in the scenery. Consult the following websites to help plan a route:
Kentucky Quilt Trail - The Kentucky Quilt Trail is a celebration of the region's quilting heritage, as well as its historic barns and architecture. It's a growing art project that features colorful, painted quilt blocks on barns. The website has driving routes. To give you some sense of what that might look like, if you went from Maysville to Greenup to Morehead to Maysville that would be a 160-mile loop. The Quilt Trail extends beyond the region listed on the website, quilt squares are throughout the entire state of Kentucky, and even in Ohio.
Covered Bridges - There are only 13 covered bridges remaining in the state. From Maysville, you can easily drive to four of them. Click on the link and scroll down to the "River Roads and Back Roads" section for trip details leaving from Maysville.
Although there's a Madison County in Kentucky, it should be noted that the book The Bridges of Madison County was set in Iowa.
Other Ideas Culled from the Information Highway
Sunday Socials at Equus Run WinerySunday, August 12
Sunday socials are no charge and they encourage you to bring a picnic and enjoy a beautiful afternoon n the Bluegrass overlooking the horse farms. Take a blanket, lawn chairs or even your fishing pole and enjoy a lazy afternoon of sipping and socializing. This winery is located in Midway, which is a little outside of Lexington and about an hour and a half from Maysville.
Woodsongs Old-Time Radio HourMonday, August 13Join Michael Johnathon and guests for a taping of Kentucky's only live syndicated radio show. Audience seating between 6:15 - 6:45 p.m., show runs from 7 - 8:15 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults. This is at the Kentucky Theater in Lexington, which is about an hour away from Maysville.
Restaurants and Watering Holes
I feel the need to start this section by admitting that I'm a bit of a food snob. In my judgy opinion, there really aren't a lot of good dining options in and around Maysville.
Here's what I recommend:
Chandler's on Main - The service will be slow, but the food is much better than most other places. It's located in downtown Maysville.
Last National Bank - This is a bar in downtown Maysville. I don't think they have a website, but they're located at 220 Market Street. If you want to drink something other than Miller or Bud, this is the only place to go.
My tier two recommendations for Maysville eateries include Mi Camino Real and Capronis.
If you want to go further afield, my favorite place to eat when I go to Kentucky is Murphin Ridge Inn. It's actually in Ohio and it's about an hour away, but their food is really good and it's in a beautiful location. Their restaurant is open to non-guests Tuesday through Saturday.
March 11, 2012
Trip Planning Advice
Thanks for your patience, folks. I hope this post will provide some helpful information for everyone who will be traveling to get to the wedding.
After the ceremony, we'll move to a different section of the backyard for the reception. Dinner, drinks, conversation, bluegrass music, and dessert. Kids are welcome to attend.
Getting to Maysville
By Plane
If you'll be flying in, your best bet is most likely going to be the Cincinnati airport (CVG). It is located an hour northwest of Maysville. CVG is a major hub and offers more flights and options than the surrounding airports. Helpful Hint: Build our wedding into your other vacation plans for the summer by booking a multiple city ticket. Because CVG is a major hub it's fairly easy to find flights that go through there.
Your other option is the Lexington airport (LEX). It's roughly the same distance as the Cincinnati airport, but it's a regional airport, so there are fewer flights in and out.
By Train
There is an Amtrak station located in Maysville. I haven't heard anyone mention that they're considering this method of travel, but it's certainly a viable option.
Car Rentals
This is pretty straightforward, and I don't need to say much here, but I will recommend that people post comments if they are looking for people to buddy up with for this. If you don't anticipate wanting to do much exploring, and need help just getting to and from the airport let me (Megan) know and I can try to help with that.
Staying in Maysville
We have room blocks at two nearby hotels. When calling, just let them know that you'd like to make a reservation in the Meyer/McCormick room block. Please be sure to book your room by July 10, as they can only hold the rooms for us until that date. Both options have similar, very reasonable rates.
French Quarter Inn, 606-564-8000
The French Quarter Inn is located in historic downtown Maysville. The number one reason to consider this hotel is it's location. It would be so easy and convenient to get out and about for a walk, and it's within walking distance of the Kentucky Gateway Museum. They have a small outdoor pool.
Other
We do have a limited number of alternative options for people who are open to sleeping on a floor and sharing space with others (maybe some beds, but I'd prefer to under promise and over deliver on that). Get in touch with me (Megan), if you fall into that category and we can work on hooking you up with a spot on the floor in the basement or something like that. Also, there's plenty of room for tents or sleeping out under the stars, and you can count on having access to bathrooms.
Scheduling Your Trip
Friday, August 10 at 6 p.m.
We hope that everyone we're inviting to the wedding will be able to join us for a private gathering at the Kentucky Gateway Museum in downtown Maysville. We'll be having drinks and hors d'oeuvres and you can learn about the local history, see some art, and take in their world-renowned collection of miniatures (they're amazing).
Also, I should let you know that Maysville's 2nd Annual Oktoberfest will begin on the 10th, so there should be a lot of activity downtown, which is a good thing!
Saturday, August 11 at 7 p.m.
This is the big day. Please refer to your invitation for the specific address. We'll start the ceremony at 7:15 p.m., so come on over sometime between 6:45 - 7 p.m. Weather permitting, everything will be outdoors (we'll move it inside if in the case of thunderstorms or severe heat). As for attire, think "dressy casual" or "garden party", and do bear in mind that August nights in Kentucky are humid and warm.
Getting to Maysville
By Plane
If you'll be flying in, your best bet is most likely going to be the Cincinnati airport (CVG). It is located an hour northwest of Maysville. CVG is a major hub and offers more flights and options than the surrounding airports. Helpful Hint: Build our wedding into your other vacation plans for the summer by booking a multiple city ticket. Because CVG is a major hub it's fairly easy to find flights that go through there.
Your other option is the Lexington airport (LEX). It's roughly the same distance as the Cincinnati airport, but it's a regional airport, so there are fewer flights in and out.
By Train
There is an Amtrak station located in Maysville. I haven't heard anyone mention that they're considering this method of travel, but it's certainly a viable option.
Car Rentals
This is pretty straightforward, and I don't need to say much here, but I will recommend that people post comments if they are looking for people to buddy up with for this. If you don't anticipate wanting to do much exploring, and need help just getting to and from the airport let me (Megan) know and I can try to help with that.
Staying in Maysville
We have room blocks at two nearby hotels. When calling, just let them know that you'd like to make a reservation in the Meyer/McCormick room block. Please be sure to book your room by July 10, as they can only hold the rooms for us until that date. Both options have similar, very reasonable rates.
Hampton Inn, 606-759-0600
The Hampton Inn is only three miles away from the location of the wedding and only four miles from the Kentucky Gateway Museum, where we will be having drinks and hors d'oeuvres on Friday, August 10 (by invitation only, it's not a public event). What this hotel has going for it is that it's newer than the French Quarter Inn, the rooms are bigger, and there's a nicer, indoor pool. Oh yeah, and they include breakfast. Between the two options I think I would recommend this hotel. French Quarter Inn, 606-564-8000
The French Quarter Inn is located in historic downtown Maysville. The number one reason to consider this hotel is it's location. It would be so easy and convenient to get out and about for a walk, and it's within walking distance of the Kentucky Gateway Museum. They have a small outdoor pool.
Other
We do have a limited number of alternative options for people who are open to sleeping on a floor and sharing space with others (maybe some beds, but I'd prefer to under promise and over deliver on that). Get in touch with me (Megan), if you fall into that category and we can work on hooking you up with a spot on the floor in the basement or something like that. Also, there's plenty of room for tents or sleeping out under the stars, and you can count on having access to bathrooms.
January 31, 2012
Hi Family + Friends, Welcome to our Blog!
If you've made it here, you've most likely received our save the date. Congratulations, you've been specially selected, we would love to have you join us on our big day. That said, we are aware that the Kentucky locale may be a limiting factor for many of you, and we are understanding of that. You know us, you know that we won't take it personally if you can't make it.
Oh, do any of you not know who we are yet? (As I was putting stamps on our save the dates, it occurred to me that maybe there was a reason for including both first and last names on those things.) To clarify, we are Megan Meyer (daughter of Elaine and Dave Sugarbaker) and Brian McCormick (son of Roland and Joyce McCormick).
As noted on the postcard, invitations will follow. You can expect to receive your invitation in May. As many of you will be traveling, we recommend that you check back here for details rather than wait for the forthcoming invitation.
For those of you unable to attend, please return the RSVP, we'll dangle them from tree branches or something along those lines and it will help us feel like your with us.
Cheers,
Megan + Brian
Cheers,
Megan + Brian
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