If you're looking to take your Derby day fete to the next level, then snap up a set of silver-plated julep cups. These gleaming beauties may cost you, but we assure you they're worth the investment and then some. More versatile than they look, they're an excellent option for housing flowers during the remainder of the year.
Headed to the horse races this weekend — or just looking to cool off? Then settle in with a frosty mint julep. It's a drink that's perfectly balanced: it's sweet, clean, and potent all at the same time. Although it involves crushed ice, it's an easy cocktail to make at home. Watch the video now to see how it's done.
Kentucky is perhaps best known for thoroughbred horse racing, mint juleps, and — lately — its national championship-winning college basketball teams. But the state is quite a foodie haven with a rich culinary tradition.
Thanks to the many ethnic influences on its cuisine, Kentuckians have developed a diverse array of foods over the last few centuries that make the state a worthy destination for Derby Day and beyond. Take a minute to learn more about some of the state's delicious offerings.
Burgoo: While this stew was not invented in Kentucky, the state has molded the dish into something all its own. There was a time when burgoo derived its main ingredients from whatever meat was available (squirrel, opossum, raccoon, and venison were popular choices), but today you'll find most restaurants fill their hearty pots with pork, chicken, and mutton.
Mutton barbecue: Western Kentucky was once the state's center for wool production, so mutton became a popular meat. However, the most widely available sheep were often older and their meat tougher and too strongly flavored. Slow-cooked barbecue became an efficient way to soften and season the meat. Today, Owensboro, KY, is still renowned for its delicious mutton barbecue.
Keep reading to see more Kentucky favorites.
The Kentucky Derby is next weekend, and even if you're not a horse-racing aficionado, getting into the spirit for this big Spring event can make for a seriously fun party. Let's be real: who doesn't love an excuse to wear over-the-top Spring fashions and drink pretty bourbon-filled beverages? If you're needing a little inspiration, here are some tips for ways to bring the Derby spirit to your home.
Set the Scene
Before the race, you've got to set the mood. In the décor department, channel the Derby's nickname "Run For the Roses" with big bouquets of lovely fresh flowers. For a modern take on traditional bluegrass music, look to the bands Railroad Earth and Assembly of Dust to provide the soundtrack. Everyone will be asking whose music is playing.
Assemble a Southern Spread
Make traditional Derby dishes that are indicative of the race's legacy. Indulgent pimento cheese, Benedictine cheese tea sandwiches, and Southern-style biscuits are all solid, easy to make options.
At Saturday's Belmont Stakes, Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner I'll Have Another will give it the old college try in an effort to accomplish what only 11 other horses have done in 137 years: win horse racing's elusive Triple Crown. In fact, it has been 34 years since a horse has accomplished this feat.
If I'll Have Another partakes in another exciting win this Saturday, then he will join the ranks of the greatest horses in racing history, including Secretariat, whose record Belmont Stakes finish of 2:24 still stands to this day. Good luck to the chestnut colt and his 10 competitors, and here's to a safe and fair race! For some fun facts about the Triple Crown winners, just read on.
Sure, it's the hats that traditionally provide the most stylish element for a Kentucky Derby ensemble. But it's what people wear underneath them (read: hair and makeup) that brings it all together. See what the following six stars did beauty wise to accentuate their Kentucky Derby style.
Tom Brady posed for a picture with his New England Patriots teammate Wes Welker at the 138th annual Kentucky Derby in Louisville, KY, on Saturday. Tom skipped the traditional hat, but was still looking sharp in his white pants and black tie. It was Tom's second year in a row at the event, and he joined fellow celebrities including Ashton Kutcher and Ginnifer Goodwin. Kellan Lutz brought his girlfriend Sharni Vinson to check out the festivities. It's always a popular event, and to celebrate we took a look back at all the stars at the Kentucky Derby over the years. Tom's time in Kentucky was brief, though, since he popped up at a party in NYC with wife Gisele Bundchen later that night.
Saturday's Kentucky Derby is an occasion to celebrate one of Earth's most revered animals — the horse — and we're paying homage with 10 equestrian-inspired pieces that promise to add strength and whimsy to any room. The horse will never go out of style, and whether you choose a statement-making bust to display on your mantel, or an oversized print hung above a bed, these items will bring beauty and timelessness to your home style. Click through to start shopping.
The Kentucky Derby is this weekend, which means one thing — amazing, over-the-top hats. Accordingly, we've rounded up five fantastic hats fit for the horse races. Whether you want a traditional oversize hat, a flirty fascinator, or a retro pillbox, we've got some great offerings that you need to get your hands on in today's Fab Flash. On Allison McNamara: H&M top, Elizabeth Cole necklace.
Does anything scream warm weather more than a day at the racetracks? Even though I've never had the privilege of attending the Kentucky Derby, I look forward to the horse race, as I've always seen it as something of a Southern rite of Spring.
The sun's out in full force, the air smells like horses and hay, and there's the buzzing energy of chatter throughout the stands.
I love visualizing my presence at Churchill Downs each year — usually in front of the television, a classic mint julep in hand. But I've discovered a totally different cocktail that's so delicious it's going to be my julep stand-in this time around.
With a generous pour of peach purée, a splash of soda, and a garnish of candied ginger, this refreshing drink is sure to be the belle of any Derby day ball.
Want to enjoy one? Then keep reading.
