What can I say to really describe The Meeting House B&B…it will be hard.

We pull up to this historical home and are greeted by the most wonderful couple, Gary and Rose Burke, the owners.  Gary and Rose have fulfilled a dream of theirs by restoring and operating this B&B.  To say they are hospitable is an understatement.

We check into our room, The Samuel Monger Sr suite.  Mr. Monger only resided in the home from 1852 to his death in 1855.  The poplar floors are original from 1840…..Cool or what!  There is so much history to this home, built in 1830 by Commodore William Harris, and the Burkes have kept most of the home original…from the 12″ thick brick walls, to the flooring down to the holes in the walls from all of the curtains being rehung since 1840.  Wow !   Please check their webpage for a little more of the history…better still…stop in for a visit one day and they will share even more with you.

So, now we have lodging, our spirits are lifted and we need a beer.  Luckily Gary had some so we shared a beverage with them and got a quick tour of the home and some ideas on where to go for dinner.  This part makes me smile…because as they are telling us where we should go for dinner, lovely Rose has curlers in her hair.  She then says that her and Gary are going out for a date that evening and if we come in late the door will be locked…but here is a key…how cute is she?

We clean up and head out for a quick bite…yeah right. Being that the B&B is only 5 minutes from the downtown we decide to walk…what a gorgeous town this is.  We arrive at Capital Cellars, a wine store in the front and a bar/restaurant in the back.  There was a wine tasting event happening and for the cost of a few bucks we were in and got our chosen glass of vino….oh wait…we actually each got a full bottle of our chosen vino for that admission cost.  I believe this is where my night starts to turn into a party.

We take our bottles to the back, sit at the bar and decided we will dine here.  Quickly the wine evaporates ( yes it did), and a conversation with the bartender leads to the sampling of different types of bourbon.  Since we are starting the Bourbon Trail tomorrow, best to get better acquainted with this tasty beverage.  Buffalo Trace Bourbon quickly became the favorite.

Now the folks at the bar were chatty and fun…I met a creepy guy that wouldn’t leave me alone (he was toooooo friendly), a lady that invited us to an outdoor concert the next evening, and I met a young lady who was in the finals for Miss Kentucky.   We all talked and laughed and danced and the bourbon flowed….and flowed….and flowed. Finally the evening came to a close and it was time to head back to our room.

Well, I do remember stumbling back…..and….not much else.  The next morning hurt…It hurt bad.  I figured that some coffee and a little breakfast would make me feel better…..it ….did…not.

The dining room was gorgeous….table set for breakfast and our lovely hosts at the ready to start our day off right.  I had my sip of coffee, started telling Rose how wonderful the evening had been….and then promptly left the table to…well, you can figure it out.   I return with a conviction to eat my breakfast.  Rose gently places the plate in front of me …..Scottish eggs….I leave the table for a second time.

When I return, Rose kindly places her hand on my arm and says..”Its ok Jan, I have had too much bourbon too….those bourbon balls will catch up with you”…I did finish a little breakfast and then we were ready to go for a walk around Frankfort.  The first stop after crossing the bridge over the Kentucky River was The Kentucky Capital building.  It was built in 1910  (years after the B&B we stayed in).  It is absolutely breathtaking.  The dome is a copy of Napoleons tomb, the interior stairs copied from the Paris Opera House and the State Reception room is copied after Marie Antoinettes dressing room.  At the foot of the stairs lays the Kentucky Floral clock, with its raised 34 foot in diameter face and a 20 foot long minute hand weighs 530 pounds.  Impressive.  Next was a stop at the Governor’s Mansion…he wasn’t home..sign on his door said “gone fishin”.

It was time now to head back to the bike and head out. You may wonder where we were heading……well…only a few miles away to…Buffalo Trace Bourbon Distillery…..oh the agony of it all.

On our way to Buffalo Trace we stop at the grave of Daniel Boone.  His wife Rebecca is buried there too. Daniel Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now Kentucky. He married Rebecca and they had 10 children.

On the way to Buffalo Trace Distillery we saw countryside that was incredible.  Horse ranches that were out of my dreams.  I wanted to stop an pet them all.

We finally arrive at Buffalo Trace Distillery and went on a tour.  We learned all about the process of making bourbon, led by our amazing and very humorous guide.  Bourbon has been made here since 1787. Given my previous evenings shenanigans I am obviously a fan.  We did a tasting of bourbon balls and headed out.

Back  out on the open road we head towards a place that was recommended to us by Gary and Rose…..Old Friends Farm.  This is a horse rescue, but not just any rescue.  It is a 92 acre farm solely dedicated to horse racing.  It is a retirement home for Thouroughbred race horses that were unwanted or being auctioned off for meat overseas.  These horses have made their previous owners a lot of money by winning the Belmont Stakes, Kentucky Derby and  many more.  We met Popcorn the star of the movie Seabiscuit…what a ham he was.  This is a must visit if you are in Georgetown, Kentucky.

Our visit to Old Friends came to an end and we took to the road to ….well well you know…find lodging.   Tomorrow we head to Tennessee…no bourbon tonight for me….

Live your life….Jan