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Thread summary:

Visiting Louisville: housing, downtown, real estate, hotels, golf course.

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Old 09-22-2008, 02:36 PM
 
87 posts, read 216,703 times
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My wife is being recruited for a position in Louisville and we were flown down from Milwaukee for a visit. These are my reflections of the city:

Louisville must have the friendliest people I have ever met. The warmth of everyone, from the taxi drivers, the bartenders, the servers, etc. was simply fantastic. We were made to feel incredibly welcome. Thank you.

The Highlands area was very nice, but still could use more outdoor cafes to bring it to a world class city status. Walking on Bardstown Rd. and Baxter was cool, but we certainly could have used more to look at.

The Century 21 (C21) hotel, bar and restaurant (Proof on Main) were all sophisticated, trendy, and very urbane. We reached a comfort level immediately and hope more places like this open in Louisville. C21 could rival anything in New York or San Francisco.

I was very surprised at the progressive attitude of almost everyone we met. I expected a "bible belt" conservatism reverberating throughout the city. Yet, I wore my funkiest hat and had my weirdest glasses on and no one even gave me a glance. In Milwaukee, this outfit has almost got me killed!

The housing was somewhat conservative and we found only one contemporary, California modern house to look at. The city needs a "punch" of architecture to provide some spice.

While the restaurants were good, I cannot say we had a great meal. Prices were excellent, but we ate at the best and I cannot say they were world class. Milwaukee's restaurants are infinitely superior.

Besides Frankfort Road and the Highlands, there really isn't any area filled with cafes, restaurants, bars, and boutiques. Thus, there is very little variety for a city of its size.

Downtown needs help. There is a plethora of ugly parking lots, dilapidated buildings, shoe repair shops and a general ambiance of pawn shops and check cashing joints. While Fourth Street Live was a cool concept, the bars and restaurants are somewhat generic and Disneyesque. I am hoping that the new basketball arena gives downtown the injection of life it needs. Louisville's downtown needs a European ambiance with outdoor cafes, art galleries, and boutiques carrying designs of some avant-garde designers.

The arts of Louisville are excellent, and the theater, art museum, and symphony are all something to be proud of.

We are still deciding whether or not to move to Louisville. We think we can be happy and perhaps we can also become a cog in the city's renaissance.
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Old 09-23-2008, 05:54 AM
 
54 posts, read 230,860 times
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I'm glad you enjoyed your visit.

I'm quite surprised by your underwhelming feeling towards the dining scene. Many people find it quite adequate. Bon Appetit gives Louisville some love | courier-journal | The Courier-Journal . Additionally, Jeff Ruby said, upon opening his steakhouse downtown, that Louisville had more great restaurants on one street than in all of Cincinnati. Where did you eat?

All things are relative, I guess. I lived in Nashville for a while. If you want to see a lack of outdoor cafes and quality restaurants, check that place out.
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Old 09-23-2008, 07:26 AM
 
69 posts, read 321,097 times
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On the surface, Louisville is OK. While Milwaukee isn't perfect, it offers more culturally, ethnically & intellectually than Louisville. Stay put.
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Old 09-23-2008, 08:41 AM
 
54 posts, read 230,860 times
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Wow. So authoritatively. Care to expound on your position?
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Old 09-23-2008, 01:46 PM
 
Location: louisville, ky
257 posts, read 879,602 times
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i think the city of louisville needs more people like the OP. come aboard!
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Old 09-23-2008, 05:23 PM
 
7,069 posts, read 16,690,898 times
Reputation: 3559
Quote:
Originally Posted by enofile View Post
My wife is being recruited for a position in Louisville and we were flown down from Milwaukee for a visit. These are my reflections of the city:

Louisville must have the friendliest people I have ever met. The warmth of everyone, from the taxi drivers, the bartenders, the servers, etc. was simply fantastic. We were made to feel incredibly welcome. Thank you.

The Highlands area was very nice, but still could use more outdoor cafes to bring it to a world class city status. Walking on Bardstown Rd. and Baxter was cool, but we certainly could have used more to look at.

The Century 21 (C21) hotel, bar and restaurant (Proof on Main) were all sophisticated, trendy, and very urbane. We reached a comfort level immediately and hope more places like this open in Louisville. C21 could rival anything in New York or San Francisco.

I was very surprised at the progressive attitude of almost everyone we met. I expected a "bible belt" conservatism reverberating throughout the city. Yet, I wore my funkiest hat and had my weirdest glasses on and no one even gave me a glance. In Milwaukee, this outfit has almost got me killed!

The housing was somewhat conservative and we found only one contemporary, California modern house to look at. The city needs a "punch" of architecture to provide some spice.

While the restaurants were good, I cannot say we had a great meal. Prices were excellent, but we ate at the best and I cannot say they were world class. Milwaukee's restaurants are infinitely superior.

Besides Frankfort Road and the Highlands, there really isn't any area filled with cafes, restaurants, bars, and boutiques. Thus, there is very little variety for a city of its size.

Downtown needs help. There is a plethora of ugly parking lots, dilapidated buildings, shoe repair shops and a general ambiance of pawn shops and check cashing joints. While Fourth Street Live was a cool concept, the bars and restaurants are somewhat generic and Disneyesque. I am hoping that the new basketball arena gives downtown the injection of life it needs. Louisville's downtown needs a European ambiance with outdoor cafes, art galleries, and boutiques carrying designs of some avant-garde designers.

The arts of Louisville are excellent, and the theater, art museum, and symphony are all something to be proud of.

We are still deciding whether or not to move to Louisville. We think we can be happy and perhaps we can also become a cog in the city's renaissance.

Just curious, where did you eat and dine? There are many hidden jewels in Louisville outside Frankfort and Bardstwon Rd. Personally, I never saw an area of Milwaukee with as many outdoor cafes as Bardstown Road. I think your comment may have been more related to the urban aesthtic. Coming from Chicago, Bardstown rd seemed almost "sprawly" for an urban corridor. But then I realized it is just architectural differences. The 3-4 story commercial building flush with the street is not as common down south.


Also, if you missed Old Louisville and the heart of St Matthews, you missed a major part of the city.
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Old 09-23-2008, 07:10 PM
 
87 posts, read 216,703 times
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Default Some of the Restaurants we ate at.

The organization recruiting us put us up at the Hilton Seethorn which unfortunately had tiny rooms and loud hallways. The bar in the hotel was great, but the only people who spoke with me were the bartenders.

Our first night we ate at Proof on Main which as I said earlier, was great.

The next day we ate breakfast at some funky joint that has ugly lamp contests. It was a bit hokey for us and the food was rather mediocre.

We were then shown real estate from the Highlands,to Cherokee Park, to the golf course sub divisions on the East End, to Old Louisville, and finally downtown. The only area that had life on a Saturday was the Highlands. That night we ate dinner at a restaurant on Franfort road that starts with a V and was opened in a former garage. It had a good jazz band and the ribs were quite excellent. The next day we had brunch at the Oak Room in the Seehorn. The brunch was probably our finest meal.

We had cocktails at Sheas Irish Lounge on Baxter, Proof on Main, Makers Mark on Fourth Street Live - it was empty! As I said, Fourth Street catered to a younger set and was some what generic and Disneyesque with its chain establishments that truly turn me off.

I hope this clarifys what we did. Any advice on what we should do on our next recruitment trip to Louisville? They really want my wife to work for them. I am just the "trailing" spouse.
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Old 09-24-2008, 04:34 AM
 
153 posts, read 537,099 times
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If your still young...like under the age of 30, Lville bars don't get busy unfortunately until after 1 a.m. really 2 a.m. For some reason, we like to drink heavily at someone's house and then walk to the bars to get blisteringly drunk! I totally agree on Lynn's Paradise Cafe for breakfast and 4th Street Why.
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Old 09-24-2008, 05:42 AM
 
54 posts, read 230,860 times
Reputation: 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by enofile View Post
The organization recruiting us put us up at the Hilton Seethorn which unfortunately had tiny rooms and loud hallways. The bar in the hotel was great, but the only people who spoke with me were the bartenders.

Our first night we ate at Proof on Main which as I said earlier, was great.

The next day we ate breakfast at some funky joint that has ugly lamp contests. It was a bit hokey for us and the food was rather mediocre.

We were then shown real estate from the Highlands,to Cherokee Park, to the golf course sub divisions on the East End, to Old Louisville, and finally downtown. The only area that had life on a Saturday was the Highlands. That night we ate dinner at a restaurant on Franfort road that starts with a V and was opened in a former garage. It had a good jazz band and the ribs were quite excellent. The next day we had brunch at the Oak Room in the Seehorn. The brunch was probably our finest meal.

We had cocktails at Sheas Irish Lounge on Baxter, Proof on Main, Makers Mark on Fourth Street Live - it was empty! As I said, Fourth Street catered to a younger set and was some what generic and Disneyesque with its chain establishments that truly turn me off.

I hope this clarifys what we did. Any advice on what we should do on our next recruitment trip to Louisville? They really want my wife to work for them. I am just the "trailing" spouse.
As far as dining goes, you merely scratched the surface. I would suggest eating brunch/lunch at North End Cafe. I would eat dinner at Jack Fry's, Seviche, or Asiatique (all on Bardstown Rd.). If you are in the mood for something more casual, go to Uptown Cafe, Baxter Station, Palermo Viejo, El Mundo (easily the best margarita you'll have) or Cafe Lou Lou. And, of course just about any ethnic food you could want is here (besides pure Greek cuisine--for whatever reason, all we can get is generic Mediterranean). Other great lunch spots include the Blue Dog Bakery or the Grape Leaf on Frankfort Ave.

Fourth Street Live is an interesting area. I bet on any given night, at least half of the people there do not live in Louisville. Some nights, it's so packed you'd swear everyone in the city chose to go out downtown. Other nights, it's not nearly as crowded. However, the Baxter Ave. corridor, where O'Sheas is, always has a steady crowd.

Other suggestions: if you are here when there is a free concert on the Waterfront (i.e., WFPK's Waterfront Wednesday) definitely check that out. WFPK (91.9 WFPK Radio Louisville | Welcome to 91.9 WFPK Radio Louisville!) is a fantastic public radio station. It's talk counterpart, WFPL, also does a fantastic job. Other than that, what is it that you like to do in Milwaukee? I can't believe you wouldn't be able to do it here.
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Old 09-24-2008, 09:36 AM
 
87 posts, read 216,703 times
Reputation: 64
Default I am a bit pretentious...............

I grew up in New York City and came to Wisconsin to attend grad school at the University in Madison during the mid 1970s. I have been living in Milwaukee for over 30 years.

We tend to miss some of the more urbane life that reverberates throughout New York. For example:
Cafe Life
Gallery Openings
Jazz Clubs
Cabaret

We also travel a great deal and are enamored with a European lifestyle. Some of our favorite cities include Paris, Bologna, Madrid, Prague, etc.

I have property in several Latin American cities and feel the ambiance of alma and caliente in Buenos Aires, Panama City, San Juan etc.

Unfortunately, Milwaukee has not met our needs for years. My wife has a great offer in Louisville and she loves the warmth of the people. I am very frightened about how my interactions with the city are going to be. I still have that "New York edge," and do not do well with provincialism. I am sure that many of my Milwaukee buddies would call me a terrible snob. Thus, I am very scared about moving to Louisville. I also will not have a job and will have to look for something to do. Thanks for all your help.
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