SOCIAL MEDIA

Tuesday, July 2, 2019

2019 Kentucky Derby

About once per year, for the past 5 years, we have had the absolute pleasure of taking an adult vacation with some of our best friends. The usual suspects always include two other couples that moved into our brand new neighborhood way back in 2008. Since then, we've all moved away from that street but have managed to keep in touch despite the huge difference in the commute (from a few steps to nearly 3000 miles). A tremendous appreciation for our continued connection with one another belongs to some very special friends who plan and execute the trip details every year in celebration of my girlfriend's birthday. Amazing.

This year we traveled from Oregon, Texas, and North Carolina to meet in Louisville for the Kentucky Derby. Whatever you're imagining... Yes. It was that and then some. Here is our adventure in a few picture highlights.

Packing. So many decisions to be made. In hindsight, I would have definitely STARTED with the hats (or in my case, one hat, one fascinator) and worked from there. Instead, I had 2 dresses that I wanted to wear and tried shopping in Charlotte (late winter/early spring) for hats that matched the dresses. So. Many. Returned. Wherever you live, if you're planning for a Derby trip, start with a great hat. Chances are the stores where you live have a small selection of hats and you'll end up shopping online. Once you find the hat(s) of your dreams... your dress selection will FAR outnumber the choices you had for headwear.

We had tickets for The Kentucky Oaks (pink themed) on Friday and The Derby --so two hat outfits needed to be pulled together. Here's what I wore to The Oaks (slightly more "casual" than The Derby).

Hat, Shoes, Belt, Dress (sold out; similar), Purse (sold out; similar)
Thursday: Arrivals, reunion/many hugs, check in, amazing dinner

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=18OJlCrVD_77b7rfwVAcCAprpT1ErXLly

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1lFo2suFYQzZxHcpoKhLsFla0pN9NWNOx
Aperol Spritzes for breakfast and off we went!

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1PbQt9Bv1J4BrM3qSbP6MRv9lB6flbaMD

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1kbjauBo0eDkL5aYTgCpMSX7OQFKMeU3s
We stopped many times for the admirers of G's dress! Incredible.

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1D2-MYEw1btfbxRzavmojcjJn7-nqArfv
After The Oaks we hit the Barnstable Brown Gala. (He cleans up well!)

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1rr1Ht-Zob8hQCiV792gbSU1hkSEjR2RV

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1je3IAO_hnw2t7V_ZF_IDX-bnd5xTE1IB

Saturday: Brunch, races, The Kentucky Derby, The Winners Party, dinner

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=16yI127rjuuHFQzItNiKRwIfFlTJ-rMtp
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1eGt2iT8X8PDdRN1n-d5-QKa-vciRmToj
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=10Y4iFHLWkHYOqBvsZLr-poBbojhBFleD

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1j_dpjjCRdDcWQJqBT0DKMF_HRkk-6M3m
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1GboxdZHpFJTVq2CFG8zhxlxQRRiLCRwA

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ohs23gCfi101_cShmW5_3IWKxfqeQx3N
Choosing our horses.

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1EOdJnRns5qpIglxjTPgz-qyytOa2gvlc

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Jbjs_RTCZkS5XvMXih4w6lfc3tw5fZBZ
Were you even at The Derby if you didn't have too many Mint Juleps?

Sunday: Brunch, tears, departures

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