Jessica's Louisville Blog

Four-day workweeks seem to be the new thing in Kentucky. Not only are some employees at Kentucky State University and Eastern Kentucky University now able work a shorter week, but last week Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear announced a plan to move many state workers to four-day workweeks as well.

Four-day workweeks consist of four, ten-hour days as opposed to the traditional five, eight-hour days. Many employers are chopping a day off of their employees' schedules in an effort to alleviate some of the costs associated with skyrocketing gas prices. Personally, I'm on the fence as to whether I'd rather work four or five day weeks – I'd love a long weekend, but I don't know that I'd want to stay at my day job for an extra two hours the other four days of the week.

Then again, I'll do just about anything to save money on gas.

By Jennifer Yates

One of my favorite things to do in Louisville is go out for coffee with friends. Great places to do this are Heine Brothers (Eastern Parkway & Bardstown Road) and Quills Coffee Shop (East Kentucky Street & Barret Avenue). If you go to this Heine Brothers location, be sure to see Elias. His engaging energy and smile will brighten your mood no matter what. The outdoor seating here (especially on the weekends) is also an excellent spot to people-watch. From curious canines to motorbike mayhem you can catch all the activity going on at the heart of the Highlands.

The entire staff at Quills rocks the espresso like no other with genuine arm-grinding, hand-pumping, tamp-and-tap care. They also very skillfully craft a brown feather in the froth of every espresso drink just by pouring the milk. How do they do that!? It comes out perfectly every time, and the espresso is exquisite! Both coffee shops also have free wireless internet for those of us who prefer a little blogging with our coffee.

Jennifer Yates is a graduate of Bellarmine University and works as a technical writer for UPS Airlines. She is a life-long Louisvillian currently residing in Germantown with her two Australian Shepherds. More about Jennifer can be found at her Google internet portal.

Submit Your Favorite Thing About Louisville

Would you shop at a store that sold clothes it had stolen from college students? If you wouldn't, then chances are you're not going to want to support the new Louisville Metromix website that's going live tomorrow either. Louisville Metromix is brought to you by the folks at Gannett, Velocity, and the Courier-Journal. Those are the names you'll see on the site anyway. The names you won't see are those of the college students that worked all summer to create Louisville Metromix who aren't getting the credit they were promised.

Metromix is a Gannett creation that offers a small amount of information about local restaurants and bars interspersed with the same sub-journalistic subject matter that we've come to expect from Velocity over the last few years. Apparently the editors there were tired of their free newspaper being used primarily for packing breakables and dog training and thought they would take their material to the one place where trash isn't regulated – the Internet. Read more...

If you're wondering what time you need to drag your kids out of bed to get ready for school in the fall, then you'll want to know what time they need to catch the bus. Luckily, bus schedules for all Jefferson County Public Schools are available online so that you and your family can start making plans for your mornings. To find your child's bus schedule, visit the JCPS website.

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When my mom informed me this weekend that Indiana had recently passed a law that prohibits the use of a cell phone while driving, I was mostly shocked that I hadn't heard anything about it. How is it that a person who heavily monitors the news about Kentuckiana miss something so important? This morning, after a little investigation, I found the source of this rumor: an email forward.

House Bill State of Indiana

Citations Affected: IC-9-13-2; IC 9-21-22.

Synopsis: Hand held mobile telephone use. Makes it a Class D infraction to operate a motor vehicle while using a hand held mobile telephone. Exempts: (1) a person who uses a mobile telephone in an emergency situation; (2) the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle; (3) the operator of a medical services vehicle; and (4) a volunteer firefighter or certain emergency services professionals en route to the scene of an emergency.

Effective: July 1, 2008

Well, it seems legitimate, right? There's nothing about it on Snopes, but the Courier-Journal hasn't reported anything either. So, can you legally talk on your cell phone while driving in Indiana or not? Read more...

When I was a kid, we used to ride through the streets of Kentucky and Indiana in the back of a pickup. There were no seatbelt laws, and your parents took you out of your car seat as soon as possible. Things have really changed since then. Last Tuesday, new child restraint laws went into effect that require children less than 7 years of age or less than 50 inches tall to remain in a booster seat anytime they're in a car.

The new laws are an effort to combat the serious injuries and deaths of very young children that have occurred across the nation as a result of children not being tall enough to be fully protected by their seatbelt alone. The booster seats are not car seats in the traditional sense; rather, they're simply seats that boost a child up so that their seatbelt lays across them where it needs to in order to protect the child in case of an accident.

A similar law has been in place in Indiana for several years already. The Louisville Metro Police Department will be issuing warnings for a year – tickets will not be given to non-cooperative individuals until July 1st of 2009. In the meantime, if you have a child less than 7 years old or shorter than 4'2", you will want to purchase a child booster seat (Compare Prices) for both their own protection and to comply with the new Kentucky child restraint law.

By Amanda Frederick

My favorite part of Louisville is the Highlands. No matter what time of year you decide to go, there is always something going on. In December, there is the Bardstown Road Aglow festival. In March, the St. Patrick's Day festivities are amazing, unmatched by any other place with the exception of Western Europe. In late April, the Cherokee Triangle Art Fair. In the summer, the streets are crammed with cars, and the sidewalks are a continuous flow of tourists and locals buzzing about the new restaurants and taverns and specialty stores or boutiques that captured their imagination. On the hottest day of the summer or the coldest night of the winter, the Highlands is never empty.

Great places to shop include General Eccentric, Pitaya, Clodhoppers, The Makery, Spree, Ear X-Tacy, Cherry Bomb, Mikell Renee's, Ultra Pop, Book and Music Exchange, Natural Mystic, Electric Ladyland, and Belief. Restaurants you shouldn't miss are: Club Grotto, Cafe Metro, Avalon, Ramsi's, Jarfi's, Impellizeri's Pizza, Wick's Pizza, and Cafe 360. Grab a dessert at Homemade Ice Cream and Pie Kitchen or Desserts by Helen. Definitely hit up a Heine Brothers for an iced mocha latte with whipped cream before heading over to Cumberland Brews for a locally-made ale. Be sure to check out all the bars between Highland Avenue and Payne Street. If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the main drag, get yourself lost on the back streets. The houses are Victorian and Georgian architecture. I suggest starting with Cherokee Road and heading east from there. If you get too far off the beaten path, just roll down the window and ask someone how to get back to the highway. Most locals are very friendly and eager to help.

Welcome to Louisville, where we keep it weird.

Amanda Frederick is an independent beauty consultant with Mary Kay. To obtain a catalogue, place an order, or schedule a facial, contact Amanda by phone at (502) 291-3389, or email at afreddie84@marykay.com.

What is Wednesday's Favorites?

The hit reality TV show American Idol will be in Louisville next Monday, July 21st, 2008, for open auditions at Freedom Hall. Individuals interested in auditioning must register on either Saturday, July 19th, or Sunday, July 20th. Freedom Hall is located at 937 Phillips Lane at Louisville's Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center. The line for auditions begins at the North Wing Lobby Entrance, and there will be a $6.00 parking charge per vehicle. For more information, visit the American Idol website.

La Rosita is hidden in the residential area of New Albany. I would never have found it or tried it if it hadn't been for my college Spanish professor taking our class there one day for lunch while we were studying the food vocabulary. I'm so glad I did. I reviewed La Rosita a while back and gave it five stars, and I'd like to reiterate those five stars again today after my husband and I took another trip to have dinner at La Rosita two nights ago. Try it, seriously. You won't be disappointed.

By Patricia Strickland

Southern Indiana in Autumn will take your breath away. Walk around Corydon on a crisp night and look at all the color in the leaves as they are falling. Hold hands with someone you love and say hello to people you pass. It makes for a perfect evening.

Patricia Strickland is the proud mother of three and grandmother of one and-a-half. She is a freshman at IU Southeast, studying for a B.S. in Nursing.

What is Wednesday's Favorites?