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A photographer must have taken up shop right outside of an airport, stakeout style. This photo is a one day compilation of every plane that took off. While visually stunning, you can really get a feel for how busy and awesome airports really are.

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What better way to catch ‘em all than with an airplane with Pikachu painted on the side? Whoever took this picture has got a great story to brag about at cocktail parties. Oh, you volunteered for two years in the Peace Corps? Well I’m the guy who took the Pikachu airplane picture…

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There is nothing like getting engaged. There’s really nothing like getting engaged among vintage airplanes. Really stunning photography of two stunning people.

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Who doesn’t love a good forced perspective photo? That’s right: no one. Above is the grandmaster of all things timing related. I bet his jokes are the bomb.

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Okay, this one isn’t really legit photography, but have a heart! Funny cat pictures are taken to new heights (pun definitely intended) with pilot cat. Please note that the fasten seatbelt sign is on.

The Garland of Roses

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Everyone likes receiving a bouquet of roses, but a garland of roses is even more extravagant. Awarded to the Derby winner, the garland of roses tradition began in 1904 when the rose became the official Derby flower. Its place in Derby had been solidified when Bill Corum, sports columnist referred to the Kentucky Derby as the “Run for the Roses.”

Mint Julep

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For nearly a centruy, the mint julep has been the official drink of Derby watchers. Now, about 120,000 mint juleps are preapred and served over the two day derby period, adding up to 1,000 pounds of mint, 10,000 bottles of Early Times Mint Julep Ready-to-Serve Cocktail and 60,000 pounds of ice. The classic, but simple recipe has remained the same for this time-honored drink.

My Old Kentucky Home

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Kentucky’s State song is memorialized every year at the Derby, and is preformed and played several times throughout out the race days. Since 1936, the song has been regularly performed by the University of Louisville marching band. The song is played as the horses take their starting gates before the race begins, building up pride and tension for the coming race.

The 2012 Kentucky Oaks and Derby takes place on May 4th and 5th and is sure to be packed full with classic traditions. A family trip to the Derby is a guaranteed to be an unforgettable experience, beginning on April 28 and building up all week for the race. At the Kentucky Derby, there is something for everyone. The two sides of the infield for young adults and families, Millionaires Row for visiting celebrities, and pretty much everything in between.

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It’s almost here, one of the largest firework shows in the world, and one hell of an air show. The 23rd annual Thunder Over Louisville begins this Saturday. The air show will start at 2:30pm, and they plan on shooting off the fireworks just after sunset. To help build the excitement, we have put together a few videos of this amazing event.

The Crowd

The Air Show

The Fireworks

Unless you live under a rock, you don’t need much to realize what a great city Louisville is. If you live here, you know what I’m talking about, if you don’t, I hope this post helps you to see how beautiful and interesting our town really is. I have put together a list of places/activities in Louisville that everyone should explore or show some appreciation for.

Cherokee Park

The 409 acre park is a favorite location in Louisville. It is situated in the Highlands and is surrounded by old victorian mansions. One popular area right on the outskirts of the park is Cherokee Triangle, where they hold the annual Cherokee Triangle Art Fair. The park is big enough and interesting enough to get lost in, and many do. Other than the sheer scenic beauty, Cherokee Park has a 2.5 mile loop for walkers, runners, and bicyclists, large hills for sledding in the winter, and a fenced dog park.

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Churchill Downs & The Kentucky Derby

The celebrity of both Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby go without saying. Churchill Downs opened in 1875 and housed the first KY Derby and Oaks in the same year. The Kentucky Derby is one of the most popular grade 1 stakes races in the world. It brings in many high-profile personalities, and is known for its traditions, such as: the Mint Julep (a drink consisting of bourbon, mint, and sugar syrup), and burgoo (a stew of chicken, pork, beef, and veggies).

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21c Museum Hotel

21c is a 90-room hotel, museum, and also an award winning restaurant, known as: Proof. The museum hotel is known for being “outside of the box.” The rooms are unlike any hotel room you have seen, they are chic, artsy, and a perfect accent to the theme of the restaurant and museum. The exhibits feature local artists, as well as many outlandish and interesting pieces that are sometimes interactive. They are also popular for their restrooms, which have small screens within the walls that appear to be eyes watching you. The men’s bathroom has a huge window where they do their business, with an automated wall of water that is triggered when someone moves in front of it.

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Zanzabar

This old favorite is mostly known for their live bands, and Sunday night trivia. They have recently been renovated, they serve dinner, and have rotating micro-brews. Zanzabar is located in Germantown and is considered one of the coolest music venues in the city.

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Nulu

Nulu, which means New Louisville, is located in the East Market District. It is right between the downtown area and the Highlands making it the up and coming, hip place to be. This area is known for the monthly trolley hop, which takes place the first Friday of every month. It has also been called the gallery hop, where Louisvillians take the trolley for free until 11pm, and visit Nulu’s long strip of art galleries, restaurants, and antique shops. Most venues offer wine and beer, new exhibits, street vendors, and some will have belly dancers, magic shows, and tarot readers.

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Slugger Museum

The Slugger Museum is known for the 6-story bat that leans against the building, a popular photo spot for locals and tourists. The production of the famous slugger bats is seen inside as well as historical bats, such as: the bat Babe Ruth used to hit a home run when he played for the Yankees.

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Glassworks

Glassworks is home to three working glass studios, and two glass galleries. They offer tours and event space, including a popular rooftop area. They often have weddings on the roof, as well as, live music.

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Mellwood Art Center

Mellwood was once a meat packing company, and was turned into a large shopping area complete with galleries, restaurants, and eccentric shops. They also have a courtyard in the center of the space where visitors can enjoy lunch, dinner, and maybe a few drinks.

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Fourth Street Live!

The large entertainment and shopping complex is located in downtown Louisville, and home to many popular restaurant chains, pubs, and nightclubs. They often have lavish concerts in the center of the street, which is shut down during certain hours, acts have included: Kid Rock, 3 Doors Down, Shiny Toy Guns, Justin Bieber, and many more.

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Louisville Science Center

The science center was founded in 1871, it is located in downtown Louisville on Museum Row. The museum is known for it’s many exciting exhibits, most recently a Dinosaurs exhibit, and the Titanic exhibit. They are also known for their architecture, including a four-story IMAX theatre.

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The Highlands

This area is home to eclectic shops, small restaurants, Cherokee Park, and Diane Sawyer. The Highlands is one of the most consistently active areas in the city, and known for the detailed architecture of the historical mansions, as well as the interesting design of many of their condos.

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Waterfront Park

Louisville has taken especially good care of their waterfront. Here they offer free wireless internet, large concerts, and music festivals, such as: Forecastle. This is also the main area people stake out during Thunder Over Louisville, one of the largest annual firework shows in the world.

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There are so many more locations that we didn’t mention. What are your favorite spots in Louisville that we may have missed?

The Artist

If your teen has a bit of an artistic side whether it be painting, music, or possibly writing, make sure the atmosphere is conducive for them to explore this further. Consider buying them an easel, or a nice desk and comfy chair. It is also important that they have good lighting and more calming colors, as opposed to dark colors that can block the mind or cause one to feel crowded. Another great idea is using chalkboard paint for the walls – this will allow them to be creative with the space, or outline ideas for a project they want to take on.

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The Athlete

The athletic teen may not get to enjoy their room very often, they tend to lead busy, disciplined lives, and are usually outside of the house, so this room needs to be relaxing and encouraging. It can be taxing to constantly be expected to perform a certain way, so make this room a place where they can take their mind off of being so responsible, and fill it with other forms of entertainment, such as: video games, movies, and maybe even something different like an old popcorn machine. This teen needs a safe place to unwind and just be a kid, but make sure that their accomplishments are on display, it gives them a boost of energy, and a reminder of why they work so hard.

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The Girly-Girl

There is nothing wrong with being a girly-girl, and for mothers this can be especially fun. This teen often likes things that are more delicate, and they take a lot of pride in taking care of themselves and their possessions, so use this as a way of teaching them to carry this to other areas of their life. If your teen is crafty, create beautiful, eccentric pieces with them: turn an old bookshelf into a hutch of some sort, create a dressing room with curtains or cut fabric, make homemade necklaces and necklace hangers. Making beautiful things is far more rewarding than simply having them handed to you.

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The Minimalist

Minimalists don’t like distractions, they like clean lines, open spaces, and a clear path to wherever they need to go – you will probably never have to ask this teen to clean their room. The decorating scheme here is small focus pieces, and obvious accents. The walls should be light and basic: white, beige, or possibly a pale green or yellow. Also consider plants, they help to create a healthy, clean atmosphere, and your teen would be responsible for tending to them. Minimalists also tend to like tech gadgets, they like having the latest and greatest because they like for their things to be intuitive, and it keeps their world clean and organized. However, they may also like something a little more out of the box, like an old record player, or an antique of some sort – this helps bring focus to something that is important to them or that they find interesting.

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The Dreamer

Whether this is the dreamer looking to escape or the dreamer looking to change the world there is one key component here: these teens want to live extraordinary lives. First, try to figure out where their passion lies: is it a kind of wanderlust? Or is it a form of activism? Whatever it is, be supportive, and keep their passion all around them. This will help them to stay focused and form a plan rather than simply jumping because they’re tired of waiting. Find a poster of a map and tack the places they want to go, buy them travel books so they can learn about the culture, language, and cuisine, make a collage of strong people who did amazing things, and even changed the world. Help them to hone in on what they can do to contribute by keeping it in their mind.

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Your teen may fall into multiple categories, or even only have a little bit of one, the point is to really get to know who they are, so you can help them to figure it out more easily later. Interior design is a very personal thing that not only says a lot about the psychology of a person, but that can greatly effect mood, and even actions. So have fun with it, but also learn from it.

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Time Magazine named Pinterest in its ”50 Best Websites of 2011″ column back in August 2011. The power of Pinterest, compared to other social networking sites, is that it shows the capacity of communication through pictures. After all, “a picture’s worth a thousand words”. Right?

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While some social media sites take a while to catch on, the same is not so for Pinterest. Pinterest launched in March 2010 and quickly became the new craze of the internet. Women were particularly drawn to the site, with over 97% of the membership base being female; however, more males are beginning to succumb to its draw as well. As of today, Pinterest is valued at over $500 million with an estimated 17.8 million registered members. Talk about blowing up!

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Got an idea for a wedding theme but aren’t quite sure how to describe it to your wedding planner? Look no further! Compile a collection of pictures that show your idea and share your pin-board. Without a doubt the planner will get the idea right away. Looking for something new to cook for dinner? Find a recipe themed board and turn your kitchen into a 5 star restaurant. The possibilities are endless and it seems people are realizing the power Pinterest holds at a rapid pace.

Without argument social networking is here to stay. With Pinterest being one of the biggest things to happen to the internet and social sites being all the rave lately, the question becomes; what’s next?

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Horror/Rock artist, Jeff Gather, has been expressing himself through art for over 30 years. From cd covers, posters, t-shirts and paintings, Gaither has done it all, working with many renowned national music acts such as Guns-N-Roses, Van Halen, The Misfits, and many others. You may have seen his art on t-shirts or posters for an array of horror festivals. Locally, Jeff has done work on the cover of the LEO, Velocity, Louisville Music News, as well as posters for the Forecastle FestivaL, St. James Art Show Festival and many more.

Here are just a few of Gaither’s coolest pieces. Check them out!

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In Louisville, KY, the St. Patrick’s Day celebration begins the Saturday before the actual holiday. A parade hosted by the Ancient Order of Hibernians (an Irish Catholic Men’s fraternal organization) is held every year on the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day. The parade begins on the corner of Broadway and Baxter Avenue, goes down Baxter Avenue to Bardstown Road, and ends at Longest Avenue, at the Mid City Mall. People from around the city gather to hand out beads and candy, feast on authentic Irish food and drink the famous green beer. You can literally watch the city come alive in celebration of Irish culture.

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The party doesn’t stop there. Throughout the week leading to St. Patrick’s Day, many of the Irish pubs and restaurants in the area have specials on popular Irish drinks and dishes. Corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie and tons more are served in commemoration of the holiday. Oshea’s Pub, being one of the more popular Irish pubs in the area, runs these specials from March 10th to the 17th. Sporting traditional Irish music, dancers and green beer, Oshea’s certainly celebrates the holiday in traditional Irish fare.

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There are tons of other parties and activities in the Louisville area in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. Looking for a definitive list of Irish pubs and eateries in the area? Look no further! Check out Louisville Metromix for a complete roundup of everywhere Irish. There’s sure to be something for everyone on this green holiday. Know of something going on around the area that you’d like to share? Drop us a comment!

What would a movie be without a poster to accompany it? What would your favorite album be like if it didn’t have the cover art to go along with it? Your favorite book? These are things we as consumers take for granted as we’ve just come to expect them. A ton of time and effort go in to creating and laying out these pieces for your viewing pleasure. Here are just a few movie and music posters that caught our eye!

1. CASABLANCA (film)

2. The Dark Knight (film)

3. Beastie Boys (music)

4. The Beatles (music)

5. Michael Jackson (music)

6. Pulp Fiction (film)

7. Fight Club (film)

8. Elvis Presley (music)

9. Beetlejuice (film)

10. The Big Lebowski (film)

Of course these are just a few; there are tons more! Are there any you’d like to see added? Let us know!