Churchill Downs has a very fleeting couple of minutes of fame every year.  In this land noted for Maker’s Mark Bourbon we went to the Twelfth Kentucky Derby Museum Gala “April in Paris” event.  I remember having to work that morning and catching a puddle-jumper to Louisville from Detroit.  My Bride picked me up at the airport in a van, and I changed into my tuxedo as she drove from the airport to the track.  When we go there, we followed the signs and drove through a tunnel and arrived at the infield of the track, parked and walked towards this huge “pavilion-tent.”  Toto, we weren’t in Kansas.

We were no longer walking on grass, but a finished floor inside the tent.  The ceiling of the tent was star-lit as we were out of doors.  A massive dance floor with a twenty-plus piece society orchestra was there.  There were fountains, foliage and sculptured topiary trees in abundance.  There appeared to be an army of waiters and waitresses serving Champagne and Hor’s d’oeurvres of Artichoke Puffs and Risotto Balls.

Of to one side was a gallery of huge original art works by LeRoy Neiman who had designed that years poster.  He was there signing his artwork, which is now hanging in our family room.  The size of the paintings that he does was amazing, no small easel painting for him.  He needs ladders and scaffolding to paint canvasses of the size, being shown.

I knew I was in the genuine Old South when I saw the quality of the service during dinner.  All the tables were arranged for seating of eight.  Each table had one personal waiter, and he had an assistant.  There was a side table, so what ever you wished to drink, a bottle of it was brought to the side table, so you wouldn’t have to wait for a refill.  We started with a Spring Salad of baby greens, haricots verts, celery root and roasted peppers with a lemon Caesar dressing.  The entrée was grilled beef tenderloin with a Plum Cumberland Sauce, a shrimp and leek tart with Sorrel Sauce and baby carrots and squash in a sun-dried tomato glaze.  Dessert consisted of chocolate truffles, a fresh fruit Napoleon with Sauce Melba.

There were two wines being served in this land of Mint Juleps besides the Champagne.  There was Bonterra Chardonnay and Fetzer Eagle Peak Merlot.  I beg my reader’s forgiveness, as I had to search the internet to find the labels, as I did not have them.  The wines were good selections for dinner, for an evening where Bourbon was the drink of choice.

Dancing began at ten o’clock.  They also brought out fruit and cheese offerings, assorted miniature desserts, tarts and chocolate dipped strawberries.  We danced until the orchestra stopped performing and slowly went to our cars to drive away.  The good news was we were coming back the next day, only then we were to be in the clubhouse.