The Vince Carter Team Real Estate Blog

Louisville boasts many stretches that feature locally-owned, award-winning restaurants of all tastes and prices. One such stretch lies in the heart of Clifton, on Frankfort Avenue. The Grape Leaf restaurant features Mediterranean Cuisine in a friendly and cozy atmosphere.

Highland residents enjoy walking down Frankfort Avenue to enjoy food at The Grape Leaf.  With both indoor and outdoor seating, the restaurant is a great option for all seasons. In warmer weather, patio seating under grape vines tops a great meal with a great atmosphere.

The Grape Leaf Mediterranean Restaurant offers an excellent menu of tasty dishes. Appetizers  include everything from Hummus to Grape Leaves to Smoked Salmon Salata and range in price from around $6 and up. The soup and salad menu is equally tasty and affordable, offering five different options in a price range beginning at only $3.25 for a cup of soup.

But the entrees  are what really bring patrons back to The Grape Leaf Mediterranean Restaurant  again and again. The entrees on the menu offer a taste for any palate and any time of day, featuring lunch, vegetarian lunch, brunch, dinner, and vegetarian dinner. And should your little ones join you on your outing, they can enjoy their own menu of more familiar tastes like a chicken kabob over rice or plain old cheese pizza, all for around $5.

Signature specials at The Grape Leaf  include different types of meats at very affordable prices. These specials include the Beef Kubidee, Briani, Lamb Kabob, Grilled Chicken Sandwich, or Lamb Burger, Rack of Lamb, Catch of the day, Roasted Lamb, Grilled Mango Salmon, Lamb Chops, Mixed Grill, Shrimp & Scallops, and Filet Mignon. These items are in addition to the other entrees featured on the menu; clearly, this restaurant goes above and beyond.

If The Grape Leaf had stopped with its terrific food menu, it would have been enough. But they didn't. The restaurant also features a variety of unique beverages  to quench any patron's thirst and to tickle any palate. Flavors range from Frozen Pomegranate Mint Lemonade to pots of Turkish coffee, satisfying the needs of all seasons and temperatures. And this coffee, when enjoyed with decadent double chocolate layer cake, baklava, cookies, or cheesecake, makes the perfect ending to the perfect meal.

The Speed Art Museum in Louisville has made great strides toward accomplishing its one main goal: bringing great art and people together. Since its renovation and expansion in 1997, the museum has served over 180,000 guests each year. What keeps the visitors coming?

For one, The Speed Art Museum is the main art museum of the state of Kentucky.  Its holdings include everything from ancient Egyptian art to contemporary art, spanning over 6,000 years in over 13,000 pieces. And unique to this particular museum, it features paintings, sculpture, furniture, and decorative arts native to Kentucky artists and consumers.  In addition to these perks, the museum also includes: distinguished collections of 17^th century Dutch and Flemish paintings, 18^th century French art, Renaissance and Baroque tapestries, contemporary American painting and sculpture, and a growing collection of African and Native American works. http://www.speedmuseum.org/about_the_museum.html

Plus The Speed Art Museum is always featuring outstanding exhibitions to keep its returning customers satisfied. Currently the museum is hosting "The Most Famous People in the World: Karsh 100":

Eminent photographer Yousuf Karsh made a career photographing the world's most famous actors, artists, and statesmen. During his career he held 15,312 sittings, produced more than 150,000 negatives including the most famous men and women of the twentieth century. This great portraitist's work features iconic images of Albert Einstein, Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, Mother Teresa, just to name a few. Admission is free for museum members, $10 for non-members. This exhibition was organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.  (Courtesy of http://www.speedmuseum.org/exhibitions.html )

This fantastic exhibition runs from March 12^th to June 27^th this year at The Speed Art Museum.

Other regular offerings of the museum include its educational programs, which feature school tours, teacher resources, lesson plans, a special gallery, family and community programs, adult programs, teaching ideas, a youth apprentice program, an art explorer program, classroom writing prompts,  participation program grants, and more.

Visit The Speed Art Museum of Louisville any Wednesday through Saturday, 10am to 5pm, or Sunday from noon to 5pm, and find out for yourself how fantastic this place really is.

Who says you have to leave your hotel to be entertained? Louisville visitors  can lodge and be entertained in the same place by staying at 21C Museum Hotel in Louisville.  How exactly does the place pull it off? By providing "a 90-room boutique hotel, contemporary art museum, award-winning restaurant and cultural civic center nestled in the heart of Museum Row in historic downtown Louisville." http://www.21chotel.com/hotel/default.aspx

21C Museum Hotel is America's only museum dedicated to 21^st century art. It truly is "a modern epicenter for culture, activity, and artistic expression." http://www.21chotel.com/hotel/default.aspx With its luxury hotel rooms, fine dining restaurant, and modern art museum, this hotel offers an  experience unlike any other. How?

Patrons Staying at 21C Museum Hotel in Louisville  are afforded exclusive amenities:
*High ceilings, large windows, exposed brick walls
*Plush bedding, custom furniture
*Bath amenities, plush bathrobes
*Nightly turndown service with chocolates
*Fully stocked mini bar
*Preprogrammed iPods with a docking station and wide variety of music
*42" HDTV flatscreen TV with full cable line up
*100% Egyptian cotton sheets
*Silver mint julep cups
*Complimentary high speed Internet, wireless included
*Gourmet coffee makers
*Spacious work desks with ergonomic chairs
*Executive business center
*In-house spa with sauna, steam room, and workout facility
*Valet parking  
*Room service from Proof restaurant
*Access to Proof Bar
*100% smoke-free facilities

In addition to these outstanding amenities on its hotel front, 21C Museum Hotel also is home to one of the best restaurants in Louisville, Proof on Main.  This restaurant "offers a winning combination of inventive yet accessible food and beverage paired with warm, professional service to downtown Louisville... [and was] named as one of ‘Best New Restaurants 2006,' by Esquire." http://www.proofonmain.com/proof/default.aspx  Aside from its outstanding service for small parties, Proof on Main also offers an outstanding venue for corporate meetings and private events in Louisville.  These gatherings can take advantage of the restaurant's spacious meeting rooms, board room for presentations, museum galleries, and catering, among other offerings. The restaurant's full menu  includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, bar, dessert, and room service.  The drink offerings include wines, drinks by the glass, Quartinos, signature cocktails and beers, bourbon, and bourbon flights.

If fine quarters and dining aren't enough, 21C Museum Hotel has one more feature that's sure to impress: its exclusive 21^st century art galleries. This museum is "North America's first museum dedicated solely to collecting and exhibiting contemporary art of the 21^st century...[hosting] a series of dynamic group and solo exhibitions featuring emerging artists alongside acclaimed international artists..." http://www.21cmuseum.org/museum/default.aspx And "with over 9,000 square feet of exhibition space, as well as a dedicated video lounge, the museum features [a combination of] group and solo exhibitions [with] permanent, commissioned installations." http://www.21cmuseum.org/museum/visitor/overview.aspx The gallery is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with video installations running 7am to 1am.

21C Museum Hotel  has a bed, a table, and a piece of artwork waiting for you. Contact them now to drop in for a visit, and continue to discover why Louisville  is a terrific place to live.