Trevor Hall Benefit

Trevor Hall is cute, cute, cute, no doubt about it! This sweet little boy has battled cancer — and lost his eye to it — and he's only 2 years old. He's now undergoing therapy for a stroke. His folks could use a little medical bill help, so please plan to attend this benefit, set for 4 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Salt & Light Community Church, 155 Pugh Rd., Reidland. for more info, email Christina Garrott.

Recycle On, GPS!

Congratulations to the fine folks of GPS Recycle Now! They've got a new home at 1830 North 8th St., just north of Paducah Water. So this is the place to bring all recyclables twice a month now, instead of just once.

Mark your recyclable calendars for 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 6, Sept. 20, Oct. 11, Oct. 25, Nov. 8, Nov. 22 and if you have your 2009 calendar, Jan. 3. Look for the group's ad (above) in today's Paducah Sun and in the most recent issue of Paducah Parenting!

Recycle on, GPS!

Get Connected!

The new issue of Connections, Barkley Regional Airport's monthly newsletter, is out. If you'd like to keep up with all the exciting news, send an email to the gorgeous Jackie Jones, and she'll get you connected!

Now For Something More Constructive

After the post below, I thought I better get something more constructive on my mind, as my dad often suggests. There's a great email going around asking us to go to an online voting site, firstbook.org/whatbook, and select Kentucky as the state to receive 50,000 free books for Kentucky kids. It's sponsored by First Book, which has distributed more than 60 million free and low-cost books to thousands of communities.

All you have to do is scroll down, select Kentucky in the "Where would you like to send 50,000 new books?" box, type in your email address, uncheck the receive updates box and cast your vote. Kentucky's in the lead! Voting ends Sept. 15.

Badonkadonk? Oy Vey!

Well, it's come to this. In today's Current, our question — in honor of country singer Trace Adkins' upcoming concert at Harrah's — is: When is it appropriate to use the phrase Honky Tonk Badonkadonk? I'm not gonna lie to you. Suzanne, Patience and I were not amused. And the amount of time we spent on our answers, frankly, is a bit embarrassing. First, there was the research — evidently the word is used to celebrate an ample backside. Then the music video. And then, the thought process. Thinking about badonkadonk. Brainstorming badonkadonk. It was, as they say, a little much.

Suzanne's blog readers know, of course, that badonkadonk is no substitute for her coined phrase, "back butt." Patience pretty much told Trace Adkins that he's delusional. I just thought he ought to think up his own word instead of swiping and cashing in on someone else's — and misusing it, at that.

If you wanna read our whole answers, check out Current or click the image above to enlarge — or to badonkadonk — it. (That's using badonkadonk correctly. As a verb.)

New Condos for Sale!

Three gorgeous new two-bedroom condos are now for sale at the Madison building, located on Madison between 6th and 7th streets in LowerTown. They're beautifully redone, and if you buy one, we can share happy hour from across our back porches. My fabulous in-laws have renovated the far end of our building, helping us bring life back to the Madison building, where so many people have lived over the years.

If you'd like to have a look, call Pat and Jim Brockenborough, 443.7564. The condos sell for $289,000. We also have this three-bedroom condo available for $350,000. Buy that one and I'll personally deliver happy hour right to your door.


If you want to get a little closer to the river, be sure to see Beverly McKinley's fourth floor river view condo at 201 Broadway. It, too, is gorgeous, with 13 windows — 13! — facing the Ohio and Tennessee rivers. The price is $495,000. Beverly's number is 556.3094.

That's four great places to live, all just waiting for great folks to move in! All are highlighted on iList Paducah.

Introducing: iPet of the Week!

In honor of Responsible Dog Ownership Month — Mayor Paxton presented a proclamation last night to Paducah Kennel Club president Lynn King last night and everything — today we launch iPet of the Week, our newest, hottest feature on iList Paducah!

Why? Because we love reading about pets just as much as we love reading about cute, cute, cute single people, so we figure there's room for both iDate of the Week and iPet of the Week on our site. iDate returns next week, however. We're on a break, as Ross and Rachel would say.

Anyway, Patience Renzulli, Goddess of All Things Whippet, is writing the column, along with her third book and her very popular blog. And our key sponsor so far:


Ceglinski Animal Clinic, with Drs. Eugene Ceglinski, Rennie Church and John Kelley on call to take care of our every animal need. (Oh, that sounded kinda flirty, didn't it?) Anyway, they're at 5401 Blandville Rd., 554.0171.

Thank you Ceglinski Animal Clinic! And check out iPet of the Week! We'll feature a different pet each Wednesday.

More details are on Patience-please, along with last night's proclamation from the mayor — complete with photos!

Open for Business!

We have a new banner ad on iList Paducah today from the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce. It's to help spread the word about this neato event:


This trade show is the place to be to promote your business. Download the registration form here. Register by Friday, Aug. 29, and you'll save a bunch of money.

We'll have an iList Paducah booth there — so please stop by and say hello!

Separated at Birth?

Is it just us, or could performer Mary Chapin Carpenter and Carson Center Marketing Director Lisa Lauck switch jobs for one night without anyone noticing?

Lisa's photo by Fox Fotography. And, by the way, check out our Carson Center column on iList Paducah. Lisa shares fun historical tidbits about the center's first five years!

Dish! Dish!

This is the last week to share your favorite dish in celebration of Cynthia's Cynthia's 15th Anniversary favorite memories celebration! We have three so far, so send us yours and you might win some fab Thyme products from Cassitys'!

Gettin' Fresh With Da DeeJays

Y'all. Can he be any cuter?


That's DJ Urban Kobbb tearing up his MacBook Pro at Club Plush last Saturday night. Thanks to everyone for coming out for Fresh, which showcased all sorts of awesome deejays, including...


Purvis (above), along with G.I.J...


... and the fabulous Tony Foo Yong. Great music, great fun. Check out Club Plush, 1200 North 8th St.!

DJ Urban Kobbb will be on hand for Commissioner Gayle Kaler's fundraiser 5:30 p.m., Wednesday night, Aug. 27, at Philosophy Gallery, 333 North 9th St. Everyone's invited!

A Very Spirited Ladies' Society Social!

Last Friday's Fifth Annual Ladies' Society Social, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, was a huge success, raising lots of money and honoring...


Dr. Lisa Chaney Lasher! That's her with her mom. Dr. Lasher received the first ever Spirit of Hope award. Spirit on, Dr. Lasher!


iList Paducah sponsors Kenn Gray and Betty Hall of Green Door Floral & Decor...



...made Whalers Catch absolutely beautiful for the event.

And look at all the gorgeous women who came!









And this lucky fella:


Plus, everyone was wearing a Kenn-designed jewel:




The event featured a fab silent auction, which raised around $9,000:



We even got in on the action with an iList Paducah sponsorship offering:


Congratulations to gorgeous Lisa O'Rourke (you go, girl!)...


...and team for pulling together a lovely event! It was a blast!


More fun photos at Laura K Finds Her Way!

And the Aftermath....

Ah yes, the party continued on, with Kenn Gray and his Gal Posse over at Cynthia's. Evidently, we were quite the handful — even for Kenn! He left, and the gals carried on to Jeremiah's! Great night — not so great morning after. Ouch.

Nonetheless, here are some fun party pix, including cute, cute, cute Nathan Lynn and Bawn in the Mash:

Donna-Maria's New Column!

iList Paducah sponsor and strategic communications consultant extraordinaire Donna-Maria Walker is now a contributor to wkyx.com. Look for her editorials bimonthly, including her first one on how to handle splitting a big fat bar tab! Congratulations, DMW!

Go, Gayle, Go!

iList Paducah sponsor Gayle Kaler invites everyone to a special reception, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 27, at Philosophy Gallery, 333 North 9th St. Along with a silent auction featuring Julie Shaw jewels and a Lela's Boutique fashion show, DJ Urban Kobbb will be on hand, spinning the tunes! See you there!

Hope for Brandi

Jamie West of Century 21 has just launched a beautiful new blog, Hope for Brandi, in support of her childhood best friend Brandi Gibson. Brandi, 29, is a wife and a mother of a 9-year-old son. She has spent the past eight years working with autistic adults through organizations such as Easter Seals, many times taking in foster adults until they could be placed in a permanent home.

Now she needs our help. In 2004, Brandi was diagnosed with Acute Pancreatitis and she's in dire need of a pancreas transplant. Jamie's blog explains the challenges that Brandi is facing. Please have a look and find out how to help.

WKMS Debuts The Front Page

iList Paducah sponsor WKMS debuted a new program last Friday called "The Front Page." It's hosted by Todd Hatton, WKMS host of NPR’s "Morning Edition."

The show airs each Friday at noon and features issues that affect the Four Rivers Region. So tune in at 91.3 FM for thought-provoking social, economic and cultural narratives that highlight the distinctiveness of our area and its people. Rock on, WKMS!

Special D's Big Summer Tour!

I mentioned the very youngish, super cute, Mick Jaggerish Craig Felker in the post below. He and his hottie band, Special D, are tearin' up the tour schedule this summer thanks to their very popular EP, "Over and Over." They'll be Rockin' the Light at the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City on Aug. 29, and Rockin' the Universe at Universal Studios in Orlando Sept. 5 and 6, with lots of gigs in between. Plus, they're featured at BBQ on the River on Sept. 26, at 3:30 p.m.

And in very top-secretive news, Special D participated in the filming of a pilot for a new reality TV show called “American Circus," filmed in Peru, Ind., of all places. They performed in the center ring of the circus to a capacity crowd. Stay tuned for details on that!

Got an Extra Microwave? Someone Can Use It

I love Bellewood Homes for Children. First of all, Gwen Taylor and Craig Felker work there — and I'm crazy about both of them. Gwen started the 40/50 Group and Craig is in the band Special D and reminds me of a much, much younger and cuter Mick Jagger. That's them, above, talking with Jamie, one of their clients.

Bellewood helps young adults, starting at age 17, make a smooth — well, as smooth as possible — transition from foster care into independent living. That means their own apartments, college (usually WKCTC, which rocks!), a job — all that kind of stuff that most of us had a little help with? That's what Gwen and Craig do for folks leaving foster care.

They've increased their client load, which is good, because it means they can help more kids. But they need our assistance. Currently, they need the following items to help the kids with their apartments:

• Small appliances like microwaves, CD players, used TVs, DVD players, lamps, etc...
• And other stuff: dishes, towels, curtains, glasses, pots/pans, baking dishes, etc...

If you have anything nice that you'd like to pass along, just send an email to Gwen and they'll make the arrangements!

75,621 Pageviews Served!

Patience Renzulli has an extra-special reason to celebrate her first blog-iversary on Sept. 7 — she just surpassed 75,621 pageviews with 53,473 visits from more than 110 countries — and counting! That's an amazing statistic and definitely proof that folks love blogs, especially Patience-please! To show her appreciation, Patience is giving away this:


Yep, it's a dog poo candle. Not real dog poo, of course. It's faux poo. In fact, Patience will be giving away lots of free stuff (not necessarily poo-related, though) between now and Sept. 7. So head over and have a look.

By the way, this week we're launching a new column from Patience on iList Paducah. It's called iPet of the Week, and it's totally super cute. Watch for it Wednesday.

Congratulations, Patience!

Saturday is Recycling Day!

Remember to take your recyclables to Park Avenue Kroger, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday, August 23. The wonderful GPS Recycle Now group will take care of the rest. Volunteers are always needed to help! Send an email to schedule your spot!

Speaking of the Olympics

Remember Dominique Moceanu, the darling of the 1996 Olympics? My friend Brad of The Entertainment Wrap Up nabbed an excellent interview with her the other day! Congratulations, Brad!

More on Olympic Uniform Inequality: Bring Back the Speedo!

Seems I'm not the only one disappointed in the overly uniformed male competitors in this year's Olympic Games (see post below). Reader Kathleen Overlin emailed in the above historic photo, lamenting the loss of the Speedo.

Now, I think it's safe to say that, when worn by the general population, we gals are not big fans of the Speedo. But when it comes to Olympic athletes, we make an enthusiastic exception.

And I agree with Kathleen. I, too, am sorry to see the Speedo overtaken by the record-shattering NASA-tested "skin" thingys that they're all wearing. Such a waste of a perfectly six-packed waist.

I think even Michael Phelps agrees, because he just can't seem to help himself but to pull his onesie way down to...


...there after a big swim. Bless you, Michael Phelps. I'd give you another gold medal — for good sportsmanship.

Look Who's Blogging, Round 4

OK, so our Look Who's Blogging question in today's Current: What is your percentage level of addiction to the Olympic Games?

Suzanne is a huge fan, even forgoing Episode 5 of her beloved Project Runway. (Not to worry — she taped it.) Patience and I, though, are not so enthusiastic. Patience writes that she's saddened by the spirit of Olympics past being overtaken by bulked up professional sports superstars. She misses the days when we all rooted for the amateur athletes, regardless of their country.

I have a slightly different beef. I'm boycotting the Olympics. Why? Extreme uniform inequality. You know what I'm talking about:


The women's volleyball teams? They're almost "nekked." The men? It's as if they're meeting at the mosque later for prayers.

I'm not saying that the women's skimpy bikinis are bad. Those gals look great. But the men? Their shirts are up to their chins. Their shorts almost meet their knees. They might as well wear snowsuits.

Even college frat boys have the good sense to strip to their board shorts during a Friday afternoon beer and v-ball bash. It adds a little excitement. A little showmanship.

It's true for indoor volleyball, too. Look:


And the gymnasts! Geeze, what's with all this male modesty? Show us a little thigh, for cryin' out loud!


I'm just sayin'. Men, you've worked your tails off for your abs and other strong body parts. Don't hide them under a polyester-blend bushel. We demand skimpy uniform equality! In the meantime, at least we have Michael Phelps.

Current Gets Fresh

Cute, cute, cute Adam Shull ran a nice piece about Fresh (see post below) in today's Current, including quotes from one of the top DJs, DJ Tony Foo Young. The show features several hot DJs, including, my favorite. Again, it's Saturday, 9 p.m., Club Plush, 1200 North 8th St. Hope to see you there!

DJUK's New News!

DJ Urban Kobbb (y'all might know that I'm awful partial to him) has a great gig coming up this Saturday, Aug. 23. He's the opening DJ for Fresh at Club Plush.

Fresh is Paducah's premier electronic dance music event with Andy B, Tony Foo Yong, Purvis and G.I.J. all tearing up the turntables. Admission is $5 and doors open at 9 p.m., upon which $1 draft beers and half-priced drinks commence — such a deal! Plus, the Miller Lite Girls will be there, if you like that kind of thing.

Club Plush is located at 1200 North 8th St. Please come! I don't wanna be standing there all by my lonesome like Gwyneth Paltrow at a Coldplay concert!

DJUK is also spinning at a reception for iList Paducah sponsor Commissioner Gayle Kaler, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 27, at Philosophy Gallery, 333 North 9th St. The commissioner is up for re-election. Everyone is invited to come, and there's a cool silent auction featuring Julie Shaw jewelry and a fashion show from Lela's Boutique! So be sure to stop by.

And, check out his cool new logo:


Isn't it darling? Next thing you know, he'll be launching a MySpace page. Hum....

Reminder: Gettin' Social on Friday

Be sure to call — ideally today, but definitely sometime this week — and reserve your happy spot at the 5th Annual Ladies' Society Social, 6 p.m., Friday, Aug. 22, in The French Quarter of Whalers Catch. While it's mostly women, menfolk are invited, too. We'll be honoring the most-deserving Dr. Lisa Lasher with the Spirit of Hope award. Call 444.0384 for tickets — they're $25 and benefit the American Cancer Society.

Easter Seals Art: Due Sept. 13!

The deadline has been extended for the Easter Seals 3rd Annual Art Competition. Lots of great awards will be given for painting, drawing, photography and fiber arts. If you'd like to enter, deliver your pieces to the Easter Seals Adult Center, 2229 Mildred St., between now and Sept. 13. Here's the entry form.

The art will be featured that evening during the Easter Seals Heart & Soul Art Auction and Show. Held at the Adult Center, cocktails begin at 6 p.m., with the live auction at 7:30 p.m. Bid on beautiful pieces from Peter O'Neill, Charlotte Erwin, Aynex Mercado, Elise Beattie, Clyde Lawter, Amy Taylor Nolan, Nikki D. May (love her!), Sarah Black, Jenny Donaldson, Jennifer Vaughn, Teri Bybee and featuring the Easter Seals' own Christopher Thompson.

The art above, by the way, was created by Amy Taylor Nolan and the participants of the Easter Seals West Kentucky Adult Daycare Program.

Tickets are on sale now. They're $10 — purchase by calling 443.1200, x117.

Look Who's Blogging, Round 3

There we were again in last Thursday's Current — Bizzy, Patience and me. I've mentioned before that the Sun's cute, cute, cute Adam Shull is posing a question to us each week, and then he prints our answers. The super awesome part is that he also prints our Web urls, and direct links from the Current Web site. That rocks, as hopefully new folks will come visit us.

Hello, new folks! Welcome!

Last Thursday's question was: If I were to make my very own indie film, it would be about...

Bizzy, also known as Suzanne Clinton, gave a lovely answer about the Heath High School shootings. "Well over a decade has passed since the horrible events of the morning of December 1, 1977 — a date no one who lived through it can ever forget or help but be forever changed by, including me," she wrote. "It's time, I think, to take a look back."

Patience, always known as Patience! Please!, gave a little sneak peek at the novel she's writing. "Come on, Disney! Indie, schmindie," she wrote. "Pixar, let's talk."

And I talked about Mitch. This is Mitch:


I love Mitch. Everybody loves Mitch. And my idie film would be all about Mitch. Here's what I wrote for my indie answer:

"James D. Mitchell has mixed millions of drinks in his 60 years of bartending, quenching the thirst of the Country Club set, mayors, clergy (the public partakers, anyway) and even Vice Presidents Barkley and Truman.

"If you're a West Ender, Mitch bartended your birth, baptism, graduation, engagement, wedding, divorce, second wedding — and he'll likely bartend your wake. Mitch never forgets your favorite drink.

"He has seen and heard it all. I'd have to interview the guests, though. Because Mitch — he doesn't tend and tell. "If I'd write a book, I'd have to leave town," he says.

"And we want him to stay right here. To your health, Mitch!"

So that's Mitch. He's been feeling a little puny lately, but he's bouncing back. He's even planning to bartend a wedding next month.

The next question has to do with how much we've been watching the Olympics. Frankly, I'm almost boycotting them. You'll find out why this Thursday.

BBQ on the River: Iron Chef Challenge

So the 14th Ever BBQ on the River's coming up. The cookin' starts Thursday, Sept. 25 and continues through Friday, Sept. 26 and Saturday, Sept. 27. The bbqontheriver.org Web site rocks — the schedule, participants and their beneficiaries and other details are all included on the site.

New this year: We're going to have an iList Paducah booth! And. Get this. We're in the Media Cook-Off. Which is pretty funny because nobody cooks less than Nikki and I.

We, however, have a secret weapon: DJ Urban Kobbb. Not only is he amazing at spinning the tunes and writing our music reviews, you should see him when he really gets cookin'! He is an excellent chef. And he loves a good challenge.

This year, the cook-off is a takeoff on Iron Chef. At 2:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 26, all of us media types are given a cooler full of mystery meat and some spices. We have until 6:30 p.m. to transform our raw materials into amazing works of culinary art. A panel of judges will then decide the winner, and, may I just be bold enough to say, iList Paducah will be taking home one of the first BBQ on the River trophies!

Our competition so far: WKYQ, WBEL/WGCF, WQQR and the Paducah Sun. So stay tuned for details — and please plan to stop by our booth and cheer on Chef DJUK!

Paducah Bank: WOW!

Many thanks to iList Paducah sponsor Paducah Bank for featuring Nikki and me in their current issue of WOW! We're thrilled to be included, and always happy to have the chance to promote iList Paducah. The more folks who know about the site and use it, the better the site becomes! So thank you, thank you, Paducah Bank! And thanks, too, to Darlene Mazzone. Her team puts the magazine together, and it always looks stunning. The fabulous Glenn Hall took our photo.

Also in this issue: a bit of bank history (Paducah Bank is now 60 years old!), Sonny Ridgeway, Beverly McKinley, Oscar and Jane Gamble, Corey Robinson, Basil and Genie Drossos and a big ol' photo of hunka hunka David Mast. There's also a little piece about my handsome husband Bruce Brockenborough, me and The Madison building.

If you'd like a free copy, you can pick one up at any Paducah Bank. It will be inserted in the Sun for McCracken County homes this Sunday.

Mississippi Ex-Pats: Meet at Doe's!

Whether you're from Mississippi, went to school there, driven through it or just love those accents, everyone is invited to gather for lunch, 11:30 a.m., this Friday, Aug. 22, at, of course, Doe's Eat Place, which originated in Greenville!

My new very funny friend Wayne Walden — he heads community relations for the Paducah public schools — came up with the idea. You may not know this, but I'm a proud graduate of Joyland Kindergarten in Tupelo, so I qualify as an ex-pat!

Please plan to join us — should be fun! Please help us spread the word!

One Book, One Community, One Hottie Author

iList Paducah sponsor WKCTC is doing a neato project in partnership with the Challenger Learning Center, McCracken County Public Library, McCracken County Information Network (McNet), Barnes & Noble, Maiden Alley Cinema and the McCracken County and Paducah public school districts.

The project: One Book, One Campus, One Community. The Web site is westkentucky.kctcs.edu/onebook.

The reason: According to the 2003 Kentucky State Assessment of Adult Literacy, only 11 percent of Kentucky adults are proficient in prose literacy. In fact, y'all, we're 50th out of 51 states and districts in the percentage of adults over 25 with a high school diploma or GED, and 48th in the percentage of adults with a baccalaureate degree or higher.

And that ain't good.

WKCTC and its partners are trying to change that, and this project is a step in the right direction toward reading. Through One Book, One Campus, everyone in the community is encouraged to read a particular book at the same time. This year, the book is Rocket Boys: A Memoir, written by hottie Homer Hickam.

Hickam wrote the book based on his life in the small town of Coalwood, WV. It was made into the movie, October Sky, featuring that cute, cute, cute "I can't quit you!" Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper and Laura Dern.

Along with reading the book, WKCTC offers several great events, starting with a Thursday, September 11, free screening of October Sky at Maiden Alley Cinema, and, in October, a book discussion at the library and opportunities to actually meet the author and hear him speak.

The events are free, but require tickets. All the details are on the site. Click the image above to enlarge. Rock on, WKCTC!

Legends 2: Your Musical RSVP!

This Saturday, August 23, the Paducah Parks Building, 1400 HC Mathis Dr., transforms into a gorgeous Hollywood supper club. And Market House Theatre veterans Victoria Parrish, Al Knudsen and the Douglas P Band jazz ensemble will wow us with a musical salute to Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Tony Bennett and Barbra Streisand, to name a few.

Open to people of all ages, the show kicks off with an elegant, sit-down dinner at 6 p.m., followed by music and dancing at 7 p.m.

The event benefits the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).


"Last year was so successful that we decided to make it even bigger and better this year," says Al, the RSVP executive director. (That's him, above. Dar-ling!) "This year's show features all new music — it will be along the same lines as last year, but with completely different material. If you liked the show last year, you'll absolutely love it this year!"

Tickets are $20 per person — they'll sell quickly, so call 442.8993 to reserve your spot.

RSVP is a nonprofit organization and a United Way partner agency that promotes volunteerism among folks 55 and older. The group provides opportunities for members to share their expertise and abilities with more than 45 nonprofit organizations in McCracken and Hickman counties.

The Paducah chapter has an active enrollment of more than 575 volunteers who serve at area "volunteer stations" like hospitals, social service agencies, arts organizations, schools and libraries. Last year, RSVP volunteers donated 67,938 hours of service to the community valued at more than $1 million!

What's the Dish?

If you've been to Cynthia's lately, you've probably noticed these nice table cards. They're to remind folks to participate in Cynthia's 15th Anniversary favorite memories celebration!

This month, Cynthia wants to hear about our all-time favorite dishes. We have two so far, so send us yours! At the end of the month, the Cynthia's staff will select someone to win a collection of Thyme products from Cassitys'.

Happy Birthday, Lady Madonna!

Girlfriend turns 50 today, and DV8 does it up right! Entertainers will perform all-Madonna, all-night. Win the Madonna look-alike contest and you get a complimentary $50 bar tab! DV8 is at 2118 Bridge St. I would LOVE to be there, as I love me some Mo. If anyone takes photos, email me the G- or PG-rated ones, and I'll post them here!

River's Edge Film Festival

Saw this posted on Bizzyville, which reminded me that I wanted to plug the River's Edge Film Festival, too! Right on, Bizzy! The complete schedule is here. We did a little iList Paducah story on it, too. It's a great event. If you're looking for something to do this weekend and you like movies, you're gonna love this!

Gala Scholarship Tix Now on Sale!

Our iLove it! story this week features the neato way we can all be earning points to use at the September 4 WKCTC Gala Scholarship Auction. The details are here, but the long and the short of it is that if we visit the auction Web site every day and search for this:


...we can print those out and use them in bidding on a week's stay at a Sarasota beach house.

The Gala Scholarship Auction is a top-notch event that last year raised more than $270,000 in scholarships, which was divided among 210 students. Purchase tix by calling 534.3086 or using the form in the PDF.

Bring Your Groupies!

The Paducah Rotaract Group and the 20/30 Group are puttin' on a big shin-dig to benefit the American Heart Association. It's their Guitar Hero Tournament, set for Saturday, September 6 at the Riverfront. First place: $750! Second: $250! Visit the Facebook page for more info. The event is from 5-10 p.m., and includes a street dance! Rock Your Heart Out!

Do-It-Yourself CDs

It was fun to see cute, cute, cute Adam Shull's front-page Sun story on several local musicians and why they record their CDs on their own. Adam highlights several musicians that we promote on iList Paducah including (top left) hottie Dan Tanner of The Union Suit, (right) hottie Kelsey Waldon and (bottom) hottie Joe Walker. Sun online subscribers can read the story here. Nice art, by the way, from the Sun's Kortney Brand!

Sun Features Jennifer Wyatt and Birk Grove

The lovely Leigh Landini Write Wright wrote a great story about the also-lovely Jennifer Wyatt in the Sun yesterday. Jennifer owns Her Executive Coach and is an iList Paducah sponsor. (Love her!)

Anyhoodie, Jennifer was diagnosed with fibromyalgia awhile back, a chronic condition which, as Leigh writes, is characterized by pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons. Fatigue, cognitive/memory deficits and sleep difficulties also are symptoms.

Jennifer receives assistance from — and offers coaching services at — Birk Grove Life Centre, which was started by Paducah physician Monte Rommelman and his wife, Kim. It's the only facility in the nation, and probably the world, that's strictly dedicated to helping women with fibromyalgia.

The Rommelmans, Jennifer and the rest of the staff offer physical therapy, emotional counseling, yoga, massage, aromatherapy, nutritional management and, as I mentioned, Jennifer's specialty, life coaching.

Check out the Birk Grove Life Center Web site for more info, as well as Jennifer's Her Executive Coach site, too. Sun online subscribers can read Leigh's very helpful story here.

Photography Lessons or Internships?

We mentioned in the Fan Mail section on iList Paducah this week that we often receive community-related questions via email from readers. It's kinda fun — almost like folks are playing some secret game of "Stump the iList Gals!"

Here's another one we got just the other day. Reader Brent Powell wants to know if anyone is providing photography lessons or internships. If that rings a bell with anyone, please email Brent.

If It Calls Like a Duck...

Doesn't this look fun? It's the 1st Annual "We Live Outdoors" Duck Calling Contest, benefiting Family Service Society. It's set for Saturday morning, Sept. 13, at Gander Mountain. And there's tons of top-dollar prizes. Click the image to enlarge — and start practicing! For more info, call 443.4839.

iList Paducah Welcomes Commissioner Smith!

Commissioner Buz Smith is our newest iList Paducah sponsor! The commissioner is up for re-election in November, so we're helping him spread the word. He's got an excellent Web site, voteforbuz.com, where you can learn all about him, what he believes in, meet his family, review his accomplishments and contact him with ideas.

A lifelong Paducahan, the commissioner works for US Foodservice as a national accounts manager. He, his wife Janie and their two sons, Reed and Ross, attend Grace Episcopal, and in addition to being a commissioner, Buz serves on a number of boards.

He is a strong supporter of the Greenway Trails and Sidewalks, recycling, neighborhood revitalization, the riverfront, tax reduction, ice skating rink, disc golf, the skate part and city beautification. He thinks electronic billboard signs are an eyesore if not controlled, and for this, I think he rocks. I hate those things.

Anyway, check out the Buz site and let him hear from you!

Welcome aboard, Commissioner Smith!

iList Paducah Welcomes...

The Carson Center's Distiller's Dinner as our newest sponsor! This event is the bourbandiggity, held each fall on stage at the Carson Center and serving the world's finest bourbons. This fall's dinner is set for 6:30 p.m., Saturday, October 18 and features...


Buffalo Trace Distillery out of Frankfort. Master Distiller Harlen Davis Wheatley will be on hand to talk about the bourbon, and Chef John Mangelos and Jean Little of Little Edibles return to cater the shin-dig.

The event is sponsored by Roof Brothers Wine and Spirits, which has plenty of Buffalo Trace in stock now!


Get all the details — including a full menu description — here! And purchase tickets by calling 270.443.9932, x240 or x241. Reservations required. All proceeds benefit the Carson Center, our not-for-profit performing arts center.

Bill Renzulli Makes an Offer You Can't Refuse! Pasta!

Bill Renzulli of Gallery 5 has an offer you won't want to refuse! From now until Christmas, every purchase of $500 or more at Gallery 5 will be accompanied by an invitation for two to a pasta dinner, prepared by the artist at La Casa Renzulli. Renzulli feels that the only thing better than cooking pasta is eating it, and believes that these challenging economic times call for creative marketing.

I can vouch for Bill's amazing cooking skills. His pasta dinners are legendary in Lowertown and beyond. He creates his own recipes including pasta with seafood in a red or white sauce, pasta with broccoli rabe in olive oil, pasta with rich red sauce with a variety of meats, pasta with fresh vegetables and pasta with almost anything in the pantry and fridge!

Lucky art collectors can select a menu of their choice and a dinner date that is suitable to all.

Check out Bill's beautiful art at Gallery 5, like All About Red, above. And get ready to get your Italian on! 803 Madison St., 444.2020. Bill has a great blog, too!

Western Baptist a Top 100!

Western Baptist Hospital has been identified in the nation’s top 3 percent for demonstrating the fastest, most consistent improvement over five consecutive years, earning a spot in Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals.

The study — Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals: Performance Improvement Leaders, 5th Edition — examined the performance of more than 2,800 U.S. hospitals on a variety of clinical, operational and patient safety criteria to identify the 100 winners. Six Kentucky hospitals were listed.

This recognition follows other prestigious awards including the Commission on Cancer’s Outstanding Achievement Award, the American Heart Association’s Get with the Guidelines award and Western Kentucky’s only national accreditation by the Society of Chest Pain Centers, all honoring Western Baptist this year for excellence in healthcare.

Rock on, Western Baptist!

Flights of Tequila: Fancy!

Super hottie Paul Signa of Doe's Eat Place now offers an even more fun way to get your drinky on: Build Your Own Flights! Yep, you can select four shots from a long list of liquidy options. It's a great way to sample several top-shelf fancy refreshments.

Here, Paul demonstrates the refreshing tequila flight featuring Don Eduardo, Herradura, El Jimador and Corralejo. Being the investigative journalist that I am, I took the liberty of investigating. My findings: Muy bueno! Mas! Mas!

Not a tequila fan? No worries. You can order flights of bourbon, scotch, vodka and rum, too. Stick to one flavor, though. I wouldn't recommend a bourbon shot followed by a tequila shot followed by, well, you remember those days.

Doe's is open Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and again 5-10 p.m., and Sunday noon to 10 p.m.

I'm the BPW Speaker Today!

The lovely gals o f the Paducah/River City Business and Professional Women have invited me to speak today, so I'm busy updating my iList Paducah presentation! Super cute! The lunch meeting is open to everyone — menfolk, too — so please join us! It's at Whalers Catch, French Quarter room, at noon.

By the way, I'm always grateful for the chance to talk about our site. If you're ever in need of a speaker for your group, please send me an email and I'll whip something up!

Bikes on Broadway a Big Success!

Congratulations to cute, cute, cute Martha Emmons of BikeWorld and all the awesome volunteers who made yesterday's Bikes on Broadway a huge success! It was a great afternoon, with Broadway closed to cars from 21st down to 4th streets. The community spirit was just amazing. Nicole Brown of The Yoga Center set up a water table at her corner on 7th and Broadway so that walkers, joggers, strollers and bikers could stop and cool off a bit.

Hottie Laqueta Perry has a front-page photo story about it on the cover of today's Sun, and reports that the next one is tentatively set for Sunday, October 12. Roll on, MzMartha!

WKCTC Gala Launches New Site!

WKCTC has launched a new Web site, galascholarshipauction.com, dedicated to the Thursday, Sept. 4, Gala Scholarship Auction. This year's fab event is at Harrah's in Metropolis. The silent auction starts at 5:30 p.m., with the live auction at 7 p.m.

This event features the best auction items ever. Folk plunk down serious coin for golfing trips, French chateaus, Keeneland Box Seats, jewelry from this hunka-hunka…


And this year, event organizers have created a way for anyone to win a week in a Sarasota condo without spending a dime! Starting today, we're all invited to play Points Across Campus. It's totally easy. You just go to the event Web site every day and hunt around for something that looks like this:


Hint: today it's located under a section that rhymes with hive box-shun.

When you see the points, print them out and hold on to them all. Then bring them to the gala and earn more points at special stations that night.

You combine points with those from family and friends, and then everyone can go in together to bid on the Sarasota condo. It sleeps 4, so it's easily shareable! The more points you collect, the better your chance of packing your bags and heading south for the winter!

You'll earn yet more points if you make your gala reservations by Aug. 18. So call 534.4086, and remember to check the site each day! We'll have more scoop on iList Paducah this week.

Cute, Cute, Cute!

BB just received this photo from the San Francisco Half Marathon folks. That's us at the finish line the other week. Awww! Almost makes me forget about those last few miserable miles! I posted my photos here.

Vote for Kentucky's New Super Heroes!

Laura K. just posted this neat piece of news: Darling Jay Chuppe — inventor of the famous Kenfunky T-shirt, Gettin' Lucky in Kentucky — is one of the top 10 finalists in the 2008 Comic Book Challenge!

Now it's up to us to go here and vote for Jay's Red Mullet and CowBoy comic book pitch every day for the next two weeks. You can vote as often as you like! If Jay gets the most votes, he'll receive a Platinum Studios publishing deal that includes print, online and mobile distribution, and help in developing the characters for film and television.

Jay is based in Paducah and spends his days D&D — Drawing and Diapering. He's a stay-at-home dad, and stays incredibly busy doing design and illustrations for the NFL, Universal and Warner Brothers studios, NASCAR, Hanna Barbara, Rainforest Café and the like.

Anyhoodie, he has always wanted to break into comic books, and several years ago he created Red Mullet & CowBoy, two Western Kentucky community college students who decide one day to become the handiest super heroes on a budget.

Have a look at his funny video pitch on the voting page. He even has friends who are making Red Mullet & CowBoy into a movie — Laura K. has the trailer!

Go, Jay, Go!

UPDATE: Angie Kinsey has a front-page story about Jay and the contest in the Tuesday, Aug. 12, Sun! How exciting!

EntreForum Tuesday Evening

Y'all. This is an awesome program. If you're an entrepreneur — or just wanna be startin' somethin' — the Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Paducah Economic Development Council and Paducah Bank have teamed up to create the EntreForum program.

The group is open to anyone, meets every two months and is absolutely free. It's not a sales lead club — not that there's anything wrong with that. Instead, the idea here is that successful business leaders are available to offer expertise and mentoring to anyone who has a business idea or who simply needs help improving an existing business.

The next gathering is 5 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 12, Paducah Bank, 555 Jefferson St., 2nd Fl. The speaker is Jeff Douthitt of GEO Consultants. Download the PDF for more info!

Honoring Dr. Lisa Lasher!

The 5th Annual Ladies' Society Social is set for 6 p.m., Friday, Aug. 22, in The French Quarter of Whalers Catch. That means one thing: shopping for a new outfit. Actually, two things: shopping for a new outfit and a chance to honor the most-deserving Dr. Lisa Lasher with the Spirit of Hope award. Call 444.0384 for tickets — they're $25 and benefit the American Cancer Society.

Secret Songs Snaps!

Last night's PostSecret Secret Songs reception, I think, was one of the best Yeiser parties ever.


I'm a little biased, of course, because I'm awfully fond of that DJ Urban Kobbb. DJUK set the tone with his sexy lounge music...


Board member Susan Gaffney-Evans' urban tablescape added an extra urban edge to the event...


And lots-o-super cute folks came to view the hundreds of postcards on display...










Hottie Gabe Camacho (above) of the Paducah Writers Group arranged for local musicians, like Mike Capone, to perform.


The musicians were incredible. Each selected a particular postcard — or grouping of cards — and wrote original songs to reflect the cards' secrets.




I wanna get MP3s of the songs, match 'em up to the postcards and publish them on iList Paducah. I bet PostSecret creator Frank Warren would love it — and I also think the folks who wrote the inspiring postcards would be blown away to hear the musical interpretations of their secrets. It was so touching to hear the musicians talk about the cards they selected and why.

Congratulations, Landee Bryant, Gabe, all the musicians and all the festive party goers. This was Landee's last official Yeiser event, now that she's the director of Maiden Alley Cinema. What a way to wrap up her fantastic contributions to the Yeiser!

San Francisco Half Marathon: Burrrr!

So several folks have asked how we did in last Sunday's San Francisco Half-Marathon. Two words: Free. Zing.


Actually, it was a lot of fun, but way, way crowded and, I'm not even kidding, it was cold. My husband, Bruce Brockenborough, sported this super cute shirt from iList Paducah sponsor Project AIDS Orphan. Which provided absolutely no warmth whatsoever, but it made his arms look hot.


And my San Francisco BFF Eddie Herrador (right, with our friend, Shawn) ran in support of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. He raised more than $7,000 for research and support services. Yay, Eddie!


It was a little foggy and chilly the whole way from the Ferry Building, all the way over...


...the Golden Gate Bridge and back (that's BB, above), and down along the ocean into Golden Gate Park.


This goofball ran barefoot. Barefoot?


We warmed up with some cold beers at our traditional rehydration station, Park Chow. After rehydrating, we walked out and my sweaty shirt immediately turned into a sheet of ice. Well, almost. I can't remember being so cold. Luckily, a cab came along, saving us from a shivering slog home.

The highlight of the race: BB stayed with me the whole way. Usually, he darts out ahead and has a barstool waiting for me at the finish. So it was super sweet to run it with him, and he literally pushed my aching rear up the cruel three or four hills that the evil race organizers left until the very end of the race. We did the 13.1 miles in 2:31 or so. Certainly not Summer Olympics material, but not bad for an ol' gal. My 44th birthday was the night before and there may have been some extra hydration-loading in celebration.

Anyway, I highly recommend the run. If you're looking for a training program, this one is really good:



I'm thinking about the Nike Women's Marathon next. It's in San Francisco again, Oct. 19. I don't think there's a half marathon option, and it's for women only. But maybe I could do half and another fun gal could do the other? Any takers? Anyone? Anyone?

Song Secrets Tonight! Spoken Secrets on WKMS!

I stopped by the Yeiser Art Center today to get a sneak peek at the PostSecret. It's FANTASTIC! The most amazing postcard art is on display throughout the gallery. Even the envelopes (above) are amazing.

If you haven't seen it yet, or if you'd like to see it again, please come to the wine and cheese reception this evening starting at 5 p.m. DJ Urban Kobbb will spin tunes, and then these local musicians will perform original songs they've written based on the secrets reflected in the show:

• Shawn Jones
• Josh Patterson
• Gabe Camacho
• Mike Capone
• Angelia Dotson
• Eric Mobley

It's going to be a great party, so I hope everyone can make it! iList Paducah is one of the sponsors, so count on a few T-shirt giveaways!


By the way, WKMS posted a great piece about the Spoken Secrets show on July 26. In Spoken Secrets, local poets from the Paducah Writers Group read their own poetry inspired from the postcards from the show. Listen to highlights, here!

Broadway Tix On Sale Now

How does a season subscription to this year's Broadway Series sound? There's still time to reserve your seat to all the Carson Center performances! Find out what's playing, here!

Second Saturday Greenway Trail

Starting tomorrow, the Mayor, City Commissioners and other city officials will gather at Noble Park Amphitheater each second Saturday at 8 a.m., chat a bit and then walk, jog or bike along the new Greenway Trail. It's a great opportunity to take advantage of this new 1.75 mile section connecting Noble Park, Stuart Nelson Park and Coleman Road. Visit the site for more info, including a downloadable map! See you there!

Happy Eighth of August!

It's Eighth of August time — and the fact that it falls on 8/8/08 will definitely bring good luck! A break in the hot weather? Long-lost relatives reunited? There's always fun for everyone during this very special weekend, with the theme: A Journey by Faith.

We've got the complete calendar of events, here. At least I think it's complete. If we're missing anything, please send an email and we'll add it in!

Look Who's Blogging, Round 2

Our Look Who's Blogging column came out in yesterday's Current. It's a column where Suzanne, Patience and I attempt to wittily answer a question posed to us by that cute, cute, cute Adam Shull of the Paducah Sun. Suzanne and Patience are totally witty on their own. I, however, require a team. So my plan is to share Adam's questions here in hopes that you all will use the comment button to offer a little witty assist. Your reward, besides being a most-excellent good Samaritan? An iList Paducah T-shirt!

OK, so in the current Current, we answered this question: The best festival in Paducah is...?

In case you missed it, here was my response:

"As a gal who loves a great party, there's nothing quite like having one of Paducah's best parties ever right outside my 7th Street door. The Lowertown Art and Music Festival, voted one of the Top 10 Festivals in Kentucky, gets bigger and better each year. Held in late May, the festival features, of course, art and music. But it's the unusual touches that make it so special. Live poetry readings and theatre. Tai chi and yoga classes. Cynthia's crab cakes. Buzzard Brothers BBQ. The Mix Your Own Martini booth. Oh, wait. That part is inside my 7th Street door…."

In truth, I wasn't drinking martinis during this past festival. We had a keg on our back porch. But I couldn't come up with a fun keg-related alliteration, so I went with the martini reference. Shhh. Don't tell.

Suzanne, by the way, also talked about the festival, and Patience zeroed in on the Paducah Kennel Club show. She did a fun post about it yesterday.

OK, for next week, the question is: My own indie film would be about...?

Any ideas? Use the comment button below! There's an iList T-shirt in it for you!

Wise Move!

The lovely Jenna Wise is the new Texaco Station Information Center coordinator. She'll be staffing the center Tuesdays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., and the Second Saturday of each month, noon-6 p.m.

Jenna is a frequent contributor to Posh magazine and is famous for her Shopping with Jenna column. Plus, she's just an all-around great gal.

The historic Texaco Station, on the corner of 7th and Madison streets, has all sorts of maps and gallery tips, it's air conditioned and it has a clean little restroom. And for those of us Web addicts, it's one of Paducah's hot spots! So stop by and say hello — especially tomorrow during the LowerTown Second Saturday when all the shops, studios and galleries have extended hours.

Welcome, Jenna!

Grand Rivers National Marina Day!

Ah, Grand Rivers: a village of 230 households and more than 600 boat slips!

Saturday, Aug. 9, is Grand Rivers Marina Day, featuring free sailboat rides, free kayak and paddle boat rides, carnival games, harbor tours, rock climbing wall, face painting, arts and crafts and other fun stuff! In the evening, enjoy music from Tabatha and Southern FRY'd, with a huge fireworks show at dusk.

Activities take place at Green Turtle Bay Marina and Resort and Lighthouse Landing Marina and Resort. The complete schedule is here.


While at Green Turtle Bay, stop by the Chandlery for a little Saturday shopping! They're having a 25-40 percent off sale now on marine parts and accessories, the latest resort fashions, gifts, jewelry, handbags, art prints, home decor and more.

And Don't Forget the Sunscreen

OK, this totally falls under the category of "If I knew then what I know now...".

iList Paducah sponsor Medical Spa 7 has a neat offer for teens, 13-17. It's a Teen Fitness Facial, including a skin analysis, cleaning, exfoliation, masque, moisturizer and skin care tips. For just $40, young folks can start early and avoid crows feet and other surprising things that many of us thought never in a million years would happen to our faces as we age. Hooray, Botox!

Teachers, Medical Spa 7 is offering you all a buy one, get one free microdermabrasion or chemical peel. And moms, book a one-hour treatment and you get a free add-on service of your choice!

The offer expires Aug. 30, so call 554.0090 for an appointment!

Rollin' on the River

iList Paducah sponsor Paxton for Mayor has a new advertisement out — it's included in this morning's Paducah Sun. The ad highlights Mayor Bill Paxton's involvement in Paducah's river industry, which has seen amazing growth and expansion during his tenure and remains a vital part of our economy.

Mayor Paxton is up for one last re-election on Nov. 4. If you'd like to get involved in his campaign, just send an email, and the team will contact you shortly!

New iList Paducah Sponsor!

iList Paducah welcomes Elysian Fields Massage and Spa as our newest sponsor! Located at 3420 Lone Oak Rd., Suite A, Elysian Fields is owned by the lovely Patricia and Scott Myers of Paducah. Together, they have more than 35 years of experience in guest services — so every guest is guaranteed to receive the highest-quality spa services and treatments from all staff at all times!


Elysian Fields Massage and Spa is a total relaxation spa centered on healthy, natural and safe treatments that allow us to relax and rejuvenate in a peaceful and tranquil environment. The spa offers massage therapy, skin care treatments, micro-treatments, body treatments, nail care, full-body waxing, eyelash extensions, permanent cosmetics and more. The soft ambient music, sweet scents, lush tropical foliage and multiple waterfalls will take us away from the stress of everyday life and bring us back better than new!

For reservations, call 554.3320. Open from 9 a.m., Monday-Saturday! First time clients, stop by for a free 10-minute chair massage!

Your Invitation: Please Come!

I'm super excited about the Yeiser Art Center party this Saturday, Aug. 9. It's the official opening reception for PostSecret. The show features samples from an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. They're posted on postsecret.com, and included in books and in this traveling exhibit, which the gorgeous Landee Bryant was able to get before she landed the director's job at Maiden Alley Cinema.

The Yeiser has already has several great parties for the show. So if you've missed them, or had so much fun that you wanna come back for more, please join us for this wine and cheese reception. DJ Urban Kobbb will be spinning tunes Saturday, 5-7 p.m., and then local musicians will perform original songs based on the secrets reflected in the show.

It's going to be a great party, so I hope everyone can make it! iList Paducah is one of the sponsors, so count on a few T-shirt giveaways!

And The Cynthia's Favorite Engagement Memory Is:

Congratulations to Tonya Sensing! Read her fun engagement-at-Cynthia's story here! The theme for August: Tell us about your favorite Cynthia's dish!

Flex on, Energy Fitness!

Last Monday's Energy Fitness Expansion Grand Opening was a healthy success! Have a look at these fun photos from Anne-Marie Whitis, and stop by 2343 New Holt Rd. to learn more about membership!


Chamber Board Chair Mike Karnes joins Mayor Bill Paxton and Energy Fitness Owner Jeff James for the ceremonial ribbon cutting.


Trainers Molly, Lona, Leah, Debbie and Anisa are ready to customize fitness programs to meet any level...


And so are trainers Aaron, Dirk and Brett!


And check out the greatly expanded cardio area! There's lots more going on — be sure to check it all out!

iList Paducah T-shirt Winners!

I mentioned last week that Suzanne, Patience and I are contributing to the Sun's Current section, thanks to that cute, cute, cute Adam Shull. The idea is that he poses a question to us each week, and we try to come up with witty answers.

That's gonna require some teamwork on my part. So my plan is to share the question in hopes that folks can help me come up with some super cute responses. Your incentive: an iList Paducah T-shirt. Plus, you'll make me very happy. But I suspect you're more interested in a free T-shirt.

So here's this week's question: The best festival in the Paducah area is...?

I picked the Lowertown Art and Music Festival because it's truly an awesome event and it just so happens to takes place right outside my door. So last week, I begged for asked for input on what would make the festival even better. Here's what I received:





Many thanks for the great suggestions! T-shirts for everyone! Especially Aynex for suggesting the celebrity strip tease. Excellent idea!

Look for our answers in the Current column this Thursday. I'll link to it here, too!

Bikes on Broadway

The lovely Martha Emmons of BikeWorld has lobbied to take over Broadway! Well, for a few hours, anyway!

Everyone is invited to Bikes on Broadway, Sunday, Aug. 10, from 1-6 p.m. Broadway will be closed to cars from 21st to 4th streets so that bicyclists, walkers, runners, rollerbladers, parents pushing strollers, wheelchairs and all other human-powered transportation can take to the street in safety. So park at Paducah Tilghman High School and take advantage of this lovely afternoon! Congratulations, Martha!

By the way, to subscribe to Martha's fun weekly emails and to help with the event, just send her a note!

Lights...Camera...Film Fest!

The amazingly awesome River's Edge International Film Festival is coming up — Aug. 14-17. For just $5 per film or a $50 all-you-can-view and all-you-can-party weekend pass, you can fill your eyes and ears with documentary, animation, feature, short and experimental films from the US, Germany, Ireland, South Korea and several other international cities.

The four-day film extravaganza takes place at Maiden Alley Cinema, Market House Theatre and the Yeiser Art Center. The event's Web site, riversedgefilmfestival.com, has all the film descriptions, show times and locations. We have a story on iList Paducah, too.

The River's Edge International Film Festival was created by super cute friends Paul Lorenz, Nathan Brown and Jason Turner. Paul and Nathan are on the board of the Paducah Film Society and Jason used to work at Maiden Alley. Each January, a call goes out inviting filmmakers to submit pieces for consideration. Then for many Monday nights in a row, a six-member selection committee in Paducah gathers to view and select their favorites. This year, the committee whittled the 140 submissions down to 40. Members looked for good ideas, compelling stories, technical consistency, a general relevance that makes the film necessary to see and whether the film is artistic, historic, political or newsworthy.

"We still don't know what we're doing," Paul says with a laugh. "But there's a freshness to our festival. There's no pretense. If you make a good movie, we'll show it."

Rock on, Paul! See you at the movies!

Paducah School of Art Ready for Action!

I've mentioned here a few times that WKCTC's Paducah School of Art is definitely gearing up for some artistic action. The school will be temporarily housed in Sarah Roush's gorgeous 409 Broadway building until the old Kitchen's Inc. building is restored. (Gerry and Wally Montgomery have already pledged some serious bank for the project — rock on, Montgomerys!)

Anyhoodie, WKCTC invites everyone to stop by Sarah's place this Saturday, Aug. 9, for a fab Open House. Tour the facility, meet the faculty and register for fall classes anytime between noon and 9 p.m.

Classes in drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture and 2- and 3-D design will be offered at all levels from beginning to advanced by nationally and internationally exhibited master artist/teachers. Some classes will be held at the Broadway studio and others will be offered on the WKCTC campus. For more info about art classes, call 408.4278.

Not Your Garden Variety Gardener!

So hunka hunka Jon Carloftis is coming to Paducah today. Is he just too cute? He's a super famous gardener to the stars, and he's speaking today at the Baptist Heart Center, 1:30-4 p.m. If you like to garden, or if you just like looking at extremely handsome gardeners, give a call to reserve your spot: 554.9520.

Book 'em: $13,100 for the Library!

This just in from Jennie Boyarski: The Friends of the Library Book Sale raised $13,100 for our wonderful McCracken County Public Library! Rock on, readers! The two-day sale last week was held at the St. Paul Lutheran Church gym.

The Winter Book Sale is set for Jan. 23-24, and the next Summer Book Sale is set for July 24-25 — same location! So keep donating and buying books — it all benefits the library! Congratulations, everyone!