Lucky in Louisville

First screening in the tour (or rather, my first screening in the tour) tonight and it went off swimmingly. After landing in the lovely city of Louisville and getting lost on a number of identical looking industrial bridges (someone later in the evening told me they are thinking of adding MORE, which really seems unnecessary unless one has an irrational fear of riverbanks) we checked into our hotel. I am traveling this leg with the Marvelous Kathy Fletcher, a colleague and partner in crime who has come along to help with the driving and inappropriate smirking for a few days.

The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts is a beautiful soaring space in a cute built up downtown area, and the volunteers there are worth the visit alone. There was a terrific turn out for the film, almost a full house, and everyone stayed around for a lively and engaging Q&A. I love these audiences - smart, interested, all with their own interesting backstories. After the screening Tom, the Programming Director at the Center, took us to the most fabulous bar/restaurant/hotel/art space, 21c, which not only would not have been out of place in Tribeca or Notting Hill - it would raise the bar considerably. There we were wined and regaled by Tom, an assortment of darling Dans, Ted, and a charming and gracious local filmmaker, Stu, who took us under his wing for much of the evening. My favorite thing about Louisville so far is that everyone has a fascinating origin myth -- how they ended up in Louisville from NY, CA, Alabama, DC, why they stayed, and what they're doing. Clearly an interesting place and one in which I need to spend more time (especially in the 21c Bar.)

But not now sadly, as we have 8 hours of driving ahead of us, if we're lucky, tomorrow, to get to Cullowhee NC. Which I can't yet pronounce correctly, but I will have hours to practice.

Onwards.