I know I'm not supposed to have favorites but I admit that this is one of my very favorite "One Thing I Love About Louisville" entries. Well done, Kelly.

I know it's corny but the best reason I love Louisville is the street where I live.
Granted, it's an easy street to love. Straight as an arrow. Big trees on both sides. Attractive architecture. Cool history. Great neighbors. City park at the end of the street.

It's not the scenic part that gets me.

My children were brought up here. I've raised and buried two dogs and two cats while residing on this street. I've walked hand-in-hand with my wife up and down the street so many times each tree...every crack in the sidewalk...each porch greets me like an old friend.

In every home there lives a story connected to me.

It doesn't matter if I'm passing under a leafy canopy or bare branches, bright sunlight or starry sky, the second I hit my street and glide up to the front of my house (there's always a parking space), I know I'm safe. I'm home.

I open the door and waiting for me is the most wonderful woman in the world, a warm fire, and a well-cooked meal.  

Now that I'm closer to the end than the beginning, my best memories will always reside
in Louisville on the street where I live...and what lovely memories they are.

Kelly McKnight is a partner and founder of VIA Internet Studio which designs, builds, hosts, maintains, and creates the advertising and marketing programs to drive traffic to their award-winning websites.

Shelly Zegart is a world renowned expert on American quilts. She's just returned to Louisville from presenting at an exhibition in Japan and was kind enough to share her thoughts on loving Louisville.

When Michelle asked me to write something for Consuming Louisville, I quickly realized this was going to be tough because it is impossible to only love one thing about Louisville. In 1968 when we decided to come back here, my husband's hometown, to start his Ob-Gyn practice, I thought I would never survive in this perceived to be backwater place with poor education and little culture outside of basketball. In 1968 Louisville was not what it is today that is for sure. It didn't take long for me to fall in love with Louisville though, especially as the numbers of people moving here from other places augmented an already interesting community of activists, community leaders and artistic people of all varieties. Louisville is a best-kept secret and we love it that way. Personally we never wanted Louisville to become an Atlanta but instead for Louisville to grow in depth and breadth both economically and culturally, yet retain its sense of place. People who live here love it and people who come here can't believe all that is here.

I hope you enjoyed the nearly every weekday posting of One Thing I Love About Louisville during the month of January. I very much did. Finding out new and interesting things people love about Louisville was terribly interesting to me, so much so that I really want to continue the series. Not, everyday but weekly if possible, if not, then monthly. So if you or anyone you know would like to participate please let me know. In the meantime look forward to a new "One Thing I Love About Louisville" next Monday February 11, 2008 from Shelly Zegart. 

The Louisville Film Society is doing great work in town. They showing films we aren't going to see anywhere else, they're throwing cool events, they're really bringing a new film scene to town that I don't think we've seen before.

I love this city cuz it's ripe. It has an energy that is only building, not fatigued yet.
 

Tracy Heightchew of Louisville Film Society

My name is James Neat, Project Assistant for Louisville Exclusives and Director/Producer/Editor for Push For Cheese Films.

The one thing I love about Louisville is the actual sheer beauty the city has to offer. Some parts look like Manhattan, San Francisco, and Savannah, GA. Just about anywhere in this city there is something vibrant looking about our environment. It's perfect visually for film/photography. That's why as a filmmaker and for someone who loves films will understand why I'd rather make a movie here than anywhere else. Also, Brown Park might be the best park I've walked through. I mean with its hidden trails, beautiful trees, and Beargrass Creek running right through the park it's a perfect spot to walk with my girlfriend.

My name is James Neat, Project Assistant for Louisville Exclusives and Director/Producer/Editor for Push For Cheese Films.

While you weren't paying attention Village 8 was becoming the theater that shows some of the most independent, interesting films in town via the Louisville Exclusive Films project. Matt B. helps run that project.

I love the way Louisville, in a way, is eclectic. We've got so many diverse things around here. We've got everything from fancy 5 star restaurants to little hole-in-the-wall hookah lounges.

We've got fancy-schmancy shopping centers and malls like "The Summit" (which isn't top of a mountain so I never understood the name choice...) and two gigantic malls right next door to each other in St. Matthews (whoever's brilliant idea that was LOL).

The Highlands is booming with locally-owned business, some mainstream and some are mysterious and tempting of something new.

We've got everything from big chain restaurants like Texas Roadhouse or Applebees, to locally renowned restaurants like Ramsi's, the Bristol, and Mike Linnig's. Everything from Starbucks to Highland Coffee...

Derby turns Bardstown Road into Hollywood every year and you've got everything from celebrities to your local college kids out partying all weekend.

You name it, we've got it... somewhere. And if we don't... you can guarantee there's one close by!

Matt B. is one of the project managers for for the Louisville Exclusive Films project at Village 8 Theaters.

Brigid Kaelin is a brilliant musician and I'm terribly proud that we in Louisville get to call her our own. She's also the artist behind the video "Dreidel's Day Out" which was one of my favorite things this past holiday season.

One thing I love about Louisville is our absolute patriotism - not for our country, but for our city.   As someone who grew up here and couldn't wait to move away, I am inexplicably proud of my roots.  

I moved to New York City at age 18 and found myself talking constantly about the hip Louisville music scene, throwing outrageous Derby parties in my NYU dorm room, and teaching my classmates the words to "My Old Kentucky Home."  When the film students were excited about the release of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, I dutifully informed them that Hunter S. Thompson went to my high school briefly and that Johnny Depp once lived a few cities down the river.  I joined the Kentuckians in New York society. (Yes, it has existed since 1904, and I dare you to find a Michiganders in New York Society.)
 
Even the Texans didn't feel the need to claim every single ex-pat as one of their own.  We Kentuckians, and Louisvillians in particular, are proud - or at least vocal - of any connection to celebrity. And we absolutely love our home town.  

Go to the Nachbar on a weekend, and you'll find at least five fleur-de-lis tattoos and a few vintage UofL shirts. The obvious Christmas present to out-of-town friends is a nice earx-tacy t-shirt or anything from the Why Louisville store. In most national news stories, the writer is sure to point out a Louisville connection, however slight. We love it.  

And what's not to love?   

I have traveled the country over the last year, and I wear my vintage Louisville t-shirts proudly. I love telling people where I'm from, and I love pointing out to them all the wonderful things beyond bourbon and horses. I get annoyed when I hear bluegrass music in New Jersey, and feel the need to show the musicians my Kentucky drivers license.   

Where ever I go, I make sure people know I'm from the wonderful city of Louisville. Sure, it's just a matter of geography, but I know I'm not the only one to have an inexplicable adoration of Louisville. We prouder than Texans, and that's saying a lot.

John Wurth is an insanely talented, creative fellow who runs Hatch Creative. He's also creative director of Sophisticated Living magazine. He's a very busy man.

Moving here from Western Kentucky (born and raised in Paducah, went to school at Murray), one of the things I looked forward to about moving to Louisville was getting out of small-town Kentucky. 12 (or is it 13 already?) years later, I realize how small Louisville really is. It's truly comforting. What I thought I wanted to get away from, is the now one of my favorite things about this here city.

The one thing I love about Louisville (TM) is just how small it really is. Sure, we boast that it's the 16th largest city in America, but c'mon, it's much more cozy than that. It seems that everyone I meet knows someone close to me, or grew up with them, used to date them, or used to sit under the bleachers with them at that one Trinity/St. X game...remember? There are only like 2 degrees of separation between everyone here. Big city, small town atmosphere.

Ben Thomas is the founder of Louisville Geek Dinner and what do you know, the next Louisville Geek Dinner is tonight, January 24, 2008.

Obligatory introduction:
For a guy who grew up in Vine Grove, then later Elizabethtown, Louisville has an amazing amount to offer. Whether it's the sprawling park system, Actor's Theater, Louisville Basketball, local restaurants in the Highlands, the Trolley Hop, community festivals, Erica (my wife) and I never seem to run out of things to do.  I'm continually amazed by the quality of life offered, verses cost of living compared to other parts of the country.  Louisville is a city small enough where it is possible to know just about everyone.  I find that very appealing.

My one thing:
While most people wouldn't know this about me, I grew up idolizing skaters such as Natus Kaupas, Rodney Mullen, Danny Way, Tony Hawk, and Bucky Lasik.  For about a 3 year period, when I wasn't skating I was designing and building ramps.  At one point, I had three different launch ramps and a 4ft quarter pipe.  All of this was out in the middle of no where, next to a corn field.

It almost goes without saying, I was ecstatic when I first heard the Louisville Extreme Park (Sorry, I hate the name) was going to be built.  It far exceeded my expectations. In my opinion it rivals most, if not all of the skateparks in Southern California.

When it first opened, I couldn't resist and had to buy a new board.  Having not skated regularly for about 10 years, I was back to square one.  Concrete is hard, believe me.  I've come to the realization that I'm not as nimble as I used to be. The skatepark is much better suited for my other hobby, photography.  (Tip: The best action usually occurs about 2am on summer weekend nights.) Regardless, these little punks in Louisville are lucky to have such an amazing venue.  Please take care of it.  Phase 2, anyone?  I love the skatepark and I love Louisville.

Question to you:
Ok, this is off topic.  When will we be meshed in WiMax?  Let's stop talking, and start connecting.

Photograph by Ben Thomas (not of Ben Thomas)
Location: Louisville Extreme Park
Skater: Unknown, Date: 11/30/2002
Canon Elan II, ISO 100 Fugi Film, 50mm @ 1/90sec. f/2.0, 550EX flash.

In this essay Michael Schnuerle of Metro Mapper not only shares some of his love of Louisville but also some really interesting Louisville geography information. I'm smarter about our city for having read his essay (do you know how Poplar Level got it's name?).

I love how Louisville occupies its place in the world.

After searching across four continents for 10 years for a better place to live, I came back to the place I was raised and decided it had everything I needed. Our residents know we have it good here, and we have an unabashed optimism for the future of the city. Louisville straddles that line between big city and town, a small place with big dreams. I love Louisville's geography because:

• the city was founded so that river travelers could traverse the treacherous Falls of the Ohio, a geographic barrier. Link
• the area the Highlands occupies actually is higher than the surrounding land. Link
• Spring Drive is the site of a natural spring. Link
• Poplar Level Road is so named because it was originally built using planks of readily available poplar trees. Link
• the history of Louisville's neighborhoods is still visible, and residents take pride in their own neighborhood while still appreciating other areas. PDF Link
• change in the landscape is slow to stick in people's minds, so directions are given based on long-gone landmarks. Link
• Frederick Law Olmsted used the land's natural features to define a wonderful system of parks and parkways for us all. Link

Despite these interesting geographic tidbits, there are also barriers that geography can create for our city. The Metro Mapper website came out of the idea that we all could learn more about our city and neighborhoods. I've heard plenty of blanket statements about certain neighborhoods over the years, such as "the Highlands is a dangerous place to raise children," or "there is so much crime that happens in Old Louisville," or "I'm scared to drive downtown at night," or "Portland is a rundown area."

I wanted to build a tool that would allow people to research these misconceptions on their own, and learn to stop stereotyping geographic areas. Using the Crime Map for two years now, I am constantly surprised by the lack of crime in areas considered dangerous, and the unexpected pockets of trouble in the areas you might least expect it.

Decades of misconceptions can damage our admirable city and prevent it from thriving. Louisville has a geography that I love, and I hope our community can continue use it as a source of strength for the future of our city.

Michael runs Metro Mapper an interactive mapping site for the city and region that lets residents and visitors become more familiar with our neighborhoods and take an interest in our surroundings.

People and Places are what we love about Louisville. 

In the past year Amy and I have gotten to know more motivating and empowering people than we have in the past 7 years.  We can tell that Louisville is on the move and the people of the city are the catalysts; it's exciting for us to be immersed in this time of growth.  There is a continued drive to rebuild downtown Louisville and make it a destination city. In 2-3 years, downtown Louisville will be an entirely different space.  Away from the downtown hustle, throughout the city, there are endless unique places that Amy and I enjoy.  It seems like every week we hear of a new place to visit.  Louisville has become our home and we are glad to see it grow and attract the diverse population that will take the community into the future.

There is a tone in Louisville of success, of leadership, of entrepreneurship, of hope, of giving, and of growth.  We think all these things come from the People and Places that are Louisville.

Joe and Amy Wheeler have lived in Louisville for almost 8 years and are transplants from Bowling Green KY.  Amy is the founder of TALLULAH cosmetics which researches, develops, and distributes high end cosmetic products globally.  Amy has spent the last year in a lab collaborating with a 25 year cosmetic manufacturing veteran who has taught her the ropes.  This experience and support coupled with her beauty trend expertise is enabling Amy to live her dreams.  Joe consults with TALLULAH cosmetics on all aspects of the business and is excited about strategic growth.  During the day, Joe plays with web applications for a Fortune 300 company and guides product direction.  Joe has fun following and participating in some of the social trends of the web like Twitter, Facebook, and Seesmic.

Todd Earwood is an entrepreneur who is so friendly and outgoing I don't think he's ever met a stranger. He produces The Daily Idea web video show which keeps getting funny and funnier.

After Michelle asked me to write about The One Thing I Love About Louisville, I found no shortage of topics and I'll try focus on one.  However, please let me set the stage...  I was born in Louisville and lived here until I was eight.  When my Father took a pastoral job (yes, I'm a PK) in Murray, Kentucky, I did not attend what I would later find is rather important to many Louisvillians... a local high school!  Yes, I attended a county school and it wasn't Oldham, Bullitt or Shelby.  That being said, I've lived almost half of my life here and have survived that repetitive question quite well since I returned after college in 2000.

Which leads me to my one thing, Louisville is an accepting city.  I moved here for a job and found I could quickly make friends with minimal effort.  Now, I've never been accused of being a wallflower, but after getting involved in the business community, a great church and playing a few recreational sports, I felt pretty connected. 

Fast forward eight years and I left our city's third largest employer to start a few ventures.  Speaking of business, I've chosen (for richer or poorer) the entrepreneurial route for my "job."  Is this city the easiest to raise capital for a startup?  Probably not, but Louisville is accepting of entrepreneurs and for the most part, supports them.  Our cost of living is great and the ease of networking still stands as a benefit to anyone who wishes to reach out.  There is a growing entrepreneurial community here and if you doubt it... start counting the numerous independent restaurants our city supports.  While I still will eat at a chain on occasion, I appreciate the obvious willingness and acceptance of these businesses by our community.

Alas, I have no culinary acumen, but our city's residents don't mind an entrepreneurial story or plan.  It's been nice to see the continued progression of this piece of our business community and I personally hope the technical niche can match our life sciences' successes.

Finally, one can measure acceptance in many ways: by our diverse food options, houses of worship or varying neighborhoods.  But I look back at that persistent question about high school as social proof we're an accepting community. Louisvillians ultimately want to connect with others.  They seek out a point of similar interest and many happen to choose high school as the starting point.  The depths of the connections I've made both professionally and personally have established my strong relationship with this community.  I'm not going to debate the merit of or try to heist the "possibility city" tag line, but Louisville has given me great options.  And though I didn't attend a local high school, I enjoy the daily benefit of being accepted as me.

Todd Earwood resides in St. Matthews and claims both Louisville and Murray, KY as his hometown.  He is the co-founder of Jotzel Media, a local new media company specializing in video and web applications.  What does that really mean?  Todd works with the Internet and finds creative ways to help businesses grow.  Currently, Todd produces The Daily Idea, a popular, web video show.  Todd has been bitten by the social networking bug and spends too much time on Twitter and Facebook.  If all that wasn't techy enough, Todd blogs at ToddEarwood.com and WebShowStrategy.com. 

WHY do I love Louisville? Let me count the ways. I love getting a cup of Highland Coffee, putting on my headphones, and strolling down Bardstown Road.  I love feeding the ducks at Cave Hill Cemetery and knowing that the final resting place of Colonel Harland Sanders is just over the hill. I love the giant bunny statue towering over Royal Avenue, just off of Barret.

I could go on, but I’ve been asked to choose one thing, so I will go with something close to my heart:  my stomach.  I’m talking about food.  Word on the street is that Louisville has more restaurants per capita than any other US city. I have no idea if the street is telling the truth or not, but there are some great places to eat in these parts.

Some of my favorite treats include the Caesar salad at Stevens and Stevens, the grilled cheese at Wagner’s Pharmacy, the chili at Check’s Café in Germantown (with spaghetti!), chicken alfredo at the Come Back Inn, green chili wontons at the Bristol, the falafel at Pita Delights, and the Grouper Nuevo Havana at Ramisi’s.

If I had to pick my all time favorite dish in the city, it would have to be the chicken tikka masala at Kashmir. No matter how many times I’ve eaten at Kashmir, it always sounds good for dinner. Try it with a side of plain nan (for dippin!) and some vegetable pakoras to start.

Yummy.

Will Russell is the owner of WHY Louisville. 

Backseat Sandbar is a blog about everything music related in Louisville (and they even cover some shows in Lexington and Cinci). Show dates, CD releases, mp3s and photos, band news, they've got it all. The two guys who run it are absolutely passionate about both Louisville and music. Cory Greenwell is sharing his love today, Nick Hart shared his yesterday. Cory has the distinction of providing the first visual entry into the "One Thing I Love About Louisville" series. Well done Cory.

Backseat Sandbar is a blog about everything music related in Louisville (and they even cover some shows in Lexington and Cinci). Show dates, CD releases, mp3s and photos, band news, they've got it all. The two guys who run it are absolutely passionate about both Louisville and music. Nick Hart is sharing his one thing today and Cory Greenwell will share his tomorrow.

This site is about Consuming Louisville, but the true fact is…Louisville consumes you, and that is what I love most about this city.  It is impossible to describe this phenomenon generally, but here is how it consumes my ideal Saturday:

9:00 a.m.- Breakfast at Lynn’s Paradise Café (Sausage and Eggs with fresh OJ)

11:00 a.m.- Walk off breakfast while shopping down Bardstown Road (starting with Ear x-tacy)

12:30 p.m.- Lunch at the Karma Café (Matter Keema & Lobster Bisque)

2:00 p.m.- Matinee at Baxter Ave. Theatre.

5:00 p.m.- Stop in Unique Thrift shop (usually the Preston location)

7:30 p.m.- Order carry-out from Wick’s on Baxter.

9:00 p.m.- Go to show VHS or BETA show at Headliners (hopefully soon).

12:30 a.m.- After show drinks at Molly’s

Late Night- Café 360 (Breakfast II)

There are so many variations to this day it makes my head hurt just considering them.  I could have done breakfast at Toast, lunch at Omar’s, spent the afternoon in Cherokee Park (summers), dinner at the Pink Door with tea and noodles, then end the night at The Nachbar listening to a local band.  I love having options, and Louisville has plenty.  All the choices consume you, but in a good way.  You don’t fight it.  I didn’t, and I’m enjoying every second in this city. 

Jake Payne is the man with all the scoop, inside knowledge and insight into the strange world of Kentucky politics. He blogs about it daily at Page One.

Only one thing?  Tough call.

I love the free spirit of Louisville.  I love the wanna-be big city attitude with a small town vibe.  I love the unpredictable weather.  I love the food.  I love the coffee.

But if there's one thing I'm supposed to love the most?  It'd have to be the open arms approach we use when dealing with someone in need.  Nearly six years ago I was diagnosed with a blood cancer that turned my life upside down. It was a brutally frustrating experience that proved to be financially disastrous.  Was dropped by my insurer and left to fend for myself.

Thanks to the generosity of complete strangers who came to my rescue I was able to stay afloat.  I was afforded the luxury of always having someone to fall back on when things got difficult.

The love and kindness of our river city literally kept me alive and continues to inspire me on a daily basis.  That's what I love about Louisville.

Jake, a 20-something computer geek, is a political consultant and full-time blogger at Page One and The 'Ville Voice.  He's a long-time Louisville resident and you'll often find him in the corner of your local coffee shop with an iPod or laptop.

Being a native Louisvillian – and Mayor for 19 years now – there are many things I love about my hometown. I love our unique neighborhoods. I love our mix of historical architecture with contemporary design. I love our Olmsted Parks. I love eating in our locally-owned restaurants.

But, above all, I love that Louisville is city where it’s possible to do anything, to be anything.

We’re a city where red penguins, cool art, good food and soft sheets translate into one of the world’s most unique new hotels at 21C.

We’re a city where the passion for visual arts will create a 62-story architectural wonder in Museum Plaza. The Wall Street Journal called the project one of world’s most exciting new skyscrapers.

We’re a city where the greatest boxer of all time can create an institution dedicated to peace.

We’re a city where a couple of guys who love The Big Lebowski can create an international festival dedicated to The Dude.

 We’re a city that likes to be weird – and we have the T-shirts to prove it.

 I’ve traveled lots of places in my lifetime, but there’s no place like Louisville.

Mayor Jerry Abramson is the longest serving mayor in the history of Louisville.

Abramson served 3 terms as Mayor of the City of Louisville and is in his second term as Mayor of the new consolidated city of Louisville Metro.

I don't make it to Derby City Espresso nearly often enough since I don't live or work downtown but I've got to say I just love that DCE is there and that Matthew is doing so many cool events. He's a real asset to Louisville at large and particularly the downtown community.

As a non-native who's only been here 3 years, I have totally fallen in love with Louisville! as someone who has lived in all sorts of glam places including Italy, Germany, Chicago, Oregon, California I thought I would never find anyplace as cool as say Eugene, Oregon or Turin, Italy or Chaing Mai, Thailand... but here she is, this jewel of the mid-west, this crossroads between north and south, this river city filled with neighborhoods and quiet off-the-beaten-track times-past nostalgia.

Louisville is really behind the times. In a good way. Because nobody is looking you can almost get away with anything. There is this feeling I get living here that I've traveled back in time to the 70s, to a time when it was not all national strip-mall culture. I've come to rest in a place that is still jelly and ready to be molded. I could go on and on about why I love it here from specifics such as the way the road winds around the back of Cave Hill Cemetery to the sparse urban core.

Now if they had only not torn up the streetcars.

Matthew Landan is the owner of Derby City Espresso. In addition to having lived all over he has held many different jobs including Whole Foods slave boy, Crackerjack hot-dog vendor at Wrigley Field and LSD mogul on Grateful Dead tour. He reads Justice League of America comic books in between making coffee for downtown's finest.

Derby City Espresso
331 East Market Street
Louisville, KY

Steve Magruder is the administrator of the excellent Louisville History & Issues. He's engaged and active in the community, loves Louisville and is constantly working to make it an even better place.

Louisville's rich historical treasures.  You know, spots and locales sprinkled throughout Louisville that most area residents are oblivious to.  Let me count the ways: Cave Hill Cemetery, Locust Grove, Churchill Downs, Old Louisville (including the Conrad-Caldwell House and Saint James Court, the site of the 1883-1887 Southern Exposition), Farmington, The Brown and the Seelbach, West Main Street District, Jeffersontown (Brunerstown), Riverside - The Farnsley-Moremen Landing, Manns Salt Lick (Manslick), U.S. Marine Hospital, Cathedral of the Assumption, Oxmoor Farm, Waverly Hills Sanatorium, and much more.  Luckily, many in Louisville support historical preservation, and this shows through various organizations dedicated to such and the clear results of their ongoing efforts.  For anyone wanting to dip their toes into the water of appreciating Louisville's great heritage, I would heartily recommend joining the Louisville Historical League -- the annual dues are very low and this pays for all the fantastic monthly presentations on local history throughout the year.

Steve Magruder is the forums administrator of the Louisville History & Issues discussion board -- "A place for Louisville area citizens to discuss our rich local history as well as current political/community issues".  Everyone is welcome to register and participate.

Margaret Coble is a talented, creative artist and an all around cool person. We're lucky she landed here in Louisville.

One thing I love about Louisville is the relatively cheap cost of living. Having landed here due to Hurricane Katrina and being a 16-year resident of a-formerly-cheap-place-to-live, New Orleans, one of the reasons I ended up staying here instead of going back to New Orleans was that I could no longer afford to live in the new New Orleans, post-Katrina, where rents and utilities had skyrocketed, and I could afford to live here! (There were other, personal, reasons, but this definitely factored in.) As a part-time artist/crafter and part-time freelance music journalist, I'm often just scraping by, financially. Reasonable rents and utilities - and all the other factors that go into being able to live cheaply in a city of Louisville's size - go a long way towards enabling a person to live a creative lifestyle here, which in turn contributes to the growth of the artistic and cultural community here. Which is another thing I love about Louisville (its thriving art/cultural scene), but I guess that would be for another entry...

-Margaret Coble, artbymags.com

Jason Falls is a brilliant writer, social media guru and all around funny guy (see his work on The Daily Idea for evidence). When I asked him to participate in One Thing I love About Louisville he gave me an enthusiastic yes and the great answer you're about to read. Enjoy.

I really thought Michelle was nuts when she asked the question, “What’s the one thing you love about Louisville?” I can start naming things and, if you checked back in two hours, I’d still be going.

Since I don’t normally follow the rules – childhood problem I can’t shake – I’ll list several things I love about the River City in this post, but to play nice and pick one, the one thing I love about Louisville is that it’s comfortable.

It is comfortable because it’s a large, metropolitan area with all the accoutrements of big city life, but with a distinctive, small-town feel. It is comfortable because those who long for warm, sunny days frolicking in the park or curling up with your loved ones by a fire and watching the snow fall can both live here and be happy.

My love of Louisville is pretty apparent (*cough* I run a website called Consuming Louisville). I'm far from alone though in loving this place. I've lived in other cities where the most frequent responses to questions like "how do you like here?" are things like "it's ok" or "it's not so ad" or even flat out "this place sucks." Occasionally you'd get an "I love it here" sprinkled in but those were few and far between. In Louisville the love to hate ratios are exactly reversed. For every "Louisville is ok" I hear five "I love Louisville!" or "Louisville is great!" declarations.

All these feelings of goodwill toward Louisville got me thinking. My list of reasons for loving Louisville is long enough to stretch down Bardstown Road from Douglass Loop to Highland Avenue but why do other people love it? I wondered why other people are in love with this city. So I asked.

I made a list of smart, interesting, engaged people and I asked them to tell me one thing they love about Louisville. I asked politicians, musicians, artists, business owners, ad people, bloggers, moguls, community leaders and people from all walks of life. A fair number totally ignored my polite questions. I'll try not to hold it against them though because many other kick ass people not only said yes but proceeded to give amazing, interesting answers.

I cannot wait to share these answers and share I will. Starting tomorrow Consuming Louisville will be presenting a series titled "One Thing I Love About Louisville." I've got many "One Things" lined up to publish with more coming still coming in. If you'd like to contribute a "One Thing I Love About Louisville" drop me a line.

I'm so very excited about this series. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do.  Each one of us who loves Louisville  probably has a different reason for loving our city. Some of these reasons overlap, some are completely unique but all of them are interesting. I think we can all enjoy learning about other people's reasons for loving the city and we may even find some brand new reasons to add to our own personal "why I love Louisville" lists.