Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee...

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Louisville's a city with good bones.  I drove through a lot of neighborhoods today, and was struck by the solidity of the housing stock.  But then I'm a fan of old houses.  The downtown, too, still boasts many old buildings that give it a character missing in so many American cities. 

But the forces of progress have had their way in some places, such as Fourth Street Center, a multi-story, several blocks square fast food center that seems completely out of place in this otherwise well-preserved landscape. 

One of the characteristics I've noted in the downtowns I've visited thus far is the paucity of stores selling necessities.  I needed a drugstore today.  The only one downtown was a 10 or 15 minute walk from the hotel (to the Fourth Street Center), a CVS on the second level.  Aside from restaurants and galleries, retail business no longer takes up much space in downtowns.  Lots of law offices and banks and stuff like that, but if you need some throat lozenges or new undergarments, forget about it.  Go to the malls.  Depressing.

The Speed Art Museum is on the University of Louisville campus, and you have to park in a parking garage.  So there's a major minus before you even walk in the door.  The museum provides a beautiful and interesting space for toddlers, and the gift shop is imaginative.  But the museum itself does no better than a C.  Frankly, the art here at 21C Hotel is far more provocative and engaging.

After darting in and out of various galleries around town, I hit the Muhammed Ali Museum,

just a block from the hotel.  After entering, one goes up the "longest escalator in Kentucky" (as we're told) to the floor where a 14-minute documentary of Ali's career is shown.  Please note that videos are playing a big role in museums these days, particularly small ones.  I don't know yet if I think this is good or bad.

The documentary was quite informative.  Not being a lifelong boxing fan, there was much I didn't know about him.  It didn't take me all that long to go through the museum, but as I left, three men were exiting, bemoaning that they couldn't spend all day there.