Race for the Roses

Saturday was Kentucky Derby day!!! I love the Derby. I just do. And Derby day is one of the best days of the year.

I didn't get to go to Louisville this year (and I haven't gone since I was 2 years old, so it's not like it's out of the ordinary to not be in attendance), but I couldn't let the day go by without letting myself get super excited for the race. In honor of this year's race for the roses, Emma and I went to Eastern Market to try on the silly hats. The usual hat lady was not there, which is too bad because last year we purchased ridiculously froofy headbands from her to wear to the Preakness. Anyway, we managed to find some pretty stellar hats for sale there at another vendor.

floppy hats of all colors

emma is under there somewhere...

oh you fancy, huh?

Can you believe how stupid these particular hats are? Me neither.

emma dahling

and hats with which one can sport a ponytail

the floppiest of the floppy hats

I think I like the Derby so much because when I lived in Chicago, we'd get together with the "Monopoly Group" (family friends who are close enough to just really be family) and have big clam bakes and such for each of the Triple Crown races. My family hosted the Preakness party, but the Kentucky Derby was the best party. While all the grown ups did a clam bake and ate lobsters and such, I busied myself with the other kids fishing in a little lake and finding people to take our catches off the line for us because heaven forbid we touch the top fin and get stabbed or something. I also would spend most of the day eating the hostess' delicious french bread and butter. Oh my lanta, it is the very best bread. I guess for me, the day means fun traditions that have changed and evolved but that always take me closer to home, even if just in spirit.

This year, my chosen horse came in 2nd (that's Nehro, to you buddy), so I won the family pool. My mom diligently collects the win, place, show picks for all of our family members and some friends and tracks who the winners are. No one picked the actual winner, Animal Kingdom, so my choices brought me 2011 Kentucky Derby glory! Bragging rights for a year, baby.