Aquatic Bar at Al J's

The bar counter at Al J's is made of translucent glass and modified into an aqaurium, with live fish swimming around and hypnotically compelling you to have just one more Gin Rickey.


They used to have an exotic eel-like fish here - affectionately named "Whiskey" - who was very elusive despite his prodigious length; he preferred to hide under rocks and rarely came out. Used to be, you'd get a free drink if you spotted him. Sadly, he's passed on and gone to that great saloon in the sky.

Goetta

Goetta is a food item that's little known outside of areas historically populated by those with German ancestry. Here, it's most commonly found in the Northern Kentucky area and in a few select spots in Louisville. Over the river, it's hugely popular in Cincinnati, and it can also be found in several places in Southern Indiana.

What is it? It's highly seasoned ground meat (usually pork, sometimes pork and beef) mixed with steel-cut oats and onions. It's most commonly seen in a wrapped log, much in the same way polenta is offered, but also can be found in smaller sausage-like links.


In recent years, Goetta burgers and Goetta pizza have been growing in popularity at German-themed fairs, and it also has two fairs dedicated completely to it: the Glier's Goettafest is held every year in Newport, and the Original Goettafest is in Covington.

Genny's Diner Owner Must Save or Sell House

Back in the summer, I took some pictures of the great old run-down building next to Genny's Diner on Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, and wondered why this beautiful old Victorian mansion was being allowed to rot and decay. Now a judge has ordered owner Frank Faris to either sell it, save it from collapse, or go to jail.

Read the whole story on my Louisville Mojo column!

Ronald McDonald Dies in Ashland

Michael Polakovs, the original Ronald McDonald clown for McDonald's commercials, passed away this past Sunday at King’s Daughters Medical Center in Ashland, KY. Polakovs died of complications from a stroke at the age of 86.

According to an obituary in the Ashland Daily Independent:

Polakovs, who lived in southern Boyd County, was a giant in the world of clowning.

He spent his entire life performing in circuses, was highly respected by his peers and was major source of inspiration for several generations of clowns. A number or the routines he developed are still used by clowns worldwide.

In 1966, the McDonald’s Corp. hired Polakovs to design Ronald McDonald. He designed the outfit and makeup that is worn by the character to this day. He also appeared in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as Ronald McDonald and appeared in the first eight TV commercials that featured the character.

In addition to creating the Ronald McDonald character, Pokalovs was internationally known as Coco the Clown, a persona he inherited from his father Nicolai, also a world famous clown in his day. Pokalovs also helped found the Ringling Brothers Clown College.

The early Polakovs version of Ronald McDonald is actually quite different from the fey and well-groomed fellow we know today. He was scruffy-haired, more striped, wore a giant bib around his neck and a dixie cup over his nose, and balanced a giant to-go box on his head. You can see him on YouTube here and here. Pokalovs was also behind the later redesign of Ronald, which made the character more streamlined and ostensibly less scary.

The Cult of Beer

I recently visited that peculiar, signless, "mystery bierhaus" in Butchertown, on the beat for Louisville Mojo, and filed a report on the idiosyncratic bar that seemed more like a secret society whose password I didn't know. (Maybe I should have said "Fidelio".) Click here to read the article!

"Gold Teef for Errbody!"

A Jilbertmobile parked outside of Spinelli's Pizza in Louisville, seen Sunday.

Cafe Metro's Mural

I never really cared for Louisville's Cafe Metro (which has recently gone out of business - see our Whitewashed Windows and Vacant Stores blog for more on that). I was also always disturbed by their mural, the symbolism of which I find most unsavory.