businessdistrict.The 13buildings in theLexArch
Tour representa richarrayof styles, from theOld
Courthouse to theCheapsidePlazabuildingsand
LexingtonCityBankbuilding.Thebenefitof the two
tours is that Ican takemy time, lingerwhen Iwant
toor follow the itineraryoutoforder—allwithout
angeringguidesorother sightseers.
streetartappearsinunexpectedplacesthrough-
outLexington.Severalorganizationshavesponsored
localand internationallyknownartists tocreatemurals
across thecity— fromsmall single-subjectpaintings to
moreelaborateprojects that takeup theentirewallofa
multistorybuilding.Thecombinationofhistoricarchi-
tectureandmodern-daygraffiti isanother illustration
ofhowLexingtonembracesoldandnew.
JustoutsideTableThreeTenrestaurant is fantastical
“Moonshine” ingrays,pinksandreds.Acrossanasphalt
parking lotonMarketStreet,anenormous,whimsi-
cal troupeofmural-people,dubbedLilyandtheSilly
Monkeys,peersout fromawallbelowthespireofChrist
ChurchCathedral.Onthebackof theKentuckyTheatre,
amultihuedAbrahamLincolngazesdownonpassersby.
Origamibirdsflyacrossabrickwall,brighttulippoplar
flowerspop frombehindastairwellandanalien looks
outacrossdowntownLexington.Themuralseventravel
totheDistilleryDistrict,wheretheydepictadeadbee,
anacrobatpyramidandacagedartistusingstreetsign
language.Themuralscausemetoopenmyeyeswider
and lookallaroundratherthankeeptotheurbanhabit
ofwalkingquicklyand focusingstraightahead.
I takeabreakatTheUpstartCrow,whichhas the
feelofametropolitanbar, andsnackonshort-rib
dumplingsbeforecontinuingmyLexingtonadventure.
Studying themaponmyphone, Irealize that thefinal
BrewgrassTrail stamp, yetunattained inmypassport,
is justa fewblocksaway. It’s themiddleof theafternoon
—anacceptable time forabeer, Ireason.Andperhaps
onmyway there, I’ll stumbleacrossanothermural
that further illuminates thereal reasonwhy,despite
itsmore-than-worthyhistory,Lexington isoneofmy
favoritenewplaces.
JILLK.ROBINSON
haswritten for
NationalGeographic
Traveler
, the
SanFranciscoChronicle
and
Coastal Living
.
CLOCKWISE
FROM
FAR
LEFT
:
AllenKirkwood
volunteers atThe
BrokeSpoke.Amural
titled “Lilyand theSilly
Monkeys”byHerakut
is visible fromWest
Short Street. Eat
freshlyharvested
tilapia fromWest Sixth
Brewingand
FoodChain.Oneof
the favoritedishes at
Crank&Boom Ice
CreamLounge is a
bourbon-ball sundae
inawafflebowl.Have
BourbonBarrelAle
fromAlltechLexing-
tonBrewingand
DistillingCo.
AMERICANWAY
FEBRUARY2016
61
