I didn’t want to mention it before, lest I jinx it. It all started at Elise’s Birthday Dinner at Kelley’s where someone mentioned the Kentucky Derby and my Mom said it was on her Bucket List and we all agreed. Kelley said she had a client in Louisville that she would e-mail to see if he could help her get tickets. Fingers crossed.

Kelley’s client said he would find a way to make this trip happen for my eighty-something year old Mom (it was a Mother’s Day present to her), so we were hopeful, but after that email, dead silence for a while. Unbeknownst to us, the person in charge of getting the tickets had two friends killed in a bank shooting in Louisville, so he was obviously otherwise occupied. Still, he assured us it would happen, so Elise and I booked flights (Spirit) and hotel rooms at a Days Inn by the airport. The best Elise could say about the hotel was: “The reviews aren’t too bad.”

I’d wanted to stay at the Brown Hotel, where the Hot Brown Sandwich and Derby Pie were invented, but obviously, it was all booked up. It’s a beautiful, historic hotel in Downtown Louisville where Zeke and I had stayed during Covid and it was reasonably priced, at the time. But a month before the event, it was slim pickin’s. Some people had been planning their trip to the Kentucky Derby for years, as it’s on the Top Ten Sports Bucket List Trips.

As the week before the Derby approached, we still didn’t have our tickets, but we all had our hats and outfits picked out. My Mom shipped our hats to the hotel and I began to pack. Finally on Thursday, the day before we left, our tickets arrived, via text, for seats in the Clubhouse. My Mom had thought we’d be in the cheap seats in the infield, but now she said “We’ll be with the rich and famous.”

Our flight was early out of Fort Lauderdale on Spirit. Elise’s friend, who only flies First Class said: “I’ll pray for you” when she found out we were on Spirit. LOL. Our flight was delayed, but we eventually arrived in Louisville and the airport was bustling. A large fleet of private planes lined the runway at Mohammed Ali International Airport and ladies in dresses and hats handed out Bourbon Balls as a Bluegrass Band played. There was even a place to take your photo in front of a race horse statue and scads of red roses, in vases, lined the airport halls.

Dinner that night was at The Eagle, a fun and funky place that specialized in Fried Chicken. The Kentucky Oaks, the horse race with fillies, was that day and there were a lot of people still dressed in their outfits and hats dining at the restaurant. We all got lemonade, the Fried Chicken and Salads (it’s all about balance); it was all delicious. My favorite part was the Biscuits we ordered as an appetizer, that came with butter and delicious Blackberry Jam.

The restaurant was located in The Highlands, a fancy part of Louisville where they held a big party that night called Unbridled Eve. Our Uber driver asked us if we were going to the Derby and gave us some tips. His number one tip was to wear comfortable shoes. When we returned to our hotel rooms, we studied the racing sheets to pick our horses. Kelley tried on her 4-inch heels and walked around in them. “They’re not too bad,” she said. Not too bad walking a couple steps in the hotel room is different than the hike we eventually had to travel to make it to our seats.

I woke up on Derby Day to find out my Mom’s pick- Forte– had scratched from the race, due to an injury. This changed all the odds. A lot of horses, unfortunately, had died in the run up to the race and one trainer had been banned from participating in this year’s Derby, leading to lots of last minute entries. I was unsure of which horse to pick, but was strictly going by the names I liked- Two Phils, Hit Show & Reincarnate. I also recently finished a book (Hollywood Park) that said “Favorites never win,” so I had no desire to pick the favorite.

We Ubered to the area where you walk to Churchill Downs and then there was a LONG walk, over a bridge and through preaching evangelists with megaphones, to get to the entrance. Kelley was starting to crumble with her shoes and lost a bottom to one of them. We finally arrived around noon, had someone take our photo while we were semi-fresh and proceeded on to the Clubhouse entry. In a happy coincidence, Herbert Britto was the artist for the 149th Kentucky Derby. Anyone from Miami is familiar with Britto and his colorful, happy designs.

As I walked in, there was a gentleman handing out freshly made Mint Juleps with chipped ice and mint sprigs.

“Are these free?” I asked.

“Yes m’aam,” he said. “Everything inside is free.”

Wowsa! What can I say? I tipped him and entered the hallowed ground of Churchill Downs.

The Kentucky Derby lived up to the hype. The fashion! The hats! The history! The excitement! The happiness of everyone gathered there. The collective energy. It was the best people-watching I’ve every experienced in my life, without a doubt. The outfits and hats- on girls and guys- were amazing, one better than the other. I could’ve gone around all day, just gazing at the spectacle, but some of us were anxious to get to our seats.

Our seats in the Clubhouse were great- right near the finish line (kind of like being on the 50-yard line for a football game). Kelley and my Mom, feet hurting, were happy staying where they were. Elise and I went to get lunch. We all wanted hotdogs, so we waited in line and got them.

The food in the Clubhouse, while free, was like what you’d get at a football game- hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, nachos, chicken fingers, B-B-Q pork sandwiches and the like. I tried to see if there was a favorite item going by, but there really wasn’t; it was like the predictions for the winning horses- all over the place. There was also popcorn that looked good that I never located. The hot dogs were your basic boiled hot dogs, but they hit the spot. We also got an order of chicken fingers and waffle fries later in the day that were pretty good.

Elise wanted to go see the horses in the Paddock, so I went with her, but as she made her way in, I told her it seemed everyone going in had a pass. As she waited to watch the horses from outside the paddock, I went to the gift shop. I returned with my purchases and a gentleman came out and said “It’s your lucky day” and handed out passes to get into the paddock. I gave mine to Elise, as she’d been waiting and is crazy about horses. She got to see the horses parade by a couple times, then they walked by with their light-as-a-feather jockeys atop them. She even got to go out on the field to watch the race. She waved to us from the field. She was in heaven!

Meanwhile, Mom and Kelley were busy betting, as there are races throughout the day. My Mom, whose Dad was a horse trainer and grew up on race tracks, taught Kelley how to bet. I made three bets on three different horses in the Derby to win and got myself dessert- a strawberry, banana, brownie skewer covered in chocolate. As I waited to get a drink (I wanted a Lily) an older guy in front of me said “Nice hat”, which I think must be the biggest pick-up line at the Derby. He asked me who I liked for the race. I told him I really didn’t know and he said “Bet on number 8. That’s a good horse.”

Which was how I ended up ditching the drink line and waiting in line to bet $10 on #8, Mage. Kelley had surrendered to the inevitable and bought flip flops at the gift shop. When she returned, my Mom quietly said that she needed some too, so Elise went to get two pairs of flip flops. Her smalls were too big, so when she went to return them, I asked her to get me some too. Which is how we all ended up wearing flip flops at the Kentucky Derby.

As the final race approached- “the most exciting two minutes in sports”- more and more people filtered into the Clubhouse and the excitement and energy was papable. Cutie Patrick Mahomes called for “Riders Up!”, Navy men in white uniforms ushered out the garland of roses for the winning horse and the University of Louisville Marching Band played “My Old Kentucky Home”.

“And they’re off!” We cheered & screamed like crazy while watching the magnificent creatures with jockeys in colorful silks speed by the track in front of us and then… it was over. Two minutes goes by fast when you’re having fun.

Mage ended up winning, with Two Phils second and Angel of Empire (Elise’s pick) coming in third. Tapit Trice– my Mom’s pick and one of the favorites, finished second from the bottom. I went to cash in my ticket, thinking I’d won about $30 and I could hardly believe it when I saw $157 ring up on the register! The man paying out at my window was blase about my winnings, understandably, as I watched a guy next to me collect a large stack of $100 bills. But, I was happy and my Mom was thrilled that someone in our tiny group of betters actually won, and on a long-shot. So thanks to the guy in line who gave me the tip.

Getting home from the Derby wasn’t easy, with 170,000 people exiting at the same time and there was a torrential downpour we narrowly avoided, but, eventually, we made it back to our hotel room. The airport the next day was nuts (it’s the busiest day of the year for that airport) and even more so, as there had been rainstorms that morning delaying all the flights. Tired and worn out, we finally made it back to Miami, with memories of the 149th Kentucky Derby that will last a lifetime.

If I ever were to return to the Kentucky Derby (and it’s still on Zeke’s Bucket List) my tips would be:

• Wear comfortable shoes, like flip flops and carry your fancy shoes for once you enter the stands.
• Get a driver to transport you to and from the Kentucky Derby.
• Hit the concession and betting lines early, as they get very crowded as the day goes on.
• If you’re drinking Mint Juleps (or anything alcoholic) pace yourself. The gates open at 10 a.m., but the Derby’s not until almost 7. We saw an over-served Derby-goer wipe out and get whisked away by the Louisville police.
• Have fun! It’s a once-in-a-lifetime Bucket List trip.
• Consider booking your flight home for Monday and visiting the Derby Museum (which is closed Friday and Saturday for the Oaks and the Derby). You will avoid the most crowded day of the year at the airport and all the dated merchandise is 50% off at the Museum store.
• And maybe, just maybe, take a tip on a horse from a stranger in line for a drink. Ya never know!

Up Next: The Derby Lily

“Well, I’m still alive,” my mother said. “I haven’t got it yet.”

She said she was finding plenty of things to keep her occupied, painting a wall workers had recently fixed, which led her to painting her lanterns “while the paint was out”. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie scenario, and working in the yard and taking walks. Bob, on the other hand, is “like a caged lion”, according to her, since he’s not going to work.

“Are you going to the grocery store?” I asked.

“No!” she said.

She’s using Instacart for Publix deliveries.

“I’ve had some strange experiences,” she said. “The first person who shopped for me seemed like someone who had never been to a grocery store before. I don’t even know what some of things they got for me are or how to cook them.”

It sounded similar to my first experience, where they crammed five bags of food into two paper bags and put the rolls on the bottom of the bag. Who does that?

The second time she ordered Instacart she requested a turkey breast to cook and instead they brought her something that looked like it came from the deli. It would be good for sandwich meat, she agreed, but she wanted to roast the turkey herself. She said one store she ordered from was going to take days to deliver, but another only hours, so she cancelled the first one.

My second Instacart experience was better, but they replaced a Buy One Get One free (BOGO) can of 15 ounce refried beans for one huge 32 ounce can. I also asked for whole mushrooms, but got sliced. Not the same, the sliced mushrooms go bad much quicker. Anything pre-sliced, like lettuce in a bag, is more perishable.

My third Instacart experience was last week. I ordered it Tuesday and was told it would be filled between Tuesday and Saturday- kind of a long range of time, but I guess a lot of people aren’t going into grocery stores and needed supplies for Easter and Passover. They also charged our credit card for the items before they were delivered, which I found strange, especially since they were apt to be out of items.

This experience was better. My paper bags of groceries were left on the bench by the front door, as requested. My Instacart shopper must have been new, because she took a photo of the bags on the bench. They keep you informed when they are shopping via text and let you know if they replace items or if they are out. So, no Easter jellybeans, Cadbury chocolate eggs or marshmallow Peeps (my favorite), but they did have Lindt Easter Chocolate Bunnies, although I found out later they replaced 2 milk chocolate for white chocolate. Also, I got a spiral ham, seeded rye bread (they were out before), asparagus and a fresh pineapple. Who knew I would appreciate simple, basic food so much?

I’d ordered three dozen eggs, one to hard boil, one for Lauren, but only got one as I think they’re limiting them to one per family. My whole mushrooms were substituted for sliced again, despite my note that I didn’t want sliced if they didn’t have whole. She replaced my Reese’s Eggs with Reese’s Peanut Butter cups. The Sargento pepper jack cheese slices were replaced with pepper jack sticks (not the same!) and since they were out of Cascade dishwashing detergent, I got the pods. I also had to substitute Tide liquid for pods. I never buy pods because I think they’re wasteful and lazy. But desperate times-

Instacart shops at these stores:

Publix, Aldi, Total Wine, Cotsco, CVS, Petco, Milams, BJ’s, ABC Wine, Fresh Market.

Prices tend to be more than if you shopped yourself and there is a delivery fee and service fee. I was happy to see, however, that Publix was offering BOGOs and honored coupons, but these items seem to sell out quickly. There’s also an option to join Express that gives you free delivery for $99 a year or $9 a month.

Some tips for InstaCart:

• Busy days are Sundays and Monday, so try to order on days other than that.
• Keep a list and order all your items at once.
• Order bigger packs (like family packs of chicken) and break it down to save on frequency of ordering.
• Choose your preferred replacements. If you don’t want a replacement, note it on your order.
• Choose Leave at my Door delivery. You can also tell them where to leave it.
• You can also send groceries for friends and family in a lot of different cities.
• Thank your shopper with a tip, especially in these times.

I talked to my friend Tami, who’s been using Instacart for two years (on the advice of her hairdresser) with much success.

“You’ve got to take Instacart these days with a grain of salt,” she said. “They’re not doing so well in the Pandemic.”

She sent me an email from Publix basically apologizing to Instacart customers for the difference in their shopping experience these days. Tami told me: “There’s a bit of a learning curve, but after you master Instacart, it’s great.”

The first time I ordered on Instacart, I went through the departments one by one and ordered. I found it time consuming. I did better with a list, but pay attention to the packaging. I ordered my Siggi’s yogurt, but got 9% fat instead of 2%! I didn’t even know there was a 9% fat yogurt. And my sister Kelley recently ordered all-purpose flour from Cotsco, only to have a 10 lb. bag delivered. That’s a lot of banana bread being made.

According to Tami, shopping during the Pandemic is “a whole different ballgame” and stores are out of many items they would normally have. And even though she’s requested a specific place to drop the groceries, saving her from lugging heavy items like dog food, the Instacart shopper doesn’t always follow these instructions. This could be due to a language barrier, or the influx of new, inexperienced shoppers hired by Instacart during COVID-19.

Another thing Tami loves about Instacart, is that they can deliver to different cities. This came in handy when her son, who goes to college in Boston, got sick. She was able to send him chicken soup, medicine and snacks, via Instacart.

Another friend uses Instacart to Host a Hero. With this non-profit charity, donors with a second home offer their places for an active duty military person and their family to vacation. Since my friend likes to have the fridge stocked for the family, she lets Instacart know when the family arrives and they deliver groceries to the door. For more information on this worthy charity, check out their website hostahero.org.

The last time I checked Publix via Instacart , they were out of Clorox Wipes, 409 and rubbing alcohol, but they did have toilet paper, including my family’s preferred brand, Charmin.

Her three important tips on Instacart shopping are:

1) When you’re ordering you can choose a replacement (like Publix butter for Land ‘O Lakes) or you can put “Do not replace.”

2) Once your Instacart shopper starts shopping, pay close attention. They will text you, let you know if they are out of items at the store and if they are replacing them with something else. There’s a window to chat with your shopper while they’re shopping. This is the time to tell them if you’re ok with the replacements they’re making.

3) Tip well. Instacart automatically adds a tip, but that can be adjusted and she believes it is reflected in the shopping experience you receive.

I wanted to report a problem with my purchases, but when they sent me an e-mail saying “How was your Instacart experience?”, it had a photo of my shopper, with a star rating. I didn’t want to get my shopper in trouble, so didn’t bother with that, but when they forgot my cauliflower, they did refund me right away. Tami told me there is another area on the website where you can report a problem, other than the star rating.

She also said if they give you the wrong item, they will refund it for you.

“I know they’ll refund me, but I’d rather have the item I wanted and that they read my notes.” There is a section to leave your shopper a note (like don’t substitute my whole mushrooms for sliced) but obviously, they don’t always read them. Despite that-

“Overall,” said Tami, “I love having Instacart.”

Instacart can be a lifesaver, literally, in these uncertain times.

Up next: Week in Review and Foods to fight Viruses