Tops In Lexington January 2017

TOPS

JANUARY 2017 • PRICELESS

W h o ’s W h o //

W h a t ’s N e w //

W h a t To D o January 2017 vol. 11 no. 1

N E W Y E A R , N E W YO U !

FIT, FAB & OVER 40!

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MODERN ESCAPE • LEX IN THE CITY

JANUARY FEATURES the fit & fabulous issue

Tour Of Homes: 44 Inspiring Ingenuity

Fit, Fab & 74 Over 40

TOPS Cares:

Visually Impaired Preschool

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PHOTOS

164

Out + About

26

TOPS Preview Party

28

Jingle Bell Bash

32

Bids 4 Builds

34

Heroes of Hope

36

Holly Day Market 10th Anniversary

38

UK Basketball

164

UK Football

166

Reindeer Ramble

168

Commerce Lexington Business Link

170

DLC Annual Meeting

172

Winter Gratitude Gala

176

TOP Shots

186

Event photo captions are typically provided to TOPS by the event organizers. We do our best to check names and spelling‌but we are all human and make mistakes.

Please contact kristen@topsmarketing.com with any corrections and we will make note of it in the next issue.

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FUNDAMENTALS AT HOME

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Tour of Homes: Inspiring Ingenuity

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Gardening: Attracting Birds

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FACES + PLACES Fit, Fab & Over 40

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Renew You

94

Tops Cares: Visually Impaired Preschool

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CUISINE

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Dining: middle fork kitchen bar

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Taste of Thyme: Gluten-Free English Muffins

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Skinny Mom: Superfood Detox Soup

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Southern Lady Cooks: Maple Pecan Pancake Bake

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Top 5 Dining: Mediterranean

112

Beer of the Month: Elysian Space Dust IPA

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Wine of the Month: Leese-Fitch Firehouse Red Wine

115

LIFE + STYLE

118

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WOW Wedding: Lyndsey & Cage

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Wedding Trends: Well Heeled Shoes

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Outfit of the Month: Winter Wonder-Glam

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FUNDAMENTALS FAMILY Family Cares Spotlight: AHA Heart Ball

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Super Mom: Nancy Cox

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In The Buf: Out With the Old

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Parties: Have A Kid-Friendly Super Bowl Party

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Pets: Tips for Traveling with your Pets

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EQUINE

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Filly of the Month: Jodie Vella-Gregory

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Colt of the Month: Dan James

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Horse Park Happenings

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COMMUNITY Sports: An Admission and An Apolgy

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Sports: The Greatest?

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Sports: What’s the Deal with the BBN?

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Calendar: Lex In The City

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CONTRIBUTORS Photographers Paul Atkinson Ben Burchett Jim Burgett Tracie Dillon Michael Huang

Phillips Mitchell Ron Morrow Keni Parks Woody Phillips

Writers Sarah Boerkircher Jesse L. Brooks Susie H. Bullock Allison Davis Cynthia Ellingsen Dick Gabriel

Brooke Griffin Amanda Harper Drew Johnson Marsha Koller Buff y Lawson Ryan Lemond

Erica Radhakrishnan Michelle Rauch Jen Roytz Deanna Talwalkar

Judy Yeager

Interns and other contributors: Jessica Sunnenberg

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Have a great idea for a story?

Tell us all about it at info@topsinlex.com

JAN UA RY 201

7 • PR ICE LES S

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STAY ON TOPS LOG ON TopsInLex.com Your digital home for the best and latest Who’s Who, What’s New, and What To Do.

TUNE IN All the things you love about TOPS Magazine and website are now on TOPS TV!

NEW YE AR, NEW YO U !

MODERN ES CAPE

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Interested in having TOPS cover your community event? Book one of our talented photographers today. topsinlex.com/book-a-photographer.php

NEXT MONTH

FEBRUARY the money issue Our February edition will be all about the money!

Top 5 Dining will feature some our favorite foodies who supply food and beverages all around town.

Our Tops Cares feature will showcase Girls On the Run.

in LEXINGTON est. 2005

Top Marketing Group 465 East High Street, Suite 201 Lexington, KY 40507 859.543.TOPS (8677) | 859.514.1621 (fax) TopsInLex.com

Volume 11 No. 1

Keith Yarber Publisher kyarber@topsmarketing.com

Teri Brock Advertising Sales Manager teri@topsmarketing.com

Bonni Jiunta Advertising Account Executive bonni@topsmarketing.com

Jen Brown Content Manager & Graphic Design jen@topsmarketing.com

Kristen Oakley Editor-In-Chief kristen@topsmarketing.com

Debbie Hodges Advertising Account Executive debbie@topsmarketing.com

Jenny Button Scearce Advertising Account Executive jenny@topsmarketing.com

Haley Walls Graphic Design haley@topsmarketing.com

Danielle Pope Director of Promotions & Marketing Host of TOPS TV danielle@topsmarketing.com

Niki Dillman Advertising Account Executive niki@topsmarketing.com

Amanda Harper Production Manager amandah@topsmarketing.com

Maredith Davis Assistant

The views and comments expressed by the authors are not always that of our editors or publishers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, TOP Marketing Group accepts no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions or resultant consequences, including any loss or damage arising from the reliance on information in this publication. All images contained in TOPS in Lexington Magazine are subject to copyright of the artist or photographer as named, but not limited thereto.

Reproduction of any part of this magazine without prior written permission is prohibited.

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OUT + ABOUT | SOCIE T Y

“Fresh Look Kentucky Landscapes” at Artists Attic

Beauty & Fragrance Party at Dillard’s

Ice Skating in Triangle Park

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The Square Open House

Louie’s Wine Dive & Chevy Chase Kitchen’s Grand Opening

Kentucky Golf Classic Check Presentation to Susan G. Komen

PHOTOS | TOPS Preview Party Belle Vie | November 30th | topsinlex.com | Photos by Keni Parks

Dudley Webb, Fred Peters and Ralph Coldiron Lori Ann Taylor, Tim Castle, Jordan Hardison, Andrea Mullins, Taylor Walson, Carrie Martin and Nikki Browning

Christian Erikson, Ren & Gwyn Everly

Angie & Jay Ballard

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Lee & Kristin Tatem

Keni Parks and Kara Harkins

Megan Johnson, Janie Head, Loryn McAninch and Shay Spradlin

Kelly Brandenburg and Teri Brock

PHOTOS | TOPS Preview Party Belle Vie | November 30th | topsinlex.com | Photos by Keni Parks

Stephen Dawahare and Brian Johnson Danielle Pope, Larry & Debbie Jones and Bret Melrose

Dana Back-Pack and David Cecil

Terry Bryant, Scott Bryant, Kimberly Keller, Jessica Greenwell, Gail Bryant and Nate Niespodziany

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Jeff Hancock

Vanessa Webb Brown and Bobbie Niehaus

Sasha Bowlby and Niki Dillman

PHOTOS | Jingle Bell Bash Benefiting Bluegrass Conservancy | Thomas Hunt Morgan House | December 9th | bluegrassconservancy.org

Brittany Roethemeier and Alex Hancock Martha & Lynn Martin, Lisa & Jerry Martin

Lendy Brown and Sheila Ferrell

Mary Catherine White and Natalie Lyster

Laura Miller and Gwen Dixon

Gareth Coleman and Ben Dycus

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Katie Martin, Dean Roethemeier and Sara Golden

Photos by Paul Atkinson

Laura & John Brooks

Will Jones and Mary Catherine White

Nick Pennington

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PHOTOS | Bids 4 Builds 21c Museum Hotel | November 10th | lexhabitat.org | Photos by Woody Phillips

Lisa & Tom Hinkle and Mary Diane Hanna

Stephen Heet, Ryan Stith, Chad Tussey, Caitlin Cox, Scott Wells, Kelly Riley, Misty Hess, Chanhee Han and Kristeena Johnson

April Smith and Megan Meserve

Laura Howard

Steve Castagnola

Stephanie Nallia and Christy Brown

Zella and John Daugherty

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Mary, Steve and Kellie Jo Stadler

Lyle Hanna, Robin and Batman

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PHOTOS | Heroes of Hope Whitaker Bank Ballpark | December 8th | kycancerlink.org | Photos by Jim Burgett

Cindy Geveden Praska and Melissa Karrer

Vicki Blevins-Booth, Melissa Hounshell and Erin McElwain

Andrew Miller and Gina Farmer

Mike & Keisha McCreary

Preston Phelps and Susan Reitz

Tommy Booth and Greg Bodager

Kaitlyn Carr and Taryn Mahoney

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Kim Blakeman, Heather McGinnis and Carla Washnock

Genea Arrasmith

Anita McAdams

Molly and Cory Reitz

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PHOTOS | Holly Day Market 10th Anniversary Benefiting Junior League of Lexington | 21c Museum Hotel and Kentucky Horse Park | December 3rd | lexjrleague.com

Ami Bertrand and Stephen Hillenmeyer Katherine Wade, Katherine Walter, Jennifer Phillips and Joy Robyn Fenwick

Max & Hillary Smith

j. stuart hurt, Stephanie Gillespie and Sheldon Kozee

Jonathon & Jenna Bickett and Vincent Williams

Bridget Downs and Alaina Holcomb

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Adam & Jessica Stigmal, Aaron Ann & Greg Funfsinn

Photos by Woody Phillips

Lex OBGYN HV

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PHOTOS | Holly Day Market 10th Anniversary Benefiting Junior League of Lexington | 21c Museum Hotel and Kentucky Horse Park | December 3rd | lexjrleague.com

Amber Philpott and Liz Toombs Cary & Lew Davis, Katie & Clay Collins

Emily Ho and Steve Bernheisel

Diana Gevedon, Donna Weed, Debbie Green and Kathy Scorsone-Stovall

Robyn Miller, Nanci House and Kelli Parmley

Viki & Dave Martorano

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Holly Day Market Hospitality Crew

Photos by Woody Phillips

Dillard’s

Olive You

Sash & Bow

Bluetique

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at home

Tour of Homes: Inspiring Ingenuity

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Gardening: Attracting Birds

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John Davis, Jeff Walker Photography

Tour of

HOMES INSPIRING INGENUITY 44

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John Davis, Jeff Walker Photography

There’s art and artistry at every turn at 3200 Honey Hill Lane, beginning with the asymmetrical

door for everyday use that’s built into an eight-foot-by-eight foot pivoting front door. Lit from within, it gives off a soft, welcoming glow at night—one of many features Avi and Ronit Eres love about the custom-designed contemporary house that’s been their home since 2004.

Written by Susie Hillard Bullock Shaun Ring Photography

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We wanted a modern home with no time stamp.

New York City-based architect Scott Francisco designed the 7,535-square-foot home to enhance family life for the couple and their three children, Ittai, Tomer, and Merav, who were 13, 9 and 7, respectively, when they moved in 2004. They gave Scott a list of must-haves that required two years of thought, research, and collaboration between the three of them and builder Tony Brown to fulfill. It included: All of the main functioning rooms and the four family bedrooms on one floor Plenty of indoor and outdoor space for entertaining friends (theirs and their children’s) A variety of materials, environmentally friendly and locally sourced when possible Preservation of as many trees as possible on the wooded lot Naturally lit surfaces and nooks to display their art collection A house that is one with its environment that also complements traditional homes around it “It took longer than it would for many folks who would be working with a traditional homebuilder,” said Scott, who met Ronit and Avi through one of his students at the University of Kentucky, where he was teaching architecture. “We took our time.”

Scott’s design checked every box, and then some, according to Avi, a cardiologist at St. Joseph East Hospital. “We wanted a modern home with no time stamp,” he explained. “In other words, you come to it a hundred years from now, it can still look modern for the time.”

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“I designed this house to reflect the local context of Lexington architecture from a distinctly modern viewpoint,” Francisco added.

“Lexington has a strong history of masonry houses as well as timber- and steel-frame agricultural buildings such as horse barns, tobacco barns and tobacco warehouses. My intention was to work with disappearing local craft traditions found in these building types while transforming some of their formal presumptions.”

The result is a hybrid of those architectural forms. “The Ereses were open about the architectural vision,” Scott said. “As a young architect, it was an incredible opportunity to explore the use of wood, steel, concrete, brick and stone in a very open way.”

Prior to immigrating in the 1980s, Avi and Ronit had owned homes in their native Israel, where contemporary-style homes built of stone, concrete and steel were the norm. Scott gives them kudos for encouraging him to infuse a distinctive Kentucky flavor into the design and materials.

The core of the house is a load-bearing brick wall, laid in the Sussex

bond pattern which originates outside in front of the house and extends all the way through the interior to the rear wall of the living room. The wall supports a system of steel and timber “bents” that enclose a large volume of space, including a 1,000-square-foot loft.

Public and private areas of the house circulate around the wall.

It also supports two roofs. One is standing seam copper that should last another 100 years. Its low 3:12 pitch mimics the typical Lexington porch roof as it wraps around the street side of the house to form a hip roof over the triple-bay garage. It abuts the barrel vault roof that creates a soaring 20-foot ceiling inside. A row of 19 clerestory windows at the intersection of the two roofs bring natural light into the center of the house.

The .63 acre lot, which was was completely wooded, also formed a key part of the local watershed. “We cantilevered parts of the house to protect as many of the mature trees as possible. We also set the house at an angle to the street to keep water away from the house and to allow it to flow unimpeded into a shallow ravine at the rear of the property,” Scott said.

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Douglas fir beams and ceilings, Spanish cedar windows, and polished, heated concrete floors contribute to the home’s ruggedly sophisticated vibe.

Diagonal lines are everywhere, from the cantilevered entry area and the space where the grand piano sits to the loft stairway.

Along with the kitchen, breakfast room, and dining area, they are situated on the left side of the wall. On the other side are the owners’ suite, the children’s three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a half-bath, and the laundry room.

Art from around the world is everywhere.

From French sculptures and prints by Israeli painter Itzchak Tarkay to pieces by local artists such as Helene Steene, Jim Shambhu, and Monica Pipia, and wood-carvings by folk artists Lonnie and Twyla Money of East Bernstadt, Kentucky, all live harmoniously at the Eres residence.

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The U-shaped kitchen has solid wood and anodized aluminum cabinets, a stainless steel trough beside the window for growing herbs, and high-end stainless appliances.

Situated between the gathering room and the living room, it keeps the cook in the middle of the action.

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In the living room, 36 linear feet of hinged mahogany benches line two walls. They provide yet more storage as well as seating and close-up views of the woods for guests at the couple’s frequent dinner parties.

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Scott spent so much time with the Eres family that it seemed only natural to give the children input on the design of their rooms. “They each got to sketch some of their ideas for their bedrooms,” he said. “It was born out of the playfulness of working with the kids.”

The boys’ rooms are almost identical. Each has a loft where their beds are, stackable panels made of homasote (recycled paper) for walls, a study area and open-style closets. A Jack- and- Jill bathroom connect the two rooms.

The house had been finished for a few years when daughter Merav decided she was missing out by not having a loft in her room. “She wanted one, so Scott designed a loft and built it in a weekend,” Avi said.

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Ronit’s wish list included his-and-her bathrooms and closets. Scott took it several steps further by using custom cabinetry instead of sheetrock to make walls, adding even more storage space. “Why build a six-inch thick wall when you can have drawers for your make-up and cubbies for your shoes?”

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A perforated steel staircase leads to the loft, where exercise equipment and Avi’s office are located. Constructed of solid, locally-milled poplar with a whitewash finish, it overlooks public spaces below. The loft stays comfortable, thanks to a custom HVAC system that switches return and supply air from cold to hot seasons to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.

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The lower level houses a recreation room with billiards table, two guest bedrooms, a bathroom, and a laundry room. Merav, who lives at home while taking a gap year, doesn’t spend much time there. However, activity always picks up when one or both of her brothers come home. Ittai, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Chicago, and Tomer, who attends graduate school in Houston, always host their Lexington friends for television or a game of pool when they’re in town.

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Four handprints and one footprint (Ronit’s) are cast into the wall the family calls the “concrete library.” Even though art and books displayed in lighted alcoves take on new importance, the large rectangular niches also look stunning with nothing in them.

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We’ve come full circle.

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Looking back on the 12 years the family has lived there, Ronit’s favorite memories center around the years when the house was a hangout for the children and their friends. “When they were young, we always had a lot of people here,” she said. “They and their friends liked it here because they had a whole floor to themselves. There was always a lot of noise and commotion, but we loved it.”

Avi’s wants and needs after a 14 to 16-hour day at the hospital are simple: unwind, eat, catch up on Ronit’s day and pet Maggie and Baby, the couple’s German shepherds. “I could live in a forest,” he said.

Now that the children are young adults, stay-at-home-mom and community volunteer Ronit has found the quiet a little disquieting. “I grew up in a city, so I like the noise,” she said from a comfortable chair by the fireplace in the breakfast room, her favorite spot in the house. “This house needs a family with children.”

Although it took two years, she finally convinced Avi that it’s time to move to something smaller and less secluded.

They recently listed their home with Sara Morken of Keller Williams Bluegrass Realty and bought land in downtown Lexington.

So, 16 years after they first met, Ronit, Avi and Scott are collaborating again, this time on the design for empty nesters living in an urban setting.

“The new home is going to be very exciting” Scott said. “Designing another contemporary home among the historic houses of downtown Lexington is a perfect challenge,” he said. “It’s where we found much of the inspiration for the first house. We’ve come full circle.”

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Gardening:

Attracting Birds W

hen it comes to attracting birds to your garden there are several things to consider: habitat, nesting sites, water and feeders. The landscape you have will determine what types of birds you attract.

with its flat, fern like leaves that grow in a fan shape providing a single landing plane to perch on. Planting wildflowers will also attract beneficial insects, which provide a significant part of a bird’s diet. When birds are rearing their young they are big on bugs.

“It’s all relative to what you have around you,” said Fayette County Extension Agent Jamie Dockery during a recent Gardner’s Toolbox class. Older neighborhoods with mature oaks will attract different birds than a newer neighborhood with few trees. “It’s all about habitat,” Dockery explained.

Outside of creating an optimum habitat, your next best bet is to feed them. Black oil sunflower seed is regarded as one of the best, as it deters the unwanted birds; suet provides fat and calories when it is cold.

Suet is very affordable and also easy to make yourself.

The more lush your yard, the more likely you will be to get birds.

Think about it.

Birds don’t willingly drop into an open field where they can’t see the terrain. They need a place to perch and survey to avoid predators.

That said, robins, blackbirds, and crows don’t mind flat grassy areas but they are likely not what you are looking for as far as beauty and entertainment.

Where do you begin? The number one thing to attract as many birds as possible is to reduce the amount of lawn and create a more varied habitat with bushes and landscape plantings. Evergreens are outstanding to provide shelter in winter. The compass plant is beneficial

Feed variety will also serve your visitors well as it will eliminate the competition at one feeder. Some birds won’t stand up to bullies so if you diversify your feeders, you are more likely to satisfy nearly everyone. As the old saying goes, variety is the spice of life! The effort will create bird Zen. I would like to credit this month’s information to the Gardner’s Toolbox Class offered by the Cooperative Extension Service. I really enjoyed attending a handful of these classes last year. Look for the 2017 list of classes coming out this month.

Many of them are free!

by Michelle Rauch Gardening Enthusiast

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Faces + places

Fit, Fab & Over 40

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Renew You

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TOPS Cares: Visually Impaired Preschool

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Photos by Phillips Mitchell Photography | Stories by Amanda Harper

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Susie Miles 55

"

Staying fit means mobility and the ability to do whatever I want at any age.

"

For Susie, making time for fitness has meant staying flexible. When her three children were young, she worked out at 5am, as it was the only time available for her during her busy day. “Now, I work around my job schedule but always find the time,” Susie, a transcription supervisor, explained.

“Sometimes it’s 6am and sometimes, it’s 6pm.” Whatever time crunch you face, Susie suggests staying consistent: “Look at your schedule and block off when you are going to work out, and stick with it.”

Susie, a volunteer for Surgery on Sunday, enjoys weight training and being a good example of fitness to others.

She credits Josh Bowen with keeping her motivated. She is proud to have run a half marathon to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“I eat to live–I don’t live to eat,” Susie explained. “I try to be conscious every day of what I am eating.” Her favorite healthy snacks are protein shakes, though she admits her “splurge” food is ice cream.

For anyone looking to get fit, Susie’s advice is an old adage: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! It’s the same with working out: one step at a time.”

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L a n n Dia Miller 53

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Life is meant to be lived, so live it to the fullest!

"

Dianna became an orphan at just 8 years old. “I understood at a young age that I needed to make good choices and use wisdom, as no one else was going to do this for me,” she said. She had a deep appreciation for how precious life is. To stay focused and happy, she became involved with school sports programs and church. At 18, she was involved in a serious car accident that resulted in a fracture in her lower back. “Keeping in shape and having chiropractic care kept me able to continue my active lifestyle.”

In spite of her injury, Dianna, who works as the Manager/Coowner of Miller Chiropractic Center, Inc. learned to ski on a date with her husband. By 32, she was ski racing and placing in the top 10! Today, she has hundreds of medals from ski racing competitions all over the United States.

Injuries resulted in several surgeries, yet Dianna remains committed to staying active. She takes classes at CycleYOU, does strength and core training with a stability ball, and participates in alpine skiing, mountain hiking and swimming. “Keeping fit is the only way I can continue to do the active things that I love,” she explained. “What activity do you like doing and want to keep doing?

That is your motivation.

Desire a healthy, longer, better quality of life.”

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Viki 45 o n a r o t r Ma

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We always say at home: ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day!’

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Viki, who works as the executive assistant to the president of Greer Companies, ruptured a lumbar disc 7 years ago, which required surgery to help correct. Because of this, Viki knows that she must work hard every day to maintain her strength and flexibility in order to live life fully without limitations. “I want to live a long and healthy life and enjoy retirement when it’s time,” she said. “Exercising also helps me feel better emotionally and mentally–it’s like a daily reset button.”

For Viki, one of the most important benefits of fitness has been bonding with her husband, David. “I love working out with my husband in the mornings,” she said. “It’s the best start to my day and part of our journey together as a couple.”

Juggling a career, parenting, serving as vice-president of her homeowners association and volunteer work can be difficult, but Viki always makes time for swimming, Pilates Reformer, cycling, lifting weights, walking and taking the stairs at work when possible. “Make your physical and emotional health a priority in your life,” she advises. “I would hope that my enthusiasm for exercise and living a healthy life would show others that exercise doesn’t have to be boring.”

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David 48 Martoran o

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I love setting a healthy example for my kids and community.

"

Though he lives his example every day through his work as the CEO/President of YMCA of Central Kentucky, that doesn’t necessarily mean that staying active is easy for David. “There have been times when I start and stop, then gain 20-50 pounds,” he explained. He combats this by staying focused and setting goals. “Being healthy isn’t easy, but it also isn’t hard if you make it a priority.”

With a wife and four children, David knows that the best way to stay on track is to schedule his workouts like any other appointment. He said, “Early morning is the only way to do it for me: every day, wake up at 4:30am and attend the Y at 5:30!” He enjoys swimming, biking, running with the Y, as well as doing strength work and pilates reformer.

David makes healthy eating a family commitment. “A few of our family members are gluten-free, so we look for those options at the grocery store,” he said. “I tend to focus on breakfast and postworkout nutrition as the starting point for my day.”

In addition to his work with the YMCA, David is committed to the local community. He is active with the Lexington-Fayette County Board of Health, he is a Downtown Lexington Corporation board member and serves as Chair for the Kentucky State Alliance of YMCAs. All of these commitments allow him to serve as a healthy example.

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t r a u t j. s hurt 42

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Exercise is a way to destress, decompress and put the troubles of the day behind you.

stuart, an owner and designer at house in Lexington, truly began his fitness journey when he worked closely with Noelle Dick to design the interior of CycleYOU Lexington. When they were finished, he told her “… if I am going to design it, I am going to live it.” He has maintained 4 days a week at CycleYOU, rotating Cycle, FIT and TRX classes. He also serves as a swimming instructor for 5-9 year olds at the North Side YMCA, all on top of running a successful business.

He is a man about town, heading from the store out to visit with clients at their homes, wedding venues and project sites even on weekends, making it difficult to fit fitness in, but stuart makes it a priority!

“I, thankfully, have not had any major health issues, but many of my friends and family have been affected with different types of cancer,” stuart, a volunteer for the American Cancer Society, explained. “Knowing this and seeing this prompted me to start a routine to be the best I can be, mind and body.”

This year, stuart challenged himself to run five 5K races and one 10K. “I completed them all!” He added, “My first 5K took me 51 minutes. The last I completed in 27 minutes!” He is excited with the results and credits his regular exercise routines with his success. “Some days are hard, but pushing through always gets me the results that my body needs.”

For anyone looking to get started, stuart’s advice is simple: “Take. The. First.

Step. Just Move!! Maintaining some sort of movement is great for anyone.”

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Julie 49 Thornhill

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Fitness keeps my mind straight and my body healthy.

"

“I grew up here in Lexington and have always been involved with different types of sports,” Julie explained. “I tried running, but didn’t love it until after my children were born. I joined a running group and ended up meeting so many great people that I am still close with today!”

Julie found running to be a fun way to socialize while staying fit. She has run many different races, from 5Ks to marathons, always enjoying the camaraderie of the training groups. “It always helps to have accountability,” she advises.

“I have struggled with a bad lower back, but regular hot yoga has helped me in this area,” Julie said. She tries to attend Sterling Hot Yoga at least three days a week. She also plays tennis, goes cycling, does group weight classes at Fit Fusion and does TRX at CycleYOU. “I tell people all the time that I am trying to ‘hit all body parts’ and keep them all moving!”

Julie has two sons in college and one in high school.

Throughout their childhoods, she was always active in their school activities, and she has served as a fitness role model for them. "They think it is great that I stay fit, and as a result, they all workout, too," she said. Even her husband, who works in medical sales, gets in on the fun. "We all just did the Thoroughbred Classic as a family."

Before becoming a Realtor with Turf Town Properties, Julie was a Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator. Because of this, her diet includes all the food groups, focusing on lean meats, fruits, veggies and whole grains while enjoying everything in moderation.

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Walter 3 5 r e m l a P

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Many of the health problems that people face can be addressed with training.

"

“The science and medical communities are coming to the realization of the importance of maintaining strength as we age,” Walter, President of PCG Solutions, Inc. explained. As a certified Starting Strength Coach, Walter advocates for the importance of resistance training with barbells. He enjoys heavy weights, including squats, presses and deadlifts.

Walter also serves as a coach for his dad, Dave. “My father is pretty inspirational,” Walter explained. “When you adjust for his age and size, his deadlift is probably stronger than mine!” Walter believes he is helping people like Dave feel great at a time in their lives when many people don’t feel as vibrant. “Strength is very functional and can mean the difference between being able to get out of a chair when you are 70.”

Walter is thrilled that his 15-year-old daughter will soon be participating in her first powerlifting competition with both her father and her grandfather, Dave, in January. They've enjoyed making fitness a family activity.

For anyone looking to start their fitness journey, Walter recommends prioritization, programming and routine. “Find a qualified coach who can help you develop a program. Don’t just meander about doing this and that without a plan,” he said. Walter travels a lot for his business consulting work, but always remembers to take his fitness gear and makes finding a gym while he is on the road a priority. “Just going when you feel like it or think of it is not going to produce sustainable results.”

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Dave 78 Palmer

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Getting old is tough.

Strength helps.

"

Dave and his son, Walter, make fitness a family activity. “I’ve lifted weights for years. I started working out with my son, a certified strength coach, on getting stronger,” Dave said. He is now in the gym twice a week. “I’m at an age where many of my friends and colleagues are dealing with tough illnesses and injuries. I do what I can to protect myself,” he explained. He has also been running since he was 40, and it has become a passion of his.

Dave retired from IBM and and the US Air Force. He has volunteered for many years at Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital, helping them with adaptive technology for clients who have special needs. In the past three years, Dave has lost a significant amount of his eyesight, leaving him unable to drive. He now has to use assistive technology to read and it has impacted his ability to enjoy some of his favorite activities. In spite of this, he still remains active and enjoys new challenges. He did his first power lifting competition last year and still does road races. “I hope to lift 330 lbs. at my next competition and get my 5k time back down to a respectable level,” he explained. The fitness buff is expecting his first great-grandchild in March.

For anyone looking to get more fit, Dave’s advice is simple: “Do something. Find a trainer who can help you develop a program and then make it a priority.”

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Dr. Paul A. Kearney 63

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This is your health.

Nobody seems to miss it until it is gone!

"

Paul Kearney, MD, D. Sci, MS, FACS is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Surgery On Sunday, Inc., a not for profit program providing outpatient surgical procedures free of charge for people unable to afford health care. He is also a Profession or Surgery, Section of Acute Care Surgery at the University of Kentucky. With his background in healthcare, he knows firsthand how important it is to stay physically fit. “If you are not healthy, you cannot stay focused and mentally sharp,” he said.

“This is so important as you get older. In my chosen profession of trauma surgery, it is essential.”

With Paul’s blended family, four dogs, young grandchild (with another on the way) and demanding career, it’s essential for him to make fitness a priority. “It is not hard to find 20-40 minutes in a day to complete an exercise routine,” he said. “If necessary, workout in small spurts. I could be found doing situps, pushups, pullups and stretches in my office!”

He is proud to be able to accomplish so much at his age. “I am 63 and I can do 50 pushups, no sweat!” He added, “Personal health must come first. I want to be around to see my grandchildren.”

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Dee 45 n a m k c e B

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Exercise is a celebration of what your body can do. Not a punishment for what you ate.

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Dee has a family history of obesity, and she was overweight as a teen. “When I entered college, I was tired of feeling bad. My weight was preventing me from doing things that I really wanted to do,” she explained. “So I made the decision to be healthy.”

She began to educate herself and got moving. “I knew almost nothing about nutrition and exercise, so I read anything I could find–I still do.”

Now, Dee makes fitness a priority for her family (and to be able to take care of her “Green Acres” farm that includes miniature donkeys, goats and pigs). “I have tried to be a good role model for my daughter in teaching her about nutrition and that being fit is about being strong and healthy, not skinny.”

Dee, a nurse for over 20 years who now serves as the Director/Chair of the Institutional Review Board at Baptist Health Lexington, is gluten, dairy and nut free and her meals focus primarily on organic fruits and vegetables as well as antibioticfree meats. She works out twice a week with Josh Bowen at Aspire Fitness and three days a week, she either hops on her own treadmill or the stairmill at HealthWorRx. “Start where you are today,” Dee advises. “Eventually, you will amaze yourself with what you are capable of doing.”

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Billy White 55

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Age can make a person reevaluate what is important.

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“To be 55 and be in pretty good shape feels great,” Billy explained. “It really helps me mentally when I am physically sound and fit. I can handle day-to-day challenges better when I feel good physically.”

As a husband with two children in college, one child in high school and an eleven-year-old Australian Shepherd, Billy has plenty in his personal life to keep him busy, all on top of being an owner and partner in local Lexington eateries Jimmy John's and Uncle Maddio's Lexington, splitting much of his time between here and Chicago. For Billy, making time for his fitness helped him put his whole life in order. “Exercise has to become part of your routine. Once you do that, it is easier to balance all aspects of your life,” he said.

Billy works out two times a week with trainer Josh Bowen at Aspire Fitness. Billy said, “JB takes no prisoners when you are on his time at Aspire!” In addition to lifting and training, Billy likes to run, bike and swim. He also eats fish and lots of vegetables to keep himself feeling his best.

For beginners, Billy encourages starting small. “If a walk around the block gets your heart rate up, then that’s a good place to start. It doesn’t have to be a huge commitment to get going,” he explained. “There’s nothing worse for your long-term motivation than trying to do too much, too soon.”

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3 6 i k c i V h t o o B s n i Blev

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A good, healthy life comes from positive and healthy relationships, finding your passion and loving who you are!

"

“My ‘aha’ moment came after the birth of my third child,” Vicki said. “I realized that I needed to focus on my health and incorporated fitness into my lifestyle in order to keep up with three small children.” She started jogging, teaching aerobic classes and took up martial arts training with her family.

Vicki, the Executive Director of Kentucky CancerLink, Inc. currently attends shred and spinning classes at Strong Shop Fitness. She has worked out early mornings for the past 15 years on the “buddy system” with her daughter. “I find that getting my workout in early morning makes for a great day. I feel healthy, happy and ready mentally for whatever the day brings my way,” she explained. “Fitness not only gives you a healthy body: it improves your mental health.”

Working for Kentucky CancerLink, Vicki has seen firsthand how devastating the diagnosis can be. “Cancer is such a horrible disease and although not preventable, we can do many things to decrease our chances of getting cancer or improve our outcomes if we are diagnosed with cancer,” she explained. “I want to do all that I can to stay healthy, so that if or when I may have to face a serious illness, I will be ahead by being healthy.”

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Grace Gibbs 50

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When I’m fit, I simply feel better and I know that carries over to every other aspect of my life.

"

“After graduating medical school in 2001, it had become very apparent to me that my life wasn’t in balance, especially taking care of myself. Long hours, high stress, and not eating well had become the norm,” Grace explained. She knew she had to make a healthy lifestyle a priority. She began food journaling and walking daily. She then began working out with a trainer once a week, which really motivated her to keep going. “The time for fitness was there: I just had to be smarter about making it a priority in my day.”

Grace works as an obstetrics and gynecology physician at Lexington Women's Health and serves as a Lieutenant Colonel and Flight Surgeon with the Kentucky National Guard. This past August, Grace underwent a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery due to breast cancer. Prior to surgery, she was taking fitness classes two times a week at Bodyfit Punch and walking in the evenings five nights a week. “I have been given the ‘go ahead’ to start these once again in early January.”

“I think we are more accountable to ourselves when we see it on paper. Begin with one small change and write everything down. Also, you have to have a ‘why’,” Grace advises. “I want to be healthy in my old age. When I eventually retire, I want to be able to continue doings the things I’m doing now.”

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James Diehl 49

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We only go through this world in one body, so I prefer to be active.

"

James, who works as a senior bio-pharmaceutical representative, believes that his most important competition is himself. “I simply compete with the guy in the mirror, always trying to better myself,” he explained. “It doesn’t really matter what anyone else does: I am not them.”

James plays men’s competitive soccer and co-ed recreational soccer. He’s participated in over 60 games a year for the last twenty years. “I am just excited to compete at the level I can today,” he said. He believes staying fit helps him live better, mentally, physically and emotionally. “I play soccer with a bunch of twenty-somethings! The camaraderie is great, beyond the physical benefits.”

James is active in spite of having asthma. He has two sons, a freshman in college and a junior in high school, as well as a four-year-old Great Dane. James lost his wife in 2008 to ovarian cancer, so he is proud to be involved with the American Cancer Society and also the Makenna Foundation.

“It’s never too late to get in shape,” James said. “Yes, it takes time, but it took time to get out of shape, too.” He suggests picking a sport you used to love, or to learn something totally new.

“Who cares how good or bad you are? Live an enjoy it!”

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If you're anything like us, you've made more than a few resolutions for 2017. The overwhelming majority of New Year's resolutions involve self-improvement, particularly looking and feeling great. Whether your goal is to drop a few inches, to feel your best or to simply try something new, we have some great ideas to share to help you on your journey... here's to a fresh start!

Arthur Murray Dance Studio

859.278.7711 | LexingtonArthurMurray.com This year, it’s time to try something different to stay in shape! Ballroom Dancing is fast becoming one of the most popular sports to lose weight, stay fit, and have fun!

Curious why you should dance for fitness? Dancing with or without a partner during a private lesson will burn an average of anywhere from 450–600 calories at a time. Most students find that dancing is the equivalent of walking a mile and a half! It helps improve your posture and body alignment, strengthening your body’s core abdominal muscles.

Dancing offers many health benefits. Dancing improves the cardiovascular system, helping to prevent heart disease and has been scientifically proven to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease in older people who dance on a regular basis! It’s a great stress reliever, as well.

With so many different dances like Tango, Waltz, Rumba, Samba, and Quick Step, there is something for everyone. Take the first step—if you can walk, you can dance! Don’t miss the chance to enjoy learning to dance!

Try a free private lesson and see how easy and fun it can be with Lexington’s favorite dance studio!

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Plastic Surgeons of Lexington

There is a new option for hair loss and it restores your own hair without surgery!

Plastic Surgeons of Lexington, the original Plastic Surgery practice in Central and Eastern Kentucky, is comprised of three Board Certified surgeons. They are the first and only practice in Lexington to offer NeoGraft for Hair Transplantation for patients with hair loss. Dr. Joseph Hill and Dr. Michael Lynch introduced NeoGraft into their practice in July of 2016 after seeing patients with hair loss struggle to find an effective and minimally invasive solution.

NeoGraft works by using the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) method. The NeoGraft Automated Hair Transplantation Device removes individual hair follicles from the scalp in their naturally occurring groupings (about 1-4 hairs). Once removed, the follicles are then placed in the areas of the scalp where thinning or balding occurs. This is the least invasive procedure for hair transplantation and causes little to no discomfort for the patient. Because there are no stitches, staples, or linear scarring, the results are much more natural looking. In addition, the recovery time is shorter with less restrictions on normal day-to-day activities.

Hair loss can often affect confidence and self-esteem. NeoGraft is a gentle and effective procedure to help regrow fuller, natural looking hair that can improve selfimage and quality of life. In order to find out more information about NeoGraft or to schedule a consultation, call Plastic Surgeons of Lexington today.

1401 Harrodsburg Rd. Suite B 75 | 859.276.3883 | plasticsurgeonsoexington.com

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Dr. Susan Neil

859.278.6345 | susanneilmd.com The Holidays are over and the New Year is a time to focus on fitness and wellness goals. Dr. Susan Neil is proud to offer SculpSure, a breakthrough in light-based body contouring, designed to reduce stubborn fat in problem areas such as the abdomen and love handles, helping patients achieve a slimmer and natural looking appearance without surgery or downtime.

Each treatment takes only 25 minutes and results are seen between 6-12 weeks. Patients recall less pain during and after treatments than any other fat destruction treatment. Paired with a healthy diet and exercise, you will be well on your way to a New You this year!

Visit Dr. Susan Neil at 2101 Nicholasville Rd. #206 in Lexington, or give her a call today to learn more about SculpSure.

Creative Yoga

859.281.0005 | Creative-Yoga.com Ready for some hot, sweaty fun?

The staff at Creative Yoga believes the most reliable way to predict the future is to create it! Join them today to create a better you in 2017.

They are passionate about providing consistently excellent teaching, accessible classes and a yoga home that welcomes everyone, in a judgement-free environment. All classes are open to all levels.

Creative Yoga’s studio is heated for maximum health benefits, including enhanced flexibility and increased circulation, making it perfect for people who are new to yoga. The studio features premium flooring with a non-slip surface designed for extra joint support.

Not sure about hot yoga? Don't be intimidated! The staff can answer any question you may have about this fun, relaxing workout. They encourage anyone who needs a break to take one and hydrate, so their classes are very approachable for beginners!

The teachers at Creative Yoga have trained under the leading yoga programs. With more then 25 hot yoga classes a week, they have a class that fits any schedule. Shop their website for yoga and fitness needs, or visit them today on the corner of Clay Avenue and Main Street in Lexington.

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Justice Dental

It’s easy to assume that outside of Manhattan or Beverly Hills there isn’t access to the best dental care - Enter Dr. Laura Justice. As an official dentist to the Miss Kentucky Pageant, Dr. Justice works closely with local and national television celebrities right from her Lexington based practice.

“I guess what has gotten me where I am today is an unswerving passion for mastery in my profession and the willingness to put in the hours to get there.” she said.

As one of 65 Accredited Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry members in the world and a recipient of the distin-

guished Dental Products Report’s “Top 25 Women in Dentistry” title, Dr. Justice has quickly become one of the nation’s leading dentists.

“My desire has always been to try to duplicate the natural form of teeth in an attempt to recreate what God designed,” she said. “I love the fact that it involves both art and engineering.”

Dr. Justice’s mastery in cosmetic dentistry as well as patient comfort has allowed her to not only change lives in Lexington, but all over the United States. To schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Justice, visit DoYourSmileJustice.com.

3285 Blazer Parkway Ste. 200 | 859.303.9539 | DoYourSmileJustice.com

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TOPS

by Sarah Boerkircher

Visually Impaired Preschool Services helps blind and visually impaired children reach their highest potential.

"M

y wish is that no one ever has to use our services,” said Kelly Easton, VIPS’ regional director for Central Kentucky. Visually Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS) is the only agency in Kentucky and Indiana that provides regular and ongoing early intervention services to children, birth to 5, who are blind or visually impaired.

“However, if a parent or family receives a diagnosis that their child is blind or visually impaired, I want to be sure that VIPS is the first resource that they think of to call."

Certified teachers, who specialize in early childhood education, show these children how to use their remaining vision and other senses to learn about the world around them.

Parents and caregivers also learn about their child’s diagnosis and are given tools for continuing the education at home, which helps them gain a better understanding of how to be an advocate for their child.

After defeating death, Natalan is now blind?”

Defeating the odds In September 2015, Natasha Hendren gave birth to a baby girl named Natalan. Natasha’s water broke at only 14 weeks of pregnancy. Fortunately, she was able to carry Natalan until 30 weeks.

After what was a long and hard fought battle, Natalan defeated so many odds that were against her.

“There was a time I was facing losing my child,” said Natasha. “I

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But Natalan made a complete turn around. After 72 days in the NICU, she got to go home. Natasha explained that she was so wrapped up in the fact that Natalan actually lived that nothing could have brought her down. Nothing that is until her husband said, “I think there is something wrong with Natalan.”

Natasha’s husband asked her if she had ever noticed that Natalan’s eyes darted back and forth. Natasha admits she hadn't noticed because she didn’t want “The doctor said that to notice. They decided to take the baby to Natalan was blind. My the doctor. Natalan’s primary care physician called her condition “nystagmus” and referred heart couldn’t take it. her to ophthalmology.

"VIPS is a lifeline for families: we help them navigate through this new reality. We want them to know that everything is going to be okay, and while their child may do things differently and in their own time, they will achieve their highest potential,” Easton explained.

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didn’t know how I was going to handle it if I lost her.”

“Natalan would never make eye contact and it appeared as if she would look right through people and not see anything at all,” said Natasha. “I guess I was so happy that Natalan lived that I didn’t even notice those things. I was usually holding her so tight against my chest and thanking God for letting her live that I never took the time to notice she had vision issues.”

What Natasha thought was going to be a simple checkup turned into a life-changing appointment. The doctor told Natasha that Natalan was blind.

“I held my daughter and sobbed. Once again my heart was crushed.”

A hopeful journey Natasha had heard of Visually Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS) but honestly, she had doubts. Although Natasha felt hopeless, she knew the only option she had was to get Natalan into vision therapy.

Harper with Lesley Lusher, Little Learner’s Teacher & Developmental Interventionist “We met with the coordinator to come up with goals before we started the program. She explained to me that VIPS was family driven, so it was the goals that my husband and I wanted to make.”

“I didn’t even want to set goals,” she said. “Why would I do that only for them not to be met and be faced with more disappointment? My exact words were, ‘You mean goals that are realistic or what I really want her to be able to do?’”

The day came for the family’s first vision therapy session. Little did they know that they were about to start a journey that would change their lives forever: hope and happiness was on the way.

Dixie Miller, developmental interventionist at VIPS, began a general assessment of Natalan. Like the other times before, Natalan did not respond. Dixie got out a red slinky and held it in front of Natalan. For the first time in Natalan’s life, she made a yelping sound and reached out her hand to grab the slinky.

“It was the first time ever that Natalan let us know that she was able to see what was in front of her,” said Natasha. “That moment meant so much to my husband and me—it gave us hope: Natalan was not blind.”

Natasha explained, “Natalan has a cortical vision impairment, which is a processing disorder. This was something my husband and I had never heard of and didn’t know anything about. It was intimidating at first, however, we have learned how we can help Natalan at home. For the first time, I felt like I was able to help my child.”

Empowering families A sighted child can grasp a complicated situation with a single glance, but it is not so easy for a child who is visually impaired.

Ninety percent of what a child learns is through his or her vision and 80 percent of brain development takes place in the first five years of life.

VIPS’ Central Kentucky office serves children in 65 counties through direct and early intervention visits in a child’s home or childcare setting. Infants and toddlers with a visual impairment are at risk of experiencing delays in all areas of development, so early detection is key.

From birth to age three, children receive home visits from a Teacher

The Borders Family of the Visually Impaired (TVI) or Developmental Interventionist (DI). In-home intervention services assist the family in integrating interventional strategies into the child’s daily routines and activities, while the Little Learners program allows children to begin to find comfort in the classroom while learning age-appropriate academic, developmental and social skills. VIPS teachers observe and assess how a child uses his or her vision to perform different tasks, activities and routines. This allows them to work on helping children to achieve crucial developmental milestones despite their visual impairments .

VIPS can also provide a certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) to children with low to no vision who may need help in learning how to navigate their environment. It is the goal of VIPS for every child who is blind or visually impaired in Kentucky and Indiana to meet developmental milestones and to be “preschool/ kindergarten ready” by the time they graduate from VIPS’ services.

From a bimonthly email news blast to a quarterly published newsletter to numerous family events throughout the year that are open to past and present VIPS children and their siblings, VIPS wants to be sure parents have access to a wealth of materials and information. As Kelly explained, one of the biggest resources VIPS provides parents is access to other families who share similar experiences and knowledge.

“VIPS not only empowers the children we teach, but their parents and families,” said Kelly. “While the journey may be a little different, VIPS helps parents see that their child will reach their highest potential.”

Harper’s story After a normal pregnancy and birth, Sarah and Landon Borders were thrilled to bring home a little sister, Harper, to their son Davis. At two months of age, Landon and Sarah noticed that Harper had rapid, involuntary eye movements; Nystagmus, similar to the ticking pattern of the second hand on a clock, meant that Harper could not focus her eyes.

After a visit to the Kentucky Children’s Hospital at the University of Kentucky, an MRI revealed that Harper’s cerebellum had not developed properly and she was diagnosed with a rare genetic dis-

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"VIPS' scope is so much more than just therapy. They giv children with visual impairment the opportunity to attend playgroups, summer camps and holiday parties." order called Joubert Syndrome ( JS). JS is a relatively new genetic disorder with the incidence rate being approximately one case out of every 80,000 births.

Harper was referred to VIPS by her ophthalmologist and began working with a teacher for the visually impaired at six months of age.

“I felt great comfort the first time I met Harper’s VIPS teacher,” said Sarah. “Harper’s teacher assured me that Harper did have some vision, which she could tell just by Harper’s breathing patterns.”

Harper and her VIPS teacher began working on tracking objects, determining the best visual fields for Harper, and then their work progressed to toy activation, picture identification and alternative ways of communicating because Harper is non-verbal.

“VIPS’ scope is so much more than just therapy,” said Sarah. “VIPS gives Harper, and other children with visual impairment, the op-

portunity to attend playgroups, summer camps and holiday parties.”

Earlier this year, VIPS began a classroom group called Little Learners, which Harper attended twice a week until she turned three.

“I give VIPS and Little Learners all the credit for making this transition into preschool so seamless,” Sarah said. “VIPS has been instrumental in educating us about the resources available to Harper within the community as well as providing the teaching tools necessary to monitor Harper’s visual development.”

Today, Harper is three-and-half-years-old and is enrolled in the Fayette County public school system. She enjoys many of the same things as others her age such as swimming, being outside, going to the movies and watching her favorite TV shows. She is learning to walk with assistance and has taught her family and friends to live life one day at a time.

Are you interested in giving to Visually Impaired Preschool Services?

Donations can be made by visiting the VIPS website, www.vips.org, and clicking "Donate" under the "How to Help" tab or by mailing a check directly to the VIPS offices at 350 Henry Clay Blvd, Lexington KY 40502.

Save the Date: VIPS-Central Kentucky’s 14th Annual Golf Outing : Tuesday, May 9, 2017

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cuisine

Dining: middle fork kitchen bar 104

A Taste of Thyme: Gluten-Free English Muffins 108

Skinny Mom: Superfoods Detox Soup 109

Southern Lady Cooks: Maple Pecan Pancake Bake 110

TOP 5 Dining: Mediterranean 112

Beer of the Month: Elysian Space Dust IPA 114

Wine of the Month: Leese-Fitch Firehouse Red Wine 115

DINING middle fork kitchen bar

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Mark Jensen has been around restaurants for as long as he can remember. Still, for a while he thought he should try to make a living doing something a bit more “serious.” So he worked on a Ph.D. in botany for several years and eventually ended up teaching at Morehead State University.

It’s what brought him to Kentucky 18 years ago, and though he did switch careers, he never left the Bluegrass State.

by Susie Hillard Bullock

For the last 18 months, he’s been the owner and executive chef at middle fork kitchen bar cq at 1224 Manchester Street in downtown Lexington. Patrons of the food truck scene may recall Fork In The Road, Mark’s food truck that he operated for three years. Prior to that, he worked in the catering business.

“Cooking the food, loading it into the truck, setting up on site, service, breaking it all down, then driving back to a commercial kitchen and unloading it at the end of every day got old,” Mark explained. Over the course of 36 months, he developed a strong

Andrew Kung Photography

following of customers and the confidence that he could be successful running his own bricks-and-mortar restaurant.

He knew he wanted to be downtown and chose space on the Pepper campus in the historic bourbon distillery district. Two years ago, he parked the truck and began the six-month process of designing the interior and buying equipment. With help from architect Rebecca Burnworth, he served up the first meal at Middle Fork 18 months ago.

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Photo by Kirk Schlea courtesy of VisitLEX

When the weather is nice, diners can catch a glimpse of the Town Branch, otherwise named the Middle Fork of the Elkhorn River, from the patio.

“At first, a lot of our business was people who were in Lexington on business or for other reasons,” Mark said. “The hotels were very good about recommending us to their guests.”

Those out-of-towners, especially ones from larger cities, seemed to have a greater appreciation for Middle Fork’s cuisine. As word spread about the new restaurant’s innovative kitchen, more and more local diners began showing up—and coming back— to tip the scales in the opposite direction.

Mark takes pride in local farmers and supports them by buying meat and vegetables from them.

He and his team change the menu weekly and quarterly to keep things interesting and to take advantage of the day-to-day and seasonal harvest.

All meat—lamb, duck, sausage, beef, chicken-- is cooked over an open flame fed by wood stacked on the patio. Seafood is flown in overnight from Florida and Alaska. “We prepare everything with fresh, quality ingredients,” Mark said.

Photo by Kirk Schlea courtesy of VisitLEX

Middle Fork is open from 5-10 pm daily except Wednesday.

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“Even though we change our menu with the seasons, there are a few dishes we simply can not change,” he continued. “ Our fire roasted chicken and mirin-lime braised pork belly are on the menu year around-- both really delicious and representing different sides of our cooking style.

The chicken is farmhouse-rustic while the pork belly is a little more urbane and complex. I'm very thankful for the great response people have to them.”

People who have trouble deciding which dessert to order love Middle Fork. The only decision is whether to order a smaller plate or a larger board that contains a little of everything.

Middle Fork will offer “Seasonal Sunday Suppers” after the holidays. Mark just discontinued “Comfortably Late Breakfast” at 11 a.m. Sunday; it will return in the fall.

When the weather is nice, diners can catch a glimpse of the Town Branch, otherwise named the Middle Fork of the Elkhorn River, from the patio. Lexington was founded there in 1775.

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Gluten-Free

English Muffins topped with Guacamole and Salmon Salad

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t comes around every year, just after the holidays; it’s those (dreaded) New Year’s resolutions. It’s time to hit the reset button. Look at it this way: if 2016 didn’t go so hot, this is the time to set things in line so 2017 starts off on the right track. The word “resolution” gets thrown around a lot, but I like to think of it as just refocusing energy on areas you want to improve. In my case, it’s eating gluten and dairy free. I have heard so many people mention their need to lose weight or that think they need to eliminate certain foods, but CANNOT give up bread!

I hear ya, but just because you are going gluten-free doesn’t mean you have to give up bread. Try these gluten-free English muffins topped with a guacamole and salmon salad. Keep in Allison Davis mind it’s about progress, not by Chic Chef perfection! wildthymecooking.com

Ingredients: 6 eggs 6 tsp coconut flour 2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt

Pinch of Paprika, garlic, and dried basil (add red pepper flake if you like a little spice)

2 Tbsp of coconut oil for searing edges

3 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional, but gives it a cheesy flavor)

Preparation: Whisk eggs, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, nutritional yeast and spices in a medium bowl vigorously until well combined.

Pour contents of egg mixture into a greased or non-stick muffin pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes or until they have risen and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Once the muffins are cool enough to handle, slice in half. Preheat a non stick or stainless steel saute pan with 2 Tbsp of coconut oil on a medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, place the muffins in the pan cut side down and allow the edges to sear and crisp. Remove and serve immediately.

You could top this with anything.... bacon and eggs, smoked salmon and goat cheese, sliced ham and honey dijon.

I topped mine with a tablespoon of Guacamole from Trader Joe’s on each half (total count of 3) and whipped up a quick salmon salad by using a 1/2 can of Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon, mixed with fresh dill (1/2 a bunch), 2 Tbsp capers, and about a 1/4 of a red onion sliced. Mix together in a bowl and serve on top of the guacamole on the seared English muffins.

Beats the heck out of bagels and lox any day and it’s guilt free! Here’s to 2017!

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Superfood Detox Soup Looking for a detox-friendly recipe? We’ve got the perfect one! This soup is full of powerful superfoods that kickstart your metabolism and deliver tons of cleansing nutrients and fiber. Think: kale, cabbage, lentils, beans, sweet potatoes… the list goes on and on!

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 35-40 minutes Ingredients: 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 1 onion, diced 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed 1 red bell pepper, diced 4 cups water 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 cup lentils, dried 2 teaspoons cumin ¼ teaspoon salt black pepper, to taste 2 cups cabbage, shredded 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 4 cups kale, coarsely chopped ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes Preparation: Heat a large stockpot over medium heat and add the oil, onion, sweet potato, and red bell pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the potatoes soften and take on color.

Add the water, chicken broth, lentils, cumin, salt and black pepper and bring to a boil, then reduce to low for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes and lentils are tender.

Add the cabbage and beans and continue simmering for 4-6 minutes.

by Brooke Griffin, Skinny Mom

Griffin is originally from Corbin, Kentucky and strives to educate, motivate and inspire other moms to live their healthiest life.

Add the kale and red pepper flakes, taste for seasoning, and simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until the kale is wilted.

8 servings | Nutrition Facts based on a 1 ¼ cup serving Calories 201 | Fat 2g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 212 mg | Fiber 8g Carbohydrates 37g | Sugar 4g | Protein 11g | Smart Points: 6

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Maple Pecan Pancake Bake Ingredients: 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1 ½ cups of Bisquick® Baking Mix 1 Tablespoon of sugar 3/4 cup of buttermilk 1/4 cup of maple syrup 1/2 cup of pecans, chopped 3-4 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled

This Maple Pecan Pancake Bake is the perfect recipe for brunch or a family gathering. Instead of standing over the stove making pancakes, you can make a lot at one time. This recipe is very versatile so you can make the pancakes to your liking. We love the combination of maple syrup and pecans topped with bacon!

Preparation: Preheat oven to 425° F. Combine first 6 ingredients in bowl and mix well. Spray 13 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray and then pour in mixture. Bake for 12 minutes. Add crumbled bacon to top and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until knife comes out clean in the center. Don’t expect this recipe to rise a lot; it is the consistency of a pancake.

Cut into squares and serve with maple syrup on top.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Judy Yeager of The Southern Lady Cooks had no idea when she started her food blog in 2008, that she would have such an amazing following... 800k and growing on Facebook!

She loves to feature many traditional Southern recipes, along with family recipes and dishes created in her Kentucky Kitchen. She has two published cookbooks and a third on the way!

For more great Southern Lady recipes, visit www.TheSouthernLadyCooks.com

by Judy Yeager The Southern Lady Cooks

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TOP 5 Dining:

Mediterranean

by Amanda Harper

Athenian Grill Chef Ilias Papas grew up in a small town near Athens, Greece, watching his mom cook lamb on the oven fire. He brings the same dedication to fresh, authentic Greek food to the menus at Athenian Grill. Their gyros offer a variety of fillings, including Pork Souvlaki, Athenian Lamb, Greek Sausage and vegetarian choices, like sautéed seasonal vegetables and hummus. For a heartier choice, try the Mousaka, featuring sautéed eggplant layered with beef and lamb, baked in béchamel sauce and served with a side salad and your choice of sides.

115 N. Locust Hill Dr. • (859) 368-9725 313 S. Ashland Ave. • (859) 303-5048 • atheniangrill.com

Oasis Restaurant

Sahara Mediterranean Cuisine

Conceived for the senses, the menu spans a range of traditional Mediterranean dishes that are waiting to be discovered. The chef ’s specialty Oasis Mezza Sampler offers a taste of hummus, baba ghannouj, falafel, veggie grape leaves and Tabbouli. The Fattoush with Chicken Shawarma is a salad of romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, parsley and olive oil dressing, served with toasted pita and chicken Shawarma, which is marinated in seasoning and slowly cooked on a vertical skewer. For a light lunch, try any of their delicious Pita-Wiches.

Located in Beaumont, Sahara offers a casual take on Mediterranean grub. Their sandwich wraps are a great choice, whether dining in or on the go: the Kufta-Lamb Kebab features ground lamb, seasoned, skewered and grilled, wrapped in a pita with lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion and tahini sauce. Locals love Sahara’s lunch special featuring your choice of main protein (with choices ranging from their signature falafel to lamb and beef Shawarma), served with hummus, Greek salad, seasoned rice, garlic sauce and pita.

837 Chevy Chase Pl. • (859) 269-6440 • oasisrestaurant.net

3061 Fieldstone Way • (859) 224-1138

Gyroz Mediterranean Eatery

Taziki’s Mediterranean Café

While the Gyroz menu is deceptively simple, their food is robust and a true hidden gem in Lexington. The Garden Feta Sandwich features feta cheese, tomatoes, garden spinach, lettuce, onions, a drizzle of olive oil and Greek dressing: make it a combo with fries and a drink! Their platters are a filling choice; the Gyro Platter features a mixture of seasoned beef and lamb or seasoned chicken, slowly grilled on a vertical skewer before being thinly sliced and placed over rice and served with a garlic sauce. Their sides make customizing your order a delight, with choices like Stuffed Grape Leaves, Tabouli and Lentil Soup.

Taziki’s offers a menu that embraces the “Mediterranean Lifestyle”.

Their Chargrilled Lamb is a can’t-miss with fresh grilled lamb, carefully seasoned and topped with their homemade skordalia sauce, served up with your choice of basmati rice or roasted new potatoes. Their Mediterranean Deli options are perfect for a fresh, light lunch or dinner: try the Grilled Tilapia with Caper-Dill Sauce served with tomato and lettuce on a kaiser bun. Families will love Taziki’s Fresh Take-Home Dinners for 4, all under $35.

And be sure to check the chalkboard for daily specials!

393 Waller Ave. • (859) 254-4976

117 Southland Dr. • (859) 286-3082 • tazikiscafe.com

Hungry for more? Check out our Dining Guide at topsinlex.com!

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life + style

Wow Wedding: Lyndsey & Cage Wedding Trends: Well Heeled Shoes Outfit of the Month: Winter Wonder-Glam

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Before Lyndsey and Cage Cruise met, several mutual friends in Lexington intended to set them up but never did. They were both in the equine world, with Lyndsey working as a Pharmaceutical Territory Manager and Cage, an Equine Veterinarian Podiatrist. When they finally met, it happened far from home, in Utah at a veterinarian conference. At least ten different people introduced them on the same day. Lyndsey and Cage sat together on the return flight to Lexington, went on a date the following week, and from that point on, were inseparable.

Cage proposed to Lyndsey on July 24, 2015. That day, Lyndsey remembers Cage was uncharacteristically quiet.

Plus, he wrote her a romantic letter detailing how much he loved her, something that was incredibly sweet, but unexpected. He continued to be strangely silent that evening, after inviting Lyndsey to watch the sun set from the highest point on his farm. When she turned to ask him what was wrong, she found him on one knee. With the sun setting and a herd of cattle watching, Cage asked Lyndsey to marry him. Of course, she said yes.

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he wedding took place on May 14, 2016 at First Christian Church of Georgetown, and the day was filled with special, personalized details. Their dear friend Cheryl Roberts sang to their guests before the wedding and Lyndsey walked down the aisle to a piano version of “All of You”, by John Legend. Cage wore silver cufflinks that Lyndsey had engraved with their wedding date and “best day ever”.

For something old, the bride carried antique lace from her mother-in-law in her bouquet, bought a new garter, borrowed pearl earrings and a diamond tennis bracelet from her mother, and was gifted a blue beaded bracelet from a very special four-year-old (Cage has the bracelet that matches).

The happy couple was married by Andrew Brown, their pastor from Grace Christian Church. During the ceremony, they took communion together and said vows. Right after their first kiss as husband and wife, Cage told Lyndsey, “I love you” and the unplanned, sweet moment was captured forever on their wedding video.

The reception took place at Lexington Country Club, where guests enjoyed a cocktail hour with passed appetizers followed by a sit-down dinner.

Décor was rustic yet romantic, with plenty of candles, lanterns, and coral colored flowers. The couple placed lucky horseshoes with a poem attached with a navy ribbon at each seat. Floral arrangements showcased exposed wood and white washed birch bark with gold accents, the couple’s monogram shone down on the dance floor, and gold accents and white twinkle lights set a festive mood for the celebration of a lifetime.

When asked what advice the couple would offer to those planning a wedding, the bride said, “Do your homework on vendors. It can be stressful and seem tedious, but enjoy it and take time to make sure things are exactly how you both want it!”

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by Marsha Koller Wedding Consultant

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Winter Wonder-Glam If you’re forced to tackle the chilly nights of winter, you might as well do it in style. When attending cold weather events and parties, there’s always a bit of pressure on what to wear. You want to look fabulous, but also not terribly uncomfortable.

For this month’s look, we are here to help you find the perfect ensemble for a dressed-up evening out.

Encrusted with dazzling embellishments, Miu Miu’s little black dress is sure to steal the spotlight. It’s made from lightweight stretch silk-chiffon to a floating silhouette with long sleeves and a double-layered skirt. It’s decorated at the waist with an explosion of silver-tone metal studs and rainbow-hued crystals. It isn’t easy to find a sparkly party dress that you can actually move in, but this little number was made to twirl and dance the night away. And if you’re gonna boogie, then you’re gonna need one killer pair of dancing shoes.

Oscar Tiye’s ‘Minnie’ sandals are punctuated with round appliqués at the back to resemble everyone’s favorite and most fashionable, lady mouse. Crafted in Italy, this leather pair is saturated in red, gold and black glitter that catch the light with every step.

We wanted our bag to pop, fizz, and clink, so Betsey Johnson’s Cheers! wristlet was any easy choice. What better way to celebrate a fun occasion than with this whimsical, bubbly bag?

To complement the firework effect on our festive dress, a pair of statement making earrings is a must. These long drop earrings by Suzanne Kalan feature a kinetic concatenation of baguette diamonds set in a pattern resembling lightning bolts.

In other words, these sparklers are simply electrifying.

Polishing off our look on yet another bold note, is our pop of pink lip color. NARS ‘Audacious’ lipstick has a luxurious pigment-rich formula that glides on to impart intense, full coverage color in just one stroke. Getting adventurous with your makeup is always a fun way to spice up your usual day to day look.

No matter what your plans are, whether you’re hitting a grand party or just celebrating with friends, in this outfit you’ll be the epitome of ‘Winter Wonder-Glam’.

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by Jesse L. Brooks

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MIU MIU plunging embellished silk mini dress SUZANNE KALAN ‘Fireworks’ long drop diamond earrings NARS Audacious Lipstick in ‘Michiyo’ BETSEY JOHNSON Cheers! Wristlet OSCAR TIYE ‘Minnie’ glittered leather sandals

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family

Family Cares Spotlight: AHA Heart Ball 130

Super Mom: Nancy Cox

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In The Buf: Out With the Old

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Parties: Have A Kid-Friendly Super Bowl Party

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Pets: Tips for Traveling with your Pets

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White, Greer & Maggard

Featuring

Darby Turner

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he Heart Ball is known as one of the top black tie events in our community, but it’s much more than an event; it helps save lives from America’s #1 killer – heart disease.

In the fall of 2001, Darby Turner completed an early morning workout in his basement and went to the kitchen for breakfast. He felt what was seemingly indigestion and a burp that couldn’t be resolved. Darby says, “This went on for several minutes. I realized I was feeling chest pressure that I’d never experienced before. I went to waken my wife for help. She turned on the light, took one look at me and dialed 9-1-1.” As he lay there in bed, he describes developing significant discomfort in his left shoulder and arm - classic symptoms of heart attack. Darby was taken to the emergency room and it was quickly determined that he was having a cardiac event. They discovered two blockages that would need to be alleviated with stents. Darby recalls, “That was the first time I had ever been a patient in a hospital in my life. I was 53 years old, with cholesterol levels of around 155 to 160. I was physically active and maintained a proper weight. In short, I was in pretty good shape at the time.”

His story is just one of many proving that heart disease doesn’t just affect those in poor health or living an inactive lifestyle; it affects people of all ages and health profiles. Fortunately, because of the research and funding provided through the American Heart Association, heart disease can be managed more easily than in the past. Besides a regime of medications, Darby is otherwise leading a very normal, active, and productive life still.

DARBY AND CHARLOTTE TURNER

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LAURA BELL BUNDY, NICK AND NINA CLOONEY

DRS. WHITE, RUTLEDGE, MCHUGH, PRATT AND GREER OF WGM ORTHODONTICS

Due to Darby’s “Wake-Up Call,” he became an active member of the American Heart Association in multiple facets, including having been two-time Chairs of the Heart Ball alongside his wife, Charlotte. He realized how much the efforts of the American Heart Association benefitted him directly, as well as thousands of others, due to the advancements that have been made in treating heart disease and stroke. As Darby says, “We all have friends and family who have been touched by these diseases, making it all the more important to support the efforts of the American Heart Association’s research and education related to the cure and treatment of heart disease and stroke.”

While heart disease and stroke affect nearly 86 million Americans, the death rate caused by heart disease fell about 38% between 2003 and 2013, mostly due to advancements in medical research and more widespread education about the importance of living healthier lifestyles.

In Central Kentucky, the American Heart Association is improving and extending the lives of more than 588,000 people by building a culture of health in our community. This past spring, the American Heart Association spearheaded legislation that will require all Kentucky public high school students to learn CPR, putting some 40,000 sets of CPR trained hands on the streets of the Commonwealth every year. Though heart disease remains the No. 1 cause of death, more Americans now know the signs and symptoms of a heart attack and stroke, and with this new education initiative, more Kentuckians will be prepared to perform CPR when needed. This alone could save countless lives in our community.

The Central Kentucky Heart Ball is made possible by community sponsors, including the 2017 Presenting Sponsor: White, Greer & Maggard Orthodontics. Like many sponsors and attendees, White, Greer & Maggard Orthodontics has personally felt the impact of heart disease within their own staff and families, sparking their extended involvement with the Heart Ball. The 29th Annual Central Kentucky Heart Ball will be held on Friday, February 3 in downtown Lexington where the 2017 Chair Couple, Bill and Barbara Thomason from Keeneland, will join guests in honoring Darby Turner and the many affected by heart disease in our community. Join the American Heart Association for an unforgettable evening, that will feature a gourmet dinner, dancing, live music and live and silent auctions.

2017

For tickets or table sponsorship for the 2017 Heart Ball, visit the YOUR COMMUNITY tab at www.wgmortho.com.

Heart Ball Friday, Feb. 3rd

www.wgmortho.com | www.heart.org

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Television news anchor Nancy Cox has been covering stories in Lexington for nearly 25 years at WLEX-TV, the local NBC affiliate. As an anchor woman, Nancy hopes to deliver information viewers want and need to know. As a mom, Nancy is driven by her love for her children and the passion she has for her career.

“I’m blessed to have had this stressful, demanding yet thoroughly rewarding career,” Nancy said. “ I never get tired of telling stories. My goal is always to do justice to the subject. While I don’t consider myself a ‘super’ mom, I am blessed in a ‘super’ way.”

Written by Sarah Boerkircher | Photos courtesy of Nancy Cox

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Together with her husband Tom Kenny, a television anchor with the local ABC affiliate, they have two children, a 19-year-old son in his first year at Centre College and a 13-year-old daughter.Nancy’s family finds laughter and joy in just about anything they do together, including taking their Siberian Husky, Dakota, to the dog park.

“Tom and I refused to get a dog until two years ago,” Nancy said. “Our daughter put together a well-prepared argument, complete with handouts and PowerPoint. How could we say no to that? Our daughter found ‘Dakota’ at a wonderful rescue in Mercer County called Hopper’s Halfway Home.”

A typical day for Nancy starts at 6:30 a.m. to get her daughter off to school. Unless she’s too exhausted, she takes Dakota for a walk, which she explains is her favorite time of the day.

“We have a beautiful park very close to our house. While Dakota practically runs between stops to sniff every weed along the way, I listen to music, reflect on my blessings and pray. This time refreshes and energizes me for the day ahead. I’ve been promising myself every Sunday that I would get back to the ‘Y’ on Monday. I haven’t made it yet, but I rationalize that the walk with the dog has some physical as well as spiritual value.”

At 1 p.m., when either the nap or the errands are finished, Nancy gets ready for work and starts her day at WLEX around 2:30 p.m. Her afternoon quickly fills with working on future projects, discussions about upcoming events, makeup, coffee, and then she’s on the set for the 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts.

“I leave the station at 6:45 p.m. to either pick up my daughter at dance and make a quick dinner or on a night without dance, I go home and cook,” she said. “We discuss what every other family does at night: homework, dance, band, fundraisers, friends at school, tomorrow’s schedule… the difference is, our second sitter of the day arrives, so mom and dad can go back to work to prepare for the 11 p.m. news.”

On most nights, Nancy is home by midnight, but she finds it hard to go from broadcasting to the masses to falling asleep.

She uses this time to go through the mail, pet the dog, read a magazine or watch TV. So how does Nancy balance work, social, health and family obligations? Nancy has found that the biggest lie told to young women is that they can balance all of those things.

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“One day, work comes first. It has to,” Nancy said. ”The next, your son comes first or your daughter or your husband, and everyone else has to realize their turn is coming. As long as the accounts are balanced when the books are finally closed, you win. You do what you have to do, then you do the next thing.”

While balancing work and family obligations is taxing, Nancy says she wouldn’t change a thing.

“I encourage younger moms to try to take more time for their own spiritual, physical and relaxation needs—I neglected myself far too long. But don’t worry, I’m still planning to get back to the ‘Y’ on Monday!”

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by Buffy Lawson Relationship Veteran

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Have a Kid-Friendly Super Bowl Party When you think about Super Bowl Parties, the first items that might come to mind are beer, wings and a giant television! Although each of those components might be necessary for a Super Bowl Party, if you’ll be hosting some pint-size guests this year, you might want to add a few items to your party necessities. Super Bowl parties are great for kids because they are typically casual events filled with fun and food. With just a few little extra touches kids will have a great time at your party!

FOOD |

There’s no need to prepare special foods for kids. Whether you prefer wings, pizza or subs for your Super Bowl party, you don’t have to create a whole new menu for kids. For example, if you traditionally prepare wings, have a few barbeque wings or other non-spicy wings for the kids to snack on. If it’s pizza you prefer, then make sure to order a few plain cheese or pepperoni pizzas for the pickier eaters. Finally, if you traditionally make or order sub sandwiches for the Super Bowl, leave the condiments off the sandwiches. Serve mustards, mayonnaise and other condiments in small bowls on the sides so kids will be more likely to eat the sandwiches. Also, cut the sandwich into smaller portions that are easily managed by smaller hands!

Additionally, you’ll want to serve some kid friendly side items. Set out some fresh fruits and vegetables to go along with the dips. Encourage kids to fill their plates with not just chips, but also healthier fruits and vegetables. For drinks, serve juice boxes or water bottles to the kids.

ACTIVITIES |

If you have some serious football fans, plan on two separate viewing areas for the game. Set up one viewing area this is kid and party friendly. Then, make the separate viewing room as a kid-free zone for the hard core football fanatics.

Kids may start to get tired of the football game, so have a few extra activities planned for them.

For example, print out our free Football Smackdown printable for kids to fill out during the game. Award a prize at the end of the evening for the kids with the most correct answers. Another idea is to play I-Spy during the football game. Tell the kids to search for items or objects during the game that start with each letter of the alphabet. Give them a sheet of paper to write down each item as they find them. Finally, during half time, play knee football. Players have get a foam football into the other team’s end zone without leaving their knees.

DECORATIONS |

Super Bowl parties are generally all about the food and the big game, so keep decorations simple. Start by choosing paper plates, cups, and napkins for either your favorite team or both teams in the Super Bowl. You can also purchase balloons and table cloths in the team colors.

If you already have a football fan at your house, gather any footballs, helmets and pompoms you might already have the house.

Scatter those football themed items around the food table for décor. These quick and easy ideas will make your party look festive without breaking your bank account.

by Deanna Talwalkar Party Planner Extraordinaire

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Erica Radhakrishnan Hospital Administrator, BVS

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EQUINE

Filly of the Month: Jodie Vella-Gregory

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Colt of the Month: Dan James

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Horse Park Happenings

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y r o g e r G a l l e V Jodie

Filly of the Month:

Profile by Jen Roytz | Photo by Keni Parks

W

hat happens when you bring a horse-loving 5-year-old to Lexington, Kentucky, the epicenter of all things equine?

They grow up and eventually move there.

At least that’s how it worked out for Jodie Vella-Gregory.

Vella-Gregory, who came on full time with the Breeders’ Cup in February of this year to handle member services and VIP hospitality in the executive office, fell in love with Central Kentucky as a child when her family would make regular trips to the area to visit close family friends.

“I remember coming to Lexington for the first time when I was young and crying because I didn’t want to leave,” said Vella-Gregory, a native of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. “I guess it’s not surprising after falling in love with the city through trips growing up that I feel quite at home here now.”

GOING PLACES ON THE BACKS OF HORSES A love of horses was born into Vella-Gregory, passed down by her mother, who was an avid rider and galloped racehorses in her youth.

“My mom grew up in England and would [exercise racehorses] in the mornings before school. She is the one who got me hooked on horseracing and we would watch the big races together as I was growing up,” said Vella-Gregory.

Vella-Gregory was riding in lessons by the age of five and was at ease in the saddle, eventually competing in combined training events. Tabbed to be part of the U. S. Equestrian Federation’s Young Rider Program as a teenager, she attended bigger competitions and training clinics throughout Canada and the United States while in college, even finishing here college career a semester early in order to compete in horse shows in Ocala, Florida in the winter of 2007.

It was after that winter competing in Ocala that Vella-Gregory got her first real taste of Bluegrass living. Rather than going back to Canada, she came to Lexington, staying with her family’s friends once again and immersing herself in all things horseracing.

“I did an internship at KESMARC (Kentucky Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center), worked the sales, went to the races and basically did whatever I could to gain experience and make connections in the industry,” said Vella-Gregory. “I was blown away. I grew up with horses and my eventers were usually offtrack Thoroughbreds, but I had no idea of all the Thoroughbred business entailed. It was very eye-opening in the best way.”

SETTING DOWN ROOTS IN LEXINGTON By the end of her first summer in Lexington, Vella-Gregory knew she wanted to be part of the Thoroughbred business long term.

After acquiring a work visa in order to live and work legally in the

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country, she landed a job at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital as a clinical technician, which utilized many of the skills she gained during her internship at KESMARC and allowed her to see the best of the best racing and breeding Thoroughbreds in the world, along with many top show horses.

While at Rood and Riddle she took it upon herself to catalog and communicate to the staff any horse that won or placed in a graded stakes race who had been treated as a patient of the practice at any time in its life. The staff enjoyed finding out about horses they treated as foals or youngsters going on to do big things on the track, and the effort, dubbed the Stakes Tracker, soon became Vella-Gregory’s favorite part of her job.

“While I love all aspects of the horse business, working on the Stakes Tracker and having opportunities through Rood and Riddle to work with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission at Churchill Downs during the Breeders’ Cup and Kentucky Derby helped me realize that I was the most interested in the racing side of things,” she said.

It was while on a trip to California that Vella-Gregory added further definition to the direction she wanted her career to take her. While visiting Santa Anita Racetrack, she spoke with a member of the track’s marketing department about her interest in working there, should a position ever become available.

Just a few months later, she received a life changing call and, after a short interview process she was on her way to the West Coast.

“I worked in the executive office at Santa Anita and took on many marketing roles. I came in right as Santa Anita was undergoing a multi-million-dollar expansion to their facilities and, with these new luxury areas, I was put in charge of the hospitality for the suites,” said Vella-Gregory. “I also created the Wagering Ambassador Program, a service for new bettors that aims to make the experience less overwhelming or confusing and more fun. Through that program and handling the hospitality in the suites, I worked with a lot of our bigger customers and VIPs, but also those new to racing.

I loved that aspect of it – making sure each person’s experience with Santa Anita and with horseracing was a good one.”

THE BREEDERS’ CUP BRINGS HER BACK TO LEXINGTON Santa Anita has played host to the Breeders’ Cup nine times, more than any other track in the country, including in 2013 and 2014 while Vella-Gregory was working at the track. That gave her the opportunity on two consecutive occasions to oversee hospitality operations for one of the country’s largest sporting events.

The following year, when Keeneland hosted the event for the first time, Vella-Gregory was asked to contract with the organization in the area of hospitality, specifically in the Trophy Lounge with the corporate and farm sponsors.

She knocked it out of the park for the third time in as many years for the organization, and in December of 2015 Breeders’ Cup contacted Vella-Gregory about coming on with the organization full time to head up VIP Hospitality and Member and Director Services, as well as assist with marketing initiatives.

In an effort to further enhance her hospitality repertoire, Vella-Gregory is self-funding a trip to Australia this winter to experience what many say is the best customer service experience in horseracing the world over.

“I’ve heard their hospitality is out of this world, so I want to experience it and see why. I’ll be attending the races and the sales and I hope some of the experiences I have there will enhance an already stellar experience for Breeders’ Cup participants and spectators here in America,” she said.

Over the past decade, Vella-Gregory has found her niche in the horse industry: customer service. Whether helping those new to the sport to navigate their way through their first race day experience or making sure the bar is continually raised for seasoned owners, trainers, bettors or spectators as they enjoy another Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, she is keenly focused on making “the best” better.

“I love creating positive experiences,” said Vella-Gregory. “This sport is all about relationships. Everyone is an ambassador, and if I can help to give someone an enjoyable and meaningful experience, they’ll tell others and pass it down the line.”•

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Colt of the Month:

Dan James

Profile by Jen Roytz | Photos by Keni Parks

T

he old saying goes, “you can take the man out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the man.” In this case, the country is the Australian outback and the man is horse trainer, clinician and equine entertainer Dan James.

Known the world over as fifty-percent of the duo behind the popular “Double Dan Horsemanship Brand,” James and his partner, Dan Steers, have made a name for themselves putting on demonstrations and clinics that feature at liberty (meaning unrestrained by a bridle, saddle or other equipment) performances, trick riding and other unconventional training feats.

While Steers remains based in Australia, James has made a home for himself in Midway, Kentucky, where he and his wife, Elizabeth, recently purchased a farm. While he plans to continue traveling the world with Steers giving the types of well-attended clinics and demonstrations that made the Double Dan brand famous, James’s plans for the coming years include taking on training projects–both horses and humans wanting to train horses–making a run at the 2018 World Equestrian Games and doing more work in television and film.

GROWING UP IN THE OUTBACK As a child growing up in the rural Australian outback of Queensland, horses were not a hobby, but a tool for work for the James family.

“My parents lost their farm when I was young, so I had a pretty humble upbringing,” said James. “As a family, we managed small cattle operations and horses were an everyday tool to do our jobs and make ends meet.”

By age 14, he was leaving home for weeks at a time to start young horses for ranchers throughout the region. Before his 18th birthday, he landed a gig at Washpool Lodge, a premier Thoroughbred training facility that specialized in starting young horses under saddle and training seasoned racehorses. That job saw him riding 20 or more horses a day, galloping 12 to 16 racehorses in the mornings before saddle-breaking yearlings in the afternoons and working with his own training projects at night.

It was only a few years before James went out on his own as a trainer, which included a stint in Hokkaido, Japan for their breaking and training season, which is opposite Australia’s due to being in opposite hemispheres.

“It was the first time I’d been on a plane, the first time I’d been away from Queensland,” said James. “I didn’t know anyone and I couldn’t communicate in the language. For three months I had no internet, no phone. I sent a fax once a week to my parents. It was the loneliest time of the life.”

FINDING ANOTHER DAN AND MAKING A PLAN James returned to Australia, but he felt like he was in a rut. The more he tried to make it in the horse business, the more burned out he felt.

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“I was trying so hard to make it all work. I was shoeing, doing teeth, breaking babies, competing. I was doing everything a person can do to make a living from it, but I felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere. So, I took a year off.”

In true “Dan James fashion,” that year off was spent mostly in the saddle, working on a 1.8 million acre cattle ranch managing their horses and gathering “mickey bulls” (bulls who had been lost and matured in the wild and become feral). In the off-season, James would compete in working cow horse events.

It was at one of those events that James and Steers met for the first time. The two found that the more they talked, the more they had in common, especially when it came to their philosophy on training horses. Soon, they were performing demonstrations around Australia and, in 2009, brought their act to the United States.

While in Lexington preparing for the World Equestrian Games, James was introduced to Frank Taylor of Taylor Made Farm, a large-scale Thoroughbred farm in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Taylor hired James and Steers to not only work with their yearlings-turningtwo-year-olds, but teach their staff their methods.

“We worked with their tough to handle colts, putting time into them so they would show better at the sales. Other farms started sending us their tough ones too. It was a very forward-thinking move for people in such a traditional business,” said James.

MAKING A NAME, A HOME AND A FAMILY FOR HIMSELF IN LEXINGTON Steers and James had made it, touring the world with their horses and building the unique emotional bond-based training methods behind Double Dan Horsemanship. Last year alone in addition to performing in the U. S., Canada and Australia, “the Dans” and their horses toured Europe, offering clinics and demonstrations in France, England, The Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and more.

With the support of his then-fiancé, Elizabeth, he began the search for a farm that would not only allow him to create an American base of operations for Double Dan Horsemanship, but also branch out with a few other ideas he had percolating over the years.

This year, in addition to getting married, the James’s found the perfect farm for their aspirations just outside of Lexington on Leestown Rd. In case getting married and purchasing a farm weren’t going to

keep them busy enough, the couple is expecting their first child together in early 2017.

In addition to his own teaching and training at his new farm, he hopes to bring in outside clinicians to offer learning opportunities for a variety of different types of riders and riding styles, including eventing, reining, trail riding and obstacles. Offering opportunities for both competitive and recreational riders, his hope is for the farm to become known as a place equestrians from all disciplines come to learn. James also plans to expand his business back into the Thoroughbred market with the ability to start up to 50 yearlings each year.

“My passion is helping people build more meaningful and more productive relationships with their horses,” said James. “Working with Thoroughbreds, I saw how much easier they were to handle and train at the track when they were started properly as yearlings. For many, it takes away a major roadblock for them meeting their potential, but for those who don’t make successful racehorses, it makes the process of them transitioning to a new job so much easier.”

In addition, he is working on creating a horsemanship school, with hopes to launch it in 2018. With Elizabeth’s background in education as a professor in the University of Kentucky College of Agricultural and Equine Studies, she is playing an integral part of the program’s formation, according to James. As if that wasn’t enough, James is planning to make a run at the 2018 World Equestrian Games, both as a performer and as a competitor on the Australian Reining Team.

“I’ve been thinking about this for a few years. I’ve got one horse in particular who’s a pretty slick reining horse and we’ve won some freestyles,” said James. “I definitely want to see if Dan and I can be involved on the entertainment side of the Games again, but I’m going to take a run at a few national [freestyle reining] competitions and see if I can’t qualify to compete.”

As business ramps up in the coming few years, so will his life. James is excited about what the future holds, both professionally and personally and credits his wife with making much of it happen.

“Buying a farm, getting married, starting a family – I don’t anticipate too many more years with that many life-changing events, but Elizabeth has been a loyal partner for every moment of it,” said James. “In love, in friendship and in business, I couldn’t imagine a better partner in my life.”•

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Horse Park Happenings: January 2017

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anuary’s weather is not known for being friendly to outdoor activities, so why not stop by the Kentucky Horse Park? The action is heating up in their toasty facilities this month. The museum exhibits will bust winter boredom while offering a wonderful education on Kentucky’s equine history. (Just don’t tell the kids that.)

to learn more about this incredible show, and to find dates of future events in February and March.

SNOWBALL SERIES MOUNTED GAMES

This event honors our veterans while raising funds to help support our military heroes. Since 2013, three mortgage-free home grants have been given to deserving military families. Enjoy live music, catered barbeque and a salute to those who serve. Visit their website at bootsinthebluegrass.com to learn more.

Saturday, January 7th - Sunday, January 8th at the Covered Arena This MGAA regional competition features beginner novice, novice, intermediate, masters, fossils and green pony divisions. Riders will compete in teams, pairs or three-rider pony pairs in the games.

To learn more about the series, visit mountedgames.org or call 859.621.2383.

SNOWBIRD DRESSAGE Saturday, January 14th and the Covered Arena Dressage is a stunning spectacle for all ages! This highly skilled form of riding is a delight for the audience. Visit snowbirddressage.com

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BOOTS IN THE BLUEGRASS Friday, January 20th at the Alltech Arena

UNITED STATES MOUNTED GAMES ASSOCIATION WINTER WONDERLAND I Saturday, January 28th - Sunday, January 29th at the Alltech Arena For over 25 years the United States Mounted Games Association has provided opportunities for riders of all ages to enjoy games on horseback and to compete internationally as well as in the United States.

Learn more at usmga.us. •

LOVE EQUINE EVENTS? There are more to discover! Visit www.kyhorsepark.com for a complete listing of all the Horse Park Happenings, and be sure to visit www.TOPSinLex.com/calendar for more great events around town and Central Kentucky!

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COMMUNITY

Sports: An Admission and An Apology

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SPORTS

An Admission and An Apology

On September 3, 2016, some idiot took to Facebook and posted the following rant: “Not really caring about Stoops and his $12 million buyout. COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE, an SEC team losing to Southern Mississippi. No excuses! Fire him, Barnhart.”

I mean, seriously, what gutless coward would take to social media and blast Kentucky’s head coach? Well, come to think of it, there were LOTS of Big Blue Nation fed up with the eternal ineptitude known as Kentucky football. But this guy? What a JOKE! The thing is, it was me. I posted that. I was a total idiot. I was the joke. Irate after an upset loss against a Conference USA team in the home opener, I finally snapped like a skinny twig. I was done. I couldn’t take it anymore. So in a moment of insanity, I let it all out.

Screaming and cursing and hollering in front of my in-laws, sharing a room with Louisville fans, I was done.

Now, I like my humble pie à la mode. Please pass it to me at the loser’s table. After my admission, it is time I apologize: I am sorry, Mark Stoops. While I think I had every right to be upset with you and the Kentucky football program after the Southern Miss debacle, you’ve led the Wildcats to the first New Year’s Day Bowl in 30 years. You preached patience. I said I didn’t have any left. You were right. The Kentucky football ship has more than been righted. Based on the program’s momentum, that ship’s course is set for the top of the SEC East. You’re the captain. I’m just one of the guys on the SS Titanic that jumped ship and froze to death.

I am sorry, Vince Marrow. Like everybody else, I marvel at the

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highest rated recruiting classes Kentucky signs every year. That sure is great and all, but I convinced myself they were all overrated. They weren’t getting better. I was wrong. They are getting better. I just stopped being patient.

I am sorry, Mitch Barnhart. You were right to hire Mark Stoops and give him the keys to the Kentucky football program. You were right, again, to stick by him when morons like me were yelling for his head on a platter. I was wrong.

I am sorry to Gracie, my family’s little dog. After I went berserk and swore off Kentucky football, she has never really been “right”. I think I almost scared her to death, literally. She’s had a hitch in her giddy-up ever since.

I am sorry, Eddie Gran. When Drew Barker got injured, I swore to everyone within an earshot how terrible of an offensive coordinator you were. NO WAY would you make it through the season without a pocket passing quarterback to run the show. I was wrong. Way, way wrong. What you did with the tools Kentucky had in its toolbox was nothing short of amazing. The Benny and Boom Show has been a treat. There’s been nothing better than watching Kentucky offense run it right down everybody’s throat.

I am sorry I live in Louisville and haven’t spray painted a UK logo on Bobby Petrino’s front lawn. Tom Jurich, too. I think I’ll start making amends on this shortly.

Go Cats. Keep on rockin’. I don’t want to be sorry about anything else...

by Drew Johnson Sports Junkie

SPORTS

The Greatest?

The documentary, The Team: The 1996 National Champion Kentucky Wildcats is available for purchase online at Vimeo.com As 2016 came to a close, it found John Calipari readying his team for Southeastern Conference play and a run at another national championship. Twenty years ago, the Wildcats made it to the top.

And earlier this year, they got together to talk about it, and make the case that theirs is the greatest college basketball team in the “modern era,” if not all time.

both UCLA products.

Rick Pitino’s 1995-96 team gathered in Miami in late August for a reunion. They had been honored in Lexington in 2013, when Calipari had arranged for them to receive unique NCAA championship rings (anyone who wins an NCAA championship, team or individual, gets a ring. It’s up to the individual teams to create their own, if they choose.)

Anthony Epps was the point guard on that team. He believes in his guys, no matter who they were facing.

Some of the players had gotten together last spring in Louisville, where Utah Valley State, coached by former teammate Mark Pope, was playing against Pitino’s Cardinals. After the game at dinner, they began to discuss a reunion. One of them suggested Miami. Perfect, said Pitino, who owns a home there. The party planning was underway.

In between golf outings and yacht excursions, some of them sat still long enough to be interviewed by people who are producing a documentary on their ballclub, people who asked them about their claim to all-time greatness.

Pitino adds the qualifier about being the best in the past 40 seasons. “I can’t go back to the Wooden era,” he says, referring to John Wooden, who coached UCLA to 10 NCAA titles during the 1960s and ‘70s (his last coming at the expense of Joe B. Hall’s UK team, in 1975).

Jeff Sheppard can.

That’s because the former shooting guard played for a coach who excelled at creating defensive game plans that could stop teams led by superstar post players. On their run to the title, the Wildcats beat Massachusetts, led by eventual Player of the Year Marcus Camby, and Wake Forest, featuring Tim Duncan, now regarded as the best power forward in the history of the NBA. Sheppard takes aim at the two best college centers in history,

“When someone says, ‘How would you have stopped Bill Walton from making every shot?’ I would say, he wouldn’t have shot it,” Sheppard says. “ ‘How would we have stopped Lew Alcindor?’ We would have double-teamed him as he caught the ball, as we did Tim Duncan and Marcus Camby.”

“We win. Hands down, we win,” he says. “Because of our mindset – when others thought they could beat us, we took our game to another level.”

He even says his Wildcats would have beaten the 2012 UK championship team, led by the likes of Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

“For all those Kentucky fans out there, the2012 team was great,” Epps says. “They had a lot of great talent. But the ‘96 team beats them in my mind. I know they had a great team but I think we’re the greatest team in Kentucky history.”

Pitino agrees, and stood before his team, on a party boat in a Miami marina, to explain why. “[As a] coach today, the last team I’d want to play on the face of the earth is [the 1996 UK team],” he told them. “I could not devise anything to beat our team. Nothing.”

“Nobody realizes how good we were. We know it, because we were there every day in practice. There’s not a team in the last 35 years that can compete with us.”

Then the “modern era” qualifier went out the window, right into the ocean.

“We were the most dominating college basketball team of all time,” he said.

Of course, there’s no way of knowing. But it’s fun to talk about, especially through the prism of 20 years of memories.

by Dick Gabriel BigBlueInsider.com

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SPORTS

What’s the Deal with the BBN?

We all know that there are very few fan bases across the country that love their team more than the Big Blue Nation loves their Kentucky Wildcats. It’s a very special marriage between the BBN and the Kentucky Wildcats.

Recently, our Kentucky Sports Radio crew took a cross-country tour, starting in Lexington and ending in Las Vegas, for the basketball game against North Carolina. No matter where we went, we had UK fans show up for our radio shows.

I’ve often been asked, “What is it about Kentucky Wildcats that creates such a love from their fan base?”

In Memphis, a couple who met at Berea College joined us and even acted as our tour guides by showing us around a little bit.

Several years ago, a television crew from France came to Rupp Arena as part of a documentary on loyal and rabid fan bases. Naturally, they came to Lexington to see firsthand what it is about the Cats that make us follow them almost like a religious cult.

In Fayetteville, 2 more guys hung out with us.

Where else do hundreds of fans line up for days to camp out for 3-4 more days to get free tickets to a basketball practice?

As John Calipari loves to say, “You people are crazy!”

It’s what makes the Big Blue Nation special. It’s what every other fan base in the country wishes they had: great fans.

Some people don’t like my explanation that one of the reasons we love our Cats so much is that we don’t have a lot to hang our hat on in Kentucky. Education, poverty and employment levels are all at the bottom nationwide. But the Kentucky Wildcats give us something to stick our chests out and be proud of, something that is our own.

The Cats are the one thing that can bring us all together. It’s the one thing that can make us all feel proud to say, “We are from Kentucky!”

We bleed blue. We celebrate the wins. We console each other after the losses. We’re in it together. It’s what makes us special.

I don’t know this for a fact, but it’s safe to say that the work productivity across the state is much much higher on days after wins and much much lower on days after losses. We often “live and die” with our Cats. I like to think that on days after heartbreaking losses that nothing gets done, and we should really just close everything up and go home.

In Oklahoma City, 5 guys showed up for the radio show who were Kentucky fans.

We ate in a little bitty restaurant in Matador, Texas, only to find out that the only other restaurant in town just happened to be owned by some folks from Kentucky who were huge UK fans.

In Lubbock, Texas, 3 more fans came out.

In Roswell, New Mexico, we had 3 UK fans stop by, including a dentist from Madisonville and a couple that used to live in Paris that drove 90 miles to come to the show.

It’s amazing! We get so tickled every time this happens. No matter where we go, no matter where we stop, no matter what time of the day, UK fans never disappoint. We always show up. It’s–again–what makes us special.

It’s hard to explain our love for our Cats. You just have to live here to understand. I grew up in southern Indiana. I thought IU basketball was big. It’s nothing like the UK fan base.

Green Bay Packer fans have it. Alabama football fans have it. I don’t think anyone else has it.

It’s a special relationship between the Cats and the fans. I’m just glad to be a part of it.

by Ryan Lemond Kentucky Sports Radio/WLAP

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PHOTOS | UK Basketball Rupp Arena | 2016-2017 Season | ukathletics.com | Photos by Michael Huang

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PHOTOS | UK Football Commonwealth Stadium | 2016-2017 Season | ukathletics.com | Photos by Michael Huang

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PHOTOS | Reindeer Ramble Keeneland | December 10th | ymcacky.org | Photos by Ron Morrow

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PHOTOS | Commerce Lexington Business Link Kentucky Eagle Inc. | December 8th | commercelexington.com | Photos by Woody Phillips

Laura Adams, Audra Meighan and Kristin Taylor

Margie & Robert Riggs and Ann Bakhaus

Berry Popp, Rebecca White and Jamie Schrader

Dana Branham and Marcus Simpson Brandy Borchers and Chris Carney Lynda Bebrowsky

Townsend Miller

Nikki Browning and Kerri Stein

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Bryon & Lizabeth Arena

Mark Turner and Kelly Bates

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PHOTOS | DLC Annual Meeting and Awards Celebration Hilton Downtown | December 12th | downtownlex.com | Photos by Woody Phillips

Becky Reinhold and Bob Quick David Elsen, Holly Wiedemann and David Martorano

Kim Bowling, Angela Coleman and Warren Leet

Nan Plummer and Christopher Weed

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Mark Hill and Mary Beth Wright

Laura Boison, Will Berkley and Ron Tritschler

Carla Blanton and Andy Shea

Steve Kay and Cassidy Rosenthal

Larry Jones and Kathy Plomin

Cathy Taylor and Chief Mark Barnard

Tom Harris and Jeff Fugate

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PHOTOS | DLC Annual Meeting and Awards Celebration Hilton Downtown | December 12th | downtownlex.com | Photos by Woody Phillips

Jim Gray and Jack Pattie Lexington Police Department

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Darrell Ishmael, Richard Polk and Kevin Weaver

Andy Walker and Jeannine Petell

Carrie Butler and Angela Evans

Lyssa High, Eli Mertens, Rachel Savane, Sheila Ferrell and Beverly Fortune

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Laura Farnsworth and Kathryn Minton

Herb Miller and Lisa Smith

Vitale Buford and Laci Poulter

Kristy Maggard and Tom Dupree

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PHOTOS | Winter Gratitude Gala Benefiting Lexington Humane Society | 21c Museum Hotel | December 10th | adoptlove.net | Photos by Ron Morrow

Alana Steele

Jon & Lisa Schaeffer, Peter & Lana Perlman

Andrea Johnson and Wendy Schofield

Jason Ervin with Joey Jody Shoup and Roscoe Peacock

Sarah Hilliard

Davina Divine and Stephanie Johnson

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Gala attendees

Grace Arthur and Merrille Stevens

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January

WELCOME TO 2017... a brand new year

is here and with it comes a calendar filled with must see events. With award season officially in full swing, the 74th Annual Golden Globes will lead the path to the Oscars. Also on the tube, ABC’s guilty pleasure indulgence “The Bachelor” is back. Sports fans can see the über talented Harlem Globetrotters at Rupp Arena, where you can even score photos and autographs. If dancing is more your thing, then you won’t want to miss a live performance from the cast of “Dancing With The Stars”. If you want to plan ahead for Valentine’s Day, the Lexington Ballet will be performing their rendition of the romantic classic Romeo + Juliet at the Opera House. Or if you’re in the mood to indulge in the steamy world of Christian Grey, Fifty Shades Darker will finally hit theaters with a title promised to live it up to its name. Whether you’re taking the homebody approach to winter, or getting a little cabin fever and needing some excitement in your life, this month’s calendar is here to help you along the way!

JAN 7 UK v Arkansas Men’s Basketball 8:30p | Rupp Arena

JAN 8

Concert With The Stars Lexington Opera House Don’t miss this exciting concert of show-tunes sung by “Today’s Broadway Stars and Tomorrow’s Broadway Hopefuls!” The LEXington Theatre Company welcomes three Broadway Actors, who are coming directly from their 2016 starring roles on the Great White Way, to headline “Concert With The Stars”: Leslie Kritzer, Krysta Rodriguez, and Matthew Scott are set to lead the concert, alongside an ensemble of collegiate students from top programs around the country, as well as local talent, on Sunday at 3:00pm at The Lexington Opera House.

JAN 10 UK v Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball 7p | AWAY

JAN 13 Demographically Speaking Opening Preview Party 6p | Loudon House JESSE L. BROOKS Calendar Highlights

JAN 14 UK v Auburn Men’s Basketball 4p | Rupp Arena

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Add YOUR event to our online calendar for FREE! Visit TOPSinLex.com/calendar_submission.php

René Marie

& Experiment in Truth 8p | Norton Center for the Arts

Rupp Arena. A star-studded roster will have fans on the edge of their seats to witness the ball handling wizardry, basketball artistry and one-of-a-kind family entertainment that thrills fans of all ages. Before the game, take part in a once-in-a-lifetime experience with your family where you have an opportunity to spend time on the court with the Globetrotters - shooting, trying out the ball tricks and getting autographs and photos! The unique 30-minute pre-show, “Magic Pass”, will create memories of a lifetime.

René Marie is known for her vocal vibrancy and selfpossessed boldness, making her one of the most compelling voices performing today. A distinctly American mélange of jazz, soul, blues, folk, and gospel give way to Marie’s innate theatrical ability to interpret a song deeply.

The newest installment in René’s ever-expanding body of work is “Sound of Red”, released in April 2016 and her UK v Mississippi State Men’s Basketball first album of all-original material. René’s clever songcraft and sensual vocal delivery make those personal moments 7p | AWAY not only meaningful but enlightening to a broad audience.

Harmony for Health René Marie will be bringing elements of folk, R&B, and even classical and country to the Weisiger Theatre at the Norton 1p | Crown Plaza Campbell House Center for the Arts this month.

JAN 17

Diamond Rings & Pretty Things Weddings Show 11a-4p | Lexington Center

JAN 15 Diamond Rings & Pretty Things Weddings Show 11a-4p | Lexington Center

JAN 16

The Harlem Globetrotters 2p | Rupp Arena

JAN 20-22

PIPPIN The Musical Lexington Opera House PIPPIN is a high-flying, death-defying hit Broadway musical! Full of extraordinary acrobatics, wondrous magical feats and soaring songs from the composer of Wicked, PIPPIN will lift you up and leave you smiling.

This unforgettable new production is the winner of four 2013 Tony Awards® including Best Musical Revival.

Hailed as “an eye-popping, jaw-dropping extravaganza” (NY1), it’s unlike anything you have ever seen! Come experience PIPPIN, one young man’s journey to be extraordinary.

The World Famous Harlem Globetrotters bring their ridiculous basketball skills and amazing athletes to [ Visit TopsInLex.com for our full calendar ]

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JAN 21

Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo LIVE

The January Ball: A Speakeasy 8p | Loudon House

7p | Norton Center for the Arts Get ready for the ultimate playdate – 65 million years in the making – as Erth’s DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE guides your family on a breathtaking tour through pre-historic Australia. You’ll observe, meet, and interact with an eyepopping collection of amazingly life-like dinosaurs and other creatures presented in a theatrical performance that will thrill and entertain kids while stimulating their imaginations in ways that will forever connect them to their world. You won’t want to miss a minute of this fun, unique, entertaining and educational live show.

Boots in the Bluegrass 6p | Kentucky Horse Park

Dierks Bentley

“What The Hell World Tour” 7:30p | KFC Yum! Center

JAN 24 UK v Tennessee Men’s Basketball 9p | AWAY

JAN 25 Alonzo King LINES Ballet 7:30p | Norton Center for the Arts

JAN 27 Black Jacket Symphony 8p | Lexington Opera House

JAN 28 UK v Kansas Men’s Basketball 6p | Rupp Arena

The Association

Known for “traveling his own path and being country 8p | Norton Center for the Arts music’s most relatable star,” and a favorited performer here in The Bluegrass, Mr.Bentley is coming back to Kentucky with an all new tour and batch of hits. Dierks recently scored his 15th career #1 with the thought-provoking “Different UK v Georgia Men’s Basketball for Girls” featuring Elle King on both the Billboard Country 9p | Rupp Arena Airplay and Mediabase radio charts. Joining the multiple CMA wiinner are special guests Jon Pard and Cole Swindell.

JAN 31

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February

FEB 2

FEB 4

Dancing With The Stars Live!

UK v Florida Men’s Basketball

7:30p | EKU Center for the Arts

TBA | AWAY

FEB 7

The season may be over, but the dancing glitz and UK v LSU Men’s Basketball glamour rolls on with this tour! Dancing with The Stars’ newest Mirrorball Trophy winner and Olympic 7p | Rupp Arena gold medalist Laurie Hernandez will join her partner Val Chmerkovskiy at the EKU Center For The Arts.

Captivating audiences across the country, Hernandez Kentucky Sport, Boat & Rec Show joins the hottest cast in dance including Lindsay Arnold, 2p | Lexington Center Alan Bersten, Sharna Burgess, Artem Chigvintsev, Hayley Erbert, Jenna Johnson, Keo Motsepe, Gleb Into the Woods Savchenko and Emma Slater (cast is subject to change 7:30p | Norton Center for the Arts per show).

FEB 9

FEB 3

1964 The Tribute 8p | Lexington Opera House

GLASS SLIPPERS ARE SO BACK.

FEB 10 Kentucky Sport, Boat & Rec Show 2p | Lexington Center

FEB 17-19

LEXINGTONOPERAHOUSE.COM

[ Visit TOPSinLex.com for our full calendar ]

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February FEB 11

FEB 14

Kentucky Sport, Boat & Rec Show

UK v Tennessee Men’s Basketball

9a | Lexington Center

7p | Rupp Arena

Romeo + Juliet

Justin Hayward 7:30p | Lexington Opera House

2p & 8p | Lexington Opera House One of the most beautifully heart-wrenching love stories of all-time will come to life through this captivating production. Artistic Director, Luis Dominguez, has a very special evening in store this Valentine’s Day weekend. Keeping a classic feel, The Lexington Ballet’s talented dancers will perform their rendition of Shakespeare’s famous tragic love affair.

From sword fights and quarrels, to the strength and passion of forbidden love; this is an event you won’t want to miss! What better way to celebrate the holiday of love than with Romeo and his Juliet.

UK v Alabama Men’s Basketball 1p | AWAY

The Healthy Living Expo 11a | Lexington Center

FEB 12 Kentucky Sport, Boat & Rec Show 10a | Lexington Center

The Healthy Living Expo 11a | Lexington Center

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FEB 17 Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella 7:30p | Lexington Opera House

FEB 18 Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella 1p & 7:30p | Lexington Opera House

UK v Georgia Men’s Basketball TBA | AWAY

Steppin’ Out with Ben Vereen 8p | Norton Center for the Arts

FEB 19 Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella 1p & 6:30p | Lexington Opera House

FIND MORE at www.TOPSinLex.com!

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JANUARY 2017 | TOPS MAGAZINE

185

TOP SHOTS | SOCIE T Y

Alltech Celebration of Song

Coach Cal Book Signing at Kentucky Branded

Sash & Bow Fundraiser for The Nest Fayette Heating & Air Gift of Heat

Dunking on the Tarheels!

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Bill Sameuls Jr making a Manhattan at the Interactive Culinary Experience & Bourbon Charity Event