TOPS in Lexington Magazine, April 2016

April 2016 • PRICELESS

Spring Fashion

Dancing with the Lexington stars

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Livable luxury

april

the fashion edition

features

Spring Fashion 68

Dancing with the 97 Lexington Stars

Tour of Homes: Livable Luxury 132

photos

56 Event photo captions are typically provided to TOPS by the event organizers. We do our best to check names and spelling…but 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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Out & About

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TOPS Preview Party

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An Intimate Dinner with Kim Campbell

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YMCA Annual Celebration

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American Advertising Federation Awards

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21c Grand Opening

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LexArts Fund for the Arts Campaign Kickoff

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Cardinal Hill Roundball Bash

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Frankel Gala

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Keeneland’s Maker’s Mark Private Select Tasting

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Mr. & Miss KY Basketball Awards

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Her Knight Dance

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Women Leading Kentucky Luncheon

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TOP Shots

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fundamentals at home Entertaining & Etiquette: Monograms

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Gardening: Kentucky Children’s Garden

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Tour of Homes: Livable Luxury

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community 65

TOPS Cares: Lexington Humane Society

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Dancing with the Lexington Stars

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Business News

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New & Noteworthy: The Great Room

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Calendar: Lex in the City

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dining

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Southern Lady Cooks

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TOP 5 Dining: NEW in Town

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Beer of the Month: SweetWater Hash Session IPA

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Wine of the Month: Lovers Leap Win Place Show

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Lockbox of 21c

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A Taste of Thyme: Springtime = Salad Time

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equine

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Filly of the Month: Ilse Dehner

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Colt of the Month: Price Bell

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Horse Park Happenings

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Rolex

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fundamentals family Super Mom: Beth Parker

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Playrooms & Nurseries

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10 Ways to Make your Child’s Birthday Special

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Summer Camps

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Books Are only the Beginning

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Senior Living

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fashion

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Outfit of the Month: Daisy Crazy

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Spring Fashion

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sports Best Starting 5 Ever

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Looking Back, Looking Forward

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Deja Blue

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wedding 213

Wow Wedding: Amy & Hank

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Photobooths

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contributors Photographers

Writers

Paul Atkinson Jim Burgett Michael Huang Phillips Mitchell Ron Morrow Keni Parks Woody Phillips

Michelle Aiello Sarah Boerkircher Jesse L. Brooks Allison Davis Cynthia Ellingsen Dick Gabriel Amanda Harper

Drew Johnson Marsha Koller Meredith Lane Ryan Lemond Barbara Meyer Michelle Rauch Jen Roytz

Deanna Talwalkar Sue Ann Truitt

Cover photo by Keni Parks

Interns

Have a great idea for a story?

Sydney Janes Whitney Sandusky

Tell us all about it at info@topsinlex.com

Special thanks to Megan Hillenmeyer - good luck on your next adventure!

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TOPS Cares

Adopting Pets Making Families

by Sarah Boerkirsher photos courtesy of LHS

“A house is not a home without a pet.”

- Anonymous

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s the largest pet adoption agency in central Kentucky, the Lexington Humane Society (LHS) helps more than 5,000 pets find their forever homes each year. At one time, LHS can have 350-400 available pets for adoption. On the main facility’s adoption floor (located on 1600 Old Frankfort Pike in Lexington), there are typically 60-70 felines and roughly 80-90 canines. The satellite adoption center at the PetSmart™ at Hamburg, which is funded by PetSmart™ Charities, provides the opportunity for 500 additional pet adoptions each year.

“At the Lexington Humane Society, we educate the community on responsible pet care and the compassionate treatment of all animals,” says Ashley Hammond, senior manager of development. “We also spay or neuter the pets of qualifying families at a low cost. We have hundreds of pets available for adoption and breeds that range from purebred to Heinz 57. Simply stated, at LHS we ‘Give love, Teach Love, Adopt Love.’”

One pet at a time The Lexington Humane Society doesn’t believe in putting a time limit on its animals and will spend as much time as needed to find the loving home that each of these animals deserve. There are numerous programs at LHS that focus on the importance of responsible pet guardianship, including spaying and neutering pets to help decrease pet overpopulation.

To end pet overpopulation, Spay’s The Way is LHS’s free or low-cost spay and neuter program for qualifying dog, cat or bunny owners as well as feral cat caregivers. In 10 years, LHS has provided 26,000 surgeries, which has decreased the local homeless dog and cat population by

40 percent.

Nationally, millions of kittens and cats enter shelters each year. Project Purrfect is a LHS program that is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for felines, while increasing awareness in the community related to cat care and treatment, spay or neuter, and adoption.

Many pet owners may not realize the health benefits of spay or neuter surgery, but it is one of the best things you can do for your pet. This procedure can help a pet live a longer, happier and healthier life by preventing reproductive diseases and cancers like testicular, breast, ovarian and uterine. Spay or neuter surgery can also provide significant cost-savings throughout the lifetime of a pet and prevent unwanted or even homeless litters.

As Hammond mentioned, the Lexington Humane Society “Gives Love, Teaches Love, and Adopts Love.” Love-A-Bull and Train-A-Bull are education and adoption programs that are helping pit bulls in Central Kentucky find their forever homes.

One of the newer programs at LHS is called Train-A-Bull, which provides specialized training and enrichment to stronger breeds awaiting adoption.

“The pit bull breed is overpopulated in our community and it is an unfortunate situation,” says Hammond “The Love-A-Bull and Train-A-Bull programs are helping enrich the lives of these breeds, which are often misunderstood; these programs are also enriching for LHS’s staff and volunteers.”

Love-A-Bull offers free spay or neuter surgeries for all pit bull breed dogs, including pit bull mixed breeds, living in Fayette County. To qualify for the LoveA-Bull program, proof of address is required.

For those participating in TrainA-Bull adoptions, each adoptee receives a harness and leash.

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TOPS Cares

Depending on the dog, the adopter may receive a crate and the animal’s favorite toy. The adoptions team also informs every adopter of the hand signals and verbal commands used

by LHS staff and volunteers for training purposes before completing each adoption.

One of many

happy tails from LHS

Bob was brought to LHS from a hoarding case in another county. He unfortunately registered as heartworm positive, which can be a very deadly disease. He was treated for several weeks at LHS and then went to foster care where he was adopted.

“We make sure to talk with the adopter about successfully transitioning the dog into their new home, continued training and how to establish the appropriate relationship with their new dog,” says Hammond.

Finding forever families LHS’s mission is to “advocate the compassionate treatment of animals; educate the community on responsible, lifelong pet ownership; and promote adoption as the best option when searching for a new pet.” LHS believes that adopting a pet is a life-long commitment, so they want to be sure that each pet and family are matched based on family needs, lifestyle and budget.

“With so many wonderful pets available, a visit to LHS can help in the pet search,” says Hammond. “We have helped with adoptions of pigs, horses, chickens and almost everything in between. At the main shelter, we have felines, canines, bunnies and small and exotic animals waiting to be adopted into loving homes.”

If one is interested in starting the adoption process, Hammond suggests that the potential pet owner’s first step would be to complete the pre-adoption questionnaire. The questionnaire is to better understand what the home life will be like for the animal and reasons that the potential pet owner has for wanting to adopt a pet into their family. LHS prefers that animals are indoor pets, and their main concern is providing the best quality of life for the animal.

Hammond explains that if you have questions about finding the right pet, LHS’s adoption specialists are here to help.

If a potential adopter is looking for a specific type or breed of pet, thinks it is an overwhelming experience to visit LHS’s facilities, or time is factor, First Contact is a program that the potential adopter could use to help in the pet search.

Sponsored by Animal Care Clinic, First Contact works one-onone with the potential adopter to identify the type of animal that best fits their needs.

LHS will create a unique registration for the potential adopter based on preferences like breed, energy level and age. Once a potential adopter has registered with First Contact, if a match arrives at LHS, a staff member will then reach out regarding next steps to meet the animal.

“When finding the right home for our animals, we take a lot into consideration,” says Hammond. “For example, we consider the ages of both the adopter and the pet. We realize an elderly adopter may not be the best home for a puppy. We want to be sure we match our animals to the best adopters and that the adopters are matched with the best pet for their lifestyle and family.”

Lending a hand (or paw) Founded in 1889 by J. William Sayre, LHS is a 501(c)3 organization that is solely dependent on private donations, grants and community support.

“At LHS, we are able to purchase supplies at a nonprofit discount and make each dollar go further,” says Hammond. “If a donor is interested in providing financial support, we recommend touring the facilities, so that one can see how, where and what their donation will support.”

While financial support is the number one request, giving time by volunteering or fostering animals is invaluable. Support of the Lexington Humane Society helps provide continued care for lo-

In LHS’s efforts to have green facilities and better the environment for its furry friends, LHS no longer uses newspapers for cage or cat box liners. Below is a list of some of the items that are needed as in-kind donations: • Canned wet cat food (any brand, but pull-tab cans are prefered) • Flat sheets (not fitted), towels or thin blankets • Exotic pet food

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• High-grade AA Batteries • High Efficiency (HE) laundry detergent • Tall kitchen trash bags • Copy paper • Bleach

Etiquette & Entertaining

The Etiquette of A Monogram

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ost people know a monogram to be a creatively assembled set of letters. Little do we realize that this forming of symbols has been used for centuries. The cave men etched combinations of shapes even before there were such figures as letters. The average historian probably will not subscribe to my caveman theory. However, monograms are the oldest form of marking personal belongings. Early Greek and Roman rulers used their monograms on coins and other currency to identify the ruler of a region. The form on clay coins was used during the transition from a bartering system to a monetary form of trading. During the Middle Ages, artists would use initials or a monogram to sign their work. Early letter combinations consisted of only two initials instead of the three which gained popularity in the 18th century.

The Victorian era gave great importance to the usage of the monogram.

The aristocracy of this period used the monogram as an emblem of their high rank in society. In addition, the decorative grouping of letters was expanded to many surfaces such as silver pieces, bed and table linens, and clothing.

by Sue Ann Truitt Etiquette & Entertaining Consultant

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More recently, the monogram has become a trendy identifier as a person’s belongings, rather than a sign of wealth or status. Monograms are found everywhere – cakes, flags, clothing, car windows, china, linens and certainly jewelry. Companies also often use monograms to brand their product.

Many luxury cars come with their logos stamped on the leather seats.

The etiquette of using monograms is relatively simple but important. When

composing a monogram, remember the following: the three letter is currently common in wedding gifts and favored by bridal couples. Today the last name initial is placed in large type in the center, flanked by the first and middle initial in smaller type and size. This is referred to as the Victorian format.

When creating an identification with initials, the preferred style is to use the same size letter to represent the person’s full name. The order for initials is first, middle and last all the same size and same font.

The contemporary style monogram includes letters for two people. Brides and grooms are preferring this style. The last name initial is placed in the center in large type. The lady’s name to the left and the man’s name to the right in same font but smaller than the center initial. A single woman should use either a single initial for her first or last name or the three – letter style as in the Victorian format. For a single man the best style is the three initials all the same size. The predominant custom for same-sex couples with each retaining his or her last name is to use the initial from each last name (M and R). A divorced woman may choose whether to continue using her married monogram or to go back to using her original monogram with her maiden name. If she remarries, that person has three choices. There are no rules for this. For babies and children, the same rules apply for letter placement. It is preferred to use a monogram rather than the child’s name, especially on visible items such as lunch boxes, backpacks and luggage.

This is a safety precaution.

Whether you have your monogram on everything you own or you have a few chosen items with your mark, it definitely elevates your treasures.

Monogramming never goes out of style. History has proven this fact as have companies such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton. Be creative in your monogram style and make it your own. Use it with pride and enjoy who you are!

Gardening

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Kentucky Children’s Garden

pring has sprung and the gates are open at the Kentucky Children’s Garden at the Arboretum. The gardens are blossoming and so are ideas. Jackie Gallimore is the new Children’s Education Program Coordinator. “My hope is to encourage the next generation to understand the importance of our land,” Gallimore said.

If you have not been to the children’s garden in the last couple of years, then it’s worth the trip to travel through The Transportation Garden. Described as a whimsical miniature railroad, children are able to learn how plants can travel by air, water, and by many means of mechanical transportation. The Stewardship Circle amphitheater has a demonstration area where kids can see with their own eyes the impact of erosion. They can also learn about water quality issues.

by Michelle Rauch Gardening Enthusiast

their sleeves. “Exposing children to gardening at a young age is so important! It teaches them where our food comes from, what is healthy to eat and to appreciate and respect nature,” Gallimore said.

Each month the children’s garden has a theme like Trees, Wild about Water, Insects, and more. Daily programs at 11am, 1pm and 3pm are offered using the theme as the centerpiece for story time, seed planting, and nature hikes.

Gallimore was raised in Lexington and recalls her own nature excursions as a child. “My earliest memories of time spent in the outdoors are roaming the woods behind Stonewall Elementary.

My friends and I loved to explore what seemed like endless trails and play in the creek that ran by the school. We would spend hours catching minnows, swinging on grape vines or building forts,” she said.

Firmly rooted programs are back, like the Little Sprouts, where kids plant their own seeds and take them home to watch them grow. “Our Little Sprouts love planting their own seeds! They are always so proud to pour in a cup of soil and plant a seed,” Gallimore said. “They solemnly promise to take the best care of their new plants!” Gallimore added.

As the city has grown, the endless trails may be harder to find, but that is why the arboretum is so valuable. “The Kentucky Children’s Garden is a wonderful asset for the community. It is more important than ever to provide spaces where children can play outside safely, especially in an urban environment,” Gallimore said.

There are weekly children’s garden workdays, which allow kids to roll up

For more information about the Children’s Garden, activities, and classes for adults visit their website, arboretum.ca.uky.edu.

There is plenty for adults to do as well. The 25th Annual Arbor Day celebration is a great way to kick off spring fever. This year’s theme is Celebrating the Past and Planting for the Future. Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 30th.

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Tour of Homes

he inviting front porch features genuine Pennsylvania Tbluestone treads and flooring. The home opens up to

a handsome 2-story entry foyer, with 10-foot ceilings, integrated 3 and 4-foot oak flooring, extensive millwork, and plenty of unique fixtures and furnishings. When asked about the outstanding chandelier, Wiley explained that it was purchased from Ralph Lauren and is crafted from genuine deer antlers. A ceramic deer sculpture on the far table brings the look together.

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Tour of Homes

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The property offers all the technology homeowners expect and desire; including a whole-house stereo and intercom system, with wall controls and an integrated security system.

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he den or office is an attractive, masculine space featuring stained pine paneling, hardwood flooring, solid stained pine doors, custom lighting, and all necessary electronic connections and ports.

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Tour of Homes

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lowing seamlessly from the dining room is a formal living room, with a beautiful 20 foot coffered ceiling, custom windows and doors by Kolbe and Kolbe, and a slate fireplace. The remarkable print of a woman in a flowing gown over the fireplace was purchased by the homeowners while on vacation.

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Tour of Homes

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he second floor features nine-foot ceilings and two staircases overlooking the foyer and formal living room. It is complete with two large bedroom suites designed specifically for the homeowner’s two children. Each suite features its own sitting area, full bathroom, walk-in closet and built-in shelving. Featured here is the daughter’s suite, which includes its own laundry room.

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Tour of Homes

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he basement has a full bar with Taj Mahal granite countertops, commercial grade appliances, and solid Maple cabinetry built onsite. Wine lovers will appreciate the 400-bottle wine cellar made from reclaimed wood.

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Tour of Homes

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he basement also features a finished 450-square foot exercise room with mirrored walls, windows, a full bath, a custom Finlandia sauna and a tanning bed.

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TOPS in Equine

Filly of the Month:

Ilse Dehner As the old saying goes, “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Ilse Dehner embodies that sentiment. As the Director of Travel and Events for the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), the largest multi-breed and discipline governing body for equestrian sports in North America, her days are anything but routine.

Based at the Kentucky Horse Park, Ilse coordinates more than 100 events for the USEF each year, including annual meetings, awards dinners and internationally competitive equestrian events. She also manages the travel and accommodations for the organization’s very mobile staff of 125.

“I have the best job in town,” said Ilse. “I work at a gorgeous place with my closest friends and get to contribute to our local economy.”

Enjoying the Farm Life It was an idyllic childhood growing up on her family’s Meadow Hill Farm. Ilse loved being around the animals, but it didn’t take long for her to take a particular liking to horses, thanks to her mom.

“It was a great way to grow up, surrounded by dogs, cats, horses, bunnies, birds, goats and whatever else I could talk my parents into,” said Ilse. “My mother was born with what I lovingly refer to as the ‘crazy horse gene’.” She grew up reading Black Beauty and sketching horses and when they got the farm, she began raising registered Clydesdales.

She had a lot of success early on and won the Royal Horse Show. “A few of our Clydesdales even went to Anheuser-Busch.”

A typical kid, Ilse had a lot of interests, but didn’t quite know what she wanted to do with her life. Upon graduation she enrolled at Georgetown College, later transferring to the University of Kentucky as a junior to study Studio Art. “I’ve always been creative and love working with my hands,” said Ilse.

Career paths are limited for a studio art major who doesn’t want to teach, so Ilse took a clerical position with World AV: within just a few months, her talent and drive earned her a promotion, which saw her coordinating basic logistics, sound, lighting and staging for the production company. Within a year, she was hired away by one of World AV’s biggest clients, WYNCOM. “WYNCOM was a young, successful startup company and we were a bunch of kids getting to travel and experience life,” said Ilse. “We flew around the country coordinating speaking tours and produced international teleconferences featuring speakers such as Dr. Stephen Covey, Colin Powell, Walter Cronkite, Rudy Giuliani and others.”

Eventually the company’s business started to wane, so Ilse made the move to Charleston, South Carolina to work for another production company, hoping to spread her wings and experience a different part

of the country while expanding her professional horizons. But professionally and personally, Kentucky beckoned her back home.

Returning to Her Old Kentucky Home The USEF was looking for a Director of Travel and Events and needed someone seasoned in the field of event planning, production and coordination. The role required versatility, high-level organization and a “get it done and make it happen” kind of attitude. One day, the person might be in charge of putting together a 25-person luncheon and the next day they might be planning a 300 person annual meeting and awards banquet, all while balancing the travel for the organization’s numerous employees and delegates.

“The USEF serves as the National Governing Body for Equestrian Sport. We train, select and fund our U.S. Equestrian Team, which consistently wins medals at the highest levels of competition, including the Olympics,” said Ilse. “The events I oversee range from annual meetings, award dinners and continuing education clinics to international FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale – the International Equestrian Federation) competitions, and while most are Profile by Jen Roytz | Photos by Keni Parks

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TOPS in Equine

nationwide, I book substantial business here at home, working with amazing hoteliers, restaurants and local businesses to bring visitors to our city.”

If variety is the spice of life, then Ilse likes her life spicy.

“One day, I might be in a ball cap and blue jeans moving tables on top of a golf cart and the next day I’m in stilettos coordinating a black tie awards ceremony, but that’s one of the things I love about it,” she said.

Another big perk of the job is working out of an office located in the middle of horse country at the Kentucky Horse Park’s National Horse Center.

“I don’t believe the average Lexingtonian realizes what goes on at the Kentucky Horse Park on a daily basis,” she said. “Most think it’s the Disneyland of the Horse, where you can tour museums, watch a movie and take in a trail ride and, while it offers those things, it’s so much bigger than that. It has elite riders competing in world-class arenas throughout the year.”

The list of facts and figures Ilse can rattle off about the Kentucky Horse Park at the drop of a hat would convince anyone she’s a paid spokesperson. She explained that last year alone, the Park hosted nearly 1 million visitors and campers, as well as 18,400 competition horses. They were the site of approximately 200 special events and horse shows, of which the popular Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is just one.

It is at some of those competitions at the Kentucky Horse Park that guests can watch some of the same horses and riders who will be competing in the Rio Olympics later this year.

time, Ilse dabbles in real estate, serving as the go-to realtor for her colleagues at the USEF, and enjoys shopping around Lexington’s consignment shops for unique finds to feed her penchant for interior design.

“I love shopping for funky finds on the weekends at places like Scout and Room Service and online at Everything But the House. I’ve flipped a few houses over the years and these days, I’m working on some renovations and remodeling on a house I bought in downtown Georgetown near campus. I always seem to have some crazy DIY project going on,” said Ilse.

Ilse shares a historic cottage-style home with her dog, Grits (short for Girls Raised in the South). Built in 1935, it encapsulates her style, with bold colors, high-end finishes and a unique and inviting balance between the home’s historic architecture and today’s modern amenities and design features.

It’s that sense of style and seemingly sixth sense for staging rooms and spaces that earned Ilse recognition not only throughout the equestrian circles internationally, but the mainstream event planning world. Her talents are sought out by the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association and other national equine entities and she has also done her fair share of event production and planning for weddings, celebrations and other large-scale occasions.

“I am so fortunate to have stumbled upon this amazing career,” said Ilse. “It’s exciting and fast-paced with long hours and stress, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. After 20 years in the business, I am still evolving and learning new things.”•

“Riders will compete in Dressage, Eventing and Show Jumping.

Equestrian sports are one of only two Olympic disciplines in which men and women compete on equal footing, the other being sailing,” she said.

Creativity Abounds With all of the creative coordination that goes into putting on a major event, including site selections, lighting, staging, décor and more, Ilse’s artistic muscles get flexed daily.

“We stay busy, with spurts of insanely busy, but I love the chaos of it. That’s where I thrive,” said Ilse.

“It lets me engage my artistic background.”

Ilse’s creative flair isn’t reserved just for on-the-job projects. In her spare

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TOPS in Equine

Now back in Lexington, Price has brought that passion home. He is very active with Lexington’s community development efforts and has engaged many of his generation, both within the horse industry and outside of it, to also become involved.

“A number of us helped found the North Limestone Development.

The team has had tremendous success in winning a multitude of national grants to help develop the North Limestone neighborhood,” said Price. “If [my wife] Beth and I are raising a family here, we want to support Lexington being a great place to raise a family for generations to come.”

One of the first things he encourages those interested in getting involved with downtown revitalization is to take a walk in one of the areas in need of assistance.

“One of the grants we are most proud of is the development of the first Arts and Cultural masterplan in Lexington. It’s a great partnership with the NoLI CDC and the University of Kentucky to develop quantitative and qualitative data to help guide the community’s development,” said Price.

One of the ways they do that is through radical walks.

“Hundreds of residents and people walked the neighborhood and afterwards filled out lengthy surveys challenging them to express how their senses felt during the walk. What did they hear, smell, feel, sense?” said Price. “Those surveys are being aggregated and analyzed and will form the background for the Arts and Cultural Masterplan.

“Development is a very selfish practice,” Price continued. “When you build or change something, you’re affecting everything and everyone around. We strive to make sure what we’re doing is informed so it has its intended positive effect.”

Bringing Horse Country to the Masses Having left the Bluegrass and returned, Price is keenly aware of how unique and special Kentucky’s horse industry is and all it encompasses.

It’s only natural, then, that his passion for positively impacting Lexington’s footprint and sharing it with others extends to the world in which he grew up.

In 2011, McKinsey & Company consulting firm released their findings from an in-depth study commissioned by The Jockey Club on the state of the Thoroughbred racing industry and recommendations on how to improve it. The report was not flattering.

They projected severe drops in betting, which would negatively affect racetracks, Thoroughbred owners and the breeding industry as a whole. It also clearly stated that racing fans, whose average age (according to the report) was 51, were steadily declining due to attrition at a much higher rate than new fans were being cultivated. In essence, horseracing fans were dying off.

“When I moved back from Nashville the McKinsey report had just come out and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association had formed a marketing committee to address the findings,” said Price, who quickly got involved with the committee.

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He and others started toying with the idea of how to share not only what Kentucky is known for, but also what so many of his family and their friends had built their lives around: horses.

In the same way that Napa Valley has capitalized on wine industry tourism and the Bourbon Trail has done the same locally, the group set out to explore ways to create tourism opportunities, and ultimately generate and educate new fans, using the horse industry as the driver.

A group led by Price, his father (Headley Bell), Brutus Clay and Dr. Luke Fallon began to develop a plan to welcome the public onto farms and clinics to share the amazing stories behind these world-renowned operations.

Keeneland lent their support and provided great advice on how to be successful: the project had to be driven by the participating farms, as they best understood what could work for their operations. Disney was brought in as a consultant to help the group define the best way to present their Bluegrass gem to the masses and confirm whether or not the experience was one the public would enjoy.

“We took the consultants from Disney on a whirlwind tour of the horse farms involved with the effort. They were blown away by how unique each one was, and by the people whose stories conveyed not only the history and facts of the industry, but more than anything else the passion that drives our industry,” said Price. “It was a great realization to our group that no matter the size of the farm or what you do in this business – raising foals, selling horses, standing stallions, running vet clinics, helping retired racehorses find new jobs and homes – your passion for the business will draw others in. You don’t work seven days a week if you don’t have that passion.”

In the years that followed Price and his cohorts built that idea into what is now known as Horse Country. Starting this spring, the non-profit organization will offer tours of a wide variety in and around the Horse Capital of the World. Visitors will get to go behind the gates and fences to see celebrity horses they watched win races like the Kentucky Derby or Breeders’ Cup. They will also get to see mares and foals, historic barns, famous gravestones and more, all while learning about the daily inner workings of the Thoroughbred industry.

“We had a soft run of the tours during Breeders’ Cup last year and it only made me more excited about what we’ve created,” said Price.

“This project has let us get out of our own heads and see our world with new eyes. It’s given us a new level of appreciation for what we’ve always known. It’s been a wild ride and a lot of fun, and I can’t wait for people to enjoy it.”•

TOPS in Equine

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The 2016 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is an official trial for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Eventing team.

This is your chance to cheer on your American Olympic hopefuls!

Known as the triathlon of equestrian sports, Eventing attracts only the toughest horse-andrider pairs in the world!

Over four days of competition, each pair must compete in three phases:

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• Dressage (Thursday and Friday) An elegant demonstration of harmony between horse and rider as they perform prescribed movements that test the gaits, suppleness and obedience of the horse.

• Cross-Country (Saturday) An exhilarating race that requires horse and rider to negotiate water hazards, banks and ditches.

• Jumping (Sunday) A test of the competitors’ abilities to clear an in-door course of obstacles, where a rail can be knocked off by the slightest touch of a hoof.

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Eventing is the only Olympic sport where men and women compete as equals.

Plus there is no age distinction. This sport is just about the skill of a rider and his/her horse.

And, the sport is open to any breed of horse – you’ll see multiple breeds compete at the Rolex Kentucky. In fact, many off-the-track thoroughbreds enjoy second careers in Eventing.

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If nothing else, come for the shopping!

The shopping at Rolex Kentucky is a once-a-year collection of world-class vendors that you won’t find anywhere else in the Bluegrass!

The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event offers $350,000 in prize money

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... as well as a shot at the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, which is awarded to any rider who wins the Rolex Kentucky, Mitsubishi Motors Badminton and Land Rover Burghley Four Star Events in succession. The winner of the Rolex Kentucky wins $110,000, with the rest of the prize money distributed among the top 20 riders.

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Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI)

Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), the organizer of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, is a nonprofit Kentucky corporation that seeks to ensure the competitiveness of the United States in international competition and to enhance the equine industry worldwide. EEI, which donates funds to multiple charitable organizations throughout the Commonwealth, is headquartered on the Kentucky Horse Park grounds.

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) is the official charity of the 2016 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.

Fundraisers for TAA going on throughout the event include:

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• Five-time Grammy Nominee Hunter Hayes will be performing

Family

SUPER MOM

Beth Parker Chase + Campbell Beth and her daughters, Chase and Campbell, love anything outdoors. Whether it is walking to lunch, going to the Arboretum, playing in the backyard, riding bikes or going to the beach, she and her girls are happiest when they are outside.

“We are also huge movie junkies,” Beth says. “We love the theatre, but even more than that, there is nothing better than snuggling up on the couch and watching a fabulous 80s throwback movie like the ‘Adventures in Babysitting.’”

As a lifestyle blogger, stylist and mom, Beth finds herself multitasking throughout the day. She has been known to write blog posts in her car in the grocery store parking lot, but as a single mom, she explains that one of the biggest challenges she faces is when she is having a rough day.

“If I am having an off day, I can’t deflect to my partner and let them carry the slack,” she says. “I know I need to pull myself up by the bootstraps and keep on plugging away. The kiddies deserve that after all. But I do remember to take time for myself because it is important to recharge my batteries, so that I can be a more focused and present mom.”

When Beth thinks of the qualities it takes to be a super mom, she says she looks to her mother and her two daughters for inspiration.

“If I can be half the mother my mom was, I know I have made it big in the parenting world,” says Beth.

“The two most precious girls in the world also play a huge role. I know their eyes are always on me, so you better believe I’m gonna give it my absolute all.”

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Family

For example, Eastside is the first Lexington branch with a drive-thru.

You can search the library’s extensive catalog and make your reservation on an app. Sign up for email notices and you’ll get a message once your selection is ready, then just drive by and pick it up without having to leave your car. How’s that for convenience?

Another Eastside first is the new “Makerspace,” a room specially designated for hands-on creating, which could be used for something different every time it is occupied. Makerspaces are popular around the world and give people with common interests the opportunity to connect through peer learning and knowledge sharing.

Libraries have always been associated with learning. Now more than ever, library access is critical to enhancing early childhood education, and ensuring that kids are “reading ready” when they start school. “Parents know how important it is to read to their children and maximize the instruction they’re getting,” Tattershall says. “Our libraries have a wide range of resources to help them enrich their efforts.”

Library customer Teressa Superka speaks for many parents, saying, “I am so excited to have a new space for my children to explore books, music, art, and other areas. It will be fun to see all the new learning activities the staff will have for children at Eastside!”

Today’s library resources are available to suit today’s on-the-go lifestyles, with digital collections, ebooks and audiobooks. Online access allows you to be an avid library user after hours and from the comfort of your home.

Branch manager Kelly Lamm welcomes you to Eastside, saying, “This is a welcoming, beautiful space, with room to expand and increase our services to the community. My wish is for this new library to become a place where the community can come together to so-

Ann Hammond, Executive Director and Kelly Lamm, Manager of Eastside Branch

cialize, create, learn, and have new experiences.”

“You never know who you will see at the library,” Tattershall observes. “People of all ages and backgrounds are each there for a different purpose, which provides excitement and energy. When you enter the building, you’ll notice that our family section is always dynamic, while the main area has a grandeur about it and traditional feel with bookshelves and a cozy fireplace. No matter who you are, you’ll find that our library has something for you.”

Eastside Branch 3000 Blake James Drive (corner of Man o’ War & Palumbo)

231-5500

“The only thing that you absolutely must know is the location of the library.”

Albert Einstein

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Weddings

Photos Booths at Your Reception Can Be the Hit of the Day Y

our wedding photography is one of your most important wedding day choices.

The photos that result are important not only to immortalize the day, but also to show the bride and groom the many moments they may have missed while greeting guests.

A great addition to your wedding photo memories is the addition of a photo booth.

Your photo booth can result in some of the most interesting photos, and serves as an additional entertainment venue for your guests. Planned out right, your wedding photo booth can be the hit of your reception.

Rented Photo Booths: Either available through your photographer, or rented from a vendor, these mechanical photo booths are reminiscent of the old school retail photo booths that resulted in a fun strip of black and whites. Now you get an instant, festive sheet of color photos of your guests’ silly “behind the curtain” antics. These run a minimum of $500, but the instant photos can double as both the favor and fun.

Frame Gallery Photo Booth: Especially if your venue is outside and you have grand trees to work with, hanging large vintage frames that guests can stand behind is clever and so simple. Distress your frames to have a worn and vintage look if they aren’t already – the rougher the better. Your photos look best if the frames share a consistent element. My favorite is a light whitewash over old frames, then hit with sandpaper to bring out the base colors. Old frames will be easier to source and cheaper if you aren’t picky about their condition.

Backdrop Photo Booths: Choose a creative backdrop that works with your reception theme. You can have your photographer take the shots and provide instant photos, or just let guests do it

themselves with their phones. You can go all out with a painted backdrop that features your new name, but sometimes simple is simply the best.

Great backdrops can be as simple as shabby chic old doors, artfully positioned.

The All Important Props: Props are what make the photo booth fun.

Bring a few fun props that are ‘you’. If you are a superfan of a specific genre – from Star Wars to Disney to Downton Abbey – bring props that are fun and will speak to what your interests were at the time of your wedding. Superhero masks and light sabers, vintage hats and fake mustaches, tiaras and top hats. Some brides get crafty with word bubbles and masks on sticks. You know your guests best and know what they will enjoy. If you don’t want campy photos, ditch the props and your photo booth will set the stage for great group photos and selfless selfies.

Zero Budget Ideas: Just get creative. Look for a photogenic corner at your venue. Make a cute sign with your Instagram hashtag, Facebook page or wedding website address. Bring in something simple for a backdrop. Bring props that you already own that speak to your hobbies or lifestyle like your sports gear, for example. You will enjoy what comes out of this simple idea immensely, and they will significantly add to your wedding memories. It’s a “snap”, and you won’t regret this little bit of

by Marsha Koller extra effort.

Wedding Consultant

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Dining

But in addition to grand spaces and thought-provoking exhibitions, one of the most exciting features of 21c Lexington is Lockbox, a full-service restaurant featuring executive chef Jonathan Searle’s thoughtful menu showcasing time-honored cooking techniques and local, high-quality seasonal ingredients.

The 100-seat restaurant evokes the glamour of a bygone era, with clever touches that bring it up to the moment. The lobby is outfitted with comfortable benches for lounging and enjoying cocktails, as well as a communal table for which no reservations are required. The dining room features extra-high ceilings, teal velvet drapery, doubleheight windows, marble floors, and carefully restored ornamental plasterwork and wainscoting. Lockbox features a partial exhibition kitchen that can be viewed by both passers-by and restaurant patrons.

According to a statement from 21c, the American-made Jade Cooking Suite allows for seamless collaboration between Chef Jonathan and his team. The former bank vault has been transformed into an intimate private dining area along with a separate full-service bar. Despite the upscale surroundings, 21c is intended to be a place where visitors can feel relaxed and comfortable. There is no dress code, and unlike most museums, it’s perfectly acceptable to grab a cocktail and explore the galleries.

When it comes to his culinary approach, Chef Jonathan doesn’t go in for a lot of gimmicks. “A lot of my cooking is fairly straightforward”, he explained. “Our menu is not large, but everything is made from scratch.

I don’t want any of the dishes to be too big or overwhelming.” Bearded and decked out in thick-framed glasses, jeans, sneakers and a baseball cap, Jonathan’s style is as relaxed and approachable as his food.

When asked about his favorite dish on the menu, he mentioned the pasture raised local chicken without hesitation. “It’s a half bird from Marksbury Farm, simply roasted in a French Country style with a nice brine on it. I serve it alongside ‘dirty lentils’ which are prepared in a Creole gravy, garnished with withered greens and thinly sliced radishes. I’ve cooked and tasted so many different presentations in my life, and one of my favorite things in the world to eat is a simple roast chicken.”

house-made saltine crackers, black pepper buttermilk biscuits, pickled vegetables, fresh Creole mustard and generous portions of house-made spreads served in miniature Mason jars: pimento cheese, sweet pepper jam with lemon cream cheese, and chicken liver mousse. Jonathan explains, “This is the no-pretense highlight of our sharables section.

I created this dish for people like myself who like to taste a variety of things and who aren’t necessarily looking for an entire entree. It has vegetarian and non-vegetarian options and it gets people interacting.”

While this item will remain on the menu for the foreseeable future, the contents of the jars will likely vary over time. “We’ll always have the pimento cheese, because that’s basically a food group as far as I’m concerned, but the other two will probably rotate,” said Jonathan. “You might see a country ham salad or smoked catfish. We want to create something that everyone at the table can come together and share.”

Much of the meat and produce at Lockbox comes directly from Woodland Farm, which is owned by Steve Wilson and Laura Lee Brown. The Woodland Farm hog chop is served in a cast iron skillet, alongside charred broccoli, pecans and winter squash sweet potato mustard. “I’m kind of riffing off the classic ham, sorghum and mustard thing,” Jonathan said. “I love this area, I love everything about the Bluegrass. I’m proud to be an American cook and I’m not going to try to polish up the menu or make it more ‘city’ – I want to let the ingredients shine.”

All things considered, 21c Lexington is a wonderful asset to the city of Lexington, and the well-crafted dishes at Lockbox do a fantastic job of standing up to the wow factor that the property has become known for.

Dining room hours are Monday–Thursday from 5:30pm–10pm, Friday and Saturday from 5:30–11pm, and Sunday from 5:30–9pm.

Breakfast is served Monday–Friday from 7–10am and from 7am–12pm on weekends. Lunch service will be coming soon. For reservations, call 859-899-6860.

This no-pretense approach is perhaps most evident in the thoughtful sharables section. Here, guests will find everything from local cheeses to warm olives with rosemary and citrus to roasted oysters with garlic chili butter. A crowd favorite has quickly emerged. Simply referred to as “In Jars”, Jonathan’s groupfriendly creation is served on a butcher block and includes

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New & Noteworthy

New

& Noteworthy

I remember as a kid

, my mom would drag me around to thrift shops. It was so annoying to me, as nothing in those stores ever appealed to me in my younger years. She thought of it as a treasure hunt though, and she always found something fabulous.

They say you eventually become your parents one day and I believe it—now one of my favorite things to do is go antiquing and shopping at vintage shops and consignment stores!

It must be other peoples’ passion too, or maybe these places just grew in popularity after Macklemore’s hit song “Thrift Shop”, but either way, these specialty “gently-used” stores are opening all over the Central Kentucky area. The latest and greatest one to open its doors is The Great Room, located in a retro-looking building at 287 Southland Drive in Lexington.

The Great Room sells mostly pre-owned furniture and accessories, but they also carry some new items as well. Fresh inventory is showing up every day too, so there is always something unique and fun to see and purchase each time you visit. The expansive showroom features all kinds of items including plush couches, cool chairs, chic coffee tables, classic dining room tables, funky end tables, trendy lamps, all kinds of home décor and accessories, antiques, framed art work, seasonal decor, custom made initials and front door décor.

The store is owned by Christina Hager, a local real estate agent, and her husband Kevin. Together, the couple has flipped and sold houses for years, and upon completion of their renovations, they would search for new furniture and decor to fit that particular style of home. They found many of these items at second-hand stores.

The Hagers are now long-time consignment shoppers who enjoy the thrill of traveling around to find good quality pieces at afford-

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the great room

able prices for their flips and for their own home. With consignment store knowledge and experience under their belts, the Hagers decided to turn their passion for shopping into a business of selling and so far, shoppers are loving what they’re finding at The Great Room.

If you’re a consignor, the process of selling is simple. You can contact the Hagers in person at the store, or visit their website at greatroom.co. The Great Room takes items on consignment for up to 120 days. To ensure that your items sell, they are reduced by 10 percent each 30 days until sold or the consignor can come retrieve the item if they would like to keep it. The consignor may also choose to have the item donated at the end of the 120 days if it does not sell.

For items sold over $100, the consignor receives 60 percent of the sale price. For items sold under $100, it is reduced to 50 percent.

This is a fantastic option for people who are dealing with estates, are moving, redecorating or just want to add something fun and funky to the home decor they already have.

The last time I visited, I fell in love with several pieces they had for sale including a Chesterfield sofa, some funky 1970s leather office chairs and this cool, rustic farmhouse table. I am not sure those three items would go together in one space, as my taste in furniture is as diverse as The Great Room’s offerings. But the point is, the Hagers and The Great Room truly have something for everyone and every room.

by Meredith Lane City Scout

TOP SHOTS | SOCIE T Y

TOPS in Lexington Royalty

Tribute to a Legend - Tony Leonard

Chamber Chorale Fundraiser

SEC Tournament Champions

21c Hotel and Museum Now Open!

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St. Patrick’s Day Sofa on Wheels