THE CAREER OF ARCHITECT
HERB GREENE
THE STATE OF LOCAL REAL ESTATE
PVA SALES REPORTS
Nick S. Morrow, DMD W. Scott Jenkins, DMD, MD
Matthew N. Gayheart, DMD, MD
Contributors
Michelle Aiello is a Chicago-born writer, editor and indie publisher. Her interests include living room karaoke, snail mail and all things vintage. She contributes to our monthly “tadoo list” (our calendar of cultural happenings, page 41).
Liz Carey (“Organic Design,” page 25) is a Kentucky-born journalist, author and writing teacher living in Lexington. A graduate of Miami University, she has been a full-time freelance writer for 6 years, after a 20+ year career as an award-winning reporter for weekly and daily newspapers in Kentucky, Ohio and South Carolina. When she’s not writing, you can fi nd her on her porch with her dog, her cat, a great book and a relatively good glass of wine.
Smiley Pete contributor Shannon Clinton (“Craveworthy,” page 9) is an Elizabethtown native who now lives in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. A proud graduate of Western Kentucky University’s journalism program, she has been a full-time freelance writer for more than 20 years for publications across the Southeast. When she’s not writing, you can find her tending to her collections of vintage Pyrex and hot sauce.
Emily Giancarlo (photography for “Organic Design”) is a professional photographer based out of Lexington, specializing in lifestyle and commercial photography. For more information and images, visit www.emilygiancarlo.com.
David O’Neill has served as Fayette County Property Valuation Administrator since 2009. He contributes to our annual “State of Local Real Estate” package (page 11).
Celeste Lewis is a visual artist, freelance writer and director for the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center. She interviewed new LexPhil executive director Brooke Raby for this month’s “Quick Six” feature (page 35).
Matt Wickstrom (“Creative Types: Abby Hamilton,” page 31) is a professional writer and founder of the music blog Wick’s Picks, which is now also a radio show on 96.1 The Hound.
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Dr. Danny Steckler
CIVIC CONNECTIONS IT’S TIME, LEXINGTON
BY LIZ SHEEHAN, 5TH DISTRICT COUNCILMEMBER
The Commonwealth of Kentucky recently released the 2023 Kentucky Domestic Violence Data Report, which is only the second state-wide analysis of its kind. While we know that domestic violence is underreported, this sobering document highlights the widespread impact of domestic violence across Kentucky. According to the report:
• 1 in 2 women and 1 in 3 men in Kentucky have experienced domestic violence.
• 41,887 electronic JC-3 forms were filed.
• 7,744 arrests were made for incidents involving domestic or dating violence and abuse.
• 17,036 Emergency Protective Orders were served by the Kentucky State Police.
• 15,104 individuals received services from ZeroV’s 15 regional domestic violence programs.
• 23,381 crisis/hotline calls were received through ZeroV’s 15 regional domestic violence programs.
Research shows us that domestic violence not only affects the individuals directly involved in the cycle of abuse, but it also impacts the community at large. Lexington saw a dramatic rise in homicides related to domestic violence in 2021 and 2022. In response, Mayor Linda Gorton’s administration launched the “It’s Time, Lexington” campaign to help raise awareness and connect survivors with available resources in our community (www.itstimelexington.org). This awareness campaign encourages every Lexingtonian to: “Talk about it, Know about it, Do Something about it!” Great work has been done by a network of community leaders, city employees, advocates, and other partners to compile available resources and create toolkits for those who want to help make Lexington safer for all residents.
The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) has recently updated its paid leave policy to include coverage for employees who are survivors of domestic violence and other crimes. I brought forward these suggested changes after conversations with LFUCG employees and service providers who have been working in these spaces for years. I was thrilled to have the unanimous support of my Council colleagues as we moved these changes through the Council process. This policy update is an important step to show the community that LFUCG leads by example. We understand that taking care of our employees as they navigate medical appointments, legal hearings, and mental health appointments is the right thing to do. Our employees are vital to providing the services that all Lexingtonians depend upon, and we want to ensure they have the support they need.
We encourage our partners in the private sector to look at these kinds of policies for their workplaces. While no single policy change or initiative will completely solve domestic violence, making tangible changes to help our neighbors where we can is very important. Helping survivors maintain employment leads to more stable outcomes for themselves and their employers. Lexington is a wonderful place to call home, and with us all working together, we can help to ensure that our home is a safe one for all of our neighbors. It’s time, Lexington! n
SHEEHAN
PAID FOR BY THE CAMPAIGN FUND OF AMY GREEN.
Apiary has earned a reputation of culinary excellence and hospitality over the past 15 years. You’re invited to our table.
BY SHANNON CLINTON
After retiring from 26 years in corporate America, Elizabeth King has given up the nine-to-five for days when it’s always teatime.
King leased a late 1800s building at 219 N. Limestone that served as a gelato shop and a clothing store in recent years, and after extensive renovation, has turned it into Lexington Tea and Brie, an elegant space for gatherings large and small. The tearoom opened in late June with a menu featuring a variety of tea sandwiches, scones, sweets, and individual pots of tea. Gluten-free and vegetarian options are also available by request, as is a special kids’ menu.
Reservations are required and are typically available for parties of two to eight, though individuals and larger parties can be served with advance notice, King said. Up to 28 guests can be served indoors and eight outside (outdoor seating is usually set up by request for private parties). Dress can be casual, though King points out that “it’s always fun to dress up for a tea party.”
In other foodie news:
Pizza and breadsticks lovers can rest easy, as Joe Bologna’s at 120 W. Maxwell St. is being sold to Brandon Thurman and Bill Bedini, the owners of newly opened High Proof Hideaway, multiple media outlets have reported. Owner, founder and namesake Joe B. plans to remain through the transition period until year’s end.
• The New Orleans-inspired cocktail bar Creaux has closed at 310 W. Short St., paving the way for a new world cuisine, cocktails and wine concept 3TEN, set to open this fall from chef Jonathan Lundy and business partner and certified sommelier T.J. Cox, owners of West Short Street’s Corto Lima and ItalX.
According to a press release, 3TEN will be a “destination where global flavors meet local charm with a rotating menu of small plates and shareable dishes” from Mediterranean, pan-Asian and Latin American origins, as well as a 30+ item cocktail list and curated wine selection.
• Bumble Bites has opened at 3735 Palomar Centre Dr., Lexington, with bubble teas, matcha, coffee and espresso drinks, chai, superfood bowls, croissants, egg tarts and more.
• With hummus, falafel, shawarma and more, Watan Mediterranean Grill was eyeing a July grand opening at 3344 Partner Place at press time.
• Those thirsty for a taste of summer can try Ale-8-One limited edition strawberry watermelon, launched in July.
• Lightning round! Everything Spuds has opened at 1070 Chinoe Rd. Ste. 140, in Chinoe Shopping Center; Smoothie King has opened at 2901 Richmond Rd.; and Manchester Liquor is now open at 1000 Manchester St. n
Have a food- or beverage-related update to share? Please email info@smileypete.com.
THE STATE OF LOCAL REAL ESTATE
Understanding Property Tax Assessment
BY DAVID O’NEILL FAYETTE COUNTY PROPERTY VALUE ADMINISTRATOR
lmost everyone has either experienced sticker shock at their most recent property tax assessments, or they soon will. Fayette County PVA, David O’Neill explains how soaring home prices are behind larger than usual assessment increases, offers historical context and provides forecasts regarding supply and demand for housing in Lexington and what it means for those wanting to buy or sell a home. More data can be found at FayettePVA.com, the official database for all real property in Fayette County.
My property tax assessment jumped almost 50% this year. Why? Property tax assessments are determined using the sale prices of comparable homes. The median sale price of a single-family home in Lexington has almost doubled over the past 10 years, from $159,000 in 2013 to $310,000 today — a 95% jump. That’s what’s driving the increases.
Why are home prices going up? Don’t higher interest rates usually lower housing demand and bring prices down? Yes. Historically, during periods of inflation, when the Federal Reserve Board raised interest rates, home prices declined, helping to bring inflation under control. But that has not been the case this time because significant economic forces — including the pandemic’s impacts on
labor and housing-related supply chains — have limited the supply of new housing.
Consumers are currently skeptical that interest rates will return to their previous levels. It is important to remember that interest rates were extremely low by historical standards thanks to monetary policy put in place during the recession. It is estimated that nearly 60% of all existing home mortgages are locked in at or below 4%, and 75% are below 5%. Those owners are very reluctant to give up their locked-in rates for a new mortgage that would cost 6.5% or 7% when there’s little expectation that 3.5% mortgage rates will return in the foreseeable future. So, they are holding on to their homes, limiting supply and forcing prices up.
When the Fed finally gets around to cutting rates, will a flood of houses hit
the market and stabilize prices? When interest rates come down, it is reasonable to expect a wave of new real estate listings. However, on the demand side of the equation, current homeowners with their locked-in low interest rates are not the only ones who have been trying to wait out the Fed. Millions of millennials have been putting off home ownership creating a swell of pent-up demand. When they re-enter the marketplace, there will be significant upward pressure on prices. Also worth noting: We are in the early stages of one of the greatest transfers of wealth in human history. Estimates suggest upwards of $70$90 trillion dollars in wealth will transfer from the boomer generation to millennials over the next 20 years, setting the stage for a surge in real estate transactions.
Are the rapidly rising prices and lack of homes for sale a national issue or unique to Central Kentucky? The housing affordability crisis is not unique to Lexington. It is an increasingly significant issue almost everywhere. Factors contributing to the supply and demand imbalance are similar across most markets. But some locations, including Lexington, have particular situations.
The current inventory of houses listed for sale in Lexington is very low by historical standards, with two significant drivers at play. First, we have been very slow in bringing new homes to market since the recession. As shown in the accompanying graph, new construction was a robust local industry in the early 2000s, providing between 1,500 and 2,000 new singlefamily detached houses per year. Heading into the recession, that number began to dwindle, ultimately dropping 75% to a low of 500 houses in 2011, an annual rate of production that persists to this day.
O’NEILL
NEW LEXINGTON HOME BUILDS
NOTABLE
NEIGHBORHOOD PRICE INCREASES
Bell Court
Currently, new construction only makes up about 10% of all home sales in Lexington. Nationally, however, that ratio trended back up with the recovery from the recession. Of the 1.5 million homes sold in the United States in April, 31% were new houses.
One obstacle unique to a handful of cities, including Lexington, is the existence of an urban service boundary designed to limit urban sprawl. Subdivision of land in Fayette County that lies outside the urban service boundary is limited to parcels no smaller than 40 acres. The extent to which these preservation efforts suppress the supply of new housing is a decades-old ongoing debate. But, it appears Lexington will soon move forward with a plan to expand the urban service boundary for the first time since the mid-1990s, allowing for the development of almost 3,000 acres.
Property assessments are understandably increasing, but surely there is a limit to how much they can increase annually? Unfortunately, no. The Kentucky constitution requires PVAs to shoot for 100% fair cash value each year. However, the Kentucky Department of Revenue (PVA is a state office, not a city function) recommends reassessing on a quadrennial review plan, whereby each property is visually inspected and evaluated for a revised assessment once every four years. The quadrennial plan usually works well, but in the current market, where values are increasing on average 10% each year, reassessing only once every four years often results in shocking increases.
The alternative would be to abandon the quadrennial plan and reassess every
property annually. However, PVA offices are not funded nor staffed at a level that would make quadrupling the workload feasible. This is why following events like the recession and pandemic lockdown, when reassessments were suspended, it takes several years to get fully caught up with reassessments.
Now that I understand the process better, I want to protest my reassessment from last year. Is it too late? It is too late to change the value for your 2024 tax bill, but you can protest next year. Each tax year stands on its own and any property owner can protest any of their properties every year. There is no requirement that a property’s value has changed in order to protest.
If assessments are already decided, what good will it do to go through the protest process? The most important message here that I want readers to take away is that I strongly believe that for tax assessments to be fair and accurate, the assessment process must be a collaborative effort between the property owners and the PVA.
The PVA performs mass assessments, not full appraisals; we never go inside homes. There are 114,000 properties in Lexington and only a handful of PVA staff. Without input from the owner, we cannot possibly know enough about each property to arrive at an accurate opinion of value. Every four years, assessors drive up and down every street in their assigned neighborhoods and perform “windshield inspections” of the home. Based on these observations, assessors make significant assumptions about the overall condition of the home.
Beaumont Farm
The assessment notices we mail to property owners in mid-April include our educated best estimate of value, but that’s meant to be the beginning of the process, not the end. The next step is for property owners to fill in the gaps in our knowledge about their property, and that happens through the protest process.
Most property owners will receive an adjustment in their assessment after reviewing their home’s condition in greater detail with a PVA assessor. We try to build in an adjustment factor for the fact that most houses sold have had at least some cosmetic updates before hitting the market, whereas most of us do not keep our homes in market-ready condition. Specific items that can affect value include the quality of finish of the basement, attic, and upper floor spaces; effective age of the roof, windows, and HVAC systems; years since updates to kitchens and bathrooms; deferred maintenance, etc.
What other information should homeowners provide the PVA when protesting their assessment? Several years ago, we redesigned the assessment notice to include the five comparable sales used to derive a value for the subject property. To the best of my knowledge, there is not another PVA jurisdiction in the country providing comps directly on the notices. The comps are 100% computer generated, and while they continue to get better with each year that we further refine the assessing software, a homeowner may find other sales that are more relevant. We are always happy to review any other comps. Other helpful information includes recent appraisals, estimates of repair, and photographs.
MEDIAN SALE PRICE FOR LEXINGTON HOMES
What exactly is a “comp”? The ones on the notice don’t look like my house. Our assessing software chooses comps based on criteria including overall square footage, number of stories, exterior finishes, basements, etc. The computer will always try to limit comps from only within the PVA-designated neighborhood boundary. Sometimes a home is significantly di erent than other houses in the neighborhood and the computer must search from other neighborhoods that are identified as having similar characteristics.
Keep in mind that “comparable” does not mean identical. Comparable means the houses are similar enough that differences between the two can be identified, quantified, and adjusted to arrive at an opinion of value. Adjustments to a comp’s sale price are commonly made for di erences in square feet of living area, whether there’s a basement, how much of the basement is finished, number of bathrooms, presence of a garage or other accessory structures, di erences in land value, and a subjective rating assigned by the PVA assessor during the inspection process.
My house has not had a significant assessment increase in several years. What should I expect? If your tax assessment has not changed significantly since the pandemic, then you are probably in the upcoming 2025 quadrennial area in Southern Fayette County, which essentially encompasses everything outside New Circle Road south of Versailles and Winchester Roads. The assessors will be in those areas conducting inspections from now until December. The assessment notices will be mailed, as always, around April 15. Please note, as mail delivery can sometimes be unreliable, I cannot guarantee delivery. But, I can guarantee the new values will be updated on the PVA website at FayettePVA.com on April 15. Every property in the county has its own page or property record on the PVA website, and we encourage homeowners to familiarize themselves with it. On your property’s page, you will also find a PDF copy of the notice, as well as the comps used with hyperlinks to each comp’s property record. To access FayettePVA.com, you must create an online account. It is free to use for the first 100 property searches each month. ■
Established in 1849 as a rural garden cemetery, The Lexington Cemetery has been a place of beauty that has marked the history of our community for 175 years. Encompassing 170 acres, it comprises the National and public sections with nearly 77,000 interments. This acreage will accommodate the burial needs of our community for at least the next 100 years.
DESIGN BUILD
MAINTAIN
HoRticulture ExpeRtise
As a new company with a lifetime of experience, Hortus Gardens is a fine gardening design-build firm, specializing in horticulture, project implementation, and client care. Drawing on our founders’ collective 65+ years in the green industry , we craft the finest gardens possible - all within the parameters of each project’s goals, because even the most elegant designs cannot exist nor endure without proper implementation and horticultural expertise.
BELL COURT / MENTELLE PARK / KENWICK
Total Single Family Residences (Houses): 1,307
Median Square Footage (Excludes Basement): 1,394
Median Age of Home (in Years):
707 BULLOCK PLACE, SOLD APRIL 11, 2023. PHOTO FURNISHED
CHEVY CHASE / ASHLAND PARK / MOUNT VERNON
Total Single Family Residences (Houses): 1,162
Median Square Footage (Excludes Basement): 2,163
824 MELROSE AVE., SOLD FEB. 23, 2024. PHOTO FURNISHED
COPPERFIELD / COOPER RUN / DOGWOOD TRACE
Total Single Family Residences (Houses): 1,065
Median Square Footage (Excludes Basement): 2,558
Median Age of Home (in Years): 33
Number of Sales in Past 12 Months*: 31
Current
(Percentage
2.9%
Number of Sales in Previous 12 Months**:
Median Sale Price Previous 12 Months**: $437,500
Change in Year-to-Year Median Sale Price: 4.0% * “Past 12 months” refers to the period between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024.
** “Previous 12 months” refers to the period between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023.
4521 CLUBHOUSE DR., SOLD MARCH 8, 2024. PHOTO FURNISHED
LANSDOWNE
Total Single Family Residences (Houses): 1,031
Median Square Footage (Excludes Basement): 2,534
Median Age of Home (in Years): 63
Number of Sales in Past 12 Months*: 58
Current Turnover Rate (Percentage of Homes Sold in Past 12 Months)*: 5.6%
Median Sale Price for Past 12 Months*: $421,750
** “Previous 12 months” refers to the period between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023. 4
Residential Stats Compared to the Same Period in the Previous 12 Months**
Number of Sales in Previous 12 Months**: 69
Median Sale Price Previous 12 Months**: $339,000
Change in Year-to-Year Median Sale Price: 24.4%
* “Past 12 months” refers to the period between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024.
PALOMAR / FIREBROOK
HOMES SOLD
June 2022May 2023
June 2023May 2024
Total Single Family Residences (Houses): 663
Median Square Footage (Excludes Basement): 2,779
Median Age of Home (in Years): 32
Number of Sales in Past 12 Months*: 26
Current Turnover Rate (Percentage of Homes Sold in Past 12 Months)*: 3.9%
Median Sale Price for Past 12 Months*: $462,500
Residential Stats Compared to the Same Period in the Previous 12 Months**
Number of Sales in Previous 12 Months**: 45
Median Sale Price Previous 12 Months**: $450,000
Change in Year-to-Year Median Sale Price: 2.8% * “Past 12 months” refers to the period between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024. ** “Previous 12 months” refers to the period between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023.
2405 OLDE BRIDGE LANE, SOLD AUG. 18, 2023. PHOTO FURNISHED
STATS
Total Single Family Residences (Houses): 703
Median Square Footage (Excludes Basement): 2,087
Median Age of Home (in Years): 33
Number of Sales in Past 12 Months*: 25
Current Turnover Rate (Percentage of Homes Sold in Past 12 Months)*: 3.6%
Median Sale Price for Past 12 Months*: $345,000
HOMES SOLD
Residential Stats Compared to the Same Period in
Number of Sales in Previous 12 Months**: 22
Median Sale Price Previous 12 Months**: $300,000
Change in Year-to-Year Median Sale Price: 15.0%
* “Past 12 months” refers to the period between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024.
** “Previous 12 months” refers to the period between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023.
ORGANIC DESIGN
A LOOK AT THE CAREER OF FORMER LEXINGTON ARCHITECT HERB GREENE
STORY BY LIZ CAREY
Nestled in the rolling hills off Richmond Road, one of the remaining houses designed by noted architect Herb Greene still stands.
From the outside, the white modern structure settles into the hillside like a limestone rock. Inside, sunlight glimmers through the numerous windows in the morning sun, giving those inside a view of the creek just beyond the house’s expansive deck and heating the house. Greene designed it in 1966 with the natural environment in mind, as well as to fit into the surrounding area. It was a house ahead of its time.
But its sleek design with an eye to sustainability and ecology was something homeowner Mark Payton wanted when he and his wife moved here from Las Vegas and bought the house in 2022.
“When we looked at the house, it was like, ‘Oh, this is a great house,’ and then we started looking at where it was and how it fit with a creek, and the trees, and the gardens, and it was like, ‘Oh, this all fits together,’” Payton said. “We’re very much into sustainability, ecological solutions, renewable energy, but the way the house felt and fit into the environment was even better.”
PHOTO BY EMILY GIANCARLO
Located off Old Richmond Road, the “O’Neill House” is one of a small handful of remaining structures designed by by noted architect Herb Greene, who lived and taught in Lexington for 18 years.
While much of the house has been remodeled over the years, many of the original design elements of the O’Neill House — including its striking windows — remain.
PHOTOS BY EMILY GIANCARLO
He said the house now fitted with solar panels, runs entirely on electricity. But the house is situated on the land in a way that it aids the heating and cooling system. Windows are positioned so the sun lights the house and heats it in the morning, but doesn’t blaze through the windows during the hotter afternoon hours. Windows on the other side of the house are designed to bring in light and heat as the sun sets.
“It’s more efficient than you would think. We asked (contractors) whether we should add some insulation and they said, ‘No, you don’t need to.’ Our electric bills, even before we put in solar, were low,” he said. “The house has been designed to maximize light. When it was built in 1973, it was the predecessor to sustainable design.”
Greene, who is now 94, was a pioneer of the organic architecture movement, his great-niece Lila Cohen said. Cohen, also an architect, is currently producing a documentary, “Remembering the Future, with Herb Greene,” which tells the story of her great uncle’s life and his influence on organic architecture.
“I’ve spent so many years with Uncle Herb and have gotten this very front and center, up-close experience of what mattered to him, how he thinks, and how he’s tried to translate those thoughts through art and architecture.”
LILA COHEN, ARCHITECT AND GREAT-NIECE OF HERB GREENE
“Initially, I really just felt that it was important for me as an architect and as the great-niece of Herb Greene, that I document what his work was all about,” Cohen said. “I’ve spent so many years with Uncle Herb and have gotten this very front and center, upclose experience of what mattered to him, how he thinks, and how he’s tried to translate those thoughts through art and architecture. I felt these were ideas that maybe haven’t always been well understood.”
Greene studied architecture at the University of Oklahoma. After graduating in 1953, he went to work as an associate architect under Bruce Goff and Joseph Krakower in Oklahoma and Texas, before returning to the University of Oklahoma to teach. During that time, he designed and built houses still considered historically significant.
In 1961, Greene created his Prairie House in Norman, Oklahoma. Designed as a green building before green buildings were a thing, the house features natural materials, lighting and ventilation as well as energy efficiency and sensitive site placement.
“He found very inventive ways to use simple materials to create a lot of richness,” Cohen said. “The Prairie House is made entirely out of shingle boards and shingles and shakes, so it’s very inexpensive. It was designed for himself and his family out on the Oklahoma Prairie and what he wanted to do was reflect the prairie in the design, and to write a poem to the prairie by reflecting the prairie grasses in the lines of those shingled boards.”
The Prairie House, a truly innovative structure located in Oklahoma, is perhaps the design for which Greene is best known. Below, his great-niece, architect and documentarian Lila Cohen, reenacts a photo taken of her uncle decades prior.
PHOTOS FURNISHED
According to U.S. Modernist, it is considered one of the most significant examples of organic architecture. When pictures of the house were published in Look and Life magazines, as well as numerous journals in Europe and Japan, it caused an international sensation.
Organic architecture like her great uncle’s pulls its inspiration and design from the building’s surroundings, Cohen said.
“How Uncle Herb was interpreting it — and also his classmates and his teacher, Bruce Goff — they saw organic architecture as kind of an outgrowth of the place that the architecture was going to be built on and the people that it was going to be built for,” she said. “The design would always be this very open interpretation and individual to these different factors and to the architect. So, it was always something that would be unique.”
In 1964, Greene was recruited by the University of Kentucky to teach architecture.
“The dean of the school of architecture at the time was very forward-thinking and
he wanted to have just a slew of different professors and instructors that could bring perspectives from all these different points of view, all these different approaches,” Cohen said. “He invited Uncle Herb to come and teach at UK because of the acclaim for the kind of work he was doing and how different it was.”
Greene, who taught and lived in Lexington for 18 years, designed a number of buildings after he moved to Kentucky, including the Unitarian Universalist Church on Clays Mill Road.
Rev. Dr. Brian Chenowith said the design of the building, one of only a few public buildings Greene designed, very much reflects the congregation’s values and principles.
“The design of the church is quite intentional and reflects a naturalistic worldview,” Chenowith said. “The sanctuary does not have a steeple or a vaulted ceiling. Instead, the angled windows draw your gaze to the natural world around us. Unitarian Universalism celebrates the here and now, and nature is a big part of our spiritual path. We call this the ‘interdependent web of existence,’ which
Located off Clays Mill Road, the Unitarian Universalist Church is one of a few public buildings that Greene designed. The church was intentionally designed in a way that reflects the views of its congregation.
reminds us that everything is connected in this moment.”
When the church was built in the 1960s, it cost roughly $160,000, he said, and was paid for by founding congregation members mortgaging their homes.
“It’s really quite remarkable the level of dedication, trust and hope our founders had to do that,” he said. “Their dream and risk is part of why we are a thriving congregation that has provided a spiritual home for people who believe differently for nearly 75 years now.”
Other buildings Greene designed in Kentucky have long since been changed or destroyed. The Villa Blanca Farm, a horse farm on Carrick Pike in Lexington, was built in 1983 for Dr. Jesus Sahagun, former oil minister of Venezuela. The home featured an 8,000 square-foot main house with a separate earth manager’s residence. With Spanish character throughout, the house mirrored Dr. Sahagun’s Venezuelan roots, including a swimming pool with a terrace, fireplace, and pool kitchen to re-create the owner’s year-round patio life in his home country.
PHOTOS BY EMILY GIANCARLO
Since then, however, the main residence has burned down, Cohen said, and the manager’s residence is being remodeled.
Cohen said she hopes the documentary will help secure her great uncle’s legacy instead.
“I think his legacy really is his philosophy, his ideas, and, at this point, the buildings,” she said. “Most of the buildings have been greatly altered or are completely gone. The architecture is kind of disappearing, the buildings are disappearing, but I think it’s his ideas that will endure.”
A handful of local events surrounding the film are being planned for September, including a presentation and panel discussion at the University of Kentucky on Greene’s work and time at the university; a film sample screening at the Kentucky Theater as part of its “Art on Screen” series; and a film fundraiser at the “O’Neill House” (Mark Payton’s residence). More information on those events as they near, the film’s trailer, and a place to make a tax-deductible donation to the film can be found at www.herbgreenefilm.com. n
1802 Carolyn Drive
Wonderful 4-plex located in desirable Fairway. Meticulously maintained on large manicured lot. Fully leased.
2659 Lucca Place
This home in popular Tuscany is magazine worthy. Downstairs owners suite, open, airy kitchen and living room. Outdoor covered porch with a fireplace and television. Two car attached garage.
Above: Architect Herb Greene next to one of his paintings at the University of Kentucky in 1976.
PHOTO FURNISHED
Nonprofit organizations in Central and Appalachia Kentucky are invited to join our region’s biggest online fundraising event: the GoodGiving Challenge!
Thanks to our generous donors and sponsors, the GoodGiving Challenge has raised over $23 million for our hard-working nonprofits since its inception in 2011!
Registration is open through August 30 for the 2024 GoodGiving Challenge.
Sign up online at BGgives.org.
Abby Hamilton CREATIVE TYPES
Courtesy of a voice and spirit that’s equal parts Sheryl Crow and Loretta Lynn, Abby Hamilton has emerged in recent months as one of Kentucky’s — and all of country music’s — brightest new talents.
In that time, the Jessamine County born singer has released her debut full-length album, “#1 Zoopkeeper of the San Diego Zoo;” made her national television debut on “CBS Saturday Morning;” opened a run of shows for Tyler Childers; made her second appearance at Railbird Festival; and been announced as fall tour support for American Aquarium.
It’s the culmination of her destiny and a dream being fully realized, even if Hamilton was maybe a bit slow to come around to it. Born
into a musical bunch who frequently performed in public as The Hamilton Family, she was thrown into the fire from an early age — so much so that she “thought everyone’s family was [musically inclined], until I got older and realized that couldn’t be further from the truth.”
Despite those roots, Hamilton admits her commitment in those early years was often lacking.
“We had a rule in the house that until we were 18, we had to take music lessons, so I hopped around from piano to violin and guitar,” Hamilton said. “Then I started taking voice lessons and quickly realized that you didn’t have to practice at home — which was perfect, since I resented doing that at the time.
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STORY BY MATT WICKSTROM
“I’ve always loved music as a listener and history buff; I just had to resent it at first because I didn’t want to be told that’s what I had to do,” she added.
As fate would have it, not long after Hamilton “graduated” from her required childhood lessons, the musical bug bit her back. While enrolled at Asbury University, she had an epiphany upon learning that her idol Johnny Cash’s number one hit “Sunday Morning Coming Down” was actually penned by Kris Kristofferson. She realized people could make a career from writing songs, not just performing them. For someone who, at the time, was lacking in confidence and direction, the moment was just what the doctor ordered.
“I was a little too old when I realized so many of my favorite songs were not written by the people that sang them,” admits Hamilton. “It was pretty soon after that I felt like I’d found a calling of sorts. A place where my creativity made sense in the world for the first time was that of
lyrics, storytelling and arranging songs. It’s all about the song.”
Since then, Hamilton has become one of Central Kentucky’s most celebrated young songwriters, now with two EPs and a full album to her name. One of her most frequent collaborators throughout her musical journey thus far has been Duane Lundy, the owner and producer at the Lexington Recording Company who’s also worked with the likes of Sturgill Simpson, Ben Sollee and Ringo Starr.
“Producing and collaborating with Abby has allowed me the privilege of watching a gifted and genuine artist write, perform, and create music with a very unique perspective,” Lundy said. “The music industry is filled with the habit of creating an environment of imitators, and I am very proud to see Abby taking risks — effortlessly, I might add — to maintain her musical voice.”
Hamilton recently took the time to candidly answer some questions about the
musicians and other artists who inspire her, creative partnerships with her sibling, Zachary, and with producer Duane Lundy, and more.
Who are a few of your biggest musical influences, both from Kentucky and not? Man, there are so many from Kentucky. Recently it’s been my peers, Grayson Jenkins, Brother Smith, Nicholas Jamerson, Leah Connoly (with Mule Haggard), Magnolia Boulevard and so many more. I’ve been so inspired by their art and the ability to share this crazy journey with them. I learn and have learned so much from them over the years. Outside of Kentucky, man, you can’t make me answer that! Always “the Boss,” Bruce Springsteen; Patty Griffin; Johnny Cash; and so many more. Sorry, it cannot be that simple.
What artists and writers outside of the musical realm do you draw inspiration from? Recently I’ve been inspired by a lot of old films. When we set out to make “Zookeeper,” especially the
Abby Hamilton and her band opened for indie country phenom Tyler Childers at Red Rocks last fall. L-R, Ryan Allen, Zach Hamilton, Abby Hamilton, Carson Childers, Justin Craig and Zachary Martin.
PHOTO BY DIEGO MOLINA
music video [for the title track], I turned my attention to Federico Fellini films, mostly for his work with color. I was so inspired by the intensity and contrast in “Juliet of the Spirits.” So, these days, a lot of old movies, being outside, and good conversation.
Outside of your own music, you also play from time to time with Bolo Mules, a local group specializing in ’90s country music covers. Tell me a little about that era of country music and how it impacted your sound. It’s what I grew up on. Talking about Kentucky artists, Patty Loveless was such a huge influence for me growing up, as well as Vince Gill, Shania Twain, The Chicks, Keith Whitley, The Judds… I could go on forever. It’s such a fun night to karaoke as characters to all the songs we grew up on.
Your sibling Zachary is an integral part of your current band. Tell me about their influence on your music and what it’s like getting to share in this journey with them by your side/ in your band? My sibling Zachary and I have always been bonded through music. While they were learning guitar, I was learning piano — sneaking Zeppelin, White Stripes, Blink 182 and the Killers on our iTunes. I couldn’t imagine making
music without them. Zachary is one of a kind. As a player, friend and sibling. My sound has been so thoroughly nurtured by their taste, and I’m so much better for it.
You have worked with Lexington producer Duane Lundy quite a bit, including on your latest record “#1 Zookeeper (Of The San Diego Zoo).” What keeps you going back to work with him? Duane has been one of the greatest creative collaborations of my life. He was the first person in a studio space who treated me like an artist, made me feel like I belonged there, and kicked my ass in a way that made me better. Everyone needs a truth teller with taste in their corner, and that’s what Duane has been to me and so many artists who have worked with him. I love what we create and will continue to work with him as long as he’ll have me.
Given the name of your last record, what is your favorite zoo animal? Right now, orangutans. Hands down. They seem like the Gandalfs of the monkey universe.
What are your favorite haunts in Lexington? For good food, Nefertiti. For a good walk, the Arboretum. For a good happy hour and fried pickles, Side Bar.
For late night hangs, the Green Lantern. And that’s all I’ll say — gatekeeping on purpose.
What’s been the personal highlight of your musical journey so far? We’ve had so many mountaintop moments in the last few years. My personal highlight would be having my band with me all these years to share the experiences with. Between Luck Reunion, going out with Tyler Childers, making the record together, and doing real life together, it’s very hard to choose. I would say the relationships I have with Zach Martin, Zachary Hamilton, and Carson Childers and all the people who support us out on tour (Scout Anders, Maxwell Boileau, Diego Molina, Ryan Allen and Justin Craig) has been the greatest highlight of all.
What has music taught you about yourself? It’s the ultimate mirror looking back at me, reminding me I’m capable, creative, worth something, and someone with a great capacity for selfpity, anger, resentment, hard pressed for affirmation, tied up in anxiety, ready to love, unsure, scared, intelligent at times and sometimes just witty. It’s taught me all these things and more. But it always comes back to love. Love for art, love for myself, and love for others. n
PHOTO BY DIEGO MOLINA
Abby Hamilton and her band performing at Red Rocks last September.
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Quick 6 with BROOKE RABY
BY CELESTE LEWIS
In June, the Lexington Philharmonic announced a new executive director following the retirement of longtime leader Allison Kaiser. Formerly an active LexPhil board member, Brooke Raby had been serving as the interim executive director for 10 months before her appointment.
In advance of the 2024-’25 LexPhil season, which kicks off in October, Raby recently responded to a handful of questions from Smiley Pete reporter Celeste Lewis about her new role.
What drew you to this new position with the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra, and how does your past experience fit with your position as executive director? I’ve always been a music fan, and for a significant part of my life I was a musician as well, playing piano and singing. In August of 2022 I joined the LexPhil Board. I was excited to get back into concerts and orchestral music, not just as an audience member but as someone who could contribute to the organization, too. Having worked in development at the Hope Center and managing the Kentucky Book Festival, I knew I could help. I never thought it would lead to this new position for me, for sure. But my career experience thus far has allowed me to get to know Lexington and the region, understand our culture, and meet loads of wonderful people. Obviously, I have a good amount of practical experience in many of my current administrative and managerial duties as well. That said, I learn something new every day. It’s humbling at times.
Conducting has traditionally been a male-dominated career, but we are gradually seeing that changing. The Philharmonic’s music director, Mélisse Brunet was recently featured in the documentary, “Maestra,” a film celebrating women conductors. What are your thoughts on women in this field and the Lexington Philharmonic being one of the few with a woman in the role of conductor? Unfortunately, it’s never a surprise to me when women are underrepresented in an industry. I’m
grateful for Mélisse and others who are fighting for women in the field and drawing attention to the tremendous talent that has been overlooked for so long. Of course, LexPhil is proud to not only have a woman conductor but also to have one of the brightest conducting talents in the industry. Women deserve for their hard work to count. They deserve to be everywhere, at the head of any organization they want, at the top of any field they choose and work hard in.
What is the biggest challenge for a non-profit organization like LexPhil today? All the performing arts are competing with a lot of other entertainment that is, frankly, easier to access. So much entertainment is available to enjoy right there on your couch — television, movies, books, video games, etc. People must consciously choose to participate in the performing arts. But the effort is so worth it. For many orchestras, our audiences haven’t returned 100% after COVID. We’re seeing folks come back slowly, and we’re also working hard to create an accessible and welcoming space for new people who are curious about live orchestral music. Of course, there’s always the ever-present issue of funding. Many corporate sponsors have changed giving philosophies, and a tough economy reduces individuals’ disposable incomes. Many orchestras of our size around the country have closed their doors. But our job is to remind people that the arts are worth your time and your dollars, and we’re so thankful for the enthusiastic and generous supporters we have.
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Before taking the executive director position with LexPhil, Brooke Raby’s professional experience included stints with the Kentucky Book Festival, University of Kentucky Press and Joseph-Beth Booksellers.
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Where is a favorite spot in Lexington where you can creatively recharge? Anywhere with my friends, honestly. A lot of my recharging has to do with conversation and hearing other people’s ideas, joys, and gripes. I’m a big fan of sitting on porches, but if I’m going “out,” I usually go to the northside: Arcadium, SRO, and Darling, specifically. I like to go out of town and into some nature when I can — Shaker Village, Elkhorn Creek, the Pinnacles in Berea, that kind of thing.
What is something about you that would surprise our readers to know? I’m an absolute introvert. I just hide it really well. I think they call that an outgoing introvert. Or a good actor. Either one works.
What is new and upcoming for LexPhil this season? We just announced our new season! It’s a great mix of contemporary music and the orchestral powerhouses people love. We’re strategizing on how to get new people into seats for our large-scale concerts, how and where we can involve more people in the community, how we can better advocate for ourselves and our fellow arts organizations at the local and state levels, and how we can integrate other arts disciplines into our programming. Ultimately, my focus is on what LexPhil is doing to refresh our role in Lexington. The arts have always helped make Lexington a standout city in this region of the United States. We’ve been part of this community for so long, contributing both on and off the stage. I want everyone to know our conductor, Mélisse, to hear our incredible musicians, and to feel proud of their local orchestra. We’re your neighbors, teachers, and friends, and we want to make music for you. n
Wine
Upcoming LexPhil Performances
While the Lexington Philharmonic 2024-’25 season officially kicks off in October, the orchestra has a couple upcoming performances this summer. Visit www.lexphil.org/ events for more info on these and other upcoming performances.
Picnic with the Pops
Aug. 10 • Keeneland
Symphonic Stroll
Sept. 7 • Josephine Sculpture Park (Frankfort)
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Allegro Dance Project is a local nonprofit that offers dance classes and performance opportinities for students of all levels and abilities. The organization celebrates its 10th anniversary this month with a retrospective performance.
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INCLUSIVE MOVEMENT
ALLEGRO DANCE PROJECT CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF PROVIDING DANCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS OF ALL ABILITIES
STORY BY SARAYA BREWER
Dance has been an integral part of Jeana Klevene’s existence for as long as she can remember. She started taking lessons as a young child, then transitioned into a career centering on choreographing and teaching dance as an adult. Today, most of her energy goes into her role as artistic director of Allegro Dance Project, the local non-profit organization she founded in 2014 that provides opportunities for dance and movement for children and adults of all abilities. Allegro — a word that means “joyful; a brisk or lively movement” — is now celebrating its 10th anniversary and will host a special commemorative performance at the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center this month to honor the occasion.
From an early age, Klevene was drawn to the beauty, rhythm and physicality of dance. There were plenty of aspects of the art form that always just clicked with her, but there were also some that didn’t.
“Throughout my journey, I always loved dance so much but really disliked how exclusive it was,” said Klevene. “I always knew I wanted to do something [with it] that would be more inclusive.”
As she evolved from being a student of dance into a leadership role in the field, Klevene found herself repeatedly asking herself the same question: How can we honor tradition in this art form without being exclusive or discriminatory? It was an issue she had not seen addressed very often in the dance world.
Allegro Dance Project addresses this challenge with a variety of methods through three distinct arms that work in tandem to meet the organization’s mission of inspiring dancers and audiences in a manner that’s joyful, fun and inclusive. Those aspects include a professional dance company featuring paid dancers and musicians; weekly adaptive dance classes for children and youth with Down Syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, and other specific needs; and an inclusive outreach program that travels to schools and other organizations to provide movement and music training for children with moderate to severe disabilities.
For the inclusive outreach program, which is available for free to public schools thanks to sponsors, grant funding and
private donors, Allegro brings a dance teacher and musician to a special needs classroom or other setting to lead a 40-45 minute session exploring music, ballet fundamentals, jazz and contemporary dance, freestyle movement and guided improvisation. The program has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade, Klevene explained.
“We started working with about 50 students our first year, and fast forward to this year, I think it will be over 1,500 students that we’ve served,” she said. While the organization initially only served Fayette County schools, around 35% of the schools it now serves are outside Fayette County, within an hour or so radius of Lexington.
The program, which Klevene describes as “physical therapy mixed with occupational therapy disguised as a group dance party,” is the only one of its kind that she’s aware of. It provides unique movement opportunities for students who are often sitting on the sidelines when it comes to physical activities. Witnessing the changes in students over the course of several sessions has been one of the greatest joys of Klevene’s career.
“We’ve seen kids who are nonverbal begin to communicate. We got to witness a little girl who crawled into her first dance class and was told she would never walk independently who now walks,” Klevene said. “They are having so much fun they don’t realize they’re working really physically hard. I think a lot of them don’t even realize the change that’s happening, physically and socially.”
Allegro Dance Project 10th Anniversary Performance
Sat., Aug. 10
Performances at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center, 141 E. Main St. www.allegrodance project.com
An important aspect in all of Allegro’s work is providing the opportunity for dancers and students of all levels and abilities to share the stage. The organization’s annual performances typically feature at least one number where students from the adaptive classes and inclusive outreach program share the stage with the company’s professional dancers.
This month’s special 10th anniversary show will include the organization’s most favorite repertoire from the past decade, including a piece from each year. The show will also feature contemporary dance, aerial circus arts, and live original music, as well as a silent auction to raise money for Allegro’s Inclusive Outreach Program. More information on the event and all of Allegro’s o erings can be found online at www.allegrodanceproject.com. ■
Events Calendar
CONCERTS & GIGS
blink-182. Aug. 1. Thanks to their high-energy songs with great hooks, sometimes veering into goofy territory, blink-182 has been one of the most prominent pop-punk bands since gaining mainstream success in the 1990s/early 2000s. The California rock band Pierce the Veil will open. 7 p.m. Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center, 430 W. Vine St. www.rupparena.com
Dogstar. Aug. 11. Guitarist/vocalist Bret Domrose, drummer Robert Mailhouse, and bassist Keanu Reeves epitomize the quintessential Southern California storytelling rock band making deeply resonant music that comes from “somewhere between the power lines and palm trees.” 7: 30 p.m. Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short St. www.lexingtonoperahouse.com
The Jayhawks. Aug. 15. Led by the gifted songwriting, impeccable playing, and honeyed harmonies of vocalists/guitarists
Mark Olson and Gary Louris, the Jayhawks' shimmering blend of country, folk, and bar band rock made them one of the
most widely acclaimed artists to emerge from the alternative country scene of the '80s. 8 p.m. The Burl, 475 Thompson Road. www.theburlky.com
Amtrac. Aug. 16. Caleb Cornett, also known as Amtrak, is a Kentucky-born, Los Angeles-based artist, DJ, producer and founder of the record label Openers. Ambition and curiosity keep him locked on the edge, always experimenting with new techniques and sounds. 8 p.m. The Burl, 475 Thompson Road. www.theburlky.com
One Night of Queen, performed by Gary Mullen and The Works. Aug. 13. For over 20 years Gary Mullen and The Works have been performing their world-renowned live concert. Paying tribute to the stage theatrics, showmanship, and music of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Queen. 7:30 p.m. EKU Center for the Arts, 822 Hall Dr., Richmond www.ekucenter.com
The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA. Aug. 18. The audience and press all agree. This is the closest to ABBA you’ll ever get. This show brings one of the greatest pop phenomena back to life, dazzling audiences with fantastic performances of the most iconic hits from ABBA, including “Mamma
Mia,” “S.O.S,” “Money, Money, Money,” “The Winner Takes All,” “Waterloo,” “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme” and “Dancing Queen.” 8 p.m. Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short St. www.lexingtonoperahouse.com
Steve Earle. Aug. 27. Steve Earle first won an audience as a country artist, though it didn't take long for him to demonstrate that designation was too narrow for him. His populist lyrical stance, literate yet down to earth, finds room for the personal and the political, writing about the stu of everyday lives as well as the forces that shape and define their existence. Zandi Holup will open. 8 p.m. Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short St. www. lexingtonoperahouse.com
All Them Witches. Aug. 29. Versatile hard rock quartet All Them Witches thrives on contrast. Now six records deep into a tenure that began in 2012, Ben McLeod (guitarist,) Charles Michael Parks, Jr. (bass/vocals,) Robby Staebler (drums,) and Allan Van Cleave (keys) are unremittingly forward-looking. The band has deep musical roots and grows a heavy, visceral sound, with sheer dexterity delivered in every song. 7 p.m. The Burl, 475 Thompson Road. www.theburlky.com
The Jayhawks will perform at The Burl on Aug. 15.
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ART & EXHIBITS
Case Mahan: “In The Round.” On display Aug. 9-Sept. 13. “In The Round” is Lexington-based photographer Case Mahan's second solo photography exhibition. The Lexington-centric show features a collection of blackand-white photographs in the tradition of poetic documentary and landscape. The exhibit will host an opening reception on Aug. 9 from 6-8 p.m. Gallery hours: Wed.Sat., 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Institute 193, 215 N. Limestone. www. institute193.org
Venn: College of Design Junior Faculty Exhibition. On display through Aug. 31. The junior faculty of the University of Kentucky College of Design have diverse degrees and experiences, which is reflected in their research and work. At the surface, one might not see the parallels in their work, but a deeper dive reveals many connections. This exhibition, curated by artist, designer, and UK College of Design assistant professor S.K. O’Brien, highlights how the diverse work of the COD junior faculty connects and complements each other. Gallery hours: 11 a.m. -5 p.m. Tues.-Thurs. and Sat.; 11
a.m.-8 p.m. Fri.. Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center Community Gallery, 141 E. Main St. www.lexingtonky.gov/aboutdowntown-arts-center
Chris Verene: Home Movies. On display through Nov. 23. Family dynamics and the relationship between generations
Aug.
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have been Chris Verene’s subjects since he picked up a camera in high school in the late 1980s. Since then, he has consistently documented the lives of his relatives and friends in their hometown of Galesburg, Illinois. Moments captured during intimate moments in homes, backyards and neighborhood streets, and flashes from special occasions like birthdays and weddings are both specific to a particular time and place but also instantly recognizable as familiar stories of American life. Gallery hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; 12-5 p.m. Sat. University of Kentucky Art Museum at the Singletary Center, 405 Rose St. finearts.uky.edu/artmuseum
Patrick Smith: Shadows from an Unlit Room. On display through Aug. 17. This contemporary art exhibition features new work from the Lexington-based realist painter Patrick Smith. Having gained recognition for his finely honed painting skills and an uncanny ability to capture idiosyncratic portraits of intimate moments, Smith has had a significant
influence on the Lexington avant-garde art scene. The gallery will host a concurring exhibit from photographer John S. Hockensmith called “Shadows Under the Big Top.” A collection of artistic compositions from Circus Flora, a one-ring sawdust circus located in Saint Louis. Gallery hours: 1-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat. or by appointment. Fine Arts Editions, 190 Jefferson St. finearteditions.net
All Power on Earth Comes From the Sun. On display Aug. 2-23. This field sampling of contemporary, eco-social art explores autonomy, care, and the potential for a more free and ecological world. Curated by Solarpunk Surf Club, this exhibit gathers prefigurative specimens, tracks movements in positive deviance, and maps the reenchantment of nature in the Bluegrass and beyond. An opening reception on Aug. 2 (6-8 p.m.) will feature live performances, music and light refreshments. Gallery hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Fri.-Mon. Bolivar Gallery, 236 Bolivar St. www.solarpunksurf.club/page/all-poweron-earth
The local artist collective Solarpunk Surf Club has organized an exhibit of contemporary eco-social art called "All the Power on Earth Comes From the Sun" at Bolivar Gallery, which is on dispay
2-23 and includes "The Exploration of Inhabiting a Living Home" by Lacy Bary, pictured here.
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Institute 193 will host an exhibition of work by local photographer Case Mahan from Aug. 9-Sept. 13. The exhibit focuses on a collection of black-and-white photos taken in Lexington in the tradition of poetic documentary and landscape.
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Summer Classic Film Series. Wednesdays through Sept. 4. For almost three decades, The Kentucky Theatre has screened classic films every Wednesday from late May until early September, providing audiences with an opportunity to see movies from their youth, introduce kids and grandkids to the stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age, or discover a new personal favorite. The evening shows also feature preludes on the theater’s Wurlitzer organ, performed by a rotating roster of local musicians. This month’s films include “Rebecca” (Aug. 7), “To Sir, With Love” (Aug. 14), “Cinema Paradiso” (Aug. 21), and “Rocky” (Aug. 28). Screenings at 1:30 and 7:15 p.m. Kentucky Theater, 214 E. Main St. www.kentuckytheater.com
Lexington Theatre Company: “Jersey Boys.” Aug. 1-4. This show-stopping bio-musical goes behind the music of the iconic American doo-wop band Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, featuring hit tunes that include “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” and “Can’t Take My Eyes off You.” 7:30 p.m. Aug. 1-2; 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3; 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Aug. 4. Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short St. www.lexington operahouse.com
Shaker Village Craft Fair. Aug. 3-4. This annual event boasts an assortment of crafts, including exceptional pottery, jewelry, glassware, woven rugs, needlecraft, basketry, leather goods, floral design and Shaker reproductions, from elite regional artisans and up-and-coming new artists alike. While on-site, guests can enjoy the Shaker Village Bar, live music and food trucks. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, 3501 Lexington Rd., Harrodsburg, Ky. www.shakervillageky.org
An Evening with Kevin Smith
AUG 9
Director, actor and producer
Kevin Smith is known for cultclassic low-budget comedy films including “Clerks,” “Mallrats,” and“Chasing Amy”, as well as for his profound love of comics and nerd culture. Smith tells stories and answers audience questions during this tour.
8 p.m. Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short St. www. lexingtonopera house.com
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Picnic with the Pops. Aug. 10. One of Lexington’s favorite summer traditions, Picnic with the Pops is an annual outdoor event featuring live music from the Lexington Philharmonic with a special guest artist, following a popular music theme. This year’s theme is “Kings, Queens, and Prince of Rock" with hits from Elvis, Michael Jackson, Queen, Tina Turner and Prince. Taking place in an idyllic Kentucky setting with costume, table decorating and cocktail contests all adding to the fun and lighthearted atmosphere, the event has been a highlight of Lexington summers for more than 40 years. Gates open at 4 p.m.; show begins at dusk. The Meadow at Keene Barn, Keeneland, 4101 Versailles Rd. www.lexpops.com
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Allegro Dance Project’s 10th Anniversary Celebration. Aug. 10. This performance provides audiences a look back at Allegro Dance Project’s first 10 years of programming and revisits some of the company’s most beloved repertoires, in a memorable celebration featuring contemporary dance, live original music, and a variety of aerial circus arts. A silent auction will support the nonprofit’s Inclusive Dance Outreach Program, which provides movement and music sessions annually for over 1,200 students with specific needs. 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center, 141 E. Main St. www.allegrodance project.org 130,000+ readers are seeing
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Table decorations in line with the theme of the evening are encouraged at the annual Picnic with the Pops event, taking place Aug. 10.
THEATER, PERFORMANCE & MORE
Pioneer Playhouse presents “We Three Kings: An Elvis Experience.” Aug. 15-17. Founded in 1950 by Danville native Eben C. Henson, Pioneer Playhouse is Kentucky’s oldest outdoor summer stock theater. The organization will close its 75th season with “We Three Kings: An Elvis Experience,” a musical extravaganza with a live band and three different Elvis performers representing different eras of his life and career. Dinner at 7:30 p.m.; show starts at 8:30 p.m. Pioneer Playhouse, 840 Stanford Road, Danville. www.pioneer playhouse.com
Woodland Craft Fair. Aug. 17-18. Lexington Art League and Lexington Parks and Recreation present this annual art fair in scenic Woodland Park. Featuring at least 80 Kentucky artists plus food, beverages, and entertainment in a familyfriendly setting, the fair is included among the Top 100 Fine Art and Design Fairs by Sunshine Artist Magazine. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. Woodland Park, 601 E. High St. www.woodlandartfair.org
Expansion Fest. Aug. 22-24. Now in its sixth year, the audiovisual festival Expansion has grown into a three-day event spanning multiple venues and media forms, including music, film, projection mapping, and other digital art. This year’s event lineup includes a screening of the My Morning Jacket concert film “Okonokos” at The Kentucky Theatre (Aug. 22); a local/regional music showcase at Al’s Bar (Aug. 23); and a fullday music and visual art extravaganza featuring national and international psych rock bands Babe Rainbow, jjuujjuu, Mr. Gnome and more at The Burl Outdoor stage, with accompanying analog liquid light, video synthesis, and projectionmapped visuals from visual artists Psensibil, Liquified, and Chud Lights at The Burl Outdoors (Aug. 24). For more details, visit www.expansionlex.com
Cirque du Soleil: “OVO.” Aug. 29-Sept. 1. Centering on movement with a score inspired by the music of Brazil, this touring circus production is teeming with life: Insects work, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy in motion. Their home is filled with biodiversity, beauty, action, and moments of quiet emotion. The awestruck insects are intensely curious when a mysterious egg appears, representing the enigma and cycles of their lives. 7 p.m. Thurs.-Fri.; 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sat.; 1 p.m. Sun. Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center, 430 W. Vine St. www.rupparena.com
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Serving the freshest sushi in town, Aqua chefs offer sushi lovers rare flavors and perfectlyexecuted classics. And the Crab Rangoon?
PHOTO FURNISHED
The Cirque du Soleil production "OVO" comes to Rupp Arena at the Central Bank Center Aug. 29-Sept. 1.
PETE’S PROPERTIES
40502
393 Bassett Ave. $269,000 244 Lincoln Ave. $275,000 330 Park Ave. $320,000
638 Central Ave. $325,000 119 Lincoln Ave. $350,000
381 Oldham Ave. $350,000
986 Edgewater Pl. $425,000 116 Victory Ave. $449,000
2916 Tabor Oaks Ln. $450,000
3293 Bellefonte Dr. $467,500
817 Sherwood Dr. $475,000 329 Malabu Pl. $478,500
Leawood Dr. $490,000 378 Sherman Ave. $500,670 426 Henry Clay Blvd. $520,000
Pepperhill Rd. $550,000
Ridgeway Rd. $585,000
Owsley Ave. $615,000 911 Cramer Ave.
Grilled Chicken Southern Pecan Salad
Twin Filets Neptune
Smoked Salmon Bruschetta