TOPS in Lexington: December 2016

TOPS

DECEMBER 2016 • PRICELESS

W h o ’s W h o //

W h a t ’s N e w //

W h a t To D o December 2016 vol. 10 no. 12

T H E CA L I PA R I F O U N DAT I O N CAL’S NEW BOOK

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HOLIDAY FASHION

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GIFT GUIDE

DECEMBER FEATURES the holiday issue

Tour Of Homes: 52

Home For The Holidays

The Calipari 91 Foundation

Holiday Fashion 141

PHOTOS Out + About

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TOPS Preview Party

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All-In To End Cancer Celebrity Casino Night

38

YMCA Fundraising Gala

40

Lasso A Dream

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AHA Go Red for Women Experience

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Ball Homes Night of Hope

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The 28 Annual Evening with the STARS Gala

220

Signature Chef Auction

222

AcoustiKats Concert & Mission Lexington Gala

224

Cathy Coop Markey Cancer Foundation Benefit

226

A Celebration of Dignity and Hope

228

Women Leading Kentucky Luncheon

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Bid & Buy 2016 Gala - “An Evening in New Orleans”

232

TOP Shots

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44 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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FUNDAMENTALS AT HOME Tour of Homes: Home For The Holidays

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Tour of Homes: Peaceful Living

68

Gardening: Daffodils

86

FACES + PLACES 122

130

The Calipari Foundation

93

Cal’s New Book

99

Coach Cal Photo Collage

102

Sports: Time To Order A Banner?

106

Sports: Coming Out of His Platoon

109

Sports: We’re Going Bowling

110

Tops Cares: Shop With A Cop

118

New & Noteworthy: Kentucky For Kentucky

122

Meet the Media: Jill Szwed

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CUISINE Skinny Mom: Skinny Eggnog & Gingerbread Cookies

130

Taste of Thyme: Raw Apple Fruitcake

132

Southern Lady Cooks: Easy Christmas Divinity

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Top 5 Dining: Pizza | Part 2

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Beer of the Month: Sierra Nevada Celebration

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Wine of the Month: Lost Vineyards Spumante Italiano

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LIFE + STYLE

186

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Holiday Fashion

141

Outfit of the Month: Tis’ The Season

170

Holiday Gift Guide

172

FUNDAMENTALS LIFE + STYLE Wedding Trends: Rhinestone Shoes

185

Wow Wedding: Sandra + Bradley

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FAMILY

197

Family Cares Spotlight: Broadway Buddies

194

Super Mom: Erica Sigmon

197

In The Buf: Bah Humbug?

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Parties: Host a Perfect Holiday Party

201

Pets: Keeping Yor Fur-babies Healthy

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EQUINE Filly of the Month: Anna Bishop

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Colt of the Month: Andrew Chesser

211

Horse Park Happenings

215

COMMUNITY 208

What’s New, Kentucky?

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Calendar: Lex In The City

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

Phillips Mitchell Ron Morrow Keni Parks Woody Phillips

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

Brooke Griffin Amanda Harper Drew Johnson Marsha Koller Meredith Lane Beth Langfels Ryan Lemond

Interns and other contributors: Madison Rexroat, Megan Rose, Rosie Ecker, Jessica Sunnenberg and Maredith Davis

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Buff y Lawson Barbara Meyer Michelle Rauch Jen Roytz Deanna Talwalkar

Judy Yeager

Cover Image of Ellen & John Calipari by Michael Huang Have a great idea for a story?

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NEXT MONTH

JANUARY the fit & fab issue TOPS will start the year off right with our annual Fit, Fab & Over 40 feature Top 5 Dining will cover our favorite Mediterranean restaurants.

Our Tops Cares feature will showcase the Visually Impaired Preschool.

in LEXINGTON est. 2005

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

Volume 10 No. 12

Keith Yarber Publisher kyarber@topsmarketing.com

Teri Brock Advertising Sales Manager teri@topsmarketing.com

Bonni Jiunta Advertising Account Executive bonni@topsmarketing.com

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

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

Debbie Hodges Advertising Account Executive debbie@topsmarketing.com

Jenny Button Scearce Advertising Account Executive jenny@topsmarketing.com

Haley Walls Graphic Design haley@topsmarketing.com

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

Niki Dillman Advertising Account Executive niki@topsmarketing.com

Amanda Harper Production Manager amandah@topsmarketing.com

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

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

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OUT + ABOUT | UK Football

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PHOTOS | TOPS Preview Party Corman Marketplace | November 2nd | topsinlex.com | Photos by Ron Morrow

Santa and Ron Morrow Pat Host, Dionna, Gabriel & Michael Huang

Rena Elswick, Sylvia Cerel-Suhl and Janie Head

Chris Mossman and Ralph Coldiron

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Dana Back-Pack

Teri Brock, Billy White and Jenny Scearce

Dawn Stephan and Santa

Cheryl Eadens and Abby Vaughn

Renee Miller

Dewayne Koller and Mike Warner

Gail Bryant

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PHOTOS | TOPS Preview Party Corman Marketplace | November 2nd | topsinlex.com | Photos by Ron Morrow

James Dehl, Ted Corman and Marc Cobane

Santa with Kristin Chilton and Lexington Firefighters

Jess & Tim Scrifes

Brittany Edwards and Scott Kinison

Susan & Berry Popp

Bonni Jiunta and Matt Wills

Joey Maggard, Charm Wingate and Jordan Yates Danielle Pope and Kellie Stoddart

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Audra & Matt Meighan

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PHOTOS | All-In To End Cancer Celebrity Casino Night Benefiting The American Cancer Society | The Livery | October 21st | cancer.org | Photos by Paul Atkinson

Jaimeson Gann, Anthony White and Marvin Love

John, Ann, Hart and Adam Boardman, Brandon & Jessica Ray

Liz Toombs, Big L and Brooke Amandon

Heather Coleman

Robbie & Whitney Collins

Kyle Macy

Shane Boyd and Katy Lawson

Amber Philpott-Hill

Lindsay Krebs

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Henry Thomas

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PHOTOS | YMCA Fundraising Gala Whitaker Family YMCA | October 21st | ymcaky.org | Photos by Woody Phillips

Ryan & Brittany Worthen and Dan Koett The Whitaker Family

Latarika Young, Molly Caldwell and Whitney Faulkner

Elmer & Briget Whitaker

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Allison Case and Meredith English

Tucker Ballinger, Jason Hach and Kim Keller

Debbie & Larry Jones

Steve & Liz Pelphrey

David & Viki Martorano

Jenn Pullins and Kate Horning

Alan Stein

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PHOTOS | Lasso A Dream Benefiting The Foster Care Council | The Livery | October 27th | thefostercarecouncil.com | Photos by Woody Phillips

Frank Shoop, Rogers & Connie Wells, Linda & RonTurner

Blake Ferguson, Meredith Lane, Amy & Darren Bronski

Tina Thomas, Shelly Walls, Amy Worthington, Gwen Pinson, Cassie Slone and Lindy Hester

Karen Keck and Keith Burdette Jim & Lindsey Macgregor, Kristi Boteler, Kat Shanika and Scott Simmons

Foster Care Council Cowgirls!

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Angie Everette, Heather Duff, Haley Colten and Bobbi Turner

Haley Colten

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PHOTOS | AHA Go Red for Women Experience Benefiting The American Heart Assocation | Heritage Hall | November 4th | heart.org | Photos by Woody Phillips and Keni Parks

Robyn Fishback, Linda Ball and Karen Hollins

Julie, Bob and Laura Babbage, Pat Host

Noelle Dick & Cycle You crew

Darby Turner and Nicole Sapio

DaRae Marcum

Di Boyer

Charm Wingate and Paula Turner

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Keni Parks and Paul Chartier

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Mary Lynne Capilouto, Alicia Helms McCorvey, Malinda McCalister Pat Host, Noelle Dick, Donna Dunn Potter, Jalica Ramsey, Nicole Sapio, Linda Carey, Ricki Goldstein and Elayne Fowler

Larry Jones

Inara and Kristin Chilton

Paula Fox and Stephanie Sarrantonio

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PHOTOS | AHA Go Red for Women Experience Benefiting The American Heart Assocation | Heritage Hall | November 4th | heart.org | Photos by Woody Phillips and Keni Parks

Linda Carey, Donna Dunn Potter and Jennifer Hauck

Dolores Hall, Matt Chase and Robin Miller

Mira Baker

Julie Wilkes

Samantha Bowie and Keith Yarber

Bret & Tami Melrose

Jennifer Bricking and Sherri Keller

Thomas DiSessa, Brandy Britton and Jennifer Ebert

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Kristen Oakley, Bonni Jiunta, Teri Brock, Debbie Hodges, Jenny Scearce and Niki Dillman

DECEMBER 2016 | TOPS MAGAZINE

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PHOTOS | Ball Homes Night of Hope Benefiting The Hope Center | Lexington Opera House | October 27th | hopectr.org | Photos by Ron Morrow

Cecil Dunn, Nicole Frields and Kendra Borum

Meredith Baxter, Don Ball and Cathy Jacobs

Davonna Saier and Raina Fullard

Walter & Ann May, Carey Cairo and Carrie Thayer

Gene Cravens and Robbie McGoodwin

Hillary & Nathan Smith

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Jim Parsons

Ray & Linda Ball, John & Diane Atchison

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AT HOME

Tour of Homes: Home For The Holidays

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Tour of Homes: Peaceful Living

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Gardening: Daffodils

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ome H F O R T H E H O L I D AY S

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nterior Designer Jeremy Rice knows a thing or two when it comes to Christmas decoration. He and his partners Dwayne Anderson and J. Stuart Hurt own and operate House by JSD Designs, a retail shop and design business near the corner of Walton and National Avenues. Each holiday season, they work day and night to transform their clients’ homes into spectacular showpieces, using items from House along with specially ordered custom pieces.

This home, which is located on Real Quiet Lane in the sought-after Walnut Grove Estates, is decorated in a combination of traditional and modern styles. Materials such as gold, silver, white, green, and platinum are combined with a neutral color palette for a look that is both relaxed and tasteful.

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When it comes to creating a chic holiday look, Rice believes that going overboard is not necessary. “You really don’t have to cover every square inch of your home with decorations to have a great Christmas look,” he explained. “Little touches here and there, along with a really beautiful ribbon and plenty of texture can make the home look very festive and add plenty of holiday sparkle.”

Working with this particular homeowner was easy, said Rice. Because she had been a long-time House customer, he was already familiar with her style. “She is very laid back

Written by Michelle Aiello Shaun Ring Photography

and trusting, but she also has good taste, which helps,” he said. She trusted Rice and his partners to create a design for her home that was lush and textural, with the look of fresh cuttings. While she wanted her home to be elegant, she also needed decorations that weren’t too stuffy or delicate, because she has two small children.

Rice was introduced to the homeowner by Nancy Elam, Residential Designer and founding partner of the local firm Design Link. When the home

was first purchased, Elam and her team were responsible for the majority of the interior design work. Since Design Link specializes in commercial and residential design and not seasonal décor, Elam referred the homeowner to House by JSD Designs. They’ve enjoyed a great relationship ever since.

“We go to the home and put up the decorations each year, so they feel like family,” said Rice.

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One of the most striking features of his holiday design is the oversized garland adorning the staircase banister and railing – soft, realistic greenery is combined with pops of glimmer to create a magical ambiance. The garland and Christmas tree feature a variety of textures and are layered with thoughtfully placed ribbon, oversized Christmas ornaments and various décor objects to add a whimsical touch.

“It may not look like it in the photos, but that garland is huge. It’s as big around as I am,” said Rice. He is a strong believer that any decorations used must be in proportion to the home. “If you have a large house, you have to have large decorations. You can’t put little 3 inch or 4 inch ornaments on a huge tree, because they will be lost.”

So how can the average person put together a professional looking holiday home?

Rice says the secret is layering. There are generally three elements that he uses in many of his holiday pieces, which include long needle pine, cedar leaves, and magnolia leaves. “All three are green, but they have varying shades and textures. And when you put all three together, it looks very lush.”

Once the base is in place, Rice says you can then layer other elements on top to give your design more personality and visual interest. For example plaid, metallics, red berries, ribbon or flowers can take your design in any direction you like.

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For the garland featured on the fireplace mantles, Rice used his classic base and layered pieces with a little bits of snow or glitter on top for a sparkly, glam look. The owner wanted the fireplace mantles to be very lush as well, so he used large hydrangea heads and metallic gold and green ribbon.

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According to Rice, it can be a challenge for many homeowners to strike a balance between the pulledtogether holiday look they want while also incorporating family heirlooms, kids’ ornaments and other keepsakes. “People will ask, ‘How do I make this something special?’ I tell them that a tree with all kinds of ornaments looks great when paired with a very simple color scheme. For example, red berries layered with holly and red and green ribbon.”

To pull those elements together, Rice created another, smaller tree in the area between the dining room and the kitchen. The tree features a fun snowman theme and serves as a place for the kids to display their holiday creations and things that might not typically “go” with the larger, living room tree.

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When asked about the most challenging aspect of this particular project, Rice said, “I wouldn’t go as far to say challenging, but we did go back and forth a little bit when choosing the ribbon. Ribbon is a very personal thing for people, they usually have a more detailed idea of what they like. But eventually we found a great ribbon combination that worked for her.”

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Rice describes his creative process as “laid back”. When he or his partners meet with a client or visit a home, they often take a variety of materials and samples for the client to look over. Depending on what they like and what they don’t, as well as their budget, they can determine what creative direction to go in. While he describes himself as “the young one”, Anderson and Hurt have a combined 40 years of experience, and have been working with many of their clients for decades. When they founded their retail store, many of their clients followed them there.

Rice says his personal style can be described as updated traditional. “I like classic looks with modern pieces mixed in,” he said. “And even though I’ve never had anything to do with horses, I’ve always liked the masculine look of traditional equestrian themes. Maybe that just has to do with living in Kentucky. I look for furniture pieces that have traditional lines, but are maybe updated in a modern fabric or finish.” When it comes to design, he says it’s important not to force something if it isn’t working. He also advises people not to “throw good money at bad”; meaning that it’s better to invest in quality pieces instead of cheap items intended to last one or two seasons.

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Whether you are decorating with candles and Christmas figurines or trimming the tree with natural materials like straw, jute or burlap ribbons, staying true to what you love is the best way to create a memorable holiday home. For understated homes that celebrate the natural ambiance of the season, bring in plenty of greenery such as the simple topiaries, along with wreaths, garland and high-quality artificial flowers.

Just a quick glance around this gorgeous holiday home shows that Rice practices what he preaches.

“The three of us all have a very similar aesthetics which is why we work together so well,” he said. “But we understand that we get to leave our clients’ homes at the end of the day, but they have to live there, so we really want to make their homes look and feel exactly how they envision them. Not to sound too sappy, but we really do see our clients as family. We laugh all the time and there are lot of hugs.”

Not to sound too sappy, but we really do see our clients as family. We laugh all the time and there are lot of hugs.

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ome December, the towering natural stone fireplace, the first thing most guests notice in Mitch and Jennifer Skagg’s home, has to share the space and the spotlight with the couple’s 10foot Christmas tree and their vast collection of Christmas décor.

“When we got married, my family learned pretty quickly that I love Christmas, so many of the things we have were given to me as gifts,” Jennifer said. Covered in lights that flash in sync with Christmas songs, the family tree in the great room is filled with ornaments their three children and four grandchildren have made over the years.

“Many people decorate with fancy ribbons and bows and have a theme,” Mitch said. “Twenty years from now, our grandchildren won’t remember if we had a fancy theme tree. However they will remember their handmade ornaments hanging on Grandpa and Meme’s tree.”

Every year, they take their grandchildren to the Mad Potter to pick and paint ceramic Christmas ornaments for their parents and grandparents. “We did it with the kids when they were young, and now we take the grandchildren. It’s as much about making memories as it

is about making ornaments,” Jennifer said.

Decorating their Harrods Ridge home and previous homes for the holidays has long been a labor of love for Jennifer, who goes all out. Normally, it takes her and Mitch three full days to unpack and place holiday decorations stored in 30 large bins in the basement.

When finished, there’s hardly a surface or space in the 6,000-square-foot house without a winter- or Christmasthemed decorations.

From bright red wreaths that adorn the door and pine garland wrapped around the banister of the stairway and catwalk in the two-story entry to a tray of shiny red, green, and silver balls and a near life-size portrait of Santa propped on an easel in the dining room, signs of the holidays are obvious, though not as abundant. The couple recently put their house at 204 Golf Club Drive in Nicholasville on the market, so they pared things down this year.

Because it could be their last Christmas in the house, they want to make it as special as possible for their family. “The kids and grandkids will be here on Christmas Eve. Mitch’s parents will come up from Columbia (Ky.) This is where Santa brings all the presents on Christmas morning,” Jennifer said.

Written by Susie Hillard Bullock Shaun Ring Photography

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hen there isn’t a Christmas tree in front of the doors to the patio, you can see the 1,000-square-foot patio in back from the front entry. “The covered veranda was here when we bought the house but not the patio,” Mitch explains.

Accessible from the owners’ suite, great room, and kitchen, the 167-square-foot porch is the place to be on warm summer nights when rain is beating down on the metal roof.

place where he could really relax,” said Jennifer, who works as a consultant for Rodan + Fields.

Chairs and lounge chairs outfitted with plush red cushions beckon from the pea gravel patio below that Mitch designed and landscaped while employed at Ashland as a vice president of Valvoline.

Life became less hectic for the couple when Mitch retired in May 2014. Since starting his own business consulting firm, The Alloway Group, he also has more time to enjoy the outdoors. On any given night, he can probably be found at the fire pit.

“He had a global role with a lot of responsibility, and this was the

“The patio’s probably my favorite thing about the house,” Mitch said.

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Mitch designed the patio with a long curve on the outside edge to add visual interest and to soften the house’s straight, sharp lines. To accent it, he put in a thick row of showy red begonias along the arc and anchored the ends with two big pots of tall ornamental grass and other plants.

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lso near the top of the list is the home office located in flex space off the first stairway landing, between the first and second floors.

From the outside, it projects slightly from the rest of the house and looks like a turret. Inside, four bare floorto-ceiling windows bathe the room with natural light.

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or avid golfers, the only thing better than living on 18 holes might be living on 36. Keene Trace Golf Club, a private course, adjoins the Skaggs property in back. A public course, Golf Club of the Bluegrass, backs to homes on the other side of Golf Club Drive.

“When we bought this house four years ago, we knew we’d move eventually,” said Mitch. “I don’t play much, but it seemed like having two golf courses within a five-minute ride on a golf cart could be a great selling point.”

From the kitchen table on the main floor, the second-floor exercise room, the patio or almost any room in the house, the views never disappoint.

At minimum, it’s like having acres of manicured grounds that you don’t have to maintain.

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he eat-in kitchen suits the couple to a T and still looks brand new.

Roomy yet not gargantuan, its custom wood cabinetry has a rich, warm, brown finish. Hardwood floors, granite countertops, and a stone backsplash work in harmony for a look that has stood the test of time.

Sixty-inch wall cabinets extend to the 10-foot ceiling to provide ample space for seldom-used dishes and anything else that fits.

For snacks and quick meals, the breakfast bar comfortably accommodates up to five. It, along with a table for eight in the breakfast area overlooking the back yard, provides enough seating and elbow room for most family gatherings, according to Jennifer.

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or larger crowds and holidays, the couple also uses the formal dining room, which seats eight. Located just inside the front door, it is one of Jennifer’s favorite rooms to decorate for Christmas. Festooned with greenery and festive red ribbon, the chandelier is visible from the entry, and a 7-foot Christmas tree twinkles in the corner.

Jennifer puts up smaller trees in the owners suite, a guest bedroom, and in the family room, where a second stone fireplace—a smaller version of the one in the great room—ignites at the touch of a button. “We’re in here a lot,” Jennifer said. “It’s where we spend time as a family.”

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t 36-feet-by-16 feet, the massive owners suite could easily accommodate two king-size beds instead of one. Cabinetry in the adjacent bathroom matches cabinetry in the kitchen. His-andhers closets, vanities and a walk-in shower up the wow factor.

A third fireplace, family room, en suite bedroom, a second bedroom, a halfbath, home theater, wine room and bar are studded out in the 3,000-squarefoot basement.

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welve-inch crown moulding and 10-foot ceilings on the main floor contribute to the home’s luxurious feel.

“Our other house had a lot of moulding too, but nothing like this,” Jennifer said.

Jennifer credits Norwalk Furniture and Design, where she bought furniture and custom draperies, and House, which sourced floral arrangements, with pulling everything together.

Upstairs, three of four bedrooms have tray ceilings ranging from 9-11 feet tall, and the fourth has a coffered ceiling. Son Jordan occupies the second-floor owners’ suite when he’s home on

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breaks from college. Another bedroom with a Jack-and-Jill bathroom has twin beds and a big play area for Austin (6), Aiden (5), Addison (2) and three-month-old Parker. Jennifer has space to spread out in a third bedroom that she uses as a home office; a fourth bedroom holds home exercise equipment. An air hockey table, foosball and a drum set outfit the bonus room above the garage.

Although the space comes in handy when all of the children and grandchildren are in town, it’s more than Mitch and Jennifer need and want at this time in their lives, hence the decision to sell and downsize.

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ennifer acknowledges there may not be enough room for all of her Christmas decorations in their next house. However, there will always be space for ornaments made by their grandchildren on the family tree.

“

It’s important to continue family traditions that point us to the real meaning of Christmas. Those are the memories that live on in the hearts and minds of our children and grandchildren.

”

Jennifer Skaggs 84

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Gardening:

Daffodils

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lant and go! That is almost all you need to know about daffodil bulbs. This was music to my ears during a recent Gardner’s Toolbox class I attended at the Fayette County Cooperative Extension office. Fayette County horticulture agent, Jamie Dockery, summed daffodils up like this: “You take them, stick them in the ground, throw some fertilizer on and enjoy them in the spring.”

Not all bulbs are created equally. Some varieties are known for taking poor conditions and thriving. Others are known for being fantastic multipliers. Even though November is the ideal time to plant bulbs since the ground has cooled, depending on the weather, you may be able to plant up until January if the ground is not frozen. As soon as bulbs are in the ground they start taking root. All you need to remember is to drop the bulb in the ground with the pointed end up.

Plant bulbs three times as deep as the bulb is tall in a well-drained sunny area. Daffodils will grow in light shade, but do better in full sun. If you don’t get it perfect, don’t worry. Daffodil bulbs are adaptable and will adjust. Water immediately. Keep your bulbs moist until it rains. Once the tips of the leaves emerge, top dress with a balanced fertilizer. Continue to water them for three weeks. If you are lucky some daffodils will bloom as early as February. “They are just great.

In my mind it’s not spring until the daffodils are happening,” Dockery said. “They are the first real showy thing.”

Aside from the ease of planting and growing, daffodils have the added benefit of being mildly toxic so those pesky garden critters like deer and squirrels are likely to stay away. They also have the gift of longevity. Under good growing conditions, they should outlast any

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of us. While some kinds of bulbs tend to dwindle and die out, daffodils should increase.

Of the hundreds of cultivars to choose from, Jonquilla daffodils multiply like weeds. You can expect two to three highly fragrant flowers per stem. There are double daffodils and like peonies, they will fall over from the sheer weight. The beautiful colors and sizes are dazzling. Imagine five-inch blooms on two-foot stem. With proper planning, daffodils can be a real show stopper in your garden.

That said, never cut the foliage off before the flower dies. As tempting as it may be to clean the flowerbed for the sake of aesthetics, let nature take its course. The foliage that remains is the factory that makes the food. The leaves need to be exposed to as much sunlight as long as possible. Remember to mulch for a better growing season. Mulch with shredded bark, straw, or pine straw.

Bulbs cost anywhere from a dollar up to a whopping $100. It’s best to buy from a trusted source like a reputable catalogue company. As tempting as the bargain bulbs at the big box store may be, remember: sometimes you get what you pay for.

I planted the 36 bulbs from nine varieties I received at the Gardner’s Toolbox class. Now I exercise a winter of patience while I wait to see that first in bloom next spring.

by Michelle Rauch Gardening Enthusiast

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Faces + places

The Calipari Foundation

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Cal’s New Book

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Coach Cal Photo Collage 102

Sports: Time to Order A Banner

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Sports: Coming Out of His Platoon 109

Sports: We’re Going Bowling 110

TOPS Cares: Shop With A Cop

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New & Noteworthy: Kentucky for Kentucky 122

Meet the Media: Jill Szwed 124

JOHN CALIPARI There are few figures in Kentucky history so undisputedly beloved as Cal. It’s true that bringing home lots of victories–and even a title–with the Wildcats certainly helps. But we like to think that the love the BBN has for John Calipari runs just a little bit deeper.

We think the record will show that John Calipari has a soft spot for Kentucky, too.

With his third book hitting shelves, Coach has proven himself a mentor not only to his players, but to business-minded readers, as well. The Calipari Foundation is doing great work in our community and beyond.

And, of course, the Wildcats are on track to put another stellar season on the books. How far this configuration of Cal’s Cats will go remains to be seen, but stardom is a virtual guarantee. Whatever happens, John Calipari is happy to stand on the sidelines with a watchful eye, a word of advice... and maybe a few well-deserved outbursts here and there.

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Michael Huang

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Photo Courtesy of Dr. Michael Huang

If you were tasked with providing a succinct job description for the position Head Coach, Men’s Basketball, University of Kentucky, your wording may read like this: “To find and develop players. To win games. And to keep an energetic fan base…energized.”

That description would not be wrong. But neither would it be entirely right.

According to John Calipari, that is. And he should know.

Counting the 2016-2017 season, Coach Calipari has been on the job eight years. Needless to say, he is quite familiar with the great responsibility he has… …to give back to others.

“The seat that I sit in, whether it’s me or another coach, really carries a lot of weight,” reflected Calipari in 2014, from his office

Photo Courtesy of UK Athletics

chair inside of UK’s Joe Craft Center. “And I think the seat-holder owes it to this community and this state to give back. To get involved. To bring light to the great things that need support from others in our university, others in our state and our city.”

Since September 2012, a primary way Calipari has assisted people in Kentucky—and beyond—is through The Calipari Foundation (TCF), a public charity based in Lexington. The foundation’s mission is to provide for the physical, educational, leadership, and developmental needs of people and communities, while encouraging and equipping others to do the same.

Calipari and his wife, Ellen, created the foundation so that they would have a local, formalized vehicle through which they could focus their giving efforts. Prior to starting TCF, the Caliparis utilized a donor advised fund housed at the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis for much of their charitable work.

Calipari initiated the donor advised fund when he was the men’s Written by Jeff Zurcher

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basketball head coach at the University of Memphis.

While coaching in Memphis, Calipari put up big numbers. But he’s put up even bigger ones in Lexington—in both basketball and philanthropy.

And numbers tell a story. The Calipari Foundation’s numeric tale is one wherein, by the end of this year, more than 50 nonprofit organizations will have received more than $2.5 million in grants.

A good story, right? Well, yes…but not quite good enough.

John Calipari tends not to be a complacent person. You may have heard that about him.

Photo Courtesy of Chris Reynolds, CoachCal.com

Consequently, Calipari has used “the seat he sits in” to generate funds to match nearly all of the dollars granted by the foundation, meaning the combined economic impact of TCF’s grants and matching gifts these past four years has been approximately $5 million.

Oh, and that $5 million doesn’t count the $1 million Calipari helped raise via the Hoops for Haiti telethon in 2010 or the $1 million he helped raise via the Superstorm Sandy telethon in 2012.

Turns out that “spheres of influence” is not only TCF’s tag line, but also its operating approach.

Photo Courtesy of Team Focus

“Coach is an incredible example of someone using his platform to encourage servant leadership,” said Manny Ohonme, co-founder and president of Samaritan’s Feet International, an organization whose mission is to create a world with zero shoeless children. “I’ve seen him consistently engage athletes in a lifestyle of giving and serving.

He has personally modeled it, and now many of his players continue to serve others as they play professionally.”

Ohonme cites the 2014 trip UK men’s basketball took to the Bahamas as one of his favorite moments in the relationship between TCF and Samaritan’s Feet.

“When the team was there, Coach asked if we could set up some shoe distributions so that the team could serve together. I could see how important this was to Coach—he told his guys that they would know fame and fortune, and he wanted them to know what to do with those things when they had them. So, we had the players, their parents, and coaches all serving together in the Bahamas between tournament games.”

Photo Courtesy of American Red Cross, Bluegrass Area Chapter

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Serving, in this case, meant washing the feet of local children and fitting them for shoes.

Photo Courtesy of Samaritan’s Feet

“It was so beautiful to see Samaritan’s Feet used as an instructional platform to prepare and bond the team together,” Ohonme noted.

“One special moment that I’ll never forget: We ran out of socks at one point, and Karl-Anthony Towns took off his own socks to give to a child who needed them.”

Along with the outreach in the Bahamas, Calipari and the foundation have supported Samaritan’s Feet in its nationwide Back to School events, along with specific efforts in Haiti and in eastern Kentucky.

TCF has been busy here in central Kentucky, too. One of the foundation’s important efforts has been supporting a local chapter of Team Focus, an organization founded by Mike Gottfried and his wife, Mickey. Team Focus provides role models and mentors for young men without a father figure in their lives, aiming to help them develop as leaders.

Gottfried first met Calipari at the University of Kansas in the early

Photo Courtesy of Samaritan’s Feet

‘80s. At the time, Gottfried was the Jayhawks head football coach and Calipari was an assistant basketball coach. Sort of.

“I love the story of John working the KU basketball camp right out of college,” said Gottfried. “He worked 18 hours a day. At the end of the camp, Head Coach Ted Owens was so impressed with John that he offered him a volunteer coaching job—he would be able to coach, but he would also have to serve the players three meals a day.

“So John served, and he worked his way up the coaching ladder.”

And even though the adjective preceding “Coach” in Calipari’s title has long since changed from “volunteer”, Gottfried remains impressed with Calipari’s heart to serve.

“A few years back on Father’s Day, John came out to our Team Focus camp and spent a good part of his day mentoring, teaching, and having fun with more than 40 young men from Kentucky without fathers,” said Gottfried. “He told them to ‘swim to the buoy’—if someone will mentor you, run and swim to him or her.”

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Photo Courtesy of Chet White, UK Athletics

“He is always willing to help, and even with his busy schedule, he’s just a phone call away,” he continued. “He is an excellent husband, father, coach, and friend. And he loves Kentucky.”

And Kentucky—the residents of the Commonwealth and those fans who live beyond its borders—love him back.

Which works out very well when people are in need.

“We have seen him use his influence by reaching out to the BBN (Big Blue Nation) to support disaster relief efforts,” Lynne Washbish, senior major gifts officer for the American Red Cross, said of Calipari. “When he asks, they respond.”

Calipari’s initial connection with the Bluegrass Area Chapter of the American Red Cross came via the aforementioned Hoops for Haiti telethon in 2010.

“It was very uplifting to watch Coach Calipari and his team in action, to see them interact with our donors,” stated Washbish. “There is nothing better than working a telethon and watching his team answer the phones.”

The most recent manifestations of TCF’s partnership with the Red Cross were this past August’s text-to-give campaign and the Coach Cal Celebrity Softball Classic, played at Whitaker Bank Park. These initiatives, combined with Red Cross matching gifts and funds contributed by a regional Papa John’s pizza promotion, generated more than $500,000 for flood relief in Louisiana.

“The Red Cross has appreciated Coach Calipari’s willingness to use his public forum for the public good,” added Washbish. “We think he be-

Photo Courtesy of Keni Parks

longs in the philanthropy hall of fame.”

A philanthropy hall of fame award would certainly be an appropriate companion to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame plaque on Calipari’s mantle—or wherever hall of famers keep such things these days. The only problem is that there is no “official” philanthropy hall of fame, although perhaps the Philanthropy Hall of Fame list issued

by The Philanthropy Roundtable, one of the nation’s most respected networks of donors, comes closest. But every member of that particular hall of fame is deceased, so…

The Calipari Foundation will simply continue doing what it has been doing since its inception. This includes initiating and participating in interesting, engaging activities to raise support for worthy causes.

In the past, the foundation has, among other things: hosted a comedy show; auctioned various autographed items from Calipari’s “closet,” including shoes he wore during UK games and surfboards; raffled two Harley-Davidson motorcycles (one to benefit Superstorm Sandy victims and the other to benefit the Trooper Project of the Kentucky State Police); and hosted the annual John Calipari Basketball Fantasy Experience, TCF’s most successful fundraising event, that has often included an alumni game featuring former UK men’s basketball players.

In the future? Expect not only more of the same but also more from the man who currently holds the “seat” of Head Coach, Men’s Basketball, University of Kentucky.

He’s completely fine with that. For he knows that Kentucky basketball fans tend not to be complacent persons, either.

The Calipari Foundation Inc. is 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, as recognized by the Internal Revenue Service.

To donate to the foundation, please visit www.caliparifoundation.org/contribute.

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CAL’S NEW BOOK “I’m asked all the time, ‘How in the world are you pulling this off? How in the world do you get such talented kids – not just one or two, but an entire team of elite talent – to come together and play for one another?’ Well, this is that story.

I wanted to tell our story of how we get the most out of elite talent, how we create a culture of brotherhood and form a team with such talented individuals. It’s not an exact science and there are all kinds of ways of doing this, but this is our story. My hope is it might resonate with other leaders in similar positions.”—John Calipari

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ABOUT THE BOOK: New York Times bestselling author John Calipari, the charismatic Naismith Hall of Fame coach who has returned Kentucky to college basketball prominence, reveals the secrets behind his unparalleled ability to transform a group of former high school superstars into a selfless, cohesive team in his new book SUCCESS IS THE ONLY OPTION: The Art of Coaching Extreme Talent.

to succeed, even the most talented performers must sacrifice some of their own glory while still feeling that they are reaching for individual goals.

Calipari is highly regarded for his ability to recruit the country’s top high school talent without making outlandish promises. Instead, he believes, “Commit to each other, be about each other without sacrificing your own goals, and by doing this you can achieve all YOUR dreams and more.”

A basketball team is an intimate workplace. The blend is everything and character matters.

With that philosophy, Calipari led Kentucky to four Final Fours in a five-year period from 2011-2015. “One and done” players like John Wall, Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins are all currently NBA All-Stars. And Calipari continues to mold these individual superstars into a cohesive whole, playing for each other with selfless commitment and fierce intensity.

For Calipari, each season is a series of discoveries as he learns how to unleash the extreme talent in each of his players and mold them into championship material as college basketball comes to a crescendo every spring. Calipari can’t control everything, yet he is responsible for everything—which is something any CEO can understand.

Expanding on his 2014 New York Times bestselling book Players First: Coaching from the Inside Out, SUCCESS IS THE ONLY OPTION digs deeper as Calipari for the first time distills his methods and philosophies in a way that will resonate with not just athletes and coaches but business leaders who are trying to get maximum performance out of their own top talent. Coaching a successful basketball team is much like building a successful business. For teams

But this study showed that most successful teams—those that put the best products into the marketplace and made money for the shareholders—were the ones where people spoke in equal amounts. Everyone listened, even the brightest light. Team members took turns taking the lead.

That all makes sense to me. To have one smart person dominating one of these small groups would be no more productive than if my most gifted kid hogged the ball and took more than his share of the shots. What happens in that case is you shut down everyone else. You get 100 percent of the top dog’s output but about 30 per- cent of what everyone else has to offer. It’s a bad trade-off.

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Michael Huang

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Michael Huang

“

“

SUCCESS IS THE ONLY OPTION offers real life lessons into leadership, team building and creating a culture of achievement that are applicable far beyond the basketball court. These are the lessons for anyone seeking to inspire talented individuals to reach for their best selves and contribute to a greater good.

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Michael Huang

Courtesy of Press Box Publicity and HarperCollins Publishers

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GET IT SIGNED! Visit harpercollins.com and search for John Calipari. You’ll find upcoming author events, as well as information on where to purchase the book!

FROM THE BOOK:

“

Basketball is unique among sports in that we ask our most gifted players (our own “smart creatives”) to do less than they are capable of—take fewer shots, score fewer points, don’t keep the basketball in your possession too long even if you’re the one most capable of making a play with it. We don’t limit our players’ creativity, put them in boxes, or, in business-speak, wrap them in layers of management. They are their own managers while the game clock is running. I think that’s one reason why basketball coaches are sometimes listened to on matters of leadership. The people we lead are empowered—a frequent goal in the corporate world...

“

“

College coaches are often said to be in the “recruiting business,” and fair enough—it’s essential to our success. The same is true of anyone who runs a business of any size, right down to the guy who owns the local hardware store. He might be really smart about what he does—picked a great location, knows the right inventory and how to price it—but it’s the people he’s got in the aisles who make him or break him. That’s his team.

… Character always matters, but especially when you are dealing with young people who are counting on each other and can be influenced by their peers. I look very closely when I recruit to observe how players are to their teammates, coaches, and family members. A kid does not have to be a straight-A student (I wasn’t) but does he do the best he can? Is he honest or is he always looking for a way out? (I’ll write a little later about excusemakers and blame-shifters.) The other essential thing I am seeking is passion. I would tell anyone, “Chase something that you love.” I would think this goes for any kind of business recruiting. If you’re the senior partner in a law firm, you’re not going to sit there and quiz the applicant about Supreme Court cases. He knows that stuff and so do all the other top applicants that get sent your way…. I’d want to probe and see if he has the capacity to find real joy in this work, even as hard as it’s going to be.

“

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Michael Huang

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Michael Huang

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Michael Huang

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COACH CALIPARI

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Photos Courtesy of Dr. Michael Huang, Keni Parks and TOPS Staff DECEMBER 2016 | TOPS MAGAZINE

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SPORTS

Time to order a banner?

Courtesy Dr. Michael Huang

So, Big Blue Nation, what do you think of Coach Cal’s latest creation? Not too bad, are they? For those that watched the taming of Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans in Madison Square Garden, you saw a defensive display reminiscent of the 2015 Wildcats. You know, the one that had a guy named Karl and twins named Aaron and Andrew. For those that didn’t watch, well, I don’t want to hear your excuses. It was November, it was the Champions Classic and not even a new episode of The Walking Dead should mess with your Wildcat basketball time. (Though I will admit, as a Walking Dead fan, Negan is pretty awesome and terrifying.)

I know it is early–probably too early to be making big predictions.

College basketball is still a month away from conference play. In between, Kentucky faces the likes of Kansas, UCLA and that team 82 miles west of Lexington that smells funny (if you don’t know who I’m talking about, well, we’re probably not Facebook friends...) But based on Coach Cal’s glorious body of work, his introduction and dominating use of the one-and-done rule and the never ending talent that seems to never stop making its way to Lexington, I believe it’s fair to predict this Kentucky team has all the makings of a national championship year.

Size? Yep. We have a guy named Bam that jumps higher than Superman and pities no fools in the paint. Speed? Yep. De’aaron Fox’s speed compared to the rest of college basketball’s point guards is like comparing a Lamborghini to my first car, a 1986 Chevy Spectrum–I think you get the picture. Guard play? Isaiah Briscoe is the best penetrator in all the land that has corrected his free throw woes from last year. Malik Monk is as athletic as any guard in the country and can fill up a stat sheet faster than a Duke fan defending Grayson Allen’s tripping. Depth? This year’s squad goes 8-9 players deep, a welcome change from last season’s 6-7 players Coach Cal had at his disposal.

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But what are the possible pitfalls? Haven’t we heard this song and dance before? Is there anyone we’re forgetting that could help bring a title back to Central Kentucky?

Shooting: If there is one possible Achille’s Heel, it is shooting.

Kentucky hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire from behind the three point line. Except for Malik Monk’s explosion against Michigan State, three point shooting has been spotty so far, at best. If teams zone Kentucky and the offense is sputtering, it could be a trip to the loss column.

Mychal Mulder: The Canadian-born junior college transfer arrived at Kentucky with the reputation of a dead eye three point shooter.

Unfortunately, Mulder got behind Tyler Ullis and Jamal Murray last season and didn’t get much time on the floor. Mulder is getting more minutes this season and has been the most consistent deep threat so far. He could be the key to a win or two this season.

Derek Willis: The senior is Kentucky’s best three point shooter.

Keep being Kentucky’s best three point shooter, Derek!

Injuries: Stay away, far far away, injury bug. Especially from Dominick Hawkins. The senior was due a breakout season until injuries slowed his season down. Hawkins is a Calipari rarity: a seasoned senior guard that can shut down an opponent’s best player.

LUCK: Winning a national title is kind of like winning a fantasy football championship. You can work hard, study and be prepared all you want, but in the end, you need some good breaks along the way. A good call here, a great March Madness seeding there… all this adds up!

by Drew Johnson Sports Junkie

p

SPORTS

coming out of his platoon

It was media day, 2014 and reporters closed in on Derek Willis. He was a new sophomore forward on the Kentucky basketball team, a guy who had played only 39 minutes the year before and hadn’t shown many skills that suggested he would command more in the upcoming season.

“I feel like I did what nobody else in the nation did and that was open up the floor,” Willis said recently. “You have a power forward you can’t leave open. It was good offensively for us. It opened us up really well.”

So well, in fact, that Willis has gone from bench ornament–someone who draws cheers from sympathetic fans just by shedding his warmups in the closing seconds of a blowout–to a vital part of Kentucky’s offense. Perhaps the only consistent shooter on the squad.

Besides, this was a Kentucky team that was beyond loaded. There was so much talent on the roster that coach John Calipari, during his time that day before the cameras, was forced to use the “P” word: “platoon”.

So the ink-stained wretches gathered around Willis, one of only four scholarship Kentucky kids on the team, prodding and probing.

Would he be on one of the two five-man units to get major playing time? Some were privately surprised he’d come back for another try, assuming Willis would see the writing on the locker room wall and head elsewhere in search of more meaningful minutes.

They tiptoed and danced around the subject, trying to coax Willis into explaining himself.

Finally, the Mount Washington native raised a big hand to his face and rubbed it, as though he’d just awakened from a bad dream. Then he spoke of a good dream: “I’m just trying to win a national championship.”

Courtesy UK Athletics / Barry Westerman

“He’s the first one at practice, and he’s the last one to leave,” said Calipari. “That went from, I blow the whistle, we’re done with practice, and he would run to the door. And I would say, ‘Derek, can I talk to you guys first before you leave?’ Now, he’s on a mission.”

Courtesy UK Athletics Chet White

It’s the same mission he was on those two years ago, when he wearily put a stop to the questioning with the mention of a national title. Only now, he sees himself right in the middle of it.

End of discussion.

With that simple utterance, Willis assured reporters that: A.) He still considered himself a viable part of the team and B.) His goal was the same as everyone else’s.

That team nearly did claim a title, winning 38 straight before falling to Wisconsin in the Final Four. Willis doubled his playing time, but still the minutes total was tiny. He was never much more than an afterthought during the bushel of blowouts the Wildcats amassed.

But then came the annual occurrence, like the swallows returning to Capistrano: Wildcats flocking to the NBA draft, leaving copious amounts of playing time in their wake. Derek Willis remained behind, ready to soak it up.

Once Calipari stopped trying to pigeonhole Willis into the standard power forward role (rebound, bang, score on the occasional putback), the third-year player blossomed. He was what’s chic to call a “stretch four”, a power forward with small forward skills who can step out and shoot. And as he did that, Willis stretched the floor as well, creating spaces for his teammates.

He’s also become, it seems, a student of the game, offering suggestions in practice and helping younger players. This from the guy who, during his freshman year, would disappear the moment practice was over in a Derek Willis-sized puff of vapor.

Freshman guards De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk, along with veteran Isaiah Briscoe, will force opposing defenses to close ranks.

“They’re going to be beating people off the dribble left and right,” creating wide open looks for him, Willis said. “We’ll have a really good team this year. I think we could take it all.”

He’s working harder on defense, knowing that’s the key to staying on the floor, the senior among the newbies. And after a taste of productivity last season, Willis is thinking beyond the end of this year.

Courtesy UK Athletics / Chet White

“It put me in perspective of where I can go with basketball,” he said. “Hopefully, I have a pro career.”

Perhaps. But first, he’s trying to win a national championship.

by Dick Gabriel BigBlueInsider.com

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SPORTS

we're going bowling

It’s time to go bowling! Hallelujah!

Doesn’t it seem like it’s been 20 years since the UK football team got to play in a college football bowl game? Granted, it’s only been 6 years, but it does seem like it’s been a lot longer than that to all of us “postseason hungry” UK football fans.

Maybe we got spoiled going to 5 straight bowl games from 20062010 and didn’t appreciate what our team was accomplishing until we stopped becoming bowl eligible every year.

Maybe it was the downward slide we felt after going to those 5 straight bowl games to only see our Cats struggle through back-toback 2-win seasons.

Maybe it was the disappointment of not making a bowl game the past two seasons, finishing with only 5 wins, and losing the last game of each season to Louisville.

Whatever it was, it doesn’t matter now, because the Cats are finally going bowling again, and I can’t wait!

In the “modern era”, Tim Couch and the 1998 Cats set the bar pretty high by playing in the Outback Bowl in Tampa on New Year’s Day. It was a big splash on the national bowl scene for the Cats, who had really struggled to become bowl eligible since the 1993 Peach Bowl under Bill Curry. UK lost that Outback Bowl game against Penn State 26-14, but it didn’t matter to most of us because we felt like we had arrived, and that we belonged in a major bowl game against a storied program like Penn State.

The next season, the Cats made it back-to-back bowl games with a trip to Nashville to play Syracuse in the Music City Bowl. UK football players were again honored and thrilled to be playing in the postseason. Dusty Bonner and the Cats lost to the Orangemen 20-13, but again, I felt like our fan base was still happy because the program had improved enough to playing in the postseason 2 years

in a row, and it didn’t seem that (at the time) UK was going to be slowing down any time soon.

Obviously things did slow down with NCAA probation and two coaching changes. Enter Rich Brooks.

The 5-year run where coach Brooks led UK to a bowl game every year was awesome. Kentucky was not just earning the right to play in a bowl game, but they were also winning bowl games: 2006 - UK beat Clemson 28-20 in the Music City Bowl 2007 - UK beat Florida State 35-28 in the Music City Bowl 2008 - UK beat East Carolina 25-19 in the Liberty Bowl Let that sink in for a moment. Not only was UK football going to bowl games every year, they beat CLEMSON and FLORIDA STATE. Good times. Good times, indeed.

The Cats backed up that run with bowl trips in 2009 to the Music City Bowl and 2010 to the BBVA Compass Bowl. UK lost both games, but little did we know it would be six long seasons before the Cats would be bowl eligible again. During that time, we remember lots of Cats fans complaining that, “We gotta go back to the Music City Bowl!” The next year, we also heard, “We should decline the Compass Bowl bid.”

How silly do those comments sound now?

There is no way UK football fans should get “spoiled” over going to bowl games. Never!

So enjoy this moment! Go to the game!

History has shown that it doesn’t happen all the time. We should embrace this opportunity and this chance to be a UK football fan.

I know I will!

by Ryan Lemond Kentucky Sports Radio/WLAP

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TOPS

Shop Cop with a

by Sarah Boerkircher

A local holiday tradition in giving turns 20. Get to know Lexington's Holiday Heroes.

F

or two decades, the Bluegrass Fraternal Order of Police has raised funds to provide a Christmas to remember to some of the neediest children in Fayette County. The 20th annual Shop With A Cop program takes place on Saturday, December 10, 2016. This event has has become a Lexington holiday tradition.

“As chairperson, my goal has always been to keep expanding and growing this event, but ensuring that when we expand, that we aren’t sacrificing the experience for any of the children involved,” he said. “If we are able to exceed our goal of raising $30,000, then we can reach out to more children and families that need assistance. My hope is that each year, we can continue to serve more in our community.”

For the past five years, Police Sgt. Jeremiah Davis has been Lexington’s Shop with a Cop chairperson. Sgt. Davis began his involvement with the event "While there are before he became a lodge officer for the Bluegrass Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #4. Afsome heartbreaking ter volunteering with Shop with a Cop, he moments, there are quickly realized that the event was special to both the officers and children involved. many joyful moments “While there are some heartbreaking moments, like not being able to accommodate a child or family, there are many joyful moments throughout the day that show how valuable this program is to the children and families who participate and the officers who volunteer,” said Sgt. Davis.

that show how valuable this program is to the children and families who participate and the officers who volunteer."

Throughout the year, local police collect donations from the community to help fund the program. This year, Sgt. Davis is projecting that once again they will raise $30,000.

That means at least 200 children can participate in this year’s shopping event.

The selection process begins in mid-October to help determine which children, kindergarten through fifth grade, can participate.

Typically, the selection process takes place until Thanksgiving, which at that point, the planning shifts from selection to finalizing logistics and scheduling the times that each child or family will attend the event.

“I use the Family Resource Centers at each of the Fayette County elementary schools to help select the children who will participate in the program,” said Sgt. Davis. “This ensures we are able to make the largest impact in the community with the resources we have available to us.”

As Sergeant Davis explained, the assigned shopping times are most beneficial because it gives the children the ability to interact with the officers one-on-one and shop the aisles without the chaos of having 199 other children present.

Shop with a Cop gives Fayette County children the opportunity to see officers as more than authority figures.

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From 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, December 10, Sgt. Davis anticipates that 75 Fayette County police officers will volunteer. Each officer will be assigned two or three children or a pair of officers will shop with a family at the Lexington Meijer on Reynolds Road.

“Meijer, which is the single largest corporate donor of the Lexington Shop with a Cop, is phenomenal for seeing that the needs of our program are met,” said Sgt. Davis. “Meijer’s staff is so supportive of our event. The shelves are completely stocked, and checkout lines and cashiers are specifically designated to Shop with a Cop. They not only open the store to us, but they help us logistically and are always most accommodating.”

The goal of Shop with a Cop is to foster positive relationships between youth and police officers.

In the past, each child who participates in Shop with a Cop receives a $150 gift card to purchase anything that they want or need—like the latest toy to underwear to a new winter coat. As Sgt. Davis explained, what these children really need is a hero for the holidays.

Over the past five years, more than 1,000 children have had their Christmas lists fulfilled thanks to Shop with a Cop.

“One story that stays fresh in my mind was when Jason Rothermund, the president of the Fraternal Order of Police, was shopping with a young boy. After this young boy had picked out all of his presents, he was eager to find his dad. As soon as this young boy was reunited with his father, he said‘my friends were wrong, dad. Not all police officers are bad people.’”

As Sgt. Davis explained, so many children, like this young boy, have so few sources to determine the difference between right and wrong and good and evil. It is important that children have the opportunity to have healthy and safe interactions to help shape their viewpoints.

Throughout the year, police collect donations from the community. In the past, the Lexington Meijer has donated an additional $5,000 to the total raised, so that more children can have a Christmas to remember.

Thanks to a positive experience with Shop with a Cop, this young boy learned that police officers aren’t bad, unlike what his friends had told him.

The goal of Shop with a Cop is to foster positive relationships between youth and police officers.

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For 20 years, the Bluegrass Fraternal Order of Police has helped families in need in Fayette County afford Christmas presents for their children.

Each year, 75 Fayette County police officers make Shop with a Cop possible.

Shop with a Cop is not only important to the children it serves, but the community as a whole. Unfortunately, for many of the children that participate in Shop with a Cop, these children have had past interactions with police—most often these incidents have involved a parent.

“These past experiences with officers typically weren’t positive,” said Sgt. Davis. “Children often don’t understand actions have consequences, so these young children can’t comprehend why a police officer showed up to take their mother or father away.

Often times, too, these children are influenced by an older sibling who may or may not have had a positive experience with police.

Children don’t have the same thought process to weed out the good and bad, elementary age children in particular, so they need every encouraging interaction that they can get.”

Lexington’s Shop with a Cop is fully funded by local individuals, organizations and businesses. Without the financial support of the community, the largest supporter of the program, the event couldn’t continue to grow and impact the the amount of children and families that it serves.

As Sgt. Davis said: “We are truly grateful for everyone’s support and look forward to many more years of Shop with a Cop.”

Are you interested in making a donation to the 2017 Shop with a Cop event?

All donations made to Shop with a Cop stay local and help Christmas wishes come true for children in Fayette County. To make a donation, please mail a check to: Fraternal Order of Police, Blue Grass Lodge #4 1097 Duval Street Lexington, KY 40515

Questions? Please call (859) 255-7629 or find the event on Facebook!

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Kentucky for

Kentucky Until recently, as a resident of this fine state, there weren’t a lot of ways to show your love for our fabulous region. Sure, there are much appreciated organizations across the state doing their best to spread the word about our state, but it wasn’t until the wild and unorthodox Kentucky for Kentucky took tourism marketing and statewide branding just a little bit further that it really caught on.

Co-owner Griffin VanMeter said, “Kentucky for Kentucky started as a joke between myself and my friend, Whit Hiler, to crowd-fund a Super Bowl commercial to promote Kentucky. We were unsuccessful in getting the funding—the media buy was $3.5 million—but through our efforts, we were successful in getting people excited about the state.”

As the buzz was generating for Kentucky for Kentucky post-Super Bowl, VanMeter and Hiler decided it was time to change the slogan for the Commonwealth from the classic “Unbridled Spirit” to a little more progressive “Kentucky Kicks Ass”. The only issue: they didn’t have permission from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Oops.

Make no mistake though, these guys knew exactly what they were doing. With their creative marketing and branding experience (VanMeter works at Bullhorn Creative and Hiler works at Cornett Advertising), the pair sent out a bunch of press releases to the media stating that they had been tasked with the job of rebranding the state, though nobody had actually hired them to do it. “We tasked ourselves,” VanMeter said.

The team used guerrilla marketing and fun ideas, which generated a lot of buzz locally and beyond.

While the hype was high for Kentucky for Kentucky, Hiler and VanMeter capitalized on it by selling merchandise on their website, www. kyforky.com, with the “Kentucky Kicks Ass” slogan all over it. People loved it. And they wanted more.

After Kentucky for Kentucky’s popularity caught on like wildfire, the then-web-based business needed a place to print and store the company’s inventory of shirts, posters and other merchandise. An old thrift store on Bryan Avenue became available and though they didn’t need all of the square footage it provided at the time, they decided to move in anyway. From there, the decision was made to set up a retail store with the extra space. “There’s never been a plan. It has all been organic,” VanMeter said.

Kentucky for Kentucky now staffs ten employees, has a widely popular

website and a brick-and-mortar store. A message on their website, in fact, sums up their mission perfectly: Kentucky for Kentucky is a small company located in the heart of the Bluegrass region in Lexington. We are believers, promoters and producers for the great Commonwealth of Kentucky. We are obsessed with Kentucky, the real Kentucky.

We’re all about highlighting the complex identity of our state and–with words, images and one-of-a-kind products–we want to spread the stories of this amazing place we call home. Kentucky has a lot to offer and even more to say. We’re showing the world why they should listen up.

Recently, the team also launched a brand called Southern Socks under the company banner, which now has nationwide distribution. You can find fun and funky socks with designs on them ranging from shotgun shells, to the word “Y’all”, to beer pong gear, to fried chicken buckets, to the outline of the state of Kentucky.

With Hiler and VanMeter’s connections to graphic designers at their marketing and branding agencies in town and across the state, the pair has created other unique Kentucky swag including apparel, Bourbon barware, homegoods, jewelry, prints and other gifts including a Kentucky-inspired Cards Against Humanity expansion pack. Say what?!

You can order these goods on their website, purchase in store at 720 Bryan Avenue. Check out their extensive list of statewide retailers on their website, as well.

“We are surprised and grateful to everyone who has supported this cause. It’s gratifying. What’s even cooler though and the biggest surprise is when people say that they chose to go to the University of Kentucky because they saw one our videos. Or that they decided to move to Kentucky or back to the area because they saw what we are doing. We love hearing those tidbits and it’s really special to us,” VanMeter said.

VanMeter says the team hopes the company and the movement continues to grow through editorial content on their website and the organization’s involvement in events.“We basically just want to continue to kick ass.”

by Meredith Lane, City Scout

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MEET THE MEDIA

Jill Szwed

Rainy days didn’t leave LEX18 weekend meteorologist Jill Szwed at a loss as to what to do when she was growing up. When she couldn’t go outside to play she made herself at home in front of the TV watching The Weather Channel. Szwed meticulously wrote down the hourly observations. “My mom probably thought ‘Oh my gosh I have a mad scientist on my hands.’ That was just the beginning of my love of the weather,” Szwed said.

Szwed pursued her interest in weather by incorporating it into class projects and science competitions. “When I talk to people they are shocked at the age when I decided on my career path,” she said.

Szwed is a Pittsburgh native and the eldest of two daughters.

“Growing up in western Pennsylvania we had all four seasons so I got to experience a full range of weather. That’s where my interest started,” she said. “I think I was 12 when I decided I wanted to be a meteorologist.” Studying weather in science class hooked her. “I instantly fell in love,” Szwed said.

During college Szwed had the unique opportunity to take broadcast meteorology courses taught by one of the meteorologists from St. Louis’ NBC affiliate. She also interned with two of her “weather idols” during her summers back in Pittsburgh. It was an opportunity to have a professional mentor while getting expertise working in front of a green screen.

It was a path she pursued in college. Szwed studied meteorology with an emphasis on broadcasting at Saint Louis University in Missouri. She picked up a minor in communication while taking a lot of journalism classes to supplement her degree and knowledge.

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West Virginia Weather After graduating in 2014, Szwed moved to Clarksburg, West Virginia to work for WDTV, the CBS affiliate. She started as the weekend meteorologist but was promoted quickly, in just six months, to weekday morning meteorologist. It proved to be a great place to learn with challenging weather to forecast.

“I really got to learn about the mountains of West Virginia and how things can dramatically change,” she said. Szwed covered it all during her two years there: big snowstorms, large flooding events, and tornadoes. It was a good education on different kinds of weather.

Last winter was her most memorable and challenging forecast to date.

During the course of 12 hours a snow storm dumped three feet of snow in mountains of West Virginia and two feet in town. “I remember being on the air a lot. I spent the night at the station and then we were up bright and early to get folks through the worst that Saturday morning,” Szwed recalled. “It was an adrenaline rush for sure. I didn’t feel tired because I was in my element enjoying what I was doing. Afterwards, I was out there shoveling two feet of snow like everyone else. Back to reality,” she said.

Rolling With the Changes Szwed moved to Lexington last May after she was hired to be the Weekend Meteorologist. She works the morning and evening shows on Saturday and Sunday. During the week, she works in a support role in the weather department, helping produce the shows. When bad weather is looming that support is needed. “It helps to have three sets of eyes looking at different things,” she said.

During her interview for the job, Chief Meteorologist Bill Meck warned Szwed she may be disappointed with the amount of snow in Kentucky.

It wasn’t a deal breaker. “That was part of the reason I wanted to move to Kentucky, to get away from all of the snow. A couple of snowfalls along the way would be nice, but I don’t need the mounds of snow we had in West Virginia or growing up,” she said.

The humidity is another story. “I am used to humid. But it was a whole different ballgame this summer. It was a bit of an adjustment coming from a cooler climate,” Szwed said.

Change and adaption is par for the course for a meteorologist. “It’s different every single day. You go through the same process to put a forecast together, but it features different moving parts every day,” Szwed said.

It’s not mundane and that is what she likes. Severe weather days are her favorite as it really gives her a chance to put her knowledge to work, studying how the atmosphere works and how it will impact people.

“Getting it right 100% of the time is the biggest challenge. A lot of folks look to you to be right all the time,” she said. Szwed believes snowfall is one of the most challenging to pinpoint. When it comes to the where, when and how much will fall, she says it’s a very fine line to get each neighborhood forecast right. “We are always striving to be better and have a more precise forecast not just the day of, but two and three days away from an event,” Szwed said.

Part of getting it right takes teamwork. “I work with a great team. I feel honored to work with Bill Meck,” she said. Szwed says the experience of

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both Meck and Tom Ackerman bring a wealth of knowledge about Kentucky weather and how the topography here impacts storms. “I listen to both of them tell their stories. Having their experience is great. I am relatively early in my career and also new to the area so having wise meteorologists on your team is great,” she said.

The tools at her fingertips are another asset. A state of the art Doppler radar in their backyard coupled with radars across the country are providing better pictures of weather patterns. Szwed stays on top of all the new research that is constantly coming out. “Things are really changing in the meteorology world when it comes to current conditions and forecasting,” she said.

Weather Education Part of her job is not just to forecast the what, but to alert viewers to how weather may impact their safety. “Turn around, don’t drown when it comes to flooding. It’s a big thing I try to hit home. It may seem redundant, but maybe you have a new viewer who hasn’t heard it before so its important,” Szwed said.

Szwed also takes her message of being weather alert to school kids. Most recently she worked with elementary students in Scott county as they set up their own weather station. Szwed taught the students how each instrument works and did some weather experiments. She says the kids are lucky to have a high tech device in the school’s parking lot that is able to send a digital signal into the classroom.

“If I were their age I would be ecstatic about this. That’s how I started, taking down conditions in fifth and sixth grade,” she said. “I love being able to talk to students. Maybe my story can get someone else excited about the weather.

We didn’t have meteorologists come into my classroom. I just watched them on TV,” she said.

Szwed would love to see her career path inspire a child.

At Home with Jill “I know it sounds odd, but I take my job home with me. The weather is always going on. So even if I am not forecasting I am looking to see what’s coming. I need to stay current,” Szwed said. Even so, she has found time since moving to Lexington to reconnect with one of her other passions, dancing. Szwed takes ballet classes for adults at the Lexington Ballet. “It’s been great to

get back to what I did growing up and really fall back in love with ballet,” she said.

Szwed grew up dancing taking tap, jazz, and ballet. She also competed. “My performances as a child benefit today’s career. I treat my forecast as a choreographed number. Even though I am delivering a scientific message, it is still a little bit of a performance each night,” Szwed said.

In addition to dancing she loves to cook and bake.

“I venture to the farmer’s market. It’s been great to use Kentucky grown products in my cooking,” she said. She is known for her chocolate chip cookies at the station. “Anytime I bring them in they are gone instantly when I leave them in the newsroom.”

Szwed has not been in Lexington long, but she is already feeling at home. “The local charm has been great to explore,” she said. She cites the town-city atmosphere as a plus. “It’s a larger city but doesn’t feel too big. There’s a really great restaurant scene here.” Szwed has a long list of restaurants on her must try list which she is anxious to share with her friends and family when they visit.

Szwed is prepared for the upcoming basketball season and the electricity that comes with it. “I do feel grateful I went to a basketball school,” she said. “It certainly is not the same caliber of fandom that it is here in Lexington. It’s so exciting to be a part of this college town atmosphere. The next several months will be exciting. I am glad I know college basketball so I am not entering it with no knowledge at all,” she said.

Szwed’s parents are still back in Pittsburgh along with her beloved Airedale Terrier, Chesney.

She lights up when she talks about her dog. “I FaceTime with her whenever I need a little extra love, but she doesn’t understand the whole facetiming thing!” she said laughing.

“Weather is my passion so it’s not just my job.

When I am not dancing, cooking, baking or doing my other normal every day routine I am looking at the radar. I am looking at forecast models figuring out where the next storm is coming from or if there is a hurricane or not.

I’m investigating it,” she said. For Jill Szwed forecasting the weather is like putting the pieces of a puzzle together. She says it’s a big adrenaline rush to talk about something that has been part of her prep work all day and then share it with the viewers it impacts.

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cuisine

Skinny Mom: Skinny Eggnog and Gingerbread Cookies

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A Taste of Thyme: Raw Apple Fruitcake 132

Southern Lady Cooks: Easy Christmas Divinity 133

TOP 5 Dining: Pizza Part 2 134

Beer of the Month: Sierra Nevada Celebration 136

Wine of the Month: Lost Vineyards Spumante Italiano 137

Skinny Eggnog

There is something about a good cup of eggnog that puts me into the Christmas spirit. This recipe for Skinny Eggnog is SO easy to make. Just 6 ingredients, and the results are a cup filled with holiday cheer! This recipe is also great for adding your favorite bourbon or rum for your holiday celebrations!

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes 2½ cups Silk® Unsweetened Original Almondmilk 2 eggs 1 egg white ⅓ cup sugar 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon vanilla Cinnamon, to taste Nutmeg, to taste Cool Whip® Light topping (optional) 1. Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the almondmilk and vanilla and heat until it almost simmers; do not bring to a boil.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg white, sugar and cornstarch until frothy.

3. Temper the eggs into the heated almondmilk. To do this, add about ¼ cup of the almondmilk to the egg mixture, whisking quickly. Add another ¼ cup and whisk again. Tempering allows both liquids to come to the same temperature before combining them, so the eggs do not curdle.

4. Add the cooled down egg mixture to the almondmilk, and whisk them to combine. Stir frequently until it begins to thicken, about 6-8 minutes 5. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg to taste.

6. Serve warm or chilled, and top with optional Cool Whip® as desired.

6 servings | Serving size: ½ cup Calories 93 | Fat 3g | Cholesterol 58mg | Sodium 98mg | Fiber 0g Carbohydrate 15g | Sugar 14g | Protein 4g | Smart Points: 4

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Skinny Soft Gingerbread Cookies

For a skinny take on a classic holiday recipe, you must try these Skinny Soft Gingerbread Cookies. They’re an easier way to get to a delicious gingerbread cookie without having to roll and cut them out with a cookie cutter, and the perfect combo of soft and chewy that is sure to please any cookie connoisseur. They’re perfectly portioned for bite-sized holiday cheer to warm up your holiday party.

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick), softened

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

¾ cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 egg

½ teaspoon allspice

2 tablespoons molasses

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

2 cups whole-wheat white flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda 1. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until fluff y.

2. Beat in the egg until incorporated, then beat in the molasses and applesauce until mixed well.

3. In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the rest of the dry ingredients. Add it to the sugar and molasses mixture in 3 batches, mixing well between each addition.

4. Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350° F and line 2 baking sheets with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

6. Roll the dough into balls about 1½ tablespoons wide, or use a small cookie scoop.

7. Place 2 inches apart and bake for 8-10 minutes.

15 servings | Serving size: 2 cookies Calories 132 | Fat 4g | Cholesterol 20mg | Sodium 130mg | Fiber 2g Carbohydrate 24g | Sugar 12g | Protein 2g | Smart Points: 6

by Brooke Griffin Skinny Mom

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

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Raw Apple

Fruitcake For the Love of Fruitcake!

Let’s talk fruitcake, seriously? If you are an American, you are probably rolling your eyes. If you are from nearly anywhere else, your mouth may be watering from memories of this delicious holiday treat or dense and sweet wedding cake.

Fruitcake is a very popular dessert throughout the world, but here in the good old U S of A, the humble fruitcake has a “bad Santa” rap.

Johnny Carson joked that there was only one single fruitcake in the whole entire world, and people just kept passing it around as a gift. In Manitou Springs, Colorado there is a yearly fruitcake toss for crying out loud. We’ve even been known to call dear aunt Betsy a “fruit cake” now and then. Well, I think it’s high time to restore the historic fruitcake’s reputation with my family recipe! This one I promise won’t be re-gifted or left for “ring-toss” because it’s just too good!

Enjoy and Happy Holidays! May your time with family and friends be blessed!

Ingredients: 2 cups white sugar 3 cups flour 1 teaspoon soda 1 ½ cup veg oil 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 eggs

1 teaspoon salt 2 cups coconut 1 cup chopped dates 1 cup chopped pecans 3 cup chopped apples (granny smith or another cooking apple) 2 cup chopped orange slice candy

Preparation: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a Bundt cake pan or fruit cake pan and set aside.

In a mixing bowl with paddle attachment, cream together sugar and oil. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Combine flour, cinnamon, salt and soda in separate bowl. Hand stir gradually to egg mixture.

It will be thick like cookie dough. Stir in apples first, thin coconut, dates and nuts. Add chopped candy last and fold in thoroughly.

Batter is extremely thick. Pour into a greased and floured pan.

Bake for 1 ½ hours or until brown and knife inserted comes clean. *Note: This can also be baked in small loaf pans for gifts.

by Allison Davis Chic Chef

wildthymecooking.com

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Tip: Use a floured sharp knife when cutting sticky orange slice candy.

Candy should be cut up to bite size pieces. You can also decorate the top of the cake with candy cherries and make candy leafs.

Easy Christmas

Divinity

This divinity is so easy to make in the microwave and so good. You won’t ever make it any other way again!

Makes a great gift, too.

Ingredients: 2 cups white granulated sugar 1/3 cup water 1/3 cup light corn syrup 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 egg whites 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup pecans or nuts of your choice, chopped Preparation: Combine sugar, water, corn syrup and salt in a glass casserole dish. Cover with saran wrap and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Remove from microwave and take off saran wrap. Stir well and return to microwave uncovered.

Cook on high for another 4 to 5 minutes until reaches hard ball stage when a little is dropped in cold water. Remove and cool about 4 minutes. Beat egg whites until stiff with mixer. Pour sugar mixture over egg whites beating constantly with mixer until mixture starts to lose its gloss and holds together. About 4 or 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Drop by teaspoonful onto wax paper. Makes about 25 pieces depending on size you make them. Enjoy!

A Note From The Southern Lady: To clean glass bowl you used in microwave soak in warm soapy water immediately after emptying sugar mixture.

Judy Yeager of The Southern Lady Cooks had no idea when she started her food blog in 2008, that she would have such an amazing following... 800k and growing on Facebook! She loves to feature many traditional Southern recipes, along with family recipes and dishes created in her Kentucky Kitchen. She has two published cookbooks and a third on the way!

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

by Judy Yeager The Southern Lady Cooks

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DINING

by Rosie Ecker

MOD PIZZA

Pizza

Part

2

MOD pizza: a restaurant where simplicity is everything. At MOD, one can add as few or as many toppings as desired, but pay the same price. With pizzas like the Tristan that is garnished with mozzarella, asiago, roasted red peppers, mushrooms and pesto, satisfaction comes easy. Or if you are feeling spicy, you can try the Calexico, which is topped with mozzarella, gorgonzola, chicken, jalapeños, hot buffalo sauce and MOD red sauce. MODify any pizza you pick—or simply create your own with their long list of toppings and finishes.

2217 War Admiral Way • (859) 263-0110 • modpizza.com

UNCLE MADDIO’S

There is lots to choose from when you go to Uncle Maddio’s, right down to the dough. With 7 salad options, 4 Foldwich possibilities and 11 signature pizzas, it’s easy to leave with a happy, full belly. Try The Big Max pizza with tomato basil sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, Italian sausage, bacon and handmade meatballs to delight the taste buds. Want something a little simpler? Try the Simply Veggie with tomato basil sauce, mozzarella, Roma tomatoes, banana peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, black olives and fresh basil. Uncle Maddio’s menu truly expresses their love of pizza.

630 Euclid Ave, #150 •(859) 309-0896 • unclemaddios.com

BLAZE

Fast-fired pizza is on the move at Blaze, with a raging hot oven that cooks your pizza in just 180 seconds. Blaze is known for building your own pizza, with numerous toppings, cheeses and meats to pick from. Or you can leave the thinking to Blaze and order a signature pizza like the Green Stripe with pesto drizzled over grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, chopped garlic, mozzarella and arugula and leave the thinking to Blaze. If you are feeling artistic, maybe try the Art Lover with artichokes, mozzarella, ricotta, chopped garlic and red sauce dollops. No matter which pizza you order, satisfaction is a pretty much guaranteed.

341 South Limestone •(859) 523-1232 • blazepizza.com

PIE FIVE

Creativity is key at Pie Five, with ingenious creations all over the menu. However, they do encourage creativity from the customer, leaving the crust, topping and finishes completely up to you. If you aren’t feeling up to the task, they’ve laid some groundwork with several classics. Try the Maui Wowwi with bbq sauce, bacon, pineapple, red onions and cilantro if you are feeling tropical. The Chicken Carbonara is another option if you are wanting something with an Italian flare. Layered with Alfredo sauce, parmesan, grilled chicken, mushrooms, crushed red pepper and bacon, your taste buds will praise you.

867 South Broadway • (859) 246-0014 3401 Nicholasville Road • (859) 271-06839 piefivepizza.com

GOODFELLAS

This local favorite makes it feel as if you are in the movie Goodfellas. Here, one can choose from 10 specialty pies like the Wiseguy, loaded with vegetables, or the Fuhgetaboutit which has every topping available at the time. It makes sense that the lines are usually out the door, but don’t worry, you can also buy Goodfella’s pizza right out of Two Keys Tavern. Hungry? Order the 22” pie option to keep you–and your whole mob–satisfied.

110 North Mill Street • (859) 281-1101 333 South Limestone • (859) 523-3353 goodfellaspizzeria.com

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

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life + style

Holiday Fashion 141

Outfit of the Month: Tis’ The Season

170

Holiday Gift Guide

172

Wedding Trends: Rhinestone Shoes

185

Wow Wedding: Sandra + Bradley

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Carlton knit jumper v-neck sweater in navy and Charles tailored shirt in Tattersall check, both by Barbour, Khaki pants by Southern Tide (Country Club Prep).

Metallic on Mercer flare dress

by Sail to Sable, Pearl necklace, Pearl and silver bracelet by Kiel James Patrick (Country Club Prep). 4.17cttw round diamond stud earrings, 4.5cttw diamond bowtie brooch, 3.5cttw diamond bangle in 18K white gold, Green amethyst ring in 14K white gold (The Castle).

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Long sheer maxi dress in gold, Beaded choker, necklace and drop earrings (Francesca’s at Lexington Green).

Atlantico crest diamond ring in 18K gold (Shelia Bayes Fine Jewelers).

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Nicole halter jumpsuit in black, Faux fur jacket in fuscia and Leather clutch in black, all by Milly (Bella Rose). 10.30cttw pave diamond pear drop earrings in 18K white gold, Multi ruby and diamond bracelet, drop necklace and double halo ring, Pave cluster diamond ring (Shelia Bayes Fine Jewelry).

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Ocean Crest full zip sweater in cobblestone, Island twill button down in green, Off Shore pant in black, all

by Tommy Bahama (The Weekend Drift).

Green dress by Adelyn Rae, Stackable beaded bracelets and Mosaic earrings (Olive You).

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Party dress in black by Bigio, Fur shrug in grey by Diana Rosh, Foldover clutch by Kemestry (Sash & Bow). 101cttw black diamond necklace, Black Tahitian cultured pearl necklace, earrings and ring set (The Castle).

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Lace bell sleeve dress in silver, Sequin clutch in burgundy, Pink sapphire earrings, Bracelet, Necklace, Penni dress shoe in burgundy (White House Black Market).

Sequin tunic in blue by New Lafayette, Silver necklace and bracelet, Silver shoe by Alfani (Sassy Fox).

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Modele dress in navy by Theia Couture, Main Gris necklace by Weiss (Carl Meyers). 2.8cttw Sapphire and Diamond ring by LeVian, 10.5mm Akoya pearl ring with diamonds in white gold, 13mm pearl and 1.36cttw diamond drop earrings (The Castle).

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Keith wool coat in charcoal

by Schneiders, Half zip pullover by Peter Millar, Dress pant in grey by G. Manzoni (Howard & Miller).

Harper scrunch dress in black (Evereve at Lexington Green). Snakeskin purse with phone charger by Mighty Purse, Necklace and dangle earrings (Violets).

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Smocked maxi dress in constellation midnight by LoveShackFancy (Voce).

Gunmetal and pearl necklace by Edward Archour (Bella Rose).

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Black dress by Sail to Sable, Beaded necklace and earrings by Bangle Bangle by Amrita Singh, Fancy This mini cuff clutch in gold by Mudpie (Rose and Lime).

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Party dress in black by Roberta Mikali, Swing shaggy fur by Shane Lee Inc. (Jerome). Hearts of Pandora blush charm earrings, Twinkling Forever bracelets, Timeless elegance bangles, Alluring Brilliant rings, Crystallized floral fancy ring and Brilliant Legacy ring, all

by Pandora (Pandora at Fayette Mall).

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Dress in red by Likely (Cotton Patch). Quilted leather shoulder bag in gold by Chanel (Monkee’s).

Milgrain gold long drop earrings, 2.21cttw round halo ring, .74cttw beaded bangle, 3.27cttw 36” clover necklace (Shelia Bayes Fine Jewelers).

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Kylie dress by Buddy Love, Hammered triangle earrings, Fur ball keychain, Small stone bangles (Peggy’s).

Ocean Crest crew sweater, Paradise Island check shirt, St. Thomas pant, all by Tommy Bahama (The Weekend Drift).

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Zeal dress in red by Trina Turk, Charm platinum and glitter party heel in gold liquid by Kate Spade, Mini quilt bag in black by Chanel (Monkee’s).

Velvet party dress in winter green, Faux fur vest, Bracelet and Necklace (Bluetique).

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Sequin top by Skies are Blue, Andrea skirt in black by Askari, Earrings (Worlds Apart). Faux fur hand bag (MiMi’s Place).

Chevron bangle bracelet in gold, 3.90cttw diamond ballerina ring (The Castle).

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Long lace dress in black by Do + Be (MiMi’s Place). 10-11mm antique pearls with deco platinum and old European clasp, 4.20cttw diamond stud earrings (The Castle).

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Faux fur vest in black and gray, Necklace (Queen Bee). Cutout shirt in red, Leather printed pant in black by Jealous Tomato, Long beaded necklace and dangle earrings (MiMi’s Place).

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Side vent double button sport coat by S. Cohen, Paisley tie in orange by Peter Blair, Vest in brown by Samulsohn, Dress pant by G. Manzoni (Howard & Miller).

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New Flip Side pro half zip in ruby red heather, Paradise Island check shirt, Offshore pant in black, all by Tommy Bahama (The Weekend Drift).

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The Christmas spirit is all around this month! And that means lots of gatherings, events, and of course, shopping! Finding an outfit that is both comfortable and stylish to run holiday errands in as well as attend festivities can be tricky. Our newest outfit will help you embrace Christmas fashion without looking like an overly decorated tree. A good pair of jeans and a nice sweater are always great options for winter attire. Dark-wash skinny jeans have become a true wardrobe staple for many and work with endless looks. Saint Laurent’s indigo version is crafted with a touch of stretch for excellent hold and are flatteringly faded, whiskered, and distressed.

Another big trend over the last few years is the beloved ugly Christmas sweater. But we don’t believe in ugly when it comes to dressing, so we found a chic alternative. ‘The Nutcracker’ is one of the most celebrated stories of the Christmas season, so we instantly were drawn to this glittering Gucci jumper. Its a black virgin wool-cashmere blend that features a ribbed crew neck with an embroidered toy soldier, star patches, and a flower brooch. One thing every gal needs for the cold, snowy months is a fabulous coat. While we love basic black, we tend to gravitate towards bold hues and prints for our outerwear.

There is no better time for Santa red than in December. A classic double breasted coat like this one from Marc Jacobs is a timeless edition to any woman’s wardrobe. When it comes to footwear, boots are without question the go-to shoe for winter, whether you go flat or heeled is all a matter of preference. For a more dressy appearance, a pair like these chunky Gianvito Rossi black suede side-zip knee boots are a great option. You also want to choose a handbag that will be an asset to your closet. A Louis Vuitton tote is a great buy for the woman who loves luxury fashion. Pricey? Yes, but when you are carrying it daily, you realize it’s an investment that never goes out of style.

Another winter accessory is a warm pair of gloves. And since your protecting your hands, you might as well make them sparkle. This pair by Ralph Lauren allows you to embellish your look with pearls and beading, adding subtle hints of shimmer to your ensemble. No holiday look would be complete without a swipe of lipstick. Mac’s new Nutcracker Sweet collection has several must-have items for any beauty lover. This particular set holds a variety of red toned lipsticks from classic to vampy, allowing you to mix up your look with one cool purchase. So gather your packages, trim the tree, or take in a little skating at Victorian Square, because it’s ‘Tis The Season’ to embrace your holiday style.

by Jesse L. Brooks

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1.) Men’s Armani Exchange black blazer ($200) | Dillard’s Fayette Mall, (859) 271-9797 2.) The Holidays are all about the Details - Gift cards available | Dings Dents ‘N Details, 2253 Nicholasville Rd. (859) 285-9268 3.) Men’s multi colored socks by Mad Style ($24.95) | House by JSD, 250 Walton Ave. (859) 523-3933

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4.) Men’s True Religion Billy with Flap ($198) | Dillard’s Fayette Mall, (859) 271-9797 5.) Messenger bag with buckle flap ($320) | My Favorite Things, 2721 Old Rosebud Rd. #110 (859) 264-0923 6.) J. Renders gift card available in any amount | J. Render’s Southern Table & Bar, 3191 Beaumont Centre Cir. #110 (859) 533-9777

1.) Astor suede whipstitch clutch in stone by Milly | Bella Rose, 126 W. Maxwell St. (859) 255-2565 2.) Blessing bracelets with Swarovski pearls or semi-precious gemstones. | Cotton Patch, 3367 Tates Creek Rd. (859) 269-8839 3.) Kentucky Tee ($15) | Blue Originals Craft Tee Boutique, 301 E. Vine St. (859) 780-2583

4.) Kendra Scott Elsa Pendants ($50-$65) | Olive You Boutique, 118 Meridian Way, Richmond (859) 625-1328 5.) Neocutis Bio Essentials Riche Ritual, including cleanser, eye cream, day cream and night cream ($192) | Dr. Susan Neil, 2101 Nicholasville Rd. #206 (859) 278-6345 6.) Uno de 50 Handcrafted in Madrid, Spain: necklace, bracelets, ring and earrings ($89-$459) | Violets Gifts | 1060 Chinoe Rd. Suite 120 (859) 281-1100

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1.) Still Life oil painting by Henry Simpson (1853-1921) professionally restored ($3,250) | Heritage Antiques, 154 N. Broadway (859) 253-1035 2.) Custom wooden signs by The Crafted Mare ($22.99-$59.99) | Cottage On Main, 1419 Lexington Rd. Richmond (859) 353-8621 3.) Gift Cards are available at the Restaurant or online hangersrestaurant.com for any amount | Hanger’s Steakhouse. 2187 Lexington Rd. Richmond (859) 353 5588

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4.) Remote control luminary candles, battery-operated ($59 sm, $69 md, $79 lg) | The LUXE for the Home, 193 Kentucky Ave. (859) 983-4663 5.) A resort experience without ever leaving town. Massages, facials, body treatments and more | The Spa At Griffin Gate | TheSpaAtGriffinGate.com (859) 288-6175 6.) Arthur Murray gift cards include 2 private lessons, 1 group lesson and 1 private session ($29) | 1801 Alexandria Dr. (859) 278-7711

1.) Give the gift of skating, laser tag and mini-golf ($20-$100) | Champs Entertainment Complex, 297 Ruccio Way visitchamps.com 2.) Pear and Magnolia body soufflé ($36), body lotion ($24) and body wash ($22) | My Favorite Things, 2721 Old Rosebud Rd. #110 (859) 264-0923 3.) The “O” leather key ring ($55) and card case ($55) in various colors | Peggy’s, 112 Clay Ave. (859) 255-3188

4.) “Happy Everything” Plate with changeable seasons attachments by Cotton Colors.

Plate ($45) attachments ($14) stand ($12) | Pretty in Pink, 173 N. Main St. Versailles (859) 873-7465 5.) Portable stemless wine glasses ($24.99/ea) | Peggy’s, 112 Clay Ave. (859) 255-3188 6.) Waterford Santa Cookie Jar ($99) | My Favorite Things, 2721 Old Rosebud Rd. #110 (859) 264-0923

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1.) Learn to master your camera ad shoot like a pro. Beginners Photography Class | Kristin Tatem Photography, beginnersphotographyclass.com 2.) Cutting and serving boards ($75-$225) | Miller Framing/Cutting Board Pro, 188 Woodland Ave. (859) 455-8927 3.) Cinda B Carry-On Rolly, Super Tote, X-Large Cosmetic Bag, Vertical Cosmetic Bag ($35-$159) | Violets Gifts, 1060 Chinoe Rd. Suite 120, (859) 281-1100

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4.) Native Copper and Mineral Decor | AURA , Available inside House auraathome.com (859) 629-0665 5.) YETI coolers in fog grey ($279.99 - $399.99) | Country Club Prep, 807 Euclid Ave. (859) 554-6971 6.) Women’s Short Down Coat by Hunter ($405) | Dillard’s Fayette Mall, 3625 Nicholasville Rd. (859) 271-9797

1.) Pom Pom Poncho ($58) | Cotton Patch, 3367 Tates Creek Rd. (859) 269-8839 2.) Rib hat with pom pom ($82-$106) | Omar+Elsie, 114 Old Lafayette Ave. (859) 231-6627 3.) Baby Buggy Blanket in Pastelington Prince and Sweet Sewanee Angel ($42/ea) | Beaufort Bonnet Company, thebeaufortbonnetcompany.com

4.) Multi-colored sheared mink jacket ($638) | Carl Meyers, 111 Clay Ave. (859) 252-2004 5.) Boxed Quiz card games, perfect for friend and family gatherings ($11.99 - $22.99) | Peggy’s, 112 Clay Ave. (859) 255-3188 6.) Gift Certificates are available with 3 different level options ($100-$340) | Aspire Fitness, 130 W Tiverton Way (859) 519-6542

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Holiday Picks Whether you’re entertaining loved ones this holiday season or just bustling around town doing your gift shopping, these festive picks can make your celebration a little simpler. From fabulous boutiques to a little well-deserved pampering, there’s plenty to discover in Central Kentucky this season. Happy holidays from us to you!

home décor & gifts galore

this holiday season shop local, shop small, shop adelé

adelé

805 Chevy Chase Place | Lexington, KY 859.266.9930 | adelelexington.com

Named a 2016 Retail Star by Home Accents Today magazine, adelé (pronounced a-de-lay) has offered Lexingtonians a product mix consisting of jewelry, gifts, home décor and interior design services since 2011. With a traditional yet fashion forward aesthetic, adelé stocks design led merchandise including stylish finds and lines that are exclusive to the area.

Local owners Heather Hacker Reilly and Meghann van den Dool scour the New York and Atlanta markets twice a year to access the latest trends to bring back and merchandise in their colorful lifestyle store. American made upholstery from Society Social sits beautifully alongside jewelry from some of the Southeast’s most talented emerging designers. Vivid artwork and lighting meld seamlessly with that perfectly unique hostess gift.

Pretty pieces make for a pretty life and adelé wants their customers to take delight in the beauty of things whether it’s for them, a friend or their home.

805 Chevy Chase Place Lexington, KY ∙ 40502 jewelry ∙ gifts ∙ décor ∙ design www.adelelexington.com | 859.266.9930 follow us on

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&

Hours: Mon-Fri 10:00 am – 5:30 pm Saturday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

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The Spa at Marriott Griffin Gate 1800 Newtown Pike | Lexington, KY 859.288.6175 | thespaatgriffingate.com

GIVE THE GIFT O F R E L A X AT I O N The holidays are here and our spa has just what you need for that special someone on your list. Let them unwrap the choice of a revitalizing spa service or product from our Spa Boutique this season.

CHOOSE OUR SPECIAL HOLIDAY GIFT CARD, OFFERING A SIGNATURE MASSAGE, PEPPERMINT SCRUB OR SIGNATURE FACIAL FOR JUST $99.

Must use by March 31, 2017. Not valid with any other offers.

Valid for 50-minute treatments only.

THE SPA AT GRIFFIN GATE 1800 NEWTOWN PIKE LEXINGTON, KY 40511 THESPAATGRIFFINGATE.COM 859-288-6175

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, there is no better gift than relaxation. Rejuvenation is perfect for anyone on your list, and an escape from the everyday awaits right here in Lexington at The Spa at Griffin Gate.

Unwind as they take luxury and rejuvenation to a whole new level.

Indulge in a massage, facial, body scrub, manicure, pedicure or body wrap in their full service spa, plus they offer full hair salon and makeup application services. Tensions melt away, muscles completely relax and your whole body is refreshed with new energy. All spa treatments include complimentary valet parking, use of the fitness center and pool facilities and access to their steam room with eucalyptus spray.

The Spa at Griffin Gate offers gift cards for the Holidays or any occasion.

Gift cards are available in any denomination, so they can create their own day of luxury. Great last minute gifts are also available at their Spa Boutique.

Appliance Pro

2320 Fortune Dr. | Lexington, KY 859.299.6254 | ApplianceProKY.com The holidays are here! Appliance Pro’s goal is to help you get your kitchen chef-ready! Located in Lexington, Appliance Pro has been family owned and operated since its inception in 2006, offering quality name- brand appliances you can depend on. Their sales and management staff has over 64 years combined experience. Appliance Pro has established a caring tradition built on honesty and integrity that always provides you, the customer with an exceptional buying experience.

Appliance Pro specializes in new and “Scratch & Dent” home appliances; all scratch and dent items have the full manufacturer factory warranty. They have the largest selection in Central Kentucky with over 500 appliances on display in their showroom. Appliance Pro offers the lowest prices on the brands they represent. Appliance Pro will price-match as well, just bring in your quote and they will be happy to match the price.

Appliance Pro means the best selection, at the best value, everyday. They strive to be “Your Family’s Appliance Connection… For Life”!

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by Marsha Koller Wedding Consultant

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Sandra and Bradley Grant’s wedding was a carefully planned surprise that took place twenty-two years after they first met.

On January 23, 1994, the Kentucky natives noticed one another while out dancing with friends. The two hit it off immediately and discovered they had plenty in common: they both grew up on farms, loved Kentucky basketball, and shared close relationships with their families. They started dating but the relationship was slow going as both Sandra and Bradley were both studying to become doctors.

They dated long-distance for eight years during medical school and residencies in different states. Finally, they both moved to Florida to open individual medical practices and were together in the same place. The couple frequently discussed marriage but with the demands of their new careers, the idea of coordinating a huge wedding for colleagues, friends, and family seemed overwhelming.

The years passed. Then, on a trip home to Kentucky for Thanksgiving, Sandra and Brad realized their parents were getting older. They decided it was time to figure something out. That’s when they came up with the idea of hosting a small, surprise wedding for their immediate families.

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nce the plot was in place, planning was simple. They set the date for January 23, 2016 — exactly twenty-two years after they first met — at GlenLary Estate in Paris, a “breathtaking and intimate” horse farm. From there, they invited their immediate families to an “engagement dinner celebration”. The couple was delighted at the idea of a winter wedding on a southern plantation horse farm. They envisioned formal attire, candles, firelight, and snow on the ground.

“Be careful what you wish for,” said the bride, because the day before the wedding, a blizzard hit with twenty-three inches of snow.

Sandra and Bradley planned to fly in from Florida for their big day but once they got to Atlanta, all the connecting flights were cancelled. They chose to rent a car and made it safely to Kentucky, with snow drifts as far as the eye could see.

The bride and groom’s families were greeted with drinks and the tunes of classical guitar. The couple loved the moment their families realized they were at a wedding rather than an engagement party, and the celebration began.

Both the bride and groom are huge Kentucky fans and there was a basketball game on that night, so Sandra had her nephew walk through carrying a blackboard with score updates right before the ceremony. The guests also got a chuckle when, during the ceremony, Sandra dropped Brad’s ring as the pastor handed it to her because she was so “nervous and giddy” to marry him, even after twenty-two years.

The marriage was celebrated with a dinner ideal for the cold weather: southern-themed appetizers, followed by tomato bisque, grilled asparagus salad, grilled beef tenderloin, sweet and regular mashed potatoes, broccolini, and yeast rolls. Dessert was a rich selection of carrot cake and cheesecake, along with plenty of champagne.

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FAMILY

Family Cares Spotlight: Broadway Buddies

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Super Mom: Erica Sigmon

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In The Buf: Bah Humbug?

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Parties: Host a Perfect Holiday Party

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Pets: Keeping Your Fur-babies Healthy

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White, Greer & Maggard

Fe

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“W

e must all do theatre, to find out who we are, and to discover who we become,” theatre director, Augusto Boal, once said. The Lexington Opera House has been an icon in our community since 1886. Not only is it the home of some of the greatest broadway productions each year, but it also hosts unique opportunities for our local youth to be inspired by the magic that has kept our own theatre open for the last 130 years!

Broadway Live’s Broadway Buddies program allows youth to experience professional Broadway Theatre when it may not have otherwise been feasible. Not only do the students receive complimentary tickets to a professional Broadway production but they also get a much more personal experience. Students get a pre-production back-stage tour, study guide with activities, and theatre etiquette classes. Broadway Buddies is such a unique program, which is why it is so impactful. The backstage class gives a close-up look at the pieces that fit together to make the performance “go”. Broadway Buddies Director, Luanne Franklin, teaches theatre etiquette that focusses on the importance of cell phone rules and proper attire for performances. Each lesson shows the importance of every aspect of the program. Luanne says, “As a former teacher, I’ve seen first-hand how a child’s life can be changed by the arts. The arts community offers a safe place of inclusion, acceptance and appreciation. And I also believe that Broadway Buddies allows us to demonstrate to our youth the importance of giving back to our communities.”

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Photo courtesy of the Lexington Opera House

Other organizations, like Lexington’s Family Care Center, utilize the Broadway Buddies program to enhance their own mission as well. In partnership with Fayette County Public Schools, Lexington’s Family Care Center’s Parent Education Program is a special branch of the program that cares specifically for young mothers by providing instruction on life skills. The students are able to have an extra hand with parenting courses while also completing requirements toward their high school diploma. The ultimate goal is to show these young mothers that there is so much opportunity waiting for them and this is the perfect start to their adventure. With both of these organizations working together, unforgettable experiences and cherished memories are created. Joanna Rodes, Director of Family Services at Family Care Center said, “One year, we had a student who was very interested in the lighting and technical aspects of live theatre. The theatre’s technical staff was very informative and encouraging to this young person who is now considering a related career path.” Broadway Buddies is much more than just a program to teach about theatre; it shows students the arts are for everyone, no matter their circumstance.

“To our delight, we have found that 100 percent of the students attending Broadway Buddies classes and performances have truly loved it and indicated their intention to attend similar shows in the future. Many have asked if they can come again the next year and bring their children with them,” continued Rodes.

Since its beginning in 2012, Broadway Buddies continues to grow, most recently serving 100 youth and chaperones for the production of Annie last season. The annual program is made possible through the sponsorship of White, Greer & Maggard Orthodontics since it’s conception, along with contributions by other local businesses and patrons of the Broadway Live series. Because of the continued support, youth organizations will be offered the opportunity to participate again this year for the national touring production of Rogers and Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA the weekend of February 17-19.

Broadway Live invites the community to support the program by becoming a BROADWAY BUDDY. Please contact the Performing Arts Department at Lexington Center for more information. Interested Youth Groups can learn more details and make application at lexingtonoperahouse.com, or phone 859.233.4567 x3286. Tickets for this year’s Rogers and Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA, along with other Broadway Live productions including Pippin, Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park, Midtown Men, and more, can be purchased online at lexingtonoperahouse.com.

www.wgmortho.com | www.lexingtonoperahouse.com

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Erica Sigmon husband: Zach | children: Knox + Ella Erica Sigmon knows a thing or two about balancing a busy life. She has two toddlers –Ella Rose, 2 and Knox Miles, 9 months–that keep her on her toes. Her career as a hair stylist demands a lot of focus (and some seriously polished locks!) She and her husband, Zach, keep track of the family’s dogs and chickens on their farm. Between church, work and all their chores, the Sigmons are an active bunch. But no matter how much their schedules may make her head spin, at the end of the day, Erica know it’s all worthwhile. She shared some of her thoughts on tackling challenges and hiding her crazy… exactly what makes her a SuperMom!

Written by Amanda Harper | Photos courtesy of Erica Sigmon

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We are all crazy, some women just hide it better than others!

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by Buffy Lawson Relationship Veteran

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by Deanna Talwalkar Party Planner Extraordinaire

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N

ow that the election is over, some of us are elated and some are left licking our wounds. However, one thing we can agree upon is that we all want to feel safe and secure. For pet owners, we want to feel that same sense of security when it comes to our ability to provide the best healthcare for our pets. Those working in the veterinary industry are often asked whether obtaining pet insurance for their pet is of any benefit? The answer to this question has changed through the years with the evolution of pet insurance products and providers.

In the past, one could argue that most pet insurance coverage did not balance the cost of premiums. Coverage exclusions were also a problem. Some plans were limited to wellness care only and excluded emergency and specialty care provided by a board-certified veterinary specialist. Without taking into account advanced technologies, the day-to-day costs of running an emergency and/or veterinary specialty hospital are greater than those for general practitioners. Therefore, the costs of services provided are typically greater. When we purchase health insurance, we want as much coverage as possible, especially when it comes to large-ticket items. On the flip side, some insurance carriers only provided coverage for emergency or specialty veterinary care, leaving wellness care uncovered. Under this option, pet insurance customers were guaranteed to pay out-of-pocket every time they took their pet in for a checkup, in addition to their monthly insurance premium. In essence, pet owners were left gambling the cost of a premium against the potential need for veterinary specialty or emergency care. The limitations of these two options lead to the recommendation that rather than paying monthly premiums, simply put that money aside every month to save for your pet’s healthcare needs. Pet insurance companies realized that in order to grow their client base; they needed to offer different plans and better coverage, which they have done.

In the past year, the veterinary pet insurance industry has made many changes and improvements. Insurance carriers are offering “Whole Pet with Wellness” coverage with only one annual deductible. Some offer varying deductible rates, which changes the cost of monthly premiums. Bird and exotic pet owners now have the option of purchasing pet insurance coverage, as well. With all of these insurance improvements, it is still important for consumers to investigate all of their options. We all have different needs and while one company’s options may be best for one pet owner, they may not meet the needs of another.

If you were interested in obtaining pet health insurance, two good places to begin your search would be with Trupanion.com and VetPetNationwide.com, formerly known as VPI. Obtaining pet health insurance, may give you pet-health “peace of mind” and greater security in knowing that you can afford to give your best friend the best healthcare for their entire lifetime from wellness to specialty, and in the event of an emergency.

Erica Radhakrishnan Hospital Administrator, BVS

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Legacy Reserve at Fritz Farm

Legacy Reserve at Fritz Farm will open its doors in Spring of 2017, but we have a sneak peek at this incredible new senior living community.

Located at the corner of Man O’ War and Nicholasville Road, Legacy Reserve will offer studio, one bedroom, one bedroom deluxe and two bedroom, two bath apartment homes. Unique features include soaring high ceilings, modern full-sized kitchens with classic subway tile backsplashes, spacious living, dining and bedroom areas, luxurious bathrooms with walk-in showers, stunning crown molding and much more. All of this combined with five dining options and over one hundred social, educational and life enriching events monthly will make Legacy Reserve at Fritz Farm an unrivaled senior living experience. In addition, seniors will be able to enjoy the indoor, salt-water pool, sports bar, cultural arts center, theatre and a plethora of other gathering areas. A huge thank you to Hubbuch and Company and Ethan Allen for showcasing the model apartment homes to fully exemplify their true beauty.

Reservations are being accepted and some floor plans are already prereserved. To learn more about how you or a loved one can have the freedom to enjoy life at Legacy Reserve, please call Jacqueline Kennedy at (859) 537-1123.

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Legacy Reserve at Fritz Farm 2700 Man O’ War Blvd. Lexington, KY 40515 859.537.1123 | legacyreserveky.com

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EQUINE

Filly of the Month: Anna Bishop 208

Colt of the Month: Andrew Chesser

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Horse Park Happenings

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Filly of the Month:

Anna Bishop F

ew, if any, breeds of horse have as rich a history as the Arabian. First used by Bedouin tribes throughout the Arabian Peninsula thousands of years ago, Arabian horses were depended on for survival, and coveted as such. They carried their owners into battle, were used for transportation across miles of unforgiving terrain and were often utilized for sport in races spanning miles across the deserts of the Middle East.

It is no surprise, then, that Bedouins treated their horses with extreme reverence. They often kept their horses in the same tents that housed their families, protecting them from theft and from the harsh desert nights. With their keen sense of hearing and smell, the horses returned the favor, alerting their owners to approaching danger.

Today, the modern Arabian horse has gained a following the world over and the breed has been diversified into many subsets, including the Polish, Russian and Spanish variations of the breed.

The most historically significant and purest of all modern-day Arabians, however, is the Egyptian Arabian, and The Pyramid Society, with executive director Anna Bishop at the helm, works to celebrate this unique breed, ensuring its ancient bloodlines are carried on for future generations to enjoy.

PRESERVATION, PERPETUATION AND PROMOTION The Straight Egyptian Arabian is the most pure of all Arabian horses and its bloodlines can be traced directly back to those prized Bedouin horses in the Arabian Peninsula thousands of years ago. Located on the grounds of the Kentucky Horse Park, The Pyramid Society was created to maintain breed standards for this regal, yet refined steed, and to promote its beauty and versatility to the public.

Members come together in Lexington, Kentucky each year to attend or compete in The Pyramid Society’s signature event, The Egyptian Event, a five-day showcase and competition for Egyptian Arabian horses that draws horses and breeders from around the world.

“The Pyramid Society’s Egyptian Event was the first show to use the Horse Park’s Covered Arena. Prior to that time, the Event’s focus had been at the historic Big Barn, where it showcased more than 50 of the industry’s leading Straight Egyptian stallions,” said Bishop. “Classes were held outside. At that time, the only way for interested enthusiasts to see such a larger number of Straight stallions collectively was here at this Event.

While Bishop was not involved with the early years of The Egyptian Event, those who were have told her of the excitement that surrounded having so many legendary horses from around the country come together under one roof.

“Of course since then, we’ve seen a whole new digital world Profile by Jen Roytz | Photo by Keni Parks

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evolve, enabling interested participants to glean any information they want with a few key strokes on a computer,” said Bishop. “With that said, there’s still nothing like seeing these horses up close, and our Event has adapted at opportunities to continue doing just that.

There are still stallions to see, but also mares, and horses of all ages, in a complement of classes, including halter and performance.”

The Egyptian Event also features liberty classes, in which the horse is paraded by its handler in an exciting and animated fashion, with bursts of dynamic trotting and galloping, followed by the handler presenting the horse in the signature Arabian pose to show off its conformation, including its shapely face, arched neck and powerful hindquarters.

“Always a crowd favorite, the liberty classes highlight the horse’s movement and there’s nothing more magical than seeing that beautiful Egyptian Arabian with its flagged tail, mane flying and floating movement. Still gives me chills,” said Bishop.

The Egyptian Event is referred to as “more than a horse show,” and Bishop and her team at The Pyramid Society work hard to live up to that standard.

“Our continued goal is for breeders, owners and enthusiasts to have the opportunity to come together to showcase their breeding programs, to take advantage of the many educational activities offered, and enjoy the camaraderie and passion of like-minded individuals,” she said. “Breeders’ incentive programs, a stallion service auction, large payouts, social gatherings and galas are part of the tradition – and the appeal. Nothing warms my heart more than having someone e-mail me immediately following the Event to tell me they are counting down the days until they’ll be back.”

A LIFE-LONG LOVE AFFAIR WITH ANIMALS Anna grew up on a 200 acre farm in Virginia, with horses as part of the landscape.

“It was a working farm, and provided a great opportunity to grow up learning to appreciate, care for and just enjoy animals,” she said.

“I have such an appreciation for all of nature because of my formative years.”

Bishop met her husband Larry in Pulaski, Virginia when he was home from college. Joining him in Lexington, she enrolled at the University of Kentucky as a full-time student while also working full time at the College of Agriculture.

The couple moved to Paris, Kentucky with Larry’s career and she went to work in the office at Claiborne Farm and was soon tabbed as Seth Hancock’s secretary.

“It’s just unbelievable that I had the opportunity to be at one of the world’s most prestigious Thoroughbred Farms at such a monumental time. I marvel that I could walk those paddocks daily and see Secretariat, Riva Ridge, *Nijinsky II, among countless other super-stars,” said Bishop. “What a wonderful stepping stone this farm would provide for my future career! I am eternally grateful for this experience.”

Bishop stepped away from Claiborne to begin a family and finish her degree, but never stepped away completely from her love of working.

“It’s in my blood!” she chuckled, however, at the irony of her timing – and her future career with The Pyramid Society.

“We had a wonderful 11 year old daughter, Stacey. I’d been a stayat-home mom, I’d finished my degree and substituted as a teacher, and now I was 6 months pregnant with our second child and awoke one morning with an immediate urge to go to work! My husband though I was crazy!”

Regardless, the call was placed to ManPower and two days later, Bishop receive a call to take minutes for a board meeting for The Pyramid Society.

Lee Cholak was leaving as the Society’s executive director to become executive director of The Kentucky Horse Park. Anna was asked to manage the office until the new executive director arrived, which coincided with the birth of her son, Jordan.

Following her maternity leave, she returned to The Pyramid Society part-time as Projects Coordinator, until later transitioning to full time to become its executive director, a position she still enjoys and balances with her passion for reading, traveling and spending time with her family, including grandchildren Sarah, Elizabeth and Noah.

SHARING THE EGYPTIAN ARABIAN WITH THE WORLD Bishop says in the more than 20 years she has held the position, it has continued to be both challenging and rewarding.

“There are so many opportunities to meet such wonderful people and to promote The Pyramid Society in so many ways,” said Bishop. “I am so fortunate to have met the people whose paths I have crossed. When you see these incredibly beautiful horses and the people who have such passion for them, I am honored to be involved and fortunate to work in an environment like this.”

Part of Bishop’s role with the Society throughout the years has been to represent the organization and its programs at Arabian shows and showcases around the world. In addition to numerous states within the U.S., her travels internationally have included Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, France, Great Britain, Belgium, Germany and Italy.

She has dined in the homes of Sheiks and royalty and with the late great Egyptian Arabian owner and actor Patrick Swayze, but her focus lies not with the who’s who of the horse world, but rather with anyone – celebrity or otherwise – who shares a love of horses.

“If my bridge friends could see what I’ve been fortunate enough to see, they’d get such a kick out of it,” she said. “When you have the horse as the common denominator, it crosses all international and societal barriers and boundaries. There are such wonderful people involved with Egyptian Arabian horses and they all come together for the love of the horse.”•

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Colt of the Month:

Andrew Chesser T

here are globe trotters, and then there are globe gallopers. Andrew Chesser is definitely a galloper.

As the Manager of Registration Services for The Jockey Club, the breed registry for all North American Thoroughbreds, he has a full plate.

In order to race, breed or even be officially named, a Thoroughbred must be registered with The Jockey Club. Alongside The Jockey Club Registrar, Rick Bailey, Chesser and his team approve (or deny) names submitted for every horse intended to race or breed. They also catalog all markings and defining characteristics associated with each horse that will be used to identify them throughout their life.

In addition to his full time role with The Jockey Club, Chesser currently serves as the Secretary General of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHRA), an organization comprised of nearly all of the national racing authorities across the globe which stage Thoroughbred races. Chesser oversees the operations of the Federation, whose mission is to promote good regulation and best practices for racing at the international level.

LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR HIS FUTURE At 32-years-old, Chesser is decades younger than many of his peers, but his current role shouldn’t come as a surprise. It is something he has been working toward since college, and even prior.

“I was a freshman or so in high school when I watched Charismatic win the Preakness. I thought his story was interesting, so I followed him through the Belmont. It was his story that first really spurred my interest in horseracing,” said Chesser.

Growing up in Mahopac, New York, Chesser’s family often vacationed near Lake George in the summer. After following Charismatic through his failed Triple Crown bid that year, Chesser asked his parents if they could make a side trip to nearby Saratoga Springs. After experiencing Saratoga’s yearling sale and racing in person, Chesser was hooked.

Eager to learn more and gain experience working with horses, he reached out to Barry K. Schwartz’s Stonewall Farm, a local Thoroughbred nursery in Granite Springs, New York, and asked if he could have a part time job.

“Jennifer Dahlman Gurney, Stonewall Farm’s manager at the time, was kind enough to see my motivation and enthusiasm, and she allowed me to start working with mares and foals,” said Chesser. “Eventually they let me work with yearlings and horses from the racetrack.”

The experience gained at Stonewall solidified in Chesser’s mind that he wanted to pursue a career in Thoroughbred racing, and upon high school graduation he enrolled at the University of Kentucky.

Profile by Jen Roytz

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THERE ARE

VERY FEW SPORTS THAT ARE AS GLOBALLY-REACHING AS HORSERACING

“I wanted to go to school in Lexington because it put me in the epicenter of everything. The first time I visited, everything just felt right. I knew that was where I wanted to be,” he said.

Majoring in Agricultural Economics with a minor in Business, Chesser made the most of his time at UK. He and a group of friends who shared an interest in Thoroughbreds started the UK Horse Racing Club, which brought in guest lecturers and took field trips to area farms and businesses to offer students a well-rounded perspective on Lexington’s signature industry.

He also landed a number of key internships and jobs, including stints with Woodlynn Farm and Eaton Sales before a year-long internship with The Blood-Horse, the leading print news publication for the Thoroughbred business.

“Those internships and part-time jobs, especially my year working under Jim Cox at The Blood-Horse, were opportunities to really learn from the best. They helped me to get my mind right from the business standpoint and keep my finger on the pulse of the industry,” said Chesser.

During his senior year of college, Chesser balanced his academics with what would prove to be his most important internship, working 15 to 20 hours a week for The Jockey Club, which would lead to a full time position upon graduation.

MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF This year marks the tenth anniversary for Chesser with The Jockey Club and has evolved into a management position with supervision of their registration services. In the past several years it has also afforded Chesser the opportunity to represent North American horseracing on an international stage.

“In many countries in the Middle East, there is no betting, yet in places like Hong Kong and Japan the on-track handle (amount wagered) is staggering. Fans turn out in droves just for a popular horse’s retirement ceremony in Japan – their enthusiasm for the sport is amazing,” said Chesser. “In England you have Royal Ascot with the country’s royalty coming out in a procession, and in Australia for the Melbourne Cup, the city and the country celebrate and embrace the race, illustrated with a parade for the connections of the horses entered in the race. The nuances and traditions change from one country to the next, but there’s a common camaraderie that I enjoy wherever I go.”

WHEREVER HE MAY ROAM, KENTUCKY IS HIS HOME While his travels keep him away often, Chesser rarely misses watching his UK Wildcats play, no matter what the time change may be.

“Thanks to internet radio, I follow UK basketball and football no matter where I am in the world or time of day,” said Chesser.

The Bluegrass has also become home for his parents, who were so taken with the region while Chesser was in college that they moved to a small farm in Versailles in 2005.

“My dad rode as a kid and when I began getting interested in racing as a teenager, he picked it up again,” said Chesser. “That was a big reason Kentucky was such a draw for my family once I moved down here. My dad has a few retired racehorses that he pleasure rides, my mom works at Cardinal Hill and my sister works at a local barber shop. We all get together for Sunday dinners at their farm.”

“In 2012, our president, Jim Gagliano, asked if I would be interested in being a resource for the IFHRA (International Federation of Horseracing Authorities). I began attending their annual meeting in Paris and my involvement expanded from there,” said Chesser.

“In 2013, IFHRA formed a partnership with international timepiece brand Longines, who has become the preeminent sponsor of horseracing around the world. It would become and still is my responsibility to oversee the partnership between Longines and the Federation.”

Chesser estimates he is on the road four to five months out of a year, so when he is home, he tries to make the most of his time, visiting family and friends and grabbing a meal at one of his favorite go-to spots.

Included in that responsibility is the oversight of the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, a rating of racehorses around the world. Published throughout the year, the rankings are decided by an international committee of handicappers and culminates with an awards ceremony each year in London.

While Chesser knew Lexington is where he wanted to be, he admits that he couldn’t have dreamed his career would have taken the path it has.

His role with IFHRA has afforded Chesser the opportunity to see racing around the world. In 2016 alone, Chesser has or will visit France, England, Ireland, Australia, Dubai, India, Japan, Hong Kong, Brazil, Uruguay. He says seeing how different cultures ap-

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proach and embrace horseracing has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of his career thus far.

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“Traveling around the world has allowed me to experience so many things, but it’s hard to find good Mexican food in a number of the countries I travel, so when I return home, that’s among the first meals I seek,” joked Chesser.

“There are very few sports that are as globally-reaching as horseracing. Some countries have had it for hundreds of years, while others have had formalized horseracing for just a decade or less. I’m grateful for the opportunities afforded to me by The Jockey Club and IFHRA and I look forward to doing my part to help horseracing grow internationally.”•

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Horse Park Happenings: December 2016

D

ecember already? While the year has certainly flown by, the good times are sticking around at the Kentucky Horse Park.

While the number of events tends to be fewer in the cooler months, the indoor attractions are still nice and toasty. If it’s been a while since you’ve toured the Horse Park, take a trip to see the exhibits.

And don’t forget to check the calendar in the New Year!

SOUTHERN LIGHTS Through December 31st : 5:30pm-10pm Nightly

The Southern Lights are on... but this holiday favorite doesn’t last forever! Don’t miss out on this spectacular tradition. Twinkling lights will wow out of town guests, kids and kids at heart alike! Best of all is Holiday Festival indoors and on foot in the park’s interior. From visits with Santa to an exotic petting zoo, everyone will love seeing the Horse Park illuminated in this festive display. Please note that the indoor attractions are open every night except December 24th - 31st.

Love a deal? Visit Southern Lights through the week. The lines are shorter and ticket price is lower.

More

10TH ANNUAL HOLLY DAY MARKET Friday, December 2nd – Sunday, December 4th Alltech Arena Get your holiday shopping started at the most festive market around! This three-day event is hosted by the Junior League of Lexington. The Holly Day Market combines holiday shopping with festive events and activities designed to get everyone in the holiday spirit. The admission fee goes to support the Junior League of Lexington and the many local non-profit agencies they support.

To learn more, visit hollydaymarket.com or call 859.252.8014.

SNOWBIRD DRESSAGE & SNOWBALL SERIES MOUNTED GAMES Searching for something fun to do this winter? The Horse Park has you covered. Check their online calendar for dates and times for their Snowbird Dressage shows and Snowball Series of Mounted Games. They’re great fun for the entire family in December, January and February!•

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

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COMMUNITY

What’s New, Kentucky? 218 Calendar: Lex In The City

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What’s New, Ashford Oaks Custom Home Builder Jason Justice is pleased to share the news that Ashford Oaks has recently added two tennis courts, adding even more enjoyment to a vibrant, close-knit community.

Justice Builders is the developer and builder of the gated community, located adjacent to Greenbrier Country Club. The unique home styles available in Ashford Oaks are perfect for a variety of needs and tastes. The beautifully designed homes and quality craftsmanship make it a perfect choice for anyone in the real estate market.

The Ashford Oaks area is stunning, with pedestrian friendly walking streets, greenspaces and footpaths. The safe, walkable environment is ideal for seniors, families and pets. Best of all, this little haven is just one mile away from an array of retail shops, offices, restaurants and entertainment venues.

Want a beautiful view without all the effort? Parkside lots provide maintenance free exterior landscape, mowing and edging care.

“It was a slow start back when times were tough, but we kept the focus and now are nearly halfway complete in the first phase,” Justice explained. “I’m excited about what the future holds for this community!”

859.293.1989 | 6800 Man O’War Blvd. | AshfordOaksKY.com

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Kentucky?

Best Dressed Lex Best Dressed Lex is a new service that aims to teach Central Kentucky men and women how to achieve and maintain organization so they can lead less stressful and more stylish, productive lives. In addition to taming disorganized wardrobes, Best Dressed Lex offers personal styling and shopping for clients who need guidance with their everyday, professional or special occasion style.

Professional closet organizer, personal stylist and personal shopper Kathryn McGuire started Best Dressed Lex in December 2015 to help Central Kentuckians in need of style assistance.

Kathryn helps organize closets to make life more streamlined for her clients.

Whether that means paring down an overgrown wardrobe or finding an optimal organization method for complete convenience, she helps clients make sense of their clothing and accessory storage. She also sets up a plan for maintaining organization long-term.

For clients whose wardrobe is a little lacking, Kathryn is happy to offer her personal styling and shopping expertise. She can help update a client’s style or bring forward a client’s personality through thoughtfully chosen pieces.

From overhauling closet organization to a total wardrobe refresh, Best Dressed Lex helps Central Kentuckians look and feel fabulous.

606.465.0106 | kbmcguire@yahoo.com

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PHOTOS | 28th Annual Evening With The STARS Gala Benefiting The Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation | Lexington Convention Center | October 29th | kentuckyonehealth.org

Bryan & Kelly Mullins, Shannon & Mike Schaeffer, Kristin & John Davis

Leslie Smart, Marilyn Todd, Tracy Colon and Angie Beavin

Ami Bertrand and Stephen Hillenmeyer

Ruth W. Brinkley

Di Boyer and Mike Marnhout

Brian & Susan Neville

Robert & Kristy Sallee

Edwin Nighbert, Jamie Jacobs, Andy Moore and Eric Gilliam

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Tina Herron, Yvonne Edge, Kim Conner, Kayla Adams and Chelsea Moir

Photos by Paul Atkinson

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PHOTOS | Signature Chef Auction Benefiting The March of Dimes | Marriott Griffin Gate | November 4th | marchofdimes.org | Photos by Ron Morrow

Carol Steltenkamp, Richard Amos and Joey Payne

Blake Ferguson, Ted Rutkowski, Meredith Lane, Jay Oakley, Carrie Patterson, j. stuart hurt, Sheldon Kozee and Kristen Oakley Michelle Ripley, Barry Stumbo, Sheila & Greg David

Greg & Ann Smith, Susan & John O’Brien

Joe Iocono and The Bermuda Mavericks

Mario Escalona, Sarah Null, Justin Clark, Pete Combs, Larry Powell and Brian Faul

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Micah & Danielle Harris

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PHOTOS | AcoustiKats Concert & Mission Lexington Gala Benefiting Mission Lexington | The Signature Club | November 4th | missionlexington.org | Photos by Paul Atkinson

Murray McCandless

AcoustiKats

Nawanna & George Privett

Claudia & Kelly Healy

Bob & Zane Cohen

Jennifer & Kevin Russell

Ralph & Pam Miller

Joanna Kerr and Jenny Carman

Mollie Brennan, Mckayla Cairns, Ruth Ann Lawson and Benita King

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Chris Skidmore and Fernita Wallace

PHOTOS | Cathy Coop Markey Cancer Foundation Benefit Hartland Clubhouse | November 12th | ukmarkey.org | Photos by Ron Morrow

Alison Heitmeyer, Connie Selin and Lisa Crockett

The Coop and Wolterman Families

John & Sue Coop

Mike Delzotti

Piper Stockman, Gordie & Sharon Betts

Shawn Yeary

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Karla & David Westerfield

Bob & Donna Farquhar, Ed Kruse

Brett & Kim Ramsay

Brent Coop

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PHOTOS | A Celebration of Dignity and Hope Benefiting Jubilee Jobs | Hyatt Regency | November 4th | jubileejobsoflexington.org | Photos by Ron Morrow

Erin Rouse, Jessica Buchanan and Bill Rouse

Bryan Raisor, Bill Holton, Jennifer Nickerson and Phil Meyer

Ralph Hacker, Heather & John Broadbent

Lorie Lovejoy-Ward

Andrea Clemons and Sydney Peard

Steve Heller and John Kelly

John Gohman and Jason Lee

Cary Plummer

John McIntosh, Peter Barr, Andy Barr and Daryl Smith

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Amy & Scott Haga

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PHOTOS | Women Leading Kentucky Luncheon Malone’s Banquets | November 9th | womenleadingky.com | Photos by Paul Atkinson

Margaret Hancock and Sonia Boniface

Allie Darling, Melia Hord and Ana Arias

Sherelle Roberts

Dawn Morris

Angela Coleman

Susan Straub and Kristin Chilton

Vera Thomas and Carol Siler

Anna Taylor and Sharon Michael

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Virginia Mims and Zara Bolone

Ellen Williams and Susan Lancho

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PHOTOS | Bid & Buy 2016 - An Evening in New Orleans Benefiting Birthright of Lexington | Manchester Music Hall | November 12th | birthright.org | Photos by Woody Phillips

Ed Monahan, Paul Prabell and Louis Horn Jessica Heavrin, Susan Masterson, Terri Horn and Natalie Niehaus

Judy Fifield, Rosemary Miller and Diane Monahan

Steve & Kim Stoll, Mona & Don Lane

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Andrew Eaton

Suzy & Bob Rupp

Mick & Margie Duncan

Brian & Laurie Henderson

December DECEMBER HAS ARRIVED, SO THROW ON YOUR SANTA HATS AND GRAB A CUP OF WARM COCOA... as we fill you in on what fun and

festive events are happening in and around The Bluegrass. Speaking of Santa, if you think he’s only for dry land, then The Newport Aquarium has a surprise for you! Two things most kids love– Santa and animals– are joining forces for a unique holiday experience. Another great event for both kids and adults alike is a performance of Lewis Carroll’s beloved story of Alice In Wonderland.

The White Rabbit, The Queen of Hearts, and The Cheshire Cat will all be at the Lexington Children’s Theatre to bring this memorable journey down the rabbit hole to life. For the grownups, there’s some great entertainment headed our way when a rap superstar comes to Louisville. He may not be on a sleigh, but slay he will: Snoop D.O. Double G will hit The Palace with some of the most memorable names in rap music. Whether you’re kickin’ it with the kids, or kickin’ it old school, this month has a wide variety of entertainment for everyone!

DEC 1 Lighting of the Trace 5:30p | Buffalo Trace Distillery

Trans Siberian Orchestra 7;30p | Rupp Arena

DEC 1-31

Water Wonderland Newport Aquarium The Newport Aquarium is taking visitors on a unique holiday celebration under the sea with the magic of Water Wonderland with Scuba Santa®. It’s an experience that’s overflowing with enchantment and fun experiences the whole family will love. Be amazed as you’re surrounded by lights and bubbles dancing to holiday music in Shark Ray Bay Theater. For more info visit, newportaquarium.com

Southern Lights 5:30p-10p | Kentucky Horse Park

DEC 2 A Christmas Carol 6p, 7:30p, 9p | Waveland

Black Friday at LAL 7p | Loudon House JESSE L. BROOKS Calendar Highlights

Lexington Junior League Holly Day Market Dec 2nd-4th | 10a-6p | Kentucky Horse Park

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

DEC 3

The Nutcracker

A Rockin’ Christmas with Brenda Lee

7:30-10p | EKU Center for the Arts

8p | Norton Center for the Arts, Newlin Hall

DEC 4

Girls on the Run 5K 9:30a | Keeneland

A Kentucky Christmas 10a-7p | Ashland: The Henry Clay Estate

Junior League of Lexington 10th Anniversary Party 7p | 21c Museum Hotel

Tea Time with Mrs. Claus 12p & 3p | Shaker Village

The Snow Queen 2p & 7p | Lexington Opera House

A Christmas Carol 2p & 3p | Waveland

The Snow Queen 2p | Lexington Opera House

DEC 6 Lexington Christmas Parade 6p | Main Street

Joe Bonamassa 8p | Singletary Center for the Arts

A Christmas Carol

DEC 7

6p, 7:30p, 9p | Waveland

UK v Valparaiso Men’s Basketball

UK v UCLA Basketball

8p | Rupp Arena

12:30p | Rupp Arena

DEC 9

PAWS Holiday Fur Ball Gala

Jingle Bell Bash

6p | The Thoroughbred Center

7p | The Hunt Morgan House

Enjoy an evening filled with fun festivities. Including a silent auction, a multiple course meal, entertainment, and much more. Mingle with other animal-lovers as well as local business and political leaders! All proceeds will go toward supporting PAWS (Paris Animal Welfare Society) and saving the lives of homeless cats and dogs. pawspets.org

‘Tis the season for tasty food and fundraising. Enjoy food catered by Donna Potter, a silent auction as well as music by Nicholas Penn and Warren Byrom.

All proceeds go to fund the mission to protect the Bluegrass region through encouraging land conservation. visitbluegrassconservancy.org.

An Evening in New Orleans

[ Visit TopsInLex.com for our full calendar ]

Hosted by Friends of Bluegrass Conservancy

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December A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol

6p, 7:30p, 9p | Waveland

2p & 3p | Waveland

DEC 10

Alice in Wonderland

Chris Young

Dec. 11th, 17th, 18th & 19th | Lexington Children’s Theatre

7:30p | Rupp Arena

Curiouser and curiouser. Alice is positively bored. So bored, in fact, that on one strange day she follows a fluffy rabbit wearing human clothes down the rabbit hole.

Alice takes an unanticipated adventure to Wonderland where she meets a Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat and other memorable creatures. Join Lexington Children’s Theatre for this whimsical original adaptation of the curious tale and discover that we’re all mad here! $18 for adults, $15 for kids.

Tickets can be purchased at lctonstage.org

A Christmas Carol 6p, 7:30p, 9p | Waveland

The Nutcracker 2p & 8p | Lexington Opera House

Reindeer Ramble 9a | Keeneland If you’re a runner who loves the holidays, then get ready to ramble! This 5K race is a wonderful way to participate in a run/walk while supporting scholarships for kids attending the YMCA summer camps. Participants are encouraged to don their favorite holiday sweater, Santa suit, or “holiday festive” attire! and embrace the spirit of the holiday fun. You may register as an individual runner/walker or with a group as a Santapede team. ymcacky.org/ramble.

DEC 11 The Nutcracker 2p | Lexington Opera House

Holiday Celebration of Song

DEC 16

Rudolph: The Musical 7p | EKU Center for the Arts There is definitely no other Christmas animal more adored than Rudolph and his shiny nose. The beloved stop-motion classic is coming to the stage as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical! Join Rudolph™ and his friends as their adventures teach us that what makes you different can be what makes you special. Tickets from $29-$9 on ekucenter.com.

The Nutcracker in One Act 7p | Singletary Center for the Arts

5p & 7:30p | The Square (Atrium)

CELEBRATE WITH

SPIRITS IN THE SKY 236 DECEMBER 2016 | TOPSINLEX.COM

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DEC 17

DEC 22

The Enchanted Holiday Masquerade Ball

Manheim Steamroller Christmas

9:30p | Lexington Center

The Nutcracker in One Act 3p | Singletary Center for the Arts

The Nutcracker 2p & 8p | Lexington Opera House

DEC 18 The Nutcracker 2p | Lexington Opera House

DEC 19

Snoop Dogg

3p & 7p | Rupp Arena The ultimate holiday tradition! Mannheim Steamroller has been America’s favorite holiday tradition for the past 30 years! Grammy Award winner Chip Davis has created a show that features the beloved Christmas music of Mannheim Steamroller along with dazzling multimedia effects performed in an intimate setting. The spirit of the season will come alive!

DEC 31 Casino Royale: The Music of James Bond 7:30p | Lexington Opera House

What better way to ring in the New Year than with the sleek style of James Bond. This dangerously glamorous New Year’s Eve event brings the Casino Royale and everyone’s One of the rap game’s legendary performers is coming to favorite spy to the Lexington Opera House. Vocalist Hilary Kentucky and he’s bringing a few of his friends with him. DJ Kole sings through the Bond film catalog. Channel your best Quik, Warren G and the Dogg Pound, and Bone Thugs n’ Bond girl and Bond himself, by putting on the glitz for one Harmony will all be present for this Puff Puff Pass Tour Part unforgettable evening. lexphil.org.

2 stop. If you grew up during the 90s, this show is for you. livenation.com.

New Year’s Eve 7p | The Louisville Palace

Check the TOPS Calendar for all the best parties! www.TOPSinLex.com/Calendar

PARTIES | ANNIVERSARIES | BIRTHDAYS | HOLIDAYS PENTHOUSE LEVEL

269 W. Main Street | 859.368.7900 Lexington, Kentucky

[ Visit TOPSinLex.com for our full calendar ]

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January JAN 3

JAN 16

UK vs Texas A&M Men’s Basketball

Harlem Globetrotters

9:30p | Rupp Arena

12:30p for Preshow, 2p for Main Show | Rupp Arena

JAN 7

JAN 20

UK vs Arkansas Men’s Basketball

Pippin

8:30p | Rupp Arena

8p | Lexington Opera House

ERTH’s Dinosaur Zoo LIVE

JAN 8

Concert with the Stars 3p | Lexington Opera House

JAN 14

UK vs Auburn Men’s Basketball 4p | Rupp Arena

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

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7p | Norton Center for the Arts

Dierks Bentley 7:30p | KFC Yum! Center

JAN 21

Pippin

2p & 8p Lexington Opera House

UK v South Carolina Men’s Basketball TBA | Rupp Arena

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JAN 22

JAN 28

Pippin

Chamber Music: Mediterranean Portraits

1p & 6:30p | Lexington Opera House

7:30p | Tates Creek Presbyterian Church

Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, and The Buckinghams

The Association

7:30p | EKU Center for the Arts

6p | Rupp Arena

JAN 25

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

JAN 27

Black Jacket Symphony: Queen’s “A Night at the Opera” 8p | Lexington Opera House

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8p | Norton Center for the Arts

UK v Kansas Men’s Basketball

JAN 31

Shen Yun: Connecting Heaven & Earth 7:30p | EKU Center for the Arts

MORE?

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TOP SHOTS | SOCIE T Y

Closing Day at Keeneland

Melissa Dickey and Sherri Keller at Go Red For Women

Eli and Tracy Colon at Night Of The Stars LexArts ARTy pARTy

Serious Vertical Leap

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Steve Gates of Toyota South and Wil James of TMMK