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Happy Friday, Lexington. In today’s edition: UK HealthCare expert care designation, Midway European Christmas market, Santa & stallions, and more. Let’s get to it!
— Cait Baker
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📰 In the news
Winter break travel made easy: UK Transportation Services offers free Winter Break shuttles from Kroger Field to area airports. Depart Dec. 19, 7:30 a.m. or 1 p.m., with returns Jan. 11, noon or 7 p.m — learn how to sign up.
Progress amid persistent shortages: Kentucky health care program enrollment has climbed 22.8% since 2022, adding 6,953 students, with gains among Appalachians, low-income and adult learners, as CPE seeks $1 million to expand workforce efforts — explore the latest numbers.
Expanded access to expert care: UK HealthCare has been designated a Clinical Resource Center by the Alpha-1 Foundation, bringing diagnosis, treatment, counseling, long-term management and research for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency to patients across Kentucky — learn what the designation means.
Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.
Identity theft is up 25%: Last year, Americans lost $12.5 billion to ID theft & fraud, and the stories behind those numbers are brutal. My friend just told me his dad’s on his fourth replacement credit card. Other folks have woken up to empty bank accounts or their personal info dumped online after a breach. Aura catches these kinds of attacks early by monitoring for new accounts, weird money movements, leaked data, and other red flags so you’re alerted before things blow up — learn more about it here.
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🫶 We got your back
Store your ride safely: Headed out for break? UK Transportation is offering free, covered Winter Break parking in Cornerstone Garage for students with permits. The first 200 can pick up holiday passes at Transportation Services, valid now through 5:30 a.m. Jan. 12 with one free exit. Bikes can be stored at Wildcat Wheels, first come, first served. Get all the details.
Community joins to fight hunger: Thrive Together has launched in Laurel and Clay counties to boost food access for seniors, kids, and families, led by Volunteers of America Mid-States with God’s Pantry and the Clay County Senior Center. Seeded with $50,000 (sparked by a CVS match), it will support nine pantries and expand services for homebound seniors starting in early 2026. Get all the details.
Fresh cut, zero fuss: Want hair that turns coffee runs into mini struts? At Wolf & Ryan Salon, Lexington roots meet NYC polish with precision cuts, custom color, keratin smoothing, and stylists who actually listen, so your everyday looks intentional, effortless, and never overworked.
Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I decided to take Hers’ online quiz. They recommended a Biotin + Minoxidil green-apple gummy for regrowth and overall hair health. The whole thing was surprisingly easy: just verify who you are and a licensed provider signs off. Here’s the quiz if you want to check it out.
Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, their curated kits are worth a look.
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📆 Around town this weekend
All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.
Today
🎄 Midway European Christmas Market| Friday (12/12) at 6:00pm – If you’ve been craving old-world Christmas without TSA lines, wander downtown Midway for a European-style market with twinkling lights, wooden stalls, and fresh pine. Sip something warm, browse high-quality makers and gourmet treats, maybe even bring home a live tree. Free and family-friendly.
⛪ Cathedral Christmas @ Cathedral of Christ the King | Friday (12/12) at 8:00pm – Whether you know your Handel from your hummed carols, LexPhil and The Lexington Singers filling the Cathedral of Christ the King is the holiday reset button. Soaring orchestra, spine-tingling choruses, real candles optional, parking patience required. Grab seats at lexphil.org/cathedral-christmas.
This weekend
🕯️ Candle Making Experience with Wick & Mortar @ Lane’s End Farm | Saturday (12/13) at 11:00am – Only in Versailles do you meet Flightline, then craft a custom candle that smells better than your tack room. Tour Lane’s End’s stallion barns, pick your scent and tin, add fancy toppings, then enjoy light refreshments, and feel good about clean, crackling wicks.
🍷 Sip & Shop Holiday Market @ International Book Project | Saturday (12/13) at 12:00pm – Knock out the last-minute list at IBP’s Sip & Shop, where local artisans, food, and West 6th beer make errands enjoyable. Skip the mall, browse new-to-you reads and handcrafted gifts, let them wrap it for a donation, and feel good that your tab boosts global literacy.
🐎 Santa & Stallions @ Lane’s End Farm | Sunday (12/14) at 10:00am – Nothing says Kentucky Christmas like Santa upgrading to horsepower at Lane’s End. Snap a photo with the big guy, sip from the hot cocoa bar, let the kids craft, then take a quick tour to meet some potential sleigh recruits.
🛍️ Kentucky Vintage Fest @ Greyline Station | Sunday (12/14) at 11:00am – Greyline Station is a treasure hunt with 40+ vintage vendors, all under one roof. Score a jacket, a funky lamp, or vinyl that slaps, and bring kids and your dog, since they behave better around antiques. Kids get in free, dogs are welcome, nostalgia guaranteed.
🔥 Yule Log Making Class @ Harkness Edwards Vineyards | Sunday (12/14) at 3:30pm – If you’ve been waiting for a holiday win that doesn’t involve tangled lights, this is it. Learn to roll, frost, and fuss over a proper yule log from scratch with step-by-step help, sip your included glass of wine, then parade that cake home proudly.
Next week
📚 Lexington Holiday Book Swap @ Lexington Public Library, Beaumont Branch | Monday (12/15) at 2:00pm – Whether your nightstand is a teetering stack or you just need an excuse to clean a shelf, the Lexington Holiday Book Swap has you covered. Trade your already-read favorites for new-to-you finds, dodge small talk by discussing plot twists, and call it holiday shopping.
🌧️ When it Rains, it Pours: Soil and Water in a Changing World @ The Arboretum State Botanical Garden of Kentucky | Monday (12/15) at 6:00pm – Think your yard is ready for deluges, flash droughts, and everything in between? Join Extension Water Quality Specialist Dr. Amanda Gumbert for a down-to-earth look at soil, water, and those lovely algal blooms, plus practical ways to protect your own backyard, garden, and sanity.
🚶 Art Walk – Guided Tour @ 21c Museum Hotel | Tuesday (12/16) at 11:00am – Tag along on a guided art walk through downtown Lexington, with murals, public art, and finally an explanation for that sculpture you pretend to get. You will slip into a few galleries, then land at Artists’ Attic for refreshments, conversation, and the artists.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
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🎶 Live music & entertainment
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🏠️ Price is right – Lexington edition
How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).
Listed by: Meredith S Walker (Bluegrass Sotheby's International Realty)
Low-maintenance Ellerslie townhome with privacy and greenspace panoramas from every back window. Tall ceilings, wide foyer, and a window-lined sunroom keep things light. Spacious first-floor living stays step free. The eat-in kitchen flows to the great room and formal dining, framed by a custom-painted ceiling and rich millwork. Built-ins flank a gas fireplace. First-floor primary adds a spa bath, oversized walk-in, and direct utility access.
Upstairs stacks two bedrooms, a full bath, and a flexible loft, plus an extra-large hall closet. Private patio overlooks the sycamore-lined reservoir with peeks toward Jacobson Park, minutes to Hamburg, downtown, and the interstate.
Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →
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