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Headley-Whitney week

Two events at the museum bookended a Peruvian-themed party at L.V. Harkness

By Howard M. Snyder Herald-Leader social columnist

As Keeneland was about to open and The Red Mile was winding down, all sorts of dahling diversions were planned to amuse, the first being Daum Dynamique, a new exhibit of crystal sculptures at the Headley-Whitney Museum.

Dahlings, for the next month, the Daum (pronounced dome) Collection will be on display at the museum. Daum is the leading avant-garde art glass producer in the world and considered the most artistic of luxury decorative art glass.

Representing Daum at this gathering on Oct. 3 (free and open to the public) was Thomas Zimmerman of Lyon, France. "L.V. Harkness has been a great friend for many years, and Meg (Jewett) knows our product very well. So Meg was the one with the idea to bring the unique pieces here. They are very, very valuable ... over $100,000. So Meg is the only one able to afford to bring these pieces and showcase them." The Daum Collection will be available to purchase at Jewett's L.V. Harkness in downtown Lexington. No wonder she's the sponsor.

Said Sarah Henrich, executive director of the museum: "This exhibition gives us an opportunity to showcase some of the world's greatest art — wonderful pieces by contemporary artists which reflect the creativity and the elegance of the Daum art world. And we are just thrilled to have it here."

Standing in the entrance of the exhibit was Jim Jones: He is an interior designer who lives in Cincinnati, but he's a Lexington native. He was the college roommate of a friend of mine, so I had met him here and there, but I didn't have a clue what he did. I found out. Back in the 1970s, he decorated several rooms of George Headley's home and several rooms at the museum.

"I met George Headley at the Living Arts & Science Center. I did a Greek-style room in honor of Dr. William and Connie Collis. Headley and his wife, Barbara, saw it and loved it. He called me and hired me to start decorating his home." This was 1974-75. Headley "was very nice to me. He was pleasant and always appreciative of everything you did, and he would always send me thank-you notes." Jones brought with him a Daum piece of his own: "I purchased it in London or Paris, probably around 1975 or '76," he said.

Wine accessories debut

On Oct. 4, Jewett invited almost every one in Lexington to L.V. Harkness, her dahling little shop on West Short Street, for her "Passport to Peru" party. Dahlings, folks sipped on pisco sours and nibbled on little Peruvian sausages and Peruvian hors d'oeurves. Jewett was showing off the new Sandra Jordan Collection. Jordan, a native of Peru, was creative director for Jordan Winery for 10 years and has turned her passion for wine accessories into a business. "This is my fifth year in a row being here," Jordan said as she aerated a glass of wine for me with her own silver aerator funnel ($300 plus). "It's really great. I'm already thinking what I might be doing next year."

And, guests got to see the latest addition to Jewett's rooftop garden, designed and built by Jon Carloftis. He built a pergola on the already beautiful rooftop garden. Said Carloftis: "We put up the arbor earlier today." And, dahlings, with a chandelier and bittersweet-draped topiaries, it was divine.

Jewel Ball

On Saturday, Oct. 4, the Headley-Whitney Museum hosted The Jewel Ball. Dahlings, Marylou Whitney was the honorary chairman, and this was her event. She was wearing possibly the largest amethyst in the world. "George (Headley) gave me this," she said.

Her husband, John Hendrickson, said of the event, "This is the third consecutive year, and it gets bigger and bigger every year. This is all to support the new additions" to the museum, "6,000 square feet of space to showcase the best of what America has to offer in terms of decorative arts, and we're thrilled. It keeps getting better every year, and we're proud to be a part of it."

About 200 guests were wined and dined under a big tent on the Carloftis-designed entertainment center (formerly a tennis court). Dupree Catering did a splendid job with the food and service. After dinner, Sarah Henrich of the Headley-Whitney Museum gave an award — the Meg Jewett Award (Jewett is the chairman of the museum) — to Jon Carloftis, for all he's done for the museum.

Anyway, I caught Jewett at Whitney's table, where she was just getting over her big win that day at The Red Mile. Her horse, Deweycheatemandhowe, won the Kentucky Futurity. "Wow, he had to really dig down deep," said the proud owner of Walnut Hall Farm. "Three heats. I'd like to see a Thoroughbred do that. About the ball, Jewett said, "This is the best party we've had yet, and it's going to become the party in Lexington. You wait and see. It absolutely is. I like the size ... the fact that it is small and it brings you back to the old Lexington Ball and the traditions that we started out with."