When Kathleen Emhoff, the director of the Lexington Public Library, breezed into town from Ft. Lauderdale she brought more than a little bit of Florida sunshine to her new position. She also brought some unique ideas-one in particular had been a success for her previous hometown's library in Broward County. For 20 years, the library had held an annual fundraising event that joined fans of literature and the library with various authors for intimate evenings at the homes of library patrons.
In 2008, Lexington hosted its own special Night of Literary Feasts for the first time. "It's a terrific evening," said Bill Watts, director of the Lexington Public Library Foundation, which was founded in 1997 to support the library's programming. "The homes are lovely, the hostesses are terrific and the authors all have interesting books. It's a delightful evening, but it's not all just sitting around and discussion. It's a lot of fun and it helps raise money for the library."
The Night for Literary Feasts will see it's second year this Jan. 30 and is a unique opportunity on many levels. In addition to the main evening of private dinners-each dinner is limited to 18-20 attendees and author in order to preserve the intimacy of the evening-there is also a dinner featuring all of the authors on Thursday, Jan. 29, and a coffee with the authors from 10 a.m to noon on Saturday, Jan. 31 at Joseph-Beth.
Watts, along with the library's board, works throughout the year organizing the event, which benefits library programs and services like the summer reading program and others.
"It's important for people to support the library," Watts said. "It's the only organization that services the entire community. We have programs for everyone from babies to the elderly."
Support of the library and its programming is a sentiment that is echoed by attendees of the event and hosts alike, many demonstrating their affinity for the event and the library by planning to attend or host for a second year. Two of those hosts have agreed to a sneak peek into the homes that will host events with this year's authors.
Denise and Paul Nierzwicki will open their penthouse loft to host Cassandra King ("Queen of Hearts"). The loft has a delightfully eclectic dÈcor that could not more perfectly lend itself to literary entertaining if it was positioned on the top floor of an exclusive co-op building in Midtown Manhattan. The cool, urban feel of the loft's construction is balanced by a selection of grand furniture that warms the space with a worldly feel. It's quite a change for the Nierzwickis, who recently left a 5,500 sq. ft. home on Lexington's south side in favor of "downsizing" to the 1,800 sq. ft. downtown luxury condo in which they now reside.
"We sold everything at auction," Paul said. "All our furniture. Just about everything, and we started over here. We worked with Olde World Interiors and they helped us put together this whole thing."
"It felt great to just wipe the slate clean," Denise said. "I mean, we had boxes in our basement we hadn't unpacked since our last move [from Detroit, Mich.]. We de-cluttered our lives. There's no room for it now."
Though it might seem cramped to think about living-much less hosting guests-in a significantly smaller space, the layout of the Nierzwicki's loft provides plenty of room for them, their two cats and lots of entertaining, without sacrificing the amenities the couple desired.
A large dining room table, complete with artisan inlay details and intricately carved chairs is positioned under a stunning lantern-like chandelier that gives an impression of an Oriental or Arabian palace. It's within quick reach of a well-appointed kitchen, each appliance blending seamlessly into the overall design of the space. Not far away, living areas offer repose with plush, high-backed sofas in the vicinity of a bar and flat-panel television. The television in the living room is backed with another that is positioned for viewing from the large outdoor space of the patio that also includes seating and a grill where, on many nights, Paul can be found cooking up dinner for Denise and often, guests.
The bedroom is a place where comfort and contemporary meet, and the joining of the two make for a playful space. The centerpiece of the room is the couple's bed, surrounded by walls of glass-outside windows on one side and a large shower on the other-and covered by a retractable roof that opens to reveal the sky above.
The home is beautiful to behold and any who receive an invitation would be foolhardy to turn it down. Add to the hospitality of the Nierzwickis a chance to enjoy fine dining, the company of a celebrated author and an evening with friends and patrons of the library and one would be hard-pressed to find a better way to spend an evening.
Unless, perhaps that evening was with Katie and Jim O'Brien, who will welcome author Jian Ping ("Mulberry Child") along with guests to their estate-like home.
The home is nestled in a quiet cul-de-sac and is situated on a wooded lot previously included in a horse farm-one of the trademarks of many beautiful homes in Lexington. The style of the home hearkens to bucolic pastoral scenes by its elements. Beautiful and earthy, stone and thick wooden beams play into the walls, ceilings and floors, and even the high ceilings warm the rooms with rich tones.
A chef's kitchen is situated in the middle of an open floor plan-a perfect spot to serve cocktails, a meal in the eat-in area or to prepare courses out of view of the formal dining room just around the corner.
The O'Briens' home is welcoming, to be sure, but the evening's main event will take place in the guest and pool house, just across a beautiful stone terrace and around the sparkling pool. Just past the tall glass doors into the main room of the pool house, a crackling fire awaits and a woody smell from the ceiling tinges the air.
This evening, the O'Briens have already decided, will be a themed one. The author who will join them, Jian Ping, has a special connection to the O'Brien household.
"We were very excited about having the Jian Ping here because our daughter is from China," Katie said, referencing Ping's heritage and that of their child. The O'Briens have been committed to learning about her culture, the latest incarnation being Katie's Chinese lessons with her daughter.
"My teacher was able to recommend someone who could make authentic Chinese cuisine, so in honor of the evening, we'll feature that food in our dinner."
Regardless of your literary preference, the Night of Literary Feasts seems to have something, and some author, for every taste. Tickets for the events will be available the second week of December at www.lexpublib.org/feast2009. For additional information, please call Bill Watts at (859) 231-5557.