The Pulse 16.14 » April 4, 2019

VOL. 16, ISSUE 14 • APRIL 4, 2019

CHATTANOOGA'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

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FROM THE EDITOR VOLUME 16, ISSUE 14 • APRIL 4, 2019

BREWER MEDIA GROUP Publisher James Brewer, Sr. FOUNDED 2003 BY ZACHARY COOPER & MICHAEL KULL

EDITORIAL Managing Editor Gary Poole gary@chattanoogapulse.com Assistant Editor Jenn Webster City Editor Alex Curry Music Editor Marc T. Michael Film Editor John DeVore Contributors Rob Brezsny • Summer Harrison Matt Jones • Mike McJunkin Tony Mraz • Ernie Paik Rick Pimental-Habib Michael Thomas • Jenn Webster Editorial Intern Jason Dale Cartoonists Jen Sorenson • Tom Tomorrow

ADVERTISING Director of Sales Mike Baskin mike@brewermediagroup.com Account Executives Rick Leavell • Cindee McBride Libby Phillips • John Rodriguez Danielle Swindell

CONTACT Offices 1305 Carter St. Chattanooga, TN 37402 Phone 423.265.9494 Fax 423.266.2335 Email info@chattanoogapulse.com Website chattanoogapulse.com Facebook @chattanoogapulse THE FINE PRINT: The Pulse is published weekly by Brewer Media and is distributed throughout the city of Chattanooga and surrounding communities. The Pulse covers a broad range of topics concentrating on music, the arts, entertainment, culture and local news. The Pulse is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. No person without written permission from the publisher may take more than one copy per weekly issue.

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Contents Copyright © 2019 by Brewer Media. All rights reserved.

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CFF: Good Films For Everyone After six years, it seems that the Chattanooga Film Festival is a tradition that keeps improving and others are taking notice. The CFF has always leaned heavily into the genre film scene. This is understandable, as founder and programmer Chris Dortch wears his love for genre movies on his sleeve.

THE EXPERT PERSPECTIVE

12

DON’T STOP THE MUSIC!

24

Wine. That word is plenty to comprise its own paragraph, article, book, or dissertation. For some people, the concept never exceeds a cardboard box on Friday evening.

How does a lover of the arts explain their value to someone who is not? It requires something tangible, a cost-benefit analysis perhaps, and these things are not always readily available.

EMBRACING ARTISANS

An exciting new outlet for local arts and crafts has opened in the Hixson/Middle Valley area. Braxton Mill Artisans’ Market at 8717 Hixson Pike is the companion business to Braxton Mill Furniture.

A BEAUTIFUL MESS

From the first glimpse of the cloud city, suspended by some magical amalgam of engineering and hoodoo, dumping rubbish onto a slag heap far below, I thought: “Bespin?”

4 CONSIDER THIS

17 FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

23 DINING OUT

7 SHRINK RAP

17 THE LIST

23 JONESIN' CROSSWORD

14 ARTS CALENDAR

20 MUSIC CALENDAR

25 NEW IN THEATERS

16 ARTS & BUSINESS

22 MUSIC REVIEWS

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CITY LIFE · BETWEEN THE BRIDGES

The Expert Perspective

Cons ider This w ith Dr. Rick

Chattanooga sommelier shares her insights

By Alex Curry Pulse City Editor

“As you live deeper in the heart, the mirror gets cleaner and cleaner.” —Rumi Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? Or so goes the quote from Walter B. Gibson, creator of “The Shadow”. The answer is: We know.

Or we can. Knowing thyself is perhaps the greatest journey you will ever embark on. It’s a process, of course. Whatever makes up your current personality, including your views about life, love, art, the Divine, your strengths and weaknesses, pretty much everything from your most lovable qualities to your darkest, painful addictions is catalogued in your unconscious. Along with why you tick the way you tick.

And insight leading to a more self-aware, mindful, and yes, happier you, can and often is the reward for that journey into the mirror, into authenticity.

The 13th-century philosopher, Rumi, also said, “I looked in temples, churches, and mosques. But I found the Divine within my heart.” — Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D.

“

Working as a sommelier may seem like a dream job, and for some it is, but there is no lack of excessively hard work while studying the fermentation of grapes.”

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W

INE. That word is plenty to comprise its own paragraph, article, book, or dissertation. For some people, the concept never exceeds a cardboard box on Friday evening; for others, it’s a life-long endeavor of passionate, intensive research and dedication.

In wine, there is more to know than can ever be known. Yet this unattainable perfection is sought after by people like Sommelier Michelle Richards.

Michelle is the general manager and level two certified sommelier of St. John’s. These simultaneous titles lead to an unequivocally full plate, the profession of two different experts wrapped up by a single masterful service and hospitality expert.

Working as a sommelier may seem like a dream job, and for some it is, but there is no lack of excessively hard work while studying the fermentation of grapes. A cumulative scholarship of geography, language, climate, biology, anthropology, and cuisine barely scratches

the surface of the intellect necessary for the success of Michelle’s current certification and her eventual goal of attaining the coveted Master Sommelier Diploma.

Michelle moved from Annapolis, Maryland to attend UTC as a business major. At the confluence of her education and personal interests, she shifted her major towards a humanities degree.

“I took that opportunity and developed my major around it. At UTC, you can develop your curriculum around whatever you want it to be. I was able to invent classes with professors. I developed an Italian wine and food course and a Tennessee wineries course,” offers Michelle. “I wrote a 30-page paper about the

EDITOONS

rhetoric of wine labels. I kept going deeper and deeper into it. I was basically studying for my certified exam while still in school.”

Wine itself is merely a portion of the job of a beverage expert. In addition, an amalgamated knowledge of beer, spirits, sake, liquor, and flavor pairings is vital to Michelle’s career. She works closely with the kitchen in order to create beverage pairings to accompany the chef’s offerings.

“We are both very passionate about both wine and food, and we’re both out-of-the-box thinkers. We have been working together for seven years, so we have a strong rapport.”

They will often offer what they call “daring pairings”, which stray from the traditional standards of “pairing rules”. She continues with a smile, “They often end up being my favorite pairing of the night.”

St. John’s offers over 400 different bottles of wine. In 2017 and 2018, under the direction of Michelle, the restaurant won the prestigious Two Cup Award from Wine Spectator Magazine, which recognizes their diversity in both price range and bottle selec-

tion along with a strong variance in vintage. The restaurant also offers occasional off-menu wine dinners.

Though wine often has a stigma of inaccessibility, Michelle assures me that wine is approachable by anyone interested in taking the journey.

She often begins by asking St. John’s guests where they gravitate in a wine shop.

“Find a grape variety you like and then try all of the different types of that grape. Take pictures and notes.”

There are also apps that allow you to track your interests in wine and create a platform where you can develop your palate from your own past experiences.

“True sommeliers are about hospitality and taking care of people.

Don’t think that they are going to price gouge you. I’m here to truly pick out the best wine in your price point.

Many places will offer a half glass, and that’s a great way to experience more variety,” continues Michelle, her passion for hospitality glowing.

Wine is her self-proclaimed love language. Her passion for her work is incontestable.

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with

Gary, Beth & Eric

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COLUMN · SHRINK RAP

Not All Who Wander Are Lost The good doctor on how to turn travel into wisdom

I Dr. Rick

Pulse columnist

“

Right here at home, our scenic city has gorgeous trails that end in waterfalls.

Mountaintop views that stun.

A river that passes through breath-taking gorges.”

Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist, author, minister, and educator in private practice in Chattanooga. Contact him at DrRPH.com, visit his wellness center at WellNestChattanooga.com

HAVE A YOUNG FRIEND WHO recently finished hiking a portion of the Appalachian Trail—seven days’ worth. He has plenty of tales from that experience; some are entertaining, some heartbreaking, some positive and life-affirming.

He’s not even from this country; he’s from the U.K., but he very much wanted to begin an exploration of America, meet people from different walks of life, and generally gain the kind of awe-filled inspiration and wisdom that Mama Nature offers in abundance. So he began with the Trail.

He’ll make his way through several states, then end up in Maine for a lovely coastal summer. He’s on his own, meeting very interesting people, and making experiences he’ll take with him to college and beyond. And he’s only 18.

Another friend travelled to Hawaii last year to witness the birthing of humpback whales. She works for the Oceanographic Institute in D.C. Her job includes protecting the ecologically-sensitive coastlines of the mid-Atlantic. But she had never seen the extremely rare, miraculous sight of whale calves being born. So, she packed up her grandson and off they went for a once-in-a-lifetime education. She’s 62.

The moral of these stories is, travel is education. Whether you’re an 18-yearold on a gap year, or a grandmother wanting to teach her inquisitive grandson about nature, travel has a way of opening the mind, creating lasting, lifealtering experiences, and teaching us about understanding and compassion for others.

When you visit island nations where the residents cannot afford decent shelter or food, and fresh water is a scarce

commodity, you are changed.

When you are dropped into the middle of a culture that does not speak your language, eat your food, or wear your clothes, or that engages in tribal rituals and relationships that are well beyond your experience, you are changed.

But here’s another way to go about this.

Not everyone has the resources to embark on trips across the world, or across the pond. Not everyone has the time, or the financial/familial/ employment support to find out firsthand what the Dalai Lama eats for lunch after praying. This isn’t, however, the only way to travel.

Right here at home, our scenic city has gorgeous trails that end in waterfalls.

Mountaintop views that stun. A river that passes through breath-taking gorges… with great swaths of color in the Fall.

Any one of these areas lend to the soulenriching meditative moments that can change one’s perspective forever.

Have you ever gone barefoot on a trail (called “Earthing” or “Grounding”) for a few miles, and ended up on a rock outcropping to meditate with the sound a flowing creek in the background? I have a couple of local friends who do this regularly.

Aside from a greater appreciation of Mama Nature, they talk about the benefits of more positive moods, slower, more mindful daily routines, a stronger desire

for turning inward and gaining selfawareness, lowered anxiety, and even a better quality of relationships. They are learning about their big universe (outside themselves) and their small universe (within). All for free.

Have you ever just sat and peoplewatched? On a bench with an ice-cream cone, a return to childhood. At the park.

By the river. In the sculpture gardens. At the zoo. The aquarium. Mean Mug. Just watch. Let your mind travel. Breathe.

Travel is education.

Until next time, I’ll leave you with these words of wisdom in the hopes that they may inspire you to take steps toward broadening your horizon; perhaps toward opening your mind and heart to others, perhaps toward opening inner doors to yourself.

“May the stars carry your sadness away, may the flowers fill your heart with beauty, may hope forever wipe away your tears, and, above all, may silence make you strong.” — Chief Dan George

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COVER STORY

Chattanooga Film Festival: Good Films For Everyone Our longtime film critic covers the highlights

By John DeVore, Pulse Film Editor

A

FTER SIX YEARS, IT SEEMS THAT THE CHATTANOOGA Film Festival is a tradition that keeps improving and others are taking notice. The CFF has always leaned heavily into the genre film scene. This is understandable, as founder and programmer Chris Dortch wears his love for genre movies on his sleeve, evident from the very first Mise En Scenesters events he hosted and programmed around town.

It’s reasonable for the CFF to want to avoid labels—genre film has a reputation and for a small southern city a reputation is enough to stop something before it even starts. But then, no one brings the incredible Joe Bob Briggs to speak every year without having a deep and abiding love for the weird, the grotesque, and the shocking.

The CFF has drawn the attention of the horror aficionados at Ghastly Grinning, who have called the festival “one of the most memorable and distinctive film festivals for the genre.” This nice to hear, of course, but for those of us that have attended the CFF from the first year, insinuating that it’s an all-genre-film festival is seems limited.

Every film, every event, every guest is chosen carefully and with the goals of the festival in mind. Every dollar brought in, from grants to sponsors to individual donations, is put back into the festival to bring the 8 • THE PULSE • APRIL 4, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

best films available.

The real genre found at the CFF is good movies. It’s as simple as that.

It’s important to remember that the festival is done on what amounts to a shoestring budget—the CFF doesn’t always bring big name stars because Dortch and company are more interested in bringing great films to Chattanooga than paying celebrity appearance fees (although, this year features Crispin Glover, which I think we can all get behind).

And thank God for that. Because of the singular focus on quality, Chattanoogans have seen films like Spring and The Endless, I Kill Giants and The Sacrament, or Men and Chicken, which because I’m weird, is probably my favorite film out of all six years.

Here’s the point: the Chattanooga Film Festival is something special for a city this size. Atlanta and Nashville might have films festivals, but they don’t have the CFF. It’s one

more unique event for a unique city nestled between three larger metro areas. We need to take advantage of it while we can.

As with every year, I like to make suggestions for those films that are not to be missed. Inevitably, I miss a significant portion of them because I get distracted by any number of other films that are playing at the same time. I’m fickle and that’s okay.

Still, here are some of the films that I think everyone should see when they have the chance.

THURSDAY Hail Satan?

Director Penny Lane In a documentary that’s sure to delight the CFF fans and annoy a large section of the Chattanooga’s faithful, Hail Satan? explores the ideas behind modern Satanism, which might be better described as a sort of ironic atheism.

The film focuses around a lawsuit the Church of Satan brought against the state of Missouri where they insisted on equal treatment after a Ten Commandments statue was erected at the state capitol. The film looks at the serious issue of church and state separation through the eyes of a tongue-in-cheek religion.

The CFF is one more unique event for a unique city nestled between three larger metro areas.

We need to take advantage of it while we can.

Joe Bob Briggs If you’ve not yet seen Joe Bob Briggs, this is your year. Honestly, every year should be your year, but let’s start now. I don’t know the topic but that doesn’t matter. I guarantee that you’ll be fascinated, weirded out, and amused.

You’ll learn something, too. For instance, a couple years ago I learned why Scots-Irish Americans are such jerks. As someone of Scotts-Irish descent, it provided some much needed validation that I was born this way.

FRIDAY A Bread Factory Part 1 & Part 2 Director Patrick Wang This is a film that’s likely riskier than the others on the schedule. The folks at the CFF compare Patrick Wang to artists like Robert Altman, Ingmar Bergman, and David Lynch.

This means if you watch it, you might not understand it.

But if you like being confused, or being moved without understanding why, The Bread Factory Part 1 and 2 will be your best bet. It’s a film festival film if there ever was one.

In Fabric Director Peter Strickland Almost anything can be a horror story. Remember when Stephen King wrote a story about a demonpossessed laundry press? This is like that, except it’s the laundry that’s

haunted—a dress that’s passed down from person to person.

Weirdly, Stephen King’s son wrote a story about a haunted suit. We should all stop wearing clothes.

Freaks Directors Zach Lipovsky, Adam B. Stein This film features Emile Hirsch and Bruce Dern. If that’s not enough, it’s also a science fiction dystopian fantasy told the eyes of a seven-year-old girl. It’s likely one of those CFF films where the less you know, the more you’ll enjoy it.

Crispin Glover This program runs for over three hours and includes a dramatic presentation, his film Fine! Everything Is Fine, and a book signing/meet and greet. That’s a lot of time with an iconic actor. Make this one a priority.

Seriously. Glover is easily one of the most fascinating actors of his generation and has great stories to tell.

Mangoshake Director Terry Chiu Film critic Andrew Todd (Birth.Movies.Death.) called Terry Chiu’s Mangoshake “A manic DIY coming-ofage film that detests coming-of-age films.” As a film critic tired of the bildungsroman, it sounds great.

The Wrath Director Young-sun Yoo What film festival would be com-

plete without a Korean ghost story?

The Wrath is a period piece set in the Joseon Kingdom, which if you know your Korean history, you’ll understand why a freelance film critic in Chattanooga can’t finish this sentence. The movie looks great though.

SATURDAY Leto Director Kirill Serebrennikov The best reason to see this punk rock musical is because the director is currently under house arrest in Russia for being an enemy of the state.

The second best reason to see this film is because it’s a punk rock musical. End of reasons.

Cowboy Who? Presented by Peter Kuplowsky Presented by TIFF Midnight Madness film programmer Peter Kuplowsky, this film looks at a weird, postmodern Canadian kid’s show from the ‘90s. It comes with an allyou-can-eat cereal bar. Of course you’re going.

Burning Kentucky Director Bethany Brooke Anderson I’m a sucker for a good mountain murder mystery. Although Burning Kentucky is set in Eastern Kentucky, the parallels to Soddy Daisy living are probably easy to recognize. Bonus: director Bethany Brooke Anderson will be in attendance.

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COVER STORY The Creature From The Black Lagoon Of the classic Universal monsters, The Creature From the Black Lagoon is my favorite, due entirely to the creature design. The film is free and follows a Friday presentation by Mallory O’Meara, author of “Lady From the Black Lagoon”.

Her book is about Milicent Patrick, who designed the Creature, and how she was later driven from Hollywood by a jealous male colleague. You can learn the story behind the story, and then see the story in Miller Park.

SUNDAY Lost Holiday Directors Michael Kerry Matthews and Thomas Matthews Shot in 16mm, Lost Holiday feels like a throwback comedy, full of self-satisfaction and wit. The film is about a social worker who accidentally gets involved in the search for a kidnapped socialite from Washington D.C.

Pumpkin Pie Show Presented by Clay McLeod Chapman Clay McLeod Chapman is an au-

Always be on the lookout for the shorts blocks whenever they are rolled out.

You never know what you might see but it’s always worth your time. thor and storyteller who offers “a view into the minds of the most depraved Southern Gothic monstrosities.” According to the CFF: “Sometimes darkly humorous, sometimes strangely heartbreaking, and most definitely always in-your-face, these tales of madness and macabre explore the domestic horrors of the everyday, finding terror within our very own households. This one-of-a-kind performance delves deep into the darkest recesses of those mad men and women who drift along the periphery of humankind.” It’s an event that might even rival Joe Bob.

ALL WEEKEND CFF2019 Shorts Program Always be on the lookout for the shorts blocks whenever they are rolled out. You never know what you might see but it’s always worth

your time. In addition to the Tennessee Filmmaker Showcase, this year will include new works by CFF fan favorites Izzy Lee, Steven Degennaro and Tim Reis, as well as exciting new short works from newcomers Meredith Alloway and Will Goss. If you’re in between films, you can never go wrong with a shorts block.

Of course, several of these films and events happen at the same time.

Prioritize as you like. I rarely see all of the films I suggest because I can’t make up my mind. This list is in no way exhaustive. Check out the CFF website for film descriptions, trailers, and the all-important schedule.

However, you should absolutely make it a point to go. Whether you buy a badge or just a few tickets here and there, I can guarantee there isn’t a better event happening the Southeast.

Support local film.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Hixson's Braxton Mill Embraces Artisans

Noted furniture-maker expands his practice 30 Days Of Art If you’re interested in all things art, then you’ll find yourself very busy this April with the commencement of ARTBURST, a month-long collaboration of local art and events in Chattanooga.

Headed by Public Art Chattanooga, Chattanooga Convention & Visitors Bureau, Humanaut, and ArtsBuild, this year’s ARTBURST will be the second of its kind, with more than 45 exciting events occurring over the month of April.

This week, three major ARTBURST events will take place: Alley Hour, Open Studio Nights—Emerging Artists, and “Carmen”: A Preview in the Park. On Thursday, Alley Hour will offer live music by Rick Rushing & the Blue Strangers and display SPORTS Collaborative’s sculpture work, “City Thread”.

The day after, Open Studio Nights will showcase Ooltewah High School art students and their unique senior art exhibitions, while Monday’s “Carmen”: A Preview in the Park will allow audiences a glimpse into the acclaimed Spanish opera before its showing at the Tivoli.

ARTBURST is an opportunity for us all to come out and celebrate the beautiful art that is created in our very own city. It’s important to support the artists who work very hard to make Chattanooga the colorful and lively city it is. Art helps make us who we are, and without it we are lost.

For more information, visit artburstchatt. com, and for a full list of events, visit chattanoogafun.com. — Jason Dale

A

N EXCITING NEW OUTLET FOR LOCAL ARTS and crafts has opened in the Hixson/Middle Valley area. Braxton Mill Artisans’ Market at 8717 Hixson Pike is the companion business to Braxton Mill Furniture, the woodworking studio where local craftsman Sean Braxton makes an array of beautiful furnishings.

By Tony Mraz Pulse contributor

Braxton has been a woodworker for most of his life. He learned the craft by watching his grandfather, who was a professional furniture builder, and then by teaching himself.

“I was real young back then, and I just watched him; I was fascinated with it,” he explains. “Then, as I

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got older, I picked up the tools and taught myself. It came naturally, and I happened to be pretty good at it.”

He continues, “I started out doing smaller pieces, little end tables and corner cabinets and stuff like that— it progressed into bathroom vanities, kitchen islands, tables, beds, nightstands—I pretty much build it all now, with the exception of chairs and Murphy Beds.”

Braxton practiced woodworking as a hobby for many years before going pro. In 2013, he began building furniture professionally, opening Braxton Mill Furniture and working full time to create what has become a highly sought-after line of furniture.

In 2018, he opened Braxton Mill Artisans, a large boutique where local artists and craftspeople are able to market their work. He is currently renting out spaces in the market to over 22 creatives, who are offering a variety of goods and services.

Everything Braxton makes is custom, crafted on a commission basis, and his work is in such high demand that he is unable to keep

an inventory. He always has a waiting list, telling us, “As soon as it is built, it is out the door and gone. I don’t even have furniture in the shop—I stay so busy building custom pieces that I don’t have anything to put in my own store.”

He markets his work primarily through social media, meeting new clients by posting ads on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist.

“I will stack up 10–12 weeks’ worth of work, and then shut the ads down for a while.”

He repeats the process whenever he gets caught up, keeping himself busy with new projects year round.

His pieces range in style, incorporating features of many schools including rustic farmhouse, American casual, and mission/arts & crafts. These are often characterized by strong lines and angles, simple and sturdy construction, with a variety of finishes.

“I do a lot of distressing and special finishes,” he notes. “A huge trend right now is modern farmhouse decorating, so 95 percent of what I do is rustic farmhouse. People want my furniture at a reasonable price, so the majority of what I build is made out of birch and pine. I offer specialty pieces made with any other kind of hard wood someone might request, and of course those are more expensive.”

Braxton’s woodworking shop is lo-

“

We’re also starting to offer workshops that are open to the public, where we have projects set up for people to learn how to assemble and distress furniture.” cated in a large building in North Hixson. “Half of the building is my shop, and the other half is the Artisans’ Market. The market is open to the public, and my shop is where people who are placing custom orders or picking up furniture go. We’re also starting to offer workshops that are open to the public, where we have projects set up for people to learn how to assemble and distress furniture.”

Distressing is a blanket term for techniques that can be used to make furniture look old. By adding and/or removing layers of paint and stain, an artisan can create finishes that look aged and worn. This process has become popular in recent decades, as the availability of antique furniture has decreased.

The workshops are announced on their Facebook page a few weeks before they happen. “I don’t really need a website; we do everything through Facebook and that seems to work just fine.” Spaces at these events are re-

served in advance, so that the staff can prepare the necessary materials for every participant.

On the other side of the shop, Braxton Mills Artisans’ Market has become something quite like a small country fair.

“Just about everything in our store has been handcrafted, or redone, or refinished—somebody has worked with their hands on almost everything in some kind of way.”

The market has a little bit of everything, from rustic hand-made signs and furniture to jewelry and body care products.

“We even have some sweets— fudge, chocolate covered cherries, pies, and cakes. It really is like a small country fair, and we are growing constantly.”

In addition to their regular business hours, Braxton Mill hosts a series of outdoor events with additional vendors and food trucks. The next of these is their Spring Craft Fair on April 27.

THU4.4

FRI4.5

SAT4.6

Alley Hour

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Nyisha Ubowski Art Show

Beatrix Potter's classic rabbit comes to life in this whimsical tale loved by children of all ages.

7 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. theatrecentre.com

Come out and see the new works from a talented young artist and have a beer or two.

7 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Co. 1208 King St. wanderlinger.com

Cooper’s Alley downtown will be filled with live music and lots of specials for area business, restaurants, and bars.

5:30 p.m.

Cooper’s Alley 10 E. 7th St. eatonthehouse.com

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR THURSDAY4.4 Urban Farmers Market and Marketplace 3 p.m.

Miller Park 910 Market St. millerparkmarket.com Throwback Thursday 4 p.m.

The Hunter Museum of American Art 10 Bluff View (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org Naughty Knights Chess Meetup 5 p.m.

Hutton & Smith Brewing Co. 431 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 760-3600 huttonandsmithbrewing.com Alley Hour 5:30 p.m.

Cooper’s Alley 10 E. 7th St. eatonthehouse.com Janet Williams 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Jonathan Mcreynolds with Comedian Travele Judon 8 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co Alcoholics Not Anonymous Comedy Open Mic 8 p.m.

Barley Taproom 235 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 682-8200 chattanoogabarley.com Country Line Dancing Class 8 p.m.

Westbound Bar 24 Station St. (423) 498-3069 westboundbar.com

FRIDAY4.5 Downtown Walking Tour 10 a.m.

Chattanooga Visitor Center 215 Broad St. (423) 498-4232

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“Deeper Roots” sweetmagnoliatours.com Showers Bring Flowers Opening Reception 5 p.m.

In-Town Gallery 26 Frazier Ave. (423) 267-9214 intowngallery.com First Friday's Reflection Gallery 5 p.m.

Reflections Gallery 1635 Rossville Ave. Open Studio Nights: Emerging Artists 5:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Workspace 302 W. 6th St. (423) 822-5750 chattanoogaworkspace.com “Deeper Roots” 7 p.m.

Bachman Community Center 2815 Anderson Pike (423) 886-4842 bachmancc.org The Tale of Peter Rabbit 7 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com Janet Williams 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com The Floor Is Yours

7:30 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Video Game Night 8 p.m.

Stone Cup Cafe 208 Frazier Ave. (423) 521-3977 stonecupcafe.com Ruby Falls Lantern Tours 8:30 p.m.

Ruby Falls 1720 S. Scenic Hwy. (423) 821-2544 rubyfalls.com Good Old Fashioned Improv Show 10 p.m.

Improv Chattanooga 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com

SATURDAY4.6 Downtown Walking Tour 10 a.m.

Chattanooga Visitor Center 215 Broad St. (423) 498-4232 chattanoogafun.com Family Workshop: We’re Going on a Treasure Hunt 10 a.m.

The Hunter Museum of American Art 10 Bluff View

(423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org Tea Brewing and Tasting 10 a.m.

Mad Priest Coffee Roasters 719 Cherry St. (423) 541-1395 madpriestcha.com Painting Demo with David Salerno 1 p.m.

River Gallery 400 E. 2nd St. (800) 374-2923 river-gallery.com The Tale of Peter Rabbit 2:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com Early Bird Standup Special 6 p.m.

Improv Chattanooga 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com A Wild Night at the Walden 7 p.m.

The Walden Club 633 Chestnut St. (423) 756-6686 waldenclub.org Believe Bash 7 p.m.

Chattanooga Convention Center 1150 Carter St. (423) 756-0001

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS erlanger.org “Deeper Roots” 7 p.m.

Bachman Community Center 2815 Anderson Pike (423) 886-4842 bachmancc.org Nyisha Ubowski Art Show 7 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Company 1208 King St. (423) 269-7979 wanderlinger.com The Tale of Peter Rabbit 7 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com Janet Williams 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Chattanooga’s Secret History 8 p.m.

Improv Chattanooga 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com Whose Line Chattanooga 10 p.m.

Improv Chattanooga 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com

SUNDAY4.7 Downtown Walking Tour 10 a.m.

Chattanooga Visitor Center 215 Broad St. (423) 498-4232 chattanoogafun.com Family Fun Day 2 p.m.

The Hunter Museum of Art 10 Bluff View (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org The Tale of Peter Rabbit 2:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com Janet Williams 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

MONDAY4.8 Carmen: A Preview in the Park 11:30 a.m.

Miller Park 910 Market St. chattanoogasymphony.org Spring Belly Dance Session 5:45 p.m.

Movement Arts Collective

3813 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 401-8115 movementartscollective.com Joggers & Lagers 6 p.m.

Chattanooga Brewing Co. 1804 Chestnut St. chattabrew.com

TUESDAY4.9 Wake Up & Run 6 a.m.

Fleet Feet Sports 307 Manufacturers Rd. (423) 771-7996 fleetfeetchattanooga.com Cognitive Fitness Circuit Training 11:30 a.m.

LearningRx Chattanooga 2040 Hamilton Place Blvd.

(423) 305-1599 learningrx.com Chess K-night 5 p.m.

Mad Priest Coffee Roasters 1900 Broad St. (423) 393-3834 madpriestcoffee.com Tuesday Night Chess Club 6 p.m.

Downtown Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 chattilibrary.com Paths to Pints 6:30 p.m.

The Tap House 3800 St. Elmo Ave. taphousechatt.com Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS 8 p.m.

Chamberlain Pavilion 600 Douglas St. (423) 425-4269 utc.edu

WEDNESDAY4.10 Main Street Farmers Market 4 p.m.

522 W. Main St. mainstfarmersmarket.com Naughty Knights Chess Meetup 7:30 p.m.

The Bitter Alibi 825 Houston St. (423) 362-5070 thebitteralibi.com Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS 8 p.m.

Chamberlain Pavilion 600 Douglas St. (423) 425-4269 utc.edu Open Mice Comedy 8 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Map these locations on chattanoogapulse.com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@chattanoogapulse.com CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 4, 2019 • THE PULSE • 15

ARTS & BUSINESS

Reflections Gallery Moves To The Southside Local artists’ gallery offers hands-on experience in new location

A

fter thirty-two years in business on Lee Highway, Reflections Gallery, a locally owned and operated longstanding fixture in Chattanooga’s art scene, has decided to dig up its roots and replant itself in the heart of Chattanooga’s blooming Southside district, just in time for spring.

The gallery has spent the first months of the year establishing itself in a historical brick building located at 1635 Rossville Ave., near East Main St. Built circa 1900, the Gallery’s new location once housed an auto parts store, later became an off-beat personal urban residence, and has now been converted into a 4,000 sq. ft. local original art gallery, custom framing studio, stained glass studio/class space, and art restoration workshop.

The location also features a large outdoor space and walled garden that the owners plan to use for hosting events, as well as a second floor that will later be converted into a vacation rental space.

Jan Rushing, 83, the owner of the gallery since its opening in 1986, says he is excited about the move and glad to have his daughter and granddaughter along in the new era for the family business.

“We have been around for quite a long time now and have kept our eyes open, in mind of relocating, as we’ve watched Chattanooga grow. My granddaughter and I began searching in earnest last year, and when we saw this opportunity to re-home ourselves to the Southside area, we knew it was just the right place at just the right time,” says Rushing, gesturing to the building at large, with the sounds of saws and

“We have been around for quite a long time now and have kept our eyes open, in mind of relocating, as we’ve watched Chattanooga grow.” hammers ringing in the air.

“The building has good history and character and a unique outdoor space, and the neighborhood is a fantastic atmosphere for a business like ours that thrives in the artisan community,” he continues. “My daughter, granddaughter, and I are all enjoying the opportunity to design and improve the space, and plan for what the future of Reflections will look like. We hope to be here for a very long time.”

As the gallery team rushes toward their official grand opening date, the progress continues apace. The building, having lacked a front entrance, is getting a beautiful brick archway designed by Heidi Hefferlin to complement the original architecture. The courtyard garden is being

16 • THE PULSE • APRIL 4, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

weeded and planted, the green lawn mown.

Inside the gallery, the work of more than a dozen local artists already fills the walls, with paintings, ceramics, and handmade jewelry on display. The custom framing studio is polished and ready for clients, with gleaming wooden tables and wallto-wall framing samples ready for selection.

The stained glass studio has set up shop in a quarter of the main area, with tables already covered in custom orders and ongoing repair projects, and long shelves filled with cut glass like shining hard candy in every color. The studio, says Summer Harrison, will resume classes as soon as possible, with beginning and intermediate stained glass lessons offered.

The attached garage has been converted into a fine art and frame restoration studio, where paintings and frames damaged by fire, water, or age can find new life. With each diverse service available comes a

professional in the field, each passionate about his or her specialty.

Everyone seems to be buzzing with excitement and preparation for the Grand Opening Celebration, which will be a two-day affair taking place on Friday, April 12 from 2–8 p.m. and Saturday, April 13 from 1–6 p.m.

The event is family friendly and free, with community painting activities and refreshments. Pending fair weather, the gallery will be providing a large canvas, paints and brushes in an outdoor tent for anyone who stops by to work some magic of their own on canvas as a group project.

There will also be live fine art painting, mixed media and stained glass demonstrations, with artists scheduled throughout both days, as well as artist talks, framing specials, drawings and giveaways for custom framing, stained glass classes and more. The event is only a mile away from 4 Bridges Art Festival, a pleasant stop in a promisingly art-inspired weekend in Chattanooga.

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY that could spoil a day was people.”

Then he ventured even further, testifying, “People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself.”

I bring these thoughts to your attention so as to prepare you for some good news. In the next three weeks, I suspect you will far exceed your quota for encounters with people who are not “limiters of happiness”—who are as good as spring itself.

ROB BREZSNY ARIES (March 21-April 19): A mushroom shaped like a horse’s hoof grows on birch trees in parts of Europe and the U.S. If you strip off its outer layer, you get amadou, spongy stuff that’s great for igniting fires. It’s not used much anymore, but it was a crucial resource for some of our ancestors. As for the word “amadou,” it’s derived from an old French term that means “tinder, kindling, spunk.” The same word was formerly used to refer to a person who is quick to light up or to something that stimulates liveliness. In accordance with astrological omens, I’m making “Amadou” your nickname for the next four weeks.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Human beings are not born once and for all on the day their mothers give birth to them,” wrote novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez. “Life obliges them over and over to give birth to themselves.”

Here’s what I’ll add to that: As you mature, you do your best to give birth to ever-new selves that are in alignment with the idealistic visions you have of the person you want to become. Unfortunately, most of us aren’t skilled at that task in adolescence and early adulthood, and so the selves we create may be inadequate or delusory or distorted. Fortunately, as we learn from our mistakes, we eventually learn to give birth to selves that are strong and righteous.

The only problem is that the old false selves we generated along the way may persist as ghostly echoes in our psyche. And we have a sacred duty to banish those ghostly echoes. I tell you this, Taurus, because the coming months will be en excellent time to do that banishing. Ramp up your efforts NOW! GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “When spring came, there were no problems except where to be happiest,” wrote Ernest Hemingway in his memoir.

He quickly amended that statement, though, mourning, “The only thing

CANCER (June 21-July 22): It’s time to prove that Cancerians have more to offer than nurturing, empathizing, softening the edges, feeling deeply, getting comfortable, and being creative. Not that there’s anything wrong with those talents. On the contrary! They’re beautiful and necessary. It’s just that for now you need to avoid being pigeonholed as a gentle, sensitive soul. To gather the goodies that are potentially available to you, you’ll have to be more forthright and aggressive than usual.

Is it possible for you to wield a commanding presence? Can you add a big dose of willfulness and a pinch of ferocity to your self-presentation?

Yes and yes!

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): General Motors manufactured a car called the Pontiac Aztek from 2001 to 2005. It wasn’t commercially successful. One critic said it looked like “an angry kitchen appliance,” and many others agreed it was exceptionally unstylish.

But later the Aztek had an odd revival because of the popularity of the TV show Breaking Bad. The show’s protagonist, Walter White, owned one, and that motivated some of his fans to emulate his taste in cars. In accordance with astrological omens, Leo, I suspect that something of yours may also enjoy a second life sometime soon. An offering that didn’t get much appreciation the first time around may undergo a resurgence.

Help it do so.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “Of all the female sins, hunger is the least forgivable,” laments feminist author Laurie Penny. She’s referring to the hunger “for anything, for food, sex, power, education, even love.” She continues: “If we have desires, we are expected to conceal them, to control them, to keep ourselves in check. We are supposed to be objects of desire, not desiring beings.” I’ve quoted her because I suspect it’s crucial for you to not suppress or hide your longings in the coming weeks. That’s triply true if you’re a woman, but also important if

Homework: Name a beautiful thing you were never capable of doing until now.

FreeWillAstrology.com you’re a man or some other gender.

You have a potential to heal deeply if you get very clear about what you hunger for and then express it frankly.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Only one of Nana Mouskouris’s vocal cords works, but over the course of an almost 60year career, the Libran singer has sold over 30 million records in twelve different languages. Many critics speculate that her apparent disadvantage is key to her unique style. She’s a coloratura mezzo, a rare category of chanteuse who sings ornate passages with exceptional agility and purity.

In the coming weeks, I suspect that you will be like Mouskouris in your ability to capitalize on a seeming lack or deprivation.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Your tribe is symbolized by three animals: the scorpion, the eagle, and the mythological phoenix. Some astrologers say that the scorpion is the ruling creature of “unevolved” or immature Scorpios, whereas the eagle and phoenix are associated with those of your tribe who express the riper, more enlightened qualities of your sign. But I want to put in a plug for the scorpion as being worthy of all Scorpios. It is a hardy critter that rivals the cockroach in its ability to survive—and even thrive in—less than ideal conditions. For the next two weeks, I propose we make it your spirit creature.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian novelist Gustave Flaubert declared that it’s “our duty is to feel what is sublime and cherish what is beautiful.” But that’s a demanding task to pull off on an ongoing basis.

Maybe the best we can hope for is to feel what’s sublime and cherish what’s beautiful for 30-35 days every year. Having said that, though, I’m happy to tell you that in 2019 you could get all the way up to 95-100 days of feeling what’s sublime and cherishing what’s beautiful. And as many as 15 to 17 of those days could come during the next 21.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Som-

meliers are people trained to perceive the nuances of wine. By sampling a few sips, the best sommeliers can discern facts about the type of grapes that were used to make the wine and where on earth they were grown. I think that in the coming weeks you Capricorns should launch an effort to reach a comparable level of sensitivity and perceptivity about any subject you care about. It’s a favorable time to become even more masterful about your specialties; to dive deeper into the areas of knowledge that captivate your imagination.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Every language is a work-in-progress. New words constantly insinuate themselves into common usage, while others fade away. If you traveled back in time to 1719 while remaining in your current location, you’d have trouble communicating with people of that era. And today linguistic evolution is even more rapid than in previous ages. The Oxford English Dictionary adds more than a thousand new words annually. In recognition of the extra verbal skill and inventiveness you now posses, Aquarius, I invite you to coin a slew of your own fresh terms. To get you warmed up, try this utterance I coined: vorizzimo!

It’s an exclamation that means “thrillingly beautiful and true.”

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): One of history’s most audacious con men was George C. Parker, a Pisces. He made his living selling property that did not legally belong to him, like the Brooklyn Bridge, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Statue of Liberty. I suspect you could summon his level of salesmanship and persuasive skills in the coming weeks. But I hope you will use your nearly magical powers to make deals and perform feats that have maximum integrity. It’s OK to be a teensy bit greedy, though.

Rob Brezsny is an aspiring master of curiosity, perpetrator of sacred uproar, and founder of the Beauty and Truth Lab. He brings a literate, myth-savvy perspective to his work. It’s all in the stars.

The List Completely Random Facts People love trivia. On nearly any given night in and around Chattanooga, there are trivia contests in local restaurants and bars.

So, in order to help broaden your mind and maybe give you a hand up in your trivia endeavors, here are some utterly random facts.

• Superman didn’t always fly • Showers spark creativity • Kids ask 300 questions a day on average • The total weight of ants equals the total weight of people • Space smells like seared steak • The healthiest place in the world is in Panama • The accordion is the most popular instrument in North Korea • Dogs actually understand some English • Koalas have fingerprints • Water makes different pouring sounds depending on its temperature • The man who wrote “Dracula” never visited Transylvania • Sharks can live for five centuries • You can sneeze faster than a cheetah can run • The fire hydrant patent was lost in a fire

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 4, 2019 • THE PULSE • 17

THE MUSIC SCENE

Don’t Stop The Music!

Come to an April 26th benefit concert to help keep Doors Open Jazz alive Roots, Blues, And Spoken Word One of the quiet(er) gems for seeing live music in town is Charles and Myrtle’s Coffeehouse on McBrien Road inside Christ Unity Church.

Nearly every Saturday, they bring in some of the most intriguing regional and national acts and present them in a friendly, intimate setting.

For example, this Saturday Ricky j Taylor and the Storios present their rather unique show combining his original songs with original storytellers. Two storytellers, in fact—Melissa Ford Thornton and Christy James—which explains their name “Storios” which stands for storytellers in stereo.

Yeah, we thought it was clever, too.

Think roots/blues music meets spoken word. The best songs are stories—and the greatest storytellers harness the cadence and melodic nature of language to bring characters to life.

They’ve been featured on Bell Buckle Radio, performed to sold-out listening rooms in Nashville (Frothy Monkey), and Huntsville Strings Shop, Maitland Conservatory, Huntsville Traditional Music Association’s Concert Series, and more.

Ricky toured with bluegrass great Claire Lynch prior to forming his own band, and has performed all around the Southeast, including here at Riverbend.

Come check out this unique show that leads audiences through the full range of human emotions—from heartache to hope, loss, and longing to love, laughter, and everything in between.

— Michael Thomas

By Marc T. Michael

“

Pulse Music Editor

Fortunately, there are those voices in the wilderness who strive to supplement the deficiencies of an underfunded, over-taxed system.”

18 • THE PULSE • APRIL 4, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

H

OW DOES A LOVER OF THE ARTS EXPLAIN their value to someone who is not? It requires something tangible, a cost-benefit analysis perhaps, and these things are not always readily available to the person who believes the value of arts education to be intrinsic and self-evident.

Fortunately, there are dozens of studies that demonstrate exactly that.

Greater literacy and mathematical ability, higher attendance and graduation rates, fewer disciplinary infractions, improved achievement levels, community cohesion, and, perhaps most importantly, greater critical thinking skills, have been documented by the likes of Johns Hopkins University, the Rand Corporation, the

Guggenheim Museum, and the Arts Education Partnership.

For all that, arts education in public schools continues to bear the brunt of slashed budgets and diminishing support. Fortunately, there are those voices in the wilderness who strive to supplement the deficiencies of an underfunded, over-taxed system. Doors Open Jazz is a fine local example of one of these.

“

At a time of diminishing access to arts education in public schools, particularly in economically challenged areas, the value of that education must not be understated.”

Doors Open Jazz is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free music lessons and mentoring to underserved children in the community. The group states publicly: “We are excited about bringing music to all people, regardless of finances or other obstacles. We believe music brings transformation to the human spirit!”

To that end, the organization is holding their first fundraiser, a benefit concert titled, “Don’t Stop the Music”. The concert will be held Friday, April 26th, at SPOT Venue at 3214 Brainerd Road from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The event will feature a raffle, art auction, poetry from Jody Harris, and music from Milele Roots, The Tee Bumpass Band, The Father and

the 3 Jazz Prodigies, The Divine Poetess & the Frequency, Northshore Jazz, DJ “WW” Wesley Walker, and Reverse Ferret.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the all proceeds from the $12 admission price and $4 raffle tickets will go towards the continued funding and maintenance of the following educational courses offered free to the community: Master classes, private lessons, instruments, music theory, history of Western music, workshops, improvisational classes, composition, ensembles, field trips, and outreach programs.

Musical genres on the current roster include, but are not limited to, classical, reggae, jazz, Latin, and rock and roll.

At a time of diminishing

access to arts education in public schools, particularly in economically challenged areas, the value of that education must not be understated.

Community-based educational initiatives like Doors Open Jazz need support now more than ever.

For the cost of any quality local concert, you can make an investment in the lives and future of the next generation, uplift your local community, and, given the talent assembled for the show, have a hell of a time while doing it.

For more information on how you can support the organization, or if you or someone you know would like to participate in the various programs it offers, contact Doors Open Jazz via their Facebook page or email directly at steelymon@gmail.com.

Bohannons Release Party At JJ’s Bohemia This Saturday at 10 p.m., JJ’s Bohemia hosts the release of Bloodroot, the latest album from Chattanooga’s favorite sons, the Bohannons.

Already receiving rave reviews, Bloodroot marks another raising of the bar by a band that consistently raises the bar with each new release.

The Bohannons will be joined by Nashville’s own Justin and the Cosmics.

Some say they’re punk, some say they’re Americana, everyone says they’re badass. Justin and the Cosmics will be playing the middle set as the Bohannons both open and close the show, a Cosmic sandwich with Special Marty sauce, if you will.

If it were just a regular ol’ show featuring these bands, it would still be worth stealing your grandmother’s car to get there, but as this is a release party for what is going to be one of the best albums of the year (yes, I can say that in April) you might just want to toss granny in the back seat too and wheel her on down for what promises to be a spectacular show you’d ordinarily have to drive a couple hundred miles to see. — MTM

THU4.4

FRI4.5

SAT4.6

Mile Twelve

Unknown Hinson

This is one very fine, young bluegrass band, coming with seals of approval from our bluegrass loving staff.

7:30 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org

You've head his voice on Squidbillies, but nothing can compare you for the experience of his insane live musical shows.

9 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co

Travis & Heather Kilgore If you haven't seen this dynamic musical duo before, dont miss your chance this Saturday.

9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 4, 2019 • THE PULSE • 19

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR THURSDAY4.4 Alley Hour 5:30 p.m.

Cooper’s Alley 10 E. 7th St. eatonthehouse.com James Crumble Trio 6 p.m.

St. John’s Meeting Place 1278 Market St. stjohnsrestaurant.com Danimal & Friends 6 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Company 1208 King St. wanderlinger.com Locals Only Night 6 p.m.

Puckett’s Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com Courtney Holder 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Jesse Jungkurth & Friends 6:30 p.m.

Mexi-Wing VII 5773 Brainerd Rd. (423) 296-1073 Toby Hewitt 7 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com Mile Twelve 7:30 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org Fox Mountain Express 7:30 p.m.

The Feed Co. Table & Tavern 201 W. Main St. feedtableandtavern.com Steve Busie 7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Keepin’ It Local 8 p.m.

The Social 1110 Market St. publichousechattanooga.com Open Mic Night 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe

20 • THE PULSE • APRIL 4, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

Red Sun Rising

901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Messer Chups, Genki Genki Panic 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com

FRIDAY4.5 Binji Varsossa 6 p.m.

Cancun Mexican Restaurant 1809 Broad St. (423) 266-1461 Megan Howard 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Tim Lewis 7 p.m.

El Meson 248 Northgate Park elmesonchattanooga.com Nick Williams 7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com TEHKAL, Strooly, Hustle Up, Qemist, Paradiso, SWIMWEAR, Tryezz, LUKANG, 4ppyC4mper 8 p.m.

Stone Cup Cafe 208 Frazier Ave. stonecupcafe.com

Terry Parker of TNT 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Eric Turner 9 p.m.

The Feed Co. Table & Tavern 201 W. Main St. feedtableandtavern.com The 9th Street Stompers 9 p.m.

Tremont Tavern 1203 Hixson Pike tremonttavern.com Unknown Hinson with Jess Goggans and The Alabama Boys 9 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co Matt Stephens Project 9 p.m.

HiFi Clyde’s 122 W. Main St. hificlydeschattanooga.com ​Okey Dokey, ICANJAPAN, Lewis and Clark 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com

SATURDAY4.6 Josh Gilbert 12:30 p.m.

Tennessee Aquarium Plaza

1 Broad St. publicmarkets.us Binji Varsossa 6 p.m.

Cancun Mexican Restaurant 1809 Broad St. (423) 266-1461 Papa Sway 6:30 p.m.

Las Margaritas 4604 Skyview Dr. (423) 892-3065 Flattop Boxers 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Ricky J Taylor & The Storios 7 p.m.

Charles & Myrtle’s Coffeehouse 105 McBrien Rd. christunity.org Forever Bluegrass 7 p.m.

Westbound Bar 24 Station St. westboundbar.com Tim Lewis 7 p.m.

El Meson 248 Northgate Park elmesonchattanooga.com Paul Childers Presents The Three Kings: Albert, Freddie & BB 7 p.m.

Songbirds North 35 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co Tyler Martelli

7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Swing Night with the 9th Street Stompers 8 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org Campbell Station 8:30 p.m.

Puckett’s Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com Travis & Heather Kilgore 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Rick Rushing and the Blues Strangers 9 p.m.

HiFi Clyde’s 122 W. Main St. hificlydeschattanooga.com Bohannons Record Release 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Soul Crush Reunion Show 9 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co Ashley & The X’s with Rye Baby 9:30 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Company 1208 King St. wanderlinger.com

SUNDAY4.7 Emily Kate Boyd 11 a.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com Carl Pemberton 11 a.m.

Westin Chattanooga 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Gino Fanelli Noon 1885 Grill 3914 St. Elmo Ave. 1885grill.com

Marmalade 1:30 p.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com The Other Brothers 2 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Company 1208 King St. wanderlinger.com Bluegrass Jam 4 p.m.

Fiddlers Anonymous 2248 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 994-7497 Open Mic with Jeff Daniels 6 p.m.

Long Haul Saloon 2536 Cummings Hwy. (423) 822-9775 Wind Symphony Concert “With Liberty and Justice for All” 7:30 p.m.

Collegedale Church of Seventhday Adventists 4829 College Dr. E. collegedalechurch.com Red Sun Rising with Goodbye June & Dirty Honey 8 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co

MONDAY4.8 Open Air with Jessica Nunn 6 p.m.

The Granfalloon

400 E. Main St. granfalloonchattanooga.com Monday Nite Big Band 7 p.m.

The Coconut Room 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Very Open Mic with Shawnessey Cargile 8 p.m.

The Well 1800 Rossville Blvd. #8 wellonthesouthside.com

TUESDAY4.9 Megan Howard 6 p.m.

1885 Grill 3914 St. Elmo Ave. 1885grill.com Danimal 7 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com Space Jam Open Mic with Xll Olympians 7 p.m.

Barley Taproom 235 E. MLK Blvd. chattanoogabarley.com John Carroll 7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Live Jam Session with Freddy Mc & Friends 8 p.m.

Granfalloon

LIVE MUSIC SPOTLIGHT For 14 years, Soul Crush brought good times and great music to the Southeast. Now, for one night only, the boys are back for an incredible evening.

Soul Crush Reunion Saturday, 9 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co

400 E. Main St. granfalloonchattanooga.com Open Mic with Mike McDade 8 p.m.

Tremont Tavern 1203 Hixson Pike tremonttavern.com Space Tyger, Art Smashes Records 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com

WEDNESDAY4.10 Mark Andrew 6 p.m.

1885 Grill 3914 St. Elmo Ave. 1885grill.com Amber Fults 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Jesse James Jungkurth 7 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com Papa Sway 7 p.m.

River Drifters 1925 Suck Creek Rd. riverdrifterschatt.com Lew Card 7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Terry Parker of TNT 8 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Priscilla & Little Rickee 8 p.m.

Las Margaritas 1101 Hixson Pike (423) 756-3332 Rickey Cole Band 9 p.m.

The Palms at Hamilton 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Map these locations on chattanoogapulse.com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@chattanoogapulse.com CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 4, 2019 • THE PULSE • 21

ERNIE PAIK’S RECORD REVIEWS

Revenge Technician Problem Addict (Head Destroyer)

T

his writer and hoarder of antiquated technology recently pulled out his VHS video cassette recorder to watch David Lynch’s troubling prequel Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (after crawling past the finish line of finally completing the original Twin Peaks television series), and his immediate thought was, “Wow, VHS really looks bad.”

On some level, however, the poor picture quality made the movie even more disturbing, as picture definition was gradually lost over 25+ years on a degrading video cassette, and the loss of clarity added a rough layer of mystery, as the viewer was required to fill in the blanks.

This came to mind when listening to the new cassette Problem Addict, which includes a 12-page zine of collages, by

the Johnson City, TN one-manband Revenge Technician. The cassette is oozing with distortion and effectively uses just a few elements at a time to make an unsettling experience.

It’s a document of the disintegration of sound, and when vocals are present, they are often nearly incomprehensible.

Cheap-sounding drum machine beats are severely distorted, as are synth lines, which evoke dirtied-up John Carpenter horror soundtracks with gnarled and nauseous treatments.

The rhythms tread as if partaking in a death march with broken ankle bones on the opening “Cold Slither (Bleak)”, bringing to mind early Swans but with damaged synths. Several guest vocalists make appearances, including Emm Organ who adds both soothing and whispered vocals on “Negative Cutter” for an odd contrast.

The infamous artist Bryan Lewis Saunders contributes delirious “sleep vocals” (stories told while talking in his sleep) to “Dream Submission//Nocturnal Transmissions” which gradually winds down, slowing to a crawl as if one’s system is shutting down, and Feral Freya’s spoken-word part on “Wound Licker” describes a body horror medical nightmare in disturbing detail.

At times the album offers a strange intersection of industrial music and minimalism, like on

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“ClosedCircuitCasketSurveillance” which uses a repeated motif that folds in on itself, making a compelling aural swamp.

“Cold Slither (BLK)” is relatively un-distorted, with sparkling tones in a cool-down sequence—a lounge with a lurking horror—while a third version of that track, “Cold Slither (skeleton)”, uses meandering tones that feel hopeless, like footage of an injured android wandering in the wilderness, looking for a place to die, captured on blurry VHS.

Nate Wooley Columbia Icefield (Northern Spy)

T

rumpeter and composer Nate Wooley grew up in Oregon, where witnessing the Columbia River empty into the Pacific Ocean made an impression on him. Later on, when a friend told him he needed to seek the origin of the Columbia

River—the Canadian network of glaciers called the Columbia Icefield—he was skeptical, but when he did, he was profoundly inspired.

As Wooley explained in an interview with Arts Knoxville, another inspiration for his new quartet Columbia Icefield was Ellen Fullman’s album The Long String Instrument, because he noticed that in addition to creating and releasing tension, the music sometimes had a third state: simply existing.

For Wooley, the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield were huge and monolithic yet in motion, slowly moving and melting away. With this in mind, the way Columbia Icefield unfurls makes sense: where musicians convey vastly different notions of movement and fluidity at various times, composed stretches give way to improvisational jaunts.

Wooley had a clear idea of the musicians he wanted for Columbia Icefield: pedal steel guitarist Susan Alcorn, electric guitarist Mary Halvorson, and percussionist Ryan Sawyer.

In line with Wooley’s inspirations, this writer was struck by how well the album uses basic polar opposites—building and tearing down, harmony and discordance, order and chaos— but also goes beyond them.

A lot of the album resides in an in-between place, where dissonance isn’t necessarily unpleasant; this mood is con-

templative while radiating energy, which is particularly felt in Wooley’s piercing, shining trumpet tones.

A sort of role-reversal is present occasionally; while traditional time-keepers are a band’s rhythm section, here, certain composed portions on the first track “Lionel Trilling” played by Alcorn and Halvorson provide structure while Sawyer seems free to follow his own varying, liquid rhythm, in violent contrast.

While this writer finds Halvorson to have high technical proficiency, he prefers her work when things don’t feel too rigid and favors the moments on Columbia Icefield where she lives and breathes the music rather than reading from sheet music.

That said, the composed sequences are necessary for Wooley’s purpose, providing times for music formed by rumination and reflection, rather than instinct. The free play excursions are refreshing, with Alcorn providing non-obvious, elegantly gliding transitions and Sawyer bristling with vigor.

In “With Condolences”, Sawyer recites “Dream Song 42” from poet John Berryman, an enigmatic poem obliquely grappling with Berryman’s father’s death, matched with equally puzzling and abstractly guided music—between thinking and feeling, there’s a third, uneasy state for the listener here.

DINING OUT

JONESIN' CROSSWORD

Southside Pizza

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properly prepared pizza pie is much more than just a way to fill the grumbling void in our stomachs. We fool ourselves as we stuff our faces and ignore the finer things, the very fuel that powers our bodies and our minds.

A good slice is a symbol, a necessity even. Understanding that slice is having admiration for a process, respect for the intimate dance of chemical reactions taking place in a perfectly mixed dough, a humble understanding of the time it takes for things to happen properly, a sense of patience, allowing the flavors to mature and meld into something that is greater than just its parts of dough and cheese and cured meats.

Southside Pizza, arriving on Chattanooga’s bustling Main Street two years ago, has taken this crucial time to develop that perfect slice. From extensively touring the New York City pizza scene, to bringing in an expert

from the city to help them develop their dough recipe, and even originating their own in-house sauces and sausages, Southside Pizza has brought the experience of a proper NYC slice straight from Brooklyn to our very own beloved Main Street.

The almighty slice reigns supreme, but Southside also offers sandwiches like Chicken Parmesan and Gabagool along with garlic knots, salads, and a selection of domestic and craft beers.

Welcome Spring as you sit on the patio and enjoy a slice of cheese and a soda for $5.00.

They offer 16” and 20” whole pies for the particularly famished.

Follow them at @southsidepizzachatt and stop by seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Can’t make it out of your Southside office? They deliver via the Waitr app.

Head down to Southside Pizza and take the time to pay attention to the difference. Fresh from scratch pizza made with love.

“Fly Free”—another freestyle for everyone.

ACROSS 1 Wish for success 11 Nemesis for Hook 15 It stops at ports of call 16 “You leave ___ choice” 17 Nonstop 18 Lenovo competitor 19 PC menu command 20 Short-term positions 22 20-20, e.g.

23 Gp. with a Seattle team come 2021 25 Maiden name lead-in 26 Turn green, perhaps 27 Pre-grads 28 Kool Moe ___ 29 “The Hollow Men” poet 31 Instruction segment 33 British heavyweight?

34 Word before

operandi 39 ___-Caps (concession stand candy) 40 Pushed, with “on” 41 Home of California’s Mendocino College 42 TV character who jumped the shark, with “the” 44 Course outlines 46 Short Morse code bit 48 Break stuff?

51 Ohio airport code 52 Dad joke, often 53 Upscale hotel offering 54 Noir investigator, slangily 55 Bob Mould’s band before Sugar 58 He played Wiseau 60 “Just ___ bit more” 61 Drama with a title character voiced

by Kristen Bell 63 Contested

64 Embarrassed 65 Parts of loaves 66 Buckeye and others DOWN 1 Speaks too proudly 2 Cream-filled pastry 3 Individual beings 4 ___ Modern (London art gallery) 5 Nearby 6 Gives substance to, with “out” 7 Tipsy 8 Fathom or foot 9 Swimming pools, a la “The Beverly Hillbillies” 10 Krispy ___ (some doughnuts) 11 Key with no flats or sharps, for short 12 Editing a program, say 13 Single-file 14 Wearing some Victorian garb 21 PGA’s Calvin 24 Explorative

phrase in kids’ science shows, maybe 30 Yule symbol 32 Ambient music producer Brian 34 Requisite 35 “Fine, I give up” 36 Pork roast flavorer 37 Suffix after habit or sex 38 Rhombus, e.g.

43 Archive format 45 Old Scottish towns (as opposed to towns elsewhere?)

47 La Brea attraction 48 Nick follower on cable TV 49 Ruling 50 Reprimands 56 Classic canvas shoe brand 57 Pres.

Eisenhower’s alma mater 59 Petri dish medium 62 Plop down

Copyright © 2019 Jonesin’ Crosswords. For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900-226-2800, 99 cents perminute. Must be 18+ to call. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800-655-6548. Reference puzzle No. 930 CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 4, 2019 • THE PULSE • 23

FILM & TELEVISION

Alita: Battle Angel Is A Beautiful Mess

Maybe the manga makes sense. Maybe.

Exploring Our Hidden Rivers Come out for a special evening in support of freshwater science and conservation as the Tennessee Aquarium premieres the Hidden Rivers of Southern Appalachia documentary.

This spectacular new film, shot across Southern Appalachia, celebrates the region’s unparalleled aquatic life.

How can you appreciate something when you don’t know it exists? For conservationists in the Southeast, this question is at the core of the struggle to inspire others to protect the region’s unparalleled diversity of aquatic life.

You’ll witness the vivid colors, natural dramas, and rarely seen animal behaviors while coming to appreciate the conservation efforts to protect pristine habitats and restore native species.

“Even on a global scale, Southeastern rivers are just incredibly full of life, diversity, and amazing behaviors,” says Freshwaters Illustrated Director Jeremy Monroe. “You’ve got so many species that have been in these streams for so long, and they’ve come up with all these ways to survive and interact with their habitat and with one another.”

By showing audiences these scenes of unexpected beauty and resourcefulness, Hidden Rivers aims to inspire not only awe for the Southeast’s aquatic diversity but also a sense of responsibility to safeguard it.

The event kicks off with a reception at 6 p.m. this Thursday, followed by a screening of this inspirational underwater documentary on the giant IMAX screen.

— Michael Thomas

F

ROM THE FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE CLOUD CITY, suspended by some magical amalgam of engineering and hoodoo, dumping rubbish onto a slag heap far below, I thought: “Bespin? Sakaar? Communist commentary on the elites floating above the proles?”

By Jenn Webster Pulse Assistant Editor

Then as the camera’s eye carried me down to the tarnished Art Decoatop-Colonial ruin of the city below (did the world plunge straight from 1920 into dystopia? Is that Mexico City’s old Metropolitan Cathedral in the background?) I was taken in by a myriad of fast-flashing details.

There’s a scavenger among the slag. He finds what looks like a beautiful head and upper spine of a manikin. No, wait, not a manikin.

The head (Rosa Salazar) is alive,

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and apparently easily salvageable.

That’s our introduction to Alita: Battle Angel. This is a steampunklooking cybergrunge future, set three hundred years after an earthrending war in which planetary forces fought Martian colonials and all of the cloud cities but one fell to the ground in a grand cataclysm, resulting in planetary disaster. (“The falling cities of the Netherese,” I thought. Really, allusionhunting is maybe the most fun part of this movie.)

The beautiful head is a remnant of that war, an amnesiac cyborg

warrior whose rescuer, Dr. Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz), sees in her a reflection of his lost daughter.

He implants the fragmentary person he’s found into a body originally built for that daughter, and he names her Alita.

From here about half a dozen plots—or “motifs” might be a better word, since none of the storylines is fully realized or very well thoughtout—all start at once.

On a geopolitical scale, Iron City below feeds and supplies Zalem above. Iron City citizens are exploited while Zalem citizens, we assume, live in the lap of luxury.

We learn Alita has been to Zalem.

Will she return there to pick up the thread of her past?

On the sports-movie level, Alita finds some teens who introduce her to the sport of Motorball, a bone-

crunching game that everyone plays, from street kids to metallimbed pros hoping for chance to become champion and ascend to Zalem. Alita, it turns out, is very good at Motorball.

On the noir-street-action level, Alita gets googly-eyed for fellow teen Hugo (Keean Johnson), street Motorball player by day and parts scavenger by night. (Think: you’re using that eyeball until it gets forcibly scavenged). The scavengers are in competition with the Hunter Warriors, bounty hunters who stand in for police—cue point about the privatization of all public services.

But then sometimes they’re on the same team. And they all seem to be working, directly or indirectly, for Vector (Mahershala Ali), who’s a bigwig on the Motorball circuit and who answers to Nova (Edward Norton), an ancient cyborg baddie who seems to run this entire nightmare from his perch in Zalem.

Meanwhile, Vector’s chief wetware tech is Dr. Chiren (Jennifer Connelly), the mother of Alita’s dead namesake. And the two of them seem very interested in Alita’s oh-so-powerful alien technology.

On a military sci-fi level, Alita learns that she was a Martian soldier, a berserker who used a fierce

“

✴ NEW IN THEATERS ✴

One sweet, unifying note through all this is Alita’s responsiveness.

She’s ancient yet she’s newborn.

Emotions leap to the uncanny valley of her delicate CGI face. ” sword and practiced Panzer-Kunst, the Martian berserkers’ signature martial arts style. Alita discovers a Martian ship containing a nanotech body with which she later integrates when her current body gets shredded.

One sweet, unifying note through all this is Alita’s responsiveness. She’s ancient yet she’s newborn. Emotions leap to the uncanny valley of her delicate CGI face; she’s incapable of deceit.

Chocolate? ALL THE CHOCOLATE! Puppy? Take it home! Enemies? Challenge them immediately! Cute boy?

Literally pull out her amaze-otech ARC-reactor type heart and offer to give it to him, keeping herself alive on a thrift-shop ticker.

(That doesn’t happen. But she is absolutely about to do it.)

Does this sound like a mess?

It is a mess. You really can’t stop looking at this movie, but you’re

constantly tracking from one incomplete plot to the next, unable to digest anything thoroughly because you’re being distracted by beautiful cityscapes, head-popping violence (this movie likes close-ups of heads being squashed, sliced, and diced), and so many allusions you start to wonder if there’s really anything at all original in this patchwork.

One thing’s for sure. In the next installment, Alita will be on her way to Zalem. Will she win any tournaments there? Will she be dismembered again? Will she discover Earth was the villain of the long-ago war? Will she regain her memory? Will anyone rebuild her poor squished puppy? Will she upend Zalem’s totalitarian rule?

The story could go all sorts of directions from here, probably most of them simultaneously, and the one guarantee is that they’ll all be violent. And yeah, beautiful.

Shazam!

We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson's case, by shouting out one word— SHAZAM!—this streetwise fourteen-year-old foster kid can turn into an adult superhero.

Director: David F. Sandberg Stars: Zachary Levi, Michelle Borth

Pet Sematary Dr. Louis Creed and his wife, Rachel, relocate from Boston to rural Maine with their two young children. The couple soon discover a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near their new home.

Directors: Kevin Kölsch & Dennis Widmyer Stars: Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz

Follow The Pulse on Facebook (we’re quite likeable) www.facebook.com/chattanoogapulse CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 4, 2019 • THE PULSE • 25

FOOD & DRINK · SUSHI & BISCUITS

“Where’s My Hasenpfeffer?”

Calling back to an earlier period of American culinary history

L Mike McJunkin Pulse columnist

“

It’s rich, aromatic, and perfect for cold, merciless Bavarian winters where cuteness has no intrinsic value and Watership Down is a fun kids’ movie.”

Mike McJunkin is a native Chattanoogan who has traveled abroad extensively, trained chefs, and owned and operated restaurants. Join him on Facebook at facebook.com/SushiAndBiscuits

YING ON ORANGE, SHAG CARpet, eating Baron von Redberry cereal and watching 1960’s Bugs Bunny cartoons is not the place you would expect to have a 40-year culinary mystery planted in your tiny, cartoon-watching head.

But the “Where’s my hasenpfeffer?” line from the classic Bugs Bunny short “Shishkabugs” not only became a viral, proto-meme that my friends and I would bellow at confused authority figures, it also burned a pair of questions into my young, biscuit- and gravy-fed brain, “What is hasenpfeffer and do people really eat cute little bunny rabbits?”

The first question is easy to answer: hasenpfeffer is a real thing that real people still eat. It’s an old-school traditional German stew made by marinating a hare (hase in German) in wine and vinegar, then braising it with onions and spices before adding a bit of sour cream at the end. It’s rich, aromatic, and perfect for cold, merciless Bavarian winters where cuteness has no intrinsic value and Watership Down is a fun kids’ movie.

The answer to the second question is where people begin to clutch their Velveteen Rabbit plushies and silently plea to El-ahrairah for mercy. Yes, people eat rabbits—about 200 million tons a year worldwide. These aren’t hammer wielding, Glenn Close bunny-in-a-pot gangs of psychopaths. Meat rabbits (a distinction of purpose, not biology) are consumed by families everywhere from France to China to the Caribbean and the Middle East.

But here in the U.S., rabbit consumption dropped dramatically after the end of World War II when backyard bunnies that had been fattened up on Victory Garden scraps to eventually hit the din-

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ner table (while other meats had been dutifully shipped off to the troops) were supplanted by beef, pork, and chicken as the American meats of choice.

Rabbit, though, is a very lean, clean, healthy, and delicious source of food that deserves to be a part of the American diet. Compared to beef, pork, chicken, even lamb and turkey, rabbit has the lowest percentage of fat, highest percentage of protein, and the fewest calories per pound. These Marlon Bundoesque alfalfa-munchers are foragers, so they don’t rely on energy-intensive grains for food, and they reproduce like…um…rabbits.

One rabbit can produce six pounds of meat on the same amount of feed and water it takes for a cow to produce a single pound.

The taste is often compared to chicken, but it’s much leaner, with a mild and versatile flavor that lends itself perfectly to braised dishes such as my take on a Spring Rabbit Stew.

Happy Easter!

SPRING RABBIT STEW Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

2 Tbsp olive oil 4 rabbit legs Salt and black pepper 3 ounces pancetta, diced 1 leek, thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 carrots, diced 1 stalk celery, diced 3 Tbsp flour 1 cup white wine 2½ cups chicken stock 1 bay leaf 3 sprigs fresh thyme ½ lb shiitake mushrooms, chopped 10 fingerling potatoes, halved 1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)

• ½ cup crème fraîche • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon Preparation 1. Season rabbit with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and brown rabbit on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside.

2. Add pancetta to the pan, sauté until crisp, and set aside on paper towels to drain.

3. Lower heat to medium and sauté the leek and garlic until soft. Add carrot and celery and sauté about 3 more minutes. Sprinkle flour over vegetables, stir to coat, and continue to cook until flour turns golden (about 3-5 minutes).

4. Return pan to medium-high heat, stir in wine and scrape up any browned bits.

Cook for 2 minutes then stir in chicken stock, bay leaf, and thyme. When mixture simmers, lower heat to medium-low and return rabbit to pan.

5. Add fingerling potatoes and mushrooms, cook for 15 minutes, then add fresh peas (see pro tip below if using frozen). Cover and continue cooking until rabbit is tender—about 30 more minutes.

6. Remove rabbit, bay leaf and thyme stems from pan. Turn heat to high and reduce until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat, stir in crème fraîche and mustard, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

7. Remove the rabbit meat from the bone and return to the sauce. Top with chopped tarragon and serve with a baguette.

Pro tip: If using frozen peas, don’t add them until you put the rabbit back to the pan in the last step.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 4, 2019 • THE PULSE • 27