THE STABLES Now Open

European Auto Garage

is now offering vehicle storage at their 5 acre Lovell Road location. The Horsepower Barn will house 50 to 60 vehicles, with available lease terms spanning from monthly all the way to an exclusive Founders space. The Stables is a 9,000-square-foot climate-controlled, private storage facility for car enthusiasts and collectors. This safe and secure storage includes concierge serviceshaving your car ready to drive, professional detailing, maintenance, performance upgrades, worldwide shipping, and more. Packages are available to accommodate levels of access from occasional driving to capsuled storage. If you have multiple vehicles, whether they are racecars, collector’s automobiles, or a convertible you only use seasonally, then specialty storage is the perfect solution. With hourly, monthly, and annual rates for services and storage, The Stables also offers a 10% discount for each additional vehicle.

Available services include:

• Climate Controlled Indoor Vehicle Storage

• Battery Tender Service

• Tire Pressure Monitoring

• Concierge Service for Maintenance at European Auto Garage

• Car Show Prep

• Paintless Dent Removal

• Detailing

• Fueling

European Auto Garage has only factory trained and certified technicians that are well equipped to perform diagnostics, manufacturer recommended maintenance, and complex repairs, whether large or small, with each customer receiving a complimentary 50-point digital inspection report and detailed evaluation. This is your one-stop shop for storage, maintenance, and repair.

European Auto Garage is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram for more company insights. Call for a shop or Stable tour, and join them for our Cars and Coffee at the shop on the first Saturday of each even numbered month - April 1st is the next date.

European Auto Garage

1229 Lovell Road

Knoxville, TN 37932

865.862.5270

EuropeanAutoGarage.com

IF YOUR VALENTINE’S date is a foodie, whether it’s your significant other, your best girlfriend(s), or simply yourself, this holiday might be looking expensive or just downright overwhelming. Never fear, your resident foodie is here to give you all the choices - for all the budgets. The beauty of Knoxville’s cuisine scene is that you can’t really go wrong. Upgrade the aesthetic without killing your wallet at Babalu on Gay Street (it changed my life), Southern Grit in the Old City (whatever you order MUST be accompanied by sweet potato fries), or The Oak Room on West Anderson (a brewery has never looked so classy). Downtown, your upper mid-range dining options are a bit more slim with Café 4, Bistro at the Bijou, and Koyo - part of the Nama Sushi restaurant family - to fill in the gaps. These restaurants allow you to taste the flavor of the place without paying a premium. Ready to splurge a little or shake it up for a special occasion? The next tier of options offer an upgraded experience. Point b offers craft cocktails and what I like to call “layered flavor” on charcuterie boards, while Altruda’s all but delivers you to Italy with original Italian family recipes. (See previous reviews for more detailed order suggestions.) Kefi in the Old City offers an amazing Greek Mezze experience, meaning almost everything ordered is for the whole table (double date, anyone?).

Local Flavor Options

BY RILEY WOODY

If your plan for Valentine’s Day dinner is to spare no expense, there are still plenty of restaurants offering that luxury plate at a luxury price. These are the kinds of menus where ordering the least expensive thing will get you a $35, well-seasoned, roasted chicken breast - and no sides.

There is quite a collection of high dollar restaurants downtown, each dazzling and remarkable. The Oliver Royale has an unrivaled reputation as the place you go when it’s time to impress. With limited seating, a soothing blend of ’70s-modern décor and a bar that glitters from morning to midnight, it’s something special to possess a Valentine’s Day dinner reservation here. However, all that prestige starts on the plate, and the taste may very well help you forget the price entirely.

You could also order four courses from Bistro by the Tracks’ seasonal menu or enjoy the special Valentine’s meal with optional wine pairings from J.C. Holdway Venturing out of downtown, The Brasserie on Northshore offers rich French cuisine to die for, and if you’re really looking for a change of scenery, try Maryville’s The Walnut Kitchen or Foothills Milling Company ; I’d be dumbstruck, foodie or no, if you left unimpressed with that experience.

But if nothing so far has entertained your fancy, consider abandoning southern cuisine altogether for the western dishes at Lonesome Dove. Everything but dessert has game in it (probably not the best restaurant for a vegetarian, but great if you’re trying to convert one). Unfortunately, this is not a Knoxville original, but it is one of only threethe other two are in Texas. The menu promises flavor unlike anything else in Knoxville, and it comes with that Jackson Hole-style price. This is a $100 per person experience, worth it for the adventure of a meal you’ve almost definitely never had before - the holy grail for a foodie. Just be ready; if this is the Valentine’s destination you choose, you’ll need a reservation. Like yesterday.

This is not an exhaustive list, but no matter your budget, there are lots of dining options. However, for foodies, what we really want is something unusual, so if your habit is to go out, staying in could be a welcome change. There is no shame in a “Netflix and Chill” Valentine’s Day; carry-out is a great alternative to going out.

Sticking to local favorites, although not always local flavors, Taste of Thai off Cedar Bluff is my go-to. I highly recommend a curry, any heat level, egg rolls, and lemongrass soup. Your kitchen will smell like Thai until tomorrow, but as delicious as it is, you’ll probably just want to order again. Mikata in Hardin Valley offers flavorful and budget friendly Japanese carry out. The hibachi entrees are big enough for two; maybe add a roll of sushi (or several) with the money you saved. Or, for some of the best authentic Tennessean flavor, grab some burnt ends, pulled pork, and macaroni and pimento cheese at Dead End Barbecue on Sutherland. There are no wrong choices (but you have to order Pond Gap Pie). Unpack it all at home. In your pajamas. With unforgettable options in every price range, there’s a perfect meal for every foodie Valentine - and every budget. Take advantage of the Knoxville cuisine scene and love on your palate, your date, and possibly even your wallet this Valentine’s Day.

Riley Woody is a recent University of Tennessee graduate, Knoxville native, and avid foodie ready for any adventure with her pen and palate in tow.

COL ONIAL VILLAGE in south Knoxville, part of the post-war residential boom, is where Lauren Moroz found her 70-year-old home complete with red oak floors that definitely needed some TLC to restore them to their former glory. After finding out who not to go to for refinishing from her friends on Facebook, she called European Fine Hardwood Floors to tackle the job.

After meeting with Valera and Svetlana Tomescu, owner/operators, her initial impression was “knowledgeable and detailed” - exactly what Lauren was hoping to find! “They asked a lot of questions about the project and answered all of mine - in detail,” said Lauren. “I felt confident from that first meeting that they would do an exceptional job on my floor.”

European Fine Hardwood Floors was also able to remedy the issue of an addition to the main bedroom that Lauren thought had laminate flooring that unfortunately did not match the original hardwood in the rest of the room. After four other flooring companies quoted the job on that basis, Valera was the first to recognize that the add-on did indeed have hardwoods that could therefore be refinished to match the rest of the bedroom. “That was a really big deal to us and again speaks to his knowledge and attention to detail.

“Svetlana also told us there would be very little to no dust, which I found very hard to believe” said Lauren. “But she was right! There was no noticeable dust throughout the entire project.”

Lauren added, “In my experience, you often get what you pay for. The quote from European Fine Hardwood Floors may not be the lowest you receive, but I feel confident you’ll be happy with the end product. The work is exceptional.”

“The bedroom refinishing was completed, and the floors are absolutely gorgeous from end to end and corner to corner!” Lauren happily relayed. She was so delighted that she had the Tomescu’s install new hardwood floors in her kitchen (the only room that did not come with hardwoods) and was again pleased with the transformation, as well as the transition from the new kitchen flooring to the original flooring in the dining room. After Valera made a few repairs and dealt with a couple of existing stains, the home project was done.

The most surprising aspect of the job?

Whether your existing hardwood flooring needs an update or you’re needing to add some hardwood flooring to your home, contact the certified professionals at European Fine Hardwood Floors for superior craftsmanship and attention to detail. Like Lauren, you’ll be so glad that you did!