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DEC. 3, 2015 KNOXMERCURY.COM
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NEWS
City’s Homemakers Program Spurs an Inventive New House
JACK NEELY
The Reality of Knoxville’s History Is Often Better Than TV Fantasies
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Marble City Opera Expands Knoxville’s Cultural Landscape
FOOD
Rose Kennedy Chooses Her Favorite Cookbooks of 2015
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KNOXVILLE MERCURY December 3, 2015
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Dec. 3, 2015 Volume 01 / Issue 39 knoxmercury.com
CONTENTS
“My weaknesses have always been food and men—in that order.” —Dolly Parton
NEWS
14 The Unlikely Homemaker
16 An Afternoon in Eagleton Village COVER STORY
We continue our series of neighborhood photo essays with a trek to Eagleton Village and its diverse array of restaurants and odd businesses. Outside of Maryville, this trail of disparate cuisines is not well known. So we decided to plot our own foodie roadmap to Eagleton’s off-the-beaten-path commercial district full of mid-century vernacular architecture, quirky shops, and eateries worth making the drive to explore. Dennis Perkins samples the food while Shawn Poynter aims the camera.
Michael Kaplan, a retired architect and former University of Tennessee professor, designed and built a unique home for himself in South Knoxville through the Homemakers Program, a city program associated with basic, cheaply built houses for low-income residents. Eleanor Scott gets a tour.
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
23 Shop Knox Make your holiday shopping a Knoxville celebration with these unique gift ideas offered by local merchants!
Join Our League of Supporters! Help Knoxville sustain its low-income journalists! Find out how you can help at knoxmercury.com/join.
DEPARTMENTS
OPINION
A&E
4 6
Letters
8
22
Howdy Start Here: Roadside Sketches by Andrew Gresham, Believe It or Knox!, Public Affairs, Quote Factory PLUS: Words With … Matt Brass
10
52
’Bye Finish There: Sacred & Profane by Donna Johnson, Crooked Street Crossword by Ian Blackburn and Jack Neely, Spirit of the Staircase by Matthew Foltz-Gray
12
The Scruffy Citizen Jack Neely finds Knoxville history to be much more captivating than the fantasy TV shows of the day. Perspectives Joe Sullivan examines the city’s plans to expand mixed-use zoning beyond downtown. Small Planet Patrice Cole offers an appreciation of TVA—for its public recreational land management.
35 36 37 38 39
CALENDAR Program Notes: The East Tennessee Film Gala launches at the Tennessee Theatre. Inside the Vault: Eric Dawson traces the career of Tennessee Ernie Ford. Music: Mike Gibson is electrified by Electric Darling. Classical Music: Alan Sherrod checks in with the Marble City Opera.
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Spotlights: Knoxville Jazz Orchestra and Cécile McLorin Salvant, Exam Jam XI
FOOD & DRINK
50
Dirt to Fork Rose Kennedy unveils her top picks for the best cookbooks of 2015 (with a couple more selections online).
Movies: Lee Gardner gets into the holiday spirit, sort of, with Christmas, Again. Video: Lee Gardner is surprised by both Tangerine and Bone Tomahawk. December 3, 2015
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 3
LETTERS Delivering Fine Journalism Since 2015
LOSING OUR HUMANITY
Glen Casada, Tennessee House GOP Caucus chairman, recently proposed the state round up Syrian refugees and have them removed: “We need to activate the Tennessee National Guard and stop them from coming in to the state by whatever means we can.” The Congressman who represents me in the U.S. House of Representatives, John J. Duncan Jr., issued a press release calling for a ban on all refugees, and accused them of stealing jobs from Americans. And the U.S. House passed legislation (H.R. 4033) that would suspend admission of Syrian and Iraqi refugees and give state governments the authority to not accept refugees into their territory. I understand the deep concern that a Syrian or other Arab-state terrorist could enter our country posing as a refugee. Calls for heightened vigilance and a review of existing vetting procedures are not unreasonable; indeed, it would be foolish to do otherwise. But we must also be vigilant that we do not lose our humanity. Hostile speech directed towards refugees is uncalled for and can have real consequences. Yesterday, I
PLEASE MEET WITH US!
We’re heading to Downtown North for our next meetup. We’ll be at Holly’s Corner, ready to talk about whatever’s on your mind. Added bonus: You know the food will be great, plus Yee-Haw Brewing Company is providing a keg! There won’t be any speeches or roundtables. We’ll just be hanging out, ready to chat about darn near anything with whomever stops by.
WHAT
Mercury Meetup #6
WHERE
Holly’s Corner (842 N. Central St.)
WHEN
Wednesday, Dec. 9, 5-8 p.m.
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KNOXVILLE MERCURY December 3, 2015
helped a refugee from Syria look for work. Omar—I’m not using his real name, for obvious reasons—told me afterward, over lunch, that he is afraid to tell anyone that he is from Syria. He has been searching for a job for several weeks without success and is somewhat discouraged. He would be happy with a minimum-wage job. Omar’s asylum application, from start to finish, took five years. Imagine waiting five years only to finally arrive and discover that many Americans, including government officials, don’t want you here. And how could so many of our leaders forget the thousands of Iraqi nationals who served alongside our troops in the war zone? In return for their service, our government promised them the opportunity to become American citizens. Some of them now live in Knoxville. I had the pleasure of meeting one such refugee, Abdul, who served as a translator with our forces for two years. He had recently arrived in Knoxville with his wife and three children. I visited with him and his wife, Leyla, in their kitchen, where a large American flag hung on the wall next to the table where we sat. Among their many needs, first and foremost was a job. (Abdul receives none of the benefits that our veterans receive.) When I mentioned a job to Abdul that I thought looked promising, he told me that it wouldn’t be suitable since he couldn’t perform any of the required lifting due to an injury to his right arm. I was very much moved when he showed me his disfigured arm and related that he had been in an Army vehicle that had been blown up by a roadside bomb. He was nearly killed. The vetting process Abdul went through took three years; in the interim, he and his family had to go into hiding, as many Iraqi veterans have had to do. The vetting process for these veterans is extremely complicated and involves many layers of review. As a result, far fewer of these veterans have been admitted than had originally been planned. Thousands are still waiting, each passing day their lives and their family member’s lives at risk. Our government should deliberate carefully instead of rushing to pass
ill-conceived legislation. H.R. 4033 would slam the door in the face of these veterans, and potentially contribute to more terrorist murder and despair. Additionally, by giving state governments the authority to accept or reject refugees, H.R. 4033 would permanently politicize refugee resettlement. We must also think of the messages that we are sending to the refugees living and working here in the USA. Careless speech like representative Casada’s is potentially frightening for refugees. As an American born and raised, I know that his threat could never be carried out, for we are a nation of laws, but many refugees come from countries where the rule of law often does not carry the day. Some have experienced being “rounded up.” Judging people based on their national origin or faith rather than who they are is not acceptable in America any more. It took a long time to fully instill this belief in American society and its institutions but it is an accomplishment we can be proud of. I am very proud of my country—we have built an open society that is admired by most of the world and I am certain that we will continue to open our arms to the outcasts and downtrodden of the world. Raymond Levitt Knoxville
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR GUIDELINES
• Letter submissions should include a verifiable name, address, and phone number. We do not print anonymous letters. • We much prefer letters that address issues that pertain specifically to Knoxville or to stories we’ve published. • We don’t publish letters about personal disputes or how you didn’t like your waiter at that restaurant. • Letters are usually published in the order that we receive them. Send your letters to: Our Dear Editor, Knoxville Mercury 706 Walnut St., Suite 404 Knoxville, TN 37920 Send an email to: editor@knoxmercury.com Or message us at: facebook.com/knoxmercury
EDITORIAL EDITOR Coury Turczyn coury@knoxmercury.com SENIOR EDITOR Matthew Everett matthew@knoxmercury.com CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jack Neely jack@knoxhistoryproject.org STAFF WRITERS S. Heather Duncan heather@knoxmercury.com Clay Duda clay@knoxmercury.com CONTRIBUTORS
Chris Barrett Ian Blackburn Patrice Cole Eric Dawson George Dodds Lee Gardner Mike Gibson Carey Hodges Nick Huinker Donna Johnson
Rose Kennedy Dennis Perkins Stephanie Piper Ryan Reed Eleanor Scott Alan Sherrod April Snellings Joe Sullivan Kim Trevathan Chris Wohlwend
INTERNS
Jordan Achs Marina Waters
DESIGN ART DIRECTOR Tricia Bateman tricia@knoxmercury.com GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Charlie Finch Corey McPherson CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
David Luttrell Shawn Poynter Justin Fee Tyler Oxendine CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS
Ben Adams Matthew Foltz-Gray
ADVERTISING PUBLISHER & DIRECTOR OF SALES Charlie Vogel charlie@knoxmercury.com SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Scott Hamstead scott@knoxmercury.com Stacey Pastor stacey@knoxmercury.com
BUSINESS BUSINESS MANAGER Scott Dickey scott.dickey@knoxmercury.com
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 706 Walnut St., Suite 404, Knoxville, Tenn. 37902 knoxmercury.com • 865-313-2059 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR & PRESS RELEASES editor@knoxmercury.com CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS calendar@knoxmercury.com SALES QUERIES sales@knoxmercury.com DISTRIBUTION distribution@knoxmercury.com
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Terry Hummel Joe Sullivan Jack Neely Coury Turczyn Charlie Vogel The Knoxville Mercury is an independent weekly news magazine devoted to informing and connecting Knoxville’s many different communities. It is a taxable, not-for-profit company governed by the Knoxville History Project, a non-profit organization devoted to exploring, disseminating, and celebrating Knoxville’s unique cultural heritage. It publishes 25,000 copies per week, available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. © 2015 The Knoxville Mercury
The Tennessee Theatre The Tennessee Theatre is always busy in December, as it is this year, with major musical attractions, a Broadway show, a classic film, and a favorite ballet. First opened in October, 1928, as a “motion picture palace,” the Tennessee was designed by the Chicago firm of Graven & Mayger in the extravagant and short-lived Moorish Revival style, with multiple other influences. At first the Tennessee showed mostly silent movies, two new features every week, plus cartoons, newsreels, and other short features. But in its early years, almost every night, the Tennessee also hosted live performers, singers and dancers and magicians and acrobats.
at the Tennessee in 1932. Several movies saw their regional or even world premieres at the Tennessee. One of the biggest events in the theater’s history was the 1953 world premiere of So This Is Love, a biopic about East Tennessee opera star Grace Moore. Four actors in the movie, including singer Kathryn Grayson and a young pianist-singer named Merv Griffin, attended and performed that night to a standing-room-only audience.
The Tennessee kept showing new movies until One of its most surprising shows was the 1977. Since 1980, the theater has hosted mostly live The Tennessee Theatre’s famous interior. “Tom Mix Roundup” of 1933, featuring the shows since then, including Johnny Cash, Chet Is this picture from 1928 or 2015? famous cowboy actor and his mini rodeo and Atkins, and B.B. King, but with an occasional Your guess is as good as ours. circus. He rode his famous horse, Tony, on movie that helps people remember what it was IMAGE COURTESY OF KNOX HERITAGE. stage, after leading the big animal in through built for. the lobby from Gay Street. Mix’s show, which included acrobats, appeared before cheering crowds eight times in a row. This Week’s Fun Fact: Frank Capra, the director of the holiday standard It’s a Wonderful Life, which is showing on Dec. 13, came to the Tennessee in The most popular movie ever shown at the Tennessee was probably Walt December, 1980, and, two nights in a row, and answered Knoxvillians’ Disney’s Snow White, which showed here in April, 1938. In an unprecedentquestions about his career and the movie industry. ed one-week run, perhaps 70,000 people saw the movie, shown to packed houses about 35 times in a row. In 2005, a multi-million-dollar restoration revived the theater’s original 1928 look, but also transformed it into a modern performing-arts center. The most popular live show may have been in February, 1935. The legendSince then, hundreds of major performers have drawn standing ovations ary “Ziegfeld’s Follies,” featuring 100 performers, headed by singer, dancer, there. Shows at the Tennessee have occasionally been described in the and comedian Fannie Brice, filled all the theater’s seats, with at least 100 more national press, especially concerning the famous Big Ears Festival. guests buying permission to stand in the back. The variety show of comedy and music was called “The Biggest Attraction Ever Beheld in Knoxville.” Earlier this year, the Tennessee Theatre Foundation, the nonprofit responsible for keeping the old theater going, published the large illustratIn 1940, big-band leader and pop star Glenn Miller stopped at the ed book, The Tennessee Theatre: A Grand Entertainment Palace, written by Tennessee for a 15-minute live-audience show broadcast nationally on Jack Neely and designed by Robin Easter and Whitney Hayden. The book, CBS radio. A few months later, young Cuban singer and dancer Desi the first one ever published about the Tennessee, tells the theater’s rich, Arnaz performed four shows at the Tennessee, singing, dancing, and fascinating story. All profits from the book go to help the Tennessee playing guitar, but also promoting his new romantic comedy, Too Many Theatre Foundation. Girls, which included a climactic scene with the Tennessee Vols. Some of the Tennessee’s most important history involves performers who were not yet famous when they performed there. Future Grand Ole Opry star Roy Acuff, the Knoxville fiddler who later played a major role in making Nashville “Music City,” gave his first-ever performance
Monday, Dec. 7th, is the monthly Mighty Musical Monday, an organ concert that’s an opportunity for the public to see the theater without buying a ticket. Organist Bill Snyder’s guest will be Kukuly and the Gypsy Fuego.
The Knoxville History Project, a new nonprofit organization devoted to the promotion of and education about the history of Knoxville, presents this page each week to raise awareness of the themes, personalities, and stories of our unique city. Learn more on www.facebook.com/knoxvillehistoryproject • email jack@knoxhistoryproject.org December 3, 2015
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 5
Illustration by Ben Adams
HOWDY
Believe It or Knox! BY Z. HERACLITUS KNOX Fountain City was never an actual city! Several suburban neighborhoods, including Fort Sanders (once known as “West Knoxville”) did once have some semblance of municipal government, but Fountain City, originally known as Fountainhead, NEVER DID. It was still claiming to be THE LARGEST UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY IN AMERICA when it was annexed into the city of Knoxville in 1962.
Roadside Sketches by Andrew Gresham (agreshamphoto.com)
QUOTE FACTORY “ He can choose to celebrate a score or become a champion for our children.” —School board member Amber Rountree in her performance evaluation of Knox County Schools Superintendent Jim McIntyre. On Monday, the school board voted 5-4 to extend his contract another two years to Dec. 31, 2019 and give him a 2 percent raise (bringing his salary to $227,256). Rountree was one of the “no” votes.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
12/4 WUTK’S EXAM JAM XI FRIDAY
8 p.m., The Concourse at The International (940 Blackstock Ave.), $5. Top Knox 2015’s Best Radio Station, WUTK 90.3, may have the most eclectic programming in town, but its primary mission is to educate UT students in the ways of broadcasting in the 21st century. Oddly enough, this instructional lab receives no operations funding from UT, hence this annual fundraiser. Performing are Handsome & The Humbles, Senryu, Hellephant, and the Enigmatic Foe. Info: wutkradio.com.
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KNOXVILLE MERCURY December 3, 2015
12/5 MARKET SQUARE HOLIDAY MARKET 12/9 EAST TENNESSEE FILM GALA SATURDAY
Noon to 6 p.m., Market Square. Free until you buy stuff. Are you jonesing for the Market Square Farmers’ Market but just can’t wait until spring? Nourish Knoxville’s Holiday Market is the next best thing, featuring farm vendors (root crops, greens, and greenhouse-grown produce), artisan crafters (pottery, jewelry, decor), and food trucks. You will unquestionably be shopping local! Facebook: nourishknoxville.
WEDNESDAY
7 p.m., Tennessee Theatre, $21.50, At last! Area filmmakers will be getting their works projected on the big screen in this fundraiser for the Knoxville Horror Film Fest, the Scruffy City Film & Music Festival, and Knoxville Girls Rock Camp. It’s a competition, too, so awards will be handed out in each genre along with an Audience Choice prize. Info: knoxvillefilms.com
Extended holiday shopping hours were not invented with Black Friday! Around 1900, many downtown stores were open until midnight on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, some took only the afternoon off. The post office was always open on Christmas Day! Meanwhile, the handy abbreviation “Xmas” was much more common in local advertising of the 1880s and ’90s than it has been in any recent era. Nationally, the term was seen in print more than twice as much in the 1920s as it is today!
12/10 MEETING: SEVIER AVENUE STREETSCAPES THURSDAY
5:30 p.m., South Knoxville Elementary School (801 Sevier Ave.). Free. South Knox developments are on the march! The city’s Office of Redevelopment and Engineering Department will present final designs plans for the upcoming streetscapes project along Sevier Avenue. Bike lanes! Improved sidewalks! Street lighting! And, yes, a new roundabout. There will be a two-week public comment period after this meeting.
HOWDY WORDS WITH ...
Matt Brass BY ROSE KENNEDY Artist Matt Brass has created a “Neonaturalist Ranger” series—original works featuring icons of the American wilderness and celebrating the national park system—as part of SeeAmericaProject.com. He will sign his Great Smoky Mountains National Park posters at Mast General Store (402 S. Gay St.) Sunday, Dec. 6 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Do you have formal art training?
My BA is actually in theology, and then I have an AS degree in communication graphics. My mother is a full-time artist, and she met my father in art class, so I grew up in that environment. I currently work as a creative director for an ad agency and have a background in art direction.
When did you first fall in love with the parks?
My family spent a lot of time in the outdoors when I was growing up. This is a trend that I have continued in my own adult life. We have a large family and spend a lot of time in nature.
What does Neonaturalist mean, anyhow?
The series title was an adaptation of the title of the original Depression-era Ranger Naturalist Service Series, which was part of the 1930s New Deal arts project, a legacy the See America Project is campaigning to revive. The title came from my idea to reflect the sensibility of those images while creating something modern.
Do you always work in this same style?
Through the years, I have worked in several art forms including painting, video, and photography. This is the only print series I have done up to this point and each one reflects this particular style.
Do your kids appreciate your posters on some level?
I have seven kids. I bombard them with creative content. They are, for the most part, unimpressed.
Will this series ever be a money maker for you?
I doubt it will be a significant money maker. The primary way in which the series has been beneficial has been through commissions. I have received several, including a poster for Friends of the
Smokies, and I just completed a project for a major national charity. While I love the creative work of designing and producing the prints, it is always difficult for an artist to make a full-time living in this way. So, for now, it serves as a fulfilling hobby.
Do you have a favorite art influence?
For as much as I enjoy creating art, I don’t consume a tremendous amount. And I never had formal training. I have painters who I have always admired. Edward Hopper would be at the top of my list. I’m not sure that I see his influence in my current work though. My brother and I are pretty connected to the art world as of late. We have a series, Making Art, that has received some significant recognition, including a recent pickup by NatGeo. I was instrumental in starting this series, but it’s my brother, Jesse, and my oldest son, Tim, who are the primaries in it now.
Do you have lots of frequent-flyer miles?
We have a 12-passenger “church” van, plastered with bumper stickers from the places we’ve been. With a family of nine, we do a lot of driving. We typically do four or five car and kayak camping trips a year, and more weekends than not we are traveling for day trips to the Smokies, the Obed, Big South Fork, etc. A favorite local spot is Fontana. We try to make it out West once a year as well.
What do you do when you have artist’s block?
I stop. It’s not a huge issue for me. I only work when I am inspired, so if it’s not there it’s not there.
A Christmas Carol Adapted for the stage by Dennis Elkins Directed by
Micah-Shane Brewer
clarencebrowntheatre.com
865.974.5161
#CBTChristmas Carol
To see examples of the Neonaturalist posters: neonat. squarespace.com; one of Brass’ recent videos about his family’s travels: vimeo.com/135212319. Some video blogs he did for HuffPost Travel can be found at brassbrothersfilms.squarespace.com/natural-sense-of-place-films. December 3, 2015
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 7
SCRUFFY CITIZEN
Middle Knoxville Adventure tales work best when they’re real, and close at hand BY JACK NEELY
I
often find myself in the middle of a conversation about Game of Thrones, House of Cards, The Walking Dead, and don’t know what to do. I do my best to keep up—it is, I gather, the duty of every American citizen, certainly that of every American citizen who attends cocktail parties or breakfast clubs. Otherwise we might have to talk about reality. Each new parallel universe becomes another Middle Earth. J.R.R. Tolkien’s imaginative setting came with its own geography and demographics and created a cultish pseudoscience. Years before the movies came out, enthusiasts talked about this alternate universe in great detail, of Mordor and Rhovanion, as seriously as if it were real. There were even maps of that fictional landscape, and people framed them and hung them on dorm walls. If you knew something about the River Anduin or the sea called Rhun, it put you in an interesting minority. In our century, of course, even the Tolkien cult has become a multi-billion dollar franchise, and it would do you well to know your way around. As much as I’ve enjoyed my visits, I’ll always be lost there. A few years ago, I was lost by Lost. The effort to pay close enough attention to a long-running TV show—and then to remember it long enough to care what happens next
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week—well, for me that’s a challenge; perhaps a learning disability. Maybe it’s something that has set in my middle age. There was a time in my life when once a month wasn’t nearly often enough to buy a Batman comic book for 12 cents at Long’s Drugstore. I’d take it to the soda-fountain counter and read it thoroughly before I even took it out the door. I knew Superman’s extraterrestrial background in some detail, of Krypton and the not-so-subtle differences between green and red kryptonite, and rare white kryptonite. I remember sixth grade, the first time I surveyed a periodic table, seeing the word Krypton as an unexpected confirmation that it was all real. An actual element, symbol Kr. That couldn’t be just coincidence. There was at least something real behind Superman. I dragged friends into that classroom to show it to them, just to watch their jaws drop. Can any of us ever return to that thrill? Do adults with jobs and families ever allow themselves to get immersed in a fantasy? The evidence of Game of Thrones is that many try, perhaps with success. Somehow it still eludes me. Twenty-odd years ago, I had friends who were making a good living in the computer-gaming industry. At one point I was even enlisted as a consultant and helped write some detail for a historical narrative in one
particularly immersive game. It was sort of realistic, and at the time I thought, This is the way we’ll be spending our time in the future. Somehow I never caught the fever. The computer game I helped write was the last one I ever played. I’m not sure what it says about dissatisfaction with the modern world. Everything’s reputedly safer, easier, quicker, healthier than it ever was for our ancestors. We want to pretend that we’re still striving, in violent life-or-death situations, every time we turn on a screen. Sometimes our whole complex of fantasies just seems like reality gone off the rails. But then again, my grandmother fascinated me with the fact that she was conversant in a comparable alternate reality, Greek mythology, with its tales of revenge and greed and adultery and murder. Athens was populated with antiheroes. As frustrated as I can be if I find myself in a thicket of Walking Dead scholars, if I ever criticize, I’m a hypocrite. I live in my own Middle Earth. I walk through it every day, whether I’m in the mood for it or not. It’s Knoxville, a few generations ago. Knoxville before, say, 1938 offers just enough of the exotic that people seek when they pull up Netflix, or when they go on expensive vacations, without the fuss of changing currency. It’s like a dream where everything’s sort of familiar, but very different. (Postwar Knoxville is still interesting enough, but earlier periods offer more of the spark of surprise and esoteric paradox, the sort of thing you look for when you’re traveling.) Middle Knoxville is populated with strange creatures called Know-Nothings, Radical Republicans, prohibitionists, Plymouth Brethren, Whigs. In Middle Knoxville you might
encounter a petrified giant displayed as a saloon attraction, or a chunk of ancient Troy in the possession of a retired ambassador on Main Street, or a dead whale on a flatcar off Magnolia. A German who eats glass beer steins to show off, a pipe-smoking Italian sailor who lived to 106 and told tales of his service to the British Navy in the War of 1812, an Irish revolutionary Unitarian secessionist. In this fantasy land, a freed slave can become a millionaire philanthropist; three prominent gentlemen in three-piece suits can slay each other at once, for reasons none of them lived to tell; a charismatic young general, shot in a city under siege, may be buried secretly, at night so his men won’t guess he’s dead. A little girl can sell wild grapes for postage and become a world-famous author; a mysterious woman can bestow a life-changing gift to a potato-selling immigrant, allowing him to start a durable business. Creeks, once drivers of industry and deadly terrors when they flood, can be buried underground and forgotten, but still there, forces to contend with. Forests disappear and become paved villages. Quarries disappear and become forests. Here, a bakery turns into a hotel, a hotel into a theater, a hat factory into a coffee factory into an apartment building. It could be a fantasy series, or a computer game. The only thing that makes me different is a mundane prejudice: that stories are more vivid when they’re probably true. And also when they allow me to walk around in their setting. Knoxville’s streets are the scene of this distinctive Middle Earth every day. Knoxville’s long tale has successfully besieged my mind. I’m not sure fiction’s still an option for me. ◆
The only thing that makes me different is a mundane prejudice: that stories are more vivid when they’re probably true.
December 3, 2015
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 9
PERSPECTIVES
The Bearden Zone Mixed-use zoning beyond downtown is overdue BY JOE SULLIVAN
A
s voguish as mixed-use development has become in many places, it’s surprising that Knoxville’s zoning ordinance prohibits it except for downtown. But that may belatedly be about to change. At the request of City Council, the staff of the Metropolitan Planning Commission is crafting a mixed-use zone for Bearden that would permit residential and other uses along what’s a strictly commercial stretch of Kingston Pike from Western Plaza to Northshore Drive. MPC’s executive director, Gerald Green, envisions promulgating a draft for public comment before year end. And if the new Bearden Zone is adopted by Council, he believes it can serve as a template for mixed-use zoning extending out the city’s other commercial corridors, including Broadway, North Central, Magnolia, and Chapman Highway. The mixed-use concept would only apply to areas presently zoned commercial, not to residential zones. And given the immense popularity of downtown as a place to live, shop, dine, and be entertained while walking rather than driving to their destinations, it seems compelling to extend these lifestyle amenities to other sections of the city. (As an
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exception to the segregation of property uses elsewhere, so-called formbased codes adopted for the South Waterfront and Cumberland Corridor would regulate the shape and size of buildings but not their uses.) Asked why Knoxville hasn’t been doing more of same long since, MPC’s still-new executive director replies, “We have not been very proactive in making revisions to our ordinances. From a citywide perspective, we have not been doing very much to bring our ordinances up to date.” As an upscale shopping and dining district, Bearden seems a natural place to start. It also helps that there are at least two developers who want to proceed with the very sort of mixed-use projects that epitomize what’s envisioned. One is Tony Cappiello who, along with other Bearden properties, owns the Bearden Antique Mall in Homberg Place. After relocating its tenants, he’s planning a new four-story building with shops and restaurants on the ground level and 40 to 60 apartments on the upper floors. The other is Asheville-based Biltmore Properties, which acquired the 203,000-square-foot Western Plaza shopping center about two
years ago. The firm’s Knoxville general manager, Morgan Bromley, will only say, “We would certainly welcome the new zoning, and if the new zoning goes through we would entertain mixed-use development.” The Bearden Zone, as Green envisions it, would include standards for building design and scale, landscaping, and parking. “We don’t have a requirement for structured parking. But what we’re hoping is that some developers will find it advantageous to construct a building with structured parking rather than surface parking, which is a pretty low return on your investment,” Green says. “A four-story building with retail on the ground, parking on the second level, and residential on the third and fourth floors, maybe that becomes a better return than having a three-story building with surface parking.” Allowance for four- to five-story buildings will mean more density than at present, and that could lead to concerns in some quarters about more traffic on Kingston Pike. But Green says, “What we’re hoping is that the type of development we’re proposing will encourage people to use other modes of transportation— walk, bicycle, public transit in addition to the automobile. The new standards won’t impact existing buildings or establishments. But more development should be good for business and property values in the area. And fostering economic growth, not to mention city revenue growth, is a primacy. After just four months on the job here, following 20-plus years of planning experience in North Carolina prior to his selection, Green shows an impressive grasp of Knoxville’s diverse patterns of development. He acknowl-
edges that extending the mixed-use template to other commercial corridors may be more challenging. “Broadway, for example, has three very distinct sections,” he says. “Up to Hall of Fame Drive is an older pattern with lots of buildings up to the sidewalk and very limited, if any, parking. From Hall of Fame to I-640 there’s more accommodation for the automobile and some shopping centers. Then from I-640 on up, it’s very auto-oriented, very suburban in nature with no accommodation for pedestrians. So how do we get a template that will initiate a new pattern of development but still be compatible with existing patterns? How do we encourage retrofits that are more pedestrian-friendly and friendly to bicycles? That’s a significant challenge.” Along Magnolia the city is separately proceeding with a streetscape improvement plan intended to spur development. The plan, which is still in the design stage, has a lot in common with the Cumberland Corridor plan on which work is already underway. Magnolia’s center turn lane would be replaced with a median strip, allowing wider sidewalks and plantings along the curb. But unlike Cumberland, Magnolia would remain a four-lane street. A four-block stretch from Jessamine to Bertrand will serve as a pilot. And the city’s director of redevelopment, Dawn Michelle Foster, anticipates that funding could be included in the city’s budget for the fiscal year ahead. How much of a catalyst for residential growth mixed-use zoning will provide in these commercial corridors remains to be seen. But it certainly ought to be encouraged without impinging on the character of adjoining residential neighborhoods. ◆
“We have not been very proactive in making revisions to our ordinances. From a citywide perspective, we have not been doing very much to bring our ordinances up to date.” —GERALD GREEN, MPC Director
Now’s your chance to tell us what you really think–in person!
MEETUPS Join us for the next Mercury Meetup.
Wednesday, December 9,
5 p.m. - 8 p.m. at
Holly’s Corner 842 N. Central Street, Knoxville, TN 37917 (Some refreshments provided)
Bring a new unwrapped toy for a chance to win a gift certificate for lunch or dinner at one of Holly’s restaurants. Some refreshments provided.
This is a great opportunity for the business owners and residents of Knoxville to stop by and tell us what’s on your mind! We hope to see you there.
December 3, 2015
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 11
SMALL PLANET
See Raccoon Mountain! This hydroelectric plant exemplifies TVA’s odd dual role BY PATRICE COLE
H
ere’s an idea for someplace to bring your next out-of-town visitor. A 500-acre lake on the top of a mountain, miles of hiking and mountain-biking trails along the bluff of the Tennessee River Gorge, boat ramps and fishing piers on the river, picnic tables and pavilion, volleyball and softball fields, and stunning overlooks of the Tennessee River Valley are free of charge and open year-round—just an 8-mile drive from Chattanooga. It’s also a one-of-a-kind hydroelectric plant in the TVA system. Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant exemplifies TVA’s odd dual role as both energy producer and manager of public lands for outdoor recreation. TVA has sometimes been the good guys, oftentimes the bad guys, in the eyes of environmental advocates. So it might seem paradoxical for this big pollution-generating industry, which admittedly provides the energy we demand, to be the steward of 293,000 acres of public land and the habitats it contains, operating about 100 public recreation areas. But water strongly links the roles as hydroelectric dams create many miles of shoreline and greatly enhanced opportunities for water-based recreation. There’s a lot to love and play in thanks to TVA, and there’s something for everyone, from developed recreation areas to wild places, whether it’s water or land you want to play on,
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with boats or camping gear or just the shoes on your feet. The electrification of the Tennessee Valley changed a lot of lives for the better, but the dams that provide much of that electricity also changed many waterways from fast-moving cold-water streams to slow-moving and somewhat warmer reservoirs, and that changed the kinds of fish that live in those waters. However you might feel about that, the change is here to stay, and boaters and anglers make good use of the open-water habitat. It’s safe to say that TVA has more boat launches than any other type of recreational facility, but the website recreation map isn’t very helpful for finding out where they are and how to get to them. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency website is a better online source for finding boat launches, and the Tennessee Atlas & Gazetteer published by DeLorme is a great printed resource. The dams also create an unusual experience known as locking through. Locks hydraulically lift or lower boats and barges so they can pass through dams. You might have to wait for a commercial boat or barge to lock through first, but recreational boats are given their turn. Even kayaks and canoes can lock through. Changing your water level by about 70 ft, between Watts Bar and Chickamauga reservoirs for example, takes about an hour.
Dams also create tailwaters below them when generating electricity, and kayakers take advantage of this whitewater action. The site of the only Olympic event ever held in the state of Tennessee is below Ocoee Dam No. 3. When that dam is generating, paddlers can navigate the mile-long historic course of the 1996 Olympic whitewater competition Some developed recreation areas, most of which are within TVA reservations around dams, have swimming areas with sandy beaches and cordons to separate swimmers from boats, making these places safe even for small children. Picnic areas, some with pavilions, are at many of the dam reservations and provide grills, restrooms, potable water, and handicap accessibility. Trails are also typically near dams, and some offer city dwellers a wilder walk close to home. For example, Big Ridge Small Wild Area, a 200-acre upland hardwood forest at Chickamauga Dam, gives Chattanoogans a place to walk in the woods just a few minutes’ drive from downtown. Melton Hill Dam has a campground that is also a TVA demonstration project for sustainable development. It is powered by wind and solar energy and has low-flow showers and toilets to conserve water. Among all these places where power generation and recreation go hand in hand, Raccoon Mountain is outstanding in its uniqueness and the quality of its facilities. Raccoon Mountain is TVA’s only pumped-storage plant, and it works like a giant storage battery. When power demand is low, water is pumped from Nickajack Lake to the reservoir at the top of
the mountain. When power demand is high, water is released from the reservoir through a tunnel drilled through the center of the mountain to drive underground generators before being discharged back to the Tennessee River. In this way, TVA trades low-value energy for the higher-value energy at peak demand. The plant was built in the 1970s, and at 230 feet high and 8,500 feet long, the dam that holds back the reservoir is still TVA’s largest rockfill dam. The one-way drive over the dam offers dramatic views of surrounding mountains pierced by the river gorge. Even the unusual power infrastructure at the discharge point at the bottom of the mountain, as well as what appear to be extremely large spare parts displayed like modern sculpture, is oddly beautiful. A system of about 20 miles of interconnected trails is shared by walkers and bicyclers, and the area seems to be especially popular with trail riders from beginner-level to advanced. As byproducts of energy production, TVA public lands and waterways add an important layer to the regional system of recreational opportunities provided by national parks, national forests, and state parks. Mostly free of charge, these places for outdoor play are another way TVA contributes to the quality of life we enjoy in the Tennessee Valley. ◆ With 25 years of professional experience in environmental science and sustainability, Patrice Cole writes about local issues pertaining to environmental quality. She has also taught biology, ecology, environmental planning, and sustainability at the University of Tennessee and Pellissippi State Community College.
TVA has sometimes been the good guys, oftentimes the bad guys, in the eyes of environmental advocates. So it might seem paradoxical for this big pollution-generating industry to be the steward of 293,000 acres of public land.
Stanley’s Greenhouse
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(Mature Audiences)
Thursday, Dec. 3rd, 2015 by David Sedaris at the Clarence Brown Theatre
THINK SMOKING DOESN’T AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS? THINK AGAIN.
Thank you to everyone who entered.
Congratulations to our winners! Brought to you by:
The American Cancer Society estimates that on average, smoking employees cost their employers an additional $5,800 a year compared with non-tobacco users. That all adds up to major losses for businesses of all sizes. *Disclaimer: By entering the contest you are giving permission to have your submission (photo) published in the Knoxville Mercury and / or on the Knoxville Mercury and CBT Facebook pages. Winners will be chosen by the Knoxville Mercury Editors from weekly submissions. Winners will be notified weekly. (1 pair of tickets per week.) NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Must be a legal U.S. resident, 18 years of age or older, and not be a sponsor or an employee, family member, or household member of a sponsor. Once notified, winner has 24 hours to respond. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Sponsor: Knoxville Mercury, 706 Walnut Ave., Suite 404, Knoxville, TN 37902.
For more information on how to help your employees quit and how to keep all areas around your business smoke-free, contact the Knox County Health Department at 865-215-5170.
December 3, 2015
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 13
Photos by Eleanor Scott
The Unlikely Homemaker A retired architect makes creative use of the city’s Homemakers Program to design his own custom house BY ELEANOR SCOTT
F
rom the street, the beige vinyl-sided house appears a little taller and a little narrower than the other modest bungalows on the block. The house’s traditional elements blend in with the neighboring houses; a pitched roof for shedding rain and a shaded front porch are practical features in Tennessee’s subtropical climate. But asymmetrical windows hint at the interior’s non-traditional design. Michael Kaplan, a retired architect and former University of Tennessee professor, designed and built this unique home for himself in the South Knoxville neighborhood of Vestal through the Homemakers Program, a city program associated with basic, cheaply-built houses for low-income residents. His house represents the
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intersection of a high-concept design with the small budget and limited materials of a public program. Just inside the front door, a small vestibule with a low ceiling leads to the sunny bathroom, spacious storage closet, and washer and dryer concealed behind closet doors. A few steps into the house, the ceiling opens up. Except for the small bedroom, the 1,100-square-foot house is an open plan. The upstairs loft is a music room/study that extends partially over the first floor, leaving the living room with a high vaulted ceiling. The kitchen opens into the living room while the overhanging loft gives it definition as a separate space. The tiny bedroom tucked into the back of the house is warmly lit with windows
on two sides and a ceiling of Douglas fir and exposed yellow pine beams. A balcony overlooks the south-facing backyard, which slopes down to a little stream bordering the back of the property. A large maple shades the house in summer. The white walls and clean boxy angles of the interior result in a uncluttered, modern look while exposed wooden supports reveal a rustic frankness of construction. The upright piano, mid-century end tables, worn Persian rugs, and other furnishings represent a mix of periods and styles, personal objects acquired over a lifetime. Kaplan grew up in New York City, apart, he says, from a culture of home-ownership. His parents never owned the place they lived in, and for a city boy, that aspect of the American Dream was off his radar. Kaplan moved around, working as an architect in New York, living in Israel for a while, and designing vernacular buildings for the Peace Corps. In 1997 Kaplan retired after a 13-year stint teaching architecture at UT. Making his current status of homeowner rather unlikely, Kaplan, an outspoken socialist, does not believe that individual home-ownership is the best model, preferring co-op style housing. Nevertheless, with ties to friends, community, and a small 3-D photography business, Kaplan found himself wanting to set up permanent residence in Knoxville, and thus, house shopping. He looked at a lot of houses, but was unsatisfied. “You’re an architect,” his friends said, “Maybe you should design your own house.” The city’s Homemakers Program has its origins in Project Proud, a program launched in 1987 to transfer “substandard” lots and houses in Mechanicsville to low-income buyers,
or non-profits offering low-income housing. In 1995, City Council expanded the program, seeking a wider range of buyers to rehabilitate problem properties, some acquired through the Blighted Properties Ordinance. Community Development Director Becky Wade says 13 properties were sold through the Homemakers Program this year; five are pending approval. One day, browsing the Homemakers website, Kaplan saw a listing for a 50’ x 150’ city lot 2 miles from downtown in South Knoxville. He did a drive-by and liked the neighborhood. “I thought Vestal was a reasonable place to live,” he says. As a man in his 70s, Kaplan was impressed with the livability of the area. He was pleased to find a grocery store, pharmacy, post office, library, several restaurants, a thrift store, and an antique mall all within walking distance. The Homemakers Program uses a patchwork of funding sources to facilitate the purchase of properties, and some of them come with requirements. The city had acquired the Vestal lot using money from the federally-funded (and now defunct) HOPE 3 program, so the buyer had to qualify as low-income. In this case, the vetting process also included the ability to get a mortgage and having not owned a house in the past three years. With a life dedicated to pursuits other than acquiring wealth, and a retiree’s income, Kaplan qualified. The city usually provides house plans from which Homemaker participants can choose. Kaplan was unsatisfied with the standard house plans’ compartmentalized rooms and few windows. Their cookie-cutter nature did not take into account site specifics like slopes, trees, neighboring buildings, or other factors that affect sunlight
“In the end, everyone was pleased with the outcome and the house has become a showpiece for what is possible within the constraints of a public program.” —MICHAEL KAPLAN
Retired architect Michael Kaplan (facing page) designed and built a unique home for himself in the South Knoxville neighborhood of Vestal through the city’s low-income Homemakers Program. He was able to incorporate energy efficient heating and cooling, as well as his own design philosophies, and kept it under the $119,000 budget. At left is a model of the house, compared to the actual house (top).
or ventilation. Due to Kaplan’s background in architecture, the city permitted him to design his own house. The first plan he submitted included hardwood floors, Hardiplank siding, two bathrooms, stairs to a full basement, and was wildly over budget. Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation rejected the plan and both parties became discouraged about the feasibility of the project. “Then I woke up one morning and said, ‘Hey, I’m an architect, I’ve been doing this all my life. I know how to do this,’” Kaplan says. Kaplan contacted his city councilman at the time, Nick Della Volpe, who explained which design elements were problematic. Kaplan redesigned the house, sacrificing some features to bring the budget under $119,000. Now the house plan had only one bathroom, no stairs to the basement, linoleum-like tile flooring, vinyl windows
and siding, and low-end appliances. The bid came back under budget. With the issues solved, the house was built by High Oaks Construction in four months. The entire process, from Kaplan’s first contact with the city to completion of the house, took from December 2011 to May 2014. “[The city] took the risk of doing something they hadn’t done before,” Kaplan says. “In the end, everyone was pleased with the outcome and the house has become a showpiece for what is possible within the constraints of a public program.” Could his project set a precedent for more architecturally inventive houses financed by the Homemakers Program? “We were glad to be able to work with Mr. Kaplan. The federal regulations were met and he was able to build a unique and functional home,” Wade says. “His situation was not
typical but if a similar situation came along, we would be happy to work with a buyer.” Kaplan was able to preserve some unique features that align with his political philosophy and world view—namely, American-made materials and energy-efficient heating and cooling methods. “I only had to use air-conditioning three times last summer. There are lots of windows, I can get terrific cross-ventilation. It’s quite comfortable,” he says. Due to Kaplan’s aversion to fracking, the house uses no natural gas, instead relying on an electric duct-less heating system and well-insulated floors and walls. “It’s a very tight house,” Kaplan says, “The house orients south, so I can take advantage of the sunshine in the winter, which we are doing right now.” Kaplan brings out the scale model of his house that he built during the design process. The roof is removable, and all the rooms are visible like a modernist doll house. On the living room carpet, he orients the small house to face the same direction as the big house, demonstrating how he could predict the way the sunlight would fall into the rooms. The model house sits in a shaft of afternoon light shining through the balcony door. Inside the model living room, a tiny shaft of light, an exact replica, falls through the tiny balcony door. Kaplan does not expect his neighborhood to gentrify, and does not expect to resell his house at a profit. His plan is to live in and enjoy the home he made for himself through the city’s program. “I think it’s a great program, Kaplan says. “The outcome was really positive. I have a house that not only was affordable, but it’s really uplifting, it’s wonderful living here. To me, it’s a great house.” ◆
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December 3, 2015
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 15
F
or many serious eaters in the greater Knoxville Area, the section of State Route 33 variously known as Old Knoxville Highway and Maryville’s own East Broadway is an important stretch of road because it leads to the Foothills Milling Company Bakery, a destination spot for the gourmand and serious sandwich lover. But on the way to this well-known foodie icon located at the roundabout in Maryville’s Five Points area, SR33 passes through Eagleton Village, which is home not only to a fascinating strip of buildings that appear much the way they did 50+ years ago, but it’s also the locale of a wondrous and strangely concentrated array of food experiences. Outside of Maryville, this trail of disparate cuisines is not well known. So we decided to plot our own foodie roadmap to Eagleton’s off-the-beaten path commercial district full of mid-century vernacular architecture, quirky shops, and eateries worth making the drive to explore. If you approach this section of Maryville from Alcoa Highway, you’ll take a very brief journey south on Pellissippi Parkway until it abruptly ends at SR33. Turn right onto 33 and pass by the entrance to a developing commercial area called Pellissippi Place, which is marked by stately columns of stacked stone; it sits opposite another planned development cleverly named The Shoppes at Pellissippi Place. But keep driving west on what is now Old Knoxville Highway and that flash of newness will soon fade—just about the time you notice the Roll Arena on your right. The flat windowless building of blonde brick sits down from the road as it has for almost 40 years; it opened as Skatetown, USA, the place where many young folk of Blount County first did the Hokey Pokey on wheels. After that, the road passes through a lushly green (but brief) tree-lined stretch before opening to a big sky and a stretch of commercial area. Businesses vary from Dynabody Fitness to James’ Custom Upholstery, but most of them occupy buildings that have stood in their parcels for decades. These buildings, mostly low and flat, sit close to the road with parking right up front—it’s something that appears convenient until you try to pull out and realize that you’re only a foot or two
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from the often busy highway. That proximity is also part of the charm and nostalgia of this neighborhood, especially when there are a couple of riding lawn mowers parked right at the edge of the road’s shoulder in front of Little River Feed and Hunting Supply. Your first impression may be that Eagleton Village is an old and almost continuous strip mall left over from 1950, one that’s still breathing but populated by dusty businesses that remain locked in mid-century demographics—but that’s not the case. The businesses are owned and operated by an eclectic mix of folks from an array of different backgrounds and cultural influences. And not everything is longstanding. Among the sprinkle of new buildings is La Lupita, a Mexican Store that locals recommend for good tacos. It occupies a building with sparkling glass, fresh brick, and convenience store design. But new buildings are the exception in this commercial strip time warp. Eagleton Ballpark sits just off the road and to your left in this introductory section of Eagleton and, arguably, constitutes the heart of this census-designated place. It’s home to baseball and softball leagues and hosts weekend tournaments during the season; but keep your eyes to the right because across from the field you’ll want to keep a sharp look out for Richy Kreme Donuts (2601 E. Broadway Ave.). Like many of the food adventures that wait ahead, the place isn’t particularly inviting to the uninitiated—parking is limited and the signage isn’t easy to see. Fresh donuts have been made here daily since 1948 (though nowadays a few products, including the cream horns, are shipped in) and include a variety of expected styles and flavors; but there’s also a selection of filled donuts with flavors like peaches and crème, strawberry crème, blueberry, Bavarian and more. These selections are messy and a little floppy (or perhaps I just caught a batch that didn’t fully rise), but they won’t last long anyway—just grab an extra napkin. There’s no sit-down area, but you’ll want to move along anyway; there’s lots more to eat ahead. Just about 2 minutes up the road is Aroma Café (570 E. Broadway Ave.), Eagleton’s Cuban connection. Situated on the east side of the road, Aroma Café is set back a bit with a little courtyard parking lot. But this restaurant is easy to see—the colors of its signage are
MOTHER EARTH MEATS Mother Earth Meats offers handmade sausages, from Irish bangers to curry wurst, plus hard to find items such as grass-fed elk chops. Amburn’s Hum-Dinger Drive-In has been in business since 1954.
AMBURN’S HUM-DINGER DRIVE-IN
December 3, 2015
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 17
ROCKY’S JAMAICAN SUNRISE Rocky Williams, a native of Negril, Jamaica, prepares some barbecued jerk chicken at Rocky’s Jamaica Sunrise, which he owns with his wife Cheryl. among the boldest in this community. The building itself shows its age, yet the café’s many regulars will tell you that the ramshackle appearance belies the good food inside. The entrance is cluttered with 25-cent candy machines and various printed materials; a countertop warmer case filled with sweet and savory empanadas, croquettes, and other fried delights sits like a gauntlet before the register where you order and pay. The Cuban sandwich with rice and beans gets high praise, but I opt to try the papa rallena—a deepfried potato ball stuffed with ground beef. The large golden orb caught my eye in the warmer case—I suppose, at least in displays, size does matter. It arrived at the table a few minutes later sitting in a little Styrofoam cup and adorned with a soupçon of picadillo 18
KNOXVILLE MERCURY December 3, 2015
stew. It was crunchy, fluffy, salty and enjoyable, but the star was the savory picadillo—seasoned ground beef with olives and raisins. When you continue your southward journey, you‘ll pass a remnant of fast food history; on the left side of the road sits an old Kentucky Fried Chicken building featuring the false mansard roof and cupola that distinguished the restaurant’ 1968 design style. The Colonel, though, has left the building, and now it’s the home of the Power and Praise Tabernacle. Technically, once you pass that building you’re about to cross the imaginary border that marks the end of Eagleton Village. But for our gustatory adventure, we’ll stretch those boundaries a little, because just ahead, painted in bold swaths of green, yellow, and red, lies Rocky’s Jamaica Sunrise (2162 E. Broadway Ave.). The restaurant, which opened almost six years ago, is a family business led by Rocky Williams, a native of Negril, Jamaica. He and his wife Cheryl met while she was vacationing on the island. Their popular eatery
occupies a distinctive two-story building that looks to be the former home of a drive-through hamburger joint. It’s still a drive-through, but take care on your approach as locals, sometimes arriving in carloads, may park behind the restaurant and walk up to the drive-in window. You’ll find seating behind the restaurant at weathered, wood picnic tables underneath a large, white, prefabricated carport. The place gets busy at lunchtime with folks who come get their fix of jerk chicken and Jamaican jerk barbecue, available as pulled pork and ribs. Both goat curry and oxtail stew are on the menu, and Rocky’s may be the only outlet in driving distance for the Jamaican Patty—a round of lightly spiced ground beef that comes encased in a distinctive yellow pastry crust that gets its color from the inclusion of a little curry powder. Rocky’s marks an unofficial waypoint between the close-quartered strip behind and the more open cluster of business ahead. Here, new development sits prominently among more scattered bits of the past: A Food City reigns as the anchor tenant of a strip center, a gleaming Hardee’s sits near the top of a small hill, and other newish buildings stand along the route separated by grassy lots, mostly well-tended with some evidence of a lingering battle with kudzu. There are still some few older buildings, though, like the beautifully flat-roofed and rectangular home of Broadway Vapors and the Blount Chiropractic Center. By now, if you take this journey one bite at a time, it’s easy to have already eaten more than your daily allotment, but there’s more and better ahead. That includes another donut shop, Donut Palace (2010 E. Broadway Ave.). It occupies the remains of a Sonic Drive-In, but if you don’t know to stop it’s easy to bypass the place owing to its understated signage—except for the presence of a car or two, the place often looks abandoned by mid-morning. But it’s a testament to the quality of the sweets inside that almost everyone in Blount County seems to know about it. It’s an old fashioned donut shop—to date there isn’t any commingling of bacon and maple or matcha and black sesame or any other concession to the hipster’s flavor ennui. There are, however, exceptional (and locally famous) apple fritters, near perfect crullers, and some of the best
AROMA CAFE Eagleton’s Cuban connection is the Aroma Café, home to a standout Cuban sandwich with rice and beans, but also more exotic fare like the papa rallena. cake donuts around. The selection really diminishes by lunch time—the best things go fast, so plan accordingly. It’s a happy oddity that not just one but two locally owned donut shops live and thrive in this community—let alone the fact that they thrive within a mile of each other. Both Donut Palace and Richy Kreme have a loyal fan base, and a few gluttons like yours truly who stop at both. And as much as I like salted caramel, honeyed lavender, and bacon with everything, the simple charms of a well-crafted and old-fashioned donut are worth celebrating. As you continue your westward journey, you’ll pass many interesting buildings with longevity and distinctive features, including Dorolee’s Carpet House—you’ll know it when you see it—and the fading red, white, and blue striped awning of Maryville Fastener & Hardware. You’ll notice this store due to a sign that includes a large nut and bolt, and also because it displays many of its wares right outside, including shiny blue wheelbarrows as well as colorful rakes, shovels, and hoes. December 3, 2015
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RICHY KREME DO-NUTS Richy Kreme Donuts has been serving up sugary fried dough since 1948 in a building that looks unchanged. Ashley Barner has only worked at Richy Kreme for three years, however. In just a few blocks you’ll reach yet another extant bit of local food legend—Amburn’s Hum-Dinger Drive-In (1540 E. Broadway Ave.) has been in business since 1954 and, according to my father, Glen, who’s lived in Maryville for most of his life and has collected an eclectic assortment of such knowledge, Hum-Dinger was the first place in Maryville to serve large crinkle-cut fries. It’s still up and running, complete with car-hops and a chuck wagon sandwich. It looks every bit of its 61 years and the food isn’t much to brag about, but my hamburger wasn’t bad given the big helping of nostalgia that comes with sitting in a drive-in; I did enjoy a pleasant chocolate shake at the recommendation of Lisa Misosky, the owner and character in chief of Southland Books and Café (1505 E. Broadway Ave.) just up the street. Misosky owns and runs this combination used book store, bakery, catering operation, and restaurant with her partner Catherine Frye. It’s also the only spot on this side of town to get a good cup of coffee. They offer a full slate of barrista items with artsy nomenclature—there’s the Boo Radley (white mocha), the Eartha Kitt (iced coffee with pumpkin and caramel flavor), and the Yul Brynner (Thai iced tea). The kitsch is clever, never twee, and moderated by quality—the Mighty Quinn, a well-made iced coffee with cream, arrived in a satisfyingly large Mason jar. It’s a fascinating stop with a loose hippie vibe and food that has the feel of a Southern tea room. The menu includes an earnest chicken salad that’s redolent of rosemary and tastes of freshly roasted bird, a beautifully simple pimento cheese, and a biscuity cinnamon roll lovingly smeared with cream cheese-style icing. But there’s also respectable hummus and a fine hamburger that’s grilled on a green egg in the back. All the bread and almost everything else, including pickles, are made in house by Frye. The bookshop primarily handles used books with a slight, but welcome bias for Southern and local Lit, but there’s also an erotica section and a 20
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fulfilling selection of mysteries. All told, Southland stocks about 60,000 titles— the store sells and trades but only buys books on rare occasions. And I’m told that Misosky is a tough negotiator. Southland sits right at the roundabout that brings together East Broadway, Everett High Road, and Harper Avenue. Here’s where you’ll also find Maryville’s Mother Earth Meats (1431 E. Harper Ave.), a gourmet dream. At first glance it’s an average-looking market with shelves of assorted sauces and some sorghum, but the excitement is in the meat case and cooler—and there are tons of different cuts from the usual suspects, including lamb and handmade sausages, from Irish bangers to curry wurst. There’s whole, free-range duck, as well as breasts and tubs of rendered duck fat. But the real star of the show is the collection of harder to find proteins; Mother Earth offers grass-fed elk chops, stuffed quail, and fresh pheasant, either whole or stuffed inside a rabbit tenderloin. The most well-known inhabitant of this intersection is the aforementioned Foothills Milling Bakery (1420 E. Broadway Ave.) that occupies a building that for years has housed one or another country cooking restaurants. It’s an offshoot of one of East Tennessee’s finest dining destinations, Foothills Milling Company in Maryville. But where the Milling Company is only open in the evenings and almost always requires reservations, the bakery is open, come one come all, for lunch service, Monday—Saturday; it does, however, almost always have a line. It only takes a moment for you to realize that this is no ordinary sandwich shop. Even before your eyes reach the menu boards that hang on the wall above the counter and bakery case, you’ll notice that there’s a kitchen full of people in chef’s attire. The sandwiches here get the same kind of intensive care as a dish of tempura-fried lobster tail does at the mother restaurant: the meats are smoked in-house; the bread, including seven or more varieties and a bread of the day, is baked on-site; and local suppliers get a lot of attention. My eyes leapt immediately to the bologna and truffle cheese sandwich— and what a little miracle it is. Foothills’ bologna is sliced thin and piled high and dripping with a house-made truffle cheese. A dab of Calabrian peppers and a scattering of crunchy,
Locals Also Recommend… Maryville’s East Broadway strip contains not only surprising foodie destinations, but also a plethora of thrift stores and odd shops. Here are some noteworthy places to also check out. BLUETICK BREWERY 1509 E. Broadway Ave., Maryville, 865-314-0397, bluetickbrewery.com Founder Chris Snyder, part of the Formerly of Blackberry Farm Brigade, established this craft brewery after transplanting from Minnesota to accept a chef position at Walland’s world-famous inn. The brewery offers a regular series of events with food trucks and, of course, beer; offerings include Little River IPA, Brewer’s Lament Belgian Dubbel, and Sweet Hooler Imperial Milk Chocolate Stout.
FOOTHILLS MILLING BAKERY The end of the foodie trail on East Broadway Avenue (coming from Knoxville, anyway) is the Foothills Milling Bakery—and it may also be the ultimate destination for sandwich gourmands. Casey Myers works the counter. deep-fried onions add both flavor and textural contrast to this extravagant reinterpretation of a simple (and often repulsive) country sandwich. Honestly, it’s a mess to eat, but that’s why the good lord made napkins. If you’ve ever wondered what the fuss about truffles is, here’s an approachable and affordable opportunity to taste it for yourself. The flavor of this sandwich lingers like well-made wine. There are a few sides available to add to your meal, including a selection of potato chips and a rich potato salad, but I found the main attraction so rich and filling that any room I had to spare was better used for dessert, which includes a variety of goodies such as a lovely sweet potato scone. It’s a little strange to eat so well and so diversely in this neck of the woods where it’s easy to think you’ve stumbled upon the land that time and developers forgot. But part of what seasons an eating adventure along this bit of SR33 is the nostalgia that comes from being around untouched moments of the past—and that is something that Five Points and Eagleton Village both still have in spades. ◆
LA LUPITA MEXICAN STORE 2700 E. Broadway Ave., Maryville, 865-9840806, Facebook: La-Lupita-Mexican-Store This combo store and restaurant gets high marks from neighbors for authentic Mexican fare from abodada and tripa tacos to breakfast burritos and menudo, too. Lupita’s Special is a heaping platter of skirt steak, shrimp, beef ribs, cactus, guacamole, beans, and rice. You can also stock up on masa and piñatas. THE RABBIT HOLE 1501 E. Broadway Ave., Maryville, 865-983-7555, Facebook: RabbitHoleHookah This psychedelic side trip sits right next to Southland Books at the roundabout. It’s about the hookah, the whole hookah, and nothing but the hookah. There’s plenty of shisha to go along with trivia nights, movie nights, and quiet afternoons wondering what on Earth Lewis Carrol was smoking. There are supplies, but despite what their Facebook page says, there’s no coffee here: no worries though—it’s easy to step next door between draws. THIS N THAT VENDOR’S MART 1519 E. Broadway, Maryville, 865-724-1491 Also located near the roundabout, there’s a little bit of everything to explore from antiques and collectibles to cosmetics and small furniture. They have booth rentals and consignment available if you’re interested in selling this or that.
December 3, 2015
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P rogram Notes
Scruffy Gala
ince its restoration in 2005, the Tennessee Theatre has become the ultimate local venue for watching films as they were truly meant to be seen—on a large screen, with a crowd of fellow moviegoers, in a place that raises the spirit through its very design. But it’s not often been the place to watch locally made movies—until now. On Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m., the East Tennessee Film Gala will be screening more than 20 short films by area filmmakers as a fundraiser for event host Scruffy City Film & Music Festival, the Knoxville Horror Film Fest, and Knoxville Girls Rock Camp. “We wanted to give East Tennessee filmmakers the opportunity to see their films on the biggest screen and most beautiful venue in Knoxville,” says organizer Michael Samstag in an email interview. “This is an event we would like to do every year as a way of celebrating the best the area represents. We hope it will inspire more people to make their first film or make the film they always wanted to make.” The selections range from horror films to music videos to documentaries, some of them by professionals in Knoxville’s TV production industry and others by amateur moviemakers. The gala is also a competition, with categories in the main genres as well as individual awards for Best Actor, Best Director, Best Cinematographer, and more. The Knoxville Film Office will be providing three cash prizes: $500 for the Best Student Film, $300 for the Best Film From an Emerging Filmmaker, and $200 from the Best Film Made by a Professional Filmmaker. There’s also an Audience Choice award. The Scruffy City Film & Music Festival previously operated under the moniker Knoxville Films, a filmmakers’ group also organized by Samstag. Known for its Knoxville 24-Hour Film Festival competition, which screened
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Inside the Vault: Ernie Ford
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films at the Bijou Theatre, the organization expanded its scope with the annual film and music festival held at Scruffy City Hall and renamed itself after the event. Altogether, the group will be celebrating its 10th anniversary next year, and the East Tennessee Film Gala marks its ninth film festival since 2006. It managed to secure the Tennessee Theatre through financial contributions from Marble Hill Productions and Talent Trek. How likely is it that the gala will become a new annual festival? Samstag has high hopes. “If the event goes off well, this will become our Oscars of Knoxville, an event we’ve run for several years as the ‘Knoscars,’” he says. “In addition to screening films, we will recognize the best filmmakers, actors, cinematographers, writers, editors, and composers working in film and television in East Tennessee. It will be a red-carpet, black-tie celebration of the best creative film and television work in East Tennessee.” As a longtime booster for Knoxville’s homegrown film production scene, Samstag has even bigger goals in mind—he’d like to find a way to provide direct financial and organizational help to local filmmakers. “The long-term goal is to create an organization and event that can help raise money for filmmakers and film festivals in East Tennessee,” Samstag says. “An organization that can help attract out-of-state filmmakers thanks to our incredible crews and locations, as well as providing continuing education for filmmakers of all ages. An organization that celebrates and fosters the incredible talent that calls East Tennessee home.” Tickets for the East Tennessee Film Gala are $21.50 or $35 for VIP seats. More info on Facebook: ScruffyCityFilmandMusicFestival. —Coury Turczyn
Music: Electric Darling
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“Americana Soul”
current Allmusic website profile of the short-lived early ’70s Motown band Hearts of Stone remarks, “It’s unclear what happened to the group after their stint with Motown, but it’s believed that John Myers drifted into gospel music.” He’s done some gospel, yes, but for the last eight years or so, now known for his big black cowboy hat, he’s made an unlikely alliance with some local string bands, especially the Lonetones. They’ve been backing Myers to create a distinct amalgam of folk and R&B, what multi-instrumentalist (and ethnomusicologist) Sean McCullough calls “Americana soul.” The two worked together on Myers’ first solo album, I Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere, just five years ago. We don’t know whether Knoxville has more than one veteran of Motown during the Hitsville era, but we’re pretty sure there’s only one who’s still performing. John Myers turns 80 this week, and to celebrate, his friends are throwing him a little party at Scruffy City Hall. Well, it’s a party for him, but he’s also the main entertainment in a bill that includes Smiley and the Love Dawg, the Lonetones, and Exit 65. Myers grew up here, performing with a vocal harmony group known on old East Vine Street as the Echoes. His career in music started more than 60 years ago, back before rock ’n’ roll, when doo-wop was the emerging style.
Classical: Amahl and the Night Visitors
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Later known as the Five Pennies, the group moved to New Jersey for a time and became moderately well known in the R&B business, especially as backup singers. They made a few recordings of their own, like “Mr. Moon” (1955). (Among their alumni was popular beach-soul recording artist Clifford Curry.) Myers eventually co-founded a Motown-based group called the Hearts of Stone, which made some records in the early ’70s. It’s an early show, from 5 to 8 p.m., a civilized time slot for those of more civilized ages, and McCullough emphasizes that a supper of pizza or sandwiches is available at Scruffy City for those who want it. McCullough says he wanted to recreate the comeback show Myers did at the Time Warp Tea Room in 2007— with a few extras, including rock guitarist/songwriter Kevin Abernathy and Myers’ own wife, Paula. Rarely seen onstage, she may be coaxed forward to read a poem. Bassist/ vocalist Maria Williams, who been working closely with Myers, will take a lead in the proceedings. The show will include an homage to the Five Pennies, “Mr. Moon,” and a Hearts of Stone single, “It’s a Lonesome Road,” which McCullough claims has “a Jackson 5 sort of vibe.” To this day, Myers doesn’t like to be categorized. —Jack Neely
Movie: Christmas, Again
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Video: Tangerine and Bone Tomahawk
Holiday Gift Guide UNIQUE, LOCAL GIFTS FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST
Make your holiday shopping a Knoxville celebration with these unique gift ideas offered by local merchants. You’ll not only be giving your friends and family presents and experiences they’ll treasure, but you’ll also be helping support the businesses that make Knoxville unique itself. December 3, 2015
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FOR THE HOME
Your Gift, Their Name
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FOOD & DRINK
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Coffee, Tea And Me
Creative Style
Vienna Coffee House, just 20 minutes from Knoxville, features live music, warm drinks, and homemade sweet/ savory treats for you to enjoy while you shop for all your coffee and tea loving friends and family. At Vienna, you can stuff your stockings with top-notch coffee and tea brewing devices, gift boxes, mugs, excellent locally roasted coffee, distinctive tea, gift certificates, and much more. It’s the perfect way to treat yourself, relax and turn down the holiday madness while finishing up some of your shopping in the process.
Gift givers, relax! Your epic search for perfect presents for the women on your list has ended—and you can thank Studio 6 Boutique and their selection of stylish clothing, jewelry, and accessories. Studio 6 knows that style isn’t an age, but a frame of mind. So when you give the gift of their hip, urban chic like this What a Deer top, vest, and booties or Cutie in Boho dress, hat, and necklace, you’re not only helping the women in your life find creative style opportunities, you’re also helping access their fun self—and that’s a gift to remember.
VIENNA COFFEE HOUSE, 212 College Street, Maryville, 865-681-0517, viennacoffeehouse.net
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STUDIO 6 BOUTIQUE, 4447 Kingston Pike, 865-337-7456, shopstudio6.com
Me & Co. is a happy place with unique and personalized gifts for every person and pet on your list. From whimsical décor to hand painted ornaments and stocking-stuffers, Me & Co. has one-of-a-kind gifts you’ll love giving.
ME & CO. 7240 Kingston Pike, 865-705-4620, meandcostudios.com 4
FOR THE HOME
Orange Poinsettias Stanley’s grows the finest holiday plants with 45 varieties of poinsettia in all sizes and colors, including our popular Orange Spice poinsettia for UT fans. They have amaryllises, cyclamen, Christmas cacti, wreaths, Christmas trees, and greenery for your holiday decorating.
STANLEY’S GREENHOUSE, 3029 Davenport Rd, 865-573-9591, stanleysgreenhouse.com
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CLOTHING
Fun Fashion This year give gifts that are fabulous and extraordinary! At Sallys Alley, anyone can find unique, fun, and funky gifts for women from a beautiful selection in clothing, jewelry, and accessories, as well as all the latest trends and styles with boho/bohemian flair!
SALLYS ALLEY, 8203 Chapman Highway (7.2 miles south of Henley Street bridge), 865-609-0480, Facebook: Sally Greene, Instagram: sallys_alley
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BOOKS
Local Poetry Jeff Daniel Marion: Poet On the Holston, edited by Jesse Graves, Thomas Alan Holmes, and Ernest Lee Lovers of books and local literature alike will be thrilled with this gift. It’s a collection of 21 pieces that examine the poetry and impact of one of the most beloved voices in Appalachian literature, Jeff Daniel Marion.
To Order: utpress.org or 1-800-621-2736 7
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HEALTH & BEAUTY
Deep-Tissue Massage Developed by the indigenous people of New Zealand and performed locally by Ana Goncalves, Maori Bodywork is an ancient, renowned deep tissue massage that releases pain and restores the body’s energy flow. ‘Tis the season for the gift of healing.
THE KNOXVILLE HEALING CENTER, 313 N Forest Park Blvd., 865-250-8812, knoxvillehealingcenter.com
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FOOD & DRINK
Healthy Precooked Meals The gift of good health starts at the table and that means a Naked Foods gift card. Naked Foods is a healthy meal service that prepares and packages clean, balanced, and delicious meals for busy people who want to eat right.
NAKED FOODS, 9430 S. Northshore Dr., 865-386-7459, Facebook: Naked-foods 9
FOOD & DRINK
Candy! Nothing says Santa like a stocking full of sweets! The small-batch caramels, pralines, and toffee from Walker Creek are just what Santa ordered. And they’re made just over the plateau in Wilson County without preservatives or artificial additives.
WALKER CREEK CONFECTIONS, 114 E Main St, Watertown, TN 37184 & The Idea Hatchery, 1108 Woodland St, Nashville, 615-295-4137, WalkerCreekToffee.com
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STUFF TO DO
See America Artwork
Karate Lessons
It’s the perfect gift for national park fans on your list! SeeAmericaProject.com is an online, crowd-sourced art campaign celebrating our national parks by the Creative Action Network and National Parks Conservation Association. The campaign is reviving the legacy of the 1930s New Deal arts project by inviting artists and designers to create a new collection of See America posters for the digital age. Come meet local See America artist Matt Brass who will be signing his iconic Great Smoky Mountains National Park posters at Mast General Store (402 S. Gay St.) on Sunday, Dec. 6, 1-4 p.m.
Want to kick your holiday gift-giving up a notch? Try something that’s a knockout combination of fitness, fun and focus. Top Knox Winner Broadway Family Karate offers a special Three-Lesson Introductory Gift Certificate for individuals ($19) or whole families ($35) that can make you this year’s super Santa. Your lucky gift-getters just make an appointment for their intro lessons, with no further cost or obligation. Broadway Family Karate is a fun and family-friendly place for students of all ages and fitness levels to get the body and mind in shape with martial arts.
SeeAmericaProject.com
BROADWAY FAMILY KARATE, 2902 Tazewell Pike, Suite J, 865-688-0120, BroadwayFamilyKarate.com December 3, 2015
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From the softest T’s and sweatshirts in town to hats, socks, posters, gift cards, and stocking-stuffers galore, Nothing Too Fancy turns local pride into great gifts and shopping fun! Their men’s “Tennessee Greats” T-shirt boasts some of Tennessee’s finest!
NOTHING TOO FANCY, 435 Union Avenue, 865-951-2916, nothingtoofancy.com 13
MUSIC
Unequaled Ukuleles Open Chord offers the unrivaled open sound and fine tone of Alvarez Ukuleles. Designed with features like dovetail neck joints, slotted rosewood bridges, real bone nut and saddles, and a specially modified bracing design, these ukuleles are lively and sophisticated!
OPEN CHORD MUSIC STORE, 8502 Kingston Pike, 865-281-5874, openchordmusic.com
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Tennessee’s Best
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FOOD & DRINK
Live Theater
Potent Potables
Live theater at the Clarence Brown Theatre is an entertaining and enriching experience that’s easy and affordable to give! This season, you can give an unforgettable gift for as little as $75 with a stylish three-show subscription that includes Shakespeare’s stunning Titus Andronicus, Romulus Linney’s moving drama, A Lesson Before Dying, and the toe-tapping, tune-whistling fun of the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific. And your gift comes with a choice of performance night, FREE parking in McClung Tower Garage, plus FREE and unlimited ticket exchanges—and, of course, the beautiful costumes, sets, lights, and great acting, too!
Family owned for more than 50 years, Harvest Towne Wine and Spirits in Fountain City is the premier location for your holiday Wine, Beer and Spirits in North Knoxville. Gift boxes make a perfect gift for any aficionado on your shopping list. Harvest Towne offers imaginative gifts from established brands like Jack Daniel’s, Crown Royal, Jim Beam, Famous Grouse, Glenmorangie, Ole Smoky, Carolan’s, Sugarland Moonshine and more. Wine offerings abound during the season at Harvest Towne with all the popular labels from Barefoot, Woodbridge, and Kendall Jackson. Harvest Towne Wine and Spirits also stocks seasonal beverages like Beaujolais Nouveau, mead, egg nogs, and a large selection of craft beers. Like them on Facebook.
CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE, 1714 Andy Holt Avenue, 865-974-5161, clarencebrowntheatre.com
HARVEST TOWNE WINE & SPIRITS, 4860 N. Broadway, 865-688-4672, harvesttownewinespirits-hub.com
ACCESSORIES
Unique Handmade Jewelry Lizard Thicket offers handmade jewelry brands like Bourbon and Boweties that will make you a popular Santa. Bracelets and rings she can wear singly or as a stacked set are available with assorted colors of precious stones and fine crystals. Retail $29-$36!
LIZARD THICKET, 11369 Parkside Drive, 865-671-0684, shoplizardthicket.com 17
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Local Wall Art Share some Knoxville pride with an original letterpressed city print poster. This distinctive wall art is created right here in downtown Knoxville and is hand printed on 100 percent cotton paper. Other cities are available, but, of course, Knoxville makes the perfect gift.
THE HAPPY ENVELOPE, 310 West Jackson Ave., Suite 101, 865-633-0200, thehappyenvelope.com
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HEALTH & BEAUTY
Good Shades The enduring style of Ray-Ban will light up the eyes of anybody on your list—especially you! And who doesn’t like to buy a gift for themselves from time to time—especially one that’s this practical? Luttrell’s Eyewear has the largest selection of prescription and non-prescription Ray-Bans in this neck of the woods, not to mention a great selection of accessories, from funky eyeglass and sunglass cases to handmade sunglass clips and more. And since it’s nearly the end of the year, it’s time to use up your Healthcare Spending Account and give your look (and your vision) a treat.
LUTTRELL’S EYEWEAR, 5030 Kingston Pike, 865-588-4052 & 11730 Kingston Pike, 865-671-2145, luttrellseyewear.com
BOOKS
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ACCESSORIES
Get Out And Hike
A Return To Elegance
Hiking Trails of the Great Smoky Mountains, by Kenneth Wise With more than 30 years of experience, Kenneth Wise brings an exceptional depth of knowledge to this guide. Both experienced hikers and novices will find this newly revised edition an invaluable resource for trekking in the splendor of the Smokies.
Luxury and style are gifts that never lose their luster. Treat the sophisticated lady on your list with an unforgettable gift from a carefully curated collection of jewelry from Kendra Scott and Loren Hope, or choose from a collection of smart purses, wallets, and shoes by Tory Burch. Est8te offers distinctive scarves, fur vests, robes, and pajamas, too, as well as incomparable hostess gifts from candles to soaps. An Est8te gift certificate is a clever way to stuff her stocking—it’s a gift of a unique shopping experience, personalized service all while proving both your love and your good taste.
To Order: utpress.org or 1-800-621-2736 20
HEALTH & BEAUTY
Downtown Massage + Wellness Runner Up for the 2015 Top Knox’s Massage Therapy, Meadowsweet’s approach is holistic, thoughtful and personalized to your needs. Located in the heart of downtown, give the gift of well being and relaxation this holiday season. Gift Certificates available online and in-store!
MEADOWSWEET MASSAGE & WELLNESS CENTER, 117 S. Gay St., 865-221-0334, meadowsweetwellness.com
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EST8TE BOUTIQUE in The District In Bearden, 145 S. Forest Park Blvd., 865-588-1588, est8te.net
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CLOTHING
The Gift Of Warmth Men’s Carto and Women’s Cinnabar Tri-climate Jackets from The North Face are really three jackets in one with a waterproof shell and an insulated liner jacket that you can wear together in cold, wet conditions or separately as weather permits.
LITTLE RIVER TRADING CO, 2408 E Lamar Alexander Pky., 865-681-4141, littlerivertradingco.com 23
HEALTH & BEAUTY
New Style, New Salon Grow, Knoxville’s exciting new salon, offers the best in services and products for your hair, skin, and body, as well as art and jewelry from Knoxville’s best artists. And their gift certificates make perfect stocking-stuffers!
GROW, 5607 Kingston Pike, 865-450-5490, GrowKnoxville.com
December 3, 2015
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ART
The Art Of Glass Internationally renowned local glass artist Tommie Rush presents an exciting new collection of her classic botanical vases and bowls made using techniques learned during her recent studies in Venice, Italy. Join Bennett Galleries throughout December to see this new work!
BENNETT GALLERIES, 5308 Kingston Pike, 865-584-6791, bennettgalleries.com 25
HOME & GARDEN
Houses For Birds And Bats Birdhouses and a bat house? Yes, Stanley’s has ideal gifts for both bird and bat lovers! Their Heartwood birdhouses are handmade from hardwoods like mahogany or cypress. For bat lovers, a bat lodge promises the bats in your belfry a safe place to call home.
STANLEY’S GREENHOUSE, 3029 Davenport Rd, 865-573-9591, stanleysgreenhouse.com
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BOOKS
Lessons For Life 26
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Handmade Wood Wine Caddy & Serving Tray
Mouth-Blown Beer Glasses & Ornaments
From trimming the tree to the gifts underneath it and all of your Holiday entertaining needs Liz-Beth & Co. offers Knoxville’s largest selection of local and regional Art Glass Ornaments, Pottery, Wearable Art, Jewelry, Handmade Gifts, Custom Framing and Wall Art. Our handcrafted wood wine caddy and serving tray sets are just one of many artful gifts that everyone will enjoy! Take advantage of one-stop gift shopping with convenient holiday hours: Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
A quality craft beer is too good to let your friends, neighbors and family drink out of boring glasses. Help them out this year and give them a really useful gift made right here in town by Pretentious Beer Glass Company. Owner/artist Matthew Cummings creates handmade and mouth-blown beer glasses that are perfect for a broad range of craft beers—and they’re works of art, too. He also creates bourbon glasses, water carafes, art glass, vases, and a ton of seasonal items like ornaments, glass candy canes, and icicles, too! Offering “blow your own” ornaments this season. Holiday Sale Dec. 5th, 9a-4p.
LIZ-BETH & CO., Gallery Shopping Center, 7240 Kingston Pike, 865-691-8129, liz-beth.com
PRETENTIOUS BEER GLASS COMPANY, 133 South Central Street, 606-688-0345, pretentiousglass.com
Sport Is Life With the Volume Turned Up, by Joan Cronan During her 28 years as Women’s Athletics Director for the University of Tennessee, Joan Cronan built one of the nation’s most respected women’s athletics programs. In this book, she offers an innovative perspective on strengthening performance and achieving success both in business and everyday life.
To Order: utpress.org or 1-800-621-2736 29
ACCESSORIES
Mercury Tote Bag Created as a perk for our Kickstarter donors, this Knoxville Mercury tote bag is available in limited quanities. It’s a stylish way to show your support of independent local journalism, while carrying stuff!
store.knoxmercury.com
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High Fashion From Diana Warner Diana Warner offers extraordinary clothing and accessories like the Quinn Kendall Cable Sweater ($338) that’s made of the highest quality Mongolian cashmere and is available in several colors. Henry and Belle Super Skinny Ankle Jeans ($154) slim and elongate your body and feature a super stretch that forms a flattering silhouette. The Hobo Lauren Wallet ($110) in garnet is a holiday favorite! You can also pair the Bed Stu Cambridge Boots ($295) with their selection of amazing jeans and leggings. The Diana Warner Eimear Necklace ($220), a cluster of Swarovski crystals, comes in many colors and makes any outfit outstanding! Vintage Tara Earrings ($95) are popular for weddings or any social occasion.
DIANA WARNER KNOXVILLE, The Gallery Shopping Center, 7240 Kingston Pike, 865-454-8978, dianawarnerknoxville@gmail.com.
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All Butter All The Time
Distinctive Decor
Wanna make everybody on your list smile? Magpies’ gift cards, available in any amount, are the gift of yum that everybody loves. Plus, you can find their delights at Holly’s Gourmet’s Market, Three Rivers Market, Kroger Cedar Bluff, and Kroger Farragut.
Westwood Antique’s selection of Christmas decorations are old-fashioned yet contemporary and will add just the right sparkle to your home— they make welcome gifts, too! With beautiful and tasteful gift ideas, Westwood Antiques is just the place to find your Holiday Spirit!
MAGPIES CAKES, 846 N.Central St., 865-673-0471, magpiescakes.com 32
HOME & GARDEN
A Cuppa 865 This 865 design is just one of Nothing Too Fancy’s collection of locally themed ceramic mugs & pint glasses. When you represent the 865 pride with a distinctive gift from this locally owned shop, an angel gets its wings. Ring, ring.
NOTHING TOO FANCY, 435 Union Ave., 865-9512916, nothingtoofancy.com
WESTWOOD ANTIQUE & DESIGN MARKET, 4861 Kingston Pike, 865-588-3088 34
HOME & GARDEN
Fun Stuff For All Your Girls Plan a trip to Gifty Girl to discover for yourself everything they have in store to help you enjoy this holiday season to the fullest. Let them assist you in “wrapping up” your holidays with a unique buying experience.
GIFTY GIRL, 9430 S Northshore Dr., #105, 865-357-4438, shopgiftygirl.com
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ART
Whittington Creek Holiday Art Sale Give the gift of art! Bring a friend and enjoy stress-free shopping at the 6th annual Whittington Creek Holiday Art Sale. Handmade, affordable art like this stoneware chip and dip set made by local potter Lisa Kurtz will be featured on Dec. 12-13 at the Whittington Creek Clubhouse. Hours are Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Pottery, paintings, photographs, jewelry, quilted items, wind chimes, metal art, garden art, wood art and more by local artists will be available for purchase. The show is free, open to the public, and includes kids art activities, refreshments, and a silent art auction for Alzheimer’s Tennessee.
WHITTINGTON CREEK HOLIDAY ART SALE, Whittington Creek Clubhouse, 1800 Whittington Creek Boulevard, WhittingtonCreekArtShow.com
December 3, 2015
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MUSIC
Some Little Cajons
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CLOTHING
Wearable Architecture 36
STUFF TO DO
Pamper Her With A Portrait The Stunning Portrait Session is the best gift you can give this season! The session will start by having a professional makeup artist and hairstylist pamper you. Then, in choosing your clothes, you can go from a warm sweater to an evening gown featuring your favorite jewels. $1,200 with a $400 print credit. Tell them you saw this write-up and receive $200 off ! Gift Certificates available. To see more images, go to The Stunning Portrait Session at Johnblackphotography.com.
JOHN BLACK PHOTOGRAPHY, 514 W. Jackson Ave. #103, 865-748-5515, Johnblackphotography.com
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The Eiffel Tower and the Sunsphere have more in common than you might think. For one, both were built for World’s Fairs. Royal Blue with white print on soft, tri-blend tees. Available at CIRCAwear.com for $25 with free shipping.
CIRCA WEAR, 865-385-4715, circawear.com 38
STUFF TO DO
Print Your Own Cards This letterpress printmaking studio is open to the community this holiday season, offering group workshops, private lessons, and studio rental. Give someone you love a class, limited edition art, Knoxville related ephemera, or some hand-printed stationery. Gift certificates are available!
STRIPED LIGHT, 107 Bearden Place, 865-200-8541, stripedlight.com
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ACCESSORIES
Custom Fingerprint Pendants Capture a moment with the Precious Metal Prints line of custom fingerprint and pet nose pendants in fine silver and gold vermeil. These pendants make a great holiday gift for the mom, grandmother or pet lover in your life. Show your local pride with State Love designs featuring Tennessee three star flag pendants and cuff links as well as the popular Tennessee shaped pendants with a heart over Knoxville. Available at Bliss at 24 Market Square or visit preciousmetalprints.com and statelovejewelry.com to find a retailer in your area or to shop online.
BLISS, 24 Market Square, 865-329-8868, shopinbliss.com, preciousmetalprints.com
Treat your musician to a spontaneous jam session with MEINL’s new Mini Cajons! They’re fun to play and easy to carry. Made from Birchwood, their thin front plate responds to even the lightest finger rolls. $29.99
OPEN CHORD MUSIC STORE, 8502 Kingston Pike, 865-281-5874, openchordmusic.com 41
FOOD & DRINK
Crepes For Christmas! A French Market gift card is more than a mouth-watering gift from Knoxville’s only authentic French crepe restaurant! It also includes a unique line of French products including jams, mustards and vinegars as well as soaps, Cavallini posters, greeting cards, and more! Visit both locations.
THE FRENCH MARKET, 526 S. Gay St., 865-540-4372 & 161 Brooklawn St. (Farragut), 865-288-7912, thefrenchmarketknoxville.com
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ACCESSORIES
Old World Craftsmanship For Him
Searching for that perfect gift for the men in your life? Billfolds and card cases make good stocking-stuffers. With Nash for Men you can take that ordinary gift to the next level with a finely crafted Italian leather wallet designed to carry what he needs while maintaining a slim silhouette. A sleek Double Billfold, compact Gusseted Card Case, and classic Tri-fold are available. Looking for something more? Shop men’s leather Backpacks, Messenger Bags, Briefcases, and Weekend Duffles. Nash for Men is available online at nashformen.com or at the Patricia Nash Flagship Store, 109 S. Gay Street.
NASH FOR MEN, 109 S. Gay St., 865-524-2626, nashformen.com
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HOME & GARDEN
Beyond Red And Green At The Holidays Think pink or white as a holiday contrast color with Stanley’s Princettia poinsettias that are a vision of unexpected magenta, pink, and white with serendipitous pink accents. And Stanley’s offers no-expiration-date gift certificates to please almost anyone on your list!
STANLEY’S GREENHOUSE, 3029 Davenport Rd., 865-573-9591, stanleysgreenhouse.com 44
FOOD & DRINK
Locally And Craft Roasted Coffee Coffee fanatics and coffee newbies alike need look no further this season. Visit Vienna’s website for locally and craft roasted coffee by the bag or join the coffee club for a monthly delivery to you or long distance loved ones.
VIENNA COFFEE COMPANY, 212 College Street, Maryville, 865-681-0517, viennacoffeecompany.com
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ACCESSORIES
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ACCESSORIES
Locally Made Bling
The Perfect Bag For Her
Jessica Weiss handcrafts unique and wearable pieces of jewelry art in her cozy Knoxville studio. Her beautiful creations, like this 18k diamond and sapphire necklace with handmade chain, are gifts that give thrills to anybody who finds them under the tree.
Think of the things the women in your life would love as a gift and then step it up a couple of notches with designer Italian leather so their presents are anything but ordinary! Signature Map print is a classic favorite available in several styles including the Benvenuto Tote, Milano Weekender, and Paradiso Train Case. Not quite her? We’ve got you covered with a huge selection of shapes, sizes, and colors… something perfect for every woman including gift cards. Patricia Nash is available online at patricianashdesigns.com or at the Patricia Nash Flagship Store, 109 S. Gay Street.
JESSICA WEISS JEWELRY & STUDIO, 5805 Kingston Pike, 865-588-0801, jessicaweissjewelry.com 46
ACCESSORIES
Handcrafted Fine Jewelry Inspired by nature, Sydney Lynch’s contemporary sculptural forms are among The District Gallery’s collection of handcrafted jewelry from more than two dozen American jewelers. Lynch’s 1-inch wide Skyline cuff is made from oxidized silver, 22k gold, and four diamonds [.20 tcw].
PATRICIA NASH, 109 S. Gay St., 865-524-2626, patricianashdesigns.com
THE DISTRICT GALLERY & FRAMERY, 5113 Kingston Pike, 865-200-4452, thedistrictgallery.com
December 3, 2015
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HOME & GARDEN
Good Taste
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CLOTHING
Tennessee Pride Holiday shopping is exhausting and stressful. Never fear. Nothing Too Fancy is here! They have something for everyone on your list—like this ladies TN Flag T-shirt on a scoop-neck tri-blend. It’s super soft and perfect for every occasion!
NOTHING TOO FANCY, 435 Union Ave., 865-951-2916, nothingtoofancy.com 49
HOME & GARDEN
Upscale Home Décor Mango’s stocks a remarkable number of unique gifts starting at just $10—including scarves, boot cuffs, jewelry, ornaments, stockings, candles, home decor, furniture, lighting and more! All of their distinctive items are competitively priced and will bring lots of holiday happiness.
MANGO’S DECOR & CO., 309 S. Northshore Dr., 865-247-4569, Facebook: mangosdecorandco 32
KNOXVILLE MERCURY December 3, 2015
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MUSIC
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ACCESSORIES
Good Bass And Treble
Smart Convenience
Play Santa to your special someone’s ears with a set of new Sennheiser Momentum Wireless Headphones. It’s the gift of crystal-clear sound without the distraction, tangle and bother of cables. Combining high-resolution sound with a lightweight, puristic design and exclusive materials like stainless steel and real leather, these headphones offer clear, richly detailed sound with powerful bass. With an integrated VoiceMax internal microphone, it’s also the gift of crystal clear conversations! Visit the experts at @home Audio Video and experience the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless Headphones for yourself. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Give the gift of organization this holiday season with the revolutionary Handbag Handcuff ! Simply attach one cuff to your bag and the other cuff to your car’s headrest post, a shopping cart or a chair to keep your bag(s) in place and accessible while driving, shopping or dining. Use it with grocery and takeout bags, laptops and briefcases, gym bags, portfolios and even diaper bags. Take it anywhere!
@HOME AUDIO VIDEO, 5084 Kingston Pike, 865-584-1800, athomeaudiovideo.com
BLISS, 24 Market Square, 865-329-8868, shopinbliss.com
Westwood Antique and Design Market features a charming selection of decanters from Waterford, Gorham, and Baccarat at surprisingly low prices, as well as crystal stemware and cocktail glassware for your holiday entertaining pleasure. Or treat yourself or that someone special with a set of sterling flatware while it’s 20 percent off !
WESTWOOD ANTIQUE & DESIGN MARKET, 4861 Kingston Pike, 865-588-3088 53
CLOTHING
Big Warmth, Little Package The world’s lightest, full-featured down jacket makes an impressive gift. The sub-8-ounce Ghost Whisperer Down from Mountain Hardwear compresses into its own pocket for easy storage. It’s designed with essentials in mind: Q. Shield DOWN 800-fill insulation resists moisture and maintains warmth.
LITTLE RIVER TRADING CO, 2408 E. Lamar Alexander Pky., 865-681-4141, littlerivertradingco.com
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BOOKS
Local Entertainment History
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HEALTH & BEAUTY
Don’t Run Naked Do socks matter? What can I do about chafing? Are my shoes worn out? What can I do about heel pain? Year-round, whether you are shopping for your runner or have questions about your fitness needs, Runner’s Market is the place where you can get help. They know a thing or two about shoes and shoe fitting and can steer you toward the right equipment for your lifestyle. Shoes, socks, apparel, accessories and more! Visit either location.
RUNNER’S MARKET, Western Plaza in Bearden 865-588-1650 or the Village Green Center in Farragut 865-671-4854, runnersmarket.com
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Experience The Longevity Difference! Longevity’s premier studio is devoted to your personalized care. No upgrade or add on fees. No contracts. No stress over what massage or facial you should choose. The only thing you need to decide is how long you want to spend with them. Their professional staff will customize your service based on your needs and take care of the rest. Their gift card sale is here: Nov. 23 through Dec. 24, for every $100 you purchase you receive $25 free. Purchase at longevityknoxville.com/giftcards. Proud to be Top Knox 2015 Runner Up! Come see what all the buzz is about!
The Tennessee Theatre: A Grand Entertainment Palace (a 228 page, full-color, hardbound book) written by Jack Neely and designed by Robin Easter Design is a thoughtful gift that tells the history of the Tennessee Theatre through fascinating narrative and hundreds of images: photographs, advertisements, posters, tickets, and more. It uncovers details of the theater’s history, including the design and construction of the building and performances from its past. You can also select gifts like cotton and tri-blend T-shirts and limited-edition posters designed by Status Serigraph, 16-ounce pint glasses featuring the marquee, coffee mugs, and gift certificates!
TENNESSEE THEATRE FOUNDATION, 604 S. Gay Street, 865-684-1200, tennesseetheatre.com/giftshop
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ART
Knoxville Mercury Liftoff Poster Created as a perk for the Knoxville Mercury’s Kickstarter donors, this poster is one of a few leftovers available to you for a limited time! Hand-printed by Mercury art director Tricia Bateman at Striped Light Letterpress Studio, each 12.5” x 14.5” print is truly unique. And gorgeous! Quantities are limited.
store.knoxmercury.com
LONGEVITY MASSAGE SPECIALIST, 9307 S. Northshore Dr., 865-253-7902, longevityknoxville.com
December 3, 2015
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HOME & GARDEN
The Grillmaster
The Best Of Everything
The Grill Store in Bearden offers the complete line of Big Green Eggs, from a Mini Egg to the new EGGzilla—an XXLarge EGG twice the size of the already impressive XLarge EGG. If your special chef already has a Big Green Egg, look no further for hundreds of grilling accessories and gourmet seasonings and sauces that make perfect gifts not only for EGG users but for any type of outdoor grill master. The store offers aromatic smoking woods, gourmet grilling planks, 100 percent organic lump charcoal, dozens of seasonings and rubs for meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables, and much more.
With an exclusive line of Italian pewter, hand-blown glasses, and the largest selection of Jan Barboglio in the city, Bennett Galleries has the best of everything for your table top, holiday entertaining and all your gift giving needs.
THE GRILL STORE, 203 S. Northshore Dr., 865-588-1290, prismpoolsknoxville.com
BENNETT GALLERIES, 5308 Kingston Pike, 865-584-6791, bennettgalleries.com 60
ART
Handcrafted Artisan Glass The District Gallery’s Mary Melinda Wellsandt uses a sandblaster to carve into the glass and applies paints and other media to render her original photography, drawings, and paintings. Her Long Leaf vase is hand-blown/ carved/painted glass and is 8.5 inches tall.
THE DISTRICT GALLERY & FRAMERY, 5113 Kingston Pike, 865-200-4452, thedistrictgallery.com
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CLOTHING
The Official Knoxville Mercury Hoodie Snuggle up with independent journalism. Created as a perk for the Mercury’s Kickstarter donors, this delightfully comfy hoodie is a sturdy and warm Gildan poly-cotton blend. Perfect for cooler weather!
store.knoxmercury.com
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Inside the Vault
Ford Tough Tennessee Ernie Ford’s brief but historic stint as a Knoxville radio personality BY ERIC DAWSON
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ennessee Ernie Ford’s time in Knoxville as a radio announcer didn’t last very long, but his chance involvement in a historic event would leave a lasting impression on Ford and his listeners. Ernest Jennings Ford began his radio career at WOPI in his home town of Bristol, and for a brief time his voice could be heard over Atlanta airwaves. A month shy of his 21st birthday, in January 1941, he took a job in Knoxville as a news announcer and DJ at WROL, then located in the Holston Building. During an on-air news reading the afternoon of Dec. 7, 1941, both the AP and UPI teletypes in the studio began chattering. At the time, if a news event was particularly urgent, bells connected to the teletypes would chime. Ford’s son, Jeffrey Buckner “Buck” Ford, an actor who divides his time between Nashville and Los Angeles, remembers his father recounting how he had to silence the bells before he could continue speaking. He then took a deep drink of coffee and announced that Pearl Harbor Naval Station in Honolulu had been attacked. For East Tennesseans, it was Ford’s voice that informed them of the life-changing event. Within days, Ford joined the Army. When new recruits were gathered at the induction station, which Buck thinks might have been in Lawson McGhee Library, they were asked if any of them wanted to fly. Having been interested in aviation since he was a child, Ford immediately volunteered to join the Army Air Corp, where he rose to the rank of fi rst lieutenant. He did not, Buck says,
pass his pilot’s test, and was stationed as an instructor at the Army’s secret aerial bombing training site in Victorville, Calif. Ford met his wife, Betty Heminger, there; as the only woman on the base, she assisted in the scoring of the cadets’ tests. After the war, Ford returned to WOPI in Bristol, but after only a few months took a job as an announcer at KFXM in San Bernardino, his wife’s home town. A short stint at KOH in Reno followed, and eventually he made the jump to the larger market of KXLA in Pasadena. It was here that the Tennessee Ernie Ford persona caught on. Reading news as the dignified and sonorous E. Jennings Ford, he would then slip into the down-homey Tennessee Ernie character for the “Bar Nothin’ Ranch Time” show. Most listeners, including country musician Cliffie Stone, had no idea the two announcers were one and the same. Stone turned up at the KXLA studios one day and asked Ford to introduce him to Tennessee Ernie, whom Stone had heard singing impressive harmony over his records on air. It was the beginning of a decade-long musical partnership, with Stone acting as Ford’s manager and arranging appearances on radio and television. Buck says his father initially had designs on a career in opera, having trained as a classical singer at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, but Tennessee Ernie was just too popular and lucrative, especially after his 1950 recording “Shotgun Boogie” became a hit. The Bear Family label out of Germany recently released a five-CD box set containing all of Ford’s non-religious recordings from 1949 to 1960, if you’re interested in hearing him in his prime.
A&E
Ford remained close to the armed services the rest of his life, and his son says he always considered himself a soldier, often performing for various branches of the Armed Forces. A week before I spoke with Buck Ford, I came across a series of Armed Forces transcription discs at an antique store. These records, live studio recordings of country-music acts meant to be played on radio as recruitment tools, were not released commercially. The majority I found were from the Air Force’s Country Music Time program from the 1960s, featuring artists such as the Osborne Brothers, Jean Sheppard, Hank Snow, the Wilburn Brothers, and Martha Carson, who frequently performed on WNOX in the late 1940s and early 1950s before breaking big and appearing on televisions shows such as Tennessee Ernie Ford’s. Tom Paul (a misspelling of Tompall) and the Glaser Brothers recorded a program, back when they owed more to Marty Robbins and folk-music trios than outlaw country. They even throw in a jazz interlude of “Stompin’ at the Savoy.” One particularly interesting disc was the Navy’s program Hootenavy. Host Ernest Tubb informs us that “Hootenavy is a hootenanny that went to sea.” There’s a small irony in this, as the term hootenanny was introduced to describe group folk singing by Communist-affi liated congressman Hugh De Lacy. It was later popularized by the anti-war Popular Front group the Almanac Singers, whose members included Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. By the time of the Hootenavy recordings, in the mid 1960s, the word was popular enough to be the title of a national ABC television show devoted to largely apolitical folk music and seemed to be detached from any political affi liation. I haven’t found evidence of any Tennessee Ernie Ford transcription discs, but as he performed for Armed Forces Radio, it’s entirely possible that such recordings exist. ◆ Inside the Vault features discoveries from the Knox County Public Library’s Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound, a collection of film, video, music, and other media from around East Tennessee. December 3, 2015
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A&E
Music
Electric Ladyland A pair of ex-Dirty Guv’nahs explore “soul-tinged rock ’n’ roll” in Electric Darling BY MIKE GIBSON
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hen Kevin Hyfantis hinted he didn’t have to be the lead singer in a new project he was founding with fellow former Dirty Guv’nah Cozmo Holloway, he set the stage for the emergence of Knoxville’s most dynamic new frontwoman. “Kevin and I had been writing songs together, planning this thing for a month or two,” remembers Holloway, guitarist and cofounder of Electric Darling. “Then one day he kind of indicated, You know, we could get someone else to be the singer. It was just a passing remark. But a light bulb went off in my head. I had just connected with Yas, so I immediately said, let’s bring her in. Kevin and I already had some chemistry going on with our songwriting, and getting Yas only made it stronger.” Yas would be the irrepressible Yasameen Hoffman-Shahin, a former University of Tennessee vocal performance major who had gigged around town as a sidewoman but never as the full-fledged lead singer of her own band. That changed quickly
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the night she sat in on her first rehearsal with guitarist Holloway and multi-instrumentalist Hyfantis as part of Electric Darling. “She killed it,” says Holloway. “The thing about Yas is that she obviously has a great voice. But she’s a performer, not just a singer. Her energy is contagious. She has that cool vibe of a Jill Scott or a Lauryn Hill. The audience feels cool just being around her.” The genesis of Electric Darling dates back to 2014, when Holloway and Hyfantis began collaborating on songs for a new Dirty Guv’nahs album. When other members of the band decided 2015 would be the Guv’nahs’ last, the duo decided to strike out on their own. “Our chemistry was good,” Holloway says. “And we wanted to see where it could go.” Then came Yas. For her part, Hoffman-Shahin says that after years of singing someone else’s music, she relished the chance to take a measure of control, as a full partner with other musicians of stature.
“I finally get to move out front and center, not just be in a support role,” she says. “I get to sing the way I want to sing. And when we’re working on something, it’s really fun to have Cozmo and Kevin turn to me and say, what do you think?” Holloway describes the band’s earliest efforts—they have four songs posted via Soundcloud at electricdarling.com—as soul-tinged rock ’n’ roll, though he acknowledges that Electric Darling is still a work in progress. “We’re predominantly a rock band,” he says. “We tend to have a lot of funk and soul influences in our rhythms, but the chord progressions and melodies are very much rock ’n’ roll. We want to lean toward the rock ’n’ roll side of things because so many people are doing the throwback-soul thing right now.” The band’s live debut, in July, went over big with a nearly packed house at Scruffy City Hall. Local music-scene regulars knew to expect good things from Holloway and Hyfantis, versatile veteran players with monster chops and plenty of performance savvy. Yet by night’s end, Hoffman-Shahin was the center of attention, holding the audience rapt with her sleek, powerful vocals and brash onstage demeanor. “For some reason, I feel 10,000 times safer on stage than I do in a one-on-one situation,” Hoffman-Shahin says. “I get up there and it’s like I step into someone else. I shed my skin, my eyes go blank, and I don’t remember anything that I do afterwards. It’s like there’s something that’s inside me and it has to get out.” But though Electric Darling may have looked a lot like a band that has been together for years at that stellar premiere, Holloway says the learning curve has been sharp—for Hoffman-Shahin, and for her more experienced bandmates as well. “Coming from her background to singing for a rock band has required a lot of adjustment,” Holloway says. “She’s finding her own sound, tapping into a part of her voice she didn’t know about before. But she can absorb things very quickly. She takes suggestions, and she makes them her own.”
For himself, Holloway notes that songwriting is still a relatively new frontier—much of his earlier musical experience, in local outfits like Aftah Party and Dishwater Blonde, was as the gonzo sideman, the stunt guitarist who played frenetic leads over someone else’s tunes. “There was a lot of evolution in my playing with the Guv’nahs, and a lot of it had to do with songwriting and learning to play for the song,” Holloway says. “Being part of a songwriting team is a new thing for me, too. And it excites me, the prospect of turning over those new stones.” Because the band is still finding its way, Holloway says it will probably be another year or so before Electric Darling commits to recording its first full-length album. “I want to be solidified in our vision, on what our voice is going to be before we do that first album,” he says. “Of course, you’re always going to evolve, change, and rethink the things you’ve done before. And I think we have some strong stuff in our first batch of songs. But by this time next year, I think we’ll have a much better idea of what the ‘first version’ of Electric Darling will be.”◆
WHO
The Big Pink with Electric Darling
WHERE
Scruffy City Hall (32 Market Square)
WHEN
Saturday, Dec. 5, at 9 p.m.
HOW MUCH $5
MORE INFO
scruffycity.com
Classical
Christmas Visit Marble City Opera lands at St. John’s for Amahl and the Night Visitors BY ALAN SHERROD
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t has been barely two and a half years since I first wrote about the birth of Marble City Opera, its inaugural production of The Face on the Barroom Floor, and the founders’ intention to produce chamber opera to “define and add a sorely needed layer to Knoxville’s already diverse music and performance scene.” While that initial effort could have been a one-and-done—as many similar efforts often are—the opposite has happened. The company has attracted dedicated audiences for its productions and has succeeded in developing a pool of local singers and instrumentalists. And, perhaps even more importantly, the company has attracted financial support from those who believe in both the real and symbolic importance of a diverse arts scene to Knoxville’s downtown revitalization.
MCO’s productions have followed the basic definition of chamber opera—smaller-scale works, often contemporary, and often in nontraditional performance spaces. This weekend, the company tries out yet another space, the nave of downtown’s St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, and one of the contemporary classics of chamber opera, Gian Carlo Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors. This production will be MCO’s ninth in seven different venues since the company began. Originally commissioned by the NBC network and produced for a live Christmas Eve television broadcast in 1951, the one-act Amahl and the Night Visitors became quite popular throughout the 1950s and early ’60s through repeat telecasts. However, due to a disagreement between
Menotti and NBC over the conditions of a 1963 telecast, it disappeared from television in the U.S. after 1966, when NBC’s performance rights expired. As a result, the opera’s visibility and popularity with a mass audience waned, but it has remained a favorite family-oriented production of many chamber opera companies. Menotti’s libretto mixes the folk legend of the fabled three kings—Kaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar—with a nod to the biblical story of the unnamed Magi of the New Testament’s book of Matthew. In the story, the three kings, on their way to visit an unnamed “child of wonder,” stop for shelter at the home of an impoverished, crippled shepherd boy, Amahl, and his mother. In the course of offering his only possession, his crutch, as a gift to the child, Amahl is miraculously healed and leaves with the kings to visit the child himself. This production sprang from an ongoing conversation between MCO artistic director Kathryn Frady and Knoxville composer Jason Overall regarding a possible future project. When Overall became the music director at St. John’s, in 2014, he proposed the idea of a free December production of Amahl and the Night Visitors as a part of their Cathedral Arts Series. Following Menotti’s suggestion, the role of Amahl in this production will be sung by a boy soprano ( Josiah Mustaleski and Joseph Coram) in each of the two performances. Familiar MCO faces include Frady, who will be singing the role of the mother, with Vincent Davis, Dominick White, and Daniel Webb singing the roles of the kings. Bass Peter Johnson is singing the role of the Page. James Marvel is directing, with the orchestra conducted by Ace Edewards. Because St. John’s is MCO’s largest venue to date and has subsidized the production, Amahl may mean a lot for the company’s future in terms of visibility and reputation. “It’s a big leap for Marble City Opera in more ways than one,” Frady says. “I know it will give us a bigger audience and allow us to reach new people we haven’t reached before.”
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Expanding the audience for a chamber opera company is no small achievement. It depends, not surprisingly, on fundraising and finding suitable theatrical venues. Frady believes the template for the future may already be in place. “What we did last season was a lot of fun,” she says. “In my dream world, we’d do a world premiere followed by a more traditional opera in an untraditional way, in an untraditional space. Then we’d do a piece like Amahl, written in the 20th century, that doesn’t get performed by larger companies due to its smaller scale. “I think this is a really cool way to engage an audience in not just what we do, but in what Knoxville Opera does, what UT Opera does. Ultimately, that’s what I hope Marble City Opera does— help the art form to survive.” Later this season, MCO has lined up the professional premiere of Sweets by Kate by Griffin Candey, for a late spring or early summer performance. Admission to Amahl and the Night Visitors is free, but reservations are required. Call 865-525-7347. ◆
WHAT
Marble City Opera: Amahl and the Night Visitors
WHERE
St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral (413 Cumberland Ave.)
WHEN
Friday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 6, at 3 p.m.
HOW MUCH Free
INFO
marblecityopera.com
December 3, 2015
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A&E
Movie
Yuletide Heartbreak Low-key indie drama Christmas, Again feels more like life than a Christmas movie BY LEE GARDNER
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hristmas, Again isn’t really a Christmas movie–not like you’re thinking. It is set in the weeks leading up to, and through Christmas, it’s true. And the protagonist sells Christmas trees on a patch of sidewalk in Brooklyn. And his name, you eventually learn, is Noel. But writer/ director Charles Poekel’s debut feature isn’t really about the holiday, and it stiff-arms the gingerbread-scented sentiment that tends to flood in at the end of anything cinematically Yuletide. The season merely serves as backdrop to, and intensifier for, an uncommonly good, low-key study of heartbreak, old and new. Noel (indie-film comer Kentucker Audley) lives upstate, but for the past five years, you learn, he’s come to this patch of urban concrete to spend December selling Christmas trees in the cold for 12 hours a day and crashing the rest of the time in a ramshackle camper on site. It would be tough to say he’s happy to be back, vending evergreens all night in the
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dank chill. Of course, it doesn’t seem he’s happy about anything. A hanger-on grumbles “Christmas sucks” at one point, but you never get the idea that Noel really believes that. Poekel telegraphs early on that Noel is a decent guy—he keeps the ad hoc lot tidy and gives the parade of tree purchasers friendly advice. (Water your tree with hot water when you first get it home, to loosen the sap. No tree dude ever passed on that nugget before.) But he’s a little shut down and irritable, bordering on morose. Poekel’s script lets slip that Noel used to sell trees each year with his girlfriend, Mary Ann, but that she isn’t around this year. It isn’t clear what gets Noel teary after delivering a tree to a glowing young expecting mother, but you can make your own guess. When Noel stumbles on a young woman (Hannah Gross) passed out on a park bench in the freezing cold, you already know he’ll do the right thing and go to the trouble to bring her in out of the cold. And if you’ve seen a
few movies, you will also suspect that her appearance represents a sort of blacked-out meet-cute and will fuel romantic tensions for the rest of the film. You will be correct, but it’s going to be so much better and so much more unexpected than that. One of the significant strengths of Christmas, Again is its refusal to get cute. Not even indie cute. Noel’s name, and a late-breaking metaphor in the form of an idiosyncratic Christmas gift, are as close as it comes. Poekel and Audley make clear that living outside for the month of December is so physically tough and spirit-crushing under the best of circumstances that Noel would only do it if he had to. (He pops Advent-calendar chocolates like daily medication.) Yet it’s also possible to detect a hint of romantic masochism in Audley’s stoic, internalized performance, with both stifled pride and abject sadness leaking out of his everydude features. When the girl, Lydia, wakes up and slips away
unnoticed, the arc that brings them back together more closely resembles that of two strangers in a huge city than fated romcom mates. It seems a bit contrived when Lydia’s terrible boyfriend enters the picture, but he also serves to underline that Lydia might not be the girl Noel should pin his hopes on. Poekel drops a theremin onto the soundtrack at a couple of points, and rather than a quirk too far, it winds up a perfect fit for the film: melancholy, but astringently so. So you doubt whether Noel and Lydia will, or should, get together. Then you start to wish they would, even though neither seems to wish the same. Then you start to hope that a fetching young customer with an accent requesting Christmas Eve delivery will perhaps save Noel from making a mistake with Lydia. Then you hope that they will get together anyway. And it never feels like melodrama. It just feels like life, especially the kind of uncertainty and loneliness that can hang over anyone young and unsettled, uncertain of what happens next. And what happens next is perfectly in keeping with the film that brought you here, and, really, perfect in any respect. It’s both hopeful and realistic, which is a neat trick for any film, much less one set at Christmas. ◆
WHAT
The Public Cinema: Christmas, Again
WHERE
Scruffy City Hall (32 Market Square)
WHEN
Monday, Dec. 7, at 8 p.m.
HOW MUCH Free
INFO
publiccinema.com
Video
Tangerine Dream Tangerine and Bone Tomahawk defy the expectations set up by their plot lines BY LEE GARDNER
D
oes the description “a film about transgender sex workers shot on iPhones” make you interested or dubious? Either reaction makes some sense. While that log line suggests a vivid, gritty slice of life, it also hints at amateur hour. But writer/director Sean Baker’s Tangerine, new to DVD/ Blu-ray and streaming, is likely to surprise whatever expectations you bring to it. No sooner does Sin-Dee Rella (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) hit the streets of Hollywood after a month in jail than she hears rumors of her not-tobe-found pimp boyfriend, Chester, cheating on her while she was locked up. The rest of the film follows a deceptively solid mystery/revenge plot, but Baker’s story centers on the characters, their relationships, and the illusions and dreams they preserve amid the hustle and sleaze of Sunset Boulevard. Whether it’s true
love, or stardom, or a simple escape from loneliness, everyone here desperately needs something, and well-directed performances from Rodriguez, Mya Taylor (as Sin-Dee’s fellow street stroller/best friend), and Karren Karagulian (as a woebegone Armenian cabbie) build up to heart-piercing moments. Tangerine doesn’t skimp on flash, with its saturated colors and urgent hand-held cinematography. A soundtrack split between melodramatic classical nuggets and state-of-theart booty jams helps underscore the film’s snap-dealing moments and bursts of wicked humor. But substance wins over style, and helps Tangerine make up for at least a dozen of the indulgently gritty indies you’ve suffered through in the past. If you’re the type of person who would rent a Kurt Russell movie called Bone Tomahawk, well then, you
probably already have. But if you’ve kept scrolling down the streaming menu past its lurid title and throwback poster art, you’re missing a good thing. Or at least a good-enough thing. Bone Tomahawk makes a fine addition to a recent slew of what one could think of as B+ Westerns (see also: Slow West, The Salvation). Russell reprises the florid facial hair and stiff upper lip he modeled in Tombstone as the salt-of-the-earth sheriff of a dusty little town. Trouble arrives in the form of a mysterious tribe of indigenous people so savage that the local Indians want nothing to do with them—think the family from The Hills Have Eyes in warpaint. That sends Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, and Richard Jenkins off on a desperate mission to rescue a couple of kidnapped townies, including Wilson’s character’s wife.
A&E
Howard Hawks probably wasn’t thinking of hybrid horror-Westerns when he quipped his famous description of what makes a movie work— “three or four good scenes and no bad ones”—but it applies to Bone Tomahawk nonetheless. Writer/director S. Craig Zahler’s dialogue is dry but deft, and his characters tend toward types, but well-drawn ones. As the posse’s search turns into a grim, Searchers-like slog, Bone Tomahawk reminds you how even just going over the next hill in those isolated times could lead to disaster and death. By the time all the piecemeal action brings you to the big showdown with the cave-dwelling villains, a shift toward the outlandish and gory can’t derail the film’s righteous momentum. A minor genre classic in the making. ◆
Howard Hawks probably wasn’t thinking of hybrid horror-Westerns when he quipped his famous description of what makes a movie work— “three or four good scenes and no bad ones”— but it applies to Bone Tomahawk nonetheless.
BONE TOMAHAWK
TANGERINE December 3, 2015
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 39
CALENDAR MUSIC
Thursday, Dec. 3 BRILLZ TWONK DI NATION TOUR • The Concourse • 9PM • Featuring EDM producers and DJs Brillz, Party Favors, Aryay, and Ghastly. 18 and up. • $15 CHOIR BANG WITH NOT ROBERT PLANT AND CELLULAR WOLVES • Pilot Light • 10PM • 18 and up. • $5 THE CONGRESS • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10PM • With their noses to the grindstone for the past few years, The Congress hasn’t had a moment to notice their ever changing surroundings. They have been on headlining tours from California to Virginia, on support tours opening multiple nights for the likes of Tedeschi Trucks Band, Lake Street Dive, and Hard Working Americans, and have been incessantly playing their home turf in the Rocky Mountains when in between coasts. The Congress has also succumbed to a growing writing habit that will culminate in the band’s second full length album in 2016. LARRY CORDLE • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria (Maryville) • 8PM DOWNRIGHT • Preservation Pub • 10PM • 21 and up. • $3 GAITHER CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING • Thompson-Boling Arena • 8AM • The award-winning Gaither Vocal Band, featuring multi-Grammy winner Bill Gaither with Wes Hampton, David Phelps, Adam Crabb and Todd Suttles. • $28.50-$72.50 JOSIAH AND THE GREATER GOOD WITH THE LOST DOG STREET BAND • WDVX • 12PM • Part of WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-days-a-week lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. F REE MARYVILLE COLLEGE CHOIR CELTIC CHRISTMAS • Clayton Center for the Arts (Maryville) • 7PM • $5 ANDREW PETERSON PRESENTS BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD • Bijou Theatre • 7PM • Since 2009, Andrew and his friends have told the story of the coming of Christ through story and music in a way that draws audiences back year after year. The story may be the same but the telling and how it hits your heart and senses changes every time. One fan describes it like, “In the movie version of the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Mr. Tumnus recalls the times in Narnia before the winter. His words with passion were ‘Music, such music!’ Those are the words that hit me every time I go to this concert. You’re getting more than a concert - you’re getting the greatest story ever told, the story of the great Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” • $30-$40 THE THIRST QUENCHERS • Mind Yer Ps and Qs Craft Beer and Wine Lounge • 8PM • The Ps and Qs house band. Friday, Dec. 4 THE AVETT BROTHERS LEGENDARY GIVEBACK • Tennessee Theatre • 8PM • For the fourth year, two Southern legends from the Carolinas are teaming up for a high-profile concert where all proceeds go to three nonprofits that support families and children. The Avett Brothers and Cheerwine’s “Legendary Giveback” events have raised more than $175,000 for charities to date, and this year’s new beneficiaries are The Love Kitchen, The Empty Stocking Fund and Caps for Kids. The Avett Brothers’ “Legendary Giveback IV” concert will take place at The Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville, TN on Dec. 4, 2015, and will also be live streamed across the country. “With three legendary concerts under our belts that have helped nearly 10 local and national charities, we know the 2015 event is going to be bigger and better than ever,” says Scott Avett, lead singer and co-founder of The Avett Brothers. “We can’t wait to bring the not-to-be-missed experience to Knoxville and attention to three new 40
KNOXVILLE MERCURY December 3, 2015
Thursday, Dec. 3 - Sunday, Dec. 13
deserving charities.” For information and to enter Cheerwine’s “Capture the Kindness” movement, visit www.cheerwinegiveback.com. • $57 BACKUP PLANET • Scruffy City Hall • 9PM BOSTON BRASS ALL STARS BIG BRASS BAND: CHRISTMAS BELLS ARE SWINGIN’ • Clayton Center for the Arts (Maryville) • 7:30PM • Delighting audiences with an evening of great music and boisterous fun, the Boston Brass brings its exciting Christmas Show to the Clayton Center. MATT BROWN AND GREG REISH • Laurel Theater • 8PM • Matt Brown (fiddle) and Greg Reish (guitar) join forces to perform a variety of old-time instrumentals from rural America collaborating on a new recording Speed of the Plow. Their music features square dance tunes, rags, blues, and haunting melodies reinterpreted from the solo fiddle repertory. Matt Brown has toured as a soloist, performed with Tim O’Brien, Uncle Earl, Dirk Powell & Riley Baugus, and with Mike Snider on the Grand Ole Opry. Greg Reish is a recognized authority on old-time and bluegrass guitar styles, and serves as director of the Center for Popular Music at Middle Tennessee State University. • $14 CYPHER: A HIP-HOP SHOW • The Birdhouse • 9PM • Open mic for the first half of the night, then two featured artists to close out the night. 18 and up. • $5 THE DUGGER BAND • Niswonger Performing Arts Center (Greeneville) • 7PM • Nashville recording artists, Jordan and Seth Dugger, are hometown boys from Greeneville, Tennessee. The Dugger Band has a steadily increasing fan base as their unique, country/rock sound grabs the attention of their audience.These talented brothers bring their “Sleigh Ride Tour” to the NPAC stage. Join us for an evening filled with sounds of the season that will get you in the holiday spirit. The Dugger Band will delight your senses as they perform their renditions of your favorite Christmas classics along with some original music from their latest album Fly. • $10-$20 THE TEMPER EVANS BAND • Two Doors Down (Maryville) • 10PM FROG AND TOAD’S DIXIE QUARTET • The Crown and Goose • 8PM • Live jazz featuring a mix of original music, early jazz and more. F REE MARYVILLE COLLEGE CHOIR CELTIC CHRISTMAS • Clayton Center for the Arts (Maryville) • 7PM • $5 DELBERT MCCLINTON • Bijou Theatre • 8PM • “I’m an acquired taste in that my kind of music’s not for little kids,” Texas singer- songwriter Delbert McClinton says. “It’s adult rock ‘n’ roll. I write from the sensibility of the people I knew growing up, and I grew up with all the heathens, the people who went too far before they changed and tried to make something out of their lives.” • $37 SKRIBE AND GINGERWOLF • Sugarlands Distilling Co. (Gatlinburg) • 7PM • Skribe travels from town to town in a blue hearse spreading his own blend of garage folk: An unpretentious soulful sub-genre that draws from roots Americana & the 60’s garage rock spirit. You may have seen skribe at Rhythm n Blooms Fest 2015 (Knoxville, TN) or the mainstage at FloydFest 2015. This time through we’re fortunate to see slide artist Gingerwolf in the mix (picture Santo & Johnny at a pool party on the moon with Radiohead.) FREE DAVE SLACK TRIO • Pero’s on the Hill • 7PM • Instrumental and vocal jazz standards. TALL PAUL • Bearden Field House • 9PM FREE TIME SAWYER WITH BILL MIZE • WDVX • 12PM • Part of WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-days-a-week lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. FREE TIME SAWYER WITH ANCIENT CITIES • Barley’s Taproom
and Pizzeria • 10PM • Time Sawyer is interested in “real people and real songs” and that’s just what the listener finds in their music – a sense of realness. Time Sawyer blends a grassroots feel with heart-felt lyrics to put on a high-energy, entertaining show. WUTK EXAM JAM XI • The Concourse • 8PM • All proceeds from this fundraiser concert will go directly to the non-profit WUTK Gift Fund, helping to keep the
self-supporting broadcast lab and station on the air. More info is at wutkradio.com. • $5 • See Spotlight on page 44. SAUL ZONANA • Preservation Pub • 8PM • 21 and up. WENDEL WERNER • Red Piano Lounge • 6PM HONKONEN WITH JOEY ENGLISH AND SHIMMY AND THE BURNS • Open Chord Brewhouse and Stage • 8PM • $5 BRIAN CLAY • Red Piano Lounge • 9PM THE HUNTER DEACON TRIO • The Bistro at the Bijou • 9PM •
KNOXVILLE JAZZ ORCHESTRA AND CÉCILE MCLORIN SALVANT: A SWINGIN’ CHRISTMAS Tennessee Theatre (604 S. Gay St.) • Thursday, Dec. 10 • 8 p.m. • $36.50 • knoxjazz.org
Cécile McLorin Salvant might not be the most familiar name on the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra’s list of collaborators in the next few months—Vance Thompson’s combo is playing with Christian McBride, Regina Carter, and the firebrand René Marie in early 2016. But the 26-year-old Salvant is just at the beginning of her career and she’s already a Grammy nominee and a multiple Downbeat award winner—both for her 2013 debut album, WomanChild—and Nate Chinen of The New York Times recently called her “the finest jazz singer to emerge in the last decade.” (The awards for her second album, For One to Love, released in September, will start rolling in early next year.) Salvant has all the tools for a sturdy, reliable traditional jazz vocalist—big, dynamic range, buckets of personality, an actor’s flair for drama, and a scholar’s command of the classic songbook. But on WomanChild and especially For One to Love, she’s shown gifts that go beyond jazz classicism, like an idiosyncratic taste for the blues and show tunes and considerable talent as a songwriter. Salvant only started composing in 2010, but five of the 12 songs on the new album are hers, alongside unpredictable interpretations of selections by Stephen Sondheim, Hal David and Burt Bacharach, and Rodgers and Hammerstein. While she’s steeped in the jazz tradition (and trained in it, in French and American nightclubs and at the Conservatoire Darius Milhaud in Aix-en-Provence), she’s something of an outsider, too. (Matthew Everett)
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Spotlight: Exam Jam XI
CALENDAR Live jazz. FREE HONEY AND HOUSTON • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria (Maryville) • 10PM THE VIBRASLAPS • Preservation Pub • 10PM • 21 and up. THE CREEPERS WITH COFFIN WOMB • Pilot Light • 10PM • 18 and up. • $5 TENNESSEE STIFF LEGS WITH JENNIFER NICELEY AND BROCK HENDERSON • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 10PM FREE Saturday, Dec. 5 AVENUE C • Two Doors Down (Maryville) • 10PM BIG PINK WITH ELECTRIC DARLING • Scruffy City Hall • 9PM • $5 • See preview on page 36. RYAN BINGHAM WITH JAMESTOWN REVIVAL • Bijou Theatre • 8PM • Ryan Bingham needed some peace and quiet. Free of the burdens that had saddled him during the writing and recording of his recent albums, he relocated to an old airstream trailer tucked away in the mountains of California, camping out for several weeks and embracing the solitude to dig down deep and craft his most powerful album yet, ‘Fear and Saturday Night.’ ‘It gave me the space and time to tap into myself,’ Bingham says of the experience. ‘Up there, it was totally isolated. No phones, no noise, no lights. At night the only thing you’d hear is the bugs and the coyotes. It’s lonely when you get back up in there and there’s nobody around, but for me, I kind of grew up that way in the middle of nowhere. Since I’ve started touring, I’m surrounded by people all the time, so getting back to the roots of everything, that’s really where I seem to find stuff that’s meaningful when I’m writing songs. • $27 FOUR LEAF PEAT • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 10PM • Knoxville’s finest purveyors of traditional Irish music. FREE JOHN MYERS 80TH BIRTHDAY FEST • Scruffy City Hall • 5PM • Featuring the John Myers Band, the Lonetones, and Exit 65. • 5PM • See Program Notes on page 22. POSSESSED BY PAUL JAMES • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10PM THE RERUNS • Pero’s on the Hill • 7PM • Knoxville’s premier TV band plays your favorite television themes. BEN SHUSTER • Bearden Field House • 9PM FREE SOUL MECHANIC WITH FRAUG • Preservation Pub • 10PM • 21 and up. SUPERFLY SOUNDTRIP • Sweet P’s Barbecue and Soul House • 6:30PM • 90s Knoxville jazz/funk band Superfly Soundtrip, an offshoot of Gran Torino, plays its first show in three years. FREE CALEB SWEAZY WITH GREGORY REISH AND MATT BROWN • WDVX • 12PM • Part of WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-days-a-week lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. FREE TENNESSEE SCHMALTZ • Laurel Theater • 8PM • Originating mainly in Eastern Europe, klezmer music is documented in early recordings of Jewish immigrants to America as far back as 1895. After a period of decline, an energetic revival of this music beginning in the 1970s spread from New York, Boston and San Francisco to many other parts of the country, including the Knoxville area. Tennessee Schmaltz develops the tradition of Jewish klezmer in America, adding country and bluegrass sounds to the mix of East European wedding tunes, Yiddish theater and music hall, cantorial singing, and popular traditions of the old and new worlds. Their claim to be the only klezmer group in the entire world with a washtub bass remains unchallenged. • $14 CHRIS TOMLIN ADORE CHRISTMAS TOUR WITH CROWDER AND LAUREN DAIGLE • Tennessee Theatre • 8PM • Some artists enter the studio determined to make a radical departure from who and what they are, or indulge some
musical flavor of the month in a bid to expand the fan base. In either event, those strategies often backfire — though in staying true to his calling, Grammy winner Chris Tomlin thinks not of popularity, but rather the populace his music can touch and encourage.“I’m not trying to make a different kind of record,” says Tomlin of his latest effort, Love Ran Red “It’s still the same path I started down: writing songs for the church, songs people can sing, songs that connect with people in their heart and move them in a way only songs can. That’s not changed — and yet this collection I feel is the strongest I’ve ever done.” • $35.50-$76 URBAN PIONEERS • Sugarlands Distilling Co. (Gatlinburg) • 7PM • Mix one part Texas fiddle and one part Tennessee banjo, add doghouse bass and a splash of guitar and you have one heck of a powerful punch called The Urban Pioneers. This string band hammers out a variety of original songs that encompass old time hillbilly music, western swing, rockabilly, and even a few gypsy type songs for good measure. They spend about 75% of the year on tour all over the world delivering their brand of high energy hillbilly folk music. FREE KATY FREE • Red Piano Lounge • 6PM THE BAD DUDES WITH MASS DRIVER AND BULLETVILLE • Open Chord Brewhouse and Stage • 8PM • All ages. • $5 THE WILL YAGER TRIO • The Bistro at the Bijou • 9PM • Live jazz. FREE SWINGBOOTY • Red Piano Lounge • 9PM • Gypsy jazz at Knoxville’s newest jazz venue. No admission. FREE Sunday, Dec. 6 JOHN ANDERSON WITH BRETT KISSELL • Knoxville Civic Coliseum • 6:30PM • The Knoxville Fire Fighters Association would like to invite you out for a night of family fun. Join us Sunday December 6th at 6:30 pm as we host Country music legend John Anderson with songs like “Seminole Wind” “Straight Tequila Night” and “Swingin”. • $27.50 PALE ROOT • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 8PM • Aaron Freeman’s taste for contemporary songwriters like Ryan Adams and Darrel Scott provides a balance to Jordan Burris’ penchant for bluegrass and traditional folk. As Pale Root, they’ve quietly settled into their own spot in Knoxville’s crowded Americana scene—intimate, confessional music grounded in tradition. At various times, the duo’s music recalls Neil Young, Jackson Browne, the Everly Brothers, and the Avett Brothers. It’s a surprisingly full and mature sound from just two people. • 8PM SHIFFLETT AND HANNAH • The Bistro at the Bijou • 12PM • Live jazz. FREE DAVE SLACK TRIO • Pero’s on the Hill • 1PM • Live jazz. SUNDAY JAZZ BRUNCH • Downtown Grill and Brewery • 12:45PM • Knoxville’s coolest jazz artists perform every Sunday. FREE TREY WILLIAMS • Longbranch Saloon • 4PM DEE LUCAS • Red Piano Lounge • 8PM ROBINELLA • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria (Maryville) • 8PM Monday, Dec. 7 MIGHTY MUSICAL MONDAY • Tennessee Theatre • 12PM • Wurlitzer meister Bill Snyder is joined by a special guest on the first Monday of each month for a music showcase inside Knoxville’s historic Tennessee Theatre. FREE THERESA GORELLA WITH PAUL LEE KUPFER • WDVX • 12PM • Part of WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-days-a-week lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. FREE MARYVILLE COLLEGE HOLIDAY CONCERT • Clayton Center for the Arts • 7:30PM • $5 MARK O’CONNOR • Bijou Theatre • 8PM • A product of
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David Brian Alley as “Crumpet the Elf” • Photo by Elizabeth Aaron December 3, 2015
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 41
CALENDAR America’s rich aural folk tradition as well as classical music, Mark O’Connor’s creative journey began at the feet of a pair of musical giants. The first was the folk fiddler and innovator who created the modern era of American fiddling, Benny Thomasson; the second, French jazz violinist, considered one of the greatest improvisers in the history of the violin, Stephane Grappelli. Working with classical violin icons Isaac Stern, Itzhak Perlman, Yehudi Menhuin and Pinchas Zukerman, he absorbed knowledge and influence from the multitude of musical styles and genres he studied and participated in. With his body of work including 45 feature albums of mostly his own compositions, Mark O’Connor has melded and shaped these influences into a new American Classical music, and a vision of an entirely American school of string playing. • $29.50-$39.50 SCRUFFY CITY JAZZ BAND AND JAM • Open Chord Brewhouse and Stage • 8PM CONTINUUM • Scruffy City Hall • 10PM Tuesday, Dec. 8 LES KERR WITH THE EMANCIPATORS • WDVX • 12PM • Part of WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-days-a-week lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. FREE PAUL LEE KUPFER • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10PM • Originally from the Mountains of West Virginia, Paul Lee Kupfer has travelled as a solo performer and band leader since 2006 while living in Philadelphia, California, Tennessee, Montana and towns in between. Restless
Thursday, Dec. 3 - Sunday, Dec. 13
touring and writing has allowed him to share the bill with some of his heroes. DRIFTWOOD SOLIDER WITH MATT HECKLER • Preservation Pub • 10PM • Driftwood Soldier isn’t your average mandolin-bass, foot-stomping gutter-folk duo, and their new album, Scavenger’s Joy, isn’t your average LP debut. 21 and up. Wednesday, Dec. 9 SARAH LOU RICHARDS • WDVX • 12PM • Part of WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-days-a-week lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. FREE FROG AND TOAD’S DIXIE QUARTET • The Crown and Goose • 6:30PM • Live jazz featuring a mix of original music, early jazz and more. F REE UNDERHILL ROSE • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 7PM • Asheville trio Underhill Rose makes music from the heart, drawing inspiration from life-long listening to folk, old country, and rhythm and blues. Armed with a fresh sound, visually appealing performances and an extraordinary ability to blend a multitude of musical genres, Underhill Rose’s sound clings to listeners and audience members alike. Their latest record, The Great Tomorrow, was produced by Cruz Contreras of The Black Lillies. • $10 THE MATT NELSON SOUND • The Bistro at the Bijou • 7PM • Live jazz. FREE Thursday, Dec. 10 DUSTAN LOUQUE • WDVX • 12PM • Part of WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-days-a-week lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. FREE
THE BLACKFOOT GYPSIES • Scruffy City Hall • 8PM KNOXVILLE JAZZ ORCHESTRA: A SWINGIN’ CHRISTMAS • Tennessee Theatre • 8PM • Multi-award winning vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant joins the band to help make your season bright. Tickets may be purchased online at www. knoxjazz.org or by calling 656-4444. • $15-$148.50 • See Spotlight on page 40. FREEQUENCY • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria (Maryville) • 8PM • Acoustic Americana. THE THIRST QUENCHERS • Mind Yer Ps and Qs Craft Beer and Wine Lounge • 8PM • The Ps and Qs house band. CRANFORD HOLLOW • Preservation Pub • 10PM • 21 and up. THE NIGHTOWLS • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10PM Friday, Dec. 11 THE BLUEGRASS MOUNTAINEERS WITH GARY BAKER • WDVX • 12PM • Part of WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-days-a-week lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. FREE THE STREAMLINERS SWING ORCHESTRA • Knoxville Museum of Art • 6PM • The fall season of KMA’s Alive After Five series concludes with Knoxville’s fabulous 17-member Streamliners Swing Orchestra. $10-$15 DAVE SLACK TRIO • Pero’s on the Hill • 7PM • Instrumental and vocal jazz standards. DAILEY AND VINCENT WITH THE GREENVILLE HIGH SCHOOL ADVANCED CHORUS • Niswonger Performing Arts Center (Greeneville) • 7:30PM • Seasoned veterans of bluegrass, Dailey & Vincent, will perform their favorite original songs and later in the show will be joined by our very
own Greeneville High School Advanced Chorus. • $25-$35 CLAY CAGES WITH BOGUES, ADRENALINE KID, AND SHANKS AKIMBO • Longbranch Saloon • 8PM • $5 FROG AND TOAD’S DIXIE QUARTET • The Crown and Goose • 8PM • Live jazz featuring a mix of original music, early jazz and more. F REE CLAY WILLIAMS WITH LEFT HOME • Longbranch Saloon • 8PM JASON ELLIS • Bearden Field House • 9PM FREE TOM JOHNSON • The Bistro at the Bijou • 9PM • Live jazz. FREE FLUFFER • Scruffy City Hall • 9PM CAUTION • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10PM • Caution gives audiences the ultimate jam music experience, covering legendary jam bands like the Grateful Dead, Phish and Widespread Panic. Since 1996, Caution has been turning crowds on to jam music with a mass appealing, in-your-face approach to the jam band style. THE JOHN STICKLEY TRIO • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 10PM F REE OTIS WITH PERSONA LA AVE AND VELVET KING • Pilot Light • 10PM • 18 and up. • $5 PEA PICKIN’ HEARTS • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria (Maryville) • 10PM MIDNIGHT VOYAGE LIVE: BUKU WITH STYLUST BEATS, FAST NASTY, AND PSYCHONAUT • The Concourse • 10PM • Presented by Midnight Voyage Productions and WUTK. 18 and up. • $10 Saturday, Dec. 12 CHELSEA STEPP WITH ANDREW ATKINS • WDVX • 12PM • Part of WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-days-a-week lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national
Exam JAM xI WUTK Benefit Concert
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FRiday, December 4
8 p.m. The Concourse Handsome and the Humbles a Senryu a Hellaphant a Enigmatic Foe a Streaming 24.7.365 at WUTKRADIO.COM
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KNOXVILLE MERCURY December 3, 2015
Thursday, Dec. 3 - Sunday, Dec. 13
Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. F REE THE RERUNS • Pero’s on the Hill • 7PM • Knoxville’s premier TV band plays your favorite television themes. ANGEL TREE JAM FEST • Open Chord Brewhouse and Stage • 7PM • All proceeds go to benefit the Salvation Army Angel Tree Fund. The official show starts at 7pm, featuring live blues & bluegrass music from Chris West of Blue Moon Rising, Avery Trace, and Jonny Monster. • $5 DAILEY AND VINCENT • Niswonger Performing Arts Center (Greeneville) • 7:30PM • Dubbed by CMT as the “Rockstars of Bluegrass,” the Dailey & Vincent duo has been hailed throughout the music industry as one of the most exciting, reputable and elite Bluegrass bands in America. • $25-$35 DAVID BOWIE BLOWOUT AND SUPERJAM • Scruffy City Hall • 7:30PM • A tribute to David Bowie’s musical career featuring performances by Maps Need Reading, Stryplepop, and Chalaxy, followed by a Bowie Superjam featuring members of Maps Need Reading, Crumbsnatchers, Tree Tops, Appalachian Fury, the Royal Buzz, and more. THE JAUNTEE • Preservation Pub • 8PM • 21 and up. KNOXVILLE GAY MEN’S CHORUS: CHRISTMAS COMES ANEW • Bijou Theatre • 8PM • The Knoxville Gay Men’s Chorus will present their celebration of the holidays with the “Christmas Comes Anew” concert, featuring both traditional carols and secular holiday themes. Tickets can be purchased at knoxgmc.org or knoxbijou.com. • $18 ED GERHARD AND BILL MIZE • Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts ( Gatlinburg) • 8PM • Join us for this special evening with two of the country’s finest acoustic guitarists. Ed and Bill will perform Christmas classics, concert favorites and selected solo pieces. • $22 HAROLD NAGGE AND ALAN WYATT • The Bistro at the Bijou • 9PM • Live jazz. FREE BEN SHUSTER • Bearden Field House • 9PM FREE THE LOST FIDDLE STRING BAND • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 10PM FREE KELSEY’S WOODS • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria (Maryville) • 10PM THE BROADCAST • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10PM • A soulful rock band bursting at the seams- The Broadcast is fronted by explosive vocalist Caitlin Krisko taking cue from early 70s classic rock. • $5 XAMBUCA WITH PALATHEDA • Pilot Light • 10PM • 18 and up. • $5 EXIT 60 • Two Doors Down • 10PM Sunday, Dec. 13 SHIFFLETT AND HANNAH • The Bistro at the Bijou • 12PM • Live jazz. FREE SUNDAY JAZZ BRUNCH • Downtown Grill and Brewery • 12:45PM • Knoxville’s coolest jazz artists perform every Sunday. FREE DAVE SLACK TRIO • Pero’s on the Hill • 1PM • Live jazz. KNOXVILLE GAY MEN’S CHORUS: CHRISTMAS COMES ANEW • Bijou Theatre • 2PM • Tickets can be purchased at knoxgmc.org or knoxbijou.com. • $18 KNOCKED LOOSE WITH VARIALS AND ADALIAH • Longbranch Saloon • 6PM NEWSBOYS WITH HAWK NELSON AND RYAN STEVENSON • Knoxville Civic Auditorium • 7PM • $28-$59.50 EMI SUNSHINE WITH WES LUNSFORD AND LAUREL WRIGHT • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 7PM • $10 SYDNEY ELOISE AND THE PALMS • Preservation Pub • 10PM • 21 and up.
OPEN MIC AND SONGWRITER NIGHTS
CALENDAR
Thursday, Dec. 3 BREWHOUSE BLUES JAM • Open Chord Brewhouse and Stage • 8PM • Join Robert Higginbotham and the Smoking Section at the Open Chord for the Brewhouse Blues Jam. Bring your instrument, sign up and join the jammers. We supply drums and a full backline of amps. • 8PM
Saturday, Dec. 12 RETRO DANCE NIGHT • Hanna’s Old City • 9PM • 80s and Top 40 hits with DJ Ray Funk.
Sunday, Dec. 6 NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTE CIRCLE • Ijams Nature Center • 4PM • Meets the first Sunday of the month. All levels welcome. Call Ijams to register 865-577-4717 ext.110.
Thursday, Dec. 3 TENNESSEE WIND SYMPHONY • Central High School • 7PM • The Tennessee Wind Symphony and the Central High School Band will perform a Christmas concert at Central High School at 7 p.m. Free.
Tuesday, Dec. 8 PRESERVATION PUB SINGER/SONGWRITER NIGHT • Preservation Pub • 7PM • A weekly open mic. OLD-TIME JAM SESSION • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 7:15PM • Hosted by Sarah Pickle. FREE Wednesday, Dec. 9 TIME WARP TEA ROOM OLD-TIME JAM • Time Warp Tea Room • 7PM • Regular speed old-time/fiddle jam every Wednesday from 7-9 p.m. at the Time Warp Tea Room. All instruments and skill levels welcome. BRACKINS BLUES JAM • Brackins Blues Club • 9PM • A weekly open session hosted by Tommie John. FREE Friday, Dec. 11 TIME WARP TEA ROOM OPEN SONGWRITER NIGHT • Time Warp Tea Room • 7PM • Songwriter Night at Time Warp Tea Room runs on the second and fourth Friday of every month. Show up around 7 p.m. with your instrument in tow and sign up to share a couple of original songs with a community of friends down in Happy Holler. FREE Saturday, Dec. 12 MUMBILLY OLD TIME SESSION • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 4PM • Bring an instrument, but definitely watch out in case there’s some Mumbillies there. F REE Sunday, Dec. 13 EPWORTH OLD HARP SINGERS • Laurel Theater • 6:30PM • Call 673-5822. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate in this East Tennessee singing tradition. FREE SING OUT KNOXVILLE • Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church • 7PM • A folk singing circle open to everyone. FREE
DJ AND DANCE NIGHTS Friday, Dec. 4 RETRO DANCE NIGHT • Hanna’s Old City • 9PM • 80s and Top 40 hits with DJ Ray Funk.
Saturday, Dec. 5 RETRO DANCE NIGHT • Hanna’s Old City • 9PM • 80s and Top 40 hits with DJ Ray Funk. TEMPLE DANCE NIGHT • The Concourse • 9PM • Knoxville’s long-running alternative dance night. 18 and up. KNOX FLOW HOLIDAY FLOWCASE AND JAM • Champion Ballroom Center • 6PM • A flow jam is a dance party in which flow artists come together to practice their flow to live DJ or a carefully crafted playlist of the latest club, house, trance, down tempo, jazz, funk, disco, electro-swing (heck, all the genres) music. All those who appreciate the flow are welcome. Flow props available to borrow. • $10-$15 DJ NO SEX DANCE PARTY • Pilot Light • 11PM • 18 and up. • $5 Friday, Dec. 11 RETRO DANCE NIGHT • Hanna’s Old City • 9PM • 80s and Top 40 hits with DJ Ray Funk.
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Friday, Dec. 4 MARBLE CITY OPERA: AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS • St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral • 7:30 p.m. • A seasonal production of Menotti’s mid-century holiday classic. • FREE • See preview on page 37. NIEF-NORF: UNSILENT NIGHT • World’s Fair Park • 9PM • Unsilent Night is an original composition by Phil Kline, written specifically to be heard outdoors in the month of December. It takes the form of a street promenade in which the audience becomes the performer. Each participant gets one of four tracks of music in the form of a cassette, CD, or MP3. Together all four tracks comprise Unsilent Night. The fact that the participants play different “parts” simultaneously helps create the special sound of the piece. Participants carry boomboxes, or anything that amplifies music, and simultaneously start playing the music. They then walk a carefully chosen route through their city’s streets, creating a unique mobile sound sculpture which is different from every listener’s perspective. Participants will meet at the Sunsphere. Register at http://www.niefnorf.org/20152016-season/2015/10/30/unsilent-night-knoxville, where you can tell us if you need a tape, CD, or will bring your own iDevice. FREE Sunday, Dec. 6 KNOXVILLE GUITAR SOCIETY HOLIDAY CONCERT • Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan • 7PM • Join the Knoxville Guitar Society for its annual Holiday concert. This concert will feature students of local guitar teachers such as Larry Long, Andy LeGrand, Jeff Comas, Ed Roberson, and Chris Lee, as well as local professionals. Visit www. knoxvilleguitar.org. • $20 MARBLE CITY OPERA: AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS • St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral • 3 p.m. • A seasonal production of Menotti’s mid-century holiday classic. • FREE • See preview on page 37. Wednesday, Dec. 9 KSO Q SERIES • The Square Room • 12PM • The Knoxville Symphony launched the recital series in its 2013-14 season featuring performances from both ensembles. Principal Quartet members are: Gordon Tsai, violin; Edward Pulgar, violin, Kathryn Gawne, viola and Andy Bryenton, cello. The Woodwind Quintet members are: Nicholas Johnson, flute; Claire Chenette, oboe; Gary Sperl, clarinet; Aaron Apaza, bassoon and Jeffery Whaley, French horn. • $15
THEATER AND DANCE
Thursday, Dec. 3 CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: A CHRISTMAS CAROL • Clarence Brown Theatre • 7:30PM • Whether you are continuing your annual family tradition or beginning a new one…join us as we tell the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, the miserly businessman who needs the intervention of a December 3, 2015
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 43
CALENDAR few spectral guides to show him the true meaning of Christmas. Featuring beautiful live music, wonderful costumes, and exciting stage effects, Dickens’ tale of hope and redemption reminds us all what’s really worth celebrating. Nov. 25-Dec. 20. CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: ‘THE SANTALAND DIARIES’ • Carousel Theatre • 7:30PM • An unemployed, chemically dependent writer takes a job as a “helper elf” at Macy’s Santaland. Hear his tale of drunken Santas, screaming kids, and the un-wonderful insanity of the holidays. Sedaris’ cutting, sardonic wit is on full display in this one man show that is crazy funny! For mature elves only. Dec. 3-20. OAK RIDGE PLAYHOUSE: A CHRISTMAS STORY • Oak Ridge Playhouse • 8PM • Based on the movie classic, the musical follows 9-year-old Ralphie and his quest for the Holy Grail of Christmas gifts—an Official Red Ryder carbine-action air rifle. Nov. 20-Dec. 6. Visit www. orplayhouse.com. THEATRE KNOXVILLE DOWNTOWN: A TUNA CHRISTMAS • Theatre Knoxville Downtown • 8PM • In this hilarious sequel to Greater Tuna, it’s Christmas in the third smallest town in Texas. Radio station OKKK news personalities Thurston Wheelis and Arles Struvie report on various Yuletide activities, including hot competition in the annual lawn display contest. In other news, voracious Joe Bob Lipsey’s production of “A Christmas Carol” is jeopardized by unpaid electric bills. Nov. 27-Dec. 13. Visit theatreknoxville.com. • $15 Friday, Dec. 4 KNOXVILLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE: CINDERELLA AND EBENEZER • Knoxville Children’s Theatre • 7PM • Knoxville Children’s Theatre will present Cinderella And Ebenezer, a new holiday play, based on the timeless tales of “Cinderella” and “A Christmas Carol.” Dec. 4-20. Visit knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com. • $12 CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: A CHRISTMAS CAROL •
Thursday, Dec. 3 - Sunday, Dec. 13
Clarence Brown Theatre • 7:30PM • Nov. 25-Dec. 20. OAK RIDGE PLAYHOUSE: A CHRISTMAS STORY • Oak Ridge Playhouse • 8PM • Nov. 20-Dec. 6. Visit www.orplayhouse. com. THEATRE KNOXVILLE DOWNTOWN: A TUNA CHRISTMAS • Theatre Knoxville Downtown • 8PM • Nov. 27-Dec. 13. Visit theatreknoxville.com. • $15 CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: ‘THE SANTALAND DIARIES’ • Carousel Theatre • 7:30PM • For mature elves only. Dec. 3-20. FOOTHILLS COMMUNITY PLAYERS: “A LITTLE MURDER NEVER HURT ANYBODY” • Clayton Center for the Arts (Maryville) • 7:30PM • A spoof and a love letter to the screwball comedies of the 1930s and to stage mysteries in general. Dec. 4-6. Visit foothillscommunityplayers.com. • $12 KNOXVILLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE: CINDERELLA AND EBENEZER • Knoxville Children’s Theatre • 7PM • Knoxville Children’s Theatre will present Cinderella And Ebenezer, a new holiday play, based on the timeless tales of “Cinderella” and “A Christmas Carol.” Dec. 4-20. Visit knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com. • $12 Saturday, Dec. 5 KNOXVILLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE: “CINDERELLA AND EBENEZER” • Knoxville Children’s Theatre • 1PM and 5PM • Dec. 4-20. Visit knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com. • $12 FOOTHILLS COMMUNITY PLAYERS: “A LITTLE MURDER NEVER HURT ANYBODY” • Clayton Center for the Arts (Maryville) • 2PM and 7:30PM • Dec. 4-6. Visit foothillscommunityplayers.com. • $12 CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: A CHRISTMAS CAROL • Clarence Brown Theatre • 7:30PM • Nov. 25-Dec. 20. OAK RIDGE PLAYHOUSE: A CHRISTMAS STORY • Oak Ridge Playhouse • 8PM • Nov. 20-Dec. 6. Visit www. orplayhouse.com. THEATRE KNOXVILLE DOWNTOWN: A TUNA CHRISTMAS •
EXAM JAM XI The Concourse (940 Blackstock Ave.) • Friday, Dec. 4 • 8 p.m. • $5 • 18 and up • internationalknox.com
It always feels good to give a little something back, but you get more than just a warm glow for your $5 donation to WUTK’s end-of-the-semester local-music blowout fundraiser. The money supports the University of Tennessee’s student-run radio station—which, in case you didn’t know, receives no financial support from the school—but it also pays for performances by some of Knoxville’s finest. This year, the lineup includes Americana/country-rock up-and-comers Handsome and the Humbles, indie scene vets the Enigmatic Foe, and the promising pop-punk trio Hellaphant, whose brand-new EP, Family Man, splits the difference between ’90s indie rock and garage-punk revivalists like FIDLAR and Thee Oh Sees. And for those of you who are curious about what Wil Wright will be up to after he hangs up the LiL iFFy persona at the end of the year, there’s a set by Senryu, Wright’s long-running guitar-pop band, who will likely see a resurgence in 2016. (Matthew Everett)
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KNOXVILLE MERCURY December 3, 2015
Theatre Knoxville Downtown • 8PM • Nov. 27-Dec. 13. Visit theatreknoxville.com. • $15 CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: ‘THE SANTALAND DIARIES’ • Carousel Theatre • 7:30PM • For mature elves only. Dec. 3-20. APPALACHIAN BALLET COMPANY: THE NUTCRACKER • Knoxville Civic Auditorium • 7:30PM • Everyone’s holiday season should include the Appalachian Ballet Company’s 44th performance of the world’s most loved ballet, The Nutcracker. Plan to see this classical ballet come to life with lavish sets and scenery, beautiful costumes, exciting choreography, and live music performed by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. Australian guest artist Aaron Smyth, most recently seen on America’s Got Talent, will dance the role of the Prince. • $28-$43 KNOXVILLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE: “CINDERELLA AND EBENEZER” • Knoxville Children’s Theatre • 1PM a nd 5PM • Dec. 4-20. Visit knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com. • $12 Sunday, Dec. 6 KNOXVILLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE: “CINDERELLA AND EBENEZER” • Knoxville Children’s Theatre • 3PM • Dec. 4-20. Visit knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com. • $12 OAK RIDGE PLAYHOUSE: A CHRISTMAS STORY • Oak Ridge Playhouse • 2PM • Nov. 20-Dec. 6. Visit www.orplayhouse. com. APPALACHIAN BALLET COMPANY: THE NUTCRACKER • Knoxville Civic Auditorium • 2PM • Everyone’s holiday season should include the Appalachian Ballet Company’s 44th performance of the world’s most loved ballet, The Nutcracker. Plan to see this classical ballet come to life with lavish sets and scenery, beautiful costumes, exciting choreography, and live music performed by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. Australian guest artist Aaron Smyth, most recently seen on America’s Got Talent, will dance the role of the Prince. • $28-$43 CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: A CHRISTMAS CAROL • Clarence Brown Theatre • 2PM • Nov. 25-Dec. 20. CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: ‘THE SANTALAND DIARIES’ • Carousel Theatre • 2PM • For mature elves only. Dec. 3-20 FOOTHILLS COMMUNITY PLAYERS: “A LITTLE MURDER NEVER HURT ANYBODY” • Clayton Center for the Arts (Maryville) • 2PM • Dec. 4-6. Visit foothillscommunityplayers.com. • $12 THEATRE KNOXVILLE DOWNTOWN: A TUNA CHRISTMAS • Theatre Knoxville Downtown • 3PM • Nov. 27-Dec. 13. Visit theatreknoxville.com. • $13 KNOXVILLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE: “CINDERELLA AND EBENEZER” • Knoxville Children’s Theatre • 3PM • Dec. 4-20. Visit knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com. • $12 Wednesday, Dec. 9 CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: A CHRISTMAS CAROL • Clarence Brown Theatre • 2PM • Nov. 25-Dec. 20. CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: ‘THE SANTALAND DIARIES’ • Carousel Theatre • 2PM • For mature elves only. Dec. 3-20 Thursday, Dec. 10 KNOXVILLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE: CINDERELLA AND EBENEZER • Knoxville Children’s Theatre • 7PM • Dec. 4-20. Visit knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com. • $12 THE SILVER STAGE PLAYERS: “CHRISTMAS 1945” • John T. O’Connor Senior Center • 2PM • Knoxville’s Silver Stage Players present a dramatization of an old-fashioned holiday radio broadcast. F REE CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: A CHRISTMAS CAROL • Clarence Brown Theatre • 2PM • Nov. 25-Dec. 20. CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: ‘THE SANTALAND DIARIES’ • Carousel Theatre • 2PM • For mature elves only. Dec. 3-20 THEATRE KNOXVILLE DOWNTOWN: A TUNA CHRISTMAS •
Theatre Knoxville Downtown • 8PM • Nov. 27-Dec. 13. Visit theatreknoxville.com. • $15 Friday, Dec. 11 KNOXVILLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE: CINDERELLA AND EBENEZER • Knoxville Children’s Theatre • 7PM • Dec. 4-20. Visit knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com. • $12 APPALACHIAN BALLET: THE NUTCRACKER • Clayton Center for the Arts (Maryville) • 7:30PM • The Nutcracker Ballet is based on the book called “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” written by E.T.A. Hoffman. In 1891, the legendary choreographer Marius Petipa commissioned Tchaikovsky to write the music for the Nutcracker Ballet. Join in the tradition as Appalachian Ballet once again brings “The Nutcracker” to the Clayton Center. • $25-$40 CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: A CHRISTMAS CAROL • Clarence Brown Theatre • 2PM • Nov. 25-Dec. 20. CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: ‘THE SANTALAND DIARIES’ • Carousel Theatre • 2PM • For mature elves only. Dec. 3-20 THE WORDPLAYERS: “THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER” • Pellissippi State Community College • 7:30PM • In this hilarious Christmas classic, a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids--probably the most inventively awful kids in history. Dec. 11-13. Visit www.wordplayers.org • $12 THEATRE KNOXVILLE DOWNTOWN: A TUNA CHRISTMAS • Theatre Knoxville Downtown • 8PM • Nov. 27-Dec. 13. Visit theatreknoxville.com. • $15 Saturday, Dec. 12 KNOXVILLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE: “CINDERELLA AND EBENEZER” • Knoxville Children’s Theatre • 1PM a nd 5PM • Dec. 4-20. Visit knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com. • $12 2015 NATIVITY PAGEANT • Knoxville Civic Coliseum • 3PM • The Nativity Pageant, a professionally directed pantomime drama, combines a cast of over 90, moving narration, realistic sets, authentic costumes, and live animals to create a beautiful and powerful presentation of the Christmas story. Music is provided by a 200 voice choir, accompanied by a 20-member orchestra. The one-hour performance starts in darkness. Please be sure to arrive early to avoid having to find seats in the dark. Children are welcome at the family-friendly performance. F REE CONTEMPORARY DANCE ENSEMBLE HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR • Knoxville Civic Auditorium • 7PM • The Contemporary Dance Ensemble ‘Holiday Spectacular’ is a holiday performance dance filled with excitement, laughter, and emotion. Enjoy the passion of the season with dance numbers ranging from the graceful lyrical to the ever-popular upbeat HipHop. The antics of Santa, Rudolph, Frosty and the Grinch combined with the athleticism of the dancers are sure to please even the most humbug of audience members!! Come and join us for an evening of joy and delight. A must for your Holiday Season! • $17 APPALACHIAN BALLET: THE NUTCRACKER • Clayton Center for the Arts (Maryville) • 2PM • The Nutcracker Ballet is based on the book called “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” written by E.T.A. Hoffman. In 1891, the legendary choreographer Marius Petipa commissioned Tchaikovsky to write the music for the Nutcracker Ballet. Join in the tradition as Appalachian Ballet once again brings “The Nutcracker” to the Clayton Center. • $25-$40 THE WORDPLAYERS: “THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER” • Pellissippi State Community College • 2:30PM • Dec. 11-13. Visit www.wordplayers.org • $12 CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: A CHRISTMAS CAROL • Clarence Brown Theatre • 2PM • Nov. 25-Dec. 20. CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: ‘THE SANTALAND DIARIES’ • Carousel Theatre • 2PM • For mature elves only. Dec. 3-20 THEATRE KNOXVILLE DOWNTOWN: A TUNA CHRISTMAS •
Thursday, Dec. 3 - Sunday, Dec. 13
Theatre Knoxville Downtown • 8PM • Nov. 27-Dec. 13. Visit theatreknoxville.com. • $15 Sunday, Dec. 13 KNOXVILLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE: “CINDERELLA AND EBENEZER” • Knoxville Children’s Theatre • 3PM • Dec. 4-20. Visit knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com. • $12 2015 NATIVITY PAGEANT • Knoxville Civic Coliseum • 3PM • The Nativity Pageant, a professionally directed pantomime drama, combines a cast of over 90, moving narration, realistic sets, authentic costumes, and live animals to create a beautiful and powerful presentation of the Christmas story. Music is provided by a 200 voice choir, accompanied by a 20-member orchestra. The one-hour performance starts in darkness. Please be sure to arrive early to avoid having to find seats in the dark. Children are welcome at the family-friendly performance. FREE CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: ‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’ • Clarence Brown Theatre • 2PM • Nov. 25-Dec. 20. CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: ‘THE SANTALAND DIARIES’ • Carousel Theatre • 2PM • For mature elves only. Dec. 3-20. THE WORDPLAYERS: “THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER” • Pellissippi State Community College • 2:30PM • Dec. 11-13. Visit www.wordplayers.org • $12 THEATRE KNOXVILLE DOWNTOWN: “A TUNA CHRISTMAS” • Theatre Knoxville Downtown • 3PM • Nov. 27-Dec. 13. Visit theatreknoxville.com. • $13
COMEDY AND SPOKEN WORD
Friday, Dec. 4 FIRST FRIDAY COMEDY SHOW • Saw Works Brewing Company • 7PM • Atlanta comedian Ian Aber is the headliner this month at the Saw Works Brewing comedy showcase. Knoxville comedian Jay Kendrick is also scheduled to perform, along with local host Sean Simoneau. A local food truck will also be on site for the show. Sunday, Dec. 6 UPSTAIRS UNDERGROUND COMEDY • Preservation Pub • 8PM • A weekly comedy open mic. Monday, Dec. 7 QED COMEDY LABORATORY • Pilot Light • 7:30PM • QED ComedyLaboratory is a weekly show with different theme every week that combines stand-up, improv, sketch, music and other types of performance and features some of the funniest people in Knoxville and parts unknown. It’s weird and experimental. There is no comedy experience in town that is anything like this and it’s also a ton of fun. Pay what you want. Free, but donations are accepted. FREE Tuesday, Dec. 8 OPEN MIC STAND-UP COMEDY • Longbranch Saloon • 8PM • Come laugh until you cry at the Longbranch every Tuesday night. Doors open at 8:30, first comic at 9. No cover charge, all are welcome. Aspiring or experienced comics interested in joining in the fun email us at longbranch.info@gmail.com to learn more, or simply come to the show a few minutes early. FREE EINSTEIN SIMPLIFIED • Scruffy City Hall • 8PM • Einstein Simplified Comedy performs live comedy improv at Scruffy City Hall. It’s just like Whose Line Is It Anyway, but you get to make the suggestions. Show starts at 8:15, get there early for the best seats. No cover. FREE Friday, Dec. 11 HENRY CHO • Bijou Theatre • 8PM • Henry’s TV and film
CALENDAR
credits include appearances on NBC’s The Tonight Show, CBS’s The Late, Late, Show, and NBC’s Young Comedians Special. He served two years as host of NBC’s Friday Night Videos and had many guest roles on various network sitcoms.Henry’s one hour Comedy Central Special, “What’s That Clickin Noise?” is currently running and he can also be heard on Sirrus, XM and Blue Collar Radio. He’s also a regular performer at the Grand Ole Opry.In 2012, Henry sold a special/pilot to GAC (Great American Country) in which he served as host, co-writer, and co-producer. “The Henry Cho Show” aired in Fall 2012 and Henry awaits the chance to do more shows for GAC for the network. • $27.50-$30.50 Sunday, Dec. 13 UPSTAIRS UNDERGROUND COMEDY • Preservation Pub • 8PM • A weekly comedy open mic.
FESTIVALS
Friday, Dec. 4 CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF OAK RIDGE ANNUAL GALA • Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge • 6PM • Now in its 42nd year, Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge is the place in East Tennessee where families play, learn, and grow together. Through exhibits, classes, camps, and special programs and events we offer unique opportunities for education and for creativity through hands-on play. In 2014 we served 45,000 visitors. The annual gala helps to support this vital educational resource.This year’s gala celebrates the culture, food, and traditions of our great state of Tennessee. Dinner will be by All Occasion Catering, and entertainment will be provided by Oak Ridge’s own Ridge City Ramblers and the Knoxville Contra Dancers. A silent auction and a live auction with auctioneer Bear Stephenson will round out the evening. All proceeds from the gala go to Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. THE DISTRICT IN BEARDEN HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE • Bearden • 5-8PM • Offering unique art, fashion, design and cuisine gift ideas, hot chocolate, and food samples as well as the opportunity to meet local artists, see their work in progress, and even a chance to meet Santa. Participating retailers: @ home audio-video, Bennett Galleries, Est8te, G&G Interiors, Kimball’s Jewelers, M.S. McClellan, Persian Galleries, Pink Pomegranate Home, Sole in the City, Southern Market, The District Gallery and Framery, Westwood Antique + Design Market. Participating restaurants: Aubrey’s, Bistro by the Tracks, Blackhorse Pub and Brewery, Dead End BBQ, drink, Holly’s Gourmet’s Market, and Naples Italian restaurant. Saturday, Dec. 5 CHRISTMAS IN OLD APPALACHIA • Museum of Appalachia • 8:30AM • The simple joys of an old-fashioned Christmas await Museum of Appalachia visitors during December. For more information, contact the museum at 865-494-7680 or visit www.museumofappalachia.org. HISTORIC BLEAK HOUSE CHRISTMAS TOURS • Bleak House • 2PM • Start off the Christmas holidays at one of Knoxville’s treasures. Built in 1858 and home to Knoxville Robert and Louise Armstrong, the house was named for Charles Dickens’ novel. Festivities include a yule fire, hot cider, carolers, and storyteller. Proceeds go to the house’s restoration and maintenance fund. For more information contact Diane Green at (865) 993-3397. THE DISTRICT IN BEARDEN HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE • Bearden • 10:30AM-4:30PM • Offering unique art, fashion, design and cuisine gift ideas, hot chocolate, and food samples as well as the opportunity to meet local artists, see their work in progress, and even a chance to meet Santa. Participating retailers: @home audio-video, Bennett Galleries, Est8te, G&G Interiors, Kimball’s Jewelers, M.S.
McClellan, Persian Galleries, Pink Pomegranate Home, Sole in the City, Southern Market, The District Gallery and Framery, Westwood Antique + Design Market. Participating restaurants: Aubrey’s, Bistro by the Tracks, Blackhorse Pub and Brewery, Dead End BBQ, drink, Holly’s Gourmet’s Market, and Naples Italian restaurant. Sunday, Dec. 6 UT SCHOOL OF MUSIC HOLIDAY MUSICALE • The Paris Apartment • 5PM • Featuring traditional holiday music favorites. Heavy hors d’oeuvres, casual, festive attire. $75 donation per person suggested, additional scholarship donations accepted. Hosted by the UT School of Music Board of Advisors and benefitting the School of Music Scholarship Fund. RSVP by Monday, November 30 to 865-974-7547. WINTER SOLSTICE SACRED CIRCLE DANCE • The Square Dance Center • 7PM • Sponsored by East Tennessee Sacred Circle Dance. The Winter Solstice has been celebrated by cultures around the world for thousands of years. Sacred Circle Dances are traditional, seasonal dances from a wide variety of cultures and peoples. They range in mood from light and silly to deep and powerful. All dances are taught and no partner or experience are necessary. You are invited to wear white and bring a candle for the center of the circle. Medieval refreshments will be served at the intermission. Cost: $5/person or $10/family. For more information, contact Kevin Meyer at (865) 406-6452 or kmeyer1423@aol.com. Website: www.InTheDance.com. • $5-$10 CHRISTMAS IN OLD APPALACHIA • Museum of Appalachia • 8:30AM • The simple joys of an old-fashioned Christmas await Museum of Appalachia visitors during December. For more information, contact the museum at 865-494-7680 or visit www.museumofappalachia.org. HISTORIC BLEAK HOUSE CHRISTMAS TOURS • Bleak House • 1PM • Start off the Christmas holidays at one of Knoxville’s treasures. Built in 1858 and home to Knoxville Robert and Louise Armstrong, the house was named for Charles Dickens’ novel. Festivities include a yule fire, hot cider, carolers, and storyteller. Proceeds go to the house’s restoration and maintenance fund. For more information contact Diane Green at (865) 993-3397.
LUNCH & DINNER Mon-Fri 11am-9pm CATERING AVAILABLE 865-387-8275
706 Walnut St, Knoxville, TN yassin’s falafel house
Monday, Dec. 7 CHRISTMAS IN OLD APPALACHIA • Museum of Appalachia • 8:30AM • The simple joys of an old-fashioned Christmas await Museum of Appalachia visitors during December. For more information, contact the museum at 865-494-7680 or visit www.museumofappalachia.org. Tuesday, Dec. 8 CHRISTMAS IN OLD APPALACHIA • Museum of Appalachia • 8:30AM • The simple joys of an old-fashioned Christmas await Museum of Appalachia visitors during December. For more information, contact the museum at 865-494-7680 or visit www.museumofappalachia.org. Wednesday, Dec. 9 CHRISTMAS IN OLD APPALACHIA • Museum of Appalachia • 8:30AM • The simple joys of an old-fashioned Christmas await Museum of Appalachia visitors during December. For more information, contact the museum at 865-494-7680 or visit www.museumofappalachia.org.
FILM SCREENINGS
Friday, Dec. 4 CRESTHILL CINEMA CLUB: “CAREER” • Windover Apartments • 7:30PM • CCC will be welcoming in the holidays in a most provocative way – as we explore the dark side of the showbiz world. Our feature will be Career, a 1959 drama that December 3, 2015
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 45
CALENDAR charts the turbulent rise of a handsome, super-driven young actor named Sam Lawson. Career will be preceded by a similarly dramatic tale from 1959, “Stand-In for Murder.” Our location: The spacious clubhouse of the Windover Apartments. The journey there will take you to Cheshire Drive (off Kingston Pike, near the Olive Garden); going down Cheshire, turn right at the Windover Apartments sign, then go to the third parking lot on your right, next to the pool. There, the building that houses the clubhouse and offices of the Windover will be just a few steps away. Monday, Dec. 7 THE BIRDHOUSE WALK-IN THEATER • The Birdhouse • 8:15PM • A weekly free movie screening. F REE THE PUBLIC CINEMA: CHRISTMAS, AGAIN • Scruffy City Hall • 8PM • A heartbroken Christmas-tree salesman returns to New York City hoping to put his past behind him. Living in a trailer and working the night shift, he begins to spiral downwards until the saving of a mysterious woman and some colorful customers rescue him from self-destruction. Directed by Charles Poekel. F REE • See review on page 38. Tuesday, Dec. 8 TWIN PEAKS VIEWING PARTY • The Birdhouse • 7PM • Bi-weekly viewing parties for every single episode of the cult TV series. Attendees encouraged to dress as their favorite characters. Trivia, Twin Peaks-themed giveaways, donuts and coffee, plus some surprises. Trivia begins at 7:00pm with viewing to follow at 8:00pm. FREE Wednesday, Dec. 9 EAST TENNESSEE FILM GALA • Tennessee Theatre • 7PM • If
Business
Thursday, Dec. 3 - Sunday, Dec. 13
you’ve ever wanted to see your film on the big screen at the Tennessee Theatre--this may be your chance! We are accepting submissions in three categories: Student, Emerging Filmmaker, and Professional. Films can be any genre and any length up to 10 minutes long. The best 10 films will be chosen in each category. Submissions fees are just $20.Here’s a perfect chance to brush off that script you never finished, or polish up a Director’s Cut from a short film you’ve already completed. Submissions will be open from October 28 - November 25, 2015.Awards will be given for Audience Choice, Best Comedy, Best Horror Film, Best Narrative, Best Documentary, Best Animated Film, Best Documentary, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Cinematographer, Best Music, Best Editing, and Best Music Video.This gala evening will be hosted by Kelly Shipe with proceeds from the event benefiting the Knoxville Horror Film Fest and the Scruffy City Film & Music Festival. • See Program Notes on page 22. Sunday, Dec. 13 IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE • Tennessee Theatre • 1PM and 5PM • Enjoy Home Federal Bank’s Christmas gift to our community with screenings of classic film “It’s a Wonderful Life” in the beautiful Tennessee Theatre. Admission is free; no ticket is required. Doors open one hour prior to each screening; seating is limited to the theater’s capacity. Free parking is available in city-owned garages. FREE
SPORTS AND RECREATION
Product awareness
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422 S. Gay St. DEC. 4-31: Artwork by Fran Thie and Robert Conliffe. An opening reception will be held on Friday, Dec. 4, from 5:30-9 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 8 WHOLE FOODS GAME NIGHT • Whole Foods • 6PM • Join us for everything from Candy Land to chess, and feel free to add a pint and a pizza. • FREE
Bennett Galleries 5308 Kingston Pike DEC. 4-31: Artwork by Richard Jolley and Tommie Rush. An opening reception will be held on Friday, Dec. 4, from 5-8 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 10 WHOLE FOODS GAME NIGHT • Whole Foods • 6PM • Join us for everything from Candy Land to chess, and feel free to add a pint and a pizza. • FREE Saturday, Dec. 10 KTC LOYSTON POINT SCRAMBLE • Loyston Point Recreation Area • 2PM • This 8 mile course winds circuitously through the Loyston Point recreation area, a TVA Norris Reservoir facility also known as Point 19, using marvelous trails including the Hemlock Bluff National Recreation Trail. Lake views are majestic and on the outer loop almost continuous with leaves having already fallen.A one mile Kids Trail Race will precede the adult race. The course will traverse some of the same trails and offer the youngsters a taste of the fun the grownups will be having thirty minutes later. Only five bucks for so much fun!
ART
Art Market Gallery
Company goodwill
ADVERTISING EQUALS SUPPORT.
There’s never been a better time to “go public.”
Thanks to our advertisers for their help in keeping our presses running. Let’s return the favor by supporting them.
KNOXVILLE MERCURY December 3, 2015
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Thursday, Dec. 3 WHOLE FOODS GAME NIGHT • Whole Foods • 6PM • Join us for everything from Candy Land to chess, and feel free to add a pint and a pizza. • FREE
9/7/15 9:52 AM
Bliss Home 24 Market Square DEC. 4-31: Aurora, paintings by Jane Nickels. An opening reception will be held on Friday, Dec. 4, from 6-9 p.m. Broadway Studios and Gallery 1127 N. Broadway DEC. 4-31: Feast Your Eyes on This, an exhibit all about food. An opening reception will be held on Friday, Dec. 4, from 5-9 p.m. Central Collective 923 N. Central St. DEC. 4: Artwork by Heather Hartman. The District Gallery 5113 Kingston Pike DEC. 5-30: From Knoxville to the Mediterranean, paintings by Joe Parrott. An opening reception will be held on Friday, Dec. 4, from 5-8 p.m. Downtown Gallery
Thursday, Dec. 3 - Sunday, Dec. 13
106 S. Gay St. DEC. 4-JAN. 16: You Call That Art?, an exhibition of editorial cartoons by Charlie Daniel. An opening reception will be held on Friday, Dec. 4, from 5-9 p.m. Emporium Center for Arts and Culture 100 S. Gay St. DEC. 4-JAN. 29: Arts and Culture Alliance Members Show. An opening reception will be held on Friday, Dec. 4, from 5-9 p.m. Envision Art Gallery 4050 Sutherland Ave. NOV. 20-DEC. 19: Art for the Holidays, featuring work by Derrick Freeman, Inna Nasonova, and Kay List. An opening reception will be held on Friday, Nov. 20, from 5-8 p.m. Ewing Gallery 1715 Volunteer Blvd. NOV. 11-DEC. 13: Distilled: The Narrative Transformed, a 30-year survey of the art of Pinkney Herbert. Knoxville Museum of Art 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive NOV. 27-JAN. 10: East Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition. ONGOING: Higher Ground: A Century of the Visual Arts in Tennessee; Currents: Recent Art From East Tennessee and Beyond; and Facets of Modern and Contemporary Glass. Liz-Beth and Co. 7240 Kingston Pike NOV. 28-DEC. 31: New exhibits from recognized local and regional artists, featuring pottery, jewelry and wearable art, art glass, sculpture, and wall art. A holiday reception will be held on Friday, Dec. 11, from 5-8 p.m. Mast General Store 402 S. Gay St. DEC. 6: SeeAmericaProject.com is an online, crowdsourced art campaign celebrating our national parks by the Creative Action Network and National Parks Conservation Association. The campaign is reviving the legacy of the 1930’s New Deal arts project by inviting artists and designers to create a new collection of See America posters for the digital age. Come meet local See America artist Matt Brass who will be signing his iconic Great Smoky Mountains National Park posters. 1 p.m. McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture 1327 Circle Park Drive SEPT. 11-JAN. 3: Embodying Enlightenment: Buddhist Art of the Himalayas. ONGOING: The Flora and Fauna of Catesby, Mason, and Audubon and Life on the Roman Frontier. Pioneer House 413 S. Gay St. THROUGH DECEMBER: Knox County Warriors, portraits of UT football legends by Will Johnson. Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church 2931 Kingston Pike SEPT. 11-DEC. 3: An exhibit of artwork by TVUUC members. University of Tennessee John C. Hodges Library 1015 Volunteer Blvd. THROUGH DEC. 11: Marginalia in Rare Books, a display of centuries-old books with notes, ownership marks, and inscriptions.
LECTURES, READINGS, AND BOOK SIGNINGS
Tuesday, Dec. 8 KNOXVILLE CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE • Bearden Banquet Hall • 8PM • James Ogden, chief historian at the Chickamauga Chattanooga National Military Park, has taught numerous history courses and written many articles on the Civil War. He also has appeared in several TV productions including Civil War Journal, Civil War Combat, and The History Detectives. Ogden will lecture on the 4th Ohio Cavalry Colonel Eli Long’s forgotten raid on Cleveland and the East Tennessee & Georgia Railroad. Lecture only cost $5, students free. Dinner at 7PM, $17 including lecture. RSVP by noon on Monday, Dec. 7, by calling 865-671-9001. • $5-$17 Thursday, Dec. 10 A TASTE OF PARIS: READINGS FROM CHANTAL BIZZINI’S “DISENCHANTED CITY” • Union Ave Books • 6PM • Book signing & readings from Chantal Bizzini’s Disenchanted City, edited by Marilyn Kallet & J. Bradford Anderson. F REE
FAMILY AND KIDS’ EVENTS
Thursday, Dec. 3 BABY BOOKWORMS • Lawson McGee Public Library • 11AM • For infants to age 2, must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. F REE CHESS AT THE LIBRARY • Blount County Public Library • 1PM • Middle and high school students (or any age) are invited to play chess. Tom Jobe coaches most Saturdays in the Teen Central area of the library. On one Saturday of every month, there will be a rated tournament at the Blount County Public Library. FREE Friday, Dec. 4 SMART TOYS AND BOOKS ART CLASS • Smart Toys and Books • 10AM • Mommy, Daddy & Me Art Classes are every Friday at 10:00am & 11:00am. Reservations and payment are required in advance. Class fees are non-refundable. Ages 2+. • $10 Saturday, Dec. 5 CHESS AT THE LIBRARY • Blount County Public Library • 10AM • Middle and high school students (or any age) are invited to play chess. Tom Jobe coaches most Saturdays in the Teen Central area of the library. On one Saturday of every month, there will be a rated tournament at the Blount County Public Library. FREE SATURDAY STORIES AND SONGS • Lawson McGee Public Library • 11AM • A weekly music and storytelling session for kids. F REE Monday, Dec. 7 MUSICAL MORNINGS • Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge • 10AM • This activity is designed for toddlers and their caregivers. Children can explore tone, melody, and rhythm in an age-appropriate environment. Singing and dancing are encouraged. Musical Mornings also are free with paid admission or museum membership. http:// childrensmuseumofoakridge.org/musical-mornings/ SMART TOYS AND BOOKS STORYTIME • Smart Toys and Books • 11AM • Storytime with Miss Helen is every Monday at 11:00am. No charge. No reservations required. FREE Tuesday, Dec. 8
CALENDAR
TODDLERS’ PLAYTIME • Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge • 10AM • Toddlers’ Playtime is designed for children aged 4 and younger, accompanied by their parents, grandparents, or caregivers. Little ones have an opportunity to play with blocks, toy trains, and puppets; they can “cook” in the pretend kitchen, dig for dinosaurs, and look at books. The adults can socialize while the children play. Free with paid admission or museum membership. http:// childrensmuseumofoakridge.org/toddlers-playtime/ PRE-K READ AND PLAY • Lawson McGee Public Library • 11AM • Pre-K Read and Play is a pilot program specifically designed to prepare children to enter kindergarten. While the format of the program will still feel like a traditional storytime with books, music, and other educational activities, each weekly session will focus on a different standard from the Tennessee Department of Education’s Early Childhood/Early Learning Developmental Standards. FREE CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY KID-TO-KID: FUN WITH A PURPOSE • Cancer Support Community • 3:30PM • Your children will gain coping skills and have opportunities to talk about a loved one’s cancer diagnosis while also having fun. Please call before your first visit and RSVP. 865-546- 4661 for more info. All Cancer Support Community programs are offered at no cost to individuals affected by cancer. EVENING STORYTIME • Lawson McGee Public Library • 6:30PM • An evening storytime at Lawson McGhee Children’s Room to include stories, music, and crafts. For toddlers and up. FREE Wednesday, Dec. 9 BABY BOOKWORMS • Lawson McGee Public Library • 10:20AM • For infants to age 2, must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. F REE PRESCHOOL STORYTIME • Lawson McGee Public Library • 11AM • For ages 3 to 5, must be accompanied by an adult. FREE
CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS
Thursday, Dec. 3 PLANET MOTION WORLD DANCE FITNESS • Champion Ballroom Center • 10AM • All levels fun dance workout incorporating dance and music styles from around the world. GENTLE YOGA AND MEDITATION • Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church • 12PM • Call 865-577-2021 or email yogaway249@gmail.com. Donations accepted. SAFTA CRAFTING FOR THE HOLIDAYS WORKSHOP • University of Tennessee • 5PM • This year’s event will include jewelry-making, cross-stitch, and Zen drawings and will be taught by three university lecturers on December 3, 2015 from 5PM-7PM at 1210 McClung Tower on the University of Tennessee campus. All participants will be able to take home what they make. The workshop cost is $25 for community members and $15 for students. All proceeds go to support the Sundress Academy for the Arts, a 501(c)3 nonprofit supporting the arts here in Knoxville. Tickets can be purchased online at: squareup. com/market/sundress-publications/. • $15-$25 CENTRAL COLLECTIVE WORKSHOPS: LAVENDER RECIPES FOR BODY AND SOUL • Central Collective • 6PM • The Central Collective Workshops presents Lavender Recipes for Body and Soul. Sooth your spirit and rejuvenate your skin with recipes made with ancient and beloved herb lavender. These botanical health and beauty formulas draw from Mother Earth’s wisdom in our quest for tranquility, beauty and health, and are wonderful for gift
giving. Students will enjoy demonstrations, sampling, and take home lavender health and body care recipes. BELLY DANCE LEVELS 1 AND 2 • Knox Dance Worx • 8PM • Call (865) 898-2126 or email alexia@alexia-dance.com. • $12 • 8PM • 12/3/2015 8PM • Belly Dance Levels 1 and 2 • 3187 • Call (865) 898-2126 or email alexia@alexia-dance.com. • $12 CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY: KNIT YOUR WAY TO WELLNESS • Cancer Support Community • 1PM • Whether you are a novice knitter or an old pro, you are invited to bring your own project or join others in learning a new one. Supplies provided. 865-546-4661. All Cancer Support Community programs are offered at no cost to individuals affected by cancer. HANDS-ON: CAMP STOVES AND WATER FILTRATION • REI • 6PM • In this hands-on course, you will sample advanced camp stoves and water filtration tools. We will discuss how to use and maintain different stoves, water filters and water purifiers. You will leave this class knowing which equipment is right for you and how best to use the tools you already have. Registration required at www.rei. com/knoxville. • $20-$40 A COURSE IN MIRACLES • Illuminations Alternative and Holistic Health • 6:30PM • Classes taught in A Course in Miracles by Victoria Leigh. Each class is independent and not part of a series. • $10 Friday, Dec. 4 SPIRIT CLASS WITH VICTORIA LEIGH FARLEY: INTUITION 101 • Illuminations Alternative and Holistic Health • 6:30AM • Channeled class with Victoria Leigh and her guides with questions and answers at end of class. • $22 Saturday, Dec. 5 IMPROV COMEDY CLASS • The Birdhouse • 10AM • A weekly improv comedy class. F REE MARBLE SPRINGS CANDLE-MAKING WORKSHOP • Marble Springs State Historic Site • 11AM • Marble Springs State Historic Site will host a Candle Making Workshop on Saturday, December 5 starting at 11am. This hands-on workshop will teach visitors about lighting sources of the 18th century. Visitors will learn how to make beeswax candles by the open hearth. Guests will need to pack a lunch. Reservations are required and space is limited to twenty participants. The enrollment fee is $20 for the cost of materials. Details are subject to change. For more information call (865)573-5508, email info@ marblesprings.net, or visit our website at www. marblesprings.net. • $20 Monday, Dec. 7 GENTLE YOGA AND MEDITATION • Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church • 5:30PM • Call 865-5772021 or email yogaway249@gmail.com. Donations accepted. HANDS-ON BIKE MAINTENANCE: TRAIL/ROADSIDE REPAIR • REI • 6PM • This hands-on bike maintenance class focuses on what to do when you are on your ride and the unexpected happens. Our instructors will share tips and tricks to help you triage the situation in the field to keep you riding. Registration required at www.rei.com/ knoxville. • $45-$65 Tuesday, Dec. 8 CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY NUTRITION AMMUNITION • Cancer Support Community • 12PM • Call (865) 546-4611. All Cancer Support Community programs are offered at no cost to individuals affected by cancer. GENTLE YOGA AND MEDITATION • Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church • 12PM • Call 865-577-2021 or email yogaway249@gmail.com. Donations accepted. YOGA WITH SUBAGHJI • The Birdhouse • 5:15PM December 3, 2015
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 47
CALENDAR DIY UGLY SWEATER WORKSHOP • Bearden Beer Market • 6PM • Join Goodwill at the Bearden Beer Market for a night of cheesy and fun holiday festivities! Craft your own ugly sweater with the Goodwill crew, and then hunker down to watch two Christmas classics: Elf and Scrooge! If you register for the ugly sweater workshop, the Bearden Beer Market will give you your first pint for only $2! A dollar from every pint sold that night will benefit Goodwill Industries-Knoxville’s vocational training programs for individuals with barriers to employment. All ages and animals welcome. Get all the details and reserve your spot (and your sweater) at www. goodwillknoxville.org/sweater. FREE DIY HERBAL GIFTS FOR THE HOLIDAYS WITH RECLAIMING YOUR ROOTS • Central Collective • 6PM • Looking for unique, healthy, and inexpensive gifts for the holiday season? Come join Knoxville herbalist Rachel Milford and learn how to make a variety of nourishing herbal goodies, including herbal tea blends vinegars, lip balms, salt scrubs, and more! Class will include demos, recipes, and tasting, and everyone will get to make and take home their own jar of herbal lipbalm.Rachel Milford is a Knoxville-based herbalist, herb farmer, and wellness educator. Through her business Reclaiming Your Roots, she offers classes about herbal medicine and natural healing, as well as grows and sells a variety of herbal teas, salves, and other herbal products. You can find Rachel’s herbal wares at the Market Square Farmers’ Market every Saturday, as well as at Three Rivers Market. Visit online at www.reclaimingyourroots.com for more information. • $35
Thursday, Dec. 3 - Sunday, Dec. 13
Wednesday, Dec. 9 FLOW AND GO YOGA • Illuminations Alternative and Holistic Health • 12:15PM • Call 985-788-5496 or email sandylarson@yahoo.com. • $10 AARP DRIVER SAFETY CLASS • Cheyenne Ambulatory Center • 1PM • Call (865) 382-5822. HANDS-ON BIKE MAINTENANCE: INTERMEDIATE • REI • 6PM • Your bike’s drive train is a key component of efficient riding. Join our expert bike mechanics to learn about what makes up your drive train as well as how to inspect, maintain and adjust the front & rear derailleurs to make sure your ride is as smooth as possible. Bring your own bike. Registration required at www.rei.com/ knoxville. • $40-$60 BELLY DANCING CLASS • Illuminations Alternative and Holistic Health • 7PM • Call 985-788-5496 or email sandylarson@yahoo.com. • $15
MEETINGS
Thursday, Dec. 3 OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS • Recovery at Cokesbury • 5:30PM • This is an OA Literature Meeting. After a short reading from a book, members may share their experience, strength and hope. Listening will help you find others who have what you want, whether it be weight loss, clarity, joy in achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight, or freedom from the obsession of self-destructive eating behaviors. • FREE ATHEISTS SOCIETY OF KNOXVILLE • Barley’s Taproom and
Pizzeria • 5:30PM • Weekly atheists meetup and happy hour. Come join us for food, drink and great conversation. Everyone welcome. • FREE CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT GROUP • Cancer Support Community • 6PM • CSC is committed to providing bereavement services to those who have lost a loved one to cancer. Please contact our clinical staff before attending. Call 865-546-4661 for more info. All Cancer Support Community programs are offered at no cost to individuals affected by cancer. CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY BREAST CANCER NETWORKER • Thompson Cancer Survivor Center West • 6PM • This drop-in group is an opportunity for women who have or have had breast cancer to come together to exchange information, offer support, education and encouragement. Bring your favorite seasonal snack to share. Call 865-546-4661 for more info. All Cancer Support Community programs are offered at no cost to individuals affected by cancer. KNOXVILLE WRITERS’ GUILD • Central United Methodist Church • 7PM • Members of the Knoxville Writers’ Guild writing groups will share their works and hold a mix and mingle potluck for December’s monthly program. Both current members and those simply curious about joining the guild are encouraged to attend and to bring a covered dish. More than 15 writing groups are currently part of the KWG, with genres including poetry, playwriting, literary fiction, crime and mystery, sci-fi/fantasy, prompt writing and creative non-fiction. Additional information about KWG can be found at www.KnoxvilleWritersGuild.org. Saturday, Dec. 5
AL-ANON • Faith Lutheran Church • 11AM • Al-Anon’s purpose is to help families and friends of alcoholics recover from the effects of living with the problem drinking of a relative or friend. Visit our local website at farragutalanon.org or email us at FindHope@ Farragutalanon.org. • FREE SEEKERS OF SILENCE • Church of the Savior United Church of Christ • 8:30AM • The Dec. 5 meeting of Seekers of Silence will feature a Christmas carol sing-along and personal Christmas stories. The meeting, 8:30 a.m.-noon, will be held in the office area adjacent to the Church of the Savior, 934 North Weisgarber Road. All are welcome. SOS is an ecumenical and interfaith group seeking closer communion with God through silent prayer. Website: sosknoxville.org. FREE Sunday, Dec. 6 SILENT MEDITATION SUNDAYS • Narrow Ridge Earth Literacy Center • 11AM • Narrow Ridge invites you to join us for our Silent Meditation Gathering on Sundays at Narrow Ridge. The gatherings are intended to be inclusive of people of all faiths as well as those who do not align themselves with a particular religious denomination. For more information contact Mitzi Wood-Von Mizener at 865-497-3603 or community@narrowridge.org. F REE LARK IN THE MORN ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCERS • Laurel Theater • 8PM • Call 546-8442. 17th-18th Century Social Dancing with live music. Beginners welcome, no partner is required. Also Rapper Sword dance group meets most Sundays at 7:00. Free. Monday, Dec. 7
or
For more information, call 865-313-2048 or email sales@knoxmercury.com
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KNOXVILLE MERCURY December 3, 2015
CALENDAR KNOXVILLE CONTRA DANCERS • Laurel Theater • 8PM • Call 599-9621. Contra dancing to live acoustic music. No experience or partner required. • $7 ASPERGER’S SUPPORT GROUP • Remedy Coffee • 6PM • Are you an adult with asperger’s and looking for others who have the same strengths and challenges in life? Come join us for a casual meetup every other Monday. Contact Saskia at (865) 247-0065 ext. 23. FREE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION • Sky Ranch Airport • 7PM • The Experimental Aircraft Association EAA 17 first Monday of the month meeting will feature airplane builder Jim Auman telling about his aviation experiences and his completed P-51 Mustang replica flying with a Honda V-6 engine. eaa17.org or contact Jerry Depew 865-789-0899. FREE GAY MEN’S DISCUSSION GROUP • Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church • 7:30PM • We hold facilitated discussions on topics and issues relevant to local gay men in a safe and open environment. Visit gaygroupknoxville.org. Wednesday, Dec. 9 KNOXVILLE SWING DANCE ASSOCIATION • Laurel Theater • 7PM • Call 224-6830. Dedicated to the purpose of promoting swing dance. Lessons at 7 p.m., open dance at 8 p.m. COMITE POPULAR DE KNOXVILLE • The Birdhouse • 7PM • A weekly meeting of the local immigrant advocacy organization.
ETC.
Thursday, Dec. 3 KNOX HERITAGE SALVAGE SHOP HOLIDAY MARKET • Knox Heritage Salvage Shop • 12PM • Come shop in warmth at The Knox Heritage Salvage Shop this December and enjoy handmade gifts, artwork, antiques and more from local vendors during our regular retail hours. Proceeds benefit the vendors and Knox Heritage which advocates for historic preservation in East Tennessee. Visit knoxheritage.org/ salvage for more information. Dec. 2-19. FREE Friday, Dec. 4 IRONWOOD STUDIOS HOLIDAY MARKET • Ironwood Studios • 6PM • Ironwood Studios presents a holiday shopping event featuring original art & craft made by Ironwood artists and local guests. The two-day market will include woodwork, functional and sculptural ironwork, leather goods, printmaking, painting, blown glass and more. • FREE KNOX HERITAGE SALVAGE SHOP HOLIDAY MARKET • Knox Heritage Salvage Shop • 12PM • Visit knoxheritage.org/ salvage for more information. Dec. 2-19. FREE IVAN RACHEFF HOUSE AND GARDENS HOLIDAY GREENS TEA AND OPEN HOUSE • Historic Ivan Racheff House and Gardens • 12PM • The historic Ivan Racheff House and Gardens, headquarters of the Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs, will hold a Holiday Greens Tea and Open House. Located at 1943 Tennessee Avenue in Knoxville, the Open House will be from Noon to 3:00 PM. Holiday wreaths, tabletop designs, amaryllis, and baked goods will be available for purchase. There in no admission charge for the event. For additional information or directions, please call 865-522-6210. FREE Saturday, Dec. 5 IRONWOOD STUDIOS HOLIDAY MARKET • Ironwood Studios • 10AM • Ironwood Studios presents a holiday shopping event featuring original art & craft made by Ironwood artists and local guests. The two-day market will include woodwork, functional and sculptural ironwork, leather
goods, printmaking, painting, blown glass and more. • FREE KNOX HERITAGE SALVAGE SHOP HOLIDAY MARKET • Knox Heritage Salvage Shop • 10AM • Visit knoxheritage.org/ salvage for more information. Dec. 2-19. FREE JACKSON SQUARE HOLIDAY FESTIVAL AND MARKET • Historic Jackson Square (Oak Ridge) • 11AM • Buying local could help neighborhood families this holiday season. The Jackson Square Holiday Festival and Market will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5 in Oak Ridge. Visitors can buy artisan and handmade gifts, sample local cuisine, see live entertainment and even snap photos with Santa. Best of all, this family-friendly event will raise funds for Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC). FREE YULETIDE CRAFT FAIR • Westside Unitarian Universalist Church • 11AM • Over 15 vendors with items including jewelry, candles, bath & beauty, woodworking, leatherwork, chainmail, metaphysical supplies and much more. All proceeds support Pagan Pride of East Tennessee. MARKET SQUARE HOLIDAY MARKET • Market Square • 12PM • Nourish Knoxville continues the holiday tradition of shopping local this year with its festive Market Square Holiday Market, to be held Saturdays, December 5, 12 and 19. The Market Square Holiday Market is open 12 to 6 p.m. with farm vendors selling until 3 p.m. near the Market Square stage, and craft vendors and food trucks open until 6 p.m. on Union Avenue adjacent to Market Square and along Market Street. Like the Market Square Farmers’ Market, the Holiday Market is a producer-only market, which means everything for sale is either made, grown or raised by vendors within a 150-mile radius of downtown Knoxville. For more information, visit MarketSquareFarmersMarket.org or NourishKnoxville.org. FREE CHRISTMAS CRAFT EXPO AND MINI PSYCHIC FAIR • Illuminations Alternative and Holistic Health • 10AM • Come and enjoy our craft expo with presenters and psychic readers and healers. • $5 Sunday, Dec. 6 STANLEY’S GREENHOUSE’S HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE • Stanley’s Greenhouse • 1PM • Buy everything you need to decorate for the holidays,and choose from handcrafted gift items made by local artists while you listen to the music of Becki Grace and Jeff Livingston of popular local band 3 Mile Smile. A free poinsettia with every purchase. WINTER SOLSTICE SACRED CIRCLE DANCE • The Square Dance Center • 7PM • The Winter Solstice has been celebrated by cultures around the world for thousands of years. Sacred Circle Dances are traditional, seasonal dances from a wide variety of cultures and peoples. They range in mood from light and silly to deep and powerful. All dances are taught and no partner or experience are necessary. You are invited to wear white and bring a candle for the center of the circle. Medieval refreshments will be served at the intermission. Cost: $5/person or $10/ family.For more information, contact Kevin Meyer at (865) 406-6452 or kmeyer1423@aol.com.Website: www. InTheDance.com. • $5-$10 Wednesday, Dec. 9 THE HIVE HOLIDAY SHOPPE • The Hive • 12PM • Featuring local makers and their goods. Dec. 9-13. FREE KNOX HERITAGE SALVAGE SHOP HOLIDAY MARKET • Knox Heritage Salvage Shop • 12PM • Visit knoxheritage.org/ salvage for more information. Dec. 2-19. FREE
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BLUE VINTAGE NORTHFACE HIKING BACKPACK, aluminum external frame. Early 1980's or so, about 90 liters. Great condition for its age, but some wear. $100 OBO. 678-313-7077
TRADEWINDS, Maryville’s Fair Trade Shop Unique gifts from around the globe! Christmas Shop December 6 8:30 am-12:30 pm and 4:00 pm-7:00 pm Monte Vista Baptist Church 1735 Old Niles Ferry Road
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NORTH KNOXVILLE’S PREMIER RENTAL HOMES pittmanproperties.com COMING SOON! One-level living in Farragut School Zone Numerous updates 3BD/1.5BA Stonecrest Subdivision Call Jim today @865-924-2941 for more details! Keller Williams Reaty 865-966-5005
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Send your events to calendar@knoxmercury.com December 3, 2015
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 49
FOOD
D ir t to Fork
Best Cookbooks 2015 Family recipes, from all over, for everyone BY ROSE KENNEDY
W
ho is family, and how shall we feed them? I find that my favorite cookbooks published this year take up that question and answer it with late-night noshes and wooden spoons and casserole dishes and heirloom ingredients. Maybe it’s just coincidence that so many have published cookbooks emphasizing kitchen-table recipes in 2015, from the The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime to Little Big Town country music star Kimberly Schlapman (Oh Gussie!) to superstar chef for the ages Jacques Pepin (Heart & Soul in the Kitchen). Or perhaps it’s just a need for closeness and sustenance in this cantankerous world, a feeling of carrying on
FOOD GIFT LOVE
(Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt) by Maggie Battista
One of my favorite tags for social media remarks is #iamfailingpinterest, yet I love this gathering of things you can make in the kitchen and give as gifts—way, way past cookies and marmalade. Infused oils, homemade extracts like coffee or coconut, and candied blood orange rinds are just the start of easy ideas, along with a flow chart that helps you decide who gets what and when. Everything in the book is thoughtful but not too exotic— graham cracker toffee here, bourbon-vanilla cherries there. Many are just nifty, “I wish I’d thought of that” things, like apple galettes you can gift without involving a pie pan exchange, and a cucumber-lime pitcher to take 50
KNOXVILLE MERCURY December 3, 2015
tradition while noodling up new dishes for modern taste buds—maybe that has inspired this outpouring of family-based cookbooks? I am just glad that they are here, this best of the bunch. They are quite nice to give, or to use to cook for both the biologically related or the friends Edna Buchanan describes as, “The family you choose yourself.” All emerge from family kitchens, sent as epistles to the other kitchens of the world. I echo Danielle Oron in her intro to Modern Israeli Cooking, “I will ask only that you invite some friends over and share this food with them.” To which I add, “Eat, eat!”
as a hostess gift for dinner parties. Though the book is a result of nationwide testing and years of Battista’s food-gift business experience, it’s also got the warm touch of family, from her tale of the pico de gallo with ketchup that makes it to all the events in her extended Latino family to the chocolate-on-the-outside roasted banana bread that her housemates fight over. All anecdotes include recipes!
NASHVILLE EATS
(Stewart, Tabori & Chang) by Jennifer Justus
The City of Music cooks more like one large, nurturing, adventurous family than a bunch of chefs, and this cookbook celebrates that family history thoroughly. Justus delves into
the recipes and personalities that make up chic eateries, meat-andthrees, and even farmer’s markets like she’s unpacking an attic. Here are just a few: Lisa Donovan, who has been a pastry chef at Husk Nashville and tells us, “Tradition is everything for me”—just ahead of her painstaking instructions for a “Meemaw-inspired” Cherry Hand Pie, which she prefers to fried pie. Chef Trey Cioccia of the Farm House shares his RC Cola Baked Ham recipe, just like they made it on the Middle Tennessee Farm where he grew up. And the book’s German potato salad recipe was inspired by the city’s German heritage and the Gerst Haus with its long history in town. Fish and grits, roasted okra, pimiento goat cheese, Atomic Yardbirds Hot Chicken Coleslaw, pickled ramps, a Float Named Sue—well, the names kind of speak for themselves. And Justus doesn’t just provide the recipes, she’s also got a “kitchen playlist” for each section, like Dolly Parton’s “Tennessee Homesick Blues” and “Miss Being Mrs.” by Loretta Lynn. Here’s a squeaky clean plate on your table and a song in your heart.
AUTHENTIC PORTUGUESE COOKING (Page Street) by Ana Patuleia Ortins
Ortins is dedicated to preserving the little-known cooking traditions of the Azores, Madeira, and Continental Portugal, and does it with warmth and flair. She learned from her father, Rufino, such skills as gutting sardines and cutting kale “fine as grass,” and the precise, delicious old ways live on with her. Each recipe shares a bit of its basis in Portuguese cooking, but just enough to be fascinating. For example, I’ve found myself dwelling with enjoyment on the step-by-step for prepping octopus (ideally with ink sac already removed) for Madeira Wine and Garlic Marinated Octopus Stew, though I know in my heart of hearts I will never prepare such an epic dish. But there are many, many delicious family recipes to make time and again here, like spaghetti squash preserves, King’s Bread replete with brandy and dried fruit for Epiphany Sunday, and Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Beet Greens. The breads, oh the breads. They are delicious, and homey, from sweet raised muffins to carrot fritters to Fried Dough of Graciousa, made more delicious by the thought of young Ana being “taught to always bless the bread dough to ensure that it would rise.”
FRESH MADE SIMPLE
(Storey) by Lauren K. Stein, illustrated by Katie Eberts This is just so cool—a quirky, su-
D ir t to Fork
premely user-friendly how-to for making 75 fresh, good foods. Inspired by Bostonian Stein’s kitchen time with her young daughter, each section takes a simple concept, like “stuffed” or “smooth,” and amplifies it with one-page recipes conveyed in watercolor by Katie Eberts. Eberts also doodles the instructions with lots of neat arrows and tips on individual ingredients like eggs, or mangoes, or pecorino cheese. Before you know it, you are shaking up a honey vinaigrette, sauteeing a goat cheese-red pepper melt, stuffi ng a fig, or frying plantain. The author suggests leaving it on a coffee table or kitchen counter for daily, decorative inspiration. I say it also works well next to the grocery list—or as a chatty bedtime story for a preschooler.
BEANS & FIELD PEAS
(University of North Carolina Press) by Sandra A. Gutierrez
A simple but charming elaboration on why these Appalachian and ethnic staples are re-seizing the culinary world in recent years. So worthy a foodstuff—and so tasty, when you know how to cook them. Gutierrez grew up in Latin America and later fell hard for the cuisine of her chosen home, North Carolina, so the recipes are sopped in lore from both places, ebbing and flowing between shellies and pintos, with some arriving at a midpoint she calls “New Southern.” Never mind the name, these are delicious, frugal, and homestyle, from Drunken Beans made with Mexican beer and black bean “sombrero” appetizers to Nancy McDermott’s Soup Bean Pie and a lovely dish of Heirloom Emily Lee Peas. Lots of heritage and old-is-new-again ingredients in here, along with simple old
FOOD favorites I associate with much earlier decades, say the 1930s to the 1980s. So happy to have a reference book that includes recipes for Southern Caviar, refried pintos, and succotash, all in one place.
Kabobs Shawarma Hummus Falafels ––––––– N EW! ––––––– MEDITERRA LUNCH BUFNFEEATN
11A-2P MON-SAT
MODERN ISRAELI COOKING (Page Street Publishing) by Danielle Oron
I’m a little embarrassed that I didn’t know Israeli cooking was “a thing,” but Oron led me to enlightenment with her definition of what she’s included here, the cuisine you’ll find in Israel today, “including Moroccan, Eastern European, Yemeni, Egyptian, Iraqi, and Turkish.” Her family moved from Tel Aviv to New Jersey when she was 3, so there are lots of melting-pot ideas here in addition to new twists on home-country fare. And lots of midnight snacks and fried eggs and Israeli pickles—and sumac. She is a disciple of the sumac flavor, for sure. She does not talk like I talk—tells people to “grow a pair” if they’re feeling timid about the heat in Harissa Lamb Meatballs, says lots of “Yum,” even a “Zingalicious” or two. But that’s fine with me, because she cooks like I like to eat. Oh man, the Chicken and Bucatini Hammin alone (“so low and so slow”) or the Tahini Swirl Brownies or Moroccan Roasted Carrots or the Slow-Roasted Salmon Platter, after which a Bar Mitzvah brunch will never be the same. One tip: Read the back, “Staples,” first. Because the recipes there lay the groundwork for all that follows, from Amba, a mango chutney condiment, to this seedy spiced crunch mix to Labane, a creamy yogurt layering ingredient. Oh, you could no doubt cook Israeli without any of it, but those last few pages are the key to cooking like Oron. ◆
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December 3, 2015
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 51
’BYE
Sacred & P rofane
Folie à Amy I’m not the person you think I am BY DONNA JOHNSON
I
t has happened so often in my life— people thinking that I am someone other than the person I know myself to be—that I have come to believe in a parallel universe where one might be living quite a different reality, with an altogether different personality and lifestyle. Each life is unknown to the other but both serve to further the soul’s growth. So I was not surprised when Polly told me she had known me 20 years ago in a small town in Iowa. “You were quite different then,” said Polly in her earnest, pious way as she looked into my eyes with what can only be described as pity. “You didn’t drink at all then, and you attended church regularly, often singing a solo on Sunday nights.” “I have never been in Iowa,” I said. I had actually met Polly when I was living at Summit Towers, a subsidized living facility in downtown Knoxville. She is very pretty and has creamy white skin, and an old fashioned way of being and speaking that makes her seem as though she has been misplaced in this era and belongs instead in the 1950s. I can easily imagine Polly during the commercials for Queen for a Day, wearing a pale pink shirtwaist dress with a big, swirling skirt, pale silk stockings with the seams down the back, and white patent leather pumps. “When we lived in Iowa together,” Polly continued, peering intently into my eyes, “you were an example for everyone to look up to. You might say you were the crowning glory of Pinewood, Iowa. Why, you were the president off the Pinewood Junior League.” Taking my rough, smoke-stained hand, she patted it as though I were a patient recovering from a lengthy illness—or perhaps a terminal patient who would not recover at all. “Your name was Amy,” she said, smiling wistfully at the pretended
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memory, and I wondered what glitch in her brain made her fabricate such a story. She even asked our mutual friend, Lance, if he thought I had lived with Polly in another time and place. “No, Polly,” he said firmly. “I have known Donna for 30 years, and never was there a time when she called herself Amy. Nor, to my knowledge, was she ever in Iowa.” But Polly was undeterred. She would drop by at odd hours at frequent intervals—she wanted to know if I was all right; she wanted to ask me if she was all right; she wanted to see my animals; or she was just having a panic attack and needed to be somewhere besides alone. This was difficult for Polly, for she was a neat freak and my apartment was filled with junk: old antique windows I had dragged out of dumpsters, clothes strewn everywhere, two cats and a dog. And a plethora of half-empty vodka bottles. But it never seemed to stop Polly—she would sit right down and stay for hours, thinking fondly of herself with a person who never existed, in a time that never was, and in a place I had never heard of. Polly had only one flaw, besides her addiction to me: She craved marijuana in an insatiable way and, not wanting to ruin her impeccable image, could be seen at all hours of the night, slithering this way and that to find one joint. “Why don’t you buy quantity so you don’t have to be running around like this searching for one joint every day?” I asked her. “Oh, I couldn’t do that. It’s an illegal substance, and besides, I don’t really smoke pot, I just like the smell of it,” she said. Whether or not pot was a necessity for Polly, it was the undoing of our odd, sometimes trying friendship. Polly was fond of hanging out in an apartment that was one of the havens for pot smokers, where you could buy an ounce if you were so inclined. Not being a pot smoker
myself, I only visited “the den” once or twice, at Polly’s urging. It was littered with cigarette butts all over the floor, cans filled with butts, and the king of the den himself, Warren. With his long hair, baseball cap, and wide grin, he appeared to be very proud of his position, and despite his young age, wore it well, sitting cross-legged with his high-top sneakers like some sort of Eastern guru. Inside the den, Polly was transformed. Gone was the gentle Southern woman who spoke often of God and tried to help elderly people on and off the elevator. In her place was an animated, talkative girl who sat draped over Warren’s chair like a beautiful, live ornament. Whenever the bowl or joint was passed her way, she could hardly bear to let it go, so that sometimes Warren would have to take it from her. It was because of a misunderstanding of Polly’s that her ardor for
BY IAN BLACKBURN AND JACK NEELY
me chilled and died forever. Having ripped someone off on a minor drug deal, Warren was evicted when they in turn snitched on him. Mistakenly thinking that I was the snitch, Polly lay in wait for me outside the elevator day after day until she was rewarded. She hurled herself at me like some sort of human bullet and threw me to the floor. It was appropriate that my friendship with Polly ended with an untruth, since our entire friendship was based on a fantasy. I think of Polly from time to time, and once she passed me in her car and waved frantically at me, calling out “I love you, Amy.” “I’m not Amy,” I called back, blowing Polly a kiss. “You’ll always be Amy to me,” she said, her voice trailing away as she drove on down Broadway. So be it, I said to myself. So be it. ◆
December 3, 2015
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 53
’BYE
Spir it of the Staircase
BY MATTHEW FOLTZ-GRAY
54
KNOXVILLE MERCURY December 3, 2015
www.thespiritofthestaircase.com
December 3, 2015
KNOXVILLE MERCURY 55