The Loafer 62

Tis the Season for Giving.

Rocky Mount Celebrates the Holidays with Christmas Tours

your tour of the historic property, you will get to know the Cobb family, the Governor, and many of their friends and neighbors.

The Rocky Mount State Historic Site in Piney Flats, Tennessee, is holding its annual Christmas tours. Visit the home that hosted Tennessee’s first frontier families and learn about the Christmas Traditions of 1791. Christmas celebrations stretching from the colonial era to the present day have been witnessed by the Historic Cobb House at Rocky Mount for hundreds of years. The historic homestead is decorated for Christmas with traditional decorations from the 1700s, and tours are available to the public throughout the season. During

We offer three different tour types during the holiday season: our Behindthe-Scenes and Colonial Christmas tours, which take place during the day, and our annual Candlelight Christmas tours, which take place at night. You will be able to witness how we prepare for Christmas and discover historical holiday customs. This is a unique opportunity to see how Christmas was celebrated in the eighteenth century.

Our Candlelight Christmas tours are popular among visitors during this time of year. During the tour, you’ll be transported back to Christmas Eve 1791, when the Cobb home is decked out in fresh greenery, lighted by candles, and full of cheer. As the evening draws in and

the rooms are filled with the flickering glow of candles, experience the wonderful hospitality of the Cobb family and their esteemed guests, Governor Blount and his wife. Our evening tours will conclude with an indoor reception that will include photos with Santa, local merchants, crafts, hot cocoa, and tasty treats.

Our daylight Christmas tours are currently underway, with limited tickets available. Tickets must be purchased in advance on our website or

by phone in order to attend. Our Candlelight Christmas tours will take place on the 9th, and 10th of December.

Adults are $15, while children and seniors are $12. Rocky Mount provides discounts for groups of ten or more, as well as Rocky Mount Historical Association members.

Rocky Mount is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The Rocky Mount Historical Association operates the site under a contract with the Tennessee Historical Commission. For more information, please call 423-538-7396 or email rockymountmuseum@gmail. com. Find us on Facebook at www.faceboook.com/ rockymountmuseum and @ RockyMount TN on Twitter and Instagram.

The Rocky Mount State Historic Site is located at 200 Hyder Hill Road in Piney Flats, Tennessee- just off Highway 11-E, midway between Johnson City and Piney Flats.

Bristol TN/Va

Bristol, TN/VA

WEDNESDAY Dec 7th

Scotty Melton 7:00pm at Cascade Draft House

THURSDAY Dec 8th

Trevor Meade 7:00pm at Cascade Draft House

FRIDAY Dec 9th

Duo Trevor Meade and Ashlyn Mullins | JP Parsons 7:00pm at Cascade Draft House

SATURDAY Dec 10th

Monthly Community Jam 2:00pm at Birthplace of Country Music Museum

Lil John Chrisley followed by the Dirty Hippies 7:00pm at Cascade Draft House

Bobby Clay & The Hillbilly Borrachos 7:00pm at State Street Brewing

Spotlight

Jeff Woods Band 6:00pm at Delta Blues BBQ

MONDAY Dec 13th

Anthony Childress 7:00pm at Cascade Draft House

Johnson City, Tn

Johnson City, TN

TUESDAY Dec 6th

Brim & Marci Leal 6:30pm at Rocks Wood Fired Pizza

WEDNESDAY Dec 7th

HB Beverly 6:30pm at Rocks Wood Fired Pizza

THURSDAY Dec 8th

Bob Dylan Tribute Show w/ Julie and Willie 4:00pm at Mulligan’s Gaming Pub

Justin Mychals 6:30pm at Rocks Wood Fired Pizza

Scott Miller 7:00pm at the Down Home

FRIDAY Dec 9th

Dang Gina 7:00 at Wild Wing Cafe

Scott Miller 7:00pm at the Down Home

Ugly Sweater Party w/ J.r. & The Big Guns 8:00pm at Tulip’s Grub and Pub

Sonic Weapon | MoonScar | Mindset 10:00pm at Capones

SATURDAY Dec 10th

Wyldeheart 7:00 at Wild Wing Cafe

Some Old Friends 7:00pm at Mulligans Gaming & Pub

Scott Miller 7:00pm at the Down Home Giovannie and the Hired Guns 10:00pm at Capone’s

Kingsport

Kingsport, TN

FRIDAY Dec 9th

Big Son 7:00pm at Gypsy Circus Cider Company Stone Creek Four 8:00pm at CJ’s Sports Bar

SATURDAY Dec 10th

Tequila Mockingbird 9:00pm at CJ’s Sports Bar

Abingdon

Abingdon, VA

FRIDAY Dec 9th

Teni Rane 7:00pm at Tumbling Creek Cider Company

SATURDAY Dec 10th

Denim on Denim Disco Party 6:00pm at Wolf Hills Brewing

lizabethton

Elizabethton, TN

SATURDAY Dec 10th

Carson Peters Christmas Concert 8:00pm at Bonnie Kate Theatre

Kara ke

KARAOKE

TUESDAY

TUESDAY

Karaokeat Numan’s-JohnsonCity

Karaoke with Bert & L.A. at Kingsport Moose Lodge 7pm

Karaoke with Absolute Entertainment at The Pub Out Back (The Italian Pizza Pub) - Johnson City 7pm

WEDNESDAY

Trivia

TUESDAY

Wild Wing Café JC- Team Trivia Tuesdays 8:30pm

WEDNESDAY

Turn thePage Karaokeat VFWPost 2108 – Johnson City

Karaoke Night at WonderlandLounge andBar

Karaoke w/ Eric Huskins VFW Post 2108 – Johnson City, TN 8pm

Karaokeat Quaker Steak andLube (Bristol, VA) 7pm

Karaoke at Kingsport Moose Lodge 6pm

Karaoke Night at Wonderland Lounge and Bar - Johnson City, TN 9pm

Karaoke at Thunder Valley Tavern 8pm

Karaoke with Ron at Kingsport Moose Lodge 6:30pm

THURSDAY

THURSDAY

KaraokeatZachary’s Steakhouse

Michael’s Krazy Karaoke at StatelineBar & Grill

Johnson City Brewing Company- Trivia Tuesdays 7pm Aubrey’s Johnson City- Trivia Night 7pm 27 Lions Trivia Night 7pm

Union Street Taproom - DJ Trivia 6pm

Gypsy Circus Cider Company - Trivia 7:00pm

WEDNESDAY

Karaokew/DJ MarquezTop Shelf Entertainment at WildWings CaféJC

Karaoke with Karaoke with Open Mic Entertainment at Wild Wing Café Johnson City, TN 8pm

Karaokeat Numan’s-JohnsonCity

Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City, TN 10pm

KaraokeatJiggy Rays Pizzeria

Karaoke at Jiggy Rays Pizzeria - Johnson City, TN

Abby’s Hell Yeah Karaoke at CJ’s Sports Bar - Kingsport, TN 8pm

Karaokew/Tony &Rod atCJ’s SportsBar 8pm

KaraokeatTipsy Toad(Jonesborough)

Karaoke at Tipsy Toad Tavern - JonesboroughTN

Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Tulips Grub & Pub 8pm

Open Mic & Karaoke at Wonderland Lounge/Bar N Grill

Tipton Street Pub- Trivia Wednesdays 9pm

Aubrey’s Bristol- Trivia Night 7pm

Johnson City Moose Lodge 1831 DJ Trivia 7pm

Tipsy Toad (Jonesborough) - Trivia 7pm

Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Tulips Grub & Pub 7-10

Karaoke at Midnight Oasis Brtistol, TN

FRIDAY

Karaoke at Sonny's Marina/The French Quarter Restaurant

Karaoke w/ Eric Huskins VFW Post 2108 – Johnson City, TN 8pm

Karaoke at Numan’s – Johnson City, TN 10pm

FRIDAY

Karaokew/ ShaneRouseat Bear’sBar

Karaoke with Absolute Entertainment at Rainbow Asian Cuisine 9pm

Karaokeat KingsportMooseLodge

THURSDAY

Holy Taco & Cantina Trivia Night 9pm

JRH Brewing - Trivia Night 7pm

Mellow Mushroom Johnson City Mellow Trivia 7pm

MONDAY

Karaokew/Reverb Karaokeat TheCottage 8:30pm

SATURDAY

Turn thePage Karaokeat VFWPost 2108 – Johnson City

Karaoke w/ Eric Huskins VFW Post 2108 – Johnson City, TN 8pm

KaraokeatElizabethtonVFW

Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Tulips Grub & Pub 8-11

Barley Waters- Trivia Night 7pm Yee-Haw Brewing- Trivia Mondays 7pm

Karaoke at Numan’s – Johnson City, TN 10pm

Karaokew/ Michael Hawkinsat HolidayInn (Exit 7) – Bristol, VA

Karaokeat Numan’s–JohnsonCity

Karaokeat27Lions (Marion, VA) 9:00pm

Woodstone Deli DJ Trivia 7pm

Model City Tap House - Live Team Trivia Night 7pm

other cats although maybe with just one, in a calm environment, she might do just fine. Lady would be a great couch buddy for these cold days! She has been spayed, current on

THINGS TO DO THINGS TO DO

JOHNSON CITY

SATURDAYS

ACOA (adult children of alcoholics) 1:30-3:00pm. Call for info Bill 423-444-6107 or Cheryl 423-262-6149

FRIDAY DEC 9TH

Johnson City Love & Hiking

Date For Couples (Self-Guided) 7:00am at Willow Springs Park

Winter Wonderland 4:00pm at Johnson CIty Public Library

Nocturnal Art Market 6:00pm at Little Animals Brewery

Photos with Santa 6:15 at Founders Park

SATURDAY DEC 10TH

Johnson City Love & Hiking

Date For Couples (Self-Guided) 7:00am at Willow Springs Park

Storytime & Paint: How to Catch the Gingerbread Man 10:00am at Into the Fire

Candy Land Christmas Holiday Market 10:00am at Founders Park

SUNDAY DEC 11TH

Jingle 5K 6:00am at King Commons Park

Johnson City Love & Hiking

Date For Couples (Self-Guided) 7:00am at Willow Springs Park

KINGSPORT

WEDNESDAY DEC 7TH

IBN Biz Lunch 11:30am at Pratt's BBQ

FRIDAY DEC 9TH

Fresh Pine Christmas Wreath 5:30pm at The Inventor Center

SATURDAY DEC 10TH

Blue Ridge Artisan Days –Christmas Edition 10:00am at Kingsport Farmers Market Winter Wonderland Swim 12:00pm at Kingsport Aquatic Center

SUNDAY DEC 11TH

1818 Christmas 2:00pm at the Netherland Inn

BRISTOL

FRIDAY DECEMBER 9TH

Blue Ridge's Funniest 8:00pm at Blue Ridge Comedy Club

SATURDAY DEC 10TH

Brunch with Santa 11:00am at Black Wolf Harley-Davidson

Board Game Night! 5:00pm at Bristol Public Library

Blue Ridge's Funniest 8:00pm at Blue Ridge Comedy Club

JONESBOROUGH

TUESDAY DEC 6TH

Jonesborough Storytelling Guild “Stories n’More” Show 7:00pm at The International Storytelling Center

SATURDAY DEC 10TH

Santa’s Christmas Village 11:00am at Downtown Jonesborough Historic Jonesborough Town Tour 1:00pm at Chester Inn State Historic Site Christmas Parade 6:00pm at Downtown Jonesborough

SUNDAY DEC 11TH

A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play 2:00pm at Jonesborough Repertory Theatre

ABINGDON, VA

WEDNESDAY DEC 7TH

Bingo 5:00pm at Abingdon Community Center

FRIDAY DEC 9TH

Movies for Grown-Ups 2:00pm at Washington County Public Library

SATURDAY DEC 10TH

Holiday Market 10:00am at Abingdon Farmers Market

To Kill a Mockingbird Auditions December 5,6,7

Theatre Bristol Art Space

Important audition information including times, rehearsal and performance dates, and additional details are at www.TheatreBristol.org/audition.

SUNDAY DEC 11TH

Bingo 5:00pm at Abingdon Community Center

PINEY FLATS

FRIDAY DEC 10TH

Candlelight Christmas Tours 5:00pm at Rocky Mount State Historic Site

SATURDAY DEC 11TH

Candlelight Christmas Tours 5:00pm at Rocky Mount State Historic Site

ELIZABETHTON

SATURDAY DEC 11TH

Christmas Parade 6:00pm at Downtown Elizabethton

EAT •SHOP • PLAYTHE L O REFALACOLS’ SAMTSIRHC

Christmas! My favorite time of the year. The time to enjoy family and friends and remember the reason for the season……. Jesus! We are so excited to bring you the ABCs of Christmas again this year on a Santa train. This year our theme is Shop, Eat and Play local. I would really like to encourage everyone to spend your holiday budget locally as much as possible. We need to work hard to keep these local businesses going. Online shopping so convenient and sometimes we need it but please don’t forget the local stores. I hope that you will take the time to look through the ads and make plans to visit some of them. We will focus on Christmas the next 3 weeks.

-Lisa Durbin, Publisher

Eat, Shop and Play Local!

Local Christmas Events

Johnson City

Santa’s Mailbox

What: Those 16 years and under can send a letter to Santa. Place the letters in a special mailbox at the Memorial Park Community Center without any postage. Santa’s helpers will ensure the letters make it to the North Pole before Christmas Eve.

510 Bert St., Johnson City Dec. 1-19, Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. through 8 p.m. More information: 423-434-5749

Candyland Christmas

What: Two Johnson City parks decked out with decorated and lit Christmas trees

Where: Founders and King Commons parks

When: Nov. 26-Jan.8 www.downtownjc.com/candyland

Bristol Winter Wonderland

What: First-ever Christmas tree display

Where: Cumberland Square and Downtown Center When: Nov. 28 through Jan. 2

Mountain Empire Children’s Choral Academy Christmas Conert Blackbird Bakery in Bristol, Virginia, on Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

Kingsport

Kingsport Carousel Christmas

What: Free carousel rides with Santa. Includes reindeer games with Parks and Recreation. Plus, more snow!

When: Friday, Dec. 16. Carousel is 1-3 p.m. Snow is at 1 p.m.

Old Fashioned Christmas Fair

Where: Kingsport Senior Center When: Saturday, Nov. 19 from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m.

Polar Express Christmas

What: A special holiday viewing at the Kingsport Public Library

When: Saturday, Dec. 17 at 2 p.m. More: This day also includes snow in Kingsport at 4 and 6 p.m. at Glen Bruce Park

Snow in Bruce Park/ Professional Christmas Photos

What: Eric Donahue Photography will be in the park snapping pics of you and your loved ones

When: Saturday, Dec. 10 from 6-8 p.m. The snow begins at 7 p.m.

Snow in Centennial Park

What: Kingsport is bringing snow to the park. Will also include Santa, caroling, and the Grinch.

When: Saturday, Dec. 9 from 6:30-8 p.m. Snow and hot chocolate begin at 7 p.m. More: Click here for further information. Vote for Your Favorite Tree

What: Cast your vote for Kingsport’s best Christmas tree

When: By Dec. 21. Also includes the final day of snow in Glen Bruce Park from 6-7 p.m. until Mother Nature takes over.

Blountville

Blountville Christmas Market

Where: Blountville Christian Church located at 1680 Blountville Blvd. When: Dec. 10 -10 a.m through 3 p.m. More: Sponsored by the Friends of the Blountville Library

Blountville Christmas Tree Lighting

Where: Historic Sullivan County Courthouse located at 3425 TN-126 When: Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. More: The lighting of a 30-foot Douglas fir on the courthouse lawn and a second tree lighting by the Hope for Victims Support and Advocacy Group in remembrance of victims of violence. West Ridge High School’s choral ensemble will sing Christmas carols.

Blountville Festival of Trees

What: The first-ever festival with over a dozen trees that are decorated by area businesses and organizations Where: The Old Deery Inn located at 3397 TN-126 in Blountville When: Dec. 16 from 6-8 p.m., Dec. 10 from 1-3 p.m. and Dec. 11 and 18 f rom 2-4 p.m.

Bluff City

Bluff City Christmas Parade Where: Main Street When: Dec. 10 at 5 p.m.

Create Festive Trees for Less

Hosts and hostesses celebrating Christmas often find that Christmas trees are the focal point of a well-decorated home. And it’s easy to create a beautiful and fun Christmas tree, while saving enough money for presents.

First, you’ll need a Christmas tree. To get more tree for your money, consider an artificial tree. They are available in all shapes, sizes and materials, and they can easily be stored after the holidays for use year after year. Once you have your tree up, make it sparkle with lights. Choose between a variety of colors or white lights. Check discount stores such as Dollar General for inexpensive lights that will make your tree beautiful and bright. For a sophisticated look, decorate your tree according to a theme, such as a food or candy motif. Hang candy canes, popcorn and candy garlands, which can be made by stringing hard candies like Life Savers on fishing wire. Or focus on special interests such as sports, traveling or gardening. Decorate a tree with your favorite sports team’s memorabilia and

For kids, decorate with their favorite color. Make tissue-paper flowers to place on your tree. All you need is tissue paper and pipe cleaners. Instructions can be found online at www.craftjr.com.

For a tree that will help you remember the good times, hang mementos that you’ve collected throughout the year instead of traditional, often expensive ornaments. Choose knick-knacks from family vacations, party pictures, favors from weddings or showers, or kids’ arts and crafts projects. Hang holiday greeting cards from family and friends on your tree. To turn these trinkets into ornaments, glue or attach ornament hangers to each item. Your tree will be a reminder of the fun shared throughout the year.

For a more international feel, use inexpensive wrapping paper to make origami cranes — symbols of peace. Paper birds of all sizes will look beautiful on your tree and can be a fun project for the whole family.

The Benefits of Shopping Small This Holiday Season

(NewsUSA) – Small Business Saturday casts a national spotlight each year on in dependently-owned businesses, which in cludes a wide variety of shopping options, from the mom-and-pop storefronts in your local community to home-based e-com merce businesses. Since its inception in 2010, Small Business Saturday spending has reached an estimated $103 billion, according to American Express. Motivated by the potential for growth, small businesses across the country are taking advantage of this movement with more enthusiasm year after year, given strong consumer response. GS1 US, an information standards organization that helps small brands identify their products for commerce, recently spoke with small business owners who have run successful Small Business Saturday campaigns. They discussed three big benefits to buying from small businesses this holiday season.

Unique Products

Consumers are hungry for a wide variety of unique products, which provides prime motivation for shoppers to support small businesses.

“People shop small because it makes them

feel good. It allows people to discover interesting products, and feel like they are helping a real person, as opposed to a big corporation,” says Andrew Jacobs, CEO of JAM Paper and Envelope, an e-commerce paper company.

According to a study by the NFIB and American Express last year, nearly twothirds of online shoppers (65 percent) are likely to seek out small, independent ly-owned retailers. This helps unique products from small brands compete right alongside products from larger, wellknown brands.

“It’s so important for small businesses to be recognized in order to compete with big businesses,” says Lisa Burginger, founder of Qubits Toy, Inc., a company that makes colorful building sets for kids. “For our company, it’s our busiest time of the year.”

Community Support

For many consumers, shopping small is driven by the desire to support their local communities. When consumers spend $100 at a local business, roughly $68 stays in their local economy, according to a recent Civics Economy study. The local impact, which helps benefit food, service

Kingsport Ballet

and civic organizations within the com munity, could be 50 percent larger than a similar purchase from a regional or nation al retailer.

“I believe people want to support their communities,” says Allison White, founder of Scout Cart, a unique personal utility cart company. “They often know the owners of local small businesses and these small businesses often provide employment opportunities for the young adults in our families.”

True Connections

Small businesses can use the extra con sumer attention to nurture brand loyalty beyond just one day. According to the 2018 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, 96 percent of consumers who reported shopping on Small Business Saturday say the day makes them want to shop “small” all year long, not just during the holiday season.

“Small businesses can give you special ser vices, discounts, and one-to-one customer service that big businesses can’t always offer,” says Burginger.

Increasingly, shopping is about a shared experience – the small businesses that cre ate memorable moments for consumers will likely experience growth.

“The next generation is looking for more

than just a product, they want an experi ence,” says Travis Wayne, product manager, TEKLYNX, a barcode software company that is certified as a GS1 US Solution Partner, a program that helps small businesses find qualified partners to help them reach more consumers.

“When you walk into a hardware store, for example, or if you shop online, it’s more about personalizing that experience and ensuring that the consumers get what they need. Some businesses teach instructional courses on a product, or supply some kind of educational information. It’s about going above and beyond consumer expectations

with the hopes of increasing the sale and maintaining a customer for life.”

Taking advantage of Small Business Satur day is ultimately just one way small brands are setting themselves up for growth. Beyond the holiday season, businesses of all sizes need to think strategically to suc ceed in a competitive retail landscape. Visit www.gs1us.org/small-business to access research from GS1 US on the ambitions and challenges of small businesses, watch videos featuring entrepreneurs, and learn more about their growth journeys.

Lighting The Way: A Homeowner’s Guide To Hanging Holiday Lights

Let there be light! Christmas lights, that is. And given the timing of when some homeowners started hanging them this year — as early as midOctober to get a jump on the season — we’re anxious for some holiday cheer. Most will opt for understated displays. Others will try to channel their inner Clark Griswold and try to outdo neighbors by creating winter wonderland scenes so dazzlingly bright that Han Solo can see them from a galaxy far, far away.

“When I pass a suburban house festooned with twinkly-colored fairy lights, I always scream ‘Bravo’ out of the window of my car,” Simon Doonan, creative ambassador of Barney’s New York, admits.

Whatever your proclivity, here are some safety tips to keep in mind:

• Never hang lights from your roof’s shingles “Making even the tiniest of holes in them or any roof component — even with a stapler — will let moisture or leaks in, and potentially rot the roof,” says Jason Joplin, program manager of the Center for the Advancement of Roofing Excellence. Instead, use clips that hang from the gutter or eaves.

• Metallic trees require special care. What could possibly go wrong by hanging electric lights on them? “The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights,” warns the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, “and any person touching a branch could be electrocuted.” Colored spotlights above or beside them are a better option.

• Embrace the buddy system. Maybe spiked egg nog is to blame, but one oft-quoted study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 6,000 people wind up in emergency rooms annually just from holiday decoratingrelated falls. As most of the injured are men and most fall from ladders, repeat this mantra: “Asking someone to hold the ladder for you, whether you’re stringing lights on a roof or a tall tree, doesn’t make you less of a man.”

: Worse than being that one house on the block that never gets around to taking down decorations until spring is this: haphazardly pulling lights off your roof from the cord. “You risk damaging the gutter that way,” says Joplin, “and potentially the shingle if you didn’t clip them correctly to begin with.”

So, if you are planning elaborate displays, you might want to consider hiring a pro. ◊GAF (gaf.com)◊, North America’s largest roofing manufacturer, makes it easy to find the most reputable (and insured) ones in your area by searching its website’s GAF Master Elite Contractor database.

A word of advice: if you really want the “Wow” factor beyond your immediate street, it’s best to stagger two sets of lights side by side to increase the density.

Waiting for Santa

Useless Facts

Beanz Biker Corner Beanz Biker Corner

Hello everyone, hope you had a great Thanksgiving and getting ready for Christmas. On warm days we can still get out and go for a ride on our bikes, but on cold days and nights it is fun to go for a drive to see Family and friends or look at all the decorations. Since it is December I thought a little history would be nice. Hot chocolate is a nice holiday drink but where did it come from?

We all know hot chocolate as the warm, rich drink we enjoy on a cold night by the fire, or after engaging in winter activities such as ice skating and skiing. But have you ever thought about where this delicious beverage came from? Hot chocolate's history goes quite a way back, and the drink has changed over the years, evolving from cold and spicy to warm and sweet.

Hot chocolate is a delicious drink enjoyed by people of all ages around the world. Though its exact origins are unknown, it is thought to have been first created by the ancient Maya people of Central America, as early as 500 BC, the Mayans were drinking chocolate made from ground-up cocoa

seeds mixed with water, cornmeal, and chili peppers as well as other ingredients, a much different version from the hot chocolate we know today. They would mix the drink by pouring it back and forth from a cup to a pot until a thick foam developed, and then enjoy the beverage cold. Although the chocolate drink was available to all classes of people, the wealthy would drink it from large vessels with spouts, which later would be buried along with them.

Then Made its Way to Europe, in the early 1500s, the explorer Cortez brought cocoa beans and the chocolate drink-making tools to Europe. Although the drink still remained cold and bitter tasting, it gained popularity and was adopted by the court of King Charles V as well as the Spanish upper class. After its introduction in Spain, the drink began to be served hot, sweetened, and without the chili peppers. The Spanish were very protective of their wonderful new beverage, and it was over a hundred years before news of it began to spread across Europe. When it hit London in the 1700s, chocolate houses similar to today's coffee shops became popular and very trendy, even though chocolate was very expensive. In the late 1700s, the president of the Royal College of Physicians, Hans Sloane, brought from Jamaica a recipe for mixing chocolate with milk, which made the drink more palatable in his opinion. Well, others agreed, and the English started adding milk to their chocolate; it was then enjoyed as an after-dinner beverage.

gourmet varieties in restaurants and cafes. Other countries have their own versions—Spain's thick chocolate a la taza, spiced chocolate para mesa from Latin America, and Italy's cioccolata calda, which is very thick. Hot chocolate has become so popular in the United States that it is available in coffee vending machines. The powder is sold in packets and canisters, and coffee houses often have rich, somewhat thicker varieties on their menus.

The Evolution of Chocolate, it wasn't until the middle of the 18th century that chocolate began to evolve past its drinkable form. First, cocoa powder was invented in Holland, where the Dutch controlled nearly the entire cocoa bean trade. Since the cocoa powder blends much easier with milk or water, it allowed for more creations to come. Next came chocolate as a candy by

mixing cocoa butter with sugar and in 1876, milk chocolate was developed. From then on, chocolate has become more popular as a solid treat rather than as the drink it started from.

The Difference Between Hot Chocolate and Hot Cocoa. In England, hot chocolate is referred to as hot cocoa, whereas hot cocoa is more commonly referred to as hot chocolate in the United States. Although both terms are correct, hot chocolate is more commonly found in the United Kingdom. Hot cocoa is also known as hot chocolate in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. What is the difference between ‘hot chocolate’ and ‘hot cocoa’? Hot chocolate is made from a melted chocolate base, whereas hot cocoa is made with a powdered chocolate base and flavorings.

By Anne Hartley

Hot Chocolate Today, up until the 19th century, hot chocolate was used as a treatment for stomach and liver diseases as well as a special drink. Today, however, we simply treat this warm concoction as a beverage to sip and savor. In America, hot chocolate is somewhat thin and often made by combining hot water with packets of powder, although you can find more authentic and

Sponsored By Biker Wear

Cringe Worthy Social Media Mistakes

Is your social media engagement down? If so, you may be committing one of these cringe worthy fails.

Liking your own posts

Liking your own posts is the most cringe worthy social media fail. You share things you feel are funny, memorable, or valuable. Sharing implies that you like the content, so liking your share is redundant. Focus on sharing the reason why you believe the content is worth viewing. Create a caption that tells a story about why you felt compelled to share that piece of content instead of liking it again on your own page.

Not tailoring content

Do you sell office supplies? Are you pushing office supply content to restaurants? Not understanding your audience will push people away who follow but would not benefit from your brand while ignoring people who

could boost sales. Thoroughly research your target audience to ensure that you capture the attention of the audience that can benefit from what you have to say.

Grammar mistakes

Grammar mistakes in posts are a major reason for a decrease in shares. Carefully review your content before posting to spot errors before your audience does. Read them out loud to easily catch mistakes. Grammar issues undermine your message and focus attention on the mistakes instead of the message. Taking the time to review your post before submission will ensure that your message is received in a serious manner.

Ill - timed posts

In a world where news is a constant cycle of sadness and fear, consider the timing of your posts compared to breaking news stories. If your story can wait until the breaking news loses steam, your chances of

being seen will significantly increase and your chances of being seen as insensitive to the current situation will decrease.

Unprofessional tone

When a customer comes into your store or calls in, which type of language do you use? Most likely, you use a tone that puts your customers at ease and lets them know they are in good and knowledgeable hands. The same tone should be used online. Your brand reputation still exists even if customers cannot see who is behind your posts. Treat your online accounts as you would a customer standing in front of you. Courtesy and professionalism go a long way in building a brand.

As you post online, keep in mind that if you would cringe at your post, others will as well.

*Printed in Volume 02 Issue 130, June 1, 2021*

By Wendy Hayden

Time Traveling for my Sanity

I don’t think I’m alone in being at a breaking point with the state of the world today.

Aside from finally hitting the “these kids today” age, I concurrently have the misfortune of living in one of the most bizarrely chaotic and exhausting times in history, and thanks to technology, there’s hardly an escape from the nonstop coverage of globally divisive negativity, short of barricading yourself in a bunker with no electricity. Quite frankly, that scenario is sounding most appealing to me versus the alternative at the moment.

Since I still have parents, pets and taxes I can’t abandon for a life of peace and seclusion, I’ve decided to construct an alternative reality for myself that brings me a great deal of joy without going completely off the grid and out of my mind. The one good thing about living in this day and age is that you can literally decide to be anything you want to be, and that is why I have decided to live my life like it is 1950 as much as humanly possible.

Please hear me out and don’t have me committed.

This idea came about innocently enough. I think we all have periods in history that we feel drawn to; for my friend Robbie it’s the antebellum south, for my mother it’s her hayday in the 70s and for me it’s the idyllic Baby Boomer years between WWII and Vietnam. Maybe it’s from growing up in less than perfect settings with parents who both worked a lot, but even as a kid I adored classic TV shows and movies that depicted the perfectly groomed nuclear family in friendly neighborhoods with wellappointed lawns. As I grew into womanhood, I idolized the smoky

eyes and tiny waists of the “Hitchcock Blondes,” and searched in vain for the brawn of classically dark and handsome leading men like Paul Newman, Marlon Brando and Cary Grant in my fellow slack-jawed Y2K collegemates. Even my house in Elizabethton was a 1948 cottage, which I took a great deal of pleasure in decorating by scouring local antique stores for periodappropriate furnishings.

Lately I’ve been having some health issues, which is particularly troubling for me because I’m a lucky individual who’s never had to give a second thought to illness beyond an annual sinus infection. As I was lying around one day, scrolling through Instagram, I stumbled upon an account dedicated to vintage historical photos, and many of them were of the era I adore so much. As I thumbed my way through the photos of people living their lives in 1950s America, I began to notice how few overweight people there were. In fact, there were none. If you snapped a candid photo on any beach right now, the average weight would easily run 40lbs heavier than the vacationers 70 years ago. What were they doing that we’re not now?

This led to making my way down a Google rabbithole, researching the day-to-day lives of the 50s housewife. Surprisingly they devoted little time to exercise in spite of their figures, and it’s of course due to the fact that women were naturally more active then. They started their day 30 minutes before the rest of the family, prepared 3 nutritious meals, maintained spotless households and ran daily errands by foot. Most families only had one car, which meant women walked to the grocery store, bank or clothier during the day while their husband was gone to work. In their little free time, they read books, took up hobbies like tennis or golf or took classes to learn new skills-all geared toward making

themselves more well-rounded individuals. I then dove into old recipes and diet plans to see how and what they were eating differed from myself, and it’s of no surprise they ate very little processed foods and portion sizes were far smaller. They baked their own breads, emphasized milk and fruits at each meal and always left room for a pinch of dessert. This is all stuff I can get behind!

So back to my decision to time travel for my own health and sanity. I do not enjoy the direction the world is heading, and that is not geared toward any one political or religious opinion; in general and in short, I think we’re going to hell in a handbasket. And even though I’m a modern woman and can recognize there were numerous faults with 1950s/1960s America, I think we’re losing a lot by doing away with many of these values. Lying on our backs, eating fast food and scrolling through useless memes, while working sedentary jobs is turning us into monsters. I feel empty from wasting my life away in this manner day after day, comparing myself to filtered, vapid people who care only about what designer label on their silicone filled butt will receive the most likes from strangers for validation. I crave intellectually stimulating people who are active and motivated and strong in their own beliefs, regardless of whether they differ from mine.

In an attempt to be the change I want to see, I’m adopting as many of these lifestyle habits of yesteryear as I can make feasible. I’ve begun following a diet that more closely resembles what was eaten then, and while I’m not baking my own bread, I did go buy some from the farmers market that was made in the simplest and most organic way. I’ve started reading books again and in the car, switched from my normal true crime podcasts to informative and educational ones like Civil War history and alcohol-

by Kathie Scalf

industry news for my career. I’ve started caring more about my appearance before leaving the house, and just for fun I’m avoiding news and current events in favor of classic films of the era I’ve not seen.

The wildest thing about living in 2022 versus 1955, is that you now have a choice in your own successes and failures and you can blame it on no one else. We all hold the literal key to the universe in our hands with internet powered smart phones. Any and everything you’ve ever want to know is a click away, it’s just up to you whether you use this key for good or evil. Which means if you’re ignorant, fat and poor, it’s by your own choice, just as much as if you’re educated, healthy and successful. I might seem like I’m sticking my head in the sand to the current turbulent times by mentally going backward, but I’m thinking the key to me moving forward might be taking a few steps backward. Who’s coming with me?

A Christmas Story Christmas

"A Christmas Story" hit movie theaters back in 1983(!) and has been a holiday classic ever since. The film was set in the early 1940's, although the year is never mentioned, and follows the Parker family of Hammond, Indiana as they prepare for Christmas. Son Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) dreams of having a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle, but his Mom is not a fan of his wish as she constantly tells Ralphie "you'll shoot your eye out". When Christmas arrives, Ralphie opens presents and the rifle is not among them until his father tells him to a box hidden in the corner, and there is the rifle! Thus, Raphael's Christmas wish has come true. The film was released the week before Thanksgiving in 1983 and was considered a moderate success taking in just over $19.2 million at the box office. Of course the film has since become as much a part of the holidays as eggnog. So it's a mystery that it has taken until the year 2022 for a sequel to be released in the form of "A Christmas Story Christmas". The film is produced by original star Billingsley and Vince Vaughn among others. The film is set in 1973, which is 33 years after the

Pop Life

By Ken Silvers theloaferonlineprint

original film, with Ralphie now living in Chicago with his wife Sandy (Erinn Hayes) and their two kids Julie (Julianna Layne) and Mark (River Dorsche). Ralph has taken a year off from his regular job to write his first novel, but due to being excessive in length (2,000 pages), he has been rejected by various publishers, leaving him disappointed but still hopeful. As the family is preparing for a visit from Ralphie's family for Christmas, his mom (Julie Hagerty) calls to tell her son his father has passed. The grieving family soon heads to Hammond in their beat-up 1966 Plymouth to be with Ralph's mother. I'm sorry but it's really hard to refer to Ralphie as Ralph, as despite being a grown man, he will forever be the wide eyed Ralphie to me, and I'm sure others as well. When the family arrives in Hammond, Mrs. Parker has been deluged with casseroles from friends and neighbors, which she states the family will eat all of them. Mrs. Parker also informs Ralphie (sorry), he must take up the mantle of his late father to make Christmas special for the family. While in Hammond, the family gets a Christmas tree too tall for the living room (ala the Griswalds), meet some obnoxious neighbors of Mrs. Parker, have reunions with Ralphie's childhood friends and rivals, go on a Christmas shopping trip that ends on a sad note, and experience two accidental family injuries. While he is in Hammond, Ralphie gives up on his dream to be a writer only to be surprised later when the obituary he had written for his father, which is actually a story, ends up in the hands of the local newspaper, and will change the direction of his life in a pleasant way. The film is filled with touching moments which may cause you to shed a tear or two, but also has time for plenty

of laughs and happy moments as one expects from a holiday film. I love the fact we get to revisit the world of "A Christmas Story" and see how Ralphie has blossomed into a sweet and caring adult who still loves Christmas. The film also features Ralphie's younger brother Randy (Ian Petrella from the original), and other actors from the original film. While some "A Christmas Story" "purists"

may scoff at the idea of a sequel, I say keep an open mind and you may be pleasantly surprised. "A Christmas Story Christmas" left me feeling nostalgic and all warm and fuzzy, which is exactly what a Christmas movie should do. Now playing on HBO Max and HBO.

(Rated PG)

Bristol

PARAMOUNT

Dec 16 Mark Chesnut

Dec 17 Morgan Wade

Jan 6 Dailey & Vincent (2023)

Feb 2 Ace Frehley

Feb 3 Neko Case

CAMEO THEATER

Dec 14 Tab Benoit and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band

Dec 22 The Wizards of Winter

Jan 8 Geoff Tate

Feb 11 Lorrie Morgan

Mar 18 Bad Marriage

Mar 26 Eric Gales

May 10 An Evening with Roger McGuinn

JOHNSON CITY

FREEDOM HALL

Dec 1 Mannheim Steamroller Christmas

Dec 2 Little Texas

Apr 4 The Price is Right Live

Apr 14 Nate Bargatze

MARTIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Dec 13 Michael W. Smith Christmas Show

Feb 4 The Black Jacket Symphony: Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours

Dec 18 Knoxville Gay Men’s Choir

Apr 30 Amy Grant

GREENVILLE

NISWONGER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Jan 21 The Isaacs

Jan 27 The Doo Wop Project

Feb 3 Heather Land

Feb 11 I Am He Said

-a Neil Diamond Tribute

Feb 17 Roots & Boots Acoustic tour with Aaron Tippin, Collin Raye and Sammy Kershaw

Mar 4 Resurrection- A Journey Tribute

Mar 11 Jefferson Starship

Mar 31 Gentri (The Gentlemen Trio)

Apr 4 One Night of Queen-performed by Gary Mullen And the Works

Apr 14 Mark Lowry

Apr22 Masters of Soul

CONCERT SCHEDULE CONCERT SCHEDULE

Knoxville

TENNESSEE THEATRE

Jan 12 Tommy Emmanuel

Jan 26 Kenny Wayne Shepherd

Feb 3 Kevin James

Mar 3 Home Free

Mar 16 Buddy Guy

Apr 26 Ben Folds and a Piano

Apr 28 Amy Grant

THOMPSON BOWLING ARENA

Feb 17 Journey and Toto

Feb 18 Cody Johnson featuring Randy Houser

Feb 24 Blake Shelton

Mar 30 Kane Brown

Apr 21 Lizzo

July 15 Thomas Rhett

KNOXVILLE CIVIC AUDITORIUM

Feb 2 Scotty McCreery

Feb 17 Heather McMahan

Mar 3 Zach Williams

Mar 22 Champions of Magic

BIJOU THEATRE

Dec 10 Tab Benoit & The Dirty Dozen

Dec 14 & 15 Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit

Jan 21 Drivin & Cryin

Jan 27 Scott Miller and David Childers

Feb 3 Amanda Shires

Feb 11 Erick Baker

Mar 17 The Mavericks

Mar 23-25 Drew & Ellie Holcomb

Nashville

RYMAN AUDITORIUM

Dec 12-15 Amy Grant and Vince Gill

Dec 16 Smokey Robinson Dec 19 Aaron Lewis

Dec 30/31 Old Crow Medicine Show

Jan 27 Kenny Wayne Shepherd

Jan 30 Mammoth WVH and Alter Bridge

Feb 14 Death Cab for Cutie

Feb 23-25 Tedeschi Trucks Band

Feb 26 Billy Strings

ASCEND AMPHITHEATER

May 11 Koe Wetzel

July 11 Foreigner and Loverboy

July 18 Louis Tomlinson July 19 Yungblud

BRIDGESTONE ARENA

Dec 11 PentatonixA Christmas Spectacular

Dec 14 Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Dec 30/31 Widespread Panic

Feb 19 TobyMac with Crowder

Feb 24-25 Billy Strings

Mar 1 Carrie Underwood

Mar 31 Kane Brown

Apr 7 Chris Tomlin

June 25 Matchbox Twenty and The Wallflowers July 16 Blink 182

BROOKLYN BOWL

Mar 7 Theory of a Dead Man

Asheville

THE ORANGE PEEL

Jan 20 Larkin Poe

Feb 18 Elle King Cherokee, N.C.:

HARRAH’S CASINO

Nov 18 Mike Epps

Dec 10 Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland

Jan 7 Styx

Jan 13-15 Jamey Johnson

Greenville, S.C.

BON SECOURS WELLNESS ARENA

Jan 29 TobyMac, Crowder, Cochren & Company

Mar 18 Kane Brown

Winston Salem North Caroiina

LJVM COLISEUM

Mar 3-4 Billy Strings

Pikeville, Ky

APPALACHIAN WIRELESS ARENS

Dec 31 Noah Thompson & Chase Matthew

Mar 8 Theory of a Dead Man and Skillet

Charlotte

SPECTRUM CENTER

Feb 8 Carrie Underwood

July 14 Blink 182

PNC MUSIC PAVILION

May 30 Dead and Company

July 11 Matchbox Twenty

Aug 9 Foreigner and Loverboy

THE FILLMORE IN CHARLOTTE:

Mar 16 Static-X

Apr 13 Fozzy

OVENS AUDITORIUM

Dec 31 The Avett Brothers (Bojangles Coliseum)

Jan 29 Death Cab for Cuti

Feb 8 John Mellencamp e Mar 3 Joe Bonamassa

THE FILLMORE

Nov 27 W.A.S.P.

Mar 16 Static-X Apr 13 Fozzy

Myrtle Beach, S.C

House of Blues

Attack of the 50ft. Woman

It’s a legendary movie with a title that has become a part of Americana. It’s been remade, parodied, and referenced numerous times in pop culture. “Attack of the 50ft. Woman” is an infamous 1958 B-movie. Made for about $88,000 and making almost $500,000 at the box office, the film was a huge hit and part of a series of “humans changing size” movies of the time that included “The Amazing Colossal Man” and “The Incredible Shrinking Man.”

“Attack of the 50ft. Woman” is about, well, a 50-foot woman. Sure, it has all the trappings of a shlock film, and I won’t lie there are some elements of kitsch here, yet looking at the movie with modern eyes there is some commentary going on that is deeper than its exploitive title would have you believe. Wealthy Nancy Archer (Allison Hays) has a history of mental illness and alcohol abuse.

Her husband is a pretty worthless man, who is openly cheating on her with a local bombshell (Yvette Vickers) who can’t wait to see his wife dead so she can fully move in. The local police are corrupt and go along with whatever Mr. Archer says,

and there's even gaslighting to aid in Mrs. Archer’s mental breakdown. Everyone believes she’s due for another visit to a mental ward after she claims to have seen a spaceship and a giant alien.

These are all real, the alien is after her impressive diamond to fuel his spaceship, and a chance encounter with the giant to prove to her doubting husband he is real leaves her full of strange alien energy that soon begins to transform her into our giant title “monster.” Even the town’s doctor doesn’t know what to do other than keep her drugged with morphine, or he just doesn’t really care or believe her either.

She isn’t a monster, as frankly, everyone she takes her revenge on deserves it. At a breezy 66 minutes “Attack of the 50ft. Woman” is a hell of a good time, it’s a legendary movie for a reason, and it’s hard to not enjoy a giant fake hand picking up that awful husband and carrying

him towards his doom. A favorite of mine to watch every Halloween, I am beyond delighted that Warner Archive is giving us all a gift this festive season in a new, long waited, blu-ray edition of the film.

Warner Brothers first released “Attack of the 50ft. Woman” on DVD in 2007 as part of a collection called “Cult Camp Classics” along with “Queen of Outer Space” and “The Giant Behemoth.” Those two films have been released on blu-ray a few years ago by Warner Archive, and I’ve been anxiously awaiting the marquee title of that set to get the same treatment.

The results do not disappoint. Mastered from the 35mm negative this new HD transfer of the film is something. The movie is very sharp, with lots of fine detail that have long been lost coming out in the image. The black and white is crisp and rich and the film has never looked better on home video.

I was particularly impressed by the “sheen” in some of the 1950s slick hairstyles that come across on this disc.

The very good extras from that 2007 disc have also been carried over, which includes a theatrical trailer, and a wonderful commentary track by historian Tom Weaver, who is joined by the now-late Yvette Vickers. It’s a very engaging track, with lots of great info on the making of the movie and Ms. Vickers is very happy to be there talking about her most famous film role.

I’ve been waiting a long time for Warner Archive to put this one out on blu-ray, and now that it’s here I’m so happy to say it lives up to the high standards we’ve come to expect from them. This disc is a must-own for the 1950s B movie film buff, and honestly, I’d say anyone should have it in their collection. See you next week.

Batteries Not Included

By Andy Ross theloaferonlineprint