Freedom Thighs 2012

I couldn't tell you specifically what I like so much about the Freedom Thighs bike ride. There's an inexpressible feeling it gives you, something pictures and text may not have the ability to convey, but I'll try.

Outside the Birdhouse

The bike ride happens each 4th of July, meeting at the Birdhouse around 4pm. Bikers line up in the street, listen to a rendition on the Star Spangled Banner (this year, Dolly Parton's), and begin their patriotic cruise through the neighborhoods of Knoxville.



Most attendees are decked out in American themed apparel. I myself bought a flag vest a couple years back for my first Freedom Thighs, and it's become a go-to for this ride each year. This year, two synchronized boom boxes towed behind bikes busted out jams ranging from Ludacris's Roll Out to some USA themed songs sung in Spanish.

Eagle on Rollerblades!

I couldn't tell you either, if there is any common thread that runs through each of the bikers who come each year to ride this ride.

 I overheard one hipster-looking biker say to his friends as I slowly meandered past them, "I can't tell if this race is satirical or not. It seems like there are a lot of truly patriotic people here, but I know there are some anarchists here as well... and just so y'all know, I bought this (American flag) t-shirt at Wal-Mart."



Sidenote: I don't know much about this subject, but it's true that there is a small contingent of anarchists that like to ride bicycles in Knoxville. They're some real nice people, yet would a true anarchist attend an American-themed bike ride? Are anarchists known to be especially ironic?*

Maybe what I like about the ride is the simultaneous delight and confusion I feel.



Freedom Thighs does mostly draw a bunch of white hipsters, it's true.

Part of the route winds through some East Knox neighborhoods which are predominantly inhabited by African Americans. These are some of my favorite streets to ride through because there is such a great community presence there. So many families came out on their porches to cheer on us white kids dressed like idiots.

And together, we all cheered on America.

 If that's not patriotic, I couldn't tell you what is.

Babe-raham Lincoln

We made a stop at the Pilot on Magnolia. That Pilot made a billion dollars yesterday, and so did the ice-cream man who stopped there when he saw all of us.

Love grows at Pilot

Then some idiot started shooting fireworks. Really? At a gas station? I can't say everyone on the ride is the brightest.




I saw many faces on the ride that have moved away from Knoxville over the past few years. They come back for this ride, and that's saying something.




I didn't end up finishing out the whole route. I think they went about 10 miles in all, making various stops to rest, consume cold beverages, and eat hotdogs, but I had a cookout calling my name.

The Ice-Cream man found us

If you have been intrigued in the slightest by this post, you should consider taking a chance on shenaniganery and joining the ride next year. No one fits in, but we all do because we're American, you know what I'm saying?



 Wherever the 4th of July took you, whether you were enjoying a/c with normal, calm people or with a bunch of hooligans on bikes, I do hope it was as merry one.

Facilitators of Freedom Thighs

*Questions for another time.

Salvage Sale

If you are in the market for old building materials for renovation or creative projects, you NEED to come by Knox Heritage tomorrow, Thursday, October 13, between 1pm and 6:30 pm. We are having a sale on doors, windows, and more.






















Basically, the tiny room where we store materials is bursting at the seams, and we need to clear out space for incoming donations.






















See more of the inventory here, and please tell your friends.

Knox Heritage Salvage
in the Carriage House next to WATE-Channel 6
1300 North Broadway
Park behind the building, the entrance is in the back
865-523-8008

A North Knoxville Delicacy

Yesterday, I was taking some back roads to my house from the Walgreen's on Broadway. My friend Jeff was with me, visiting from out of town.

I drove by the market on 6th Avenue, an establishment I've passed many times before. As I did, I said to Jeff, "I've always wanted to stop in there," to which he replied rather slowly, "Annus."

I looked up, noticing the signage for the first time, and almost ran a stop sign when I realized he was saying the name of the market.

We pronounced it several different ways, but there was no way around it being hilarious. I don't know how I missed it all these years, and while I wonder how anyone could name anything Annus, I'm glad they did. I haven't laughed that hard in some time.

knoxville's jobless recovery

Back in '02-03, the US economy recovered from recession in a peculiar way. Granted, that particular recession (caused by the dot-com bubble) was short and relatively benign compared to the one we're still recovering from. The economy shrank a mere -0.3% (compared to the '09 recession of -5.1%) and unemployment peaked at 6.3% ('09 was 10.1%).


In the years following the dot-com bubble burst, unemployment stayed high. in fact, the number of employed actually shrank even though the unemployment rate held more-or-less steady. (How, you ask? Exodus from the labor force) basically, the economy picked up without new jobs, leading most to suggest technological improvements fueled the upturn (like automated services, among many others). Now in '11, "economic recovery" is almost 2 years old, and Knoxville may be hitting its stride. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Knoxville very own jobless recovery with mannequins! Why hire from a staffing firm when you can dress up ex-goody's employees that you found on Craigslist?

Mannequin with (awkwardly placed) pitchfork, Broadway

Bed intruder preventer with optional bandana, E. Scott Avenue

Flash Flooding at First Creek

I just went out and took some photos of flooded First Creek in Old North Knoxville after work. I didn't see any flooded houses or cars, but the water is rising as the creek swells, which means there will be flooded homes soon. As you look at these photos, take note that the creek is usually no more than 10 feet across (that's my estimation, at least), and in most of these photos, there isn't supposed to be a creek.

These people can't move their car because it doesn't work. Their basement (to the left and out of sight) is flooded.

This is where the Greenway makes a bizarre loop near Fourth and Grainger. There shouldn't be any water in this photo.

This path usually leads to a foot bridge at Luttrell and Grainger

Cultivating my cookie skills at Magpies

A favorite childhood holiday tradition of mine was making and decorating Christmas sugar cookies with my mom. I loved combing through our collection of cookie cutters and colored sprinkles. Sadly I've never made any Christmas sugar cookies since leaving home 10 years ago. So when I saw that Magpies, my absolute most favorite bakery of all time, was offering cookie-decorating classes, I sprung for it to both relive the tradition AND take it to the next level -- the Magpies level.

Well, maybe not quite to the Magpies level, but our lovely hostess Maren did everything she could to coach u. First she explained how royal icing is made and how the consistency affects your icing skills. Then we practiced on designs we drew on parchment paper. Finally we took some time to ice and decorate the dozen cookies we were given. And we did it all while munching on snacks, sipping sodas and listening to Christmas music.

The lovely Maren shows us how it's done

Practicing on parchment paper

There's ONE MORE class on Tuesday, and if you hurry you may be able to get a spot. This is fun for all ages too -- my class' youngest student was a seven-year-old boy there with his mother and his grandmother. YOU HAVE TO CALL AND MAKE A RESERVATION, or else they won't have enough supplies for you. Call Ryan at Magpies at 673-0471 to make your reservation. The class costs $25 for one person or $40 for an adult/kid duo.

Finished product: some got smushed in transit, some I snagged from Maren's stash, others are already in my belly

P.S. Hey Peggy, I'm totally ready for my cookie-decorating gig!

an ode to the neighborhood potluck, fried chicken, and music

a few weeks ago, i searched for "potlucks" as an activity category on facebook. it was mainly on a whim to see how many people in the social networking sphere liked them too. it was kind of late at night, and i had just missed a my neighborhood's monthly potluck. to my surprise, it was there. and i proudly displayed "potluck"ing as a personal "like" on my profile page.

i really think that potlucks are what we need more of in our society. i am amazed at how sitting around a table and breaking bread together really forms community. food helps us cross social divides to strengthen groups around common goals like ridding our city of crime and blight (read about our neighborhood gatherings). friendships and potlucks are best when they are combined with activities. like shape note singing (the annual old harp thanksgiving singing is just around the corner).

and amazing free performances by local musicians. take this event tonight for example. relix variety theater is hosting abigail washburn (and special guests- we hear its cruz contreras tonight, but we imagine there will be more). the evening will begin with a potluck before the show begins.

mrs. lo and i saw abigail perform in a similar setting this past spring at the glowing body on central. at that time she was practicing songs for an upcoming recording session. mrs. lo and i raved about the evening for weeks to our friends outside knoxville because of how unique it was to listen to songs almost being written in our midst.

in the middle of the show, she told a quick aside about how she loves potlucks, especially when folks bring good vegetarian dishes (this was no different at the glowing body). lo and behold, however, a box of kfc chicken showed up much to her surprise. and she loved it!

so, mosey on down to my neck of the woods in Old North Knoxville tonight. if you miss it, abigail will be there for the next two wednesdays as the artist in residency performing songs from her soon-to-be-released album. (oh yeah, her hubby is bela fleck)

it's not too late to pick up a box of kfc and make our guests feel welcome to knoxville again!

Relix Variety Theater
1208 N. Central Street
8pm (show starts) 7pm (potluck)

p.s. she'll also be there on Nov. 10 and 17 in case you miss her.

lose some weight, fatty

Hey Fifth Avenue! Why don't you go on a diet? You're WAY too big. Do you really need those extra lanes? You look like a road that goes somewhere, but really you just link some neighborhoods together. Not that I can fault you for that, Fifth Avenue. I use you everyday to circumnavigate downtown. But why do you have to be so fat? You could easily be a svelt two driving lanes with a turning lane and bicycle lanes! If only you'd lose some weight...


Fifth Avenue is an essential part of the Knoxville bicyclist's strategy to get around the inner neighborhoods around downtown. For our purposes here, I'll call it the Great Northern Transverse Bicycle Route. No other cross street works quite so well and crosses all the major routes into downtown- Broadway (Homeless Dodge 'em Course), Central (clever name TBD), and Hall of Fame (The Senor Taco Expressway). The Great Northern Transverse Bicycle Route provides a good way for the not-so-inner neighborhoods of Mechanicsville (where I live) and Parkridge to connect into downtown via the Grand Hipster Bicycle Meridian (aka Gay Street). If you want to get to a friend's house in another neighborhood and don't want to have to handle downtown traffic, it acts as a good inner bypass for bicyclists.

The Great Northern Transverse Bicycle Route

So why is it a four lane?! No traffic I've ever scene on the Great Northern Transverse Bicycle Route would warrant this Middlebrook Pike-esque streetscape. As the Regional Bicycle Program looks for roads to put on a "road diet" let me respectfully submit this huge fatty. It's just screaming for bicycle lanes. Let's get the paint truck out there and make this happen.

Juicy*, I've a feeling we're not in 4th and Gill anymore

Over the summer I moved from 4th and Gill to, what I lovingly call, the ghetto side of Luttrell Street. You know what I'm talking about. Turn at the Broadway BP onto Grainger and you're there. It's a wonderful and bizarre place.

The first time I moved to this neighborhood was in 2005. I was still in school and found this sweet old rental house on Grainger with tall ceilings, hardwood floors, and textured wall paper. It wasn't in the best shape, but considering my previous home was Shelbourne Towers, I could only improve my situation.

I moved in with two girls in the downstairs of the house, and four girls lived on the second floor. At 3 am on the night before classes started at UT, we awoke to something I hope to never wake up to again. The back of our house had been lit on fire by some bored and deranged soul. Welcome to the neighborhood!

I currently live right around the corner from that house, and within the first week of living here, an equally disturbing situation occurred. A strung out woman came to my door and asked for a woman named Suzy. I told her that Suzy did not live here, which caused her to curse loudly at me and call me a liar. She had knocked on my neighbors' doors as well, so we called the police. I grew up a lot that night, as I saw a glimpse into the life of a drug addict.



Now that I live here again, I began to wonder which neighborhood association claimed us. I learned it is not 4th and Gill (why am I not surprised), but actually Old North Knoxville. Much to my chagrin, Luttrell Street is divided by the Hall of Fame/Broadway exit, and so even though I live on Luttrell, which is one of my favorite streets in Knoxville, there is a difference between 4th and Gill's Luttrell and our side of Luttrell.

For one, it doesn't take even a minute's walk from my place to feel like you're sort of in a third world country. Dogs run through pothole infested streets in front of dilapidated houses. Front porches are like junk museums. You hear people yelling quite a bit, and all the neighborhood dogs bark in chorus with one another multiple times a day.



We have a man who is our self-proclaimed Neighborhood Watch. He rides the streets on his motorized wheel chair. Everytime I see him, I feel so safe.

Some of the houses are just as darling as 4th and Gill's are, but we also have a little greenway and creek nearby. Even though there are signs that warn you NEVER to touch the water in the creeks, it is incredibly beautiful in spots where the path winds through enormous trees.

I, like Wild Bill, have moved quite a bit in my eight year stint of living in Knoxville, but this is my hood these days. These streets are tough, but I've moved here twice, so I guess that's saying something.

*my cat

Welcome to the Neighborhood

This is the inaugural post in a new Wigshop mini-series welcoming you to/celebrating our neighborhoods.


As the youngest member of the Wigshop team (as well as still being a student) I tend to move fairly frequently. I have moved four times in the last four years. As recently as the end of this summer I moved into what has been the best place I have ever lived.

The area of town that I inhabit is the strange no man's land that lies in the triangle between Broadway, Central, and the train tracks that leave the Old City. My roommates and I wondered what we would call where we live. We decided to look up the history and found that we live in what is known as "The Emory Place Historic District." The drawback to living in an area called "The Emory Place Historic District" is that no one has any idea what you are talking about when you tell them where you live. We have ended up saying something to the extent of, "Outside of the Old City and across from Historic Knox High."



I love it here. We have the best neighbors I could ever ask for. Seriously, I have never had neighbors that are this great. We are also a stone's throw from Happy Holler, Downtown North, Old North Knox, 4th and Gill, Old City, and Downtown in general. There is an actual community here, I know almost the whole block around my apartment. We do get a fair amount of "working girls" as well as a bunch of transient peoples that bother us on our porch while waiting for a bus at the greyhound station. These weird, idiosyncratic encounters only fuel my love for my neighborhood. I love where I live.

Octoberpalooza

It's Friday and holy moly is there a lot going on this weekend. I'm having a hard time prioritizing my to-do list, that's for sure.

It's also Oct. 1, so you know what that means -- First Friday!! How beautiful is the weather? And the 100 block of Gay is open. Seriously, there is no reason not to be out tonight. Here are a few things you might want to catch:

• Ashley Maynor's award winning documentary "For Memories' Sake" is being screened at 6p and 7:30p at the East Tennessee History Center. The film is a half-hour long and explores Maynor's grandmother's passion for photography and home videos and a bit on how to preserve and interpret memories captured on film. You can bring your own photos or film for advice from Maynor on how to preserve.
• Also, Abode is possibly closing (more on that later). Catch one of their last First Fridays, where the shop will feature paintings by local artist Lauren Karnitz. You can also get 10% off purchases.
• When you head to Magpies to try out their Pumpkin Spice super deluxe flavor (psych! I'm going to eat them all before you get there!) check out Newisher Works by our friend Dale Mackey in the small hall between Magpies and the Glowing Body.
• And if that isn't enough, swoon over Duckie and indulge in your love of '80s by catching "Pretty in Pink" as part of Movies on Market Square tonight. Starts around 8pmish.

So, that takes us to Saturday, and there's no rest for the weary on Saturday either.

• Kick off Saturday by participating in the the regional bicycle program's 10th annual neighborhood bike ride. The ride starts at 10 a.m. at Central St. and Baxter Ave. in Happy Holler, and you can park at the Knox Central building at 1000 N. Central. There will be snacks from Three-Rivers Market at the beginning and discounts at Magpies, Time Warp and the Freezo after. The ride is for people of all skill levels and ages and will take you through Old North, Parkridge, Old City and Mechanicsville. Lasts about an hour, and BRING YOUR HELMET (can't ride without it).
• After that's done, it's Happy Hollerpalooza time! Things will be going on in the 'hood all day, but N. Central will be closed down from 2p to 8p for this sort of block-party festival. All the Happy Holler businesses will be open during this time as well.

You think you've got Sunday off? Think again. Sunday brings the annual Hank Day, honoring Hank Williams, who possibly died here or at least on his way to Knoxville. WDVX's Red Hickey will host the festival, which runs from 1p to 7 p at the Candoro Marble Building at 4450 Candora Ave. There will be live music, cooking and I hear B will be hawking some salvage wares.

Book Eddy on the move

Greetings all,

I wanted to let you know that the much-beloved Book Eddy will soon be opening a North Knoxville location. The move was encouraged by the impending closure of the Henley Street Bridge (a four year closure), and will help to keep their doors open.


This is a great opportunity for the Book Eddy to continue serving as an integral part of downtown life, and to rub elbows with Mag Pies.

The new shop will be much smaller than the massive Chapman Highway location, and will have mostly used books from the humanities--think more literature and less Accounting for Dummies.

To boot, the new building was designed by Sanders Pace Architecture, the Knoxville firm responsible for many great designs throughout our city - Southeastern Glass, Nama and TVB, just to name a few.

Doors should open in November, so be sure to come check out their new home.

Fellini undergoing 'the change'

So, apparently the Fellini Kroger is going to be going through a bit of a change in the next year. (HT to Lady Entropy for bringing this to our attention).

The North Knoxville recycling center and Goodwill dropoff trailer in Fellini's parking lot are set to close Sunday in order to clear room for a Kroger gas station. The city is looking for a place to relocate the center, but in the mean time, the closest recycling dropoffs are at the old Fountain City Kroger site and on State Street downtown. (Allow me to once again plug the subscription curbside service.) Not sure what's going to happen to the Goodwill drop, but I'm guessing you can just take your stuff to the store located in the same shopping center for now.

And according to the Kroger managers, Fellini is going to get an interior remodel sometime in 2011.

So this brings up some mixed feelings for me on both accounts. On one hand, yay for cheaper gas. My fiance and I do all our grocery shopping at Kroger, so we really rack up the gas points, and it would be nice to actually get to use them.

But on the other hand, B and I used that recycling dropoff regularly when we lived in Fourth and Gill. In fact, lots of people use it regularly because there was ALWAYS someone else there dumping their recycling. I'd venture to guess that's one of the more popular dropoff sites.

Someone else also questioned whether the site itself was appropriate for a gas station and the large gas tanks that will come with it being practically on top of First Creek. Gas tanks leak. Leaking means a big pollution hazard for a creek that's already got its share of troubles.

And then the remodel: I know some people might say updating Fellini will cause it to lose some of its charm. I'm not one of those people. I say hooray for Kroger investing in what has felt like a seriously overlooked store. The crazy characters that shop there will still shop there.

Anyone got more dirt on the changes?

brews, buildings, and a guy named borsodi

It doesn't take a whole lot to flatter the ol' wigshop crew. A kind word or a comment on a post will typically sooth our egos for a time, but a true behind the scenes tour with unfettered access to a new development makes us swoon, throw in some party favors and we're like play-dough in your hands... sort of... anyways.

Em, B, MG, Myself, and Wild Bill all took up Johnathan Borsodi on his very kind offer to show us around his new digs last Tuesday. Many of you have already heard about this, he is relaunching the old New Knoxville Brewery, under the name Marble City Brewing Company. First, let me give him props for picking a great name, More stuff in this town needs to be tied to its industrial heritage like the marble quarries etc.













(A man in his element)

I'll try to limit the info to the highlights, we were there for nearly two hours and could have stayed longer,there was just that much to talk about. Johnathan is a lawyer by trade (though his minor in German History probably inspired his beer obsession, see I told you there was too much information to go through everything) and as a migrant to Knox from Michigan, follows a long line of people who come to this town fall in love and never want to leave. Through relationships, he found out about the old New Knox Brewery and all of its goodies left behind, got together a vision, took a leap, and is now plunging headlong into the world of the Micro Brew.













(Where the magic happens)

Quick bullet points about the facility:

- 25 barrel capacity for beer (translation: lots of beer making capacity)
- 100 bottle a minute bottler (that's on par with Fat Tire)
- cooler capacity to store 40 barrels (they can make and store lots of beer)
- $30,000+ worth of old packaging, supplies, and pallets full of made
but never delivered beer by New Knox.
- A location close to the action, but far enough away to be affordable.

Without going into too much detail, Johnathan is partnering with his cousin (family businesses are always nice) and together they have exactly 0 beer-making experience. To compensate they have hired a brewmaster, smart move on their part, who we will all know more about very soon. She has had 10+ years as a brewer as far as I understand and will be one of only a handful female head brewers in this country, bonus for Knoxville on the uniqueness scale.













(Ahh yes, New Knox. the best "Mirco" Brew in town.)

Their plan is to produce a organic (in as much as it matters), Earth friendly, local product for distribution in the tri-county area of Knox, Sevier, and Blount. As self-distributors they will be peddling their wares all over the area to all the bars, restaurants, golf courses, and Methodist churches that will carry their product. This also means that they won't be hindered by anything but their own product as far as sales go. If they produce a liked and drinkable beer then they will succeed, if not they will fail. I like the model.













(Anyone need 200 cases of 3 year old, undrinkable beer)

I'm always excited to see people run with an idea and Knoxville is a great place to try out new things. It'll take lots of work, some luck, a great product, and a cheer-leading squad, but Knoxville is ready for another brewery. The more good local beer we have the better. I'm excited to see how Johnathan's venture plays out over then next few months and am even more excited to taste the fruits of his labor. God Speed, Marble City Brewing Company, the Wigshop is anxiously awaiting that first batch.

Editor's note from the MG: The guys at Marble City don't have a clear date for when the beer will be available, but they can assure you they are working to get it available as quickly as possible. As the head brewmaster was just recently hired, it will take time for her to develop the offerings and to get it into the production stages (ie not weeks or years but a matter of months).

just like momma used to make

So there's a new bag in town that couldn't be a better fit for our fair city. It's called The Parlor and since my words probably couldn't do it justice, here's their mission statement:

"In an age when most of our food and music are mass-produced commodities, we at The Parlor aim to get back to basics. Using quality, locally-sourced ingredients (many of which we grow in our own backyard), our goal is to provide the community with a genuine "hand-crafted" alternative to the processed foods that increasingly dominate the marketplace."

As you might have guessed they work in food - catering, private chef as well as brown bag lunches, and with menu items such as The Dad (meatloaf sandwich) and the Ultimate PB&J (peanut butter, Nutella, banana and strawberry compote) I think this will fast become a staple for those comfort food-craving moments in all our lives.

One more thing to note: you have to order your lunch a day in advance, which I think is a nice touch--elevating the workaday lunch experience beyond running down the street for a quick bite. Lunches are delivered Monday, Wednesday and Friday to Downtown and North Knox. So give it a try, if not for the PB&J, do it to meet some really interesting Knoxvillians.

The Parlor
726 Chickamauga Ave.
865-456-3458

Schoolhouse gardens rock

Community gardens (and personal gardens for that matter) are a good thing. They encourage a community to come together to create a beautiful space that everyone can enjoy. The ones that include edible items? Well that's just a big fat bonus.


I was thrilled to hear that Amber Houser, a science teacher at Fulton High School in North Knoxville, and some of her fellow teachers and students are working on creating a schoolyard community garden with the idea of possibly providing some fresh food for use at the Fulton cafeteria and maybe even hosting a farmer's market if their garden yields enough.

And in true community garden fashion, Amber is inviting the community to be a part of the process. The teachers and students would love to have some help from those who know about gardening especially in the planning stages -- how to create the garden, what to plant, how to raise money to cover the costs, etc. etc.

So if you're interested in helping out, there will be an informational meeting with Amber and some of the student leaders at 4:15 p.m. in room 403 at Fulton (Woodland at Broadway). Some of the discussion topics will include organizing some neighborhood workdays, funding, composting and timeline for planting.

What a great way to introduce community gardening to high school students. I can't be there Thursday, but I want to encourage everyone who's interested to attend. I'll try to keep you informed on the progress of the garden.

One toot on this whistle

This morning I went to Time Warp Tea Room on Central for Knox Heritage's Preservation Network. It happens every second Saturday of the month there. Anyone can go to gather amidst the motorcycle paraphernalia and old home junkies to talk shop. I had never been before so I decided to rough the cold and my tendency to stay in on a Saturday morning to attend. My friend and co-worker Hollie Cook led the discussion today. The subject: How to research your historic home.

This morning, to be honest, I was expecting to be one of maybe five there, considering the weather. I was surprised, however, to see over 20 people gathered around the large round table in the middle of Time Warp.

Whenever someone is interested in researching a historic building in Knoxville, you first must say, "Have you visited the McClung Collection in the East Tennessee History Center yet?" (Do it. You'll sound smart) Besides the fact that it's your best bet on finding the information you're looking for, it's also incredibly beautiful inside. I was floored the first time I saw it, probably because I was expecting something more like the main library around the corner. (No offense, main library) It's the best, sifting through old articles and photos from Knoxville past in the confines of such a gorgeous place.

Sidenote: Be sure you dress sharp, though. I've seen Jack Neely there before.



Knox Heritage Preservation Network
Every 2nd Saturday of the Month
Time Warp Tea Room
1209 North Central Street
(865) 524-1155‎

East Tennessee History Center
601 S. Gay Street
(865) 215-8801

Addendum: In an effort not to be too obscure, I realize the title needs a little explaining. It has nothing to do with the subject but only refers to the fact that the name "Time Warp" always makes me think of this. I apologize for any sleep you may have lost over this.

An ode to Three Rivers Market

I held out for a long time after B and I moved to Fourth and Gill before I made my first trip over to Three Rivers Market, the food co-op on Broadway. I was afraid of getting hooked on expensive organic and recycled products and being broke because of it. One day I was in desperate need of something -- lettuce or milk, probably -- and completely not in the mood to get in the car and head to the Fellini, so I walked over to the co-op.


And yes, of course, I fell in love with it. But here's the secret it was keeping from me all along: the prices are hardly more expensive than going to Kroger. I wish more neighborhoods in more cities were blessed to have these kind of neighborhood markets that carry a full stock of your basic grocery items (milk, bread, fruits and veggies, toilet paper, snacks -- anything you might find yourself out of and in need of). I was surprised by how much variety is offered on some items. Sometimes I like to just walk up and down its three little aisles to look at all the wonderful things for sale and feel the creak of the wooden floor beneath my feat.

I love that it's open until 9 p.m. daily, and the staff is super friendly. I love that I can walk there and back in under 15 minutes, although I won't be able to do that much longer. But what will be my loss will be everyone else's gain -- Three Rivers just announced its purchased the spot of what will be its new location sometime in the coming year. The market is moving a hop, skip and a jump away over to Happy Holler at 1100 N. Central St., one block away from Veg-O-Rama and Time Warp. Construction is to begin in the spring, and the good news for everyone else is this location will have much, much more accessible parking.

So Fountain City, you can have your big, expansive brand-spanking-new Kroger (which I admit, has everything under the sun). I'll keep my Three Rivers Market, thank you very much.

Tour Delight

For the most part, I maintain a quiet love for Knoxville, but every so often that love grows more exuberant. Last night was one of those times; I attended the "Tour de Lights" neighborhood bike ride hosted by Knoxville Regional Bicycle Program.



I'm not positive how many cyclists showed up, but it had to have been at least 200. Man, woman, child were decked out in Christmas attire, their bikes adorned in lights and tinsel.





The route started in Krutch Park, weaved through downtown to North Knoxville, and back again. Police stopped all vehicular traffic as we rode though intersections. People came out of their homes or stopped on sidewalks to wave and shout, "Merry Christmas!" which we gladly shouted back. It's probably the closest I'll ever feel to being like George Bailey running through the streets of Bedford Falls.



To top off the experience, there, waiting for us at the finish line, was hot chocolate and cookies. All of it made me quite happy to be a Knoxvillian, to be a part of what's going on downtown, and to know that there are many (crazy) people who feel the same way.



If you're interested in knowing when the next ride is, might I suggest befriending the Knoxville Regional Bicycle Program on Facebook. Otherwise, check out their website.