A tragic loss for one of our neighbors

If your a regular reader of other Knoxville-centric blogs, you may have heard that one of our city's blogging superstars, Katie Allison Granju, today is dealing with the tragic death of Henry, the oldest of her four children, at age 18. Katie is an author, maintains several blogs on parenting (her main one, Mama Pundit, appears to have crashed with the news of Henry's passing) and works for Ackermann PR.

You can read Katie's own honest account of her son's struggles with drug addiction and the brutal assault which left him with serious head trauma for the past few weeks.

Some of Katie's friends in the community have set up a fund to help her and her family manage the costs of Henry's care. Her coworker Shane Rhyne says you can donate by doing the following:

Simply write a check made out to Katie Allison Granju.

Mail it to:

Crystal Cardwell
c/o Ackermann PR
1111 Northshore Drive, Suite N-400
Knoxville, TN 37919

We’ll handle it from there and deposit the funds raised into an account for the family.

At the very least, please keep Katie and her family in your thoughts. I cannot even begin to fathom what she's going through right now, and yet I know that I or any of us could be faced with the same heartbreaking situation at any point in our lives. We love you, Katie.

farewell!

Hey everybody. It's been a great ride, but it's time for us to call it quits. Thanks for all your encouragement and support through the years. We really appreciate it all...

Juuuuuust kidding. We wouldn't dream of retiring just yet.

We are, however, going to take a small hiatus. I project that, come late June, we'll be back in action, brimming with stories, information, and insight about our city.

In the meantime, keep posting events and things on our Facebook page. Some of us will still be in and out of town so we'd be happy to hear from you there.

And until our paths cross again, peace and love to you all.

beware the buses

So yours truly is typing this sentence in a wheelchair. Never fear, dear readers, I'll be back on two feet in six weeks or so. Pelvises take a while to mend. What happened? I've done got a case of "KAT scratch fever" on Friday.

I was riding my usual bicycle commute to downtown on Western Ave. The traffic was light and I was going fast down a hill. I hear rush of wind and look over my shoulder and a teal KAT bus was RIGHT THERE. Moving fast (over the speed limit) and filling the whole lane we were supposed to be sharing. To avoid getting hit I tried to move as far to the right as I could. With the roar of the engine right beside me I hit the curb, hit an awkward drainage vent, and jackknifed my front wheel. I went flying and hit the street hard, and broke my f'ing pelvis.

I feel fortunate that I didn't get hit. I'm an experienced cyclist and have ridden that route hundreds of times in all weather and traffic. All kind of cars have passed me, some cussing at me, but most doing the right thing. This bus driver, who ought to be one of the best drivers around, dangerously disregarded the rules of the road. Is this a trend?

Let's get this straight: bicycles are allowed on the road. They are legally considered vehicles. Cars (and busses) have to slow down to pass bicycles and give them a three foot buffer zone when they do. If a car can't pass safely, they have to remain behind the bicycle until they can. This is similar to how tractors on the road are treated in rural areas. If you have a problem with the current rules, contact your state representative have them try to change it. Until then, this is the law.


Those of you who drive out there, be careful around cyclists- especially Downtown. One feature of our recent urbanization is that there are are more people using bicycles to get around our town than ever before. So please watch out for us.

And for those of you who are bicycling out there to get to work, go to a show, or do your errands- don't let your guard down. Even places you bike everyday can suddenly become dangerous if one yahoo driver is added in the mix. Assume they're going to not see you. Get blinky lights for nighttime. Get a good helmet. And watch out for huge streaks of orange, teal, and silver.

Hey Y'all!

Hey y'all, I am Wild Bill and I am new to the Wigshop. I will tell you about myself.

Wild Bill:
Born and raised in Nashville, Wild Bill set off to Knoxville for college.

Freshman: At first it was tumultuous; Knoxville was a hard transition for me, unlike some of my friends from Memphis who fell in love instantly. Lets be honest, Memphis? My freshman year I began to explore downtown. I had the mentality that, "there are big buildings over there, I bet something cool must be going on." Thankfully I left the strip early on. That was when I found the best music venue that I know of anywhere, The Pilot Light. I think that if Stan, the founder of the Wigsphere, was still around he would agree with me. That year was fun and eye opening. Through a series of misfortunes my attempts to move to 4th and Gill were thwarted and I moved to Bearden.

Sophomore: Bearden was ok, I spent most of my time going to shows at the Pilot Light, and studying at Old City Java. I would say that I experienced Bearden culturally in about a week. There is Sitar, and uh other things that I can't think of (now that I am older I went to Union Jack's once and it was ok). When it was over, I moved back close to campus.

Junior: Moving to the Fort Sanders/Campus Area is always interesting. There really is nowhere like the Fort. So many bizarre things going on all the time. It was a good year.

Senior Year (Upcoming): Moving to Old City/Downtown North. See you everywhere. Starting in August.

About me: I am the youngest on this blog by at least 4 and a half years. I am trying to bring youth back to all the old people that hang out around here. The Pol (who is always scheming about the wigsphere) wants me to up our presence on campus. I am majoring in English Literature, minoring in History. Where to find me: during the daytime (on campus or at Old City Java) at night (somewhere between The Pilot Light or my house.

What I want:
1) People to support the local music scene, because you can actually be a part of a burgeoning scene that is doing some cool stuff.
2) People to read more. Start with Cormac McCarthy, and then move to James Agee. Read Agee's "Knoxville Summer 1915"
3) Traveling money.

The Green Contagion

A few weeks ago, I pondered over the question, "Could I commit to only buying my groceries from the Farmer's Market this spring and summer?"

I know you will all be surprised to learn that my answer has turned out to be No.

I actually believe this endeavor could be possible for a highly disciplined person, but I'm afraid that is not me. I have also come to terms with my chronic disdain for grocery shopping, and although shopping in Market Square is more glamorous than going to Kroger, it's still grocery shopping.

but...

I finally made it out to the Farmer's Market on both Wednesday and Saturday this past week. I bought a few things but mostly began warming up to the idea of becoming a regular.

I bought some strawberries (which apparently are coming in fast this year and won't be around much longer) from Mountain Meadows Farm, some bread from VG's Bakery (that is freakishly delicious), and some turnip/mustard greens and spinach from Organicism (a farm run by one very hip looking couple).

I know I didn't buy much, but I'm following the advice of commenters/you to start small and I'm OK with that. I did peruse the other items available and am excited about potential future purchases:

-sheep's milk cheese
-eggs
-milk
-lamb
-maybe a ribeye or two
-salsa
-more greens...

Saturday is the day to go for all of these items; Wednesday is slim pickin's, but there's still enough out there from which to choose.

It's strange, but walking through the Farmer's Market must have sparked an earthy flame in my heart. Last night I walked to the Co-op to give them my once-every-three-month visit. Each time I go there, I like it more and more. I decided to only buy items on sale, and so it didn't end up being too expensive. The cashier was super nice and talked to me about how even single mothers in ghettos form co-ops, a conversation that amused me greatly (in an intellectually stimulating sort of way). Today, one of my neighbors let me take away a bag full of lettuce from his garden, and later on a walk, my friend talked me into eating my very first mulberry off of a tree on 4th Avenue, which made me feel like a true Urban Land Scout. And this week, hopefully, I will start a garden in the backyard of Mr. and Mrs. Lo.

If anything, I'm learning the whole local/green quest takes more effort (or so it seems from the outside) but it's a lot more exciting, engaging, and tangible than scanning my items at the self-checkout at Kroger. (Please don't hear me say I think Kroger is run by the devil. It's not and self-check out is great, but it doesn't hurt to ask how much distance it may be creating between the sources of our food and, in a social sense, the people that sell our food to us.)

Anyway, I haven't completely turned over that organic leaf, but it's being rustled. I like to think that maybe it's made its way onto its side.

thank you for being a friend - metropulse best of knoxville 2010

Yesterday we learned that for the second year in a row, our readers have voted us Knoxville's best local blog.

Thank you, sincerely, from all 9 of us. This little recognition means quite a lot to us. What began as a joke between a few friends has, over a few years, turned into something that actually makes us proud. Knoxville inspires us, and we all want to do it justice. Our little blog is growing up, and we are happy to know that a lot of you out there enjoy our ramblings and our musings.

We are working every day to make this place even better. Hopefully we've got a lot of good and fun things in store. You may have noticed that 8 became 9 when Wild Bill joined us a few weeks back. We're always on the lookout for new-to-us spots and old favorites to cover; and I am going to go out on a limb and say that 2010 is shaping up to be our year. So please keep reading and commenting; your thoughts, accolades, and even disdain are what keep this place going.

Congrats, too, to the other honorees in the category. If you haven't checked out these blogs, consider adding them to your list: Blue Streak by Cynthia Moxley (bluestreak.moxleycarmichael.com), Frank Murphy Dot Com (frankmurphy.com) and Frugalissa Finds (frugalissafinds.com)



A few weeks ago I snapped this picture when the majority of us met at the headquarters (Sunsphere bar) for happy hour. It's a lot harder than you might think to get all of us in one (physical) place at one time. When we can pull it off, we always have a good time. Cheers to you, Knoxville. Thanks again from the 9 of us weirdos.

Another gift for our wonderful readers

photo cred: www.carolinachocolatedrops.com

Last week we offered you a discount on tickets to see Ben Sollee; today we offer you discounted tickets to the Carolina Chocolate Drops. They are playing at the Bijou this Sunday night, May 16 at 7pm to benefit the Joy of Music School, where "weekly lessons and instruments are provided to disadvantaged and at-risk kids at no charge." Pretty cool, wouldn't you agree?

Tickets are $35, but Attack Monkey Productions is offering Wigshop readers (i.e. you) a $20 ticket to the show. You must order via phone at 865-684-1200 or physically at the box office, which is located at the Clinch entrance of the Tennessee Theater. (The offer is not available online) You may also receive the rate at the door on Sunday. Just ask for the discounted ticket and they'll give it to you.

I have to admit, I have actually never heard them, BUT I have heard really great things about them. Literally this morning, I saw several FB statuses proclaiming people's excitement about this show. It's also for a great cause, so you can't go wrong.

So in the spirit of celebration and a general warm and fuzzy feeling going around here, buy yo'self, and your loved one(s), some tickets.

where's the old city? in the bowery

photo credit: blurbomat.com

I've been reading Metro Pulse's "Ask Doc Knox" blog and I've been fascinated by the arcane history of this town. And it's brought something to mind.

First off, I love downtown. I work on Market Square, I love my neighborhood Mechanicsville. But... if I have a free sunny afternoon you'll find me heading down to the Old City for a cigar and a pint. I think that sitting in the corner booth of Patrick Sullivan's is maybe as close to the spiritual center of "Knoxvilleness" as one can get. It is the oldest building in the city, after all. The Old City vies with some of the best urban neighborhoods I've been able to find in other cities.

photo credit: blurbomat.com

I could go on about the charm of the district, but let's get to the point- as I've grown to love the Old City, I've tried to learn more about it. Jack Neely and "Doc Knox" (if they aren't truly one and the same) have helped me get a feel for its rough and tumble history. And, it it's proper name: The Bowery.

Back in the small original urban renaissance of Knoxville in the 1980s, the Bowery needed sprucing up. Perhaps longer than anywhere else, the "Suttree version" of Knoxville survived at the intersection of Jackson and Central (rumor has it that this area is where you'll be most likely to run into Cormac McCarthy when he's in town). It was a somewhat dangerous place, like the New York neighborhood it was probably named after. I've heard stories of prostitutes keeping shop above the old saloon, dragging half drunk winos up the stairs for business. Most of the gunfights in our city's history happened down there.

You can see how the early urban revivalists wanted to distance themselves from the Bowery's reputation. What better than a new name for the district? So, as I understand it, "Old City" was born. Never mind that near the river is the oldest part of the city. Out with the old, in with the new jazz clubs and lofts.

I'm not knocking the Kendrick and the preservationists. They did what they had to. Under it's new moniker, the Old City has risen, fallen, risen, fallen, and risen again. It has become the neighborhood I love. But it's been twenty years and "Old City" seems to me a bit contrived like "Happy Meadows" is for a subdivision. We need to embrace our past, even the gritty parts, and celebrate it. It's time to have a Bowery again.


From now on I'm calling the district around Jackson and Central The Bowery. Maybe I'm pseudo-nostalgic for a time when I'd probably have been murdered down there. We'll see if it catches on.