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).

It's nice when things come full circle

I met Ali Baldwin while working at a veterinary clinic out west a few years ago. She was hired during my last month there, and so it was my duty to train her.

I learned two important things about her during that short stint: one, that she would one day open up a coffee shop in Knoxville and two, that she was very passionate about music.

During my last week at the vet clinic, she let me "borrow" some music from her computer. As I scrolled through, I noticed she had a lot from one musician.

"Who is Josh Ritter?" I asked, to which she replied something to the extent of, "Only my favorite musician."

Today, Ali and her husband Craig run Blackbird Coffehouse in Sequoyah Hills. I finally made it to their new and larger space a couple of weeks ago. It's a great spot with delicious coffee.

As life would turn out, Josh Ritter/Josh Ritter's people have asked Ali and Craig if they wouldn't mind having a listening party for his new album So Runs the World Away which will be released May 4th. The event will take place this Saturday night, May 1, from 7 to 9 pm. They will be giving away a free pair of tickets to his upcoming show at the Bijou, raffling off pounds of coffee, and there will be some goods there from the Plum Baker.

In conclusion, I think it would do you well to grab a six pack of beer this Saturday and stop in at Blackbird to celebrate this sweet Knoxville moment.

Josh Ritter Listening Party
May 1, 7-9pm
Blackbird Coffeehouse
1210 Kenesaw Ave
Knoxville, TN 37919

No Suits, No Ties, No Lies, Just Votes

OK so I had intended this to be a boring, "hey remember today is the last day to early vote in the primary for Knox County" type post. I would have said, "I'm a Burchett fan the other writers don't hate me for saying it so yippee Go Burchett". But then I read the afterthought of a story in the new Metro Pulse and have found my pet project for the next few days.

MICHAEL MCBATH!!!!!

I mean, this would be a great story if he picked up the Dem. nod next Tuesday! I'm fairly seriously considering voting in the (D) primary just to support him.

Check out his Facebook page, the guy is running a pseudo-serious campaign for mayor with a few decent points, but if nothing else an ability to garner some attention.

Here's my thought, lets see if we can boost his numbers over 500 votes and make his day.

Read the MP story involving him, check out his Facebook, and apparently there is a rap video for him out there somewhere about the campaign, but I can't find it.

So all that said, vote early, vote often, and vote McBath!

(This is obviously not the rap video and not exactly his most impressive stuff but at least you can see him.)

BBQ Quest: RouXbarbecue

Let me preface this post by saying RouXbarb is one of my favorite restaurants in Knoxville. I love the creativity of Bruce Bogartz's menus (and boy, does he come up with some tasty stuff), not to mention the quality of food you get for the price is amazing. Because I hold RouXbarb in such high regard, I had some serious expectations for RouXbarbecue. I mean, one of my favorite chefs tackles one of my favorite kinds of foods and promises to do some in a Memphis style? Fabulous!

Well the Modern Fiance and I paid our first visit to RouXbarbecue on Saturday and found it, well, disappointing.

Before I get into why I was disappointed, let me also say that Bruce did an amazing job transforming his space, previously the Hardees at Rocky Hill, into RouXbarbecue. It feels like a BBQ joint and looks nothing like a fast food restaurant. The aesthetic is perfect, the bar looks fun and his smoker set up out on the porch looks like a chef's dream. We sat on the patio, which was huge and also a nice touch.

But then there were the tables, which looked awesome but were hard to squeeze into, even for the 5-foot-4 Modern Gal, because they were kind of short (or maybe the benches were high) and had a lot going on on the ground to keep them propped up. I watched as a fellow diner in a wheelchair had to sit at his table at an awkward angle because he couldn't even begin to get his wheelchair to fit at the table.

Now the food, since that's what this BBQ Quest is all about. The pork was tender and the consistency was right with a little bit of the fatty stuff and a little bit of the tough stuff. But the taste was bland with no hint of smokiness to it. The bun was tasty, but the sauce was your typical North Carolina-style sauce that you find all over the place here. Runny and again, bland. I soaked my 'cue in it and still hardly tasted it. The Modern Fiance broke protocol and tried the ribs. They were Memphis-style dry rub, but I couldn't really taste the spices.


I had swooned when I heard he was offering mac and cheese with Benton's bacon mixed in. Seriously, who does not love Benton's bacon? Well, I think my serving had only two or three tiny bits of bacon, which I couldn't even taste. The mac and cheese itself? Also bland. I nibbled at the slaw, but won't pass judgment on it since I'm not much of a slaw fan. The cabbage bits were huge and it had a lot of mayo and a few spices -- the Modern Fiance approved. The fries were decent too.

The lemonade I had was tasty, and the meal came with a side of cheesy biscuity cornbready bread and dipping sauce (I think it was raspberry?) though neither blew me away. We didn't try any desserts, namely because there was no banana pudding, but I'm presuming they're similar to RouXbarb's fare and probably well worth it.


I should also note that the restaurant, which just opened on Thursday, is suffering from the typical new-restaurant service gliches, like servers forgetting to bring silverware to the tables until after the food had been served. I don't fault the restaurant for that since every new place tends to struggle with things until everyone's in a rhythm. Just be warned if you make your own visit sometime soon.

I'm not writing off RouXbarbecue completely, and for this reason: I know Bruce likes to tinker with his menus, so I *hope* he'll be working to improve his RouXbarbecue fare. I also saw some tasty-looking Po'boys at a nearby table that I'd like to try, and cajun is definitely among his talents.

RouXbarbecue
7426 S. Northshore Dr.
Knoxville, TN 37919
865-951-2880

What's cooking?

Before I mention anything about what's going on this weekend, I want to warn everyone that the weather gurus are predicting severe weather for Saturday afternoon/evening (we're talking possible tornadoes here). Please keep that in mind before you head out to any event this weekend. Better to be safe than sorry!

Now if the weather people are wrong, as they often are, then I want to suggest to you a barbecue event that's for a very good cause. Now for me, there's always a good cause for barbecue, but this one comes with an extra benefit. The Pork Knox Q-Fest at World's Fair Park is this weekend benefitting the Knoxville disABILITY Resource Center, an organization that helps make everyday life more accessible to people with disabilities while also working as an advocacy group. They perform a great service to the community, and supporting them is very worthwile.

It is a barbecue cooking contest (though a Kansas City-sanctioned one, so keep that in mind :), and there's a whole lineup of events (click that link) from now through tomorrow evening. From 6-9 p.m. today, you can participate in the people's choice sampling. Tomorrow there's a hot-dog eating contest and you can meet the Hard Knox Rollergirls.

You've probably also heard, but the Rossini Festival is this weekend too. Street vendors will line Gay Street tomorrow, and you can catch a performance of the Barber of Seville by the Knoxville Opera today and Sunday.

9th Annual Rossini Festival from Knoxville Opera on Vimeo.

So whatever you do this weekend, have fun. But more importantly, be safe and avoid any bad weather headed our way!

For the Artist (in you)

Below you will find information on one art show you shouldn't miss and two calls for artists. Scroll down for more details that I've lazily copy and pasted for you.

a) Katie Ries's MFA Show at the Downtown Gallery on Gay Street, now until April 30th
b) a call for entries for the 75th Commemorative Exhibition for the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra
and
c) a call for entries for the International Biscuit Festival's Art Exhibition

Happy art viewing and making!!!!

a) Katie Ries MFA show: The URBAN LAND SCOUTS will be on display at the Downtown Gallery in Knoxville from April 16th - 30th.


















Gallery hours are as follows:

Wednesday - Friday, 11 am - 6 pm
Saturday, 10 am - 3 pm

Closing reception and "badge ceremony" will be on the 30th, from 6-9 pm.

If you want to get plants...or look at things without a lot of people around, come before the closing reception. That will also give you time to earn a badge before the closing. Hooray.

Link to her Facebook Invitation for an event tonight!!!!

Link to Katie's blog

b) Call for Entries: 75th Anniversary Commemorative Exhibition
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and the Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville announce a call for entries for the “75th Anniversary Commemorative Exhibition,” a juried exhibition developed to display artwork inspired by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra (or of a music-related theme) in celebration of its 75th Anniversary season (2010-2011). The selected art will be exhibited at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville from October 1-29, 2010 with a First Friday opening.

The postmark deadline for entries is Friday, August 20, 2010.

**Artists may attend a private KSO rehearsal at the Tennessee Theatre on Wednesday, May 19, at 7:30 PM to receive direct inspiration for their artwork. To attend a rehearsal, artists MUST contact Stephanie Burdette at 865-521-2317 or Stephanie@knoxvillesymphony.com.

Artists may submit unlimited entries which must be original works created within the last two years in the following categories: Painting, Graphic Arts, Photography, and 3-D. The nonrefundable entry fee is $10 per entry (Arts & Culture Alliance members pay $7). Juror: Carl Gombert. Prizes include $250 Best of Show with possible display at the Masterworks Concerts in the Tennessee Theatre lobby on October 21-22, 2010. Download a prospectus and application at www.knoxalliance.com (under Artist Calls & Press Releases), or send an SASE to Stephanie S. Burdette, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: (865) 521-2317 or Stephanie@knoxvillesymphony.com.

c) International Biscuit Festival:






Do you love your biscuit, skillet or Memaw so much you want to paint a picture? Then the Biscuit Art competition is for you! We welcome all kinds of art in line with our statement of purpose. It doesn’t even have to be of a biscuit but just something that relates to a biscuit. We’ll be exhibiting in the window display at Reruns, in Coffee and Chocolate and at the Square Room beginning on First Friday June 4th and throughout the month of June. We welcome all kinds of artists from all kinds of backgrounds. Please look over our application if you got some biscuit in you waiting to come out for the world to see. EXTENDED DEADLINE!

Biscuit Art final 2010

Biscuit Art Entry Fee – $15

Turning over a new, organically grown, leaf

I am a hypocrite when it comes to food. When I go to the grocery store, I try very hard to choose natural and organic foods. I would shop at the co-op, but I like meat too much, and I'm not a wealthy entrepreneur. I usually go to the Fellini Kroger, and I stick pretty well to the good advice that, if you want to eat fresher food, stay near the perimeter of the grocery store. I try to buy organic, but most of the time I can't justify spending $1.50 on an organic apple when there's one for 25 cents next to it. I do my best, though, and return home fairly happy with my healthy and environmentally conscious decisions.

And then my phone rings.

"Hi, B. Want to go to *enter Mexican restaurant name here* and drink sugary margaritas, eat non-free range meats, and queso that turns to plastic in your arteries."

"Yes. 100 times, YES!" I say.

It is hard (for me) to care about promoting organic practices while at the same time not wanting to be dietarily staunch. It is hard (for me) to only eat organic food when you greatly enjoy going out to eat. 

But most people accept this tension without giving it a second thought. For example, my grandmother has a garden and most always bakes and cooks from scratch. She also keeps Little Debbie's Oatmeal Cream Pies for my grandfather, and we all know Little Debbie don't bake from scratch. My grandfather always says things like, "Don't worry so much about what you eat. I'm still alive and I've eaten whatever I've wanted all my life." It's true. He's an incredibly healthy older man.






















To me, it's really overwhelming, and even a moral dilemma, thoughts like: I am against inhumane treatment of animals, but I don't know where the meat I'm eating has come from. Or, I support farmers, but I rarely buy from farmer's markets.

And, the point.

The Farmer's Market is about to start, I think in about a week and a half. A light bulb went on when I was perusing the preview last weekend in Market Square. Could I commit to only buying my groceries from the Farmer's Market this spring and summer?



I know this idea isn't novel to the man in his "Life is Good" t-shirt, shamefully shaking his head at my words, but it would drastically alter my life style. For one, I would actually have to cook and prepare food more than once every two weeks. I'd also have to go grocery shopping there at least once, maybe twice, a week as opposed to my once, maybe twice, a month routine.

Anyway, I'm mulling the idea over, and am coming up with a lot of questions besides "Will I starve to death?" I've been to the Farmer's Market a bunch, but now that I think about it, I don't know everything they offer. Is there someone there who sells milk? What if I want to bake something and need more ingredients? Will I go broke?

At the very least, it's something exciting to consider and ponder over. I'll let you know what happens. In the end, I definitely commit to kicking up my Farmer's Market attendance a few notches this coming season. Maybe you will, too?

Scenes from Rhythm and Blooms

I took my girlfriend, KTG, out for her birthday to the Rhythm and Blooms Festival. We took in an intimate show with Greg Horne at Remedy and a relaxing one with the Black Lilies at the Knoxville Botanical Garden.

I will now take the liberty to say that the Knoxville Botanical Garden is HANDS DOWN the best outdoor concert venue in Knoxville. With the sunset, great music, a good person by your side and of course beer and BBQ it's like seeing a show in the colorful and magical Tennessee Theatre but OUTSIDE. You can't feel the breeze inside now can you?

Ok enough jabber. Here's the take on the weekend.