Words fail me...

Last night after seeing Cowboys vs. Aliens with the Mrs. (begin snarky remarks) we stepeed next door to the newly opend "The Market" once known as "general store".

My friends i have seen the promised land of urban groceries, and it is good.



I was completly overwhelmed by the finish, the offerings, and the prices. We now have a legitimate grocery store in Downtown Knoxville that is open at good hours.

The first thing you notice is that it feels like a urban grocery. I was recently in Chicago and had a chance to go to some of their nicer mart's that serve some of the small neighborhoods, and that is how i felt walking into The Market.



There is fresh produce, bread, dairy produts, and even a meat counter. I can actually walk to the store to buy what I need for dinner now and not lose my shirt doing it. Mrs. The pol took notice of the prices and was fairly shocked. A gallon of Organic milk for $5! Yes please. I picked up some Bentons bacon as a gift for a friend and bought some meat for Sunday Dinner.



I am thrilled that the people at H.T. Hackney have invested in downtown like this. It really is a needed shot in the arm for our little urban experiment. Hoep everyone likes it like I do.

Please forgive the quality of photo, like i said I was shocked and overwhelmed.

A time to chillax

I kind of feel ridiculous writing about this, but whatever...

So I got a massage yesterday, a much much needed one.

I asked around the office where I work for suggestions and was told to go to Nickie Bold, who I know best as the nice server at Pres Pub.

I finally called her a couple of days ago because I was experiencing carpal tunnel like symptoms in my arm and wrist (I'm falling apart in my old age), and she was able to get me in the next day. Perfect.


the above photo is not me nor my significant other

When I arrived at her new space at 108 Summit Hill on the corner of Summit and Central, we sat down and she asked me to tell her what was ailing me. She listened and then proceeded with the massage. I don't have a whole lot of experience in this area, but from what I know, she did a great job and I immediately felt relief afterward. Before I left, she gave me some suggestions on what I could do to loosen up certain problem areas and of course told me to drink a lot of water. The price was only $50 for an hour, a special rate to welcome clients to her new space. I think in August her rate will go back to $75 an hour.

It's a weird thing for me to say, but I'd like to begin carving out time and money every now and then for a massage. I've always snubbed my nose at women who go get their nails done  and that sort of thing because I'm a jerk that way, but I'm beginning to realize why they do it. The obvious reason is because they want their nails to look nice, but I assume it's also to have a little window of time to chill out. I'm realizing I could use a little carved out time every now and then, too, and I want it in the form of a massage.

So, I really liked Nickie and will no doubt return for another visit in the future, but I'd also like to see if any of you have any suggestions on who to go to in Knoxville. Someone recently told me I should go to a male masseuse because the knots in my back are so ridiculous, but then they told me that I'd have to make sure I made it clear that a massage is all I wanted. Are you kidding me? Is this for real?

I'm just scratching the surface of this new world of pampering and need some guidance. So please, share your thoughts and give props to a masseuse you love. My shoulders and back and arms and neck thank you.

Oh, and if you want Nickie's number, email me at wigsphereblog@gmail.com. I only have her cell and figure I maybe shouldn't put it here.

up on the rooftop bar

Ok, I have a confession to make. I, a little Knoxvillian, have never been a huge fan of Preservation Pub (my fellow Wigshoppers are going to disown me now). But before you scoff at me and stalk off to judge me as you drink your PBR, hear me out. As a nonsmoker, I struggled to tolerate the smoky inside of Pres Pub for long stretches at a time, and unless I was there to see a particular band, the acoustics usually made it too loud for me to talk with my partners in crime if there was a band playing.

But. BUT ... Have you heard about Pres Pub's expansion? As in the new second floor and rooftop lounge?

Having been gone from Knoxville for nearly a month, this was all news to me when my friends suggested a trip to Pres Pub's smoke-free second floor on Friday. "Get out of town!" I said. "Pres Pub has a second floor? Is that why the 'Man who lives here is loony' sign disappeared?' (The answer is yes, and the sign now is posted proudly on a second-floor wall. The second floor has a gorgeous bar and some awesome overstuffed bean-bag chairs in addition to the usual table seating.

Except, when we made our way to the second floor on Friday, we noticed a sign declaring the Moonshine Rooftop Lounge open. So despite the 90+ degree temperatures, we climbed one more staircase to find ourselves on a rooftop oasis in the middle of downtown Knoxville.


Now I've long said Knoxville needed some more public rooftop spots, and this one is up to the challenge. There's a small cash-only bar that serves a few canned beers and basic mixed drinks in plastic cups. There are tables all the way to the railing along the front edge, where you can peer down to the peons below on Market Square (please don't pee on them, though). There is mood lighting. There are pretty flowers. There is a decorative fountain. And most importantly on a steamy summer night, there's a breeze.

I didn't get a shot of the view because all the spots at the edge were occupied, so this is the best I can offer you. You'll have to go and check out the view yourself.

He's got his eye on you

I don't know if Blue Steel is making an appearance or if he's just encouraging you to attend Sassy Ann's tonight.

Summer Reading

Vacation, a time for cold beer, hot sun, and good books.

My Knoxville oriented recommendation this summer is an absolute classic, James Agee's A Death in the Family. I read it just last week and have a new respect for this scion of southern lit.



It was a joy to read about Old Knoxville, walking through the Fort (when there still was an actual fort), shopping on Gay St., riding real trolleys, our city has always offered so much. Not only that Agee has an insight into the mind that is nothing short of impressive. It is beautiful, morose, peaceful, and timeless.

Perhaps check it out here.

I also read McCarthy's Blood Meridian... wow.

Any rec's from readers?

A new lecture and workshop series promoting Knoxville creatives

I attended Pecha Kucha 2 a couple of months ago at Relix Variety Theater. I didn't know what it was until I got there, but was pleasantly surprised.

In essence, it is an outlet for creative people to talk about what they make. There were about 10ish speakers and each talked for 5 minutes while a slideshow of 20 images was projected behind them. It reminded me of attending the visiting artist lecture series at UT in the Art and Architecture Building, but I like the idea of Pecha Kucha because it gives artists and designers making work in Knoxville a chance to share.

Pecha Kucha 3 happened this past weekend, but I was out of town for it. I know they happen about quarterly, so be on the lookout if you are interested in attending. You can friend them on Facebook for updates.

Attending Pecha Kucha got me thinking that there needs to be more of this type of thing happening in Knoxville. Artists need a place to talk about their work and to teach outside of an academic setting. Art and inspiration for all. So I've decided to see what I can do to help.

I am very pleased to announce that tomorrow will be the first lecture/ workshop in a long series, based on this idea of creative people sharing, brought to you by 17th Street Studios*.

Our first speaker is Katie Ries, founder of the Urban Land Scouts and graduate of the MFA Studio Art program at UT.



photo by Katie Ries

I have gotten to know Katie over the past year or so and have to say she is one of my favorite artists in Knoxville. My first run in with her work was at a show at 1010 where models wore elaborate costumes she had made to better connect them to their surroundings (Costumes to Save Your Life). Later, I knew her as the girl who took people on walks through 4th and Gill to find edible plants in the neighborhood. Her work is exciting, pertinent, and it doesn't hurt that she has a great personality to back it all up. (I only gush when I am sincere, for the record)






















photo by Luke Wilkins

These are her words about the what she will be sharing tomorrow night: My work addresses the intersection between modern people and their land. I will be discussing my most recent project, the Urban Land Scouts, and talking about other contemporary artists with similar social and land-based practices. I will lead participants in a round of making seedbombs so that all may take their newfound knowledge to the streets (or fields).

I do hope you can make it, whether you are an artist or one that appreciates art. It should be thought provoking, inspiring, and a great venue for discussion. It may also be a place where one could find a free beer and some snacks.

Here are the details about tomorrow night:
17th Studios Presents
an Artist Lecture and Urban Land Scout Workshop
by Katie Ries
Wednesday, June 29, 2011, 6-7pm
at Redeemer Church
1642 Highland Avenue, Knoxville, TN
on the corner of 17th and Highland

If you can't make it tomorrow but have any ideas for future workshops or lectures, you may email me at beth@bethmeadows.com.

*17th Street Studios is a work space for 11 artists and designers in the Fort Sanders Neighborhood.

Red Light Cameras Part IV: A New Hope

Saw this story today and felt the need to pass it along.

OK so it's California, they do lots of crazy stuff, but between this and medicinal marijuana they have gotten some stuff almost right.

We need to have a serious conversation about the future of these "traffic control" devices in our city before, or perhaps during, the next election. I plan on asking all of the candidates, the ones who will respond at least, about their philosophical stance on red light/ speed cameras and how they plan on changing policy in the future.

Let me reiterate. These cameras are a sham of law enforcement. They make a company in Arizona millions in revenue by taking from our pockets. The tickets are not really tickets and are not reflected on your driving record and they cite the owner of the vehicle for a moving violation as opposed to the operator as in every other similar conviction. Finally, the whole thing just reeks of rampant big brother-ness and government opportunism to squeeze revenue out of the citizenry by any means possible.

Let's make sure this issue stays at the fore in the upcoming political season as it is a telling sign of how a leader views our small governmental world.

Is it art? round 6

Walking the dog the other day, I saw this along the greenway. Now of course the "tags" are harder to defend as they are less expression of an idea and more like a dog peeing on a tree, but the pictures...

It takes a talented hand to produce something on that scale. I know I can't do that.












If you want some previous takes on this topic, please see here.

Also, if you want my favorite webcomics take on it, please see here. (if you have never read these and you consider yourself a dork in any way, you are cheating yourself immensely)