Posts Tagged ‘Tennessee’
Beware the Mindfield: Quirky Outdoor Art in Brownsville, Tennessee
// November 28th, 2012 // 4 Comments » // Places
[Brownsville, TN] — The artist calls it The Mindfield, but it’s really more of a mind f*#¢. Sandwiched on a narrow plot of land between a barbershop and an appliance rental store, The Mindfield is a massive outdoor metal sculpture, said to be the largest in Tennessee. Brownsville artist Billy Tripp began the artwork in …read more…
A Dream Reborn: National Civil Rights Museum, Memphis, TN
// November 14th, 2012 // No Comments » // Places
[Memphis, TN] — The assassin’s bullet that tragically ended the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968 sent shock waves throughout the world and rattled the American Civil Rights Movement to its core. Although Dr. King died that day on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, his dream …read more…
When the Ducks Go Marching In: Peabody Hotel, Memphis, TN
// November 7th, 2012 // 4 Comments » // Places
[Memphis, TN] — Given the choice, I’d probably rather visit a brewmaster than a duckmaster (nothing personal, the duckmaster is a really nice guy, but he doesn’t know how to make beer, after all); still, I couldn’t resist stopping in at the Peabody Hotel while in Memphis for its renowned “March of the Ducks.” The …read more…
Friday Photo – Smoky Mountain Sunset
// June 1st, 2012 // No Comments » // Places
Sunsets — and sunrises — can be beautiful wherever you are. But I’ve always been partial to the ones in the mountains or over the ocean — there’s something extra tranquil about those scenes. This photo was taken in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, near Knoxville, during a press trip there recently. Enjoy.
Tennessee’s Museum of Appalachia preserves a disappearing way of life
// May 29th, 2012 // 2 Comments » // Places
[Clinton, TN] — John Rice Irwin was (and presumably, at 80+ years old, still is) a mountain man. Growing up in Tennessee’s Appalachian Mountains, he was fascinated with the stories told by the area’s old-timers and realized the culture of Appalachia was slowly disappearing as those residents passed away. Starting in the early 1960s, Irwin …read more…
Adventures in the Urban Wilderness: Ijams Nature Center, Knoxville, TN
// May 27th, 2012 // 3 Comments » // Places
[Knoxville, TN] — The words “urban” and “wilderness” aren’t often used together in the same sentence. But at the Ijams Nature Center (pronounced like “Im’s,” not “I-jams” by the way), in the eastern Tennessee city of Knoxville,I heard those words spoken together over and over. “There are very few cities in the U.S. that have …read more…
Not just a whiskey town: brewing and winemaking in Knoxville, TN
// May 25th, 2012 // 3 Comments » // Food, Places
[Knoxville, TN] — When you think of Tennessee, you might not immediately think of brewing beer or making wine. If you’re like me, you probably associate it with whiskey, as Jack Daniel’s is distilled in Lynchburg. Some Knoxville entrepreneurs are looking to change that, however. The city is host to Tennessee’s first urban winery, as …read more…
Friday Photo: Knoxville’s Sunsphere and the 1982 World’s Fair
// May 25th, 2012 // 2 Comments » // Places
[Knoxville, TN] — 2012 marks the 30th anniversary of the Knoxville World’s Fair. “Energy in Motion” was the exposition’s theme, and the Sunsphere was its iconic symbol. The 266-foot tower, with its gold sphere, represents the sun, in keeping with the fair’s theme. It features a public observation deck offering a 360° view of downtown …read more…
America’s Secret City: Oak Ridge, TN and the American Museum of Science and Energy
// May 24th, 2012 // 1 Comment » // Places
[Oak Ridge, TN] — In an era of instantaneous information, it’s difficult to imagine the U.S. government being able to keep the existence of an entire city a secret. But 70 years ago, that’s exactly what happened. It was a time of unquestioning patriotism. What the government wanted, it got. And what the government wanted …read more…
Tales of the Biscuit: International Biscuit Festival, Knoxville, TN
// May 21st, 2012 // 5 Comments » // Events, Food, Places
[Knoxville, TN] — It’s the ultimate Southern comfort food (well, besides Jack Daniel’s — I’m pretty sure whiskey is a food, right?). Naturally, I digress. Let’s get back to biscuits — a simple food item, yet so emblematic of Southern culture. “Biscuits are one of those elemental foods that resonate with people,” says John Craig. …read more…
A Somewhat “Reluctant” Look Back at 2011
// December 31st, 2011 // 15 Comments » // Places
I’m not generally a big fan of retrospectives: e.g. ”2011, the year in Review.” The year’s done, over, it’s time to get on with your life. And I’ve worked in journalism long enough to know that year-end retrospectives are usually a “prepared in advance” way to fill space (or airtime) at the end of the …read more…
No Lottery. No Beer. What’s left? (meet a Tennessee original)
// February 18th, 2011 // 10 Comments » // People, Places
Knoxville, TN — Often the best part of travel is the people you meet. When I’m on the road, in addition to spectacular riding and great food, I’m always looking for interesting local characters. Sometimes they’re not too hard to find. I was drawn to Fountain City Exxon by a sign out front. A sign …read more…
Hack Ayers, a Tennessee Original
// January 25th, 2011 // 14 Comments » // People, Places
Caryville, TN — Each morning, Hack Ayers greets breakfast guests at the Hampton Inn hotel in this tranquil Tennessee town nestled within the Cumberland Mountains. If you didn’t know the story, you’d never guess that this tall, silver-haired, affable Southern gentleman, dressed impeccably in a starched white shirt, bolo tie and white straw hat, harbors …read more…
Moonshine & Vinegar Pie
// January 20th, 2011 // 11 Comments » // Food, People, Places
Thorn Hill, TN — There’s something extremely comforting about stopping at a roadside restaurant for a cup of coffee and slice of pie when you’re on a motorcycle trip; something very Mayberry R.F.D. about the whole thing. Last fall I traveled to eastern Tennessee on my Road King to learn about moonshine. That’s right, White …read more…
Burger with a Bite — Litton’s in Knoxville
// January 14th, 2011 // 6 Comments » // Food, Places
Knoxville, TN — Road food. It’s one of the things I love most about traveling. Burgers, BBQ, and Beer: the 3 B’s of life on the road (but I don’t indulge in the beer until the motorcycle is parked for the evening). Traveling provides the best excuse for eating the stuff I don’t usually have …read more…
