It’s moving day at Moxley Carmichael!

Today is the last day for us in the glass tower that has been our home for the past 15 years. It’s moving day and we are taking our toys and moving from First Tennessee Plaza, the tallest building in downtown, to the Miller’s Building, about four blocks north on Gay Street.
I will explain the reasons [...]

The best church social ever!

When this turn-of-the-century church at 800 Luttrell Street was actually used as a church, I bet they never served iced tea like was served there Saturday night. The tea at this very special of Knox Heritage’s “Summer Suppers” series was laced with vodka to make a signature cocktail called an ice pick. Boy did they go down smoothly! (And [...]

“The coolest house in Knoxville”

That’s how one guest described Stuart Worden’s enchanting cottage where 30 folks gathered Sunday evening for one of  Knox Heritage’s “Summer Supper” series.
Stuart and his late wife, artist Betsy Worden, saved numerous historic East Tennessee artifacts from the wrecking ball and incorporated them into the home they built 32 years ago on a steep cliff on the [...]

“Downtown Secret Supper” reveals secrets

He seems like an open book. But downtown developer David Dewhirst is a man with secrets! At least he was until last Friday when he led about 40 Knox Heritage supporters on the 2010 “Downtown Secret Supper” tour — and spilled the beans about some of his latest plans.
Here’s what we found out:

Behind the buildings [...]

3 surprising things I heard at a Knox Heritage party

I knew the Knox Heritage Patrons’ Luncheon at the Lyons View Pike home of Kreis and Sandy Beall on Saturday would be lovely. But I didn’t know it would be quite so interesting! Here’s what I heard in the hour-and-a-half I was there:

Dorothy Stair’s vision is that East Tennessee become known as “the Tuscany of [...]

Hayride gives city folks a taste of the country life — and the best damn hamburger in the world!

On the city vs. country continuum, I’m definitely way far on the city side. Although I like dogs and cats, I am suspicious of cows, scared of horses and generally loathe almost all reptiles, amphibians and insects. And I don’t like to get hot or dirty.
So imagine my friends’ surprise last week when I suggested, [...]

Bistro at the Bijou: a chef-owned restaurant

After closing for renovations for a week after New Year’s and limping along without bar service for a couple more weeks, the Bistro at the Bijou is back in full swing and better than ever.
Martha Boggs, who has been general manager of the Bistro for 17 years, purchased the restaurant from absentee owners who have held it [...]

Does downtown need a dedicated business recruiter? Lack of new retailers is a real threat, some say

Someone who wakes up every day thinking about how to get more retail businesses to locate in downtown Knoxville. That’s what some folks think we need.
The other school of thought, though, is more like, “If we build it, they will come.” Don’t spend money on a dedicated recruiter, but rather spend money making downtown even [...]

All in a pleasant downtown Knoxville Sunday afternoon: 3-1/2 hours, 14 homes and zombies

Everywhere you looked in downtown Knoxville Sunday afternoon, you would see people wearing white stickers and carrying white booklets strolling in the mild weather.
They were on Market Square, in the Old City, and even on the Clinch Avenue Bridge. More than 600 of them.
They were the enthusiastic participants in the City People Home Tour. Those booklets held [...]

Just another Thursday night in K-town

Wow! There were so many things going on in and around downtown last night, it was impossible to be everywhere I was supposed to be. I teamed up with my friend Susan Brown and here is a sample of a few events we either attended or had someone we know attend. And there were some, such as [...]