Landscape architect Hackney named “Gardens Legend”

Posted on May 1, 2026 by Cynthia Moxley

Landscape Architect Stephen Hackney leaves the podium after accepting his Gardens Legend Award.

UT Gardens gave well-known Knoxville landscape architect Stephen Hackney its Gardens Legend Award on a beautiful April evening inside a massive tent just off Neyland Drive. 

Hackney, who formed his company SWH Landscape Architecture in 2011, was recognized for his more than 20 years of “crafting thoughtful landscapes throughout the region for clients both residential and commercial,” said Lisa Stearns, vice chancellor of marketing and communications for UT’s Institute of Agriculture.

“With an instinct for graceful simplicity, SWH creates gardens firmly rooted in tradition incorporating modern sensibilities to honor each client’s unique vision,” Stearns said.

The University of Tennessee’s three gardens — the one in Knoxville as well as gardens in Jackson and Crossville — constitute the State Botanical Garden of Tennessee. The Gardens Legend Award was created in 2013 as a public recognition of excellence and influence in the gardening community.

The UT Gardens Gala is an annual party created to raise funds for the UT Gardens. This year’s event was a stark contrast to last year’s during which torrential rain drenched attendees and literally created a stream running through the tent where the dinner was being served. Continue reading →

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Knox Heritage Patrons’ Party: a welcome breather

Posted on April 27, 2026 by Cynthia Moxley

Knox Heritage Executive Director Christine Cloninger and Steve Drevik, vice president of the organization’s board of directors, visit in the beverage tent.

The preservation organization Knox Heritage held its annual Patrons’ Party recently on a beautiful spring afternoon on the lawn and inside its headquarters, Historic Westwood, the mansion built in 1890 behind the serpentine wall at 3425 Kingston Pike.

This is the event our friends and we eagerly anticipated each year because it was when you could sign up for Knox Heritage’s famed “Summer Suppers,” a series of dozens of small fundraising gatherings held throughout the warm season in various private and public East Tennessee locations. The organization discontinued those a couple of years ago in favor of three larger gatherings called “Suppers and Such.” The previous setup just got to be too labor intensive for the return on investment, according to one board member. 

So the Patrons’ Party these days lacks the competitive adrenaline rush of trying to sign up for the events before they are snapped up by other supporters. But it’s got its own charm now of a relaxed and low-key social hour or so of nibbles, libations, and camaraderie in a lovely setting. 

Heads up. Two of the three “Suppers and Such” events have sold out already. But you still can get tickets for a fun one in North Knoxville on July 22. Just head to the website. Continue reading →

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Hats in Bloom was this past weekend. It must be spring!

Posted on April 22, 2026 by Cynthia Moxley

Maria McHale, left, and Bridget Jones during the champagne reception and shopping part of the party.

If the pollen that has everyone coughing, sneezing and blowing their noses were not enough to tell you that it’s springtime in East Tennessee, the sure proof was last Friday. The Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum hosted “Hats in Bloom,” its signature vernal fundraiser that has everyone smiling — even as we are searching our purses for our Kleenex!

The sold-out event multi-tasks as a luncheon, a spate of joyful day drinking, and a sale of beautiful, creative hats by milliner Patricia Frankum, everyone’s favorite hat maker. Co-chairs Lauren Miller and Lindsay Cates led their hard-working committee to produce another spectacular success for the event’s 13th year.

This is a one-of-a-kind soiree that is so much fun that even men are starting to show up in increasing numbers. We don’t mind. They can help us carry our hatboxes to the car! Continue reading →

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Clarence Brown discloses sensational, stirring season

Posted on April 9, 2026 by Cynthia Moxley

Clarence Brown’s artistic director and UT Theatre Department Head Ken Martin with Julie Howard on Saturday during the brunch announcing the new season.

With the exception of “A Christmas Carol” (more on that later), there is nothing predictable about the upcoming season announced over the weekend by the University of Tennessee’s Clarence Brown Theatre.

“When we shaped this season, we asked not what was fashionable, but what felt urgent,” wrote Artistic Director and Theatre Department Head Ken Martin and Managing Director Tom Cervone in a letter to patrons in the printed season announcement. “What stories would meet this moment? What would allow us to laugh, to remember, to hope? And the answers led us here — eight stories, from the intimate and the epic to the inherited and the newly imagined.”

The season is a knock-out. And the announcement was fun, too. Held over brunch at Bridgewater Place, the Clarence Brown folks had set up eight round tables along the walls with props from each production on the various tables. Based on those props, guests were to guess which plays would be included in the season. I got one correct — “A Christmas Carol!” Duh.

“Next season has everything,” Martin enthused at the opening of the program. “It’s very diverse in terms of style and genre. The pieces are of the moment.”

Without further ado, here’s the season — and the props which provided hints for each production. Continue reading →

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We didn’t let the score ruin our day at the ballpark!

Posted on April 6, 2026 by Cynthia Moxley

What if you were celebrating Easter and a beautiful spring day and being in downtown Knoxville on that beautiful day — and then a baseball game broke out?

That’s kinda what happened on Sunday at Covenant Health Park. The Knoxville Smokies were on the third day of their opening homestand against the Birmingham Barons. But, for us, it was the first day of the baseball season.

My sports-loving husband, Alan Carmichael, posed with the Easter Bunny and giant blue Peep at Covenant Health Park on Sunday.

You see, we are quarter-season ticket holders. That’s more than you might imagine. In minor league baseball, a quarter-season is 17 home games! And, based on the schedule for our group of quarter-season ticket holders, it was our first game of the year.

We went to cheer on the Smokies, but the game took a bad turn almost from the beginning. And, by the top of the third inning, the Barons were leading 10-0 over the Smokies. We hated that. But there was so much else to enjoy that we stayed to the end of the game anyway. The final score was 10-5. The Barons still won. But we had a blast. Check out some of the fun! Continue reading →

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Big Ears: Crush of global guests, many local friends

Posted on April 3, 2026 by Cynthia Moxley

These locals had just as much fun as the legion of out-of-town — and out-of-country — visitors. From left, Jesse Fox Mayshark, Scott Schimmel, Lisa Sorensen, and Alan Carmichael at the Tennessee Theatre last Thursday for the Pat Metheny show.

Everybody talks about the throngs of national and international visitors attracted by the Big Ears music festival and the numbers are quite impressive. You’ve heard the stats, I’m sure, for the amazing annual event which was held in 20 downtown venues last Thursday through Sunday:

  • More than 40,000 guests over the four days of the event attended 250 performances, talks, and art exhibits.
  • This includes 8,000 per day of ticketed, credentialed festival guests plus 1,200 artists and touring personnel.
  • Many more attended 36 free events which were open to the public.
  • And an additional 5,000 to 5,500 people attended the separately ticketed David Byrne and Robert Plant concerts.
  • I was impressed that 183 members of the media attended. That means the word about Knoxville is getting out far and wide.

Continue reading →

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Knox Symphony hits it out of the park with annual ball

Posted on March 31, 2026 by Cynthia Moxley

Downtown developer David Dewhirst might be wearing a pleated shirt and have suspenders dangling from his cumberbun, but he still took advantage of batting practice offered at the Knoxville Symphony Ball. (Photo by Alan Carmichael.)

When someone says the Knoxville Symphony hit a home run with its annual ball this year, it might be a lot more accurate than you imagine!

The sold-out fundraiser was at Covenant Health Park, the home stadium of the Knoxville Smokies (and the One Knox Soccer Club) and attendees got the chance, for an extra $1,000, to actually participate in batting practice down on the field. A surprising number of formally-attired men — and women! — took advantage of the opportunity.

Ball chair Adrian Jay has built a reputation for thinking outside the box. Instead of the long-standing tradition of holding the event at Cherokee Country Club every year, she’s been coming up with unique venues — and unique themes — for the black-tie affair. In 2024, at the Mill & Mine, the theme was “License to Trill” with a Broadway star coming in to sing tunes from James Bond movies. Accompanied by the Knoxville Symphony, of course. In 2023, with a theme of “Appalachian Spring,” the ball was at The Venue, a beautiful park-like deep west location, and featured renowned mandolinist Jeff Midkiff.

At the ballpark this year, the theme “Stars & Strikes” was a perfect fit for John Phillip Sousa tunes, fireworks, and a little baseball! Check it out! Continue reading →

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A dozen local chefs join forces to honor Patricia Bible

Posted on March 24, 2026 by Cynthia Moxley

Patricia Bible loved the custom t-shirt she was given during the VIP reception preceeding the main event at the UT Conference Center on Sunday.

Patricia Bible was honored this past Sunday by the Smoky Mountain Chapter of the American Culinary Federation and the University of Tennessee Culinary Institute and, as you might have expected, it was a delicious good time!

Bible is the CEO of wildly successful KaTom Restaurant Supply, the 350,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution space you’ve surely seen at Exit 407 on I-40 just east of Knoxville. It’s the sixth largest company in its industry outfitting everything from restaurants and bars to hospitals and assisted living facilities and providing jobs to about 300 folks.

The purpose of the event, which honors someone in the hospitality industry each year, is to raise money to provide scholarships for aspiring culinary students. And what a fun way to do it. The receptions (there were two!) and dinner showcased the talents of about a dozen local chefs and wine experts as well as a dozen or so culinary students backing them up. Continue reading →

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“Symphony Soiree:” A musical and culinary smorgasbord

Posted on March 20, 2026 by Cynthia Moxley

KSO violinist Sean Claire has talents in the kitchen as well as on the stage!

The so-called “Symphony Soiree” was earlier this week in downtown Knoxville and, once again, it did not disappoint. This is the annual fundraising event where musicians of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, as well as Knoxville Symphony League members, bring a smorgasbord of covered dishes for dinner and members of the League bring all the desserts. 

The dining is followed by a series of short performances by KSO musicians. Held at St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral‘s community room, it’s casual and fun. (Of course it doesn’t hurt that St. John’s is located in the same block as our downtown condominium!)

The “Soiree” is part of the Symphony League’s “Elegant Dining” series of events. They, along with the annual Symphony Ball, are the main fundraisers for the Knoxville Symphony, bringing in more than $200,000 annually. There are 11 dinners, lunches, and outings remaining this season and some have a few tickets available. Click here to browse the offerings.

In the meantime, browse these photos to see how multi-talented the members of the Knoxville Symphony — and their supporters — truly are! Continue reading →

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Chef Rick Bayless wows Knox art and wine crowd

Posted on March 17, 2026 by Cynthia Moxley

Featured Chef Rick Bayless with downtown Knoxville resident and foodie Jacque Hawks.

One of the hottest chefs in America was in Knoxville a few days ago and our art and wine lovers were the happy beneficiaries. Chef Rick Bayless, who owns seven restaurants — mostly in Chicago with New York City, Las Vegas, and Orlando thrown in for good measure — was the featured chef at L’Amour du Vin, the premier fundraiser for the Knoxville Museum of Art.

A packed and enthusiastic crowd also welcomed featured artist Tiffany Calvert of St. Louis, and featured vintners Michael and Sarah Browne of CIRQ/CHEV Estate in Windsor, California.

This was the 23rd year for the super-successful and super-fun event, which was originally the brainchild of art lovers Susan and Lee Hyde, who saw what a big deal a wine auction was for the High Museum in Atlanta and helped bring the concept here. Longtime presenting sponsors are Blackberry Farm and Lexus of Knoxville.

Chef Bayless and his wife, Deann, founded Chicago’s famous Frontera Grill in 1987 and received the James Beard Foundation’s highest award, Outstanding Restaurant, in 2007. Their 4-star Topolobampo, which served its first meals in 1991, earned the Beard Foundation’s award for Outstanding Restaurant in 2017 — a unprecedented accomplishment for side-by-side restaurants. At Topolobampo, Bayless also has achieved a different feat: earning and maintaining a Michelin star since the guide first came to Chicago 12 years ago. And he’s won a total of seven James Beard Awards. Continue reading →

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