‘Lobster Roll Night’ at J.C. Holdway: damn good!

Posted on August 31, 2023 by Cynthia Moxley

Chef Joseph Lenn delivers the first course of Lobster Roll Night! The chef’s counter is where the action is at J.C. Holdway, located at 501 Union Ave.

I am writing this blog post against my better judgment. I like to share great Knoxville experiences with everyone. But, on the other hand, when those experiences are very limited, I don’t want to create so much demand that I can’t get in on them myself! Selfish, I know!

But, here goes.

Every now and then — like once a month — J.C. Holdway, owned by Knoxville’s only James Beard Award-winning chef, Joseph Lenn, offers a special “chef’s counter” meal. The chef’s counter only seats six people. So, with two seatings — at 5:30 and 7:30 — only 12 people can get in on them each time. Last night, the meal centered around lobster rolls! (Previous ones have featured hamburgers and fried chicken!)

These meals are not for picky eaters. You must order and pay in advance and you cannot have any dietary restrictions. They consist of four courses and a killer bottle of wine selected by sommelier Jason Drotar to complement all the courses.

And, they are not cheap. Each meal costs $269 — and you have to purchase two meals. Continue reading →

Filed under: Downtown, Food, Knoxville | 10 Comments

Design Center honors Mayor Ashe and Veterans Park

Posted on August 28, 2023 by Cynthia Moxley

Artist Bernard Dorsey created this portrait of Dolly Parton during the East Tennessee Community Design Center party Wednesday night. It brought $650 at a live auction.

It was hot as blazes Wednesday night at Ijams Nature Center. But that didn’t stop 400 folks from showing up to celebrate the East Tennessee Community Design Center as it bestowed awards on a deserving community leader and a deserving community project. Continue reading →

Filed under: Events, Food | 6 Comments

Wine, moonshine and help for our neighbors

Posted on August 22, 2023 by Cynthia Moxley

Karen Sproles and Charlie Daniel. She’s Don Sproles’ widow and he’s a longtime Volunteer Ministry Center board member.

Volunteer Ministry Center, a non-profit organization founded more than 35 years ago to prevent and end homelessness, has found a way to combine fun and fundraising — and honor a longtime benefactor in the process.

The group recently hosted the 11th annual Don Sproles Wine and Shine, an event that crammed as much fun as you possibly can into a three-hour span! There was a wine tasting, a moonshine tasting, live music, a silent auction, a live auction — and dinner! — in a fast-moving evening. Throw in popular Knoxville newspaper columnist and humorist Sam Venable as the emcee and the lively Bear Stephenson as the auctioneer, and you have quite a night!

The event was named for the late Don Sproles, an avid supporter of downtown Knoxville and the Volunteer Ministry Center, where he served on the board of directors for many years. Sproles loved good food and drink and he would have loved this evening. Continue reading →

Filed under: Downtown, Events, Food, Knoxville | 4 Comments

Summer Swing ’23: a thankfully cool experience

Posted on August 14, 2023 by Cynthia Moxley

Dr. Dan Ely, medical director of Choice Health Network & Positively Living, attended with his wife, Moira Kaye Ely.

After a three-year hiatus, Choice Health Network and Positively Living have brought back their popular hot-weather event, Summer Swing. Only this year, they made arrangements for some shade — and air conditioning! That turned out to be a very good decision as temperatures were pushing 90 earlier this month when the event was held.

The venue — the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum — was a perfect location. Food and beverages were served in the climate controlled Dogwood Center while the band — and another bar — were set up on the venue’s outdoor patio. There even was a “cigar bar” outside to accommodate those who wanted to indulge in that activity.

The theme was “Gettin’ Groovy in the Garden” and that will explain the fun ’70s attire in some of these photos.

Proceeds from the event itself as well as those of an on-site auction help fund services for nearly 6,000 individuals and families struggling to survive the challenges created by HIV, homelessness, mental illness and substance use. Continue reading →

Filed under: Events, Food, Knoxville | 4 Comments

Friends gather downtown to support Lynne Fugate

Posted on August 7, 2023 by Cynthia Moxley

City Council Member Lynne Fugate and her husband, Scott Fugate.

When you look up “community service” in the dictionary, there should be a photograph of Lynne Fugate. The incumbent City Council member, seeking re-election to her second term in At-Large Seat A, already had served two terms on the Knox County Board of Education, where she was elected both chair and vice chair, before she ran for Council.

In “real life” she’s the chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians, which serves girls in three states. Prior to that, she was a banker for 25 years, but interrupted that career to spend five years heading up the regional strategic planning initiative called “Nine Counties, One Vision.”

She’s served on a dozen non-profit boards, including the Knoxville Museum of Art, YWCA of Knoxville & the Tennessee Valley, YMCA of East Tennessee and the Metro Drug Commission. And she’s won a number of prestigious awards along the way, including the 2001 Tribute to Women Award given by the YWCA.

Some of us gathered in the beautiful community room at Regas Square condominiums last week to show Lynne our support. Early voting starts this Wednesday (Aug. 9) and the primary is Aug. 29. If you are a registered voter in the city of Knoxville, you can vote for Lynne, since her position is “at large.” Continue reading →

Filed under: Downtown, Events, Knoxville, Politics | 3 Comments

Just a Thursday: Theater announces season; company celebrates 20th! Knoxville loves reasons to party!

Posted on August 4, 2023 by Cynthia Moxley

Our friend Terry Turner, the president and owner of All Occasions Party Rentals, couldn’t resist when a band member offered him a tambourine! And why should he? It was a celebration of his company’s 20th anniversary!

If I hear anyone say again that there’s nothing to do in Knoxville, I swear I will slap them. The problem is that there’s TOO MUCH to do! Take last night, for instance. We went to two fun things — and had to miss a third. All were in downtown Knoxville. No telling what was happening in the rest of the city!

First up: The River & Rail Theatre Company, headquartered in the Old City Performing Arts Center, had a fun and unique way to unveil its wonderful 2023-2024 season: A night of trivia and other contests broken up by the individual announcement of each upcoming production.

And, later in the evening, a few blocks away in the new Regas Square Events space on Depot Avenue, the event rentals company, All Occasions Party Rentals, celebrated its 20th year in operation under that name and current ownership. I love their slogan: “Where the Party Starts!” Continue reading →

Filed under: Business, Events, Theater | 4 Comments

Strong Stock Farm: An idyllic evening for a good cause

Posted on July 25, 2023 by Cynthia Moxley

Knox Heritage volunteer Lisa Thomas offered arriving guests the evening’s signature cocktail: a watermelon ginger spritz. Refreshing!

“Scenic views at Strong Stock Farm,” the invitation said. I knew from experience they were not kidding! The event this past weekend was one of the “Summer Suppers” to benefit the preservation group Knox Heritage. And Strong Stock Farm is a treasure that I don’t often pass up the chance to visit.

It was as simple — but as impressive — a fundraiser as you’ve ever attended. Forty-eight guests enjoyed a fried chicken dinner on a farmhouse porch. Well-known local musicians were set up under a tent nearby, the host offered horse-drawn wagon rides to any takers, and the program consisted of a three-minute welcome and thank you to the hosts and volunteers. Fortunately, the temperature moderated on Saturday and settled at a comfortable 82 around dinner time.

Strong Stock Farm was established the same year Knoxville was settled — 1791. It is a sprawling 950-acre cattle ranch nestled along the Holston River in East Knox County with a view of both the Smoky Mountains and House Mountain. The same family has owned it for seven generations, and it is famous in culinary circles for the delicious beef produced from grass-fed Black Angus cattle raised there. Current owners Martha Kern and John Niceley are generous by sharing the stunning venue with non-profit organizations they support. Knox Heritage is lucky to be among those. Continue reading →

Filed under: Events, Historic preservation | 9 Comments

Tim Hill’s Council race creates a pretty fun little party!

Posted on July 19, 2023 by Cynthia Moxley

From left, City Council candidate Tim Hill, Patricia Bible and Melissa and Doug White at a meet-and-greet last night in downtown Knoxville.

With the Knoxville political season in full swing, almost every party these days centers around a candidate. Alan and I were happy to host a meet-and-greet in our downtown condo last night for our friend Tim Hill, who is running for an at-large seat on City Council. Continue reading →

Filed under: Events, Politics | 7 Comments

Downtown dinner group salutes friend

Posted on July 14, 2023 by Cynthia Moxley

Gay Lyons, left, and Martha Boggs during the dessert course of our downtown progressive dinner. Martha brought Gay a bottle of Harvey’s Bristol Cream as a result of a conversation they recently had about popular drinks from the 1970s!

Four couples who all live downtown occasionally stage progressive dinners, where each couple hosts a dinner course and we walk from home to home enjoying the food, camaraderie and the ambiance of downtown. We’ve been doing this for over 10 years.

Occasionally, we offer these dinners to a good cause as an auction item. So far, we’ve sold two for the benefit of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, two for the Knoxville Botanical Garden and one for the East Tennessee Historical Society.

But we decided last weekend to do it again for just ourselves. We often invite a guest or two to join us. This time we invited our friend Martha Boggs, the owner of Bistro at the Bijou, a go-to eatery (and drinkery!) for all of us. She brought her longtime pal and former rugby teammate, Delora Cook. Continue reading →

Filed under: Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Picnic lovers share fun to fund Lakeshore Park

Posted on July 7, 2023 by Cynthia Moxley

Lyle Irish and Margie Nichols were among our little band of buddies who set up our blankets and chairs together.

Lord, this town loves a picnic. And I have to admit that I do, as well.

One of the best picnics every year is the annual fundraiser held each June as a benefit for Lakeshore Park. The view from the HGTV Overlook at Lakeshore just can’t be beat, although this year the mountains were obscured by the lingering smoke that hung in the air from Canadian wildfires. Still, it was beautiful.

I love that attendees are given the option of ordering their meals in advance from one of 11 participating restaurants and having them delivered straight to the picnic. Or they can opt to bring their own victuals. We have taken advantage of both options and they both worked out great. We had delicious tomato pie from Goodness to Go last year. This year, we brought our own Parisian tuna salad (we got the recipe from a bistro we visited in France several years ago) and enjoyed that, as well.

About 350 folks attended. All proceeds went directly to pay for maintenance and operations of Lakeshore Park. Continue reading →

Filed under: Uncategorized | 2 Comments