Cocoa Crawl 2023

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The weather was overcast, but not too cold so it was a good day for the Cocoa Crawl in downtown Sevierville yesterday.

I knew one of the first vendors that we encountered: Tina from Tina’s Delights. She has a trailer that you can enter and shop in all types of weather. I got a pack of the Hot Chocolate cookies. Her banana pudding cookies are a top seller.

Elaine bought some interesting freeze dried treats for her grandchildren to try. They all looked good. I wish that I had asked her how they are made.

These are adorable and I bought one for a niece. Now, I wish that I had bought one for me!

This artist had a variety of things to see and consider for gifts.

This artist had a trailer that you could enter and shop for handmade gifts. I admired the warm hats and gloves from alpaca wool.

This was a favorite vendor yesterday. I bought a bling Vol 4 Life shirt for myself and am looking at one more shirt for someone else.

For your ‘foodie’ friends!

Luke was a very busy entrepreneur and selling lots of hot chocolate.

I love sock monkey crafts. Elaine bought an egg gathering apron for a friend. How clever!

This will make a nice little gift for a colleague. Love the little bag!

Downtown is decked out for the holidays so enjoy a stroll around Bruce Street and Court Avenue. It is a festive time out and about in Sevierville.

Great Smoky Mountains Food Truck Rally & Show 2023

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(Caution—the pictures in this article may make you quite hungry!)

We saw the announcement on Facebook and knew that a food truck rally would provide a fun lunch meeting. Smoky Mountain Foodie, Elaine, and I met Melinda around 1:15 at the Sevier County Fair Grounds to see what was cooking for lunch. It was quite a task making a choice. Here is what we found during the outing.

A nice crowd was gathering by 1:15, but lines were not too long. Several people had bought food and were tailgating in the parking lot. A good idea!

I was interested in brisket, but we kept walking to see what else was there.

A lady had ordered this extreme funnel cake so I had to take a picture.

I think that I have had a Lobster Dog from this truck before. We were pondering the stuffed avocado.

Elaine and I eventually settled on something from the Pommes Frites truck. I know that means ‘fries’ in French so I tried to make it sound that way when we ordered at the window. We found a table and chairs at the little pavilion and settled in for lunch. Top photo shows a brat with kraut and fries while the bottom photo shows fries with two dipping sauces. Pretty good, but eat them fast and don’t let them cool down.

We will definitely look for this truck next time. Looked really tempting.

A patron let me take a picture of his onion rings—a generous portion that the picture doesn’t quite do justice. I heard that the fried cherry pie (pictured right) was outstanding and had a cream cheese surprise inside with the fruit filling.

The Kettle Corn vendors were quite friendly and working hard. They have free samples too.

After lunch, I saw this food truck advertised ‘real ice cream’ —and it did not disappoint. They said that regular ice cream tends to be 4% milk fat, but theirs is 10% milk fat. In fact, they said that they have to go out of state to get their ingredients. Soft serve chocolate ice cream is a special treat and it may have been one of the best that I have tried in recent memory.

Soon, it was time to stroll back to the car so we could all get home in time for the Vols game. A nice crowd of people enjoyed the sunny weather and a variety of food options, something for every taste. We had a great time and hope to see more food truck rallies so close to home. Next time, we may even tailgate.

Bon appetit!

A Visit to Blue Fence Farms

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Blue Fence Farms is a ‘pick your own flowers’ place featuring several varieties of sunflowers and zinnias. We decided to go and get some stems to brighten up our homes. This local business offers flowers, beautiful photo opportunities, and an overall lovely time. Come along to see the blooms growing there.

Blue Fence Farms is located on 3300 Douglas Dam Road, across the street from Northview Primary School.

The entrance is well marked and there is an abundance of parking.

We visited on a cloudy day so the photos may have a gray tinge; nevertheless, the sunflowers brought color to each photo.

I had never seen so many honeybees in my life—sometimes 3 per bloom! It was OK because the bees never bothered us.

We were fascinated by these fuzzy sunflowers because they look like Dr. Suess flowers. They may be called ‘dwarf sunflowers.’

Anita created small bouquets for each of her daughters. An unopened flower is a good idea because it is easy to transport home and will allow you to watch it bloom at home—a lovely transformation.

Zinnias are the most beautiful colors.

A riot of sunflowers in the distance.

There are several varieties of sunflowers so you can easily spend an hour here.

Ready for the ride home!

Here is the Facebook page for Blue Fence Farms.

https://www.facebook.com/bluefencefarms

Follow their Facebook page to stay informed on hours and potential weather closings. Also, you can see beautiful sunflower photos and the different varieties.

We’ll go back to get more flowers soon. See you in the field!

Dinner at Ristorante Della Santina

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At long last, my friends and I finally made a reservation for dinner at Ristorante Della Santina. This restaurant has been open for a while so I was excited when it was time to go. The dinner at Ristorante Della Santina made for a nice summer evening—Italian style!

The restaurant is located at 2004 Red Bank Rd. so it was only minutes away from our meeting point.

We made a reservation for 6:00 on a Thursday evening because we heard that it can be busy on the weekends. This worked out well because we were seated immediately at a table of our choice.

My friends and I do appreciate a nice tablecloth for a dining experience.

The restaurant offers pasta, seafood, chicken, and other specialities. We decided on our entrees: lasagna and eggplant parmigiana. Spaghetti is always my second choice, but the lasagna was the entree for this first dinner at Della Santina.

We loved the fresh Cesar salad and homemade dressing. Delightful starter.

Anita’s eggplant parmigiana was excellent. I am looking at this picture and want some now.

This picture may not capture the height of the lasagna, but it was a generous portion. Leftovers later!

It is hard to find Spumoni so I had to order it. Spumoni is an Italian milk sherbet with 3 flavors: cherry, pistachio, and chocolate. Ristorante Della Santina serves Spumoni covered in a chocolate shell. Divine!

Always be sure to order Spumoni if you can find it!

Don’t you appreciate a nice to-go container? This is a good one.

We enjoyed our dinner at Ristorante Della Santina very much and plan to return soon to celebrate Elaine’s birthday. I would say that is the nicest Italian restaurant in Sevier County and a good destination for a special dinner. A little more than 5 miles from downtown, it is worth the drive through Dolly Parton Parkway to get your taste of Italy.

Buon appetito!

Tamale Express

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We heard about a new restaurant at 1354 Dolly Parton Parkway, in the small strip mall east of Sevier County High School. I had heard good things about it so Lisa and I decided to give it a try on Thursday after work. I liked Tamale Express very much and recommend it for foodies and people who like to try new things. This is not a typical Mexican restaurant that has chips and salsa as soon as you sit down. No Margaritas and maybe no tamales on a regular basis. However, Tamale Express brings something new to the local food scene.

I took this photo to show the location. I can almost see Sevier County High School in the left corner of the photo from this viewpoint.

We entered the restaurant and ordered at the counter. I ordered a #1 and Lisa ordered a #2. Be ready because the portions are generous and filling.

Birria is a meat stew or soup made with meat (beef in this case) and marinated with adobo made of spices, dried chiles, garlic, herbs, vinegar and cooked in a broth. It was excellent and not too spicy at all.

To our great regret, the restaurant was out of Choco-Flan. Next time! Also, we will try the street corn next time as well.

The fresh add on station was very nice with two kinds of salsa, cilantro, and more. We admired the beautiful tiles on the side of the of station.

The cashier remembered me saying that I had a late afternoon snack so he cut the sandwich in half and thoughtfully put the other half in a to-go box. My barrio torta had the softest bread—delightful! Dipping it into the liquid reminded me of another favorite sandwich: the French Dip. Very nice and not too spicy. The sandwich was quite thick so half for me was perfect.

Lisa’s tacos were excellent and she was able to dip them into the broth as well. Order a Jarritos soft drink! We ordered lime soda as a treat.

We loved the small little add-ons on the fresh bar. A little bit of lime and cilantro makes it extra good.

Of course, we loved the Frida Kahlo art displayed in the restaurant.

Iconic!

Screenshots from Google Images had given me ideas of what to expect at the restaurant. Choco-Flan!

In summary, Tamale Express offers something special for those who crave Mexican food that is different from the other places in town. We arrived around 5:00, probably earlier than the usual dinner time so the restaurant was not busy. We enjoyed a quiet, very authentic dinner just yards away from the high school. We plan on going again soon—but next time we will make sure that they have some Choco-Flan waiting for us!

2022 Bama Million Dollar Band Pre-game Practice at SCHS

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Music fans got a treat on the third Saturday in October when the Bama Million Dollar Band held their pre-game practice at the Sevier County High School stadium. As a former ‘band kid’ in high school at Morristown West, I knew that it was ‘a must visit’ to enjoy the sound of this amazing, collegiate band.

A number of tour buses and trucks were already in the high school bus loading area upon my arrival. I always like looking at this 18 wheeler.

We got out of our cars and followed the sound of music to the stadium.

It was a perfect fall morning for spectators to take in the sights and sounds.

The band itself is enormous while in field position so I had to ‘do a stadium’ and stand at the top to get a full shot.

I worked with Doc Ramsey ‘ back in the day’ at SCHS so I decided to go up and give him a quick greeting during a break.

Conducting practice from the press box.

Retired band director, Doc Ramsey, hosted the Bama band during his years at SCHS and continues the connection today. Pictured are retired SCHS band director, Doc Ramsey, (left) and director of the Bama Million Dollar Band, Dr. Kenneth Ozzello.

Here is ‘time hop’ via screenshot of Russell ‘Doc’ Ramsey as Drum Major for the University of Tennessee Pride of the Southland Band. Go Vols!

The Million Dollar Band practices an entrance to the field. I always enjoy the entrance!

Cotton Eyed Joe

After the practice and lunch, the band begins the journey to Neyland Stadium. It is quite thrilling to see the motorcade lead buses up Chapman Highway to the game. If you happen to be nearing an intersection on Main Street, I can testify that it is particularly exciting when you hear sirens and see local police stop traffic within a split second.

These musicians have put in the practice and are quite a delight to see in person. Try to see the band practice and motorcade in a couple of years when they return for a home game with the Vols. It is truly a Million Dollar Band and we got to see it in here in Sevierville.

Buc-ees is on the way!

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The Buc-ees super convenience store/gas station will arrive in Sevierville around summer 2023. You can see the building going up now, located on the hill on the right before exit 407. There are 40 Buc-ees stores so the Sevierville site is an important location as they expand through the Southeast. My friends and I could not wait until next summer, so we decided to see a play at the Cumberland County Playhouse and stop by the Crossville Buc-ees to see it for ourselves on the way home. Here are my impressions from the visit and what we may expect at the Sevierville store.

  1. Lots of gas pumps. I have heard Buc-ees may have 90 pumps or more.
2. Lots of super clean restrooms. Guaranteed that you will never have to wait.

3. Any snack that you can think of can probably be found at Buc-ees.

Notice the Little Debbie Cakes that you can buy individually and the wall of treats.

4. A huge selection of jerky—a keto snack.

5. The famous Buc-ees brisket. I first saw this from a Youtube influencer who visited Buc-ees and bought several snacks, plus brisket in Texas. Brisket is one of my favorites so that was what we got for supper. There is a ‘grab and go’ area for food to choose chopped or sliced brisket. I opted for chopped, which was very good, but I will try the sliced version next time. We forgot to take a picture of our sandwiches.

6. Healthy food choices too

7. Seasonal decor. I was not expecting to find seasonal decor at the convenience store, but there was quite a bit there and it was fun to browse.

8. The Buc-ees beaver mascot is everywhere. It must be one of the most successful examples of marketing / branding in the travel industry at this time.

9. Unique gifts and souvenirs.
10. The best coffee and drink area along the U.S. interstate system. It is a coffee lovers dream!

Lots of choices and any kind of sweetener or creamer that you could think of.

Anyone need any ice?

After spending an hour browsing, I made my way to the cash register.
Buc-ees will be a great resource for travelers and locals alike with their selection of things to eat and drinks, gifts, and gas. However, there was one thing that was very confusing to me. With all the fresh food and snacks ready to eat—there is nowhere to sit and eat. No dining area. No picnic tables. Nothing. Travelers must eat on the go, carry it to your destination, or go to a rest area to eat, which is what we did on our trip. On the other hand, no dining areas must save the company money in regard to cleaning and trash so it may be a good idea for them.

We enjoyed Buc-ees and I know that I will stop by frequently to buy coffee, drinks, and brisket. It is a very clean and efficient place for visitors coming in or going home. We look forward to this mega-convenience store at the gateway to the Smoky Mountains. See you at the coffee fill up area!

A Fourth Mural in Downtown Sevierville: Country Music Legends at the Pines Theater

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A new mural can be found in downtown Sevierville at the corner of Court Avenue and Joy Street on the side of the old Pines Theater building. The mural depicts famous country music artists who once played at the old theater, including a young Dolly Parton. I was lucky to catch the mural artist in the last stages of his work.

On September 8, 2022, I found Seth Bishop outlining the figures for the mural. He is also the artist who painted the second mural in Seveville. The Red’s Cafe Mural is on Bruce Street, across the street from the gazebo and by the Appalachian restaurant.
Truly, it is a fascinating process to see the shapes become figures on a large wall.
I dropped by three times because it is always interesting to follow the progress of a large
public artwork.
Roy Acuff
Archie Campbell
June Carter Cash
Chet Atkins
A young Dolly Parton performed at the Pines for her first paying gig.

I always like to watch an artist put their signature on a finished mural.


The artist is based out of North Carolina, but has recently been living in Oaxaca Mexico. Find Seth Bishop on Instagram at the address in the picture above
s.bisho.p You can see more of his art, including work in Oaxaca, on his Instagram page. It was really interesting to see his work in both countries on Instagram.

Public art creates a vitality within a community. This mural will make visitors wonder why these country music legends are featured on a wall in downtown Sevierville. Visitors and locals alike will enjoy learning about the history of the Pines Theater and the artists who once played music within those walls. Seth Bishop and the building developer, Austin Williams, have brought that history back to our attention with this mural of country music legends at the Pines Theater.

Certainly, we are excited to see a fourth mural in our town!

Kyker Farms Corn Maze = October Fun!

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Having never been to Kyker Farms before, I was looking forward to a trip there on Tuesday. I had always heard great things about the farm and found that it lived up to the recommendations. In my opinion, Kyker Farms is the best place for October fun!

First, the farm is only minutes from downtown Sevierville on 938 Alder Branch Rd. It is not very far at all from Highway 66.

The farm is beautiful and immediately put us in an autumn state of mind.

There are cute places to take a photo. This one was great for our group of 22 fun loving friends.

The kids playground area is excellent and worth at least an hour or two of fun.

Kids can jump on the Korn Hopper, a large inflated area that can handle dozens of kids. There are many benches for parents to rest and watch the fun.

I learned that there is much more to do there than corn mazes. Clearly, this farm is worthy of a whole day trip.

The left side of the trail shows several swing sets with endless rows of sunflowers. The right side shows swings for very young children, small and individual teeter totters, and other playground fun.

Don’t tell anyone…but I got very lost in the kids corn maze. To use Kyker Farm’s word, it was very ‘kornfuzing.’ 🙂

Of course, the main event is the pumpkin patch! Beautiful pumpkins are everywhere.

It was just a few minutes ride on the hayride to the pumpkin patch. So fun to ride this vehicle on a pretty fall day.

Perfect pumpkins are everywhere you look at Kyker Farm.

The restroom and diaper changing facilities are quite impressive. They are clean and can handle large groups of people. You are never far from the facilities…unless you are in the corn maze. Be prepared!

We brought lunches and found plenty of room to sit and refresh.

Then you can go back and play some more!

Our time at Kyker Farms Corn Maze came to an end all too soon, but there are still several weeks left to go back and enjoy it again.

In conclusion, I am a fan of family owned/local businesses and have a great appreciation for agri-tourism so I knew that it would be a good day trip. I was more than impressed with the wide range of things to do and convenient facilities. There were even more activities than I showed here, including the petting zoo. Make sure that you enjoy that too.

Truly, Kyker Farms Corn Maze offers serious October fun. Go while you can!

Here is a link to their Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/kykerfarmscornmaze

Also, here is a screenshot of their hours.

See you at the corn maze!

Penny’s Cafe in Downtown Sevierville

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There is a new place to find coffee, smoothies, breakfast, and lunch in downtown Sevierville. Penny’s Cafe offers all those things and more. In addition, local artists display their work in this spacious area. I went by this summer and noticed that the cafe is already quite popular. Here are some quick observations.

First, Penny’s Cafe is located across the street from the gazebo on Bruce Street—an excellent location. In the picture above, you can see the cafe is located to the right of the old post office building. Park in the parking lot across the street, on the street, or down the street near the courthouse and just walk a short distance for a really nice cappuccino.

We got a friendly greeting as we walked into Penny’s Cafe. The menu is located on the wall to the left.

This is a nice little area to wait for a friend if you are early. The view across the street of Sims Barbershop may fo a local coming or going after a nice cut.

Young people have discovered the nice coffee and more at Penny’s Cafe. This sofa is a comfortable place to catch up with friends and refresh.

The new espresso machine makes one of the best cappuccinos that I have had this year in the U.S.
I learned to love avocado toast on a trip to California so I was excited to see several variations on the menu. I ordered “Everything Avocado Toast” on rye bread, but you can order it on two other kinds of bread as well. It had the Everything Bagel seasoning and was quite substancial. I was not able to eat both pieces and was not hungry for hours.
Penny’s Cafe is spacious and visually attractive, displaying work from local artists on the walls and in display cases. You will surely find a gift or personal treasure there.
I found myself browsing the art and wondering what would look good on my walls.
If you need a gift, one can be found in this display case…

Or this …

… or this display. I love the horse painting on the back wall and wonder where it could go in my home.
There is so much art to see at Penny’s Cafe so it would be a good idea to plan extra time to do so.

In closing, Penny’s Cafe in downtown Sevierville brings coffee, food, and art to Bruce Street that has missing for a while. The cafe has already been embraced by locals and visitors alike. Drop by and enjoy a morning drink or meal to start the day. See you out and about in Sevierville.

Here are some screen shots of the coffee menu from the Penny’s Cafe Facebook page. Go to the Facebook page to see more. Here is the link.

https://www.facebook.com/pennyscafetn

Bon appetite!