Allison Stoehr

I’ve spent the last half-decade of my life perfecting the art of drinking. I say that in the most sarcastic tone possible, but you can’t tell. It started in college, where most bad habits are either developed or dismissed, and continued through the beginning of my professional career. What I took from this time of trial and error was that there are two types of drinkers – those who have a problem, and those who don’t.

Down a narrow paved road in Grainger County sits a small estate which shares its plot with a goat named Mow. The place is called Smoking Goat Farms, and Mow (pronounced: moe) guards it properly, for the farms grows over 300 red pepper plants each year and he is the proud “spokesgoat” of the business. Smoking Goat Farms began in 2012 when co-owners Ron and Chris began farming in the interest of transition. They were looking for a value-added product outside of their main source of revenue and ba

We've all seen (or maybe posted) the yearly "friend clean-up" status on Facebook. "Ok, I'm going through my friends list and deleting anyone I haven't talked to in the last six months."

Sometimes art isn’t illustrated as a tangible object. It can be seen, but it can also be felt as an emotion. I had the honor of speaking with someone whose habit of art is represented in a generous heart. Randi Sewell, owner-artist of Precious Pallets, exemplifies the meaning of art as an expression of love for something bigger than herself.

If you’ve spent any time you are bound to run into one of Knoxville’s finest patrons. Meet Larry Crowell – the man underneath the hat. If you haven’t met him yet you’ve surely seen him out and about, somewhere between the Old City and Market Square. Larry, a retired chemical engineer, comes downtown for the love of music, community, and good conversation sparked by his unique handmade beer hats.

2:46 am. I lay my head down next to a half-empty glass of water I told myself to chug before falling asleep. The room is spinning, but I’m home. I made it. I have to be up in… the math is too much. I close my eyes, and hope to God that I remembered to set my alarm. 7:35 am. “American Woman” by Lenny Kravitz blasts me out of my dreams and into reality. The snooze button is both my best friend and worst enemy as I am forced to leap out of a half-conscious fog and head into Friday’s workday.

Take a step into the rear studio at Mighty Mud, Knoxville’s own pottery studio for aspiring and established artists across town, and you’ll find John McRae at his work bench focused on his latest commissioned sculpture. As I delved into discovering who the man behind the kiln was, I learned that I was sitting with not only an artist, but an educator, architect, and inspiring altruist.

The season of outdoor markets is upon us! This is the time of year when thousands of Knoxville and surrounding area residents reach for their organic hemp tote bags and a wad of cash to head down to the nearest annual Farmer’s Market. The market has been a tradition of our city and many others across the globe for decades, offering consumers a chance to support their local suppliers in a cheerful market setting.

If you’ve ever attended the annual Rhythm N Blooms Festival here in Knoxville, you probably already purchased your weekend pass. For those who haven’t, the weekend is a thrilling mixture of music and entertainment supported entirely by local sponsors and businesses as well as thousands of festival-goers. The annual festival is organized by Dogwood Arts, a local organization whose main focus is to promote and celebrate the region’s arts, culture, and natural beauty. To support the merrymaking sur

Originally from the outskirts of Sacramento, Rob Laliberte currently lives and works out of his multi-purpose shop in the Fourth and Gill area of North Knoxville. Before I sat down with Rob, I knew him as a woodworker whose booth at the Farmer’s Market I passed on occasion, which was covered in beautiful hand-carved wood pieces and utensils decorated with alluring patterns. Getting the chance to dive a bit deeper, I learned that he works with more than just a chisel; Rob spoke with me about

With bellies full of turkey and heads in the spirit of giving, we took a stroll around town in search for the best holiday gift ideas Knoxville has to offer. What we found was a mixture of locally made and marketed gifts to fit each and every individual’s holiday shopping list.