Day 1-2

Landed in Knoxville around 11pm on Wed. It's Saturday Night, and I'm already immersed in this strange, wonderful little town.

Friday: Drove by apartments my Mom thought I would like. Ended up signing a lease about an hour later! One bedroom, hardwood floors, full kitchen, sunny and wonderful for $445 a month. I can move in anytime in the next 30 days, so I'll have my place before the end of the month.

Today: Snow flurries all day, stupid cold! Dinner at Buddy's Bar-b-que. The best fucking restaurant I've found so far. Imagine a fast food place with pulled pork, hush puppies, baked beans and a side of dill pickles. Oh, and sweet tea. Thank you Jesus for southern food!

Then, music at the Laurel Theatre, put on the the Jubilee Community Arts. Look through their calender if you're planning a trip out here, it's amazing! It's a tiny church that's been turned into a theatre. Think the OG Grand Ole Opry in miniature, very miniature. This weekend is the festival and we saw:

Charlie Acuff -
Fiddle player extraordinaire. Keep an eye out for a picture I demanded my Mom take of the two of us. He invited me to his place in Maryville (pronounced Marvel) sometime. Maybe I'll find a man here after all!

He played a song called " 2pm" he learned from his Grandpa and "Red Wing" which was amazing.

Charlie and I!

Also, Roy Harper -
Sang and yodeled like nobody's business, played the harmonica, guitar and custom made kazoo. And he is 82. About his music he says: “County music gradually got citified, and I stayed the same.”

At the request of Charlie he played "She tickles me" which is wonderful if you haven't heard it, as well as "Down by the Railroad Track."

I left after a beautiful Ballad singer to head to the Old City to see more music. Old City is a tiny little section of town that makes me feel like I'm home. A Naked Lounge style coffee shop with great coffee, elitist employees, boys who look like girls, and girls who look like bad 80's rejects. A cereal bar (!!!) and lots of neat little shops, restaurants and bars. I was headed there to see Lucero, a band I truly love and was so excited to see.

They didn't disappoint, and I had a great time. It was a little lonely being there by myself, but that's what you do when the only people you know in town are your parents, a 4 year old and your two knocked up, yuppie sisters. It was full of hipster kids though, which I wasn't expecting. It's very funny to see boys in skinny jeans with super thick southern accents though. Tee hee...

Tomorrow it's to the sisters house for her birthday, and when she tells her 4 year old daughter that she's preggo, should be really fun. I'll keep you updated. Pictures will be coming soon, promise.

PS. It's 24 degrees right now, and I left my jacket on the plane. Nice.