Knoxville, Tennessee: Honestly, It's a Vibe (and Kinda Damp)
okay, so knoxville. i didn't choose knoxville, it kinda…happened. a friend of a friend needed someone to housesit and watch a ridiculously fluffy *cat named captain nebula, and i needed to escape the existential dread of my apartment. plus, the rent in my city is basically highway robbery.
let me tell you, this place is…interesting. i just checked and it's feeling like a lukewarm hug right now, which is to say, a bit muggy. the humidity is definitely trying to claim my hair as its own. 73% feels like a personal attack, honestly. and the pressure? 1026. i don't know what that means but it feels significant. like the sky is judging me.
captain nebula is a demanding overlord, but a cute one. the housesit is in this older neighborhood, kinda close to the university. the neighbors are…enthusiastic. like, really enthusiastic about their gardens. i swear i saw one man having a full-blown conversation with his roses. if you get bored, gainesville and chattanooga are just a quick jaunt away, apparently. i haven't ventured that far yet, nebula's claws are a serious deterrent to spontaneous road trips.
so, what's good here? well, the food scene is surprisingly decent. i stumbled upon this little hole-in-the-wall barbecue joint called 'Smokin' Joe's' (check out their Yelp page: https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Barbecue&find_loc=Knoxville%2C+TN). someone told me the ribs are legendary, and they weren't wrong. i also overheard a conversation at a coffee shop (i'm currently fueled by approximately three espressos) about a hidden speakeasy downtown. apparently, you need a password and a willingness to climb a fire escape. sounds…fun. i'm looking into it.
"apparently, the best thing to do in Knoxville is just wander around Market Square and hope you don't get lost."
that was a very helpful tip from a guy with a surprisingly detailed map of the city tattooed on his arm. i also heard that the Old City is where all the 'interesting' things happen after dark. i'm interpreting that as 'potentially questionable decisions'.
i tried to find some good hiking trails, but everything seems to be a bit of a drive. TripAdvisor has a bunch of options, though: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g57838-Activities-Knoxville_Tennessee.html. i'm thinking of checking out Ijams Nature Center, if captain nebula allows me a few hours of freedom.
"don't trust anyone who tells you the traffic isn't bad. it's a lie."
that was a very stern warning from the barista at that coffee shop*. she seemed very passionate about the subject of Knoxville traffic. i'm starting to think everyone here has a strong opinion about something very specific.
overall? knoxville is…growing on me. it's not glamorous, it's not perfect, but it's real. and sometimes, that's exactly what you need. plus, captain nebula is pretty great. you can find more info about Knoxville here: https://www.visitknoxville.com/ and here https://www.knoxville-tn.gov/. i'm off to attempt to decipher the mysteries of nebula's food preferences. wish me luck.
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