Knoxville520.com

Will we go on teaching our nubile and impressionable interns that the Knoxville music scene has been evolving for generations, where the less evolved bands all eventually peter out into extinction (Sensitive Artsy Guys, anyone?), and the scrappy, hard-working, more awesome bands live on to produce more music (or actually get signed and move away), thusly leaving us in the pretty frickin' awesome situation we're in today (where we have a great local music scene and the connections to bring in even greater national artists)? OR will we introduce an alternative theory into our intern curriculum, one that teaches them that it is an Almighty Creator who has intelligently designed the current state of Knoxville music, and that we owe all of Knoxville's nightlife fortune to the A.C. and His Entertainment?

Remarkably, and by complete coincidence, a similar discussion happened at the Knoxville Convention Center yesterday. Members of the Discovery Institute, a group devoted to non-stop how'd-we-get-here research, dropped by our fair city to host "Darwin vs. Design," a balanced conference on the evolution vs. intelligent design controversy. The rigorous debate featured three speakers who supported intelligent design, as well as zero speakers who supported evolution. Details from the Convention Center event are still sketchy, so at press time it is unclear whether it was Design or Darwin who emerged from the Knoxville ring victorious.

As for 520? Sorry, Phil's mom. We're not gonna touch this issue with a ten-foot noodly appendage. Instead, we're gonna get back to what we do best.

A is for And now for our weekly rankings!


This week's key:

= Dismal.
= Beats having diarrhea. Barely.
= Meh.
= Highly Recommended.
= Super Awesome.

Ohio State ()

Dammit. The Lady Vols are still alive, at any rate. (1/5) -J.B.

Sunday Brunch at The Sunspot ()

In spite of my body's yearn to sleep in on the weekend, I hopped out of bed at 8am this past Sunday morning. The weather was beautiful, and after catching up on a few on-line items, I paid heed to my growling stomach. I live close to Downtown, so my options for Sunday breakfast are pretty diverse. I decided to head down to The Strip for brunch at Sunspot. The restaurant's manager, Gina, told me the brunch menu changes monthly, so you can count on having different choices of brunchy foodstuffs. I was really tempted by the whole-grain blueberry pancakes with maple syrup and whipped cream, and fresh fruit on the side. However, I told myself that it being noon, I should go for something a little more savory - I picked the Sunspot Eggs. It couldn't have been tastier! Poached eggs on spinach leaf-laden focaccia rounds, topped with smoked salmon, and a generous coating of fresh-made hollandaise sauce. On the side, two juicy slices of Ruby Red grapefruit and some herb-seasoned fried potatoes. It was all terrific, but an extra-special kudos to the chef for that hollandaise sauce - I typically hate dill, but it was used so lightly and expertly, I only noticed it as a light, enjoyable flavoring instead of my usual reaction of, "ugh, dill!" The free basket of seasoned tortilla chips and salsa verde (tomatillos, lime, and chili - superb) was a delicious appetizer, too. My server was efficient and friendly, and sitting by the window added a nice, airy atmosphere to my brunch setting. I left Sunspot feeling completely satisfied & stuffed, two signs that are, to me, an affirmation that it was not only the perfect meal, but worth keeping at the top of my "Sunday brunch" list. If you haven't already, I strongly suggest you check this out on your next hungry Sunday. (5/5) -B.T.

Getting Toasted on the Front Porch ()

This weekend I ushered in my favorite time of year: front porch season. It's a magical time of year when my friends and I opt for enjoying a bottle of wine (or four) at one of our homes, rather than making the standard trip to the bars. We practice the art of conversation and enjoy the night sounds of crickets and low music from the stereo. Last week, I invested in a chiminea for my back deck. This welcome accoutrement enabled us to stay outside until the wee hours (meaning 4 a.m.) of the morning without getting chilled. In fact, we all got toasted. It was glorious! (5/5) -S.S.

The Host ()

It's time to start calling Downtown West. There's a movie you need to see.

The Host, South Korea's highest-grossing film of all time, has been racking up cash all over the world, and has just recently been released in the major markets of the U.S. So what makes this film so good?

The Host is, ostensibly, a horror flick. After all, the movie does feature a giant amphibious mutant lizard creature with a taste for human blood. However, there is a cleverly shot moment in the film when you realize that -wait a minute- this is a comedy, too. No one wanted to seem racist, so no one at the multiplex laughed when the Korean family started to unleash its initial grief (over the loss of a daughter) so cartoonishly. It wasn't until this family of four started to literally wallow in its own misery that the audience realized that this was a slightly different movie than the horror they thought they were going to see.

So if it's not a horror film, what is it? It's sort of Godzilla meets Little Miss Sunshine meets Shaun of the Dead meets a Michael Moore film. Let me explain. The crux of the film is that there's a dreadful monster that gets chased after by a dysfunctional family united in purpose, but the tone of the film alternates between broad comedy, broad horror, touching drama, and scathing political satire. Surprisingly, it succeeds at being everything at once without seeming choppy or direction-less. It's main point, in fact, comes through loud and clear: you only need look in your own backyard to find the scariest monster of them all. (4/5) -J.B.






What did you do this past week? Leave a comment and tell us!
S is for See you next week!