A Day with Evan: The Kennedy, The Sunsphere, and Brother Wolf
My fellow Knoxvillians, I must admit: the heat is absolutely killing me. I love the concept of summer, I do, just like some people love the concept of bangs or getting back with your ex. But, in practice? It feels like entering a preheated oven just to get to my car. And yet, on a warm August Saturday, I braved the outdoors to meet my wonderful brother and sister-in-law at The Kennedy on Gay St.
The Kennedy:
A suave, swanky establishment, The Kennedy is owned by Kennedy Concepts, and the experience is one that truly does feel conceptual. Each piece of decor and every menu item feels as though it has been hand-picked to create a particular atmosphere – and it works.
After being seated, we started out with some bubbly cocktails. I had the Get Ice’d, a bubbly, citrusy Smirnoff drink that tastes like an elevated take on a Fraternity Basement Classic: the Smirnoff Ice. It was refreshing and light, while also reminding me of some freshman year fuzzy memories. It was almost as if the Smirnoff Ice had grown up, gotten a 9-5, and started wearing tailored blazers.
Next, over a great conversation about wedding season and married life, we tried some appetizers: the goat cheese croquettes and the mini corn dogs. While I may not know much about married life, nor the conversation at hand, I do know food. The croquettes were a beautiful mixture of sweet and savory tastes, fried to perfection, with a delectable pink vodka sauce. The mini corn dogs were a treat as well, simple but refined – and don’t get me started on the scrumptious dijonnaise served on the side.
As the starters – and the first round of drinks – were cleared out, it was time for the main course: the spicy rigatoni with grilled chicken, which I paired with the Prickly Pear Affair.
The spicy rigatoni was melt-in-your-mouth perfection, spiced with an expert hand, and the grilled chicken was the cherry on top. Paired with the Prickly Pear Affair, it was an incredible experience. With dragonfruit tequila, prickly pair, and some citrus flavors to top it off, this cocktail truly wowed me. Looking around the beautifully decorated space, this cocktail seemed popular, and I can definitely understand why.
As we wrapped up our late-lunch/early-dinner and I bid my brother and sister-in-law goodbye, it was on to the next event of my busy Saturday: an engagement party for one of my oldest friends – who is ironically also named Kennedy.
The Sunsphere:
I have lived in Knoxville for six years now, a fact that always startles me. However, despite my long tenure in our Scruffy City, I had still never been inside the Sunsphere, the beacon of our wonderful home. It was time to change that!
As the elevator doors opened to the event space atop the Sunsphere, I was taken aback. The view is spectacular – I could actually see my own apartment – and the space practically glowed with charm. The event space feels both homey and elegant, and I was immediately greeted with friends from home.
This event was a surprise engagement party, and it was some of the most fun I’ve had in a long time. Kennedy, a beautiful woman, talented nurse, and my friend since we were three years old, spent the night hugging friends and family, and sharing in the love of the moment. Between speeches, champagne toasts, and some great drinks, my friends from home and I could agree on two things: it was so wonderful to see each other, and none of us were ready for the night to end.
To that vein, we decided to cap the night off with some cocktails at Brother Wolf. As the sun set on our Sunsphere evening, we headed off to the Old City and into the cutest little Italian cocktail bar this side of the Atlantic.
Brother Wolf:
If this is your first time hearing of Brother Wolf, recently named one of USA Today’s Best Bars of 2025, then I’m not sure what rock you’ve been living under. However, you may be unaware of their current limited-time menu, which includes a brand-new take on one of their most popular drinks: the espresso martini.
Image from @brotherwolfbar
My friends, Riley and Katie, their husbands, Kennedy and her fiance Luke, and myself took a seat and gathered around a table with a few of our other Knoxville pals and sampled some tasty Brother Wolf creations. While most of my friends tried the new Cinnamon Toast Crunch espresso martini, I got my favorite classic: the Susano Spritz. It is a great drink if you want to feel like you are lounging on the beach somewhere warm. It is bubbly, with high notes of cucumber and lemon. Refreshing, crisp, and cool.
I also tried a sip – okay, a few sips – of my friends’ Cinnamon Toast Crunch espresso martinis, and they are to die for! The most wonderful things about the classic cocktail are still there, enhanced by strong hints of sweet cinnamon. You will simultaneously feel like a big grown-up in a fancy bar, and a child sitting at the kitchen table with a big bowl-full in front of you.
As the night wrapped up, my friends and I laughed and loved on one another while we hopped to a few more bars. With sweat dripping down my neck in the August night heat, I realized: sometimes you have to trade in cool air for warm memories, and I am so glad that I did!
P.S. congratulations Kennedy and Luke <3
Mother Shop: A Look Inside
Have you ever walked into a shop and felt like you just stepped into someone’s technicolor daydream? Welcome to Mother Shop & Bar in Emory Place. Just north of Downtown Knoxville, this place is like a chaotic Pinterest board come to life. Think dopamine decor, cheeky gifts, and events that may be a little offbeat, but you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them.
I sat down and chatted with co-owners of Mother Shop & Bar, Jade Adams (owner of Oglewood Avenue plant shop) and her fiancé Dylan Pacifico and immediately got all of the good ~vibes~. Full disclosure: Jade and I knew each other before this interview (we’re in the same book club together 🤓) but we’ve never really had the chance to sit down to chat all things business related.
Jade is so bubbly and energetic but at the same time supremely chill. Dylan is more serious but also gives relaxed surfer-ish vibes (or maybe they both just seemed chill because they were actually exhausted after not having a day off in months 😂). What I can say for sure is that both of them are dedicated, passionate and hard working entrepreneurs who are pouring themselves into this new venture together. Not only are they co-owners but (per my last email), they are also recently engaged to each other and are just SO STINKING CUTE. As business partners, you can tell they do a really great job balancing each other out. Dylan says, “Jade is the face of the company and I do most of the backend work. She comes up with the ideas and I help make it happen.” Truly, an example of teamwork making the dream work.
This dream that has turned into the reality of Mother Shop specializes in “dopamine decor” and gifts that just make you happy. Downstairs, Mother Bar will offer an approachable, low-pressure wine experience when it opens that will focus on wine by the glass at reasonable prices. In the future, both places will be integrated so customers will be able to have a “sip and shop” experience.
Mother Shop immediately brings you joy when you walk upstairs and has everything from a lighter shaped like lipstick, a home rug shaped like a stick of butter, tomato plates, and so many other “things that look like other things”, and let’s be real, this is my absolute favorite. If you’re anything like me, you’ll immediately find 5 things at Mother Shop that are the perfect gift for either the person who has everything, the friend who loves a statement piece, the relative who appreciates a little cheeky sarcasm, your work wife, or your mom. (I mean, there’s a whole collection of hats that say “Mother.” Does it get more perfect than that?)
But all the fabulous offerings at Mother Shop are just the beginning. Dylan says,“Yes, it is a business, but the main goal for us is to provide a community space and what that looks like is fun events… We want to provide a space where everyone can come and just enjoy [themselves] and when the bar is ready, it’ll be way more of an inclusive space where it’s all in one.”
Since opening in February, Mother Shop has already hosted a slew of events including various hands-on workshops to make your own take-home items like resin trays or moss walls and other fun fetes like “Vintage and Yap Clothing Market”, a free event that celebrated Vintage Store Day in May with vintage clothing and handpicked collections from women-owned local brands. Seems cool, right? But then on top of that, they also had a DJ… AND offered vintage-themed flash tattoos (yes, real tattoos 😳). One event that I HATE I missed was the “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy Casanova” party where they brought in other vendors in the community like Knox Community Street Dance to teach line dancing, Good Girl Books for a western themed book release, and they might have even had a mechanical bull. Yee… and I can’t stress this enough, Haw, y’all.
Jade said bringing fun never-been-done-before event concepts like this to Knoxville keeps her motivated because it’s something she feels our community needs AND people enjoy the idea of never knowing what could be happening any given weekend.
The other big motivator? Supporting other small businesses. Jade received support from businesses when Oglewood first got started 5 years ago so now she makes it a point to do the same. Whether that’s supporting makers and smaller businesses with the products Jade and Dylan buy for their shop or doing collaborations & co-hosting events with other small businesses in the area, she’s here to spread the love.
A peek into a cake decorating class at Mother!
TBH, this all tracks. I’ve seen Jade’s ability to help cultivate community firsthand – even in our little bookclub. She fosters a safe space just by being her true, authentic self which helps others to feel comfortable and free to open up and creates an open door for connection and good conversation (even when the conversation topics veer WAY off course from the actual book subject… 😂). Building community isn’t something she does through her businesses, it’s just a part of who she is. She and Dylan are both dreamers and that energy shows up wherever they go and in whatever they venture out to do.
Mother Shop is truly an experience-based business that is ever changing and ever evolving and that might be my favorite thing about this place. Jade and Dylan are building more than just a business here. They’re creating a place that makes Knoxville brighter, weirder, more joyful, and more supportive of the other local dreamers who make this city what it is. And honestly? I can’t wait to see what they dream up next.
P.S. If you’re in a book club too and need a last-minute gift for your host (or you know, if you deserve a little treat for actually finishing the book), Mother Shop has you covered.
Hope I see you there!
Cheers,
Nena
What to Do for the 4th of July in Knoxville
FIRST THINGS FIRST: I now have multiple friends who think of me when they eat hot dogs. Y’all, I can’t stress this enough: I. Love. Hot. Dogs. And there’s not a holiday out there that celebrates the hot dog like the 4th of July. Just like Jennifer Coolidge, it makes me want a hot dog real bad. If you’re new to Knoxville or just looking for some fun ways to spend the holiday, here are a few fun ways to spend the Fourth of July in Knoxville, Tennessee!
1.) FROM THE WATER:
If you’re new to the city and still on the hunt for a boat friend (because c’mon, everyone needs a boat friend), the Star of Knoxville has you covered. This riverboat is not only painted thematically, they serve up a meal, provide entertainment, and (most importantly) give you a rad view of the Scruffy City and the fireworks show a la the Tennessee River. Click here to snag tickets.
2.) TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD:
Another unique way to see the fireworks is by hikin’ to the top of the world. And by hiking, we mean driving, and by the top of the world we mean the top of the hill where the historic Mabry-Hazen House sits. You can enjoy a whole evening of good ole fashioned summer fun – and we dooo mean old fashioned 😂 Expect sack races, watermelon seed spitting contests, three-legged races, bocce, croquet, corn hole, tug-of-war, a cake walk, Victorian festival games and more. There will even be a reading of the Declaration of Independence before seeing the fireworks from your view overlooking the city. Snag your ticket here!
3.) FROM THE SUN:
This is the first year we’ve heard about this. Our jaws are still on the floor so we figured it’d be easiest to write it down 😉
DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN WATCH FIREWORKS FROM INSIDE THE SUNSPHERE?! Yes, you read that right. AND you get to pick the floor that sounds best to you. The 6th floor will cater more for a 21+ crowd while the 8th floor will have family friendly activities for all ages. The best part (besides, potentially, AC) is that the fireworks show will basically be right next to your face. Snag your tickets here!
4.) TO THE WORLD:
World’s Fair Park, that is. This is the main event, folks! If you’re lookin’ for a good ole fashioned (and free!) fireworks show and 4th of July festival in Knoxville, you need to get your cutie booty down to World’s Fair Park! There will be vendors, activities, and live music all evening. As the sun goes down, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra will take the stage – paving the way for an amazing fireworks show at 9:35pm. Find details here!
7 Days of Live Music in Knoxville
Whether you’ve got a taste for bluegrass (welcome to Tennessee!), jazz (oh you fancy), or you prefer some acoustic strumming to accompany your beer sipping, here’s where to find FREE live music in Knoxville, Tennessee seven days a week. While our neighbor to the west may be more well known for her music scene (have you heard of a little place called Nashville?), our favorite lil scruffy city (Knoxville, duh) certainly holds her own when it comes to live music opportunities. After all, Dolly herself would make the trek over from Sevierville to Knoxville to perform at just ten years old.
MONDAYS:
- Scruffy City Hall in Market Square honestly hosts live music most days of the week, but pop by on Mondays for their Open Mic Night! Just a few minutes north, Barrelhouse by Gypsy Circus hosts a weekly Open Mic Night of their own1
- If you’d prefer to class up your evening, Babalu hosts live jazz with Frog and Toad’s Dixie Quartet. (If you’re not looking to be too classy, don’t worry. Mondays are also Margarita Night at Babalu😜)
- On the first Monday of every month, Orange Hat Brewing in Hardin Valley hosts Mountain Music Mondays from 6-8pm for all you bluegrass aficionados.
- Finally, on the second Monday of every month, check out Writers Round Knoxville at Barley’s Taproom & Pizzaria in the Old City.
- The WDVX Blue Plate Special happens almost every single day. It’s is a live performance radio show held at noon inside Visit Knoxville in Downtown Knoxville & hosts a wide array of musicians from around the region!
TUESDAYS:
- Tuesdays are more known for trivia here in Knoxville (seriously, there are endless options for Trivia Tuesday), but that doesn’t mean you can’t catch some live music! Head to Jig & Reel on Tuesdays to catch the Old Time Jam With Sarah Pirkle. Feel free to just listen and enjoy over some scotch – or take an instrument off the wall and join the party!
- Depending on the season, you can usually catch free jazz on Tuesdays as well! In the colder months, catch it inside The Emporium on Gay St. In warmer months, various jazz bands & trios take the Market Square outdoor stage and the vibe is IMMACULATE.
- The WDVX Blue Plate Special happens almost every single day. It’s is a live performance radio show held at noon inside Visit Knoxville in Downtown Knoxville & hosts a wide array of musicians from around the region!
WEDNESDAYS:
- Come back to Jig & Reel on Wednesdays for their Singer Songwriter Night!
- Out west in Farragut, Water into Wine usually hosts live music on Wednesdays as well!
- You see a trend here, but the WDVX Blue Plate Special is still on at noon!
THURSDAYS:
- Backdoor Tavern is a Knoxville classic nestled in Bearden. They have live music periodically through the week, but Thursdays specifically are Open Mic Jam Nights on their outdoor stage!
- In the summer, head back to Market Square every third Thursday of the month for variety concerts! Grab a pal & a lawn chair & make a day of it in Downtown Knoxville.
- Earlier in the day – you guessed it – The WDVX Blue Plate Special is live inside Visit Knoxville at noon!
FRIDAYS:
- Fridays are STUFFED FULL of live music! You can usually find it at places like Albright Grove Brewing Co. (their patio is divine), Scruffy City Hall & Preservation Pub, Pour Taproom, Backdoor Tavern, Barley’s Taproom & Pizzaria, Barrelhouse by Gypsy Circus, and honestly like a zillion other places 😂🙌 Take a stroll through town & find your favorite!
- Remember that The WDVX Blue Plate Special? It still happens at noon, but on Fridays they take a field trip over to Barley’s Taproom so you can enjoy lunch as you listen!
