Pretty Southern

Author: Kate

Riverbend 2016 Rocks Chattanooga

Where can you find a sweet music festival with over 100 acts, five stages, your favorite fair and street food and drinks, every music fan under the sun and so much more? Right here in Chattanooga, Tenn.

The world-famous Coca-Cola Stage at Riverbend 2016

This year, the award-winning Riverbend Music Festival celebrated its 35th year with eight nights of fantastic live music, right on the banks of the Tennessee River in downtown Chattanooga. From June 10th through the 18th, music aficionados from Chattanooga and beyond came to see their favorite acts perform on the world-famous Coca-Cola Stage and four other stages.

Riverbend is one of Chattanooga’s premier events; after attending this year, I totally see why! Over half a million people attended this year; for many, it’s an annual family affair. It’s a giant weeklong party and everyone is invited. Whether you’re a Riverbend newbie or if you’ve attended for all 35 years, or anything in between, there’s something new and exciting about the festival each year. I had never attended a music festival before Riverbend, and I have to say, I picked a great one to start.

Fun fact: Riverbend is ranked in the top 10% of music festivals in the country.

Aside from all of the incredible performances, my favorite part about Riverbend was witnessing the Chattanooga community in yet another setting, and watching everyone having a good time. People from all walks of life come out for Riverbend each year. There is hardly a better way to spend a late-spring-early-summer night than downtown by the river, munching on chicken on a stick (yes, that’s a thing), and enjoying live music with your friends and family. Chattanooga has amazing community spirit, and seeing how this festival brought people together to celebrate great music in a great city made me proud to call myself a Chattanoogan, even if I am a transplant.

Never stop being awesome, Chattanooga.

Here are some of the top highlights from my experience at Riverbend 2016!

Riverbend 2016 kicked off night one with alt-rocker ZZ Ward and country superstar Thomas Rhett (be still my beating heart). ZZ rocked the stage with jams like “365 Days,” “Save My Life” and “Last Love Song.” She tossed in a bluesy cover of Nick Jonas’s hit “Chains.” She’s got a new fan in me, that’s for sure. Come back to Chattanooga any time, ZZ. You’re always welcome here.

Then there was Thomas Rhett. Be still my heart! Truth be told, I’m pretty picky with country music, but wow, can that man put on a show. He played through songs from both of his full-length albums It Goes Like This and Tangled Up, including two of my favorites “Crash and Burn” and “Get Me Some of That.” Every female in the audience swooned when he played “Die a Happy Man,” including myself. The best part of Rhett’s set, though, was when he handed his guitar to a stage assistant, hopped on the drum set and broke out into some “Cake by the Ocean” by DNCE. Talk about an amazing entertainer.

Two of rock and roll’s leading ladies, Ann and Nancy Wilson–also known as Heart–rocked the Coke Stage on night two. Festival organizers had been fighting to get Heart to perform for five years; this year, they made it happen. Those ladies can still kill a show and bring an audience to their feet, even after 40+ years. They played a collection of their hits–“Barracuda,” “Alone,” “Crazy on You” and more–and gave concert-goers a taste of some new songs from their upcoming album Beautiful Broken, due out July 8th. Mark your calendars, Heart fans.

Chattanooga’s own Kane Brown performing on the Bud Light Stage at Riverbend 2016.

Night three featured country and folk acts, with Trampled by Turtles, Chris Young and Chattanooga-North Georgia native Kane Brown. The 22-year-old RCA recording artist performed a set on the Bud Light stage, including his singles “Used to Love You Sober” and “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now,” and a cover of George Strait’s classic “Check Yes or No.” He even added some Nelly to the mix. Brown had dreamed of performing at the festival since he was a child, and this year he made that dream come true. And he rocked it. Brown’s first full-length album is due out later this fall.

Night six brought good ol’ Southern rock with Blackberry Smoke. Fans later braved a rainstorm to see country artist Brett Eldredge play. You know your fans are faithful when they outlast a thunderstorm to see your set! A little rain never hurt anyone, right?

Other notable appearances and performances include 90s R&B duo Salt & Pepa, Australian-American Christian pop duo For King and Country, Christian rock band Hawk Nelson, Led Zeppelin tribute band Get the Led Out, Blood, Sweat & Tears featuring Bo Bice, The Shack Band and many more. The final two nights of Riverbend 2016 featured classic rock legends REO Speedwagon and .38 Special. A festival with a lineup like this has to go out with a bang–complete with fireworks.

Seriously Chattanooga, never stop being awesome.

Is it time for Riverbend 2017 yet? I’m already anxiously awaiting next year’s lineup announcement.

Stay tuned for updates and news for next year’s festival on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

June 28, 2016
7 Awesome Happy Hour Spots in Chattanooga

I’m absolutely obsessed with the food scene in Chattanooga. There are so many amazing places in town to find good eats and a good time.

One of the best parts of the food scene is all of the awesome Happy Hour spots in town. It’s nice to drop in for a drink after a long day at work, or to kick off a fun night on the weekend. Or just to go try something new. These places take the phrase, “Why limit happy to just one hour?” to heart.

Here are 7 awesome Happy Hour spots in downtown Chattanooga!

There are more awesome drink spots in town, of course, but I am a repeat offender at most, if not all of these.

Flying Squirrel

Sure it has a funny name, but the drink specials are fantastic. Flying Squirrel offers Happy Hour deals from 5-10pm every day of the week (except Mondays, they’re closed then). I’m a huge fan of half-price wine on Tuesdays, $5 select cocktails on Saturdays and mimosa carafes for Sunday brunch ($3.5 for a regular mimosa). Other nightly specials include Whiskey Wednesdays, $3 pints on Thursdays and 25% off bottled beer on Fridays.

STIR

STIR has only been open since November, but it’s quickly become one of the cutest spots in town. Its artisanal ice and vintage ice shaver set STIR apart from other popular restaurants. The ice is made from purified water and frozen from the inside out; this way, the ice melts slower and your drink won’t water down so fast. They even have a designated ice chef!

STIR offers Happy Hour from 4:00 – 6:30, Monday through Friday. Each week they feature a craft cocktail, and that cocktail is $7 during Happy Hour. If cocktails aren’t your thing, draft beer is $4 and wine by the glass is $2 off the regular price. If you want to munch with your drink, tacos and sliders are $1.50 each and oysters are $1.

FEED Co. Table & Tavern

While FEED Co. doesn’t have “traditional” Happy Hour specials, each day of the week has special features and great deals on drinks. Tuesdays are pint nights with $3.50 pints from a select brewery. On Wednesdays, ladies can enjoy $3 glasses of house pinot grigio and pinot noir (woo Ladies’ Night!). Come by on Thursdays for live music and a special craft cocktail, curated by FEED Co.’s talented bartenders. There’s some kind of entertainment each night, ranging from live music to trivia.

P.S. It may not always be part of craft cocktail night, but I recommend the “Sloshed Housewife” drink.

Beast + Barrel

I stopped by this spot for the first time a few weekends ago, and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t been there before. Beast + Barrel is one such spot that offers Happy Hour specials every day of the week, from 3:00 – 6:00pm. Their menu offers $3, $4, $5 and $6 selections for eating, drinking and snacking. I loved the Braveheart Burger Sliders and Roasted Pineapple Caipirinha (with an actual piece of roasted pineapple garnish), and for only $12, I could love that every day. I may or may not have gone back the following weekend.

Community Pie

I love every place on this list, but I probably frequent this place more than any other spot mentioned. That’s mostly because it’s super convenient to my office, but also because the people who work there are amazing and the pizza is great.

Stop in Community Pie Monday through Friday from 3:00 – 6:00pm and get a mug of beer for the price of a pint. With 40 taps, there’s a brew for even the pickiest beer drinker (like me). On Saturdays, swing in for $3 sangria ($7.50 for a carafe), grab a seat at the outside-facing bar and people-watch around Miller Plaza. There’s always something going on.

The Social
This was one of the first spots I checked out when I moved to Chattanooga last summer. The Social is part of Public House, located in Warehouse Row, and is the “bar” part of the restaurant. It shares a kitchen with Public House, so the menus share many of the same items. Drink specials vary night to night, but Cocktail Hour happens Monday through Friday, with $2 off menu cocktails, $5 glasses of wine, $4 premium well drinks and more. Along with their drink specials, bar small plates are $5 each during Happy Hour (5pm to close, most days). I recommend the pimiento cheese here, too.

FIVE

Another spot that believes in every day Happy Hours! Praise! Swing by FIVE from 4-6pm to enjoy $5 wine, half-off well liquors, wine and beer, $5 signature cocktails and $5 snacks. Cocktails rotate week by week, but if you catch the Blackberry Rum Runner on the menu, don’t pass on it. It’s delicious.

There’s no shortage of places to grab a cocktail and snack in downtown Chattanooga. Swing by any of these awesome spots next time you’re in town and see what they’re all about!

A version of this post originally appeared on Kate’s blog, A Thought and a Half.

June 13, 2016
7 Upcoming Chattanooga Events You Don’t Want to Miss

Chattanooga is a happenin’ city, especially in the spring and summer.

Hardly a weekend goes by when there’s not something exciting happening somewhere in the city. I’ve never been a social butterfly, per se, but since moving here, I’ve learned to get out and enjoy the social scene. Am I a socialite in training? Maybe.

Special events in Chattanooga drip in Southern charm and excitement. Here are seven awesome upcoming events in Chattanooga that y’all shouldn’t miss!

Fresh-picked strawberries from the Chattanooga Market!

Sunday Farmer’s Market – This happens every Sunday at First Tennessee Pavilion, right across from Finley Stadium. Last weekend was opening weekend, and almost everyone and their mothers in Chattanooga came out to see what’s in store at the market this year. Vendors from Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and sometimes beyond bring their best produce, baked goods, artwork, home decor and much more to show off and sell to Chattanoogans and visitors. The market is one of my favorite stops to make on the weekends, and I’m so glad it’s finally back! Seriously, I’m here much more often than I’m not.

Nightfall Concert Series – Nightfall is the perfect way to end the work week. Every Friday starting May 6, a section of downtown–right next to my office, conveniently–closes off to make space for the city’s best nighttime street festival and concert series. We bring in acts from around the country that provide the musical entertainment while we enjoy delicious local food and drink. It’s a highlight of many Noogans’ summer nights. Check out the lineup.

Tennessee Whiskey Festival (May 21) – Tennessee is home to some of the nation’s best whiskey. Chattanooga celebrates that amazing whiskey and those that make it this May at the Tennessee Whiskey Festival. Guests sample whiskey from around the region, enjoy food along with their spirits and try their feet at dancing (which may be difficult, depending on how many whiskey samples you’ve had). The whiskey festival benefits H*Art Gallery, a non-profit organization that provides outreach and support to other local non-profits that offer art classes and art therapy to clients. Ready to taste over whiskey from over 20 distilleries? I am.

Uncorked (May 21) – I love wine and I love music, so the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera’s Uncorked event was basically made for me. Uncorked is an evening of music, food, wine and a good time, all benefiting the CSO and their programs.

Photo via Nooga.com.

Riverbend Music Festival (June 10-18) – Who knew Chattanooga had a whole week-long music festival with some pretty sweet headlining acts? Riverbend celebrates 35 years this June with a crazy awesome festival in store. This year’s acts include Thomas Rhett, Brett Eldredge, Heart, Hawk Nelson, .38 Special, REO Speedwagon, Salt & Pepa (what a throwback) and more. And it all happens down on the Riverfront. It’s the perfect summertime event.

Pops on the River (July 3) – One of the best ways to celebrate our nation and its freedom is at Coolidge Park with the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera’s Pops ensemble. Bring your blankets, picnic baskets and patriotic spirit and enjoy an evening of American-spirit-fueled music on the banks of the Tennessee River. And of course there’s fireworks at the end. And yes, you can see the fireworks from Finley Stadium across town.

Southern Brewer’s Festival (August 20) – Beer? Yes. Craft beer? Even more yes. I went to this event last year and tasting over 30 brews made me appreciate craft beer so much more. Breweries from around the country bring their best to the Chattanooga Riverfront for everyone to taste and enjoy. Last year I absolutely loved a watermelon wheat beer from a brewery in Alabama. There’s also lots of koozies. Every Southerner loves koozies.

Catch me at any of these events and spots around town. Summer is about to get kickin’ up here in Chattanooga and I could not be more excited! My calendar is filling up fast.

A version of this post originally appeared on Kate’s blog, A Thought and a Half.

May 1, 2016
Top 5 Reasons to Visit DeBarge Winery

Tucked away on the Southside of Chattanooga is DeBarge Urban Winery.

It may be in a more urban setting, but it has all the charm and offerings of a countryside winery. To be honest, I didn’t know it was there until I made plans to go with some coworkers a couple weekends ago. But I love visiting wineries, and I was beginning to think there weren’t that many around here. Fortunately that’s not the case. Living in North Carolina had me spoiled, where I had five wineries within 10 miles.

Wine-making started as a hobby for owner Ray DeBarge. In fact, he made his first bottle of wine as a teenager. It eventually grew into a passion that has since evolved into a business that makes many Chattanoogans and visitors happy. The Southside winery has been in operation for four years. They took their time perfecting their wines and starting to distribute; now they’re up and running and ready to make their mark in Chattanooga.

Here are the top 5 reasons you should add DeBarge Winery to your to-do list in Chattanooga.

5. It’s local. Call me a wine snob, but I’ll take a local wine over a bottle from the grocery store almost any day. Supporting local business is always a good move, too. Southerners love to keep the local economy blooming.

4. There are two locations. Yes, TWO spots to enjoy DeBarge wines. The urban winery is in Chattanooga, and the vineyards are in Lafayette, Ga., just 45 minutes down the road. The vineyards grow the grapes and send them up to the Southside urban winery for wine-making. I also hear the vineyards are a great spot for a picnic in the spring and summer.

3. Super friendly and knowledgable staff. Whatever question I had, the two people working there could answer it to the fullest of their ability. And they didn’t mind answering the same question multiple times.

2. It’s affordable. $5 for a 4-wine tasting is pretty cheap. And they don’t mind if you go for more than one round of tasting. They offer 12 wines for sampling at a time, including dry whites, dry reds, a dry rosé and semi-sweets. I did two rounds of tasting and loved all eight of the wines I sampled. Bottle prices range from $15 to $30, depending on availability and seasonality.

And…
1. The wine is delicious. DeBarge specializes in drier, European-style wine stored in the best wine storage, which is a great contrast to the sweeter wines we’re more used to in the South. Exact wines and blends vary throughout the year, so you might have a different mix each time you visit. Of the eight wines I sipped, the Chardanooga (Chardonel and Cayuga white blend), Cloudland White (Chardonnay, Vidal Blac and Traminette blend) and Oregon Riesling were my favorites. I’m not prejudiced against red wine, though; the Ridge Runner semi-sweet red blend was also wonderful.

Bonus reason: If you want to see the wine-making process up close and personal, DeBarge offers behind-the-scenes tours of their winery, at the Southside urban winery and at their North Georgia vineyards. Another bonus reason: it’s a great venue for special events.

One more bonus reason: You can join their Wine Club to get shipments of wine delivered to your door, and get free tours and information on exclusive events.

Are you convinced yet? I’ll see you at the tasting bar, where I’ll be sipping on some Chardanooga wine. For more information about DeBarge Vineyards, check out their website, like them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter.

Editor’s Note A version of this post originally appeared on Kate’s blog, A Thought and a Half.

February 23, 2016
The Only Snow Accumulation Scale a Southerner Needs

It’s just over a month into 2016 and Mother Nature has already blessed us with a big blizzard. Fortunately Chattanooga didn’t get hit too badly, but my friends and family in other states are still digging out.

Winter stinks. It’s just not a fun three months. It’s cold, gray, dreary and colorless. And then there’s snow and icky winter weather. As soon as the s-word is mentioned, my mind goes into overdrive. The weather forecasts often change, and snow accumulation ranges aren’t always descriptive enough. The meteorologists on TV say your area will get six inches of snow. What does six inches of snow look like? How do you prepare? How long can you expect to stay inside? Will schools be closed?

What does that even mean? #SouthernProblems

Snow in my parents’ backyard, ca. 2013

This is where my years living in the Great White North come into play. I hate snow, but I know how to deal with it. My sweet mother hates winter almost more than I do.

So, with inspiration from my sweet mother’s snow-fueled sass, here’s a more accurate and more descriptive snow accumulation scale. In fact, it’s probably the only snow accumulation scale Southerners need.

The Only Snow Accumulation Scale a Southerner Needs:

0 – 6 inches: No worries. You can shovel your way out easily, and it’ll probably all melt by the end of the day, if not before. You might not even need a shovel (but buy one just in case). Oooh and ahhh at it while it’s around. Schools will probably still close, or at least run on delays.

6 – 12 inches: Girl Scout mode. Be prepared, but it’s not the end of the world. The shelves at the store won’t quite be empty. Go out and play in the snow. Build a snowman. Get some cookies, too, because, you know, Girl Scout mode and all.

12 – 18 inches: Grocery store, Target and Chick-fil-a run. Make those runs as early as possible. Shelves will empty faster this time. Make sure you have bread, eggs, milk, canned food, batteries, blankets, etc., and charge all of your electronic devices. Grab some extra layers of clothes. Schools will definitely be closed. Get a chicken sandwich and waffle fries while you can. Maybe even buy an extra one for the next day.

Snow at Elon, January 2015

18 – 24 inches: Hunker down. It might be a while before you can get out. Accept that cabin fever will set in eventually. Break out your favorite board game for entertainment. Yeah, remember board games? Scrabble is my jam. Coloring books are also great. I’m an adult, I promise.

24 – 30 inches: Hope and pray that maybe the weatherman missed it and it won’t be so bad. They’re wrong sometimes, you know. But if they’re right, schools will probably be closed for a week.

36+ inches: Just pray. Pray and wonder how unfair it is that people can get paid six figures for being wrong, one way or another.

Once you’ve assessed the appropriate accumulation, you can prepare and plan accordingly. Now if only the meteorologists on TV could get behind this, then winter might be more bearable.

Until then, I’ll be sitting on my couch, wrapped in my heated blanket, drinking frozen hot chocolate and waiting for winter to go away. I really hope that groundhog was right.

A version of this post also appeared on my blog, A Thought and a Half.

February 15, 2016
I Survived Football Season in SEC Country

I’m an ACC girl, through and through.

I’ve always lived somewhere with a strong ACC presence. In North Carolina, if you’re not an ACC fan, then what are you? Virginia has the Hokies and that other little school up I-64. When my family lived in Georgia, we still had our ACC fix with Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Even in Pennsylvania, we had decent ACC coverage because of the proximity to Maryland and Virginia; when Pittsburgh and Syracuse joined the ACC, that helped, too.

Side note, why on Earth is Syracuse in the ACC? And don’t even get me started on Notre Dame.

Then I moved to Tennessee. It’s SEC or nothing here.

It’s not like I wasn’t expecting that. I’ve had plenty of exposure to the madness that is SEC football. In fact, a dear friend of mine from middle school came from a divided SEC family. Her dad went to Auburn and her mom went to LSU. She used to come to my house during LSU-Auburn games because her parents bickered so much the whole time. I knew enough about the SEC teams and their fans and who hated whom the most; I figured I could blend in well enough.

I started following Tennessee football (not super closely, but closely enough) just to be informed. If I ever got into a conversation with Tennessee fans–which I thought would be a more common occurrence–then I’d be able to follow along.

It helped, but not enough. My ACC ties stuck out like a sore thumb.

Maybe it’s geography and proximity, but I really only experienced the SEC from Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Auburn fans. I met a few Vanderbilt people in Nashville, ran into the occasional Ole Miss or Mississippi State fan downtown, and I think I saw a South Carolina fan somewhere. The Kentucky fans have started appearing now that it’s basketball season (much to my chagrin). And until the other week, I’d totally forgotten that Texas A&M and Missouri were even in the SEC.

Here’s what I learned and experienced in my first year fully immersed in SEC Country:

Tennessee fans may sport their creamsicle orange loud and proud, but it’s just the wrong shade for me. Not that I can really pull off orange all that well, but if there’s any shade of orange I wear, it’s my Burnt Orange, accompanied by that beautiful Chicago Maroon. Auburn’s orange is more of my shade. It’s closer, at least. War Eagle?

There’s a cute little boutique about five minutes down the road from my apartment that I like to shop at sometimes. While they don’t carry any “official” SEC fanwear, they do have several racks sorted by team colors: blue and orange for Florida, black and red for Georgia, navy and orange for Auburn, etc. One day I found a really cute top on the crimson-and-white rack, and thought it looked close enough to my favorite dark red hue that maybe I could pass it off as a Hokie color. But I knew it was intended for Alabama fans’ closets, and I just couldn’t bring myself to buy it. It was such a cute top, though.

I work with two SEC alums: one from Florida and one from Alabama. Sometimes I wonder how they get along. All kidding aside, the only time I ever heard them bickering was the week before the SEC Championship game. My fellow Hokie coworker and I kept each other sane this season (and consoled each other when appropriate).

If there’s one thing I learned quickly, it’s that everyone hates Alabama. That’s easy enough. I don’t think I’ve ever uttered the words “Roll Tide” in my life (and it felt so wrong typing them just now), and I don’t plan on ever uttering them. When my Hokies played ‘Bama in the season opener a few years ago, it was all I could do to get through watching the game without vomiting a little every time I heard that stupid “Rammer Jammer” chant.

I guess Alabama is to the SEC like Duke (barf) is to the ACC: if you don’t love them, you hate them. There’s no in between.And in my head, Texas A&M will always be a Big 12 team that just happens to play SEC teams.

And, after the whole season, I still don’t know a single word to “Rocky Top.” I even had some preparation from a gym teacher in elementary school. She was a Tennessee alum and played “Rocky Top” for us every Friday, whether it was football season or not.

The SEC is a completely different world compared to the ACC. I like it. It’s entertaining. I may live in SEC country, but I am an ACC girl always and forever.

Kate Robertson is a features writer for Pretty Southern and a Virginia Tech alumna. She also holds an M.A. in Interactive Media from Elon University.

Born in North Carolina, raised in Georgia, Kate lives in Chattanooga, Tenn., where she works as a social media maven and kick-ass writer covering the lovely South.

Follow Kate on Twitter @kate3robertson and check out her blog, A Thought and a Half.

January 10, 2016