Cafes I Have Known: Tennessee Edition

When I land in a new town, the first things I look for are a great cafe and a great used bookstore. 

Here are two of my picks to take the guesswork out of cafe hopping on your next visit to Nashville or Knoxville.

Visiting the Ryman Auditorium in Tennessee was a dream come true. 

Frothy Monkey - Nashville

A pleasant bike ride from downtown, the Frothy Monkey is the go-to hangout for Belmont University students and organic food connoisseurs from the nearby Hillsboro and Melrose neighborhoods.

I chanced there when I was couch surfing around the block, near Dolly Parton’s motor coach livery.

I achieved total brain freeze from the strong iced coffee and achieved total aesthetic piety from their locally sourced salads.

My songwriter hosts were giddy to receive a bag of FM’s espresso roast as a parting gift.

Yours Truly preparing for another day of scaring the natives.

Best feature: a variety of micro-areas within the two adjoined ranch-style structures allows for sunny, shady, booth, and bistro style table hopping. 

Old City Java – Knoxville

Old City Java's Direct Trade coffee is widely regarded as the best coffee in Knox. They are located in a nostalgic part of town near the railroad tracks. 

The wow-inducing environment includes reclaimed windows and doors for wall paneling, exposed brick bearing walls, and an inverted bay window façade.

They don’t even have to try.

This is probably the reason their “coming-soon” website is so laughably bad. On the home page, the designer takes name credit for its non-existent proprietary content with a copyright date that has been auto-updating since 2010.

 

Is that an angel in my cup or is Knoxville just glad to see me?

Over several visits, I had the satisfying hummus plate.  When I got stuck in my work on the Great American Novel,  the painted ceiling, inspired by Van Gogh’s “Stary Night, ” kick-started my daydreaming again. 

Raleigh's Crape Myrtle Festival

My pals Sean and Michael walking to the elegant Raleigh Convention Center. Is that a shimmery Crape Myrtle tree superimposed on the upper windows?

What is Crape Myrtle?

If you’re talking about the tree, it’s a dramatic one that grows throughout the south with ruffled flowers of pink and purple.

If you’re talking about the festival, it’s Raleigh’s annual fundraiser that takes place every summer concurrent with the Triangle Pride and Shades of Pride celebrations.

 The Raleigh hotties in attendance worked a mix of cocktail and casual looks. 

Over the past 30 years, the festival has raised tens of millions for North Carolina’s consenting sexual minorities and the HIV positive.

I attended the party last summer, when I visited my friend, politico Sean Kosofsky and his partner, Michael.

Anniversary cake realness

For just a couple bills, we were treated to hors d'oeuvres, slices of fanciful fondant cake, a drag show, fine art, and a silent auction.

 The ladies of "Legends," Raleigh's premiere drag show

Panels from the AIDS Quilt were on display especially for the 2010 event.

The 2011 gala’s theme is “Heroes: There’s One in Each of Us.” Hopefully, this will inspire some cosplay: Raleigh has some hunky mens!

You can purchase tickets here or at the July 30th event, which takes place at the Raleigh's Contemporary Art Museum.

Fort Collins Hot Air Balloon Adventure

A view of the Rockies from the Flights of Fancy basket

The ideal way to see the Rocky Mountains is from the air…preferably the hot air!

My day with Flights of Fancy begins at 5 am. I help owner Pam Fancy hook the balloon trailer up to her truck and drive to the launch site. The field, just East of Ft. Collins, Colorado faces a school and is dotted with prairie dog holes and brush.

Fancy boosting her flying machine with a shot of propane flame.

My job is to unpack the balloon, a silky funnel of motley panels, and then affix the vented dome, one Velcro tab at a time. Fancy and her assistant Curt lace it to the basket and load in the propane tanks.

Three in the basket, ready to ride!

A father/daughter couple from Oklahoma will join Pam and me in the basket. Curt will drive the truck and follow us from the ground.

Fancy has logged hundreds of hot air hours and flown in many of the top races and rendezvous in the West. Her knowledge of the Colorado Front Range is superb. She names many of the structures, mountains, and remote towns.

Our reflection upon the water. 

We glide over a fog hazed lake and catch the reflection of the balloon in the water. Fancy asks us if how high we’d like to go up. We want to go up all the way!

The high altitude makes me dizzy. Even though I grew up in Northern Colorado, I’m very susceptible to a head rush now. My lungs burn when I run here and I can’t ever seem to drink enough water.  Giddy breathlessness, however, seems ideal at 5000 feet.

A soft landing

We touch down after a half hour, in a nearby field. I asked Fancy if she ever has difficulty accessing landing sites. She said once an elderly man promised her she could land in his field and then forgot, but mostly people are glad to see her.

After all, a hot air balloon is like a giant invitation to party. 

We all got certificates to celebrate our achievement!

Once we’ve landed, Fancy breaks out champagne, mineral water, and pomegranate juice and we toast.

 Cheers!

I can’t wait to go up up and away again! 

Frequency Hopper Update and New Posts Coming Soon!

Yours Truly hugging a tree in the Queen Ann Garden of Stirling Castle in Stirling, Scotland

My tour of Northern England and Scotland winds up this week!

I've had a tremendous time. Most everyone has been super friendly and helpful.

A few points of order:

deltamagnet@yahoo.com or deltamagnet@facebook.com

- At this time I'm soliciting new adventures. If you are the representative of a travel bureau or own a business you would like me to visit, please email me.

- Presently, I have solid couch surfing offers from pals in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Tehama, Japan. These are my best leads for a 2012 international trip. Nearby B&Bs, upscale hostels, and unique housing situations: please ring me up! The doors are wide open and I'm in planning mode.

- I'm launching two new "ongoing series": Cafes I Have Known and Bookstores I Have Known. If your cafe or bookstore business would like to be featured in a future post, please let me know and I will arrange a visit when next I'm in your town.

- Below are some of the posts I'm organizing for the summer and fall.

I'll be folding in my promised Colorado, Wyoming, and Arizona posts also.

If you'd like a notification when a specific topic is posted, please email me and I will let you know when it is up...

Manchester, England

Salford Lads Club Smiths Room Quest (with video)

Newcastle, England

Segedunum and Hadrian’s Wall Adventure

Glasgow, Scotland

Tramway Hidden Gardens Adventure

Glasgow Necropolis Adventure

Pollok County Garden and Burrell Collection Adventure

Strathyre, Scotland

Right-of-Way to Rob Roy’s Grave Adventure (with video)

Ben Vane Hiking Adventure (with video)

Falls of Dochart and Killin Trail Adventure

Stirling, Scotland

Stirling Castle Adventure

Edinburgh, Scotland

Craigmilllar Castle Adventure

Arthur’s Seat Adventure (with video)

Egilsay, Scotland

Edible Egilsay Adventure

Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville Cycle Tour Adventure

The Columbia Viper and Superhero Tourism

Knoxville, Tennessee

Knoxville Noon Music

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Dollywood Adventure

Asheville, North Carolina

Linville Caverns Adventure

Black Mountain College Quest and Montreat Hiking Adventure

Carl Sandburg Connemara Farm Adventure

Raleigh, North Carolina

Crepe Myrtle Pride Celebration

University of North Carolina Greenbelt and Botanical Garden Adventure

St. Louis, Missouri

Going Up In The Gateway Arch

Thanks to all my readers for making these journeys so fun to pursue!

xxoo
Dale

Mile High Capitol Adventure

Folks nicknamed Denver the “Mile High City” due to it’s altitude above sea level.

The portion of Denver that is factually a Mile High may be limited to skyscrapers and clocktowers, but there is an absolute and accurate measure: the State Capitol Building.

My buddy David and I resolved to take a hike to the top.

On the way in, we horsed around in the vast fountains on the mall. David lifted up his shirt to show me his belly and said he needed a new pic for “Hot or Not,” the photo rating site that was popular during the first dot com rush.


I was obliged to pose with one of the Capitol’s stately cannons between my legs. This photo op was so popular we had to wait in line behind a trio of teenagers for our turn.


On our way inside the building, David observed that it was 420 and made the appropriate devotion.

It should be indicated that he was not paranoid about this at all! Nor did it in any way influence the security guards to double check the inside of my backpack!

We stumbled upon a docent led tour and merged.

We learned that all the wood, brass materials, granite and marble in the Capitol had been sourced from inside the state. This was so important to the builders that gifts of more valuable materials were turned away.

Also noted: Wyoming was the first state to give women the right to vote based only on a technicality. Colorado proposed and passed the legislation first, but Wyoming had their election sooner.

Something I didn’t expect to be introduced to was a series of portraits commemorating the states race variety!

From the capitols establishment during the industrial revolution, Denver paid lip service to the idea of racial unity signified by newly freed slaves, westward and northward migrants, railroad workers of Asian descent, and the still very robust native population building the state together. In context, it's an uneasy collection.


Whereas once one climbed a long rickety spiral of stairs to ascend the Capitol dome, our way was smoothed by a short elevator trip and a pause at a new, dense museum.

The highlight of this was playing Godzilla with a miniature version of the Capitol.


Inside the dome there are attractions upwards, downwards, and outwards.

City Fathers are remembered with stained glass portraits lining a columnar molding above.


In the center of the dome is the dramatic rotunda - not for those with with a fear of heights.


Outside, in every railing, are brass pointers indicating the direction and the highest mountaintops in view.


While some of the northern peaks are now obscured, I found the pointers reassuring.

Early on, the states’ natural beauty was determined to be more worthy of these plaques that what battle happened where or what business was established in what location.

Denver Public Bike Adventure

Denver's citizens made their city green partially by design and partially by necessity.

Wealthy Denverites have been endowing huge tracts of land to the municipality since the gold rush in an attempt to urbanize the wide-open feel of the Rockies.

When I was a child, there was still a working cattle ranch in near range of the state capitol. The foothills were underdeveloped and still quite lush.

By the time I went to high school, a boom in development left Denver struggling for air. Once reknown for its numerous sunny days and abundant oxygen, temperature inversions trapped Denver’s carbon emissions in the metro area. Air quality was second only to Los Angeles in severity.

Help was already on the way. As an air traffic hub with millions in federal dollars, Denver made bold plans to enhance its transit and its airport. It took the green road without looking back.

Today, five light-rail lines extend far into the suburbs. A robust bus line, a mall closed to vehicles, and wide sidewalks help its natives get granular with civic attractions. Denver also boasts more parks per capita than any other city.

The public bike system is a further enhancement. One can rent bikes in a number of convenient, high traffic locations near parks and businesses.

I paid five dollars for a 24 hour membership to see how much of the local character I could take in during one day.

I went from The Denver Post building to Cheeseman Park. I continued through the Speer Boulevard Bike Trail to the Denver University stop off near Larimer Square.

The racks of public bikes are make more striking by their bright red color. Also, every bike has a basket. Perfect for shopping!

This is some of the public art along the Spear Boulevard bike trail. What was once an inconvenient ditch has been transformed into a twisting, elegant trail that takes cyclists from the South East part of Denver into LoDo or Lower Downtown.

File under "This is not a water feature." The trail follows an indigenous whitewater stream the downtown area was constructed around back in the day.

The gardens at Cheeseman Park. There are several bike racks around the park.

The giant clocktower at Arapahoe in LoDo where Denverites ring in their new year!

Larimer Square is a historic preservation district in LoDo with restaurants and shopping.

One of my all time favorite rest-stops at the end of any jounery! The Tattered Cover is a world-reknown independent bookstore with a lovely cafe. This is Jackie's Corner where authors covet the chance to be featured.

Game Day Adventure at Coors Field

It's tough to snag good seats to watch the World Champion San Francisco Giants play baseball in their hometown.

Seeing them Coors Field in Denver is an excellent compromise. Seats just to the left of home plate were absolutely attainable.

The Colorado Rockies franchise is relatively young, only 15 years old. Their design of their expansive stadium has quirky touches appropriate for a team looking to endear themselves.

Wynkopp Street, which leads pedestrians from the heart of LoDo (Lower Downtown) to the stadium, is trimmed with baseball themed sidewalks and an asymmetrical arch which is a tribute to game balls.

Inside the park is another playful touch. A small pond, stocked with mallards, is tucked at the edge of the first base outfield.

When a home run is hit, the scoreboard lights up with the phrase, "Watch Out Ducks!"

Entering Coors Field from Wynkopp Street

Yours truly beside the columns of the ball arch, where various balls from the koosh ball to the croquet ball are commemorated

I'm standing fewer that twenty rows back

Fresh popcorn and fresh lemonade (hold the sugar) are de rigueur vegan ballpark treats

"Watch Out Ducks!": the fountains shoot up every time there is a home run at Coors Field

New Adventures Posting Soon to Frequency Hopper

Yours Truly hugging a caged tree on the 16th Street Mall in Denver, Colorado

To kick off a summer full of posts, I'm adding the following adventures between now and April 24. Keep checking back!

Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.

Game Day Adventure at Coors Field

Denver Public Bike Adventure

Mile High Capitol Adventure

Northern Colorado and the Wyoming Border, U.S.A.

Fort Collins Hot Air Balloon Adventure

Northern Colorado and Wyoming Tiny Town Adventure

Prescott, Arizona, U.S.A.

Iron King and Peavine Trail Hiking Adventure

Sedona, Arizona, U.S.A.

Bell Rock Vortex Hiking Adventure

Sedona Loving Bowls Adventure

Scotland posts begin at the end of this month!

xxoo
Dale

Nightlife Adventures in Denver, Colorado

When I fly into Denver, I usually stay with my Mom just north of here. So staying with a friend in town for a few days and nights is an adult treat.

My pal David is typical of Californians emigrating to Colorado. He used to have a high-powered career and an overpriced home. He now has greater disposable income relative to necessities and a more conservative outlook on healthy living.

David lives in Capitol Hill, walking distance from dozens of brew houses, restaurants, and alternative businesses. He lives with his 15-years-young Pomeranian, Teddy and cultivates a contrarian sense of humor.

Because Teddy is mostly bald, people ask what breed he is when one walks him. David says his breed is “old.”

His computer is programmed to play a riff from “Master of Puppets,” Metallica’s famous drug-addiction song, whenever one of his friends logs onto Facebook.

The vibe in this part of downtown Denver skews younger and more transient than other U.S. cities. There is no rent control. The market is filled with attractive affordable sale apartments. There are lots of alternative businesses.




It is more diverse than the rest of Colorado, where the dominant Mexican-American and Euro-mutt contingents saturate a landscape covered with churches and schools. There are tons of black folks and gays and a small international crowd.

Many of the nightspots in Denver give casual nods to the its Wild West roots. It is not unusual to see cowboys or wagon wheels or beer barrels. Instead of a disco ball, Charlie’s has a pair of mirror paneled shit-kickers hanging over the dance floor.

Lawn Cuisine Adventure

(L to R: Scooter, a bichon-jack russell mix and Betsy, a miniature schnauzer, eating clover.)

An academic town since the 1830s, Columbia Missouri is known for campus life. Columbia College, Stephen’s College, and Mizzou are all here. The region is heavy with thoughtful people and cultivated physical beauty.

I’m caring for three dogs and two cats and a four bedroom four bath house while the owners are away in Greece. My adventures are, by necessity, revolving around the animals and their interests.

In the afternoons, Christopher Cat enjoys the summer lawn. The rains shake down twigs and folds of leaves bringing bugs and other curiousities down to paw level. A patch of chewable catnip inspires Christopher to roll and pounce.

The dogs enjoy the thick clover in the yard, munching on and bounding through the fluffy white flowers. It's the first place they go if they are feeling unwell. Apparently, clover assists their digestion.

These are naturally fertilized, organic gardens. While maintaining the lawn, I’m looking into what the animals know; what I can ingest from the landscaping?

Photos, to aid in plant identification, are in the next post.

Catnip

Yes, humans can eat catnip. Hot water over fresh macerated leaves makes a lovely, citrusy mint tea. No “special effects” tho.

Chrysanthemum petals

Chrysanthemum tea is one of my favorite dim sum treats. The mums in the yard here aren’t much with hot water, but they are edible when blanched.

Blue cornflower petals

I am eating these raw. They are nice for some color on top of a salad. When I cook them into something white, the blue dye in the petals makes the food look whiter (rice, mashed potatoes).

Oak chutes

It turns out oak chutes are a nutritious survival food so long as the leaves are green. With the stems removed, the leaves can eaten raw.

Since they have a bitter edge, I’m soaking them in saline water overnight. Since they are high in tannic acid, they should be eaten sparingly to permit healthy iron absorbtion.

I’ve soaked the leaves and dehydrated them slowly in a low heat oven. The result is a thin, nori-like crisp, packed with chlorophyll, protien, and vitamin-C. Ground to a powder, I’m using it to boost smoothies and thicken sauces.

Sorrel

Because it has a weed-like look and texture I’ve passed up sorrel which grows wild, in patches, like spinach. I find it more flavorful than spinach - distinctly fruity. It’s nutritional value is contrasted with a high concentration of zit-causing oxcalic acid, so I’m consuming it in moderation.

I make a beautiful sorrel bisque with olive oil, chives, and nightshade vegetables.

Clover tops

Clover tops are sweet and fragrant. They are high in protien, fiber and pectin, potassium, calcium, nitrogen, and phosphorus.

The flowers are rough on the stomach if they are not lightly baked first. Also, harvesting the flowers is time consuming (if you’ve ever separated stems and seeds from natural smoking materials, you understand the process.)

I’ve dehydrated the flowers and separated them and am sprinkling them atop salads and folding them into rice pilaf.

Reviving Frequency Hopper

For the next four months, I'm reviving Frequency Hopper, the travel blog I began in 2006 to commemorate a Transatlantic cruise I took with my mother.

Presently, I'm traveling to Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Missouri, and Colorado.

My first stop is Abercam La Fortuna, a resort exclusively for gay men located in the heart of Costa Rica, as close to the active Arenal Volcano as is legally possible. I will live there for close to two months.

Unlike Delta Magnet Blog, which I've nurtured during roughly that same period, Frequency Hopper will lean more toward the plain spoken.

Travel has an implicit reward which adjectives detract from. It's an altered state without drugs or sleeplessness.

For the purposes of clarity, all times will be stated on a 24 hour clock.