I love KBrew and I don’t care who knows

Before this blog even starts, I need my loving and loyal fans to know I am not a coffee drinker. I am a firm English tea and biscuits kind of girl. So before the “basic Starbucks drinking white girl” memes come at me, I am standing my ground that tea is the queen of the beverage world. But K Brew is not your average queen.

Alas, everything at K Brew tastes as if it was made with a purpose and for prime cramming for finals brain function. The best part of KBrew is the atmosphere. From the super friendly staff to the relaxing hammock chairs that you can swing your worries away in, everything about this establishment is A1.

I actually heard about KBrew from looking at all the stickers on everyone’s laptops on campus and figured it had to be good. After trying it today, on the most Monday of Mondays where everything I touched went wrong, I can confirm, it is, in fact, the queen of Knoxville coffee shops for this tea drinker.

KBrew has also has an amazing Instagram page you NEED to follow ( @knoxvillebrew) if only for their “doggos” highlight. The artsy photos truly fit their on-trend esthetic, so follow them for your Knoxville coffee loving feed.

(I would also like to give a special ‘thank you’ shout out to the barista that let me take this picture of him and was so kind when I asked. You’re coo.l)

BBQ & River Views

I don’t think I could write a blog about all of the places that make Knoxville special, and not talk about Calhoun’s on the River (arguably the best Calhoun’s location in the Knoxville area). If you’ve never been to Calhoun’s, you are not alone. I have been living in Knoxville for the past four years, and this past week I went for my first visit.

Now, being from North Carolina, I have come to the conclusion that everyone outside of Eastern North Carolina has no idea what good barbeque is, but being the bigger person, I digress and order it anyways.
Usually, when I order barbeque from restaurants west of Winston Salem, I’ll try the “barbeque sauce” bottled and set out on the table. More often than not I won’t love the given sauce, but it will be mediocre enough that I can manage the meal. So when I tell you Calhoun’s was the first restaurant I happily dumped sauce all over my plate, I mean it.

And not only was the meat delicious, but the mac and cheese deserves an award. It was the perfect combination of creamy and cheesy that I’m glad the portion was small. After sufficiently clogging my arteries, my dinner companion told me desert was coming.

If you would consider yourself a southern belle, then you already know the staple dessert that comes after eating a helping of barbeque is banana pudding. However, Calhoun’s puts a spin on this classic by serving the banana pudding with macadamia nuts and topping it with shaved white chocolate. Oh and in case you didn’t know, the mouth-watering dessert comes out in a glass, bigger than my face.

Calhoun’s on the River also boasts the coolest location. Being on the Tennessee River means customers enjoy scenic views of the water during the day and cool indoor bar lights at night. Calhoun’s also has TV’s everywhere, so you will never miss any University of Tennessee sporting event. This location also partakes in trivia with the locally famous Knox Trivia Guys, which I enjoyed playing, and sadly lost while on my first visit.

If you’re in need of a date night dining, Volunteer cheering, or trivia playing atmosphere, look no further than Calhoun’s on the River!

TBA (Total Boss Arena)

If there’s ever anything exciting happening in Knoxville, you can rest assured it’s happening at Thompson-Boling Arena.

As home to the University of Tennessee men’s and women’s basketball programs, TBA is packed at least four nights a week from November to March. However, the arena sees a lot more than just a basketball hoop.

Maroon 5, Brad Paisley, and recent show of the infamous James Taylor are only a handful of artist that has taken the stage while I have been at UT. However, my first concert was this past Friday, seeing Luke Combs and the Grammy-nominated artist did not disappoint.

But again while basketball and concerts are the bulk of TBA’s schedule, there are still are a wide range of events that it holds. Most notably, in my humble opinion, Graduation ceremonies in the spring and winter. But we will give Winter Jam, a youth-focused Christian conference, and Monster Jam, a “sport” of trucks driving around in piles of dirt, honorable mentions.

If you go to an event hosted at TBA, their Instagram is kept up to date with gate opening times, acts coming to the area and parking information which is super helpful when showing up an hour early or at the last minute. https://www.instagram.com/tbarena/?ref=badge

Whether you’re going to see the Vols or another source of entertainment, TBA is a great venue!