New Guide Showcases Tennessee's Beautiful Equine Trails

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has just released and new statewide equine directory. The 50-page guide features easy to use regional sections with symbols to indicate private trails; private stables; overnight stabling;city parks; state parks;national parks and forests; state forests; bed and breakfasts with stabling; cabins; primitative camping; camping with electrical hookups, restroom and shower facilities; even wagon trails. "Whether you are looking for a place to camp or a romantic bed and breakfast where you can also stable your horses, you can find it in the new trail guide,'said Wendy Lofton, livestock and equine marketing specialist for TDA. According to the latest statistics from USDA, Tennessee ranks sixth in the nation in the number of horses with 143,000 equine of all types. Guides can be requested by visiting www.picktnproducts.org. Click on "Equine Resources."

TN Hospitality's Associate Award of Excellence

One of Tennessee's greatest resources is the genuine and friendly hospitality of the women and men who call Tennessee "home." This brand of customer service is notably obvious to our guests who eat in our restaurants and sleep in our hotels, motels and cabins.

Recently I was honored with the Associate Award of Excellence during the Tennessee Hospitality Association's annual "Stars of the Industry" banquet. I am proud to work along the side of those who lead in Tennessee's thriving tourism industry. You are very kind. Thank you!

Snow in the Forecast for Titanic Pigeon Forge

The Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is guaranteeing snow this holiday season. Starting Saturday, November 13, 2010, guests are assured real snow at the Titanic every FRIDAY and SATURDAY evening at 7:00PM. The two-day snow event will take place through January 1, 2011 as part of the museum's "Christmas in a Winter Wonderland." The attraction has invested $150,000 in snow equipment (the same type of equipment used to make it snow at Walt Disney World's Magic Kindom every Christmas) that will produce real, falling snow every week-end at the museum. An additional $100,000 will be spent on Christmas trees, carolers and musical events, holiday lights, and ornamentation to decorate the interior and exterior of the Titanic. Tickets are available online at http://www.titanicpigeonforge.com/. Visitors are strongly urged to purchase tickets in advance or make reservations by calling 1-800-381-7670.

African Black Footed Penguins Coming to Gatlinburg

It's hard to believe that Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies is celebrating 10 years of entertaining visitors to Gatlinburg. I recently went on a hard-hat tour of their soon to open exhibit: Ripley's Penguin Playhouse.

Relief! I was so worried that this exhibit would be a duplicate of the exhibit at the TN Aquarium in Chattanooga, which I love too. But it is not.

These are not birds of ice and snow. These African Black Footed Penguins were origionally from south of the Equator along the coast of South Africa. African penguins have evolved shorter feathers because, unlike Antarctic species, they do not face extremely cold environments. To help stay cool, they pant like a dog and swim in the chilly water.

It really will be a playhouse! Aquarium guests will be able to view the penguins from both above and below water level and unique to this exhibit, visitors will be able to crawl through clear underwater acrylic tunnels and pop up on the penguin’s private beach to view the birds nose to beak. At the same time, as visitors crawl through the tunnels, penguins swimming above and below them will be able to get a good close up of the human species!

African penguins are considered “Vulnerable,” which means they are facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. Major reasons include depletion of their food from overfishing and pollution. Since 1930, the African penguin population has dropped from an estimated one million birds down to 150,000 today.

Ripley's Penguin Playhouse is scheduled to open in March, 2010.

View story: http://www.wbir.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=60883733001

Jellies: Living Art

Thinking Outside the Tank: It is no secret that nature has been the inspiration for artists down thru the ages. So, it only made sense that the Tennessee Aquarium and the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga combine their creative and natural resources to enhance the visitor's experience at both destinations: Jellies: Living Art.

In the past two years, the Tennessee Aquarium has added new experiences, creating unforgettable memories for the Tennessee vacationer. In 2007 came Penguin's Rock, where I hear that love is in the air. Then, they began thinking outside the tank in 2008 and added the River Gorge Explorer. This year, they're thinking outside the tank again with Jellies: Living Art, inspired by the highly rated gallery at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

As Thom Benson of the aquarium was leading Monica and me to the exhibit, I was expecting more fancy lighting and fancy tanks filled with jelly fish. Instead, I entered into a gallery of paintings and studio glass interspersed between specially designed displays of graceful, pulsating life. Jellies: Living Art illustrates how the jellies and the arts share common characteristics of color, pattern, movement and rhythm.

We were first greeted by Dale Chihuly's "Macchia" series, a large collection of unusually-shaped bowls that the artist says remind him of the deep sea. (More about his other exhibit, the Laguna Murano Chandelier, in a moment.

Other Artists on Display:

Stephen Powell: His works have an 80% failure rate. Pieces that actually survive this strenuous stretching process have a retro, tie-dye look. Purples, reds and yellows are dominant his works.

Thomas Spake of Chattanooga, uses glass to explore the similarities between earth, air and sea.

Cork Marcheschi: Cork states that his work "is about energy, light and humor." His pieces are brightly colored and glow or light up, commanding attention from viewers.

The exhibit is a feast for the eyes and rest for the soul.

Outside the Tank Again: But the exhibit doesn't end at the aquarium. Just a block away in the Hunter Museum of American Art is one of Dale Chihuly's most popular works, the Laguna Murano Chandelier and other accompanying works. I admit that my wife and I were expecting beautiful glass hanging from the ceiling; however this was our day, once again, for surprises. See for yourself. The Chihuly exhibit is on display at the Hunter Museum thru August 9, 2009.

Braggin’ Rights

You know someone has had a fabulous vacation when they come home with braggin' rights. In the Smoky Mountains region that might include, "saw Dolly at Dollywood," "touched a stingray at Ripley's Aquarium," "hiked to Mt. LeConte," or "saw a bear in Cades Cove."

Usually, braggin' rights are documented with a photo and digital cameras have made the process so much simplier and cheeper. And now, thanks to the social media, such as MySpace, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, someone's brag can be heard around the world in just a few moments.

Sometimes, braggin' rights come in the form of the unexpected. (Can someone say Susan Boyle?) Last year while my daughters and I were waiting for a ride out of Elkmont, we met Toni, the park ranger. We were returning home with the braggin rights we came for: synchronus fireflies. However, it was our encounter with Toni and her inspiring story that made that evening an unexpected pleasure. Seth Godin might call it a "purple cow."

Last Saturday, some new friends from the AAA Auto Club joined me and my friend Walter for a short, guided hike behind the Sugarlands Visitor Center. There to greet us was our guide, Toni. She can really "wow" an audience with her humor, her heart and her perspective on nature and life.

Along the hike, a young lady out from nowhere with a book in her hand, caught up to Toni and asked for her autograph. (Gathering braggin' rights I'm sure.) Toni's story is now in a book sold at the park's gift shop.

Along the hike, Toni took us to the smallest waterfall in the park, Cataract Falls. One blogger called it "nothing great." Too bad the writer was not on Toni's hike. Someone missed out on a life lesson from a park ranger with cerebral palsy. She reminded us that waterfalls and people don't have to all be alike to be beautiful and useful.

That day, numerous guests on the hike documented their own braggin' rights: standing next to Toni in front of the smallest waterfall in the park. Two unexpected treasures inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Yonder Holler

Yonder Holler Someone once told me that Rockwood, TN had live bluegrass music every Friday night in a place called Yonder Holler. Last night a friend and I decided to take a 40 minute drive from Knoxville down I-40 to see for ourselves. What we found were music lovers, on and off the stage, enjoying an authentic Friday night on the town.

When we got out of the car, we noticed one of those "welcome to the Academy Awards" search lights in front of a former mercantile building lighting up the Roane County sky. Music playing through a sound system on the side walk was inviting us to enter this aged building.

Inside, we discovered old time pickin' and grinnin' on a stage surrounded by antique radios. Three of the "locals" were literally dancing a circle around the audience seated in chairs of every shape and color. Most of the people were retired, however one young attorney stopped by in his shirt and tie to get his bluegrass "fix."

The owner of the building not only runs the sound, but also walks around with a video camera, projecting close up shots of the players and the audience to on the screens behind the stage.

One of people we sat next to said that one of the fiddle players also made instruments for so pretty well-known musicians. He also pointed out another gentleman in the audience who, he said, had played on the Grand Ole Opry.

All musicians are invited to bring their instruments and participate in one of the many "jam sessions" going on in other rooms throughout the building. That Friday, some of the musicians who normally came to play, must have gone to a ball game. They say that they have as many as eight groups there, and while one group is on stage, others are warming, hoping for invite to perform.

There's no smoking or alcohol allowed, but you can get a piece of homemade pie, hot dog or popcorn to go with your coffee or soda. There is no charge for admission, however a one-time donation is requested each evening.