Gabrielle Blades says a lot of her life is based on intuition. She moved to Chattanooga when she was 16, and from there she has flourished into a creative business owner and entrepreneur. We cover a lot of ground in our conversation: her creative and artistic background, how her business Blades Creative got started, why she loves being a creative e…

When Natasha Ferrier started doing stand-up comedy five years ago, there was only one open-mic for comics in Chattanooga. Now there are seven open-mics and several monthly shows, one of which is Once a Month, Natasha's all-female comedy showcase at The Palace Theater. In our epic conversation, Natasha shares how she got started in stand-up, her wri…

Oleh Kate Robertson

Oleh Kate Robertson

Author Audrey Keown first visited Chattanooga in 1999 as a high school student, fell in love, came back for college, and has been here ever since. Her debut novel Murder at Hotel 1911 comes out August 11, and it's set right here in the Scenic City. In our conversation, Audrey and I talk about the beauty of telling stories, being a good storyteller,…

Oleh Kate Robertson

Oleh Kate Robertson

On this edition of Pinkies Up, B*tches, Shelly, Mary, and I look back on our college days, while sipping vodka cranberries. We cover just about everything, including sports, classes, townie life, dorm life, campus food, tailgating, parties and other fun times, and wrap up with advice for freshmen and graduating seniors.…

If you've lived in Chattanooga for a day, you've no doubt heard rumors of haunted Room 311 in the historic Read House Hotel. In this special spooky episode, I sit down with Read House historian Tyler and guest services manager Jared to dig into the hotel's past: from its original construction in the 19th century, to the most recent renovation, comp…

Larry Bradford started his entrepreneurial career more than 20 years ago in Atlanta. Several years ago, an "a-ha!" moment at a tailgate led him to create and launch Armor Shields: personalized, protective covers for Big Green Egg grills. In this week's episode, Larry walks me through the Armor Shields production process, why he started his company,…

Adam Zinser has worked on all sides of the spirits industry. Now he's the marketing manager (TN and northern AL) for Dixie Vodka, under Grain and Barrel Spirits. In this week's episode, Adam talks me through how he landed in the industry, his previous jobs until joining Grain and Barrel, and we sip the gamut of Dixie Vodka's offerings (minus one fl…

Back to school, back to work, starting a new job... 'tis the season of new routines. Meal prepping is a huge part of these routines for many people (myself included); it makes mornings easier, helps you eat healthier during the week, and helps you save money, among other great benefits. In this episode, Amanda and I discuss why meal prepping is imp…

Local teacher and healthy living enthusiast Amanda Angel spent a month in China over the summer, exploring new cities and diving head-first into their culinary culture. In this week's episode, Amanda tells all about her time in China: which cities she stayed in, the different classes she took, her favorite foods and meals, what traveling solo taugh…

Hannah and Sara-Anne Waggoner have always been artists (in varying forms and media), but they never guessed they'd be making jewelry. Now they craft some of the most colorful, creative, and unique earrings and accessories together as The August Sisters. In this week's episode, I talk with them about working together as sisters, where they find insp…

Christine Lamborne launched Alms + Fare a little over a year ago to combine her passions for health and wellness, helping others, and giving back. Her flagship product is the "Better Bites," which are snack bites made with wholesome, real ingredients, no refined sugars or preservatives, with flavors inspired by our favorite childhood treats. In thi…

Chris Matthews started Jack'd Coffee Co. when he wanted a better, healthier way to get the proteins and supplements he needed. It started as a protein-infused ground coffee, and then evolved into a protein-infused nitro cold brew. He joined me on the podcast to talk about his journey as an entrepreneur, the evolution of his products, his production…

If you've ever taken a class at The Chattery, or been to one of their events, you know how hard-working, devoted, and fantastic co-founders Jennifer Holder and Shawanda Mason-Moore are. They launched the adult education non-profit in 2014, and have hit some impressive milestones in their five years in business together. Tune in to this week's episo…

Beth Neuhoff is a co-host on Chattanooga's Morning Show on Big 95.3 FM, but her journey to the mic in Chattanooga was anything but ordinary. From studio art, to TV and movie sets, to flight attendant, and much more in between, Beth says she's not done yet. In this week's episode, we talk about our careers thus far, living life to the fullest, not b…

Does pineapple belong on pizza? What's the worst Harry Potter movie? Is avocado toast overrated? Has Breezy even seen a Marvel movie? All of these questions and more are answered in the latest installment of Pinkies Up, B*tches. I've got Matt, Breezy, and Smitty here taking on the hottest of hot takes, with some Clumpies ice cream to help cool 'em …

A few weeks ago, I stopped by Knox Whiskey Works up in Knoxville and visited assistant distiller Ryan, who I met in Chattanooga in April. We talk through all 12 of their products, including bourbon whiskey, heirloom corn whiskey, gin, rum, vodka, and a couple liqueurs. I tasted a few of them myself, and was impressed with the variety of flavors and…

On this edition of Pinkies Up, B*tches, our friends from Sigler's Craft Beer hooked us up with some funky (and absolutely delicious) beers, and we paired them with homemade baked goods inspired by (and using) those beers. Pairings include: Meridian Hive Dynamo Tart Cherry Mead + Peach Bread Pudding Straight to Ale Stout at the Devil Oatmeal Stout +…

Local comedian Donnie Marsh is back on the podcast, with some updates on the Lookout Comedy Festival and Chatt Talk Tonight. The festival is going into its second year, and Donnie talks about how year one went and what's going to be different this year. He also gives me a history lesson on basketball, we chat about the growing comedy scene in Chatt…

It's springtime here in Tennessee, so on this edition of Pinkies Up, B*tches, Shelly and Mary join me to talk about all kinds of spring traditions I don't know about in Chattanooga. They share stories from their private-school days and enlighten me on traditions I had no idea existed (#publicschoolkid). But first, we crack open a few cans of a beer…

Local band Oweda has been playing music together for less than a year, but you'd never know it based on their talent and stage presence. Band members Tyler, Sam, and Casey join me for this week's episode, leading up to their performance on the opening night of Nightfall on Friday, May 3rd. We chat about all things Chattanooga music, their favorite …

They say #ihateher and #shestheworst, but Lynn Tweedie and Melo Russell are two of the most delightful ladies you'll meet in Chattanooga. Lynn owns Neighborhood Barre, located on Tremont Street, and Melo is the fitness director at Kyle House Fitness. We chat about the two different workout methods and styles, and the benefits of having different ty…

Campbell Station (Seth, Elaina, and Campbell) is a three-piece country band out of Nashville, but their sound is unlike any other country band you've heard. They're driven by unique guitar rhythms and instrumentation, powerful female vocals, and lyrics anyone can relate to. They came back to Chattanooga earlier this month for a show at Puckett's, a…

In this week's episode, I reconnected with my friend D.J. Cherry, after stumbling upon her incredible music videos on Facebook. She tells me all about what got her into music in the beginning, which instruments she started with, her goals for 2019, her inspirations, and more. We also discuss guilty pleasures and our favorite Girl Scout cookies... b…

What do you want to know about hemp and CBD? Holly Hackler started using CBD several years ago, and is now passionate about educating people about its uses and benefits. She joins me on the podcast to teach me all the things about hemp and CBD: what it is, where it comes from, what makes it different from the not-so-legal stuff, why it's going to b…

Brendan Patrick took one sip of drinking chocolate in California several years ago, and that was all it took. He's now the owner and operator of Belle Chocolates, Chattanooga's first bean-to-bar chocolate company. He joined me to talk about his love of food (and chocolate, of course), what brought him to Chattanooga, his startup process, why white …

Tara Viland has been around music since she was a teenager. She started as a volunteer at Bonaroo; now she's the venue manager for The Signal, Chattanooga's newest music venue. We chat about what her job entails, the importance of local music, some cool upcoming shows at The Signal, our favorite local organizations, and more. Stay up to date on wha…

My guest this week is Rebecca Barron, executive chef of St. John's Restaurant and the Meeting Place, and recently nominated as a James Beard Award semifinalist for the Southeast. We cover lots of bases in our conversation—from the food she grew up eating, her first jobs in the food industry, her travels to India and Thailand, where Chattanooga's cu…

It all started in a catering business with his brother, Ryan. Now Luther Cutchins is making Chattanooga's favorite (and best) granola. In this week's episode, Luther tells the story behind Nokes Granola, and we chat about their most popular blends and what's coming down the pipeline later this year. And of course, we throw some love at our local fr…

Kaleena Goldsworthy was an OG Flying Squirrel-er and helped mold their cocktail program. Now she's a small-business owner and is changing the game with her homemade bitters, tinctures, and cocktails. She launched The Bitter Bottle two years ago, secured manufacturing space in 2018, and is ready to start sharing her products with Chattanooga and bey…

Chattanooga's local speakeasy London Calling is already a favorite. I sat down with owner James Heeley and principal bartender Mikenzy Smith to chat about the first three months of business and what to expect this spring. Their spring cocktail menu launches March 12, and it's full of flavors inspired by forest, flora, and fauna. I already know whic…

This week, I'm joined by Ashley Bottoms, ice cream and pastry chef at the beloved Clumpies Ice Cream Company, right here in Chattanooga. She tells us about her beginnings in the kitchen with her mom and grandmother (and Easy Bake ovens, of course), her time in culinary school in North Carolina, a stint at the historic Biltmore Estate, and some time…

BONUS EPISODE! Remember when Shelly, Mary, and I talked about the McCall's article about 129 ways to get a husband? (If you haven't listened to that episode yet, go listen to it now.) We thought it was time to get a gentleman's perspective, so we invited two dear, trusted friends, George and Matt, to talk about it with us. And y'all, this is a good…

Natalie Mason has her hands in so many different businesses and projects around Chattanooga, like Slay Dance Fit and the London Calling speakeasy. You've probably seen or met her and didn't even realize it. In this episode, we talk about dance fitness, massage therapy, being a woman in business, supporting local performance art, and of course throw…

This week, I'm joined by Jeremiah Kinser and Jacob Henley, and they know a thing or three about coffee and its culture. Jeremiah talks about the Chattanooga Coffee Crawl and cupping, Jacob educates me on what nitro coffee is, and we discuss the importance of making coffee more accessible to everyone. Thanks so much for listening, y'all! Follow Jere…

This week, I'm talking food trends of 2019 with two fellow food bloggers and wonderful ladies, Jodi Lawrence of The Fashionable Foodie and Shawanda Mason-Moore of Eat Drink Frolic. We dive into trends we loved, hated, and/or didn't understand from 2018, and look ahead to food and drink trends coming in 2019. Topics include Brussels sprouts, CDB foo…

This week, I'm joined by Matt Busby, director of The Camp House, one of Chattanooga's most loved coffee shops. Matt and his wife moved to Chattanooga in 2010 and have been involved in the coffee and church communities since day one. In this episode, we talk about The Camp House's beginnings, the relationship between church and coffee, a little theo…

This week, I sit down with Kyle House and Kyle Miller, co-founders of Kyle House Fitness, known to many as The Kyles. We cover a lot of topics, ranging from what makes their HIIPFit classes and gym so unique, all the way up to which celebrities we'd love to have a drink with. The Kyles also share some tips for beginner HIIPFit-ers and talk about th…

For the first new episode of 2019, I sit down with local artist Aaron Carney. At only 19, he's already lived on three continents and traveled around the U.S. playing music. In this episode, Aaron talks about playing the blues in Memphis (and why he subsequently revolted against the blues), who he looks up to in the Chattanooga music community, how …

Kicking off the New Year with some listener Q&A! I went live on Instagram to answer some questions from my wonderful listeners, and in case you couldn't tune in, I recorded it. Y'all asked about my favorite foods, the places I've lived, how my cat got her name, what I love most about blogging and podcasting, and more. Thanks so much for listening, …

We're closing out 2018 the right way—with three craft cocktails cooked up by local mixologist and "lifter of spirits" Brian Lindsay. We feature two locally-made spirits, Lass & Lions vodka and J.W. Kelly bourbon, and talk about building a cocktail program and the importance of supporting local brands. Try these cocktails at home and drink with us! …

This week, local musician and composer Ben Van Winkle joins me to talk about his recent work and upcoming projects. He shares stories from the beginnings of his music career as founder of local funk band Masseuse, all the way to his solo work with the Figment Chamber Ensemble and his "Figment of Your Imagination" shows. Listen along to hear more ab…

This week, I'm joined by Maggie Tate, SaraJane Gates, and William Glass—three wonderful people, all of whom I became friends with via social media when we all moved to Chattanooga from other places. In this episode, we share where we came from, why we ended up in Chattanooga, why Texas (and south Florida) is basically another country, and most impo…

This week, I'm joined by Cody James Harris, a soulful Americana singer-songwriter and Chattanooga native. He's been playing live music for nearly two decades, and has seen and experienced a lot in the Chattanooga music scene. Cody talks about his background and who and what inspires him, and he plays TWO exclusive songs that you'll only hear on the…

Meet Aron Duty: police officer by day, barbecue aficionado and smoking extraordinaire by every other time of day. In this episode, we talk about all things food, barbecue, smoking, grilling, and Aron introduces me to the idea of "underground barbecue" and TBSQ. Follow @tbsq.co on Instagram to see more mouthwatering barbecue and find out where to tr…

Last week, an article from McCall's Magazine, ca. 1958, surfaced on the Internet, all about "129 Ways to Get a Husband" (read it here). My friends and I gave it a read, and naturally, we had a lot of thoughts. So we did a podcast about it (with wine, of course). In this edition of Pinkies Up, B*tches, we discuss many of the 129 suggested ways to fi…

My guest this week is Jaclyn Humble, a dear friend, millennial homemaker, and host of a podcast of the same name. In this episode, we talk about all things holidays, hostessing, and more, and even share a few of our favorite holiday traditions and easy recipes. Thanks so much for listening! Follow us online here: The Millennial Homemakers Podcast: …