Drink Down the Moon

We'll drink up the sun,

We'll drink down the moon.

Let the people say little or all.

- traditional folk song

For more skies, visit Sky Watch. It's become a Friday tradition.

Midnight Train To Knoxville

The Louisville & Nashville passenger depot, built in 1905, is still standing despite road construction and downtown development. This is a detail of the neon sign that hangs outside of the building.

The L&N was a grand station in its heyday, with stained glass windows, tiled floors, and a separate Ladies Waiting Room. But everything changes, time moves on, and the last passenger train rolled out of the station in 1968.

Salvation came with the 1982 Worlds Fair, which was built on the site of the old railways, and used the depot as one of the focal points of the fair, full of shops and restaurants.

The main section of the depot doesn't have a restaurant in it currently, but the space can be rented out for special occasions. I have a couple of shots that I'll share with you in the next few days of some interior details.

Neon Calling

The signs call to me, seductive sirens of neon. Alas, it's too late in the evening to get a cheese steak at Lenny's, so I'll opt for some jazz at 4620 nightclub.

Twilight Glow

It's twilight on Jennings Avenue. Moonglow and neonglow light my way. As I snap my photo, I wonder what kind of bodies Lusk actually sells. 

The city has recently designated this area Downtown North and has promised renovation. It's a mostly forgotten commercial/industrial area between downtown and the Old North Knoxville neighborhood. Not much happens there during the day, and it can be kind of dicey at night. But like many marginal areas, rents are low, and artists have discovered this and established studios there. I wonder how the planned renovation will affect them.

Wine Bar

Now that I've taken an interest in photography, I sometimes - oh, who are we kidding, I often - try the patience of my long-suffering companions when I see something interesting. This photo has a few of my favorite things: a patio on the square on a summer night, a glass of riesling, and  interesting things to look at (and a patient companion just out of range of the shot).

The Night Is Young

The evening had just begun at the 4620 jazz club. The bartender was setting up for a busy night. The blue neon bar was serenely empty, but wouldn't be that way for long. I caught the moment from my outpost.

Concessions

I'm making concessions this summer. For the long holiday weekend, I'm staying at home and finding amusing things to do around Knoxville. Like perhaps going to some free live music concerts. Or perhaps making a big bowl of macaroni salad and having a picnic in a local park. Maybe watching the fireworks show Friday night. Or maybe after saving the eleven gazillion dollars in gas that I'll save by staying close to home, I'll blow it all on a large popcorn and a drink at the movies.

What are your plans for the weekend?