Knoxville Dogwood Arts Festival kicks off with ribbon cutting and luncheon

How I got there

This past fall, my neighborhood was blessed with two new additions, Rose and Harry Moseley.  They bought in the neighborhood because one of their children lives here.  Last week, Rose, who has been deeply involved in the Dogwood Arts Festival many years, invited me and another neighbor, Diane Neely to the luncheon.

Diane had to work so she drove separately.  I road with Rose in her bestie Joanne's car.  Our first stop was the ribbon cutting for Talahi Park in Sequoyah Hills.

Talahi Park

Talahi Park was nearly destroyed by weather and inappropriate plantings.  The Sequoyah Hills Association has worked with arborists and restoration experts to make Talahi Park beautiful for now and the future. Today was the ribbon cutting which officially opened the park for the public.

Talahi Park

Dogwood Arts Festival Luncheon

The luncheon took place on the grounds of the 2014 Knoxville Symphony League Show Home.  The home does not open for viewing until April 11, but the grounds are beautiful.

 Before lunch, there was easy jazz music and performers from the Cirque du Soleil Varekai show, currently performing in Ktown at the Thompson Boling Arena.  Enjoy the pictures!

Diane

Me

Of course, there were dignitaries and sponsors who spoke, as they should, but I was hungry.

The Tablescape

The Luncheon was so beautiful and catered by Crown Plaza.  The first offering was grilled chicken breast on red and green romaine lettuce, with heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, a parmesan tuile and a delicious balsamic cream sauce. Sorry, I forgot to photograph the first course, but I was hungry!

Dessert was beautiful and yummy.  There were strawberries and graham crackers involved, but I can't remember all the deets.

Dessert

Most of all, I want to thank my new neighbor Rose and her bestie Joanne for inviting Diane and I to share the luncheon with them and for all the years Rose and Joanne spent making the Dogwood Arts Festival what it is today.

Joanne and Rose

Color me basking in the glow of a beautiful East Tennessee Day and trying to figure out that Balsmaic Cream sauce.