http://www.metropulse.com/news/best-of-knoxville/2010/staff-picks/?partner=RSSMetroPulse Stories: BOK 2010: Staff Picksen-usbest-of-knoxville/2010/staff-pickshttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2010/may/12/best-fit-knoxville-nicknameever-bacon-capital-amer/?partner=RSSForget about Pet Friendliest City, Solar City, Gateway to the Smokies. Oh, we should still do all those things, establish those reputations. But this past March our true identity, the one that will draw the most interest, the most tourist dollars, the most knowing nods of “aha, yes,” was revealed. We, Knoxville, are clearly the Bacon Capital of America. kennedyr@metropulse.com (Rose Kennedy)Wed, 12 May 2010 21:00:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-21219-733904best-of-knoxville/2010/staff-picksRose KennedyKnoxville, TNBest Fit for a Knoxville Nickname—Ever: “Bacon Capital of America”MetroPulsebest-fit-knoxville-nicknameever-bacon-capital-amerurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-21219-733904Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2010/may/12/best-fight-against-inertia-downtown-living/?partner=RSSThe Knoxville I remember most from my adolescence consisted largely of suburbs and strip malls, expanses of concrete and asphalt upon which telephone poles, traffic lights, and billboards marked spaces unique only in that they were a particular arrangement of anonymous elements found everywhere else in the region. Wed, 12 May 2010 21:00:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-21222-733904best-of-knoxville/2010/staff-picksFrank N. CarlsonKnoxville, TNBest Fight Against Inertia: Downtown LivingMetroPulsebest-fight-against-inertia-downtown-livingurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-21222-733904Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2010/may/12/best-addition-knoxville-strangers/?partner=RSSOkay, Knoxville’s not exactly a stranger to strangers, and hasn’t been ever since Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand showed up here looking for material for his novels and a refuge from the guillotines of Paris. Ever since Ambrose Burnside rode into town with 15,000 similarly dressed friends in 1863. Ever since Jean-Paul Sartre checked into the Andrew Johnson Hotel in 1945. But it’s been rare, in my lifetime, to see so many of them in my hometown. neely@metropulse.com (Jack Neely)Wed, 12 May 2010 21:00:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-21217-733904best-of-knoxville/2010/staff-picksJack NeelyKnoxville, TNBest Addition to Knoxville: Strangers MetroPulsebest-addition-knoxville-strangersurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-21217-733904Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2010/may/12/best-store-we-wish-was-knoxville-mast-general-stor/?partner=RSSSurely, you think, this Knoxville institution must have occupied its Gay Street address since the turn of the century. (The previous one.) Mast General Store is as Knoxvillian as the Dogwood Arts Festival, or Market Square, or the Sunsphere. coury@metropulse.com (Coury Turczyn)Wed, 12 May 2010 21:00:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-21216-733904best-of-knoxville/2010/staff-picksCoury TurczynKnoxville, TNBest Store We Wish Was From Knoxville: Mast General Store MetroPulsebest-store-we-wish-was-knoxville-mast-general-storurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-21216-733904Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2010/may/12/best-band-break--inspire-solo-records-everybodyfie/?partner=RSSWhen Tri-Cities transplants the everybodyfields finally got settled in Knoxville in 2008, they seemed to be on the verge of breaking out of the regional circuit to some real national acclaim. everettm@metropulse.com (Matthew Everett)Wed, 12 May 2010 21:00:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-21220-733904best-of-knoxville/2010/staff-picksMatthew EverettKnoxville, TNBest Band Break-Up to Inspire Solo Records: the everybodyfields MetroPulsebest-band-break--inspire-solo-records-everybodyfieurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-21220-733904Change0Usable