Dining & Entertainment

The University of Tennessee’s McClung Museum has orchestrated a Harmonic Convergence of beauty.

The museum has collected 50 works of art representing five major world religions — Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism — for the exhibit “Sacred Beauty: A Millennium of Sacred Art, 600-1600,” opening Saturday, Sept. 8 and continuing through Jan. 6, 2008.

Regal Riviera 8Many Knoxvillians have memories of going to the Riviera Theatre on Gay Street to see George Lazenby’s single turn as James Bond in “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” or to watch Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn play games in “Charade” or even to see Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh trade barbs and kisses in “Gone With the Wind.” Now, the Regal Entertainment Group wants moviegoers to think new when they think “Riviera.”

Ordinarily, I approach heavily themed franchise restaurants with a wary eye. I don’t have a major problem with the Hard Rock Cafes and the Planet Hollywoods of the world, but I do tend to get a little cynical when large corporations try to replicate creative concepts with an assembly-line mentality.

So when I first heard of Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., a worldwide restaurant chain based entirely on one specific movie (“Forrest Gump”), I couldn’t help but sigh — while also marveling at the evil genius of this concept’s marketing potential.

I must admit that as much as I enjoy a glass of wine, I have managed to stay only marginally knowledgeable of what is truly a vast subject. There are so many subtle variables in any given glass of wine — not to mention all the grape varieties, vineyards and individual wineries in play — that to acquire even a dangerous level of knowledge has always seemed an intimidating task to me.

When I first started this job, I went to a now-defunct jazz club called 4620. There, I saw an amazing jazz band led by vocalist Sarah Clapp. Since last March, I haven’t had a chance to see her play again.

Recently I read that she would be playing at Baker-Peters Jazz Club. Although I previously wasn’t impressed with Baker-Peters, my tastes have changed and I decided to give it another shot. I figured if nothing else, I’d get to see Sarah Clapp again.

Well, I was wrong.

The News Sentinel is bringing back its free "Movies in the Park" on five Fridays and one Saturday.

The second annual movie series will be June 1, 15 and 29; July 27; and Aug. 3 at the Cove at Concord Park, 11808 Northshore Drive. Those are all Fridays.

On Saturday, July 28, "Movies in the Park" moves to Blount County's Greenbelt Park in Maryville.

Each movie will begin at dusk.

The Greek playwright Aristophanes hit on "Make Love, Not War" as an anti-war slogan long before the hippies. His comedy "Lysistrata" made sex a war game in 411 B.C.

The Actors Co-op opens its 2007-08 season with "Lysistrata" on Thursday, July 26. Performances continue through Aug. 11 at the Black Box Theatre, 5213 Homberg Drive

Led by Lysistrata, the women of ancient Greece decide to withhold sex from their husbands until they bring the long-running Peloponnesian War to a peaceful conclusion.