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Creatures, Connection, & Cozy Chaos
This week’s all about community in its wildest (and warmest) forms.
Bubby Tallant & Clementine McBride
October 27, 2025
Happy Monday! Settle on in, Porchfolk!
Somehow it’s already the end of October, and this porch is feelin’ extra autumnal. 🍂
We’ve gotta real treat this week, friends: our Backwoods Beasts series closes out with an interview that’s as sweet as it is spooky. Chattanooga artist and stylist Mallory Huffstetler gives us a peek into her whimsical world of girly pop cryptids with a coloring book that proves monsters can wear pink and still be powerful.
Plus, we’re spillin’ the beans on a lil’ something special we’ve been keepin’ hush-hush… our new partnership with Roundabout North Chattanooga! (Spoiler: you’re the first to hear about it 👀). It’s your invite to help us shape a brand-new kind of online community: one that’s drama-free, kind-hearted, and built for real-life connection.
Grab a mug, scoot in close, and let’s dive into a week full of creative magic and cozy mischief.
Today's Issue Includes:
Make sure ya plop in this week’s song into yer Spotify while ya play, it makes the vibes all the more better!
Together with
This week’s Front Porch Partner: Author.Inc
This week’s Front Porch Partnership is with our new pals at Author.Inc, a team that helps founders, creatives, and big thinkers turn their ideas into world-class books (they’ve even worked with Tim Ferriss and Codie Sanchez!).
Here’s the fun part: every click on their ad below drops $2.37 into the ol’ Chattynooga piggy bank — no sign-up needed, just a little digital high-five that helps us keep this porch swing rockin’.
So if you’ve ever dreamed of writing a book (or just love supporting local storytelling), give it a click, neighbor.
Smart leaders don’t write books alone.
You built your business with a team. Your book should be no different.
Author.Inc helps founders and executives turn their ideas into world-class books that build revenue, reputation, and reach.
Their team – the same people behind projects with Tim Ferriss and Codie Sanchez – knows how to turn your expertise into something that moves markets.
Schedule a complimentary 15-minute call with Author.Inc’s co-founder to map out your Book Blueprint to identify your audience, angles, and ROI.
Do this before you commit a cent, or sentence. If it’s a go, they’ll show you how to write and publish it at a world-class level.
If it’s a wait, you just avoided wasting time and money.
What’s Goin’ On in the Scenic City?
Community
Carving & Cocktails at Nightcap
Thursday, 10/30 @ Nightcap | 6–7:30PM
Get into the Halloween spirit with a community pumpkin carving night! Your ticket includes a large pumpkin, carving tools, and your choice of cocktail or mocktail. Stick around for the pumpkin contest at the end of the night!
Night Market xx Dark Moon Fair
Friday, 10/31 @ Verre Noir/Frazier Ave | 7–10PM
Step into the shadows for a night of mystery, magic, and the macabre. Explore 50+ vendors, trick-or-treat at 60+ booths, and catch live performances from the Chattanooga Circus Collective. Not to mention tattoos, tarot readings, D&D, local eats, and a cash-prize costume contest at 8PM.
Crafter’s Emporium & Book Exchange: Christmas Open House
Saturday, 11/1 @ Crafter’s Emporium | 10AM–7PM
Step into the holiday season early at this festive open house! Shop storewide specials, win prizes, and snag a goodie bag while supplies last. Plus, I heard Santa will be around for photos from 11AM–2PM.
Music & Entertainment
Tim Burton Retro Halloween Party
Thursday, 10/31 @ Reagan’s Retro Bar | 7PM–2:45AM
Step into Burton’s twisted wonderland with retro hits through the decades, spooky cocktails, and a costume contest. We’re talking Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Edward Scissorhands with Reagan’s signature retro twist.
The Seed Theatre’s Halloween ExtravaGAYza!
Saturday, 11/1 @ Unitarian Universalist Church | 6–9PM
Get ready for Halloween party for LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent youth (ages 12–18) with music, costumes, games, and food. This event is to attend, you just need to RSVP to save your spot.
Notes in Nature
Sunday, 11/2 @ Greenway Farm | 1–4PM
Take a self-guided hike through the trails of Greenway Farm and enjoy live music along the way. This free event blends art, nature, and community for an unforgettable afternoon outdoors.
Outdoors ‘n’ Stuff
Paws on the Patio
Thursday, 10/30 @ 1885 Grill Ooltewah | 5–8PM
Furry friends are welcome for this annual fundraiser benefiting the Chattanooga Humane Educational Society. Enjoy live music, cocktail specials, and a pet costume contest, all in memory of Mekinzie Reed.
Manchester Park’s Spooky Stroll & Trunk or Treat
Friday, 10/31 @ Tanasi Brewing | 6–8PM
A family-friendly night with a spooky stroll scavenger hunt, decorated trunks, candy, and community fun. The party is hosted at Tanasi Brewing with help from Infinity Flux, Asian Food & Gifts, and Brothers Bagel.
Nooga Halloween Crawl
Saturday, 11/1 | 3PM–3AM | Northshore → Downtown → Southside
Check out this citywide pub crawl with 20+ stops, spooky drink specials, live music, and no cover. Wristbands get you maps, entry, and perks, and proceeds support local nonprofits. Costumes are optional but highly encouraged!
Got somethin’ cookin’ that the Scenic City oughta know about? Wanna talk about how cool your weekend was? Tell us all about it! We’d love to yap it up and holler all about it from the porch! Just reply to this message, or send a separate one to [email protected]!
Hand-Picked Community Spotlight: Exclusive Roundabout Waitlist Signup 👀
Alright porch pals, y’all are officially the first to hear about this 👀
Chattynooga’s been quietly plottin’ and schemin’ behind the scenes, and we’re thrilled to finally spill the sweet tea: we’ve been chosen as the official community stewards for Roundabout North Chattanooga, a brand-new local platform designed to bring rural neighborhoods together without all the noise and drama of current social media. Think of it like a calmer, kinder version of a really well ran Facebook Group or a Nextdoor community that’s built for genuine connection and sharin’ information about the town, not chaos.
Right now, Roundabout North Chatt is opening its very first pilot community for residents in Soddy-Daisy, Red Bank, Hixson, and Middle Valley — and you’re invited to be among the very first to try it out!
This early sign-up is your chance to help shape how the platform feels, test features, and give feedback before we roll it out to the rest of the community later this month. Basically, you get to help contribute towards buildin’ our small town’s digital piece of the internet right alongside other neighbors wantin’ to get involved in the community! 💛
So go on neighbor, click that button below and hop on the waitlist to come help us set the tone for what a digital community for our town should really feel like.
A Yap with Mallory Huffstetler on Home, Hair, and Girly Pop Cryptids
Our Bubby’s Backwoods Beasts finale closes with artist, author, and hairstylist Mallory Huffstetler — a Memphis-born, Florida-traveled creative who’s now made Chattanooga her forever home. Her new adult coloring book, Girly Pop Cryptids, is a fun take on spooky folklore, part self-care ritual, and 100% Mallory.
From the river delta to the Tennessee River
Mallory grew up just outside Memphis (“technically Arkansas, but close enough”) and spent several years movin’ and groovin’ along with her husband through Panama City Beach and Key West, Florida during his military service. When that chapter ended, they searched for a soft place to land that felt like them, and found it right here in Chattanooga (lucky us!)
Our pal Mallory with her Cryptid Coloring Book!
The stylist chair as a community hub (and an art studio)
For Mallory, creativity’s always been braided into everyday life (pun totally intended), whether it’s mixin’ a perfect hair color or sketchin’ a cryptid between appointments. With 13 years behind the salon chair, she’s learned that art ain’t always about whatcha make, but how you make people feel. Every haircut is a mini catch up opportunity with old and new friends daily: warm compliments and honest conversation, with a lil’ spark of confidence you take with you when you leave.
When she’s not turning heads with vivid colors and fun cuts, she’s fillin’ notebooks with poems and doodles. A self-proclaimed “journal girly,” Mallory rediscovered illustration after years of quietly scribbling in margins. Her creative philosophy is simple: “You are the art.”
She celebrates the quirks: shaky lines, uneven lettering, and happy accidents. That’s where the heart shows right through.
Once I stopped trying to make it perfect, it actually started feeling like me.
It’s all parta the same rhythm of making, connecting, and letting yourself be a little messy in the process.
Cryptids, but make ‘em cute
It started with a single doodle for , and next thing ya know, Mallory had a full-blown coloring book of creatures with lip gloss and attitude. From the jackalope (her fave) to the Moon Rabbit, every page whispers “Hey girly, c’mon and color us, we’re spooky but we ain’t scary.”
“A lot of adult coloring books are so detailed they stress people out. I wanted mine to feel like play.” So she made it simple, and full of personality. You can color inside the lines, outside the lines, or not at all — Mallory just wants ya to have fun with it.
I’m squonkin’ heeya! A Squonk colorin’ from our very own Clementine McBride!
Mallory loves how today’s cryptid culture lets the monsters be messy and a little bit cute. “They’re still mysterious,” she said, “but approachable.” And if that ain’t the perfect metaphor for being human, we don’t know what is.
Her Advice to Fellow Makers
When we asked what she’d say to folks itching to make something, but weren’t sure how to do it, she didn’t hesitate:
Just start. It don’t have to be perfect to be powerful.
Love the process. The mess is where the magic lives.
Share it anyway. Your bravery might help someone else start.
Why we Love Her (and think you will too)
Mallory’s got that rare kinda creative energy that’s bright and deeply human. She reminds us that art ain’t always gotta be fancy; it just has to be honest. Whether she’s mixin’ hair dye or drawing cryptids in bunny slippers, she’s building community one color at a time.
So here’s to Mallory with proof that monsters can be sweet, imperfections can shine, and Chattanooga really is the best place in the world to call home. If you’re interested in pickin’ up Girly Pop Cryptids, swing by your local bookstore or pick it up from Walnut Street Publishing’s website below!
Clementine’s Corner: Dare to Dance 2025!
You know what I’ve been glued to this fall? DANCING WITH THE STARS. The glitz! The lifts! The drama! This season is packed with talent and high-stakes competition. And for the record, I’m not saying Elaine was robbed on Wicked Night, but I’m also not not saying that. So you can imagine my delight when I learned Chattanooga hosted its very own Dancing with the Stars this past weekend!
The Kidney Foundation’s Dare to Dance brought together 13 local celebrities and 13 professional dancers for a night of ballroom bliss and fundraising magic. Now in its 18th year, the event continues to make a powerful difference for local kidney patients. And when I say the stars showed up and showed out, boy, do I mean it! Big wins went to Heet Patel as People’s Choice, Shayna Webb as Top Performer, and Kyla Green taking home the Grand Champion trophy.
But wait, it gets even better! Dare to Dance 2025 raised over $500,000 for the Kidney Foundation of the Greater Chattanooga Area. That’s a whole lot of dollars making a whole lot of difference for kidney patients right here at home. And THAT gets a 10 from me! Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be practicing my kicks and flicks while I wait for the performance videos to start rolling in.
See Ya on the Porch (and Maybe Online, Too)
And that’s the wrap on this week’s issue, neighbor! A lil’ art, a lil’ heart, and a peek at what’s next for our growing Chattynooga crew. From Mallory’s cryptid cuties to our big Roundabout reveal, it’s all proof that community can look like a lot of things: a coloring book, a haircut, anna click that keeps us goin’, or a friendly wave from your inbox.
We’re mighty proud to share this space with y’all weird, wonderful, and full of life as it is. If ya liked what you read, don’t keep it to yourself; forward it to a friend who’d fit right in on this porch.
Until next time: keep your cocoa warm, your cryptids kind, and your curiosity louder than your inner critic. 💛
— Bubby & Clementine
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